Age, Wisdom, Happiness

Happy Birthday Tri-Hawg. Another day older, another day wiser, another day of happiness. Life is good. I love you!!

Driving Miss Kim

This is a post I'm not quite sure about....my feelings on the subject of driving...not my driving, but that of my Son. Austin got his license today. I am happy for him, really I am. But I am also melancholy. He's been driving me around for the last year. Now he wants to be alone, to drive alone. I like when Austin drives for me. We get to talk. Sometimes I read a book or the paper, but usually we talk. That I will miss. I will miss the easy car banter after school. The trips to Starbucks or panera for coffee with silliness and laughter in his voice. The general errands we ran and the occasional serious conversation. I will miss that alone time with Austin. I'm sure we will still find time to spend with each other, I just have a feeling that this is one more step to letting go. To giving up some of the power. To giving a nod to youthful independence. One more step to realizing that our children grow up and there is nothing we can do about it. I watch, I listen, I encourage, I discipline, but most of all....I am thankful. I am thankful for the time we have and the time to come.

Sweet 16 & Happy Halloween!

This is my scary, spooky and super sweet 16 guy. Austin is the best! He is just the greatest kid. It's my blog and yes I'm gonna brag all I want. Austin is the kind of kid that comes into a room and makes people laugh. He is easy going, smart and fun to be around. Happy Birthday Austin!!!

Say Chee

Well, I finally ran today. After screwing up my back again I am now feeling pretty much back to normal....yes, I know, I know...that's relative for me. But even in my usually abnormal state, I am not a normal runner. Did that make sense? I have crappy form, gasp for air, am prone to injury and I'm not even talking about when I fall on trail runs! Since TriHawg runs with me on occasion, he has seen the scary running form...not a pretty sight. In fact he just recently pointed out how bad it all is and mentioned the funny way I point my toes too. To be completely fair he is just looking out for my well being....he thinks mobility in old age is a good thing.
So, he brings home a book for me called CHI RUNNING (pronounced chee). Now I believe in the whole mind/body thing, really, I do....I even do yoga....and I picked up on when my appendix was going bad really fast...and I usually can predict when I am going to throw my back out (this usually involves a lot of stress). So what does all this have to do with running and running better?....cuz, I really need some help or my knees are going to completely disintegrate one of these days! According to the book (I'm halfway through it) we must focus, body sense and relax. Sounds easy right? Riiiiggghhhtttt. I know that there are plenty of people out there that are great at multi-tasking.....and they love to toot their own horn about it too...."I closed five deals, read the paper and had outpatient surgery and THEN I went to lunch, what did you do today?"....I really don't like these people. I am not a multi tasker, but I digress....that would probably make a great blog post though.
So, since I'm not great at multi tasking, focusing, being aware of body sense, and trying to relax while running is downright hard.
First I would get down the focus part....I'm leaning and my body is going forward (physics at work here). Now I am trying to sense what my body is telling me. Pain somewhere, what...is that my ankle? Do I need to relax that a little? Now I've lost my focus! That's just great, back to focusing. There we go, just concentrate....I think I'm finding a groove here. Now I've forgotten what pain I was having! Jeez, I need to be relaxing here people!
Okay, If I can just get my legs and arms to feel like cotton and my core to be the steel that moves my body I just might fly. That's what the book says...I may not ever be a gazelle, but then again, I just might find my Chee.

My Baby

My baby is 10 today. Happy Birthday!!!
Arianna is second from the right in the picture. She is in the fourth grade and has more energy and stamina than anyone I have ever met in my entire life....I hope that never leaves her! I am so lucky to have such a beautiful daughter.
I love you Puggo!

Weather PR....SNAIL

I keep telling TriHawg that this winter is going to be a cold one...just a hunch I have. Well, today we have our first official snow of the season...the fall season that is. Today was a weather record breaking day. Snow records that is and nearly half an inch. The weather guys were probably giddy with frontal boundry excitment.

It is what I have dubbed "SNAIL". An absolutely biting mix of snow and hail that whipped up and around off of the great Lake Michigan to sting cheeks and freeze the little fingers of elementary school children eager to see winter's first sign.

I like the snow. I don't mind the cold weather, as long as I'm prepared. A long coat, gloves, scarf, hat...all the necessities to keep one comfortable. I love the rosey cheeks and the steaming breath that winter brings. I love sking and tubing. I love walking in the snow at night with TriHawg...that is one of my favorite things.

While I do love winter and snow, I probably could have waited another month or two until its descent. But, since that's not a decision that I got to make this year, I guess I'll just have to be happy with what's been dealt....Sometimes, even in the throes of winter, we should just stop and smell the roses.

