tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16824861588080153902024-03-14T01:46:47.129-04:00T-Racer GirlThe Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-74746386312251628962014-06-18T15:11:00.000-04:002014-06-18T15:11:02.838-04:00First tri of the season = success<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, I didn't podium. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, I didn't PR. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you guys not been reading my previous <a href="http://tracergirl.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-first-race-of-2014.html" target="_blank">blog</a> posts? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, my first race of the season WAS a success! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the race report:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Race: Rev3 Williamsburg </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Date: June 15, 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Location: Jamestown, VA</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Race Type: Olympic distance: 0.9 mi swim, 24 mi bike, 6.2 mi run</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Division: Age Group 45-49 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time: 3:34</span><br />
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My kiddos came with me this year for the race so I was super thrilled to spend time with them! Of course, when they realized they had to wake up at 4:15 am to go with me to the race the thrill pretty much ended. So, I had to find special things to do with them as a bribe, of sorts! </div>
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As part of the bribe, we somehow ended up at the Yankee Candle store talking to Santa (don't ask!):</div>
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<br />Anyone that knows me, knows that I screw up my Rev3 race tats almost every single time. I somehow forget to take the little plastic backing off first before trying to adhere them to my body. Here was last year's screw up:</div>
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<br />And, this year's screw up:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe one day I'll finally get it right!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />RACE DAY:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were up super early and at the race venue by 4:45 am (kids were only half way awake, I believe). On the way to the race venue, I received a text from my friend Jan that said: "Michelle's race verse: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Cor 9:24." Although I knew I wouldn't win the triathlon on this day, my success (i.e. prize) would come from completing the race. That's all I wanted on this day: completion of the race.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was great hanging with both my Team Z and Rev3 teammates pre race as always:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teammates and the most wonderful race director ever: Eric Opdyke</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feeling some super shaky leg muscles as they flexed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More flexing (while I'm not...)</span></div>
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<b>Swim (0.9 miles): 35:31 8th in Age group</b></div>
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The swim felt great! The water temps were about 80 degrees and, since I have been training in my gym pool at 84 degrees (yep, it's hot!), 80 felt wonderful! No wetsuit means a great swim for me. Wetsuits are just too constrictive to me. </div>
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<br />I felt pretty comfy during my swim. It was the first time EVER (on anything longer than a sprint) that I didn't get a cramp of some sort during the swim. But, don't ask me to recreate that because I honestly have no idea why I didn't cramp. I've been trying to make adjustments to my swim form so maybe I'm finally doing something right! </div>
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<b>T1: 4:23</b></div>
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The trip from the water to T1 is pretty long and this year I decided to take my time up the hill so I'd have some energy for the bike because I knew that would be my fastest leg.<br /><b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Bike (24 miles) : 1:27:33 6th place in Age group; 17.13 pace</b><br />Even a year later, I'm still not quite sure how to use the multisport feature on the Garmin. So, I really had no idea how fast I was going on the bike (or the run, for that matter). So, just like last year in Williamsburg, I basically raced "naked" again! When will I ever learn!<br /></div>
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Overall, the bike leg felt pretty good but, if I would have had my Garmin, I think I probably would have pushed the pace more. Not too shabby to get 6th place in the bike, though.<br /><b><br /></b></div>
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<b>T2: 2:11</b><br />Pretty uneventful. I did put on socks which I normally don't do and I had to actually tie my shoe laces (which I haven't done in YEARS at a race! There were times in this race where I definitely felt like a newbie again!</div>
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<b>Run (6.2 miles): 1:24 8th place in Age group</b><br />I knew the run would be my toughest part. This is where I had to dig deep. During my training, I hadn't put more than 2 miles together in months. Each time I'd go out to run, I'd get emotional and break down bawling (you read my last blog post, right?). I was hoping my race would be different...but it wasn't. The first time I felt the anxiety coming over me, I stopped and walked. I could barely breathe. Then I heard my awesome teammate Brittany yell at me from behind. She asked how I was doing (knowing some of the things I've gone through lately) and I said I was SO GLAD she was here at this very moment! Truth was, God placed her there at that very moment. I was struggling...hard...and she helped get me through my first anxiety attack on the run. I stopped and walked again...then I looked at my arm...</div>
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<br /><br /><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My pain was temporary...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I started running again and a few miles later, the anxiety hit me again (you have GOT to be kidding me!!!). That's when God brought my teammate Kate into my view! I can tell her gait a mile away so I yelled at her in the distance! We high-fived as we went by each other and I knew everything would be okay from that point on. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I walked a LOT on this leg of the race. Walking to calm down my heart rate from the anxiety and walking because my legs hadn't run this far in a long time. I ran into Brittany again and she said "Run the race with endurance" (a partial quote from Hebrews 12:1: "<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Therefore, having so vast a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, and throwing off everything that hinders us and especially the sin that so easily entangles us, let us keep running with endurance the race set before us,</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> "). I continued to plod closer to the finish line.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last half mile of the race, however, was the most memorable. As a youth triathlon coach (and coach of my 8 yo daughter), I encourage (maybe even "encourage loudly") my athletes in races. Knowing this would be an emotionally hard race for me, my daughter walked about 1/2 mile from the finish line and met me there. She knew I was struggling physically when she saw me. She said "mom, I know you can run faster than this." I said "no, honey, not today." She said "okay, we can run slow but if you stop and walk I WILL YELL AT YOU BECAUSE I CAME ALL THE WAY OUT HERE TO RUN WITH YOU!" I laughed and said "okay, honey!" So, we ran...slowly...but, we ran. As we got up to the finish line she wanted me to sprint (which we normally do together)...but not today. It was just a slow run into the finish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My amazing son was at the finish line taking pictures of us (which he knew I'd love!) and cheering me on!<br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, as I crossed the finish line, I threw up my hands and yelled a big "WOO HOO" in honor of my friend, Michelle. Seconds later, the waterworks began...and I freaked out the finish line volunteers...but...I finished.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQ1sgWzP4Js/U6HTwl9LbHI/AAAAAAAAc5c/cARmcLI9W7E/s1600/10369199_10152514651441974_5904213979702375542_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQ1sgWzP4Js/U6HTwl9LbHI/AAAAAAAAc5c/cARmcLI9W7E/s1600/10369199_10152514651441974_5904213979702375542_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><b style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Summary & Lessons Learned</b></div>
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;">If you want your body to feel good during and at the end of a race you should train for your race! Duh.</li>
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Read directions and learn how to apply race tats before screwing it all up!</span></li>
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<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Learn how to use the multisport function on my Garmin ASAP!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Teach my daughter how to become an entrepreneur because she will be a great triathlon coach one day!</span></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;">Be thankful every day that my kids support me with this crazy triathlon addiction!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was supposed to race <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">Rev3 Williamsburg 70.3</a> but dropped it down to the Olympic distance for this weekends race. That's how unprepared I am!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he past few months...okay, let's get real...the past two years...have been difficult. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They say (yeah, I know, who are "they") the top 20 most stressful events in life are:</span><br />
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<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Death of a family member</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Terminal illness (one’s own or a family member)</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Physical incapacitation, chronic pain, or chronic illness</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Drug or alcohol abuse (self)</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Drug or alcohol abuse (family member, partner)</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Divorce</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Marriage</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Loss of job or job change</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Moving house</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Change of school (primarily for children or teens, but this can effect adults, too)</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Primary relationship problems (spouse or parent/child/sibling)</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Persistent Relationship Problems, non-primary (difficulties with other family members, conflict and loss of friends, difficulties with coworkers)</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Academic problems (poor grades, inability to retain information, problems with teachers, unable to meet deadlines)</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Occupational problems (lateness, absences, problems with boss or coworkers)</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Victim of abuse</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Victim of crime</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Criminal actions towards others</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Abusive actions towards self or others</i></li>
