NBC Ironman Hawaii Coverage - What Are The Chances!?

The day before they aired the Ironman Hawaii coverage a few weeks ago, my Mother called to find out some information from me prior to sending out an email to the entire family telling them the race would be on NBC, the times etc. What information would be important enough that she would try me three times that day and leave messages - "What were the chances the family would be able to see you Honey!?" I gave her my best guess estimate - 98% chance they would NOT see me at any point during the coverage, and 2% that they would (later on my high school coach figured it out more accurately, 0.05 chance they would see me, that's 1 out of 1730 people).

She wasn't happy with that answer, but after I explained they obviously can't show everyone, and it's not just some panning shot of people running by for two hours, she was more satisfied and understood.

I was thankful to have been invited to an Ironman party the day of the event hosted by one of the other women in the Pittsburgh area that had been there as well, Lauren. I pulled up to her huge and beautiful house and entered a big living room with twenty or so other triathletes from the area, a big screen TV & tons of food (a necessity when you have that many triathletes in one place). We had a great time, and I was watching and chatting it up about all kinds of triathlon related gear, training etc. - I was in heaven!

Then it happened, at 1 hr 15 mins into the coverage they started showing the finishers and there I was crossing the line. The whole room broke out into cheers and people were pointing at the screen. It was so funny and even kind of cool. Needless to say, my Mother was calling almost instaneously! After sharing her excitement, she lectured me about my hat being too low to tell who I was and that I would need to keep that higher next time - Yes, Mom, ok Mom, I'll try to think about that after racing 140 miles!

It was nice to have the people close to me be so excited because I know I wouldn't have ever been able to cross that finish line without them. My father saw it in California too!

I'm grateful to have the moment of my finish captured and available forever for my fmaily and even kids to see someday. Why they chose who they chose I have no idea. Either way, it was kinda neat and if you want to see it, I've posted it below.

I'm certainly not a celebrity, but if you want my autograph...well, that will be two dollars.

A Very Merry Christmas To All!

Christmas present opening at Mom's house. Notice her tree on the left, it's fiber optic and 2.5 feet tall, with gold fabric under it. I guess that's what happens, you say o well to the real tree!

I hope this finds everyone out there in blog land basing in the glow of a wonderful Holiday! I know I sure am. Much like Thanksgiving, I shouldn't have to eat for a few weeks after two glorious meals in which I ate more like a 250 pound man than a 115 pound triathlete!

Really, it was a spectacular day from Christmas eve service where we light candles and sing silent night to Christmas morning celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ and being thankful for so many things in my life that I am blessed with every day.

Christmas always make me think of all the close friends and family around me. I can't help it, I love tradition, and we have certain people we see, places we go and gatherings to attend. Sometimes it gets a little crazy, but mostly I love it. I'm just so thankful for each and every one of them in my life. They are amazing people and I don't know what I would do without them.. in good times and bad.

On the actual day we opened presents at the apartment and then headed over to Kyle's Dad's house where I ate red skin potatoes out of a martini glass and spooned sour cream, chives, cheese and bacon bits on top (really low calorie Christmas here folks!). They were to die for. I didn't like having to reach up so high with my fork though to get them out of the glass. I guess it was part of the "presentation." My usual presentation consists of actually getting food on the plate and serving it!!

After I was thoroughly stuffed, we headed back to the apartment to pick up the next set of gifts and I said I was going to take a 20 minute nap. I was out. An hour and a half later I finally woke up and we arrived at my Mothers house just in time to help her get another meal ready and open presents!

Santa brought me some Ironman items - pictures coming later. (how thoughtful of him!)

He also brought me a new hat and glove set & Kyle a boot dyer

I hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday and is still basking in the afterglow like I am! Tonight it's dinner with a friend and off to Ellicotville, New York to go see Kyle's Mom and maybe some skiing. Soon it will be time for getting back to 14 workouts a week...I'm taking advantage of the break while I can!! Merry Christmas everyone!!

I'm Not Dead & I STILL Have My Wisdom Teeth!

Although I think at times I might have wanted to be. Ok.. Ok.. a bit dramatic, but once you hear my story, I think it will all be much clearer.

Just as most of the world is doing their final Christmas shopping and trying to locate the perfect gift for friends and family, I am always packing for Vegas. My company has a meeting in Vegas every December somewhere during that second week to go over sales figures, introduce new products and ideas, and eat lots of food and drink lots of wine while sleeping very little. I partake in the meeting part and usually have a few presentations during on new concepts or updated school nutrition policies throughout the country, while trying to leave the gambling and staying up all night to the other folks. I don't do well on no sleep and meetings (trust me, I've tried and ended up falling asleep at a table with everyone starring at me as my head bobs).

