The Next Big Thing

Croom Zoom 100K

2012-01-16T11:00:00.006-05:00

After reading my Croom Zoom report from 2011, I found some striking similarities: I hoped to use the Zoom as motivation to stay slim through the holidays, I ran a horrible NYE day run, and I was considering dropping to the 50K. Miraculously I ended up running 12:31, a 100K PR by 6 hours.

Leading up to Sunday's event was much the same: Lack of long-run training, a few extra pounds on board, and a terrible NYE day run. Once again, I thought about scaling back to the 50K. But with a weather forecast of lows in the 20's and highs in the 60's, I decided to go for it...especially since it would be my last race at Croom as a Florida resident.

Ilene and I drove up to Croom together in the wee small hours of the morning. Thanks to Patrick, we had the luxury of a warm RV in which to gear up with Dave and A2 . At 6:00am, Andy yelled "Go!" and the chilled 100K and 50K runners were off. Ilene and I ended up running the first 12M together, which gave us the chance to catch up on the last two weeks. We had a great pace but when she decided to take a pit-stop at camp, I kept moving.

The second and third loops went much the same: running alone, with the exception of having Jason's company for a few minutes (after finishing 2nd place in the 25K), and hooking up with Docs for a couple miles (who left me when I commented that he must be tired if he's running my pace!). I finished the first 50K in 5:40, just a few minutes slower than my John Holmes run. Christian and Justin kindly helped me refuel, and knowing I'd continue to run alone, I put on some tunes.

Loop four was by far my best (thanks to Advil and caffeine). I was clipping along, rocking out with Metallica and passing some folks. When I got back to camp, Patrick, Ilene and Roger were chilling on my chairs . I didn't stop long, but kinda wished I was done too so I could sit and shoot the sh*t my my friends. Instead, Christian handed me a veggie burger and sent me on my way.

The fifth loop was beautiful and boring, but I enjoyed chatting with Sara each time at aid station #2. I was looking forward to getting back to camp, where Armando and my Mom would be waiting. But when I got there, they had not yet arrived. Although I was way ahead of schedule (at this point, hoping to finish sub-12), I didn't want to wait around. Thankfully Andy had recruited Ash to run the last 10M with me, and as Ash and I left camp we were reminded, "What happens in the trails..."

...and I have to say that Ash was Awesome in the trails! I led my Victory Loop for awhile, still feeling spunky. But eventually he got in front and pulled me along. Ash was (too) nice and let me walk often, and kept me entertained by chatting away. How this young guy got hooked up with the ultra crazies, I'll never know...but he seems to be enjoying the experience. When we hit aid station #2, we were greeted by Armando and Mom...what a nice surprise! We didn't stay long, but said we meet them at camp in an hour.

Ash and I high-tailed it into the woods, knowing we'd be back before dark. When we hit the rooty climb, I knew we were home and we hooted. I gave Ash a high five and our cheering section roared. We hit the finish line in 11:28...a PR by just over an hour.

Talk about leaving Florida with a bang: I ended up 2nd woman in the 100K and 5th overall! This finish is once again unexplainable. I'll boil it down to having hot mojo right now and some fabulous friends to push me along...

My experience with the FUR's over the last 5 years has been, shall I say, wonderfully painful. I am so lucky to have found you and will hold each one of you in my heart. You have become my dear friends and I cannot thank you enough for pushing, counseling, tormenting, and encouraging me in every aspect of my life. When I'm a mile high, I will be reminded of you when I look at my trail-scared legs. I know we will remain friends and will be reunited in the woods again soon...XO

Superstition

2012-01-13T08:55:00.002-05:00

I don't have any. And that's why today is the luckiest day of my life!

¡Adiós USF! Hello Freedom!

Toodle-oo 2011

2012-01-01T18:00:00.029-05:00

I won't sugarcoat it: 2011 was the worst year of my life. Between losing my Dad and my Isis , and slaving away in the Underworld, it was a very depressing year. It was a midlife crisis in the making, and at times I thought I was losing my mind.

But some fantastic things kept that from happening:

I was the 1st and only woman to finish the GUTS 100-mile run , Ilene and I crossed the finish line at Ironman Canada and I had a 30-minute PR in the 50K distance .

We adopted a crazy-Beauty of a kitty we named Mazzy and I ran at 7000 feet .

I got dirty with my FUR's through the day and night , and rode halfway across the state and back with my Radlers .

I traveled to new places like Vancouver , Seattle , Vegas (baby) , and the Keys with friends and family.

We got to see the Bucs and the Irish attempt to play football, and tailgating with good friends made defeat easier to accept.

We celebrated some big birthdays, including a couple of 40's with Kim and Ilene . Mom hit her surprise 70th , and we partied with a couple of youngsters .

I facilitated classes for the University of Phoenix, researched at the University level, and discovered my future office.

I certainly have a lot to be thankful about. My family and friends supported me through a difficult time and I can never repay them. Happy memories of time shared with loved ones will continue to sparkle in my mind. Once again I've realized how good it feels to feel good, and I am hopeful about the future. Now I can see a light up ahead...and it's mile high.

Thirty days and counting...

2011-12-13T10:27:00.024-05:00

It's official! I gave my letter of resignation today. Friday January 13th will be my last day (oh yes I purposely chose that date). I'm by no means a quitter, but I've never been more relieved to quit something in my entire life!

The colleagues and clients who have responded to my resignation are happy for me and my opportunity out West, but I've yet to hear any official reply regarding my departure. Knowing this department, it'll take them three months to figure out the exit process.

Na Na Na Na...Hey Hey Hey...

CrazypsychoIndianlady

2011-12-05T10:44:00.003-05:00

My morning started off with a brisk 11M run around Flatwoods. It was fabulous and as always, a great way to start the week...nothing would ruin my mood.

Well, then I pulled into our guard gate.

I've been having trouble with my bar code...probably because it turned 6 years old on Saturday and needs to be replaced (Side note: There's no way I'm spending $10 on a new sticker at this point). So often times I have to back up and go through the scanner again. The person in front of me had the same issue today, and I gave her room to try again. But when I went through, the arm didn't raise and a minivan was on my keister, leaving me no room to reverse.

So I looked back and gave a Will-you-please-give-me-some-room-here? wave. Apparently as I backed up the gate went up, and I saw it when I faced forward again and I drove through.

When I looked in the rear-view mirror I saw CrazypsychoIndianlady barreling through the gate and she was instantly right up my @$$! I drove the speed limit (25mph) and she was nearly touching my bumper!

I drove a few houses down, but I just couldn't stand it. I threw my car into park and jumped out and went to her window (By the way, I was pretty sure her minivan bumped my car).

I asked, "What's your problem?" Her reply was that I didn't drive through the gate. I said, "The gate didn't go up and I had to reverse and go through again. I needed you to give me a little space to do that." I have no idea what I had done wrong, but she ranted on and on...all with her kid in the back seat (great role-modeling). I repeated again that all I needed her to do was back up and give a little space between us.

Apparently CrazypsychoIndianlady was late for the latest episode of Jerry Springer.

I could see the conversation was going nowhere, so I got back in my car and started to drive the speed limit...and CrazypsychoIndianlady was on my tail in an instant!

Seriously!?!?!

I pulled over and let her pass...and didn't understand what she was yelling at me through the window (and the poor guy driving behind us kept his distance). I followed her til she turned. There was no way I wanted CrazypsychoIndianlady knowing where I live.

The WTF alarm was ringing once again...

Seventy-five

2011-11-28T11:00:00.013-05:00

Today would have been my Dad's 75th birthday. As I was reminded last weekend, he taught me many things in the time we spent together:

He taught me how to check the oil and tire pressure on my car , and showed me that the Mustang is a magnificent machine.

His goal was for me to be independent, and he sent me off to college so I would never have to depend on anyone.

My Dad taught me that girls can be good at sports, and that I should compete as long as I'm still having fun .

His work ethic showed that effort and perseverance pays off, and that there's nothing more rewarding than being your own boss.

My Dad loved his family with all his heart and he soothed sickness with a can of chicken soup and 50 bucks.

He taught us that traveling is an education in itselfbut there's no place like 809.

An Irish fan he was not , but that showed us how rivalries can be good family fun .

That character passed on his crazy beautiful feet, which to this day continues to build my own character.

He modeled value and respect for the women in his lifeand he protected them ...but nothing made him more proud than his boys.

To Dad hard work was a must, but he showed us that sometimes you just have to sit down in the shade and drink a cold beer .

My Dad marched to the tune of his own whistle, which made him a very unique individual. That is the most important lesson of all.

I think of you every day Dad, and miss you so very much. You are always in my heart...

Overnight Halloween Run

2011-10-30T15:35:00.005-04:00

The crazy FUR's decided on an overnight run from Saturday to Sunday for some happy haunting. Some runners planned to go 50M, while others would go less. I honestly didn't think I'd make it 50M, but thought I'd give it a try. We met early to drop aid stations and do some decorating . In the spirit of the evening, I decided a blue fairy would be apropos for a run through the woods. Some of my fellow runners weren't such good sports, so they were stuck wearing my extras.

After a photo shoot with the help of the Boy Scouts, 13 of us headed into the woods promptly at 8pm. In following tradition, we made bets as to the number of falls for the night (I guessed 9). One mile into the run, we lost James and were quickly down to 12. We chatted our way to the first water stop at mile 12 and refueled.

Running and chatting commenced during the second segment, and when Becky and Woody made a beeline for the parking lot, we were down to ten.   A1 broke the falling seal, and we were dropping like flies from that point on. I fell once (after A1's second fall), then proceeded to fall 4 times in a matter of 45 minutes a little further down the (what I'm sure was a newly-blazed, nubby) trail. At first it was funny, but by the fifth fall on my right knee, I'd had quite enough!

After much grumbling, we made it back to the parking lot with 30M under our feet before 3am. Nick and Jay were done for different reasons, and Ash had just completed his first 50K, so they all left the scene. I just wasn't feeling it (or my dirty and scratched up knees were feeling too much of it) and decided I was going to cut it short. Plus, we spent way too much time at the cars, and the dropping temps chilled me to the bone. I hate being the one who has to be tended to, and I had every intention of running out with the group for 3M then heading back alone. But A1 would have nothing of it. We did the jog/walk routine out to the pits and back, which gave us time to catch up with each other.

We were back in the parking lot by 5am...a 9-hour tour. I was fine with my 'shorter' run, as was A1 (or so he says). We changed clothes and snoozed in A2's truck til 7:30am when the troops returned all revved up.

The Andy's and Kathleen got breakfast cooking and we enjoyed the camaraderie that ultrarunning brings . We decided that we ended up with 19 falls overall, and if you can believe it, Chris fell more than me. It was good to see June, Jim and Kathleen (who'd made their own trek through the night), and we laughed as the Andy's cracked open their beers at the crack of dawn.

So I didn't run 50M. I had nothing to prove last night. But it also goes to show how important having a goal is...there was no reason for me to push myself, so I didn't. But it looks like the stars are aligning and so I think I'll shoot for Western States and/or Leadville next...

John Holmes 50K

2011-10-09T12:05:00.000-04:00

Jason "Tiger" Eads & short me after the run

After IMC I took a month off training (somewhat by choice and somewhat due to circumstance). My first 20M trail run was two weeks ago with Andy and Becky through Floodwoods (which was a wet and achy mess). Last weekend I headed up to Croom with A1, A2, Becky and a host of others to run the JH loop (a fabulous run in cool temps).

