WADDLING

FAVORITE DAY

2011-12-10T06:01:00.001-06:00

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. Go ahead and call me a little crazy. But the airing of the Ironman World Championships is something that I have loved as long as they have been on TV. The first one was highlights on ABCs Wide World of Sports in 1980. That continued until 1991 when NBC began the actual 90minute show.

My family knows on this day that for that 90 Minutes my time is sacred. SHUT UP and watch the TV. I am glued to every word, moment and tear.

My craziest part is that I do not just watch this show once but continue watching it until I can tell you every word said and every moment. I also have all of them from 2001 on my DVR. I also still watch these. My son will beg me at times to turn them off but I continue to be drawn to watching them. When you do not know what to watch--turn on an Ironman.

Today, I made arrangements for my tri team to have it put on at a sports bar to watch. Even if I am the only one there, I will be a happy clam. But believe me- everyone there better keep it down and watch the show.

My favorite was 2001 after Septetember 11th. It showed the world of USA spirit and to watch Tm DeBoom win and carryt eh USA flag. Awesome. My second was with Jon Blaise -the Blazeman. I am reminded there are no excuses.

It's 5:30am and I am already awake on my day off. It's Kona day! And what is more exciting is that next year I hace 2 friends who have qualified and will be there!! Even more fun to watch.

Waddling to watch IM Kona today........

2011 END OF YEAR

2011-12-03T14:02:00.000-06:00

Last night was the end of the year banquet for or TriSmart Team. It send me into a time to reflect back to what was achieved or what did not happen as planned.

The year for me began with being asked to be a member of the Chicago LUNA Chix Triathlon Team. It was a huge honor. I believe in what they stand for and what they do. The team does fundraising for the Breast Cancer Fund which is close to my heart. Also they sponsor weekly runs and rides to promote women's health in doing triathlons. Best part was that my BFF Snips was on the 2011 team also.

My "A" race for 2011 was Ironman Florida. It would be my second Iron distance race. I signed up for it with my friend Flipper. More on that later.

My first race of the year was Rev3 Knoxville in May. It was an Olympic that I made an Aquathon. I was OK with how I did considering the hills on the bike course. The swim was a river swim which I had never done before and actually was OK with.

Batavia was my second Tri. It was a Sprint that I had done 3 times before. The month before my race I was put on a special diet for my metabolic syndrome and my training was limited. It was one of my slower times but I felt good and had dropped some weight.

Evergreen sprint was next on the agenda. My swim was respectable. I had a great bike for me followed by a decent run. This got me second place in my age group. I was happy.

Pigman Half Iron in Iowa came next. It was a brutal day. The swim was a lake swim and the temp was barely wetsuit legal. The bike course was one of the toughest and hilliest courses that I have ever ridden. This was followed by a run course that was downhill going out making the returning 6.5 miles all uphill. I was so happy to be done. I did finish 4th in my age group and qualified for Team USA at the ITU World Long Course Championships in Vegas. Unfortunately the same weekend as Vegas.

September brought the TriSmart 101 bike ride. Perfect placement for IMFL. Weather on the day of the ride was atrocious. Wind , Rain, and Cold. I began the ride very detemined to do the entire distance but quickly becam doubtful. It really sucked. At mile 10 when crossing a set of railroad tracks, a biker ahead slid and crashed. I was a fellow LUNA. She had busted her helmet and hit her head. She was OK but her day was done. As Snips, Flipper and I came up to the tracks we got off our bikes to walk across. I still slipped and fell. The group of us decided to continue to the first rest stop and rethink the ride. It ended up that I was the only one to continue. My plan was to go to the next rest stop and turn around. Once there I felt good and thought I would go alittle farther. Next thing I knew, I saw a sign that said "Welcome to Indiana". OMG. At that point in time, my mind was made up to go the distance. After 7.5 hours, I finished. I was so excited! And thrilled to see warm pizza. It was a highlight of my year.

At the end of September, due to a family situation, I discontinued training for IMFL. Too much was happening in my life to focus.

Then came an EMail that changed everything. I had been named the "Everyday Hero" for IMFL and would be featured on TV. Immediately I called my coach friend. I had already tapered and it was time to train for 2 hard weeks. On top of that I becam sponsored by QuintanaRoo and was given a new CD01 to ride.

IMFL becam a amazing experience that I will never forget. The swim was my hardest part. The time cutoff of 2:20 loomed in my head. Also the pink meanie jelly fish that were on the course did not help. I finished but barely at 2:19:30. A friend helped me change in T1 the on to the bike course. The wind gust of 25mph almost knocked me off my bike several times in the first 10miles. I knew my first time cutoff to make was to be at mile 88 by 3:45. I was averaging around 13mph into the wind but knew it would be a great tailwind on the return. I made it to mile 56 and got my special needs bag then continued. I began calculations in my mind on how my time was. The way I had it figured is if I could average 16.5mph on the return that I would just make the cut off times. As I was turning the corner at mile 60, the wind would be at my back. A white van pulled in front of me a a guy told me to pull over. I was stunned to find out he was an official pulling me off the course. I was speechless. I handed over my bike and got in for the long ride back. My day was over. I was numb. Still today I am unable to really process all the emotions.

So back to last night, it was an awesome night with tri-friends. Alot of looking back equaled by alot of talking of the 2012 challenges. For me? I have a free entry to an Ironman race. Now my favorite part of planning begins.

The other excitement for 2012- I am going to become a USAT level 1 Coach. My dream!! I want to help beginners and back of the packers like me face triathlon challenges.

My Motto for 2012--- "No Excuses just do it"

Waddling to the end of 2011 and into 2012.......

EVERGREEN SPRINT TRIATHLON

2011-07-17T09:13:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was my first race of the year. It was important to me to see where I am at in my Iron training. I was not nervous at all. My thoughts were that if I was nervous for a sprint that I should have not signed up for an Ironman.

I love this race. It is so well done and I have done it for the last 3 years. One of the reasons that I love the course is that the bike is 24.6mile which is unusual for a sprint. The bike is my best section.

The race is open water. With the water temperatur being 83 degrees-there were not wetsuits allowed. I was glad to be doing the sprint not the Olympic. The swim(500) was uneventful but slow. When I got to transition there was my BFF Snips, it was her first open water! I headed out on the bike. There was no wind at all. The wind turbines were not moving. I felt like I was really moving. I love the rolling hills. Quickly I was back to transition. I averaged 18.6 mph. So HAPPY! Then to the run. My run has been slow and my stomach was upset. I had to make a pit stop then felt better. I ran the entire 3 miles.

I felt great after the race and was suprised to get 2nd in my age group!!

I now know where I am at in my training. Much more focus needed on my swim. Next up-Pigman Half Iron on August 21.

Waddling through 2011.........

RANDOM

2011-05-08T06:24:00.004-05:00

When life does not go as planned, you adapt. You make lemonade out of your lemons. Look for the positive. All these sayings, I find myself using more than ever these days. My training has been off track to say the least. I get back on it for a few days and boom-off again.

My husband has faced many health challenges this year. Most recently another surgery. When training for my first Iron, I found a determination to work around this. Now the drive is not as strong.

My daughter has moved out to her first apartment which should make life easier. I myself concerned more because of the unknowing.

My dad will be 90 next year and for the first time i am noticing changes and he is slowing down. He is my rock and watching the edges crumble takes some out of me.

My son is great but has gotten a puupy- his first. the challenge of this puppy is that he is a great dane.

Oh and my job- I love it more than ever but with the economy my hours have been severely cut.

I am not trying to justify my lack of training but I am just jotting down random thoughts.

Next weekend is my first race- REV3 in Knoxville. It is an Olympic that I am totally unprepared for. A friend wondered how I let that happen and I wonder myself.

Waddling and wondering.................

2011 RACE SCHEDULE

2011-02-17T19:58:00.001-06:00

5/1 Palos Half Marathon

6/12 Batavia Sprint Triathlon

7/16 Evergreen Olympic Triathlon

8/21 Pigman Half Iron Triathlon

11/5 Ironman Florida

Waddling into 2011............

(CANDY) HEART RUN

2011-02-15T19:25:00.005-06:00

Our Tri Club had a fun run for Valentine's Day. We went to the 40 Acre Woods. Prior to us getting there one of our team members scattered candy hearts along the trails. We were all provided with sandwich bags and maps. The time limit was 90 minutes. Off we went into the woods. The weather was sunny and in the mid-30s. It was a perfect day.

I was with a group of 7 friends. The scenery was beautiful. It was hard to focus on looking for the hearts. We did find several in the Horse poop along the way. I opted to leave them behind. the laughter continued the entire 90 minutes. Our goal became just to find our way back. None of us were experts at the map. Once we realized that the star which said "you are here" did not move , it improved.

The was no thought to how far or how fast that we went. The amount of fun and memories were priceless.

Waddling after a fun run....

SWIM-A-POOLOOZA 2011

2011-02-01T15:24:00.005-06:00

The options:

100 laps of 100 every 100 sec. = 10,000

100 laps of 75 every 100 sec. = 7,500

100 laps of 50 every 100 sec. = 5,000

My choice was the 5,000. I did the 2.4 mile swim in the Iron but could I do this? Then I looked at the worst that could happen possibilities. The worst of all would be drowning. I decided that Snips would be in my lane and other friends close by so they would not let that happen. The least of the worst would be that I snuck away from the pool and quit. I knew that once I started quiting was not an option. So after a sleepless night I grab my bags and got to the pool by 7am and prepared for the 730 start.

The photo on the left is of me and my lane-mates and on the right it's me. The time actually flew by. We did 50 laps and then had a 15 minute break. I was starving. I grabbed a bagel and it tasted like a steak dinner. Quickly it was time to jump back in and finish the other 50 laps. There was load music playing. In the few seconds rest between laps, we sang and danced. Before I knew it there was under 10 laps to go. I was getting tired but not ready to stop. The 5,000 was within my reach. With a pool-wide "Woohoo" , we finished the 100 laps. Alot of high five's and big smiles could be seen all around.

After a shower, many of us headed out for a beer and burger to celebrate! I can't beleive it--5,000. My confidence had a big boost and a great deposit in the IM training bank.

Waddling with sore shoulders.................

PICKING RACES FOR 2011

2011-01-19T18:36:00.002-06:00

I am in the process of getting my 2011 calendar together. This year I want to do it differently. Usually is pick several races that I would like to do and it ends up being a hodge podge. This year I want to pick races that lead up to IMFL and fit my training. An added aspect will be financially. I want to stay close to home with little or no travel.

Tomorrow, I plan on sitting down with Snips and looking through the calendar.

Waddling to sketch in 2011.................

FIRST EVENT

2011-01-15T16:37:00.002-06:00

Besides IMFL, I have signed up for my first event of the year. It is not a race but it is called Swim-a-pooloza. Sound like a fun party by the pool. The reality of it will be different.

The format calls for swimming one of 3 distance in the lap pool. It is 5000,7500, or 10,000. Obviously, I signed up to attempt the 5,000. It is set up that you swim either 50,75, or 100 every 100 seconds times 100. It actually boggles my mind but I am always up to give it a try. It is hosted by our Tri club, TriSmart and it is in our home pool. I have 2 weeks to get my mind ready for this.

I am seeing that this year is going to have alot of new fun experiences ahead and I am ready!

Waddling with an open mind...........

ON MY WAY

2011-01-08T07:58:00.002-06:00

The time has arrived with no more excuses but to face what I need to do in my training for IMFL. The first thing is to address my weight gain and metabolic syndrome. I began by cleaning everything evil and life-threatening out of my kitchen. (except the Diet Dew). Then came the grocery shopping. It's amazing how long it takes and the cost of shopping healthy. Also I began weight watchers. My first weigh in was yesterday and there is alot of work ahead of me.

Also this week, the intensity of the training increased. By Friday, the were many aching muscles. It felt good though. This added to my better eating habits made me feel changed in a good way.

I realize this is only my first week. I also know how many first weeks there have been. I am now heading into week 2 and let the changes continue and bring on the challenge.

Waddling with determination..............

2011 -A NEW YEAR

2011-01-01T15:39:00.003-06:00

LOOKING BACK-2010

I was very quiet in 2010. No matter how many time that I would restart my mojo -it never stuck. That led to a year with not much to write about.

LOOKING FORWARD-2011
My A-race of the year will be Ironman Florida on November 5th.

