Running on my Own...

After waxing poetic about how great it is to have such wonderful friends to make those long runs worth while, I ended up bagging them on Saturday and running on my own.

It wasn't as bad as "bagging" really sounds, though.

Hubby and I golf in a Couples League on Friday nights. I had promised him that my running this marathon would not cut so much in to our time together as training for my other events has in the past. So, despite what my coach says about having Fridays be a total rest day before the big Long Slow Distance (LSD) Saturday, we golf on Fridays. It is a small Par 3 course -- very pretty -- and we golf with another couple that have been our friends for several years. We walk the course -- really no biggie, LSD run or not.

Last Friday, we got off the course later than we usually and Hubby and I putzed around on the way home -- ran a couple of errands, had dinner late, etc.

I woke up at 6:00 to run and just decided "screw it". I slept in.

Honestly, part of my rebelliousness was because we were supposed to go 18 miles. We had just done a 1/2 marathon the week before and I felt that going from 13 to 18 was a big leap that I wasn't ready for. So, the alarm blared at 6:00 am and I promptly turned it off.

I knew that I'd have to make up the miles and get a run in. I got out of the house about 1:00 pm and followed a route from my block along Lake Harriet and then connecting with Minnehaha Parkway. Most of the run corresponded with the marathon route, including the one really ugly spot of the marathon route off of Cedar Avenue, near Lake Nokomis.

(It is interesting to me that this section is also a section of the LifeTime Fitness Triathlon. I LOVE it when I'm doing the Tri, but HATE it as part of the marathon. I suppose it's because I'm riding a bike when I'm on Cedar during the Tri versus not being quite at the half-way point for the marathon.)

In any event, I got out there and did my thing for 16 miles and was very glad I ended up running alone.

Here are the things I observed during my run, that would have escaped me had I run with the group:

Fish swimming against the current in Minnehaha Creek.

Sleeping ducks nestled in creekside.

My first glimpse of a tree with leaves that just hinted at color change (uh oh!).

The Minnesota Freeze playing a tournament near Nokomis. (Apparently the Freeze is our Australian-style football league -- whatever that means).

Great gardens and yards that adorn the beautiful homes along the parkway.

Kids playing in the park, including a dad teaching his son how to play T-ball.

People walking their dogs.

A wonderful elderly couple out in their yard. The husband was going to take the dog for a walk -- the wife was standing close to him, stroking his face and smiling. I hope Hubby and I are like that when we are their age.

Finally, after I was just about done with my run, I veered off the course, whipped my shoes and socks off and waded in to the wonderful waters at Lake Harriet beach. My aching feet and knees were 'oh, so happy'.

I think I needed this kind of run -- where I can take my time and observe things around me rather than just ticking off the miles and getting the run "done".

Sometimes you just have to run and smell the roses.

In to the LONG stuff now....

Tomorrow my running group and I will be tackling 18 miles. Can you say BLEAH?

We only have about seven weeks until Twin Cities Marathon, so the long, tough stuff starts now.

Actually, most of the training drills this session have been much tougher than in previous years. Don't know why exactly, but our mileage seemed to go up fast on the long runs and our weekly sessions seem to alternate between doing fast runs and hill runs. (What the heck ever happened to Easy Does It or EDI?)

I'm glad I have a good group of gals to run with, however. My friend Marcia, who's birthday this year started this whole thing; new friends Jane, Mary and Ally; old friends Cheryl, Bea, Kathy, Bev, etc. Makes the runs really worth it.

Last weekend, a number of us ran the Urban Wildland 1/2 marathon. It was a great event. I finished 10 mintues faster than I did at the Wells Fargo 1/2 earlier this year and felt pretty good the whole way through the race.

I ran mostly with Marcia and Ally -- until a potty break sent them ahead and me waiting to "go" -- literally. We were running 7 minutes with a 1 minute walk break. The course is very pretty. We ran through residential areas and nature preserves. It was great fun.

The rest of this week was spent mostly in Salt Lake City (SLC) for work. I flew out Sunday and back late Wednesday, just in time to miss all this new travel fear and crap. SLC is very pretty with the mountains and interesting buildings downtown. There is definitely a Mormon influence (you have to be a "member" to go in to bars, but I hear that membership is pretty easy to get); downtown is a ghost town after 5:00 pm; but they do have plenty of coffee houses (thank heavens) and I hear that most of the city has a pretty liberal bend. (The conservative crowd has settled in the suburbs).

I ran once. Found a great path through the city, by the Tabernacle, up to the capital, through a beautiful part and up a mountain side. W O N D E R F U L.

I communed with nature and came up with a gratitude list while the miles pounded away.

I'm not so sure I'll be as grateful tomorrow about mile 15...

Got home on Wednesday night and the new terror warnings came out Thurday morning. Hubby and I have plans to go to Europe this October after the marathon. I really don't want to cancel our trip although I will say that I do have some anxiety about the trip. (I'm not a very good flyer to begin with.) We are not making any decisions yet about our trip. We'll wait out this recent thing for a week or so and then decide.

Stepson goes back to his mom's on Monday, which also produces a yin/yang feeling in me. I love him and have a hard time living with him. Part of it is he is 16 and part is that he has been some what spoiled by his parents. I usually end up in the role of WSM -- wicked step mother -- nagging him about helping around the house or at a minimum getting out of the house. If he had his way, he'd sleep in late every day, eat junk food till he burst and then would sit on the computer playing games with cartoons on in the background.

Yet, on the other hand, he is a smart, personable kid who can be a lot of fun to be around. Once he leaves, the house gets quiet and it isn't long until I miss him.

Funny little ironies, no?

Mugs

Last night, at some point in the middle of it, I officially became older than my mother.

My mom, known to her family and friends as Margaret or "Mugs", died of breast cancer on August 6th, 1969 at the age of 47. I was 10 years old.

Although I don't remember much of her, I do vividly remember parts of her illness, and the morning she died.

It was very hot in Milwaukee that August. My mom's illness had progressed and she had been bedridden for most of the summer. The cancer that had started in her breast spread to other organs, including her lungs. She ultimately had to have a tracheotomy, which was supposed to help her breathe, but would clog with mucus causing more coughing and problems. Little by little, she withered away.

My grandmother came to live with us that summer to help my dad out. That particular weekend in August, my mom's favorite sister, Sharon, came up from Illinois with my two cousins. Our house was full of people. My sister Tina, then 5, and I had to sleep in a bedroom that was in a part of the house that must not have been insullated very well. It was hotter than heck in that room. I didn't sleep well that night. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and hearing a lot of commotion down stairs. I was too tired to get up so I just rolled over and went back to sleep.

The next morning, my dad woke me up. He had Tina with him and he picked her up and put her on his lap. I knew right then. He said "Your mother passed away last night. I'm sorry". I just laid there looking at him and looking at Tina. In an instant, every thing changed.

Zoom ahead one year, five years, ten...move forward twenty, thirty and now thirty seven. Might as well be 1,000 years for all I can remember and for all that I have missed.

I've had a lot of mixed feelings about this particular day, when I'd pass my mother in age. IF I'd pass it by. For years, I thought that her fate was my fate -- that I'd get cancer and be dead already. I'm not alone having that type of thought, I know. Many people who have lost a parent fear that they will come to the same early end.

But I did make it past her time -- albeit only by a few hours now. I'm hoping that those hours will stretch in to days and months and years....leaving me to die peacefully an old woman.

Very melancholy blog enter, I know. I've been moody for the past couple of weeks and pretty sad about this date. I'm (still) angry that she died and angrier that I don't remember her. I'm sad that she's not here and that she -- and I -- and Tina -- missed so much.

I'm not so idealistic that I believe, had she not gotten cancer and lived, that we would have had this perfect mother/daughter thing. I just would have liked the chance to have experienced it, instead of looking at it through the lens of an outsider observing my friends with their mothers. Or my friends as Mothers with their children.

Anyway, for what ever reason(s) that was not meant to be. It was just sort of a hard day and I guess I just wanted to acknowledge that along with the woman I never really knew.

Low Profile

I've been keeping a low posting profile since LifeTime. No particular reason -- just not a lot of excitement happening in my life, unless, of course, you count the HEAT that has been happening over much of the US.

We've been training through it -- hill work; lactate threshold runs, etc. Bleah. The marathon is a mere 8 weeks away. We are running a practice 1/2 marathon race this Saturday (the Urban Wildland) and then those dang long runs really spike up for about five weeks until taper starts. I just have to hang in there and get them done.

I will confess that I cheated this last weekend. I was in Chicago for a business meeting last Thursday and Friday. Since I had lived in that FANSTATIC city for a few years, I decided to stay over the weekend and spend some time visiting my good friends Bev and her husband Ron. I had all good intentions to get up at 6:00 am to do a run on Saturday, but the heat and humidity were really off the charts.

I did get a small, but lovely, run in on a treadmill at Bev's health club. No substitute for a full-blown long slow distance, but what do you do?

The heat is supposed to pull back a bit by Wednesday. That will be a very welcome relief.

On other more important news, it is no secret that gas prices are out of this world. Hubby and I are some what lucky in that we live fairly close to downtown and can bus to work some days. I've even been able to ride my bike from time to time.

This whole global warming and oil-thing are very frightening and disconcertng. I read a GREAT article in The Chicago Tribune called "A Tank of Gas, a World of Trouble". The article is very long, but well worth the read as it follows the path of oil production from places in Iraq, Nigeria, and Venezuela all the way to a service station in Elgin, Illinois.

Thomas Friedman, the superb columnist for the New York Times, has written a number of articles about "Petropolitics", which are very interesting. The basic premise is that as the price of oil goes up, the less democratic oil producing states are.

Hubby and I are looking at all sorts of ways to reduce our oil consumption, starting with some "car-free" days every week. We'll bus or bike or walk to where ever we have to go. It is a small start, but some thing within our control to help try to stem the tide.

What are others doing?

