30 Days.. and counting

I can't believe we are only 30 days out from Ironman Coz. Wow.. time does fly (in some respects)! This week has been a rest week for me (well, in perspective.. only 14 or so hours!) and I've been enjoying getting a bit more sleep and catching up on a few things from the past two weeks. In fact, I was having a conversation with one of my athletes this week and I said "why aren't you saying anything - are you there?" and he said "yeah, this is the most you've talked in two weeks and I'm just letting you roll with it!" Well, I guess that means - I'm back to the land of the living!

Before I was able to get to this week though - I had to get through my longest run of the training. That was this past Sunday. It would be 3 hours and I covered a LOT more ground than I thought I would because I did it on the Montour trail. I LOVE this trail because it is flat, fast, and gravel so it's easy on the legs. Jeremy and Jocelyn were even kind enough to meet me at mile five and run for six or so. They were so sweet to do this considering that they had basically just taken two full weeks off since Kona and I was bustin the move to keep my heart rate up on this run. Jeremy wasn't saying a word during most of the three miles he spent with us so I had a feeling his legs were not enjoying it AT ALL : )
Then they left, and it was time to do some more work. I had around 13-14 more miles to go by my calculations and I knew it might be tough, but I was going to work hard and enjoy the beauty of this absolutely gorgeous fall day around me. The weather was so perfect and I was thankful to be alive and able to run!

I think sometimes Ironman training, or any new challenge, is like this tunnel. You can't really see what's beyond the opening, but you know it's there and you just have to keep pushing until you can finally break through and see for yourself. There are times when you feel like the end is not even in sight, and you wonder if you'll make it, or if it will even be as enjoyable as you think it is when you get there. However, we just keep pressing on, learning about ourselves and enjoying the journey to the end, hoping eventually.. we make it.

Once through, I'm thinking it will be even more beautiful than I imagined (just like the view right after the tunnel on Sunday).

When I got my new running shoes last week, I knew it would be the pair I was wearing for the race. I always write the date I got them so I know when I'm getting close to needing a new pair. However, this time I wrote myself a little note so I would remember that all these long runs and rides and swims will be worth it when these babies cross the finish line!

Remember my bad garmin strap chaffing from last week (I certainly do!)

I came up with a solution - clear medical tape right over the chaffing! It's working like a charm!! Humm.. now is this patentable?

Some new socks to keep me happy and smiling when I run!

My new Ballou Skies top from SPLISH finally arrived!! I'm excited to break this out for the race!! Thanks to Dawn for getting it done!! I love it!

In other news, Kim tagged me so next week I will be doing my little list of questions like she did this week - which was HILARIOUS I might add (in usual Kim fashion)! So I'm looking forward to that!!

Another fellow blogger is doing some awesome thing called Spreading Aloha To The Marshallese." You know her, you love her - Bree Wee!! I'm sending over some used shoes next week so please help her out and send some used shoes, or a donation or anything to help spread Holiday cheer to these people. Amazing Bree - as always - thanks for your spirit!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!! I have a little computrainer test today that should tell us what I'm going to ride in Coz - LET the FUN BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday's Chilly Century

Note the long wind resistant jacket, gloves, shorts with leggings over and of course.. two hats under the helmet. This is what cycling in PA looks like at the end of October! Of course, this was early and it got much nicer as the day lingered on. However, my hard-core cycling friend Joe determined a 7:00am start would be the best to get training done early. I had to agree. The longer I have to wait to eat my first real meal of the day - the more unhappy I am!

We started off with a goal - 20 mph for the entire 50 mile out and back loop. I thought this goal was a tad bit ambitious.. but I was willing to try. He said the course was relatively flat so thought it was out there, but we might have a chance. We headed into Ohio and then West Virginia - my first multi-state ride!! I decided we probably didn't have time to stop an play slots.. but we might as well see the horse track since we were here!

It was pretty neat to see the horses being trained. They were running sideways.. doing horse drills I guess! Very cool!

Then we decided that even though we were hitting the goal mph, that a scenic ride would be nice too so we went from flat to hills on the way back. Joe was kind enough to play photographer for most of the day with his iphone. Thanks Joe!

My garmin always wants to shut off every time I make a pit stop and I end up having to reset it on the bike.. not fun.. Hold glove in mouth, attempt to fix watch while NOT getting hit. Yeah, I should have probably pulled over. Totally caught on film here!

Ha - Got ya Joe!