Now begins my most favorite part which is the planning. I love to look at the different race options. I want a sprint, Olympic, and a Half.

The other part will be my training. I have begun swimming with the TriSmart Masters group. It fit better into my schedule. I also am doing Indoor cycle training with TriSmart. What a great group which includes alot of my regular tri-buddies.

Other exciting news for 2011 is that I was asked to be a member of Team Luna Chix. I am lucky that it is not necessary to be fast just love the sport. I am looking forward to meeting the other members of the team.

Waddling into 2011...........

REPEAT IN 2011

2010-11-20T17:58:00.002-06:00

2 weeks ago in Florida, I volunteered at the finish line. The next morning, I found myself in line with my friend Flipper registering for IMFL 2011. Here we go again.

Waddling to another Ironman.........

PERKING ALONG

2010-10-13T08:31:00.002-05:00

I know that it is only day 4 into my personal reboot but I feel good. I am focusing on 3 things:
1. Nutrition - I am using SparkPeople.com to track my eating and meet daily goals.
2. Sleep - I am making sure to attempt 8-9 hours of sleep per night.
3. Workouts - I am keeping to a schedule and using Training peaks to log and make me accountable.

Waddling to come back....

10 on 10-10-10

2010-10-10T12:51:00.002-05:00

After spending the entire day yesterday watching Ironman Kona, I was ready to run this morning. Temperature at sunrise was 51 and there was not a cloud in the sky. I got up and headed for Springbrook Prairie. On my mind were my friends running Chicago Marathon today. This was one of the few years that I did not go down. I just needed my own run today.

I got a comfortable 10 miles in. Would not have wanted to go much further. My pace was very slow. I did a 1 minute walk every half mile. I was happy with that ratio.

This afternoon I need to spend some time mapping out a food plan. My diet has been my downfall.

Waddling slow after 10 miles.....

RENEWING

2010-10-08T18:16:00.002-05:00

A year ago at this time, I was in the final panics of training for my first Iron triathlon. Now I have begun pondering doing another one next year when I turn 55.

Since that day when I crossed the finish line, I have been floundering. I have tried to set many goals and signed up for quite a few races. 2010 was a series of cancelled races. The motivation was gone and apathy replace it. Proportionally I gained weight and felt crappy. My metabolic syndrome has become out of control. What happened? I could not imagine any better feeling or race than what I had experienced.

Where am I now? Starting to dig deep to find my tri-self and become the person that I knew last year.

Waddling to come back.

STILL DOING GREAT

2010-04-24T12:19:00.003-05:00

For the next few months, the updates will be few. Everything in my life is going fine but the have been limits to my time. I am now teaching 3 spin classes per week on top of my full-time job and my training. By the time I get to my computer, I am exhausted. I check my e-mails and facebook then it is game over. Another focus has been spending time with my son who will leave for the Army on June 3o.

Training has begun for my half Iron and will be followed by training for the Goofy.

Everyone know that I will check in when I can.

Waddling..............

TASTE OF SPRING

2010-03-18T09:26:00.002-05:00

After returning from Orlando, the weather in Chicagoland has been giving us a taste of the spring ahead. Even though the forecast in 2 day says snow in it. I am savoring every moment. This morning Snips and I got out for a 4.5 mile rune as the sun was coming up. Wow. It almost seemed effortless because of the great company and great weather.

My motivation has come back and I am trimming off several pounds put on over the winter. Next race is a half marathon on May2 followed by my first tri of the year 3 weeks later. I am pumped.

Waddling in the sun.....

PRINCESS HALF MARATHON

2010-03-10T21:10:00.003-06:00

There could not have been a better start to the year. Flipper, Snips, and I got up early and donned our tutus and princess hats. At the start we looked around to see 13,000 other princesses ready to run. The outfits were all fun to look at. While running we saw many Cinderellas, Belle, Jasmine, and Sleeping Beauty runners. It was such a party and celebration. Disney had all their princess characters along the course along with bands. The turnaround was in the Magic Kingdom in the castle.There was never a dull moment along the 13.1 miles. I would definitely recommend this race especially for a first timer.

My time was exactly where I thought it would be. It was my best early season time @ 2:48:33.

Because of the good time that we had, Snips and I have decided to add another Disney weekend to our schedule. We plan on returning in January 2011 to do the Goofy !!!

Waddling wearing my crown........

LET THE SEASON BEGIN....

2010-03-06T15:59:00.003-06:00

Snips, Flipper , and I are in Orlando at Disney ready to begin our 2010 Season. Tomorrow we are running the Princess Half Marathon. The weather is fabulous. Sunny and near 70. I have to say that I have not been too pumped up or motivated to beging this season but since we are here, I've been sucked in.

Our outfits are set out and ready to go. We are relaxing and kicking back for the rest of the day.

Waddling in to the first race of 2010.......

STILL AROUND.....

2010-02-27T00:41:00.002-06:00

Despite the way it seems, I have not fallen of the face of the earth. I am doing good just extremely busy.

I just got back from a short trip to Ohio. I was spending time with my dad who was having some tests run. Everything is wonderful and OK.

I have be getting alot of training in for no reason except that it feels good and makes me feel good. I do not have a plan but I am still at the gym everyday for some good workouts.

I did get a position teaching spin class and will be starting next week. I am excited to give something back to others.

Next weekend- Snips, Flipper and I go to Disney to run the Princess Half marathon!! Should be alot of fun.

Waddling and rambling.....

LOVE THE OLYMPICS..

2010-02-13T06:57:00.003-06:00

Waddling and cheering for my team.....

SPINNING....

2010-02-08T19:12:00.003-06:00

Life has become a blur. I feel like a hamster spinning on a wheel. Several things that I have been working on are in process.

First, one of the things on my BUCKET LIST is to be on "The Amazing Race". The first step to doing that was to get a partner. Snips of course jumped right in. Next came going to an open casting call which we did last week. We went to Michigan on Wednesday. The ride was alot of fun and laughter. Snips driving only got us lost twice. We did 2 minutes in front of the camera. Our plan of what to say fell apart in the first 15sec. so we proceed to joke around and the camera guy was laughing too. We will find out something in a few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed.

Second, my pursuit of becoming a spin instructor. On Saturday I spent 9 hours at a YMCA in Chicago. And I am now certifed to teach Spin. I was at least 15 years older than anyone in my class. I stayed awake and survived 2 sessions on the bike. Now just to find somewhere to teach.

Training has been bumping along and I haven't missed a day in 2 weeks. I am so excited to go to Disney with Flipper and Snips for the Princess Half. Just hopin' the cold does not follow us down there.

Waddling to pack my bag for another busy day.........

WINTERIZED

2010-01-30T15:21:00.005-06:00

The end of January always brings the huge desire for spring. Every weekend the decision becomes outside or inside. It becomes exhausting to pile all the clothes on. I do love to run outside and this year have ran over 7 miles with the temp at

-2.

Training has been going good. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are swimming. Monday has been spinning. Running is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Once the Princess half is completed in March biking will start increasing to get ready for the Easter Ride in April. I am getting anxious for things to begin!

Waddling through the winter.....

WAKE-UP CALL

2010-01-24T16:05:00.006-06:00

Today, started off great with a 2 hour run at the gym on the dreadmill. You probably wonder how that can be great but when you have 5 friends lined up chatting, the time flies. While running, I could tell that I was due for some new shoes. I put that on my list of stops for today along with looking for a sleeveless tank or 2.

I found my shoes (Saucony Hurricane) on sale $50 off. Now I noticed the tops on sale also. I tried several on and OMG. Bad News.My thoughts of rewarding myself at Mcdonalds with a Sweet Tea went right out the window.

I proceed to the grocery and took 2.5 hours to shop. Because of the thought of me in that tank, there was much more healthy food in the cart than usual.

Waddling to get a piece of cheese....

NO EXCUSES..

2010-01-21T11:34:00.003-06:00

This morning after working out for 1:45 at the gym, Snips and I rewarded ourselves with Smoothies at the Cafe. We sat and chatted and looked over our plans for 2010. We both have unique goals but will start and finish 2010 together. As we talked , we found a familar theme to all our thoughts. That brought us to deciding on our Motto for 2010--"NO EXCUSES".

We did edit the schedule a bit but we are very excited. In August , we added the Muddy Buddy race. How fun will that be!

Part of the discussion included goals. I usually do not set time goals but this year will include a few which I feel a attainable.

Half Marathon- break 2:30
Half Iron - under 7:00
Marathon - under 6:00 ( I have never been able to break that fall--this is the year in Vegas)

Waddling with "No Excuses"..........

DETOX

2010-01-16T06:21:00.003-06:00

As per everyone's New Year ritual, it is necessary yo get on the scales and face the music as to what we have done to our bodies post-holiday. For me it me not pretty at all. Granted it was still 20 lbs. lighter than the beginning of last year but the additional 10 lbs. post Iron were irresponsible. I have metabolic syndrome so it is even more irresponsible.

I am on Day 2 of detox. For everyone this is different. For me it begins with getting sugar out of my system (daily McDonald's Sweet Tea) and cutting back on the diet Dew from 6-7 cans per day to 1-2. Also let's increase the water consumption. Did I mention no more fast food drive thru? Sounds simple but for me it will be a big challenge for the week.

Waddling and wishing for a sweet tea............

SO FAR , SO GOOD.....

2010-01-12T19:57:00.002-06:00

It's been a very busy 2010. I keep grasping for time to write something and get caught up in quick messages on facebook.

I am thrilled that master's swim has begun. Coach is training for IMFL this year and I feel it in th challenge of his workouts. It's actually a bonus. Everyone in our group is awesome and the motivation and support in the pool is overwhelming. Just a note to IronSnoopy- thank for the swim cap when I showed up with my biking shoes.

My first race is the Princess Half Marathon in March and I am trying to build up my long runs on Sundays again. It's been a challenge with our weather. Last Sunday, Snips and I headed out with a temp of 3 degrees to run 8 miles. We achieved 7.5 and called it close enough.

I am excited about 2010 because the focus is fun and meaning to all my races. This year I hope to support others as they supported me in 2009.

Waddling and feeling good.......

SO EXCITED...

2010-01-04T18:34:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow is the first day of Master's swim for 2010. Yeah~

Waddling to pack my bag..........

CHILLIN'

2010-01-03T13:36:00.003-06:00

This morning I rediscovered something that I love. My planned training was a 6 mile run with Snips. I always check the weather channel as soon as my feet hit the floor. There was a chill advisory until 10am and the actual temperature was -2. You could hear the crunch of the snow under your feet(Yak Trax). I love running in winter. The air is so fresh, crisp and clean.

Now that the holidays are over, it's time to get my nutrition back on track. The cabinets and frig were cleaned out and it was a family trip to the grocery. There has been too much eating out. As always, the new year brings better eating habits.

Waddling into the first week of 2010.........

RESOLUTION TIME

2010-01-01T01:23:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year when you begin to think of New Year's resolutions. I never keep them so I was reading Charisa's blog and saw this quote:

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a attractive well preserved body; but rather to skid sideways,champagne in one hand,strawberries in the other, body thouroughly used up,totally worn out and screaming Woohooo... What a ride!."

I want to add to this---I want to do everything to make my skid last a long time.

Waddling and wishing everyone a great 2010..............

POST HOLIDAY

2009-12-27T01:36:00.005-06:00

As always Christmas goes too fast. There was something different about this year and I can't quite put my finger on it. We all wanted this year to be extra special. The reason is that next year Bino will not be here with us but most likely overseas somewhere with the Army in a tank.

The gifts were all chosen with extra thought and care. There was not one that was without meaning. I received many that I will hold close to my heart. The one that I will keep close to me was from Bino. It was an Army bear. It had a special bag. When I opened it Bino said, "Next year Mom when I am not here and you miss me just give the near a hug." WOW. Talk about the tears running down your cheeks.

House's gift blew me away also. It was a newspaper article written about my father who is 87. The photos is of him holding my kids pictures in his living room. House had it laminated and framed for me. Again---WOW.

Hooch and her boyfriend also made me smile with a set of special penguins for my collection. They are awesome.

I believe Christmas is not about the gifts but in this case the meaning behind all the gift made it different. Every Chistmas I feel that this one is the most memorable but again I think this one is it.

Waddling after a great Christmas day.........

