tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63916990372165455872024-03-05T03:07:56.922-05:00you gotta want itAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-81137745150813070642013-01-07T10:32:00.000-06:002013-01-07T10:45:05.686-06:00Welcome to 2013!I thought I'd start the new year off on this blog by recapping last year:<br />
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<b>2012 The GOOD:</b></div>
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<li>My favorite part of 2012 was having my husband home (NO deployments like 2011!) and seeing his success! He finished his Masters in Biomechanics and started his Orthotics program at Northwestern. </li>
<li>Fostering dogs with Wishbone Canine Rescue! It has been so rewarding and fun!</li>
<li>Another year with REV3- especially getting to race a new venue- Wisconsin Dells!</li>
<li>Coaching! Even though 2011 wasn't a great year for triathlon for me, I got to live vicariously through a few special athletes :)</li>
<li>Dan and I got to visit a new place- Salt Lake City (and Park City), Utah! We LOVE mountains!</li>
<li>Although this wasn't on our holiday card, we just got back from a long trip to Phoenix AZ to visit my brother, who moved out there to start his career in the summer. Although it was still CHILLY (40s and 50's), it was great to be with family, and enjoy some desert scenery and sunshine! :). </li>
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<li style="text-align: left;">Dan and I celebrated our 3rd Wedding anniversary on New Year Eve- and as a gift, my brother gave us a night at the beautiful Montelucia Resort in Paradise Valley/Scottsdale :) </li>
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<b>2012 The Not-So-Good:</b><br />
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<li>By far the most stressful and saddest parts of 2012 were all of the separations and divorces that close friends and family endured. We took some of them pretty hard- but it was also made us cherish the happiness is our relationship. We realize that in order to keep it that way, we need to communicate and continue to put effort into "us" :)</li>
<li>My foot did NOT heal up quickly from my Dec 2011 surgery. I had to take financial hits by withdrawing from races that I registered for in advance (thank goodness this wasn't the case with REV3- they offer aquabike and relay options!!) and I was bummed that athletic goals I had set for myself did not come to fruition. It's been a tough year with a lot of ups and downs in this department!</li>
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<b>However, I am ready to start 2013 with positive thoughts, hope, and new beginnings! Here's what I am looking forward to:</b></div>
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<li>Getting back into triathlon and running, as my foot has been cooperating as of late :) There are some very COOL new REV3 venues on tap, including Williamsburg, VA (in June), and adventure race in Wyoming (July), and BRANSON MO (September)!</li>
<li>Another year with REV3!! They have done SO much for the sport, and have so much in store! Their race experience is unmatched! I am so lucky for the comraderie, sponsorship (Pearl Izumi, PowerBar, SBR Sports, and more!), and triathlon movement that I am a part of!</li>
<li>Being an ambassador for Training Peaks- the exercise scientist in me LOVES looking at objective data and tracking progress- TP has the BEST software and so many resources for both for myself and my athletes ;)</li>
<li>Success for the athletes that I am guiding- it's GO time now!</li>
<li>New adventures and milestones in our careers :)</li>
<li>New personal beginnings for our friends and family that had a rough 2012.</li>
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<b>Cheers to all of you! Happy New Year!</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-73918267591941058912012-10-21T10:11:00.000-05:002012-10-21T10:11:42.158-05:00Wishbone Canine Rescue: Saving Lives!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In case you haven't picked up on this... I LOVE dogs. They are simple, happy creatures that bring joy to my life. I found a<a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/10-reasons-why-own-dog-170000926.html" target="_blank"> top 10 list</a> of "Why you should own a dog" and agree with every one of them! Their reasons include: Companionship, mental health, education/responsibility, exercise, security, safety, fill the nest, warmth, entertainment, and unconditional love :)<br />
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Dan and I have a vizsla named Winston. We absolutely adore him, and you may be able to see why:<br />
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He is a very HAPPY (and talented) boy!! As much as we like believe he was just BORN perfect, we understand that we gave Winston a <i>chance </i>to be the loveable, irreplaceable companion that he is.</div>
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<b>Part 1: The Heartbreak- Why we got involved</b></div>
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This summer, our friends Josh and Emily were approached by two stray dogs near their apartment- out of the goodness in their hearts, they took these two dogs into their tiny apartment, with their current dog, and gave them a home for two days while they literally went door-to-door trying to find their owners, to no avail. They could not keep, nor did they have the space, to permanently house these two dogs. However, within the span of two days, they became very attached to these two mellow, well-behaved, and happy dogs.</div>
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They called every animal shelter and adoption agency in town- the only agency that was willing to take in these sweet pups was <a href="http://www.wishbonecaninerescue.org/" target="_blank">Wishbone Canine Rescue</a>. Straight from their website,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> WBCR "<span style="background-color: white; color: #015057;">is a not-for-profit, volunteer, no-kill organization whose primary focus is finding responsible, loving and permanent homes for surrendered, abandoned, neglected and abused dogs from within our community and the surrounding areas." They accept dogs of all breeds, ages, shapes and sizes. They usually have LOTS of puppies available too! This year alone they have facilitated over 500 adoptions!</span></span><br />
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The catch was, Josh and Emily had to take the dogs to McLean County animal control first; the AC would hold the dogs in case someone reclaimed them, and would perform a "behavior test" on them to determine if they were suitable for companionship. Wishbone would <i>legally</i> be allowed to find these dogs a home once these prerequisites were met. This was the only option, so of course Josh & Emily obliged.<br />
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The AC is a kill-shelter that does not advertise the dogs available for adoption and has a bad reputation for killing bully breeds regardless their temperament. When Josh brought them in, it didn't seem promising based on their interactions. At this point, Dan and I were trying our best to help our friends save the lives and find homes for these dogs. After a week at the shelter, we helped by calling the AC... day after day. Asking if they took the temperament test. Asking if they found an owner. Asking if they could finally be relinquished to Wishbone...they would NOT give us any clear answers. This was really getting under my skin. We even asked if we could just stop by to see/play with/take these dogs for a walk... they said NO. After awhile, they stopped answering the phone (caller ID?)...<br />
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We had known of Wishbone Canine Rescue through a friend who had been fostering dogs with them for a while. I learned that "fostering" entails taking a homeless doggie into your home and caring for it until Wishbone find a home for him/her. After countless calls to Animal Control, I called Wishbone Canine Rescue and talked to Lisa, the founder. Turns out she had been actively trying to get information on these pups just as I had, with the same "response." I told her that we would be willing to foster one or temporarily both of the dogs if Wishbone was able to collect them from AC. She promised that she would do her best!!<br />
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My gut would turn and my heart would tug every time I called AC...Dan and I become so frustrated with their lack of information about these two dogs that we actually requested a FOIA on them... and got one! We found out that they had not been "destroyed" yet and that their owner was in the "legal system" and that "nothing could be done" with these dogs because they were still technically the owner's property (why were they running the streets then?? Did he let them go??). We also found out their "real" names- Lulu and Snickers. After a phone call when they finally answered, they "promised" that they would call me with an update on these dogs.<br />
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I'm sad to say, but I never called back- and I never heard back from AC. After over a month of heartbreaking phone calls, I didn't bring myself to dial the number again... because honestly, I doubt I could have made much of a difference.<br />
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<b>Part II: Doing our Part- Taking Action</b><br />
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What I did know is that it BROKE MY HEART to see perfectly happy and loyal canine companions potentially killed because they could not find a home, or didn't have the opportunity to do so. Instead of sitting around and crying about it...Dan and I decided that we would DO something and start fostering homeless pups with Wishbone Canine Rescue! We had been toying with the idea of getting a second dog...so now Winston has a new playmate every 1-4 weeks :)<br />
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We learned that by <a href="http://www.wishbonecaninerescue.org/foster-care-program.html" target="_blank">fostering with WBCR</a>:<br />
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<li>All dogs are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and receive veterinary care (at no cost to the foster!)- thanks to SmartVet.</li>
<li>All foster homes receive food, crates, collars, leashes, and other accessories deemed necessary for the dog.</li>
<li>You are under NO obligation to foster or continue fostering... By becoming a "foster parent," you essentially sign up for an email list of "foster needs"...once you are ready and decide to foster, you decide WHICH dog you want to foster, and have a forum (ie a facebook page) of people to help guide you through the fostering process; but if a specific dog just doesn't fit with your home, you can usually swap or simply return the dog.</li>
<li>You are supposed to bring your foster dog to weekly adoption events- if you can't, no problem. They can arrange someone to pick up your pup, bring them to the event, and then drop them back off at your house! Same thing if you are going out of town- with advance notice, the dog can be placed in a different foster home.</li>
<li>You are not required to "advertise" your foster dog- that is what Wishbone does via their website, facebook page, Petfinder, adoption events, print and radio ads, etc. It sure does help if you do, however :)</li>
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We quickly realized that fostering was fun and very rewarding!</div>
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<b>Meet Our Fosters:</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faith</td></tr>
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Meet Faith! Wishbone picked her up from Animal Control- she was found 3 weeks earlier on a rural road- she was lying next to a dead dog that had been hit by a car days earlier- presumably this was her friend. Wishbone called her "Faith" because she was a faithful friend! She was our first foster, and we had her for about 5 weeks. She is a SUPER sweet and cuddly girl- she was so well-loved within the Wishbone family that one of the foster families adopted her!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buttercup</td></tr>
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Yes, those ears are REAL! :) She is the funniest mix! She is a short, tiny little dog with a big heart. She's also a mama- her and her baby Louie were originally from Jacksonville, where they were taken away from their abusive owner. Wishbone took Buttercup and Louie back to Bloomington where they could rest in a home, not a shelter. We fostered her two different times, once for a week, and once for a month :) I was so attached to this one- just looking at her sweet and silly face would make me smile! She is also very cuddly and likes to follow you EVERYWHERE- it was very common to feel her nose on the back of your calf, wherever you went. She found a home with her forever daddy who met her at an adoption event- she has a "big sister" with the same ears! What happened to her Louie? Well he was immediately scooped up by the Wishbone SmartVet- once she saw this little man, there was no way she was going to let him go! :) He's in VERY good hands!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buttercup's baby- Louie!<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cassie<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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We don't have much to say about Cassie, because we only had her for 4 days! She was rescued from a high-kill shelter in Chicago- she is a young Shar-Pei mix with LOTS of energy! Her and Winston ran and ran and played all day! She found her new family at an adoption event, and she is now playing on a big ol' farm with lots of room to run around!<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guen</td></tr>
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Ooooh Guen! We had her for a week and half before her new family fell in love and took her home. She is a 4-year old English Mastiff who was very well-behaved and well-trained. Her owner relinquished her because he moved out of the country. However, she was very very shy and TERRIFIED of men that she did not know. She became super attached to me instantly, but it took her awhile to warm up to Dan. She was also a big snuggler- good thing, because now she has a St. Bernard and 3 other doggie siblings to cuddle with! Happy Tails!<br /><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gus</td></tr>
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Poor Gus, he still does not have a home :( He is a big lovebug- all he wants is to chill with a human friend! He is a happy-go-lucky, easy dog when he's around his people; we tried fostering him for a couple days, however, with our schedules, we were not home enough for him to be happy :( He suffers from pretty severe separation anxiety- he would be a GREAT dog for someone who is home all day, like a retiree, stay-at-home mom, work-at-home professional, etc.! His owner relinquished him and his brother Rocco when she moved into a community that didn't allow "Pit-Bulls" (STUPID breed-specific rules!!). Here he is in supermodel-form on a WBCR cover ad!</div>
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Oh, his brother Rocco is looking for a home too!! Here he is with ANOTHER WBCR doggie, Roxie (also looking for a home).</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/486952_233678690093135_2663276_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/486952_233678690093135_2663276_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocco has the red collar! He is Gus's brother, and Roxie is his foster sister, also looking for a home!</td></tr>
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We took the week off from fostering, since Dan was out of town for his Northwestern O&P program orientation in Chicago and I had a busy work schedule, but we'll keep you updated on who we save next! :)</div>
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Some people ask HOW we don't keep these dogs- don't we get attached? The answer is: Yes, we do get attached. I've shed a couple tears after each dog left. But we take a step back and remember WHY we are doing this- Wishbone will find these pups a happy home, and then we will be able to foster another healthy dog at risk of euthanization or a lonely life in a shelter.</div>
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<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/527302_268612316591266_1696260354_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/527302_268612316591266_1696260354_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Part 3: What YOU can do!</b></div>
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<a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyl97qnbb1rojfc4o1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyyl97qnbb1rojfc4o1_1280.jpg" /></a></div>
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There are so many ways to get involved! The best thing that you can do is <a href="http://www.wishbonecaninerescue.org/dogs-available-for-adoption.html" target="_blank">ADOPT one of these loveable pups</a> and make them a part of your family :) If you can't do that, you can:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Foster! Even if you can only takes dogs during the week or on the weekends, the foster organizations like Wishbone will likely really appreciate the help!</li>
<li>Sponsor or donate money or <a href="http://www.wishbonecaninerescue.org/wish-list.html" target="_blank">supplies</a>. Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up a bag of dogfood and bring it to your local shelter or organization</li>
<li>Volunteer your time! I know that Wishbone uses volunteers to help out at adoption events, walk dogs at the facility, help out with "Vet days" on Thursday, cleaning, paperwork, and even transport dogs from shelters to Wishbone or from Wishbone to their new owners. There is a whole network of "transports" from all over the country... we can save dogs from just about anywhere, just like people can adopt dogs from anywhere!</li>
<li>Or if you don't have the time, money, or space, even just reposting information on facebook/twitter/etc. can make a difference! </li>
</ul>
<div>
Even if you do not live in the Bloomington-Normal area, there are MANY agencies like Wishbone all over the country- If you are a dog-lover, find yours and get involved :)</div>
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If you are local, visit Wishbone's <a href="http://www.wishbonecaninerescue.org/" target="_blank">website</a> and/or facebook page, and contact them for more information! They are very responsive to email. You can always ask me questions too :)</div>
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<a href="http://www.wishbonecaninerescue.org/images/header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="http://www.wishbonecaninerescue.org/images/header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-37694923073568955372012-10-09T06:00:00.000-05:002012-10-09T06:00:11.269-05:00Run the Woods 8K!Yesterday I ran my first "running- only" race in over two years! Success!<br />
<br />
<b>A Year Off:</b><br />
My triathlon training and racing took a big hit this year when my foot did not heal up well from the December surgery I had to remove a bone spur from the back of heel (Haglund's deformity). The doctor expected a 6-8 WEEK recovery period until I could start training again...unfortunately this was not the case, and I had to scrap most races and goals I had this season. A follow-up MRI a couple months ago indicated that despite some really nasty scar tissue, everything is "structurally" OK- no damaged connective tissue (the achilles is fine). The doctor gave me the OK to train normally. However, I was skeptical because it was SO painful. Since then I've been gradually building up run volume and intensity, and finding that whether I do a 3 mile jog, a track workout, or a 12 mile run, the pain doesn't get worse and has in fact been subsiding little by little... I'm no where NEAR where pain-free, but the good news is that I'm managing and improving! <br />
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<b>The Race!</b><br />
I volunteered for this race last year, and I knew that I wanted to run it this year- it was extremely well-organized, affordable, and the course was beautiful! A trail running race during the fall? Um, yes please! It did not disappoint!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvS04fbg5K__sxtIUPwz1xlpL4noOG8wih3XoJeT1p3lP_H5w1j4UQj7FBQztR5oBviilUP8sF5mnUscOcqD2e6cww8F-GEmXew8Z82GGrrMYgnmSOjcv51tdCED9DvP3CR3UGz0Z3kyv/s1600/photo+(17).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvS04fbg5K__sxtIUPwz1xlpL4noOG8wih3XoJeT1p3lP_H5w1j4UQj7FBQztR5oBviilUP8sF5mnUscOcqD2e6cww8F-GEmXew8Z82GGrrMYgnmSOjcv51tdCED9DvP3CR3UGz0Z3kyv/s400/photo+(17).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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It was a chilly morning, and as I opened up my "winter workout" gear tub and searched for my trusty fleece-lined running tights and jacket, I pulled out no other than my <a href="http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/content/pi_2010/us/en/index/product_series/run/women/select_series/tights.-productCode-12211021.html" target="_blank">Pearl Izumi thermal tights</a> and <a href="http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/content/pi_2010/us/en/index/products/women/ride/apparel/pro_outerwear.-productCode-11231214.html" target="_blank">thermal barrier jacket</a>... I have had these two items since 2007 or 2008 when I was training through the winter for the Boston Marathon. Pearl Izumi gear may be a little pricey, but so worth it and they last forever!<br />
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I warmed up looking a little like an eskimo... 2 layers of tights and 3 shirts along with a hat and gloves. When it came time to line up at the start, I shed down to one layer and ditched the gloves. I am definitely rusty at this whole "racing" experience... 6 minutes before the start of the race, I realized I left my race belt in the car, .25mi away! OOPS. I did a mad dash to and from my car and made it to the start while they were singing the national anthem :) phew!<br />
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As the gun went off, I relaxed into the crowd as we maneuvered our way onto a single-track trail. I loved breathing in the crisp air, taking in the beautiful fall colors, hearing the leaves crunch under my feet. My mind instantly remembered what "fast" running felt like: my turnover was quick, I drove with my knees, engaged my glutes, and stabilized my core. I smiled a little bit, thinking "So THIS is what I've been missing out on!" I high-fived and exchanged words with friends and training partners who I passed and was passed by... there was no where else I'd rather be on a cool, fall morning!<br />
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The trail was especially challenging for my foot, but I managed just fine. As the field thinned out and the course got a little more "rough," I found myself surrounded by a little group of fast runners, which motivated me, especially since a couple "technical" parts of the trail made me a little nervous! We worked together and caught a couple runners ahead of us, then we fell into our own zones and separated. There was a strong, consistent runner ahead of me and I was using her as a pacer for the last mile, until I biffed it when I tried unsuccessfully to jump across a little gulley- OUCH! I hobbled up the little hill, jogged it out, then ran my way to my first "running race" finish in 2 years! :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/384173_10100914638683770_1571005611_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/384173_10100914638683770_1571005611_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Age group awards! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I am happy to report that I earned a sweet 3rd place age-group award- I'll take it! <a href="http://3sportathlete.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Steve</a> blazed his way to FIRST in his age group- I'm a proud coach! :)<br />
