Working Through It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelley arrived yesterday, and we relaxed in my living room that was now complete with the zebra carpet. We shot off some fireworks in the snow in my back yard, which was beautiful. Today, we rode for 2:40 and then I went and ran for :30, we each took the most awesome shower in my new bathroom, then we watched Ironman Hawaii (while eating nachos that I made and I'm drinking a bunch o' beers), then we are going to a tri store, then we are eating sushi and having sake, and then we are going to look at the gonzo Christmas lights in a nearby area, and then who knows? Below are a bunch of pics from our time together so far:

Remodeling Just About Done!

Go here. Check out the new bathroom. It's as awesome as I knew it would be!

Crying is Healthy

I realize that I'm going to be doing some crying this weekend with my girl. I think I've become pretty good at re-experiencing grief, and so I won't mind this one bit. I haven't really been able to cry on someone's shoulder these past few months--I've either been held captive in my own house or tried to be with someone else to get some moments of happiness (which is coming around).

So I'm looking forward to a little crying this weekend--I'm going to cry for myself, for Shelley, and we will both cry for lost loves.



I never had to say goodbye
You must have known I wouldn't stay
While you were talking about our life
You killed the beauty of today

Forever and ever
Life is now or never
Forever never comes around
(People love and let go)
Forever and ever
Life is now or never
Forever's gonna slow you down

{2X}
You'll never gonna see me again
So now who's gonna cry for you
You'll never gonna see me again
No matter what you do

You never heard me break your heart
You didn't wake up when we died
Since I was lonely from the start
I think the end is mine to write

Forever and ever
Life is now or never
Forever never comes around
(People love and let go)
Forever and ever
Life is now or never
Forever's gonna slow you down

{2X}
You'll never gonna see me again
So now who's gonna cry for you
You'll never gonna see me again
No matter what you do

Forever and ever
Life is now or never
Forever never comes around
(People love and let go)
Forever and ever
Life is now or never
Forever's gonna slow you down

{2X}
You'll never gonna see me again
So now who's gonna cry for you
You'll never gonna see me again
No matter what you do

Forever and ever
Life is now or never
Forever never comes around

FUCKIN A'

My upstairs bathroom will be finished today, and then I'll take some pics. The black granite is in as well as new tile downstairs! I have a lot of cleaning up to do today. Contractors just are not tidy! But I should have everything mostly spiffy by the time Shelley arrives, including the laying down of the zebra carpet!

After adding up my running between last Friday and yesterday, I ended up putting in a 50-mile week! That is a nice, unexpected surprise. I guess that means my back is really healing up! It does feel much better, and I find it interesting that this is happening in the midst of all this running! It's still not 100%, but it's much, much better and I am now confident that everything will return to normal very soon.

I'm really happy that I get to spend time with Shelley this weekend. We are going to train our brains out, watch some Ironman Hawaii, do some quality eating, laughing and general commiserating!

As much as I love spending time with my mens (and you know who you are), it will be good to have a girlie weekend. There may or may not be pics...don't you wish we were running a webcam in my house?

Here's a sneak preview of the new bathroom. The black granite rocks, the waterfall faucet rocks, all the black and chrome just makes me happy! I'll take the official pics later today once the bathroom is complete and the living room and family rooms are put back together!

Toilet installation will be completed today. Check out the knobs on the cabinet!

I can't wait to go for a swim this morning! I haven't swum since last Sunday. I didn't sleep too well last night because I'm all anxious about getting the house put back together, but so what, all I have to do rest of the day is a little work, a trainer ride and lift weights!

Make your own Bike!!!

I did this. Go here:

Here's what I made:



Notice that mine has lubricant right on the saddle!!!

Orlando Pics (yes, there's one of my ass)

Mark performing valuable geek services while wearing compression tights

My favorite place to buy swimsuits and assorted beachy stuff

Mark after our 2 hour run in the orange groves in Clermont (nice pecs, dude!)

Mark stretching (he can also pee while doing this, trust me I know!)

Me...um...flashing the moon...not sure you can tell but the actual moon is up!

