This and that rambles.

The other night we somehow ended up watching Late night with Jay Leno - or whatever his show is called. Now that it starts at 9, it's not really THAT late. They had on some contestants from The Biggest Loser so we watched until we got to see them. But, first up was Howie Mandel. The only thing I know about that guy is he was the host of that silly show "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" Wait that's not right - it's the other one, the one with the brief cases... whatever that one was called - same difference, no?

Anyhow, my point was watching him made me nervous. He's ADD on a whole other level, planet actually. I was seriously stressed out just watching him. He couldn't finish a thought or make a point to SAVE.HIS.LIFE.

And then I realized, on a (hopefully) much lower level I am the SAME way. Especially lately. If I don't have 999things going on, or a million different things to do, plan, figure out well then, I'm bored.

Even when I'm busy working, driving, running, swimming or biking I'm constantly thinking of other things. Calculating routes and paces and thinking about races and elevation, and OMG make it STOP!

Ask me a question about a running route and I will give you splits, and mile markers. Potty stops and incline/decline. I can figure out what time I'll be at a certain intersection if you want to meet me in just a few seconds. It's rather disturbing I suppose. In fact. After talking with a couple of friends about how there was a POSSIBILITY they might join in my next 21miler this weekend, sure enough in less than a day they had an email in their inbox with the details of when/where and how far, along with a detailed map of course.

I wonder if it will work, and I will actually get their company?!?!?

Of course even if there was no chance of them actually showing up I would still have that email all written out in my head anyways.

So, aside from the plotting I'm also trying to start visualize this whole marathon thing. I don't know how some people find it so easy to say they think they can run XX. I just can't do it. I've run hills, I've run a gazillion 800s. I've even done the half marathon on the same route. Last Saturday we did a downhill run. It was only about 5miles down, but it was pretty steep. It sure was a confidence booster looking at the pace & the effort it felt like, but like I said, it was ONLY 5miles.

When it comes down to 3 weeks and a few days from now, I'm just going to give it what I've got and hope for the best. After this Saturday I will have done all that I could do to lead up to the race, and I've made a vow to myself to be just as strong mentally. Many say the mind is really what can get you there, can push past the pain. I'm certainly hoping so! It is most definitely MY GOAL to be mentally strong for this race. Whatever comes after that, it was meant to be.

ON another note, IRONMAN! Ironman AZ is just a few days away, and I'm lucky enough to get to host an incredibly talented athlete, Emily - A.K.A. "Speedy pants." I was introduced to her this year via the Supa. Seriously these girls are some of the toughest, bad ass, FAST chicks I have ever met. Oh, they just happened to be Hot as well. Utah breeds well, I can say that for sure.


I just had to repost this picture cause it sums up these tough girls. I HARD ass swim at 6000+ft elevation that nearly killed Shane & I, followed up by a beer. In Utah. I so know why I love these girls so much.

So, this weekend we will be taking on the sherpa role once again. I have to admit I've really grown to enjoy it. Last year, Momo's Ironman was my first real big Sherpa experience and I had SO much fun! You are out there all day long, cheering, picture taking, encouraging, and then the best part is you also get to enjoy in the celebrating! And, in the end, isn't that the most important part anyway? It is Emily's first Ironman, and I'm so excited to be part of it. I had some of the best support from friends for my first Ironman, and I'm just happy I can do the same for someone else!

Now, my only fear is the Ironman spectacle gets me all fired up and I try to do something stupid like SIGN up when I need to REALLY think about it first. What race (Canada) and the perfect timing for my next one. Not just do it cause I'm high on everyone else's adrenaline.

The house is ready, the yummy drinks are waiting & of course Baxter is so flipping excited for the girls he can hardly stand it.

All that's left is a little sherpa fashion plotting and creativity from The Team Emily.....

Happy Birthday Baxter

Today is my baby boy's 8th birthday. Makes me sad. I hate that he's getting older. As nice as it is that he's not crazy 24hours a day, I miss it. He's still got so many years left in him, but really I wish he could stay 3 forever! Minus the hole in the wall he tried to eat through.

Here we are on the first day I got to bring him home, the day after Christmas, 2001. We were both babies then, and pretty much grew up together.

He's been THE BEST running partner anyone could ever ask for. We had our moments where I was barely running 10min miles and he wanted to go 7min miles. But, I think we've finally found our middle ground, and the gentle leader.

Still, he would be and always has been most happy OFF LEASH.