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<a href="http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/full/667850471.jpg?key=480640&Expires=1349758702&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIYVGSUJFNRFZBBTA&Signature=I7px-7ZBVNz9EZRPN1Dypm~99pfSN5dlzIbgCyqqUmZSflUoYuBiOtJ~E5PMjfN9rb3kp8kB5H8BliGuuK9TphHfDDgkaxvrQUC1FyspJkMNnbQGJFgK3O2wtJqnmFhXHXxxFgrLiqYfzgtI~0NeACuNw7kN2nLH5t33SKOkeYA_" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/full/667850471.jpg?key=480640&Expires=1349758702&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIYVGSUJFNRFZBBTA&Signature=I7px-7ZBVNz9EZRPN1Dypm~99pfSN5dlzIbgCyqqUmZSflUoYuBiOtJ~E5PMjfN9rb3kp8kB5H8BliGuuK9TphHfDDgkaxvrQUC1FyspJkMNnbQGJFgK3O2wtJqnmFhXHXxxFgrLiqYfzgtI~0NeACuNw7kN2nLH5t33SKOkeYA_" width="240" /></a></div>
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I had a great time afterward enjoying the coffee, pancakes, and chatting with old and NEW friends (Sarah and Rachel!) I'm looking forward to more races and lots of training to come- I'm back!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-62196146414179973672012-07-08T23:08:00.000-05:002012-07-08T23:18:34.455-05:00Wisconsin Dells part 2: An Important Lesson in Recovery!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;">In my last post I talked about our Friday evening <a href="http://ugwi.blogspot.com/2012/07/wisconsin-dells-part-1-rev3-recon.html" target="_blank">REV3 bike course recon</a>... as an exercise physiologist, I know that </span><b>recovery is </b><b>IMPORTANT in order to reap the benefits of all your hard training, be ready for your next training session, and perform to the best of your ability</b><span style="background-color: white;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">In this post I will show you how we properly </span><span style="background-color: white;"><strike>celebrated</strike> </span><span style="background-color: white;">recovered from</span><span style="background-color: white;"> our epic ride!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/481047_10100787495265200_422555341_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/481047_10100787495265200_422555341_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">NUTRITION:</span></u></b><br />
<i>Post-workout nutrition is important for replenishing glycogen </i><i style="background-color: white;">stores depleted during exercise and facilitating muscle repair.</i><br />
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<b><u>What we should have done:</u></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://c718858.r58.cf2.rackcdn.com/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/0/9/097421510089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://c718858.r58.cf2.rackcdn.com/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/0/9/097421510089.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.powerbar.com/" target="_blank">Powerbar</a> Products: Specifically designed to help athletes recover FAST and perform their BEST!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.backcountry.com/images/items/medium/PWB/PWB0006/PEBUCACR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.backcountry.com/images/items/medium/PWB/PWB0006/PEBUCACR.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><u>What we actually did:</u></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/318868_10100787492670400_543278981_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/318868_10100787492670400_543278981_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">salt to replenish electrolytes...sugar to replenish carbs??</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/602308_10100787493518700_433270867_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/602308_10100787493518700_433270867_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The morning after recovery breakfast!!<br />
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<a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/552699_10100787499626460_2096376591_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/552699_10100787499626460_2096376591_n.jpg" width="286" /></a><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/205339_10100787497969780_563661497_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/205339_10100787497969780_563661497_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.200000762939453px;">Moosejaw 10 microbrew sampler!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/486475_10100787497106510_275429131_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/486475_10100787497106510_275429131_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydration is very important!!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, ELEVATION:</span></u></b><br />
<div>
<i>These recovery techniques help reduce inflammation and soreness, and enhance circulation.</i></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
<div>
<b><u>What we should have done:</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyBx4z409hqEqjRZo0-XXy2L_U0Cc69RYGW1moesaNEjCgQlkYrttldBePJGftTrElXdJhueLASCQutvp6HEKwjHDdVnYJU3UVBAC22EfIry5NMGJYS1tevMFGEpyfREXiPzHDmL_OOqA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-07-08+at+10.17.15+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbyBx4z409hqEqjRZo0-XXy2L_U0Cc69RYGW1moesaNEjCgQlkYrttldBePJGftTrElXdJhueLASCQutvp6HEKwjHDdVnYJU3UVBAC22EfIry5NMGJYS1tevMFGEpyfREXiPzHDmL_OOqA/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-07-08+at+10.17.15+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.normatecrecovery.com/index.shtml" target="_blank">Normatec</a> Recovery Boots!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.swiftwick.com/images_templ/tall_compression_sock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.swiftwick.com/images_templ/tall_compression_sock.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.swiftwick.com/" target="_blank">Swiftwick</a> compression socks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><u><br /></u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><u>What we actually did:</u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><u><br /></u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><u><br /></u></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/534496_10100787493997740_512080099_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/534496_10100787493997740_512080099_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rest?? But there are so many ACTIVITIES in the Dells!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/376411_10100787495479770_1894921111_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/376411_10100787495479770_1894921111_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: 13.200000762939453px;">That is a straight-up ice tunnel (</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">not really)</span>! <span style="font-size: x-small;">My legs are recovering sooo good!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/577236_10100787495085560_988652566_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/577236_10100787495085560_988652566_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.200000762939453px;">Hey look- everyone is recovering in the big "ice-bath"!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/179123_10100787496372980_580411514_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/179123_10100787496372980_580411514_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.200000762939453px;">We are all in a small boat... compression?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.200000762939453px;">Exhibit A: Elevating your legs. Great job<a href="http://3sportathlete.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> Steve</a>!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/486638_10100787496043640_985677144_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/486638_10100787496043640_985677144_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exhibit B: Well Shoot. Your legs are supposed to go the other way Dan!!</td></tr>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">ACTIVE RECOVERY:</span></u></b><br />
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<i>Low-intensity, light activity may help improve blood flow and expedite recovery in-between exercise sessions.</i></div>
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<b><br /></b><br />
<b><u>What we should have done:</u></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gone for a nice, easy swim (I just got a new <a href="http://www.blueseventy.com/" target="_blank">blue seventy</a> wetsuit)...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://shop.pearlizumi.com/data/uploads/products/290_290/15212005_3ZF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://shop.pearlizumi.com/data/uploads/products/290_290/15212005_3ZF.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Set up clips on my new <a href="http://www.pearlizumi.com/" target="_blank">Pearl Izumi </a>Tri-Fly shoes and taken them for an easy spin...</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><u>What we actually did:</u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><u><br /></u></b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.200000762939453px;">Yes, that's it! Light activity!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well, spinning ain't gonna happen...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes...! Loosened up! Feeling Great!! :)</td></tr>
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<b>And that is the end of your lesson in RECOVERY</b> today folks... until next time! :) If you need any other tips or advice, leave comments below :)</div>
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<b>**PS</b>: In all seriousness, <b><u>avoid the water rides and stick to the lazy river before the race</u>.</b> I tweaked my neck a little on one of the slides (not serious), and I was glad that didn't happen BEFORE our training ride ;)</div>
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<b>**PPS</b>: <b><u>WEAR water shoes or sandals if you go to the parks.</u></b> The pavement was flippin' HOT and gave us blisters on our feet as we sprinted/hopped from one spot of shade/wet ground to the next!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-72915793665800009832012-07-04T07:00:00.000-05:002012-07-04T07:00:05.980-05:00Wisconsin Dells part 1: REV3 Recon!!This weekend our friend <a href="http://3sportathlete.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Steve</a> joined Dan and I for a weekend at the Wisconsin Dells! "Camping"-style of course!<br />
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We checked into our campsite Edge-O-Dells on Friday afternoon. It's for adults 21 and over, and it comes complete with a bar, pool, and an itinerary of activities including live music, tequila volleyball, happy hours, etc... ha! More on that in part 2 :)<br />
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After getting settled, we headed out on our bicycles with intentions to preview the 56 mile <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">REV3 </a>bike course! However, since we got a late start, we weren't able to actually ride the entire course- we took a shortcut (which only saved us maybe 6 miles!) order to get back before dark (we did... barely). I will give you my impressions... however, check out my friend <a href="http://iron-path.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mike</a>'s blog- he has detailed accounts of both the <a href="http://iron-path.blogspot.com/2012/04/rev3-dells-703-bike-course-preview.html" target="_blank">bike</a> and <a href="http://iron-path.blogspot.com/2012/04/rev3-dells-703-run-course-preview.html" target="_blank">run</a> courses! We did DRIVE the rest of the course on Sunday, so I can give you a fair review.<br />
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<b>Roads:</b> for the most part they are in great condition! There are couple rough sections, but they are pretty short-lived. That is great for us coming from chip-seal country!! :)<br />
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<b>Weather:</b> We didn't have to deal with much wind, but it was hot! Make sure you have a nutrition plan and PRACTICE it beforehand!! I used <a href="http://www.powerbar.com/" target="_blank">Powerbar</a> Perform and Green apple gels... yum! There weren't many places to stop for water on the course- if you plan on previewing it prior to race-day, my suggestion would be to bring a camelback, carry 4+ bottles of water with you, or go a tiny bit out of the way to stop in Baraboo (15mi) or Caledonia (35mi)- check out course map <a href="http://rev3tri.com/wisconsin/courseinfo-wi/bike-course/" target="_blank">here</a> <br />
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Also, Powerbar has a great article specifically addressing racing in heat and humidity.. it talks about the physiological changes your body goes through, and gives specific recommendations and tips throughout the article, specifically at the end.. <a href="http://www.powerbar.com/articles/262/competing-in-the-heat-and-humidity.aspx" target="_blank">check it out</a>!<br />
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<b>Course</b>: Rev3 course maps are very thorough- even though this course had a lot of turns, we were easily able to follow the map. It even marked the significant climbs and technical descents.<br />
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<b>Terrain</b>: hills. Hills. HILLS! Bring your climbing gears. I agree with <a href="http://iron-path.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mike</a> in his assessment that this course is more challenging than IM Wisconsin, but not as bad as Horribly Hilly Hundreds (or Dairyland Dare, etc.) I rode my tri bike with a compact crank and an 11-28 cassette, and I was glad to have the extra climbing gears! Even if you can get by with a 12-25 or 23 mashing up the rollers and standing on the steeper hills, your legs are going to be TRASHED for the run (which will also be hot and hilly!). I would highly recommend getting a climbing cassette with at least 27 or 28 cogs! :)<br />
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Most of the hills are rollers, and the course is pretty "fair" - you'll be rewarded with a downhill! For the first 30 miles of the course I rode, I was able to stay seated for all of the hills- including Bluff Rd. (near Devil's Head-mile 18ish), which was one of the two NASTY climbs on the course. It starts off pretty steep... but the grade becomes a little more forgiving as the climb progresses. When we rode it, there was a lot of fresh, loose gravel on this hill. It didn't bother me climbing it (since I was going ohhhh 4-5 mph??). I'm sure the the gravel will be smoothed out by race day :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluff Road!</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">On the back half of the course, watch out for BEICH Rd. (mile 33ish)! From the base of the climb, it is about 800m to the top. From the stop sign at WI 78, it is 1 mile to the top. That doesn't seem so bad (and tell yourself that during the race!)... but that hill is a beast. It is twisty and turny and you can't see the top... and it seems to get steeper. We drove it, so I can't give it a fair assessment...but Mike told me that Bluff Rd. was harder, so I'll go with that since I DID ride that one :)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guys reaching Tower Rd., the top of the Bluff Rd. climb!</td></tr>
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The descents are FAST. Whether you are an experienced rider not, be predictable, hold your line, and play it smart. I am no descending expert, but I am confident that I can descend safely. If you are uncomfortable with descending and need to brake (like I do!)- "feather" your brakes, DON'T slam on them or hold them too long. Alternate the rear and front brakes, quickly and lightly. Have confidence, be "one" with your bike! When descending into a turn, put your weight on the outside leg, which should be straight. If anyone else has tips, please leave them below!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE my Pearl Izumi tri kit!</td></tr>
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This probably won't be a PR course... but it sure is going to be FUN! The views of the "dells" and the countryside are gorgeous. I hope to see you all out there!! If you haven't already, register for this race, held in August, <a href="http://rev3tri.com/wisconsin/signup-wi/registration/" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-37441897005270035992012-06-22T08:12:00.001-05:002012-06-22T08:12:25.326-05:00Weekend fun... I need your help!There's so much fun going on this weekend- LOTS of racing... good luck to all my athlete-friends!!<br />
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TOMORROW is the big <a href="http://www.wisconsinbrickadventure.com/" target="_blank">WIBA</a> Wisconsin ride- I've done this several times in the past and have had a ton of fun each time. <a href="http://www.goalisthejourney.com/" target="_blank">Chris</a>, <a href="http://rural-girl.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Michelle</a>, and the rest of the supercool <a href="http://www.evotri.com/" target="_blank">EvoTri</a> team will be there... and best of all, it's free! Except for lodging/travel of course.<br />
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Sunday, however, is the Illinois 40K Time Trial Championship! Hard, Fast, and Fun cycling. My local friends Curt and Brad will be competing.<br />
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So what should I do?? I'm still undecided.<br />
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<b>WIBA</b>- longer drive (will have to make 5hr roundtrip drive tomorrow...with a 80+mile bike ride inbetween)... but I will get to have a fun ride with fun people!<br />
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<b>40K TT</b>- still a long drive (3hr roundtrip), I'll miss spectating Dan & our friend Mike race the Twin Lakes tri, and I'll be late to a bridal shower in the afternoon... but I'll get to RACE, which won't happen much at all this year.<br />
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Thoughts?? :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-23778870981610788432012-06-18T12:49:00.000-05:002012-06-18T12:52:56.118-05:00Summer camping, racing, bike stuff, and foot updateSweet Summertime!!<br />
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About a week and half ago on a Thursday night Dan and I went on a ride with our friends Tamara and Brian Nelsen that we shall call the "Tour de Vine"... we rode from Bloomington to White Oak Vineyards for a tasting, then out to Mackinaw Vineyards for a glass or two (they have NEW dry reds this year!! Cody's Round-Up Red and Cole's Classic- yum!!) then we HAMMERED home to get in before dark. The Nelsens brought a backpack full of cheese, bread, and chocolate, which were great snacks and accompaniments to the wine! Not a bad 47 mile ride! :) <br />
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The Friday night afterward we had margarita fun with our friend Steve, then I woke up early early Saturday morning and set out on a 93 mile biking trek with lots of cycling and triathlete friends to "Wheel Around the Lake"... a new local ride consisting of 3x20 mile loops starting from Lake Evergreen. I felt like I was riding strong, but I was still having a hard time keeping up with the larger groups... I'm not super comfortable riding in the middle of a large pack with a tri-bike (no immediate to switch gears/brake, and handling isn't fantastic) and I'm well-trained for the "stop-go-SPRINT-slow down-repeat" riding style of cyclists.... there's nothing wrong with it, it certainly keeps you on your toes... I am just not very good at switching gears like that ;)<br />
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Of course, instead of going a full 100mi like a good athlete, I stopped at the Lake Road Inn with my favorite <strike>athletes</strike> Mick and Phil, and enjoyed a couple cold drinks on a hot day! <br />
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After I finally got home, it was CAMPING time!! Dan had gone out to help his parents with their remodeling for a little bit and get the RV, while Steve and I loaded up his car and set out for Clinton Lake. Dan was running a little behind, so we stopped at this local dive bar...<br />
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Once Dan got back, we grilled up some dinner and enjoyed some drinks around a campfire :)<br />
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We got up early the next morning- Dan and Steve went fishing, Winston and I went hiking!<br />
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After we got back, I decided to finish off the week with a shorter ride :)<br />
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So now this PAST weekend, we decided on Friday to head up to Rockford with the RV so that Dan could compete in the Rockford Olympic tri with his friend Steve! We had friends Kevin, Missi, and Adam that were competing as well. We had a lovely dinner at <a href="http://www.samsristorante.com/" target="_blank">Sam's Ristorante</a>, which boasted a beautiful dining room and live music (we thought it was just a pizza place! It could use a better wine menu though.) then camped out at Rock Cut State Park.<br />
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The race venue was cute- there were no more than 120ish competitors, so it had an easy-going, laid-back feel. You can read more about the actual race in <a href="http://3sportathlete.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/racing-on-home-turf/" target="_blank">Steve's blog</a>. <br />
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While they were competing, I took Winston to the nearby "dog park" in the State park... it was awesome!! It wasn't your traditional glorified fenced-in yard... there were several miles of grass trails in a wooded area with swimming ponds and more- he LOVED it! I took my hybrid bike and cycled along with him so he was able to cover more ground :)<br />
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After the guys finished, it started DOWNPOURING. Luckily, we were able to hitch a ride with Steve and his dad in their huge van to our campsite- thanks!! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy bday Missi!</td></tr>
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After lunch and a nap, the weather cleared up and I went for a little jog/walk (more on that later)...Rock Cut State park is beautiful!! Besides the rolling (paved) hills that they used for the tri and other road races, they had some great trails as well.<br />
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Once we packed up and headed back south, I convinced Dan to stop at the <a href="http://www.illinoisriverwinery.com/" target="_blank">Illinois River Winery</a> near Starved Rock State Park in Utica- very cute little place! They have some dangerously delicious fruit and dessert wines...we really liked the Port (port wines are usually thick, sweet, and have a high alcohol content...be ready for it!) and of the course the Norton... :)<br />