It Was What It Was....(Time results for LifeTime)

I'm STILL Number One in my Age Group (and STILL last of all the Athena's that competeted...) but that being said, here are my results from the LifeTime Tri last Saturday == (Note: if you are really interested, the very long, very descriptive report is the posting just prior to this one):

Swim: 1:00:49 Really terrible time. NEXT year, this is where I should be able to really knock some minutes off. Need to do much more open water swimming.
T1 (Transition One): 3:51.03 So happy to just be out of the water, I took a little extra time to appreciate dry land.
Bike: 1:30 Faster than anticipated, but still everyone kept passing ME.
T2 (Transition Two): 3:16 How the heck long does it take to whip off a helmut, rack a bike, put on a race belt and baseball hat and GO????
Run: 39:44 Slower than a normal 5K, but I lollygagged under the waterhose that the Minneapolis Fire Department rigged up for us.
Total: 3:17:39.

Not dead last of all the Oly racers, but pretty darn close. The real point is: I'm not dead.

My great friend Dori found me at the finish line and took a snap of me with her "crap cam". So here I am, in all my post-race glory.

Number One (out of One)

Well, I finished the triathlon -- swim and all.

However, the event had some kinks and I has a "less than stellar" performance in the swim.

The day was very hot and humid. By the start of the race at 8:00 am, the air temp was already in the 80's -- the water temp was 82 degrees. The race officials had been keeping an eye on the forecast for the day and at about 7:40 am, they announced that the Olympic distance for age-groupers and relay teams would be cut back a bit. Professionals and Elites had to do the full distance for each section. Others, including the Athena's, had to do the full swim (0.9 miles); but our bike got cut back by about 3.5 miles and the run by a full 5K (3.1). This means my totals were 0.9 swim; 21.35 for the bike and 3.1 for the run.

Official race results have not been posted, but my total time was 3:17 and some odd seconds. Last for all the Athena's (17th), with two either no shows or DNF (Did Not Finish) behind me.

However, I was the 1st Athena in my age group. (What that really means is that every one else in my wave was younger than me. Much younger.) Still and all, I should be able to have some fun telling people that I was first in my age group BEFORE I tell them the truth. Might as well bask in the glory for at least a second or two.

While I was waiting in queue for my heat to start, I chatted with some of the other women in my group. Most of them had done the event the year before. We shared some tips and had some giggles. There was a woman that had a megaphone across from us and I kept thinking that I knew that voice. I DID. It was Dori. It was so good to see her! I had not seen her since before her Grandma's event. She gave me a shot of encouragement and a hug and we were off!

The swim was tough for me. The route was a triangle and I got to the first buoy pretty easily. Fortunately, there were a number of support people out there. I took a break at the first buoy and then started on the very long stretch to the next turn around point. That is where I started to have some troubles.

As predicted, the heats that started the race after mine started to catch up with me, and soon other swimmers were bumping in to me, swimming over me and otherwise annoying me. There was a strong breeze which churned up some wave action that I had to swim against. Many times I'd do six strokes, pull my head up and found my self in basically the same place I had started. I got frustrated and a little nervous. The water was very deep (about 30 feet), which I hate. The support people along this stretch were positioned further apart. I'd poke my head up to site and, after a number of very bad words spoken aloud, I basically made up my mind to just simply swim from one support person to the next support person. I used the crawl; side stroke, back stroke, breast stroke and my good old friend, the dog paddle.

To borrow the slogan from my home state, the great state of Wisconsin, I just keep trying to move Ever Forward.

Finally, finally, finally I got to the second buoy and turned toward the beach to get back to shore. It still took me painfully long time to reach a spot in the lake where I could touch the bottom. Hallelujah and hooray, I got out of the lake and moved to T1. (Swim time was about a pitiful 1:00:00)

On my way back in to the Transition Area, I saw my loving Hubby and my SIL (sister-in-law), who came to cheer me on. Other friends were positioned along the chute: Angel and Carla (my IronWoman friends); Kathy T and Bea, my running friends. It was GREAT to see them there.

T1 went pretty well -- and I was off on the bike route. I'd ridden the course many times during my training, so I knew what to expect. I refueled by drinking my Endurance Formula Gatorade and just tried to keep positive and in the moment. (Meaning, trying to beat myself up too badly about my swim). I felt that I rode pretty well -- but again, not exactly sure of my time. By the time I got back in to T2, it was 2:39:00 on my watch.

My thigh was acting up (from what ever strange thing happened to it on Friday night) so it talked loudly to me as I was starting the run, however, miracle of miracles, I felt okay during the run. I did walk a bit -- it was now in the 90's, with high humidity and sun that wouldn't quit.

Some very kind spectators were out on the run course with bags of ice and extra water. The Minneapolis Fire Department had a truck out hooked up to a huge mister/sprinkler. Most runners took their sweet time while running through that spot.

I turned the final corner to the chute and came through at 3:17 something. There were volunteers at the chute that gave us towels that had been soaked in ice cold water. Boy, did THAT feel great!

I saw Dori at the finish, but Hubby and SIL were no where to be found. I borrowed Dori's cell phone and called him. They were still waiting for me to come in from the bike portion! He thought my time was excellent for the event. I'm just happy that I finished in one piece.

Marcia and Natalie also participated in the Sprint event -- although I did not see them there. The event was HUGE -- probably 2,000 participants. However, I did hear that they both finished and were pleased with their results.

I'll post official times when I get them... until then....

I'll bask in the glory of being #1 in my Age-Group (1 out of 1, that is).

O.M.G.

Tomorrow is the big day -- LifeTime Triathlon!

I'm home, carbo-loaded, packed and hopefully ready.

My bike rack is on the car -- the bike is on the rack; all my race numbers are appropriately affixed to my bike, helmut and race belt.

I'm trying to relax, but finding that very difficult.

It is going to be very, very hot tomorrow. Air temp about 95 -- heat index in the afternoon of over 100 degrees PLUS humidity.

The organizers slipped a piece of paper in to our "goodie" bag indicating that they reserve the right to shorten the course or to cancel the event entirely. I'm hoping that does not happen.

They are also going to make the wetsuit decision tomorrow morning. Seems kind of silly that, with the air temp so hot, that wetsuits would even be an option. I'm pretty sure I can skip wearing one, although I would like the added buoyancy as a safety net.

I pulled a thigh muscle some how this afternoon. I've been icing and elevating my leg. I'm 99% sure that by tomorrow it will be nothing.

I'm going to "act as if" and have the best possible time I can have tomorrow.

Wish me luck!

We're having a Heat Wave...a MN Heat Wave..

All together now! Sing at the top of your lungs:

We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The temperature's rising,
It isn't surprising,

It's LifeTime Triathlon time!

Last year, the triathlon was held on the hottest day of the summer and this year looks to be the same. Predicted high for Saturday is a whopping 98 degrees.

Last year, when I did the 'measly' sprint distance, my heat was second to last to start. The air temp was in the high 80's when I started the swim; the water temp was 86 degrees. By the time I got to the run portion, it was in the mid-90's.

This year, I'm doing the Olympic distance. I thought I was SO smart to sign up as an Athena, which is a category for us "husky" gals. (Meaning weighing more then 145 lbs). The Athena wave will start the 0.9 swim early in the event -- right after the Pros and Elites.

Well, Ms. Smarty-Pants (aka 'me') forgot that all the age groupers will start the swim after me. So, Ms. SLOW Smarty-Pants (aka 'me' again) will have all those skinny speedsters swimming over me. Should be very interesting.

I'm trying not to get too wrapped up in this whole thing, but I am having some anxiety about the event. Most of my concern is about being able to finish the swim confidently. I've covered the distance (my last long swim last week was 2000 yards), but have done the majority of my swimming in the pool or with the extra mental and physical support of a wet suit.

It will be HOT, but I can handle that relatively well. I'm pretty sure I am not going to wear my tri suit. It is a one-piece and, once sweaty, it will be very difficult to get on and off if I need to use the portapotty mid-race. I've got plenty of PowerAde, gels and other nourishment to fuel me on the course, so that should be okay. It is just the swim that looms heavily.

Fortunately, I've got some new responsibilities at work, which is keeping me very busy during the day and that helps keep the anxiety somewhat at bay...

The goal is to keep breathing, keep relaxed and keep cool (ha ha).

Hindsight is 20/20

At long "anticipated" last, results for MinneMan are now posted -- My official time was 1:49:29.

The good news is that this is the best Sprint time that I've posted. The bad news is that I was 9 out of 9 in my age category. I thought that there was at least one woman that finished after me, but it turns out that she is only 38 (aka "Whippersnapper"). She had just racked her bike in the wrong transition spot with us geezers.

I try very, very hard not to compare myself with others out there. I'm slow and I know it. I really try to concentrate only on competing with myself, but that never seems to quite work. So now, I've got all these mixed emotions: I did great for ME but I was LAST in my age group.

(I'm also trying to work every angle I can: "Okay, if I had competed as an Athena, I would have been fourth from last". " Of all the women that started in my heat, there were 9 behind me". "Of ALL the women in the race that finished after me, all but one was younger than me". "I beat 10 guys!" What ever straw I can grab, I'm grabbing....)

Anyway, here is the recap:

Left Minneapolis at 5:25 am to get to Anoka. The weather was interesting. Blue skies to the east, big black clouds to the west along with the faint sound of thunder. By the time I hit 94 West, I was in driving in a downpour. The radio weather reporter said that there were very thin bands of showers moving through, so I kept moving up to Anoka and the start line. The weatherman was right. Within 10 minutes, I was driving on dry pavement.

When I got to the park, the skies were again mixed. I got to the transition area while they were announcing the water temperature -- just cold enough that wetsuits were legal. Yippee! I'm a lot more buoyant with it on and, yes, it does help with speed.

We were about 20 minutes to start time when the sky got very dark and we heard the first clap of thunder. The event was a USTA sanctioned event and their rules are that an event will be delayed for 30 minutes after thunder and/or lightening. We were now at Delay Number One.

