The Weekend Report with Courtney S.

I can't remember if I mentioned it or not, but Zeus Goose the Cane Corso pup has cherry eye. Joy. Friday after work I took the little guy in to get checked out. After we returned from the vet, I got myself dressed and made my way out the door for a non-iPod, listen to the footsteps and falling snow/sleet only run of four miles. I know, I know, four miles ain't shiznit. But, to me, it really was. At a frigid 25 degrees and wind gusts of 25 mh, I was a bit, um, chilly. I made it back to the house not long after sundown, but was I was nearing my street on that particular patch of street lampless darkness, I remembered a run in which it hit me: I was going to finish Ironman Florida in the dark. I was thinking that maybe I would finish Redman in the daylight, but with a sunset of 7:30pm, I would have to finish at exactly 12hrs, about 30min faster than my goal time. So, maybe there will still be some trails of light on the horizon.

Saturday morning I went to work and taught some swim lessons. Aahh, swim lessons. Nothing like my bright and shinny self at 9am on a Saturday teaching nine 3-5year olds how to put their faces in the water. Actually, the kids aren't that bad (it's the parents.. err. wait..). Once I made it home I threw my leg over the bike and got to pedaling. In my kitchen. I set the trainer up in the kitchen so I could keep and eye on the dogs (and the dog's eyes). Also, some friends of the Husband were at the house laying the slate tile in the fancy-schmancy master bathroom. Be jealous. It's been since August of 2006 that the shower was last functional. My ride was set for two hours, however, after an hour and twenty minutes, I found myself at the vet yet again, to pick up more medication before they closed. I planned to get back on the saddle when I made it home, yet housework was piling up, and I made the executive decision that sometimes house priorities need to come before training. Gasp!

I hung out with Alygator in the afternoon, doing a whole lot of nothing. We tried the new sushi bar in town, which, to our surprise also has 4 hibachi grills as well. The sushi was excellent and after a mere two glasses of white, we called it a night. I feel asleep with the dogs on the couch watching Pineapple Express.

Sunday morning we planned to run early and be done with it. However, Alygator FINALLY set up a Facebook account so we took the majority of the morning for her to explore her new found world of Social Networking Websites. About 3:00 I said enough and got dressed. The temps were hovering around the 19 degree mark, but with less wind, the five miles were not only warmer than Friday's but, dare I say it, FUN. I ran with the iPod this time- after I dug through three purses and two workout bags to find it. These runs were far from fast, but the snowflakes on both trips were fun. Also, it's nice to have the path only to yourself. I never saw another runner Friday, and Sunday my only company was Alyson. Alyson, by the way, made Sunday her farthest run EVER. I remember how exciting those are. Long runs. Well, long enough.

This morning I found myself in the middle of a main set consisting of 10 x 200's build. Yes, 10 x TWO HUNDRED YARDS. My arms are tired but the gradual increase in yardage is good for me, and, well, makes me happy if nothing else.

There's KMA spin class tonight, however, Coach Lady has me to ride only an hr with a lower HR than what the Class workout is, so I'll be doing this in the kitchen too. Then I'll finally get to snuggle up to the husband- he spent the weekend working in Houston at supercross- and drink a glass of wine, which, will ultimately be my night cap. Rest day tomorrow, I'm really looking forward to it.

Mind Games

We're playing those mind games together
Pushing the barriers planting seeds
Playing the mind guerrilla-John Lennon


I did not want to go to spin class tonight. No, let me restate that. I couldn't give a phuck less about going. Long day at work. Dog with an eye issue. Husband making travel plans. Sore from yesterday. Yesterday's THREE workouts.

Yet, I went. I was late, and started setting up in the corner. Then I realized I forgot my clycling shoes. I drove home. Got the shoes. I made up new expletives. Not really sure what the mean or how the sounded, but if you can speak in tongues, and better yet, understand tongues, you would have been embarrased for me.

When I got back to spin, I put my shoes on, and mounted my bike. The warm up was nearly over. Then my HR monitor kicked the bucket. Actually, it did a while ago, but I forgot the new strap, so I had to borrow. More expletives (in my head this time, appearantly someone couldnt get a babysitter and had to bring their two kids to class. Im sure that was fun for them.).

Let it go. My subconcious spoke. Just let it all go.

