Yellow Belt!

My nephew Ben just received his Yellow Belt in Karate...I had to post a picture. He is so happy! Even little Ben is 'aiming high'! He is the one in the middle grinning ear to ear...Go Ben Johnson!

Eagleman 70.3: Irony and Persistence

Irony and sport. Some days, we can walk away from an event and despite a lackluster outcome, realize an even greater 'victory' than what a win could ever provide. When I reflect on this years Eagleman 70.3 event (that I competed in yesterday), I keep coming back to two concepts: Irony and Persistence.

Why irony? I have been focusing on my cycling for a few months now. I went into this race having logged 6 rides of close to 80 or more miles; for me, this is a huge accomplishment and also a significant increase in my training on the bike (mind you, they have all been at least a week apart from one another). I was feeling strong, confident and ready to test out my 'new' cycling legs. Sure, I was fortunate to have done a PR marathon back in March, but in need of some run-recovery, I had greatly shifted my focus away from running (as in, 3-4 runs/week) and over to the bike, my glaring weakness in triathlon. Looking longer term, I am planning to do an Ironman in late August, and I am bound and determined not to let my race result (or lack thereof) be decided by yet another slow bike split.

Irony? I got out there on Sunday, in Maryland, and from the first 5 miles, I felt flat. It hurt. I literally had nothing in me for the bike. To have 56 miles to go on flat legs and an ensuing negative attitude, it made for a rough 2 hours and 36 minutes (yes... the slowest professional bike split by, oh; about 5 minutes). Multiple times, I wanted to quit. My thoughts: 'What is WRONG? Why NOW? I am rested! This is not supposed to happen!'

Persistence: I could not quit. I did not even have an excuse. As much as I would have welcomed a flat tire, or a mechanical, there was none of it... just me, my non-cycling legs and lots of open road. I cannot be so proud that, simply on an 'off' day, I give in to pain and a sub-par body. My thoughts out there on the long, lonely roads (as I cursed at myself each and every time another woman would pass me), "Quitting gets you nowhere. You know you are better than this; we all have bad days." Unfortunately, countered with, "Kelly, give it UP! Who are you kidding? Throw in the towel. Do you want to have another 'great swim, great run' race? Enough is enough."

Lesson: Days like these are 10x harder than any day that you have a big win in you...
because on the days you are off, or struggling, you have to battle not only a body that
does not want to perform, but a slew of negative thoughts along with it.

Irony? The end of the 56-miles did eventually come, though none too early, and what did I find? My legs! My running legs! I came off the bike and I felt very strong, it was almost as if I could barely keep up with them.

More irony? A PR 1/2 marathon run split off the bike by over 2 minutes. (...what? how?...) I probably passed 6 or 7 women and was lucky to sneak in for a 5th place finish and even felt stellar that last mile (as I even timed myself to see what I could do on mile 13!). While I came into this race having been 3rd in 2008, and with a goal of trying win it this year (as my blog title says, aim high!), I was quite graciously humbled out there, but pleasantly surprised by a strong run at the end. It was a very strong field, and I have to thank all the women out there battling it out and forcing me to find something there at the end I was not sure that I had in me. I even had a 'support team' that I did not want to let down. My parents came out from Indiana to watch, and my husband Derick even surprised me on Saturday to watch (getting a ticket completely last minute). I am so glad I could make this exciting for ya'll! (um, it was all part of the plan). :) Additionally, a big thanks to those who believe in me and support me: Zoot, 3 Cosas massage, Hill Country Running, Jack and Adams, Go with the Flo, and Advanced Rehabilitation.

PERSISTENCE - Motto of the day: Don't give up.

It may sound cliche, but if you are doing what you love in life - if you are attacking your passions with genuine enthusiasm and honest hard work - and if you believe in yourself, giving up when shit happens simply gets you nowhere. (that was my other recurring thought, 'shit happens').

