runpurcellrun

Sarcasm from the peanut gallery

2011-12-12T23:05:00.000-08:00

So it has taken me a few months to accept my lack of skill set to finish what I call my biggest race...CP. But not only do I forgive myself I wish Just today I rode 76 miles on my mt bike and thought that was failing. :). Winters get hard around here.. Even though we trail run, occasional mt bike and keep up with weights the intensity and the duration is 1/10. I am leaning pretty heavy on the 100k or 50k in Ireland. When I think of it - I zone out and workout harder and feel really happy. I think it's a sign. I will promise once I make my decision I won't be moving or buying a new home weeks prior. Nothing but train. Although I would never trade finishing CP for the home I live in now, it's truly the best thing in my life beside family (which includes D and C) - and also the move and no training is the excuse I give myself...however I can sleep at night saying I never have been happier in my life... So I need some races to suffer through and put the smack down on my training. I give myself one week to make a big race calendar (and small races) for 2012. And what I say I'm going do I will or at least leave everything I have out there. I am also applying for paramedic school which also makes me happy. Looking forward to the rest of December and 2012.

I'm not going to lie

2011-08-07T23:14:00.000-07:00

The measle vaccine kicked the snot out of me ...

Simpler

2011-07-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

My brain is back to normal today. So I am hoping to move the story forward tonight and not drag out a DNF race report. I ate healthy and drank a ton a water today and my body feels night and day. I feel great. My legs and body feel good and healthy and I want back on my bike to try this again the right away.

I hope anyone would know most of the way I write is tongue and cheek.. I am not giving myself credit that I am funny.. but I am saying don't read what I write in a literal voice. :) In fact to tell the story better I could A) read it to you with the fluxation B) tell you in person or C) just stick to the short story DNF.

However I would like to note that I had put that the food problem was mine. I would like to stress again their aid station people were amazing, you got cheered on and even coaxed to ride more. I did get gatorade, glass of chocolate milk and one of the staions.. down at the bottom the mechanics even look at your bike while you fuel up. Which was amazing...so emphasis again... the people and the race was amazing. My lack of nutrients was my down fall.. again getting to that.. next post straight to the point...

Long or short story

2011-07-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

short story DNF

STOP (reading if you chose short story)

we all have our race.. and we hold ourselves accountable by shouting to the world I am going to ride a 100 mtb race... and then it's out there. Then you see all sorts of friends come out of the woodwork. You have friends that aren't quite sure why your announcing it because their friend rides the STP daily, or friends that ride 100 miles plus do a run and swim.. but for you (or as in MY case) this will be the biggest thing I have ever done to date. STP-ing, ironman-ing isn't better or any less its just different (well ironman is pretty big),,,so is STP-ing.. just trying to make a point..hold on.. so equally we have all put in the time physically and mentally (well in my case just mentally and that is why there is a big DNF hanging by my name) but any way you look at it it just a k away with a whole lot of pain to get there..

sidelined -I had a friend that ran a 100 miles the same weekend and climbed 30,000 ft PLUS! and not only did I expect him to finish I expected and hoped that he would win. That might entitle a bit more pressure.. but again.. suffering = winning, losing, finishing or DNF.. come judgement day.. I say bring it.. there isn't any thing left out there I haven't beaten my self up about after that noise! 11 hours on a mtb???

Some friends say 50 percent of racing is getting to the start line other friends say 50 percent is how you fuel.. So who wants to meet me mile one with some great food after I start and then a beer? Well there is something in between those 50 percents and that is the whole story..

I have two important sidelines again before I forget and I finally sleep (PS I rode 76 miles.. we will get to that)

Side line 3,000
What the hek? I never understood a race that says "fully supported fuel" and you glance at the table and see CRAP. I have zero sponsors.. and don't expect any after this bash..about a product.. but really? I am dying in a 100 degrees they say "what do you want?" "nuun." "we have gu brew" "sounds good" one sip and I spit it out... sugar water.. ?? sorry I can a gu...for quick sprints..barely. sparingly..gu brew?? get off the table.. kool-aid on the course.. that hurt.. I guess I don't get the support table that puts out licorice and fishes (I could see their view point "they ate that shit up" - really? I was on my mt bike for ten hours and I am starving, I would eat the dead snake I just crossed if I nobody was riding beside me..... (however most food problems... my fault -I will get to that..)

sideline 3001...then strait to the point what broke

Looping me on her last lap -Rebecca Rush came so close to me and said, "you go girl" and she sincerely meant it with her kick ass self (she is really pretty too) .. but then what my brain heard was "been there, done that.. when I was 5 on a big wheel"

to be continued....mom :)

JPC adventure race

2011-05-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

JPC adventure race

Have you ever wondered what it would like to add the fun and charm of
JPC to an adventure race? Well it's time to chose your poison

Race categories and descriptions

Cat 1- couch potatoes -I have always wanted to do a mini amazing race
style but I'm too out of shape but want to participate

Cat 2 - Thrill seekers- get ready to get your heart pumping (which
doesn't always mean endurance

Cat 3 - The Ultimate - trail running, mt biking, orienteering with a
few adventures that will make your heart stop - no bush whacking it's
the ultimate endurance test

Cat 4 -I want it all -it's the ultimate (read above) with beer, coca
cola and a bacon burger after party

Thank you,

JPC
Race Director

If no cat is chosen you will be placed in Cat 5 - this is fk'd - find
JPC genuinely lost in mountain (ps I have Capone)

Momar May 2010

2010-09-09T21:59:00.001-07:00

2nd Place four person coed

Mt Biking

2010-04-26T23:14:00.000-07:00

I love Speedy Reedy

2010-04-18T21:29:00.000-07:00

I have been very happy about our Training for the next adventure race. Lot of double workouts and mostly a lot of time on the mt bike. Thru thick and thin no weather conditions, sickness and earaches has kept us from training except today...

First stop Speedy Reedy because Mac loaned out his bike shoes and he needed to get cleats for his Sidi's that fit his other pedals.

Next on our way to Redhook brewery for a 40 mile ride on our road bikes and then all of a sudden I shut the door and little did I know, Mac's new car automatically locks. I locked everything in the car- his wallet, keys, both phones, and both set of appt keys and his spare to my apartment key... aaah.... I did have my wallet in my back jersey (very rare).

Mac put his head down and and said we don't even have helmets. He said "stay here I am riding home and will be right back." I then said "lets just go to back to Speedy Reedy buy helmets, ride to your place together and count that as part of the ride"

Then after Speedy Reedy we are on our way to be what would have been a nice little ride, snafu behind us, we can get spare truck keys at Mac's and the sun is out and then a hill comes up and I have to get out of the saddle and my left foot comes crushing down to the grown pulling the pedal and and staying clipped in to my cleat stripping it on the way down. Mac said he could tell I was hurt the way I landed on the seat then bar and didn't speak for a moment. (Might be too much to mention what the injury is) -I was in so much pain and really cranky - I just didn't even want to move or do anything.. then Mac noticed that my other pedal was not even screwed in and although he was unable to fix the left pedal he put in the right pedal as much as he could and then I rode back to Speedy Reedy with one pedal and in a bit of pain but I was cranky so it outweighed everything and just wanted to get my bike fixed.