More Football

We had a great time at the game. The weather was perfect, so nice and sunny that we had to ask to borrow some sunscreen. Notre Dame, as predicted, trounsed Stanford. But it was still a fun game to watch. We ate far too much junk food and just kicked back and relaxed...a nice way to spend a Saturday.

TriHawg is home for a couple more days and that means workouts together, yeah. If the nice temps hold out we may hop on the bikes tomorrow....I'm just not ready to take every workout indoors yet.

Notre Dame Football

So, Tri Hawg is at the local supermarket with the Boy Scouts selling popcorn this morning and up walks a gentleman with Notre Dame tickets that he wants to give away. Since none of the other scouts wanted them Tri Hawg snagged them up thinking he would give them to a friend...someone who actually likes Notre Dame. Said friend already had tickets and is going to the game with his son and now we are going with them too.

It should be a fun game, even though Notre Dame will probably beat the pants off of Stanford. We haven't been to a college game since we lived in Colorado and used to go to all the Air Force Academy home games....Tri Hawgs alma mater.

Sometimes things just seem to fall into your lap....so unexpectedly. It's a treasure when they are the good things in life...like a game with the one you love...not a bad way to spend a Saturday!

It's a good life.

140.6

I've been working on goals lately. That M-dot really intrigues me. I have a tattoo on my foot, a Japanese character that means love. What do all of these things have in common??
I've written down my goal....Ironman Florida '08.
After I've completing that goal.....said M-dot to be tattooed on my @ss, or very close to it....actually lower back, so that when you see me get out of the pool you can't help but notice the little guy right there just above my suit. Why do I think about these things??? Maybe because I have felt for so long that I can't do it, and by "it" I mean anything athletic. This year I have finally put that notion to bed, kicked it to the freaking curb and said "leave me alone, I can do it because I am strong!". I want a visible remembrance after I have traveled those 140.6 miles, something to remind me that my lungs were strong enough, my arms were strong enough, my legs were strong enough....my mind was strong enough. I want people to ask "what is that?" so I can tell them how incredible this sport is, how it feels to be free, to feel pain and be happy with it.
I'm in. Florida 2008.

Cancer

My Dad's birthday was the 28 of September. He would have been 58 years old. He died when he was 55. Hodgkins Lymphoma. I still find it depressing. I don't think there will ever be a cure in my lifetime. I am just too skeptical when it comes to cancer. I've seen what it does to people....it's just not right...just not fair!
I run to get away, to beat the odds, to laugh in the face of a disease that is horrifiying and prolific. I run and I pray.

Road Rash

Here's a nice pic of some of the road rash I sustained when I sprained my ankle. This actually hurts more than the sprain. It stings like hell. My ankle has gone down a little in swelling and is starting to bruise up really nicely. I should have several colors of the rainbow on my ankle and knee in a day or two. I am still thankful that I am walking around with some stiffness and not in a cast and on crutches!
Guess who's coming home tonight???? Tri hawg!!!!

Sprained Ankle

If you look closely you might be able to see that my right outer ankle is swelling/blowing up to the size of a golf ball.

One might ask. "How in the heck did that happen!?!" I myself ask the same question.

I was all geeked up to go on a nice long run. The weather was beautiful and I wanted to get close to the lake. To run and see the sun glisten and sparkle like diamonds across the waves, to see the boaters and sun bathers enjoying the day....that was the plan.
I parked on the bluff and crossed over the train bridge to start my run, planning on going plus 6 miles, got the ipod ready and started pounding the trail. Not pounding the pavement, but pounding the trail. A trail the size of a six pack in width. Yes, it's a little narrow I realize this, but the views are incredible and I just love running off the beaten path with no one else around. I got to the end of the trail and turned around. The plan was to continue down the "paved" path, down to the beach, down the pier, into town and then do it all over again...2 loops. That was the plan. Once I had doubled back on the trail my muscles were warming up nicely and my legs were feeling great, this is gonna be a nice run I told myself.
I'm not sure what exactly happened, but I went down. HARD. One moment I looked up and the next I was on my hands and knees and in a lot of pain. The swelling was instant, which scared the crap out of me....I've never seen a body part swell that fast. I pretty much got up/ brushed off and started walking/limping about a third of a mile back to my car. All the while of course trying to assess what the hell just happened and how hurt am I? I was dirty and had road rash on my knees and hurt hands as well. I didn't think that I had any broken bones, but like I said, the swelling was freaking me out. The worst part out of all of this: only 1.7 miles run!!!
I called Tri Hawg when I got to the car. He's still in Florida so he couldn't come pick me up :0( I just needed a loving voice to get me through the car ride. I did almost go to the ER, but just could not stomach the thought of a three hour wait. The next best thing---->I called my neighbor...her husband is an orthopedic surgeon...how handy is that! But he happened to be in surgery...aahrrgg. She did say that she would have him stop by though after work.
Well, the good news is that the Doc says it is a sprain, but not a major one. Yeah! Rest, ice, compression and elevation have been prescribed. I am trying to be a good patient, but I am already sick as all get out of having my foot in the air. That might be easier once Tri Hawg gets home tomorrow!!! ;-)

Back to swimming and biking once the swelling goes down and then run on the pavement...no trail...at least for a while. Doctor's orders.