Shane tried to blame the fact that Baxter is somewhat of a lush on ME. But, here I have proof. Baxter's first taste of wine. Yes, that would be Shane's hand. I'm pretty sure he was trying to get the puppy to calm the F&%^ down. Little did he know what it would really do to him.

He always has been quite the ham.....

Still the most snugly, big lap dog EVER.

Even with his puppy....

Besides running, his favorite time is spent on the beach.

and drinking margaritas.....

After every race we do, Baxter gets to wear the medals. He sits and poses for his 'post race picture.' Could he be ANY cuter?

Happy Birthday Bub, here's to MANY, MANY more.

Bub's Beach

The first time we visited Rocky Point at the end of October/Beg of November was after my first half Ironman (Soma). I remembered being surprised how gorgeous the weather was. Nice enough to still sit on the beach, yet cool mornings and nights. This past weekend was much of the same.

The first couple days were cooler, but not COOL by any means. I was able to get in my 90min "long run" which actually was harder than I thought (couldn't have had ANYTHING to do with my hydration methods or anything). But, I survived.



Baxter could not have been more happy. For the most part, the beach was quiet, just a few families here and there, but Bub's beach was almost all his.


We were also blessed with very calm waters. Not yet cooled down, I actually got in and splashed around a bit. We took the kayak out a couple times, which reminded me how much I need to get back to my Daniel torture to strengthen myself up. I'm WEAK. My forearms are still a little sore.
On our last day the water was so calm, we couldn't resist going out one more time. I'm so thankful we did. We saw the dolphins for the first time all week. Not only did we SEE them, they appeared right next to us, some even swimming underneath our kayak. SO flipping cool. About 20 in the first pod, and another 15 or so shortly after. Why are they so much fun to watch!?

We decided to venture out a bit on Halloween. I couldn't help but take this picture. There were two ladies dressed up as "old ladies that lost their puppies." So creative, funny & yet also so wrong on so many levels. It was fun to see everyone dress up & getting into the spirit. We just have to do it next year....

Other than beach time & runs on the sand, we pretty much relaxed, read & ate shrimp. October is the beginning of the prime shrimping season & let me tell you they were fantastic. I think we perfected our shrimp grilling skills.... Here's a little teaser. They were even better than they look.

All in all a fantastic get away, so much we might try to sneak one more trip back in before it gets too cool.

I love our home away from home. Sometimes I think I was meant to live at the beach.

June in October

Living in the desert is like no other place, really. We have some of the most gorgeous sunsets. The fall and spring make you feel like you've died and gone to heaven. Cooler mornings & evenings. Beautiful afternoons. You can walk, run, ride your bike, swim and enjoy meals outside ALL DAY LONG.

Then however, mother nature sneaks in one of those gawd awful weekends, just when you think you've hit that died and gone to heaven time of the year that makes you want to kill yourself. Or, something like that.

That weekend JUST happened. Most of you know my obsession with the weather. I don't know why, because it really is what it is & you can't do anything about it. Even if I'm sick in bed, for some reason I just want to KNOW. Traveling? The obsession starts about 2 weeks out. I mean what's a girl gonna wear?

So of course I knew that it was going to be a high of 100degs on Saturday. But, when you live in AZ 100degs really doesn't seem like anything much. What I failed to really pay attention to was the fact that when I planned a bike ride of about 4hours, with a some good climbing in there, and starting at 7am, it was already going to be 80degs.

The ride started out great. We had a couple of other guys join us this week, which was really nice. So three boys twice my size and me. I'm so not complaining about THAT draft. I learned last week that I can't start my rides heading straight up. Which kinda sucks, because by heading up north, after about an hour we have some of the most beautiful riding. But, my legs, especially these marathon in training legs need a serious warmup. If not, I think I suck, I hate my bike & I'm ready to quit.

The route had us doing a nice flat/easy 30min warmup, then we would start the very slight/steady climb up to the town of Cave Creek. We were cruising along, into a horrible head wind, but we all seemed to feel great, taking turns pulling (well - I tried my best, but don't think I helped them out nearly as much as they did for me) and keeping a GREAT avg. About 2 hours into the ride we were up in Cave Creek & Shane got a flat. He'd already changed one before the start of the ride so we were kinda worried. He rode over a piece of metal & his tube was pretty much trashed. He changed the tube & added a dollar bill for protection & got as much air in as he could. He decided he should not do the 10ish extra loop up into Legend Trails (hills) that I added, and just head home. That way, if his tire was trashed - I would see him along the way & have to head home anyway to get the car & pick him up (never mind the fact I totally forgot about him until we were a mile from home & someone asked if we were going the same route Shane would have taken - oops).