Unfortunately it was stripped so he hard to re-thread and he mention that it was not a permanent solution and he then saw the right pedal and cranked that it. I tried to pay and even tip, he was like "no worries, go out there and ride"

They are amazing at the store. I always enjoy working with Reed and Shannon. Or all of the employees.

So then we finally rode to Mac got spare keys and it turned out to be a 10 mile ride instead of this long intended ride, for so many reasons. Despite set backs we still managed to get some training in and there plenty of training days ahead.

Mime after Mime (by Cyndi Lauper)

2010-03-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

I am eating my words.. My photographer friend has evidence to contrary to the post below. I had plenty of time for food or coffee but I was the distracting myself.

However I do think the food or coffee would not have made the difference. Something felt off. The last time I felt like that I had mono and an enlarged spleen. May need to see a doctor do I say, "I ran slow? slower??"

titles for teammates since its Oscar night

RVG -Navigator King and humanitarian (feeding 150 people for cleaning up the trails before race!

Rinn -Bad ass and tow King

JVG - Best costume within a costume

Mac -Best performer and mime (hello secret dream improv?)

JPC -wanker

Mime over Matter

2010-03-06T22:18:00.000-08:00

Today started out not like any day but should be every day....

the sun rises and you think "Today... is the day I race as a mime!"

Then your head loses it from there and you think "all great Mimes think alike", "can you give me the mime?" (while looking at your watch)!

Then it's really about what is expected from you if you roll in the adventure racers crowd is to run your guts out on their birthday.

Ouch...

Ok, so maybe I didn't wake up thinking I run as a mime. My honest thought I NEED COFFEE! That's it. Simple.

But I wake up to the cutest being alive and he needs a run and pee break. So we take a small jaunt (he expected and deserved much more and was shocked at our turn around point). I start the coffee maker and hop in the shower. Before I can finish any task the phone is ringing and people are on there way to my home to get ready. Of course I think -get dressed, make up on and then you can make food and have COFFEE. However, it didn't work that way. It was a stager in and a new introduction to the drill (the costume, make up, etc). I am thinking my friends will enjoy a mimosa and I will cook food for them and I will have a coffee. None of that happened. I didn't even get a glass of water. waaaaaaaah.. It sounds like that kind of story but honestly today was one of the greatest days EVER.

This is the first time Trioba has a team member that is dressing in Costume. It is a members actual birthday and another member went a morning without coffee (ok- I think you got it or you are over it by now).

We dressed as Mimes! We were running late to the race and sprinted there and still missed the bus that the teams were supposed to be on. At this point its all about fun and just hitting the check points.

For me though each foot is taking a long time to land on the ground and then I noticed that I am running in slow motion. I know we dressed as Mimes, but I am not supposed to run like a mime. I could not get any energy in me, wind in my lungs OR a second wind -well there was no first wind so second wind would be pushing it.

Then it reminded me of every beginning of a race at the first half mile, it hurts, I am slow, then I pick up the pace and then game on. I am not sure what is was today if I just couldn't get my groove and my pace going but thank goodness for the funniest teammates alive and the costumes. We were out there in the sun enjoying life (their perspective maybe scewed because they were waiting on me)

At one point with the my face painted, gloves on, hat, under armor, my yellow orange hair I was like eee gads, "I am hot and dehydrated with no place to sweat, every paramedics nightmare!" At this point I turn to Rinn and say, "I can't take it, please help me rip this under armor off and he agrees and as his hand rises to help me tear my under shirt off and his hand was bloody mess. No I am not British! it was a BLOODY mess. I am like what the hell? I had seen parts of a glove hanging on a fence we hopped and thought it was a decision of one of our teammates to keep on a moving. I had no idea that Aaron's glove was the product of a pretty big tear in his hand! And he was using the other part of the glove as compression and he kept his fist closed.

SO with this in my mind, knowing Rinn ripped his hand open (for a friend and a teammate it was awful - for someone that likes blood and gore -It was awesome) -however I flashback to my first 24 hour race when I went to say my shoulder is KILLING me when I looked up and saw RVG carrying my gear, the teams gear and his and plus some. I felt shame.

So Rinn running around with a bloody hand and I can't get my groove on from lack of food and hydration -that put me into check MATE immediately! That is one tough MIME. I still have so much to learn. So I run and put my attitude back and start enjoying the fact that we are running, we are out there, we started late and started seeing teams! The people of Seattle loved us. It's true!!! We were fairly uncompetitive until we saw we were close to the other teams. Originally we stopped for many photos shoots and mime acts until the last bit of the race and was hoping to place.

We took third over all and I was very sad to lose the physical Colinoba cup we won last year. But at least we won best costume overall! And I learned a very valuable lesson today from Rinn and other teammates AND I need to do some wind sprints!! I used to be good at stop and go but not today!

My teammates were great. We had fun! Life is good. I got an espresso on the course -BEST espresso ever! The first water I had on the course was great too!

What an amazing race. Thank you Colinoba!!! PS Robin I want my trophy back -I am coming after you!

Addendum (from previous post)

2009-12-28T16:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, lard ass was a little extreme especially when I caught my reflection in the mirror when I was working out. Very very scrawny! This does not change how I feel and what I know about my diet and this program Sparkpeople (an Iphone application) I am not fully convinced of yet. It does point out the obvious -I eat way to much fat but I had no idea my protein what so low. I have weighed in every morning which is new and won't last probably passed today. Its really not important but interesting. The only time I usually know my weight is at the doctor. So small goal, lower fat and sugar and add protein. One problem with a person like me who craves sugar and fat foods is the application may be dangerous. I was trying to type in coffee so I could add it to my daily diet and up comes a list of coffees including Dunkin Donuts. Dunkin Donuts has the highest amount of calories with milk and sugar. A normal person would think, "don't drink the coffee there" -I think, "why is there so much calories, does it taste better?" My friends on the East Coast go there so I think this is a must try - so I go to dunkin donuts and it taste like water (the first day) and now I am addicted four days in. See what kind of OCD I am dealing with, knock 1,2, 3!

Onward to better things. Although the temperature in not blazing in AZ for lying around the pool it is perfect temperature for riding and running. You can actually feel the sun on your face and that is good enough! I love it. The picture above is Pinnacle Peak. Its a nice run.

McDowell Mountain.

I could go there every day. It cost six dollars for one vehicle into the park and they encourage mt biking. They give you up a map of all trails and have you pumped up even before you can park. The trails there are endless for biking and they have three different race courses to train on.

One ride we did was really like a track but a slight uphill and coming down was super fast with lots water poles to go over. It was amazingly fun. One ride -I read later was mostly for hikers and horses was so rocky my arms felt fuzzy on the uphills and downhill.

It was amazing the different types of terrain in one place. We go back tomorrow or run pinnacle peak again. Our hotel is staring right at Pinnacle asking for you to run it. :)

anything to be faster.. not about well being

2009-12-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

of course I am kidding. what I am eating right now could give me a heart attack.

After being in the car for 25 hours plus I had a lot of time to reflect and eat a lot of double doubles, slurpees, candy and anything else in the junk food category and I came to the conclusion I am a lard ass disguised in medium fit body.

I would like to believe I could just eat what I want and not obsess or feel guilty about the foods I eat and enjoy. There is a happy medium for sure. In fact I have a TON of wiggle room before I hit happy medium.

There are a million more foods I can enjoy and continue with the bacon burgers and cupcakes if I add nutrition. I can finally feel the weight of all these foods I currently eat and I think its slowing me down, causing insomnia, etc.

