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November 30, 2007

More Swimming Chatter

As I was running this morning (in the freezing cold I might mention - geez - why is it so cold already?!?!) I was thinking about swimming. Swim meets to be precise.

Just before I left to go running I read an email my coach had sent in response to my masters/swim meet question. Yes, masters was just fine, although he explained which swims he would like me to do myself and which to do with the masters team. This is just perfect because I really only wanted to swim masters once/week anyway. (they only meet 3x/week and some of that is "stroke" stuff which I won't be getting into just yet...)

And then he went on to say that "yes" I should "sign up for the swim meet for sure!" Yikes - what have I gotten myself into? It seemed like a fun idea yesterday but maybe not so much now. Coach did mention that at masters meets you usually don't have to do a dive entry. This is good to know. But what about flip turns? Yeah - still don't know how to do those. Will I get laughed at? (and I want one of you real swimmers to tell me the truth - do people go to swim meets and NOT know how to do flip turns?)

And then there is the issue of seed time. You have to list a seed time for lane/heat placement. Now I've run the numbers several times and I think about the best I could hope for is breaking 23 minutes. I have no concept of whether this will place me 2nd to last or last. Again, will I get laughed at? Will I be in a heat with 80 year old women and still get lapped?

But then, as I continued my run (yep, still cold), I started to get a little mad at myself. Because you know what? Who cares if they laugh at me? And I was disappointed in myself for letting that consideration even come into play.

The fact is, I want to be a better swimmer. No, I'm never going to be an ITU pro that swims their 1500 meters in 17-18 minutes open water. But dang it if I won't stay with the lead pack just ONCE at one of my races! I think I will eventually end up in long course triathlon where swimming doesn't matter as much (as least that's what I think) but for now I have some Olympic distance goals that hinge on me being able to put together a COMPLETE race - swimming included!!! And we all know - good swimming is a necessity in shorter races!!

So flip turns or not, dive entry or not, lots of laughing or not, I'm signing up for that swim meet! Because I know I have to challenge myself or I won't get any better. I've been running for years and cycling came a little more naturally. Now it's time to get the swimming up to par.

Did I mention that the swim meet isn't until February? Yep - you've got to listen to this swimming chatter for another 3 months... ;)

Thanks for all the encouragement everyone and have a great weekend!

Posted by beth at 5:37 PM | Comments (5)

November 29, 2007

Masters Swim!

I haven't been to masters swim in...oh...let's call it an even year. (although I think I might have been there in December of 2006, we'll just round up).

But this past week I got a hankerin' to go. Even though I knew it would be a little more intensity than I needed right now, swimming is the one sport I could use a little intensity in. And I really missed the people at masters swim. And I like swimming in Pitt's pool because I always swim fast there. Don't ask me why. I blame in on the freezing cold water. Much different than my toasty, bath-like water at the YMCA. :)

Regardless, I decided today was the day I was going to go so go I did! When I got up this morning to make the trek down to Oakland though I was VERY nervous!?! Why so nervous I wondered? I guess because I hadn't gone for so long and even though I planned on staying far, far away from the fast lanes, there was a little more pressure of worrying about swimming too slow.

Long story short, it was just awesome!!! I had forgotten how much I loved masters swim - just a great group of people (a very good number of whom are triathletes) that I really enjoy being around. The coach Jen is great and comes up with awesome workouts (are all masters coaches named Jen?) and it's just plain nice to swim with people after swimming by myself for a full year. And I still swim faster in that pool. :)

I think that I will try to return once a week for at least a little. The volume and intensity are just a bit much right now and in the very heart of my season the volume (too low at that time of year!) and specificity might be a bit off but for at least a couple months I think the benefit (both mentally and physically) of going far outweigh the harm. I'll talk with Coach about that one but I think he would probably agree!

So yeah for masters swimming! So fun to talk with a bunch of other swimmers/triathletes!

The only problem is...I got handed a sheet about a swim meet. Yes, a SWIM MEET! Too scary. But I might actually consider doing it. It's a meet with only one event - the 1650 yds! I will have to think a lot about this though because me showing up at a swim meet is about like a snowball showing up in Florida (read - VERY out of place). I'm really sort of intrigued by the idea though. And I need practice diving off blocks anyway because at the NYC tri in July my group has a dive entry into the Hudson! (yep - I've been worrying about that already and it's only 8 months away!! :)

Have a great night everyone!

Posted by beth at 5:58 PM | Comments (5)

November 28, 2007

Tis the Season

Definite signs of Christmas:

1) Yesterday when O and I were running in the early morning chill it was still dark and Christmas lights lit our way around the neighborhoods. Also, the smell of smoke in chimneys burning my nose. It's definitely winter.

2) Lots of packages. Since my rather embarrassing Black Friday shopping debacle I vowed never again to return to a mall during the holiday season. This means all online shopping. This means lots of packages showing up at our doorstep. And the FedEx guy gives Roxy a treat when he comes to the door. Ahh...back to the simple life...

3) Christmas music. Everywhere. Playing in the pool this morning, in the grocery store this evening and sprinkled here and there on the radio stations. I rather like Christmas music but O is a bit of a scrooge on the topic. He hates and will not listen to any sort of non-traditional Christmas tune. No "Let it Snow" or "I Saw Momma Kissing Santa Claus". He is a big fan of the tradional hymns ("Silent Night, etc...) but those aren't the ones you usually hear on the radio.

Evidence of Christmas and I couldn't be happier. I could do without the cold weather but I love everything else about the season!

In other news, our dog (AKA - Roxy) smells like a Frito. I'm not so sure what to make of it. Other than perhaps worrying that she has a secret stash of Fritos somewhere in the house.

And finally, for the first time in my life I tried the peanut butter that has honey mixed in with it today. And I gotta say, not a big fan. I think I might be too much of a PB purist. Peanut butter is supposed to be salty. That's why I like it.

And there you have it! Three very random topics but a very good representation of what flutters through my brain all day.

Good night everyone!

Posted by beth at 8:15 PM | Comments (3)

November 27, 2007

Some Very Exciting News...

I'd like to announce a new sponsorship by:

Very exciting indeed!

And what might Rudy Project make? Well I'm glad you asked! Sunglasses and helmets among other things. Which makes me the perfect candidate for sponsorship. My sunglass woes have already been well documented and it was none other than a Rudy Project helmet that saved my life on a certain muggy June day...

It's great stuff. Take a look for yourself and see!

Posted by beth at 9:43 PM | Comments (3)

November 26, 2007

Spinning, Swimming

O and I had today off work (another day!) - him because most schools, no, make that ALL schools in Western Pennsylvania have the Monday off after Thanksgiving for the start of buck season. It won't be long before there are dead deer hanging from the trees in my neighbors' yard. Oh yeah. Regardless, I took today as my day off from work since O had it off. I tell you all this because having the day off gave us the opportunity to sleep in a little and then go to the YMCA together this morning.

We started off with a quick swim - only 1500 yds for me. I'm rather enjoying my swimming lately with my main goal of each swim to use all the toys in my pool bag including paddles, flippers, pull buoy and kickboard. Never all at the same time, but boy would that be fun to try to do! (although pull buoy and kickboard together would make it relatively impossible to actually move forward in the water, no?)

Regardless, after the pool we headed upstairs for a spinning class. Now I haven't done one of those for about 2 years! When I first decided I was going to become a triathlete I didn't have a bike (minor issue of course) so I swam (sort of), ran and took spinning classes. It wasn't until about 2 months before my first triathlon that getting a real bike became a necessity. Anyway, before I had my first bike I was quite the spinning regular. I did the circuit, went to all the classes and knew all the spinning instructors! Since I got that first bike I haven't been back because I realized I could ride my own bike with the use of a trainer (part of me wishes I had never made that discovery!).