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We arrived at Moraine View State Park (Dawson Lake) in the evening and set up shop- Dan's parents and his aunt/uncle were also camping there as his family had a Father's Day cookout planned for the next day. Unfortunately, it stormed pretty good that night (which was great for us...we slept VERY well!), so the big cookout was post-poned. Dan's sisters still came out that the afternoon and we all had a nice little celebration ourselves :)<br />
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We keep the RV at his parents' house, which is out in the country, so again, I finished up the week with a nice 40mi+ ride back home :)<br />
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Which gets us to my next topic- biking!!<br />
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The week before last I rode 6/7 days, and ended up with 237 miles of riding. Not too bad! My legs felt great, but here's the problem: SADDLE SORES. There's something going around this year. I don't have anything that needs to be <i>lanced</i> like some athletes have experienced recently, but it's just an overall unpleasant chafing experience that cut my mileage goals short. I also skipped time trials this week due to them. They HURT just when my clothes rub against them when I'm walking!<br />
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I've ridden an Adamo saddle for 5 years, and so far nothing has compared to the relief that it provides to the ladybits...the saddle doesn't have a nose, and directs pressure to your sitbones. It works beautifully. However, it is WIDE... and the chafing I'm experiencing is on my inner thighs (If I'm wearing a swimsuit, you could see them).<br />
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Uuugh...The reason I switched to the Adamo is because the nose on traditional saddles brought me to tears....but I'm going to TRY them again. Luckily, my LBS Bloomington Cycle and Fitness has 3 saddles that they have for demo- Last week they put a Specialized Women's Oura Expert Gel saddle on my bike </div>
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I tried it for 3 rides, stopping every ~10 mi or so to adjust the saddle, but could not find any relief. It solved the chafing issue I had with the Adamo, but the perineal pain especially in time trial position, wasn't tolerable for me. I'm sure this saddle is fantastic for some women, but I think I'm going to have a harder time adjusting because I haven't had to deal with ANY soft-tissue pressure in so long!!</div>
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The next saddle I'm hoping to try is the Cobb V-Flow Plus...they have an outstanding return policy, which is good news for me during this trial and error process... if that doesn't work out, my friend Chris recommended the saddle try and buy program from competitivecyclist.com... if you have any other suggestions, please send them my way! :)</div>
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So, my foot has NOT healed up well since the surgery I had in December. It is tender to touch, it is still painful to run, and it occasionally even locks up on me. It has been over 6 months- normally full recovery from this surgery takes 2-4 months. I had an MRI done, and got my results back last week. Good news- there is nothing structurally wrong. The achilles tendon and other connective tissues are fine, joints are fine, etc. The problem is NASTY scar tissue. All the pain I'm feeling is "OK"- it needs to be broken up. Ouch. There is nothing more the doc can do for me at this point. More graston, stretching, exercising, and anti-inflammatories indefinitely...until it doesn't hurt anymore. Ugh.</div>
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So running is sort of "back in the picture"... At Rock Cut SP I jogged/walked 4.5 miles...it took me 48 minutes with 35min of jogging total. My general strategy was 3min jog/1-2min walk w/ stretching/skipping/etc. I guess I'll build from there. It "locked up" a couple times, but I'll learn to deal with it before it goes away completely. Funny...2 days later and I am SORE from it! My calves/quads/hip flexors haven't been worked like that in awhile, ha.</div>
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As far as racing goes, I'm pretty bummed. Buffalo Springs 70.3 is out (will be able to race it next year), and I'm working on getting out of IM Louisville as well without throwing all the money I spent on the race down the toilet. At least I'll still be able to compete in the <a href="http://tri-shark.org/web/evergreentri2/" target="_blank">Lake Evergreen tri</a> next month as a relay and <a href="http://rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">REV3</a> Dells in August as an Aquabike or relay!! Thank YOU awesome race organizers for looking out for injured people!! :)</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-10936147529829596022012-06-06T09:41:00.000-05:002012-06-06T09:50:43.532-05:00Birthday Blog!<br />
Yesterday was my 28th birthday! The Weather channel app on my phone told me the day's forecast called for 60's and 70's, breezy, with "plentiful sunshine" ... THANK YOU!! :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">haha, best happy birthday wish on facebook- thanks Rob Shannon!! :)</td></tr>
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I had a fun weekend- our local race, the Tri-Shark Classic sprint distance, was on Saturday. I was signed up to race, but given that my foot is in a sad, sad state right now and I can't run, I made the best of the situation and volunteered to help out. I got hooked up with the finish-line announcing position- I had a BLAST! I didn't have any experience with it before, but my job was easy thanks to Eric at ItsRaceTime.com .... I had a screen with the finishers' names/hometown/age pop up as they ran through the chute and results were instantaneous and reliable. I also had "spotters" on the bike and run course (thanks Mike, Rich, and Travis!) texting me as the elite racers ripped by... it was fun updating the spectators back at transition as the race was going on! I would definitely do it again- I would love to see my husband do it though- he is gifted with doing mental math like "This person would need to run x:xx pace to catch this person by the 4mi. mark..." :) It was fun to see all local friends racing, hearing the race recaps, and of course seeing them dominate the podium!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Carl and Tabitha for the funniest birthday card!</td></tr>
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In other news, I've been VERY excited about getting a commuter/townie bicycle set up! Dan and I have been sharing a car since he got back from his deployment- we both work/go to school in town, our schedules mesh well for sharing rides, and we have friends/family that can let us borrow a car if we really needed it. So why waste money on getting another car when we are doing just fine with only one??</div>
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For the sake of being more active, enjoying the summertime weather, and having a little more freedom to come and go, I now have a Giant Cypress Hybrid bike!! For my birthday, Dan helped me pick out a couple cute bags to carry my STUFF in. Here are a couple pics of the finished product!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom is too cute setting this up for me!! Wine and bread included! :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out at the park this afternoon!</td></tr>
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Dan had an errand to run, so I took Winston for a "ride" around the lake by our house... I held a leash and let him run next to me, I was SCARED to death he was going to pull me over, but it went well!! We both had fun! We took a break in the shade as you can see above! I also rode over to the farmers market in the afternoon and filled that red bag up with lots of fresh goodies :)<br />
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We topped off my birthday at our weekly bike time trial- a 20K course out on the country roads. I was apprehensive about racing on my birthday to say the least. TT's are my favorite workout, but since my training and motivation have gone by the wayside the last few weeks (more on that a different post), I wasn't sure if I was ready for a bruised ego (on my birthday!). After much hemming and hawing, I sucked it up, busted my a$$, and had my best ride of the year! I was 30 seconds faster, and rode HARD (7 watts higher than my best effort this year). Since we go off single file (the fastest riders go last), usually the big boys make up the time and pass me early on in the course. Well, nobody passed me either <span style="font-size: x-small;">(They likely still BEAT me, but for the sake of my bday let's ignore that :). </span>YAY! I better start training a little harder though, this luck is bound to run out soon ;)<br />
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After the race we usually hang around for a social hour, and last night was no exception. <br />
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Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and for making my day very special and enjoyable!<br />
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I also had a great time catching up on the REV3 Quassy race reports... gosh I would LOVE to go back there soon!! More on racing (or lack of) in a different post :)<br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-45148635420142631342012-05-31T22:00:00.000-05:002012-06-01T08:31:58.043-05:00Time to start talking...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No, I don't have any big confessional, sorry readers :) But it's been awhile since I blogged.<br />
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The end of the school year was a crazy whirlwind of activity, immediately followed by a week-long camping trip with my in-laws, and now here I am a week later, finally "settled." HELLO SUMMER!!<br />
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So here's a little bit of what's going on...I'll write more later on camping and training/racing:<br />
<ol>
<li>My little brother (who I adore), has lived in our house for the last two years while he completed his Masters degree at Illinois State University...after graduation he landed a job working high-end sales for the Phoenix Suns, so he is GONE! :( I feel like an empty-nester already. I am so excited for him though... and I'm especially excited for reasons to visit Arizona on a regular basis!! Love you Don! </li>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3t0nTUynx-OwmSp3ZI3_CjPC0I9Do2EEsYZLNK95in0AWrqjh8SmdM8fwP8OJfLYMA__p2aun2KLCgXIQiS69rgIHqGzGOQbUjIUStSEO9UgoGA8pYbvac4BlLno72yACXryMkt3troBw/s1600/IMG_8938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3t0nTUynx-OwmSp3ZI3_CjPC0I9Do2EEsYZLNK95in0AWrqjh8SmdM8fwP8OJfLYMA__p2aun2KLCgXIQiS69rgIHqGzGOQbUjIUStSEO9UgoGA8pYbvac4BlLno72yACXryMkt3troBw/s320/IMG_8938.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Mootin' home from graduation! </td></tr>
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<li>I've been getting into wine lately. First of all, we discovered a NEW winery 9 miles away from our house (yes I've already cycled to/from there...), and I am obsessed with two of their wines. When you get a chance to visit <a href="http://www.whiteoakvineyardsinc.com/" target="_blank">White Oak Vineyards</a> in Carlock, IL, here's what you can sample to get a taste of my flavah:</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_c0KJwf1fofBJLnVCf-iNtOUi9_BVP_1s10TZBSjTgBarnbF1w9z0CH-dSL9ovov8p4Zz2HVUSyToqrG9AypPB8t4hRS3gxkOmZJlQz704v2AAWnYPrN9UbtYNR-EMCJqlgj3Z8kiflt5/s1600/IMG_3138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_c0KJwf1fofBJLnVCf-iNtOUi9_BVP_1s10TZBSjTgBarnbF1w9z0CH-dSL9ovov8p4Zz2HVUSyToqrG9AypPB8t4hRS3gxkOmZJlQz704v2AAWnYPrN9UbtYNR-EMCJqlgj3Z8kiflt5/s320/IMG_3138.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The vineyard dogs! And my sweet JHC gear :)</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li>Bernese Red- Frontenac grape. Named after their super-friendly Bernese mountain dog! You can read their "professional" description of it, but I'll tell you that it is a deep, spicy red wine with a delicious and surprising vanilla aftertaste. YUM.</li>
<li>Landhaus- Norton grape. I am in LOVE with Norton wines. I cannot eloquently describe the flavor... it is very unique, you'll probably love it (as I do) or hate it. It is dry, tart, and spicy... sooooo good. Through some very in-depth research (ie google), I found that norton grapes were first cultivated in the Virginia and dominate the mid-western US wine industry... how convenient, because that's where I LIVE!! :)</li>
<li>For the sweet-wine lovers, definitely try their Golden Days Seyval Blanc... it was named after their other sweet puppy, a golden retriever. It's a cool, sweet treat on a summer day!</li>
<li>I have more wine adventures to share... but I'll entertain/bore you with them another day :) </li>
</ul>
<li>Back in 2003, I started doing triathlons. I got a SWEET bike for my birthday to race on- it looked something like this: </li>
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<tr><td><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSqjBp2SXbGo9ozCMQmDf316eXJrVKX0uI5kP15VLIs1TEnwgup" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSqjBp2SXbGo9ozCMQmDf316eXJrVKX0uI5kP15VLIs1TEnwgup" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Good thing it is a ladies' bike... the "top tube" doesn't affect the dresses/skirts I wear in training, ha! :)</td></tr>
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</ol>
Needless to say, after my first season of triathlons I upgraded :) My mom took over the hybrid bike and it's been hanging in her garage ever since :) I've been looking for a hybrid bike to use for commuting, race-spectating, and getting around town when we are camping with the motorhome, so the blue beauty and I will be REUNITED after 9 years! I am looking to dress her up a little bit with some funs bags, here's what I've been looking at:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s7d4.scene7.com/is/image/TrekBicycleProducts/12bo423460b?wid=389&hei=389&fit=fit,1&fmt=jpg&qlt=85,1&op_usm=0,0,0,0&iccEmbed=0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://s7d4.scene7.com/is/image/TrekBicycleProducts/12bo423460b?wid=389&hei=389&fit=fit,1&fmt=jpg&qlt=85,1&op_usm=0,0,0,0&iccEmbed=0" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bontrager Funk Trunk: cooler &speakers...perfect for tri spectating or camping!! Attaches to bicycle rear rack.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hardie-bikes.com/smsimg/29/1851-6522-main-09bo412943-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.hardie-bikes.com/smsimg/29/1851-6522-main-09bo412943-29.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bontrager rear pannier...perfect bag for work or the farmer's market! It's pretty big. Thanks <a href="http://alyssagodesky.com/" target="_blank">Alyssa </a>for the tip!</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://img1.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.237659437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://img1.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.237659437.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">What?? :) How did I find that?? :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJJATKQWK8vu9k7x5PlBJNbofg-Ee1vriMYX4dzv03Y0ic4DD26vfGk2_w6Lt6TSmps1OKSzaDfJk1TkBtHFkWsAmuizBIrHxit21fri-8SZjzjCCJ2AucL51w3F9u5tuBxlCEzkZ3IWK/s1600/IMG_3137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJJATKQWK8vu9k7x5PlBJNbofg-Ee1vriMYX4dzv03Y0ic4DD26vfGk2_w6Lt6TSmps1OKSzaDfJk1TkBtHFkWsAmuizBIrHxit21fri-8SZjzjCCJ2AucL51w3F9u5tuBxlCEzkZ3IWK/s320/IMG_3137.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cool bike storage in Uptown Normal!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1RN2Gt2BnuWYJjG1DfqeLrfbuAbzz0F35VyHumYX_k2wvCQW0TsD-Ws4itQaUbs4XHXhBZXKtv4vnYinrENTS-ZEu4FLmapYghRs8FtQsxX-wLSlpr_iGw0uipNN0Wv0bJUJ9WycjB2w/s1600/IMG_3135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1RN2Gt2BnuWYJjG1DfqeLrfbuAbzz0F35VyHumYX_k2wvCQW0TsD-Ws4itQaUbs4XHXhBZXKtv4vnYinrENTS-ZEu4FLmapYghRs8FtQsxX-wLSlpr_iGw0uipNN0Wv0bJUJ9WycjB2w/s320/IMG_3135.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOVE THIS. Bike tools and pump. I have found two in the community! (Uptown and the Triangle)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNiT0M-A_O41rAOwyNGQmfluZA8xKngNovnJpK0B3PxvTwTKKay6yfix-4t24Mjj-UUdj7iEXU6_OyBuc6iAwHc8sAwiAeOj61yT3Z8_58Unjuj8A1Ov-CD-YLKfHXTzh6waNlDrdHlJR/s1600/IMG_3133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNiT0M-A_O41rAOwyNGQmfluZA8xKngNovnJpK0B3PxvTwTKKay6yfix-4t24Mjj-UUdj7iEXU6_OyBuc6iAwHc8sAwiAeOj61yT3Z8_58Unjuj8A1Ov-CD-YLKfHXTzh6waNlDrdHlJR/s320/IMG_3133.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course Winston gets a doggie sundae if we are in uptown!</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iaUKVbX6uYtV3uTMvDA3zJJuJPlCAR5T44rNBIc7NeLp9ITk-f6DU79L4S9lrpuJK5mqE31jwzrjgKBWxDl3853uTVVID7YXxnFWShZryaqk2eba39LCmd1RJABqPzTaRFP99KASIBKe/s1600/IMG_3134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iaUKVbX6uYtV3uTMvDA3zJJuJPlCAR5T44rNBIc7NeLp9ITk-f6DU79L4S9lrpuJK5mqE31jwzrjgKBWxDl3853uTVVID7YXxnFWShZryaqk2eba39LCmd1RJABqPzTaRFP99KASIBKe/s320/IMG_3134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and then passes out in the bike shop :)</td></tr>
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<br />
<ol></ol>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-32690212166126518492012-04-16T22:33:00.001-05:002012-04-16T22:33:53.399-05:00A Training Funk, my tv shows, and my 3 favorite wines right nowMy life in bullet points:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>4 weeks until Summer Break (and Summer TRAINING!). April is a rough month.</li>
<li>Time Trials: HAVE BEGUN!! I competed in the John Fraser Memorial Time Trial again, and improved my time and effort by almost 2 minutes! I was 3rd overall female again the second year in a row, awesome! I was really happy with my SUPER consistent power output throughout 10-mile the course. 2 days later, I participated in the practice-run Tuesday Night Time Trial on my home course, and despite being almost 3 miles longer, I only averaged 10W less. I'm already riding super strong this season, I'm excited to see improvement!</li>
<li>With all the hard riding I've been doing...I've been going through my <a href="http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/content/pi_2010/us/en/index.html" target="_blank">Pearl Izumi</a> cycling and tri-shorts like crazy! They are the perfect length, with the perfect chammy, with the perfect matching cycling jacket, with the perfect adorable cycling tops (you get the idea...)</li>
<li>LOVING some new product- I'm totally digging my <a href="http://www.swiftwick.com/" target="_blank">Swiftwick</a> Aspire Zero and 12in compression socks- they are very comfortable and get the job DONE!! On a 60mile ride my husband, father-in-law, and I did on Easter, all 3 of us were wearing our matching black swiftwick compression socks... so cute! Here's what Swiftwick had to say LOL: My husband has been complaining of some serious calf soreness and foot blisters after running...both went away after I bought him 3 pairs of Aspires! Sweet!</li>
<li>Speaking of hard riding... focusing on HALF-iron distance training is a lot HARDER than Iron-distance training... everytime I get on the bike I can expect to hammer through at least some hard intervals of various intensities and duration... and surprisingly I like it!</li>
<li>Foot recovery... I actually feel like there is some REAL progress going on...I'll be able to talk more about this a few more runs... but the day-to-day pain is subsiding a little bit, and I can run FASTER with the "same amount" of push-off pain...I've been consistent with PT, at-home exercises and stretching, and anti-inflammatories...</li>
<li>swimming... I haven't really gotten in a consistent groove in a couple weeks... my own fault...it's going to be important that I get in the water CONSISTENTLY, and not trying to "crash" swim a bunch of days in a row after procrastinating swim workouts until the end of the week.</li>
<li>SPEAKING OF CRASHING/CONSISTENCY...</li>
<ul>
<li>Last week, after a scheduled day off on Monday, I was struggling to get ready for my FAVORITE workout of the week... Tuesday Night Time Trials of course! But I was NOT into it, I was DREADING it...weird. Even though the weather was crappy, I usually consider that an "advantage"... so Jen (my coach and I) agreed that I would swim instead... but that swim didn't happen. Or any workouts the next day. In fact, in the last week, I've only done two runs. </li>
<li>I had NO desire to workout/train at all...I don't feel that my "body" shut down, but rather my "mind" did. I'm not sure what brought it on...maybe it was the crap weather, a little anxiety about work/home, not sleeping well for a couple weeks, or truly just needing a "break." </li>
<li>Whatever the cause of the funk, I am DONE with it! I've enjoyed my weeklong break, I feel rested, and I'm ready to get my endorphins and training-high back tomorrow starting with a swim and then, what else? Tuesday Night Time Trials!! :)</li>
</ul>
<li>On a different note, here are TV shows that I love and don't miss an episode (thank goodness for DVR): The Firm. Grey's Anatomy. New Law & Order SVU. Modern Family. The Voice. Impractical Jokers.</li>
<li>Wine: A very important topic. I am a BIG fan of spicy, dark, and/or unique flavors. Besides ANY Shiraz, Syrah, or Malbec, here are 3 midwest wines that I LOVE that you should try:</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://acquavivawinery.com/pcr-dry-red-wine-midwest-chicago-il.html" target="_blank">Acquaviva Winery- Piacere</a>. I am not a skilled wine taster, so I cannot describe this incredibly unique and awesome flavor! I bought this wine with my JFTT winnings! :)</li>
<li><a href="http://sevenspringswinery.com/" target="_blank">Seven Springs Winery</a>- Norton. I've been obsessed with and can't stop thinking about this one...even though we bought and drank the bottle in January.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.lynfredwinery.com/scripts/winepg.cfm/_/107/2009/Pinot-Noir-Reserve/" target="_blank">Lynfred Winery 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve</a>. This one surprised me!! I am NOT usually a big Pinot Noir fan, but I LOVED this flavor!</li>
</ul>
<li>I've been experimenting with a little running/triathlon coaching with a few friends and family members... and I'm super pleased with how it's going! Here's a few shout-outs:</li>
<ul>
<li>My brother Don is going to be racing the Illinois Half-Marathon next week. He has been prepared for and nailed every.single.workout that I have asked him to do! He had little expectations of himself going into training, but with his progress he's made over the last month or so I cannot WAIT to see him surprise himself next week!</li>
<li>My husband Dan and our friend <a href="http://3sportathlete.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Steve</a> have been doing a lot of training together, and last weekend they raced the Springfield 1/2 Marathon- even though it was on a hilly course, they both PR'ed by a long-shot with a 1:41 !!! They finished 9min faster they predicted, and came with 2 minutes of their FLAT course goal time for the Illinois Half next week! I'm so excited!</li>
</ul>