I have written down the last few days worth of food I have eaten without calories or measurement just to see it on paper. It is truly alarming.

Its a whole lot of common since that fast food should not be on a healthy eating plan, some times its just the easy route and sometimes I just crave it. So instead of a strict diet I am just planning on adding in vegetables (don't make fun of me, if you grew up on canned string beans you wouldn't like vegetables either) :), I need to add a lot more water, protein and vitamins.

Since I started writing down and knowing I am going to have to write down what I eat, I have already skipped on the fast food and starting eating relatively healthy. I had my first carrot. Just checking if anyone was paying attention or not. I do like raw vegetables and will start there. I also did my first weigh in when it comes to possibly shedding pounds. I don't mind my weight if I can transform some of my fat to muscle but I don't want to lose fat and muscle because very important I keep my buff arms and ripped six pack....:)

It's nice to be out of Seattle and have some healthy goals while I am away. I am Mt biking tomorrow with Mac and Martin. Really looking forward to it. Also taking Capone on a trail run. Should be a great day.

I need HELP!

JPC

Big Blue 24 hour adventure

2009-09-15T01:58:00.001-07:00

I have a fun story to post but I thought these pictures would just remind me of the first 24 hour race that VG's took Mac and I through. From the beginning post race dinner to after eating dinner was the best food I have ever had. Its been since August 1st and I can official say the 4 hour paddle is no longer a threat and I can sleep soundly at night knowing my arm will not fall off. The whole thing was amazing. The VG's were strong and a lot of fun. Story to follow~ But the pictures below are just a tiny fraction of what was in our adventure that includes lightning and hailing storms while we were on a 9500ft mountain, how great Mac and Ryan looked after the race, a finishing photo and the beautiful JVG drinking a well deserved glass of wine. Thank you VG's and Mac! I also have fun film of searching for water to an empty lake then a stream where we treated the water. RVG's goal was to use everything in our mandatory gear.. not just to use but if we had to... and it just so happen we did. :)

Super Jock and JIll

2009-09-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

Ran the super jock and Jill with Mac, Alix and Nicole. Marty C was there did great support for his wife which turned into support for me and Mac (we over dressed). Marty also ran with Alix and I to the finish line and was full of energy and pushing a stroller - made us run faster and made us look bad (in a good way). He was awesome! There was no start time mat and we were in the bathroom with the gun went off, time could have just been a few minutes better.. and some gear problems as always. I also had to recover once from inhaling water.. I pinched the cup, drank it slow, and still breathed in and drank... was a decent time for running the day before at Cougar (which I wouldn't take back to even shave a second of time) I love running trails.

talk about an a++ whooping

2009-07-09T00:34:00.000-07:00

holy cow, worse race performance to date.

during the race I had a small panic attack because my face was so hot and I went to touch it and there was no sweat.

i have been so sick and dehydrated the last time they gave me medicine for my ear I got two IV bags of fluid. It stressed me out racing like I shouldn't even be there. I decided then and there I am going to take it easy, but I didn't even have to try to take it easy, my fastest pace was like a slug, I really rode my bike and ran in slow motion. It was AWFUL!

however, that aside, it had to be the most fun endings of race ever. One teammate from each team that came in before a certain cut off were in a real live 5k (with bibs and an announcer) in a stadium with a bunch of adventure racer hecklers! I LOVED IT.

we screamed, "Rudy, Rudy" as Mac crossed last over the finish line. He still had a great time for someone who literally had to drag me through the entire race and he was running up against Bone, Miles, H, Etc.. so of the ten that were eligible to run he did amazing!

The Beast

2009-07-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

I decided blogging for me will all be about copy and paste...:). Too many typos.

but I better copy this note because I may never see my name in the lead again.

ha. that sounded bad. knock on wood. knock, knock, knock. however there is a race tonight. I am pretty sick (due to ear medication) and D has an injured foot (no excuses) but we are going out to have fun and get on our feet and time in the saddle!

so here it my 15 minutes of fame (ok it might be 5 seconds but if you read two hundred times like I did then it could be 15 minutes.)

BEAST #4 is just around the corner, and as the temperatures are heating up so are the point standings!

Looks like Cory Systma has a sizeable lead over Jeff Brink, but there are several racers with just two races so far (best three are counted), that could change things drastically. In the womens category, Jill Purcell is ahead, but Connie Ness or Sarah Bruce could take over 1st with a strong performance.

Eric Bone

plagirism

2009-06-18T03:16:00.000-07:00

ok, not technically, because I am just copying and pasting and Eric's email and A member from Team Manny's and not claiming it to be my own. I just couldn't write a better report and I am 30 races, runs, events, breakdowns :), behind in posts. So here goes this but pretty soon out of date events... because I need to tell you how incredible WEMT went.

ok back to the beast report from Tolt (not last weeks) -that I will write myself.

From Eric Bone

BEAST Athletes, Volunteers and Friends,

Kudos to all of you who toughened it out in last Wednesday's miserable conditions, you are true Northwesteners! (except for team Manny's+ who ended up in the bar early, see Marty's didn't-race report below...., sometimes you gotta know when to fold em!)

Tolt-MacDonald Park and the surrounding trails made an excellent, challenging venue for last week's race. The mountain biking and navigation on this course were definitely at the technical end of the spectrum (probably our toughest ever - Eric even made some wrong turns while picking up the markers), but not one of you complained--we are truly impressed.

The race started with an extremely tricky Micro-Orienteering event, followed by a big hill ride then some motalla loops on the bikes to spread the field. After a trekking loop it was all downhill to the finish, where Carol served up some always appreciated BEAST grub, the chilli was again one of the racer's favorites.

now Team Manny's

Report from Marty Couret of Manny's =======
Team Manny’s descended on Carnation with a dream of a gorgeous day and a great race. What was returned to them was 100% chance of rain and a great race? Unlike years past, 2009 is the year of the rain drop.

Mark pulled up in his huge bright orange monster truck got out and looked at Marty and said, “Are we really going to race in this?” To which he responded, “I hate racing in the cold and rain, and after last race I am seriously considering bagging this one.” Kari with her untested Mt bike still on Chips car looked up with hopeful eyes. “I don’t really want to race either.” Chip silently worked on his bike with Colin. Clint comes over with a look of dread on his face. We stand there in the pelting rain. Connie joins the group huddled under her water shedding gortex shell. Memories of last months cold and wet race are fresh in our minds.

We move out of the way for Jill and Dan to park. We tell them we are considering bagging the race and going to get a beer. Jill calls us wimps. Dan looks hopeful that Jill with change her mind. Then Marty does what he does best. He goes to his car and pulls out The Boot. He fills it with a growler of Manny’s Pale Ale and passes it around.

“So what are we going to do?” Kari pleads. “I think Chip wants to race. This weather is why Kara didn’t want to race.”

“I love adventure racing, but I think if I am cold and miserable one more time, I might give up the sport,” Marty replies.

“Clint, what do you want to do?” Marty asks.

Looking like a drowned green rat in his water soaked shell Clint says, “I can do whatever.”

“I am skipping it! I will just be bitter and cold if I race. But I have to wait for David, he was going to race with us,” exclaims Marty.

Eric Bone backs into a parking space close by. Marty runs over and relays his dismay with the weather and his regrets that he will not be racing.

