Too funny!

Since I don't have a big follow up to the ironman post with my own training... these should make you laugh.

For Paula

for Marcie - bike riding diva!

This last one is too funny for words!

Ironchasers

This weekend some of the brave, awe-inspiring, dedicated, ever-evolving, truly magnificent, men and woman of my triathlon team We Raise The Bar, are competing in the grueling, life-changing Ford Ironman in Coeur d Alene! (Did I get enough adjectives in?)

I am hoping to go watch next year, I of course would love to do this race some day - but I know a bit of what is involved and I know I have much, much more training and discipline before that would take place. The full Ironman is not something you take lightly. I have been watching these superhuman athletes train and they are amazing!

I say superhuman, because the dedication to the sport of triathlon is nothing less than heroic. (that is why i love the sport, eh?)

Swim 2.4 miles - When I went in for my swim last week in the freezing cold, windy day - I didn't mention that while the four of us ladies entered the water, from across the lake came two lone swimmers - training for Coeur d' Alene. I can't swim 2.4 miles at this time... so it is inspiring to watch those that can!

Bike 112 miles - Again while I have been out riding my 12-14 miles - I have been passed by many on the RTB team that are training for the 112 mile bike ride! The longest ride I have done is 20.... I got a ways to go!

Run - 26.2 miles - OK so I am on my way on this one! I know how much training it takes to do a half marathon, so add 2.4 miles of swimming then 112 mile bike ride, then holy cow a full marathon! Wow, I am seriously blown away people do this all in one day! I know I will finish my marathon in October - (see the ticker on the side it is ever taunting me!! counting down!) I am hoping to finish in and around 6 hours... give or take.. you aren't suppose to set a time goal on your first marathon.... so to think people can do Ironman races in 9-10 hours... truly amazing!

So as you roll off the couch this weekend, think of the superhuman athletes out there laying all their hard work on the line - , leaving it all on the course!

Best wishes to all the racers out there this weekend!!

God Speed Ironchasers, God Speed!!

Our fearless leader Patty owner of Raise the bar is out there this weekend. It is an honor to train with her. I wish her all the best, she is a truly selfless individual that gives of herself day in and day out... best wishes Patty!!

words to live by

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

or swim, bike and run! :)

This was in my inbox today - I needed to hear it today. Thought maybe you did too!

I Got Tagged!

Tagging is one way that bloggers connect with each other and each other's blogs.
I have some great people that I have "met" on line and are interested in running and triathlon. I got tagged by You Run? no, Really You run? blog. As some of you know that I run with, I talk about the people's blogs I read. I find most of these people truly fascinating and very inspirational!

So, here are the rules of tagging:
Tagging is easy. Just copy the following onto your post. The rules of the game are posted at the start of your blog post. In this case, I'm asking you 5 questions about running. Each player answers the 5 questions on their own blog. At the end of your post you tag 5 other people and post their names. Go to their blogs and leave a comment on their blogs telling them they've been tagged and to look at your blog for details. When they've answered the questions on their own blog, they come back to yours to tell you. Got that?

So here goes:


1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?


1998 - hmmm I was definitely not running at this point in my life. I was engaged to Derrick and if memory serves me correctly I was traveling for a company every week of the month, not exactly into exercise - more into eating out every single night.... not a great combo!





2. What is your best/worst running experience?


My best running experience by far has to be the last 6 months of training. I have ran 200+ miles and I have found a group of women that push me and help me to achieve my goals. Best race was my half on Mother's day - PR!! I cut 53 minutes off of my first ever half Nov of 06. This leads us to my worst run would have been my first half in 06'. I had not properly trained (I thought I had, ha ha!!) I couldn't walk for a week after the race! Also I bought a pair of "running shoes" ie) they looked cute - they were not the correct size ( I found out later - I have been wearing the wrong size shoe for years!) My toe nails turned black! Big red flag your shoes don't fit!

3. Why do you run?
I started out for various reasons....but why do I continue to run? I found an outlet that works for me. I run because I am happy, I run because I am sad, I run to clear my head, I run to show my kids a healthy lifestyle, I run for me.

4. What is the best or worst piece of running advice that you've been given about running?hmmm. I don't really have a bad piece of advice - the best piece of advice - Get fitted for your running shoes! priceless!

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

What don't you all know my life is pretty much an open book -

I once traveled on a 3 month road trip with my (now) hubby we drove for a promotional tour for 1800Collect - in a cargo van that had Phil Hartman (rest in peace Phil) on the side of it with big huge words saying, "FREE STUFF"! It was a great gig, traveled to college campuses handing out free stuff. We ended the tour in Los Angeles - we got lost in Compton - we were terrified we were going to get shot and the van taken!!