<li>I would love to add pictures... but THIS is why I cannot blog consistently- it takes me SO LONG!! :)</li>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-61969218999211941562012-03-19T21:52:00.002-06:002012-03-19T22:20:53.133-06:00"Spring" Training!Spring Break has come and gone!!! :) The countdown to summer begins!<br />
<br />
Dan and I didn't plan any big trips (we are saving and biding our time for SUMMER!), but I was thrilled for an unstructured week (with GREAT weather to boot!)<br />
<br />
My triathlon coach Jen Harrison however, had some VERY STRUCTURED plans for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed "Spring Break Camp"!! It was 75-80+ degrees every day, and I happily put in a ridiculous amount of training in for March, especially on the bike!<br />
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Dan and I went to Madison for a quick 2-day trip- totally worth it!! We did some hilly riding, some lakefront/trail running, and cruised State Street...<br />
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<br />
We found this fantastic little shop that sold us on some divine chocolate truffles and cupcakes... now I'm usually not a cupcake person... but the "Irish Car Bomb" intrigued Dan and myself.... Guinness cake, Bailey's icing, with Jameson filling... surprisingly, it was delicious!!<br />
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Swimming was a challenge, since the ISU pool was CLOSED FOR SPRING BREAK....GGRRRRR. I endeavored the icy waters of Wesleyan a few days...<br />
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There was some running involved, all "easy." I can "run," yet I cannot perform a single heel lift or a true "push-off" on my right foot. It will come, it will come, I just need to be PATIENT and understand that a HUGE CHUNK OF BONE WAS REMOVED from my heel, and it will take time for it to heal... I'm doing some physical therapy and exercises, just need to stick with it and be consistent...<br />
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I'm living vicariously right now through my REV3 teammates who have some exciting stuff going on...<br />
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FIRST, as I mentioned before bunch of them are going to be starting their RUN ACROSS AMERICA in a few short weeks...they are currently training HARD to kick Cancer's A$$ !! To help out, you can donate ANY amount, no matter how big or small by clicking on the "Donate" link on the right column of this blog... or even better, visit <a href="http://www.wifemotherathlete.com/2012/03/cool-stuff-i-know-youll-like-it.html" target="_blank">Laura M.'s blog</a> and enter for a chance to win some fabulous prizes! A small $5 donation is all it takes to be entered into the raffle!<br />
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I'm also insanely JEALOUS (for myself) and HAPPY for my teammates who had a fabulous time racing in Costa Rica this past weekend!! This<a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank"> REV3</a> race looks amazing and is definitely on my bucket list...<br />
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With the amount of training I've been doing...and how busy my day-to-day schedule is with work and training...I've been fortunate enough to have PLENTY of convenient, delicious, and effective nutrition!!<br />
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This year as a REV3 athlete I'm supported by <a href="http://www.powerbar.com/" target="_blank">Powerbar</a>!! SO excited!! <br />
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Let me chat a little bit about the bars... I'll save the gels, bites, blasts, and drinks for a different day...First of all, the harvest bars, Triple-threat bars, and protein bars are just TASTY. Obviously that's important when choosing nutrition... of any kind!! Secondly, the bars are CONVENIENT for pre/during/post workouts... and lastly, I haven't had any GI distress at all, even when I chow down on a solid bar on my way to a swim... wow!<br />
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My favorite harvest bars to take on the bike (since they don't melt) are the strawberry crunch and the apple cinnamon crunch bars! <br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUQn7x6hiJxZmlUURDbmky9qa-6w5TqzY08wcqumUdTNYL0m59tA" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUQn7x6hiJxZmlUURDbmky9qa-6w5TqzY08wcqumUdTNYL0m59tA" width="320" /></a></div>
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My favorite pre-workout bars are the toffee-chocolate harvest flavor, as well as the Triple-threat bars.... YUM!!! Smore's and the caramel chocolate.... those boxes are loooooong gone! <br />
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Post workout..The chocolate protein bars...pure brownie. Cannot WAIT to try the dulce de leche flavor!!<br />
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I keep a box of fruit&nut naturals in my work office... GREAT snack and filling too!<br />
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What a SOLID week!! Winston and I definitely celebrated our success by kickin' it on the back deck on Sunday... can't WAIT for summer!! This week was such a tease :)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-63578209383256002802012-02-29T17:41:00.000-06:002012-02-29T17:41:17.692-06:00Plugging Along!Happy Leap Day!!<br />
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***Spring is so close I can SMELL it... this morning I woke up ready to do my ~1 hr run or my ~1hr bike workout. I checked the weather... in IL... in February...<br />
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56 DEGREES!!!<br />
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I was about ready to spring out of bed and SPRINT (the fastest my stupid foot would let me) out the door!! But then I noticed...<br />
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27 MPH WIND.<br />
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Way to kill the mood Mother Nature :(<br />
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After 20 minutes of hemming and hawing on facebook and twitter, I got my butt out the door and enjoyed the rare sunny, spring weather! I did get ROCKED by the invisible wall of wind for sure though!!<br />
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***Foot recovery: I'm close to 11-weeks post-op, and I'm running darn close to 1 hour. Which is great, but I'm nowhere NEAR pain-free. It sucks and sometimes I get frustrated to tears. Some runs are better than others...I'm grateful to be running... but I really wish it didn't hurt so much :( Patience....<br />
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***Otherwise, I've just been plugging along at "life" and doing well! Training is fun, I've been consistent and haven't skipped a workout this year yet!<br />
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I've also been SUPER busy at work, which is a great thing! My friend and Tri-Shark teammate Scott Richardson wrote a feature story for the Pantagraph newspaper highlighting the services we offer at the Illinois State University Exercise Physiology Lab. Specifically, it discussed how one of our clients used her BodPod, Sensewear armband, and Fuel testing results to interpret her baseline fitness levels and how she took action with our recommendations to improve her lifestyle and her body! <br />
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You can check out the article <a href="http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/go/isu-programs-give-fitness-help-one-test-at-a-time/article_fc162a5e-4ea6-11e1-8d1e-001871e3ce6c.html?mode=story" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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The article caught the attention of many community members wanting to make changes and learn how to optimize their daily physical activity, diet, and exercise intensity. It was been so much fun working with such a variety of people, with different goals and backgrounds! It's also been a great opportunity for the exercise science student interns to gain hands-on experience working with clients :)<br />
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Even more exciting, through Associated Press, the same article has popped up in local newspapers in Galesburg, Rockford, Quincy, and Springfield IL.... but has also made appearances around the country in Texas, Oregon, Kentucky, and Arizona, as well as a host of fitness websites... awesome!!<br />
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Well that's news for now- Happy March!! Less than two weeks until Spring Break :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-47865977387503480502012-02-12T22:25:00.002-06:002012-02-12T22:25:56.013-06:00Everything TRI in February!It's February, and "indoor season" is moving right along! Lots of TRI-related stuff I want to share!<br />
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<b>SWIMMING</b> is coming along! I've been very consistent and seeing progress. I am SO THANKFUL that the pool is in the same building that I work, it makes getting the workouts done so much easier. Also, the room is very hot and humid, which is a warm welcome from the cold weather! I'm also LOVING my Tri-Swim haircare, bodywash, and lotion! No chlorine itch or dryness for me! I gave out samples of this to all the Tri-Sharks that came to the awards banquet, and a lucky raffle winner received a whole travel kit of the stuff! Lucky for us, SBR Sports is offering 20% off ALL purchases in February, here's your chance to check it out... promotion below! Be sure to use it at <a href="http://www.triswimbeauty.com/" target="_blank">checkout</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/425587_10150569487764264_76742394263_8586419_1574739629_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/425587_10150569487764264_76742394263_8586419_1574739629_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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I'm also excited that Team REV3 has added <a href="http://blueseventy.com/" target="_blank">BLUE SEVENTY</a> as our swim sponsor!! I can't WAIT to top off the swim skillz I've been working hard for in one of these wetsuits. They actually create different types of wetsuits for different swim styles... check them out!</div>
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<a href="http://blueseventy.com/images/big/bb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://blueseventy.com/images/big/bb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, just looks at these. Enough said. <a href="http://rev3tri.com/store/hot-sellers/" target="_blank">Get some.</a></div>
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<a href="http://rev3tri.com/store/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/One%20Piece%202012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://rev3tri.com/store/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/One%20Piece%202012.JPG" width="237" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://rev3tri.com/store/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/Bikini%20Front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://rev3tri.com/store/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/Bikini%20Front.JPG" width="237" /></a></div>
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<b>BIKING</b> has been TOUGH!! I recently did a bike test (OUCH) and I have been nailing some very tough workouts...I tell myself that JH is getting me ready for some early season time trials! Those workouts can't hurt as much as what she's putting me through LOL! Today was a 3hr. trainer ride to fundraise for a local high school's (HEYWORTH IL) trip to Washington DC. Time to bust out the <a href="http://www.triswimbeauty.com/products.html" target="_blank">Tri-Slide</a>! It was spectacularly run by Jori and Jen! They had tons of food and home-baked goodies, water, sports drink, and students fetching it all for you so you didn't have to get off your bike! They also had GREAT raffle prizes. The first 2 hours were led by Suzy, who kicked our butts! I dished the pain right back when I lead for the final hour :) It went by very quickly, time flies when you are suffering with friends :) <br />
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/409336_3318810736160_1445019169_33171153_366046252_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/409336_3318810736160_1445019169_33171153_366046252_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429795_3318814576256_1445019169_33171162_1495655986_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429795_3318814576256_1445019169_33171162_1495655986_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>RUNNING...oy. </b>I though I would be able to start running at 4 weeks... and I finally forced the foot to get rolling around 6.5-7 week post-op. I'm running at a low intensity ~30min. at a time now... but it is very painful. The "push-off" is coming around, but it's not there yet. Uggh. AT LEAST Rev3 has added <a href="http://www.swiftwick.com/" target="_blank">SWIFTKICK</a> as a sponsor, so my tootsies will be comfy!! I have one pair that I have reserved for "special" runs, so I am excited to get geared up for a whole SEASON of running in those fantastic socks!! I know I'm going to NEED those compression socks too once running picks up!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NGltFcNHJmM/TzFNkpCAhtI/AAAAAAAABqI/KrxTXpo20TA/s260/2010SW-Logo-wtag_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NGltFcNHJmM/TzFNkpCAhtI/AAAAAAAABqI/KrxTXpo20TA/s260/2010SW-Logo-wtag_web.jpg" /></a></div>
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Oh, and speaking of running...many of my REV3 teammates and the staff are running a LOT to get ready for their big journey to <a href="http://rev3tri.com/america/raa-news/" target="_blank">RUN ACROSS AMERICA</a>!</div>
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<a href="http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/themes/rev3tri/images/raa_map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/themes/rev3tri/images/raa_map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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10 people will set out fron Oceanside, CA on March 26th and traverse 3080 miles by foot to reach Georgetown Hospital Cancer Centers in Washington DC on April 16th.</div>
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<b>WHY???</b></div>
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<b>To raise $100,000 for the Ulman Cancer Fund. The UCF offers comprehensive program for young adult cancer patients.</b></div>
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<a href="http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/RAA-banner-w-border.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/RAA-banner-w-border.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Please visit the RAA site to learn more about the running adventure and Ulman Cancer Fund. It's so simple to help this cause- a donation, no matter how large or small. You can visit the website, and I will provide a link on my website :) Amazing.</div>
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<b>So last week:</b></div>
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I am thrilled and honored that I received TWO awards at the<a href="http://tri-shark.org/" target="_blank"> Tri-Shark</a> Annual Banquet: Female MVP & BITE ME Performance! Both were related to my tough season and outstanding race at IMAZ. It means so much to me that my friends and training partners recognize my passion and the hard work I put into the sport... :) Congratulations to the other award winners, and THANK YOU to everyone in the club- I absolutely LOVE the Bloomington IL triathlon community, and I couldn't ask to be around more FUN, talented, motivating, and inspirational athletes! :) :)</div>
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<b>On the Horizon:</b></div>
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Good news! <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">REV3</a> Florida is a go! Half-distance. Venice, FL. October 28th. See you at <a href="http://sharkysonthepier.com/" target="_blank">Sharky's</a>!</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-41426435474506587832012-01-24T17:28:00.000-06:002012-01-24T17:28:01.083-06:00How fast can you...START your workout in the morning??<br />
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So I'm usually not a morning person. I like my sleep and lazy mornings. However, I've decided to do early morning workouts most workdays for the following reasons:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Some days I have two workouts... and it is much more manageable to do 1 workout before work, and another one after.</li>
<li>Even if I only have one workout scheduled, I would prefer to only shower ONCE per day.</li>
<li>MOST IMPORTANTLY... the gym is EMPTY!</li>
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I work out at the Campus Recreation center, and with the new year/new semester/Spring Break on the horizon, the gym and pool are jam-packed with college students in the afternoon and evenings. There are only FOUR lanes in the pool, so waiting is inevitable; and the strength areas are super busy so there is MORE waiting (and students likely to laugh at me in spandex looking like a hot mess)... no thanks.</div>
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So, early AM it is!! It is a GHOST TOWN in there... when I get emails from students dated 1:45AM, I wonder why ;)</div>
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YES, early morning workouts are great... it's just a matter of being ready and STARTING THEM!!</div>
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Here's how my morning went:</div>
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5:15 AM: Alarm goes off. I hit snooze.</div>
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5:23 AM: I get up, hem and haw about going to the gym or not.</div>
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5:28 AM: turn coffee on, heat up oatmeal (prepared last night)</div>
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5:35 AM: grab gym bag (pre-packed last night)</div>
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.....it took 20 minutes to leave the house?? I had EVERYTHING ready!!</div>
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5:45 AM: Arrive at gym. Dawdle in the locker room... check email on phone... etc....</div>
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5:52 AM: Push Off!!</div>
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... it took me 7 minutes to start my workout, when I already had my swimsuit on, goggles foggled, and workout written and plastic-bagged? WTH was I doing??</div>
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6:49 AM: get out of pool.</div>
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6:51 rinse off in shower</div>
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6:55 take my time changing...</div>
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7:00 start strength training (8:00 AM finish)</div>
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... 11 minutes for this "transition" - really? My T1 at IMAZ was < 5 minutes with about a 1/4mi run!</div>
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If I love sleep so much, I could have slept for THIRTY more minutes and finished my workouts at 8AM!</div>
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My total alarm-->start swim time was 37 minutes. Pathetic, but like any training plan, I have to establish a baseline...</div>
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And next time I am going to SMOKE it!! :) </div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-23929469006307119552012-01-16T12:52:00.000-06:002012-01-16T12:52:00.887-06:00Triathlon season is underway!! REV3 Group Coaching :)I love the excitement of January- it seems that all of my triathlon friends have gotten "back on track", established their race schedules and season goals, and are hitting it HARD this month!! For that, thanks for sharing your excitement and journey with me on blogs, facebook, twitter, etc. - it's so motivating!<br />
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Of course, I'm excited for the season as well. I'm still not running yet (I'm going to PT to break up scar tissue now...) , but I've been rocking the swim, bike, and strength the last two weeks! My bike workouts have been solid, and I've actually been ENJOYING my time in the pool lately! I'm finding that I'm getting just a little stronger every time I hit the gym, and it's fun to see progress :) Losing holiday weight? Not so much... my husband's family still has two big family "Christmas parties" this month, so one thing at a time... this month my goal is to NAIL my workouts, next month I'll add in a nutrition focus... :)<br />
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<br />
I'm really looking forward to my 3rd season as a REV3 athlete! I am overwhelmed with all the news and excitement they've thrown my way in JANUARY! Besides FIFTY new (and old) teammates to connect with, we've gotten exciting news about sponsors, races, charity, and events! Check it:<br />
<br />
<b><u>REV3 GROUP COACHING!!</u></b><br />
<br />
I am over-the-moon excited that over 20 people from my awesome local triathlon club (TRI-SHARKS) are signed up to race REV3 Wisconsin Dells and several others are signed up for Knoxville! Now, here's an opportunity to really get down to business training-wise and share motivation and camaraderie from our local teammates as well as athletes all over the country!<br />
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<a href="http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wisconsinLogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/wisconsinLogo.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's how the program works:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>When you sign up for the program, you will receive a REV3 training kit, and $25 off into any REV3 race (they will credit your account if you've already signed up for one!)</li>
<li>You will receive a monthly training program specific to the race you have signed up for (16week for olympic distance, 20wk for half distance, 24wk for full distance).</li>
<li>You'll receive a username and password to access the Group Coaching Forum</li>
<ul>
<li>Chat with other athletes, REV3 staff (race director and all!) and REV3 pro&amateur athletes</li>
<li>Advanced info such as course updates, course maps, race director tips, coach tips, race weekend schedules.</li>
<li>Webinars and online chats on specific training topics</li>
</ul>
<li>Local training opportunities, on-course training days, and race weekend meet-ups!</li>
</ul>
<div>
The Cost:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>$200 start-up fee (-$25 if you've already signed up for your REV3 race)</li>
<li>$50 monthly fee (the first month is $250, each month thereafter is $50)</li>
<li>If you pay for the whole program up-front instead of paying it month-by-month, you receive a 10% discount... which adds up to about 1 free month!</li>
</ul>
<div>
This is going to be a GREAT program, especially if you have never been "coached" before- As a coached athlete myself, I've found that having a "plan" gives me peace of mind and leaves out the questions "What should I do today? Am I doing too much? Not enough?" </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Pricewise, it's also a good deal!! Many triathlon coaches charge $200-$500 per MONTH for individualized coaching- with REV3 group coaching you'll be paying that much for the ENTIRE program, plus the forum access, training kit, and race discount!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Having an individual triathlon coach, though pricey, has it's benefits- every workout is geared toward your individual goals and race schedule- but if it's out of your price range and sounds like a "bit much," REV3 group coaching is an excellent way to go.</div>