Gary from Oregon’s Team Next Adventure mock us. We all agree that if our team sponsor paid for a van, travel expenses, and entry fees, we would race.

Dan, Jill, Carol, and Robin agree to keep a lookout for David.

“Well let’s get out of the rain,” Kari demands. We are already soaked.

Colin pipes in, “Let’s go to the Roadhouse!”

Eight of us load up into our cars and caravan down the road, stopping David on the way to invite him. He is determined to race.

Check Point 1: The Roadhouse is a fancier restaurant than anyone remembers. Worst of all they don’t have pitchers. That’s ok they have Manny’s on tap. They can’t be that bad. We laugh as we watch squall after squall dumps rain rapidly enlarging the puddles outside. We trade stories and roar as Mark transforms into Super Mark after just two beers. Here’s the line. Here is where he crossed it. Good times.

We all agree we need to do some long rides in the upcoming weeks to get in shape for TRIOBA. But the justification for bailing on the race is easy for us. We are after all, team Manny’s Pale Ale. We need to train our livers as well as our bodies. The Roadhouse has mediocre food and poor service. We excuse ourselves, and the road.

Check Point 2: Tavern. There is no name to this biker bar. Just “Tavern.” It has an eclectic lumberjack motif, guys wearing Harley shirts, UFC in the flat screens that drop from the ceiling, and pitchers of Manny’s. Chip is at home. Having grown up in Fall City, this is his hood. He hits the bar and rolls up to the table with a crisp cold can of Rainier.

The pictures on the wall sell this place. Random most wanted posters with Osama Bin Laden. Framed photos of two guys and their snowmobiles. The topper was a 2x3 foot black and white 1970s picture with 6 shirtless guys in short shorts and cutoffs sitting on a car looking as menacing as possible each cradling a gun. Two cases of Rainier Beer are carelessly set upon the roof. These are men…with guns. Their seriousness is offset by their Village People appearance.

Kari arrives with a pitcher of Manny’s and one of Sierra Nevada. Clint wanting to make a name for himself among this larger than life group of racers quickly downs his first beer. The others break the first rule of adventure racing, “Don’t follow the team in front of you,” and quickly down their next beer as well.

Check Point #3: The rain is finally letting up. We stroll out of the nearly empty bar to a 57 Chevy. The guys take off their shirts and pose with the car, shirtless, cold, happy, and with their own “Gun Show.” (Colin will send out the photo’s)

Overall, a fairly typical race. Chip navigated us effortlessly to the bar. Colin and Connie took pictures. Mark sprinted ahead like usual, and hit Super Mark status early. Marty posed for inappropriate pictures, and convinced others to do the same. Kari supplied the stories that make our lives sound dull. And Clint did what he usually does, lay low then finish ahead of you. To his credit, he was very talkative.

Sorry we ditched you David. Welcome to Team Manny’s!
We will all see you at TRIOBA soon.

On-On
Marty
Team Manny’s Pale Ale

WEMT

2009-04-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

I need to post and back track and will later but this is start for my mom.:) My fan.

So day 7.

My running is so slow. It's killing me but I have a new guarded gate for my knee. (Plus I'm sucking wind -gasping, whatever) wussitus! Elevation? A lot of mt. bikers here.. when the trails clear up I may rent if I get some more free time. Its just mornings and little breaks when in study room. Sometime evenings off but you have to practice your practical and study for written exams. A lot of people here already have their wfr or EMT's and are just looking to get both wilderness EMT and EMT B certs at the National level. One adventure race dude, coast guards, a guy from the Navy, girls are climbers and bikers, etc. I like 29 out of the 30 people here a lot. I just don't know that person(nobody does). There are 23 guys and 7 girls. One guy just dropped out. Everyone is very active!!!! I haven't been drinking soda or eating at McDonalds. Just water and nuun. Which everyone loves my nuun and my few bottle supply is almost depleted. I saw something in the ER room that I believe 99 percent of the population would not want to see. I love the wilderness stuff (the bloody broken bones survival stuff much more!) I woke up every morning since I have got here to run with a partner at 615. Today I ran 4.5 miles.

Bridle Trails 50K relay

2009-01-12T22:08:00.000-08:00

One of my new years resolutions is to start my blog back up.
slowly.....

Dart-Nuun celebrating

2008-10-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

After 72 hours Dart-Nuun takes home the victory.

2008-10-08T21:15:00.000-07:00

Congratulations To Mark and Marna

2008-08-13T20:06:00.001-07:00

What a fun weekend for wedding, to the first night of lightning and golf sized hail to the next day full of sunshine.

A lot of people we able to get out and bike and climb on Sun and Monday. I decided to save my knee and not bike, but it didn't stop me from doing flips or hanging upside down on the ropes they were testing before they went outside to climb

Marna and Mark looked down right gorgeous

Momar Canada

2008-07-29T23:52:00.000-07:00

The night before Momar in my hotel home
not a creature is stirring not even Capone.
Ok back it up. That's all a lie. First of all I couldn't sleep. But that is nothing new. But the big weight on me head of the night was my left knee injury and what a let down I will be to my teammate. I couldn't even walk up or downstairs with any sort of pressure. So the last I look at clock one am. Next almost an hour later starting to fade and Capone jumps on my chest with a long low growl. He was protecting me from an inaudible to the human ear but man eating moth. Out of bed again. Then just fear sank in. Will I just give up. Not start. 4am. 2 hours to sleep then woke up to , Jill you going to the race or what? Yes. So then and there thick thru thin I will finish the momar race. As we are I unloading the kayaking I feel more tearing in my knee. I try to stay positive and I positively hate myself and my knee ?and this is my good knee. As Dan runs the car back I hover and sit under the Momar volunteer tent eating a meatball Sandwich. Drinking a coke and whimpering about my knee. Brian's sister says "you are funny, you would never guess your an elite athlete." "I'm not." "Oh." Long awkward silence.. then we just laughed. I continued to pray for my knee instead of world peace. When we got into the kayaks I left it all out on the lake and we still were mid pack. Our 3 times leisure kayaking was no measure to this lengthy jaunt and I kept thinking I saw the turn around there would still be boats ahead. For two non serious kayakers I have to say our big muscles and strong core paid off and we made it through. Our transition was slow and all get out and it was my first let's move it. Foreshadowing to come of me dragging us down for further than a slow TA. On to the bikes. My knee hurt every pedal. This when my teammate reminded me internal dialogue wasn't meant to be heard by surrounding people. However when he did watch and realize I was in this game and not giving up he continued to give me props. Which is a smart way to keep me from wimpering. I rocked some technical downhills. I just did. My weakness was my climbing. Even though I was able stay on my bike 80 percent more on my climbs they are slow and cost us lots of time. The 2nd draw back was the hike a bike or push a bike over a 100 foot sandy hill cliff. Each step was deathly painful and I saw d run ahead and come back for me while he made it to the lip he. Started grabbing some girls and guys bikes and helping them out. As Dan's gets my bike to the top he helps a few more ladies and he looks strong I was proud. Last time killer for our team was my cleats and peddal set up. All three of those things set us back at least an hour and 15. We did not have to search for one check point because we landed on top of them. We even saw packs of people and Mac wasn't second second guessing himself he would be like this way Jill and I would follow. Dan said he was expected a couple of times he would turn and be surprised to see me or some sections on downhills he was expecting me off my either being thown or walking but instead he heard my internal dialogue again as I was praising myself. I kept saying good job. I rock. This rocks. It did feel like we would flow and then run into a section where we were hiking up and the teams would catch my gut would ache for Mac and my knee was cringing. Next came the river run which is truly a deadly combination speed. Wet rocks and a hurt knee. However the water submersion felt great. It was like a nice ice machine. I welcomed it. Then back to the bikes. I was thinking this was the longest single track in AR. My longest mt bike was the big fat at 52 miles. Most I welcoming and almost reveling in my own improvements but then again kicking myself where my knee hurts and off if our bike affected our time. Then back to the trails and then off again for a quick photo. Then on around the corner to the glorious checkpoints 14. 15. 16. My favorite part of the whole race. Swimming with a noodle in an amazing quarry. Then back on our bikes for a small ride to the orienteering. At this point my always painful knee kicked in and I just who cares and just run it. Damage is done and put pain aside. It was no sprint but with dead on nav and one purposeful checkpoint missed I was happy. My mind also switched gears from I feel so sorry for myself. Dan. Etc to everybody suffers and at a start of race and being at this point I would be hurting and I'm hear and never wished to quit but was excited to finish. Not sure taking risks like that on my body with that injury will happen again but I will not take back the experience of doing that Momar. The pain was worth it. I am even more amped to build leg strength for speed on those climbs. I'm actually going to do my first 50k. Just right after my my appt for the dr tomorrow. Oh did you know that d had stitches on his arm from a minor surgery. Yeah he didn't mention in, just saw the stitches... . back to heading to the finish line. How fun. We did a run down the hill could hear the announcements and it was a little psych out when you had to run a little fence to and small park to get their but I felt the happiness tears. No crying just welling up. Also on the orienteering we saw a group run up a hill and came back over the other side and Dan decided to bushwack put us ahead and we smacked into the checkpoint. I was about to compliment him when he turned around with the biggest grin and said I'm f-ing amazing.