Regardless, it was fun to give that a try again this morning. I didn't kill myself or anything, but it was more interesting than just riding my trainer for an hour. I'll have plenty of opportunity to do that over the next couple months.

So I leave you with this to watch. It's a video from this year's Dirty Dozen, a cycling race held here in Pittsburgh every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The race is 54 miles total but it includes 13 of Pittsburgh's biggest hills. The winner is decided by a point system as to who places the best on each of the hills (not necessarily time up the hills or time of all the riding around to get to all the hills). Anyway, the race is just sick. The particular video that I've linked to is of some riders trying to get up Canton Avenue which has a 37% grade and (perhaps worst of all) is on cobblestones!!! The video is hilarious (in a sick sort of way). People just falling over on their bikes! I've never ridden up Canton but I have ridden up several of the other hills...and...well...let's just say there was quite a bit of weaving. :) I have made it a goal of mine to one day do the Dirty Dozen, at least sometime before I die.

Posted by beth at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

November 25, 2007

Luna

No, no, despite my desires, O and I did not get another dog. Luna is my sister and brother-in-law's new pup though! Very cute. Her and Roxy would make a good team! (I have to admit that, although I like her name, it reminds me of the bars every time I think of it)

Posted by beth at 7:22 PM | Comments (0)

Social Butterflies

O recently pointed out that he and I have been quite the social butterflies lately! This, of course, being a huge diversion from our usual state. Pretty much every Friday/Saturday night of the year we can be found at home, watching tv or a movie, me mostly sleeping, and him mostly watching sports after I fell asleep AGAIN. It's quite the life of excitement, I know. But with work and training I'm usually trashed and with his work and coaching, he is much the same. The night life around our house usually ends around 8:30 pm. :)

But for the first time this year I'm hardly training (I put in a robust 5.5 hours this past week!) and he is on a coaching hiatus until indoor track season starts up again the first full week of December. Delightful!

Last weekend was dinner out with friends in the Strip District (if you are not familiar with the area that sort of sounds bad I guess but the Strip is just a nice area of Pittsburgh along the river with lots of resturants, shops and clubs). And of course this week was just full of family time with the holiday. Last night we went to my 10th year high school reunion (more on that later).

Next weekend is just brimming with stuff to do! We are going to a Kona party on Saturday (very much looking forward to it) to watch the tv coverage of the Ironman and then on Sunday, two of my college teammates and I are driving to the State College area to visit another one of my college teammates.

The following weekend I planned a special day for O as part Christmas gift/part thank you for being the best husband in the world and putting up with all my triathlon "stuff" all year (and for many years to come :). No more info on that though because it's a surprise and try as he might, his guesses have not even come close. He, he. I am really a horrible secret keeper but I'm so proud of myself for doing so good with this.

Then the next weekend we have a wedding that is quite formal and I'm very pleased to let you all know that despite much weeping and gnashing of teeth I finally found a suitable dress! I really struggled with that one - to find something fancy enough but not too over the top. The mom of the bride (O's aunt) told me to make it "fancier than something you'd wear to church but not something you'd wear to the prom." Okay two problems with that: (1) I wear jeans to church and (2) I never went to the prom. Oh dear. I think I have something though and regardless of what happens now, I'm going with it.

That then brings us to the following weekend when we will be traveling to Hilton Head, SC to visit my parents for Christmas and spend an entire week in (somewhat) warm weather. My bike is coming with me!!

Much to look forward to for sure and now is the perfect time for it all. It won't be long before I'm back to long rides and runs on the weekend and O is gone from 6am to 10 pm at track meets in far away places. Now is our time to shine! (and then we'll go back to falling asleep at 7:30 at night on the couch... :)

Regardless, last night was the big 10 Year Reunion for the 1997 Class of Greensburg Salem High School! How about that?! I'll have to admit, as the day wore on yesterday I was getting quite nervous about going. I'm not sure why, I liked high school and was lucky to have many good friends. But I hadn't kept in contact with many people (if any) and I suppose I didn't know what to expect after 10 years time. It was very fun though. And I even remembered and recognized most people (also another concern)! It was great to see some faces I literally hadn't seen for...well...10 years! Most everyone was married, some with children, some not, some already divorced, most still living in the area. There were dentists and engineers and police officers and teachers. Lots of teachers. I laughed hysterically as I reconnected with some of my XC teammates (just the guys though - no other girls came!) and we remembered stories of old from many a cross country practice. I only stuck my foot in my mouth once (I rather not comment there). And then I thought how lucky I was to grow up where I did. Although we've all moved on in life, I'll always have something in common with those 180 people I graduated with. Lots of great memories for me. And the bad memories? Well I don't remember them so much any way. :)

So that's that! I have been doing some light training the past couple days - some light spinning on Thankgiving Day on the trainer, an easy 45 minute run on Black Friday (AFTER we went back to bed and got up again :), a 3000 yd swim workout yesterday and today, nothing, just a relaxing day of getting some stuff done around the house. This upcoming week I'll do much of the same, one easy workout a day, and then come December it's back to some structure. I'm sure I won't be back on the track and into the heavy intervals for a while yet but the quantity will start to amp up.

Hope everyone has a great start to their week!

Posted by beth at 5:06 PM | Comments (2)

November 24, 2007

Clearwater Pictures

When my parents came up to PA for Thanksgiving they brought a CD of all the pictures they took in Clearwater. Thought I would add a few to the blog.

Beautiful Clearwater

Me, before the race. Nervous? Yes, very.

Me, after the race. Tired and happy? Yes and yes.

O got some good shots of the eventual winners coming out of the water. Here, Mirinda Carfae, the pro women's champion.

And here, Andy Potts, the pro men's champion. Andy was out of the water first (as usual). He was much bigger in person than I imagined he would be. Taller and strong, as most pro men seem to be.

I asked my mom to take a picture of the thousands of bags in transition. You had to use those bags to put all your gear in as nothing could be in transition except your bike!

And finally, the table of medals, just waiting to be awarded as all the finishers crossed the line!

Posted by beth at 3:21 PM | Comments (1)

What It Takes

I blame it on the turkey. And the stuffing. And the corn, rolls, gravy, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. Did I mention mashed potatoes? There were so many mashed potatoes. Because you see, in my post Thanksgiving Day feast haze, suddenly going shopping at 4 AM in the morning to get ALL THOSE DEALS seemed like a good idea. My oh my.

I could also blame it on football because after watching the 50th game of the day (well, more like the 3rd) I just couldn't take any football any more. So I turned to the pile of newspaper ads sitting next to me on the couch. And the deals started to overwhelm me. After a while of flipping through them, glossy and very inviting with prices that could not be beat (!), I pulled O into it. "Look," I tell him, "we could get such and such at half price and then this and that at 60% off and then..." At first he was hesitant but then...then we found the exact gift we wanted to get for his parents (not to be mentioned in the case they might read) at a price we could actually afford. He had thought of the idea a while back but we decided it was a little too pricey for this year. Perhaps next year. But then, there it was, staring back at us at 50% off and all of a sudden it became reality. O was in. And thus our idea of actually joining the crazies that get up at 4 in the morning to go shopping on Black Friday, was born.

Our plan was simple. Up at 3:30. Feed dog. Put on clothes. Out the door by 3:45. At the mall by 4. Pick up the items we needed. Back home by 4:45. Back in bed by 5. Sleep for another 2-3 hours. Up again to run and start a normal day, like nothing ever happened, except for the fact that we had just crossed about 5 more people off our Christmas shopping list for half the price!