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For more information or to register, you can contact <a href="mailto:lauravwheatley@gmail.com" target="_blank">me</a>, Coach <a href="http://rev3tri.com/coaches/carole-sharpless/" target="_blank">Carole Sharpless</a>, or visit the REV3 coaching <a href="http://rev3tri.com/coaching/group/" target="_blank">website</a>!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-33068444098935601092012-01-04T15:05:00.000-06:002012-01-04T15:05:00.760-06:00Foot Recovery, Anniversary, and Camping!First of all, I hope that you all had a great Holiday Season and have lots to look forward to in 2012- I know that I do!<br />
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<b>Foot Recovery</b> has been going well- I've been cleared to swim/bike for almost a week, and I've been taking advantage! I got in the pool for the first time yesterday, and I've completed several indoor, and even one outdoor ride!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My ankle is still swollen (cankle), so it's a little difficult to fit into normal (and athletic) shoes. Not a huge problem. Even though my achilles did not have to be detached, it was still "manipulated" in order to make room for the doc to shave off the bone spur, so it is SORE. Thanks to my Computrainer spin-scan function, I can clearly see that I'm favoring my left leg (surgery was on the right) and that my "right" foot pedal stroke is not smooth at all. While I'm completing my workouts, I'm trying hard to fix this so I don't create a permanent imbalance!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I still can't put a whole lot of stress on the achilles, particularly when I "plantar-flex", or point my toe. I have no problem pointing the toe w/o any stress or weight on it, but I can't push-off or stand-up on that toe yet :( Eccentric stress, like walking down stairs, is painful too. My next doctor appt. is next week, where I may be cleared to start some light jogging... At this point I couldn't jog, but we'll see how recovery progresses over the next week!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<b>Anniversary & Camping: </b>Since the weather was SO awesome over the New Year's weekend, Dan and I decided to take our new RV out for it's first FULL maiden voyage! We packed up our stuff, some groceries, my bike, and our dog Winston and headed for Lake of the Ozarks, MO! We had a GREAT time, but had our share of RV nightmares too... here are the highlights:<br />
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Cooking was fun and saved us $$, as we usually eat out for every meal on vacation! We brought snacks and supplies for sandwiches, omelettes, chicken/dumplings/vegetables, and adult beverages!<br />
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Our second wedding anniversary was on New Year's Eve! With 65 degree weather, we celebrated with:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> a big breakfast</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>a long hike at the State Park in 65 degree weather (achilles did OK)</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li> a trip to the local winery </li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>some shopping for new outfits</li>
<li> and a dinner cruise to ring in the New Year on the Lake! </li>
</ul>
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Could it be anymore perfect??<br />
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On New Years day, we slept in, relaxed, and enjoyed a lazy morning.<br />
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In the afternoon, I seized the opportunity to get some HILL training on the bike! I had a great time averaging 24-25mph up and down and around the windy hills going OUT on my out-and-back route, but I was greeted with some of the stiffest winds EVER on my way back! I was pushing some serious watts on the flat sections just to average 16mph, my legs BURNED going uphill & into the wind, then I was scared sh*tless going downhill with nasty crosswinds! I am used to putting my head down and hammering on flat IL roads, it looks like I'm going to need to do some WORK on hills this year!<br />
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That evening we started our journey back home and stopped in St. Louis for the night. Dan is such a CHAMP driving our 31ft. monster- the crosswinds were not only challenging on the bike, but on the highway as well!<br />
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In St. Louis, we stayed an RV park in the middle of the city- not exactly what I would expect for "camping"! It was only a short walk to some major attractions, and we had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnBuME8k0UMsclFqqV-fo9ckwkz1T-47Qk80LbMEvvEc8KWPA_7btnnxYGNBTpywFTsZOiDXjQFymCvmPY6wzMDM0Mm1KKg2Cy3ZZUmUzbUxNqXHLl4mgzOCjHlzeruoznYFVf4L60LNN/s1600/P1010028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnBuME8k0UMsclFqqV-fo9ckwkz1T-47Qk80LbMEvvEc8KWPA_7btnnxYGNBTpywFTsZOiDXjQFymCvmPY6wzMDM0Mm1KKg2Cy3ZZUmUzbUxNqXHLl4mgzOCjHlzeruoznYFVf4L60LNN/s320/P1010028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winston loved playing with Mr. Giraffe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The crazy wind continued through the evening, sometimes waking us up to a (literally) rocking RV... the temperatures also were quite cold with the windchill.<br />
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We woke up the next morning to FROZEN pipes!! Yikes!! We were not prepared for below-freezing temps (only made so by the wind). After heating up our bottled water supply in the microwave, we were able to thaw out the pipes and get rolling back home.<br />
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Once we back in McLean county, we stopped at a campsite to dump our tanks.. and to our dismay, our grey tank had frozen on the DRIVE up! We had bought 2 space heaters, so we planned on plugging them in letting them do work on the tank...but then our outlets blew out, and we were left with NO electricity to heat up water or use the space heaters- DARNIT!<br />
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We took the RV out to Dan's parents house and with the help of his Dad, they used a blow-dryer to thaw the tank and dump it. Crisis averted. We still haven't figured out the outlet thing. We tried resetting it at the power center, and they DO work when we plug the RV in to an external power source... we think we tripped a breaker on the generator, which supplies the RV power to itself when we turn it on.<br />
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We've definitely learned our lesson about cold-weather camping...next time we'll have a skirt, heat tape for pipes and the tanks, and foam piping!<br />
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So that's it for now! I'm still enjoying time at home with the hubs, but I'll be getting ready for the new school year pretty soon- we have 1 1/2 weeks left!<br />
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Finally, I'll be posting soon about some of the exciting REV3 stuff that you may have seen floating around the internet... REV3 will be running across America (3000 mi!) to raise $100,000 for the Ulman Cancer Fund, and you can help! Spread the word, donate, and/or be a relief runner for the 10-person crew along the way! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/themes/rev3tri/timthumb.php?src=http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/RAA-banner1.jpg&w=600&zc=1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/themes/rev3tri/timthumb.php?src=http://rev3tri.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/RAA-banner1.jpg&w=600&zc=1" width="320" /></a></div>
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ALSO, REV3 is starting an internet-based group coaching program!! With a start-up fee, you'll receive a racing kit, $25 off any REV3 race, sponsor discounts, a full training program, and access to the group forum. Each month after that you'll pay a $50 for ongoing coaching and forum access. You'll be able to attend group training sessions, course previews, and training recon's of the courses. More info to come!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-27598596862208183462011-12-21T12:39:00.000-06:002011-12-21T12:53:43.520-06:00I WON a Lazer Helmet!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTUiyVQYTshDZAiJkLgZnIqLYg6kHFz8iiAN83l6erRhoA20IVf" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTUiyVQYTshDZAiJkLgZnIqLYg6kHFz8iiAN83l6erRhoA20IVf" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my new Helmet!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Thanks to <a href="http://tridadoffive.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tri Dad of Five</a>, Christmas came early for me! <a href="http://www.lazersport.com/" target="_blank">Lazer Helmets</a> donated a helmet for a giveaway on his blog, and I was the lucky winner!! <br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcStkTkCbZRvput0HPik3hxLDsxjuOZS1LYhG67EXA1uQeE7jp7VfQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcStkTkCbZRvput0HPik3hxLDsxjuOZS1LYhG67EXA1uQeE7jp7VfQ" width="200" /></a><a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTILXtURWDgcJXDcShe9tp_mIoPCx41mWOqOcf8Bxl68yCbxzye6w" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTILXtURWDgcJXDcShe9tp_mIoPCx41mWOqOcf8Bxl68yCbxzye6w" /></a></div>
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This came at the perfect time- my old aero helmet broke in a minor crash this year, and I've been borrowing one ever since for my races (thanks <a href="http://3sportathlete.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Steve</a>) !!<br />
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I'm SO excited, I've researched aero helmets quite a bit this year, and here's what available for LAZER helmets:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvQoIOPaR6f7B__2ILuDpiPKPJsAiu39fDdFimSpFtaxUPKsFvMb4asDeDfIvDkfJI26N1XH0r9BC6eRK9juP5XmjXcQW4NvKOFmhO-VHcDQdtXg8vgeFG5ezx6evI5DAP6wK9TydXjEc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-12-21+at+12.00.03+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvQoIOPaR6f7B__2ILuDpiPKPJsAiu39fDdFimSpFtaxUPKsFvMb4asDeDfIvDkfJI26N1XH0r9BC6eRK9juP5XmjXcQW4NvKOFmhO-VHcDQdtXg8vgeFG5ezx6evI5DAP6wK9TydXjEc/s320/Screen+Shot+2011-12-21+at+12.00.03+PM.png" width="306" /></a></div>
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For more in-depth information, check out Tri-Dad's<a href="http://tridadoffive.blogspot.com/2010/10/lazer-tardiz-tt-helmet-review.html" target="_blank"> review</a>.<br />
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The 2 features that attracted my attentions were:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QDmQEa7mVLtIcmq2gG6AXw0BYUPiRyi3r8cmeiI9Y9ldNQ0TB3FVdTWj1wRGXTJ7UurEMB8xerd1ywlP0f4JKpT_ndwyP4Oiok6ZRf15HNU0UGW6GBhFeLRdeJAAOiMJ6bGj3WD1ZsFI/s1600/tt+apr12+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QDmQEa7mVLtIcmq2gG6AXw0BYUPiRyi3r8cmeiI9Y9ldNQ0TB3FVdTWj1wRGXTJ7UurEMB8xerd1ywlP0f4JKpT_ndwyP4Oiok6ZRf15HNU0UGW6GBhFeLRdeJAAOiMJ6bGj3WD1ZsFI/s320/tt+apr12+4.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<ol>
<li>Head Down Aerodynamics: This is how I tend to ride so I would love a racing helmet that takes this into account when designing aerodynamic features!</li>
<li>Aquavent: Unlike "regular" helmets, aero helmets usually don't have any vents, so when you noggin' starts heating up, there isn't any way to cool off. The Lazer helmets have an actual vent designed to allow you to dump water on your head through the helmet! This is going to be key for me next year, as I will be racing in some HOT conditions!</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTJdfdMn_kvNmeDi93Y6obqjvFp6VKAQFI8Sj1sZKk6Yg5AppBMnA" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTJdfdMn_kvNmeDi93Y6obqjvFp6VKAQFI8Sj1sZKk6Yg5AppBMnA" width="125" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cyclowired.jp/sites/default/files/images/2009/09/24/QC6C0095.preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.cyclowired.jp/sites/default/files/images/2009/09/24/QC6C0095.preview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And of course, some bonus features...</div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRZVVJ_hCAXqNqSmHcaXGo3hSQwqSjqFQZ5w6gvIrxIDr9YgMREPw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRZVVJ_hCAXqNqSmHcaXGo3hSQwqSjqFQZ5w6gvIrxIDr9YgMREPw" width="200" /></a><br />
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<li>It looks cool. </li>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcThfMa-huT0oji6oEzL9HFQCiexTlG7NsEz4XAzfY9f9QLSVvuy-w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcThfMa-huT0oji6oEzL9HFQCiexTlG7NsEz4XAzfY9f9QLSVvuy-w" width="200" /></a></div>
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<li>And, lots of FAST pro's trust Lazer helmets, including:</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsrqt8wTTo1qesi6wo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsrqt8wTTo1qesi6wo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julie Dibens...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://courtenaybrown.com/wp-content/gallery/2011-triathlon/rev3CR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://courtenaybrown.com/wp-content/gallery/2011-triathlon/rev3CR2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtenay Brown</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiHls5Vc2IAskp7nASSNMD3_vKx8Rx2o9D46OXEyYKqP20AQknaK_9vid_LgtAhdJTfcw3KseC9-yf-KqmR9KVxvH_TnQJty1imwj2bhtZ8S8soVHC5wcvU4pB3_FLCLc8ZkKsn20mL8/s692/IMG_3268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiHls5Vc2IAskp7nASSNMD3_vKx8Rx2o9D46OXEyYKqP20AQknaK_9vid_LgtAhdJTfcw3KseC9-yf-KqmR9KVxvH_TnQJty1imwj2bhtZ8S8soVHC5wcvU4pB3_FLCLc8ZkKsn20mL8/s320/IMG_3268.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Happy Holidays everyone!! :)<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-14926694752064645042011-12-19T14:38:00.000-06:002011-12-19T14:38:01.201-06:00Foot Recovery part 1!Surgery went well! <br />
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I was a little nervous before-hand...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5G2x8txzuiRG8HRTJYSo8aw7G3TqUGVMhkTG5EByvm8trjvsxXPC-REHtHZYNOAtEIVBp2uk3DLwVV3NhkSeSfQ3ugoUOUrA6yPbmvEyh7rezPeKOnH5DiLaiX2UtrqQWkhtgWisLNAGP/s1600/IMG_2606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5G2x8txzuiRG8HRTJYSo8aw7G3TqUGVMhkTG5EByvm8trjvsxXPC-REHtHZYNOAtEIVBp2uk3DLwVV3NhkSeSfQ3ugoUOUrA6yPbmvEyh7rezPeKOnH5DiLaiX2UtrqQWkhtgWisLNAGP/s320/IMG_2606.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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I was a little confused/uncomfortable when I woke up...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltH1dyDCXobbb7ywqH3WBRd-1_FW44TJESOAKLKLEfbaNUE7AZzBV1BUkRkVtKQqbweyi9MyGcjrEUa6A1BKFaH8_zy8C-1eR08A5ZnmKwUWY9nTKQvRDfyNkQGPU38qfDC9QGNExgbQm/s1600/IMG_2608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltH1dyDCXobbb7ywqH3WBRd-1_FW44TJESOAKLKLEfbaNUE7AZzBV1BUkRkVtKQqbweyi9MyGcjrEUa6A1BKFaH8_zy8C-1eR08A5ZnmKwUWY9nTKQvRDfyNkQGPU38qfDC9QGNExgbQm/s320/IMG_2608.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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I was told that I kept asking about eating IHOP before/after they put under anesthesia...There was one on the way to the Surgicenter, so Dan and I were joking about going there...apparently <b>I</b> was serious...I always am when it comes to food...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4mr5NpDneXQlRML7IyHlI6LllnBJrFRqqFFqldkH_kV7wPykzlhmDWPZhpeCGfV0pXPmcjCSuGgyjFq-Jl-LlTPMy2jw31UviBxHdFH8Zc2PPljGdMbpuAGeGNqXsvJO2orhZe2hBiB9/s1600/IMG_2611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4mr5NpDneXQlRML7IyHlI6LllnBJrFRqqFFqldkH_kV7wPykzlhmDWPZhpeCGfV0pXPmcjCSuGgyjFq-Jl-LlTPMy2jw31UviBxHdFH8Zc2PPljGdMbpuAGeGNqXsvJO2orhZe2hBiB9/s320/IMG_2611.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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So here's the beauty herself! The bone spur, which looked like an upward-pointing "hook" has been smoothed out... I don't know much else about it, I'll learn more about it at my follow-up appt. this week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJG1qUj-ZzLfMfPcW6NcwYsQvdZCBv1g74OsCo2wYunRsyRMCm1YsAteOFizDzERjGFiRyWguNQfWXiIuZiSNeRHojK0bf2zscdk9jvtU3gJjmcR9ZNVtjAgakmBv1Bo3mbCvoFufLvwAP/s1600/IMG_2607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJG1qUj-ZzLfMfPcW6NcwYsQvdZCBv1g74OsCo2wYunRsyRMCm1YsAteOFizDzERjGFiRyWguNQfWXiIuZiSNeRHojK0bf2zscdk9jvtU3gJjmcR9ZNVtjAgakmBv1Bo3mbCvoFufLvwAP/s320/IMG_2607.JPG" width="284" /></a></div>
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Surprisingly, I felt fine shortly after I came out of anesthesia. I was shaking a little bit, but I wasn't in pain or nauseous. The "worst" sensation was the nerve block- I would command my ankle/toes to move, but my body didn't respond. Very strange and it kinda freaked me out. I couldn't imagine paralysis. The nerve block wore off overnight, so my right lower leg has been "functional" since Saturday morning.<br />
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We were out of the Surgicenter within 45minutes of me waking up, and since I felt fine... Guess where we went??<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZmLps9-QSWLdFvummtosJokX4rdz9ojxp_kkoQM56AX3PYq4G59T03M7-D0TN6uxj9o2WjpOU_lfzL1lWITe5k2OLG8tQCy5Hdme-LDIB1tX_dVX_Q2EFxGaNXT7htmNcc8DKASKWr24/s1600/IMG_2612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZmLps9-QSWLdFvummtosJokX4rdz9ojxp_kkoQM56AX3PYq4G59T03M7-D0TN6uxj9o2WjpOU_lfzL1lWITe5k2OLG8tQCy5Hdme-LDIB1tX_dVX_Q2EFxGaNXT7htmNcc8DKASKWr24/s320/IMG_2612.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking fresh... </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs591Fq9pPQIt0g_WRSDgXzn5xA4ZE7A18t5YX3IGyH8J1Qgtl_W5wQntV-zISb1Sy9ur3STmVsIBL7oVtJKVQSe5jCF0H7whwawIGOtxY8pmaYKo38S6rEIpWHsPZ_0Dy7gQZ1AHvciCV/s1600/IMG_2613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs591Fq9pPQIt0g_WRSDgXzn5xA4ZE7A18t5YX3IGyH8J1Qgtl_W5wQntV-zISb1Sy9ur3STmVsIBL7oVtJKVQSe5jCF0H7whwawIGOtxY8pmaYKo38S6rEIpWHsPZ_0Dy7gQZ1AHvciCV/s320/IMG_2613.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MUCH better- PANCAKES!! :)</td></tr>
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I've received so much love and support from friends and family- THANK YOU!! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEnNrtPQlvtsQI84gWg8vdig7dfk_RqA8MVoIhvxQONWVmoIvixKoqf-XIlXv9t-ul3LUOrfw0UAUfPteS08rE9Mmkw5Ppa-dmEIPg_Jq7e70eC65BD5RFSlxNP4OUwegKqynCsA2A2hX/s1600/IMG_2631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEnNrtPQlvtsQI84gWg8vdig7dfk_RqA8MVoIhvxQONWVmoIvixKoqf-XIlXv9t-ul3LUOrfw0UAUfPteS08rE9Mmkw5Ppa-dmEIPg_Jq7e70eC65BD5RFSlxNP4OUwegKqynCsA2A2hX/s320/IMG_2631.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the awesome recovery basket I got from my in-laws- how thoughtful!!</td></tr>
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<div>
Dan has been a ROCKSTAR husband (as usual)- he makes sure I am comfortable & fed (no easy task) and that I have means of entertainment at all times :) He also gave me an early Christmas present! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFMu9AVkBtKI8H2dVsebkpbgsXVr8Dgosocmz0FuP6pNZVF23szRQcia36DBqg8RE-nEzbIry9VXD6kFft4jIwz9xVg1YPsOCarPzYhxrHbvhU0kXpZjmlYld19V9r6Sw05dSWXs-m6O_/s1600/IMG_2636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFMu9AVkBtKI8H2dVsebkpbgsXVr8Dgosocmz0FuP6pNZVF23szRQcia36DBqg8RE-nEzbIry9VXD6kFft4jIwz9xVg1YPsOCarPzYhxrHbvhU0kXpZjmlYld19V9r6Sw05dSWXs-m6O_/s400/IMG_2636.JPG" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new black dress coat with a HOOD! :) xoxo</td></tr>
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On Saturday, since I was feeling fine after the surgery, we were able to attend our friend's annual Holiday party! I'm glad we were able to attend, we had a lot of fun and it would have been a bummer to miss! Too bad you can't see my big bulky black boot that I perfectly paired with a red heel to match my dress :)<br />
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I haven't been in much pain at all- I took a painkiller before I went to bed on Friday and Saturday (worried I would wake up in pain), but have not needed them otherwise. It is painful to put weight on it, but it's a non-issue for now since I'm supposed to be resting.<br />
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It's very annoying/inconvenient to go to the bathroom/etc... the abilities we take for granted...<br />
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I enjoyed my lazy weekend full of movies, naps, TV, facebook, twitter, etc., but now I'm started to go a little stir-crazy, especially with the 40-50 degree weather we've been having in DECEMBER. Seriously?? I just bought Iron War and I'm Here to Win on my ipad, so hopefully that will keep me occupied this week....<br />
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OH, and if you haven't seen this... I was DYING with laughter yesterday...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/q4a9CKgLprQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
and the Pre-Quel...<br />
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/_YQpbzQ6gzs/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_YQpbzQ6gzs&fs=1&source=uds" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_YQpbzQ6gzs&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>
ENJOY!!</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-60146824565232188482011-12-15T09:20:00.001-06:002012-06-01T08:33:39.951-05:00Foot surgery tomorrow... ouch.Big day tomorrow... foot surgery. uggh.<br />
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Most of you know that running hasn't been going so great for me the last two years due to injuries. At IM Cozumel last year the marathon was a disaster due to GI issues and plantar fascitis, then this year I thought I was plagued with achilles tendonitis- so I thought.<br />
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I tried rest (seriously), icing, physical therapy, medication, shots, etc., all to no avail- the bottom part of my ankle (back of my heel) would NOT STOP hurting! I DNF'ed a 1/2 Iron this year b/c it so bad and I didn't want to do further damage to it. This was NOT OK with me.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.footeducation.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Posterior-Heel-Pain-Clinical-Photo-Figure-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.footeducation.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Posterior-Heel-Pain-Clinical-Photo-Figure-1.jpg" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT my hairy leg- just showing you where it hurt!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally my doc looked at an X-Ray and saw this:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mypacs.net/repos/mpv3_repo/viz/full/0/6/645/6952132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.mypacs.net/repos/mpv3_repo/viz/full/0/6/645/6952132.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not my actual X-Ray either... sorry. Mine is similar though.</td></tr>
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What's not normal here? Here's a better comparison:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcG5655e2oSOADg4Tc1gQxXpjgOTItDSKlgQdXiO5lkCvFMVbfhQ3KdoaylSZhVe23K-S7Y3yCflFIjJp8qgu_G0fHMniGAdA3ImB8nWVqexyFvw3KNAqQOJQiDz83anrQBI_8veprSZ-/s400/haglunds-deformity-picture.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcG5655e2oSOADg4Tc1gQxXpjgOTItDSKlgQdXiO5lkCvFMVbfhQ3KdoaylSZhVe23K-S7Y3yCflFIjJp8qgu_G0fHMniGAdA3ImB8nWVqexyFvw3KNAqQOJQiDz83anrQBI_8veprSZ-/s400/haglunds-deformity-picture.png" /></a></div>