So I did. I let everything that wasn't Here and Now leave my mind. I focused on the task (PAIN!) at hand. Leg crank series. Power and strength. Turning the damn pedals. 3 to 9, 9 to 3. Physically tough? yes. But I've done tougher. Mentally straining? Sure, but I've focused more. Today was about tuning out everything that didn't matter or that I couldn't do a damn thing about at This. Exact. Moment.

A tought entered my head: Go home, it's just 30 min early. This is 30 min you'll never get back in your life... yes, that's right, 30 min. This is 30 min you cannot come back to later and try to train in it again. The time is fleeting. No one is turning the big wheel to move the island to another time dimension.

It's just a mind game.

Two Classy Ladies

True politics aside, Michelle Obama is a classy and stunning woman. I am very pleased that Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden and First and Second Ladies, respectively. They long young and fresh. Very vibrant. They MAKE me like them. How can you not!?

Day One Complete

Yesterday's swim, bike, and stretch workouts didn't seem that awful. Although, the yardage in the swims were a bit higher, the bike was about the same as the last few spin sessions (um, DIFFICULT). As things would work out, today is slated as a rest day, which is convienient since I have a few meetings, seven lessons and am director on duty at my gym this evening. Oh, and there's this little thing going on in DC right now that I'd like to take a moment to watch.

Social Networking Status: Non-existent

Last night my dearest husband started talking to me about a certain social networking site. He then went on to call me obessesed and addicted. ME? Hmpf. As he went on, he dared me, well, challenged me (ok told me) not to get on for five days. No problem! But, that was only 12 hrs ago, and I'm already itching to check it out. Actually, I more or less stalk old and current friends. I like to see the status updates, review posted phots, and see what people are talking about. So, I'm taking a forced hiatus. He's right, really. I get on the damn thing way too much. I have access from my phone so I check it during the drive to work, drive home (and gasp) ever so often during the day. 'Tis time to break the habit! I need social networking site rehab!

I however, did say I would last until Friday. I'm hoping that if I can go that long, then I won't feel the need to check it so often (Like when I first stopped drinking Diet Coke twice a day. I went cold turkey. It was AWFUL. Then the cravings just went away. Now I can "socially" drink my Diet Cokes without a real relapse. However, don't you dare try to take my coffee away. I have back up. And she has back-up.).

I'm pretty sure that my blog is RSS'ed to my social network site. So if you're out there... have fun while you can because I'll be checking back in a week!

Get Ready for This

Well, I see this week's workouts. I'm going to have to step out of my current (lazy) comfort zones and HTFU. Well, that includes my husband too. I have to really get him invovled, althought I can always tell that he gets disappointed a touch when I get lazy and out of shape. He told me once he likes telling people that I train a lot, and am a triathlete. It makes me proud when he can brag!

So, here's week one's projected totals:
PLAN Totals
Type Distance Duration
Rest
Stretch 01:00
Weights 01:00
Bike 75.0 mi 04:00
Run 12.0 mi 02:00
Swim 5600.0 yd 02:00
Total Plan Duration: 10:00

Gorilla Multisport Athlete Coaching

I am SO happy to announce it:

I've joined up with Gorilla Multisport to be coached by Gail Leveque. Based out of the Dallas, Tx area, Gail has coached for more than seven years. Her favorite quote is befitting:
Its a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired,
you quit when the gorilla is tired.
Gail's personal athletic achievements are awesome- top five finishes at several 70.3's, 3 time USAT all-American, a top twenty age group finish, and top FIVE age group finish at KONA Ironman World Champs (2006 and 2004, respectively).

Gail can be aggressive and straight at you as I am, and that's what I need in a coach. I'm so excited to start with her. We were discussing February, but it looks like workout #1 is Monday.

Yay!!! Go Gorillas!

Sweet Dreams are Made of These

I'm not prepared. I haven't done the training. It's race day. 2.4 mile swim. 112 mile bike. 26.2 mile run.

The race starts and I'm still messing with my stuff in transistion. Putting my bike together. I'm freaking out, man. My longest run is under 12 miles. I haven't rode my bike more than 20. I keep seeing this basket full of eggs, wait, golf balls, next to my transition bag. I wanted to be first out of the water, but the girls are exiting and I'm not even in yet.

Omigod.

Ooomigod.

Omigod omigod omigod, I AM NOT READY.

I awoke in dripping sweat, kicking the sheets off my body. I had this feeling before. The feeling of unpreparedness. The worry, the fright. The panic. It's all a dream. It's all a dream. But, it's kinda not. I'm just starting to begin my training for Redman. My dream was my fears about the race, and where I'm at now with my fitness and training. Had I tried to set out for 140.6 miles in my sleep last night, I surely would have failed. Your dreams prove how much control your mind can have over your race, and I do not want to have that feeling.