The flight out on Sunday December 14th (I will give dates because this will be an integral part of the story as it unfolds), was generally uneventful. I arrived at 8:00pm and the meetings started on Monday and went through Wednesday. On Monday night we saw Jersey boys which was a delightful musical experience and I think I might be singing "SHERRYY.. SHERRY BABY" for the next six months. You should definitely go and see it if you get the chance. Meetings went well and I was even treated to a complimentary massage on the company as my Christmas gift.. how sweet!

On Wednesday the meeting was over at 1:00pm and I was scheduled to leave at 4:27pm. Everything to the airport could not have gone more smoothly - EXCEPT for the 4 inches of snow that accumulated in just over two hours between 3pm-5pm. It looked like a good old Pennsylvania white out. I knew it was bad as people around me at the gate started lining up at the ticket counter, their faces starting to turn sour. Quickly the airport became the worst chaos I have ever encountered. They cancelled just about every flight out that evening and by the time I called the 1-800 number they had provided to reschedule, almost every flight for Thursday and Friday was gone. I was able to get the 7:30am flight to Boston out of Vegas on Friday December 19th. After two hours, I got my luggage and headed back to the hotel. Who knew snow in Vegas could cause such a ruckus. I guess they don't have the equipment to deal. The bad news is I was supposed to get my wisdom teeth removed on Thursday. I really wanted to do it since I'm not training very heavy right now, but to no avail... I still have all four!!

The Luxor with a bit of snow!

After a relaxing day on Thursday, I left the hotel at 4:30am Friday morning. I had switched my flight to go through Phoenix at 6:40am at the last minute and that would get me home about 2 hours earlier. All would have been fine, had there not been ice on the plane. Unfortunately, the only de-icer in the place had broken yesterday (probably from non-use over the last 3 years!) and there was no way to de-ice except to wait for the SUN to come up... very technical if you ask me! However, this meant I would miss my connection in Phoenix to Pittsburgh. At the last minute, I hopped on a flight to Boston thinking I had done myself a favor by getting out of dodge.

When I arrived in Boston after circling the airport for almost half an hour, it was very obvious things were not good. It looked like the Arctic circle outside. Our windows immediately iced over and I received multiple texts from my friends..all flight out of Boston to Pitt had been cancelled for the evening. I was beyond bummed. After a few hours of trying to get rescheduled (MORE LINES) I finally got a hotel room and bunked for the night.

Boston on December 19th after about 6-8 inches

On Saturday December 20th I did some shopping with some friends of a friend, and had a really nice time! That was the plus of the day! Finally, I arrived back at the airport for a 7:30 flight out to Pitt. At 5:30 the plane had already been delayed to 9:45pm. At 7:30pm the monitor showed it leaving at 10:45pm. I was beginning to doubt I would ever get home. It had something to do with our plane not flying in from Virginia. I started praying about Virgina & the weather immediately!! After 6 or so hours in the airport things get a little tense. I had called everyone I knew on the phone and had just about had it! Finally, at 11:00 we boarded the plane to head home and I was convinced it may have been a miracle. We arrived at 1:30am only to find I had to wait in a line of about 50 people to get my luggage that had actually BEATIN me home!! By 3am I was back in the car and low and behold, and ice storm arrived. After an attempt to drive past our old house (that has yet to sell) in Cranberry, I made the decision to turn around and go sleep there for the night. On Sunday morning, December 21st, I drove home.

Trip Statistics:


Meals missed: 4-5

Hours of sleep missed: 5-8


Number of times I cried: 4 (probably partly related to the meals missed & sleep missed)

Days without luggage of any kind: 2

Number of times I have ever used that plastic comb they give you at the hotel: 1

Gratefulness for that plastic comb, deodorant, toothbrush & toothpaste: infinite


Date I tried to leave: December 17th

Date I actually arrived home: December 21st

Days in transit: 4

Number of days until I want to fly again: NEVER, oh wait, I'm going to San Diego on January 4th- Let us pray!!

I Went Dark..

I needed something.. a change, a new look, a look that didn't resemble the terrible two toned hair I had coming from 2-3 inches off my scalp... so I went dark.