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!!

2009-12-24T17:47:00.003-06:00

From my family and I-We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!

Waddling with much to be thankful for............

2010

2009-12-15T20:04:00.002-06:00

This is my favorite time of the year. No not Christmas. It's the planning for the coming year. I got my pencil out and started researching races and laying out the year on paper. After yesterday's workout with Snips, we mulled it over and have a plan.

3/07 Disney's Princess Half Marathon

5/22 Galena Triathlon

6/13 Batavia Triathlon

7/?? Schaumburg Sprint Triathlon

8/18 Mid-August Madness Olympic Triathlon

9/12 Rev3 Half Iron "A" Race

9/18 USAF Half Marathon

10/18 Grand Rapids Half Marathon

12/5 Las Vegas Marathon

I have to say that I think I am finally over my funk. I am feeling motivated and excited for 2010. Bring it on.

Waddling into a new year.......

TAKIN' IT TOO EASY

2009-12-10T12:12:00.003-06:00

Now that training for my Iron race is completed, I am again struggling with my weight. I am not sure which of the above pictures is the better photo of me. After the struggle getting the 30 lbs. off, you would think I would do everything possible not to put it back on. The biggest problem is that my willpower is non-existant. With my calendar for 2010 not filled in, I have been using the excuse that I will return to healthy eating soon but no need to yet.

I do face the challenge of having Metabolic syndrome and I also am insulin resistant. Those are 2 big reasons to work harder but 2 big reasons it is harder to get weight off.

Again, I am regrouping and swearing to start on Monday. I promise. I really will. Do you believe me? Stay tuned for what excuse there will be next.

Waddling and whining...............

FAVORITE GADGET

2009-12-05T08:17:00.002-06:00

While shopping on Black Friday, I found something that I had wanted for a long time. It is an alarm clock that shines the time on the ceiling. I have had it for a week now and absolutely love it.

House does not understand my desire for this gadget. His thoughts-Why would you want to check on how much time this is left to sleep before you have to get out of bed?? I appreciate every second of sleep and spend less time trying to focus my eyes on the clock across the room to see the amount of time until I have to get up.

The best part is that the clock is not even set to the correct time. It is set 10 minutes ahead. I can't allow myself any extra time in the morning or I would abuse it by getting more shut eye. Oh the silly things that make me happy.

Waddling and lovin' my new clock.....

NEW GROUP FITNESS

2009-12-03T18:43:00.002-06:00

This morning , Snips and I tried out a group fitness class called "Total Conditioning". It seemd like a good time to improve strength. After completing an Iron race, How hard could it be??

At 530am, we walked into the studio and piled up almost every type of equipment next to us. There was a mat, steps, weights, bands and medicine ball. OMG. We are in trouble. We were blaming each other for being there. Whose idea was this? Not mine , I am sure. I hate strength training. The music began and it started with 125 pushups. Pain...

It was a real reality check. After 45 minutes, I thought that I would puke. What is going on? Finally I heard the words -Cool Down. Thank heaven. I was soaked in sweat. I now know what I need to work on.

Waddling with sore muscles.......

REFLECTION AND PLANNING

2009-11-29T10:56:00.007-06:00

I think now after 3 weeks that I have had a chance to fully reflect on my race. For days it did not seem real. There were alot of congratulations and great jobs but I don't think that I really got it. I do now. I really did it.

Today, I was back in the pool and it felt great. After my race, I have done pretty much nothing as far as workouts. I have put back on 4 pounds. Although I have enjoyed not having the pressure to workout, I have felt sluggish, unmotivated, and not as happy.

My routine is penciled in for December and my 2010 races are falling into place. The my motivation is increasing proportionally to my planning process. There are no Iron Races but there will be a half-Iron. Also a possibility of another marathon.

I think that I spend hours researching possible races. I go to the triathlon calendar for all the surrounding states andsearch for the right distances that fit my schedule. June will be a sprint. July will be an Olympic. August is undecided. That sets up for my half in September. So my thought are a December marathon. Again these are all in pencil.
The excitement is building for 2010.

Waddling with a pencil....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2009-11-25T21:48:00.001-06:00

Waddling to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family and wishing all of you a blessed day...

RECOVERED AND MUMBLING

2009-11-23T20:52:00.004-06:00

It's hard to believe it's been 2 weeks since B2B. Life has still been incredibly busy even with the lack of training. Hooch opens her business this week so all the final things are being put in place.

I have been told of the Post Race blues or depression but I have found none of that. I am excitedly planning my 2010 season. There will be no Iron distance next year but I will not rule it out for 2011. The year will start in March with a half Marathonn. I also will do a half Iron and possibly another marathon.

I am feeling good. the only minor irritation is some plantar fasicitis. My right heel makes it hard to walk in the morning. Any suggestions are appreciated? Wondering if one of those special socks work?

Tomorrow, I am heading back to the pool. My new tattoo is ready to face the water. I am suprised how excited that I am to swim again. Masters swim will start after the holidays so I best be ready for Coach.

The best of this week is that my dad is here from Ohio for Thanksgiving week. It will be an extra special one for our family as Bino will be in in the Army next year and most likely overseas. Every moment will be cherished.

Finally, congrats to Running Jayhawk, who completed IMAZ yesterday. Great job-you rock girl. I am so proud of you

Waddling to spend time with dad...............

MY FIRST IRON-DISTANCE TRIATHLON (PART3)

2009-11-11T20:46:00.007-06:00

THE RUN
I sat in the T2 tent changing and trying to regroup for the run. My garmin was messed up so I only had an estimate of the time that I had to run the marathon. I thought it was alittle over 7 hours. I headed through transition to run and TriSharkie was walking toward me. I knew she was way ahead of me but did she finish? No, she had chest discomfort on the bike thus spent an hour in the medical tent. After an EKG, she promised to "walk the marathon". We both headed out on the run course. TriSharkie moving much faster than me.

My plan for the run was to do a 5 minute run : 1 minute walk. The bike had taken much more out of me than I had hoped. From doing previous marathons, my fear was to bonk and not finish. I wasn't sure how much was left in the tank. I reversed the ratio to a 5 walk: 1 run. My nutrition went out the window also. The thought of any more Infinit flipped my stomach. I ditched my fuel belt and used the aid stations that were well stocked with bananas, oranges,grapes, pretzels, flat Coke, chicken broth, and water. It was like a buffet.

The run course was an out and back half marathon done twice. I liked it alot. The first loop I never felt like I was by myself. I absorbed everything along the route. I saw House, Bino, and Hooch all at different points on the course. The course went past the Hilton (host Hotel) 4 times. Each time that I went by there and the crowd that was there, I gained new energy.Everything was good except the clock was running out. Unlike the bike course, I was not hitting any low points.

After the turn to my second loop, I grabbed my special needs bag. Luckily, I had thrown in a jacket as the temperature was starting to drop. I also grabbed my glow sticks and reflectors that I had packed. I ran across the bridges toward downtown Wilminton. It all looked so beautiful lit up at night. The darkness of the run and quiet of the night was calming. Maybe too calming.

I reached the turn around in the park to head back to the finish. Now I knew it was game on and I had cut it way too close. When I reached mile 20, I looked at the time on my cell phone. 90 minutes was left to finish. A phrase from an IM Kona came to mind, " I am like Rainman counting toothpicks". With 5 miles left to go, I knew that I had to run the rest of the way to the finish. Although not panicking, I now was on a mission and needed to focus.

As I was running, I fell into a steady pace. I was running back into downtown and past the Hilton. There were still people there bundled up and cheering. It was just what I needed. I still felt good and pushed on still knowing I could make it.

It was with 3 miles to go when the most amazing thing happened. There was a guy on a bike that appeared out of nowhere. He introduced himself as Brent the director of the run course. He told me he would be escorting me to the finish line. I would be the last offical finisher of the race. Holy Penguins!! Here I am with 3 miles to go, 45 minutes left on the clock, and 2 big bridges ahead of me. At this point, I knew I had to dig into a place that I had never been before. Brent called the finish line and let them know that we were on our way.

There were still people on the course cheering. I passed the final aid station with 2 miles to go and did not take anything to save time. I crossed the first bridge with the metal grating. No Problem. Then came the second bridge. It was a steeper, higher incline. I had only walked this and no had no choice but to run up. Brent told me to breathe and focus. He talked me all the way to the top. Once there I looked to my left and could see tha Battleship lit up. He called into the finish line to update our location. He looked at me and said, "You are Iron. I don't know who will cry more at the finish, me or you. At the bottom of this bridge is mile 26. You have time." Chills spred across me body. A certain realization of what I had accomplished came across me. Every emotion of the day flashed in front of me.

I ran down the hill and got to the turn into the park for the finsh and there were my 2 kids waiting with flowers to run me in. Tears started coming down. Brent's voice told me that I had 7 minutes left and to look ahead see the finish lit up.Brent disappeared at this point. I made the final turn with my kids and could see the finish line. There was House, Snips, Sharkie, and Ed waiting for me. I crossed the line and the time was 16:56:16. The announced said, "Karen Mehrbrodt, From Bolingbrook, Illinois- You have reached the Battleship!" I DID IT!!!!!! Less than 4 minutes to spare. And there was House with the finishing medal to put it around my neck! It was the high of a lifetime. Something that no one could take awy from me. I am Iron!!

I learned alot about myself out there on the race course. I travel through every emotion possible. But most of all I found how deep that I could really dig into my inside to achieve something that I really wanted. I know this journey will not end here. It is a new beginning.

My reward was a tattoo on my right shoulder blade because this day was something that no one can ever take away.

IronWaddling......

MY FIRST IRON-DISTANCE TRIATHLON (PART 2)

2009-11-10T20:28:00.005-06:00

THE BIKE

After the swim, I was feeling great. The hardest part was done. Or so I thought!

The first 20 miles on the bike were a perfect ride. I had a nice groove going. I was comfortable at 16-19 mph. Which was great but only meant one thing- I had a tailwind. I remember the first aid station was around 25 miles and I was looking forward to a pit stop. It finally showed up at around mile 30. Same break and off I go. Still feeling good. Noticing a cross wind.

Somewhere along here came the "Big Chicken Crossing" . I know-What the hell? Is it alot of chickens that run across or 1 big one? It was a gigantic chicken statue by the side of the rode in a driveway. I am so glad that it did not run out in front of me! Whew.

I divided the course into 10 mile segments. It helped my mind to digest it better. Around mile 50, I knew that in 6 miles I would pass the halfway point and I was still positive. Things would change soon.

After passing mile 60, my stomach was growling. I was ready for that sanwich that was in my special needs bag. I got to the area and a volunteer looked at my number and grabbed my bag for me. I was suprised that there was around 7-8 others still there. I had warmed up alot and threw my arm warms in the bag.Feeling a few minutes of recovery, it was time to get back on the bike and finish this thing.

Now after passing mile 70, there was a right hand turn. Just ahead I saw a sign that read Wilmington 38 miles. Not bad. The other thing that I quickly noticed besides the sign was the cold head wind and gradual incline of the road. This would continue the next 40 mile back to the battleship.

At mile 80, I began having back spasms. There was no way to find a comfortable position. I stopped and leaned against a tree to stretch. My cell phone went of with my hubby's ringtone. I answered and he asked why I had stopped. I was confused. How did he know that I stopped because my tracker quit working. He replied that he was on google earth on real time and saw me pull over. Talk about Big Brother watching. I felt better and rode off again.

The next 32 miles is when every demon came out. I thought that I would be facing these on the run but low and behold here they were. My mind wanted me to quit and dbegan to think of excuses that would sound good. Spin Coach Nick popped into my head telling me to switch the channel in my brain. As much as I tried, I was in a very low spot. I told myself that if I could get off the bike maybe I could just forget the marathon. It went on and on for miles with the lowest spot being at mile 100. I was just so tired and my back hurt.

I saw the bridges ahead that cross the Cape Fear River and knew that the Battleship was nearing. At the top of the second bridge, I could see it and knew that final I would be off this damn bike. What I thought would be the best part of my day became the lowest points.

I saw Bino and Snips as I entered transition. Big hugs and into the changing tent I went. Amazingly there were still people in there. I wasn't last. Again, I took a huge amount of time but made sure I had everything before I headed out.

Bike time including T1= 8:02:43

IronWaddling into the run...