We learn so more about ourselves on the tough days than the days it all just comes together. Remember to try to see some perspective when you find yourself in this situation (as we all will, at some point)... How bad is it, really? A mediocre day of racing (or even training) is still a glorious day because you are out there doing it. And I believe that when we can finish the task on the tough days, even if it it ugly (and you want to cry; not that I wanted to cry...) this is what gives us the strength to have the good days. Had I of quit on the bike, I would not have allowed myself the chance to redeem myself on the run. And THAT would have been a wasted opportunity. So, keep at it; you never know what may be hiding around the next corner.

Deep Eddy Makes Me Happy

Everyone in Austin raves about Barton Springs. Barton Springs is nice, but in my opinion, in the HOT of Austin summer, Deep Eddy is where it's at. It is a spring-fed pool (as I believe is Stacy Pool as well), and the temperature is usually around 70F. I think it settles around 72, which is just perfect to be refreshing without too shocking. In the winter, it will get down to the upper 60's... a bit too cold for me, so I go to Stacy which is a constant 80-ish. The thing about Deep Eddy is just the entire experience. For $3, you walk down these endless stairs (ok going down, but very tiring coming back up) and head to the left where the 8 lap lanes are. If they are all full of 2 people each (not circling) then people simply 'wait' in an unspoken 'line' for people to get out. Sometimes people are asked to circle...the length is 33 yds long, so circling is not that big of a deal; it is usually only 3 people per lane. Even if I am doing a workout, I am very open to sharing the lane. It's just the Deep Eddy vibe.

You cannot stop too long, because then, even in the HOT of summer, you start to get cold. I try to do my usual 'get in and warmup then go right into a main set without talking to anyone or inviting conversation', hammer out 3K or so then take a breather. If I am lucky, I will see someone I know and start chatting... at which point about 15 minutes later, I realize how cold I have gotten and voila! My workout is done! And the next happy customer takes my spot in the lane; it's such a nice flow of traffic.

Then comes the best part, the showers. After drudging up the 62 steps (ok maybe not that many, but it feels like it some days), they have this outside shower/change room and excellent showers. By 'excellent' I mean good pressure and hot! Even though it may be pushing 100 outside, after an hour in the brisk water, it feels good to bask in the hot showers. The best part is, when you leave, you usually have a bit of a chill from the swim that seems to help keep you cool for awhile. As I said, to put it simply, Deep Eddy makes me happy. If you are in Austin sometime, you should check it out for a splash.

Other news:
- Derick and I are having a house warming party on Saturday night! Quite exciting, I guess this is what you do when you 'buy' a house. We really do love this little house and I think our cat Shackleton does, too. Though, Derick thinks he may be depressed; we don't let him out since he got nailed by a truck as a kitten and I saw it happen. He ran straight to it. It was awful. I don't think he is depressed, though I must admit, I did search 'cat depression' the other day. He does not have many signs... he still grooms himself, eats, and will hang out in the house near us. I just think he wants to play outside. I debate allowing it every so often, but I think I am too attached to him to come to terms with the fact that he could get hit again...

- This Ironman training stuff is for real. I am starting to ramp things up for Canada in August; the 30th to be exact. I think I have done a handful of 70+ mile rides, and this past weekend was my biggie -- 90 miles! Since I didn't have my TT bike (my SRM had to be sent back for some TLC), I was on my road bike and didn't have any 'data'. So, I came home and Mapped My Ride (I know, I am a dork but I HAD to see if I hit 90!). My riding time was 5:15, and it was about 89.5; which in my book is definitely 90 miles. It was a pretty hilly course in/around Austin, and the most amazing part was that I ENJOYED it! I did this solo...

- Then came Saturday night, post-ride, when we went to see BRANDI CARLILE live here in Austin @ UT. She is one of the most amazing performers ever. Derick and I decided for some odd reason to take it upon ourselves to, well have a bit too much sangria before the show. Why? I really do not know. Maybe I was celebrating my biggest bike ride ever, maybe we were excited that we were 'out on the town'. In any case, we had dinner, some Sangria, then visited Mellow Mushroom across from the Texas Union Ballroom and had some Dogfish Head beer. Tasty stuff! Good beer is one of my vices. The show was beyond amazing, as she always is, but why, for a very chill show of 325 people (seated, might I add) did we do this to ourselves? Not so sure, especially since Derick did the Rogue Trail 10K the next morning at 7:30 AM and I did a 15 mile. Lesson learned? I cannot do this to my body when training for 7 hours in a weekend! But, it's all good. We have to learn these lessons somehow, don't we?