I wandered the course; hit the portapotty (a number of times); wiggled in to my wetsuit; chatted with some other women (including the Whippersnapper mentioned above). More thunder. Delay Number Two. Wandered some more. Saw Dave, my swim coach, who was supervising the swim portion of the race. He looked a bit panicked because there were now rumors that the swim portion could be cancelled due to the weather, making the event a duathalon. Finally, the rain came. It poured for about 5 minutes and that was it. Skies opened up, sun came out, humidity ratcheted up and we got ready for the start.

I was in the 5th wave. The combined all the age group women of "35 plus", so my field started with 57 women. The water was clear, the ground was pretty sandy and it really didn't get too deep too fast, which helped calm my swim anxiety. The 0.3 swim was a triangle course -- out to a buoy, turn around the buoy and then back.

Once I got my head in the water, it took me a couple strokes to get my rhythm down, but soon I was in the groove and actually doing OKAY! I stayed with the pack until the turn around. I was really surprised by that and feeling pretty good.

Turned around the buoy and started back when I got off course. I thought I was doing fine but when I lifted my head, I was in the middle of the triangle. Then the panic started. I thought that I would take a little "catch my breath" break and looked for the support person around me. It was DAVE. There was no way I was going to paddle over to him and hang out there. So, I got back on course and found the next person -- a very nice girl. I hung with her for a minute and then started off again. Got off course again. This time I just swore (several times) and continued to paddle forward.

Finally, got back to where I could touch and got back on dry land. Swim time was 13:58. Sounds slow, but it was my best swim time ever for a triathlon. I was 7 out of 9 for my group.

Transitioned quickly and was off on the bike. The route was pretty much a big rectangle. We were in traffic for most of the race, although there were police at intersections and volunteers aplenty. Well, except for that first turn, where two policemen were manning the corner but not telling us to turn left. I went straight for about 100 feet and then figured it out.

Course was pretty flat, but did have some long gradual hills and a couple of biggies. Dropped my water bottle once and debated picking it up. It was one from a previous tri and has sentimental value, so I turned around and picked it up. Good thing, because apparently, for sanctioned events, there is a two-minute penalty for littering and dropping your water bottle counts as littering!

Finished the bike (13 miles) in 52.38, and 7 out of 9 in my group again. Again, a pretty quick transition -- popped a Cliff Block Shot, got my hat on and then off for the run.

Problems started from the get-go. Had to use the bathroom; found a portapotty. I was wearing my new trisuit, which I love, but is a one piece, so had to wiggle out of that (as opposed to just dropping my drawers...). Quads were squawking, so walked to loosen them up. Then there was the sun. Hot, high and roasting. Very little shade on the course. I did not run well at all. I also think I ran out of gas, having planned my nutrition for a 7:30 start, not an 8:45 start.

I just kept moving forward and was feeling better after about mile 2. One mile to go, back through a shaded parkway (thank heavens!) and then the finish line.

Crappy run time of 37.04 and 9 out of 9 in my group. Whaddya do?

Well, since hindsight IS 20/20, what I do is get my mental stuff together for LifeTime and train the best I can this week. It's a much longer course; we probably won't be able to wear wetsuits; it will probably be hot.

All in all, I am pretty proud of my results and the day.

Think I'll go for a bike ride now.....

MinneResults from MinneMan

Here is the MinneVersion:

I PR-ed my Sprint distance time by 5 minutes. (PR= Personal Record).

Naturally, none of the Sprint distances for the races I did last year were of consistant value:
Buffalo was 0.25 mile swim (s)/ 12 mile bike (b)/ 3 mile run (r);
LifeTime Sprint was 0.4 s/15 mile b/3 mile r;
St. Croix Valley Sprint was 0.3 mile s/ 10 mile b/ 4 mile r.

Today the distance was .03 s/ 13 b/ 3 r ---- still, beat my best time from last year by 5 minutes.

Go me!

I'll post an actual race report -- with all the exciting detail -- as soon as "official" results are posted.

Vaay - Kaay- Shun!

Ahhhhh --

I'm in the middle of a very relaxing week of vacation which I'm spending in the exotic location of "my home".

Hubby and Fireball (stepson) left for their Game Convention last Tuesday. We all got up at about 4:00 am -- they packed up, I made coffee and waved a cheerful goodbye as they drove off to Columbus OH at about 5:15 am. I went back to bed. Ahhhhhh.

The rest of my lazy days have included getting rid of some clutter around the house (Ahhhhhh), get-togethers with some girlfriends, golfing my first "long" course, hanging around the lake, a bit of bike riding, a swim lesson where I performed TERRIBLY and an equally tough "long swim" of 1600 yards last night. (Who the heck knows why some workouts are so much better than others...). It has been wonderful.

I've been trying to take notice of all the wonderful aspects of this time off -- calm days, lazy mornings spent outside watching birds, bunnies and butterflies in the backyard with Gorby (our 15 year old cat); people watching down at Lake Harriet; sunsets; summer smells of flowers or BBQs or rain. I get so caught up in "Every Day" that every day moments get lost. I'm going to work harder on noticing more.

Tomorrow is the MinneMan Tri -- 0.3 swim; 13 mile bike; 3 mile run. I am feeling "ready" and nervous at the same time. The distance doesn't so much cause me worry -- just general angst.

I have to get my stuff ready to take: pan to wash the sand off my feet after the swim; socks; racebelt; shoes; goggles; cap(s); trisuit; wet suit; hat; sunscreen; Powerade, gels and Clff Shot Blocks; race numbers; stuff to wear after the race, blah, blah, blah.

I'm glad I am doing the event tomorrow. It should help give me a feel for how I might work LifeTime, which is about two weeks away.

I'm hoping that all the swim lessons and workouts will positively impact my swim experience and time ("tick-tock" time, not "joy of the event' time). I'm not so concerned about the bike or run, but...I've learned from participating in other events that one should never take any thing for granted.

The weather is predicted to be warm with the possibility of some thundershowers. Those could put an end to the swim adventure in a hurry.

In the meantime, I'm going to just enjoy today -- put my feet up -- possibly take a quick bike ride with a couple of other tri/running friends, maybe play a quick round of par-3 golf with some golf friends -- carbo-load and get some sleep.

Ahhhhh......

Feelin' Groovy

This was one of those days where things just sort of came together on my long run.

I have not done an actual long slow distance (LSD) run in a very long time. In fact, the whole "running" thing has been taking a pretty big back seat lately as I've been trying to really get this "swimming" thing down.

My running club started marathon training on June 12th for our October 1st Twin Cities Marathon .

I've had some recent struggles with the way my running club. We have a new director and, although most people just think that the director is the greatest thing since dri-wick, we seem to have some personality clashes.

I may struggle with the director, but I love running with my friends at the club. They pull me through the rough spots, make me laugh during the fun spots and inspire me every single time we are out there.

I promised my running coach (who is a very good friend of mine) that I would not let my jaded opinion seep in to any of the workouts that we perform.

My goal is to suit up, shut up and train.

Today was a great example of keeping my goal and having a great day.

Our LSD called for running 10 miles. I started out with three of my regular partners and one other new person in our group. We got in to our rhythm pretty easily -- doing a run of 9 minutes with a walk break of 1 minute.

The day was humid but we had cloud cover, which helped us keep a little cooler. By the time we hit Lake of the Isles and were veering over to Lake Calhoun, the sky opened up a bit and shared a little cooling rain with us. It felt wonderful.

It was a great run and I really felt able to keep the pace and the rhythm up for the entire run. That is always a great feeling.

My friends and I went to breakfast after the run and our coach joined us. She would like us to change up the run/walk ratio. Her idea is that we should run fewer minutes (like 6 max) and then take a walk break.

I am not so sure that I like that advice. My concern is that if I train that way, I won't be ready to run with the Cliff Bar Pace Team .

I ran with a pacer at Grandma's in 2004, who did a 9/1 run/walk. That was awesome.

I'm worried that if I train doing fewer minutes running that I won't be able to add minutes during race day. I've sent in a email to the pacer that will be heading the TCM team to see what her plan is. I'll see what her response is and then go from there.

However, today, I kept my promise to my coach/friend. I neither endorsed or pooh-poohed her idea. I just kept chewing my bagel and drinking my coffee, feeling proud that I passed my first "test".

My next "test" starts tomorrow. It is peak-week for my Olympic event training. Tomorrow is a 25 mile bike ride; my swim yardage calls for 1,250 and 1,500 yards respectively; my runs will reach 6 miles.

Naturally, being the good "overacheiver" that I am, I am going to do the 25 miles, but will actually try to do 1,600 yards or more in both swims. I just want to KNOW that I can do the distance.

I have a sprint tri on Saturday for my practice event. Hubby and Fireball(stepson) are leaving on Tuesday for their game convention so I'll be at the tri on my own this time around. Sort of scary to do it all on my own (I really like someone being able to actually see me get out of the water...). I'll probably find some kindhearted spectator at the event to help keep an eye out for me.

On that note, I'm going to hit the hay while I'm rested, relaxed and still feelin' groovy.

Kudos and Kool Stuff

My running friends are awesome.

Several of them participated in Grandma's 1/2 and full marathon last Saturday in Duluth. As I've posted countless times before, I did not get in to the 1/2 this year.

I was very unhappy about it in the few weeks after my registration failed to be picked in the lottery. Then, I sort of resigned myself to reality and cut back on my running to concentrate on my swimming.

I did want to support my friends running the events, so at 4:00 am last weekend, two other friends of ours that were not running in the events and I loaded up the car and drove up to Duluth to cheer on our friends.

The day was very warm and humid for Duluth standards. The 1/2 marathoners cut a bit of a break as they started out on their course at 6:30 am when it was still cool and cloudy.

AmyK, Bea and I arrived in Duluth in time to grab some coffee and see the winner of the 1/2 cross the line. We then found our cheering spot and camped out for the rest of the day.

Our 1/2 friends Marcia, Julie, MaryJo, Jen and Sarah did an awesome job. Sarah is a co-worker and this was her first half. Marcia is the "ring leader" organizing a band of women that will run Twin Cities marathon this fall, including me. She has been training like a manic and it showed. She rocked.