Oh great.. the behind shot.. the setting is pretty though!

Hills, Hills and more hills.. we dropped like 2 mph in a matter of a few hours! I started to get a little loopy and you know that "I want off my bike now please" feeling in my nether-regions.. so I told Joe that it was time to circle the wagons and head back to camp. I was almost out of water and I don't actually have a cycling computer right now (my Polar bike computer died a few weeks ago and I've been trying to muster up the $ to buy a garmin or something of the like) so I had NO idea how far we were (and Joe never said squat!). I knew we were close to town though and just as I was about to breath a sigh of relief he yells "TURN LEFT HERE!!"

I kept thinking.. "no.. town is strait, I don't want to turn left." I had a feeling it might end badly.. and it did..

He decided to take me up some MASSIVE hill at like mile 103.. just to see the look on my face. Thanks Joe.. awesome.. that was really nice.

It went on and on, oh - and ON.. He got off JUST to take a picture. I probably would have done something bad with my hand or hit him if I could have taken my arms off the bars. I was pulling up and needed the leverage so I just yelled at him and let it go.

Maybe it will make me stronger for Cozumel. o wait - Coz is flat. Well, mentally tough. After a 50 minute run I was finally done for the day (at 2:40pm!). I headed STRAIT to get a big lunch before even leaving town to drive home!!

All in all, it was a big day and I felt fortunate to have a friend along to carry me through some rough parts (even if he did trick me at the end). Thanks Joe - that day won't be forgotten any time soon!!

Everythings Not Lost

Here we go!!  Sing it with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ballou Skies Fundrasier at Buckheads - HUGE Success!

At 7:00pm on Friday I was twiddling my thumbs (well, I was shoving food in my mouth, but I was still nervous) wondering if anyone was actually going to show up to the Ballou Skies fundraiser. Did we send out enough emails? Did we post enough fliers? What about Facebook, did anyone actually GET the invitation to the event?

The room was pretty empty and I was starting to sweat a little that we might have hundreds of dollars in donated merchandise that would not be given away for charity! However, thank heavens, once I had finished whoofing down my dinner, people started to arrive. The rest is a blurr!

Kyle was helping me sell raffle tickets (thanks K!) and friends were funneling in from every direction giving hugs and asking how they could help! It turned out to be an amazing evening and we raised just shy of $2500 for kids with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and research to help them find a cure.

I showed off a "Bird Condo" made by Kyle's Mother's boyfriend - ha.. that's a mouthful! I think it ended up going for $50.00!

The signed Max Talbot and Franco Jerseys were a huge hit and bought in some high bids!

The Chinese auction was a great idea. I'm not sure why they call it a Chinese auction in the first place though?! I should look that up!

Ty and Ryan were super pumped that we had such a great turnout! Over a hundred people were crammed into our little roped off area of the restaurant / bar!

Ryan had a few other friends show up - he looks surprised and happy to see them!

Part of the Ballou Skies crew took a second to pose for a picture toward the end of the night!

Kathy, Jocelyn and I

Kyle got a picture with Ryan - Thanks for all your help Kyle!!

Finally, Ryan, Ryan's sister Merett and I got a picture at the end of the night (which for me - was 10:00 - I had a long ride to do in the morning!).

My feet were KILLING me by the end.. but it was totally worth it. The comments were so positive and I couldn't believe how many friends and family showed up to support this great cause. I just felt the love everywhere I looked and I feel so very fortunate and thankful to be part of a team of athletes doing good and having fun at the same time!! Very cool!!

Thanks to everyone who came out. It was a great night to raise some funds for charity!!

Pictures from Saturday's century coming shortly - STAY TUNED!

How Do You Do It??

Surprisingly enough, I get asked this quite often.

I'm not sure what people mean by it. I guess they feel I'm doing a lot of different things?! I've never done anything different so I suppose I don't even know better!

I have to say, I don't think I would have it any other way. I mean, I love down time as much as the next person, but there's a time for that (like when I'm six feet under :) Well, or maybe more like the off season. For now, as my Mother / Mother-in-Law sometimes says...

"You're trying to cram two pounds of ^&$% in a one pound bag!!!"

Yep, that's right.. I am.. and then I'm trying to layer a few more things on just to get them in!!

