not exactly smooth sailing

So I thought today might start off more smoothly than the past few days...no such luck. But such crummy luck (over very small things) that it was laughable! When my alarm went off my body totally took over my mind and said, "No way, no how am I letting you get away with only 5 hours of sleep...back to bed you go. You can swim on your own at Stacy Pool in 45 minutes." My mind said, "But...the coached workout at Lost Creek...Blythe is there...your teammates are there..." My body didn't care and I had no choice but to listen to it. So I rolled over and caught up on a little sleep.
When my alarm went off again I was feeling better and by body was ready to go. Off to Stacy Pool I went only to drive into a very empty parking lot. First clue that something wasn't right. Second clue was the locked gate that stood between me and the empty pool. Yep. Spring cleaning...no swimming at Stacy. Fine. I headed to Deep Eddy...it would be cold but it would be okay. I've been cold before. The parking lot was full but only on the side away from the pool entrance so I started getting suspicious that something was going on here, too. Or maybe that nothing related to swimming was going on! Sure enough, another locked gate. Barton Springs...I thought. I know it's open! I could do my open water swim today...ah, but no wetsuit. So I just swam in the springs as if it was any other swimming pool. And I have to tell you, I love swimming there without my wetsuit. Sure, it's chilly but that's okay. It's the first time I've been in there in months without my wetsuit and it felt pretty freeing! Cranked out 3200, creating my own workout of pulling, swimming with fins, drills, etc... and felt good about it.
Non-stop at work again...I have to remember that AP exams chew me up and spit me out each year. They involve more details than any test should have. I have to send more emails than any human should have to send (or receive!). And I create more lists than should be allowed for one project. I have to remember that it's always better once they just begin! It's all the prep work that feels like an obstacle course.
But I finished planning in time to go to spin class...which was the plan for the day but given how my days have gone, I'm trying to be flexible with my plans. Sort of. Good class with Chrissie - actually a really tough class (as usual!). And I felt strong - surprisingly strong. I can count the times I've felt strong in spin class on one hand so this was exciting.
Home to start pulling a few things together for the weekend...a lot of us are doing the Shiner Ride on Saturday. It's a 100 mile ride from Austin to Shiner, TX. Should be a blast! Love a century that is supported! And I'm excited to ride with Amy and experience her first 100-mile ride with her - she's going to be great. (Note: I realize that sounds like I'm a pro at 100-milers...not so. But I have a couple under my belt thanks to CDA training!) On that note...back to the packing...and then the sleeping. Going to do at least 1-2 full hours better than last night!!!

only Wednesday?!

Really...it's only Wednesday? Wow. I know we're one day closer to Friday but I feel like it should be Thursday already! And core this morning feels like a lifetime ago. I think the days just feel busier this time of year - packed with stuff at work and meetings that remind me that as one year winds down, there's another year to do it all again. But there IS summer in between. I have a few deadlines between now and Friday that are freaking me out a little. I know I can get them done but it will be a push...and there might be less sleep. There goes my resolution to get more sleep this week...I might be a C student on the triathlon front but I'm an F student at my resolution to get more sleep!
Speaking of...I never did give a report on that week when I aimed for C quality work on the training front. I think I got a very high C because I did end up with one more run workout than prescribed. This week, however, I believe I have "C student" written all over me...love it!
Excited to swim in the morning and hopeful that Thursday will feel a little more grounded than today. I feel a little disconnected from everything right now because I'm trying to juggle so much. Nothing new but sometimes it just feels a little less fluid than I would like. Tomorrow's another chance to try to smooth it out some...

our "to do" lists

The day started with balloons and a birthday tiara for Laura at spin! Yeah! Happy birthday, Laura!!
The festivities quickly gave way to work. I actually tried to extend my stretching time as much as possible a) because I felt like my legs needed it and b) because I knew that my tasks at work were a little daunting. But eventually I was there, plunging into the day. The morning flew by. I felt like a machine the way I was churning through things. Transcripts. Meetings. Emails. AP exam details. Students. Parents. Planning for upcoming meetings. Teaching.
By mid-afternoon I was feeling like I'd been really productive. Until I looked at my "to do" list and realized I could only cross one thing off the list. Seriously?! What's the point in feeling like a machine if you have not actually been a machine?!
Anyway, when I was laughing about it with a colleague he said, "Oh, you need to do what I do on days like that. Make a list of all of the things you have done, call it your "to do" list for that day, and then cross everything off. It makes you feel a lot better." I laughed out loud. What a great idea! I might have to do the same thing on Wednesday given the looks of things...ah, yes, it's the end of April in a school. Never a dull moment!

crazy weather...and finally a good run

Tornado watch... thunderstorms... downpours... sunshine... calm... chilly...hot and humid...all within about 12 hours! Welcome to central Texas...this is our springtime weather!
Watched the weather all day from the quiet of my office - with the seniors gone I have few visitors, which is allowing me to tackle some projects that have needed attention for at least a couple of weeks. The light morning rain gave way to downpours by noon. Then thunder. And lightning. Over and over again. Good sleeping weather. Oops...couldn't do that today! As the afternoon crept on though the inevitable question arose, "Will we run tonight?"
Exchanged emails with Blythe and Amy to make a plan...yes, we would show up for run unless there was thunder or lightning...or, according to Amy, a downpour. By the time I got out of acupuncture, the skies were clearing and there was no reason not to run.
Classically, I overdressed (to my credit when I ran home to grab clothes it was chillier and raining which made it feel almost cold!)...stripped a layer after our 15 minute core...switched shirts after warm-up. I think I changed nearly as many times as the weather today!
Finally got started on our set - 6 repeats of the loops in Zilker, working the hills and then hammering each ending. #1-5 were solid and on the last one, with some good coaching I really pushed the end. It's been a while since I felt like I had that in me. Thank goodness Logan thought I could, knew I could, thought I should, knew I would...whatever...I did it. And while it was a physical feat, I think it was more of a mental breakthrough - maybe turning of a corner is more appropriate? Whatever the case may be, it made me feel better about my running again. Not that I haven't had good runs...I have...I guess I just felt like I had hit a plateau. Silly me, I just needed to get my rear in gear and bust off of that plateau. Reminder that we have what we need inside of us. Although sometimes it sure does help (or maybe is even necessary) to have someone push us to that next level.
Good stretching after practice and I got to see the owl that hoots in the mornings when I go swim at Barton Springs. A rather calm way to end a tumultuous day...

some pictures from this weekend

we're here...
Hotel T3outside of Chili's...fueling up for 100+ miles of cycling

no camping trip is complete without s'mores!

ready to hit the road...100+ miles, here we come!

and then some relief for our weary legs...

girls on the run...Sunday and Michelle braving the hills again!

Thanks, Logan, for organizing such a fun weekend for us (and for taking pictures of it all) - the planning, scouting out the run and bike courses, being out there with water on the bike course, and bringing the group together through a team dinner and group recovery in an ice bath (bummed I had to miss the last two things to go to prom!)! Oh, yeah, and the fire and the s'mores...great memories with awesome T3 friends. Glad everyone who could make it out there did - it wouldn't have been the same without you! What a treat to camp and train in Bastrop...here's to a new T3 tradition.

...'til next time...

would one of these work for Austin?

Supposedly this little contraption senses if it's too humid in your house, office, building, etc... and corrects the problem. Wish there had been one for Austin this morning when it was time for our 18 mile run! Seriously, I forget how yucky humidity makes me feel. I actually felt better this week than I did last week (no muscle aches, light headedness, etc...) but I felt like I was drained of all energy. And I had woken up excited about our run! But by mile 8 it looked like I'd been swimming in Barton Springs and I'd already downed more water than normal. Same scene mile 9-18...water, water, water...every time I could get it. Serious thanks to Blythe and Liz who just kept running...left me no choice but to follow. And we finished in a faster time than I expected given how I was feeling - but not quite as fast as I anticipated before I set foot out the door. Ah...no worries. We did it. All 18 miles. And then enjoyed breakfast at Whole Foods...love this little tradition of ours.
The afternoon included some laundry, errands (new running shoes, new heart rate monitor strap), grocery, and a 24-Carrot cupcake from Hey Cupcake! enjoyed with Amy...yum. Also got to catch up with Zap on the phone...long overdue...yeah! And am getting ready for the week ahead. It looks like another busy one with lots of meetings as well as prepping for AP exams to begin the following week.
Off to pack for the day tomorrow. And, it looks like the humidity today wasn't a tease...we're actually supposed to get some rain tomorrow...might be bad thunderstorms...sort of wish we'd get them tonight. Nothing like a good sleep with a rainstorm outside.

a day in...