I emailed the hopefully-soon-to-be-coach lady: Do you still have room for me? When can we start?

Becase, well, things may be closer than they appear.

Listen Up!

As you may have noticed, I've made some cha-cha-chaaangges to the blog. I decided a re-vamped look for 2009 is in order. So, I'll try to stick to this for a while, or until I get really tired of looking at it.

One of the new items is a playlist. I'll continue to update this, but as I think of new workout songs, I'll add them to the list here. It's pretty much the stuff I'm adding to my iPod.

If you get tired of hearing it, all you have to do is hit the "Pause" or stop buttons. I make no concessions for my choices in music. They cuss, scream, and wail. Consider yourself warned.

Oh, and if you're at work and playlists are blocked, then check them out at home.

Crank the volume to 11.

Crank Yankers

It's 2:30am and my phone is ringing. "Unknown number" the screen says.

"Hello?" I answer, painfully aware of the time and very afraid of having to get out of bed to open the pool in the morning, as what other reason would I be getting a phone call so early?

"This is your best friend." Uh, no, it's not. Alygator does not sound like an 18 year old girl, and Jules wouldn't call me at 2:30am to just phuck with me. Unless there's wine involved. And she would for sure be WAY better at prank phone calls than this douche.

With enough exchange I got a first name. Then a bunch of stammering and a last name. Then I was told we were best friends (again). Oh, and she has a brain tumor and she hates me. That sucks. I'm also told that we "swam together back in the day." Um, FYI you're not even old enough to use the term 'back in the day.' I say.

When I had enough I said I was hanging up the phone and to have a goodnight. Then she dropped this one, "I slept with your husband." Too bad I had already pressed the red button. Darn. I asked Eric, "You sleep with anyone by that name?" Nope. If I did, must have sucked, because I don't remember. Haha! And with that we laughed a bit more and rolled off to bed.

I have a pretty good idea who it was. But even better, I put in a trace request with my phone service provider and will have a phone number and name by the close of business.

I'll save it for a rainy day.

Til Your Arms Fall Off or You Eventually Fall Down a Hill

Or lats explode. Your choice.

Robo hasn't blogged about the ridiculous pulling swim workout yet, although, she really hammed it up about her swim test. Last week, her coach lady wanted to kill her. Well, her arms at least. And Robo thought it would be fun to pass on the joy to me. I'm not going to tell you the particulars of the workout, as that's between Robyn and Robyn's Coach Lady (and me because I stole that workout). However.

Howevvver, I will tell you that the main sets (Yes, plural) were pull. A lot of it. All 2300 yards of it. As far as I could see, there was nothing that said "pull bouy allowed" either. There were things like "let legs hang" and "band together" as well as, "no flip turn, turn like at marking bouy." It was sick, I tell ya.

I thought today would be a good day to do this set. After all, I work at a pool, and had some time over lunch. So I put on my gear and got in. Geesh. After Monday's spin- thankfully only a functional threshold test, not Max HR test; that's tomorrow- I took yesterday to lightly recover. Good thing I don't need my arms to run tonight. I'm planning to make another trail attempt, only this time, with Mr. TriathleteBride. Yes, that one. The crosscountrysuperstarwhatever. But, it will be dark, so I should just put some big sticks on the trail and he can roll down the hill.

When I asked my dear hubby if he wanted to join me he asked if it's a good idea. "It will be dark by then," he tells me. Yes dear, that's why I want you to come with me. "Won't you twist your ankle or break your leg? That sounds like something Wimpy would do." Gee, thanks for your supreme confidence in me!

Wimpy is my pet name. It has nothing to do with being a puss. It's a derivitive from the Wimpony, which I have no idea where that came from.

Maybe I will need my arms to catch me tonight, like, when I fall into a ravine.

So It Begins

Well, Here We Are.

Tonight's first of the year "Spin" class will mark the third consecutive workout for me. Yes, I said third. Tonight I shall embark on a 16 week journey of twice weekly bike sessions with the goal of building miles and kicking my anaerobic threshold. No really, the name of the class is KMA. Although, all the participants are fully aware that KMA is really for Kick My Ass and has little to do with anaerobic thresholds.