What else can I tell you -

I have taken 7 years of Spanish! While I am not able to hold on a conversation right now (lack of use) I can understand when people are talking. I can't conjugate the verbs quick enough to hold on a conversation. I once went to Spanish camp in highschool (yeah I know big geek here!) where we spoke only spanish the entire week. Actually I had a lot of fun.

People I will tag: (hopefully they will do this)

1. I have to tag Julia from Julia's Journey I find her so inspirational and I am always proud to call her my friend.

2. Viv, from Im not fit to run , well she is the first blog that I stalked! This is a fun term meaning - I found her blog, I liked it and kept coming back to see if she had posted, then finally I introduced myself to her! I came across her blog, cuz I liked the name of it!

3. Again I loved the name - Athena Diaries in the sports world Athena is given to us girls who are not a size 2 but we are out there defying the odds, and kicking some serious butt! Her story of losing weight is incredibly empowering. (OK - oops she already got tagged by I am still leaving her up cuz I love her story!!)

4. Cindy of Triathlon stuff - warrior woman right here!!

5. Last but not least is Wes from A Code Geek's Tail, love his stories - he just finished a 1/2 ironman! Incredible!

Hopefully all of you are up for the tag challenge - I certainly have enjoyed reading your blogs! Thank you for the encouragement and the courage to keep moving toward my goals!

I think I just became hardcore!

Em: Does this qualify us as now being hardcore??


Tina: Yes, this is hardcore!




So there it is... It was verified.... We are hardcore!


Seattle Metropolitan Area
Tonight: windy. Showers, decreasing after midnight. Lows in the 40s. Southwest wind 20 to 30 mph with gusts near 40 mph, decreasing after midnight.

Right now:
Seattle, WashingtonCurrently: 52°F Partly Cloudy
Wind: Southwest at 26 MPH



What were 4 of us doing that make us hardcore?? Well we were swimming in a local lake! As we were getting in the water there were 2 people that are training for the Coeur d’Alene Ironman that takes place is a couple of weeks, coming out of the water. So I will gladly take the "hardcore" title I have given myself! (Am I funny or what?) Yes we had wet suits on... if you were wondering... I had on a shorty - so my legs were a bit cold, but felt good besides that.

I really don't know how far I went probably about a 1/4 of a mile, before getting out! The wind was blowing so hard there were almost white caps on the water making it mighty difficult to swim! I decided that swimming in open water is better done when it is 80' and sunny and calm.

That is all for now!!

Good thing there wasn't anyone at the park... I would have flashed them as I got my wetsuit off and into my clothes.. the restrooms were way to far away to see if they were open, so I hope anyone watching enjoyed the show of us four woman... stripping down with towels around us! (OK maybe it was just me!) After I got out of the water the wind was relentless.... then I got cold brrrrr.....

Shameless plugs

I have officially sold out! As you can tell I am pretty excited about it too!

Our Raise the Bar team uniforms (Local triathlon club) and jackets have arrived. Some of you know just how cool it is to slip into that new uniform. Last year I was kind of bummed all year cuz I didn't order the jacket, well not this year. Thank you to my brother John (who purchased it for me! Thank you!!) I will be wearing this baby all the time. (I think he just didn't want to have me complain all year long that I didn't order one! They only did one order last year so I couldn't get one!)

We have some great sponsors this year. One of them the Hope Heart Institute is near and dear to my heart because they help raise awareness and also do research to help fight against cardiovascular disease. As most of you know my hubby suffered a stroke in '06. So this cause is very close to us. What is very cool about this organization is that 100% of all donations go into research, your money does not go towards administrative costs. Just an FYI! Pretty cool, huh? They not only do research but they also run many programs to help educate men and women on how to lower their risks of a heart attack or stroke. Anyone can have a heart attack or stroke. There are small things you can change in your life that make a big impact on your chances of a stroke or heart attack.
What you can do...

• 
  Eat a low-fat diet that includes eight to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, and three servings of low-fat dairy a day. These foods contain calcium, magnesium and potassium - minerals that help control blood pressure.
  


• Get regular, brisk exercise - at least 30 minutes most days.
  Lose extra weight.
  


• Cut back on salt - About 10 to 15% of Americans are "salt sensitive."
  Limit alcohol - More than one drink a day can contribute to high blood pressure.
  Manage stress.
  


• Buy a home blood pressure monitor. This can give you a better picture of your average blood pressure.
  