...my wonderful, wacky, so very full, life that I love!
Fun camping trip to Bastrop State Park and good hang out time with Michelle, Suzanne, Logan, Blythe, and Joe on Friday night. Complete with good laughs, awesome surroundings, and s'mores.
Saturday morning came around quickly and by 8:00 a.m. most of us were ready to roll for our 100+ mile ride. Since Logan is hurt, he was our SAG vehicle...complete with water. What a huge help!!
The road through Bastrop State Park is bumpy and hilly but once you get out of the park the roads are great. My directions went flying into the wind somewhere in the park on the first loop so I was working off of some serious internal GPS action. Honestly, I'm not sure I found my way. But I've never been so excited to see Logan's X-Terra as I was when I was on Route 448...it meant I was either going in the right direction OR that Logan would know where to come back and find me when I never emerged from these back roads outside of Bastrop State Park! Thankfully, I was going in the right direction...me, myself, and I...and about 15 miles from the end, Logan caught up with me again to give me some water. Again, a sight for sore eyes...I was in need of water. And since I had not seen any T3ers in a while (i.e. since the park!) it was just nice to not feel completely alone out there. Finished up that first loop and after a quick pit stop started right in on the second loop - on which I actually saw some T3ers this time! Second loop went smoothly...and I finished up the whole darn thing (109 miles) in about 7 hours. Woot!
I did some math (finally!) when I got home and I am becoming more and more convinced that I will make the bike cutoff at CDA. It's 10.5 hours from the beginning of the race...I should be okay. And that's a huge relief...because I want to run that darn marathon at the end...and I want to finish the whole deal. So, a strong ride today (okay, not any speed records but a solid over 15 mph ride for me!) boosted my confidence and I'm excited for our 18 mile run tomorrow.
When the ride was over I wanted to head back into the park and chill with everyone but other duties called...ahem...I needed to get home and get ready for prom. Please! But only after some food and an ice bath. New primping trend?! Probably not...but I had just enough time to degrease my legs from the bicycle grime that had collected on them, soak them in some very cold water with ice, and get all cleaned up and into a dress for the prom. By 7:00 p.m. I was chaperoning and soon listening to 80s remixes that the DJ was playing. I was almost coaxed to the dance floor, but the students quickly lost interest in me - appropriately! By 10:00 I was headed home and did my best to unpack, get a little more food in me, and will head to bed soon.
Highlights of the day:
- I love the ride that we did today! Love being on those country roads!
- camping...love it...I need more time in the woods
- seeing Logan's X-Terra on that first loop
- finishing in 7 hours
- lots of good thinking time...lots of it
- good riding weather
- seeing the "Highway Intersection Ahead" sign on 153 which meant that there was one more turn to 71 and then one more turn after that to Bastrop High School...I literally let out a "yeah"!
- being mistaken for a student at prom (too funny...one of my students came up from behind me and when I turned around to say hello to him he said, "Oh, my gosh, I thought you were one of my classmates"...nice!)
- hearing 80s remixes at prom...funny...is it my prom or theirs?!
- seeing all of our students all dressed up
- sleeping in my own bed tonight
So, there's my day...phew...I think it's the perfect snapshot of my life right now. From cycling clothes for training to a cocktail dress for work all within the span of 12 hours...sleeping in my sleeping bag and then in my bed within 24 hours...what awesome things to fill the hours in a given day.

friday quotation...for my advisees

today is the seniors last day of classes...next week they will return for two days of exams and then head out into Austin and beyond for their sr. projects (a month of internships, creative projects, etc...very cool).
yes, it's time for them to leave. but that doesn't mean that my heart won't miss them. especially my sweet advisees - Audrey, Jase, Nick, Nicole, Grant, Paige, Dillon, Lauren, John, and Ben. what a gift they have been to me this year.
I feel a little like a "mama bear" as they head out into the world. Worried that I didn't guide them enough. Worried that I haven't given them certain skills that they need to survive and live a full life. Worried that somehow they might not know how much I care about, respect, believe in, and love them.
So, of course, I tried to tell them today in the way that I know how...through a cake...and then through some words during advisory period. My quotation (truly from me...no one else could write these words for me) for you, advisees, is this:
Love and live boldly.
Do things because they matter to you.
Find something to believe in - you will need it in difficult times and you will want it in good times.
Surround yourselves with people who bring joy to your life and remind you of what's important...and be those people for others.
Always be a little kinder than necessary...I don't know of anyone dying because someone was a little to kind to them.
Don't forget that you all have gifts - use them to improve the world and the lives of those in it. Take good care of yourself and one another. We're all in this together. As soon as we forget that, things fall apart.
And if you ever need a pep talk, a shoulder to cry on, or someone to celebrate with you, I hope you'll remember where to find me. I'll always be one of your biggest fans.

whirlwind...

...that's what this week has felt like. I can't believe it's almost Friday. And yet Monday feels like a lifetime ago. I've always had this weird relationship with time. Things seem like they happened just yesterday and decades ago at the same time.
Anyway, a solid week of training (on legs that JUST today felt like they were coming back to life)...two work events on separate evenings...the last week of class for seniors...getting ready for camping...and just general work and life!
I'm looking forward to a night in the woods if for no other reason than to slow down this pace, breathe in some fresh air, sit without feeling like I need to be doing something else, hang out with friends, and get re-grounded. (Oh, yes, and ride 100+ miles the next day...yikes!)

"take aways" from today

Some days, it's all about the "take aways" for me...the things that I learned that day, the things that I thought about that day...nothing deep. Just my random musings...

1) Even if you are determined not to do work in the evening, at least consult your calendar for the next day. That way you can pack the appropriate clothes so you are not late to core class because you realize at the 11th hour that you need to wear a dress today! Duh!
2) Tummy aches can go away with running instead of getting worse with running. I'm not sure they always do, but I learned tonight that at least sometimes they do. I was skeptical but decided to see how it went anyway. I have to say, I was inspired by my teammates who some weeks ago ran after (while still enduring?) a case of food poisoning. I kept thinking, "If they tried to tackle a long run feeling like that, I can certainly survive a track practice feeling like this." And I did. Maybe the pain from my quads masked the ache in my belly?!
3) I am always happier and I do always feel better after a workout - no matter how tough it is, how hot it is, or how bad I may feel. Thank goodness for friends, training buddies, coaches, and endorphins. And a reminder to me of what I already knew: keep showing up.
4) Don't underestimate the impact that you are having on people. Shocked and amazed would be appropriate terms to describe my reaction to some kind, kind words from parents today. Humbled and a little terrified (that I am actually making an impression upon my students) are two other descriptions that come to mind.
5) It's easy to forget how much joy can come from a shared meal when you live alone. Lunch with colleagues today and dinner tonight with Blythe and Jesse were awesome reminders of this. (Oh, and pancakes for dinner...really, how can you go wrong there?)
And finally...really, you would think I would have gotten a clue about this after road trips, long bike rides, etc... and having one of the smallest bladders in the world since I was little.
6) Pee before track practice. Don't think, "Oh, it's just an hour and I'll start sweating and then I won't have to pee." Um, it doesn't quite work that way (at least not for me). You still have to pee an hour into practice if you started practice needing to do so. And it's very hard to drop the hammer when you have to pee.
(Sorry...maybe I should have warned people that that last "take away" was coming but many/most of you who read this are triathletes so you know we just talk about these things...or you are good friends or family and you know sometimes we just talk about these things, too...)
Finally...
7) A day off on the horizon starts to do wonders for your body and mind even before it happens...