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WHY is this a bad thing?<br />
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<a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3556/3445029471_af24eb3dd8_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3556/3445029471_af24eb3dd8_m.jpg" /></a></div>
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Yes, my achilles tendon is going OVER the bone spur, causing friction, and a painful bursa. It hurts while doing everyday activities, but it's particularly painful while running. He told me that I wouldn't do any "extra damage", and gave me permission to run on it to train through the final block and race IMAZ. Owies, but I got the job done (you gotta want it.)</div>
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What are the causes of this? How did I get it?</div>
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<ul>
<li>Sometimes called a "pump bump"...women who frequently wear high heels that rub against the area may cause the bone the calcify due to the stress placed on it... (Nope. At the MOST, I wear heels 2x/week, if at all)</li>
<li>Tendency to walk on the outside of your heel- the inward rotation causes the bone to grind against the tendon. (Nope)</li>
<li>High arches (YUP!) - the heel bone tilts backward into the tendon</li>
<li>Tight calves/achilles tendon (DING DING DING!!) Lots of pressure on the bone since the tendon is tight and rubbing on it would cause it to calcify. Talk about the important of foam rolling and stretching...jeez.</li>
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It's not going to go away... so the doc suggested shaving the extra bone off.</div>
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Yikes.</div>
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They won't have to detach the achilles tendon to get to it (THANK GOODNESS)- if they did, recovery could take 4-6 months. BAAAD.</div>
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My doc told me that I could probably be back on the trainer and in the pool within 2-3 weeks, and back to running within 4-6 weeks. So that means I'll "recover" through the Holidays, start back up around January 1, and be running by the end of that month! </div>
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It sucks, but this is definitely the right time of the year to do it. I'm pretending like I'm not nervous at all... everything is going to go perfectly, and I'll be running injury-free next year, right?? </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-84278370366447924382011-12-12T08:00:00.000-06:002011-12-12T08:00:16.904-06:00A new addition to our driveway...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPTP03N33JLfyE4LWwk7pGddj-Pyo0ER1MgWrkiMapll1z-ddLLy8FlKH01Oxam35xm7mM57hO-2_Zsq2tmBxRftPQ65X4HVkrGLSi3vu46xHW6uwxkr_HXiseBMhtFZJJtppQwqHqL29/s1600/IMG_8290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPTP03N33JLfyE4LWwk7pGddj-Pyo0ER1MgWrkiMapll1z-ddLLy8FlKH01Oxam35xm7mM57hO-2_Zsq2tmBxRftPQ65X4HVkrGLSi3vu46xHW6uwxkr_HXiseBMhtFZJJtppQwqHqL29/s320/IMG_8290.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Well, sort of! (We have it winterized and stored right now)<br />
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Dan and I have wanted to do this for a long time, and after much time, research, and effort, we did!<br />
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We bought an RV!</div>
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She is a 2008 Coachmen Freedom Express Racing Edition. We found this model a few months ago, and scoured the internet until we found one that we loved and at the right price! Jim from Camping World of Southern Alabama was so wonderful and accommodating, as was the rest of the staff :)</div>
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We flew down to Pensacola, FL the day after Thanksgiving, and Jim was nice enough to pick us up from the airport and drive us to Camping World- they had the vehicle all detailed and ready to go.</div>
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Rick gave us a very thorough and detailed walk-through- which was much needed because are RV rookies!! We learned what, where, and how everything works... between the two of us hopefully we'll remember everything!</div>
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Here's what you've been waiting for: A PHOTO TOUR!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mwqpKaKbRSval7O6yF9M1ed7O6a3KLj8aRHqhQjNDuvQsfqN24o-zNumAuw2tc2U_FEG9ien8t-eSVuzh0nEJ7yidZplCm6qLll6Dtu_eSn3DypESMCeNcfKtB-I-L6uuiL5pFtEG3zt/s1600/IMG_8283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mwqpKaKbRSval7O6yF9M1ed7O6a3KLj8aRHqhQjNDuvQsfqN24o-zNumAuw2tc2U_FEG9ien8t-eSVuzh0nEJ7yidZplCm6qLll6Dtu_eSn3DypESMCeNcfKtB-I-L6uuiL5pFtEG3zt/s320/IMG_8283.JPG" width="320" /></a>She is a 31ft. Class C Motorhome...pretty big vehicle! The "cockpit" is large and comfy, which is awesome, but we are super excited about the "house" or the coach. Above the cockpit is a queen-size cab bed... tons of space to sleep 2 people comfortably, or for storage.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNN1yUxJ_HW5Kt9GNwfFN2Tlo2GLhUszWQrXy2X_sAWBteBYbPBV1htKaNhbPyIIhoV1Bw1fuTwPx8foca036LD4XldSM82Q-EMLXLSrdKWzFpW1n3XlkW7lwVmQmzfNnYg_5h7pF_5tzt/s1600/couch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNN1yUxJ_HW5Kt9GNwfFN2Tlo2GLhUszWQrXy2X_sAWBteBYbPBV1htKaNhbPyIIhoV1Bw1fuTwPx8foca036LD4XldSM82Q-EMLXLSrdKWzFpW1n3XlkW7lwVmQmzfNnYg_5h7pF_5tzt/s320/couch.jpg" width="320" /></a>And YES, our RV has a BAR!! Instead of the standard "dinette" we opted for this sweet set-up! The large couch you see pictured also folds out into a full-sized bed, comfy enough for 2 people as well. The tables and barstools are easily removed and stored behind the couch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MxdmtgzsclWvc4IKcD-D0vyHjQpLkOEOMse1aWh5k9vIY3DIpqZ4VP5RLl20ITlq1kH7HrhXNJGIjz9hs2jKuFTOtRLFPxZtEeUnFICUl44dEWIZLVQ3w12kJ1ipLeIr70RmedN1ourT/s1600/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MxdmtgzsclWvc4IKcD-D0vyHjQpLkOEOMse1aWh5k9vIY3DIpqZ4VP5RLl20ITlq1kH7HrhXNJGIjz9hs2jKuFTOtRLFPxZtEeUnFICUl44dEWIZLVQ3w12kJ1ipLeIr70RmedN1ourT/s320/kitchen.jpg" width="320" /></a>There are 2 "slide-outs" in the living room you see- they are both "out" in the photo. While driving, the kitchen is pushed up all the way to the bar (which folds down), and the couch goes up to about 12-18 inches away from the bar, leaving a little hallway to walk-through. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoEbo1T8nInfFHqP1MNLshguBRin1THw78GWxvorvZ7sv795ndGOwbY47c8P0OaNmDzrHOCvd_D7XAqgSisZqex6Hhb1XcoB45bfbTgsaiGLAFmcRAMQkOdb1ypkkr1DsBuebw-_K1vZr/s1600/tv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoEbo1T8nInfFHqP1MNLshguBRin1THw78GWxvorvZ7sv795ndGOwbY47c8P0OaNmDzrHOCvd_D7XAqgSisZqex6Hhb1XcoB45bfbTgsaiGLAFmcRAMQkOdb1ypkkr1DsBuebw-_K1vZr/s320/tv.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
There is a TV that is set up in the kitchen now, but can be removed and hooked onto brackets in the bedroom or on the outdoor entertainment center! Although not pictured, we have hookups for an entertainment center on the exterior, under an enormous awning. We also have exterior hoses for a "shower"- nice for cleaning people/dogs/stuff off! There's even a spot for an ice chest in the huge storage compartment :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZQBbmp1vM6nwjtEK_EqcNNmA1UR1RzuvUtjxiFI4vqgBHH2gikBDEHTo8QMYAW8kXw5BsCv_l1tKdysvVTKiwDT4a4FSL2gHffQuujMahNFTUu4p3oGvSlavOMKhCKBj_RYG5Eb9mTz4/s1600/IMG_8272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZQBbmp1vM6nwjtEK_EqcNNmA1UR1RzuvUtjxiFI4vqgBHH2gikBDEHTo8QMYAW8kXw5BsCv_l1tKdysvVTKiwDT4a4FSL2gHffQuujMahNFTUu4p3oGvSlavOMKhCKBj_RYG5Eb9mTz4/s320/IMG_8272.jpg" width="213" /></a>We have a classy, larger-than-an-airplane bathroom as well! It is located right next to the kitchen near the back of the vehicle. </div>
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Across the "hall" from the bathroom is the shower- it's big enough to work for us! :) It is also located sort-of within the bathroom... there is a curtain/door system implemented. The curtain goes around the shower all the way to the bathroom door. The bathroom door flips out and locks, creating a privacy area from the living room. I'll explain it some other time. Regardless, here's the shower and bedroom!</div>
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WE ARE SO EXCITED!! What do we plan to do with it??<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Um, camp? There are many parks within a short drive that would make for fun weekend trips! </li>
<li>Triathlon races! No need to plan and pay for airfare and hotels far in advance... as long as we can find a campsite nearby, we are good to go! We've priced out several planned races, and even with gas prices nowadays, RV'ing is going to be significantly cheaper.</li>
<li>PLUS, Having our own bathroom and shower for pre- and post-race is going to be a.w.e.s.o.m.e.</li>
<li>AND, post-race party at our place!! awning, shower, TV on the outside, BAR on the inside!</li>
<li>Training weekends! It's going to be a blast to pick up and go and head for the hills (and better weather) whenever we please!</li>
<li>Tailgating- all the features of this RV- the bar, exterior entertainment center, awning, ice chest, etc. really LEND itself to a good time!</li>
<li>We LOVE traveling and visiting family/friends near and far, and RV'ing is going to be a FUN way to do it!!</li>
<li>We get to travel with our dog Winston! :)</li>
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We look forward to a ton of new adventures!!!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-64653442171090231002011-11-24T08:52:00.000-06:002011-11-24T09:13:28.594-06:00IMAZ Pre-Race<br />
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You can find my actual race report <a href="http://ugwi.blogspot.com/2011/11/one-minute-matters-ironman-arizona-race.html" target="_blank">here</a>: it has been updated with pictures since I first posted it. :) For those of you who like to know how my actual preparation for the race went (especially if you are a newbie or doing the race next year)- you may find this post interesting/helpful! :)</div>
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<b>Pre-Race : Only two
meltdowns!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I felt different going into this race. Usually I LOVE being around all the
hype- hanging out at the expo, shopping, wearing all my tri-geek stuff, talking
with other athletes, etc… but this weekend I wanted nothing to do with it- I
was focused on staying calm and resting up for the big day. I was pretty boring to be around
actually- I was in good spirits, but all I wanted to do was eat, hydrate, execute
my pre-race workouts and prep, and sleep. By SLEEP, I mean, ASLEEP by 8:30PM Friday and Saturday
night- and most of my pre-race week as well!</div>
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We flew in on Thursday and I took the day off training- I
wanted to get myself situated. I
did the necessary packet pickup and bike-pickup (used Tri-Bike transport) at
Expo and got the heck out of there.
I unpacked and got my bike, bags, etc. ready to go. Dan and I went to House of Tricks for
dinner- What a cute, romantic, and cozy little restaurant!</div>
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I wanted to get a feel for my race pace on the bike course
with the wind, so Friday and Saturday Dan drove me out to the Beeline so I
didn’t have to deal with all the traffic and cars and other athletes
in-town. I felt okay on Fri., but
was still surprisingly a little sluggish- obviously that meant I needed more
food and sleep. :) My mom flew in
Friday afternoon, and the three of us joined my coach Jen and her husband
Jerome, along with (new) friends Molly, Tracy, Jen, and a few others for lunch
at Pita Jungle. Yum! </div>
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After more rest and a last-minute CVS run, we had an early
dinner at Monti’s with our friends Tabitha and Carl, along with Scott Neyedli- he
is a pro triathlete that they were hosting for the race (who went 8:29 and took 11th!!). The Roman Bread was simply delicious
and perfect for pre-race! My
brother also flew in Friday night, but I was already asleep, so my amazing
husband went to pick him up from the airport :)</div>
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On Saturday I finalized my transition and special needs
bags, and headed over to the swim to get a feel for water. Yup- just as I remembered it- cold (61
degrees). I didn’t wear a thermal
cap or booties or anything and honestly I was fine. Nothing to worry about for the race- I knew my TYR Hurricane
wetsuit would keep me warm! I did
tear a small hole when I was putting it on- oops! I had remembered to pack wetsuit glue, so it was an easy fix
when I got back to my hotel later that day. </div>
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From there my people were waiting for me to take me back to
the Beeline for one more shake-out ride.
This time, I felt FANTASTIC!
Right at race watts, I was happy with how I felt and the speed I was
going- yay! But then… </div>
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<b>MELTDOWN
#1</b>. I had planned to meet my crew
at the turnaround- they were going to “check out” the casino then pick me
up. Yeah, ummm… I was waiting at
the side of road for 15-20 minutes without a cell phone!! Gaaaa…. There was a miscommunication
for how “long” I would be riding… at least I had time to stretch! Love you guys! </div>
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I did a short shake-out run after that…
my first one in a week. Pace was
fine, but ankle felt awful… well, at least I knew what to expect for
race day! We headed back to the
race site to turn in my transition bags… and discovered I took my special needs
instead- oops. Easy fix- I would
switch them in the morning.
Another lunch at Monti’s with Dan’s Mom, Dad, and sister Leslie who had
flown in the evening before, then back for more rest before dinner.</div>
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<b>MELTDOWN #2</b>- lost garmin charger. Seriously?? Dan
and I had JUST seen it hours before.
We never ended up finding it.
I was FREAKING OUT- my race plan was very dependent upon pacing. Luckily, Carl and Tabitha saved the day
and let me borrow theirs- THANK YOU!!!. </div>
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We went to their place for a homemade, very plain (yet delicious)
pre-race dinner with Scott, his girlfriend Lisa (who just SWAM the English
Channel in 10 hrs. in July!), his mom, and our new Australian friends Greg
Farrell (who ended up 2nd in his AG!!) and his girlfriend Alison. It was a perfect, relaxing evening to calm nerves and get
excited for the race!</div>
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<b>RACE MORNING<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I woke at 3:45am (15min before my alarm) wide awake. I ate my breakfast, got my gear and
nutrition, and was out the door and at the race site by 5:30AM. Again, I was NOT into the hype- I
wanted to focus and stay calm, so I put on my headphones, kept my head down and
went about my business. Switch
Transition and Special Needs Bags, put nutrition on bags and bike, drop off
special needs bags, wait in looooong line to get air pumped in tires, check to
make to sure brakes aren’t rubbing, put bike in desired gear, get body-marked,
go to bathroom (a few times) then get wetsuit on at 6:35. Using Tri-Slide it slipped right on- I
also used Tri-Slide in my bike shoes and run socks. NO BLISTERS- AT ALL!!
I also “foggled” my goggles and sunglasses- worked like a charm- no
fogging, even after my goggles got knocked off twice…I handed my dry clothes
and gear off to my wonderful mother, and I got in the water about 8-10 minutes
before the gun went off (had to swim ~100yds to get to start), took my
position, and waited… When the gun went off, I KNEW that I would be done in
under 11 hours…<br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-84357993164292389722011-11-23T10:03:00.001-06:002011-11-24T17:18:42.904-06:00One Minute Matters- Ironman Arizona Race Report<br />
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I had the most unbelievable, yet bittersweet, race of my life. I'm cutting right to the chase here with the race report- I have a pre-race report all written, I'll post it tomorrow for those of you who are interested. I'll also add pictures/minor corrections in the next few days. Here's how my day went down...</div>
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<b>THE SWIM- Where I
almost quit.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I had my garmin set to beep/vibrate every 20 minutes- I
should be at 40minutes at the turnaround to know if I was on pace for a
1:20. As you all know, I am NOT a
fast swimmer… but for this race I was “good enough” to be in the main pack mix…
which was NOT a good thing-
aaaahhhh the washing machine- I was getting bumped and smacked
constantly! I did my best to
relax, and I knew I was swimming strong.
Believe it or not, I was PAST the turnaround, almost to the first buoy
when the 40min beep went off- YES!!!! I was probably on pace for a
1:15-1:17! However, this is where
it started to fall apart- I was REALLY getting pummeled- kicked in the gut,
goggles slapped off, I was starting to get panicky, which has never happened in
a swim for me. I also made
the mistake of swimming buoy to buoy instead of sighting “far-ahead” and
following a more direct path- according to my Garmin I added about .2 miles
because of this. I would recommend
to anyone doing this race that they actually go to the bridge near the
turnaround before the race and check out the buoy line…</div>
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About halfway
back, it happened- my right calf completely seized and locked up- I screamed in
pain. I tried dorsi-flexing my
foot to stretch it out- it would cramp even worse on release. People were swimming over me, my
goggles got slapped off again, I was freaking out. Finally, I left it alone. It was PULSATING very painfully, but I pretended like I was
swimming with a pull buoy and just tried to finish up as best as I could- I
ended up with a 1:21 swim, still a 3-minute PR and only about a minute off
my goal time. </div>
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<b>T1 – so pissed.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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I came out of the water SO pissed- damage had been done to
my calf and I knew that it would be tight the rest of the race. Adapt and move on. It was a long transition run and the
change tent was full and busy. A
volunteer helped me and I got out there as quickly as I could- I’m not a
transition specialist, but I did alright.
My biggest dilemma was whether to wear arm warmers or not (~58 degrees
at bike start) I chose to wear them. A volunteer said he would grab my bike – but grabbed
the wrong one! Oops- but that got fixed quickly and I was on my way. Total time was 5:30-ish.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVideWIWN1WpaHNDkU-0wbOxx_PcLxUroSCQCT-0t2nZ1aoLsBmCIg2IO8fP0JGmUroXvqy3ltijV-YUVIs3raX2WH3fAOe6RQ504o7G1PYfho7TzULYeRxqHQoKJK1ojAd6j_0ikXiIQB/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.11.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVideWIWN1WpaHNDkU-0wbOxx_PcLxUroSCQCT-0t2nZ1aoLsBmCIg2IO8fP0JGmUroXvqy3ltijV-YUVIs3raX2WH3fAOe6RQ504o7G1PYfho7TzULYeRxqHQoKJK1ojAd6j_0ikXiIQB/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.11.56+PM.png" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi photos<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BIKE – the best ride
of my life!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Getting out of town I took it easy- there were TONS of
cyclists. I didn’t fret- once it
opened up I would get my groove on.
I took in my nutrition, made sure all my “junk” were in the right pockets
and tried to stretch out my calves a little bit. For the first 10 miles I chilled. I was ready to roll once we got on the Beeline… but
uuuggghhh.. the drafting on the first loop!!! I have
had friends who got penalties for drafting unintentionally, so I made SURE that
when the dudes passed me I fell back 4 bike lengths before passing them back. I was getting a little frustrated, but
I stayed calm. The only time shiz
hit the fan during my ride was when I was holding race watts, going up a little
hill when this pack of about 10-15 “athletes”, male and female, overtook and
surrounded me. I sat up, coasted,
waiting for them to pass me- they didn’t!! After about 1 minute of this nonsense I firmly told the
final members of the pack to PASS ME- they obliged, I fell back, then put my
head down and time-trialed past those BoZo’s and left them in the dust. Have a nice race A-Holes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47jQEiIKwnzv-dpcxyQCyhvTY8A7obVhfsMzOFDZBfYd5jEMdDIdadMNI3IK-RKzdOfd0-EAzu5HltwnxuJUYP9eaTEeAas1p5Y5IMR-w8jKCe8POiusc3GJos4tZORMzKcu65m8QI1Xi/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.14.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47jQEiIKwnzv-dpcxyQCyhvTY8A7obVhfsMzOFDZBfYd5jEMdDIdadMNI3IK-RKzdOfd0-EAzu5HltwnxuJUYP9eaTEeAas1p5Y5IMR-w8jKCe8POiusc3GJos4tZORMzKcu65m8QI1Xi/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.14.02+PM.png" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi photos<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had a headwind going out on the first loop- I averaged
about 19mph until the turnaround, but boy it was <b>FUN</b> heading back!!
Holding 27-30 mph is what I’m talking about!! I hit timing
mat around 1:45- holy cow!! I
figured I would slow up a bit during the next two loops so I didn’t even do the
math. I also didn’t see my people
on the first loop, so I was looking forward to the second go-around!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heading out on loop 2 I was moving! Watts were good, a tiny tad higher than
planned, but I constantly re-assessed and was feeling great. I saw my Mom working at the aid station
at mile 5 (of the loop), and my friend Margaret and her fiancé at mile 12 on
Gilbert Rd. On this section I
chatted a bit with a girl in my AG, Shawna, who was also riding really
strong! It was her first IM and I
was giving her tips on how to pee on the bike LOL. She is definitely an athlete to watch out for- there were some
dudes trying to draft off of her- it was pretty funny to watch as she smoked
them! At the turnaround I saw MY
MAN DAN and my brother Don- they looked like they were having a blast-
yay! I kept on truckin and felt
super- I finished the lap and hit the timing mat with a 1:45 split- again! Holy cow I’m done with 2 loops
already?? I then did some math-
and my breath was taken away for a moment when I realized I was on pace for a
FREAKING 5:15 bike split!! I
dismissed the thought, but was thinking I would actually get a 5:25- holy
smokes!! I’ll reassess at the
turnaround.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBV59mUpFFz9fOqPDsuFfg5lem3oY9KKJqV7_zt08jjXJWkclXFYGs6CUtwqtucHnvOdhD_cGysQYNJwqs-76XvB-SnWb0Hbwx7YSl5bJwQk_WsHsSvrIC2tbK_yXDETUNeB6ImpurI1QI/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.04.01+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBV59mUpFFz9fOqPDsuFfg5lem3oY9KKJqV7_zt08jjXJWkclXFYGs6CUtwqtucHnvOdhD_cGysQYNJwqs-76XvB-SnWb0Hbwx7YSl5bJwQk_WsHsSvrIC2tbK_yXDETUNeB6ImpurI1QI/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.04.01+PM.png" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi photos<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, 3<sup>rd</sup> lap started and now we had a tailwind
going out- crazy! I just. Felt.