It was so simple. So pure. And it started off okay. Up at 3:30 and my excitement was starting to build. In the car, driving to the mall and O comments that it sort of feels like we're going to a triathlon! Dark and the roads are empty and we're both a little nervous.

That's right - I can handle this! If anybody has the ability to get up at 3:30 in the morning and function at a very high level it's me! I get up early all the time. I swim. I bike. I run. I put it all together and suffer for hours at a time. I'm going to show these Black Friday shoppers how it's done!

We pulled into the mall parking lot and instantly I'm amazed. The lot is PACKED and I mean PACKED! It's 4:01. What the heck? These people really are crazy... But nonetheless - here we go!

And we have a plan. O goes straight to the electronics where he plans to pick up the gift for his parents. I go straight to the women's dresses where I (unfortunately) plan to pick out a nice (but now inexpensive) dress I need for an upcoming wedding.

We walk into the store and it is wall to wall people. I'm instantly a little thrown off my game. How could there be this many people already? And I hate crowds. Oh how I hate crowds. There are tables filled with clothing and this doo-dad and that all lining the walkways too, so now it's even harder to get around.

But I take a deep breathe. I can do this. I can show these people what triathlon toughness is all about!

O heads off in his direction and I in mine. Now I absolutely hate dresses and shopping for them, but I need to do this. I have nothing fancy enough for this wedding that is 2 weeks away. So I start searching. Is this elegant enough or too casual? Does the dress need to be black for a black tie affair? Why are all dresses sleeveless, even those made for the winter? I finally find two that I think might work and head to the changing room. And that's when my cell phone rings.

It's O, sadly informing me that the gift we wanted was already gone. The store had limited amounts of them and even though O arrived at approximately 4:02 am, those limited amounts were already gone. Major bummer.

So now what? I didn't expect this to happen. A wrench thrown in our plan already and it wasn't even a quarter past 4! And we didn't have a plan B. I should have known. You ALWAYS need a plan B.

So O met me upstairs near the dresses as I tried on my picks. They fit okay, I guess. But I wasn't sure if they were too casual. I brought them back out of the fitting rooms and found O. We roamed around the dress section a little longer before I became disgusted. "I hate shopping for dresses!" I tell him! (as if he didn't already know)

Now the crowds were starting to get to me. People everywhere and I was getting hot. Our top priority item was a bust. Now the dresses were just not working out and my patience was slowly running thin. And all of a sudden I felt tired. Very, very tired.

We rallied a little. There was still one other item on our list. Perhaps we would find victory there! So we went down to try and find it. But there were more people and I was now even more tired. And my ability to make any sort of useful decision was quickly failing...

It was somewhere around 4:30 am when I accepted defeat.

I watched all the people hustling about, loads of purchases in their arms. Drinking their coffee, smiling and laughing. They were having fun. They were buying up a storm. They knew what they wanted. They went after it. And they got it.

O and I, on the other hand, were haggard. We had no Plan B. We weren't ready for the crowds and the rush. We weren't ready for the split decisions that had to be made in the blink of an eye before someone else snatched up the last one. It was quite a realization - one I didn't want to face.

Quite simply, O and I just didn't have What It Takes. Not on that particular Black Friday, nor any Black Friday to come. These people were pros and we thought we could hang. Very much the opposite. It wasn't even close.

We found our way out of the store, heads held low and empty-handed. In one last attempt at success we thought of driving past the Best Buy (which opened at 5) to see if we could find what we wanted there. But the line of customers waiting for the store to open was clear across the parking lot and starting up the road. Did I mention that it was in the 20s, windy and snowing? No way man. O didn't even slow the car down - right back onto the highway and home to get back into bed where we belonged.

So now we know. Black Friday is NOT our day. I will never be tempted to go after those deals, no matter how wonderful, again. Because some people have What It Takes and others, O and I included, don't. :)

Posted by beth at 2:05 PM | Comments (4)

November 21, 2007

Swim?

So yesterday we confirmed that I didn't forget how to run. Good. This morning I went to the pool to see if I was still capable of swimming and although they've been deliberating for some time on the topic, the jury is still out on that one. :)

I didn't drown. But I felt pretty "messy" - like I hadn't swam in...well...10 or 11 days. I know that doesn't sound bad but apparently it is. I'm not too worried though. I think over the next 11 months, I can find my stroke again in the pool. :)

O came with me to the pool. I only swam 2000 yds - just enough to remind me that those pushups that I did yesterday made my arms quite sore. Funny how long it takes to get into shape but how quickly we lose it!

Regardless, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and that makes me quite happy! I truly try to be "thankful" every day - helps me get through life's annoyances - but there is nothing like a national holiday to really remind me of all the things I have to be thankful for. The list is long and wide.

As of right now though, I'm most excited and thankful about the fact that both of my parents are on their way to my house! My father already happened to be in Pittsburgh for work but my mom flew up from South Carolina this morning and O is on the way to pick her up at the airport. Add to that the fact that's it's pizza night and...well...I need not say more.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted by beth at 3:52 PM | Comments (0)

November 20, 2007

The Good and Bad

Well the good news is - I didn't forget how to run! After what felt like eternity, I finally went for a little jog this morning before work and I do say, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

And the bad? Well, there really isn't any. I just needed a title for my blog.

Anyway, the run was only 35 minutes but it seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. And my hamstring felt pretty good. I can tell though that a significant amount of running and/or quality running would make the hammy sore/tight/painful. It's not 100% yet. So I made an appointment at the sports clinic, mostly so I could get a PT appointment to learn what else I can do to strengthen it and keep it happy. The appointment isn't for a while but I won't be running much for the next few weeks so that should be okay.

And that's about it! Turkey day is almost here!! I'm very excited for time off work, lots of good food and of course lots of wonderful time with family and friends. And let us know forget my 10 year high school reunion this upcoming Saturday!

Have a great night everyone!

Posted by beth at 6:33 PM | Comments (0)

November 19, 2007

Utter Defeat

Well, the results are in and let me just say - they do not look good for me. O put the hurt on me in the NCAA DI National Fantasy Cross Country Champs. Serious hurt.

I'll get straight to it - he beat me 32 to 63. And he's gloating right now. A lot.

Where did I go wrong you ask? I had no 5th runner!!! Geez. I had 2 gals blow up and a 3rd run a bit subpar and before you know it my score was sky-rocketing. O's team, on the other hand, held it together. He went 1-3-4-11-13. Where does he find these random runners from Northern Arizona I ask you?!

O did later inform me that if I had chosen Nicole Bush from Michigan State as I had been pondering, I would have beat him by 1 point. Big mistake. For pete's sake, I RAN IN THE BIG TEN! I should know - those girls are tough and betting against them is never smart. Alas, lesson learned. The score (we started this in 2003) is now O -3, me - 2. We shall see what 2008 holds. :)

Fantasy cross country aside, I did a little cycling this morning! I dusted old Scotty off and rode for an easy 45 minutes this morning before work. Down in the aero-position I was wondering how I rode like that for 2.5 hours about 9 days ago? Regardless, it felt great to know that my body still works and my legs haven't fallen apart. Tomorrow morning - a very short run. Then perhaps a swim on Wednesday.

Good night everyone!