The marathon started an hour after the 1/2 and the temp in Duluth was 64 degrees -- not so bad until you combine it with 90% humidity. That was some thing for us as spectators. Runners felt that impact 10-fold! The sun would peak out from time to time and that was brutal. By the end of the 6-hour race cutoff, the temps were in the 80s.

I love watching the full marathon. As a confirmed back-of-the-packer, it is very interesting (and strangely comforting) for me to see that the front runners and mid-packers also struggle a bit as they hit miles 22, 23, 24 and beyond.

Very few people could claim a PR that day. Folks were running past us looking pretty shot. (We were at a spot at about mile 25.5 on the course). Hot, sweaty -- some glazed-- but mostly happy to be nearing the end.

Our friends were terrific! Karen was in her typical rhythm; Angel, who is training for an Ironman, was slower than she wanted to be but was full of smiles when she passed. Carla, a new friend also training for an Ironman, did PR, which was something! KathyT, one of the folks I coached last year when she was a beginner was also smiling as she finished her FIRST marathon. Then there is my good friend Dori . Unfortunately, we missed out on being able to cheer her out on the course, but she did a GREAT job considering the conditions.

My hats off to each of them. They inspire me every day in very unique and special ways. I'm honored to be friends with each and every one of them.

Kool Stuff: I had a very good week of training. Running better (being back in training really helps -- duh). Swimming pretty well too. I went to an outdoor pool swim with my Tri club. The pool is longer than your standard -- a full 50 yards, as opposed to 25. Angel and Carla were also at the swim last night. Although you can't socialize much when swimming, it is just nice to have familiar faces there to keep you going.

I felt pretty strong in the water and got 1600 yards in -- so pretty much covered the distance I will need to swim at LifeTime.

My plan is to get in to the lake again this weekend -- after a round of golf tonight and a long run of 10 miles tomorrow with my marathon pals.

Enjoy!

Open Water is Different --- very different

My Tri Club sponsored an Open Water Clinic last night at Lac Lavon Park, located in Burnsville MN.

My swim coach, Dave, was the facilitator and there were about 30 to 40 triathletes of varying ability that attended including my friend Angel, who is in training for her first IronMan.

I've been feeling much more confident in the water -- well, perhaps better said,"The Pool". You know -- nice clean water, marked lanes, walls you can get to in a hurry where you can cling for your life whenever the going gets tough.

This clinic was at The Lake -- and not your regular triathlon-type lake with a nice, sandy beach start.

No, this lake was pretty much your average Minnesota park lake. No real shoreline where we enter the water. Tiny fish hanging around the shoreline hoping to find a bug or a leg in a wetsuit that looks tasty and easy to swallow. Oh, and the weeds. Since we've had so much rain (and so many homeowners use that fertilizing-crap on their lawns to help them look "nice", which then runs off in to our lakes and streams...) the weeds were huge.

I was not as excited about the workout when I saw the lake. Open water makes me a little nervous. When I did my tri's last year, I pretty much "got through" the swim portion, happy to emerge from the lake alive and relatively unscathed. I had been thinking that, because of my lessons, that the swim portion this year would be something that I'd enjoy more. That thought is currently still up for debate.

Angel and I got in to our wetsuits and in to the water to loosen up before the Clinic started. Angel is a very good swimmer. She got out in to the water and swam past the weeds easily. I got in and got panicky. Pretty much reverted to my dog paddle and back stroke, not liking this whole idea of swimming at all.

We got out and waited for the clinic to begin. Dave got there and we got rolling. He shared some great tips for siteing, water "ettiquette", placement, drafting, etc. It was also the first time I actually got to see him in the water. He is a great swimmer -- fluid, fast.

He also engaged the participants by asking questions and helping us joke through our fears. I was very relieved to hear that many of the folks attending also had some level of dread about the swim portion.

Then we did some drills -- getting in and out of the water "mass start" style. This is the portion of the tri that most people hate. You do indeed have people that swim over you, you do get kicked and jabbed. Eventually the field clears out and you find your place in the water to do your thing.

We then swam out and past those dang weeds (which really weren't so bad) and did some stroke and siteing drills.

In a triathlon, there are lots of people in support vehicles (surf boards; kayaks; canoes) watching the water for swimmers in distress. Swimmers also have the option of holding on to a support vehcile if they panic or need a break. I like that A LOT.

During our Clinic, however, we did not have that luxury. I was concerned that I'd get out there and get over-tired treading water. I forgot the beauty of the wetsuit. That helped keep me more like a bobble than a rock. Phew.

I did not do my best with all the drills, however. My goggles got foggy, leaked a little bit and then I got blindsided by the setting sun and couldn't site. I got way off course and panicked again. Fortunately, Angel was keeping an eye on me and really helped me through that rough spot.

I was also S L O W. (What else is new?).

I left the Clinic very happy I went (and got through it) but also still pretty concerned about my ability to get through that .9 swim at LifeTime.

Angel and I and a couple other tri friends have made a pact to get in to the open water more frequently in the weeks to come. This should help my overall comfort level. I'll also have some race practice when I do MinneMan on July 1st. Fortunately, that swim is relatively short -- only .3 miles.

Time will tell if I'll be able to sink or swim...

Easy Does It.

NOT.

I ran the final Easy Does It Five-Miler last Saturday. The folks over at Hazelden's Youth and Family Services have been putting on this lovely race for 25 years. For a variety of reasons, they decided that this year would be their last year to hold the event.

I've participated in this race for the last three or four years. The course is nice -- a little hilly, which is challenging, through neighborhoods and next to a lake. It's an "out and back", which is always nice for us back-of-the-packers as we can cheer on the leaders as they whiz by us on their way back to the finish.

In year's past, this race was always my last taper event right before Grandma's Marathon. I'd hit the start line all ready and raring to go... trained and "efficient". Not this year.

Since I did not get in to either of the Grandma's events, my running has taken a backseat to swimming. I've been spending much more time and effort trying to become more efficient in the water so that .9 swim portion of LifeTime Fitness triathlon doesn't do me in.

I ran the race on Saturday with my great friend Mary B. She is running Grandma's Marathon and has been training for weeks. It really showed in her performance Saturday. She took off ahead of me in the first 600 feet and I didn't see her again until she came back for me on the course after she had finisher her very own 49:00 minute race.

I struggled. The air was heavy, so my asthma was troublesome. I felt slow and cumbersome, like I was running through molasses. I wasn't physically achy, but mentally was not really able to get it together.

I was sure that I was really really behind the eight-ball time-wise, so when I saw the finisher chute I was surprised to see that I was coming in in less than an hour. Still and all, with my finishing time of 55:42, I was about 3:04 slower than last year.

I got in my 20-mile training bike ride yesterday. Another day where I felt like I was not moving at all. There was a lot of wind which was challenging and I did slog through the workout in less than 2 hours. My legs felt like rubber -- from the bike ride and probably the 9-holes of golf that we played that morning. That is when the doubts started creeping in.

I'm not sure how ready I am for this Olympic-distance triathlon. I've got 5 weeks to finish up training and prepare but my sluggish performances last weekend got me in a bit of a panic.

I'm trying to relax just a little bit -- Twin Cities Marathon training starts tonight, so that will help with my running; I've got plenty of training dates for biking and swimming to help shore up those two legs; I've got some time. I just have to remember:

Easy Does It.

Flat Side Against the Wall

Years ago, when Hubby and I were first dating, I wanted to install some new towel hangers in my master bathroom.

Being the independent woman that I am, I bought the fixtures, got my tool set out and started my DIY project.

The fixtures came with instructions -- illustrated instructions, mind you -- and yet I could not get this one little part to fit flatly against the wall. The instruction read "Place (weird, obscure) object with flat side against the wall".

I struggled with this little piece of metal for hours before finally throwing in the screwdriver and calling my (then) boyfriend.

He came over and instantly discovered my mistake. The piece had two flat sides. I had been trying to position the wrong side. He simply turned the (weird, obscure) object around and, POOF. Flat side was against the wall -- and, with a couple turns of the Phillips head, I had new towel racks.

I bring this up now because of what happened last night at my swimming lesson. As previously mentioned in this blog, I've been taking Total Immersion swim lessons. The lessons have been great and I've come a long way. I feel much more confident in the water -- move much more efficiently, and cover more water over less time. All good things.

Tthere have been a couple techniques of this method that continue to mystify me: front quadrant (FQ) swimming and anchoring, or "catching". FQ is basically when you keep your lead arm ahead of you for as long as you possibly can while your stroke arm does its thing. The lead arm should start its motion until both arms are fully extended.

Anchoring is what give you the strength in the water. Basically, the catch position is looks like this: extend your arm in front of you. Now, without moving your upper arm, bend your elbow down as if you were going to touch your desk. Water flowing around your forearm as you continue your stroke drives strength in the water.

Coach Dave has been trying to get me to refine these techniques and, since last night was my last night of lessons, we worked a ton on this. Finally, I 'fessed up I just wasn't getting it. "If I'm on my left side, with my left arm leading in front, my right stroke arm is coming out of the water, elbow high, I get it out to FQ position, how do I move it to anchoring if it is extended?", I asked.

"Um, Amy, you are anchorng with the OPPOSITE arm". (FLAT SIDE AGAINST THE WALL).

Oh.

Yep, took me six lessons to figure out that, in the scenario above, when I'm on my left side, when I hit the FQ positon with my right stroke arm, my LEFT arm goes in to anchor position as I rotate my hips around to complete the stroke.

Sigh.

I've signed up for six more lessons.

Hot Brick

The weather has finally turned. In typical Minnesota fashion we rocketed from spring to SUMMER. It's been warm and slightly humid since Friday. Today, we're in the 90's. The perfect weather conditions for me to do my first official T2 brick workout.