Although my endurance is zip right now, my goal for the JH 50K was sub-6 hours (my fastest 50K was 6:12 back in 2007). A2 was in and with a little coercion (and beers), Jason was talked into running with me. I pulled J off the golf course early Saturday morning and we got checked in. We met A2 and Sandra just before the start, and A2 (in typical form) changed our original run plan at the last minute.

The sky threatened rain and we hoped for it. The three of us spent the first 7.3M loop deciding the best all-time movies, and we ran it in 73 minutes. The second loop went much the same, with me in the lead listening to Jason and A2 ramble on and loving the wind and clouds. Loop #3 got a little tougher and we dropped A2. Since his initial intention was to drop me (oh yes, I heard about that), Jason and I kept running and A2 would never catch up. I also slid safely into second base, covering myself from chin to toe in dirty sand (it ain't a trail run till you fall).

I was red-lining on the fourth loop as Jason led me up and over the hills, and forced me to pass some runners and hold my ground. We hit the last aid station with 2M to go and Stephanie (who'd tailed us that entire last loop) caught us and called us her "carrots". Jason didn't have to tell me what he was thinking. He led through the last bit, and I fought with myself about not allowing her to pass or to pull over and puke. Eventually my gut made the decision, and she pulled away as we walked.

I could feel Jason's disappointment, but I just wanted to finish under 6 hours and we had more than enough time. He grabbed my cooler before we headed up the rooty climb (somehow this run had become "all about me"), and there we gained on Stephanie who was walking. We jogged up the hill and when she heard us, she started running too. But Jason ignited my competitive side and we pulled ahead. He barked at me to move my @$$ and give everything I had left! For the second time I was about to lose my cookies, but was able to hold it down through the finish line.

I crossed first in 5:38:06 and Jason in 5:38:03 (yes, you read that right). Stephanie finished in 5:38:09 and I chicked A2 with his 5:53:09 finish. I came in second in my age group and 7th female overall. That 34-minute PR is some much-needed race redemption! (For awhile I thought I was going to finish the 50K quicker than I finished my IM marathon).

I'm coming around, in more ways than one. My friends have been so supportive and loving over these past few months, and I'm lucky to have you!

Ironman Canada

2011-09-19T10:04:00.002-04:00

Leading up to IMC, I was feeling very fit and ready to give this race everything I had. I'll admit that my goal was to finish under 12 hours. With my IM Switzerland finish at 12:25 two years ago, and three 100-mile runs under my belt in the last year, I thought this was a reasonable goal. But with a last-minute trip to South Bend the week before the race, my focus was distracted until we got to Penticton.

RACE DAY
Race morning started at 4am for breakfast and last-minute special needs bags prep. The four of us headed to the race site, and Armando and Chip dropped Ilene and me off due to road blocks. We got body-marked and scoped out a restroom. We found our guys and they wished us good luck. With the one loop swim, bike and run courses, they wouldn't see us much throughout the race.

SWIM 2.4 miles
Around 6:30am, Ilene and I shimmied into our wetsuits and headed down to the water, which was a perfect temp. The Canadian national hymn was sung and the pros started their journey. Then after a second rendition of the hymn, another 2832 competitors kicked our way through the start line. Although I'm a confident swimmer, I knew the swim was going to be rough since I hadn't been in the water much. I admittedly had trouble finding my groove for the first 1/2 mile. I choked on water and had trouble catching my breath. Eventually I made my way to the inside of the markers where I had room to move. The two corners were jammed up, and the last 1000 meters seemed to take forever. But after 1:19 in the water, I found land. The swim was a few minutes slower than I'd hoped, but I would be able to gain those minutes on the bike.

T1
I was wetsuit-stripped (which is always a plus) then grabbed my bag and a volunteer and headed to the changing tent.   Not every race offers a personal helper, but my gal was the bomb! She organized my bike gear while I primped. I was out of transition in just over 5 minutes...right on schedule.

BIKE 112 miles
Ilene and I had done all of our training in the hills of Clermont and San Ann, and hoped it would prepare us for the 4500+ feet of climbing that the IMC bike course would have to offer. I clipped in and got ready for the challenge. Out on the street, I caught Armando and Chip cheering as I whizzed by.

The first section of the course is primarily flat or downhill, with the exception of McLean Creek Road...but that climb wasn't bad. I sailed along with the others, and chatted with some on occasion. Most streets were tight and it was hard to not get caught in the crowd, but the ever-present race officials didn't pass out many penalties that I saw.

My word of the day was "patience" and I held true to it (at least for the first part of the ride!). We hit Richter Pass around mile 40, the first of two big climbs. On the way up this 1300-foot mountain pass, I chatted with a local who informed me of the four step-ups to the top. That helped my mindset, and I didn't find the grind too difficult.

The great part came next: the 7% downhill that lasted several miles. I got up to 40mph and put on the brakes, while better hill riders passed me. I enjoyed the speed and looked forward to more of it. At the bottom I looked up to the mountains ahead of us and said to my neighbor, "I'm sure glad that's not Yellow Lake!" His reply was that it was Yellow Lake, then he laughed and said he was kidding. I'm still not sure which was the truth...

After Richter we hit "the rollers." I had pictured this section to be like the steep ups and downs of the Buckhill section in Clermont. But these rollers were long and heavy with traffic, and after eight of them, I was happy that they were behind me.

Next came the out-and-back section...where I decided that I don't like out-and-back sections! It was utterly boring and hot (the temps were well over 90 by then). And in that boredom I first started taking note of my stomach. It was beginning to ache and after reaching my special needs bag, I couldn't think of choking down my peanut-butter-and-cinnamon-honey sandwich, so I jammed it in my back pocket (like that would be more appetizing later!). On my way out I passed Ilene, but I don't think she heard me yell her name.

Shortly after that, we began the 12-mile hike up to Yellow Lake. Through the first 80-miles I had averaged 18mph...right on track with my plan. But that grind was never-ending, and my average speed was steadily dropping before my eyes. The wind had also kicked up, so when we finally hit the (second) peak and downhill, I did more peddling than I liked.

With a few miles to go, my right toes had seemingly fallen off my foot and I was getting grumpy. The headwind sucked the life out of me as we rode through town, and my average speed never recovered. I was able to spot Armando and Chip as I got close to transition and gave them a smile. For a flatlander, it was a decent bike time of 6:20:51 (17.6mph), but because it was slower than I expected, I was falling behind on my plan.

T2
I handed off my Black Mamba and couldn't wait to get out of my bike shoes and into my comfy Newtons. I was assisted by another helpful lady, and made it out of transition in 5:05...but my goal time was slipping away, and I needed to move it!

RUN 26.2 miles
Out of the gate, runners were led through an out-and-back on the main street, where the buzzing crowd waited for us to pass. But by then my stomach was tied in knots and I was not my normal chipper self. I caught Armando in town, and told him my stomach was hurting when he asked how I was doing. I hadn't been plagued with stomach problems for years, and I was not happy that they decided to return now!

From there, the run course is an 11-mile out-and-back through the hottest, sunniest street in Penticton! Plus, someone...many someones...had lied about the run course, telling us that there was only one hill to climb. That was total BS! That whole section was rolling hills! (Remember, I train at FLATwoods park). Plus, the temps had risen to 95 degrees and shade was sparse. Luckily, the locals were out in full force, spraying us with their hoses. Every time I passed one I'd yell, "Bring it!" and they did. Between those soakings and dumping ice and ice water down my bra, I was a sloppy mess.

My stomach continued to bind itself into a rock, making me feel nauseated and unable to eat. I tried choking down a few grapes, Pepsi, a gel, juice from orange slices, and one pretzel, but nothing helped. It took me nearly three hours to make it to the turnaround, and I knew my goal time was screwed. Between the heat and my snarled stomach, there would be no way I could run a negative split and finish sub-12. Heck, I was doubtful that I would even be able to finish faster than my IMS time. The maddening thing was that I wasn't really hurting physically. My legs could have run the entire marathon if my stomach hadn't been such a fiend.

I knew Ilene would be gaining on me, and we passed close to the turnaround. I asked how she was doing, and I got the "Whatever." hand in the air. She was clearly struggling too.

My 'Plan C' goal of sub-13 came and went as I worked (and walked) through the remaining miles. The sun was making its way behind the mountain and offered a little shade, which meant I needed to stop dumping ice down my top or I'd be freezing in no time. Every time we crested a hill a local would shout, "This is the last hill!" But they all lied. The hills kept coming, right until downtown.

That last bit was slightly downhill, and I jogged as much as I could. I passed Armando and Chip with a couple of miles to go, and they cheered me on. But the marathon had taken me 5:29...and I wasn't pleased with my performance. When I hit the short out-and-back section the crowd cheered and I kept running. I found the finish line where Armando was waiting, and I gave him a kiss before crossing the line in 13:20:55.

I'm not sure what went wrong with my stomach. It could have been bad shooshi the day before, or maybe I swallowed too much lake water, or it could have been the blasted heat that I've struggled with all summer. There are many excuses for not sucking it up. Either way, I'll accept my second-fastest Ironman time on a challenging and absolutely gorgeous course. I ended up finishing 79/167 women aged 35-39, and 1452/2832 overall.

The Canadians embrace this event and it shows. The volunteers are some of the nicest, most helpful people I've met, and they made this journey even more wonderful! I can see why IMC sells out year after 29th year. It was also very cool to meet several of the Trifuelers who were there to race or volunteer .

'Thanks' is never enough for the help and support that Armando and Chip provide during these events, or to you all for sending your positive thoughts and vibes to me! Ironman #4 is in the books.

What's The Next Big Thing, you ask? I'm sure most of you know the answer, and I'll see you in the trails...

Seattle

2011-09-06T08:56:00.002-04:00

Friday morning we checked out of our hotel in Vancouver and hit the road for Seattle. The drive wasn't bad until we got within an hour of the city where we made it through border control, and then hit some serious traffic. Apparently between the holiday weekend and the Seahawks game against the Raiders (our hotel was a block away from the stadium), we were stuck in the middle.

Thanks to Ilene's suggestion, we had dinner reservations at the Space Needle that evening. It was a very pricey view, but worth the cost. The revolving restaurant sits 605 feet the air, and gives a fabulous view of Lake Union, the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, and the impressive Mount Rainier. After looking out from the observation deck, we hit the city by foot and found some small joints where we enjoyed drinks and local music.

On Saturday morning we headed out for a day-long foot tour of the city. We found the notorious Pike Street Market, where local vendors sold everything from freshly-caught fish to fresh-cut flowers. It was abuzz with locals and tourists alike. We found the "gum wall" and the Hard Rock Cafe, and enjoyed sights from the many piers. We caught the monorail halfway back to our hotel (where we watched the Irish lose their first home game). Saturday night we found a local Italian restaurant where we reminisced about our vacation over a four course meal.

The Pacific Northwest was a new region for both Armando and me. First, the Canadian people were some of the most friendly in the world! Penticton and the Okanagan valley was a big surprise with it's arid weather and countless vineyards and orchards. Vancouver was a charming city bustling with activity and green-minded people. Seattle was a busy city with great views and an interesting culture. It was a much-needed vacation, and we both enjoyed our adventure!

Vancouver

2011-09-04T16:58:00.023-04:00

This wasn't the most relaxing vacation, but Armando and I enjoyed it tremendously! Here's the recap from our tour of Vancouver:

We parted ways from Ilene and Chip on Tuesday morning, and headed West. It was a beautiful drive through mountain passes, and we stopped in Hope for lunch. An hour later we drove through the slums and into Vancouver, where our hotel on the harbor awaited . Our first order of business was to find a laundromat, and we enjoyed the sites on the bustling streets along the way. Dinner was sushi on the crowded Denman street.

