2011: Triathlon Transformations

Wow, what an amazing year! Little did I know a year ago when I started this blog and made my New Year's Resolutions what transformations would transpire. As my swim coach tells me, "we've come a long way." (and I could never have made it this far without him - thanks Matt!). A look back at my blog entries reveals just how far I've come:

A year ago I could barely swim one pool length (25 yards). Now I've done 2100 yards non-stop.

A year ago I was afraid to clip into bike pedals. I raced in them for my second and third races.

A year ago, I huffed and puffed running 2 miles. Now I can run 5 miles with ease.

I hyper-ventilated in my first open water swim in my June triathlon. I came in nearly last in my age category. By my third triathlon in September my swim time was no longer dragging down my overall placement. I finished in the top third of my age category.

I also have to laugh at how much of a gear loving jock I've become. As my friend Allison said describing herself, "I used to be such a girly girl.". This year I sported an Ironman watch along with open wounds. I sliced my foot on a shell and massaged my toes in geese shit. Neoprene became my fashion du jour.

I ate more bananas and apples. I drank less wine. I replaced cream cheese with peanut butter. I now know what electrolytes are. I actually consumed more calories. They became my friend rather than enemy as I needed them as fuel.

And best of all, triathlons connected me with others. Our first triathlon allowed my sister and me to connect over a common goal. I was able to rally some new recruits who also rave about their own transformations. And, had it not been for Barb and my February training weekend, I likely would not have seen my Grandmother one last time before she died.

All this thanks to triathlons!

Barb and Cathy Do It Again!

Cathy asked me last week if I wanted to do another triathlon with her, since I had bronchitis and hadn't been to the gym in 2 weeks I said, "ask me when I'm not sick."  Saturday I managed to put in a mile and a half run in under 20 minutes after a 2 week health hiatus and it didn't feel awful.  Cathy called me Sunday night and somehow convinced me we should do another tri together.  I decided as long as my body could tolerate the training, I would do this with her.  She really enjoys swimming and has been doing a mile non-stop, where as I just like to put in 10 laps as a cool down to my gym workouts.  My challenge is to put in the training required with fewer injuries than last year; and my goal is to improve upon my first times.  Certainly I will have to work on the swimming more, and the early bike training will be boring because it will mostly be indoors.  So far I'm not super excited, but I think that is partly due to the hectic month of December.  Derrick has one more final to take, and then job hunting will become a full time venture.  Once January rolls around (and hopefully Derrick finds a good job) my stresses will be eased and I'll be in a better frame of mind.  First task:  find motivating music for my workout ipod.
  Annie Lennox:  "Sisters are doin' it for themselves....."  

The Holiday Marathon

Twas the month of December, and I was worn out,
I was sick of Christmas songs and hearing kids scream and shout.
"I want this toy and that toy", while their parents Facebook and Twitter
Why don't they do like we did, and get a damn sitter?
I had Cyber Monday shopped, and store shopped, and stood in long lines
I had handmade some gifts, and wrapped them with twine.
Went to Kmart and Pet Smart and Apple and more
Getting all the discounts I could find at each and every store.
The Holiday Marathon had taken its toll
Now I had gotten myself a terrible cold.
I bought Robitussin, Nyquil, throat drops, and Vicks,
The month of December is no time to be sick.
2 Boxes of Puffs were gone in a day
But my shopping was done, I had filled up the sleigh.
I wrapped all the gifts, and slathered Vicks on my chest
What I really needed now was a good nights rest.
In my medicated stupor I dreamed of Christmas Trees
Santa baby, you ain't got nothin' on me!

Bella at the Tree Farm

This is a true poem of my adventures last week.  I was feeling like all of this Holiday preparation was a marathon in itself.  We have a company Christmas party at our house in 2 weeks so my decorating needs to be done early.  After all of my running around, I had gotten a terrible cold by Monday.  I dragged myself through the busy week at work, but don't remember half of what I did.  Somehow I locked in a good rate on electricity, and got all of my insurance authorizations done.  There were gift bags and cookies to deliver to physician offices - I had about 10 to do myself.  I put off going to my own doctor until Friday.. at which point I found out I had a bad case of bronchitis.  After slathering my chest with Vicks all week, I later read the label and discovered that it contains turpentine oil.  That can't be good.  I had even bought the Puffs with Vicks and now my entire car smells like menthol.  This, and a couple bottles of cough syrup would account for my hazy week.  I ordered a bunch of Christmas gifts for people online, and am now getting emails saying that they shipped.  There are a few things I really don't remember ordering (what did I get David from Men's Warehouse?) so I will have a nice surprise when they get here.  I think my Christmas shopping is done, but I'm waiting to find out what all I ordered last week.  Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!  

Training (or not) Tuscan Style

Mike and I spent Thanksgiving week in Italy roaming the Tuscan hills and enjoying wonderful Italian cuisine as well as showing my niece Emily our favorite places like Siena, San Gimignano, and Florence. Figuring that we were doing a lot of walking, I assumed the pasta, gelato, tiramisu, Parmesan cheese, etc. couldn't do too much damage. But, yikes, I gained 3lbs and Mike gained 4lbs in one week!

It wasn't for lack of trying to exercise. I did inquire in the Rome airport lounge if there was a gym in the airport where I could spend my 4 hour layover. The skinny, eloquent Italian woman sitting behind the desk looked at me like I was nuts. Our first hotel didn't have a gym as many European hotels do not. And, one hotel I had specifically chosen for its gym had an out of order treadmill and little else.

So we did our best to exercise Tuscan style. We climbed the Tuscan hills to the top of Montecatini Alto -- an ascent that others choose to do via funicular rather than by foot. And, while we did spend the day lounging at a spa in Monsummano Terme, it included a 1000 yard swim in their thermal pool and my 30 minute weight lifting and abdomen routine in their fitness center. Plus, I surely must have sweated some calories off in the Turkish steam bath grotto caves. Our ascent up the steep 414 stairs to the top of the Florence Duomo surely burned some calories.

Many Italians appear to stay in good shape without formal exercise routines and fancy gyms. Our farmhouse hosts, Andrea and Silvia, looked great. We last stayed with them 10 years ago and while they had aged a little, they were still slim and energetic working their agrotourism villa. Andrea celebrated his 71st birthday while we were there and somehow he manages to eat Sylvia's nightly feast without gaining weight like we did.

We did see some Italians out walking and running amongst the Tuscan hills. And, one of our surprise encounters was stumbling upon the Florence marathon -- a great surprise other than the detours and parking hassles which I can't complain about being a participant in races that shut down roads to traffic. What a great route for 7,000 runners through the Florence streets and piazzas! I snapped the photo in this blog in front of the famous Duomo -- the runners were clearly feeling energized as music and the crowd's cheers echoed in the piazza.

Back in the USA, I've promptly returned to my swim, bike, run exercise routines. I just completed a 5 mile run before sitting down to write this. Signing off to go do my weigh-in and see if I've managed to lose the Tuscan three...!