time to recharge

I'm afraid if you hooked me up to a battery charger right now you'd get a "low battery" reading! Sweet Chrissie even asked if I was tired because she thought I had low energy tonight at spin. Yep. She's right. The weekend + a crazy start to the week with a late night at work have depleted the batteries of this usually Energizer bunny-type person.
I actually felt good at morning swim...my body likes to swim. And that was after last night's Wilke workout and my adventures getting to and then into the pool this morning. Detour on Bee Caves without a clear access ramp to 360. Crawling under a bathroom stall door to unlock it so that I could hand a teammate some toilet paper! All before 5:50 a.m.! Seriously, by the time I got in the pool even all of the pulling we did seemed less painful than usual.
But as the day went on, I felt my energy (adrenalin?) levels dropping. Some parents were cooking out for the seniors and so I decided to try a burger in hopes of replenishing my protein stores and hopefully upping the energy level. No real luck. At spin class I tried my best to stay up and remind my body of what it can do. No real luck there either. So on my way home, I made a plan.
I'm taking a day off this week. Yes, a full day...no yoga...no walk around Town Lake...only the basics. Confession: I haven't been good at all about taking a full day off. I like to think that doing yoga is enough of a day off and I think maybe for me it's not. So, in looking ahead at my week I already knew that Thursday would be a day I'd need to mess with. New Student Registration would mean either no evening workout or evening swim. Which would mean morning spin. But I'm making an executive decision (not even consulting anyone...because I know what they would say!), and I'm going to not make myself crazy trying to reshuffle everything. I'm going to take Thursday off from working out. It means that technically I'll be one spin workout behind for the week but, believe me, I will more than make up for that hour on our 100 mile bike ride this weekend so I'm feeling okay about that! Why am I such a slow learner when it comes to rest? Seriously, whatever else I do, I try to give it 100% but when it comes to rest, I often take short cuts or cut myself short. (Continue to) live and (continue to) learn.
But I'm feeling really good about having a day off on the horizon. Mentally, I'm in a really good place training-wise; but physically, I need to have a chance to recover so I can go into the weekend strong. We have another big one coming up - 100+ miles on Saturday on the bike and 18 miles to run on Sunday. The fun part is that we'll be out in Bastrop for a T3 Out of Austin Training weekend. Thanks to Logan we have routes all mapped out. I'm super excited...even though I have to come home Saturday night to chaperone prom (100+ mile cyclist by day...teacher chaperone by night!). It will be good to be outdoors camping for a bit...that will help the batteries of my mind and spirit recharge, too. I can feel my energy coming back a little already just thinking about having the chance to recharge...and then relax out in Bastrop (between riding and running activities, of course!).

"...just another manic Monday..."

Phew...today was quite a day. Perhaps yoga should have been a sign. A good number of us were still nursing tight muscles from this weekend's workouts so we were glad to be there to stretch them out but I think we were a little uncertain of how intensely we'd be able to hit the yoga poses. Marco is always really patient with us and he lets us say, "We're sore...please go easy on us." He never really does but he will sometimes add in some extra stretches. Well, today he had us doing something that he must have thought would help us but it almost sent some of us toppling over so in the middle of it he said, "Okay, bad idea." That sent about five of us into a small fit of laughter. Which almost sent me toppling over again. Maybe his words were wise...some things are just bad ideas!
School was crazy today...reassuring students, working with a colleague on water relays, double checking AP exam orders, tending to weekend emails, setting up meetings with juniors and their parents, working with seniors during this last week of classes, trying to help prepare for Academic Awards on Wednesday, attempting to get a database updated, producing transcripts...this is just a snippet of the day. It's good stuff...it all makes me happy (or at least not cross)...but it was non-stop and suddenly it was 4:00 p.m. and I was headed out the door to meet Amy at Wilke for our run workout.
Amy had agreed to meet me early (so she could get home early...yeah!) since I had to be back at SAS at 7:00 p.m. for a Prospective Parents Gathering. So from about 4:30-6:00 I did a warm-up run from the baseball fields on Robert E. Lee up to Wilke, completed 10 Wilke repeats on a 5 minute interval, added 3 repeats going about 1/2way up the hill backwards and back down frontwards, and finished off the set with 2 "all out sprints" about 1/4way up Wilke. (I can't believe I just wrote "all out sprints" because it really is all relative...these were my "all out" for today...after our weekend's workouts they were just not very fast.) I think I said this last time, but Wilke repeats are tough. Really tough. The hill doesn't seem so bad for about the first 1/4 and then all of the sudden you're in the middle of it wondering if you'll ever reach the (shady...today!) top. But you do. And on the way down you think, "This isn't so bad"...until you're snapped back to reality when you start up again.
Amy was a rockstar today and so I just tried to chase her up the hill. She won...every time. Yeah! This is awesome b/c the last time we did these she had to stop and walk at the top the last two repeats for her. This time...no stopping Amy! And she even added in a couple of extra to keep me company. She's getting stronger and stronger and is going to rock Vineman...and hopefully have a blast doing so!
Anyway, I always feel like I've really done something when I finish this workout. The pluses today were that I did the repeats on the same interval as last time. I realize that could be a negative - wishing I were getting faster - but the reality is that at this point in our training with my tired legs, I was happy to complete the set and not be any slower than last time! I'm also glad that my heart rate could recover fairly quickly. Makes me feel like I'm in decent cardio shape even if my muscles hurt.
Finished it all off with a jog back to my car...a soak in Barton Springs...speaking some French to a little girl up in the changing rooms (yeah, this was random)....quick clean-up...and then back to school until about 8:30 p.m. for an Information Night. Yes...this sort of schedule is why my life feels a little manic at times. But good things are making it manic.
And two things sweetened the evening at the end - a parent publicly thanking me for my work (truly, I don't live for that sort of thing at all...but you know, every once in a while, especially when so much of what we hear is what we're not doing well, it's nice to hear someone say 'thank you'!) AND driving home with my windows down and pulling up beside a car with its windows down too and a big old dog with its head hanging out of the back window looking happy as could be. I think it was smiling. So I smiled back.
On to Tuesday...

true to form

It really is laughable. I cannot remember a ride we've had in CDA training that has not included wind. And not just a subtle, whisper of a wind but big wind. When we're lucky, it's a tailwind one way and a headwind the other. When we're not so lucky, it's a headwind both ways with crosswinds in between! Today, we were supposed to have winds of 4 mph. Ummm...that would be 4 x 4 mph by the time we got up and headed out to Kyle and then San Marcos. Nonetheless, we powered through it. Or rode through it. Or something. I started my day with a flat not even 5 miles into our ride. Thankfully we were on Slaughter so I hopped onto the sidewalk with sweet Nancy and Amy waiting for me and in relatively no time we had that flat changed. I use "we" because Nancy taught me some new tricks and Amy helped steady my bike. God bless my teammates. I think this easy tire change is God's way of helping me get over my ridiculous fear of flat tires.
Having taken care of that, we headed out to Kyle...parted ways with Amy who was riding 50 to our 90...and I ventured to I-35 by myself since Nancy was a ways ahead of me. (I'm always glad when people ride ahead b/c I hate to feel like I'm holding anyone up and I knew that Nancy knew I was back there somewhere and that makes all the difference in the world!) On the I-35 access road Erin caught up to me (what a pleasant surprise) and I held her until we turned around and headed into the wind and she was gone. Serious strength there, Erin! You rocked! Ended up riding the rest of the ride with some combination of Nancy, Karen, Shawnda, Cindy, Alisa, Erin, Katy, and Lindsey. I tried to hold on to Karen as much as I could. I'm determined when I'm on the bike so I never really worry about not finishing but I know that I push harder when I have someone in front of me to try to stay up with. I'm not always successful but it's a good challenge! Finished it all off with a loop around south MoPac...91 miles in the books.
And then I was off for my hour run! Funny...on the bike I thought I might worry about this brick the whole time but I didn't. Too much to focus on while riding to worry about the run after. Another good lesson about being in the present. So, when it was time for me to run, that's what I did. Felt a little slow at first but by the 1/2 way point I felt like I actually knew how to run again. This was a great feeling and one that made me think, "Elizabeth, you will, whatever it takes, make that time cut-off for the bike in CDA b/c you just might be able to hammer out a long run (a.k.a. a marathon!) after swimming and biking." And I even negative split by about a minute. Not earth shattering but something! Even sweeter than the negative split was seeing Blythe & Liz as I turned back into Kiker and having Blythe say something like, "Hey, you look like a runner" and then seeing Katy, Erin, Cindy, and Alisa waiting in the Kiker parking lot when I got back. I was pretty sure I'd be saying hello to my lonely car in the parking lot. Not so with T3 teammates...y'all rock!
I can safely say that this weekend would not have been as bearable or enjoyable without my teammates and friends. I cannot over-emphasize what they do for me. I know I'm the one moving my legs and keeping my head in the game and (most of the time...or at least trying to) staying positive for myself but just having others to go through this with makes a world of difference. And especially on a challenging weekend like this past one.
What's amazing to me is that I remember seeing this workout on the schedule back in January and questioning how on earth I'd ever do it. And then after yesterday's run I was really questioning how I would do it! But I did it...along with my teammates. Really, this was a BIG weekend in the books for all of us. I hope everyone is proud of their accomplishments - and not just the miles but the intangible accomplishments.
Here's to another weekend of training, friends...I'm looking forward to the rest of the road ahead of us...and for the sake of our camaraderie and friendships and the sheer joy of training, I'd postpone the race date a little while. Don't worry, I can't do that! June 21 it is...but not too soon, please.

I lost my smile...