Wednesday morning we got up and went for a walk around Stanley Park, a 9K loop along the shore. There were tons of people skating, running, biking and site-seeing on the trail. It was a perfect day, apparently not representative of typical Northwest weather. We walked through the city in the evening and enjoyed wine and an Italian dinner at Uva .

Thursday morning we made our way across the bay to Grouse Mountain. We weren't quite prepared for what lay ahead on the "Grouse Grind:" a very steep trail that climbed 2800 feet in 1.8-miles. The total number of stairs was 2830 to the top (at 900-feet above sea level), and the average time it takes to hike it is 1.5-2 hours. Needless to say, we were both huffing and puffing by the time we hit the top! And luckily this was a one-way trail so we took the gondola down . We rode the city bus and ferry back to the hotel(Can I say again how much I love public transportation that works?). That evening we had a tasty Asian fusion dinner at the ultra-hip Sanafir . After dinner we strolled through town and saw the Olympic monument lit up, and that marked the end of our Canadian tour.

Vancouver has made it into my 'Top 3' list of favorite foreign cities. The combination of mountains, water, green-living, activity and cultural diversity make this city a must-see. And if it weren't for the 9 months of gray weather, I'd move there in a heartbeat!

Ironman Canada is in the books!

2011-08-29T13:08:00.000-04:00

A record number of competitors started IMC yesterday morning, so you can imagine the fun of 2800 of your closest friends kicking and paddling their way through the swim start. The temps rose to the mid-90's on the bike course, which was tough enough for a Flatlander (but those downhills were a blast!). The run was hillier than we anticipated, and stomach problems didn't help make it any easier.

I finished in 13:20, my second fastest IM time, and Ilene was right behind me with her own PR! Our handlers attended to our needs and were happy to sit down after our long day.

Thanks to Armando and Chip for cheering us on and being our Sherpas! Thanks to the fabulous volunteers at IMC...they made life so much easier on the course! And thanks to you all for your encouragement on this journey!

A race report will follow...after we enjoy wine country...

Ironman Canada Pre-Race Prep

2011-08-27T21:27:00.001-04:00

Armando and I flew into Spokane on Thursday and drove up to Penticton on Friday. That was an interesting drive on the road to nowhere. After a half-hour wait, we made it through the Canadian border . We stopped at one of the many fresh produce stands and got in after 2pm, where we hit the ground running. We checked into our cabin at Ponderosa Point , then headed to meet Ilene and Chip, who'd driven over from Vancouver. I checked into the race and checked out my bike . My Black Mamba appeared to be ready to go (even if I didn't my clothes weren't), but the test ride had a little shifting issue.

Later we listened to a very drawn-out (and uninformative) race briefing, then ate a delicious dinner at Salty's .

This morning Armando, Ilene and I met up with the Trifuel gang for a coffee and a chat . Afterward, we picked up our bikes and I took mine out for a spin, which was a good thing . The uphills were a shifting disaster, so I rode over the Bike Barn where Chris fixed her right up. I put her in transition and bid her adieu until tomorrow morning.

We came home with enough time to pack our gear bags and head back to transition. (Let's just say that there hasn't been much down time!). Now we're home and just chilling, awaiting the big day...

Ready to go!

2011-08-23T08:27:00.002-04:00

Before my last-minute trip to South Bend, I was getting jazzed about IMC. My training has gone really well this summer and I was looking forward to the challenge in the Great White North. But after missing our last 50M ride two weeks ago and only being able to run while I was home, I felt I wasn't able to properly finish my training plan (what training plan?!?).

I was feeling a little lethargic this weekend, which is probably a combination of tapering and stress. I have to work til Thursday afternoon, then Armando and I are off to Spokane. I figure I'm either going to bomb out or kick @$$ on Sunday. Incidentally, I'd prefer the latter...

"This is it, Baby!"

2011-08-07T19:29:00.000-04:00

...was my mantra for this weekend, which is our final push before IMC.

Yesterday Ilene, Stanley and I rode 100M in the blistering heat and humidity. We rode strong through San Ann, all things considered. Well, I felt like I was going to puke near the end, but I didn't. After stopping for pizza on my way home, Armando and I spent the afternoon in air-conditioned comfort watching Season 1 of Fringe.

This morning Ilene and I met at FW for a 19M jaunt through the trails. There wasn't much talking. I was reserving every ounce of energy to put one squishy foot in front of the other. In the parking lot, we chatted with FWJ and showered up. I could hardly wait to come home so I could eat, take an ice bath and crawl into bed.

I think we're both toasted.

Thankfully the big miles are in the books. There's nothing more to do now than recover and rest before our journey through Penticton. The next three weeks will seem like cake, and I like cake better than toast. Let the taper begin!

Sweating Buckets

2011-08-03T10:30:00.002-04:00

It's not even funny anymore. It's downright disgusting.

Ilene bailed on our San Ann ride today because she worked through the night (a legit excuse) so I rode at FW. Steve met me for the last loop and after four, I hopped off my bike for a 2M run. When I got back to my car, I wasn't perspiring. I wasn't even sweating.

It's like the flood gate was lifted and sweat was cascading from my body like a waterfall. I know. It's absolutely disgusting. But I had to share...

Some days you feel good...

2011-07-31T16:50:00.006-04:00

...and some days you don't.

That's what Ilene said early on in our 100M ride on Saturday. She was trashed from her Thursday night workout and had absolutely nothing in the tank.

On the other hand, I was feeling fantastic! But that makes a tough ride for the two of us. We admittedly had trouble staying together for much of the ride, and it was hotter than hell. My socks...my everything...was soaking wet when I pulled into the parking lot at 12:15pm. Our first 100M ride in two years done, and one to go. A brick after? I'm not crazy.

Today my girl and I headed to FW for what should have been a 20M run. (Can I mention it was an 80 degree sauna at 6am?) I decided to stay on the Main trail (to avert any of Grandpa's tricks), and I guess ended up cutting it a little short. I'm thinking we ran 18M...which was fine by us. We were both drenched when we finished. It's just gross.

It was a tough training weekend and I've never looked so forward to an ice bath and a nap...

The Best of Times

2011-07-24T20:36:00.001-04:00

It's no secret that this isn't the 'best of times' for me, and I so looked forward to today's solo run at FW. I very rarely run the trails alone, but this morning I threw caution to the wind, and headed to the park before dawn. The gate was open and I was running by 6am.

I headed down the path in the dark and just listening to the forest wake up. I ducked into Panther and the morning sun came up behind the pond. I eventually popped out on the paved path, and ran into Jon's Abyss, where the towering pines welcomed me. I refilled my water at the coolers, then traveled on Eubanks. So far, so good. I moved along, only stopping to walk every 30min (...and I knew where I was).

I didn't see another person until 7:45am, and I refueled again at the Morris Bridge site. From there it gets a little sketchy. I followed Heartbreak Ridge, then met Grandpa and the beautiful old trees . He led me to Indian, which I've been on before, but apparently not frequently enough. From what I can tell I circled around, and eventually came to a point where I could choose one of four directions to turn. To my credit, the bike trails twist and turn every which way, and I really didn't know which direction I should be headed. So I started down a trail, looking for my own footprints. I followed ones going the same direction but that didn't seem right, so I followed ones going the opposite direction (A map would be ideal here, you say? Pashaw!).

To my good fortune, after wandering around for awhile a runner came up the trail. I told him about my dilemma, and he was nice enough to lead me on the Main Trail to the parking lot...and then I was back in charted territory. I thanked the guy for doing his good-deed-for-the-day, and headed across the street to refill my camelback.

But 3miles of hot, unshaded levee lay ahead. It didn't take long for me to realize: 1. That we are dufasses for not running the levee first when it's still dark, and 2. That there was shade down below at the treeline. There wasn't a trail but there was wet, calf-deep grass and forgiving shade, and that's how I ran it in.

I was within 2min of the parking lot when Jason came cruising up the trail. I told him I'd been running for 4.5 hours because I got turned around, and his response was, "How can you get lost at Flatwooods?!!" It was a little embarrassing seeing that I've been running there for 3 years. Then again, I never said I know where I'm going.

Whether it was wisdom or foolishness I'm not sure, but we have everything before us...

Ads we'll never see again

2011-07-22T09:30:00.000-04:00

So that's what stay-at-home-Mommies do all day with their kids? Maybe I should reconsider parenthood...

That would make the girls and teens of today 'super-sized'!

Instantaneous addiction!

So that's why I never fit in...

The Jinx

2011-07-20T10:30:00.000-04:00

I am a big believer in the Law of Attraction. One of my favorite books on this topic is The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel. The basic premise is that positive thinking brings positive physical results and negative thinking brings negative physical results. So by concentrating your energy in a positive direction, the things you desire will come to you.

Back in January 2010, the FUR's headed up to the Citrus tract for the annual run...and the Law of Attraction was in full swing. You may recall that I was running with A2 through a burned section when he said something like, "This would make a great place to fall!" Less than a minute later, I was rolling in the ash.

I could talk about many other instances of attraction since then, but let's fast forward to Monday night. I was cutting lettuce and said to Armando, "I really like these (new, sharp) knives." His reply was, "You're going to cut yourself" (a snide comment on my lettuce preparation). So last night while I was cutting lettuce, I nearly sliced off the top of my thumb! I cut myself through my thumbnail and the tip of my thumb, and the blood gushed. Armando walked in just then from tennis and saw me leaning over the sink. "You cut yourself, didn't you?" Yes, thanks to you and the Law of Attraction...

So to those of you who insist on sending your negative energy my way...please stop! If I believe race day will have beautiful weather, let me believe it. If I concentrate on moving out of Florida, let me imagine what life would be like somewhere else. And for heaven's sake, if being strong and healthy is my meditation, let me attract it! You can keep your negative energy for yourself.

Central Florida Tri Series

2011-07-17T18:51:00.003-04:00

On Saturday morning I raced my first sprint tri in six years. I figured that with IMC rapidly approaching, I should get into race mode (especially since my last tri was two years ago!). Ilene and I got our transition areas set up and then plunged into the water for a warm-up swim.

The first wave went off at 7:30am and our combined age groups took off a few minutes later. The 440meter swim went well and I really didn't push (8:34). I ran into T1 behind Ilene, and got out as quickly as I could (2:41...I swear I didn't change my clothes!).

I hopped onto the bike and it took several minutes to catch up to Ilene as we rode around the lake.   I passed her and my heart rate skyrocketed due to my effort...and admittedly I enjoyed chicking lots of people! The 10-mile ride was over before I knew it (30:36), and I made it in and out of T2 (1:32).

I knew it wouldn't take Ilene long to catch up to me on the run, and she did just over a mile in, but I didn't let her out of my sight. She was kicking out 7:53's and I did my best with 8:12's over the 3-mile course. I finished in 1:08:47...6th in my age group.

Ilene WON her age group with a time of 1:08:17. Now THAT's how you enter a new age group! CONGRATS Ilene!

It was actually really fun to race again. The sprint is so different than IM and ultras...you have to shoot out of the gate and not slow down til you're done. I absolutely love my new bike legs (2nd in my AG and 4th woman overall with a 19.6mph pace, although my computer read 20.2mph).

And with the same passion hate running fast (Let's just say I held off puking more than once during the run). But even so, I have to say that I'm impressed with myself in that I ran 8:12 minute miles! My ultra friends will surely never believe that, so here are the official results.

Of course the entire race took just over an hour, so it's easy to go all out. I know very well that IMC will require more pacing and well, saving some fun for the run.