Posted by beth at 6:53 PM | Comments (1)

November 18, 2007

Body in Revolt

I seriously think my body is revolting because I have done absolutely no activity for the past 7 days. I woke up this morning with a very sore back and hips, almost worse than after Clearwater! (okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but still - they hurt!) And why?! My only conclusion is lack of activity. May sound hokey (really hokey) but I think my body is just beside itself. I plan on taking care of this problem with a very easy, short spin tomorrow morning before work. We must get things back on the mend! :)

In other news O and I got new cell phones yesterday just because on our cell phone plan allows for new phones (free of course) every two years. This is a very good thing because my old cell phone's battery lasted approximately 3.45 minutes before it needed recharged and that was getting REAL old. Regardless, I really don't use my phone for anything except talking. I don't use it to take pictures, shoot videos, play music, texting, emailing, browsing the web, washing the dishes or cleaning the cars. Just talking. That's it. So when the very peppy Verizon Wireless worker was quite intent on showing us every phone that did every thing you could ever dream, I was perhaps a bit short with him when I suggested that all I do is talk so please, the most basic, cheapest, simplest variety of phone will do, thank you very much. Well okay then he says - would you like to look at it? Nope - just bring 'em out and set 'em up and we will be on our way.

So the phones we ended up with do take pictures and play music and are capable of browsing the web but that's only because ALL phones do that now. But still, I like it. I've got my phone numbers in it (all 35 of them :) and I even went as far as downloading a cool ringtone - my favorite song. I am so high tech.

In other, other news, O and I just completed our 2007 NCAA Fantasy NCAA Cross Country draft. I don't like to brag but I will say that I gave O a thorough beat down the past two years. He does, however, still hold the record for the lowest score (18), which he compiled in 2003 with the likes of Shalane Flanagan, Kim Smith, Sara Bei, Mary Cullen and Carol Henry (1,2,3,5 and 7). He won the toss up this year so he got to choose first but still, I am pleased with my team:

Jenny Barringer - Colorado
Teresa McWalters - Stanford
Arianna Lambie - Stanford
Emily Harrison - Virginia
Nicole Blood - Oregon
Liz Costello - Princeton
Lindsay Donaldson - Yale

I seem to have a bit of a west coast/Ivy League bias but nonetheless, I think my team is really going to pull it out. :)

And finally, in other, other, other news, O helped me do a little work on my website today. He added some more recent racing pictures and we included my 2008 racing schedule thus far. Check it out!

Posted by beth at 2:18 PM | Comments (4)

November 17, 2007

Ahh...Rest and Recovery Indeed

First off, I really like the "tagged" game because I am learning quite a bit about my blogging "friends"! That game spread like wildfire!

Secondly, I would like to tell you all that I slept in until 8:23 am this morning! Now for those special people who have the ability to sleep in until noon, or perhaps 1 pm, that's not too impressive. But for those of us who usually get up at 4:45 am and perhaps more like 6 am on the weekends, this is major news! With no 4 hour bike ride, transition run and swim on the schedule though, really what do I have to do?

Sure the house needs cleaned, and I have a car appointment to get to and we have dinner plans with friends tonight but we have ALL day to accomplish these tasks so why not sleep in a little! This rest and recovery stuff isn't so bad afterall. I better not get too used to it!

Speaking of R&R, my coach did get back to me on the "what's next" question. As I suspected he didn't really want to hear from me until December. Fair enough. But he did say that doesn't mean I have to take the rest of November "off" per se. Light workouts are allowable and so that's what I think I'll do - AFTER this weekend. :) Some light spinning on the trainer, easy runs (if the hamstring is up to it) and some easy swimming until December when I'll start a "maintenance plan" and then January when I'll start up for real again. To tell you the truth, it hasn't really been that hard yet not to "train" but if does get hard, I'll remind myself that this is my chance to rest and recover - my one and only! Because come January - it will be a full 11 months until I'll get my chance again. :)

On that note, I think it's time to make myself some tea and watch some tv. O and Roxy are out running in the snow/sub 30 degree temps right now. Suckers!! :)

Posted by beth at 9:43 AM | Comments (0)

November 16, 2007

I've Been Tagged!

Earlier today (as I was reading blogs and NOT working - hey, some people take smoke breaks, I take blog breaks... :) I noticed that some of my very favorite tri bloggers were getting "tagged". So as not to feel left out, Jen tagged me!

So what you have to do is tell 5 random facts about yourself and then tag 5 more people. If you've been reading this blog long enough, chances are you already know these 5 facts about me, but oh well... :)

1) I failed the written part of my driver's test twice and the actual driving test once. Finally, after about a year AFTER I started the process, I got my license!

2) To this day, I still can't parallel park.

3) In high school I worked on an ostrich farm. I took care of the eggs (after they stole them from the momma birds) and also the little baby birds once they were hatched. The farm sold the meat and the skin but later (after I moved onto lifeguarding) the whole process moved to Texas because Pennsylvania was too cold in the winter!

4) I never played any other sports (other than running cross country and track in high school/college), although before I got into running I rode and showed horses competitively and dreamed of going to the Olympics in the equestrian sport of Three Day Eventing (which consists of cross country, show jumping and dressage). This, of course, must have been a precursor to my own Three Day Eventing of swimming, cycling and running. :)

5) I am quite a nacho connoisseur! I get nachos and cheese at every baseball/hockey/football/basketball game I go to. I DO NOT recommend the nachos at Camden Yards. Not good. Just not good at all.

So there you have it! More useless info about me! :)

Now I tag: Meghan, Audrey, Joe, Chad, and Alison

Posted by beth at 5:13 PM | Comments (2)

November 14, 2007

What's Next?

The current training situation involves, well, not much. I have done not a thing since crossing the line in Clearwater. The most strenuous activity I've partaken in is walking Roxy (which actually is a little strenuous when you are the one holding the leash - she is small but quite spunky and VERY strong). I plan to continue this no training for at least until the end of the week. And then I'm not too sure.

I sent my coach an email with the "what's next" question and I haven't gotten a response yet. I suspect he's ignoring me on purpose. I would ignore me too.

The thing is, I won't really complain about any kind of plan that he prescribes (unless it's like 4 weeks of total rest which I know it won't be), it's just that I do want a plan. I NEED a plan. I cannot function without a plan. I know that a lot of people just like the mental break of not adhering to anything structured. Perhaps they don't need it physically as much as they need it mentally. I, however, cannot handle such things. Structure is my best friend and who takes breaks from their best friends?

So what I'm hoping for it 1-2 weeks totally off and then some sort of plan that involves light workouts for a week or two. Then perhaps a little more of a step up for mid through the end of December and then come January - it's time to roll again. But we shall see. Coach does, after all, know best.

One thing I do know is my race schedule for next year. Triathlon forces you to choose your races well in advance because race registrations open so early and sell out so quickly. In fact, I've already registered for the majority of my races for next season already. And in my extra time (no training = extra 3-4 hours in one's day) I plan to soon start looking for hotels, flights, etc...and hope I don't get hit by another truck and get all screwed up again. ;)

It took me a lot of time to figure out my goals for next year, what I wanted to focus on and where I wanted to really go after it. The main decision for now was - to IM or not? And the answer was no - at least one more year of Olympic distance and 70.3 races because I have a lot of unfinished business there. Ironman will be around for a long time so there's no need to rush. So instead:

April 27 - St. Anthony's (back to Florida!)
May 18 - Columbia (again)
June 22 - Philly (likely PA Best of the US qualifier)
July 20 - NYC (who wouldn't want to swim in the Hudson?, Dallas Open qualifier)
August 2 - Steelhead 70.3 (try to earn a ticket back to Clearwater)

And that's it so far. The rest of the season will depend largely on what I do or do not qualify for. As for Jan-April I have a couple running races planned and I also want to do at least one cycling time trial, oh, and there will be lots of training in that time span too.