...but, don't worry, I found it. It only took about an hour, a breakfast taco, some chocolate milk, some chatting with Amy and Blythe, an ice bath, my compression socks, and a little time on my couch. Okay, so maybe a little over an hour.
I actually didn't realize that I had lost it completely until Katy called me this afternoon to check in because when I passed her on the trail today I didn't smile at her. And neither did Blythe. And she suspected something was up when neither of us had a smile for her! And she was worried. (That's some serious teammate support right there, people...another moment of T3 greatness!) At that point in our 20.6 mile run (we were at mile 20.3 or so when we saw Katy and Priscilla), Blythe and I only had eyes for the MoPac bridge which was going to offer us a chance to walk and stretch out our weary legs. I was feeling light-headed. We both looked like we'd gotten caught in a rain storm (which given the morning thunder would have been believable but it never did rain on us) but it was actually all sweat. And as much as we enjoy one another's company, we just needed that run to end! Thankfully I did wave at Priscilla and Katy so I had not lost my manners all together. (They looked awesome, by the way, and Blythe & I were wishing for their energy!)
Anyway, after some stretching - which confirmed how hard my legs had been working...they were so resistant to movement! - Blythe and I made our way to Whole Foods to meet up with Amy who'd run the first 14 miles with us. We had a good recap of our run. Actually we all felt pretty good on the first two loops and then Blythe and I agreed that the last one was where it really got tough. Blythe's knee started bothering her. I was getting a little nauseous. At one point Blythe said, "This is where we get tough, right?" My response: "Yes...one foot in front of the other all the way to the MoPac bridge." Thank God for Blythe today (and every day we train together!). I did at least feel like I did a little of my part "pulling" on the second loop - been feeling like poor Blythe has been pulling me a lot lately. But all in all, it was a team effort for sure today.
We conquered the distance. We conquered the humidity. But I'm not going to lie and say that it didn't take its toll on us (and apparently on everyone else who was out there today whom I talked to this afternoon). Everything from tummy aches to nausea and light-headedness and sore muscles...thank you, humidity!
At WF, I finally forced some food down - normally I scarf it down after a run but I wasn't feeling up to that today. And we sat...and we talked...and we sat...and we sat. And finally we decided we needed to get moving and get ourselves into our ice baths. Man was I moving slowly!
The ice bath was a good thing and I tried to enjoy it (?!) for as long as possible - probably around 12 minutes total - before hopping out (crawling out?) to plop myself on the couch for a little rest. Caught up with some friends and family and the forced myself to work...had to count AP exams. Moving the exams to a secure spot involved lifting heavy boxes which was not exactly in the cards for me today - that run had taken it out of me! So I did lots of walking back and forth between rooms in the academic center to organize the exams...don't worry, I had my compression socks on so my legs might have a chance at being 1/2-way decent for my ride + run tomorrow. Quick trip to the grocery to shop for the week and also get dinner for the night (I didn't have my usual energy to cook) and then home again, home again.
I'm ready to head to bed to rest my weary body before tackling 90 miles on the bike tomorrow + a 1 hour run. I think this is going to either be or at least feel like our toughest weekend of training yet. Certainly a weekend where you have to know why you're training for something like an Ironman. And even though the thought crossed my mind today and I think I even asked out loud, "And why are we putting our bodies through this?" That question was more in disbelief at what we'd just done than it was really questioning all of our training. The truth is that even on a night like tonight when I'm perfectly content to sit around and put my feet up instead of going out on the town, I couldn't be happier with my decision to tackle an Ironman. Yes, even as tired as I am, I have an odd sense of life about me. And even though I lost my smile for a little while today (going to work on that for the next time I'm feeling defeated by a run...want to have it for my teammates!), it and my enthusiasm for all of this has been found again. Not too long or hard of a search...don't think either thing ever went very far - only had to look back into my heart to find them again.
P.S. Big happy birthday to my dad! Love you, dad!

P.S. to Friday post

I was trying to be discreet and not worry people with my post about my doctor's appointment but I fear that in being so vague, I unintentionally worried people. No worries, friends, I'm fine! I just have a pesky endocrine condition that sends me to the endocrinologist once a year and that involves bloodwork before I go and an MRI to check on my pituitary gland if something is "off" with the bloodwork. It's not a major health risk at all...as long as I stay on top of it and keep things in check. Which I'm doing a good job at - thanks to exercise, Praveeta, and clean living :) Sorry for any unintentional worry...

friday quotation

"I've had a lot of trouble in my life, and most of it never happened." (Mark Twain)

Always a good reminder to me when I'm tempted to worry about things that haven't happened yet but that I imagine in my mind.

Easier said than done, right?

But I was reminded of the truth of this statement again today as I found myself slightly anxious over a doctor's visit that ended with a really good report - I "graduated" from my endocrinologist for another year! Got to keep up the healthy lifestyle though as he's pretty convinced that my blood work and overall health is in good shape partly thanks to the exercise, good eating (or mostly good eating!), and such... I'll remind myself of that on my 20+ mile run tomorrow...each step one step away from another MRI and the worries that brings!
Going to bed with a grateful heart...

8...

...is the number of hours of sleep that I managed to work into my day yesterday. All at once. Good, quality, nighttime, "out like a light" sleep.
And I loved it! And my body was so grateful! Of course, this was only achieved because I didn't go to swim practice this morning (remember, I'm on the C plan this week, folks). But maybe, just maybe, I can work it into my schedule more regularly. Or at least aim for 7. I'm thinking it's essential from here on out to stay healthy and injury free and rested. Easier said than done. It boggles my mind that I can be extremely disciplined about SO many other things and not this...never too late to give it another try. (For the record, I make a new resolution to get more sleep at least four times a year...if not more frequently. Yes, I have issues with this...and I know it's silly.) But I have new energy around it this time, especially since I could tell a difference today.
I woke up feeling rested and even eager to get out of bed and start the day. And spin class tonight was a totally different deal than I've had in a long time. Maybe it was because I was not willing to give in mentally or give myself a break physically. I knew it was my first and only workout of the day...no excuses. And I think I also had last week's computrainer session on my mind as a poignant reminder of how much work I still really need on my cycling. I feel like I've made great strides in that area on the road itself. I'm so much more comfortable and confident riding now that it's not even funny. But indoors on the trainer, aside from my insane ability to sit on a trainer for a looooooooong time, I still need to really focus on working 100% (or more) each time to improve everything from pedal stroke to strength. Tonight's workout was tough...really tough...but I kept with it. (Maybe it was because my great training buddy Blythe forced me to the front row...not very C student-ish of me but I was up there and maybe being with the front row, A+ students inspired me!) Hit the cadences on the right gear almost every time and felt really good about it all at the end. Yeah! A good confidence boost on the bike. (Something even a B student would feel good about!)
Tomorrow it's an open water swim and then staying tuned to the T3 forum for our weekend plans...weather might give us a reason to run on Saturday and ride/brick on Sunday. Should be fun! Good times with spring in central Texas! Thankfully I won't be trying to leave town this time so the flip-flop in the schedule won't stress me out.
Off to finish some cookies for tomorrow...it's been my birthday baking month for colleagues at school so I've been baking up a storm lately. This is the last of the last of the baking experiments for a while! Added a few new twists to Peach Dump Cake, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Bars, Extra Chocolate-y Brownies, and Mocha Cookies. I really do love it, but my sugar levels will be glad for me to put away the Mix Master for a while. (Don't worry, T3ers, if there are leftovers after Friday they will make their way to our ride this weekend...)

all smiles...

...and I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it's because I got more sleep last night (so I had more energy to smile - nah...doesn't ever take that much energy to smile!)? Maybe it's because the weather was amazing today? Maybe it's because the day started with core (and one of Chrissie's "we're one big happy, core-doing family" workouts with no equipment)? Maybe it's because the day ended with track (and one of my favorite of Logan's workouts...3 min @ 10K pace, 2 min @ 5K pace, 1 min @ faster than 5K three times through + a bonus "fast as you can go" 200)? And both times I was surrounded by hysterical, wonderful teammates? Maybe it's because I felt strong at both workouts...even if my muscles were quivering at core and my lungs were burning at track? Maybe it's because some of our seniors delivered incredible graduation speeches today to try out for that honor? Maybe it's because...well, who knows why it was such a smiley day. In all honesty, there were plenty of things to derail my smile and turn it into a frown or a scowl but neither expression stuck so back to a smile my lips went. And the more I smiled, the more I came to believe that all of the good outweighed the bad. I feel like I'm emerging from the foggy funk that took over my body and spirit the last couple of days...thank goodness. I'm afraid I don't know what to do with myself when I'm in a funk! And I'm sure I'm much more pleasant to be around when I'm not in a funk! Back to my usual self, friends...well, my "slacker" self this week. On that note, off to bed...and I'm sleeping in tomorrow! No morning swim for me - per strict orders from Chrissie AND to keep my pact with Michelle.

hoping for a...