<li><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Extreme loneliness/lack of community membership or friendships</i></li>
<li><i style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Severe financial problem</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;">s (including tax problems!)</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've got a few of those (and then some) covered! So, not only do I know my stress/anxiety levels are really high right now but, I also realize my motivation to train because of my stress/anxiety is really low! That, my friends, is a bad formula for success...or is it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I can either let my situations get me down or I can let them strengthen me (i.e. "success"). It's a CHOICE! I'm reading a book right now (thanks to my friend, Jan!) called "Choose Joy because Happiness isn't Enough" by Kay Warren. If I'm honest, I'd say that CHOOSING joy at this time in my life is REALLY difficult. Some days I just want to be mad/sad and stay that way!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Choosing joy is something I have to purposefully do each and every day. Will there be days of sadness? Oh, heck yeah. If I'm honest, there hasn't been a single run workout in the past (almost) 3 months where I don't just break down and start crying somewhere along the way. That kinda scares me for this weekends race. Not only from a standpoint of "will I even be able to make it through 6.2 miles of running because my run workouts have been suffering the most" but "will I be able to make it through 6.2 miles of running (or run/walking) without breaking down in a sobbing mess of tears!!! And then my stress/anxiety levels start creeping back up just thinking about it!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">It's just where I am in my life right now. I get it. I try to hold it all together but there are days I just can't...and that's okay. My God, my family, my friends...they get it. They understand. I just hope the people at the finish line this weekend will understand, too! :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">So, this weekend, as I race my first triathlon of the season, I'm dedicating my race to people who have it way harder than I do right now. People who have lost someone very dear to them. I'll write their names on my arms. I'll pray for them now...during the race...and after the race. They are my inspiration for completing my race this weekend:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ashley, Nick, Tori, Johnny, Zach, Benny, Melissa, Mike & Sam - you are my heroes. The lives of David, Michelle, and Jesse were taken from us too soon. They live on in our hearts and minds. I can't ever begin to understand your losses. I love you all! </span></span><br />
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The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-21113628366393026762014-02-14T11:37:00.002-05:002014-02-14T11:37:57.876-05:00Getting it done!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4v1qHpZyIck/Uv5F8aVdOFI/AAAAAAAAbZ0/iEyL9XLF5sg/s1600/1901330_10152256234436974_388600075_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4v1qHpZyIck/Uv5F8aVdOFI/AAAAAAAAbZ0/iEyL9XLF5sg/s1600/1901330_10152256234436974_388600075_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>Back in January, I gave myself a <a href="http://tracergirl.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-challenge-to-myself.html" target="_blank">challenge</a> - I wouldn't cut my hair until I lost 17.5 total pounds. I've had a few really good weeks and I've currently lost a total of 9.5 lbs! I could have lost more, though. I've had a few bad days of being snowed in the house and a few days of being sick in the past month. But, it's time now to get back on track!<br />
<br />
With the Fatbet challenge, I'm 33.3% of the way to my goal of losing 28 lbs in 13 weeks (that's 2.1 lbs/week for those of you interested in my muscle loss...) and I'm a little behind on my goal. So, for the next 52 days (or 7.43 weeks) I have to lose another 18 lbs (2.42 lbs/week). That's going to take some focused effort and mostly in tracking my food.<br />
<br />
I'm back in to the swing of things with my workouts and I'm getting in some really strong efforts! Spin class has been kicking my butt! Now I need for the sun to start shining so I can get OFF the dreadmill and get out into the beautiful outdoors for some runs.<br />
<br />
...if only...<br />
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<br />
What challenge have you set for yourself recently that you are trying to still reach or that you have successfully been able to accomplish?<br />
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<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-28660371432630901652014-02-12T12:54:00.001-05:002014-02-12T12:54:24.504-05:00What's in store for youth triathletes?<div class="MsoNormal">
On January 16<sup>th</sup>, NCAA Division I Legislative
Council approved triathlon as an <a href="http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/articles/2014/1/011614-ncaa-announcement.aspx" target="_blank">emerging sport for women</a>. This decision will create great opportunities within the Olympic pipeline for
athletes. Other sports which have succeeded by their approval in the Women’s
Emerging Sport program are: water polo, bowling, ice hockey and rowing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Triathlon is the fastest growing
sport in the U.S. Olympic Movement and scholarships for triathlon will be available as early as September of this year. </div>
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The youth and junior elite races will follow <a href="http://www.triathlon.org/" target="_blank">InternationalTriathlon Union </a>(ITU) rules which include draft-legal cycling. Being a strong swimmer is
very important in an ITU race. The reason is simple: Let’s say you are a
mid-pack swimmer in triathlon. The first
triathlete out of the water hops onto their bike and makes it around the first
loop of the bike before you complete your swim. At that point, your race is
over and you aren’t allowed to finish the race. This makes triathlon a great
place for athletes whose first sport is swimming. While it takes having a good
bike and run, having a strong swim can potentially be the key to winning the
race. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The amount of youth involved in the
sport of triathlon is greater than it has ever been in the past. Local youth
races are filling quickly and some even have wait lists. This is great for the
future of the sport! </div>
The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-11586992177887273042014-01-17T10:14:00.002-05:002014-01-17T10:14:36.830-05:00A challenge to myselfAs a <a href="http://triteamxcel.com/" target="_blank">youth triathlon coach</a>, I'm constantly asking my youth to challenge themselves. So, today I decided to take on a challenge of my own. See, earlier this week, I finally replaced the battery on my bathroom scales (yeah, it had been months...). I replaced the battery because I needed to see what my actual weight was for the <a href="http://www.triteamz.com/" target="_blank">Team Z</a> <a href="http://www.fatbet.net/" target="_blank">Fat bet</a> that Coach Ed "CHALLENGED" us to! When I first registered, I was given the option to put in my actual weight but could then change it later if I wasn't sure of the real number.<br />
<br />
I put in "X" weight.<br />
<br />
I replaced my battery.<br />
<br />
I weighed myself.<br />
<br />
I died a little inside.<br />
<br />
I was "X+17" pounds!<br />
<br />
So, I immediately plodded my fat butt over to Gold's Gym and signed up for a membership with all the other New Years Resolutionists (I don't know if that's a word but I'm using it and I'm sticking to it!).<br />
<br />
I talked to one of the trainers who then proceeded to tell me totally different "lose weight" stuff than I've been hearing for the past few years. Weight loss information is so confusing, yet so simple. Calories in vs Calories out. Yeah, I know you Paleo folks will be like "Yeah, but it's about what KIND of calories you put in your body." And some of you frutarians will be like "You shouldn't eat anything but fruit...you'll never meet a fat fruitarian." Others of you will say "WORK OUT HARDER!" Well, here's the deal....<br />
<br />
I'm not cutting my hair until I lose 13 pounds (I've already lost 4.5 lbs) ! I don't care if I lose it in the first week. I really don't. Maybe when I'm 80 I'll say "oh, hey, I shouldn't have lost those 13 lbs so fast." But, will that really be what I'm concerned about when I'm 80?<br />
<br />
I'm starting to weight train, I'm starting to count calories (currently 1588/day), I'm drinking so much water I'm going to the bathroom every hour...and this is the type of "normal" activity I will keep up...I have for years (just not the weight training...). Oh, and all of this is on top of getting back into the swim/bike/run routine, of course! The past two months have been difficult because I've had some issues with my foot. But, praise God, that's all looking great!<br />
<br />
Back to the cutting my hair comment...I really should have had my hair cut about a month ago. It's at that stage where I can't do anything with it. So, not cutting my hair will be a huge challenge. But, there has to be SOMETHING to motivate me besides the weight. So, that's what it is. My hair. My vanity.<br />
<br />
Who wants to join me by challenging themselves to something? It doesn't have to be weight or exercise related. What's a challenge you want to set for yourself? Let me hear from you!The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-49077045237584103582014-01-01T09:16:00.003-05:002014-01-01T09:16:45.143-05:00Congratulations Marnee A!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UcENYdKV7_Y/UsQjI-Knh1I/AAAAAAAAbY8/-DBSzUMeK0A/s1600/powerbar_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UcENYdKV7_Y/UsQjI-Knh1I/AAAAAAAAbY8/-DBSzUMeK0A/s1600/powerbar_logo.png" /></a>Welcome to all my new followers! Congratulations to Marnee A for <a href="http://tracergirl.blogspot.com/2013/12/theres-new-year-coming.html?m=1" target="_blank">winning</a> a packet of <a href="http://www.powerbar.com/" target="_blank">Powerbar </a>products!<br />
<br />
Marnee, please contact me for your yummy winnings!!!<br />
<br />
<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-65592184964027381452014-01-01T08:58:00.001-05:002014-01-01T08:58:38.448-05:00Goodbye 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZpUk7WpZjBQ/Uj4S4ymr99I/AAAAAAAAbW0/F5QzIqjUTsM/s1600/538004_10150766539956974_1146526638_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZpUk7WpZjBQ/Uj4S4ymr99I/AAAAAAAAbW0/F5QzIqjUTsM/s400/538004_10150766539956974_1146526638_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This picture. This picture describes my life right now. I love this picture and have posted it here on my blog before and on Facebook what seems to be a million times. This picture is totally me when I'm riding my bike and I see a speed sign. My training partners can vouch for me.<br />