Other ideas for 2008? I NEED to practice more open water swimming. I just suck at it and although it's terribly inconvenient to find open water in Pittsburgh, I'm just going to have to deal with it. And I want to learn how to do flip turns too. I should be embarrassed to admit that I don't know how to do them in the first place! There is always swimming stroke work. Plus I plan on attending one triathlon camp in 2008. All very, very good stuff.

Looking forward to it without a doubt! But first, rest, relaxation, rejuvination and begging Coach for a plan... :)

Posted by beth at 8:59 PM | Comments (1)

November 13, 2007

Sophomore Season Review

I was thinking the other day about my 2007 triathon season, now wrapped up and into the "off season", and I decided that I had successfully avoided the sophomore jinx. But then again maybe not. I did get hit by a truck, after all.

But truck aside, I think 2007 was a success. I made a lot of changes, that's for sure. The biggest change of which was coaching and...well...a whole different way to train. And I was very frustrated at first. The HR ranges prescribed slowed me down A LOT and I felt slow, slow and more slow. Very different from how I trained my first triathlon season and really from any season of running I had ever done. Slow and steady was not really my game before.

But now it is and will be for a long time.

I've certainly bought into the MarkAllenOnline training theory and methods and although it was rough and bumpy at first, I know it will only get smoother from here. I understand the way things work now and I also understand how my body handles and reacts to the training. And that's key. I'm really looking forward to year #2 where I can take what I've learned already and use it to help me get that much further.

I also made some other changes - went from always training with other people to always training by myself, went from mostly sprints and some olympic distances to mostly olympic distances and some half IMs, went from doing local races to racing on a much bigger stage - all changes for the good.

I sometimes wonder what my season would have looked like had I not been riding on Freeport Road on June 1. Although the physical effects of my accident were mostly temporary the biggest hit I took that day was to my confidence. I went from an amateur win at Columbia that really had me believing I belonged with the top amateurs in the sport, to really wondering if I could finish a race at all. It was a far way to fall. But I slowly started clawing my way back up as my fitness returned and I think I'm in a good enough place now to start off 2008 well.

I really didn't know what to expect this season. I had made so many changes and I had never put myself out there to see how I stacked up against some of the best. But now I have a much better idea of what's going on, where I stand and where I would like to go. My goals for 2008 are MUCH clearer as is my training plan and my racing schedule.

So am I pleased with 2007? Well of course - there is so much to be thankful for and proud of. I made some huge leaps and bounds, even if it didn't show in my times. I competed in 2 World Championship races. I did my first half IM. I trained longer and harder than I EVER have in my life, including my days of collegiate running. Sometimes that training doesn't show up when you want it to - but I know that what I did from Jan to Nov will show up at some point and will pay off 100% and more.

But at the same time 2007 wasn't quite satisfying. I left a lot of goals not quite checked off the list. In a way that's good though, because I saw what I could do and I put myself in the position to do it. Now it's just a matter of following through. I suppose that's what 2008 will be for.

I feel like I have so many people to thank, for their help, for their support, for their words of encouragement. My wonderful friends and co-workers that, despite not being so interested in triathlon, make it important because they know it's important to me. Jeremy, who lends me his races wheels, but so much more than that. He is a very passionate competitor himself and understands what drive and determination are all about. Kim, who raced along side of me several times this year and who rode with me the very first time back after I was hit. Big Bang Bikes because they know I know nothing about bikes and they take care of me 100% of the way. The people at the YMCA - their encouragement in the early morning hours through another long set in the pool - well, it can't be beat. All the wonderful blog comments that truly brighten my day, especially after a tough race or another tough week of training. My coaches who are helping me to learn how this all works. My chiropractor and massage therapist who nursed me back to health on more than one occasion! And of course my family, dear Lord what would I do without them? My parents and in-laws came to so many races, supporting me financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically at times! My mom carried my big heavy transition bag all around Germany for goodness sakes! And my mother in law took care of me at the finish line in Portland when I was oh so sick. My father donated thousands of frequent flyer miles. My sister sent countless cards and words of encouragement. My grandparents did what they always do - they cared and loved me no matter what.

Finally, my husband, the wonderful O! I don't even think I have to recount what he's done for me. If you've read this blog long enough you already know. Suffice it to say though, I wouldn't even be in this sport at all if it weren't for him. His endless love and support and utter belief in my ability to achieve my dreams are all I could ever ask for and more.

So it's been a great year actually. I saw so many new places and met so many wonderful new people. I learned many new things. And I'm so ready to do it all again in 2008. It's right around the corner!

Posted by beth at 7:16 PM | Comments (4)

November 12, 2007

70.3 World Championships Race Report

The Swim: 31:52

When I swam in the Gulf on Friday, the day before the race, I was a little on the concerned side to say the least. I have never swam in an ocean before so the choppy waves and salt water taste left me feeling a little nauseous. But race morning came and the water seemed much calmer. In addition, the weather was absolutely perfect. My fears of 80-90 degree temps were not going to come to fruition. Instead it was 60-70 degrees, clear and sunny. We were off to a great start!

I was in the 3rd wave with all women 18-34. The pro women and then the pro men were in the waves before me. Standing there watching the pros start off on a breath-taking morning, crazy energy all about, hundreds of triathletes milling about, thinking about what was to come, I tried to remain calm and take deep breathes. And then I looked over and saw my college teammate standing right next to me! We hugged and she said "well, this feels about right, on the starting line next to you, nervous..." Of course back in the day our races didn't involve running into an ocean! :)

The start of the swim was pretty rough for me - I've never started in a wave so big (but I'm not going to complain seeing as how full IM races start with 2000++ people - I can only imagine!!). Once I got 200-300 yds out I found open water and got into a nice rhythm. I made it out to the turnaround and although it seemed to take FOREVER to get back to the beach I came out of the water and looked on my watch to see 31:xx. I was pretty pleased with that although one day my goal is to break that 30 min barrier and I will do it if it kills me! :)

T1: 2:57

Welcome to big time races where they have wetsuit strippers!! I was loving life because I'm horrible at getting my wetsuit off! I charged up the beach and ran straight to the volunteers that were ripping wetsuits off. I laid down on the ground and before I knew it my wetsuit was off and the wonderful man was pulling me back up to my feet and handing me my suit! Now I'm spoiled!I have to admit I was majorly stressing about the whole changing tent/bag situation but of course it was all worry for nothing because transition went very smoothly. I cannot even tell you how wonderful the volunteers were all weekend, including those in the changing tents that spread all my stuff out for me and helped me find what I need. What a treat!

The Bike: 2:26:45

I'm starting to think I should have been a cyclist because it seems to be my strongest discipline in all my races. The bike course is definitely flat and fast and at times there seemed to be a tailwind pushing me to speeds of 26-28+ MPH! I felt very good on the bike and was able to push but still keep my cadence high. I didn't see too many people out on the bike until about mile 20 when large packs of AG men who started after me started to pass. When they passed I usually took the opportunity to sit up a little and take in some nutrition so as not to get caught up in drafting.

I don't have much to say about drafting. I know it's a huge issue for this race and some people get really burned up by it. I definitely saw a lot of drafting but I did also see several marshalls out on the course and both times I went past penalty tents, there were people in there serving their time. I did my very best to avoid drafting myself but I will say in some spots it was really difficult. When a huge pack of AG men would swallow me up on very tight sections of the course there is nothing you can do! I would sit up, stop pedaling and watch them ride away to only get swallowed up by another pack. I honestly didn't really let it bother me, even when I would see some of my competitors riding by in big packs. What can you do but focus on your own race? And although some definitely abused it more than others, I would argue that every single age grouper benefited in some way, at least a little, by drafting.