Me feeling pretty happy I was able to run 2 hours

Me with the rising moon in the background

After swimming at the NTC (formerly owned by USAT)

Mark enjoying a brew after our 3-hour workout

Mark enjoying a burger

Do the Right Thing

I'm packed up here and about to go for my last run in Orlando. I've got meetings this AM and then I fly back home. Once I get there, I have to unpack and gaze upon my new bathroom and then just try and get some sleep.

I have a friend in need right now. She is in the same position I found myself 3 weeks ago, and we need one another. She's going to come and stay with me for the weekend. We will do the things that sustain us--we will do some training, we will laugh together, and I am sure we will cry together. We are so much alike in so many ways, and it's almost like we've led parallel lives for the last 8 years. We've had successes, failures, joy, love, death, tragedy. But through all of that, we have become closer and discovered that the reason we met one another in the first place and the reason we have kept our connection is because we are both very special, unique women--the kind you don't run across every day. How many women do you know besides us who are so intelligent, energetic, talented, funny, beautiful (nah, HOT), generous, introspective and loving who have done as many Iroman races as we have? At times, putting all of that together can feel like a curse to us--on the surface, there is so much to look at and go, "Wow" but our intensity is what drives us and what can ultimately drive a wedge between us and others (men, especially) because once we know what we want, we are not going to settle for less. And why would we? Why wouldn't we expect those we hold closest to us to have our same energy level? Or the ability to keep changing and progressing and challenging ourselves, not just in our triathlon pursuits, but in our totality. Yet we are subject to the same emotional turmoil as the next person, and perhaps because of our usual intensity, we are not the sorts to let things just sit. The way we work through things is by blasting a hole in the premise. We never operate from a position of "Can I?" We operate from the position of "This is what needs to be done and even though it's a ton of work there is no other way." If it can be done, we will do it. Hell--even if someone thinks it can't be done, it can.

Even though my friend is no doubt feeling like her world is closing in on her, I want her to know that I am here to help her open it back up so all that wonderfulness that is her can bubble back up to the surface and she (and I) can relearn the lesson that we are the fucking shit, you know? Maybe that sounds asshole-ish, but I don't fucking care. I'm the shit, and so is she.

GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!

Getting a little erratic here
And I don't know who to trust
I guess they got a way of reading my mind
I guess I gotta adjust
Got my arms they flip flop flip flop flip
Got my head on a spring
Well I thought I got you on my side
I haven't got fucking anything

I'm just a face in the crowd
Nothing to worry about
Not even tryin' to stand out
I'm getting smaller and smaller and smaller
And I have nothing to say
It's all been taken away
I just behave and obey
I'm afraid I am starting to fade away

Uh-huh

I cannot see through the cracks
When I'm pressed up on the wall
I'm not looking to stand up real high
I'd be happy to crawl
I think I'm losing my grip
But I can still make a fist
You know I still got my one good arm
That I can beat...
nnn, I can beat myself up with!

I'm just a face in the crowd
Nothing to worry about
Not even tryin' to stand out
I'm getting smaller
And smaller and smaller
And I have nothing to say
Its all been taken away
I just behave and obey
I'm afraid I am starting to fade away

And for what it is worth
I really used to believe
That maybe there's some great thing
That we could achieve
And now I cant tell the difference
Don't know what to feel
Between what I've been trying so hard to see
And what appears to be real

Fading away
Fading away
Fading away
Fading away

My world is getting smaller everyday-yay-yay-yay-yay
My world is getting smaller everyday-yay-yay-yay-yay
(and thats ok)

My world is getting smaller everyday-yay-yay-yay-yay
My world is getting smaller everyday-yay-yay-yay-yay
(and thats ok)

Run Forrest Run!

As it turns out, there's not a decent stationary bike for me to use here in Orlando. And the pool at this hotel is, well, not a pool, so that leaves running. I hadn't originally intended this to be a huge running week, but that's what I gots. I'll get in biking on Friday and Saturday when I'm home. Maybe I'll switch up next week to do more biking. Whatever, it's all good!