For all you non-tri-jargon savvy folks, that is a workout where you combine two disciplines. T1 brick is a swim/bike workout; T2 is a bike/run workout. "T", by the by, stands for transition. Transition includes all the activities that get you from one activity to another: pulling off a wet suit, goggles and swim cap; switching any clothes; getting your race number on; helmut; eating or drinking; whatever you do.

Today I rode my bike for 10 miles. As per usual, we slept in late. Hubby and I had a nice date night last night. We had dinner out and saw the 9:15 showing of "The DaVinci Code". It was a perfectly fine summer movie, despite all the goofy hype.

Anyway, we elected to sleep in late which meant I started my workout about 1:00 pm. Smack dab in the middle of our hot, sunny, windy day.

I rode around Lake Harriet and then along Minneahaha Parkway to Cedar Avenue -- five miles out in 25 minutes. Turned around and came back the same way. The second half of the ride was more in the wind than the first and I had to go slightly longer around Harriet, still and all, got back to the house in 26 plus minutes. Not too bad.

I didn't time my transition (which I know I should have). I had to "trick" myself to do the brick. It was hot, I was tired and I kept telling myself -- "just run to the corner" -- "just run to the lake" - "just run to the water pump". Eventually, the heat caught up to me and I walked a lot -- but I got it done. My run took much longer than either leg of my ride: 31:43, for only about 3 miles. Still and all, I'm did it.

I need to get more in. There is a definite transition in muscle use from bike to run. My quads get tight; I feel like I'm moving like a slug. Practice, practice, practice.

Tomorrow, the plan is to do an open water swim workout with a few of my girlfriends. I'm SO looking forward to putting on my wetsuit in 90 degree weather only to swim in a 59 degree lake!

Swim Master

Doesn't that title just sound powerful?

S W I M M A S T E R.....(dum dum dahhhhhhh). Of course, this has nothing to do with my powerful command of the water or my mermaid-like ability to streak, stealth-like, under the deep blue sea.

No, it simply refers to the new swim group I swam with last night. The group is actually the Minnesota Tri Masters group, which is part of the Minnesota Triathlon Club.

I joined the club about a week ago and last night's swim was my first "official" event with the group.

My swim coach, Dave, oversees (or shall I say "overseas") the MnTriMasters group. They meet several times per week to do this Masters Swim thing. Basically, he runs us through a series of warm ups and drills, which focus on techniques or speed or both.

Last night, there were about 15 of us or so in the pool. I was the only newbie and I was also the slowest fish in the pond -- a very familiar place for me to be. I shared a lane with two other people, a man and a woman a bit older then me who are both training for the Florida IronMan.

The session was quite the experience. I did interval drills; something called "3:00 o'clock"; some goofy thing that related to my pace per mile and more.

I did my best to keep up, but, much like it was for me in the beginning of my running career, I basically have two swim speeds: slow and very slow.

Still, it was fun and challenging. I swam about 1800 yards, or a touch over a mile. That was a lot for me.

Couple of things for me to note and capture from a training perspective:

The good news is that I did the mileage. The swim portion for my "big" tri this summer is 0.9 miles. I went over a mile last night, so I know I can do the distance AND I still have about 7 weeks of training to go.

The not-so-good news is the longer I was out there, the more ragged my technique was. I'm sure it will improve over time as I do more of these distances, but it was interesting for me to "feel" my stroke deteriorate.

My coach gave me a few points, but it was not a private lesson night for me. I'm sure I'll hear more from him next week when I see him one on one.

I rode my bike to and from the session, so I got a bit of a brick workout in, which was good.

I'm also planning on meeting a couple of my friends on Memorial Day for our first official open-water swim of the season.

That should further distinguish the master from the thrasher!

Adopt A Highway

Not a very catchy title, but it's how I spent my morning today.

My good friend Amy P had adopted a highway near her home in surburban Minneapolis. She organized an Earth Day event and invited a number of her friends to pitch in.

The weekend we were supposed to go was rainy and cold so she moved the date to today. Fortunately, the weather gods smiled upon us, bestowing us with mild temps and partly sunny skies.

She and her husband had the helpers meet at their home for breakfast. There were five of us in total. We ate, geared up and figured out "the rules" -- walk one side of the freeway, facing oncoming traffic (just like the running rules!); don't collapse cans (they may have syringes or other items in there that we don't want to "disturb"); watch out for items used to produce Meth.

Yes, Meth.

The city actually provided a handout to Amy to show us that described what to avoid. It even included pictures of the dangerous items, just in case we were confused.

Fortunately, we didn't not find any Meth or Meth making supplies, but we did find bucket seats torn out from a vehicle and heaped to the side of the highway -- lots of cans and plastic bottles; candy wrappers; a plastic shovel; lots of paper and foil; wires, cigarrette boxes and receipts. I found a receipt from a local convenience store. Someone had charged a Gordita Burrito and a Hawaiian Punch. Total $2.00. About a quarter of a mile from that spot, Lisa, another worker bee, found a receipt for the exact same thing. Very strange.

Also very strange to me that people think it is totally okay to throw all this crap out the windows of their cars. Are we really so "above it all" that we can't be accountable for our own garbage? Apparently so.

Hubby sometimes teases me because I keep a bag in my car where I lob all my empty water cans and coffee cups. I wait until the bag is full and then it hits our recycle pile. I'm not sure why that is so strange. I'd rather muck up my own car than muck up the planet.

Reuse, refuse, recycle!

Where the H%$@ is the Sun?

It's been over a week since we've had any thing like reasonable weather. Rain, cold tem;s; more rain, more cold temps. Not particularly inspiring for training outside.

We finally are having a sunny morning, but the weather guys say it will cloud up this afternoon and, you guessed it -- rain.

I woke up at 6:00 am this morning fully expecting to get to the gym for my swim practice. It was sunny out; comfy in bed with Hubby and the cats. Back in to bed I went. My training schedule calls for a 3.5 mile run today and a 500 yard swim. Nothing too taxing. I'll get them in this afternoon or early evening.

We live near a chain of lakes and every day as I drive or run by them, I stare out at the water. It still looks plenty cold and choppy. I'm not so thrilled about getting in the open water for some practice sessions. I did buy a wet suit, so I know I'd be mostly protected, but mine is sleeveless so there is the "freezing arms/freezing face" hurdle to get over.

My new Tri Club is already doing some open water swims (or so I hear). They will go out again tomorrow. I may brave it -- or wait one more week.

I got a run and a 10 mile bike ride in last weekend. Both went well.

The one nice thing about the weather being uncooperative is that the lakes are not very crowded. When the weather is nice during the early weekends of the summer, the lakes get so jammed with people, runners, roller bladers, bikers and other human and furry creatures, that getting any training in during peak time is pretty tough. I pretty much had the paths to myself when I was out there.

Hopefully this patch of weather will move on soon so we can enjoy a bit of spring while training!

This One's for Dori!

I'm breaking one of my "rules" right now and actually posting while at work. Well, it's sort of "work" as it is after 5:00 pm and I'm only hanging around here because Hubby, who works for the same company, is on a teleconference and, since we carpooled today, I'm stuck here waiting for him to finish before we can head home.

I've owed a post for a while. My good friend Dori and I ran the Wells Fargo 1/2 marathon together last Sunday. She has posted a well written, thoughtful, detailed account of our 13.1 mile journey on her blog. I, on the other hand, have been sort of slug-like with my postings. Not because I'm not interested in running, but more because time seems to be just FLYING by...

Anyway, here are my unremarkable remarks about the race: I really wasn't so sure I was even going to run the dang thing. I have not really been putting much heart, soul or mileage in. But, I decided to give it a try.

Dori and I have trained together but have not run a race together. She has always been a very methodical, disciplined runner. She may not agree, but anyone who knows her or reads her blog can tell you. It takes a lot of discipline to put in miles BEFORE you meet up with your training group for your LSD run!

The day was really beautiful -- clear, cool, sunny and breezy. I've run the race twice before and was familiar with the somewhat hilly course. I also knew from experience that the field of 1,000 runners is typically very fast. I remember the first year I ran Wells, I was with some other marathon friends who were slow-pokes like me. We got to the startline and I looked around at the crowd. Pretty much the entire field -- less about 25 of us -- were all lean, lithe runner-types. That year, like every other year, I got dusted in less then the first mile. (sigh).

The good news is that I sort of like it when the field quiets down. Less pressure; more room on the road to see the pavement, run the tangents and see the scenery. Dori and I were doing a run/walk split of 9/1 and that worked out great. We bumped in to a few other runners at the start doing a variation of the run/walk thing. Chatted with them a bit, but mostly we just talked with each other.

The course is very pretty. You can see water (lake and marshes); country fields; HUGE McMansion type houses; tiny cottage-houses from years past, and more.

The miles came "quickly" -- our conversation helped move the miles along.

About mile 10, I took a gel and then had to walk a bit more. My last long run before the race had been a 8-miler and that was several weeks before race day. The mileage was starting to take its toll on me.

Dori went on her way -- looking strong and happy to to be out there. I pulled back a bit and then about mile 11 or so, a running group of three women and one man were gaining on me. One woman in particular was quite peppy and coaching on her running mates. "You can do this. Looking awesome".

Then she said the magic words: "Okay, now we're going to run for three minutes and walk for two".

BINGO. "That," I thought to myself, "sounds like a mighty fine plan". I asked them if I could join them and they said "Why not!", so off we went.

Turns out the "Coach" was a sister to both one of the women in the group and the man. She had run a number of marathons, but the rest of her group were participating in their first 1/2. They were GREAT to run with and really helped keep me going those last couple of miles.

I got to that last 400 meter stretch -- I could see Dori at the finish, cheering me on, and I just kept moving forward till I crossed the line. Not my best "time" (clock-wise)but certainly one of my very best times (fun-wise.

Dori and I had a much appreciated coffee together afterwards, which was the perfect way to end that event.

I owe her a big THANKS for helping pull me through and giving me a kick in the training pants.

GIG update / Tri Training starts TODAY!

Get in Gear got my time published...33.35 which equates to 10:49/mile.

I'm not the speediest creature on the planet, but still feel pretty good about the fact that I ran the whole dang thing.