Anyway, I hit a tough stretch from mile 40-50 where I started to feel some fatigue and my pace slowed. I think there was a headwind as well as many people seemed to slow down on this stretch. But once I made the final turn to head back over the bridge to T2, I got some life back in my legs and was feeling strong again. I saw O around mile 54 and he told me I was in about 5th place in my AG. Right on!

T2: 2:26

Again, how nice that the volunteers take your bike and rack it for you - all you have to do it get your bag, change your shoes and be on your way!

The Run: 1:43:46

I looked at my watch as I was coming out of transition and did the math to figure I only needed a 1:37 half marathon to achieve my goal of breaking 4:40. I had run 1:35 in my first half IM so I knew it was possible and I started off feeling pretty good. I was a little nauseous at the start of the run but it wasn't as bad as in previous races. The nausea did keep me from taking my gel in during the run because it was just bad enough to make me think I would throw the gel right back up, but I was able to take water and even some Gatorade at each aid station. For the first 4-5 miIes I started off at the 7:20-7:30 pace that I needed and was feeling pretty good. But then despite my effort level ramping up, I started to run slower and slower. As I mentioned yesterday, my theory on this poor run was my loss of run fitness from not running much the past 2 months! Although it could have been due to several reasons (going too hard on the bike, not taking in adequate nutrition, etc...) I really feel like I just didn't have it in my legs because of my limited training.

Overall it was a great experience and while I didn't quite achieve what I set out to do, I now have plenty of motivation to make it back to Clearwater in 2008 and break that 4:40 mark, get on the podium AND to stay healthy all season long!

I saw so many cool things at the race I can't even remember them all! But here is some of them:

1) The Hoyts - O and I saw Dick Hoyt carrying the little boat that he pulls his son along in during the swim down to the beach the morning of the race. I almost got teary eyed just seeing him! How truly inspiring. I also saw them on the run - Dick pushing Rick and it was just an awesome, awesome sight. Makes you realize that just getting to the starting line is a huge blessing.

2) Major David Roselle - I passed him on the bike and yelled out "great job!" and he yelled back the same. In case you don't know his story, here is a little piece on him. He is a Kona finisher and again, a huge inspiration.

3) Pros here, there and everywhere. The women's winner, Mirinda Carfrae, passed me on the run when she was finishing and I was on my 1st loop and it was just awesome to see her. She was running so strong and hard - and her run split of 1:18 shows it! I was so impressed. I just really love the sport of triathlon (just like running) where the pros and age groupers alike all line up on the same line and go at it. I was racing right next to the very best and because I was in the 3rd wave behind the pros my bike was racked next to all the stars' bikes! Very, very cool.

4) The whole production of the race was extremely well done from the check in to the course to the finish line to the awards ceremony...the whole nine yards! It was a great experience and I'm already looking forward to a return trip next year!

And so it goes! I think I've written enough for one day (and bored you all!) so I will save my "season review" and my "what's next" for other blog entries this week. I won't have any training to yap on about so I'm glad I'll have other topics to yap on instead. :)

Posted by beth at 3:53 PM | Comments (1)

November 11, 2007

You Know Your Run Was Bad When...

After some result analysis O noted that when compared to all the women in the race, my swim placing was actually better than my run placing (with my bike placing being the best of all 3). Oh. My. God. I never thought I would see the day! I swear I was a collegiate runner, a state champion in high school, blah, blah, blah...

This analysis only confirms that I should have been a cyclist and not a runner. This isn't the first race where my bike was my strongest discipline. Seriously - I need to get my so called "strength" in order! :)

I leave you with one picture of the beautiful Pier 60 on Friday where the next day 1500 triathletes would converge for the start of their 70.3 journey...

Posted by beth at 6:28 PM | Comments (5)

Still Alive!

And grudgingly back home in cold and cloudy Pittsburgh. I wore shorts and sandels on the plane ride home this morning knowing it was going to be my last chance to do so for quite some time. I was reminded quite quickly how NOT warm it is here as I was waiting outside with the luggage at the Pittsburgh airport for O to bring the car around! Grrr... We very clearly need TWO homes, one in Pittsburgh for the summer and one in Florida/South Carolina/anywhere in the south for the winter. :)

ANYWAY - the race! What the heck? Well, when all was said and done and the dust settled I will say that I was marginally pleased with the race. Thrilled with my effort, but only sort of pleased with the results. Sometimes you'll have that though.

Full race report to follow but the short story is I was 12th and went 4:47:46. It was a PR which I've learned one should never take for granted, but also a fast course and very PR worthy. What I was most proud of was the fact that I put myself in the position to acheive my "A" goal - I was 5th off the bike and all I needed to break 4:40 was a 1:37 half marathon. And putting myself in that position is half the battle. Unfortunately I didn't have it in my legs to finish off the battle and run strong. Although my hamstring didn't hurt in the race, I could definitely feel a loss of run fitness from not doing long runs or hard workouts for close to 2 months. Running 7:20-7:30 pace was requiring way to much effort after about 5 miles! And so my strength, the run, did me in. I struggled home with a 1:43. But I will also say this - I never gave up. I crossed the 12 mile mark of the half marathon at 4:40:xx. It's very defeating to realize that this was my goal FINISH time and here I was with 1.1 miles to go. But instead of crying over what I hadn't achieved I put my head down and decided to run as hard as I possibly could to still try and PR. And I don't think the last mile of a race has ever hurt so bad. But after running 8+ min miles with a couple 8:30s and 8:40s I ran mile 13 in 7:09. I can guarantee I've never hurt so bad for a 7:09 but I'll tell you it was worth all the pain and more.

For now I'm going to try and heal all my wounds. And let me tell you, I have quite a few to heal! I am in some rough shape right now with:

1) Rub, rub and more rub! Salt water is an evil thing and very corrosive. This I learned. I also left a good amount of my skin on my seat/seat post. Mmm, open wounds.

2) Total body soreness. Back, arms, and legs...oh, the legs...

3) Sunburn. Yeah, those of us from Pittsburgh aren't really familar with sun and what it will do to you if you stay out in it for close to 5 hours with no suntan lotion.

4) One nasty, nasty blister on my foot. Pouring water (and sometimes Gatorade - I was desperate on the run!) on myself felt sooooo good at the time but soaking wet socks and a bunched up patch of foot skin left me with what felt like a knife stabbing me with every foot step. I did pop the blister this morning though and it feels much better.

So I have many more thoughts on the race and lots to tell! It was a great experience overall. Full race report, pics and all that jazz to come after I get myself organized. I do, afterall, have some name-dropping to do considering there were pros crawling all over the place! :)

One last thing - huge thanks to everyone for their well wishes, good lucks and prayers! Your emails, notes and blog comments mean so very much to me. You guys are the greatest!

Posted by beth at 5:01 PM | Comments (7)

November 9, 2007

Check This Out!

After accident, Natrona Heights woman shows iron will

Huge thanks to Mr. Charlie Ban (who is a very competitive runner who happened to graduate from the high school where Oscar teaches) for having the interest in doing the story and writing a great one! And it's on the front page! Funny thing though - the picture definitely makes our house look way bigger than it is. I like that photographer! Optical illusions!

Okay - time to go swim in the "sea" as some of my British MAO teammates were calling it yesterday. I hear it's rough. That's the talk in the hotel this morning anyway...