MY FIRST IRON-DISTANCE TRIATHLON (PART 1)

2009-11-10T09:38:00.015-06:00

I decided to write this race in 3 parts just as there was 3 distinct parts of my day and I did not want to miss anything.

I had a great nights sleep and my alarm went off at 330am. Wow, the night went fast. Snips was already downstairs and dressed ready to take me to the buses at the Hilton that would take the athletes to T1. We did one more double check of all my bags. It was 4:45am and we went and picked up Tri-Sharkie then to the Hilton. We were the last 2 people to catch the bus. Everyone was very chatty on the bus an it was a quick ride.

First body marking, dropping off special needs bags for the bike & run, then setting up T1. Everything was going smooth until I looked in my Swim-to-bike bag and did not see my Army Bike Jersey. Major panic. No shirt for the ride. I ran back to where I dropped off my other bags and went through everything. No Jersey. As I was trying to think of options, I called Snips back at the house. She calmed me down and sent me back to my Swim-to-bike bag because she saw me put it in there. I took a deep breath. Emptied the entire bag out on to the wet ground. I looked up to see a TV camera coming around the end of the rack. NBC was there filming a ex-Biggest Loser Contestant for a TV special. Great and there I am panicking with my crap all around me. But the good news-there was my Jersey ! First crisis is over.

I went back to setting up my T1. ShirleyPerly stopped by with a tidbit she heard on the bus. When doing the swim the best current was near the right of the channel. When you got near the WigglyMan that marked a left turn you need to get over to the left side otherwise if you were not a strong swimmer you would not make the turn. Great advice as several people last year had to DNF because of this. Mental note made and I went to drop my new beige slippers with flowers off at the swim exit.

Now it was 6:05am. Time to get my wetsuit on and catch the bus to the start. No spectators were allowed at the start. The photo above is of the beach where it starts.

THE SWIM

The sunrise was awesome over the channel. The announcements were made followed by the national anthem. I was unusually calm. It almost made me nervous that I was not nervous. Does that make any sense? The water temperature was 67 and the air temperature was 40. The gun went off.

I left everyone run off the beach before me. The water felt great although it tasted very bad since it was salt water. I was bumping in to a few people but most were already way ahead of me. I did not actually feel the current but did notice that I swam from buoy to buoy quickly. I heard people cheering and looked to see the half Iron athletes to my right waiting for their start. A quick glance at my watch showed 00:37. Wow. I made the turn OK at the WigglyMan on the boat but found it had to sight in the channel.

I finally could spot the dock at the swim exit. I got out and was a little dizzy. Sat down and took off my wetsuits and put my slippers on. I tell you everyone was jealous of those shoes for sure. I ran toward the street and turned to T1 and there was my family and Snips cheering!!! I was so happy. Emotion overwhelmed me. I completed a 2.4 mile swim !! I was on my way to be an Ironman ! Tears ran down my face and I gave House a big hug. My swim time was 1:23:56.

I grabbed my bag and went into the changing tent. I took forever but wanted to make sure that I did not forget anything. I ran out and grabbed Sugar. I waved at my supporters and headed out for my 112 mile ride.

IronWaddling to the Bike............

MY FIRST IRON-DISTANCE TRIATHLON (PRE-RACE)

2009-11-09T18:26:00.013-06:00

PRE-RACE

We arrived on Wednesday to the most beautiful, sunny and 70 degree weather. After the October weather in Chicagoland, it felt awesome. We rented a house downtown historic Wilmington. It was the perfect place for our family for the weekend. Although this weekend was about my race, I wanted them to enjoy also.

On Thursday night, it was the athlete's dinner. The food was great and the company even better. It was a blogger meet up as you can see in the photo.

From left to right, Shirley-Perly, Vickie,21st Century Mom, Waddler, SW Trigal, and TriSharkie. The main point of discussion was the attire for race day. It was great to get alot of different perscpectives on who was

wearing what gear.

After a good night's sleep, I picked up Sharkie, Shirley and Vickie for an early swim at the beach.We got there close to 7am to see what it was like at that time of the day. As we drive there we saw many others with the same idea going into swim at different points. We chose to swim at the start of the course. Standing at the beach looking out, I was very nervous. Once I got into the water, I felt good.

At noon, it was time for the athlete's meeting. It was over an hour long but full of alot of information. As I sat there looking around the room, it was one of those moments when you wondered if you belonged there. I knew that I had put my time in and earned a chair in that room. I couldn't stay after for a blogger meet up because Sharkie and I had to pick up Snips at the airport. She flew in to watch us and volunteer at the finish line.

The afternoon was filled with mixing nutrition and filling the 5 race day bags with the necessary stuff and trying not to miss anything. I think I went over everything a million times. The sun was getting ready to set and Sharkie and I headed to transition 1 with our bikes before it got dark.

Pizza was waiting for us when we got back to the house. As we were sitting there, I remember that I did not have any sandals to where from the finish dock for the swim to transition. It was about 400 yards on a crappy road surface. Snips and I jumped in the car at 7pm and went to look for shoes. Sounds easy? Ha. Tried several places with no luck. We finally ended up at the Family Dollar Store. No sandal. But I found an awesome pair of beige bath slippers with flowers in my size. When all else fails-improvise. Snips and I laughed all the way back to the house. What a picture this will make on race day.

Before I knew it, the time was 9pm. My family began reminding me it was time for bed. For some reason, I was reluctant to go to bed. Maybe the was some fear of what was to come in the morning ahead. I finally hit the sack around 10 wondering if I had done enough to prepare for 140.6 miles. I soon would find out.

Waddling into writing my race report..........

NEW NAME..

2009-11-08T09:59:00.003-06:00

I now have a new name----

IRON WADDLER !

Race report to come later. It was a spectacular day full of memories for a lifetime. My time was 16:56 with 4 minutes to spare.

IronWaddling with a huge smile............

Congratulations Waddler!

2009-11-07T23:50:00.002-06:00

This is Hooch reporting from Wilmington, NC
Waddler is officially an Ironman (woman)!

Congratulations Waddler! From your whole family!
You did great! We knew you could do it!
We love you and are so proud of you!
YOU DID IT!

TRACK ME...

2009-11-05T18:47:00.002-06:00

Here is how you can track me on race day (Saturday Nov 7):

Web Browser and iPhones:www.TrackMyAthlete.com/vemap.aspx?name=034574

Handheld PDA/Blackberry/Palm:www.TrackMyAthlete.com/pda.aspx?name=034574

*Certain versions of the blackberry browser do not work.Just so you all know, I am not allowed to wear this GPS System in the water so you can start tracking me once I get into transition and onto the bike course.

The race starts at 7 am (Eastern Time). You can do the math on what my swim time turns out to be.

Race Start: 7:00 am

Swim Cut Off: 2 hours 20 minutes (9:20 am)

Bike Cut Off: 10 hours 15 min (5:15pm)

Run/Race Cut Off: 17 hours 00 minutes (12:00 am) (From the start of the race)

Bib# 62

Predicted Weather:High 64 Low 45, Sunny, 0% of Precipitation, E at 5 mph wind.

Last swim is tomorrow in the morning then rest until Saturday.

Waddling in North Carolina......

THANK YOU.......

2009-11-03T18:38:00.003-06:00

This journey to Beach2Battleship has not a solo effort. Every person that I have been around since last November, when I decided to do this race, has played a part. Before I race, I feel it very important to thank everyone.

To House,my Hubby: You have endure the most including the weekends when I spent hours training and being exhausted rather than spending time with you. I love you and a special thanks for watching all the IM Kona replays 100 times to try to become a part of my world.

To Bino, My son : This race you will be with me because I will be wearing the Army shirt the entire time. Next year when you leave for the military in June, I want you to know that you can do anything and perserve.

To Hooch, my daughter : Thanks for giving me so much love. Your hug after a long ride always healed my body.

To my training partner, TriSharkie: You have been the strength and friend in my training that was always there on those long rides. I can't even express my feeling but was glad that you were there to share them with me.

To Iron Snoopy: Thanks for being the one who I watched at IM Louisville to make me believe that I could do this. Your wrist band "Never give up" has been with me every minute.

To Snips: Thank you for being my rock. You are the most positive person and a great friend. I am thrilled that you will be there on race day.

To Coach Steve: If it were not for you, I would have never learned how to swim. You took a 50 year old that could not swim and now I will be doing a 2.4 mile swim on Saturday.

To all my friends: I am so blessed to have all of you around me. I can't even name all of you and what you have done but many times I ask myself how I got so lucky.

To those who doubt me: Thanks for the constant motivation.

I know that I have not thanked everyone but Thank you if you are reading this for being there.

I will finish because of all of you and as John Blaze said, " I will get there even if they have to roll me across the finish line" . I will roll across the finish line.

Waddling to become IronWaddler..............

SINGLE DIGITS

2009-10-31T18:59:00.004-05:00

I am making my way through my taper. It felt like I had plenty of time until the race and now suddenly the countdown is in single digits. There has suddenly become a shortage of hours in the day.

Over the past week, I have gotten alot of great advice. With several friends that are Ironman triathletes, I am blessed to be able to ask alot of questions and get alot of great answers. The common thread to all the advice is that there will be some very low,tough, and challenging moments where you want to quit. To make it through those moments and keep going will get me to the finish.

My emotions have all been positive I feel mainly excitement like you do before Christmas. All the waiting and preparation is almost done. There has been alot of work,time, and effort to put into one day. But that one day, I know will be life-changing because the training already has changed my life.

My son, Bino, handed me a folded note that he wrote today and wants it packed it my running shirt. On the outside is written -"Open this when you need it". I know that note is something that I will forever cherish. This is a photo of him today enjoying Halloween-----

Waddling on Halloween with one week to go........

SELFISHNESS

2009-10-24T13:04:00.003-05:00

Last weekend was my last big weekend before my taper. It consisted of a 17 mile run on Saturday and a 100 mile bike on Sunday. I felt great and relieved that training was winding down. I was overwhelmed by the emotion when I got off the bike.

What happened this week, my first week of tapering, surprised me. I spent most of the week worrying about details of the trip, House's post-surgery health, work, and other things that were out of my control. On Wednesday evening, I went to bed not speaking to anyone including House. I spent all day Wednesday upset that the trip to North Carolina and everything going on currently should be about me and no one else because I am the one doing an Iron Race!

On Thursday morning, after a great swim with Snips, things came back into perspective. I was angry at being selfish. I felt stupid and petty. After a day at work in which I took care of a 38 year old with Stage 4 lung cancer, I came home and talked with House. I think all the emotion that I was experiencing was a kind of taper anxiety. Maybe I was beginning to look for excuses either not to do it or not to finish. House told me that for the next 2 weeks I need to be selfish to be ready to have the best day that I can.

I know that all the hard training is in the bank. There is nothing I can change at this point in time. Now focus on the final race prep and in 2 weeks from today I will be out there.

Waddling with 2 weeks until Beach 2 Battleship........

NEWS

2009-10-16T19:31:00.001-05:00

House is home from the hospital. Recovery has begun.
Last big training weekend before taper-time. Saturday - 4 hour run. Sunday - 7 hour bike

Waddling to bring it on...........

SURGERY UPDATE

2009-10-14T10:44:00.006-05:00

House is still in the hospital recovering from his surgery on Monday. It was a tough one for him. 7 years ago, he severely fractured his talus bone in his ankle. Now the osteoporosis has created a hole in his ankle. Because of his age, he is too young for an ankle replacement since they only last 10 years. To delay having to do this he had reconstructive surgery. They took bone and bone marrow from his pelvis and mixed it with a ceramic material and surgically fractured his tibia and injected the material into the talus bone. Now we wait and watch for it to grow and repair. Hopefully he will come home maybe tomorrow. Pain control has been the biggest issue.

Thanks for all the prayers and the 2 home cooked dinners that were delivered by friends.

I have been getting my training in early in the morning. This weekend is scheduled to be my biggest one then I taper. I am so ready !

Waddling at the hospital...........

Brrrrrr.....

2009-10-12T07:41:00.002-05:00

This year's Chicago Marathon was different in many ways. The most noticeable was the temperature. It was 37 at the start with wind and clouds. This year also because of training for an Iron distance race, I did not sign up. My running buddy Snips did sign up though. In my training plan, I needed to have around a 15-16 mile run. Thus I started the race with Snips with the plan to exit the course around mile 16.