<br />
This morning I posted this picture on Facebook as a joke for one of my best friends. See, last night, after a few too many things to eat and a few adult beverages, we decided it was time to go for a walk outside. Then...we came upon one of these speed signs...and what did we do? We tried to see how fast we could run. The first time, neither of us even made the thing register a "0." But, after a few tries...and many, many laughs...we were heading to warp speed of 6-7 mph! We laughed. Boy, did we laugh. I felt I took all the stress and pain of 2013 and turned it around and upside down and laughed so hard and for so long that I was crying...and snorting! You know that laugh...you almost can't stop laughing because it's such a great feeling. Wow! What a moment in time! It will be engraved in my memory forever! That moment, and the next moment...but we'll save that next moment from public opinion! Let's just say that someone beat someone else in another contest that wasn't too "lady-like."<br />
<br />
I digress...<br />
<br />
As I looked at this picture, so many more things stuck out to me that defined 2013. There are many things I experienced in 2013 for the first time that were huge struggles/challenges/learning experiences for me:<br />
1. My first DNF<br />
2. Weight gain<br />
3. Huge financial change<br />
4. Struggles with racing<br />
5. Injury<br />
6. Sent both my children off to public school (I've been a homeschool mom until now...)<br />
...among MANY other personal things...<br />
<br />
I look at these things and, if I let them, they can get me down and keep me down. But, I chose to look ahead and say WOO HOO!!! I'm not looking back. I'm learning from my mistakes and moving forward to a better year!<br />
<br />
Among the many fabulous things that happened to me in 2013, I can say THANK YOU LORD for giving me these blessings:<br />
1. My two fabulous children who I have grown so close to in the past year. What an amazing blessing the Lord has given me!<br />
2. Watched my wonderful daughter, Celeste, get baptized<br />
3. Became<a href="http://www.usatriathlon.org/" target="_blank"> USA Triathlon</a> Level 1 Coach<br />
4. Became USA Triathlon Youth & Juniors Coach (only 176 in the nation at the time...)<br />
5. Started a <a href="http://www.triteamxcel.com/" target="_blank">Youth Triathlon Team</a><br />
6. Was accepted as part of the awesome, amazing, always wonderful <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">Rev3</a> Age Group Team<br />
7. Swam in my first ever swim meet<br />
8. We got a new puppy<br />
9. I reconnected with people in my life who I love to the moon and back!<br />
<br />
As I've quoted from my friend Stacie so many times..."Onward and Upward!" It's time for a great 2014! No looking back! Just closing some chapters in my life where the book as been stuck for years. Now it's time to finish the book and then BURN IT and never look back. Here's hoping your 2014 is wonderful!<br />
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Cheers!The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-2577785348886769042013-12-28T15:07:00.004-05:002013-12-28T15:11:10.773-05:00Coming back is hardFor the past six weeks, I have been staying off my feet from running. I was having some issues at the back of my heel right around the achilles tendon/bursa area below:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSY6RjTbVA4/Ur8sN4zR65I/AAAAAAAAbYs/Bz25cpAI9gI/s1600/achilles_tendon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OSY6RjTbVA4/Ur8sN4zR65I/AAAAAAAAbYs/Bz25cpAI9gI/s320/achilles_tendon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I figured if I went to the doctor, they would just tell me to stay off my feet for several weeks so I went ahead and prescribed my own medicine and saved me a trip. Besides, I've already been to the doctor too many times lately (strep for me, strep for my son, allergic reaction to cats for my son where his eye was almost swollen shut, etc.). I figured while I was sitting around for 6 weeks, I might as well load up on holiday treats and beverages to the point that I probably gained about a million pounds over the holidays. NOT a good recipe for triathlon success!<br />
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With temperatures in the mid 50's, I decided to head out on a run today. I figured my heels had enough time to...um...heal...and, with this beautiful weather, I would be a fool not to at least attempt a run. Well, there are several things wrong with that thought process: 1) I've had a horrible cough/congestion/possible strep (again...) for the past 5 days 2) Did I say I gained a million pounds? 3) I decided now was as best time as any to try out my new orthoTics (note: I have obviously been misspelling orthoDics incorrectly my entire life and just found out today. This brings up totally different issues as I am part of the grammar police!!!). 4) I decided this would be the first time I would attempt a<a href="http://www.strava.com/" target="_blank"> Strava</a> run directly from my cell phone app and I wasn't exactly sure how it all worked. 4) I was totally overdressed for a 50+ degree run.<br />
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But, given all that, I did a run/walk of a little over a mile and I felt pretty good physically. Tomorrow I will attempt another short run with the orthoTics and maybe by next week I'll be able to wear them with each run.<br />
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Time to get back at it. I can't complete<a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank"> Rev3 </a>Cedar Point 140.6 without some training!!!The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-28810431777244730792013-12-22T12:57:00.002-05:002013-12-22T12:57:14.976-05:00There's a new year coming...2013 wasn't a good year as far as me keeping up with my blog. So, my goal for 2014 is to write AT LEAST one time/week every week. Do you think I can do it? Additionally, I need more followers for my blog. I don't like sitting here writing away and only 10 people see what I say. Will you be my follower? Maybe I can start giving away stuff to my followers and that will draw people to me. What do you think? Let's try it out...<br />
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<b>Follow me by Dec 31, 2013 and you will be entered to win a packet of <a href="http://www.powerbar.com/" target="_blank">PowerBar</a> products which I will give away at the beginning of 2014 to one lucky person! Will it be you?</b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7e_oeQjUmU8/Urcne9nwyOI/AAAAAAAAbYU/ibKgh6BsWrs/s1600/download+(13).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7e_oeQjUmU8/Urcne9nwyOI/AAAAAAAAbYU/ibKgh6BsWrs/s1600/download+(13).jpg" /></a>What are your goals for the following year? Not resolutions...GOALS. I have already set some for myself:<br />
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<b>HEALTH GOALS:</b><br />
1.Start eating more healthy foods by keeping a food diary, starting with 30 days, on <a href="http://myfitnesspal.com/">Myfitnesspal.com</a><br />
2. Start back on my team training plan. Download it, do it, and stay accountable to it by tracking my workouts on <a href="http://strava.com/">Strava.com</a> with my <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">Rev3</a> teammates. I'm doing Rev3 Cedar Point 140.6 this year and will need to stay committed to my training plan in order to successfully complete the September race.<br />
3. Fit into my "skinnier" pair of jeans by Jan 31, 2014 by cutting back on bad carbs, drinking less "empty calories," and eating more protein and veggies.<br />
4. Begin a weight training program 2x/week by joining Fitness Evolution with my roommate for the month of January. Might as well join the new years resolutionists since I haven't been to the gym in so long! Will revisit this goal at the end of January.<br />
5. Drink 8 glasses of water daily. I'm hoping the purchase of a cute drinking bottle will help me attain this goal. I stink at getting in my daily water.<br />
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Besides health goals, I want to write some goals related to my personal life, my spiritual life, my business, etc. What are some of the goals you have set or want to set for yourself? Let's get started...only 9 more days until the new year!The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-55942553222606020612013-09-21T17:14:00.001-04:002013-09-21T18:03:28.986-04:00Today...in numbers<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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As I was on my ride today there were a lot of numbers in my head so I decided to write them all down just to clear my head, if nothing else! </div>
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0: Times we got lost (for those that know me, this is a huge accomplishment as of late)</div>
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1: Time Tracy almost got crushed by a car</div>
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1: Time Tracy almost got attacked by a monster bug</div>
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1: Time we saw someone holding a bike helmet on their handlebars but NOT wearing it (her blonde locks did look beautiful in a Farrah Fawcett kind of way)</div>
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2: Stories about bodily functions</div>
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3: Live animals that crossed in front of me (8-point buck, snake, and, of course, a squirrel)</div>
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3.5: Crazy hard-core triathlete chicks on a hilly SUFFERFEST ride (see below for 0.5)</div>
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4: Roads with "town" or "ville" in their name</div>
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5+: Times Tracy asked people to please wear helmets on the trail.</div>
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10.4: Percent grade of biggest hill</div>
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18: Miles Renee got to ride with us (the 0.5 of a chick above)</div>
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25: Minutes late starting our ride</div>
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30: Dollars I had to pay my son for babysitting</div>
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32: Ounces of purchased drinks along the way (Gatorade & Coke)</div>
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42: Tracy's highest MPH speed for the day (you probably don't want to know the lowest! Maybe 2! LOL)</div>
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73: Miles rode</div>
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700: Roadkill (okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration...or not) </div>
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4653: Feet of elevation</div>
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But, the best part of my day was doing this.....<br />
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Sufferfest September is in the books!</div>
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The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-89915036980393361482013-09-20T10:53:00.003-04:002013-09-20T10:53:27.902-04:00IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE!!!Do you get excited when you receive a REAL letter in the mail? I sure do. But, this is better than that.<br />