That is about it here. In all honesty, I am really enjoying my new routine sans-school (I took 2 classes @ Austin Community College this past spring). Currently, I can divide my days up with training sessions and work (Source Endurance). Work is going great, and I am really enjoying it; we have to count our blessings in this economy to be 'busy' with work, I cannot complain. It seems that minus just that one element, 2 classes 2 days/week, my time has opened up a bit and I can balance things very well. I just have to be cognizant of recovery, fluid intake and time management with this increase in training. But, the new challenge is great! That is what life is about.

And one more thing...a HUGE congrats to Dede Griesbauer, who recently NAILED an Ironman in Brazil. Dede trained here in Austin a bit a few months back; seems like a very cool girl. She won it with a 9:10! Absolutely stellar performance. And the most amazing part? I believe Dede is 40, or pushing it. I think that is simply awesome to see women doing lifetime PR's at that age. More power to her, and everyone else out there challenging themselves...

I am off for some dinner and a movie. Thanks for reading; and if you are in Austin, training in this heat, drink up! ...And, by that I mean water. :)

Columbia Triathlon - Another Rainy Race!

After many years of racing, I finally headed up to the northeast for the Columbia Triathlon (in Ellicot City, Maryland). Why did I go up to this race? Well, I did Eagleman 70.3 last year (run by same crew) and I really enjoyed this one; so, I figured I'd 'go shorter' and try their 'sister race' with the Columbia Triathlon which is put on in May. This race has actually run for 28 years. However, the venues are VERY different! Eagleman is in Cambridge, but you are looking at pancake flat and, at least in '08, HOT. This year in Columbia, it was cool and rainy (I am seeing a trend thus far...rain at every race!) and lots of hills! But, I do like hills and assuming I say upright on the bike, rain does not bother me too much either.

I had a wonderful homestay, the Schofields, who lived literally one mile from Centennial Park where the race took place. They were incredible; very accomodating, and to make matters more exciting, their 3 kids (ages 13, 15, and 17) were doing a relay competing with their dad! Unfortunately, dad came out on top. Well, unfortunately depending on how you look at it; fortunately for the longevity of (all of us) aging atheltes! He had a great race, doing a PR on the course...

I arrived Friday late morning and went straight to their house; relaxed, ate pizza, had a beer and enjoyed meeting their family that evening. Saturday was the typical, I rode towards the course but only a total of about 30 minutes, so not enough to really 'see' it; then got in the car and drove it later. I NEVER DO THIS. As in, I think this is the first time I have EVER driven a course. It was good, I guess, ...got kind of boring... but I figure you have to be on your toes anyway so whether you do or do not drive it, you better keep your eyes peeled on race day. There were a few winding turns and a few short hills that were good to be prepared for (ie: knowing when to go into a turn in the small ring), so I am glad I drove it. We had a meeting @ 4:00 then I came back, drank some wine, ate some spaghetti and awaited my 4 am alarm. I have never liked the night before a race, and I doubt I ever will. In all honesty, I despise it and wonder why I do this stuff! Every time the night before a big race; I have the same thoughts.

Sunday was rise and shine at 4 am for a 6:45 start time. I arrived to the site at about 5:30, to a slow steady drizzle. Good thing was it started to get light pretty early, bad thing was the rain ensued. We were told it was a non-wetsuit swim, so I was able to try out my new Zoot speedsuit which felt great. I meandered over to the swim start and we all crept into the 71-degree water at about 6:40, awaiting our 'deep water' start...promptly we were off at 6:45.