It was different to be at the starting line and taking in all the excitement with no plan for finishing. I envied all those running their first marathon. I remember the butterflies that I felt, the doubt of what the day would bring, and the thought that today would be life changing. Never would I have guessed that I would ever be training to be Iron. What a gamut of emotions spinning around.

Snips and I ran along, chatted and took in all the excitement. She was running so strong. The crowds and parties were smaller this year due to the cold. The enthusiasm was unchanged. At times, I felt drawn to run the entire thing but that didn't last long. At mile 16, I gave Snips a hug and off she went with a smile. I knew she was getting stronger by the minute. She ran to a PR which was 13 minutes faster than last year.

I did not stay for the parties and celebrations. I grabbed the train and head for home to spend some time with House before his surgery today. This will be his 7th surgery in a year. Because of the osteoporosis from his fracture to his right ankle years ago, it has fractured and the is a hole in his Talus bone. Today they are taking bone marrow from his hip and they will re-fracture his ankle. They will reconstruct his ankle with a ceramic frame and bone marrow. It will take months to know if it is successful. The goal is for him to be healed enough to travel to North Carolina for my race. All prayers for him are appreciated.

Training is still important but not a priority. I will get as much in as I can when I can. I was blown away yesterday when I returned home to find that Iron Snoopy had dropped a meal off at my house for when I needed it. Wow, words could not describe my appreciation. How lucky I am to have her as a friend.

As I sit here in the waiting room, it actually brings life to a stop for a few hours to catch my breath for the weeks ahead.

Waddling, waiting, and praying.................

WEEKEND AHEAD

2009-10-09T20:14:00.004-05:00

This weekend is the Chicago Marathon. I did not sign up because of ironman training but I will be running. My friend Snips is running it for the second time. I plan on running the first 16 miles with her. The weather is forecast to be a balmy 40 degrees. What a change from the past 2 years. The excitement in the city is unbelievable.

Tomorrow, I will be glued to Ironman Live to watch Kona. I actually know someone there this year and I am so excited for Adrienne. Not only does she get to race, she was given Jon Blais's ashes to spred on the course by his parents. The experience seems overwhelming to me.

Only 4 weeks left until B2B, training is going well. I would like to do 1 more 100 mile ride before the race.

Waddling into the weekend............

TIME IS TICKING

2009-10-01T18:48:00.003-05:00

With race day being 5 weeks from Saturday, the hands on the clock seem to be moving faster. There is not enough hours in the day to fit everything in.

Training is going good. I am finding myself achieving workouts that I felt would never be completed. I have 2- 100 mile rides in the books. My long run this weekend is between 14-15 miles followed by another 100-miler the next day. There is a tiredness in my body that I have never experienced. It is good but makes me restless at night. My mind is constantly searching to make effective use of every minute.

My biggest obstacle is concentration and focus. I have tried to minimize distractions and surround myself with positives. I am taking control of what I can and accepting what I cannot do anything about. I have learned more about myself that I have ever imagined and there is still a ways to go.

The other obstacle was finding out that I had metabolic syndrome and was insulin resistant. This led to me hooking up with nutrition coach Lisa who has taught me alot and helped me to a 24 pound weight loss since June 1. This was life changing.

I am sure once this journey to Beach2Battleship ends on Nov. 7, I will have much more to share.

Waddling.....................

ANXIETY

2009-09-24T16:16:00.003-05:00

Today, I had the day off of work. I needed to catch up on things that I felt like I had fallen behind on. But first came getting training out of the way.

The alarm went off at 445am. I couldn't believe I was gettin up this early on a day off but I wanted to get to the pool and get a bike ride in. As I was getting ready to head to the gym, my mind was heading in a million different directions. What to do first when I get done? Should I get some things done for Hooch's new business? Should I go to see my MIL? What I could do to help House? I forgot to get Bino money for lunch. I calmed myself and headed to the gym.

After finishing my swim warm up, it happened. An anxiety moment. I felt panicked. Word came to my mind that I heard yesterday. You can do everything right in your training and not miss a workout then you might not finish. What the hell was I doing? This was huge what I was training for. I took a deep breathe and resisted the urge to get out of the pool and run out of the gym. Another deep breathe. I stopped myself. Then I remembered what coach said -"Do not let anyone in your head. Focus. I CAN do this. There is only 2 ways that I will not finish B2B. First if I need to go to the medical tent. Second, I do not make the time cutoffs.

I have calmed and relaxed. I had a good day because I know that I can. I believe.

Waddling and believing....................

2009 USAF HALF MARATHON

2009-09-20T18:44:00.003-05:00

PRE-RACE
This is one of my favorite races. I was so excited to be taking Snips back to Ohio with me. I was running the half marathon but Snips had chosen to run the Full. On Thursday this week, I had to make a decision. My first choice was to not back my training down and just run it easy as a training day. The other choice was to taper some and see how good that I could do. I picked the second one. So I swam on Thursday and took Friday off.

When Snips and I got to Ohio, we went to the expo and picked up our packets. Then we headed to my dad's house for the weekend.

RACE DAY
We had to get up at 430am (which was 330am our time). It was dark and cold(49) when we left. Once we got there we got a great place to park so that dad, who is 88 , would not have far to walk. The full started at 730 which was an hour before my half. At 715, the national anthem was played and the flag was brought it by parachute. This was followed by 2 fighter jets doing a fly by. It was so patriotic. I gave Snips a hug. She was nervous then off she went.

An hour later it was my turn. The repeated the same ceremony was the same fly-by. The temperature was still close to 50. As we started off, I found myself next to the 2:30 pace group. I hoped to run near 2:30 which would be a PR. I have never run with a pace group and thought that I would see how it went. The first 3 miles, I stayed right with the group.

At mile 4, I looked at my Garmin and I was running a 10:15 pace. This was ahead of the 11:27 pace the group should have been running. I decided to drop off and do my own thing. This part of the course took us down by the flight line and the golf course. It brought back many memories of the 2 years that I worked at the base hospital and great lunches at the officers club on the golf course. At mile 6 we were on a shaded lane going past the commander's homes. They were beautiful. I felt great.

As the race approached mile 7, the temperature approached 70 and the shade was gone. I took advantage of every water stop. My pace was beginning to slow but still felt OK. It was at this point the leaders of the marathon began to pass by. They were flying.

When we reached mile 9, we began the hills. They were slow and gradual butt-kicking just the same. While I going up the hill, I saw the sign that said mile 22 for the marathon. I was concerned for Snips but I knew she was tough. My pace had slowed to 12:05. I knew that breaking 2:30 had slipped away.

The final miles were tough. The heat was getting to me as well as the hills. I didn't walk but wanted to more than once. After mile 12, I could see the finish. I came to a water station and normally in the final mile would pass it by but I needed some water to make it to the finish. The last mile took forever to get through. The final .1 mile of this race is the most awesome because it goes through the crowd and in between the airplanes at the Air Force Museum. I knew when I crossed the line that I had nothing left and did the best that I could. My first 2 years here my times were 2:53 and 2:56. As I crossed the line , I ran a 2:33. It was a PR by 8 minutes for me. WooHoo.

Snips also had a great day. she had her 2nd marathon in the books.

The rest of the weekend continued to be awesome. We escorted my dad to a family wedding.

Waddling after a wonderful weekend..............

DOWN TIME

2009-09-12T19:30:00.002-05:00

This week has had alot of non-productive time. My nutrtion coach put me on a detox week to shock my system which has hit a weight loss plateau. I've not only shocked my system but lost some energy. Today's 72 mile ride was a challenge. Completed but not pretty. I am taking the day off tomorrow and going to watch IM Wisconsin. I have several friends racing there and I hope it will bring my MoJo back.

Waddling north to watch IMMOO..............

GREAT ILLINI HALF IRON DISTANCE RACE REPORT

2009-09-06T06:12:00.010-05:00

"TRAINING DAY"

In preparation for the half-Iron, my thought process was this was a training day for my Full. I wanted to try and test out everything that I planned to do in November. My goals were very simple:

Test for my full
not drown
finish vertical, breathing, and smiling
do it in under 8 hours.

Pre-Race

TriSharkie and I drove down on Friday. As we followed the directions to get there, we noticed a theme which was mile after mile of corn fields. We got to packet pick up and I was relieved to see this would be a very low key, relaxed, and non-intimidating race. I turned around when I heard laughter and found Running Jayhawk who is preparing for IMAZ. After grabbing our packets, we headed to the hotel which was a comedy of errors and alot of laughs until we got to the right room. (Not 117).

Although it seemed short, I slept good until the alarm went off at 4am. I got up and ate my oatmeal with whey protein, yogurt, and a banana. We packed up and headed into the darkness. It was a good thing that we had scouted things out the night before. The parking field was lit up be one huge spotlight. TriSharkie and I headed for transition to setup. It was still dark and not lighted. It was challenging to set up.

As it began to get light around 6am, it was cloudy and overcast. When I checked the weather before leaving Chicago, it was supposed to be sunny and in the 70s. I heard the guy next to me talk about possible storms. Just then Jayhawk came up and began setting up next to us in transition. She was so relaxed and full of laughter. Next thing I knew, there were a few announcements and a notice that we will start in 5 minutes.

SWIM

For the first time ever, I was not freaking out about the swim. The water was very dark and murky but 77 degrees. I wore my sleeveless wetsuit. There were 2 loops keeping the buoys to your right. The men were the first wave followed 3 minutes later by us ladies. Going through the first loop, I found swimmers around me and that I was passing several men. This has never happened before. Not the I was going fast but I was going in the right direction. My sighting was right on for the first time. I felt great the entire swim and at times actually had a nice rhythm. As I was coming of of the water, my watch recorded 59:02. I was thrilled. Very slow for many but amazing for me.

I was very slow but determined to make sure everything was ready for the bike. I put body glide in my socks and they slid on great. Mental Note---do again.

BIKE

I continued to feel relaxed heading out on the bike. My nutrition was Infinit which I mixed the night before. The course was 2 loops which were very flat through the corn fields. The were several out and back sections where you could see the other riders. The weather continued to be overcast, cool, and no wind. Perfect for the bike. Besides the fact that my chain came off at mile 29 and 41, I was thrilled. I did see TriSharkie and JayHawk several times and they looked great! My time was 3:24 (16.4 mph). Happy Dance.

Again slow but determined to not miss anything. Quick Pit stop then off I go.

RUN

The weather continued to be overcast. The course was a 2 loop out anf back. I did not think that I would like this but I did enjoy seeing the other runners and not feeling alone. I used my Galloway pace timer and did a 5 minute run: 1 minute walk. My nutrition was Gu. During the first loop , it began to rain. It kept the temperature cool. I continued my slow and steady pace the entire time. I was passed by many of those that I had passed on the bike. At the turn around to the second loop, I made another pit stop. It began raining harder. As I rounded that last corner with .5mile to go, my garmin read 7:21. Holy Sh*t ! I was going to break 7:30. WooHoo. My run time was 2:56:38 (13:29/mile).

I crossed the finish to big hugs from Sharkie and Jayhawk. My time was 7:27:02. My first 70.3 !!!! Also huge congrats to Sharkie who finished in 6:25(PR).

Waddling while vertical,breathing, with a huge smile........................

2009-09-05T20:01:00.002-05:00

I just got back from The Great Illini Half Iron and now I can offically put a 70.3 sticker on my car. WooHoo!! Goals--not drown/ finish vertical with a smile/ and go under 8 hours. All achieved with a big smile and a 7:27.

Waddling ..............

AWESOME AFTERNOON

2009-09-03T17:51:00.001-05:00

Today was one of those days that will stick in my head forever. I was able to get off work at noon to enjoy the afternoon with Hooch. She is attending Esthetician & Skin Care School. She is currently is in the clinical phase. I decided to take advantage of this and give myself a treat at the same time.

She was watching for me when I got there and so excited to show what she had learned. The next 90 minutes, I was able just to relax and let her do her thing. I have to say that I knew she was good but she actually was great. (Not because I am Mom). I felt so relaxed and my skin felt great. Another great part was the price. Because it is a Esthetician & Skin Care School , the price for a spa facial and eyebrow wax was $11.50.

Her tip from me after such great service was a great lunch with Mom. I have to say it really blew me away seeing what she had acheived and what kind of person she has become. One of those moments that stays with you.