All of my bathroom furniture is actually ready to be picked up, meaning my upstairs bathroom will be FINISHED by the time I'm home! Everything else on the list (I've kept a list of every last little thing that's needs to be just so) should also be complete, which means Friday is the big day of the end of remodeling for 2008!

One thing I noticed is that for the past 4+ weeks I've been dehydrated, because I've been off my routine of pee, refill water glass. Well, so I'm here in meetings now and since there's not much else to do at breaks, I'm getting water (or gasp, Diet Coke) and staying well hydrated, and it feels so much better despite not sleeping enough. When I get home, I will have no excuse for being close to water when I'm working and sleeping.

I'm really enjoying my most excellent hotel room (when I'm in it, that is!) and all the hotel amenities (they throw the food and drinks at you), but I'm also very much looking forward to returning home to my new house and settling in for a few weeks. And not spending much money for a bit!

Hope everyone is having a good week wherever you are! Life is good!

Weekly Workout Totals 12/01/2008-12/07/2008

It was an awesome training week! I did everything I needed to do and enjoyed doing it! This week my challenge is going to be to stay sane and make training my first priority in the morning before I head out for all day meetings followed by group dinners. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my house will be being beautified. I *HEART* multitasking!

I'm going to try and get a little more tans today, since my meetings don't start until tomorrow. But I'll be sure to try and get outdoors during the breaks once the meetings begin.

It's been awhile since I've looked forward to training hard. With a little bit of easing off of the stress, a bit more sleep and my body healing up, it's great to feel like I'm almost 100% back. Literally!

Here's to a solid week of training, working and enjoying life!



Weekly Workout Totals 12/01/2008-12/07/2008
This week's totals are sponsored by the State of Florida. Florida--it's a state, all right!

Swim: 12950 yards (7.35 miles) in 4.52 hours;
29% of weekly workout time;
approx. 1581 calories burned
Canadian: 11841.48 meters
most swimming in 16 weeks!
Bike: Approx. 92.17 miles in 5.27 hours;
33% of weekly workout time;
approx. 2566 calories burned;
Total TSS=320
Canadian: 148.33 kilometers
Run: Approx. 30.59 miles in 4.92 hours;
31% of weekly workout time;
approx. 2237 calories burned
Canadian: 49.23 kilometers
all of this was pure running--no more elliptical! most running since NothingMan!
Strength: 1.08 hours; 7% of weekly workout time;
approx. 270 calories burned
All Sports: Approx. 130.11 miles in 15.79 hours;
approx. 6654 calories burned
Canadian: 1.25 kilometers
Sleep: 7.21 hours avg./night most sleep I've had in 10 weeks!
Stretching: 1.97 hours. most stretching in 12 weeks!
Massage: 1.25 hours

Can You Say My Fucking Fitness Has Returned???

So, yesterday I nailed a 2:15 hard ride and :25 brick run. Today, I had the total fucking pleasure of running 2 hours with Mark in the orange groves of Clermont, Florida. The trail we ran on was mostly sand with plenty of hills! We had both agreed to run it slow (for us), since Mark's been having knee tracking issues (I spent plenty o' time esplainin' to him various reasons for it), and my back is still touchy from my various injuries. But we ran at our planned 10mpm pace, and it was an absofuckinglutely gorgeous day! Upper 50's, clear sky, and light winds. We saw centipedes (or some wormy thing with millions of legs), spiders, grasshoppers, herons, various birds (my spotting), and I heard sandhill cranes. After that, we headed to the NTC (formerly the USAT training center) to swim for about :50. We both got our tans on, and then we headed to a watering hole close to my hotel for burgers and beers.

So I gots in almost 16 hours of quality training this week, had a fucking excellent time doing it all, and I've got 4 more days here in Orlando. While my back still isn't fully recovered, all signs are pointing to improvement, and hey, if I can run, bike, swim and lift (and there are other activities which are good signs he he), then I must be OK, right?

As I said, pics will follow once I am back home in my Den of Iniquity!

THREE WEEKS TO ZEBRAMAN!!!

This is not a Vacation!