We were sent off with the men, which made for a bit of a washing machine swim, but after a couple of minutes I found my 'groove'. The sighting was very easy; clear morning and calm water. As usual, I felt stronger as I went but I had no idea where any women were in relation to me. Until I was about 2/3 of the way through, then I saw whomI believed to be Rebeccah Wassner behind/next to me. I was pulling her along! Which is fine, she was in a smart position... that is part of racing! But, I was stoked to realize that I was likely the leading woman at this point. Rebeccah is on fire right now, so I figured I could not be having a bad day thus far. Can we just call it after the swim? =)

We exited and it was she, her twin sister and myself all 1-2-3. I felt strong and ready to roll on the bike. This course is beautiful, but the day was rather rainy so I kept myself pretty focused on the roads. I was passed by both Rebeccah and her sister Laurel within a few miles and then got passed again. This all happened before the half-way point, but I just kept on hammering as much as I could. My mantra to keep motivated is "Keep them in sight". Please don't laugh at this; it's what I gotta do to work harder on the bike! Oh, the day I'll pass someone and they'll say that about me... anyhoo, back to the race. I did feel a bit 'flat', and while I like racing in cool conditions, it probably makes the muscles a bit tighter. In any case, no excuses; I felt good but not terribly strong. I am hoping that my body/legs are just adapting to a higher cycling volume than I am used to. After many rolling hills and beautiful farmland scenery, I neared the end of the bike (ya-hoo!) and was happy to still have been in 4th at this point; well, 1st or 2nd would have been better, but I had to make due.

This was the most exciting part of the race. I dismounted, ran into transition (down a steep grass hill) into the wet, grassy transition area. I made it down the hill alright, but then when I got to my transition rack, my foot slipped out from under me on a muddy spot and I went flying! I felt right on my bum and my bike went down too. I jumped back up, kind of laughed at myself (or maybe I said a few choice words? that is more likely) and threw the bike on the rack, getting my racing flats and getting out of there. As I started the run, I had to smile... this is racing! It was probably somewhat entertaining for the spectators, and I thought to myself, "quick recovery!" Kind of made me want to do an Xterra; mud is fun.

The run was really cool, we ran down a path alongside the lake and then up a big hill, back down it and then into neighborhoods. I will say, there was very little 'flat' on this run course! But I love these kinds of races; they become a race of strength and a mental challenge, since you can never really relax. It was windy and hilly and challenging. I felt great, and the longer I ran, the better I felt. I felt like my legs wanted to go faster than I was able to make them go; does that make sense? They kind of felt like wheels. Interesting. I was able to hold my position and when I saw the mile 5 marker, I really tried to push myself. I cannot recall too many races (no matter the distance) whereby I have been able to do this. Perhaps a good sign of my endurance right now? However, as always the finish was nice sight to see and it was great to see all of the spectators on the grassy knoll at the end.

Thanks to Rob Vigorito, race director and the 600 volunteers out there who made this event happen! Post-race, I don't recall ever having gotten much colder than I did here. The winds kicked up and the temps had to of dropped into the 50's! Crazy. I was told that I had finished 4th overall, about a minute out of 3rd. I really wanted to be Top 3 or even better here, but I knew that I put all I had into this race on the day and that is all we can ask of ourselves. Thanks again to my awesome homestay, the Schofields, for allowing me to be so comfortable for the race weekend and everyone else out there competing in the cool, rainy conditions. These are the days that make us mentally tough! Coming from Austin where most days 90-100, I cannot complain.

Next up is a trip back home to Indiana this weekend; Derick and I will enjoy chilling out at my parents cabin. I imagine the weekend will include a few trail runs, lake swims, and much too much wine (or is that possible?) seeing that my Uncle Del is coming. When he is around, it seems our wine glasses are never empty... ah well, life could be worse!
Thanks for reading!

Champions Triathlon Visits Austin

...well, it was the first one ever, but the title sounds good, yes? :)

Yesterday was the 'inaugural' Champions Triathlon here in Austin. It was out at Pace Bend Park, which is a park northwest (I think?) of Austin, about 45 min away. I will be entirely honest here, I did not really want to race. I am not sure if it was 'my legs feel crappy because of the half-marathon' or if it was 'I want to relax and 'nest' in our new house for a weekend', but whatever it was, it took me saying many times, 'suck it up and go race, there is a great prize purse on the line and put your ego aside'. And to be entirely honest, being the first race, I think I subliminally had pre-race jitters in that I was not sure I was 'ready' for a competitive race and I did not want 'to fail'. (Yet again, suck it up, sister.) I sure am glad I stuck it out, as it turned out to be a great day and an awesomely hard course (which I love!).