When I was in high school, my dad always begged me to get a C or two on my report card. I was a solid A/B student working my tail off to get those grades so I never really understood why he was asking me to achieve less. When I got older, I realized it was his way of saying a few things:

1) "I won't love you any less if you get a C"

2) "all work and no play makes Elizabeth a dull girl"

3) "don't kill yourself aiming for perfection...there's more to life"

Well, Dad, this week of my training is for you - I'm aiming to be a solid C student! In our training plans, there are three options (well, lots more, too, if you want to combine plans but for the sake of simplicity I'll speak of the three plans!): A, B, and C.

Most of the folks that I train with the most consistently are on the C plan...I think?! Some folks are working off of the A and B plans but there's just no way I could do that and keep my job and stay in touch with friends and family and sleep and keep smiling...oh, and eat and clean the house, etc... The differences in the plans look something like this - this week, those on the A plan will train 20 hours, those on the B plan will train 17 hours, and those on the C plan will train 14 hours. To my surprise though, many weeks so far, I've been a C+/B- student (maybe sometimes even a B student!) because I've snuck in an extra spin class, swim, run, or core workout. My little spreadsheet tells me how many hours I need to train and how many hours over my training I've gone. I can't really count the actual hours most weeks simply because it takes me a long time to complete those rides and runs on the weekends...if I were going by that, I'd be on the A plan! I'm no statistician but I give myself an overall B/B- for my training thus far - supposedly on the C plan but reaching a little higher. (My curse in life!)

But I'm willing to let this week bring down my overall average. No sneaking in one extra workout just because I can. No feeling guilty for not doing extra. It's my own little experiment with myself to see if it won't leave me with some more energy at the end of the week and some more time to sleep during the week. It's really easy to get caught up in the mentality of "more is always better" and sometimes in our training - and in life? - it's just not (not always...not for everything). And I'm trying to remind myself of that this week.

I often joke with friends that in my next life I'd like to come back as a "slacker" for just a few days to see what it feels like... Mind you, training for an Ironman on ANY plan is not something for slackers, but it's all relative and this might be my little stint of being a "slacker" in this lifetime...or at least in this training cycle.
So here's to a week of hitting my C plan on the mark...that's another way to look at it! Yep...I will ace being a C plan student. Putting it out there for everyone (who reads this blog) to see so that I can be held accountable. (Thank you, in advance...I clearly need sensible people to save me from myself from time to time!) Report card to be printed at the end of the week...
P.S. The last time I aimed for a C on a report card was in a history class in college where I remember thinking that I would throw a party for a C...and to tell you the truth, I can't remember what I did end up getting in that class. Lesson learned there, too - sometimes the things that seem so big in the present moment won't be anything we can even remember in the future.

day off

Well, I wasn't quite lounging in a hammock today (although the weather was perfect for it!) and I certainly wasn't by some beautiful body of water (although Town Lake looked pretty wonderful today with the sunlight dancing on its surface)...but I did enjoy my day off. "Off" from just about everything that is part of my regular routine. And I liked it. I'm such a crazy creature of habit that sometimes changes to my usual schedule unnerve me. Not today. Maybe because some of what I did was routine? Maybe because I really needed a break from my routine (so much so that I didn't even miss it!)? Whatever the reason, my body, mind, and spirit are in a better place for having the day I had today.

Started it with yoga - ahhhh...stretch out those muscles from yesterday's long run. Headed to Whole Foods to grab breakfast on my way up to Performance Wellness for a massage with Katie. God bless Katie for tackling my legs time after time. Seriously, she's amazing but I swear she doesn't need to work out as long as I keep coming back to her. Someday maybe my muscles will feel like muscles but that day wasn't today. Last time they felt like rebar; today they felt like bones. I asked her what I was doing wrong and she said, "I think you're just working them really hard." She's right but seriously do they not understand that it would be easier on everyone is they would just loosen up a little?! (Hmmm...perhaps that's a message to their "owner", too...that's a post for another day.) Headed into work after my massage and got a few things done in the office before heading to acupuncture. Praveeta is another godsend in my life. She has seriously helped me stay healthy and in balance for about 7 years now (and she's a fellow triathlete so we always have good conversations about that!). She reminds me of the mind-body-heart connection every time I go in for an appointment and I usually feel better about things when I leave. (Or at least I have some new way to look at things.) I usually get a stellar nap in, too...Praveeta jokes that it's an expensive nap and I say it's worth every penny! Errands after Praveeta and then a dinner deal for work...fun to be with colleagues without the usual hustle and bustle of the school day.
We have a long day of in-service tomorrow and I'm glad to be back in training for it because I'm always better off at in-service if I have already worked out!
So...it seems that my day off served its purpose. Legs are still feeling a bit worn out so I'm going to be really mindful of my workouts this week. I might try to do exactly what the "C plan" outlines instead of one more swim here, one more run there, one more spin just for the heck of it because we have a big weekend ahead of us!

easter

spring...new beginnings...easter...coming out of our cocoons...spring cleaning...a chance to start anew...
All of those thoughts were running through my mind today as the hours passed and I tried to enjoy each one of them. The day started with a rain storm that eventually cleared and left us with bright sunshine - sort of fitting for Easter, actually.
Blythe and I tackled our 16 mile run today without our usual sidekicks because of Easter schedules and the storm. We missed our running buddies but were SO thankful to have one another. Both of us were feeling beat after yesterday's ride (plus the computrainer ride the day before for me), and we agreed early on not to worry so much about our pace but just to focus on constant running and completion. We did finish. We did run the whole way (except for water stops). And we agreed that our legs actually felt better after the first hour than they did initially - good lesson learned! At any rate, our pace was not what mattered...we were terribly consistent and I think from time to time actually enjoyed ourselves. I certainly enjoyed Blythe's company - as always.
Anyway, if you're following my blog regularly, you can see that the theme for my training weekend (and looking back on it, for my whole week of training)..."just get it done." I'm ready to leave that attitude behind in the coming week and am really looking forward to my day tomorrow - yoga, massage, acupuncture...and a little work sprinkled in between. I need a chance to really recharge the batteries physically and mentally so I can come back strong. My "mind over matter" approach to life and training doesn't always serve me well because I become an auto-pilot Energizer bunny that just keeps going and going and going. So, in conjunction with Easter and new beginnings I'm going to rest up tomorrow and come back anew on Tuesday. (And I appreciate the encouragement of those around me more than you know...I really do.)
The rest of the day included phone calls to friends and families...again, I'm seriously lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people. Making lasagna from scratch (down to homemade pasta sauce)...yummy!!! (And good food for the week ahead!) Time with friends for an Easter gathering...incredible friends who regularly open their home to all of us Austinites without family in town. (I took some cookies...oatmeal & Hershey bar and oatmeal/cranberry/raisin/chocolate chip...all were a hit!) And finally church with the Blakistones and Blythe's friend Meredith.
To top off the day...a cupcake from hey cupcake! that Laura gave me - not necessary but MUCH appreciated (and feeling like it was well-earned this weekend...)!
Here's to the week ahead...looking forward to a new beginning...