It's gotten a bit harder lately though.. and at times these last few weeks, I really thought I might have a small meltdown (oh wait, I did last week on Friday night - well, another one then!). The workouts were intense and frequent, work was busy, and getting ready for the fundraiser tonight plus still having clean laundry kept a lot of balls in the air!! I think I've manged to get through almost unscathed. Then again, I still have a long ride tomorrow and a long run on Sunday!

Unfortunately, this weekend will no doubt not be as fun of a long run as last Sunday when I met up with my awesome friend and tri-sister Heidi! It was quite the reunion having her back in town. The only thing that was missing was a big bottle of wine which I suffice to say will be in the mix in December when she returns for the holidays and we both aren't IM training!
We looked so RED faced in this picture because we had just gotten out (what felt like) a 100 degree pool!! It was SO hot!! I felt terrible that I brought her to my pool and they turned up the heat like mad! We still mad it 3500 amazingly enough!! I KNOW I was sweating!
Then we were both hurting pretty bad so we just talked away for the whole two hour long run!! I was happy to just be running PERIOD after my long ride the day before. My legs were toast, but she made it so much more enjoyable. We caught up on all the news we've missed when we don't have time to call each other due to the massive amount of training! I know she is going to ROCK IT at IM FL in a few weeks!

After doing some math - I realized my running shoes MAY just be the source of my knees, hips, ankle aches. 600 some miles on them - huh Kim - ya think?! So I finally had enough time to head to Second Sole and get a new pair. As usual, DJ hooked it up..
And I made him take these awful pictures where we tried to look tough and make some sort of signs.. which I know we shouldn't mess with - but I just couldn't stand to just say "CHEESE" in another picture!! I did that last week (which you will see below!).
I look like a crazed women getting these shoes.. then again.. so does he. I had a few requests for him to take his shirt off last time since he was kidding around with me about it.. but he got all shy on me and said he would regret. Yeah.. this is a family blog I guess. Then again.. everyone and their brother posted half naked pictures of the Underware run in Kona - so I might be being conservative here! Maybe we'll take up a Ballou Skies collection for him to do it next time - thoughts?? How much can I raise - hummmm...

Lastly, I feel like I dork, but then again, I like readers and sometimes people find this stuff sort of interesting so I figured I could use your help! I had my headshots / portfiolo redone last week and I am TRYING to pick the best pictures to use on the website. These are the totally untouched / unphotoshopped versions. If you wouldn't mind letting me know which ones you like - that would be really helpful!

Number 1

Number 2

Number 3

Number 4

Number 5

Number 6 (ouch.. this one is hard for me to look at for some reason.. maybe its the fact that he put me in DOUBLE jeans - yes, that was what he wanted. I heard this is a fashion no-no.. who knows - not me!)

Number 7

I thought they were decent, not great. Then again, I am my own worst critic. I swear, if THIS doesn't get me some work (which has been seriously lacking lately), then I'm going to have to hang it up and not invest one more dime in this part of my life. I just don't have extra $ to throw at pictures so even springing for these was pretty tough considering I have an Ironman on the horizon!

Hopefully, new pictures on the website will bring in some potential work and I can attempt to pay off this trip in Nov.

Let me know which ones you like!! Thanks everyone!! Oh - and thanks so much for the comments about my aunt - here was her update yesterday!! SO happy.. prayer works!!

Good news! Infection not in port lines so we don't have 2 replace it & bacteria gone. No more fevers & most counts r holding. Had 3 platelet transfusions & white remain stubborn. Trying new drug tomorrow & staying here until we can harvest. Stem cells. Charlie came down w cold so I'm grounded here & he @ home. LOL! I'm in great hands & we're in the home stretch. Thank u God! :D

What if the hokey pokey really IS what it's all about??

Well, I kind of doubt that, but I will say that as much as I dread doing that dance at weddings / random occasions, I always end up having a smile on my face!

It looks like fall out my office window and its starting to feel like it too. We had a our first frost last night and I'm sure the couple of hanging baskets on my porch are probably going to bite the dust soon!

I've been busy busy this week getting ready for the Ballou Skies Fundraiser on Friday night at Buckhead's Saloon in Station Square. There will be a TON of great items for auction, as well as, just a fun evening among friends so that will be cool. I'm really looking forward to it.

In training news, I've been spending a lot of time like this - aka - sweaty, on the trainer and in my aerobars! I have to say I've been loving the "strength" workouts I've been getting through my new coach (Coach Justin) this season. I can remember a time when spending ANY time in the big ring / hardest gear was tough. Now I can hardly complete my workout on the trainer because I'm turning over the RPM's too fast in that gear. I need a spin bike at the gym with endless resistance (or I need the computrainer fairy to drop by and pay me a visit..if you see her out and about.. please send her my way!).