They had a 'pro start' at 11:00 am, which allowed Derick and I to sleep in a bit. We headed out to Pace Bend Park and arrived at about 9:00 on Sunday AM. The #1 cool thing about this was the park rangers. They were an absolute riot. The first one had on a bright yellow vest, to which he and Derick went back and forth referencing how nicely tailored it was to him. Few can match Derick's quick and dry wit; this guy was one step ahead of him. This had me laughing pretty good and, suddenly feeling more relaxed. The next ranger we came upon told us the direction to take ahead, telling us that we needed to say on the LEFT side of the road. To which Derick replied, "Just like Paris?" to which ranger replied, "Yes, and you may even see the Eifel Tower ahead too!" These guys were great!

Onward to the race. We arrived with plenty of time to spare, and I set up transition on the grassy knoll. I like grassy transition areas; make the race feel very laid back. I checked out this crazy 350-meter run from the swim to transition... wow! This made the race really a swim/run/bike/run, good for runners. I opted to put an extra pair of my Zoot Ultra TT shoes down there, just so I didn't nail any rocks and hurt a foot. Or knowing me, I'd trip over my large feet and faceplant.

We were off sharp at 11:03, right behind the professional men! This was a non-wetsuit swim, so I had on my Speedzoot which was great; chilly at first but then PERFECT! I hate getting hot in swims, and I also battle this 'clausterphobic-get-me-out-of-this-thing' feeling in wetsuits. Hailey Piersol (yes, sister to Aaron Piersol, Olympic swimmer) took off like lightening. I noticed Amy Marsh way to the left of me (and later told her, 'Amy where were you going?!) but luckily by the first turn buoy, I had caught Amy and she and I swam very well together until the finish. We came out together, threw on the shoes and were off on Run #1. A long, rocky dirt path. But the legs felt ...surprisingly good. Good deal. I got to transition, undressed (un-speedsuited) and was off on the bike course.

This was a 3-loop bike course on open roads (no traffic, or very little) and oh boy was it hilly! But, something about "3 loops" that makes it seem easier. I think in my head it is that you are never too far from home. :) Amy swiftly passed me right off the bat. I won't lie, that pissed me off. But, I just tried to hunker down and keep pushing. It actually took me until the end of the third lap to catch Hailey, but that was ok, I seemed to feel better on each lap. Finally off on to the run!

Yet again, I will reveal my insecurities. I was nervous for this because I have done a lot of run racing lately and the legs have felt rather trashed lately. But, I tried to ease into this. As I took off on the same dirt path that we ran on post-swim, and headed towards the woods, I told myself, "Aaah; this is just a run through the woods." (Self-talk does help!). I felt great out there! It was really cool because you could see fellow competitors running ahead and behind you on little out and backs. In all my years of racing, I have never done a run course like this for an on-road triathlon! Props to Leilani and all the crew @ Red Licorice Events for doing some different! I saw Derick, Brad, and Lisa (friends of ours) at about mile 3. I said to Derick, "That mile was a 6:10!" Then I saw him again, after having backed off, and said, "That was a 6:25! I am backing off..." He didn't like that. Ha! I am not sure if they were entirely accurate (I always assume yes!) but I just did not want to blow up. By mile 5, I began to feel like crap. Luckily I had a strong 2nd place position that was not in jeopardy by slowing down a bit, which I did, and finally could see the finish line. It was probably the best thing I saw all day long; and we grilled out and drank beers that night, too; yes, the finish line was more enticing. That says a lot.