Have a great day everyone!

Posted by beth at 8:15 AM | Comments (4)

November 8, 2007

I've Made It!

And I'm pretty sure I'm never going back to Pittsburgh. I mean do people really live in places like this?!?! Endless sun and white sand beaches and so much clear, clean ocean you can't even begin to see where it ends! How do you work when you live in a place like this!

Regardless, I'm quite proud to say that I have survived all day by myself, plane ride, car rental, navigating around the area to the hotel, team lunch and check in/expo area without the assistance of my trusty sidekick! Thankfully though, O is scheduled to arrive tonight so I will be picking him up at the airport in a few short hours.

What a great trip so far! I really enjoyed our MarkAllenOnline team lunch where I got to meet face to face some of my teammates and coaches for the first time! What a great bunch! And then the athlete check in and picking up your packet and getting all sorts of goodies (that yes, at one point you paid more than enough for via race entry but now it seems like it's all free!). This is definitely a first class event - more so than any other race I've been to and I've been enjoying it thoroughly!

I have yet to put my bike back together so I'm not sure if I'm going to go to the welcome dinner or just grab something quick on my own. Part of me just wants to wait for O to get here and help with the bike but I should probably at least start...

Otherwise all is well in good in the land of Clearwater! Tomorrow's objective will be some light, short workouts, driving the courses and bike/bag check in. Should be fun!

Big thanks to all the well wishes and good lucks! I will need it!

Posted by beth at 5:12 PM | Comments (1)

O from the airport

Hi all,

This is O. I'm at the Pittsburgh Airport waiting for my flight to leave in a few minutes. I'm going through Atlanta and will get down to Tampa around 10pm night.

I talked to Beth earlier today. Her travelling went without hitch. The flight was smooth, the car rental check-in went well, and she was even able to get into the hotel early!!!! Beth said the weather's great and she's trying to talk me into getting a teaching job down in Florida now. :)

She ate lunch with her coach Luis and some of the Mark Allen teammates. I'm sure she'll have more info on that later tonight or tomorrow.

Keep posted for further updates either tonight or tomorrow......

Posted by beth at 5:00 PM | Comments (2)

November 7, 2007

Here We Go!

It's hard to believe my last race of the season is just a few days away. It feels like just yesterday that I was training hard, preparing for my first race and wondering what 2007 would hold! And here we are, many months and many miles later, ready to toe the line for one final effort.

I have had lots of ups and downs my sophomore season, but I fully plan on making Clearwater one final (BIG) up. I've trained hard and relatively uninteruppted (with races that is) with the sole focus on this race for the past 2.5 months. No other race this season has gotten that type of buildup.

The one unknown is my hamstring. Although my cycling and swimming workouts were relatively unaffected, running took a hit this time around. I'm fairly pleased with how my hamstring is feeling now and I really feel like it won't be a huge factor in the race. What I don't know is how much I'll feel the effect of next to no hard run training and much shorter than planned long runs. Anything I missed on the roads I did in the water but I know it's not the same. Regardless, despite those concerns, if it had to happen I'm glad it was running that took the hit. It's my background and I feel most comfortable with it and I truly believe that the thousands of miles I've run over the past 15 years of my life at least count for a little something.

As for goals for this race, I have my "A" goals and my "B" goals. Both sets of these goals do not account for anything I've lost from my hamstring injury. But as of now, I'm not going to adjust. I'm just going to go and see what I can do. If I achieved my "A" goals I would be thrilled to death - happy as a lark! And if I achieved my "B" goals I would also be pleased, perhaps just not so much so.

And although I don't usually like telling other people my goals I think it's an important step for me to believe I can achieve them and to have the confidence to say so...

"A" goal - place in the top 5 in my AG and break 4:40
"B" goal - place in the top 10 in my AG and PR (under 4:50:09)

Going 10 minutes faster than my PR might seem like a bit much but I know Clearwater is a flat and fast course and now with at least 1 1/2 IM under my belt I have a little better feeling for how hard I can push on the bike without totally imploding on the run.

So after a good 3 workouts today, a chiro appointment, some packing (and doing the dreaded dismantling of the bike...) I will be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for sunny Clearwater, Florida! O will join me Thursday night (yes, that's right, I actually have to navigate the airport and driving around Tampa/Clearwater myself for a day). And my parents will join us Friday night. And then Saturday the day will finally be here for me to prove to myself that all those laps in the pool, all those miles on the bike and all those runs in the dark, cold, blistering heat, rain, snow, ice were all worth it and more.

Posted by beth at 2:24 PM | Comments (7)

November 6, 2007

It Snowed Here Today

Yes, they were only flurries. But still. Florida can't get here soon enough!

Posted by beth at 6:14 PM | Comments (0)

November 5, 2007

Fourth Time a Charm?

As just about every year of my life has been, this past year has been a great one for me. Ups and downs yes, but overall I won't complain! I've been blessed in many different ways.

It has been, on the other hand, a very rough year for my sunglasses:

Pair #1 came to an early death on June 1, the day a truck and I rumbled on the streets of Natrona Heights when I was out for a ride. While I made it out alive, my sunglasses did not. The frames were mangled and at least one of the lenses was missing.

That lead to Pair #2 which survived for quite some time until a kidnapping took place on August 4th in Benton Harbor, Michigan. I raced that day in my first ever 1/2 IM and wore Pair #2 for the entire 56 miles of the bike. It was only halfway through T2 when I realized I didn't want to wear Pair #2 for the entire run, so I dropped them off (later to be picked up of course!) at the exit of the transition area. Needless to say, Pair #2 was never found again.

Next up Pair #3. We lasted together even longer than Pair #2. Pair #3 and I had quite a few long rides together and although we never raced (I didn't wear sunglasses in Germany), we had quite a bond. In fact, I will call Pair #3 my favorites. Unfortunately Pair #3 met an early demise this morning. O and I came home from the pool to find Pair #3 chewed up and spit out by none other than one Roxy Dog.

The Culprit - innocent until proven guilty? I think not!

I was livid. I mean Roxy has chewed up things in the past but usually refrained from ruining anything that cost upwards of $150!! She usually mangles things like socks, the occasional magazine. Perhaps a fruitcake or two (anyone remember that from last Christmas?). But my favorite sunglasses? And we weren't even gone that long because I only had a 2000 yd swim! Errrr!!! And to make matters worse, I NEED those sunglasses in 4 days for a very important race that is occuring in SUNNY Florida where the forecast is for sun, sun and more sun! BAD DOG! Of course these sunglasses are hard to find and I was sure we were going to be paying and arm and a leg for overnight shipping from an online order company.

But it all worked out. First of all I took a deep breathe and told myself "they are only sunglasses - get a grip". Oh yeah - this isn't life or death! They are replaceable. Life will go on. Second, we realized that my bike shop Big Bang is indeed a Rudy Project dealer and I could probably find something there to my liking (even if it wasn't an exact replica of Pair #3). And so after work O and I met at Big Bang and indeed they had a very nice pair of sunglasses and Big Bang being the best shop ever even gave me a great deal.

So enters Pair #4. I can feel it - these ones are going to be good luck and in Florida we are going to start quite a successful relationship. Either that or I'll lose them in the airport and need to purchase Pair #5... :)

In other news I had 2 workouts today - the aforementioned swim and an hour moderate on the trainer this evening. I am getting pretty excited for this race I have coming up here! Only 2 more days until we leave. Life is good. And the Steelers are even winning too. What more could one ask for?

Good night all!