Workout are going well and I'm just taking it one day at a time. The next two mornings I can get up at 6:00am or later.. be still my heart - I'm excited just thinking about it!!!

Finally, the bad news is that my garmin heart rate strap is trying to kill me. I'm not sure what I did to deserve it, but it is getting MAJOR mad with me lately! I think because it's a little loose (it was worn by Mr. Jason J. before - sorry Jason but you're bigger than me - which is good - really!!) that it has too much room to rub. Either way.. the though of putting it on again tonight / tomorrow makes me cringe!

The culprit!

Oh - and lastly - I couldn't be MORE excited that two awesome pro ladies that are amazing bloggers, people and athletes are headed to IM Cozumel also (Charisa & Bree)!! Yippeee! I'm really exited to see them and get a chance to race alongside some of the best (well, maybe more like behind them or I'll see them on a loop or something!).

Hope everyone is doing so well! Thanks for all the wonderful encouraging comments about the training. I am not giving up you guys!! You inspire me and I LOVE YOU!

PS. One last shout out to my aunt Dena who is going through some rough stuff right now with her Cancer treatment. Her white and red cell blood counts are really low and she had to be admitted unexpectedly last weekend. Please pray she'll get those counts up and be allowed to come home soon. I'm praying every day! Love you Aunt D!

How Bad Do You Want It...

I used to have a coach in high school track that became known to me for this phrase "How bad do you want it?" She would ask me while I was snuggled up in a warm bus at some neighboring high school while one of the last flurries of April were blowing past my window and I was our only 3200 meter runner and a big scorer for the meet. I was just beginning to understand my mind as an athlete, and my 3200 time was nothing to be that impressed with, but it sure meant something to me. I was convinced that I was one of the better long distance runners in our district, and I was on the varsity track team in 9th grade (not something that other girls could necessarily say). It was rough out there on the track, wind blowing in my face, tiny see through horribly fashioned yellow polyester shorts blowing against my freezing legs..

But my answer was always the same.. for me, and for my teammates.. I wanted it.. and I wanted it bad.

Friday after my long bike / run combo of the week.. I cried. There, I said it.. I was a total girl and I just burst into tears in my car.

I'm also convinced if you don't cry once, maybe twice during your Ironman training.. well, I hate to say it, but you're probably not doing it right. That may be harsh, but it's the truth. Ironman training is hard.

When I started out on Friday at 12:40pm the skies were a bright blue against the autumn trees and the day was a pleasant 58 degrees. It was a tad bit chilly on the downhill, but I knew I could handle it. I had a plan to go meet my fellow Ballou Skies teammate Joe about 20 miles away and tackle the middle 2 hrs of my ride before riding back toward home for a few hours before dark. You do the math - that's a 6 hour ride. I still had an hour of running planned before I would be done - at 8:00pm...on a Friday night. Yep, that's Ironman training. I knew it would all be worth it when I made it through my Saturday run with a good friend and was done for the rest of the weekend. If I could JUST HOLD ON..
I met Joe and even though I was feeling the extreme week of training in my legs, our chatting and the beautiful scenery kept me feeling upbeat and happy to be on my bike.
He decided to take me on "hike a bike" through a section of road that was not quite finished being repaved. That's ok Joe.. this ain't my first rodeo.

Then we stopped by my summer home :) Ok.. well, maybe it isn't mine, but I left a note asking if I could stop by and give them free nutrition / triathlon advice if I could just take a look and figure out WHAT is in ALL THOSE ROOMS.. seriously!! Who needs that much space!!
Joe had to get back to work on some things at home, and I noticed the sky overhead seemed much more unhappy by the time I was headed toward home. Thanks Joe!! I had fun!

It proceeded to drop and drop in temperature. Then the winds picked up to between 10 and 20 mph in certain stretches (mostly when I was lucky enough to be headed right into it). My face started to hurt and my hands started to go numb. At some point my stomach was revolting against any more drink (which was not enough to begin with due to the cold) and I was pedaling on very few calories. While climbing the final hill up to my car at 6:30pm, a driver shouted some obscenities out his window and I was just trying to hold myself together for 10 more minutes.

Would I run? I didn't want to run.. I didn't feel like running.. I was FREEZING.. my legs were killing me.. I wouldn't even run fast - then why do it!