Waddling after a day with Hooch............

CATCHING UP

2009-08-30T16:50:00.006-05:00

My posts have been few and far between with the increased training. Just want to catch up with news in my life.

House (my hubby) has been keeping his RSD in his right ankle under control with the neurostimulator in his back. There have been new developments. He has been waking in the morning with new aches all over his body. There is a possibility according to his MD that he now has Fibromyalgia. Also the bone pain in his Right ankle where he fractured it has increased. According to the orthopedic surgeon there is now a hole in the talus bone and a fracture. The answer is surgery and trying to take bone marrow from his hip and inject it into the talus bone and hope for bone regrowth. As always we will face these challenges together.
Hooch (my daughter) is finishing estictician school in November and has an opportunity to set up her own business in an established spa.
Bino (my son) has just begun his senior year of high school. We are cherishing every minute with him because this time next year he will be in the Army in M1A1 tank school.

As far as for me, I work and I train. there are some days that I miss my family alot. I enjoyed a shopping spree at Naperville running company on Friday. For my tired calves, I bought Zensah sleeves. I have been wearing them after workouts and have slept in them. I LOVE THEM. The other thing for the geek in me is the new garmin 310. I used it yesterday for a long bike and on today's long run. I LOVE IT ALSO.

This week, I am backing down the training to prepare for my Great Illini Half Iron next weekend. I did Steelehad 70.3 last year but the swim was cancelled and a run was substituted so I do not feel that I have truly done a half yet. I feel much more prepared this year so I am excited about it and to see where I am at.

Also this week, I am signing upfor my first race for next year. It's a new one. Rev3 @ Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky ,Ohio. It has a full iron and a half iron. I am signing up for the half. I know it will flat and close to home. I love Cedar Point also.

Waddling into a new week..............

FIRST CENTURY RIDE

2009-08-23T18:49:00.002-05:00

Today was another notch in my belt on my Iron journey. It was my first century ride ever! I rode alone as my partner, TriSharkie, was under the weather. After oversleeping, I got out on the route at 7am. It was nicely spread out. Again this week, I did everything that I hope to do in November's race. Infinit was my choice for nutrition. I did stop at 3 of the 5 SAG stops but only grabbed water, half a sandwich, and a pretzel.

I would like to have a great exciting story of my first 100 miles but there is none. There were miles of cornfields, beautiful weather, and a couple of challenging hills. I got it done and averaged almost 15 mph. I was thrilled that I completed the miles but I continue to be concerned about making the time cutoff in November.

Waddling after 100 miles on the bike..............

RISING STAR

2009-08-18T20:10:00.004-05:00

This morning at swim, I had the pleasure and luck to meet one of my triathlon rockstars. In the locker room getting ready to swim was Adrienne Saeger. She is currently preparing for the IM World Championships in Kona. WOW- blow you away too cool. She qualified on her first Ironman in Wisconsin. Most recently , she finished first overall at the Spirit of Racine and 2nd Overall at Steelhead 70.3. She also isdoing the World Championships in the 70.3.

She has a beautiful smile and eyes that twinkle while she talks. Such an awesome personality. When the word Kona was mentioned, she lit up with excitement. I felt like a kid meeting a rockstar.

I hope to run into her again before Kona. I will also follow her on her blog.

Waddling after meeting a rising star............

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES...

2009-08-16T15:22:00.005-05:00

This weekend had the makings of training big. Plan A was to ride 75 miles on Saturday and run 14 miles Sunday. Tri-Sharkie's plan called for an off weekend and Snips was in Colorado. This meant that I was flying solo. Time for Plan B. Find an organized ride on Sunday and run on Saturday. Great luck- Naperville Rotary Ride on Sunday. I needed 75 miles but they had 55 or 85. I decided that I would go for the 85. Because of this I shorten my Saturday run from 14 to 10 miles. Ready---Set----Go!

Saturday
I got up early and headed to Waterfall Glenn. I love the trails and the shade. It was so packed already at 7 that both parking lots were full and cars up and down the road. Everyone had my idea! How cute. The run was good.

Sunday
I had everything ready last night for the ride. Mixed my Infinit. Froze 1 bottle of Infinit and 1 bottle of water. I knew the heat would be on. I was actually really excited to take on the challenge. There was also a part of me that needed to do this alone because that is how it will be in November. I did not want of use any nutrition from the aid stations and make this a test bike of how I do.

I got up and got there really early with alot of time to spare. I ran into TriHardChik in the parking lot. She was doing the 55 with a friend. I got everything together and off I went to try and ride my longest bike ever.

The first 20 miles were very uneventful. The part of the course was familiar from my long rides. the were quite a few who were doing the shorter ride and I could feel their excitement with their achievement also. I did stop at the first aid station to fill my AeroBottle with really cold water. It was beginning to get hotter and the wind began to pick up.

I passed the aid station for the 55 mile turn around. No need to stop. It was shortly after that my first wrong turn occurred. After around 3 miles of not seeing anyone around, I finally decided to check the map. Oops. Soon I was back on track and into the world of endless cornfields. The wind continued to pick up and dark clouds began rolling in.

There were not many bikers on the longer ride. If I did see someone, they were flying by. Soon came my next wrong turn. I recognized faster that I was going the wrong way this time. The winds now were gusting and the air was heavier.

I did not stop at the last aid stop with 20 miles to go. The weather was beginning to make me a little nervous. With in minutes, my weather fears were happening. The wind was gusting. The rain was coming straight down. Thunder was rumbling nearby. I was going down hill and the road had gotten slick. A crosswind gusted and the back of my bike slide out from under me. I did get unclipped with only a minor bump on the elbow. The biker in front of me slide also. As fast as the bad weather came, it was gone. I used everything that I had left to get finished before another storm came along.

I was beginning to recognize the end of the ride. I was OK. I made it. I set out to do 85 miles which is my longest ride ever. According to Garmin, I rode 92 miles and averaged just under 15mph. I was thrilled. In November, all I need to do is swim 2.4mile first, ride another 20 miles, and follow it with a marathon. Whoa!!!

Waddling slowly after 92 miles on the bike................

ENDING SUMMER

2009-08-14T18:43:00.003-05:00

This morning at swim, I could feel that summer is coming to a close. It was the last swim for the summer master's session. We swam outside and it was dark because the sun had not risen yet. The sign of shortening days.

The group has become close and alot of motivation to me and everyone in it. There are several doing their first Oly this weekend and another next weekend. Also there are 3 others besides me doing their first Iron. The excitement and chatter is continous to the point Coach has to tell us to focus and be quiet. One guy brought in bagels, cream cheese and doughnuts for everyone. I feel lucky to have found such a group of friends.

To those racing at Pleasant Prairie---enjoy. Also to my friend doing Chicago Accenture next weekend-it will be the experience of a lifetime.

Waddling and trying to hang on to summer.......................

BORING

2009-08-10T19:35:00.003-05:00

It seems like my post have become so few and far between. When I sit down in the evening to try to put my thoughts down, one of 2 things happen. Either I am totally brain dead or there is absolutely nothing interesting that I could write.

I am now beginning week 18 of 30 of Iron training. The weeks are blending together. I thank God my family is so patient with me. I have become more forgetful and disorganized. Every waking moment, I find myself busy either working or training. This weekend I began something new also. I fall asleep in the afternoon and take a nap. Saturday's nap lasted for 3 hours. I have never done this before.

New challenges also have become the weather and the amount of daylight shortening. Finally in August, summer has come to Chicagoland with several days above 90. Ther worst part is the humidity is so high. Also sunrise is coming later, so on the days of our long rides is not safe to start as early. ( Although, I think TriSharkie likes this) Also, this is the last week for Master's swim for a month. I don't do well alone swimming.

I am continuing to use my long rides and runs to test out things. I am getting a better handle on what I will need. With a half-iron coming up on Sept. 5, I hope to have a plan in place to try.

Waddling with no excitement whatsoever..............

2009-08-03T20:26:00.002-05:00

On June 1, I was diagnosed with having metabolic syndrome. It consists of high blood pressure, high cholestrol, weight gain around the mid-section, and pre-diabetic blood sugar. Two months after reading everything that I could find and getting a nutrition coach, I can say I feel much better and have lost 14 lbs. so far. the best part is that I feel good and my training is going good. I am half way to my weight loss goal and looking forward to racing at my goal weight in November.

Waddling with a smile.............

ROCK 'N ROLL HALF MARATHON

2009-08-02T21:12:00.003-05:00

Pre-Race

If you have seen Seinfield, do remember the Soup Nazi and the Chinese restaurant waiting episodes? DD and I went to our regular pre-race pizza place and experienced this.

When we walked in, the place was packed. As we walked in, we were met by a very stern looking man. He wanted to know how many to eat. DD said 2 and we were told the wait was 45 minutes. DD started to give him our name. He told us that he did not need it that he remembered everyone and to have a seat. As we waited, he kept his eye on us. Others were seated before us. Finally we were seated. The dinner was worth the wait. After dinner, we set the cash on the bill to pay and DD made a pit stop before we left. The Man came up to the table then looked at the money and then me and I retreated quickly out of the restaurant. DD found me outside and said there were already others at the table. There is no way to describe this better but it was hilarious.

Snips met DD and I at the Hilton where we spent the night. The morning came fast. With the start being at 630am, we were up at 515. My goal for the day was simple: run 13.1 miles. That was what was on my training schedule. The weather was perfect. It was in the 60's with a breeze off the lake. It took us 25 minutes to cross the start. The crowd was pumped up and the music was great.

THE RACE
The race used a wave start. Each corral was sent off at intervals and it sored all the runners out so it was not so cramped to run. Snips, DD and I were doing a 5 minute run:1 minute walk. Chicago is a beautiful city to run into. the miles clicked by quickly. Because of the buildings, I had no idea what my pace was on the Garmin that was fine with me. As we approached mile 6, we were in front of our hotel. Very tempting for sure. The race then headed past Soldier Field and under McCormick Place. Still feeling good, we cruised along. Several other who also belonged to Glenn Ellyn Runners passed with a quick hello.

At mile 10, I felt like that I was fading. I could feel the 40 miles that I had rode on my bike yesterday. It was was then that I met, Lindy(RunMommyRun). She looked smooth and ran with us for a minute before heading off.

The last couple of miles seemed hotter as the sun came off the lake. There were some really good bands rocking to pick up up at this point. At the 12 mile marker, I felt good and we skipped the last walk break to take it in. As we approached the finish, I could hear John Bingham(the Penguin) announcing. As I came to the finish, he saw my name on the shirt and gave me(Waddler) a shout out! I felt great and knew that I had given it all that I had today. My time was 2:46:37 which was my second fastest half.

Waddling after an awesome weekend.............

TRAINING RUN

2009-07-29T21:09:00.004-05:00

This weekend's training run will be with around 17,000 other running friends. I am looking forward to it. The half marathon is one of my favorite distances and I am going into the city with Snips and DD for Saturday night before the race.

I am still riding a 40 mile ride on Saturday. There is no taper. Every training day is important from here on. There is absolutely no time goals whatsoever. Just enjoy and get the miles done. And of course--get a great looking medal.

Waddling to Rock'nRoll..............

TEST RIDE

2009-07-25T15:02:00.003-05:00

As my training is continuing toward Beach2Battleship, my long rides and long runs are not only about the distance but what works for the distance.

My pre-ride was extremely disorganized today. My breakfast was Kashi oatmeal, .5 scoop of whey protein, and .5 cup of milk. (Also a Diet Mountain Dew). I filled all my bottes and mixed my special formula of Infinit designed for the long bike. As I arrived at TriSharkie's house, she was having the same kind of morning that I was.

I ordered a new AeroBottle with 2 chamber and had that on my bike today to try out. I needed to make sure to hydrate and get my Infinit for nutrition. We mapped a route out for 65 miles.

The pace was good and we concentrated on nutrtion and nutrition. The ride was very uneventful. I loved the new AeroCell bottle. On the return we had a strong wind slowing us.

We finished the 65 miles around 4 hours. We both felt good and learned alot.

Final thought:

Loved the new AeroCell
Put Infinit in small chamber / Water in large chamber
Mixed 7 scoops of Infinit with water and used blender. Tasted good. Drank all by mile 60.
Got very hungry after mile 50. Need bigger breakfast.
Went through 48 ozs. of water with non left. Pack more.