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Do you get excited when someone in the line in front of you at Starbucks buys your coffee for you? Oh yeah, that's great...but this is better than that.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-puvUUwQspx8/UQswtY6Ro-I/AAAAAAAAbAA/QMrMnumMue4/s1600/team+rev3+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-puvUUwQspx8/UQswtY6Ro-I/AAAAAAAAbAA/QMrMnumMue4/s320/team+rev3+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
What if someone says they'll handle the check at a restaurant and you can eat anything you want. Lobster and Steak for dinner, right? Pretty awesome, right? Oh yeah, but this is even better than that.<br />
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So, what in the world could I possibly be talking about?<br />
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As you know, I've been a member of Team Rev3 for the past year and NOW IS THE TIME for YOU to see if you have what it takes to be part of the REVOLUTION!!! Applications for Team Rev3 are now available through current team members and will be available soon on Rev3's<a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank"> website.</a> Are you ready to ROCK THE R????<br />
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<a href="mailto:tracyendo@yahoo.com" target="_blank">Email</a> me if you are interested in receiving an application!<br />
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<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-65495228289474499722013-09-19T11:37:00.003-04:002013-09-19T11:37:27.686-04:002014 Race Calendar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It seems far too early to already be deciding which races I'm going to attend in 2014. But, 2014 is going to be another big year for me so I've got to get it all laid out now! Of course, things are apt to change (as they always do) before the next season arrives but this is what I've got so far:<br />
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May 18: <b>Rev3 Knoxville</b> - Probably Olympic distance (I have to prove myself here!)<br />
June 15: <b>Rev3 Williamsburg</b> - Probably 70.3 distance (I'm not the only one that has things to prove here!)<br />
July 7: <b>General Smallwood Sprint</b> (please don't let it be 112 degree "feels like" temperature again!)<br />
August 17: <b>Luray Sprint</b> (hoping for no cramps!)<br />
Sept: <b>Rev3 Cedar Point</b> 140.6 (Going for time this year!)<br />
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What does YOUR calendar look like for next year? Share some of your favorite races with me!<br />
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<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-7768922347351832582013-06-26T20:50:00.000-04:002013-06-26T20:50:54.348-04:00Race Report: Rev3 Williamsburg <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Race: Rev3 Williamsburg</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Date: June 23, 2013</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Location: Jamestown, VA </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Race Type: Olympic Distance: 0.9 mi swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile run</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Division: Age Group 45-49</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Time: 3:28</span><br />
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Pre race:<br />
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It was so exciting for me to arrive in Williamsburg and share the weekend with not only my <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">Rev3</a> teammates but also my local <a href="http://www.triteamz.com/" target="_blank">Team Z </a>friends. This is a weekend that will go down in my memory bank for a long time to come.<br />
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After arriving at the expo, my first stop post-packet pickup, was the <a href="http://biottajuices.com/products/beet-juice/" target="_blank">Biotta Naturals </a>tent where I helped the queen of beet juice, Jen Small, share the wonderful nutritional benefits of beet juice with the expo attendees.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ya5nS-xzk8I/Uct3TrMg7JI/AAAAAAAAbSA/ZI8a2_w-9Js/s1600/jensandtracy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ya5nS-xzk8I/Uct3TrMg7JI/AAAAAAAAbSA/ZI8a2_w-9Js/s400/jensandtracy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Photo by: Miro Lehky</div>
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Of course, it didn't take me long to drop by the Rev3 green screen for some great memories. Here are some of my favorites:<br />
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Yeah, I'm pretty much a drama queen. Like you didn't know that already...<br />
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Saturday evening was our Team Z dinner. The room was totally packed and we had the amazing <a href="https://www.facebook.com/simplystu?fref=ts" target="_blank">SimplyStu </a>as the MC of our great event. As you may remember from my dreaded <a href="http://tracergirl.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-first-dnf.html" target="_blank">DNF report from Knoxville</a>, Stu was my lifesaver that gave me the shoes and socks right off his feet to keep mine warm...and he didn't even know me at the time!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A3cxqaiM7lM/Uct7ZQ3lR0I/AAAAAAAAbTY/LELky-UTchA/s1600/zdinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A3cxqaiM7lM/Uct7ZQ3lR0I/AAAAAAAAbTY/LELky-UTchA/s400/zdinner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Photo by Miro Lehky</div>
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Also in attendance that night were professional triathletes <a href="http://laurengoss.com/" target="_blank">Lauren Goss</a> and <a href="http://www.andrewstarykowicz.com/" target="_blank">Andrew Starykowicz </a>along with the one and only "boss man" Charlie Patten (owner of Rev3). </div>
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The night ended with a stay at the Williamsburg B&B (aka Jan Stover's parents house) looking at this little pond, relaxing for the rest of the evening...</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6qRqscmEaDc/Uct88npaUiI/AAAAAAAAbT0/fIUr9K8QARA/s1600/stover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6qRqscmEaDc/Uct88npaUiI/AAAAAAAAbT0/fIUr9K8QARA/s400/stover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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...and watching Jess try out the cool bike we found in the basement...<br />
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Oh yeah...and royally screwing up my race tats!<br />
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So, you're probably all waiting for me to get to the actual race part, right? Well, the pre-race is just a tad more exciting...as always! :)<br />
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Here are the deets:<br />
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<b>Swim (0.9 miles): 46:29 17th in Age group</b><br />
I hadn't prepared for the swim. Heck, I barely have even prepared for this race. The last few months have been crazy busy and my training has really been behind schedule. I knew going into this race that I would be doing it for two reasons: 1) to prove myself after my last DNF and 2) to have fun!<br />
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During the swim I felt pretty comfortable and relaxed. SO DIFFERENT from Knoxville. The water temps were fabulous (still wetsuit legal...but barely...) so I swam without my wetsuit. I was in the last wave (of course, that's where the old women always get put!) which is always a bummer for me. But, I felt strong. There was a current getting to the first buoy but I saw my turning spot faster than I thought I would. I had swam this same course at Patriots half a few years ago and remembered getting way off course so I made sure not to do that this time. The James River can be very rough at times so I took that into consideration going into the race. During Patriots I remember getting into a rhythm with the waves but that never happened during this race. I did okay going from buoy 1 to buoy 2 with the exception of getting kicked in the face, hit on the leg so many times by the same guy that I got a cramp in my leg, and swam on top of more times than I can count. But, hey, that's triathlon for you!<br />
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The only time I felt I could have done better was going from the 2nd buoy to the shore. The current was really strong by that point and I felt I got off course with every stroke. So, I forced myself to push to the right.<br />
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After the race, I heard numerous people say how horrific the swim was for them and how many people were pulled from the race (or took themselves out) during the swim. I can't say it was all that bad for me. My time wasn't spectacular but my swim felt comfortable. My last swim of this same distance was only about 30 seconds faster and, given I haven't been in the pool much lately, I'll take it!<br />
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<b>T1: 3:51</b><br />
It was a long trip to transition but as I compared my transition to Patriots, I've shaved off about 1 1/2 minutes from T1. Pretty sweet.<br />
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<b>Bike (24 miles) : 1:19:40 11th place in Age group; 18.07 pace</b><br />
Race day was the first time I had used the multisport feature on the Garmin I had just borrowed from my friend (since I lost mine at Knoxville). When I got on the bike I realized I was still in the swim function mode and that is exactly how the watch stayed for the rest of the race. So, I raced the entire race "naked." Normally if I found myself pacing too slow I would speed up to improve my overall time on both the bike and the run. But, today I would have to do it all by feel!<br />
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The bike course was perfect for me - pretty much as flat as they come. Since the half rev and the Olympic rev started at basically the same time, some of the pro field was lapping me and for brief moments in time I was riding with them! It was great to be able to do that if only for 3 seconds or so! <br />
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Overall my bike leg was pretty uneventful (thankfully) and I just attempted to push as much as I could yet stay in Zone 2. Result: 18.07 pace. Not too shabby for "riding naked."<br />
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<b>T2: 1:05</b><br />
Pretty uneventful. I did put on socks which I normally don't do!<br />
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<b>Run (6.2 miles): 1:17:13 19th place in Age group</b><br />
Toward the end of the bike I could feel the same leg cramping that cramped during the swim so I was really concerned about that going into the run. I had been pretty consistent in my run training up until about the last month before the race when I made a decision that greatly affected my run workouts. But, I knew it was too late to worry about that now. I knew I just needed to somehow get these last 6.2 miles in the bank and cross the finish line.<br />
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As with any run coming off the bike, my legs felt like jello. I hadn't done enough BRICKS this year for sure but I didn't think my legs would feel this bad. I tried to get my mojo on the run and it just never came! Once I saw the HILL on the course I knew I was in trouble. I was expecting the Patriots SUPER FLAT run but this would not be it! This run course was a little more challenging than that. I did a lot of walking on this course - probably way more than I should. But, I was really feeling that calf muscle...and felt it for days afterwards.<br />