School Night

Tonight is a school night! This is a very exciting night for parents and kids too. Mine are ready to go back...I think they are sick of me and need a change of pace. Now I could easily spend another three months with all of them in a one room hotel room with out going completely insane....not. We have had a great summer, but there is something about the night before school starts that is just ripe with anticipation. All the back packs are ready and school shopping complete, we've done this many times before. The kids just know the drill. I remember each time my kids entered kindergarten. What a huge milestone in their lives, it really marks a journey that will not end for more than a decade. It is also a huge milestone for a parent as well. It forces us to let go, to let them have a little independence...to walk away from us when we still want to hold their hands all the way. We cry because we know this day will never come again...it is a turning point in our child's life, in our life.

I have three children. It has been many years since I escorted them to a kindergarten class, yet that feeling of something new in the air, a new start, a fresh chance is ever present on this day. There aren't as many tears...maybe some. Maybe now the tears are for a different reason...or maybe not. My oldest is only two years away from graduating from high school. This feels harder than any good bye at the kindergarten classroom! My heart wants to break at the thought of him leaving. The journey that we as parents have prepared is nearly over for him. But the journey of his lifetime is just beginning.
We reach a point as parents when our children no longer depend on us for everything. They want their independence, they want us to know that they can make it on their own. I can only hope that we have given them the tools to make the important decisions, to make mistakes and learn...to come home when they need to feel safe and loved.

Life is worth the journey, we just need to sit back and enjoy the ride.
KO

Mickey and Company

I am finally back and looking forward to staying home for a while!
The kids and I took a trip to Florida to visit Tri Hawg...he's training on a new aircraft down there and has been gone for several weeks.
We spent a couple of days at Disney World. Went to the Magic Kingdom...saw lots and lots of princesses and rode space mountain too many times to count. The next day we went to MGM and rode the Aerosmith rollercoaster too many times to count. The tower of terror was my favorite though. The animation studio was very cool...we got to draw winny the pooh and Goofy!
We also got to spend the day at Cocoa beach. The waves were great! We played in the ocean for two hours straight....we did not get out at all! pruny fingers all around. Unfortunately, the shuttle launch got scrubbed and we weren't able to see it. Oh, well. We still had a really great time.
Now school starts next Tuesday and Tri Hawg gets home next Friday....that will be nice!

Back to training.

Race Day Lessons

Things I learned at the Three Rivers Triathlon.

1. Getting out of the water dead last sucks! Yes, I know the concept of waves...I wasn't really last....but it still stinks.
2. My wetsuit chafes....I'd never swam that far before, so who knew. ouch.
3. TriHawg and kids ate a nice big breakfast after seeing me through T1.
4. Dogs on a wet road make cyclist swerve and go down :-(
5. Watch out for ambulances trying to get to downed cyclist! (not me)
6. New/wet asphalt is very, very slippery.
7. Slippery pavement= my first fall on the bike. ouch.
8. Michigan ski areas don't have mountains, but they do have big hills and make my legs really, really burn. ouch.
9. I possibly went slower and faster than I ever have on a bike....lots and lots of hills!
10. I live to see my families smiling faces as I come into T2!
11. Running feels great after sitting on a bike for 26 miles.
12. Friends can be made anywhere...even at mile 3.
13. New found friends are the best at helping you get through that last mile...thanks Martha!
14. Finishing is Awesome!

So, these are a few of the things I learned at my first olympic triathlon. I finished in exactly 3:30. I am still pretty excited that I finished and didn't go have breakfast with the kids ;-) just kidding. I had never actually done any of these distances in training...not the smartest way to race, but I really just ran out of time to train with vacations and all. I am really still pumped up that I had such a great run. This has always been the hardest for me and was the easiest durning the race! Once again, you just never know how you'll do until you tri!