just a litle knee hang

2008-06-22T00:42:00.000-07:00

top ten thoughts from two different racers...

2008-06-22T00:22:00.000-07:00

running the pacifica trail run in 90 degrees these were the thoughts that came to mind

1. I debated eating grass for moisture

A. I was breaking the tall pieces of grass pretending to leave a trail for tracker.

2. I didn't put my foot down when a lizard passed through because I had wondered if I would skid out on it guts.

B. Thought about stealing the guy's hat in front of me and using him chasing me as motivation.

3. I wanted to be upper pack for when I passed out I had a chance for one nice person to stop and get me help.

C. Thought about what it would be like to spend the night up there when running 50 feet off the trail

4. Do I even like running

D. I am never running on a treadmill again, false sense of security

5. After eating GU I said over and over, it just as good as a glass of water and I finally realized it wasn't I wanted to know if I could actually choke on GU.

E. I craddle my waterbottle like a football pretending I was a running back.

the plunge

2008-06-11T23:58:00.000-07:00

Since the power house plunge in Squamish took my ego down to a level 0 (except rating still high for cuteness) - I decided that I have been giving everything about 10 percent. So I set my goals high from that Momar forward and moving it to 60 percent.

SO - the Beast comes.. what.. its supposed to be this little jaunt canoe/kayak, bike ride and small run. Which we all have come to learn EBone 3 miles could mean anything from 3 to 100 miles.

So I train.. truly, riding my road bike 40 miles on the hardest gears, I am spinning, I am riding my mt bike, I am trail running, I am running like crazy in the mornings and evenings with Capone. I am even out there kayaking, Capone has even been kayaking..(how long will this build up go on? I guess when I actually lose myself reading it too)... oh and Mac has finally honed in the navigation.

Race comes June 3rd, and we get a bit of storm. Race starts late. I am still all happy. Feeling for once, I am OVER prepared, at least from an endurance perspective, that doesn't mean speed, but it means I am not hopping into that 52 mile mt. bike race like last time only have ridden my bike like 16 miles max before...

phew get on with it.. ok... so we start off and we are nailing checkpoints and we are cruising with paddles... then comes the awful checkpoint and there is two of us in the boat and one of the two of us (jack ass) leans over to stop us from crashing into rod iron gate under a freeway and grab the checkpoint at the same time. We fell so hard, we dunked even with our life jackets, when we came up for air, all I could think of is please Mac be alive. We both simultaneously jumped up on this rail (I have ten bruises on my bottom to prove it), then mac attempted a dump of the water, and as we began to paddle, him now in front, water is still in the boat, we slowly began sinking. I couldn't stop laughing, and what an idiot I am.. oh wait I just admitted it was my fault. SHIPE.. We then had to make our way to an island, Mac flipped over the boat with one hand (kind of hulk like) and was like "get in" - i had asked if he was mad and he said "hell no this an adventure."

When we got to the biking section normally in this race a road bike would be an advantage - me with no disc break and a little tropical storm, I wanted my mt. bike. At the last leg of the bike, after the run, I swear I heard Mac say get off your bike. When I did, I slid in my bike cleats with a bike in hand on a crazy downhill for a long long time, longer than a slip and slide until I finally hit coble stone and fell bending my derailer.

So Mac needs a new partner, my looks are only taking me so far.. this giving it 60 percent is for the birds.... do I go back to zero training? Or take it to the max... I have two more races in Canada, one in Portland, a couple in Seattle, San Fran, NY and a Tahoe ride.. and that is just what I have planned so far... I am coming back.

I will say one thing about our team. WE DO NOT QUIT.. even when you ask the Magic 8 Ball "should I quit?" and it says, "all signs point to YES" we say hell no. watch out for our next race... not the trail run Sat, cuz D is betting against me and I can't feel my toes..

CLASSIC

2008-05-18T01:26:00.000-07:00

Picture from Momar May 10th in Squamish.

beast and the mud bash

2008-04-16T19:03:00.001-07:00

I was asked where my beast report was and I realized it was only on attack point.. and just typing in this little blog I miss it.

So the beast all the way back to March 27 and NW Trail Run, -holy cow was that fun. It was a mud bash. I have never felt so awake, so alive and so wet and muddy and I loved it. Came in 13 out of 50 five milers.. I gave it my all too but that mud and some logs to my mid section were slowing me down, but not ruining any of my fun time though.

The BEAST

I would say we finally started putting our time in for races and then I busted my elbow...I was a little bummed but decided to do the beast anyway... it wasn't my broken elbow, it was my broken brain that put us at the back of the heat after we started with such a strong run.

Mac points out a short cut up a cliff, and me 20 feet into what I think will be the divine shortcut of the world, the coat closet of Narnia, left us in the back in the pit of hell. The little cliff had the same consistency of a sandcastle, and the higher I climbed I put my full arm deep into the sand before moving my next foot and arm, it was CRAZY. Mac thought we should turn back at one point, but where i had once had my foot was no longer sand there. Mac told me later that 25 minute climb, the race was over for him, more about getting off the hill and just navigating the course. I felt horrible. He said if he would have fallen it would have been cartwheels and to our deaths.

I LOVED our biking, I couldn't have asked for better trails coming off an injury. Lots of mud, was able to ride with no fear, didn't fall, in fact I lacked a single sound effect. I did get feedback (he emphasized feedback), "you were awesome on the bike, not afraid, rode tough through the mud, down hills, but you need to get some power in those quads." Heart sank... anyway, I had a blast, I made a poor choice in the nav.