All in all, a really great first time race put on by Champion System and Red Licorice Events. Thanks to all the hard work and the volunteers out there supporting us, as well as the fellow competitors who came out. Today was about swallowing your pride and your insecurities and just going out and putting yourself out there. My mom is so great; she said the other day, "Kelly, why are you so nervous about it? You are more fit than you realize. You will do great." I kind of needed to hear this. Sometimes, we think we have to be in tip-top shape to go and do a race (especially one that is more competitive). But really, any time we go out and challenge ourselves, it is a chance to get better, and a chance to learn something. I have learned over the (many) years of doing this stuff, it is usually when you least expect it that you perform the best. This was far from 'the best' to me, but it was a bit better than expected. So; my take home message is to not be afraid to get out there and simply give it what you've got, on the day, a good honest effort. After all; this is all we can do anyway, right? Enjoy the process and appreciate every moment. Thanks for reading!

St. Louis 1/2 Marathon - Take 2...

(Check out the video posted in the St. Louis Today newspaper! http://www.stltoday.com/
Down on the right hand side...)

This past weekend, I met my parents in St. Louis after a busy week of moving in to our new house! We moved all of last weekend (April 11/12), so I was pretty wiped out on Monday. Derick and I did it all on our own, which was not 'so' bad as we do not own that much stuff. But, anytime you spend a full day from 7 am until 10 pm moving furniture, organizing and loading/unloading boxes, it will wear you out. Needless to say, were were completely settled by Monday morning and I had unpacked most boxes by Monday night. To say I am a 'busy body' is an understatement...and I cannot stand disorganization. =)Derick's parents arrived on late Tuesday night, so we spent a few very relaxed days with them as they helped us 'tidy up' our house. They did all the things that we would have never gotten to, such as making the flower garden in the front look nice, fixing some light fixtures and painting small spots on the walls that needed it. Unfortunately, I had to leave on Friday night so I missed their last night here, but it was a cool and rainy evening in Austin, so they just stayed in and ate pizza; early night as they flew out at 6 am on Saturday.
A dark and wet race morning

Friday evening, I flew into St. Louis on a direct flight; just myself and my backpack. Gotta love running races. My parents and I had a great dinner (albeit late!) and I was actually up until almost midnight; but, we slept in on Saturday and after a short run and getting my packet, I even took a 45 min nap in the afternoon. The weather was expected to be cool and very wet for Sunday! But this does not bother me. I have learned that if you let adverse conditions get to you then you are at an immediate disadvantage to your competitors; so, I try to roll with it and remind myself that everyone has to deal with it. Though, I do feel bad for all of the great spectators and volunteers out there standing in the rain!

Sunday AM, I have to be honest, I did not feel great. Not 'bad', but definitely NO snap what-so-ever in the legs. I was not very well 'prepared' for this race, as I took a good 3-4 weeks of little running to recovery from the marathon and just kicked it up a bit these past 2 weeks. But I had been cycling a LOT for me and, well, running may help cycling but cycling is not going to make you a faster runner. However, I came here to try to win this race for the second year in a row, and make some money to help get me to more races! I kept this in mind when the gun went off... just be smooth and steady, view this as a strong 13-mile training run. Ice Bath post-race...so tough, but so good...

I was lucky to be able to run with the womens marathon winner for the first 10 miles (Megan Earney), and we had a very smooth 6:15 pace going. She split at the 10 mile mark and then I was on my own. I cannot say it ever hurt badly, because my legs just would not go into that 'hurt zone'. They didn't have the zip. But, from 10-13, I did hit some hills that were challenging. I could have really used a Gu, but I think I was just stubborn, and pushed on. I never looked back, but by mile 12, I had a good feeling that I had this race won. I actually did push the last mile to probably just over 6-minute pace, though the finish time was just over 1:23, which is honestly the slowest 1/2 marathon I have done in a few years! Yet, all things considered, I was pleased with it. A win is a win, and I knew that going into this, if there was a strong woman who showed up and could run well, she would deserve to win this race. I lucked out. With a time 3-minutes slower than last year, I still managed a win.
Pasta dinner at Lombardo's - Amazing food; I think I ate half of my moms lasagna...