After Ilene and I cooled off a bit, we geared up again for what would end up being a hotter-than-hell 65-mile bike ride through the hills of Clermont. We tried to cut off some of the course, but got a little 'misdirected' and ended up with a 4-hour journey anyway. We were both toasted physically and emotionally by the time we wrapped it up at 2:00pm. It was tough to race hard then ride hard in the hot hot heat, but Saturday was Money in the Bank, Baby!

Endurance Training

2011-07-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

There are many types of endurance training. Some people count "time on your feet" while others keep track of actual miles. There are different kinds of weight lifting exercises, running mid-day to contend with the heat, pushing yourself as fast as you can, and pulling all-nighter's to get used to being up for 24-hours.

This Saturday I'm going to do it all.

Its starts at 4:45am when Ilene and I meet up to drive to Clermont for a sprint triathlon. I haven't raced a sprint for...6 years. By the time I'm done, I'll just be getting warmed up! Which is good, because Ilene and I plan to ride another 60-65M on that super-hilly course. We won't start riding til 10am which means we'll be finishing up close to 3pm. It'll be a sweatfest!

Once I get back home, I'll have two hours at the most to get dolled up for Tab's bachelorette party in St. Pete. With dinner reservations not til 8:30pm and the after party starting somewhere close to midnight, I'm in for a long night.

In the course of 24-hours, I'll have done an open-water swim, rode 70-75M, ran 3.1M, and wrapped it all up with dancing in heels til the wee small hours of the morning. Now THAT's what I call endurance training!

Almost Famous

2011-07-12T09:15:00.013-04:00

After a tough training weekend, I slept in til 8am on Monday then rode over to our pool. There were kids in the area for their summer camp, and when I rode up on my bike I heard one of the girls say, "Hey, I saw her on TV!" Not wanting to disappoint my little fan, I looked at her and winked ;)

I got into the pool with two other men, then a third decided to swim right beside me. I guess that's what I get for getting there so late. Regardless, I swam close to 2 miles, flipping around every 10th stroke. Talk about borrring. At least it worked on my terrible tan lines.

As I was finishing up, my lane-neighbor started teaching a kiddie swim class (and not with much class, I might add) and my fan club was gone as I rode away. I honestly don't think I could name one professional female triathlete right now...but I know that I have at least one fan!

It's Ba-ack

2011-07-11T11:09:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning started at 6:30am with my trusted training partner Ilene for what would end up being an 85M ride through the greater San Antonio area. We rocked and rolled through the hills til around mile 70, when The Humidity reared its ugly head and zapped us both of our energy. We slogged through the remaining miles, and with three to go, the rain came and washed away the pain (and subsequent run).

Sunday morning came way too early when I met A1, A2 and Ilene at FW for a 20M run through the trails. We warmed up quickly and all ran well...til The Humidity returned to once again steal my power. Admittedly, A1 and I walked most of the last mile (but still indulged at First Watch with Armando).

I still have no idea why Ilene and I decided on a race that would require the biggest training miles in July and August. But we did. And even though It's back, so are we!

Key West

2011-07-06T12:18:00.002-04:00

Armando and I made travel plans with my cousin Chris and his wife Adrianne to drive to Key West for the 4th of July weekend. They were supposed to fly into Miami from DC Thursday night and would meet us at the Miami airport early friday morning. But the weather was bad enough to cancel all flights into Miami on Thursday, so they were delayed til early Friday afternoon.

After tooling around the greater Miami area, Armando and I picked them up at the airport, then made the long hike across Hwy 1. A 100 mile trek shouldn't take 3.5 hours, but it did (and by the way, there's NO way I would run the Keys 100 mile run!!!).

We got into Key West just in time for happy hour...and according to the flag at our cottage: "Every hour is happy hour." The great thing about our second floor shackwas that we shared a pool with six other cottages, and we met some very interesting people from all over the country. Luckily Cody from Louisiana had rented his family an electric 6-seater golf cart...and he was nice enough to drive us to and from Duval Street on more than one occasion.

KW was crawling with tourists and locals, riding bikes, running, scootering and whipping golf carts through the streets. We didn't do any of the activities I had hoped (snuba, open-water swimming and eating fresh fish), but there was plenty to keep us entertained, like visiting Mallory Square , the Southernmost Point and Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville . We danced away the nights in places like Sloppy Joe's and Fat Tuesday, and we ate a couple of delicious breakfasts as a French place called the Banana Cafe .

We started our last evening at Louie's Backyard (from the JB song "Trying to Reason the Hurricane Season"), which was merely a block from our cottage and ended up at The Green Parrot to hear a funky, Latin hip-hop band called Suenalo from Miami.

The weather was either a hot sweaty mess or a downpour, but we had a blast! It was a fun little getaway that we can mark off the To-Do list.

Now seriously, The Wagon (with another slow-learner on board) came into town and I'm back on track to IMC...

Kickstart

2011-06-26T15:34:00.001-04:00

After last weekend's crash and burn, I decided that I'd better start ramping up my IM training. Ilene and I have a solid 8 weeks til IMC, and we've looked over our plan which includes: 70-100M rides, 4-hour runs and a sprint tri.

Yesterday Ilene and I headed to the hills of Clermont for a 74M ride over virtually every hill in the area. It was just the two of us and we averaged a mile an hour faster than when we rode that course a few weeks ago. We dodged the rain, and the clouds were a godsend. After our ride we did a 2M trot, then hit the showers.

Today A2 escorted me up to Croom, where we planned to run three of the 50K loops. The first two loops went better than expected and we flew through them with sub-11min miles. Even though A2 sounded like he was dying on the second loop (and I had spent my gas on those last few miles) we agreed to fuel up one more time and run 1 or 2 more miles. I should have known better than to trust Andy, because we took a different route (after completely bonking a couple miles in) and ended up running an additional 4.5M, for a total of 20.5M.

It wasn't always pretty this weekend, but it was a good kick...

Just One of the Good Ol' Boys

2011-06-24T09:18:00.001-04:00

It's no secret that I have more guy friends than girl friends. It's been that way most of my life and I like it. Some chicks can be catty and well, girly. But I digress...

Ilene and I finished the Metro Dash last weekend. It was an event that required a lot of upper body strength, of which apparently I have very little. (It should be noted that the girls had to lift/carry/push/pull the same amount of weight that the guys did).

Somehow my time was recorded in the Individual Male results. Of my 142 male competitors, I finished #122 with a time of 14:01. But my cohort Ilene, who I ran next to the majority of the race, finished 33rd out of 70 women with a time of 13:54. (I would have been 35th in the Female category).

I guess it's just me and the good ol' boys...

Running on Empty

2011-06-19T19:57:00.001-04:00

I woke up feeling muscles in my back and arms that I'd not felt before, thanks to yesterday's MD. I met up with Jason, Ilene and Stanley at 6:30am (or so) to start our ride in the Trilby loop in San Ann. The temp was decent and we flew through the first 30M, including a hill repeat and a dog-attack.

We headed back to the parking lot where Heidi and Nick were awaiting our arrival (we were a bit late due to the "or so"). The six of us took off on the classic route, and Jason turned around a few miles in (btw: we won't be able to keep up with him much longer).

The rest of us took turns pulling in the rising temps, and made it up to Ice Cream hill...where I proceeded to bonk. Hard. I begged for food, to which Ilene responded with half a Cliff bar. That didn't help much and I spent the remaining 15 miles struggling to keep the group in site. I haven't felt that bad in a long, long time. Several factors played into my demise on the 70-miler, and I realized that I'd better take the last 8 weeks of IMC training a little more seriously.

The Metro Dash

2011-06-18T16:48:00.000-04:00

Ilene gets me involved in the funnest races! Today her choice was the Metro Dash. These types of races are the latest craze. This is one where competitors sprint a total of about 600 meters while climbing, crawling, jumping, swinging, and scaling their way through 30 challenging obstacles.

We made the long haul to Orlando's fairgrounds to join the other crazy, pain-loving freaks of central Florida. Before our 9am wave, we had a chance to scope out the field. There would be plenty of climbing up and over walls, cargo nets and fences. We would carry things like kettlebells, a medicine ball, and a log, as well as pull and push a weighted sled. Then there were the dreaded monkey bars (oh to be a 60lb kid again!), among other obstacles to crawl under and jump over. The women had to carry the same amount of weight as the men, though once or twice the distance was shorter, like in the tire-flip .

Ilene and I started together and were side by side most of the time (until the end, when she beat me!). I got a little freaked out on top of the cargo net, and totally bombed the monkey bars (which resulted in 5 burpees). My heart rate soared and and my arms fatigued. But in the end, we had a blast!

"S" stands for...

2011-06-13T19:17:00.003-04:00

Spectacular!

Sunday morning brought the end of my trip (even if the girls were staying another day). I'd never been to Vegas before, and it's reputation did not disappoint! We did everything from site-seeing to eating fabulous food to dancing all night . The streets and casinos were packed with people from all walks of life...it was truly entertaining.

The four of us celebrated Kim's Big Four-Oh Vegas style ! I'm admittedly exhausted and would do it again in a heartbeat.

So, Happy Birthday Kim! Thank you for inviting me to your celebration, and I wish you another 40 years filled with memories like these...XOXO

"A" stands for...

2011-06-13T18:49:00.002-04:00

Atmosphere!

Saturday in Vegas was crazy...I think the number of visitors doubled since Wednesday. The day started off with a 4-5 mile run in the dry heat. I went back to the room and woke up the girls (at noon!) and eventually got them out on the strip for a day of site-seeing and shopping. We walked from one end to the other and back in a matter of 7 hours. The casinos, hotels and sites like the fountain show at the Bellagio and the hot pool scene at Caesar's were captivating.

After getting dolled up once again , we hit the streets to find dinner...what ended up being the best tapas I've ever eaten. The party scene was in full swing with young people showing off their style. We tried our hand at the slots and roulette , where I lost some cash, but learned a lot. It was another late night...maybe Vegas should be called the city that never sleeps.

"G" stands for ...

2011-06-12T00:51:00.000-04:00

Gambling!

This place is crazy when it comes to gambling. It's 24/7 (and we would know since we've had some short nights). Thursday consisted of a pool party and a birthday party. We celebrated Kim's BIG 40 all night, in several different venues, including Cabo Wabo and a dueling piano bar .

"E" stands for...

2011-06-10T13:08:00.001-04:00

Exotic!

Thursday morning Kim and I woke up and hit the strip for a 1.5 hour power walk. The streets were already crowded with tourists, Elvis and other characters.

Later we met up with Jaime and Tab, and headed to the Luxor pool...which had much nicer scenery than ours.

After a relaxing afternoon, we got dressed up and went for Sushi at Mandalay Bay....delicious! We wandered around the shops and found some hot clubs where we would dance away the night...

"V" stands for...

2011-06-09T18:11:00.004-04:00

Vacation!

Our first day in Vegas was interesting. I met Kim, Jaime & Tab at the airport at 9:30am and we shuttled to Excalibur. It was too early to check in, so we wandered the strip for awhile. After check-in, we headed to the pool for some R&R, then (after changing rooms due to no air conditioning), met Tab's cousin and her boyfriend at New York New York for dinner. They went to a show and we hit the strip. A little gambling and lots of fun. This is going to be a fun vacation!

What Happens in Vegas...

2011-06-08T04:20:00.000-04:00

I'm heading to Vegas this morning to commemorate Kim's 40th birthday. I've never been there before, and I'm super excited to celebrate with my good friend. Don't expect many updates (and certainly no pix!). What happens in Vegas...

