Technology

Yesterday I went for my long run. Of course I had my Garmin (GPS Unit) on my arm but the funny thing is that it does not work if you don't turn it on. Of course I noticed this and I turned it on - I figured I had missed about a half mile. After all I know my running routes...NOT! After about 3 hours of running trails and roads I had about 19 miles. It felt more than that but the Garmin is always accurate (if it is turned on!) The point at which I saw John driving down the road looking for me gave me a clue that something was up, maybe he just wanted to bring me a Coke? I guess the watch had been off for more like 2-3 miles because it was already 11:30 and I had left the house at 8 and told John that I would be home at 11:00. Oops - now I know why he was out looking for me! Thanks to John I did not run an entire marathon during my training run.

I won a Turkey & Pumpkin Pie!

On Thanksgiving Day we headed to Spartanburg for a 5K race at my Alma Matter. While the campus has changed considerably since I went to school there all the tough hills that put a hurting on me 9 years ago are still there. The race was small and the day was blustery and a little wet but I actually managed to be the first woman accross the line. As I have said before in other blog entries there were not a lot of women but a win is a win! My prize: A trophy with a golden turkey on top, a big roaster turkey and a pumpkin pie! I think that these are the best awards I have ever won. Something else to be thankful for!

Dog's View

Willow, Pepe' Duke, Yoda & Ziggy lead the way down the trail...

I guess that if I have something to be thankful for it has to be the area where I live. The fact that I can run out the door on to trails with ALL the dogs makes my heart sing. I love to run but the dogs love to run even more. They get so excited, I guess they enjoy the view as much as I do. These pictures don't really do my usual route justice but you at least get the idea of where I go to find peace.

Colby's Triathlon

I swear I am not that short - they are all just that tall!

On Nov 10th I did my first triathlon since Lake Placid. You probably have not heard of this one since there were only 4 of us but it was still the same good fun swim, bike, run. We met in the afternoon down at the Pine Street YMCA and did a little 400m swim, a 12 mile bike and a 3 mile run. You probably are wondering why on earth we were doing this in the middle of the winter. Colby (standing next to me in the picture) was doing a senior project on triathlon and it would not be complete until he actually did a triathlon. I was his mentor. So to make things a little more fun I invited Brad & Chad (Wir hier to pump you up - sorry old Saturday Night Live joke). We all did the tri together and since we are all so experienced we thought it would be easy....but Colby ran Cross Country. After we got off the bikes Colby only made one comment about his legs and then took off! Chad who just did IM FL the weekend before had to be hurting. I know I was! Anyway Colby ran a steady quick pace and completed his project with flying colors. His mother was so kind and even took us all to dinner afterwards.

Atlanta - Power Clinic

Really I went to Atlanta for the USA - Cycling clinic on training with Power - I went down early to check out the aquarium...

In order to keep my coaching certifications up to date and to assure everyone that I really do know what I am doing I am required to go to continuing education classes. I also need to get a new certification pretty much every year in something to keep up. Last year I got my USA - Cycling (coach) certification. For those of you who don't know it training with a Power Meter is going to be how it is done within the next few years. Currently there are a few new affordable power meters on the market and as the price goes down I am sure a power meter will find its way to your "I have to have it" list. Anyway - I spent the entire weekend in a classroom listening to the guys who wrote the book (no kidding) on training with a power meter. I also had time to read the book again during the class and I have been training with a power meter for 2 years so I now actually feel like I am ready to coach someone with one. Since sitting 2 days in class was pretty much torture for me I hope that everyone goes out an buys one soon so I am practice all the stuff I learned in class on you!

Aside from class I was treated to a stay at the downtown Atlanta Marriott. It seemed nice enough, minus the fact that they had no water the first night, but at least their food was good! On Saturday night I finally got to go to Trader Vic's a restaurant I have been dying to go to since I went there in Munich many years ago. That was pretty much the highlight of the weekend - or maybe that was when the water in the hotel came back on? All in all it was a fun weekend, even educational.

Old Friends

Rhonda, Katie, Kelly and new member of the girls club - Madi (Madison)

On the 16th of November Rhonda and her husband Jeff (who also went to school with us) came back to visit. They live in Beaverton, OR where Jeff works at Adidas and Rhonda works as a pharmacist at the hospital.