Awesome. I didn’t stop at special
needs, so I made sure to take extra gels at aid stations so my nutrition plan
would stay on target. My calf was
loosening up a LITTLE bit, it wasn’t painfully seizing anymore. I saw my boys at the turnaround, then
hit the headwind- but it really wasn’t that bad. I guess all those LODA rides paid off!! I did some math… assessed my effort and
how I was feeling… looked at my pace… and realized I what I was about to
accomplish… Oh.My. Gosh. I crossed
the timing mat at 5:15:00 and was ECSTATIC.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>T2: Am I in the game?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got through T2 as fast as I could- I knew my bike split
was hellafast- but was I in the mix?? Time was 2:30-ish</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7JYVv1RISNNsGZsBGodNfYs6unXwip6fVLdvxPrB_nRUhhPtZzv3T7xxrLRBvyjp6L6I2DPlATZhgOO-y6GnZcy3y7g-i5ZnRwXShTmviGreM4hoyhRPGolqWwHj5_WV0L8haC_YfW03/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.10.40+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7JYVv1RISNNsGZsBGodNfYs6unXwip6fVLdvxPrB_nRUhhPtZzv3T7xxrLRBvyjp6L6I2DPlATZhgOO-y6GnZcy3y7g-i5ZnRwXShTmviGreM4hoyhRPGolqWwHj5_WV0L8haC_YfW03/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.10.40+PM.png" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi photos<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>RUN- the hardest run
of my life.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Going into the race, I knew the run was going to be the
biggest wildcard. I started off at
a moderate pace that I had consistently trained at- about a 8:35-8:45
mile. It wasn’t easy- my calf was
soo tight, my ankle and my heel hurt- but my brain blocked out that pain, and I
focused focused focused. Dan was
my “spotter” the whole run and when he told me around mile 3 that I was running
in THIRD PLACE I was in shock- this shiz was REAL.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoHaYVSG6TH9LEDebfBnXL0A5x0e5BqZupqDzNOopX0nAbX4F-MMygfoghk88vbhBn-fZnS3QZsw2RiM3JcLegUing7kAMs2eSQ_kJ8Y-q1IIwBofBejQmOrllYWUp0IzIve_T8FxkUaz/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.16.28+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoHaYVSG6TH9LEDebfBnXL0A5x0e5BqZupqDzNOopX0nAbX4F-MMygfoghk88vbhBn-fZnS3QZsw2RiM3JcLegUing7kAMs2eSQ_kJ8Y-q1IIwBofBejQmOrllYWUp0IzIve_T8FxkUaz/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.16.28+PM.png" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi photos. feeling fresh... not for long!<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I stayed calm and continued on at my own pace. I passed 2<sup>nd</sup> place around
mile 5, and was now running in second- I knew there was one girl behind me
running quicker, but I HAD to be smart so I wouldn’t blow up. 2<sup>nd</sup> place was a surefire
spot to Kona. There MAY be 3
spots, as there had been 3 in my AG in the past, but I wasn’t positive.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxbnu0je5gY5Z-O-gKGdqWReeaZ8CoxH2mhy9TSMz4ZMO-CSs_FZ0e1RJKPEdKVSRZRKk2YydvV4aUihDDX1pd9UBBWx3yeTQAKNOqUVAxuxyp_Zbtf7EGQAJkFYzt5qRGjvHZMqZnnpI/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.13.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxbnu0je5gY5Z-O-gKGdqWReeaZ8CoxH2mhy9TSMz4ZMO-CSs_FZ0e1RJKPEdKVSRZRKk2YydvV4aUihDDX1pd9UBBWx3yeTQAKNOqUVAxuxyp_Zbtf7EGQAJkFYzt5qRGjvHZMqZnnpI/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.13.21+PM.png" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi... focused.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwd_KL6CKTfv5u6CThIt84v2O1V3VLW_w9QAhezJThULXcqgv3deJh9RNP1Rbo5fBIpq9NB7ofWyZ-4CLmr71XvHE8A3UwGB1as7Ow4BTrIkYI2RciBsZemdIJYvGUhP9nGdUcQmnzRGb_/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.13.38+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwd_KL6CKTfv5u6CThIt84v2O1V3VLW_w9QAhezJThULXcqgv3deJh9RNP1Rbo5fBIpq9NB7ofWyZ-4CLmr71XvHE8A3UwGB1as7Ow4BTrIkYI2RciBsZemdIJYvGUhP9nGdUcQmnzRGb_/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.13.38+PM.png" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi... still focused.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can’t say the miles ticked away, because they didn’t. After about 10 miles, my legs were
getting heavy, and my injuries were getting painful. I put my head down and trucked on as hard as I could. Miles 13-14 is when my body started
giving out on me- I was giving more and more effort, but running slower and
slower. I NEVER let up- I took it
one mile at a time.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYsrsH7ylkiNtio2_bezd6pFj_7ysE8PdPYte5ASFa4Gq8jmgKrEQo9c68OyTwZ2BeQW9uP2VAgdOVbkHXu-0WGE1HHWbZ4pWdsx2muy0p4PUEgmqdiljTj1XVAKEYd7k7ZyPCUAdOLZU/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.12.48+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYsrsH7ylkiNtio2_bezd6pFj_7ysE8PdPYte5ASFa4Gq8jmgKrEQo9c68OyTwZ2BeQW9uP2VAgdOVbkHXu-0WGE1HHWbZ4pWdsx2muy0p4PUEgmqdiljTj1XVAKEYd7k7ZyPCUAdOLZU/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.12.48+PM.png" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi... hurting.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had a system
at aid stations- 2 sponges- I got my face, arms, quads, and hamstrings, took
one water and one perform (miles 1-13) or one coke (14-finish). I took a swig of my liquid shot every 4
miles. I was also taking salt tabs
consistently, as I also did on the bike.
I never cramped on the run, I just didn’t have the durability from my
limited run training this year. It
hurt very, VERY badly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMn2SNinGOEvqL8JhwZFLjg0VBh2ynSnnbZxisJZ6fEokyKj7v5vSHr9UMee02xUX4chG5aA17zlc46Mwc4sO3KK0WlX3eZ4kXP_XujYtGL-a0jzVbbK544N48pKyr1FVe49POHauWN_G/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.14.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMn2SNinGOEvqL8JhwZFLjg0VBh2ynSnnbZxisJZ6fEokyKj7v5vSHr9UMee02xUX4chG5aA17zlc46Mwc4sO3KK0WlX3eZ4kXP_XujYtGL-a0jzVbbK544N48pKyr1FVe49POHauWN_G/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.14.23+PM.png" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi... love these photos. They sum up the last 13 miles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKo5VDpaPNw_KPZA1hlb8gpTFILDNrbs_0HyNV8rZhEIrx6scSUMFDdy0MD-JRSUYC6iTh43y8dLJaTxZbKEnJJNDSXpWlZkaXqBjXrGg59pJ5vv7hL65hxoQIjphKbAJn57II5WSPUHq/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.14.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKo5VDpaPNw_KPZA1hlb8gpTFILDNrbs_0HyNV8rZhEIrx6scSUMFDdy0MD-JRSUYC6iTh43y8dLJaTxZbKEnJJNDSXpWlZkaXqBjXrGg59pJ5vv7hL65hxoQIjphKbAJn57II5WSPUHq/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.14.50+PM.png" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi... I was really pushing through some pain.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This paragraph is <b>heartbreaking</b> to write…I was in 2<sup>nd</sup>
place for 20 miles. I never let it
get to my head, because I knew I was NOT running at Kona-qualifying pace- if I
stayed in second, I would be very lucky.
I knew 3<sup>rd</sup> place was gaining on me very quickly- I gave every
ounce I had to hold a solid pace, but my body couldn’t deliver. Mile after mile she still hadn’t passed
me, and I held on tight…Even at mile 25, I knew I wasn’t safe… and sure enough,
as I running through the crowds ½ a mile from the finish, it happened. She BLAZED by me and didn’t look back-
Dan tried to get me to SPRINT to go with her…I tried with all my heart, but my
legs wouldn’t let me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyht-eIDB7bXe0yUIBYEGLhf22t8mZ3iBPGNvJSyEu2SQH_rUyjbMGEy6zWfGzCv1yZDHuJVIRXtPas8B8nDNpfRxCKlM0ILE8ZdRO-FMdB-oCgID0khadStsgipzfAq6twexpdEwo7Q4z/s1600/finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyht-eIDB7bXe0yUIBYEGLhf22t8mZ3iBPGNvJSyEu2SQH_rUyjbMGEy6zWfGzCv1yZDHuJVIRXtPas8B8nDNpfRxCKlM0ILE8ZdRO-FMdB-oCgID0khadStsgipzfAq6twexpdEwo7Q4z/s320/finish.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I never looked at overall time during the run- I only had my
garmin displaying my “lap time” – an easier way to mentally break it down. My marathon ended up being a 4:01. As I turned the corner to finish line,
and I saw the clock say 10:46, I could NOT BELIEVE IT. I had BLOWN my finish time
expectations out of the water. For
the moment, I forgot about the pass, and reveled in my finish line glory!! I’m still trying to comprehend that I’m
now a 10:46 athlete- that’s FAST!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aEZwedLfNbu4tZd0oXgQYqFgIR2nZMEpLAZBVynUbJQTSDo-iEFCUR_ejlXkoXoM0_iJ9zeGS7RDbr2xXn4cIQHhztvuqLHfF_13KXw3d-8AKpsqmMYD3w2Ml2m3aSiLgFU3BU970mtO/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.13.03+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aEZwedLfNbu4tZd0oXgQYqFgIR2nZMEpLAZBVynUbJQTSDo-iEFCUR_ejlXkoXoM0_iJ9zeGS7RDbr2xXn4cIQHhztvuqLHfF_13KXw3d-8AKpsqmMYD3w2Ml2m3aSiLgFU3BU970mtO/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-23+at+4.13.03+PM.png" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">asi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After I greeted my entire support crew with hugs and kisses,
I HAD TO KNOW if I made my pie-in-the-sky goal: A Kona slot. I found the paper posted on the massage
tent… and there it was… 2 slots for my AG. My heart sank, it stings to think about it. I missed a Kona slot literally, by one
minute. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THE AFTERMATH<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn’t get a Kona rolldown- it looks like I’ll have to
earn it the old-fashioned way. I
signed up for IM Louisville next year, and without a doubt I’ll be gunning for
a Kona slot.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It took 2 ½ days for my stomach to feel OK after the race,
and here I am 3 days out and I’m still having a lot of trouble getting up/down
and walking… my calves are so damn tight if you just POKE them I’ll scream in
pain… especially the one that cramped up in the swim. My ankle/heel is in a lot of pain- I’ll be seeing my doc
soon about options to “fix” that ASAP during the off-season. I don’t know HOW I pulled off a 4:01
marathon judging by the shape I’m in now!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve done many many triathlon races prior to this- but I’ve
always considered myself a participant; sure my goal at almost every race is to
race against myself and PR, but I was never too concerned with other athletes’
races- this has changed. On Sunday
I proved to myself that I am a COMPETITOR, and I sure as hell raced like one. A
10:46?? That’s a FAST girl’s time… MY TIME. I know that I had the BEST race I possibly could that day- I
truly left it all out there- and it got me on the podium.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMygTUeur2ux05n8e2NdwenZh9TOdXR60GuVJnJe5sIx50gNBm5Pdtgj2coq-bil3CGpwFxiH5jaGU9Qe82dQ31T7WPVP4ZF8_UmC28Hh-LrlR7UdvMtBRiuORrrdd08kGShMktF9KPZo/s1600/podium3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMygTUeur2ux05n8e2NdwenZh9TOdXR60GuVJnJe5sIx50gNBm5Pdtgj2coq-bil3CGpwFxiH5jaGU9Qe82dQ31T7WPVP4ZF8_UmC28Hh-LrlR7UdvMtBRiuORrrdd08kGShMktF9KPZo/s320/podium3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I trained like a “participant” for years- hitting the
important workouts, but skipping workouts that wouldn’t have a “big” effect on
my finishing time- well guess what- ONE MINUTE MATTERS. Those words sting. That is going to be my mantra for next
season- what is going to get me out of bed, in the pool, on the road, etc…</div>
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<b>THANK YOU<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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My race was very bittersweet- Despite missing a Kona slot, I
blew my finish time goal (10:58) out of the water with a 10:46- OVER A 1-HR PR,
and I freaking PODIUMED at major race!!
I also PR’ed IN EVERY section of the race, including transitions. I put in the training, the hard work,
and the suffering, but I couldn’t have gotten here without some MAJOR help:</div>
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<b>My husband</b>: Dan is amazing. Even being overseas for most of the
year, he found ways to motivate and bring out the best in me- he was sooo
accommodating during all my taper and pre-race anxiety and crabbiness, and did
everything he possibly could for me to have the best race. He wasn’t even supposed to BE in
Arizona…having him there truly made my weekend. I LOVE you Dan!!
He really needs to look into a career with all this sports statistician
stuff- he’s GOOD at it!! He was
ALL over that course giving me times and telling me exactly how fast I had to
go to maintain my position, etc… Team Wheatley is going to dominate next year!</div>
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<b>My family:</b> My sweet mom, brother, and in-laws all
flew out to watch and were the best spectators and support crew I could ask
for- they have been so positive and helpful all year- THANK YOU!!</div>
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<b>My sponsored team:</b> GO TRAKKERS/REV3!! The passion of these individuals is
contagious, and support I receive from them is unbelievable. REV3 Events are top-notch and I can’t
wait to compete in several of them (Knoxville, Portland or Maine, and the
Dells) to prep and tune-up for IMLOU next year!!</div>
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<b>My coach:</b> Jen
Harrison did it again… she turned a participant into a competitor. She also had an amazing race herself at
IMAZ and got 3<sup>rd</sup> in her AG ( the biggest female field) and turned
down her Kona slot. What a woman…
Thank You Jen!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRczTmL0jUZX5fSTEfJnM_aH65di6Ln1hS8vn2iE5v9bBrl2F73Tx9tdQGam7UgqlvNS-LZilZRUhwMSmlRZsyDHyy8TCCt7o8O562Wy_iMAqorvuLdMv2rFfqK6hx7oSbq8ZxQd3072pk/s1600/jen+and+laura+3rd+place.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRczTmL0jUZX5fSTEfJnM_aH65di6Ln1hS8vn2iE5v9bBrl2F73Tx9tdQGam7UgqlvNS-LZilZRUhwMSmlRZsyDHyy8TCCt7o8O562Wy_iMAqorvuLdMv2rFfqK6hx7oSbq8ZxQd3072pk/s320/jen+and+laura+3rd+place.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Bloomington Cycle and
Fitness:</b> For keeping my bike
in top-notch condition! I beat the
hell out of that thing, so they have no easy task :) They also worked extensively with me on my bike fit, and it
paid off- I rode comfortably the WHOLE race. I felt strong and powerful without any back/neck/etc. pain!</div>
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<b>My local team and
training partners:</b> TRI-SHARKS!!
Mick- Thanks for hosting the weekly time trials- they are training
weapons! Tamara and Brian- thanks
for making me ride 50 miles straight into headwinds week after week. It wasn’t always fun, but it paid off
:) Steve- thanks for RUNNING with
me (and Winston) and letting me borrow your helmet!! Chris- thanks for all the advice, gear help, and mentorship-
it has definitely helped shape me as an athlete. To all the guys that kicked my ass on the bike (Mark M.,
Mike D., Doug, Brad, ROSS, etc…)- THANKS!! I also used the club wheels (Zipp 404 and Disc) which were
AWESOME.</div>
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<b>My sponsors: <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Kestrel bicycles</b>
for providing the machine I powered to the 6<sup>th</sup> fastest female bike
split of the day (fastest in AG, AND I beat 4 pro’s)-I LOVE my bike!!</div>
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<b>SBR Sports-</b> Kept
my hair and body feeling fresh all year, but more importantly, NO CHAFING with
Tri-Slide, and NO FOGGING on my goggles (even after being knocked off twice)
and sunglasses with Foggle!! Thank you!!</div>
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<b>First Endurance:</b>
I never had ANY GI issues all day, and I was fueled by EFS, liquid shot, and
pre-race capsules. Nutrition can
make or break your race, and I was able to race what I was capable of without
any GI stress!</div>
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<b>TYR:</b> Even in the chilly water, my Hurricane
wetsuit kept my body temperature up and just fine! I swam my way to a PR, and its only going to get better :)</div>
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<b>Recovery Pump:</b> During my biggest blocks of training
and hard workouts, I was able to recover very quickly and bounce right back
into training.</div>
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<b>Avia:</b> For
providing some FUN, flashy shoes!!</div>
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<b>To all my friends and
supporters</b>: I am amazed and humbled by the support and encouragement I
received via email, text, facebook, and twitter!! I can’t believe how many of you took such a portion of your
day to track me- Thank You!! </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-60335027876717267832011-11-19T08:13:00.001-06:002011-11-19T08:35:32.577-06:00Putting my Cards on the Table<br />
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I AM HERE… and I AM READY!!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Before Dan left for his deployment, I wanted to find a major
goal or project to keep myself busy… and naturally, being a triathlete, that
“goal” was a RACE. </div>
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I chose Ironman Arizona as my target for the following
reasons:</div>
<ul>
<li>The longer the race, the more competitive I can
be right now. In upcoming years, I
plan to get FASTER at ½ Iron distances- Look out <b><a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">REV3 </a></b>Knoxville and REV3 Dells
2012!!</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>It’s late in the year so I had all year to
prepare for and train for it (and let injuries heal up)</li>
<li>The course suits my strengths – it’s flat and
windy (mirroring Central IL weather!)<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></li>
<li>The weather for this race (in November)
typically hasn’t been too hot either (I don’t do well in heat).</li>
<li>The 3-loop bike and run courses are ideal for
racing (breaks the distance down into manageable sections) and spectating (lots
of family coming)!<span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></li>
<li>I’ve done this race before (in 2008) and raced
well, so I know what to expect.</li>
</ul>
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Now, my main goal isn’t just to finish this race. I have FINISHED 8 Iron-distance races,
#9 will be a great accomplishment (as ANY Iron-distance finish), but I want
something more…</div>
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I am going to FIGHT, tooth and nail, to <b>break 11 hours.</b> </div>
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Setting such an ambitious goal very early in season, with
injuries, was pretty ballsy.</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>I will need to take 1 hour off of my best time
to date is 11:52, on the IMAZ course.</li>
<li>The last 2 years I’ve been plagued with feet and
ankle injuries which have been pretty debilitating.</li>
</ul>
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So here’s my honest training recap of the year:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.jenharrison.com/" target="_blank">JEN HARRISON</a></b>: </div>
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<br /></div>
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I hired Jen Harrison to coach me through this season- she
has an excellent track record of transforming “age group athletes” into Elite,
Kona-Qualifying athletes. She has
put up with a lot of my crap this season…</div>
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<b>EARLY SEASON:</b></div>
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BIKE: I put a LOT of work into the bike, especially since my
foot was not taking kindly to running.