Training for LifeTime Tri starts today. I have to get a swim and a run in today. That, plus golf lessons start. I'll be Ms. Athletic today.

I set my alarm for 5:30 to get to the gym by 6:00 am for my swim... hit the snooze about a zillion times and will have to work in the swim later today.

Also have to start my "I want to be a Sleek Triathlete" program today too. I'm doing LifeTime as an Athena, which means I have to weigh more than 150 lbs. No problem there. I just want to weigh much CLOSER to 150 than I currently do today. So, I'm back on Weight Watchers .

Should be an interesting twelve weeks or so.

True Confession...

Another long time since I've blogged. Time slips away; I don't always log on to our home computer -- I don't blog from work. I've meant to get a few things posted during the last couple of whirlwind weeks: a meaningful post about our neighbor who recently passed away after fighting breast cancer for four years...a not-so-meaningful post about spring finally coming to Minneapolis and how lovely the weather's been...etc.

But both laziness and "things" have allowed time to pass until today. To quote Linda Ellerbee, "and so it goes":

That "nice weather" thing I mentioned above seems to be a thing of the past. It's been rainy for the past few days. Not just a brief shower or two -- this is contstant steady drizzle followed by more steady downpours. The rain is helping things green up, but certainly is not helping any outdoor activities.

Today were the Get In Gear races. The event used to be just a 10K event held at Minnehaha Falls Park. It is sort of the kickoff to the summer running season here in the Twin Cities. The race now includes a 5K event, the 10K and a 2K fun-run for kids.

I am a volunteer coach for my running club and just wrapped up a session that prepared runners for the 5K event today. I ran with Ann (an old friend from marathon days who is making a running comeback after some time off) and her neice, Sadie, who is a running newbie. It was Sadie's first race.

Here is the true confession: today was the first time I've ever run an entire 5K without a walk break. Yes, that is right: after about seven years of running, I finally covered the distance without stopping once. That is a big deal for me.

Now I have an "excuse" for stopping during my runs: I have a touch of asthma which usually impacts my breathing about 6 to 10 minutes in to the run. On really bad days, I have to take a number of bumps off my inhaler in order to get my airway to open fully. Not today. I think the combination of cooler weather and the rain helped my breathing and I covered the distance.

This may seem strange to you that I've done marathons and triathlons but have not covered this distance with out stopping. (I have to admit it does to me too), but today was the day and it felt great.

The kicker? My results are not posted on the race website. I had my chip on my shoe, heard it beep when I crossed the finish line but no result posted. How is that for irony?

In a blink of an eye...

Time passes. Mucho time passes.

I've been doing my swimming lessons and making some progress; had horrible food poisoning and survived; went on another business trip (to Chicago) -- did some work, saw some old friends and got very nostalgic about when I lived there; continuing to have controversies at work about what they told me my job was supposed to be and what it really is; came in second in a round of a "Biggest Loser" contest with some girlfriends; all the while trying to take it one day at a time.

The weather has also turned a corner -- we hope. The ice is off the lakes, grass is starting to green up and we've had a couple of days that reached 70 degrees. Summer must be coming.

I'm trying to decide if I have it in me to run the Wells Fargo 1/2 marathon. I have not been trainnig as hard as I should have been and the course can be a bit challenging. It is hilly and typically full of very fast, fit runners. (The first time I ran the event, I came in second from last). I was going to run it as a training run for Grandma's 1/2, but since I didn't get in that event I've been a bit l a z y.

I still have a little bit of time to decide if I want to do it or not. I should just do the dang thing and if I end up last or if they close the course before I finish, so be it.

Hubby and I have been out golfing three times already. That has been a big blast. I just started last year and am not very good, but really enjoy being outside and trying to get the ball in the air more times than not. I've signed up for some lessons and we have also joined a League with another couple of our friends.

I don't have much profound to say today. Just needed to get a post in to catch up.

I have a bunch of meetings tomorrow with my boss; then with him, his boss and his boss's boss...should make for a very digestively distressed day.

test

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Spring Break

The calender tells us we are in the middle of Spring Break season, which seems to be running unusually long this year. Kids are out of school, parents have scheduled vacations, malls and airports are jammed with families and college students "getting away from it all".

Spring Break makes for a very interesting travel time for us business travelers. You know us -- we are the frenetic, cell phone/blackberry connected, caffeinated, yes-this-qualifies-for-carry-on-only, wrinkle-resistant, beat-you-to-the-gate travelers that can tell you where the nearest bathroom is in pretty much any US airport and where to get the best value for an airport snack.

You gotta have a lot of patience when traveling these days -- the tourists move slowly, apparently never having heard of a little thing called "airport security" and the "passenger screening" process; the parents with their "little darlings" in tow, who seem to believe that the airport corridors and furniture are actually their own little personal playgrounds; and the college students....well, what is there to say about them? What I try to do when traveling to increase my overall patience level is a lot of observing of the world around me. This helps me wile away the hours waiting for a delayed plane or waiting for checked baggage to arrive.

This is what I observed yesterday as I waited at baggage claim after arriving back from from San Diego:

My flight was full and the majority of passengers were of "elite" status, including me. So, instead of giving the elites the opportunity to board early, every one had to board row by row. I had a seat in the 6th row, which meant I watched pretty much everyone else board with their carry-on bags, computer cases, baby strollers, nappie bags, kiddie suitcases (don't even get me started on those...) blah, blah, blah. I knew that by the time I got on, there would be no overhead space and I'd have to have my bag checked, which is exactly what happened.

After I retrieved my bag at baggage claim, I noticed a number of college aged boys walking toward the exit, tanned, bleary eyed and wearing HUGE "si, yo estoy gingo-estupido" sombreros. They were obviously just returning from spring break some where south of the border, where they probably spent boatloads of their parent's cash doing tequilla shots off of various co-ed's tummies.

Right behind them were three other college-aged boys and a girl, dressed very differently. They were in army fatigues and walking out of the airport with family members. I couldn't really tell if they were home on leave or home from basics or just plain home.

I was struck by the juxtaposition of the two groups. Both the same ages, but living clearly different lives.

Although I am proud of the fact that people make a choice to serve our country, I feel very badly that this administration put them in a position where they have to go overseas to fight a war that should not have happened in the first place.

Putting political commentary aside, I think that most of us (at least those of us that think and listen and read) would agree that we ended up in Iraq under very false pretenses and have put thousands of people of all ages there in peril.

I watched the soldiers and wished that they could have been coming back from their spring break, tanned and full of crazy memories -- not memories that may make them crazy.

I also felt a twinge of "oh jeeze" about the sombereo chicos....I'm sure they had just a great time -- from what they can remember. I hope that they did not act the part of the ugly American tourist and that they are grateful that they CAN go to Mexico and live it up, while others in their peer group are worrying about a lot more than scrapping together beer money and passing their next exam.

I probably sound a bit judgemental -- am perhaps I am being so. The image just stuck me and stayed with me as I drove from the airport all the way back home.

Ornery sumabit

So I've been just a little cranky lately.

Okay, a lot cranky.

Both work and my personal life have been a bit frustrating in recent months. Work for a variety of reasons too long to list here; my personal life partly because I feel like I'm not getting what I want/need out of my running group any more and I'm not yet sure what to do to fill that gap.

Our running group has gone under about five or six Director changes since I've been a member. The current (new) one is better than the last one, but the programs now are a bit confusing. I coach a Basics group and, this time around, there are about three classes going on at the same time, none of which have more than three members. Seems kind of silly to me -- but I'm not the director.

The Club, in general, has a reputation of being sort of "clicky". That was very true when I joined and, at that time, I was a very slow, much more overweight runner than I am today. I really got no respect at all and made no friends. (My sister and I had joined the club. The experience was so bad for her that she never went back). I only went back because I had run my first marathon without official training and decided to get some real training via the Club. At that time, it was just me and my Coach in the "slow runner" group. She was great and she got me through the training. I shaved over an hour off my finish time.

Since then, the "slow runners" have found a niche in the group, but we've really had to claw our way to get it. The fast runners barely give us the time of day and the new director had been a fast runner.

I will say, however, that pretty much everyone else thinks she is great.

I think I just may have outgrown the group.

I still love running with my friends, but may not need to be an official member anymore. I've been thinking long and hard about changing to a new running group -- I'll check them out after I get back from this business trip I'm on. (More about that below!)

Having said that, I did have a great run last night -- went about six miles. We are still struggling to get to spring, so the night was cold, but still beautiful.

Swimming has been coming along. I had my second lesson and have added a number of new drills to do before my third lesson. I'm really enjoying the water.

San Diego: I'm posting from a hotel here. I'm attending a business meeting for a couple of days. The weather is cold (San Diego standards) but there is no snow and an ocean -- so that rocks.

I got here earlier this afternoon and took a long walk to get my bearings. I have my running stuff and will get a run in. I also found a health club with a lap pool (an OUTDOOR lap pool) and I may go there tomorrow. The interesting this will be getting in to that pool. The air temp is only in the 60s.

When I went to check out the place, there were a couple of guys in the pool. I asked them how the water was and they reported that the water temp was warmer than the air temp, so that is a big plus.

If I do get in to the water, I'll consider it practice for those early summer open-water swims. Brrrrr.....

Glub, glub

A very snowy day here in Minneapolis. Just as we were starting to actually believe that spring might be on its way, we got socked with about 10 inches of wet, heavy March snow. It is beautiful out -- the limbs on the trees are hanging low topped with big heavy blankets...There are no foot tracks or muddy mounds around from the constant meltingfreezingmeltingfreezing. Just nice, pristine snow.

Hubby and I are both working from home, which is a treat. We are still in our jammies and multitasking away. Sort of a nice way to start a work week.

Our weekend was good. Hubby's son was with us and they went to a game conference on Saturday. I ran some errands, but did not run. (Tisk, tisk).

Sunday, I met a friend of mine (AmyP) for coffee. She found out and her husband are expecting their first child, so this is a very exciting time for them.