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I wasn't proud of my run or my run time by any means. But, I'm proud that I've recovered from my DNF!<br />
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<b>Summary & Lessons Learned</b><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--bBmPhfJPnc/UcuHoOs_XGI/AAAAAAAAbUU/iftJYSFVo50/s1600/postracerev3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--bBmPhfJPnc/UcuHoOs_XGI/AAAAAAAAbUU/iftJYSFVo50/s320/postracerev3.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<ul>
<li>If you want your body to feel good at the end of a race you should train for your race!</li>
<li>Beet juice rocks even if people give you funny faces about it.</li>
<li>Always be thankful for Jan and her parents for the Williamsburg B&B hook up!</li>
<li>Having a race with my two favorite teams makes me a happy, happy girl.</li>
<li>Always hang out with teammates post-race (see pic on the right)...but never mention Howie Mandel during that gathering!</li>
<li>Read directions and learn how to apply race tats before screwing it all up!</li>
<li>Never let Patti Jackson point a gun in my face.</li>
<li>Never ever hit SimplyStu in the face or he will embarrass you publicly. Right Melissa?</li>
<li>Always have lots of kisses for my teammies</li>
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And most importantly...ALWAYS be on the lookout for Miro with his camera...</div>
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Next Stop: Luray Double! </div>
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The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-88604347375716191082013-05-14T09:43:00.002-04:002013-05-14T10:38:26.075-04:00Mini Me and her first tri of the season<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WMn2It4v7SI/UZIphMRQZuI/AAAAAAAAbQI/wS4VNOGuTG0/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WMn2It4v7SI/UZIphMRQZuI/AAAAAAAAbQI/wS4VNOGuTG0/s320/DSC_0022.JPG" width="131" /></a>I love writing my own race reports but I've never had the opportunity to write a race report for someone else. Of course, I doubt my 7 yr old daughter, Celeste, will see the benefits of writing a race report until she gets a little older so I might as well write them for her!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HIk46ScVgY/UZI4nQpxUZI/AAAAAAAAbQ8/a29fhDq8odU/s1600/swim2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HIk46ScVgY/UZI4nQpxUZI/AAAAAAAAbQ8/a29fhDq8odU/s1600/swim2.jpg" width="132" /></a>It was a cold morning as she started off her race - the<a href="http://amysamigos.org/" target="_blank"> Reston Youth Triathlon "Be AMYazing!"</a> She doesn't look too cold in the picture here but, believe me, she was being forced to smile! This picture of her in her <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">Rev3</a> shimmer suit was taken right after she took off her shoes, long pants, shirt, and jacket! It's a good thing the pool was heated!<br />
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This was Celeste's second time racing this triathlon and she really loves it. The proceeds of this race go to the <a href="http://www.childhoodbraintumor.org/" target="_blank">Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation</a> and was started a local youth who lost her childhood friend, <a href="http://amysamigos.org/aboutus.html" target="_blank">Amy Boyle</a>, to a brain tumor. Celeste is all about giving to charities so this race is right up her ally.<br />
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There are many unique things about this race that make it a fun and interesting race for youth. It's always exciting to hear the wonderful George Pekarsky (age 11) open the race by playing the National Anthem on his violin. George is following in the footsteps of his father, Pavel, who has played the National Anthem for the opening of the Reston Triathlon for years. I love the picture below (right) where George is standing in the background as his father plays (picture taken from Pavel's Facebook page). The great thing is that after these amazing violinists play the National Anthem, they head out on the course to race! Unfortunately, George wasn't able to race this year due to being a little under the weather. We hope he's feeling better soon!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dr4k1XjKmJE/UZItgFabYmI/AAAAAAAAbQk/sXS5jW4NFJU/s1600/george.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dr4k1XjKmJE/UZItgFabYmI/AAAAAAAAbQk/sXS5jW4NFJU/s320/george.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFyj9MsEG5g/UZIuCk2poHI/AAAAAAAAbQs/rSCIap9ewA4/s1600/pavel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vFyj9MsEG5g/UZIuCk2poHI/AAAAAAAAbQs/rSCIap9ewA4/s320/pavel.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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Celeste has been training a lot for this race. She has been going to the pool at least two times a week and has been training with <a href="http://jrucoaching.com/TTX.php" target="_blank">Tri Team Xcel</a>. Being part of a triathlon team has helped her grow in ways I never expected. I mean, as a mom I can teach her until I'm blue in the face but until she sees me as a coach (I'm her coach on TTX) she doesn't really pay much attention!<br />
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She improved greatly on her swim this year and was the first one out of the water in her wave! Last year she had to receive help from the lifeguard (although I felt the lifeguard jumped in a little prematurely). She finished the 50 yd swim in 1:36, over a minute improvement from last year. The last month or so before the race we weren't consistent in our swimming routine so I do feel she could improve a little more on the swim but I'll take the blame for that one!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ew1tM2rhUs/UZIpsNAckLI/AAAAAAAAbQQ/-eHIWtlGUro/s1600/DSC_0235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ew1tM2rhUs/UZIpsNAckLI/AAAAAAAAbQQ/-eHIWtlGUro/s200/DSC_0235.JPG" width="132" /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VVLAGLkN1S4/UZIpvWp21UI/AAAAAAAAbQY/zdlm20lrbBw/s1600/DSC_0239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VVLAGLkN1S4/UZIpvWp21UI/AAAAAAAAbQY/zdlm20lrbBw/s200/DSC_0239.JPG" width="132" /></a>T1: As a mom, I am NEVER disappointed in my children at a race. As long as they perform to the best of their ability, I don't care if they come in first or last. This race was no different. I don't want to say much here because my words may end up just getting me in trouble. But, suffice it to say we'll need to practice SPEEDY transitions in future workouts! Of course, in past races we haven't had to deal with putting on too many clothes because it's been warm outside. Attempting to put on shorts over a wet bathing suit does take some time and practice!<br />
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Celeste had a very speedy bike this year - over a 3:00 improvement! She has been working hard on her bike all winter long! I think she's probably going to need a bigger bike in the VERY near future, though. She seems to have outgrown this one! She had three speed bumps and a "big hill" (her words) to go over and she did it without stopping!</div>
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As always, Celeste was a strong runner. She has learned a lot of things about her form (which was already pretty good) during Tri Team Xcel workouts. So, at the finish line she looked pretty AMYazing...and very happy! This is my second time working as the<a href="http://www.tracyendo.com/" target="_blank"> race photographer</a> for the AMYazing race and I'm always excited to work the finish line to see smiles like this! </div>
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Comparing Celeste's results from last year she had a huge overall performance. I'm one proud mommy!<br />
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Age</div>
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Swim</div>
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Transition 1</div>
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Bike</div>
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Transition 2</div>
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Run</div>
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Final</div>
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6</div>
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2:37</div>
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2:16</div>
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9:13</div>
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0:42</div>
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3:52</div>
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18:38</div>
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7</div>
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1:36</div>
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2:33</div>
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6:05</div>
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0:31</div>
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3:34</div>
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14:18</div>
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The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-48164633438709228792013-05-09T12:16:00.000-04:002013-05-09T12:36:40.989-04:00My first DNFPrior to this weekend, my thoughts on a DNF (did not finish) looked similar to this:<br />
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My motto was "Death before DNF!" I mean, I didn't even have a DNF on my bucket list for heaven's sake! So, why would I even consider doing something like that? I considered myself in the same category with greats such as Siam Welch or Wendy Ingraham - someone that would CRAWL across that darn finish line no matter WHAT my condition.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-khe5hmBskmE/UYeixFJQl3I/AAAAAAAAbHc/Zndpz_IcRXk/s1600/crawl_finishline_17b49vs-17b49vt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-khe5hmBskmE/UYeixFJQl3I/AAAAAAAAbHc/Zndpz_IcRXk/s200/crawl_finishline_17b49vs-17b49vt.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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But, my beliefs were totally shattered this past weekend when, after the swim portion of my Olympic-distance race, I was out...with my first DNF.<br />
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Being the analytical person that I am, I've been analyzing the crap out of my race and race weekend to see exactly what it was that I did/didn't do that caused my first DNF.</div>
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I started the weekend extremely excited. It was the first time I would race with <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">Team Rev3</a> and I was happy at the chance to get to meet and race with some of my new teammates and proudly wear the Rev3 kit! </div>
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After a 7+ hour drive to Knoxville, I arrived at the race expo and ran into several of my teammates and the "boss man" (Charlie) almost immediately. Although I've never met most of them, I have drawn close to them virtually so it was easier to connect to them than I thought it might be. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jMMWQgQJ3hg/UYemsMXqObI/AAAAAAAAbHo/uy8a-lLGl6A/s1600/glow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jMMWQgQJ3hg/UYemsMXqObI/AAAAAAAAbHo/uy8a-lLGl6A/s400/glow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The first night, Rev3 had an amazing event called the Glow Run. The money raised from the Glow Run was</div>