Posted by beth at 9:04 PM | Comments (4)

November 4, 2007

This Taper Stuff Isn't So Bad

So Sunday is usually a pretty big training day - 3-4 hours on average, maybe a little bit more during big training weeks. But taper time comes along and I find on my Sunday schedule "35 minute run". Hmmm....

Aforementioned 35 minute run was completed this morning before church and all went well. I felt good and my hamstring was cooperating and the only disappointing thing about the whole run was that it was over so soon! Roxy surely was disappointed about this fact too. Sundays are usually her day to shine - long runs that she loves! Oh well, there will be plenty of those in the future.

When we got home from church (and lunch at Qdoba) we read the paper and then took a nap and I thought to myself more than once that taper time really is an under-rated time of year! I mean what else do I have to do? Such a treat to relax and even waste a little time here and there. If I did it all the time I would get bored and not appreciate it, but after working hard all year this final taper is feeling awesome!

And so it goes. Just a few more days before we leave now. Hope everyone has a great start to their weeks!

Posted by beth at 3:56 PM | Comments (1)

November 3, 2007

Great Day Turned Sad

I've had quite a splendid day so far!

O went to the PA state cross country championships this morning and since we live about 3.5 hours away from the site of the meet, he was up and gone before I knew what happened. When he kissed me goodbye, I didn't bother to look at the clock but it was somewhere around 5 am.

I, on the otherhand, didn't get up until 7:15! I slept in knowing that the pool doesn't open until 8:15 and I certainly would not be getting my ride in before swimming. Much too chilly for that.

So I woke up, did some odds and ends and headed to the pool for a workout. It was a tough one - 100s on a tight interval - but I did just fine and felt good. 3000 yds in and back home I was - just in time to eat breakfast and watch the end of the men's Olympic marathon trials on the internet.

I was delighted to watch Ryan Hall win and Brian Sell (a fellow Pennsylvanian!) make the team. I had it timed just right to see the end of the coverage and watch the celebrations. Watching people finish like that and achieve their dreams is always so inspiring to me. Years and years and thousands of miles of hard work. Love it.

It was still only 31 degrees outside and I wanted it to be 40 or higher before I left for my ride so I did some more odds and ends, did my core exercises and watched IM Florida unfold on ironmanlive.com. The longer I'm in triathlon the more triathles I know and therefore the more interest I have in these races! Anyway, some of my friends and teammates are in the midst of amazing races and I know they will continue on for awesome finishes!

Around 11:30 I deemed it warm enough for my ride (41 degrees on the thermometer) so off I went. I rode my TT bike with race wheels to ensure that everything was working properly and shifting correctly. And WHOA BABY! After doing a lot of my outside riding on my road bike with crappy training wheels, riding the TT with race wheels is like another world! I felt like I was flying! The ride was great otherwise too (2 hours) - I felt good and despite being a little too cold for my liking, the weather was gorgeous - sunny and the biggest, brightest blue sky!

I got home around 1:45, changed and made myself some lunch and was sitting down to eat and ice my feet when I realized the tv coverage of the men's Olympic marathon trials was just about to start on NBC. Perfect!

Of course it was about this time when I realized what had happened earlier in the day as they started the coverage with the tragic news of Ryan Shay's death. How terribly devastating, to say the least.

I don't know Ryan, nor do I know his wife or his parents or any of his friends or family but still I feel a certain heartache for everyone involved. And my prayers are with them all. It's just so sad and of course I can't help but think how Ryan's death parallels my high school cross country coach's death that happened this very weekend one year ago. Both young runners, the picture of health, dying suddenly while out doing what they love, leaving behind young wives. It shouldn't take a tragedy like this to remind me that we just can't take anything for granted. But it does.

We are so lucky to have each day. To run. To swim. To bike. To do whatever we'd like to do. And we are so lucky to have the people we love. Thanks to Ryan and my coach I know that a little bit better now than I ever did before.

Posted by beth at 4:49 PM | Comments (0)

November 2, 2007

28 Degrees

Yeah, so I was hoping not to have to wear tights on my run this morning but when I saw it was 28 degrees, I decided I'd have to suck it up. Admitting that tights are needed is like admitting that winter really is on it's way. And unlike summer, winter never seems to "fly by". So on with the tights, long sleeve, fleece, hat and gloves. I was sure I had over-done it and had worn way too much. I mean in the grand scheme of things 28 really isn't that cold at all. 28 degrees in February? Heat wave! But not this morning - all those clothes and I was still pretty cold the whole run. Be prepared for my talk (that you endured all last winter) of moving to Austin. (you may notice there was not a peep about Austin when it was 5 billion degrees with 6 gazillion percent humidity this summer)

My run was an hour and I just really enjoyed every last minute. My hamstring was about the same but not any worse which means I didn't really think about it that much. It was dark and peaceful and I the smell of smoke from fireplaces was burning my nose. One of those runs that reminds me that although I'll probably always be a triathlete now, I'm really a runner at heart. As the saying goes, once a runner (best book ever), always a runner. The run really reminded me of an early morning run on campus back in college.

Nevertheless, that run was the only workout I have for the day! I'm about to leave work now here in a little bit. Upon arriving home, a nap may be in order as I have been yawning and terribly sleepy all day!

Hope everyone has a great start to their weekends! And go IM Florida racers go!

Posted by beth at 2:00 PM | Comments (2)

November 1, 2007

Wild Dog

This morning when my alarm went off it was dark and I could hear the rain beating against the house. And I just knew it was cold out there. So I did the only thing reasonable for this situation. I turned my alarm off and promptly went back to sleep!

Of course I had the luxery to do this only because I had the day off work. Otherwise it would have been up and out the door.

I eventually got up and to the pool by 8 am. Not too bad. And first on the schedule was a short and sweet 2000 yd swim. Only 2000 yds felt like a dream! Done with that and onto my 35 minute pool run. My hamstring is feeling better after Tuesday's harder running but I didn't want to push my luck again today by running on it. Especially given the fact that I want to do tomorrow's run - 60 minutes easy.

Once home from the pool it was still raining but I knew it was supposed to stop soon so I waited it out before heading out on my last long(ish) ride of 2:30. Around 10:30 it cleared up and by 10:40 it was a bright, beautiful fall day! A little on the chilly side but I wore my heavier cycling jacket so I was okay.

This Thursday's ride was the opposite of last Thursday - headwind on the way out but very nice tailwind on the way home. Of course I much preferred it this way because I could enjoy the tailwind knowing I wasn't going to have to turn around again into the nasty headwind. It's been so windy this fall. What's up with that?

Regardless, I returned home to find that Roxy had managed to snag the (tightly tied) bag of left-over Halloween candy. I just don't know how she does it. It was high and up on the table but I should have known, nothing stops that dog. I estimate that she ate 1 Hershey bar (mini) and 3-4 Reese's peanut butter cups.

Of course I know chocolate is not good for dogs and they can get very sick from it. I feel like such a bad parent! But in our defense she is like Houdini - if it's somewhere in the house she will find it and she will eat it!

She's done this before (eaten a whole boat-load of chocolate that is) and was absolutely fine. I sometimes wonder if she's even a dog. All the things she supposed to get sick from, she doesn't. Well, except for the barfed up bird the other week...

Regardless, she apparently didn't get her fill because about 90 minutes later she ate one of my socks. Seriously.

And now, I kid you not, she is absolutely wild. Wilder than usual. Which, if you know Roxy, is really, really, really wild. Fortunately O just took her for a car ride so I have some time to think without a dog in my face. And to think - I want another one! :)

Posted by beth at 4:36 PM | Comments (2)