• Ask your doctor about blood pressure-lowering medications if lifestyle changes don't help.

Hope Heart Institute and another sponsor Kagome (this is a wonderful product too! can you say YUMMY, more on them later) directly support the Raise the Hope Team I am on which is a subset group of woman within the regular (We Raise the Bar) triathlon team.... we are a wonderful group of woman that not only want to lose some weight, but also but are finding inner strength while participating in life changing events such as triathlons, 5k's, 10k's, Half Marathons and Full Marathons!

Rest assured from time to time I will talk about the sponsors on here - not because I have to ~ but because I believe these sponsors have some great products, and well in this case are truly changing lives!

One more thing, last night at out team meeting we were all learning how to change a flat tire. Being newer to the sport of triathlon this is a rather important thing to know! I have only changed my tire once, but it went fairly quickly and without too much trouble. But they showed us this tool last night that well, it could change your life! (OK, maybe not change it but make it very easy to change a tire!) It is by crank brothers and is called a speed lever. It is different from a normal "tire changing thing-a-ma-jiggy" how you ask? Well let me tell you it is different because it has this handle that you attach to your spoke (the middle part of your tire where all the spokes meet.) So you just spin the tool all the way around your tire and pop off the tire with one hand. Normally you have to slide the tool around on your own, this new tool guides it around because it is attached! (hope that makes sense) Seriously is a cool tool! (wanted to make more use of the parenthesis) Plus it is only around $6.00! You can't beat that price in the sport of triathlon!

This may be old hat for you veterans in the sport, but if you are new to biking and or triathlon, get one of these!

Thanks for listening to my ramblings... you will see me in my spandex soon ( I know you are excited for that) ha ha ha!! As my friend Julia says "Spandex is a privilege not a right!" I don't know where she got it but it cracks me up each time I hear it.

Another funny note, last night we all changed into our uniforms so they could take some photos - here we are 15-20 woman wearing spandex! Maybe I only thought it was funny ~ but two years ago I would have never done that - and then to know I would be photographed! Too much.

Full marathon

Let's see this weekend I lived vicarously through two of my team mates that ran in and FINISHED the Rock N Roll San Diego Marathon! Shout out to Teresa and Jessi!! (I will have to ask them if I can post their pics!)





To say that I am excited for them is well, an understatement. They are the first of our triathlon team to complete a full marathon. I am so fired up I can't hardly control myself.


The cool thing is that I am kind of inbetween the ladies in how fast I run. One of them is between 10:50 and 11:30 min a mile, and the other one is about 13:30 a mile. I fall somewhere in the middle at about 12+ min a mile for anything over 10+ miles. What makes me happy is to know that they both completed the marathon, meaning I can too... There times you ask? Jessi 5:15 min and Teresa 7:30 you gals rocked it!!





I think we always see ourselves in other people. Some of you out there in blog land may have thought after reading my rambling blogs, if she can do it, I can do it! Well that is my thought too. If they can do it, then I can too!





My excitement turns to nervousness, I want to be well prepared for the race. I am putting in the miles, and I know that will pay off, but the mental part ... how do you wrap your brain around running 26.2 miles? I don't enjoy driving 26.2 miles :)



I am actually submersed in a book on mental training. For any non runners out there - it is such a mental sport. Your body does what your mind tells it to! "They" (don't you love that? who is they?) say that after 20 miles you physically can do the next 6.2 it is all a mental battle. That is why when you are training for a marathon your longest run is 20 or depending on the program 22 mile run. My program (it is official I have a program - yeah me!how "cool athlete" is that ? )

I will do 2 - 20milers and one 22 mile run.. the rest vary from 14 miles to 18 miles. This weekend and for the next 2 weeks I will be doing 14 miles for my long run.

Wow.... that is a lot of miles!

My point being I know after this training I will be able to do it.... how cool is that? When I first had the idea of running (after the loss of my friend, Liz - I thought I would run in Portland) I wasn't sure if I really could but let's see , after 200+ miles (holy cow 200+ miles) of training... I am feeling ready to take on what I thought was once impossible....



Glad to have you along for the ride. I know this blog has turned into my running blog now, with occasional family photos - but you know I think that is great, as I evolve so do the things around me. I find peace in this new passion. I find running a new outlet, so thanks for hanging with me on this journey.


There is 8 of us that are going to do the Portland Marathon in October. I say "Bring it on Portland! I will be ready"



The countdown timer is ever spiraling down, so my intensity will heat up!



Go run your race, what ever race you choose ~ run it with all your heart!