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used to benefit former University of Tennessee swimmer <a href="http://rev3tri.com/2013/04/22/knoxville-glow-5k-to-benefit-former-ut-swimmer-nicole-gross-injured-in-boston/" target="_blank">Nicole Gross</a>, injured in the Boston bombings. Local news reported over 1500 people attended this race! How amazing that the city of Knoxville came out to support such an amazing cause! </div>
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I was excited to run the Glow run with Celeste. She had seen pictures of the finish line and was just as excited as I was. I was so proud of her for running...and not walking...the entire race! She's my little glow bug!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IyGt_w0sK9A/UYeqlsfUKtI/AAAAAAAAbH0/e-jz1QJUHXk/s1600/glow+celeste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IyGt_w0sK9A/UYeqlsfUKtI/AAAAAAAAbH0/e-jz1QJUHXk/s200/glow+celeste.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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On Saturday the rain started falling. I knew it was going to be a cold and wet race so I was trying to stay positive about it. But, I wasn't in the right "head space" all weekend long. I needed someone to just smack me up the side of the head and say "GET OUT OF YOUR FUNK!!!" To be honest, I've been in a funk for a long time. I mean, SERIOUSLY PEOPLE...it's MAY and I'm still wearing a COAT!!!! I need spring, at a minimum, and I'd be REALLY HAPPY with summer!!! </div>
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Saturday afternoon was a TON of fun! Celeste and I registered and raced the <a href="http://www.rev3adventure.com/" target="_blank">Little Rev Adventure Race</a>. OMG! This is the next best thing to racing The Amazing Race (which I've been DYING to do!). I think adventure racing needs to be on my race schedule for next year for SURE! I'm totally lovin' it! Celeste loved it as well! Won't be our last one! Celeste had met a friend (Gabby) while at the race so we brought Gabby along with us to race the Little Rev. This is our post-race pic.</div>
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After Little Rev I decided it was time to test out the waters in the practice swim. So, I geared up (well, almost...thanks to Jill Poon for lending me her swim cap AND goggles) into my<a href="http://www.blueseventy.com/" target="_blank"> blueseventy</a> wetsuit and headed down to the river. It was cold outside so I knew the water was going to be cold, too. And, rumor had it the temps were below 60 degrees (Did I say I hate the cold??). When I first jumped in, the water literally took my breath away! But, as I stood there doing a doggy paddle it became "bearable." </div>
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All this great fun was leading up to what I had hoped would be a great race. Even though I felt really out of sorts most of the weekend, I figured once race time arrived I'd be ready to rock! </div>
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My roomies and I drove down to the race venue early and parked at transition. We got transition set up and then decided to go to the start line (about 1/2 mile away) to watch the 70.3 swim start. I made the mistake of not bringing flip flops to the race start so I stood around (like many others) in the cold and walked through lots of puddles (because it rained all weekend) of water just waiting for my start time. Huge major props to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/simplystu?fref=ts" target="_blank">SimplyStu Triathlon</a> for literally giving me the shoes and socks off his own feet to keep mine warm for just a few minutes.<br />
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Once it was time for my wave to start, I went down to the river and jumped in, hand-in-hand, with my <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">Rev3</a> teammate Jaime Dix into what I was told was 58 degree water! After our heads came up from out of the water, we just sat there looking at each other, encouraging each other to breathe. Jaime said "we're doing this together as a team" and she would never realize the power her words had on me that day. Throughout my toughest swim ever her words would continue to ring through my mind.<br />
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The horn blew for our swim to start and off we went! Going to the first buoy was against the current but it wasn't that far so I knew it wouldn't be an issue. I tried hard to get into Zone 2 for my swim as my wonderful <a href="http://www.triteamz.com/" target="_blank">Team Z</a> coaches had always taught me. But, my heart was racing like crazy. So, within minutes I decided I should roll over on my back and do the backstroke. However, rolling on my back wasn't helping a BIT and my heart was actually racing even faster. So, I rolled back over, tried a little breast stroke, tried a little doggy paddle, and tried to continue on. But, the current seemed to actually be moving me backwards rather than forward. I kept thinking "I just need to make it to the first buoy and then just a bit to the second buoy and then my swim would be with the current the rest of the way and I could potentially set a PR on this course." But, I literally could not get my heart rate to slow down. I tried everything I could but nothing seemed to be working. It took me a long time to get to the first buoy and I watched as everyone swam past me. Never in my life have I had such personal one-on-one conversations with the kayakers and lifeguards than in this race. When I finally made it back to shore (about twice as long as it would have normally taken me) I was wiped out both physically and mentally.<br />
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As I tried to move from swim to transition (about 1/4 mile) I knew I was in trouble. I was cold...REALLY cold. I knew I needed to run to transition (I always do!) but I could barely get my body to walk, let alone run. Then it happened...my emotional breakdown!<br />
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Looking back over my entire weekend I tried to figure out what this emotional breakdown was all about. It wasn't until I went to see my counselor days later that I figured it out. See, I have a problem understanding the FEELINGS that are underneath all the logic that goes on in my mind. So, as she asked me questions about those moments of emotional breakdown I was able to identify the feelings. See, as a mom of two and a <a href="http://jrucoaching.com/TTX.php" target="_blank">coach to youth triathletes</a>, I never want them to think of me as a quitter. The moment I came out of the water and struggled to transition, I knew I needed to pull out of this race. But, I didn't want to be labeled as a quitter because that label meant I was inadequate and unimportant (FEELINGS!). When I reached the transition area, I found several teammates and some others who said "it's okay." I remember specifically telling them "I don't want to stop but I know I need to stop." It was a mental game I have never experienced in my life. I kept thinking about my friend, Patti Jackson, who kept going in her Full Rev last year at Cedar Point. Patti had a ton of things going against her but she kept going and finished the race. Why couldn't I keep going? Again, those feelings came rushing back into my mind. But, you know what, I don't have to have those feelings - those are just lies I'm being told by the devil himself. And, I came to that realization days later (darn it, why did it take so long!).<br />
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As I think about the lessons I learned from this race a few things stood out to me:<br />
1. I'm not a failure<br />
2. Understanding a DNF on a personal level will help me be a better coach<br />
3. "Did not finish" is better than "did not start" which trumps "did not try."<br />
4. Patti Jackson is a rock star!<br />
5. People that completed this race are rock stars!<br />
6. I love my Rev3 teammates - particularly those who had heart-to-heart conversations with me about my experience - Pam, Jill and Jaime in particular!<br />
4. Never, EVER, EVER swim in 58 degree water EVER again!</div>
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The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-48519768882410491412013-04-11T14:46:00.003-04:002013-04-11T14:46:44.836-04:00Race-day strategies<br />
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For those who are new to running a race, having a race-day
strategy might seem like something foreign. Some people get discouraged after
they race because they didn't reach the goal time they had intended. Others
find they made an adjustment on race day that caused them to have poor
performance or finish the race in the medical tent. Below are some race-day
strategies to consider:<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Don’t do something new: Never EVER do something
on race day that you haven’t tested in your training. This includes what you
eat/drink the night before the race, the morning of the race, and during the
race; what you wear; and how you warm up.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Warm up appropriately: Recall what you did
during your training to warm up. Don’t let the excitement of race day stop you
from getting an appropriate warm up. It may take a while for your body to get
going and you want to make sure you are prepared to go when the race begins.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Position yourself in the pack appropriately:
Larger races typically have pace seeding at the start line. However, many local
and/o</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">r smaller races don’t necessarily have this and it may take a little
planning on your part to determine where you should be at the start line. If
you run a 12:00 mile then you don’t want to be at the front of the start line.
Alternatively, if you run a 6:00 mile, you don’t want to be in the back of the
pack. Not positioning yourself at least somewhat in a reasonable area for your
pace could cause you to miss your time goal.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Pacing: Ultimately, you want to keep a steady
pace throughout your race. However, many people choose to race a negative
split: running a little slower at the beginning of the race and then picking up
the pace toward the end. Only race this way if you have planned to do so and
have found it to be a successful strategy during training.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Don’t overdress: A good rule of thumb is to
dress as if the weather is 15 degrees warmer than it is. If it’s cold outside,
wearing additional “give away” clothes can be worn at the start line.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Pick up your race packet early: If you are able
to pick up your packet before race day then do so. This will give you one less
thing to worry about the day of the race.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Race Bib: Pin your race bib to the front of your
shirt. This allows race officials and photographers to know you are part of the
race. Alternatively, you can attach your bib to a race belt but still keep the
number showing in the front.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Get to the race early: Many runners get to the
race venue about 45 minutes – one hour early depending on the size of the race.