I woke up yesterday morning to a couple of inches of new snow but relatively (for winter) mild temperatures. A little shoveling and blowing would be a good warmup before I hit the trainer. I had a brick run planned, and was thinking about running outside, but with the roads being dicey and most people don't clear their sidewalks, I decided I'd go to the Y for that.

It was nice being out in the snow, and while I wouldn't have minded shoveling, I was on a schedule, so I got out the Toro and cleaned the driveway pretty quick. Then I cleaned up from Friday night's dinner party and got on the bike.

Beginning this week, I'm working off of actual bike workouts, and when I looked at what I had planned, it looked pretty doable except for the FT stuff. My FT is probably down about 5 watts, but I'm acting as if it's not. I can't hold FT watts for more than like 3 minutes at a time just now, but I know how to tweak the workouts so I still get in the time I need to, and it's just a matter of weeks before I'm back to full strength.

I ended up doing this (total time 2:15)
WU: 30' @ 65-70%
MS: 2 x (20' @ 80-85%, 10' Easy)
10 x 2' (1') @ FT
10x30/30
5' Easy

I was spot on for the 80-85% (which is like Z3 heart rate stuff), and I did pretty well on the FT stuff and awesome on the 30/30's. My legs are ready for the pain now, and mentally I'm in a good place and really motivated to work!

When I finished, I headed to the Y to run, but only did :25 because I was just bored and hungover. Surprisingly, I didn't feel like puking for my first brick run since NothingMan, but then again, I've done this how many times?

I went home and showered in my new shower (it's fucking awesome!), then put on compression tights and got ready to head to the airport. Luckily, my flight was not delayed at all, and other than a few screaming kids (headed to Disneyland), the flight was uneventful, and I almost even napped a bit.

My buddy, Mark, picked me up at the Orlando airport (their baggage handling sucks as I had to wait like 20 minutes for the bags to arrive), we dropped my crap at my hotel, and went and had dinner at a local watering hole. It's nice and warm here, and today we have a fun day planned--a 2-hour run in orange groves, and then a nice swim in a pool somewhere and then some lunch and then just hanging out--probably including a stop at Ron Jon, since I can always use more swimsuits! There will be pics, but I didn't load my camera software on my work laptop so no downloads until I get home :(

Tomorrow I'm going to work from my hotel so I can spend a little quality time in the sun in the middle of the day, and then Tuesday-Thursday is heavy duty working and socializing. The office is basically across the street from the hotel. I'm at Embassy Suites, and it's pretty damn nice. We'll see what the fitness center is like and whether the pool is actually swimmable, but no matter, since I'm swimming today, I can chill on that until Friday when I'm back home. I want to get in a ride on some sort of stationary bike, and I can run outside every day I'm here, too!

So even though this trip is about business, I'm turning it into a great time! Bonus is that when I get home, I'll have 5 more rooms in my house 100% complete! While I'm gone, the foyers are being tiled, the custom shades and ceiling lights mounted in my office and guest bedroom, and hopefully the counter tops for the laundry room go in. If I get even luckier, the furniture for the upstairs bathroom will get here from China and I'll have a completed bathroom! Regardless, Friday is when the zebra carpet gets laid down in my living room and I have some plans for it...

I know I've turned a corner because so many things are giving me so much pleasure now, and I'm appreciating small things...so here's a list of things that fit the bill:

1. I love my new garage door and opener.
2. I love my Toro snowblower
3. I love my new shower
4. I love my new laundry room
5. I love how I've finally organized all the crap in my house and things are put away.
6. I love my bikes and riding them hard!
7. I love knowing that I'm officially starting to race in 3 weeks!
8. I love that it's near Christmas and I'm excited to be giving gifts to people I love!
9. I love my friends, even the creepy Internet ones!
10. I love that I'm fortunate enough to be able to get the hell out of Dodge during the winter (and will most likely do so again in a few months)
11. I love that I'm so fit that even though I jacked up my back, everything is coming around and I'll be 100% in another week or so
12. I love shiny things. I just bought the collector Absolut Disco bottle. Maybe I need a disco ball, too ;)
13. I love music
14. I love massages

I think I'm back to loving life!