This is such a learning experience. I know there is still much ahead over the next 14 weeks.

Waddling to prepare for a 12 mile run tomorrow.............

EVERGREEN RECAP

2009-07-19T03:20:00.001-05:00

GOALS:
My goals for this race were very simple.First, not to drown. Second, to use it for training and learn more about nutrition and practice transitions. Third , finish in under 4 hours.

PRE-RACE:
TriSharkie and I went down the Friday to pick our packets, look at the race course and avoid and early AM drive. Packet pickup was simple. Took a look at the swim course. It was only 65 and very windy. We checked in at the hotel and went out for a great Italian dinner at Avanti's. I had a great nights sleep.

We got up at 430am and I had oatmeal w/protein powder with my morning Diet Dew. We got to transition to set up in plenty of time. Lady next to me was very rude while I was setting up and made several annoying comments. It was then that I realized that there were no bike shoes in my bag. F**k! Next annoying comment, I was pissed and threw my stuff to the other side of the rack and I walked away. (This is very out of character for me). I found TriSharkie. I wanted to pack my stuff into the car. I regrouped and remember my goal of having a training day and first lesson learned was DO NOT FORGET BIKE SHOES. I went back and decided to just wear my run shoes on the bike. I could survive 24.6 miles. Time did not matter today.

I finished setting up. Then ran into TriHardChik during course instructions.

ANALYSIS:
Good- Mixed Infit for nutrition night before.
Bad: forgot bike shoes at home.

SWIM:
I was not nervous at all for the swim. The race offered pink swim caps for new or insecure swimmers and I got one. They would keep an extra watch on you. I started off good directly to the first of 4 large buoys. After the turn, the sun was shining bright directly in my eyes. I did not have dark goggles on and it was hard to see anything. As I was swimming to the 2nd buoy, I stopped tried to spot it. A kayak came up and pointed it out. Whew. This kayak was soon to become my guardian angel. My sighting was bad and I seemed to constantly veer off course to my right. When this happened, I heard "To your left,to your left" from my guardian. He stuck with me and encouraged me the entire time. As got to the swim finish, I felt that there was no way to thank him enough.

ANALYSIS:
GOOD- calm entire time, very comfortable pace, took gel immediately before swim
BAD- horrible sighting, Need dark goggles, need to try bilateral breathing so I won't go off to the right, need more body glide on neck - small sore spot.

T1:
ANALYSIS-
GOOD- Out of the wetsuit OK
BAD- Unorganized

BIKE:
The first mile sucked because I was obsessed with not having my bike shoes. After that, I actually settled in. There was windy parts of the course and a few small hills that were challenging. I did pass several people and no one passed me. Near the end of the bike, I did have a slight cramp in my right calf but it went away quickly. The final miles of the course, I was concerned over how my legs would feel on the run.

ANALYSIS:
GOOD- Average speed was 15.7 mph, consumed almost entire bottle of Infinit, felt great
BAD- unsteady getting bottle off back of bike, Burped Alot. Need to check into a dual chamber Aerobottle.

T2-
ANALYSIS
GOOD- fairly quick
BAD- unorganized

RUN-
I felt good immediately beginning the run. I had thoughts of doing some kind of a run:walk ratio but didn't. I loved the course but was very glad that it was not a hot day. I used my fuelbelt with 2 small bottles of Infinit that I froze the night before. During miles 3 and 4 , I was running with a guy who wanted to hold a conversation. I wasn't really into it so I ditched him at a water stop. I did not feel like walking and felt strong running.

ANALYSIS-
GOOD- Infit worked OK, felt strong, consistant pace around 12:00/mile
BAD- Not much

OVERALL GRADE FOR ME-- B+
Points deducted- bad sighting, no bike shoes
Points added- 2nd fastest 10K, not drowning

Waddling back to training........

*** To:Iron Snoopy --Hope you are feeling better!

EVERGREEN TRI (OLY)

2009-07-18T17:03:00.003-05:00

SHORT STORY --more will follow

Pre-Race Goals----

Do not drown
Training day for transitions and nutriton
Finish under 4 hours

Statistics
Swim: 48:57.4 (1500m)
T1: 02:55.2
Bike: 01:34:45.7 (40K) 15.7mph (forgot bike shoes)
T2: 02:21.0
Run: 01:14:06.1 (10K) 11:56 min/mile
Overall: 03:43:05.4

All goals completed!

Waddling like a happy penguin........

FIRST OLYMPIC

2009-07-17T07:51:00.004-05:00

Like all my races this season, this one fit into a training plan to prepare for Beach2Battleship. I'm looking at race day to practice - not to worry about how fast I can go, or if I can even beat that person ahead of me. So I have two objectives for this race; the first, finish and enjoy. What I mean by that is, I am not going to go in with guns blazing, pushing some incredible and unsustainable pace. I am going to let my training do all the work. Second, test nutrition and practice staying calm and thinking through the transitions.

The weather sounds like it will cooperate. Amazing for July.

Tri-Sharkie and I are leaving this afternoon for packet pick-up and a look at the course.

Waddling to pack.....

THURSDAY THIRTEEN.....

2009-07-16T17:19:00.002-05:00

I love traveling. I look for races that have a great location.
My son, Bino, is at Route 66 Dragway this weekend to race his Mustang for the first time. House is supervising.
My daughter , Hooch, is loving school to become an Estitician. Anyone need a facial?
I have 4 dogs which are 4 different sizes. I have a golden retriever, English foxhound, Border Collie, and Long-haired Chihuahua.
I also have 2 cats which are both over 15 years old.
I am a fan of reality TV. My favorites are biggest loser and American Idol.
I hate vegetables. I would rather eat fruit all day.
My husband ,House, and I have been married 20 years. We met playing volleyball.
I hope to be on "The Amazing Race" someday with my friend Snips.
I am a Radiation Therapist at a Cancer Care Center in Joliet,Il.
I am not a night person. It is a waste of time to talk to me after 9pm.
There are 2 distinct parts to our closet. My side which is a mess with stuff thrown everywhere and House's which is perfectly neat always.
I am doing an Olympic triathlon this weekend for the first time.

Waddling on Thursday........
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CRYSTAL LAKE O.W. SWIM

2009-07-12T14:03:00.005-05:00

The alarm went off at 4:45am and I peeked out to see dark, rainy clouds. I had packed my bag on Friday night to take the pressure off in the AM. There were 9 of us meeting at Lifetime to make the 1:15 hr drive. The were many laughs in the car on the way and I felt very relaxed when we arrived. You had the option of a 1 mile or 2 mile race. My choice was definitely the one mile and TriSharkie chose that distance also. Iron Snoopy picked the 2 mile.

All if us got our wetsuits on with the all the laughs and jokes that could be made. I got in the water to swim alittle before the start and a panic set in. I remember how hard it was to catch my breath after being kicked. I knew this was a make or break point for me and I was not going to break.

The swim went great. It was an out and back course. My sighting was bad as usual. I looked up at one point and was swimming into the swimmers on their way back. Whooops. My goal was to finish in under and hour and my time was 50:01. I was thrilled and felt great. We stood on the beach and cheered and yelled for everyone in our group.

Now for the best part. After changing, we pulled out the coolers and had a great tailgate party. There are 4 of us training for our first iron distance and 2 who have completed 2 IM. Conversation was great. How lucky I am to have met such phenomenal friends.

This morning I got up and did a 4 hour bike with Iron Snoopy and the laughs continued.

Waddling through a great weekend.........

2009-07-10T20:20:00.002-05:00

As I sit here watching the Tour de France, I contemplate tomorrow. I have signed up for a one mile open water swim race. Since my bad experience during th Subaru triathlon, my confidence in open water has been shot. I am looking for this to be an opportunity to change that and gain back a comfort level in the water. This is currently a big hurdle in my training.

I am looking forward to a fun morning with friends. Many from my master's swim including Iron Snoopy and TriSharkie are meeting and carpooling there. We are packing for some post race tailgating. There is never a dull moment with this crew and I am sure tomorrow will be no different.

Waddling to rest for a big swim.................

2009-07-05T21:15:00.002-05:00

Happy 4th of July!!

After getting off on Wednesday to begin my long weekend, things have been going non-stop. (In a good way).

THURSDAY

I drove to Ohio with Bino on Wednesday night after work. We picked up my dad on Thursday A.M. and headed back to Chicagoland. This trip is tradition because on the way back it is our yearly firework shopping in Indiana. It is so much fun. Bino and I pick things out and dad pushes the cart. Although we never feel like we have enough, there is always some for several celebrations.

FRIDAY

Friday began with an awesome early morning swim with the Master's class. It was cloudy and cool out but as always the water was warm. It was a good workout with a hard push at the end by Coach. After showering, breakfast with dad followed.

Our evening plan was for a family cookout so most of my day was spent grocery shopping and cooking. It was oh so worth it. I did not go overboard with my eating but I did enjoy it.

SATURDAY (4th)

Tradition again was the theme for the day. Joliet Bicycle Club has a ride every 4th of July. TriSharkie, Snips, Sniggles, and I got there early. As we signed up under dark,gloomy skies, we knew what was ahead of us. It proved to be a rainy,chilly, and windy ride for sure. TriSharkie and I rode the 45 mile course and the rest rode the 30 mile loop. With the thought that you never know what race day will hold, we got it done.

The evening was our cul de sac cookout party and fireworks. There is alot of diversity in our neighbors which allows us a variety of great food. I knew that then next morning was a long run so I took it easy on the celebrating.

SUNDAY

Dense fog greeted me outside when I went to meet Snips for our run. By the time we got to mile 1 of our 9 mile run the sun shone through and it was beautiful on the Prairie Path. I was shocked that the 9 miles went so well and flew by.

The day was spent doing house stuff for me and the boys(Dad,House,&Bino) put up a flag pole in front of our house. Dad had the honor of raising the flags (US and Army) for the first time. Definitely it was a memorable moment.

Dad is here until Tues and we plan to keep enjoying every minute.

Waddling patriotically.......

PROPORTIONAL

2009-06-30T19:29:00.004-05:00

As my hours at work have increased- so has my hours needed for training.

As my training and work time has increased- my blogging time has decreased.

Waddling, training, working.................

June's totals:
Bike: 12h 38m - 183.15 Mi
Run: 12h 56m 15s - 57.64 Mi
Swim: 8h 08m - 14650 M

2009-06-24T20:10:00.002-05:00

After being told that I have metabolic syndrome, I went to Borders and bought every book that I could find to help me. I read through all of them and realized after 2 weeks of trying that I was not going to get a grip on this on my own. So at swim last week, I asked coach Steve for advice. He gave me the name of a nutrition coach who deals with athletes. I called and had an appointment with Coach Lisa yesterday.

First thing that we did was a resting metabolism test to find a base line. Calculating it out my number of calories needed for a day with no activity was 1380. The test actually showed my number to be much lower at 836. You take that number and add on 500 calories needed for daily activity. That gives the number of calories per day to stay the same weight(1336 for me). Coach Lisa put me on 7 small meals per day which add up to around 1200 cal. per day. We will evaluate how I feel and adjust as we go. Goal is to lose 1.3 lbs. per week and be down 20 by the IronDistance. She has a daily menu for me and for the first week I am sure it will be a shock to my system.

Day 1 on the menu went OK. I kept a copy of it in my pocket so I knew what to eat and when. I am sure in a few days I will get the hang of it. (although giving up my Diet Mountain Dew is the biggest challenge)

Waddling and watching what I eat..............

2009-06-21T12:07:00.000-05:00

COMMONALITY

2009-06-20T15:35:00.005-05:00

What do these 2 things have in common???

The answer is my son ,Bino ! After years of desire by Bino and a driving need to serve his country, yesterday Bino signed the papers for deferred enlistment. He has chosen to be an M1Abrams Tank crewmember and will leave after his senior year of high school at Plainfield North on June 30,2010. He will report for basic and tank training at Fort Knox, Kentucky on July 5,2010.

I have never in my life experienced the gamut of emotions that I went through this week. From the pride in what he has chosen to do followed by the terror of what could happen to him. In between those there have been around a million other emotions. Over the next year before he leaves, I am sure that I will experience even more.

Waddling with pride and love for my son.............