You’ll want to give yourself enough time for a warm up, going to the bathroom
(lines can get LONG!), picking up your packet (if you haven’t already) and
pinning your bib.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Have fun! Seriously, if you aren't going to have
fun then why are you even racing? Put on a smile, greet other runners, and run
happy to the finish line!</span><div>
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The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-87015025759245560652013-04-07T18:15:00.001-04:002013-04-07T18:15:41.121-04:00Menopause and the female endurance athleteThere are a lot of topics women are scared to talk about and menopause is one of them. Lately, however, I've been wondering about how menopause effects female endurance athletes. So, I googled it and found some very interesting information on the Internet that I'd like to share with those who are interested in reading about it! Yeah, guys...this is when you can bury your head in the sand...<b>HOWEVER, GUYS THAT ARE COACHES...LISTEN UP!!!</b> You might just have some women you are training that can benefit from your knowledge of this subject!<br />
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In a triathlon forum, one woman talks about the drastic decrease in participation among women in triathlon as they get older. She also writes about how she went from being competitive in a 140.6 (top 10) to barely being able to finish a 70.3 race in just as little as a few years. Another woman writes about having her "personal worst" in a 70.3 of +45:00. Was it because of menopause? These women seemed to think it was mostly to blame.<br />
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Menopause typically starts when a woman is in her late 40's - early 50's but can start as early as their 30's so this is something that shouldn't be taken lightly by coaches. <br />
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There are several symptoms of menopause that could cause female athletes to perform poorly in endurance events. <i>Not all women react the same to menopausal symptoms or treatments. Any treatments considered should be done under the consult of a doctor. </i><br />
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<b>Menopausal symptoms:</b><br />
<ul>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CegqNvruShI/UWHhk6w3MvI/AAAAAAAAbGQ/ZVQqRIylVJc/s1600/menopause+and+cramps.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CegqNvruShI/UWHhk6w3MvI/AAAAAAAAbGQ/ZVQqRIylVJc/s320/menopause+and+cramps.png" width="320" /></a>
<li>Lack of sleep: We all know if our sleep patterns get messed up our training gets messed up. And, women in menopause experience this a lot. Fatigue sets in and it becomes very difficult to even have the desire to workout, let alone the energy. Working women/moms will find this even harder since they are already struggling to find time to workout with their busy schedules. Throwing them off by even and hour can be devastating to some of their training. </li>
<li>Weight gain: Broadly speaking, for every 1 lb you lose, you shave off 2 seconds/mile on the run. So, in theory, if you lose 5 lbs, you can shave off 2 minutes on a half marathon. Alternatively, if you gain weight, you'll tend to get slower. This can be a huge "downer" to the competitive athlete whether they are competing against themselves or others. </li>
<li>"Brain fog": First of all, exactly what is brain fog? Well, it's lack of concentration, lack of focus, not being able to problem solve, etc. This can play out in many ways and many times women chalk it up to "old age" but it's just another of the menopause symptoms that can cause these athletes to become really frustrated and possibly perform less desirable than they intend.</li>
<li>Hot flashes/Night Sweats: Yeah, we all get sweaty when we workout but the hot flashes tend to give some women heat intolerance. Women have said it is sometimes so bad they have to incorporate a run/walk method where they never have in the past. Or, they can barely ride one hour on the bike when they previously had no problems. Another problem with sweating so much is the loss of Magnesium in the body. Many athletes are concerned about loss of electrolytes during training and starting a workout already depleted of magnesium is cause for concern. Foods high in magnesium include: green vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts and refined grains.</li>
<li>Headaches: Some women have headaches more frequently, some experiencing migraines for the first time in their life. </li>
<li>Irregular periods: What use to be normal is now NOT! Some women struggle dealing with an extremely heavy flow when it comes to training.</li>
<li>Backaches: This is one symptom that can really hinder performance. Women experiencing backaches should be sure to see a doctor so they can be treated correctly. </li>
<li>Mood changes: Although this may or may not hinder an athletes performance, everyone around them needs to know this! Moods can change RAPIDLY in a woman experiencing menopause! </li>
<li>Loss of muscle mass: Although this is probably not something women recognize physically, menopause brings with it a significant loss of muscle mass. This will, in turn, put the athlete at a greater risk for injury. To combat this, women in menopause should increase the amount of strength training in their weekly plan.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Menopausal treatments:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Hormone therapy: Obviously this is something you need to discuss with your doctor because they'll need to do some blood work on you. But, going down this path seems to have worked wonders for some women.</li>
<li>Birth control pill: If a woman isn't on the birth control pill, it could greatly help regulate some of the menopausal symptoms.</li>
<li>Other medications: Some antidepressants have helped control symptoms such as hot flashes.</li>
<li>Isoflavones: Isoflavones are found in some soy products (soy beans, chickpeas, lentils) and have been found to relieve symptoms such as hot flashes.</li>
<li>Vitamin E: Some women have reported Vitamin E helps to reduce hot flashes but studies warn having more than 400 IU/day may not be safe.</li>
<li>Black Cohosh: This is a herbal remedy to help relieve women of some of some symptoms such as hot flashes. Studies show it's best to use it for up to 6 months only. </li>
<li>Melatonin: This has been known to help people sleep better at night. However, some people experience vivid nightmares while taking it. </li>
<li>Other natural remedies: Items such as licorice, dong quai, chasteberry, and wild yam have been used by some but, again, studies have not proven it's safety or effectiveness.</li>
</ul>
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*Note: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I'm sure this isn't an exhaustive list of symptoms or treatments but I wanted to do a little research on the subject for my readers. Any other advice is more than welcome - please post in the comment section below.</div>
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The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-39272305545828762822013-04-04T07:08:00.000-04:002013-04-04T07:09:42.892-04:00What would you do with an extra hour?Four days ago I embarked upon a 30 day journey with my <a href="http://www.rev3tri.com/" target="_blank">Rev3</a> Teammate, <a href="http://www.trimommylife.com/" target="_blank">Trimommy</a> as part of her #Project30Days.<br />
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As part of my journey, I decided I would no longer lay around in my bed all morning (7 am...) but would start getting up NO LATER than 6 am. There is so much that can be done in just that one hour but, when I get up even earlier I feel like I've made great strides in getting my life back on track. So, what has changed in just these four days?</div>
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<li>There aren't piles of laundry to be cleaned</li>
<li>There aren't dirty dishes in the sink (although there will be in about 30 minutes when my kids wake up!)</li>
<li>Candles are lit early in the morning making the house smell fresh (this is something I really love!)</li>
<li>Floors are vacuumed.</li>
<li>Business projects have been completed.</li>
<li>The stack of paperwork on my desk has been organized.</li>
<li>HEALTHY breakfasts have been fixed (typically cereal is part of our morning ritual. Not now!).</li>
<li>Started blogging more.</li>
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And...all it took was waking up an hour early for only the past four days. Imagine what I'll accomplish in the next 26 days!</div>
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If you had an extra hour in the day how would you spend it?</div>
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The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-27742966557118461832013-04-03T13:00:00.003-04:002013-04-03T13:00:48.803-04:00Blocks, flips, and a BIG R!A few months ago I signed up for my FIRST SWIM MEET EVER! Yeah, I'm kinda nervous just saying those words. Swimming is obviously not my strong point and I'll have 1000 meters to prove that come April 19th.<br />
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When I first started in the sport of triathlon in 2008, my logic was this: I've swam since I was a kid (not on a team or anything competitive...just swimming), I've biked since I was a kid (certainly not on a tri bike...with aerobars), and I've been running since 2002. So, why not give it a try!<br />
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Years later I find myself in this sticky situation of getting ready to swim my first swim meet. I hear people talking about starting with a dive off the blocks...(note, this isn't a picture of me...)<br />
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and doing flip turns (otherwise known as flippy flip turns)...<br />
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and I realize just how unprepared I am for this meet. Of course, my team has offered training for both these but I've been unable to attend the clinics. </div>
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My fear for diving off the blocks is that I'll dive in and my goggles will go flying off my face. Then there is the unspoken fear (until now) of doing a belly flop! The unfortunate part of this is I'm unable to practice diving off the blocks due to some rule that I have to have a US Swimming Coach there while I'm using the blocks at my pool. The good news is, I'm able to dive off the side of the pool so at least I get some practice with the goggles. But, probably the most embarrassing part of all will be keeping that block position (above) while having my booty up in the air with a big "R" on it from my Rev3 shimmer suit! Great way to promote Rev3 but I'd rather hand out cards if you know what I mean! </div>
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Now, for some reason I do remember learning how to do flip turns as a kid. I know I took swim lessons at one point so it may have been there where I learned how to do them. But, as an adult, re-learning the flip turn is something I never thought I'd have to do...EVER! Even in most pool triathlons, flip turns aren't allowed. And there is no reason to use a flip turn whatsoever in an open water swim. But, at the age of 47 (yeah, I know, I still look like I'm in my 20's!), I find myself in the pool practicing flip turns. The good news: doing a flip turn is similar to riding a bike - it comes back to you quickly. The bad news: I have way too much pool water up my nose (yes, I blow out through my nose during the entire turn). </div>
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Well, I have less than three more weeks to train for this swim meet and then my TRIATHLON SEASON begins!!! I couldn't be more excited!The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-12825153113216349562013-04-01T11:26:00.001-04:002013-04-01T11:26:59.656-04:00How will you spend your time in the next 30 days?I have to laugh. I was thinking of writing today's post about how I spend my time on a daily basis. So, when I logged on to Facebook, I found my friend had already talked about this on her <a href="http://www.trimommylife.com/2013/04/busy.html?showComment=1364826828930#c192768658991977042" target="_blank">blog </a>!<br />
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Some days...okay, MOST days...I find myself totally into my work on the computer...and...let's be honest...playing around on the computer...that I feel just like trimommy...like I've wasted the whole day.<br />
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I'm going to join trimommy in <a href="http://www.trimommylife.com/p/project30days.html" target="_blank">#project30days</a>. Won't you join me, too? In my #project30days I will:<br />
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<li>Get up early every day (yep, just like trimommy). I'm a big morning person and I've been slacking off getting up early lately. When I get up early I get much more accomplished with my day. So, for the next 30 days, I will get up no later than 6 am.</li>
<li>Spend QUALITY time with each of my kids individually every day. It's hard having a 14 yr old boy in the house because statistically speaking teens don't want to hang out with their parents. Oh well, he's going to spend time with me and he's going to LOVE it! :) It's easier to spend that quality time with my daughter because I homeschool her and she's with me all the time. But, some days I feel we're all about "work" and never about quality time. So, it's time for some quality with her, too!</li>