However racing is all about learning. I am not the navigator and I am going to follow like a lemming, I usually do but the climb, the cliff, the possible shortcut was so enticing...

since the feedback, I have been going to the gym, hitting the weights, riding my bike, mt and road, I put on some pounds, not purposely, but moving them to muscle. We have been hitting a few sports a day now we just need to make them extra long so we are prepared for our racing coming up...

my post feels blah, but I have had writers block since I have been so behind.. so expect wit, silliness, great report and some awesome pictures next post because I have been hitting those trails and my race report is going to show it!!!

peace

St Paddy Day Dash

2008-03-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

Here are my results and then there was going to be a cute quick story about Marna and Mark winning best costume, but I have no photo's of them. They are hoarding them until they splash into the front pages of NW runners magazine or maybe it will be next year's photo for the race, but they were darn right CUTE... Congratulations to them both. They are rock (movie) stars!

gender: F
location: Seattle, WA
overall place: 982 out of 8328
division place: 24 out of 631
gender place: 189 out of 4402
time: 26:38

The run said it was 3.58 miles.
We started in the back of the first heat, when they announced there was 5000 people in the first wave, i thought, "you better be in top 2000" Then I realized we were actually behind 5000 people who were forced to walk 400 feet after the start because of the crowd. I reminded myself, FUN, FUN, FUN, and continued in my position. Then when it slightly slightly thinned out - somewhere my head was like, this will be the biggest pick off of my life, I love it. Don't worry, I know I was no rock star, and I myself have been completely not only picked off but plucked! But still I was going to try to run past all the people without being obnoxious or some kind of crazy yelling "ON YOUR LEFT ON YOUR LEFT" - but just running and dodging without touching, only passing. I had fun.

I felt tired for a 5k, and thought about an ultra runner on a particular turn - called myself a pansy and picked up the pace. I ran past a lot of people, one advantage of being in the back. When I saw I was 24 of 631 of my age group, I was a little bummed I wasn't the crazy starting at the front pushing leprechauns down. Do you think my position would have changed? Not the pushing down, the starting in front? It didn't feel as much down hill as last year did, but I was a little zigzag.

Here is Capone - doubled in size plus 2. He is like Celsius to Fahrenheit (minus 30).

Half Mercer On Me

2008-03-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

Catchy title, but that's about all I got. And to some, the title might not even be catchy, just a groan... however, that is still all I got.

I ran the half mercer this Sunday March 9. I thought harder than I ran, my head was on FIRE. It is the real first exercise I have done since I broke my elbow. AND this time when I broke my elbow, it was NOTHING pain wise compared to the first time. Less bones involved, but whatever it was -it zapped the LIFE out of me. So went from sleeping three weeks to waking up to half marathon.

I was analyzing every racer type, groups, front section runners, to mid section runners, picnic-ers and cotton sock wearers, skinny short girls with large calves, old men using their last steps for a half marathon, to the spry older man that has a pep in their step to thank every volunteer and police officer.

I could put 80 percent of the racers in to ten categories with actual real more detailed description but i don't won't to fully stereo type for two reasons, this blog will haunt me when I run for president, and two, I am not sure what category I fall in to.

I did run with a 12 year old -75 percent of the race -It was like I couldn't shake her. She actually deserved to have either fifteen minutes shaved on her time or an added extra two miles. She would have to run to every person that put their hand out to high five. People would yell "YOU ROCK" I would think, which makes me SUCK. I only felt sorry for myself for the two seconds, when I realized my dad's coaching motto, always run with the best, I was, she was just 12. And people kept running, by us and smiling at us. I was old enough to be her mom, both blonde and both flat chested, we could have been related!

I had no umph, no know how, power, each step was solemn, EXCEPT today, I am happy, out of my coma, excited to workout tomorrow and I have a race March 27th. Oh and I am running the st. paddy's day - Love em and leave 5k was 7:41 mile, I would love to beat that time but if I even try to be competitive with a thousand drunk leprechauns for a dash - you have full rights to shoot me.

P.S. Lululemon has hit the scene. Everyone was out full spring and the race shirts were thrown aside -despite the attempt to for a dri-fit - It was the stage of a great fashion show!

Good race. I know the people that started that race, great people, great race, great time (a day later)!

just a little more inside thoughts race day
"who ends a race on an uphill?"
"who put the finish line water further than the race itself"
"oh I bitch about running with the 12 year old - but is she doing a break a way?"
"who runs with a broken elbow?
"is it me, or is john cash annoying if your ipod gets stuck on the same song over and over"
"where is my eminem, eye of the tiger, rocky theme song?"
"I don't even run with music, why am I now?"
"If I could just catch someone I would give them this ipod like I am just a promotion out here running"
"I can't even pick people off this race"
"oh my god - I just got picked off"

Disclaimer about earlier post

2008-02-18T23:04:00.000-08:00

I actually didn't have the winter triathlon set as a race race. It was more of a weekend get away, so I am no longer beating myself up not being a cross country skiier. I know how to do it. I will be slow. BUT I won't ever quit, even if the banners, finish line or what have you gets taken now. I am just going to go out there and have fun. It sounds lame (I can be some time - sorry for any fans I have just punctured their image of me - did I say fans I meant fan.. or mom), however this is just a little adventure with some skill sets I don't have and in truth, I have practiced endurance, I do run (which is 1/3 of the race), and I have been biking... it's going to be great. No stress... I mean my lodging, the food and wine list alone can be a reason enough to be dead last and call it a successful weekend.

I do need to pick out a specific race or races and really train - and do it all the right way!

By next Friday, a race, a date, or a type of race and time frame (gosh I can't commit) - kidding. NEXT FRIDAY - a race calendar and some goals will be set. I will still be racing, or running every week or two, but I mean the kind of training the big kids too. The kind my trainer likes.... quoting AV before he kicks as in a race, GIDDY UP!

Training

2008-02-18T05:05:00.001-08:00

I broke a promise to myself and it's bumming me out. I have the winter triathlon, and I didn't really train for the cross country piece, or riding my mountain bike up a huge hill, packed with snow.I have road my road bike, been on my mountain bike double then last year, went on runs, training has been fun, endurance is up, but I promised myself to train and boom, I'm in race with NO cross country skiing abilities... . think positive -endurance is up, except the pain in my side is still killing me.

Today was a beautiful day with sunshine for an 11 mile cougar trail run. I took a tiny little extra loop - ignoring my navigator but my phone rang, "read me the nearest sign when you come to one" "Ok,...." as I run a down hill, see an amazing waterfall, yet, trail is getting skinnier and no signs,I felt a little dumb, I did have a compass, but I didn't know if the car was N, E, S, or W. finally up a hill, I saw a sign, and named the trail, "ok take a left and run straight. It was like I was a little adventure race minion - Then came the smart advice, "don't leave your navigator unless you have a map or you will be the guy that fell under the log and covered himself with leaves" - "I would actually admit to going to Vegas" "Vegas would be the first place I would check if you ever went missing"

Then we grabbed Capone and ran around Green Lake. He is cute and fast. Tiny little fella too. He is going to get bigger, but he runs fast, and I love it.

Road riding yesterday, I actually felt good about myself. For the first time I saw improvement, i felt like I was keeping up with D - but maybe I just imagined it, or he made me feel better... either way, I felt great.