This PAID OFF in big ways- I can “hang” with (I mean, off the wheels of)
the “fast guys” in town, and I dominated the weekly time-trials in Bloomington-
I even took 3<sup>rd</sup> place at a major Time Trial race in
Chicago-land! I also had the 4<sup>th</sup>
fastest bike split at REV3 Knoxville- only 5 minutes off the leader.</div>
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SWIM AND RUN: Well… not much to be said here. I wasn’t running very much due to
injuries, and although I was swimming MUCH more than I used to (i.e. 2-3x/week
versus MAYBE 1x/week) I wasn’t completing all the work my coach asked me to do…I
realize that I don’t necessarily HATE swimming, it’s just my weakness, so
therefore I don’t like it.</div>
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<b>MID-SEASON:</b></div>
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There was a lot of personal stress in my life… and
unfortunately, I didn’t take it out on training. Although I was still getting (some) workouts in, I fell off
the wagon quite a bit. I was also
second-guessing and even dismissing my goal of breaking 11 hours at IMAZ- I was
starting to accept that IMAZ may end up similar to IM Cozumel last year- shitty
swim, good bike, walk the marathon.
This is where my biggest regret of the season lies- “giving up”. </div>
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Then there was the Great Illini Half-Iron tri… my first DNF,
EVER. It was not due to fitness- I
bowed out after the first loop of the run because my achilles starting
bothering me VERY BADLY, and I didn’t want to risk completely ruining my
chances of being able to run at IMAZ… this really discouraged me…</div>
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When school first started, I didn’t do a stellar job of time
management (wasn’t fitting in ALL the training), and my ankle was KILLING
ME. I was actively seeing doctors,
physical therapists, athletic trainers, trying all sorts of techniques, etc… to
no avail. Again, I was wondering
how “worth it” it was to get in all my workouts if I wasn’t going to be able to
RUN the marathon… I’d be lucky just to get another finish.</div>
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<b>THE KICKER:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Things turned around when my doc looked at a recent X-Ray of
my ankle, and concluded that my pain is caused by a bone spur that the achilles tendon
is running right over. I have
gotten 2 medical opinions on this, and both docs agree that I am NOT a major risk for
a tendon rupture (short-term), and that I CAN TRAIN THROUGH IT this
season. Wait…. Really??</div>
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<b>LATE-SEASON:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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And RUN I did.
For about 2-3 weeks after this “diagnosis” my body (muscles) had to get
used to running again- everything HURT!
Tight quads, calves, IT Band, all these muscles were being used in
different ways that they haven’t been all season- Don at <a href="http://aches-away.com/" target="_blank">Aches Away</a> helped me
through this with some great sport massages! </div>
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Once this initial “adaptation” phase blew over, I had six
GLORIOUS WEEKS OF RUNNING!! Maybe
it was another subconscious defense mechanism, but my ankle and foot didn’t
even hurt. All the cardiovascular
fitness I’ve built up on the bike this year carried over- I was running faster
(with easier effort) in training than well…ever. Even the year I qualified for Boston. Even the year I ran a 1:39 ½ Marathon.</div>
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This gave me hope- I now had eyes for that 11-Hour mark. I got fired up for swim workouts
(gasp!)- I am ENJOYING time in water, and I’m swimming faster than I have in 7
years (not saying much, but still).
I endured some RIDICULOUSLY cold and windy long, long bike rides. </div>
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I NAILED all my workouts and training during the last big
blocks, like my friend Chris Sweet said, I've "left almost no stones unturned"… but will it be enough?? Or will my
mid-season slacking come back to haunt me? Or will the endurance training I've done over the last 7 years make up for some of it?</div>
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<b>RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW</b></div>
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I feel like the stars are aligning...</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>Weather looks cool (~70 degrees)- perfect.</li>
<li>My husband is coming to spectate- he wasn’t
supposed to be home until Dec-Jan :)</li>
<li>My mom, brother, good friend, mother-, father-,
and sister-in-law are flying out to spectate!</li>
<li>I’ve been happy and relatively stress-free the
last 2 weeks<span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></li>
<li>My race # is 165… my birthday is 6-5</li>
<li>My ankle starting bugging a little again AFTER I
finished my last big training block… a simple sign that’s its time to rest and
let my body heal up</li>
<li>I’ve been a little sluggish on the bike… this
will make me HOLD BACK and not over-do it!</li>
<li>My swim has been coming along nicely- I will
swim aggressively!My super athlete (and preggo) friend Trisha just
FEELS like I am going to have the race of my life… and you don’t mess with a
preggo momma’s intuition.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>I FEEL READY.</li>
</ul>
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In the spirit of “laying it all on the table,” here are my
goals:</div>
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<br /></div>
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Swim: 1:20</div>
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Bike: 5:35 </div>
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Run: 3:55 </div>
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Transitions: 0:08</div>
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<br /></div>
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Total Time:
10:58</div>
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I am ready to suffer and give it all I got- my late-season
training and fitness indicates that these goals are ACHIEVABLE. I also know that I might not achieve my
goals- my early-mid season slacking, along with my lack of running “base” and
durability might catch up with me.
Iron-distance races are a long day- anything can happen. Yes I’ll be a
little embarrassed that I shared all this with you if I fail… but it will make
tracking me on Sunday a little more exciting right? Also, Michelle aka <a href="http://rural-girl.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Rural Girl</a> ALWAYS puts her big season
goals out there for the world to see (via blog title)… and then ACHIEVES THEM. Send some vibes my way girlfriend!</div>
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I can’t wait to finish the final chapter of this story :)</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-32653040031213893212011-11-17T20:27:00.001-06:002011-11-18T08:46:13.452-06:00Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?<br />
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<o:p> </o:p>Hello all, I’m writing to you from 10,000 ft! </div>
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I’m on the plane on the way to my BIG RACE… but let’s save that post for Friday or Saturday, shall
we?? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjOmvCwun7G4uGlJvFsZ6mVWSZ1OkUeje5qI3wIrfsU6KqfzFvIW39YjHSp7KWmR331PW1aGCCQ-M4Dgm2PJphzNqRPgOcjtt-Wsx9sPN7VgP3ZjPC3_MqxXTbhlwtgCteB_X1x5pcj7I/s1600/fave+wheatley+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjOmvCwun7G4uGlJvFsZ6mVWSZ1OkUeje5qI3wIrfsU6KqfzFvIW39YjHSp7KWmR331PW1aGCCQ-M4Dgm2PJphzNqRPgOcjtt-Wsx9sPN7VgP3ZjPC3_MqxXTbhlwtgCteB_X1x5pcj7I/s400/fave+wheatley+pic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My life has been
AWESOME lately- you know those times when everything seems to be falling into
place, work is going well, life comes so easily, and you are getting along with
everybody? Stress is LOW, and you
are HAPPY? That’s NOW for me!! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk5vYP2vBUl_ahyphenhyphenRrwT8yVJqtJJ6k-_TwjP6YlLRLnC6oZfKHvOJxyNGtJmE_DfAUHByNx3xHpMHRwF7XEDPvR5awfyTys0yaEfuwAeM6LjaRkIYIGLCC88HSaMntH7PAMXRKRKXiR7oa/s1600/Wheatley+Fam+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk5vYP2vBUl_ahyphenhyphenRrwT8yVJqtJJ6k-_TwjP6YlLRLnC6oZfKHvOJxyNGtJmE_DfAUHByNx3xHpMHRwF7XEDPvR5awfyTys0yaEfuwAeM6LjaRkIYIGLCC88HSaMntH7PAMXRKRKXiR7oa/s400/Wheatley+Fam+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of the major
factors to my “newfound happiness” is that my HUSBAND is HOME!! Dan is in the Army National Guard, and
he was deployed to Iraq for 10 months.
He’s been back in the states for 3-4 weeks, and has been HOME for 2
weeks now, and life is just fabulous.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4h4BIq9LmvtPyt5nBzs7F07IZbKF1f5_uRPYZHzLxfSttRuTkapdpnZ-sEOr-3YccbQmOUog8WGD6eUJI_5yXnKoeo7JJdNbr1r_PaT1XkamgZ6YCwTfV8HJ_lkJWvbO_GjJFgZ8B4RCe/s1600/smiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4h4BIq9LmvtPyt5nBzs7F07IZbKF1f5_uRPYZHzLxfSttRuTkapdpnZ-sEOr-3YccbQmOUog8WGD6eUJI_5yXnKoeo7JJdNbr1r_PaT1XkamgZ6YCwTfV8HJ_lkJWvbO_GjJFgZ8B4RCe/s320/smiles.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EGnCwQwzoTeINwpi5gu__svb-xNN1qfqp3qhKWK1522diowW1Gk2pQcaM4AZmgMaGjqx2l6Exrj1q6HCwX6BFKHdC13JjIy_fNU_b8A5MAn1bEj8UR3mTa8YlrJIktcgJVe6KemEDL97/s1600/group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EGnCwQwzoTeINwpi5gu__svb-xNN1qfqp3qhKWK1522diowW1Gk2pQcaM4AZmgMaGjqx2l6Exrj1q6HCwX6BFKHdC13JjIy_fNU_b8A5MAn1bEj8UR3mTa8YlrJIktcgJVe6KemEDL97/s320/group.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I sort of expected
him to feel like a “special guest” in our home at first since he’s been gone so
long… instead, we fell back into our normal routine, and everything just feels
RIGHT- our home, our family is COMPLETE again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CKvjtiXhtckLfaroJ08ZEtH6LRyaxnyn3agJjxMQ-og_ZbxXLCHcPfFrOfy_gBy0mYm5XuPfEX8ArIQWL3qx9rtNAwNr7w6xlTqXalj9hFpHtnqStK9bTnGqoEtl9gdIyRop6y3yrU0E/s1600/on+his+shoulder+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CKvjtiXhtckLfaroJ08ZEtH6LRyaxnyn3agJjxMQ-og_ZbxXLCHcPfFrOfy_gBy0mYm5XuPfEX8ArIQWL3qx9rtNAwNr7w6xlTqXalj9hFpHtnqStK9bTnGqoEtl9gdIyRop6y3yrU0E/s400/on+his+shoulder+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I felt I like I held
up really well in his absence – I never got depressed or super lonely- I had
work, training, friends, and family to keep me busy. I worried about him, but I also knew that the danger he faced
was out of my control. Without
realizing it, I put up a “defense mechanism” and blocked out how much I missed
him and worried about him… We were so lucky to be able to skype nearly every
day, so I got to SEE him and know that he was OK!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAWicAjW0oWgVf2C2FiEvCVgiTkhyrf7QhSj87uJwisrmSYE0jKbfh-O90xpGd0EeX1tZZrigXFu4CFaGy0x7yyq3gCR1EFJdqlrHDBtM2Kd8lMX1G8dO9WkdVs_NqDT3VPIshw-j8x7v/s1600/kiss+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAWicAjW0oWgVf2C2FiEvCVgiTkhyrf7QhSj87uJwisrmSYE0jKbfh-O90xpGd0EeX1tZZrigXFu4CFaGy0x7yyq3gCR1EFJdqlrHDBtM2Kd8lMX1G8dO9WkdVs_NqDT3VPIshw-j8x7v/s400/kiss+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
When he called me
that day in late October to tell me that he was back in states and OUT of the
warzone, I smiled and laughed and told him that I was so happy and
relieved. After we hung up the
phone, it really hit me- he was SAFE.
He was no longer in danger.
He was coming home, back to ME, very soon. And then to my surprise I let out all the sadness and worry
that had subconsciously built up over the last year and cried my eyes out in my
car. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOqwq75UOzgX4VP_XulNGAReM0uGkBA4sd8yJem_Xmc4ZNR1RfSTAgPj-pDm3tUf7G6-t7VEO_tAkcuaI0dVV0W670kFVxJMVgsqPJtlC9JPg1TRpvchV-o5XoRpp6MmkAQLWol6YGEmp/s1600/first+hug+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOqwq75UOzgX4VP_XulNGAReM0uGkBA4sd8yJem_Xmc4ZNR1RfSTAgPj-pDm3tUf7G6-t7VEO_tAkcuaI0dVV0W670kFVxJMVgsqPJtlC9JPg1TRpvchV-o5XoRpp6MmkAQLWol6YGEmp/s320/first+hug+2.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Life is good…don’t
take your loved ones for granted.
TODAY, make sure you give your special person (or people) and big hug
and kiss and TELL THEM that they mean the world to you, and that your life is
better with them in your life!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtIcwbHbr3JBtJtL_xp_VVaPSQshsTp-VD1s3_FL_wopnDU3dI7BdOwCf_1wm_ZKFiXE-0IUl4-E1VaRnGqIH6F5r4ITXI4AMzxFnQhPxThUhUIU3EFzjsrkP1jzdAUydnJjfLAyc63od/s1600/wheatley+faces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtIcwbHbr3JBtJtL_xp_VVaPSQshsTp-VD1s3_FL_wopnDU3dI7BdOwCf_1wm_ZKFiXE-0IUl4-E1VaRnGqIH6F5r4ITXI4AMzxFnQhPxThUhUIU3EFzjsrkP1jzdAUydnJjfLAyc63od/s320/wheatley+faces.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here are some
pictures that we took last weekend with my Mom and brother- my friend Bea
Corbin is a very talented photographer, and from these sample pictures you can
see that she does a great job capturing the love and bonds our family shares!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnpsTBH7ANJdjjd1eWHkGBf_KmBxgxYvQXbBHLhTeVg2yyMvhVZzkVKQdILZppkEqg1RmkLvevkYDp8xmchob29adgiKslmzF0OZhBKm4eMzWe7Tf4jAe5jXiPgmz9ukKk65R3NiCPUWO/s1600/family+on+quad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnpsTBH7ANJdjjd1eWHkGBf_KmBxgxYvQXbBHLhTeVg2yyMvhVZzkVKQdILZppkEqg1RmkLvevkYDp8xmchob29adgiKslmzF0OZhBKm4eMzWe7Tf4jAe5jXiPgmz9ukKk65R3NiCPUWO/s400/family+on+quad.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvOB6o5Bo2pL5rQMgDJPcH0wI9acQgTjgq7Q6ri9raoVxecUIX0JdbaCIDdhqXKCZv_bv_OVh8heW6zhtfwxkAKRYK3II1QTylLWQLf_90W6_PHitVJk66vREasIn0xMG73A4EGPkw0aM/s1600/Entire+Fam+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvOB6o5Bo2pL5rQMgDJPcH0wI9acQgTjgq7Q6ri9raoVxecUIX0JdbaCIDdhqXKCZv_bv_OVh8heW6zhtfwxkAKRYK3II1QTylLWQLf_90W6_PHitVJk66vREasIn0xMG73A4EGPkw0aM/s400/Entire+Fam+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h4GoVavTGImdE8SZnjfvPAFsaA7oPi1b_8CbodBzorGvvQpk-dwZMOmb8QHOzPMhbWTQ4Vvdq4uheMbz9aAmzN6wkO3QjKOc4ZqBPEPypOV3MdTebCwUBB8p0Zretjo4kfy7NmiI1i5p/s1600/Whole+Fam+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h4GoVavTGImdE8SZnjfvPAFsaA7oPi1b_8CbodBzorGvvQpk-dwZMOmb8QHOzPMhbWTQ4Vvdq4uheMbz9aAmzN6wkO3QjKOc4ZqBPEPypOV3MdTebCwUBB8p0Zretjo4kfy7NmiI1i5p/s400/Whole+Fam+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6391699037216545587.post-75882419310102957982011-11-02T19:41:00.002-06:002011-11-02T21:08:45.640-06:00Exciting!Quick Post with updates, thoughts, etc...<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>My foot/ankle decided to get better about a month ago. Coincidentally, my motivation skyrocketed.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div>
I NAILED my last (biggest) training cycle. Workouts are now winding down- shorter, faster, and lots of race-pace interval on the swim/bike/run. Cycling on my <a href="http://www.kestrelbicycles.com/" target="_blank">Kestrel</a> is strong (as it has been all year), I'm making progress on the swim, and running has been going RIDICULOUSLY well. I am SO excited for my race in 3 weeks- My original goal (10:xx) seems reachable... still a stretch since I don't have the "cumulative" miles on my legs, I would NEED a quick bike split, but I can't over-ride it... so we SHALL SEE!! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've had some GREAT training partners on some TOUGH workouts....I've done several 100-115 miles where we have gone 50 miles out with a tailwind, then had to BATTLE the headwind on the way back. No turns, no stops, no trees, no corn, etc... it's a barren wasteland out here. It's <strike>MIND-NUMBING </strike> mental toughness training...Thanks Tamara, Brian, and Mark!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Running- holy sh*t. I'm running faster than I was 3 years ago when I was running WELL- It's going to be a total wildcard on 11-20, I can't wait to see how the run unfolds!! <a href="http://3sportathlete.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Steve</a> has been keeping me company on my runs (even though he JUST rocked the Chicago Marathon less than a month ago!)- THANKS!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Swimming- lots of pool time! I'm figuring out how to maintain "momentum"... I've also figured how NOT to ruin my hair by using <a href="http://www.sbrsportsinc.com/index.html" target="_blank">SBR Sports</a> swimcare (see bullet point below for the importance of this!) :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've also been using the new <a href="http://www.firstendurance.com/" target="_blank">First Endurance</a> Pre-Race capsules during my "race-specific" workouts, and it's been AWESOME! No GI distress that I've had with the powder, and I've been DELIVERING on all the intervals and workouts prescribed by JH. Excellent. I have my nutrition dialed in- I'm using FE Liquid Shot (Vanilla) and EFS (Tart Lemon-Lime and Fruit Punch) for the race. Throughout the year I've been trying to use 2x strength of concentrated EFS so I wouldn't have to use special needs- even with plenty of water intake, it never sit well with my stomach, so I WILL be using Special Needs half-way through the bike to pick up more regular-strength bottles...I know it works and I love how it tastes, so no need to risk it!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My dog is so cool too. He's done 90% of my runs with me this year- he's such a good little runner. Vizslas are MEANT to run- he keeps up on fast runs, and he recently "PR-ed" with his longest distance to date- 15 miles! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm doing all the race-prep now... packing lists, final product/gear ordering- PS I NEED A NEW AERO HELMET... mine broke :( travel and time management before and during race week... so exciting!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With race registrations opening up, I'm also getting psyched for next year- there are 15-20+ Tri-Sharks heading up to <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">REV3</a> Wisconsin Dells next year- yay!! I'll definitely be at REV3 Knoxville again (LOVE the bike course... and the new hills on the run course!), and after working REV3 Anderson this year, that looks like a fun one too...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Best News Ever---- MY HUSBAND IS COMING HOME!!!</li>
</ul>
<div>
After being deployed since January, he is coming home on FRIDAY!!!! My life is awesome. He is the coolest guy ever and I can't wait to be with him all.the.time from now on!!! Enough said! I <3 Dan Wheatley!<br />
<br />
Check out these stories about his unit's homecoming!!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://blogs.pjstar.com/kravetz/2011/11/01/709th-medical-comes-home-from-iraq-on-friday/">http://blogs.pjstar.com/kravetz/2011/11/01/709th-medical-comes-home-from-iraq-on-friday/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.centralillinoisnewscenter.com/news/local/Peoria-Based-Troops-Returning-from-Iraq-133034748.html">http://www.centralillinoisnewscenter.com/news/local/Peoria-Based-Troops-Returning-from-Iraq-133034748.html</a></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://955glo.com/homecoming-celebration-planned-for-army-national-guard-709th-medical-company/">http://955glo.com/homecoming-celebration-planned-for-army-national-guard-709th-medical-company/</a></span></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06927142981675326953noreply@blogger.com5