Back in the day...yes High School, Rhonda, Kelly and I did pretty much everything together. Some of the things that come to mind: cross country, track, soccer, working at George's, hanging out at the lake, having illegal parties, being drama queens in local theater productions, skipping school and collecting real estate signs. After high school we all took off for college. Rhonda was the first to finish and in a way the last too since it seems she enjoyed it so much. Kelly and I both opted for "alternative" educations although I eventually had to conform. Kelly and Rhonda were both nice enough to take bets at my first wedding as to how long it would last. To this day I am not sure which one of them actually "won". I can tell you this much it certainly was not me! Back in high school I am not sure which one of us I would have pegged as the first to have children but I don't think it would have been Kelly - so she surprised us and has had not 1 but 2 adorable kids. Ok - Kelly you have won the race - you can stop having kids now! Rhonda and I are hopelessly behind and may never catch up.

So as we all got together again for the first time in probably 4 or 5 years it was fun to see how we have all grown and changed, been educated by life, but in so many ways we are all still the same small town, fun loving girls we always were. We still love each other for what we are. I am proud of what Rhonda has done with all her smarts and impressed with Kelly's mothering and the cozy home she and Alex have made together. I am thankful to have friends like Kelly & Rhonda and have enjoyed watching as we all age...although I think we all look just like we did in high school!

Catching Up & Rambling

This week was the beginning of my marathon training. Basically that means I am back on a training schedule for the first time in months (since the accident at Lake Placid at the end of July). I realize my training is of little interest to most of you and that I rarely blog about it because for the most part it is not that interesting...swim, bike, run, eat, sleep. I always think it is all the things I do in between those that make my life truly whole.

Training & Racing:

Last weekend I ran a 10K trail run (Peoplechase) at FENCE. To anyone who has been there they can appreciate the fact that it is super hilly. I ran with Willow & Pepe' which I have never done before in a race but it was actually a good strategic move since they literally pulled me up the first hill! I normally don't run with them on a leash so it was new to them and me. After the first half a mile we (me, Pepe' & Willow) were in the lead of ALL 5K & 10K runners! This was not really where we belonged so I pulled over and let all the serious runners (Armando too) pass. Then I took the pups off the lead and let them heel next to me. We had a great race together and ended up winning the 10K for the women. (ok, I admit there were not that many women in the racer - but hey, a win is a win!)

The beauty of the race at FENCE was that I was sore afterwards. I guess that means I worked hard. So I started my first week of marathon training sore! I am following Hal Higdon's Advanced Marathon Training Program. I did not realize that the advanced program is longer than his usual 12 week program so I am getting a late start on it. Oh well. This week I will probably log about 40+ miles which is a lot more than I have run in a long time. Just in case you are wondering. I can feel it. I feel old, my feet hurt, my legs are sore. My abs are killing me from some stupid plyometric exercises I did where you have to jump up and down on boxes. I guess I am getting a good dose of my own medicine!

Today was an optional race day on the schedule. I was in luck, there was a 6K trail run in Greenville. John and I and Willow & Duke all headed for another weekend of trail running. The single track at Paris Mtn. State Park is great - just not if you are trying to run with a dog. I opted out of running with Willow even though she was my designated partner. There were too many serious runners where I was going to be running and I did not want to risk anyone tripping. I gave both the dogs to John who ran more towards the back of the pack. Of course he just let the leashes go after the initial 1/4 mile. At the finish he was asked his number 2x - so my guess is that they are going to send him a fine for having the dogs off the leash. So my race...I felt great on the flats and downhill and then really could feel the lifting from the week and my dead quads on the hills. I had no strength - but after all this was just for training. I conceded and ran within my limits. I ended up 5th overall in 35:25 - although I think the race was a little longer than a 6K...Either was I had fun tearing through the woods chasing, running up stone stairs and being in the crisp fall air.

See this is why I don't write about training much. It seems to just go on and on and on and who really cares!? Anyone besides me?