Here is another picture of Capone -After runs, he gets to soak in the tub, and be dried with warm towels straight from the dryer. He has 11 toys, and its 5:17 am, and I just took him out for a little jaunt and bathroom break... he is so amazing.

I am going to be very drastic is training in the next ten days...some people say you can't train for a race in ten days, I think Hart has really helped with the endurance, my racing and lifting weights with D has also helped.. I just need to learn to skate ski.. I think I can do that in ten days...

Congratulations Hart on taking 1st in the Orcas Island 50k.

The other results weren't published, I can't wait to read how well my other friends did!!

Valentines 5k

2008-02-11T02:15:00.000-08:00

Checking the temperature is the key element for runs. I have been perfectly cold this whole winter, warming up running. I still hear everyone's voice, "start cold, you will warm up."

Once I got to Green Lake it was like, "dang I am hot before we start"

"guess the temperature?"

44?

Close 47.

I need to put checking the temperature on the to do list before going out the door. I did want it to be wet, rainy and windy and to enjoy crazy seattle weather with 1500 plus people running around the lake (and this little loop they create for the extra distance).

We stood in the 8 minute mile group and we couldn't even run when we hit the start line, then I zipped away and was dodging people. My energy was low though and I felt like a slug. The one positive thing is I was passing people instead of people passing me, so I was doing something right. When I know there is one mile left I love to kick it into a higher gear. Today I was like, "nah" I felt lazy. I also didn't think I was running very fast to make any difference on my time.

I was very surprised to find out I ran 23:55 - I think that is a 7:41 minute mile. Not bad. It makes me want to race again, especially when I feel well and I feel like I am pushing hard, because this was a great time for me, although if you can imagine, I moaned and groaned "why, why, why??? didnt I sprint out the last mile, or even half mile?"

I'm ready to start my track training. Right now though I need to go cross country skiing at least six times six and and three rides up Tiger... desperately... for the winter triathlon I am doing in March.

I swear I just ate a bacon rosemary chocolate...

2008-01-29T23:56:00.000-08:00

Meet Capone

2008-01-27T21:49:00.000-08:00

weighing in at 6 pounds. SMOOCH.

He had his first run today up and down the hallway... fast.

Also gorgeous day cross country skiing despite all my mishaps. Snowing while the sun was out. Pretty dang surreal. The snow is awesome this year..

"Tap Out Tap Out"

2008-01-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

Whistler was an amazing time - 29th the 5th.

We had a lesson for classic cross country skiing. It was glorious with gorgeous huge snow flakes. We went around the lake three times.

There were some friends there - one of the days of snowboarding, I flipped over the t-bar. Talk about a thrill. My heart was pounding so hard.

Taking Jake up on the innertubing was a a blast. We all used him as an excuse.

We watched the glorious win of RUSH in the UFC. I won a bet.

We discovered a new little place called FOOT. They soak your feet in warm water and it turns into a thick jello and then they wash it off and 45 minutes of complete bliss of Reflexology. They do massage all the way to your upper leg. It was so amazing I wanted to go back so bad. So two days later we sign up for the 45 minute neck and back massage and the 45 minute reflexology. My lady was too hard. I went from thinking this place was bliss to plain torture. I serious kept saying stop. NO. And I didn't mean yes. I was getting so hacked at that lady I would have punched her if I had any arms free at all. She grabbed both arms back and put her knee in my back to crack it. I heard Mac's evil laugh and I was fighting with my massage lady when she then trying to crack my neck. I yell to Mac "tap out. tap out." I looked worse that Matt Hughes and he is still laughing. She said, "Do you try to be pretty?" I'm was like "what?" "Do you try, you know, to be skinny, you feel like tofu. You have no muscles." Ok muscles breaker, caused a bruise, and my ego.. hello do you guys know I lifted weights starting in high school? all the time... no muscle? I was even on my high school weight team.. well there were no other 93 pounds in the weight class, but still... and I used to workout all the time at SAC before the WAC. TOFU????

Post Traumatic Beast Syndrome

2007-12-06T12:11:00.000-08:00

Last night at Tower of Powers right when I got out the car I had butterflies. I had major flashback to Sunday's Beast and was questioning whether I even like to ride. But last night turned out to be such an amazing time. My riding time was a little longer because people had to wait for me. However I took more chances than ever and it felt great. Hart rode behind me for a while to give me tips and it was helpful and I was getting over big logs, huge drops and of course BIG FALLS. Mac impressed me by riding with no back break. One thing that was helpful was I took my time instead of hopping off by bike for a root, or whatever scared me I took a shot at it. Sorry I slowed anybody up, but I was happy over all with my riding.

Back to the Beast -

It was great fun, probably the most suffering I have ever had in a race temperature wise. I do love mud and down hills but not when its freezing like that. I learned a lot about gear (which I was lacking). I had amazing support from Rinn, Mac and RVG -when I felt like I was getting onset of a little hypothermia. I was probably far from it, but I did lose a litttle vision, fell, and asked where rain came from or something. Next thing I know Rinn is putting layers on me with Mac, RVG is switching out my gloves to these dry glorious waterproof warm gloves, while blowing into them. They did make me run with my bike to warm up my feet. For a minute I thought they were going to tell me quit, and I did have a thought, "what's it take to get out of this?" But after that I just turned my head to "you can suffer mode" and just kept going. Never thought again about wanting it over. Did dream of sun though.

Did you see that awesome picture on Hart's blog of Rinn holding on to my backpack and I am towing him up the hill? ok. ok, he is pushing me - and he did a few times too on the bike. I felt a little bad after for relying a bit on him and MAC.

Rinn also got a flat -which he changed faster than I could change my shoes in the TA even with a TA Angel. Another learning point.

The run was great. My feet were toasty, dry and I don't run with gloves and my hands were so warm. I was a happy camper. I did feel exhausted and was a little teary eyed when we finished. In a good way. I wouldn't say it was my fastest running because was I beat but it was so awesome to feel warm. I thought Rinn and Mac were awesome navigators. Rinn is amazing.

I asked Hart if I didn't recover enough before the race, and he said for your A race we will do lots of different recovery. I have a jingle bell 5k this weekend, I wish I would have told him that was my A race because he kicked my a++ again this week. He is an amazing coach. I do need to get a calendar out and set up some races.

Hollywood Rock Star Training Camp with MHart

2007-11-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

Yep. 3 days a week workout with Matt Hart

To be the best you need to hang with the best.

I even signed up for his track workouts for December -which are amazing. I was only able to attend a few last series but it was so fun, great group of people, awesome trainer and training.

Drawback -He is kind of putting small damper in my style, not completely bad but after we lifted weights today I went to get us protein shakes and he took a sip, "what's in this?" me, "fresh stawberries and whey protein." he is like "do you mind if we ask?" turns out, strawberry syrup and protein. I was also off on the protein amount. So we actually bought new real fresh fruit protein shakes. Then I ordered food to go and I got a salad, again if he wasn't there, big fat juicy burger.