Lucky #7

2011-06-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

Seven years ago today I married the man of my dreams...

Ich liebe Du mit allen meines Herzen, Armando. Ich bin für immer Ihres XOXO

Gettin' Squiggy with It

2011-06-06T12:40:00.002-04:00

I got to FW early this morning to run the 11-mile loop. It was quick and quiet, and I spotted deer and turkeys (and I'm not talking about the Steve's who passed me). I've been jonesing for the trails, so I made a detour into a short loop, then hit Squiggy for an out-and-back, totalling 12.5-miles or so. Oh how I miss the trails!

With a quarter mile to go, FWJ slid down the hill and ran it in with me. I'll admit he controlled himself and did little talking; at the car, he loaned me a book and left me to stretch alone.

On my way home, I got a call from Nick who said he'd seen "the most unhappy look he'd see all day" while I was running with FWJ as he passed us on his bike. But the real reason he was calling was for a ride: he'd broken a spoke around mile marker 6 and was stranded. I met him at the Morris Bridge side, packed up Nick and his gear and drove them home.

Hey, not only was that good trail karma... but friends are for more than just busting each other's chops. I could YouTube "That's What Friends Are For" here, but I'll stick with Will Smith instead:

Like a Kid in a Candy Store

2011-06-05T12:27:00.004-04:00

Friday evening I received a text from Jason inquiring if I was riding this weekend. After some drunken banter about his endurance ability on a bike, I told him about the Saturday morning ride in San Ann. The kid just bought his bike a couple of months ago and has done all of his riding at FW...but he figured he'd be "fine."

We met the usual Radlers (except for Ilene) and took off shortly after 7am. I gave Jason a few pointers about group riding, like Etiquette Rule #1: Don't crash into anyone. Jason announced that he was planning to ride the entire 54M in his big chain ring. "Good luck with that!" was the thought in my head.

After a short warm up, Jason took off ahead of us, never looking back. He'd spotted a hill ahead, and like a kid in a candy store, couldn't help himself...and up he went. I chased after him while the guys laughed and made the course turn. When Jason finally decided to look back, I waved him down. We hauled butt back up Bayhead, where the group was riding a leisurely pace, waiting for our arrival. There I offered Jason Etiquette Rule #2: Look behind you on occasion to see if your group is following.

That pursuit continued, with Jason getting ahead and me trying to catch up and give directions. I finally wised up and when we would come up to him, I'd give directions for the next few miles.

We lost Steve and Nick at the 40-mile turn, and after a short stop at the convenience store, the rest of us headed out to Trilby. Jason kept up for awhile, and Donna warmed up. But soon enough Stanley and I dropped everyone. We joined up again at the turn around, but quickly dropped them like a bad habit. Stanley and I would ride fast, then wait at the next stop sign for the others, then get ahead again...all the way back to the parking lot.

Jason admitted that he was good for two hours, then the "hills" kicked his butt. I'd warned him that San Ann is tougher than he would expect for Florida. But truthfully he did very well for his first long, hilly ride, and he seemed to love the scenic route.

We (yes WE) put on our runners and headed out to Snakebite Loop...and shortly after, I bombed out. I had nothing in the tank, and ended up walking some. Jason tried to be encouraging, but I'm pretty sure I know his opinion of my running abilities, seeing that every time we run together I walk. Either way, we 'ran' 4-miles and walked it in. I was spent.

The ride was great (55.5M @ 19.0mph) and the run, not so great. But in the end, I earned my own trip to the ice cream shop!

Johnny Paycheck says it all...

2011-06-03T09:18:00.000-04:00

Another Crisis Averted

2011-06-01T11:39:00.000-04:00

I met up with Ilene, Nick and Steve this morning at FW for an EASY spin in prep for Ilene's Mooseman this weekend. We rode two loops together and then back to the parking lot. And wouldn't you know it? FWJ was in search of his next prey. We quickly told Ilene Good Luck, then the guys rode home and I headed back out.

I thought I was keeping a good pace at 21-22mph, but Hunter came soaring by me! I made my way around for a second loop, and passed him at a water station (OK, so he was stopped). But soon enough he caught up to me and we sailed back to the parking lot together.

I put on my runners, and Hunter joined me (oh no!). Although his long strides seemed effortless, I was running so hard I could barely squeak out words. So I let him do the talking. I found out that he's from the Detroit area, graduated from Ole Miss, and was a "wine guru" before running the Ironman 360 shop...which led to the conversation about the Cupcakes going to Vineman 70.3 in July. From that point on I kept thanking Ilene in my head for not choosing Vineman this year!!!

I'm not exactly sure how long it took us to run two miles, but it was 8:58am when I left my car and walked to the water fountain, and 9:17am when I could see straight enough to look at the time in my car.

...and I was able to escape an encounter with FWJ.

A Weekend to Remember

2011-05-31T10:26:00.002-04:00

Armando and I didn't have much luck finding a last minute getaway, but we still got a lot accomplished over the weekend:

Saturday started with a 40-mile ride. The usual suspects rode out of San Ann with ten riders, and ended up with four (I won't mention those who were dropped, but they know who they are). While the others went for egg sammiches, I ran 4-miles on snakebite loop (Turns out Ilene didn't miss anything...but was pleasantly surprised on her trip to the beach!). Saturday evening Armando treated me to dinner and a Hangover (which was funny and predictable).

Sunday morning I went for a slog through the neighborhood while Armando played tennis to get us good and hungry for Rusty Pelican's Sunday Brunch (It was decent, but doesn't compare to Oystercatchers). Armando had reserved a hotel room where we watched the end of the Indy 500, then relaxed by the poolall afternoon. We caught a Bahama Breeze later that nightand enjoyed a pleasant evening by the water .

We slept in Monday but awoke in time for a very tasty European-style breakfast. From there we headed to the local western store to buy a belt for my 100-mile belt buckles (Oh yes I did...and there's bling, baby!). I did not however buy the $350 boots . Off to Home Depot, where we bought and used paint for our patios. Monday evening was just chill.

It sure was nice having three days off (and I think it will be just enough to get me through til next Wednesday) all thanks to my Swiss Mister who treated me to a lovely (early) anniversary weekend!

Oh, Canada!

2011-05-26T09:15:00.001-04:00

I had my first (and not last) dream about Ironman Canada last night. It consisted of:

No goggles for the swim
The mess of athletes swimming around a shipwrecked sailboat near the shore
A man drafting behind me in the water by holding onto my legs
Another me doing the first loop of the bike course while the second me waited with my parents
Watching a video of cars driving the snow-covered rolling bike course
Getting on the bike for the second loop and riding through construction
Not only riding through construction, but plowing through 6-foot sand drifts!

Frankly, I think this is less anxiety about the race and more an indication of my life right now...

Flatwoods Jim

2011-05-18T10:24:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned him before, but today's event imposes its own post.

I met up with Ilene, Steve and Nick this morning at FW for an easy spin (yeah right). We spun around the loop three times and figured that was a good enough recovery ride.

As we were packing up our gear, FW Jim pulled into the parking lot. His car engine hadn't even stopped before he was a foot in front of me. I was taking off my shoes on the passenger side, and he was nearly sitting on my lap.

The barrage of questions began immediately: "How far did you ride?" "How fast?" "I read a book that I thought you'd like..." Ilene and I just looked at each other and laughed. Steve was not afflicted since he was parked on the other side of the lot.

Ilene was then treated to the interrogation with questions like: "Did you do Ironman Austria with Andrea?" "Who's faster?" "Which sport are you better at?"

Steve was sitting in his car watching the charade, and somehow Ilene was able to sneak into her car as well. I needed to change my clothes, and I practically ran to the restroom.

When I emerged, FWJ was tying his shoes on the nearest bench with his buddy Lewis. As I walked by FWJ said, "Wait! Wait!" I asked why. Lewis just shrugged his shoulders. "I need to get a hug!!!"

For more reasons than smelling like Polo (or Old Spice or whatever cologne FWJ douses himself in before his run) I replied, "I don't think so Jim. Why don't you hug Lewis instead?"

Thankfully FWJ got distracted by an oncoming cyclist in a USF jersey, and the questions were redirected to that poor soul: "Is your team coming?" "How fast are you going to ride..."

I made a beeline for my car and threw it in reverse before FWJ could teleport to my driver's side. Ilene was thoughtful enough to give a rescue call, just in case I hadn't escaped the clutches of FWJ...

Bike MS: The Citrus Tour 2011

2011-05-16T21:24:00.002-04:00

This is the third year Ilene and I decided to ride the MS 150. It is such a well-organized event and a great cause, we couldn't pass it up. Plus, it was perfect timing for Ilene's Mooseman 70.3 the first week of June. We invited others to join us, and at one point we had 7 members for Team "Off The Back." But that number dwindled to 4 by last weekend.

Saturday: Ilene and I drove over to Bok Tower in Lake Wales at 4:30am, and geared up for the ride once we found parking. After standing in the long line for the only port-o-potty, we met our teammates Steve and Big Steve (aka "The Beast") . We waited for our wave to roll out...which didn't happen until 7:40am.

Soon enough we hooked up with a fast group and sailed along. We were peddling to the Northeast and the wind was from the Southwest, so we were golden. We stopped briefly at the Chalet Suzanne Road aid station (mile 36), and gathered another group. Somehow I ended up in front and took off...only to find no one behind me a half mile later! We regrouped and headed for Lake Marie Park (mile 45), where lunch was waiting.

We took a longer break there and enjoyed some goodies , and inadvertently sat at the table with the Raymond James boys, who recognized me immediately. (They were the ones who helped me crash two years ago!). We jokingly agreed that we would not be riding together this weekend.

With the tremendous tailwind, we cruised along. Not many riders could hang, including Big Steve. Ilene, Steve and I rode together and flew by the remaining two aid stations. We were riding well but were looking for the end...which never came! We knew the course would be long (as it always is), and we anticipated 78 miles. But when we hit mile 78, then 80...we were getting a little...edgy.

Finally, after making our way through the traffic on Vineland Road, and 82.5 miles later, we hit the Caribe Royale Resort. We were cheered in by volunteers and finally gave our tingling toes a break. We took a few minutes to cool off and eat, and waited for Big Steve to come in. Then Ilene and I found our spot at the massage tables for a 30 minute rub down, while the guys found the beer tent.

We took a short snooze while a storm rolled in, then enjoyed a glass of wine before dinner. We joined Stanley and his Suncoast Cycling friends at their table while we listened to the MS organizers thank the 1000+ cyclists for their efforts. Later we headed back to the bar to watch the Lightning play, but the local channels didn't carry the conference finals game (seriously?), so we got score updates from Armando (The Lightning won 5-2).

Sunday: I woke up before 5am to the sound of a thunderstorm. Still, we got ready and went down for breakfast at 6am. The Steve's joined us, and we were given the announcement that the start time would be delayed for an hour due to weather. It would have been nice to know that before Ilene's rooster wake-up call!

We tooled around and finally geared up for the ride, and thankfully Stanley decided to join us on the return trip. This time, we positioned ourselves in the first wave, and rolled out just after 8am. We passed several cyclists, but got a big group together and put it into high gear. When we hit the railroad tracks, my spare bottle flew out of the cage. A rider pointed it out, but there was no way I was going to stop and lose my crew. We cruised along, and somehow down the road, there were only five or so of us taking turns pulling the pack of 15 riders! The wind was kicking up and Stanley decided we'd hit the Lake Wilson rest stop at mile 21.