quality time with my Kuota

Some people name their bikes...and their cars...and other vehicles. My family does this but I've never really gotten into it. But I've done such major bonding with my Kuota over the past two days (and ever since IM training began, really) that we certainly know one another on a first name basis!
Friday bonding: computrainer ride of the Coeur D'Alene Ironman course - 4 hours 25 minutes non-stop* on the bike. (*except for when I dropped my chain and had to hop off to fix it...that's some skill right there, folks - dropping a chain while on a trainer?!) I did this to get some feedback about my pedal stroke as well as to get a little idea about the CDA course. Naturally, riding on a computrainer is different from riding on the road; but still, you get a feel for the hills...and there are plenty. Some are typical central Texas-like hills (rollers) and others are a tad steeper. It's nothing T3ers can't handle! But I was no speed demon in spite of all of our long rides on the hills here in Austin. Mo told me to focus on my pedal stroke (I need to make it more of an oval and less of a peanut - that's the image when you see the computer graphic...evidently I have really good pull-up in the back but need to work on my push down/pushing my foot forward in the front) & cadence (aiming for 90-92...mine averaged around 86-87) and not to worry too much about other stuff. I was mindful of my speed but was pushing as hard and fast as I could (this is a tad relative given that I'd raced Galveston the week before and had not had a ton of rest or recovery). And I was mindful that Natalie finished about 9 miles ahead of me and Cindy about 4 miles ahead of me! I have to admit, I had a moment of "oh, no...I'm really not going to be able to make the bike cutoff" as I watched my mph stay in a rather pitiful range. I haven't had that thought in a while. But something about doing the CDA course on the computrainer made me think that I was really in trouble. Nonetheless, I completed the whole loop (56 miles of what we will do in CDA). And I was glad to get off my bike!
Spent a looooong time stretching and then wandered back to the coaches' office area to find Mo for my "debriefing". He immediately asked how it was, how I felt, etc... And then we started going over my stats, pictures of my pedal stroke, etc... But I had to interrupt him before he even talked for a full minute. I realized I wasn't taking anything in because there was a sinking feeling in my stomach (maybe b/c I was hungry, too! I'd gone directly from Barton Springs to the PTC and didn't get to have a great breakfast...but I did all of my nutrition tricks on the bike!). I just had to ask, "Mo, am I going to be able to make the bike cut-off? I mean, given what you've seen today, should I be even more worried than I am? Like, reconsider the race worried?" He quickly replied, "Oh, no...I'm not worried about that. You'll be fine." And then he talked me through the difference between computrainer rides and riding outside and we looked at my Galveston times and even tried to remember my Longhorn times. I was relieved...and could only then take in all of the information that the computrainer has to offer!
Bottom line - well worth the time and money but be prepared to have your legs feel like jelly the next day if you ride! It's not only that it is tougher but on a computrainer, but you are pedaling all the time. No riding the downhills. No standing up out of the saddle when you stop at a stop sign. Nope...there you are and you just have to keep pedaling. Oh, and it drives some people crazy to be on the trainer for that long...not me so much. In this way (mentally), I was built for endurance sports! I just settle in and go...and go...and go...and go...
...and keep going into the next day...
Saturday bonding: 50 miles from 360 out to Parmer and then back. Our CDA group actually did 75 miles but on account of my Friday riding on the computrainer, Mo & Chrissie both advised me to do 40 miles, sort of easy. Since I was riding with Amy I agreed to do 50 miles, sort of easy. There was nothing easy about riding on the wheels of Amy today. My legs were toast. And she was on fire! I was so happy for her...but killing myself to keep up. I did pretty well until the way back and then I just settled into my own little place (and pace) and kept chugging along just behind Nancy and Amy. In my brain, I was right with them. But sort of like my experience on the track on Wednesday trying to keep up with Blythe, no matter how much I willed them, my legs simply wouldn't turn over faster or push harder. Oh, well, my average was decent and I completed the miles. I always feel like I'm cheating myself a little when I just ride/run "junk miles" but in this looooong training schedule of ours, I need to go easy on myself a little and know that some workouts are just going to be like that. I still give it all I have but if completion is the end result then that's okay!
Some take-aways from the rides:
- I'm so glad for some of my buddies who "needed"/were hoping for good, solid rides today b/c they are coming back from injuries or being sick or just having a string of bad rides...so, hooray for Laura, Amy, Jess, Logan, Erin, and others...
- 360/Parmer is much friendlier without the crazy wind that we had this winter!!
- any ride that we return from safely is a blessing...saw one bad accident right after it had happened (prayers for the cyclist and his family) and then a teammate fell and broke her arm...prayers for full and speedy recoveries for both cyclists!
- I'm planning a day off next week...I have 16 miles to run on Sunday and then on Monday I'll go to yoga and my massage and that's it. My body is tired and hasn't really recovered from Galveston (I think mostly b/c I'm tired!). So, I'm taking Monday off except for yoga. Yeah, I can tell this is a good move already! And I'm not going to feel guilty about it! (Right?! Right!!)

(good) friday quotation

For our Good Friday service at school we were asked to think about and submit quotations related to servanthood, sacrifice, mercy, justice, forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation.
Being the rebel that I am, I submitted some words about grace (from one of my favorite authors)...which in my mind is perhaps the ultimate form of many of the themes that were suggested to us.

"...I understood that Auden meant grace in the theological sense, meant it as that force that infuses our lives and keeps letting us off the hook. It is unearned love - that love that goes before, that greets us on the way. It's the help you receive when you have no bright ideas left, when you are empty and desperate and have discovered that your best thinking and your best charm have failed you. Grace is the light or electricity or juice or breeze that takes you from that isolated place and puts you with others who are as startled and embarrassed and eventually grateful as you are to be there." (Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies - Some Thoughts on Faith)

it's been a long, messy week...

...and it's only Thursday!
But this week has made me have a new appreciation for people who work much harder than I do. For people who have two jobs to support their families or pay the bills or be able to do something they love. For people who never get weekends. For people who go to work early and don't stop until late night. For people who work all day and come home to stress at home.
I don't know how they do it day after day - and have a good attitude and have enough in them to be kind to their friends or spouses or kids or co-workers.
When I look back on my week, part of what made it tough was being gone last weekend and having two evening events. I realize that I'm really spoiled. I work very hard. But I have time to myself. Time to spend exercising and training. Time to spend with family and friends. Time to spend cooking and listening to music and resting and being outdoors and doing other things that I love. I get a weekend each week to fill with whatever I like, even if it involves some necessary work.
When I looked at my sink tonight - I'd been too tired to deal with it last night - I was shocked at how quickly my life at home had gotten so messy. Usually, I'm really good about the kitchen but this week, it got the better of me. Bottles are soaking to rid them of Infinit residue. A bundt cake pan that delivered birthday treats to someone at school needs some attention. Tupperware that held brownies and rice krispy treats for another colleague with a birthday needs a good soaking. And dishes from dinner need to be thrown in the dishwasher. AH! I'm becoming the roommates that used to drive me crazy with their dirty dishes.
And with that realization, I'm off to remedy this problem - a clean kitchen sink for Friday...and a continued respect for those who find themselves fighting to keep a clean sink every day and every week.

traffic cop & shepherdess, college counselor & athlete, daughter/sister & friend?