We filled up our water bottles & noticed none of us drank enough for that first 2 hours. We also noticed when we weren't heading into the wind and feeling the breeze, how incredibly HOT it was. My legs felt WORLDS better than last weekend, and the hills I normally loathe up in Cave Creek seemed pretty easy! Things were looking good.

At the next intersection, Shane headed on his way home & the boys & I went up for my extra loop. Straight into a flipping head wind. It felt like you were going going going, but not actually getting anywhere. At times there were some cross winds, and I was actually thankful for my tank Hillary (bike) vs mini me. I'm not sure I would have stayed on her.

At the top of the hills, we stopped and waited for one in our group. I noticed I was really REALLY dizzy. My nutrition was perfect, 4 thermolytes down but something wasn't right. We started the descent down Cave Creek, then turned onto Pima, hoping for a tail wind to bring us the 20miles home. But, of course Mother Nature was apparently PMSing and decided to shift the wind on us. So much for the downhill, tail wind dessert to finish up the ride.

The 3 of us were struggling & actually had to stop just 10miles from my house to refill water AGAIN. I took my last gel, and 3/4 a packet of salt (just like a shot, minus the tequila and lime!) but noticed I was getting chills, and goosebumps. Not good. We slowed down the pace, and basically did a 10mile cooldown.

4hours, only 66miles, my garmin didn't map it out so not sure of the climbing, 5 bottles of water, 550calories, 4 Thermolytes & 3/4 salt packet. Deydration, 4.5lbs.

We spent the next 3 hours pounding water until my headache was gone. It was like a flashback to those 5-6hour rides in May/June leading up to Ironman. When you can't drink enough, can't sit on your butt enough and well, are just plain worthless.

About 4pm we both were back to ourselves, fully hydrated and STARVING. We actually made it out of the house to Costco for 2 items. Pizza & lemons, need I say more?

All in all, despite the heat, it was a great ride, a good strength builder & hopefully gained a couple more riders for our Tour de Tucson group!

Confidence

"Confidence is generally described as a state of being certain either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective. Self-confidence is having confidence in oneself. " Wikipedia

We all have our hobbies, whether it be running, triathlon, car racing, horse racing or even the well, interesting Olympic sport of curling. Or, non athletic hobbies of sewing or scrap booking or hunting and fishing.

When you find something you love, you start out just doing, then you might end up actually competing. Some compete from the get go. My husband is one of those. He loves the fire, the competitive spirit and the challenge. I used to loathe it. I used to make myself sick thinking about it. I'd be nervous before training sessions, let alone racing. I admire his ability to say what he's GOING TO DO.

I've been able to get over half my battle. To give what I have, and not be afraid to leave it all out there, regardless of the outcome. I've had some great success, but also some not so great achievements with this new attitude.

But something I still struggle with is the confidence side. WHAT can I do, how fast can I go, can I really do it. I've learned that my body doesn't give up. Come hell or high water (pain or no pain) I am more than likely going to finish, I just might not end up happy with the result.

I see other people's strengths, their speeds and I feel like I know what THEY are capable of. I can talk people up & feel like I KNOW they can do something they set out to, even if they don't.

For the life of me, I just can't seem to put that on myself. I know my training, I know what I've done & (like this summer) what I haven't done... So, why am I struggling so hard to figure out what all that can turn into on race day? Perhaps it's because I don't have a coach to go off right now. A coach to tell me what all the training I'm doing can equate to on that day? That can't be the only factor though? Is it a lot of disappointments that scare me from believing things I can do?

You see, I've got this marathon coming up. It's in 8 weeks. I'm following a good training plan. A training plan that has been very successful for others. I'm doing what is written, not questioning it. Before last weekend, which was my personal test of getting through the 2:40min run pain free, the reality of actually doing the full marathon wasn't set in stone yet. But, I did the run, I felt great & now it's out there.

In 8 weeks I will be doing another marathon. Something I though I might never get the opportunity to do again.

I've got some really really big fans out there, bless their hearts seem to have my capabilities all figured out, and with any luck their confidence in me will rub off a little. But, for now when people are asking my goal I've got 2 things to say:

I plan on a PR (really, not that hard)
I am actually DOING another marathon, and will FINISH it.

Here's to hoping I can get a better idea of my abilities in the next 4 weeks! But, for now if anyone has any words of encouragement, or advice on how to teach myself to say I will, please let me know ;-)