TRAINING

2009-06-17T20:52:00.003-05:00

This week is the last week (#10) of Base training for Ironman. I have reached the max. time for weekday workouts. Starting next week during the build the intensity changes for the weekday workouts. Also the weekend workouts begin to get longer.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend especially those doing IMCDA. I will be following everyone from Chicagoland and cheering.

Waddling after a great day....................

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

2009-06-15T08:15:00.005-05:00

Pre-race

I really did not want to do this race. Mentally I just wanted to go for a training ride. It was on my training schedule even. I went through all the motions to get ready and pumped up.Moose said it best before the race-"This is training for pre-race jitters and doing a race. "

The Good

I felt great on the bike. There was a lady that started 2 waves behind me(45-49) riding a mountain bike that kept pace with me the entire course. Our average speed was 19-20mph. On the second lap she thanked me for setting a great pace. I thanked her for pissing me off that I couldn't beat a mountain bike on my tri bike. We laughed and pushed through lap 2.

The Bad

My run time was 4 minutes slower than last year. I couldn't seem to get a rhythm. I wasn't upset and just set out to not walk and enjoy the run. I even took time for a potty bike. Everyone that I had passed on the bike course now passed me. I had alot left at the finish so I know that I did not push too hard out there.

The Ugly
Because of the water temperature being cold, it was suggested earlier in the week to wear wetsuits so I did. I was feeling good waiting to start. The area is very tight at the start and goes not get deep until half way to the first buoy. I had just reached the deep water when the person in front of me pushed off with her foot into my stomach. I went under and sucked in a major amount of water. When I came up, I was panicked and couldn't breathe. I tried to swim and couldn't catch my breath. I flipped on my back and kicked until I felt better. Finally the swim was over As I walked to transition, I tossed my cookies. Somehow my swim was only 4 minutes longer than last year.

Post-Race

I actually am happy with my day. My total time was 10 minutes slower than last year. I was encouraged that although I wanted to quit during the swim, I finished. It was not anywhere near my best race but also it wasn't my worst.

Tri-Sharkie and I at the finish.

Special thanks to Iron Snoopy and Moose for being the best supporters ever and taking photos.

Waddling into week 10 of training............

TRI-RACE WEEK #1

2009-06-09T19:53:00.003-05:00

This weekend is my first outdoor Tri of the season. It falls right at the end of my first 10 weeks of training. I looked at my times from last year and I think they will be hard for me to beat. Reasons are that I am heavier especially around the waist and I haven't ran anything fast. I have no goals except to have a good training day. (Sounds like a cop out if I do bad doesn't it?) I just know where I am at.

Last night Tri-Sharkie, Snips, and I went down to Centennial Beach where the swim is for the Tri. The race sent out an email suggesting to wear a wetsuit due to the water temp. Amazingly, I fit into it. The water felt icy. We swam back and forth in the open water deep end. Damn, it was so much harder than I remembered.

I suddenly have this great desire not to race and just have a regular training weekend.

Waddling to get ready for the weekend..............

2009-06-06T11:04:00.003-05:00

I just got back from my longest ride(38miles) so far this year. It was one of the best also. Iron Snoopy and Flipper were my biking buddies. We headed out at 6am. Great temperature and no wind. My legs felt like lead for the first 5 miles. I am beginning to believe that Flipper is wearing a shirt that says "Hit me" on it. The past several rides she has had some close calls with cars. Today it was a huge piece of farm equipment that almost flattened all of us. The highlight of the ride was Iron Snoopy singing her favorite country song. As we finished, Flipper rolled into the parking lot first. I turned in and looked up and Flipper was down. Doesn't count since I did not see the fall.

I did my 3000 swim on Thursday. It took me 1:33. In January, my time was 1:44. WooHoo!

Waddling to lunch with Bino............

2009-06-03T20:06:00.003-05:00

"I know what is going on..." said the doctor after me describing to her things that bother me. What is going on is something called Metabolic Syndrome. It is a combination of several things: high blood pressure, borderline diabetes, high cholesterol, and weight gain in the mid section. I have all these. The 2 things that I need to do is go on a diabetic diet and exercise more. (How do you exercise more than train for an Ironman??) I sent away for several books that the doctor suggested and had more bloodwork done. I am relieved that I have an answer to several questions.

After a great weekend, it is time to get training back on track. Masters swim is on break this week and I have homework from Coach. It is a 3,000m timed swim. Tomorrow is the day for that.

Waddling to rest for a big swim..............

2009-05-30T19:10:00.006-05:00

There are not enough adjectives to describe the wonderful day today. The emotions of watching your child graduate and become a young adult is overwhelming. I can't even find the words to tell you about the day but I will let the photos speak for themselves.

My dad and Hooch ---what a photo

Waddling like a proud parent............

GRADUATION WEEKEND

2009-05-29T21:45:00.003-05:00

This weekend is Hooch's Graduation from high school. I drove to Ohio yesterday and picked up my dad so he could celebrate with us! I hope to share some photos and stories from a great weekend!

Waddling to watch our daughter.............

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY !

2009-05-25T11:42:00.009-05:00

As I sat outside and drank my morning Diet Mountain Dew, I was thankful for all the freedoms that we share. I had packed up 4 bikes on my Jeep and was waiting for friends to go meet others for a group ride. Where else can you be as luck as us?

This mornings ride was organized by Coach for riders from beginners to mid pack to speed-demons. Snips had never ridden a road bike so she was going to ride Silver. Sniggles (previously Running Ugly) was going to ride Skipper(my hybrid) then try Silver. Kandy had always ridden a hybrid but was going to ride my son Bino's road bike. It was going to be quite a test drive.

Coach gave all the beginners a quick lesson in Biking 101. It was time to mount up and take off with the goal of riding 18 miles. The first 4 miles were cruising. Coach did a great job of going up and down the line checking on everyone. At the first stop, coach asked everyone to take a look at the flag that was straight out because that was the wind we would be riding into on the return.

To the right is Sniggles(yellow) and Snips.

When we were about 7 miles out, I knew where we were headed and the hills that would be coming. Snips, Sniggles and I broke off from the group and headed back. The wind was unbelievable. With 5 miles left to go, Sniggles switched to the road bike unwillingly. There was a fear in her eyes. She overcame this and rode it all the way back to the car. Both Snip and Sniggles did an excellent job on their first group ride. We had alot of laughs and fun today.

Waddling to relax for the rest of the day....................

QUESTION FOR A FRIEND

2009-05-24T01:04:00.001-05:00

My friend (Running Ugly) is getting a bike of her choice for her birthday. She has run several marathons and halves. She is now interested in biking and doing a triathlon next year. This was her question to me (and now to you) :
Should I get a road bike or a hybrid?

She is intimadated by the road bike somewhat because my first year on my road bike I wrecked on 50% of my rides. I was slow to get the hang of clipping in. I know what my advice was but what do you think?

Waddling while waiting for advice..............

THANK YOU MOTHER NATURE !!

2009-05-23T09:51:00.003-05:00

Today was perfection. The temperature was 65. The wind was 2 mph. The sun was shining. I picked up Iron Snoopy at 640am and we both shared the excitment to get out on the bikes. We loaded up quickly and drove to the park to meet Sharkie. We headed out and Sharkie took off like she was shot out of a cannon. She was so stong today. I kept waiting to turn into a wind but we cruised along. It was a day like no other.

After all my whining and complaining, I owe Mother Nauture a huge thank you.

Waddling on an awesome day.........

QUICKIE

2009-05-22T19:50:00.002-05:00

I have been crazy busy this week. Not much time to read or write. I am looking forward to a great weekend. Long ride on Saturday then long run on Sunday both with good friends.

Waddling into the weekend.....................

2009-05-17T20:55:00.006-05:00

What do all these photos have in common? They are all signs that we had great weather this weekend!!

Thanks Mother Nature :)

Waddling and enjoying some awesome weather................

TRAINING QUESTION

2009-05-14T20:03:00.006-05:00

In my training, the hardest thing for me to grasp is running by time not distance. In my training plan, tomorrow a beginner would run 30 minutes and an intermediate would run 60 minutes. I have been going closer to the intermediate because of how slow that I run. I wonder though because I am so slow what should my mileage be. Here is my question:

If you were told to go on a 30 minute run(ZONE 2)--how far would you go??

My answer: 3 miles Although it takes 35-40 min

Waddling and wondering.............

INCREASES

2009-05-10T17:45:00.003-05:00

This will be week #5 in my Iron training. As I glance at the week ahead, I notice increases in my weekly workouts. My Tuesday 30 min run and my Thursday 30 min bike both change to 45 minutes. My long weekend stuff increases the run to 90 min. and the bike to 1:45. My other goal for the week is to get to Master's swim earlier or at least on time to get some more distance completed.

I have been feeling the increases in the strength of my legs. At times they do feel like they are getting stronger and other times they are just more tired. Sounds weird doesn't it.

There is just 4 weeks until my first Tri of the year which is Subaru Sprint in Naperville. it feels good to start with one close to home.

Waddling into a new week.............

2009-05-10T11:29:00.001-05:00

Waddling on a great mother's day with my family.........................

2009-05-09T11:38:00.005-05:00

Dear Mother Nature,

You win. I admit it. I give up. I have had enough of your sucky weather. You have changed yet another planned day outside and sent me indoors. I am not sure what I did to piss you off but I am so sorry and will never do it again. Ever! You rule the outdoors.Now if we can just get over this and go on with some good weather it would be much appreciated.

Waddler

Again this morning, there was a bike ride planned. We woke up to 25-40 mph winds. The sky was an ominous black color. Not worth it so unpacked the bike and headed to the spin room at the gym for 90 min. I did achieve a 90 minute ride at zone 2 as the schedule called for but I so wanted to ride outside. I gues there is always next week!

Waddling through the wind...............

EVERYONE IS DOWN

2009-05-07T19:19:00.003-05:00

Our entire household currently is under the weather. House had another surgery on Monday. It was very successful and the Stimulator is functioning again to control pain but he is still recovering. Bino infected the rest of us with an upper respiratory thing. So there is alot of coughing and sneezing going on.

I did make it to my students graduation today. I made my speech as short as posssible. It was a 2 hour drive each way and took alot out of me so there is no bike ride tonight. I did have a good swim this morning.

On the local news, Drew Peterson who live a couple a subdivisions over was arrested tonight. I saw the helicopters flying overhead and knew that something had happened. I hope they can finally sort this out for the families.

Waddling to curl up with a blanket...............

PERFECT DAY

2009-05-03T19:29:00.008-05:00

After a restless night, it was 5:30am and time to get up and get ready. Snips and I went through the ritual and had everything laid out and ready to go. This year instead of the chip for your shoe they had the new orange tags. They did not need to be clpped off at the end. The weather was beautiful. Sun was shining and temperature was approaching 60. The perfect weather for the half.

I was excited to wear my new shirt. Snips and I laughed everytime that we looked at it. I hoped it would bring a smile to others also. I ended up having converstions with many who would have just ran by me.

The race began with the release of 15 or so hot air balloons. It took us 42 minutes to cross the starting line. I couldn't believe that the weather was as perfect as it was.

Mile 1 = 11:54

Mile 2 = 12:08

Mile 3 = 12:23

Mile 4 = 12:44

Mile 5 = 12:48

Mile 6 = 13:48

We met this cow on the way into the track and tried a self portrait. Got the cow and part of Snips but only got the tip of my hat. I think we need to work on these skills.

On the track:

Mile 7 = 13:08

Mile 8 = 14:39 (pit stop for Snips and I)

As we left the track we cam upon a group of firemen doing the race in full gear. I was in awe that they also had on their masks with oxygen and used it the entire 13.1 miles. Big thumbs up to those heroes.

We were heading back to downtown and feeling good. We stopped at every other water stop. We were using Shot Blox for nutrition.

Mile 9= 13:23

Mile 10 = 12:51

Mile 11 = 13:18

Mile 12 = 13:11

I could tell Snips had a surge of energy. I told her that I was fine and to take it home and I would neet her at the finish.

Mile 13 = 12 :54

I crossed the line and looked at my watch 2:52:33. It was 1 minute faster that 4 years ago but several hours more fun.

I can't imagine a more perfect day. We both felt great and enjoyed every minute out there.

Waddling with a smile and a medal.........................

WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-02T14:38:00.000-05:00

Waddler 2:52
Snips 2:50

Waddling after a great day............

Race report later.