Hills and Mountains

Without hills the earth would be as flat as Nebraska and Kansas, big sky, but not very exciting. We as humans are drawn to these hills. Go west young man, caught the imagination of adventurers in an era gone by. So enchanted are we by hills that they pervade our society, instill patriotism and entertain...we all know the words to John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High" and are familiar with those "Purple Mountains Majesty". We glide, slip and slide all over them. We summit fourteeners for fun and we "conquer" Everest.
I was lucky enough to have a training run in Colorado last week. I say lucky not because of the thin air (not cool) or the incredible amounts of bike/run paths available (very cool), but because of those hills. Yes, I know that they are mountains, but I'm also pretty sure that about four billion years ago they were just hills....or under the ocean. See, even mountains must start somewhere, they must begin as something humble, but they become majestic. A transformation of multitude proportions. We are not capable of glimpsing these historical flickers of time, our lives are just too short, but we are capable of creating our own hills...transforming them into mountains.
I ask my self, what hills should I climb today?
Will this hill become my mountain?
Am I Ironman material?

Nice Arms

I had a nice short run today with Alex, my middle child. He is conditioning for the upcoming football season. They will actually start the week after next with non-contact practices and then full on practices once school starts after Labor Day. He's been all geeked up about getting back on the field and has been running and strength training everyday for the last two weeks. This kid loves sports, and not just watching them, he has to be out there in the action. I cannot even count the number of games I have sat though watching him play. He is turning into a great sportsman....this has taken years....Alex loves to win and losing makes him very grumpy, or it used to that is. This year was the year of his maturity to a degree, kids are so amazing, he finally learned that losing isn't all that bad if the team still has a good time playing. What??!!! Now it's all about the fun? Maybe some of what we were trying to parent has finally sunk it....could that be possible? I and my family seemed to have gained some interesting things from all this tri-ing.
Insight
Health
Happiness
fulfillment
Patience
Peace
Perserverance
Accomplishment
just to name a few.....And we all don't look too shabby any more either!
I race again Saturday...my second time around.
I think I'm learning that this lifestyle is very addicting....I like it. I like getting up early and watching the sun come up on my runs. I love the feel of the warm lake water and watching the sand beneath me. I like biking alone and feeling like I'm flying. I like when I reach the top of a hill and my legs burn...I know I am doing something...I'm tri-ing

Cowgirl

We are finally back from our western adventure. We flew to Colorado and then drove to South Dakota with my parents for a few days. We camped at Custer State Park, situated in the middle of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Really beautiful land! We saw lots of buffalo, deer, antelope and wild turkeys. We visited Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial...must see's if your in the dakotas. Truly inspirational.
Here's my little cowgirl....now a Junior naturalist at Custer.
Believe it or not, I did get in a few workouts while we were gone. I had a really great long run while in Denver. I ran along Little Dry Creek path which is mostly dirt and runs along a canal. I saw a raccoon and her baby down near the water. It was beautiful looking at the mountains with the sunrise reflecting on them....purple mountains majesty.
It was a really nice trip, but I am glad to be home again.
I only have two more days until the Three Rivers Tri. I'm feeling good, strong and didn't eat too much junk while on vacation. Ready to race.

Three Rivers Tri- Olympic

We drove out to Three Rivers this afternoon to take a look at the course. It is about an hours drive from here. The lake looks nice...Calm waters, which will be a nice change after all the open water workouts I've been doing in Lake Michigan. Some times I just get pounded by the waves and usually I can never bilateral breath because of them ( neck kinks...not fun). The bike and run look very, very hilly. I think I am already psych-ing myself out over all those hills. I know I can ride hills....it's just seeing them that gets to me. I am planning a long hill ride tomorrow to get over some of the paranoia.

My workouts the last couple of weeks have been intense and heavy. I am leaving for Colorado to meet my Mom and niece for a trip to the Bad Lands in South Dakota for a week and I know the only training I will be doing while there is running. I only have three days after I get back before the Three Rivers Triathlon. I should be able to get in one easy bike and swim. I am a little freaked that I won't be ready. I know my training has been good, let's just hope that an early taper is just what I need to finish!

Tri Hawg's first half Ironman

So, the reason that I was about out of my mind at Steelhead, in reference to my two sons, is that their Dad was racing. I was very concered that they would not see their dad finish the race and that I would then have to beat them. Just kidding. Anyways, they did make it after all and the world still turns as it should...and our family is still intact.

I quicky update on Tri Hawg. He did great!!!!! He even got a big fat kiss in T2 :0)
With out going into all the details (about the race, not the kiss)...that's for him to write.....here are some highlights. I was extremely thankful when I saw him after the swim! I'm really not ready to lose my sweet husband to drowning. He didn't do that bad! I just give him a hard time cuz I like to swim. He was fast on the bike and looked great in Transition (remember big fat kiss?) The run was good, with a little pain and suffering during the last three miles....but not significant walks. His time was just under 7 hours. Great job Tri Hawg!!! The good news is that his is talking about doing next years race already....yeah!

Unfortunately I won't be volunteering next year.....I'll be racing too!