Thanks to Zoot for sending me some great new training clothing! I tried out a new top on race day, and it was comfortable, bright and made me easy to spot (or so my parents said). Also thanks to Cecilia Llanos at 3 Cosas for her awesome massage work, which has helped keep me healthy these past few weeks, and to Hill Country Running, Advanced Rehab and Jack and Adams. Your support is much appreciated! And thanks to the race organization at Go! St. Louis for helping me come back to this excellent race this year.
Awards post-race (with Nancy Lieberman of Go! St. Louis)

Lesson learned today? It can be tough to go and race, give it all you've got and come away with a time that is 5 minutes off of a PR. But, I think I had to consider the situation... I have come off of marathon training, and the bottom line is my legs are still a bit trained for the longer distance. That is OK, as my goal is Ironman Canada in August. But, racing can show you what you need to work on, as this race did. I know I am due for some (moderate) 'speed work' to sharpen up my running. But the BIGGER picture is, I was very fortunate to be able to go out and compete in a huge field of runners (15,000!) and enjoy the day. I have nothing at all to be 'upset' about. Having my family there made it even better. Sometimes, our times that we post have to become irrelevant; it's moreso about enjoying the process and appreciating the moment. Thanks for reading!

Wake Up Call to Slow Things Down...

Just a few days ago, I got a good lesson in "slowing down". I feel like I am pretty good at this, but judging from what others tell me, I don't really stop too much. I am a crazy multi-tasker. I get up about 10 times during a 1-hour TV show. I have always been antsy, but I think that sometimes it carries over into my daily lifestyle and then my energy just crashes...

I have not been blogging frequently, really because since the marathon I have been recovering (well I only did that fully for about a week) and then training (mostly cycling and swimming)... and who wants to hear about workouts all the time? I know Derick doesn't ... he tells me! The topic can get quite boring. You do them and you either do them well, or you suck. If you suck too many days in a row, then you probably need to recover. I learned this lesson this past weekend. I was riding in insane wind with a bunch of GUYS from Jack and Adams. I knew from the start it would be tough, as we were flying the first hour. Then, good friend Brad Miller (Brad, James; I am not sure what is 'real' name is) was kind enough to turn back with me as they guys were going a crazy 120 miles. Not quite yet for me! Brad and I battled together in a persistent headwind for over an hour back into town. I had a nice run on Sunday (as I cheered on all the locals in the Cap 10K! Great results all around, Desiree got first, Amanda Lovato second and Derick 4th among the men!) but from then through Monday, it was all I could do to keep moving. Monday my eyelids felt like sandbags. I slept from 5-6 pm on Monday evening and was still asleep by 10:00. I am not really a napper, so this was a big sign I needed to back it off.

This can be the tough thing about coaching yourself. It can be hard to see from the outside in, and really make that 'call' and force yourself to take a good few days easy. But, I am trying. I actually had trouble sleeping last night (Tuesday) so; go figure, maybe all I needed was one day! But, in the big picture, I am realizing that trying to do school (I am taking 2 classes @ Austin Community College as pre-req's towards a Masters in Health Psychology), working with Source and training (a lot) will just not work. I don't like to half-ass things, I am a pretty driven and focused person and I like to do things well, or at least to the best of my ability. So, something has got to give. I am not ready to nix racing quite yet, I mean I am 31...don't women just keep getting better up to like 40 these days?! :) I will finish out this semester, maybe continue on with one class at a time just so my brain does not turn to mush. But, I am very excited about deciding to FINALLY give Ironman a shot this year (Canada in August!). I want to do well and I really do believe that I can do well, but the last thing I want to do is show up exhausted, or not even make it there because I have worn myself into the ground. So, I see it as a 'sign' that I got so tired and a wake up call to be sure I take care of myself these next few months. You all do the same!

On a side note, I am listening to Ben Harper as I study. I miss Ben Harper. I recently got an Ipod, and I need to convert all of my Windows Media Player music to my Ipod. All of my Ipod music came from Derick. He has no Ben. Anyone who knows how to do this, pass your knowledge on to me, please...

Happy April Fools Day and remember to slow down and smell the wildflowers. They're all over down here in Texas! Sorry, Colorado, but your wildflowers have nothing on the ones here in Texas...
Thanks for reading.