That split up the group, but we continued on with our group of five, plus a few other hangers-on. We zipped through the rolling roads lined with citrus trees, and gave homage to my crash site. Much to everyone's pleasure, we hit the lunch stop (mile 33) a few miles down the road. We saw the Raymond James boys again, and we taunted...again.

After the break, we took off at full force (passing the Ray-Jay guys), but we also dropped Big Steve and Steve. We figured due to strong winds and fatigue, they would bail out of the 82-mile ride and take the 50-mile option (which they did). We kept rolling until the other two riders split off, leaving Ilene, Stanley and me to face the 20+mph headwind and strong gusts.

Quite honestly, that sucked! It literally sucked the life out of me. Each of us struggled in the front, especially when we passed long, open fields and fought wind gusts of over 25mph. We stopped at the Chalet Suzanne aid station just 9 miles down the road for refuge, and to help get blood to Ilene's poor hurting foot.

Alas, we headed out again and fought the wind. I had prepared myself mentally for the struggle with the wind, but there was one point that I was just done riding, and wanted to quit more than anything. But that was forgotten when on a long stretch, we passed two riders who latched on (but refused to pull!).

We fought through the wind at a whopping 17mph, and were more than ready to stop at the The Barn aid station (mile 57). There were four other riders there, and we decided we'd all head out together. They pulled and we drafted for awhile. Then somehow (and thankfully) we hit a tailwind...and we high-tailed it. Seriously, we were averaging 24mph for a few miles! I could barely keep up, but it was fun moving fast. We sailed with those guys until we were burnt. (We caught them a half-mile down the road when one of them got a flat).

Four of us continued on, passing the last aid station. We flew around Lake Wales and up a hill or two. Stanley split off to get in a few more miles (199 to be exact) for the weekend, and Ilene, Wheel-sucker and I rolled through town. We turned a corner, where a big uphill awaited. Many people were walking their bikes, but we climbed up it with no problem (thanks to our Clermont tour last weekend). We finally hit the turn into Bok Tower Gardens, where we passed a few more tired riders.

We were greeted with cheers and claps, and crossed the finish line. Ilene and I rode directly to her car and ditched our bikes and shoes. We got cleaned up and I ate a yummy turkey Bubba burger while we chatted and relaxed with Stanley in the shade.

After looking more closely I see that this ride is no longer called the "MS 150." It's called the "Citrus Tour" which leaves the distance wide open (something we'd joked about when the end never came on Saturday). Once again, the MS folks put on a superb event and raised a lot of money for a good cause, and we got in a stellar training weekend.

Stats:
Saturday: 82.5 miles @ 19.8mph
Sunday: 82.5 miles @ 18.1mph
Total miles: 165
Team Off The Back raised $1550
VIB Stanley raised ...Way to go Stanley! And thanks to all of you who gave generous donations to support this event!

Event Weekend

2011-05-14T04:12:00.000-04:00

Ilene is on her way to pick me up for the long drive over to Lake Wales, where the MS150 starts. We'll meet Steve and Steve, and then ride out at 7am with thousands of other riders. Ilene and I have deemed this the "Summer of Safety" and vow to have a safe rides and lots of fun.

A2 has been up for two hours already gearing up for the Massanutten 100 in Virginia. With all teasing aside, I hope he has a successful and enjoyable (albeit rainy) run.

Patrick is probably up fueling for his Florida 70.3. He has big hopes, and if the heat and rain hold off, he has a good shot at qualifying for the 70.3 World Championship in Vegas.

Good Luck to all...and we'll see you at the Finish Line!

We don't need no stinkin' boys!

2011-05-09T08:00:00.002-04:00

The MS 150 is next weekend and Ilene's Mooseman 70.3 is three weeks later. We've got to get into high gear, so we decided to head to Clermont on Saturday to ride the Horrible Hundred course that we rode last November (yes, the course where I walked up Sugarloaf).

I sent an email to the Radlers, but unfortunately we didn't get any takers. I guess it had something to do with my warning email about the course hitting every possible hill in Clermont.

But did that stop us? No. Did her Friday evening birthday bash stop us? Heck no! We're tougher than a two dollar steak according to Andyman, so we made our own plans.

We met at 6:00am and drove to Clermont's Waterfont Park. We loaded up on food and water, not knowing for sure if we'd hit an oasis on the course.

We rolled out at 7:40am and started following the faded orange arrows. We hit the big hills and rollers, along with some busy highways. At the halfway point, we found the Clermont Welcome Center and stopped to refill our bottles and chat with the nice man there.

The wind kicked up (as it always does) and we pushed through. We rocked up The Wall, Buckhill and Sugarloaf and sailed down the other side. We (I) made only one wrong turn, that ended up in one bonus mile. And just as I remembered from last time, the hills kept coming, right until the end.

We ended up with 77-miles in just under 5 hours. It wasn't a fast ride, but it was one heck of a tour. We hopped off our bikes and went for a 2-mile run along the water. It was an excellent training day, and we could hardly wait to hit the showers and find food.

Like I told Ilene, it's great to ride in a big group, because you get to ride really fast. But sometimes its important to go solo to really see what you're made of. And Saturday we proved that we don't need no stinkin' boys to lead the way...

Ilene's celebration continues...

2011-05-08T14:38:00.001-04:00

My dear friend and training partner Ilene turned 40 last month. And she's decided that she's going to celebrate for the entire year!

Ilene spent her birthday in Seattle with her friend Tammy, doing everything from wale watching to show shoeing to white water rafting. While she was away, the Radlers celebrated her birthday with a ride and sent her our best wishes.

The first of May rolled around and we still hadn't formally celebrated Ilene's birthday with her. Chip was the ring leader in planning a Friday evening bash. It was another meeting of two worlds between the UltraRunners and Radlers .

We enjoyed dinner at Cafe Don Jose and topped it off with cake (and cupcakes of course). Ilene has been a great friend for over six years, and I'm looking forward to continuing her celebration in the months to come!

Happy, Happy Birthday Ilene!

May your new age group bring

a strong tailwind & tough toenails!

XOXO

Ultra Miles for Moffitt

2011-05-02T11:23:00.002-04:00

I realize I'm considered crazy by some people. However, I'm not crazy enough to run around a 1/4 mile track for 12 hours! As much as I like Pete and Mary Beth, I just have no desire to run in circles through the night.

But 30 some runners thought that sounded like a good way to spend a Saturday night. Armando and I volunteered at the aid station from 9pm-3am while Pete and Mary Beth got some shut-eye. It was pretty low key, since most of the runners brought their own nutrition. We had some regulars who'd stop in every loop or two, and we'd chat with them while they refueled.

Armando helped DJ and kept the runners hydrated, while Mike tried to keep the lap-counting straight. Dan showed up after midnight with nothing better to do than harass the likes of Kathleen and Jim. Pete came back in the wee small hours of the morning, and Mary Beth brought us a yummy breakfast snack at 3am.

I'm not sure who ended up with the most miles, but my money's on Joe Ninke, who had run well over 40 miles by the time Armando and I left. The winners received a rock stack for lapping their competitors. And the real winners, the cancer sufferers and survivors, will benefit from the money that was raised through this event.

Mazzy it is!

2011-04-22T08:37:00.002-04:00

Ms. Beauty has been with us for a week already. There was a lot of growling and hissing earlier in the week, but that is tapering off now. Doors are open all day for unsupervised visits and all seems to be going well!

After debating on names, Wendy suggested "Mazzy" as in Mazzy Star the alternative rock band we used to love. Here's the Swiss twist: Mazzy is pronounced "Maht-zi" because German speakers don't pronounce it the same way we do.

Either way, Ms. Mazzy seems to be getting comfy here and already found her favorite watering spot.

Bike Brick

2011-04-21T09:14:00.002-04:00

There were no takers for San Ann yesterday, so I headed to FW for a 32-mile spin. I plugged into my tunes and put the pedal to the metal, averaging 19.7mph (hey hey!).

Nothing exciting happened, except that Steve joined me for the last two miles. He split off to ride another loop and I headed into the parking lot...

...where I put on my runners. I haven't transitioned like that for nearly two years! I did have flashbacks of hot summer brick workouts while I was running which made me shiver. But even though my legs were wondering what the heck was going on, they still ran. Here's to laying more bricks...

Iron Maiden

2011-04-19T09:28:00.002-04:00

I'm going to start by saying that there are just some things you do for love. In this case, I bought Armando Iron Maiden concert tickets for his birthday. He had to wait four months to use them, but Sunday night his dream came true.

We met up with Shawn, Jeff & Tom at Stump's Supper Club, where we yukked it up for a couple of hours before the show. Apparently most of the audience had the same idea, because there was not one person wearing a color other than black (except for Tom). In the ladies room, not only was there shag carpet on the walls, but this lovely John Denver album cover, among others.

We made our way to the Forum and got cozy in our club-level seats...but not for long. When Maiden came out, the crowd went nuts. I guess they haven't played here for 20 years, so it's been a long time coming.

Apparently they haven't changed their appearances since then either. Long hair, skin tight pants and white sneakers...Janick Gers was by far my favorite character: . He pranced around the stage with the whimsy of Tinkerbell in his diamond-studded jeans. He was quite entertaining to say the least.

Of course their "mascot" Eddie came out and again the crowd went wild.

Maiden didn't play either of the two songs I know, which isn't nearly as fun as when you can sing along. But I did enjoy hearing the four guitarists play together. Either way, it was an interesting way to spend a Sunday night, and the people-watching was second to none!

Supervised Visits

2011-04-18T10:47:00.003-04:00

After a long drive from West Tampa, Beauty made it to her new home Friday night. She ate up her dinner and rested well. After riding 53-hilly miles in San Ann on Saturday morning, Armando and I decided to start supervised visits between Ezra and Beauty.

I bought a baby gate to act as a barrier between one half of the house and the other. Beauty quickly came out of her room and toured her end of the house. Ezra had no idea what was going on til he heard Beauty meow. His ears perked up and he was curious...and you know what they say about cats and curiosity.

Ezra is a portly dude, but I'll be danged if he didn't find a way to crawl his 15 pounds under the gate to check out the situation! Much to his surprise, Beauty was staring right back at him. There was some hissing and growling, which is to be expected. Since the gate was useless, we just let them roam. Ezra let Beauty explore the house, but stood his ground under the bed in our room. Apparently that is his room and girls aren't allowed.

Saturday night we decided to put Beauty back in the safety of her room, but on Sunday morning, we started the visits again . Everything was fine while we all ate breakfast, and there was more hissing and growling throughout the day. In leaving for the Iron Maiden concert (which is a story for another time), we decided to put her back in her room.

When we got home at midnight, we thought we'd try an evening unsupervised. That lasted around 2 hours before we were woken up by a loud cat yowl! Needless to say, none of us got much sleep.

Overall, it's all normal cat behavior and they're doing purrrdy good at adjusting. I am hopeful that they will warm up to one another sooner than later. Every day we have another breakthrough, and today's was after breakfast.

We're Expecting!

2011-04-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

It was a difficult decision, but Armando and I finally decided to take the plunge into parenthood...again.

After searching on Petfinder.com, our path lead to Beauty.

Beauty's story:
What we know is that Beauty was abandoned when her family moved out of their house. She was left all alone to fend for herself. Being declawed, Beauty had little chance of finding food. Luckily the neighbor found her, and not a moment too soon: she was starving!

Beauty was taken to the local vet, and then placed in foster mom Christine's care. She is 4-6 years old, and although she is skin and bones, she is overall a healthy girl.

Christine has had her for a month, and Beauty has already gained a pound or two. She is eating more every day, but she is still bony and very petite.