I then went to my first Total Immersion swim lesson. My coach is pretty cool -- he swam competitively in high school and college and then "relearned" swimming the "TI" way. His recent claim to swimming fame is having swum the English Channel. Took him slightly over 13 hours.

The deal about these English Channel swims is that, unlike triathlons, you can't wear a wetsuit and you can't hold on to your support vehicle for a break or to get your nutrition. You are constantly either swimming or treading water.

Bleah!

I have no real interest in doing something like that. Even this goofy 0.9 mile swim in JULY in a land-locked lake (which, by the by, was a balmy 87 degrees last summer when I did the Sprint distance of this event...) seems like a long way. I couldn't imagine swimming the dang Channel with no protection or relief.

I do want to be a better swimmer, however. So I signed up for six lessons.

He had me do a couple of lenghts and then basically told me all that needed changing. And I mean ALL that needs changing.

I don't turn enough on my side. I roll my shoulders, but don't roll my hips. I kick "too much". These are things I knew, but until he had me break down the stroke and ONLY work on the "laying side in the water" thing, I had no idea just how poorly I was swimming.

So for now (until further notice), I'm "banned" from the freestyle. My first assignment is to practice doing laps just laying sideways in the water, my lead arm extended over my head, my other arm in my "tuck" position, with my head facing straight down, unless I'm coming up for air. I'll do one lap with my right lead arm up; then come back with my left lead arm up. I get to use swim fins to help with the kicking for now. (Boy, do those ROCK!)

He wants me to get 2 1/2 hours of this practice in between now and next Sunday, when I have Lesson Two.

He also works with a group called "Minnestoa TriMasters". I don't know much about that group yet, but will probably do some open water swims with them this summer.

I'm still reeling a bit from the big Grandma's rejection slip. This is the first time since 2000 that I will not be participating in a Grandma's event. (I suppose I could do the 5K the day before, but hotel prices are crazy and it seems like a lot of money for not much glory).

However, I have decided to do a few more triathlons in place of the 1/2....so, where there is a ying, there seems to be a yang.

The final fun thing from the weekend was the long-awaited season premier of "The Sopranos". Hubby and I had his sister and his neice, my sister and brother-in-law, and his kids over for a big Italian dinner before the show. Dinner was a ton of fun and it was great to get back in to Tony and his family. Should be a good season of Sunday night episodes.

I'll run this week and get my swimming in. Will also keep an eye out for that first robin!

rejected and dejected

I got my registration check BACK from Grandma's 1/2 marathon today. I'm so bummed! I received a couple weeks ago and mailed it back the same day -- before the day's last pickup at the Post Office.

Grandma's 1/2 picks its 4,500 participants via lottery. They pick 1,000 two business days after the entries are mailed out; then 2,500 a few days later and the final 1,000 a few days after that. My entry had to have been in that bin the entire time and still -- no luck.

Everyone else that I know of made the cut. I'm very sad I won't be participating. Someone suggested that I contact some people to see if they have any numbers available (I work for a company that is a major sponsor of the event and, apparently, sponsors get some numbers to give out. I know someone that was a big-shot spokesperson for our company and the event, but we are not exactly on the greatest of terms. (I personally think he suffers from "little man syndrome". You know, the "stamp my feet, scream and shout, I know better than you" personality. I didn't take too kindly to his every (little man) requests (aka whines/demands)when we worked in the same area. Some how I think he won't be so willing to do me a big favor...)

I'm just going to have to give up the thought that I'll be running that event this year.

There are a couple other events that I'm going to do this spring/summer that require some thoughtful training: Wells Fargo 1/2 marathon in May and LifeTime Tri in July. So, maybe I should think of this as a blessing in disguise. There are only three weeks between Grandma's and the Tri, so my peak training weeks and tapers would be screwed up if I participated in both events. This way, I can concentrate on really having a great performance in the Tri.

I start some swimming lessons on Sunday. I'm working with a coach that uses the "Total Immersion" approach. I signed up for a package of six lessons. One of the things that he'll do is video tape my swimming. That should be absolutely horrifying.

My hope is that I'll pick up on some techniques that will help my swimming be more comfortable for longer stretches. The swim in the Tri is 0.9, which is a long way for me.

I also plan on actually buying a wetsuit and doing a lot more open water swims this year. Hard to imagine that, as I gaze out on the still-frozen lakes here in the heart of Minneapolis.

As for Grandma's, I'll still go up to Duluth for the day to cheer on my friends, cuz, you know -- that's what friends are for.

Makes It All Worthwhile....

I had a great run last night. Really great. I felt strong, my breathing was just right. The evening was beautiful (above freezing and clear). Ran with some friends (Marcia, Kathy and Sarah), which always makes it worth while.

This is really only the second run of the year (!) that I can remember feeling good...my breathing has been way off and I've been sluggish on most runs.

We started the "strength" phase of the training, so we ran hills. It was the first night of hill training, so no repeats -- just rolling hills starting at the Health Club and winding though parts of Theodore Wirth Parkway. Total mileage last night was five (5).

It was great.

Also ran last Saturday. I didn't run with the group. I'm so tired from the week that getting up at 7:00 when it is cold to go and run seems like an huge task. So, I slept in and ran later in the afternoon, when the temps were "managable" (30's). Ran Calhoun, Harriet and part of Minnehaha Parkway -- total mileage 8.25. The creek that runs through the Parkway was melted. It was great to see some open water. Spring has to be coming!

The run Saturday wasn't bad -- felt pretty okay, although my breathing was off. Bumped in to another running buddy (Amy K) who was out taking a walk with a friend of hers.

I'm a little concerned because my check for Grandma's 1/2 has not cleared yet. A couple of my friend's have had theirs clear. I'm thinking there is a possiblity I won't get in that race. I'm hoping that I will get in -- I love that event. Duluth is a very cute town and they really do the weekend right. If I don't get in, I'll figure out another event to do and really concentrate on my Tri event.

I'm supposed to start coaching a Beginning Running Group tonight. Usually I love doing this, but for what ever reason, I'm less excited about it this time around. I'm sure I'll pep up once I'm out there.

Food continues to be an issue, but....on the other hand, I consider how lucky I really am to have my health and only a few problems. Kirby Puckett and Dana Reeve passed away within the last 24 hours. Both were in their early 40's -- (44 and 45).

I'm glad to be her, breathing air and feeling, for the most part, pretty darn good.

I have no willpower...

I'm back from San Francisco. I took the red eye home this morning. I got bumped up to first class, so I had a little more room to stretch out and get a bit of sleep. We arrived at 6:10 am -- I came home and slept for a couple hours. Now I'm catching up on work from my home office. It is nice to be home with the cats and in my jammies.

I am dismayed, however, at my lack of willpower (again). I'm heavier than I'd like to be; I'm in a "biggest loser" challenge with a few girlfriends; my pants are about as tight as they can get without going up a size and yet, I'm unable to string too many days of "good eating" together without faltering.

The meeting I attended brought lunch in -- standard sandwich, side salad and cookie. I made my lunch decision based on the size and type of cookie -- big and chocolate chip.

I was able to meet my brother, sister-in-law and neice for dinner and ate more than I should have there too. The snack shop was still open at the airport so, in addition to buying a book, I bought a bag of M & Ms...

I'm not always like this. When I turn it on, I can make very good choices and I go way out of my way to keep things "in control". (For example, I could very well have come to the meeting with my own lunch (sans cookie)).

For what ever reason, I'm just not wanting to turn it on right now. The irony is that I also don't want to pay the consequences (bigger pants; slower running times; seat belt extensions...)

I don't have much of any thing profound to say or add about all the reasons why I might be less inclined to stick with a program right now (frustrations at work; sick of winter; general case of "acting-like-a-baby-itis"...), but that is where I am for today.

"The Windy City I Left My Heart In..."

Greetings from San Francisco (the heart part of the title) where it is unbelievably windy (the Chicago reference).

I was supposed to fly out of Minneapolis at 2:30 pm today but the flight was delayed by over 90 minutes. Bad weather here on the coast. Rain and wind, wind, wind. I finally left freezing Minneapolis and got here, safe and sound, although the flight was quite bumpy. I'll be here for a little over 24-hours and then back to Arctic Tundraland. I've got a couple of meetings and am also hoping to spend a little time with my brother, sister-in-law and niece.

The really nice thing about today was that I got to work from home before leaving for the airport. I sat in on a teleconference call and then took a run to the postoffice -- literally.

I ran there to mail my brother-in-law a birthday card. The weather was cold (20's) but sunny. Not too long of a run (a little over two miles). Just nice to get out and stretch my legs a bit.

Usually I pack running clothes when I travel, but I was clever enough to check online for the forecast before I left.

It is one thing to run in the rain in your home city, where you have your jacket, hat, quick access to towels and a warm shower. It is another thing to do it when you are traveling and having to pack wet running clothes in a suitcase....

My breathing is way off, which is bumming me out in a very big way. I'm hoping it is really just a winter thing and not an 'age' thing or an 'asthma' thing.

My eating was almost okay today. After getting to the hotel tonight, I ventured out in to the wind to find a store to buy some water. I found that and a crummy Chinese restaurant. Whaddya do?...?

At least I didn't pack any boxes of Girl Scout cookies. (Those are waiting for me at home!)

igoddacodendahed

Huh?

"I got a cold in the head...." I've been fighting one for a couple of weeks. Hubby was sick before the indoor tri and I've been wrestling germs ever since. This one sprouted up on Friday. It isn't TERRIBLE terrible, just plugging up my nose a bit and rattling around in my lungs.

The cold did not hlep my motivation when I woke up on Saturday morning to run with my group. I was stuffed up and the temp was only about 4 degrees. I knew that the day was supposed to warm up a bit (reaching some where in the 20's), so I went back to bed and ultimately got some additional rest.

I did go out Saturday afternoon, when it was sunny and in the high 20's. I ran Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet. My lung capacity was not great, but I did the miles. My body wasn't tired -- meaning my legs and arms were functioning just fine. It was my breathing and my mental side that were my enemies.