Other developments:

Soon I will start working part-time at the Great Escape in Spartanburg. So this coming week I was offered to go to the Trek clinic on triathlon bike fitting. I will head to Asheville for this on Wed. I am sure I will learn a lot and hopefully be able to pass that along to people I coach and maybe to people that buy a bike from me :o) hint hint

In February I will be heading to Colorado Springs to the Barnett Bicycle Institute to take a 2 week class for bike mechanics. Something new for me, but I feel like it is something that will really help me to know.

Next weekend I will be in Atlanta at a USA Cycling clinic on training with a Power Meter. I am sure I will learn a lot of valuable training information I have a feeling it is going to be a long 2 days of class but I have to keep up with my continuing education credits somehow.

I will be racing as an Age Grouper again in 2008.

Dogs:

Friday I had a great day of running errands and going to lunch. Little did I know that while I was out gallivanting that my dogs were terrorizing the house. I kid you not, the dogs did something really really bad! I had covers over the outside faucets to keep them from freezing. Yes, I realize it is not that cold but I just wanted to make sure I had it done just in case. Well, the dogs love to eat these covers and I know that but I thought maybe they were old enough this year not to mess with the cover. I was wrong. They tugged and pulled at the cover for hours, obviously enjoying the little bungee that hold it on. As they would pull the faucet would turn on and the water would run and run and run until there was no more water. You got it. The well went dry and we had no water in our house for a good 6-8 hours thanks to the dogs. I am sure the fact that we are having a drought had something to do with it, but basically it is a very scary thought that we possibly would have to drill another well because the DOGS ran the well dry!

As if the well going dry was not enough. Pepe' started getting sick last night. He was acting the same way he did when he ate a rock. Today when I got home from the race he had thrown up everywhere. I got to the vet 15min before they closed. They did an x-ray and nothing showed up. Then she felt his belly and could feel the blockage but whatever it was it did not show up in the x-ray. All I could think was that I was going to be back there in the middle of the night on a Saturday! Lucky for me after a shot of muscle relaxers Pepe' came home and deposited a golf ball size ball of GRASS! Crazy dog! Why couldn't he have done that before the $150 vet bill? He is now recovering well and the carpets he threw-up on are almost dry.

I think that is everything. Apologies for the long blog but boy do I feel better now that I got all that off my chest!

Hai'lee - My new Little Sister

As you can see by this very silly picture my new Little Sister Hai'lee is very cute. The occasion was Halloween - hence the blond wig and the Cowboy hat. She added one of my old prom dresses to this get-up along with some vampire teeth to really make a statement when we went trick-or-treating. Halloween was our first real visit together. We did a lot of things in one day. We walked the dogs and played ball with them. Something Hai'lee had never done before as she is very fearful of dogs. Then we video taped each other and I played it on the computer which really got her excited - she thought she was on TV! We also did things as simple as watering the flowers all to her delight. All she needs is a little time with me and some attention - what a wonderful thing for both of us.

Tsali Trip

I started going to Tsali last year. I tagged along with the Foothills Cyclists annual trip and fell in love with the rustic camping area (I thought it was cute - looking out the window of the RV). The trails are pretty easy for mountain biking and not very technical but fun so I feel safe riding there. The trails make for great running too. So this year as my end of the year trip I headed up there with the group again for 4 days of uninterrupted fun. We biked pretty much everyday on the trails although this year I was more cautious than ever. I admit I am AFRAID of falling off the mountain bike with 2 bad shoulders. Still on these trails I was able to ride pretty much everything and enjoy it. On Saturday I set out to run at least 2 loops - actually it wasn't my idea - but was done in order to earn bragging rights. So after 16 miles on the trails I arrived back at camp ready for lunch and a nap. After all it was vacation! The entire time we had a great campfire - thanks to Michael for all the wood. Shannon made some killer coffee every morning and of course Dave organized our meals and for a change it seemed everyone took turns doing the cooking and I actually saw Dave sit down for the first time ever! By the time I needed to head home I was getting into a good routine of training and recovery and campfire dinners. I could have happily stayed a few more days - but all things come to an end. It was a fun trip and a good end of season get away and a good way for me to start back to regular training. Pictures will be posted later. (After falling on my digital camera earlier in the year I opted against carrying it with me - so I had to go have the photos developed and put on a CD - how old fashioned!)