Armando and I met Beauty on Wednesday, and she took to Armando immediately! We planned to bring her home next weekend, but Christine is going away for a few days, so we decided there's no time like the present.

We're expecting to bring home Beauty tonight after work, and I can hardly wait! Ezra doesn't know what's coming, but I think he's going to be gracious and welcome this Beauty into our home...

C U Cali Kylie

2011-04-14T12:33:00.001-04:00

Well, our guests are settled back on the West Coast. It was great to finally meet Kylie and Mike in person.

The gang sent them off on Sunday with a champagne brunch at Oystercatchers...and it was oh so tasty!

After a boatload of food, we headed next door to do some boat-watching on Whiskey Joe's deck before they flew off.

Kylie and Mike gave me the scoop on Ironman Canada...tips from the pros will help me prepare for IMC.

Good times, good people. CONGRATS again on running 50M Kylie!

Giving Back to The Fools

2011-04-11T11:07:00.016-04:00

As endurance athletes, we do a lot of taking. We take from our families (time, energy, responsibility), from our fellow athletes (food, clothing, ribbing), and from the volunteers at our events (compliments, care, kindness). Once in awhile it's important to give it back.

Early Saturday morning, Mike and I helped Kylie get lubed up for the long day at the Croom Fool's Run , and at the start watched as A2 pointed out the route to Roger and Gus . They joined the other 50-mile runners at 6am and headed into the dark trails.

Shortly after the runners took off, I was sent to Aid Station #2. I had the pleasure of working with Tracie & Otto, Bill-the-Slow-Twin and Barbara . We had a rockin' AS stocked with food and music. When runners came through, we clapped, rang cow bells (much to Tracie's dismay) and fueled them up.

The fast 50-mile guys came through early on , then the more human runners came in. Kylie seemed to be having fun and running well . Jason was clipping along in the 50K, but stopped to pose in his Club Fat @$$ shirt (he finished in 4:48) . And I ran out a few minutes with Ilene, who was running strong in the 50K . On my way back to the AS, I caught some other runners in action and still smiling . Dan sauntered into the AS and surprisingly chose Gatorade over a beer .

By the second loop, Patrick was on the hunt for a 1st place finish in the 50K , so I helped grab his drink from his cooler and pushed him to catch the leader, who was less than a minute ahead of him. With fire in his eyes, Patrick took off (and ended up winning the 50K race in 3:54!). A2 came through a little rough on loop #2, and I helped with his nutrition and doused his hat in ice. I knew he would suck it up and finish 50M (which he did in 8:42). He's back on track.

We helped the 50M leader Brian on his last loop (he finished in 7:04). Sometime after noon, Ilene came through on her second and final loop, and I was prepared to run it in with her (thanks to Bill's hat and Tracie's water bottle!). Ilene was running with Maria, a lovely lady from Miami. They were hot and tired, but we chatted away the miles and ran well. Before they knew it, we were climbing the rooty section to the Finish Line. Ilene was a champ, and finished her 50K in 6:37, just a few weeks after finishing her first 53-miler at GRR...'Atta girl!

When I found Armando and Mike at the S/F area, they said that Kylie was struggling and looking for company. I congratulated Ilene, Maria, and Patrick who'd been chilling on the massage table , and Armando escorted me back to AS#2. I decided to start running towards Kylie, and I met her 1.5 miles in. She was in serious abdominal pain and was frustrated because she was walking more than she wanted. We jog-walked it back to AS#2 where Mike, Charles and Armando were waiting. While Kylie made a pit stop, Dan came in covered in blood! Seriously, he looked like he'd been shot in the head ...even his glasses and race number were blood red! Hazel and the AS workers came to his aid, and listened to his story about head-butting a tree.

Meanwhile Kylie decided she was going to finish her 50-miler (because she's just that stubborn) and we headed back into the woods for the final 7-miles . We did the jog-walk routine and I chattered away about nothing important, hoping to distract her from the debilitating pain. After the pits we hit AS#3, where the tattoo'd Mark was waiting to support. Kylie moved on and I filled her bottle (forgetting to fill my own, causing me to run back then catch up with her a 3/4 mile down the trail).

Even though our pace was marginal at times, we passed some runners who were struggling with the Florida heat and humidity. We made our way up and over the hilly section and then I was able to give time estimates for the finish. Eventually we found our way to the rooty uphill, and Kylie waved to her fans as she crossed the finish line in 10:36 , with her first 50-mile finish!

After Kylie cooled down , we all enjoyed the after party. The Andy's yucked it up , Dr. Frank and Frankie grilled, The Good Doctor waited for her rats, Michael relaxed in the shade , and we Trifuelers posed with the RD . And everyone cheered as Dan the Man made his way to his 50-mile finish ...what an unbelievable will Dan has!

As much as I wanted to run with the other Fools, I enjoyed the best of both worlds by helping at the aid station and running with my girls to their finishes. I am once again humbled by the strength and ability of each athlete, whether first place or DFL. Ultimately I was reminded what a priceless group of people our ultrarunning community is, and how thankful that I am to call them my family.

I will (of course) leave you with some feet pictures...this time, not my own: Patrick's damage after the fastest 50K: Kylie's rainbow toes after 50-miles:

Virtual friends

2011-04-08T08:43:00.007-04:00

I've been a member of Trifuel.com for 2271 days. And at some point in the forum I made a virtual friend, Kylie in California. Over the years, we've learned that we have similar interests and goals. In fact, she raced Ironman Canada last year.

Now Kylie wants to try her hand at ultrarunning. Funny enough, she met A1 in Cali at Rocky Roads 100M, and paced him to a sub-24 hour finish. When she found out that A1 and I are friends, she was hooked on running his Fool's Run. So in return for her pacing, A1 invited Kylie to the run tomorrow. She will be running 50M and will no doubt finish strong.

Kylie and Mike will be staying with us for two short days, but we have lots of activities planned in that short time. Number one on the list is making my virtual friendship a reality!

The Beauty of the VFF's

2011-04-04T09:57:00.004-04:00

With the torrential rain and severe weather last week, Flatwoods has become Floodwoods. The trails were swamped according to Jason, and two bridges on the loop were flooded and blocked off. That may stop some people, but throw on the trusty VFF's and one can trudge through anything!

It was a beautiful morning for a run, and the deer and birds were enjoying the day's lovely start with me (even if signs of heat and humidity are on the horizon). I was the sole runner in the park til mile 9, when a couple of cyclists rode by. Then my peace was shattered a mile later when I ran into FW Jim, who was anxiously waiting to run it in with me.

That was the longest run since GRR, and it felt great! And finally...6 months later...my black toenail fell off . Oh, come on...I haven't shown a foot picture in awhile!

Getting into gear

2011-04-02T14:04:00.006-04:00

Out with the old, and in with the new! It's time to start getting into triathlon mode. Ironman Canada is the end of August, but I'll admit that my head is not in multi-sport at this point.

Closer to date is the MS 150, which is just 6 weeks away. We need to get on our bikes! My brother Steve helped motivate me by buying new bike shoes for my birthday. I also found some comfy bike shorts and bought a new tool bag. My Black Mamba desperately needs a tune-up and fitting, but where will I find time for that?

So Ilene, Heidi and RS met up in San Ann this morning for what ended up being a 54-mile ride through the hills. Considering that I haven't ridden that far since November, I think we did OK. I'm admittedly beat, but the worst part is that my hands have permanent bike glove marks after one sunny ride. UGH. Season of bad tan lines, here I come...

Birthday Fun

2011-03-29T09:26:00.009-04:00

It was a whirlwind weekend tour! I met up with my Swiss Mister, parents, brothers, nieces and nephews in South Bend for the birthday celebration.

It started Saturday night with friends at Soho Japanese Hibachi . You've gotta love it when the chef sets food on fire ! Then the doctor and I were presented with a birthday dessert (that we didn't share) while everyone sang to us.

The group split up and Kim, Mike, Armando and I headed to Bar Louie for more craziness and we made plans to head to Vegas for Kim's big day in May.

Sunday brought lunch with the family and more presents...I finally got new bike shoes! We posed for a family photo before dad headed back to bed.

Dinner was from Hacienda, and our 17 year old niece Megan drove her uncle Armando to pick it up ...once she stopped giggling.

It was short and sweet...and well worth it. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift than to spend it with my family and friends.

Worlds Collide

2011-03-25T08:11:00.004-04:00

Worlds collided at Skipper's Smokehouse last night. And you know what happens when worlds collide...

Handle Handyman?

2011-03-18T14:52:00.006-04:00

I'll buy anyone who can fix my toilet handle / plunger / ballcock (seriously???) a 6-pack of his perferred beer.

Another Big Thing

2011-03-15T09:21:00.003-04:00

It's not a race...it's another job. Well, in addition to the two I already have (which is a story for another time).

I finally made it through the trainings and passed the tests at The University of Phoenix. I've been in my "mentorship" for the last two weeks to prepare for my first class, which officially started yesterday.

I'm facilitating a class in The Foundations of Psychology and it ought to be interesting (haha). I have 19 first-year students on my roster as of this morning...we'll see how many will be psyched about it over the next 9 weeks.

So, here's to an additional 25 hours of work a week...

GUTS Reactor Run 100

2011-03-11T14:26:00.023-05:00

At o'dark hundred on Saturday morning Jason, Ilene, Woody, Trudi, June and I headed to the park. It was already drizzling and cold when we arrived. I checked in and signed away my life . We all gathered in Patrick's RV to stay dry and warm as long as possible, and talk about our race plan, which admittedly was run to a sub-24 finish if possible. Before we took off I talked with Armando, who's advice for the day was to "...keep warm and make good decisions."

Miles 0-20 (6:30am-11:00am)
When 6:30am rolled around Andy, Ilene and I lined up and took off together . Our plan was to stay together and see Ilene to her first 53-mile finish. The start of the run is on gravel road, deceiving us from the hoax that lay ahead. We chatted and ran, and down the trail we hit Aid Station at mile 2.5/7, which we blew through. We continued running, but all too quickly came up to the Georgia red clay muck that would haunt us for the entire 101 miles. According to the locals this trail is always wet, but imagine what a slippery, slimy mess this clay would be after a day of rain and a couple hundred runners: Ankle deep, shoe-sucking mire . There were long uphill and downhill stretches of this stuff, and I knew immediately I'd have to block the negative thoughts about it...and embrace it...and hoped that the 7-mile side would be better.

When we got to the "lollipop," Patrick came flying at us, full speed. He was wired and told us the mud we'd seen wasn't anything like what we were about to experience. Great. So we slipped and slid our way through the 5-mile loop, and made our way back to the RV at the start/finish with 13-miles under our already orange-stained shoes.

We restocked and took off for the 7-mile loop. There were two big climbs on single track and a railroad rock section to stumble over, but only a couple of red muck sections. The three of us got back to the S/F in 4:30, right on pace. We took a few minutes to eat and took off again in the steady rain.

Miles 20-40 (11:00am-4:05pm)
Andy and I looked at the first loop as an assessment for the rest of the run. We knew keeping 4:30 loops would be difficult as the muck got muckier from rain and feet. But we kept pushing and Ilene got behind. She caught up then fell behind again. Andy and I agreed that we needed to talk with Ilene about her plan in these absurd conditions. When she caught up again, Andy laid it out for her: Either keep up with us and finish at the 50K, or drop back, dress up in warmer clothes and hike the remainder of the 53 miles. Ilene wanted to finish her race, but couldn't push on with us. With some guilt, we hugged and left her behind...