Yesterday, I swam around 3500 yards. Hardly anything when you think about one race totaling 4400. However, I worked hard. Especially on the negative split 400's. After looking at previous year's RedMan results, I'm having a hard time understanding why the swim splits are so... slow. Only one woman last year swam under 1:05. In 2007, the first woman out of the water was a 1:24. ONE HOUR, TWENTY FOUR MINUTES. 2006 was two minutes slower than that! I'm guessing its the lack of draft that causes the slower times, and there's fewer competitors to compare by. I was the 70th woman out of the water at IMFL 07 with a 1:06. The fastest fish that day was Theresa Mackel in 50min.

After looking over results, I feel like if I can swim to the same ability as in 2007 (not the same speed, as the draft really does play a huge part), then I should exit the water near the front of the overall race. I'll worry about the bike and run later. Let me savor this moment.

I'm still figuring out the coaching situation. I originally thought I'd have more moola to spend than I really do. I found someone that I feel would be an excellent fit, however, I'm trying to figure ways to make coaching a necessity versus a want and therefore giving paying thousands a year a bigger allowance out of our budget. I do want to say that Nancy Strickland coached me last year and is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S. However, I was needing to make some changes and when doing an Ironman, it's easier on the phsyche to be coached BY and Ironman. Not to say Nancy isn't a badass in her own right.

I'm off to dig thru a box of mismatch heart rate monitor straps here in the office. During my "arms will fall off" swim set yesterday, my faithful HRM of two years but the dust. I've tried changing batteries, replacing pieces, anything, to save it. But, I think it's done. However, the watch/ receiver portion still is ticking (pun intended), so hopefully there's a Nike strap in this gross sweaty box.

Aaah. So. Much. Better.

After yesterday's blogging vent session, I drove home experiencing
global warming at it's finest. A tempid 62 degrees in good old kcmo. I
was cruising with the windows down when it hit me: GO RUN.
I called up my bestie Alyson who is spening the weekend with me. "Get
your trail shoes on, we're hitting the mud!" Thirty minutes later we
found ourselves standing at the top of the trail head. The jacomo/ blue
springs lake trails are my style. Formerly chat gravel, a good morning
rain tops off the ground with a touch of mush. The trails are up, down,
up down, and aren't any pussy ups. Or downs. The washouts and stream
crossings at the bottom make for a pretty treacherous descent. Good
thing my new job's health insurance kicked in yesterday!
After we reached our turnaround, we began to really notice the warm
winds blowing through the valley, and with every step up the tempature
rose.
We chatted occassionally, relying mostly on the sound of running shoes
leaving prints in the swampy gravel for our soundtrack. The moon was in
its glory, the sun long having set.
I reemerged from the trail a muddy, scratched shell of myself ninety
minutes prior. I was fresh, bright and full.

I finally felt alive.
-Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

Unraveling.

"If you want to destroy my sweater...
Woah-ah-woah-ah-woah.
Hold this thread as I walk away...
As I walk away."

Two-thousand and eight was a year of serious ups and downs. I've breifly discussed it. Pretty much my personal, athletic and professional lives were flipped turned upside down many times over. Like a washing machine. You could sit on the floor by the front-loader and watch it go thru the spin cycle.

I am so tired of the begging, the pleading with my mom to get help. I am so tired of people and animals dying. I am completely over the petty arguments and pointless bickering. I have escaped from the horrors that I called my co-workers at South & Assoc. I am sick of the economy. I am through with the things that one by one unraveled my heart strings. Thankfully, I'm very lucky to have an awesome husband and a handful of really wonderful friends.

I entered 2009 on a very sour note. A fairly blah New Year's Eve, a dog that crapped on my favorite rug (Which I stepped in with both bare feet. It was warm. And liquid like), an argument with my hubby with him a thousand miles away. While not everything is totally resolved yet (except for the rug. No amount of Resolve would fix that- it found the way to the trash), I'm trying to make a resolution of 2009:

Let it go.

Let everything go. Let everyone go. The things and people that hurt me in 2008 aren't going to affect my life anymore. I am going to just count to ten, and breathe out everytime something gets me flustered. I will walk away from the heart ache and resentment that I've carried for so long. I am done with it. I am airing it out.

The people can keep doing what they do. I don't care anymore. It's not my life to live, and if they want to destroy themselves, fine. Go for. It won't hurt me anymore. For the loved ones I've recently lost including my grandpa and my friend, I hope you have found peace. I'm letting you have it. For the critters that passed, may all dogs (and bunnies) go to heaven.

This is me, unraveling to my core.