Still, all in all, it was beautiful out. The sun was warm (when I was out of the wind); lots of people out, so there was plenty to watch. I was glad I got out.

I bought a new pair of Asics Gel Kayano (sp?) Saturday afternoon. My old ones have no more arch support. I usually alternate a couple of pair (currently old Kayano and Saucony Hurricanes). My Hurricane's are holding up okay, although my guess is they will have to be replaced in about eight weeks.

The registration form for Grandma's 1/2 marathon came in the mail on Thursday and I got it back in the mail that afternoon. I should know this week whether or not my entry was drawn in the lottery. That event is about 17 weeks away -- my big tri is 20 weeks away. Most of my training efforts will be focused on the tri. I'm confident about the running side -- as long as I keep running with the club a few nights a week and get a long run in on Saturday, I should be able to cover the 13.1 miles pretty well.

I'm much more concerened about the 0.9 mile swim and the bike ride of the tri event. I found a couple good training plans and will figure out which one to follow. They range from 8 weeks to 10 weeks, so I have a little time to work out the details. Pretty exciting, though!

I go to San Francisco tomorrow for a two-day business trip. I'll bring my running stuff and get out Tuesday morning before my meetings. That is one of the great things about running -- you can do it pretty much anywhere. I've had great runs in San Juan, Puerto Rico, New York City, Las Vegas, Chicago, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Bismarck and Rapid City, North Dakota; Door County, Wisconsin, etc.

I hope to be able to post while I'm gone -- otherwise, I'll share my adventures when I get back home.

The Fat Lady Sings

I went in for a physical on Monday. (I developed asthma as an adult and use albuterol to control it. It isn't that bad -- although it generally is much worse in the winter than summer and this winter, I've been particularly wheezy). My prescription ran out, so the doc wanted to see me before he'd refill it.

I had also been thinking that it was time for a little "look/see". I'm getting older -- still running-- doing triathlons -- pretty active-- but older and worry about my little heart keeping up with me.

The doc says that I'm healthy -- everything looks just great ("stellar", he used to describe my cholestorol level). However, I am up about 8 lbs from two years ago.

He didn't chide me or give me "the lecture", which is great. I knew that my weight was up. Jeans are tighter, I feel "puffy" in my legs and arms. It is winter here. And I mean WINTER. The air temp on Saturday morning when I work up to go running was 17 BELOW zero. With the windchill, it was well in to the negative 20's. I did not go running.

I'm trying Weight Watchers
again and I know that with warmer weather, I'll be training more and more active, but...my weight has always been an issue.

I was a fat kid, a fat adolescent and, at times, a fat adult. I'm prone to heaviness genetically, but also am an emotional eater. My eating issues have been vast and deep -- including decades (really) with a very bad eating disorder.

The only thing that actually turned the tide for me with my eating disorder was running. I was training for my very first 10K race. I was in Maryland on a business trip and had found an open track at a high school. I was running laps, looking very much forward to the delicious Chinese dinner I was going to have when it finally hit me that I was not going to be able to keep up the eating disorder if I was going to continue running. The two do not go hand in hand. I knew at some point that the stress would be too hard on my heart. I pretty much left my eating disorder on the track that night.

The good news is that my eating really is much much better, oh so many years later. I can't tell you the last time I ate fast food (outside of Subway), or consumed an entire large pizza by my self, or made a regular practice of visiting the bathroom every time I ate. My diet is pretty "clean" and yet I've put on weight. So what does that tell you?

My portions are too big and I still have big downfalls (M&Ms and cookies in particular).

You know that saying about "inside a fat person, there is a thin person waiting to get out"? You certainly could say the reverse is true for me. Left to my own devices, I really could get in to huge trouble.

I do love eating and sometimes it does really frustrate me that I still get wrapped up in the numbers.

The other really hard thing about dieting is that I am hungry -- a lot -- which is not much fun either. (I know, boo hoo).

Oh well... what else can I whine about today?

I had an okay run last night -- 1/2 marathon training started. I'm meeting a good friend tonight for coffee. My husband and I will be married six months tomorrow. Today I didn't have any M & Ms...

We TRIed our best

Last Sunday was the Tri-u-Mah indoor triathlon, held at the University of Minnesota. Hubby's first, my fifth. (My first was last year's event at the U).

The tri is held at the Recreational Sports complex at the U and we spend 30 minutes each swimming in a pool; riding on a stationary bike and then running on a treadmill. The winner is based on total distance covered.

My event went pretty well. I felt very comfortable in the pool. The U has a great swimming facility complete with several pools. The pool we were in is one depth -- 7 feet, with lenghts of 25 yards. It was divided in to 10 lanes and each participant had his or her own lane.

It is a whole different experience than a swim in a regular triathlon in a lake, where you really can't see the bottom; there are waves to contend with, weeds and -- oh yeah-- other swimmers all around you.

I ended up swimming further this year than last year, 0.61 miles, and I felt good about that.

The locker room was packed when went in to T1 (transition from swim to bike). We had 10 minutes, but I had some problems. Despite my packing and repacking of gear the night before, I did not have my running shorts with me. My friend Marcia, who was also competing in the event, had an extra pair so I borrowed hers. I still ended up losing 1 1/2 mintue on the bike because my transition went too long.

My bike portion and run portion went well -- although I covered less distance this year vs. last year. In total, I covered 9.25 miles -- nothing too stellar compared to other participants, but I had a great time.

Hubby really did great too. Truth be told, he hates to swim. I mean really HATES to swim. He is not comfortable in the water and it impacts his ability to make real headway. But he got through it and then really did well with the bike and run. I'm very proud of him.

His son and daughter were with us for the weekend and were at the event to cheer us on. His daughter has 'caught' the fever now and we are signing up to do a rely indoor tri in mid-March. Hubby will row this time; she will bike and I'll run.

I'm going to sign up for some swimming lessons. I am swimming better, but there has got to be other tips and tricks to make the process easier. The real thing that I need to do much more of before the LifeTime Fitness tri this July, where the swim will be .90, is do much more open water swims to really get comfortable in the lake.

I also signed up for the Wells Fargo 1/2 marathon scheduled for May. I've run the event twice in the past. Pretty - but hilly- course. Also quite fast -- I usually can keep up with the pack for the first few miles of an event, but with this one, I'm dusted in about the first 3/4 mile. Oh well.

Training started last Saturday and, in typical Minnesota style, the weather has turned ugly. Much colder than January and more snow expected to hit. This Saturday (the day of our Long Slow Distance run), the high temp for the day is expected to be 12, with wind chills well below zero. Nothing worse for me than running in that kind of cold.

Perhaps Saturday will be a cross-train day....

Baby, It's Cold Outside

After a pretty mild December and early January we, living here in the winter-wonderland known as Minnesota, are back in the freezing zone.

Just in time to start Grandma's Marathon and 1/2 marathon training! Yee ha!

Our training starts on Saturday. The program will be 18-weeks for the marathoners. I'm going to attempt to get in to the 1/2 again this year, so I'm going to have to wait to see if my name is chosen in the lottery. I'll start running with the marathoners this week and then spin off in to the 1/2 marathon class when it starts.

This always seems to happen -- the first few weeks (or months) seem to be cold and snowy, but the days do get longer, the lakes do unfreeze and the temps do rise, so I shouldn't be so dismayed.

I guess I'm just getting sick of winter. It wouldn't be so bad if the temps would be in the 30s on a consistent basis. Much colder than that is pretty yucky and we can get VERY yucky.

I have been more diligent about some cross training since I got back from Las Vegas. I've been swimming; lifting weights again and last night ran the treadmill.

Hubby and I (along with a couple of friends) will be doing an indoor triathlon this Sunday. We swim, bike and run for 30 minutes each, with 10 minutes of transition between the events.

It will be hubby's first tri -- I'm very proud of him. I know that he is pretty much just doing this for me, which I appreciate.

I did this event as my first tri last year and loved it. It opened the door for me doing three others last year. I've got my eye on several for this year, including the Olympic distance event of the Lifetime Fitness tri this July.

I'm eating better too -- no pound bags of M & Ms hidden in any drawers -- but still am hungry most of the time. At lesat I'm making more reasonable choices.

Back from Sin City

Just got back from 10 days in Las Vegas. I was there attending two conferences, with a weekend inbetween where my husband, my sister and her husband came out for some fun.

I had a great time, but the trip got long.

The first conference was at Rio -- met some nice people and potentially good connections. Also got to spend some time with my (crazy) former boss. A lovely person, but crazy indeed. The second conference was at Caeser's and was with my work group.

For the most part, I really like the people I work with, but continually stuggle with my boss. Nice guy -- very different style from me and we really don't connect very well. I work in a very male dominated work group and the management structure is very sexist. (I'm sure someone must have told them that this is 2006...)

There are also a couple of women that are difficult to deal work. I just try to do my best, plug along and not be too much of a nightmare back.

The real fun was when my husband, sister and brother-in-law came out. We gambled (lost miserably); ate out at some wonderful restaurants and just generally had a blast.

Hubby and I rented a car, so the four of us went out to Lake Las Vegas to look at some property. The four of us have thought long and hard about buying something, but my problem is the "long distance" from Minnesota. I just don't see how only being there a few weeks out of the year is worth the expense. But...you never know.

Hubby and I also went golfing. We had a terrific time playing a par-three course called Cloud Nine at Angel Park. The holes are designed to replicate some of the famous courses (like St. Andrews). I'm new to the sport but just loved it.

There was a four-some about two holes ahead of us that was slow and would not let people play through (rude, rude, rude). Because of them, we hooked up with a very interesting man and played the rest of the course with him. Great conversation, fun day.

I exercised very little (ran a couple of times) and ate way, way, way too much. I'm sure my weight is way up. This does not make me happy in the least, but I'm not very motivated right now to do much about it. Marathon training starts in about two weeks, so my exercise will go up.

I just wish my response to unhappiness wasn't putting food in my mouth...