Soon after, Woody and another man caught up to us, and we trudged on together. I had to stop at one point to empty my shoe and donate a gaiter to the trails because wasn't keeping any of the grit out of my shoes.

We kept moving, but as much as we pushed, our time was slipping under our feet (literally). We made it back to the S/F and refueled , then headed out for second 7-mile loop, which was much of the same. The only thing that was really hurting was the silt that was caking in my shoes and socks. We quickly learned to wash off our shoes and feet with the RV's hose after each big loop.

Miles 40-60 (4:05pm-9:50pm)
After stopping at the RV , Andy and I took off for loop #3. Each step through the clay was getting trickier. But despite the worsening conditions, we had great conversations (call it free therapy), even if I zoned out during the 5-mile trigonometry lesson. We both unloaded some junk, and left it in the mud.

At the mile 43/48 aid station, I heard Ilene saying my name. She had been running alone since Andy and I left her. I asked how she was doing and pointed to my head, and I thought she was going to cry! Ohh how well I know that feeling, and I felt for her. I tried to be encouraging and told her that she only had 10-miles to go...less than a loop around Flatwoods. But there was nothing I could do to take away the muck or the ensuing darkness. I encouraged her to be positive, and to find someone to run with if possible. We left her again to forge on alone...

I told Andy I was sure that if Ilene hadn't been cursing me, she would be now. I could almost hear her revile me for talking her into running the 50-miler. That said, Ilene is one tough chick and we knew she would finish .

Shortly after that, we came to another slick uphill climb, and Andy helped me up. He grabbed my hand and said, "I need to talk to you." I thought to myself, "We've been talking for almost 60 miles...what hasn't been said?" And he dropped the bomb: "I'm going to drop at mile 60." "WHAT?!?" I exclaimed (with some explicit language tacked on). "What are you talking about?" Andy claimed he was tired, and had a plane to catch, and with the times we were running...blah blah blah. I didn't hear another word. I was downright furious. "So, you're going to quit...DNF...because you need to sleep? You're kidding, right? You know you can't DNF 2 races in a row!" He tried to explain, but it really didn't matter what he said. I continued to beat the bejeapers out of him for bailing.

When we got to the RV, I stormed in, sat down and snapped at Patrick, "You need to talk to your friend. He's quitting." I was still angry when Andy crawled into the RV and had a hissy fit. "You know, I'm tired too. I want to go to bed too! But 'I' can't quit..." I glared at him and gathered my gear . He agreed to run the next 7-mile loop with me, because he wanted to honor our agreement to run 60 miles together. Jason, hearing this exchange, said he would join us...maybe to referee...but probably because he was bored just sitting around watching this debacle .

After bedecking myself with the nuclear bracelets Jason bought , the three of us headed out for the 7-mile loop, and Andy tended to get behind. I'm not sure what exactly was going on in his head, but Jason and I kept him in our sights. Jason said he didn't think we were going to talk Andy into coming back out, and I knew it. Together we hit the steep mucky uphill at the S/F and wrapped up 60-miles.

Miles 60-80 (9:50pm-4:20am)
After restocking, Jason and I took off for the big loop, leaving Andy to deal with his decision. Jason hadn't seen the course in daylight and often asked me if anything looked familiar (he didn't know about my directional challenges yet). We hit the mile 63/68 AS, grabbed food and took off. We slipped through the muck and kept on trucking back to the AS. I was getting sleepy, but knew I'd catch my second wind. We came to the the lollipop and I saw Alex (from Umstead) who claimed he'd never seen anything like this! We hugged and moved on. When Jason and I came out of the loop, we thought we'd taken it the wrong direction and spent a couple of minutes deciding where on the course we were. Jason decided on a direction to run, and eventually we made it back to the RV.

When I got inside, June and Jerry were sitting there all cleaned up...they'd decided to call it a day after 50K. Trudi was concerned about Woody being alone in the dark, as I was about Ilene. I asked Trudi and June to give her lots of love when she came in, because I figured she would need it. Meanwhile, Jason was a helpful crew and always refilled my food and water while I primped in the RV. We took off for the 7-mile loop in the continuous rain. Just before popping out of the woods onto the road, we came upon two girls. They were walking and said they were going to quit at mile 80. Admittedly, I was not unhappy when I heard that...

Miles 80-93 (4:20am-8:45am)
Back at the RV I hopped up the steep stairs and Patrick awoke from his slumber. Then Andy came stumbling out of bed and sat next to Patrick. They looked like a couple of drunks with their bloodshot eyes and muffed up hair, and I laughed at them. I should have put on my heavy jacket, but didn't...a mistake I would soon regret.

Jason and I made tracks for our final soggy loop. I had a difficult time moving quickly and we walked more than we wanted. We hit the mile 83/88 AS and took some food, and I curiously asked if there were any other females on the course. The volunteer said that no other girl had checked in during the last two hours, and that I was probably the last girl on the course. Hot Dog! How cool would that be to finish 1st!?! We braced ourselves for the slime, but I was psyched about that news.

Buzz Kill: At exactly 6:00am when we hit the ridge, the wind kicked up to 20mph and the temps dropped a good 10 degrees, making it feel like it was only in the 30's. I was absolutely freezing and couldn't move fast. I had been asking Jason all night if he was cold, and when I asked, "Are you cold now?" his snarky response was, "Well, yeah...we're barely moving!" He's a tough guy, but I felt bad and tried to run. He stopped to put on a hat and gloves and got a bit behind, and would run to catch up. The third pair of gloves I had on were wet and useless.

At this point I was reminded of Armando's theory about parties: There comes a point at every party when it's late, people are drunk, and it's not just going to get any better; that's when it's time to leave. I told Jason about this theory, and how running at this moment just wasn't fun any more; it was time to leave this party. His reply was "We'll see," and we kept moving.

By the time we made it back to the AS, I was shaking. I was on the edge of hypothermia, and I headed straight for the fire. I stood so close, I was inhaling smoke. The volunteers surrounded me and asked how they could help. I asked for a trash bag...which turned out to be the biggest bag I've ever seen (or worn, as it were). Seriously, it was floor-length! (and Jason admired my Vera Wang attire). But even with the bag, I was considering dropping out. We could backtrack 2.5 miles back to the start and call it a day. It was so tempting. Then the clever volunteers reminded me that I was the only girl on the course. And that I would set the course record when I finished. And that apparently every woman in the world was counting on me to run 100 miles today. Jason said it was my race and I had to decide. With a huff I said, "Let's go," and everyone cheered for THE Girl.

We made it two miles into the lollipop and Jason made a pit stop. I moved ahead and at mile 90, I ran directly into The Dark Side. I started to cry, and this wasn't going to be a few tears. It was a sobbing, schizophrenic-talking lament. Jason caught up and talked to me for a few minutes (he'd been duly warned about my crying spells), but eventually trotted ahead and led the way, leaving me to fight The Demons. I thought I'd seen The Dark Side in Vermont...and at Kettle. But this was the darkest, deepest I've ever sunk. It was downright scary down there. The battle was: "I'm done. D-O-N-E done. I can't go on. I C-A-N-T go on. I'm OK with quitting with only 7 miles to finish. I don't care anymore. No! No! No!" I repeated out loud. But the other side fought back: "You are the ONLY girl out here. The rest have wimped out. You are going to be a STAR! You will change into dry clothes, run 7 more miles and FINISH this run."

This painful inner argument ensued. Just before 9:00am, we made it back to the RV, and I climbed in. Ilene, Andy, Patrick, Trudi, Woody, Jerry and June were all sitting around chatting. I announced, "I'm NOT going back out there. I'm done!" That silenced the crew. I took off my belt and my bag, and sat down. I cried with my head in my hands, and said in between sobs, "It...just...keeps...raining." Trudi immediately stepped up and empathized. Ilene told me I could quit (but she didn't mean it).

Then Trudi ordered someone to bring me some warm food. And before I knew it, Trudi, Ilene and June were stripping me down and re-dressing me. "I'm NOT going back out there!" I exclaimed while my entourage continued clothing me. I donned a fleece hat, my warm jacket, Andy's jacket, and his tighter-than-tight-tights. Trudi lubed my feet with Vaseline and put on fresh socks and shoes. And with a cheer the group kicked me out of the RV...

Mile 93-101 (9:00am-11:31am)
The next thing I knew, Jason and I were running the last 7-mile loop. Admittedly I felt better now that I was warm and toasty. And the bonus was that it finally stopped raining! Jason reported that we had to run when we could, in order to make the 30-hour cut-off. I speed-walked and we moved on the less-soggy trails. Up the steep climbs and down the rocky road, and we made it to the final AS. The volunteer congratulated us and we headed out for the last 2.5 miles. As a token for perseverance, the sun made it's first appearance in two days and shone brightly as we trotted. We caught up to 'Hellgate' and Jason made me chick him, even though I was perfectly happy where I was.

When we finally popped out onto the road, Woody and Trudi were waiting in the van, cheering and taking pictures . I took off my hat, heavy jacket, and belt and handed them to Woody. They caught us running through the mucky meadow and up the last steep sucker, where Andy and Patrick were waiting, all warm and clean. They alerted the Finish Line that we were coming, and told me to run as they trotted along side...

Jason and I hit the road in the park and the tears came back...but this time, they were tears of pride and joy. We were greeted not only by our crew, but by several of the volunteers and the RD...all cheering and clapping. I sauntered through the finish line in 29:01 as the only woman to finish the GRR 100 .

The RD Tony was there waiting with a buckle, a bottle coozie, a gift certificate, the 'Female Winner' tackle box filled with all sorts of running goodies, and a walking stick...which I wish I'd had 100-miles earlier . One by one my friends hugged me, most of them with tears in their eyes, and congratulated me on finishing.

This detailed recollection doesn't even come close to explaining what really happened in Dawsonville. The veteran runners had never seen anything like it, and the rest of us were just dumbfounded by the conditions. I traveled through The Deepest Dark Side and lived to tell about it. My crew and pacer wouldn't let me quit and I can't thank them enough for making me stronger because of it .

The GRR 100 is a perfect example of how ludicrous...and yet somehow entrancing...the sport of ultrarunning can be.

Getting up the GUTS

2011-03-08T14:38:00.010-05:00

In order to save a little cash and have an entertaining 8 hours, I was invited to drive up to Dawsonville with Woody, Trudi and June in the infamous white Wanda . And in typical Woody fashion, we left North Tampa at o'dark hundred on Friday morning. We made good time, despite a few food and pit stops.

We got into Dawsonville and headed straight to the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area , home to the GUTS Reactor Run. Click here for a little history on this once Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory (GNAL) .

We met the RD for a brief welcome, and our crew started pitching their tent . It was chilly and the weather forecast didn't look promising: 80-90% chance of rain for Saturday and Sunday, with temps in the 50's. Soon after we arrived, Patrick, A2 and Jerry cruised into the park in Patrick's RV . We chatted for a bit, then headed out to meet Ilene and Jason (who flew in) at Outdoor World to pick up our race packets and buy some warmer gear .

Once we got settled in the hotel, we gathered again at Pizazza for some tasty grub . We laughed and teased our way through dinner...this is a priceless group of people , and one of the reasons why I love ultrarunning so much.

We headed back to the hotel, made some last-minute preparations, and turned off the lights by 9:30pm. I woke up every hour on the hour before two alarms tolled at 4:30am. Little did I know what GRR 100 had in store for me...

EPIC!

2011-03-06T20:01:00.013-05:00

Twenty five hours of rain .
One hundred miles of Georgia red clay muck .
100 Mile Female Winner !

Jason was right...