I didn't know just how dark I was going. I guess I left that up to the Taylor. I have to say I am a serial hairdresser user. For some reason I am not one of those people who just stick to one and stay with her for like..the rest of their life. Maybe I should be. What would be the fun in that though. This way is more of a challenge. You walk in, you sit down, you hold your breath and BAM.. you have a new look, a new style, a girl sniffling in her chair because she doesn't look like herself anymore (that only happened once).

This was my second time with Taylor which I thought was a good deal. I found her the first time when the place I was supposed to go to magically disappeared my appointment. Since I had let things go waaaayyy too long in the world of hair (aren't you supposed to get a trim like every 4-5 months???), I needed to get my hair cut, and I needed it to happen YESTERDAY! So, I tried a few places and then there I was, standing outside of Supercuts, needing to make a decision, like pronto. I threw out some pro's and con's, considered the horror stories, and then said "I'm just getting a cut, how bad could it be!" The beauty of it was, once in the waiting area I saw a picture of some girl in a magazine and I loved her hair, it was a combination of a bit darker than mine, but with subtle golden highlights. I don't know where my um... we'll call them GUTS, came from that day, but I told Taylor upon meeting her for the first time that I wanted to look like THAT and I pointed at the picture. She said she could do it, and darn it I believed her!


She really did do a great job that day. It was different, but I liked it. See below for case in point.




So, this time, those highlighted portions were getting out of control. They had been done in early September, it was now December. Plus, it's winter, where would I be highlighted from? We certainly will not be getting any sun here in good old PA for um.. about 5-6 months. I asked for darker again - but this time one color, no highlights. "How dark?" she asked. That was a tough one, I wasn't sure. Using the point and decide method again, I motioned to the darker portion of her hair. She completely understood and even offered to mix two colors together for a "blended" tone to give it some interest. I wasn't sure what all of that meant, but I was in. Little did I know I was coming out a dark/red head. You can only see it in certain light, but it is definitely there.

I'm not unhappy with it, but sometimes I look in the mirror and it scares me since I don't know who that girl is. It seems once you start messing with the color it sort of has to continue since something is always growing out so think about that VERY carefully young ladies as you end up in one of those chairs having to pick a color more often than you think! Either way, it will be the new year soon, and I have new hair and soon will have new training to start. I'm looking forward to starting it... Maybe red heads have more fun. I'll let you know!

I'm Getting Antsy

The off-season is a tricky thing for me. I don't have any problems at first. I'm not one of those people that feels they have to have a routine in their life at all points of the year, and the off-season is a welcomed break to the scheduled workouts day in and day out of the regular season training. Mental and physical, by the end of the season I need a serious break and I wait for it, I look forward to it, and finally, it arrives.

With that said, there comes a point when I feel ready, antsy, giddy, excited and basically looking forward to the days of following a day to day plan that has been set out for me by someone else. Prior to this week, I've been running if I please, biking if I please (mostly indoors, yep, I'm a baby) and swimming..well.. not so much. I'm not sure why it's the first to go. My guess is because it involves traveling to an actual place as opposed to walking out my front door & smelling like chlorine (which have not missed ONE BIT mind you since the last time I took a dip in that thing). Another thing I have not missed - DRY HAIR. My hair gets so brittle at swimming four times per week it feels like it might just fall out at some points during the season.

This normally would not be a big deal, but the last few years I've been doing some modeling on the side to try and support this massive addiction they call triathlon and it seems to require your hair not look like a bunch of straw all matted up and brittle full of split ends! Thank God for leave in conditioner is all I can say!! If you ever see someone who looks like me on the web advertising some makeup or fitness gear, it's possiable it's me. See, all this training is good for something besides going fast!

What I'm getting at here is that I'm starting to get the itch. The itch to want a bit more structure than I've had over the last month and half and I think I might be ready to maintenance. That's right, I said maintenance. The maintenance program can be used in Mark Allen's program to keep your fitness at a certain level prior to "peak" performance training kicking back into action.

With Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3 as my first "A" race, my peak plan probably won't even start until late January. If I wait to do something scheduled till then Kyle might loose his mind as I loose mine by not having enough routine or enough structure to really feel like I am on track. We triathletes are a funny group! What can we say!!

So, I guess that's the story. I'm getting antsy and I'm about ready. I still might switch my days around or do some screwy stuff with my plan like cross train just to keep it interesting, but it really isn't that many hours (probably 6-8) when I consider what I was coming off at the end of the season (22-26). It will seem like a little walk in the park!

Look for more on how my maintenance is going soon! I may swim tonight.. maintenance style (2000 yards :) Isn't Ironman perspective wonderful!