I augured and argued with myself. After changing in the building vending area of my office, with a coke in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.. I decided I would give it a try. I headed back out into the dark with nothing but my headlamp and some upbeat music.

I didn't make it an hour, but I did make it five miles.. On a day like that.. I'll take it.

Still, by the time I got to the parking lot at Giant Eagle, I had gone almost 8 hours without a meal and it was just too much. I was cold, tired, beat down and so hungry it was playing with my emotions. I said all the bad words about Ironman in my mind that I could think of, and I then I tried to imagine how I would feel standing on the starting line at IM Coz. Wouldn't I want a few of these in the bank?? Isn't it important that I wanted to get off my bike about 16, 343 times - but I didn't.. and that meant something.

You see.. I want it folks, I want it bad.. so I'm just going to have to get through a few more tough weeks of this, and then I will rest, regroup and let my body build back up again and get stronger. I want to know that while I was out here working hard, I was working so hard that sometimes it made me question WHY I was working this hard. I would need to find the answer much more before mile number 130.. that's too late to be asking the question. The question already needs to asked, and the answer known.

So, that was training last week. Let's see if we can do it again this week..

If you're taking your off season and letting the fire build up in your belly once again, or if you're like me... in the midst of it so far you can't even see sometimes.. you've got to ask yourself

HOW - BAD - DO - YOU - WANT - IT

I know.. do you?

Oh The Joys of Ironman Training..

I have to say, I sort of forgot what it was like to be training for an Ironman (while trying to keep the rest of my life going as well!). It's been a bit difficult at time, but all in all, I really like it. Sometimes I will get my schedule for the week and wonder how in the WORLD I am going to fit all of this into two weeks, let alone ONE week around everything else. However, somehow, my some miraculous feat, gift from God or just me gritting my teeth and setting the alarm earlier and earlier.. I manage to get most of it in.

This week has been no exception. Four swims, four runs, three bikes, and some lifting / core work and I'll end with a beautiful 23 hours of training + work + life. It's ok though, one week at a time, I'm knockin it down. With each week I'm feeling stronger (and looking a little more forward to the next rest week!!!).

Some of the joys of Ironman training are as follows:

- Sipping Tea at my desk after a long swim

- Seeing the leaves change on a regular basis (like a daily basis!)

- Seeing the world from my bike

- Taking a few half days so I don't have to use my entire Saturday to train. Welcome to what it feels like to be a professional triathlete!!

- Chafing in places I can't talk about in this public arena for fear of public ridicule.

- Spending three hours running with my good friend Heidi on Saturday who will be up from New Orleans!! Can't wait to see you H!

- Eating, Eating and more eating.. which is good and bad. I swear, I just can't get enough in!

- Talking to my coach on like an every day / every other day basis - adjusting workouts, dialing everything in.

- Setting "getting up early" PR's.. like this week, when I saw Blue at 4:30am!

Looking cute Blue - tell ya what, I'll bring the Powergels, let's go for a spin..

- Seeing the look on my co-workers faces when they ask how far I ran on Sunday!

- Planning my escape to Cozumel when the weather here starts looking really gray and crappy!

- Thinking about all kinds of things during my 5-6 hour bike rides!

- Remembering how lucky I am to get a chance to even do this...
- Knowing that "someones got my back." Wherever I go, whatever I do, I know that even when I'm out there training in the dark, and it's cold, and the road in front of me is barely visible, I know I am not alone. There are people on this earth, and beyond, rooting for me, supporting me, and knowing that training for this race is part of what I believe is my life's goal and purpose. Reading an inspirational book while training for IM has really helped me put all of it into perspective. I often times feel like I'm reading the words of my own mind while enjoying the work of Jason Lester.

“It’s not about running or Ironman,” Lester said of his book. “It’s not about Jason Lester. It’s about how to live a life closer to your purpose. There were so many dark moments along the path I took to where I am now. There are so many people in dark moments right now. My challenge has helped mold me into the man I’m supposed to be. Not every day was pretty. I wanted to give up many times. But, ultimately, the challenges I’ve faced have stretched my mind. Your mind doesn’t shrink again. It just continues to grow.”

And we will continue to grow, and change, and learn more as we continue through this journey they call Ironman. I'm excited for some time this weekend with Kyle, family and friends.

I hope all of you that competed in Kona this past weekend are healing up and enjoying some down time. You deserve it..

Wish me luck!