Basically, I've been wearing a lot of different hats lately. In fact, my fear is that I have not worn any of them terribly well because I've been changing hats so quickly. At any rate, the role that I played on Tuesday as part of my job as a committee member of a planning team for a national college fair held here in Austin is probably the one for which I was both the most and least prepared. When I arrived at the Austin Convention Center on Tuesday morning (semi-fresh from a swim workout and having already checked in at work), I was quickly directed to the Trinity Street side of the building to help Adam, Sarah, and Roy with transportation issues. I had worked with Roy to coordinate high school attendance at the fair so it seemed natural that we'd be helping with this. Frankly, I didn't care where I was as long as I was being put to good use.
Long story short: 3.5 hours and 80+ school buses later I was finally headed back to my office to check in, do some work, and basically regroup before heading back for the evening fair from 6-8:30 p.m. By job as "traffic cop" was hysterical. At any one moment I was trying to swiftly unload a school bus and direct students inside AND hold back another group of students who were wandering around outside the convention center instead of staying where we'd asked them to stay so that there buses could find them easily for the return trip home. The latter part was especially difficult. If you think teenagers don't listen in general, try talking to a bunch of teenagers who don't know you from Adam and who have zero incentive to do anything you ask. Yeah. I actually had one student look at me and say, "Who are you?" and then under his breath to his friend, "We don't have to listen to her." In a way, he was right. I was just some lady with a name tag trying to exert a little bit of crowd control. Next year, I want some crossing guard gear and maybe I'll look a little more official.
We pulled off this incredibly chaotic dance of loading and unloading and only had three students left behind - pretty amazing. One of those students actually brought total purpose to my morning. I saw her wandering a bit aimlessly outside of the convention center and I approached her asking if I could help her find her school. When she told me which group she belonged to I silently registered that those buses had already left but wanted to double check before I said anything out loud. So I suggested that we go for a walk through the crowds to see if she saw her counselor or some friends. At this point, she said she didn't know her counselor and that she really had no friends. My heart broke a little. As we walked on we started talking and I just got this image of her being a little lost sheep at her school. Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic but her school is large and clearly, no one had missed her when the buses loaded and left. And that made me sad for her. She was much more accepting of her state than I was and seeing as I was a perfect stranger, I thought it better to talk about college and what she liked to do instead of how she had no friends.
We contacted her school and as the times would be, I discovered that I couldn't just bring her back to school on my way back to school. That made me a little sad, too. I mean, I get it. They don't know me, I could be some crazy lady and if anything happened to her they would be responsible. And this whole thought made me laugh 1) because of who I am and 2) because they had already been irresponsible and forgotten her at the convention center! So, this student and I waited for her counselor to arrive in a blue Mustang convertible to pick her up.
I only include that detail because I learned a thing or two about this young woman as we waited that made me understand how she really was on the outside of things with regard to her peer group.
1) she had no idea what her cell phone number was (is there another teenager in the world with a cell phone who doesn't know the number? Probably, but I bet you'd be hard-pressed to find one quickly.)
2) she had no idea what a Mustang looked like (maybe not as surprising as #1 but even this girl who know relatively little about cars could have identified a Mustang back in high school)
3) she really couldn't name a single friend for me (and, as I said before, this broke my heart)...to go through high school without a friend...misery. Made me thankful for all of my friends, high school and otherwise.
There were other funny things, too, but soon enough she was settled in that blue Mustang heading back to school. Goodness, I hope she makes it through all that life holds for her. I know she will. She just might need another shepherdess or two in her life to re-direct her when she's wandered away. So glad that was my role on Tuesday.
Tuesday night I played "hallway monitor" at the college fair and then finally got to go home - way too late for my renewed commitment to getting more sleep. And that has been an ongoing problem this week. And now, it's Wednesday and I'm just tired.
Had a rough time with track practice Wednesday night - not mentally (I actually did okay with the mental part of mile repeats) but physically I just couldn't do it like I wanted/exactly like we were supposed to. I held Blythe (barely!) for the first 1/2 of the workout and then settled in just behind her for miles 4 and 5 and then about 15 seconds behind her for mile 6. That was supposed to be our fastest mile of the night. I was glad to just make it back to where we were holding steady for #2-5. My mind kept telling my legs to turn over faster but they really just couldn't or wouldn't or something. Not a great feeling. Not a great practice. But as Amy and Blythe reminded me, I was out there doing it and that was something. (And then I dashed off to a Grandparents' Reception at school...) Going to take it on the chin, chalk it up to a ho-hum practice for the week after a 1/2 Ironman, and focus on sleep, sleep, sleep...
Speaking of...no early rise for me in the a.m. Already completed my coached swim practice of the week so I'm sleeping in! (Until 6:15 a.m. - luxury!) Thanks to Joe for setting me straight with that. Unlike my little lost sheep/girl, I'm lucky to have friends to re-direct me when I start to wander...
On the work front, things are a tad stressful right now. Combatting some fabulous rumors about our college acceptances this year. I'm so not caught up in the names of schools to which our students were accepted that it drives me batty when people are. I have to work hard to keep my cool when I get thrown a punch or two about this. Such has been the week but we're headed into a long weekend and I'm grateful for that.
And as a friend, sister, daughter...well, late nights for work (twice now) have meant for little phone time to catch up with folks. Looking forward to that this weekend, too.
For now...it's off to bed to recharge the batteries so I can do a better job at all of the roles that I will play. Although I think I can retire from being a traffic cop for at least a little while.

mission accomplished

(Warning: this is my first attempt at a "race report"...it might be dreadfully boring so read at your own risk!)

I had several goals going into the Lonestar 1/2 Ironman this past weekend:
- solid swim (first race in a wetsuit! more on that later...)
- successful wetsuit stripping (or at least good practice for CDA!)
- steady bike paying close attention to nutrition!!!
- practice water bottle hand up on the bike
- nutrition, nutrition, nutrition...big practice day for CDA in June
- run the entire run...no walking...not through water stops...not to ease the legs...forward movement at a jog at the very least
- don't bonk at mile 10 of the run
- finish strong...
- ENJOY!

SUNDAY, APRIL 5 I don't think I moved all night the night before...seriously. I woke up in the exact same position that I fell asleep in! Guess I had a good night's sleep! Breakfast in the hotel room and then we were out the door (had to check out of the hotel on our way out)...good-bye Baymont Inn & Suites...hello Moody Gardens, staging area for the triathlon.
Blythe, Laura, and I left the hotel in plenty of time to get a parking place in the lot at Moody Gardens and get body marked and get our stuff laid out. Pre-numbered spots on the bike racks ease the stress of finding a "good" spot on a rack - you just are where you are! I was next to Vegas, just down the row from Michelle and Carrie, and across from Laura - being surrounded by T3 blue made me feel better. Got everything laid out, chatted with the girls around me a little, and then Laura and I decided to wander around and see who else was there. Stopped our meandering along the way to snap photos with other T3ers, chatted with Logan when he was passing through transition, stood in the bathroom line, and eventually collected our gear before they closed transition at 7:45 for us 1/2 Iron folks.

Down to the bay...
A sea of T3 blue with wetsuits dangling over our arms made our way down to the water. It was really nice to have the company. I don't really get nervous before races (in fact, I'm often too calm...like I "forget" that I'm racing...hmmm...I need to think about this because it might have contributed to my slower swim this time?), but it sure was nice to be surrounded by friends - cracking their usual jokes, everyone trying to lighten the mood a little. We watched the guys head out to their swim start. I was in the third to last wave so we had a while until we started.
Eventually all of us red capped folks headed to the pier. I was in a wave with Katy, Vegas, Michelle, Carrie, Dionn, Alisa, Laurie, Marie, Rhonda, Maggie, and Anna so we all "walked the plank" together - well, that's what it felt like. It was a little daunting (and I'm okay with the swim!) but Logan was on the pier announcing the start and that was helpful to see a friendly face before we headed down the "gang plank" and then down the ladders into the water. Cool rush! Okay, it felt cold! So I just started swimming to get warmed up. Made my way toward the buoy that marked the start, made sure that my goggles were tight enough and not foggy, and tried to get a good position. I know to be toward the front. I wanted to try to hang on to Katy's heels but I was worried that was a little too ambitious, so I settled for the front of the pack but not the lead. A woman next to me was amazed that salt water + a wetsuit = great buoyancy. I smiled and said, "Yes...it should be fun" but really I was thinking, "I'm not really in the mood to chat right now." But I was polite. Anyway, I turned out to be in an okay spot. Still had to maneuver around some folks but eventually fell into a rhythm. I was feeling good - not super fast but solid and focusing on my pull. (I've been having arm issues with my swim and I think that the wetsuit only makes it worse.) The waves were not too bad...until the jet skis revved their engines and shoved water in our faces...and before too long I was passing up guys from the wave in front of us. I always love that! After not too long I was in the home stretch and eventually my feet could touch ground...cut my big toe on the way out but just kept going. Looked at my watch...clever, it had stopped after 2 minutes. Man that was a fast swim! No big deal...meant that I couldn't obsess over my time and since I wasn't in this race for that, it actually didn't bother me once I got over the initial annoyance. (Yeah...small victory to not be caught up with my time...I always tell myself I'm not going to be and I often get caught up with it anyway.)

Out of the water and headed to T1...
Easily saw the wetsuit strippers...I was ready and quickly dropped to the ground, shot my feet up in the air, and in one amazing pull the wetsuit was off. I must have been sitting there in awe for a second because a spectator said, "go!" Right...T1 and my bike were waiting...I was still amazed at how cool the wetsuit stripping was. I'd have plenty of time to think about that on the bike so I got moving. Made sure to run under the "showers" to get at least some of the salt water rinsed off. Felt about like a garden hose with REALLY low pressure spraying you from the other side of the lawn but I wasn't going to stand under it and primp...so I headed to my bike.
I was on my bike pretty quickly after putting on my helmet, sunglasses, socks and shoes...no need to rinse feet this time since we were running through a parking lot. Nice. I hate grimy feet in my shoes so at every other tri where we've had to run through dirt or sand to transition I always end up having to rinse off my feet. I know, it's silly but blisters from sand are worse!

Open road ahead...
The bike started off on one road leading out of Moody Gardens but we quickly turned onto the seawall road and that was our main drag for the next 56 miles. Straight, straight, straight. Flat, flat, flat. A little bit of wind but nothing like we've been riding in. Sun was up but not bearing down on us quite yet. No excuse for bad nutrition, water, form, or anything else. I settled in for a long ride... Felt a little twinge in my left inner thigh pretty early on but just kept going. It was a nuisance and wasn't comfortable but certainly not worth stopping for. Focused on nutrition, cadence, and my form and staying in aero. The course was pretty boring so there was a lot of time to think about different things.
About 30-40 minutes into it some fellow T3ers came up behind me and passed me...we joked that we were out for a T3 training ride there was so much blue going on. It was fun! Saw some other T3ers flying by on the other side...it was awesome and encouraging. Not too much to say about the bike except for that I accomplished a few things: corrected a dropped chain without dismounting/stopping but used my gears instead (woo-hoo!); successfully took a water bottle hand up, filled my aero bottle, and tossed the empty bottle into the "target area"; consumed all of my allotted water and nutrition on the bike; and hung in there through whatever was going on with my leg. Averaged 17.7 mph which isn't bad for me. I was hoping to go around 18 or a little faster since it was so flat but it turned out we pretty much had some wind in our faces each way (on an out-and-back!) so staying steady and not draining my legs for the run was fine.
Edged out one other woman in my age group as we headed into Moody Gardens (that was sort of fun!) and then hit the dismount line... In the back of my mind I was worried about Dionn and Laura since I had expected them to pass me...