<li>Stick to my workout schedule! I know this might seem crazy coming from me but I've been really slacking this winter. I think training for my 140.6 set me back a bit and I've just been taking it too easy this winter. Time to get serious! I have a swim meet (my first EVER!) in three weeks, a half marathon in four weeks, and my first triathlon of the season - Rev3 Knoxville Olympic in five weeks! YIKES! I need to get busy!!!</li>
<li>Commit to 2x/week strength training. Gotta get it done!</li>
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What will YOU do for the next 30 days?</div>
The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-35602564147264958312013-03-26T15:52:00.005-04:002013-03-26T15:52:59.515-04:00Tell me about Lyme<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No, I didn't misspell the title. I'm not talking about this: </div>
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I'm talking about this:</div>
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Yesterday, I found out that my 7 year old daughter has Lyme. I only know a little bit about it but the past 24 hours have been very educational. So, I'm going to share what I have learned so far in hope that it will help someone else out.</div>
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One of the most important lessons I've learned is that there are doctors who, believe it or not, say they don't believe that chronic Lyme disease exists and that it's all in the patient's head. From my understanding, this is starting to change. But, there are Lyme doctors that are being ostracized across the nation by their medical peers for their belief in Lyme as a real disease!</div>
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One of my good friend posted some myths about Lyme on her Facebook page and, for now, I'm going to share these with you.</div>
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Myth: You cannot die from Lyme Disease</div>
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Truth: yes, you can. People die from Lyme-related illnesses every year.</div>
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Myth: Local Lyme tests are accurate.</div>
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Truth: No. This is maybe one of the biggest myths. Not only do doctors NOT test for co-infections, they do not look at the details of the Western Blot or other Lyme tests being used. Always ask for a detailed copy of your blood work. </div>
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Myth: Lyme symptoms are exclusive to Lyme</div>
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Truth: Misdiagnosis is huge with Lyme and tick-born diseases. Common misdiagnosis are: ADHD, Fibromyalgia, MS, Lupus, Growing pains, depression, behavior issues, etc.</div>
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Myth: If you don't have a bulls eye appear, you are Lyme free.</div>
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Truth: Less than 50% (possibly even as low as 30%) of Lyme patients develop a bulls eye. </div>
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Myth: Everyone has the same symptoms; therefore; the same treatment</div>
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Truth: Almost every single patient is treated differently. Common symptoms include fatigue, aches and pains, heel pain (especially in children), headaches, floaters (vision spots), forgetfulness, and moodiness.</div>
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Myth: Only deer ticks carry Lyme disease and co-infections</div>
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Truth: Lyme has been detected in dog ticks, mosquitoes, and horse flies. </div>
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Myth: The tick must be attached for more than 24 hours to infect you.</div>
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Truth: If it is attached at all or leaves even a tiny mark, it is enough.</div>
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I'll be posting more as I learn more. Please feel free to share your experiences.</div>
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<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-30359714919869860632013-03-21T12:36:00.001-04:002013-03-21T12:37:26.450-04:00What's a name for your cup?Starbucks Employee: May I help you<br />
Me: I'll take a tall Americano with room<br />
Starbucks Employee: What's a name for your cup?<br />
Me: Tracy<br />
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Later I was kicking myself. Why would I name my cup "Tracy?" I mean, there are so many more unique names than Tracy...for MY CUP! "Cuppie," "Sippie," "Roberta," "Henrietta!" Why did I lack such creativity in my response?<br />
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Sometimes I'm just not as creative when I need to be IN THE MOMENT! Are you ever like that? Share with me a time when you wish you would have been WAY MORE CREATIVE in your response to someone.<br />
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Speaking of creativity...when I was in Israel a few years ago, someone had a VERY creative idea...Stars & BUCKS! They aren't kidding!!!! Somehow I think this might be illegal, though...<br />
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<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-65724228399370194572013-03-18T18:38:00.002-04:002013-03-18T18:38:46.923-04:00Lacking motivationIt was a cold and rainy day....<br />
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It was a wet and freezing day...<br />
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It was a yucky day...<br />
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My life today feels just like the weather. Have you ever had one of those days? One of those weeks? One of those months? Maybe even one of those years? <br />
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I'm going to be honest...going to be raw...I've gotta get this off my chest...<br />
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There are days like today when I just don't even want to leave the house. I want to just sit and watch the rain fall from the comfort of my easy chair! I don't want to work. I don't want to workout. I don't want to talk to friends. I have no desire to do anything productive. It takes all I can muster to sit here and write this blog. Because, like I said, I want to just sit and watch the rain fall.<br />
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What can a person do that has no motivation? What do you do? What tricks do you play with your mind? Or am I the only crazy one out there?<br />
<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-52680784041853430322013-02-18T10:28:00.000-05:002013-02-18T11:30:23.568-05:00Race Report: George Washington Birthday Marathon & Relay<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Race: GW Marathon Relay</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Date: Feb 18, 2013</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Location: Greenbelt, MD</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Race Type: Marathon relay: 7.4 miles</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">------------ --</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Race Report:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'd like to think of this race as my #1 bipolar race! there were some really high "highs" and some really low "lows." And, as I watched everything unfold, it was quite interesting.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I was excited about this race as it would be my first ever relay and I was partnered up with two pretty awesome runners - Erica & Maureen.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I knew this was going to be a tough race with temperatures in the low 20's and winds gusting from 20-30 mph! YIKES! But, only a few weeks ago I had run 6 miles in very similar temps and my leg of this race was only 7.4 miles. So, I was confident. The only problem was my training hadn't taken me up and down a bunch of hills nor had the wind gusts been quite so strong on that day. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">My hamstrings have been an issue for the past few months and I haven't made it to the doctor - something I would totally have told someone ELSE to do. (Note: I did get a referral to go to a doctor last Friday! Brownie points?). With my hamstrings all tied up in knots, I've really only had a few training runs since Jan 1st but, hey, I've run this distance a million times so SURELY it wouldn't be a problem!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">If I'm honest, the bulk of my day was less about racing and more about cheering! My lovely relay partners had 9.6 and 9.2 miles respectively. Since the race was three big loops, Team Z had one cheer station set up and we ROCKED THE Z (and, of course, I rocked the big green Z wig...hey, it was warmer than my running hat!).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">When it was time for me to run I was all prepared! I took off with a good pace and was feeling great. The beginning of my loop was a short downhill and I thought to myself "Awesome, I love downhills! This is going to be a great race!" Yeah, that lasted for about a minute! I then saw a slight uphill...then another downhill...and an uphill...yeah, you get the point. It was a rolling course (which, of course I knew because I had read Coach Alexis' emails before the race!). I just figured those "rolling hills" he mentioned couldn't possibly be much different than the WOD trail I train on most of the time. But, as I told my relay partners several times on the trip to the race - once you cross over into Maryland it's a different world in many, MANY ways...and this was just one of those ways!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Anyway, with the hamstring issues, IT band issues, cold, wind, snow, etc...this race just wasn't working for me! And, at certain points, I walked the hills...but not for long...it was too dang cold to stop moving! However, during one of my walking points a girl came alongside of me who really made my day. Her name was Carly and she was 17 years old running her first marathon (poor girl - not the greatest "first time friendly" race!). She was from PA and was in cross country and track so she had a good foundation of running. But, as she told me, she really underestimated a marathon! Walking up the hill, we decided to start running close to the top in anticipation for our next downhill. As it turned out, that downhill was our downhill into transition. So, I quickly moved ahead of her. Her dad had joined her by this time and commented how strong I was as I was passing them. I said, Oh, I'm just getting ahead of her so I can have my team cheer for her up ahead. So, as I came up to the Team Z cheer team I announced for them to cheer for Carly - a first time marathoner who was 17 years old. The crowd began cheering in typical Z fashion and it helped push Carly through that moment in time. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">As it turns out, I was at the finish line when Carly finished. Her parents were so grateful for Team Z's cheers and her mom said when she heard my announcement at transition she actually began crying. It was so very touching for her...and Carly's dad. As Carly crossed the finish line, I couldn't help it...I began crying like a big baby. I was so thrilled for her to complete this goal. She then came over and gave me a big hug while her mom snapped away with the camera. We were all in tears! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I remember my first marathon. I remember those feelings of crossing the finish line. And, with that, my day was made! </span></span><br />
<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682486158808015390.post-69135394204690365112013-02-04T12:48:00.002-05:002013-02-04T12:48:54.117-05:00In Honor of RobinBeing new to Team Rev3, I've not had the pleasure to meet most of them yet. But, with the hundreds of emails, Facebook and Twitter posts a week I already feel so connected to many of them.<br />
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One of my teammates, Michael, was hit very hard this week. He and his three lovely little daughters were devastated by the sudden loss of his beautiful wife. It is hard to know what to say in a situation like this but I just wanted to take time to honor this woman.<br />
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I may have never known Robin but here are the things I DO know that her friends and family have shared...<br />
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- She was RADIANT.<br />
- She was a loving wife and mother<br />
- She was loved by her friends and family<br />
- She was a hard worker<br />
- She was "beautiful, vibrant, fun & kind"<br />
- She always had a "kind word" and an "open heart"<br />
- Her "positive outlook, friendliness and kindness were infectious."<br />
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...and more than anything...she has gone too soon and she will be greatly missed.<br />
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Praying for your heart to heal....<br />
<br />
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<br />The Lifestyle Shackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988042723195135803noreply@blogger.com0