Sigh of relief....made it off the bike safely...now to the run! (I can't believe a 1/2 marathon ahead of me is a relief!)
Soon saw Laura in transition with me and I knew her back must have been hurting her. But she's tough and she threw on her running shoes and was soon on my heels on the run course. I felt good from the beginning but I had to pee like crazy so I ducked in a port-a-pottie and immediately felt better...guess I was getting enough water on the bike! I tried to remember when I had started the run as I was hoping to have a solid 1/2 marathon but I forgot what the time was so I decided not to worry about it. I ran my run goals through my head, heard Chrissie's voice advising us that we wanted to run at least the first 16 miles of the Ironman run, and re-dedicated myself to running this entire race + not bonking at mile 10. I think this means I was a tad cautious but I'm okay with that. Quickly saw other T3ers...and really confused Laura when I showed up behind her! (Thank you, small bladder that I've been blessed with.) Thought I would try to catch her but she was on fire and I just couldn't risk blowing up at mile 10 again. So I settled into a nice pace and felt good. My leg was bothering me a little but not in such a way that compromised my running. I cruised through the first lap and was headed onto my second when it struck me that the sun was getting hot and that the wind was picking up. Oh, well, nothing to do about it but to keep running. Saw T3 folks all over the place and that was very cool. Each time my body thought about slowing down I would see a teammate and pick up the pace. Folks were looking really strong overall, although by the end you could tell that the sun and the wind were taking their toll. By the last couple of laps, the wind was gusting upwards of 30mph and you could tell! It was like running into a cement wall...we felt like we were going nowhere or like we were being blown across the course from a cross wind! Sometimes it was refreshing; other times it was frustrating. But I kept my head in the game and kept myself occupied by looking for my next teammate to cheer on (and to receive encouragement from!) and by paying attention when to take another gel or Thermolyte. I could feel myself slowing down a bit by the third lap and told myself that was okay as long as I didn't stop, walk, or bonk...and I didn't! I stayed steady albeit a tad slower and then tried to pick it up on the last loop. Well, at least I did that on the last mile!
All along the way teammates were telling me that I looked strong. Sometimes we tell one another that in hopes that it will translate into truth and make us strong. Sometimes it's because we really do look strong. Well, I think that maybe it was the latter for me this race. I felt good. Truth: your legs just hurt when you're doing this stuff. But there's a difference between feeling pain but also feeling strong and feeling pain and also feeling like your legs have nothing left in them. I didn't go to that second place this race! Wow! What a difference...I thought I was holding about 10 min. miles and I was okay with that. In previous races of this distance, I'd held 11 min. miles so I was good with anything under...even if this was a flat course!
By mile 12 I was ready to finish it off...I knew I had another little incline ahead of me and then the stretch by the water and then the final road home. As I rounded the corner to the finish line I felt awesome...yes, it's always good to see the finish line but for the first time in a race of this distance I actually had some spunk left in me.


Straight ahead...
As I came down the stretch all I saw was Adam leaning into the finish shoot to cheer me on and announce my name correctly (thanks to Logan, Blythe, Laura, and anyone else who might have been standing near to help him...it's actually always fun for me to see how my last name is pronounced but since Logan was helping with the announcing I joked with him that maybe this time it would be pronounced correctly...yeah!). I was quickly met by grins from teammates congratulating me and asking how I was and if I was happy with my race.
How was I? GREAT! (Glad to be done but great!) I had run the whole 1/2 marathon; I had not bonked at mile 10 - or anywhere else; I felt strong (and tired). And I had no clue what my time was. And that was sort of cool.
I really had not set a time goal for this race. In my "short term" triathlon goals I wanted to go sub-6 hours in a 1/2 Ironman, but I wasn't sure this was the right time (although the course certainly suggested it might be the right race) since we're knee deep in IM training and this was really like a training day. Everyone thought I'd gone sub-6 and I was secretly pretty sure I'd gone like 6:05...and I was okay with that given how well everything else had gone. Got water, recovery stuff, checked in with some teammates who were in the med tent, and started hearing about everyone's races. It had been a great day for T3...PRs all over the place...we were a bunch of big grins. Watched a few others finish; talked to Mo, Suzanne, and Logan; and then Laura and I hooked up with the Blakistones and Ruebels and made a plan to go get some food on our way home.
Gathering your stuff back up and loading it into the car after a triathlon is always sort of a chore. You're tired...achy...hungry...and you have to deal with gear. Yuck. I was also freezing given the combination of sweat and the cool ocean breeze. Speaking of sweat...my tri shorts, face, and legs were covered with salt. Not like the usual marks that our sweat makes (small lines). Nope, I could have been a salt lick for someone or I could have rubbed the salt off my shorts and put it into a salt shaker for someone! Gross!
Anyway, soon enough Laura and I were in her car and headed down the highway (following Joe and Blythe and Yvonne and Matt) toward Houston and food. Quick change in the McAllister's bathroom and I was finally warm and felt a little refreshed. I should say that my shoulders and back were HOT since I had managed to get a stellar sun burn...I was not alone. And my calves were toasty because I was wearing my compression socks. I have seriously good friends in T3 in that they admitted to knowing me even though I had on running shorts and compression socks and fuzzy crocs. NOT a good look...but one that I needed to sport to help the legs recover.
We ate...rehashed the race...and bemoaned the fact that we had a 3.5 hour drive ahead of us! Eventually we hit the road again, Laura and I talked to a few people and mostly to one another, and listened to music and the time actually passed quickly. Laura is a great road trip companion! Yeah, Laura, I loved traveling with you!
I thought about my race goals and felt pretty darn satisfied with all of them! Not thrilled with my swim (seriously, I've been faster without a wetsuit so I need to figure that out!); I wanted to be faster with the bike but I'll take what I did; and I am really excited about my run (it's cool when the thing you've devoted the most time to is where you end up the strongest). Did well with my nutrition although I have a list of things to ask Meredith.
And I left some things for next time...Gran's friend Knox always said that when she traveled to someplace she left some things to see on her next trip. So these are the things I will "re-visit" on my next race:
- faster swim (see note above about wetsuits...others are SO much faster with them...sort of like paddles! Need to get some feedback from coaches.)
- stronger bike...not sure if this is realistic but I think maybe next year my off-season focus will be the bike...focusing on the run sure paid off this year so there's hope for my cycling!
- eventually negative split the run...and not be quite so cautious next time. I think I could have gone faster but I was so worried about bonking that I held back a little. Next time I'll know that I potentially have enough in me to push a little.
All in all, an amazing race...I was one happy camper...and that was even before I knew what my time was. Discovered that on the way home...5:59:25. I was seriously shocked. (And with 9:48 min miles on the 1/2 marathon...that made me really happy!) Still making me giggle even today...it's like I didn't want to rush into breaking that 6-hour mark!

So...there it is. My first race report. Don't worry, you won't have to read another race report until post-Ironman (June)! I'd like to tell you this post is over but I'd be remiss if I didn't thank some folks...all of my T3 teammates, my training buddies (especially my running buddies - Blythe, Liz, Amy, Laura, and Jim), our coaches (Suzanne and Mo who rocked the course on Sunday! Charles who cheered us on and on and on! Logan who was helping announce the race but took time to check up on the T3ers, too! And Chrissie who checked in from Austin! Seriously, T3ers...we are lucky, lucky, lucky to have such incredibly devoted and talented coaches), everyone who was out there cheering, and my family and friends who checked in with me to see how I'd done. People often say that triathlon is an individual sport and on one hand, it is...you ARE out there doing it by yourself physically but emotionally it is a different deal. It is a HUGE group effort and we had an amazing group out there at Galveston on Sunday. Many of whom are going to CDA...what a blast that is going to be!!! I'm excited, a little more confident, and also glad to have more training ahead of me. Racing Galveston reminded me that I love training, not racing...good thing since we do far more training than racing! But it also reminded me that I have fallen in love with triathlons and everything that they embody...pushing ourselves, surprising ourselves, encouraging one another, appreciating what our minds and bodies and spirits can do when we treat them right and train them right...and on that note: a renewed commitment to more sleep must begin this week.