ALSO -When we were lifting weights there is little bench bar for skull smashers (tricep exercise), and I am like "it weighs 35 pounds." he was like "oh, no that's a 20 pound bar." "I am like no its 35 pounds" then literally 3 workers over heared me said, "he is rights, its 20 pounds." Then I said, "does anybody have a scale?"

so I truly might be a hollywood star after all this, healthy eating, working out, not sleeping a day away, actually making me track my progress... thank goodness he likeable - if this doesn't workout - I am going for Britney's trainer, people complain about her all the time, but all this pictures she looks happy with her perfectly white teeth.

My true goals with Matt (and he will make me succeed)
Run an ultra at a decent speed (to finish #1 goal)
Become GREAT at MT biking
Be a competitor in Adventure Racing
and maybe just one day tow RVG while pushing Hart biking, just to say I did it.

Peace out and go carrots (kidding)

Haleakala

2007-11-27T06:15:00.000-08:00

It was 10,400 elevation ride I did with AV is August. Talked about it in early post, but just finally got to posting how cool it looked at top

Mailbox Peak

2007-11-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

After the Death March Led by Mathew Hart

Top of The Mailbox Peak minus the Mailbox

REI's models (Dog still takes focus- Damn)

No one stripped searched my bag and was able to have yummy bacon at the top

Gorgeous View

We Are Family I got all My Sisters and Me

2007-09-11T02:23:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated my dad's birthday out on my sister's dock - all four of my nephews and neices were there - Two boys from one sister and two girls from another, they all look hauntingly alike and are GORGEOUS...

I painted a painting for Mitch's room per his request (more like command) and was a hard driver. Calling me, begging me, he was giving me painters block. So I finally delivered the abstract basketball and he said I love it I love it. Then his little brother eyes began to water and he tried to hide his face. He finally told papa (my dad) that he didn't know why I didn't paint him a baseball for his room. I then cried and stressed all the way home. My sister said, "you could never have kids, you are too sensitive" she said, "I spent the other day at the water park for six hours going on slides with these boys, we then went to a really nice dinner, just the three of them and Clint looked at her and said, "No matter hard I try I still love dad the most."

she is right - that would break me - I am too sensitive - but what would also make me the greatest, look, one tear and I stayed up all night to paint his baseball and it will be at his door tomorrow morning when he wakes.

I have news on training.. which I will post when lucid.

Cougar takes Husky down!

2007-08-17T01:27:00.000-07:00

Friday night D and I meet to lift weights. We make a mutual decision he will be the enforcer of weight training and mountain biking and my job is to get us running. For the first time in our adventure racing career (yes a few small races and I call it a career) we are on the same page. We are both done suffering in race from lack of training. So we shake hands on it. We will train.

So Saturday morning comes and we head out to Cougar Mt to run the 13 mile trail run. I ran it last year so I already have the goal to beat last years time. First year actual races are looping around so I can see if there is any progress.

I have nuun instead of gatorade. check. I have sworn NO stops at water stations. check. There is just one thing holding me back from beating last years time. The runner in front of me and the pace we are going.

D and I decided to run together like a team, he always holds back, avoiding the crowds and finds his place right away. I am not going the exact pace I wanted but am ok with it, for about 2 to 3 miles. The person ahead of me feet are sliding all over the place and it's not the technical piece. Its not even the elevation gain or lost, its the nicest part of the race. So as I watch her feet slide and the distance between her and the runner in front of her is growing, growing and then out of sight. My heart feels a twinge and I'm bummed. I then realize that with a broken elbow last year I ran faster. I turn behind me and said, "lets pass." "I'm ok" hmm. The trail still looks tame and her feet are dancing all over the rocks. I think of the spills I took last year and I turn back and say, "We should sprint this part then we can slow because it gets brutal in there." "I'm ok." I have no idea why I take this the wrong way, because Mt. Biking I can't go any faster, but here on my feet I am like I can't take this. I can't. I then just jet.

I poured my heart into the next 10-11 miles. I was running so hard. I only beat my time by 32 minutes and felt really let down. One friend said, that's more than 2.5 minute per mile that's great. But honestly what I put into and the return factor for my time -which was 3:05 - I was really upset with myself.

I was like I need to make up from the slow poke ahead of me and I just was seriously giving every once of blood I had. I was blazng down each down hill and I mean FAST. I felt strong and then KABOOM! I hit the ground (bang bang I hit the ground, bang bang I hate that sound) and I truly popped up faster than I fell. I swear I don't know if it was me that brought my body off of the ground or if it was a fall so hard I bounced back up. There were four guys now behind me that were saying, "lets wash her knee, pull her to side" and out came, "don't touch me." and this guy still running behind me says, "you should check out your knee." I say, "I can feel the blood in my sock. I don't want to fall into my fall." (What does that mean? I don't know and I said it but I knew at the time.) Then I was like "I'm sorry" these guys were like "no, it's ok. We shouldn't thought you wanted to stop" and then one guy stayed behind me and the other guys were a little behind.

It was so great. We are out there running 13 miles. It's gorgeous. I am wearing cute shorts :), its a good day to be alive (all that runners high stuff), but I am still giving it all I got and I catch a few more people, then I go barreling down the next hill and try to turn a corner. I ran straight off the path and kept going. I couldn't get my legs to stop. It was like I had no control, it wasn't even downhill anymore as much as momentum and rubber legs. I then even conciously was like stop legs stop. Still running in the bushes about to run into a log and I use my shoulders to fall to the right of the log. Behind me a girl comes up laughing and laughing - I thanked her and ran away.

I don't wear a watch but I swear that my pace wass so much faster than last year.

So as I cross the line and see 3:05 my heart sunk. Bleh. Run that hard and be that slow.. what the hek? I thought I gave it my all. Then as I come over I still had outwardly good attitude and was truly happy to finish but then there was silence. A crowd. Silent. For one small second I thought, oh my knee, then a guy grabbed my arm and another woman began talking and before sentences were formed I instantly think something is wrong with D. Then this guy says, "Your husband is at the hospital." I took deep breath. No husband so no hospital. Then he held up D's keys and my knees almost fell. Esp the way he was holding my arm and the other woman says, "he is in shock. His finger hyper-extended and he has a compound fracture." and so on and someone else and someone else. She went on to say he hasn't been to the hospital since wakeboarding accident (those were those EXTREME lessons we took), I was like how does she know this why is she still talking? What? She said, "it's so werid cuz his dad just lost his fingers too." WHAT??? stop. Then she said, "have some food and get some water he will be in the hospital for awhile." WHAAAAAAAT? like I'm going to be chowing on some food.

So I drive to the hospital talk to my Brother in Law Mark. He said, "so weird I was going to call him today, I'm going to pop over there."

So I get there expecting to see this laid out shocked person instead I get greeted with the biggest smile and he says, "Oh my god, I would have been so pissed if I lost my finger running." and he laughs. D was just funny. Telling the great story how he ran down these hills and finally did pass that girl, and was just feeling great and catching time on down hills when his feet got away from him he just fell. He said he put his hands down and when he looked at his hand, the top of his pointer finger was pointed back at him. He said not only was his pointing back it was crooked and the skin ripped on the other side. He popped his finger into place and just held it. He then he said he did an inventory of his body to see if anything else was injured. He said he debated running and then realized there were rocks in his finger (which the doctor cleaned out with a toothbrush). He always says I am known for story telling. I think he told the facts all up until the part he said, "I am so bummed I didn't get to finish the race I was having a good run." It sounded fishy. I now imagine D on mile 4, busting his own finger back and saying, "screw this trail." so the truth is still unknown.

Immediately when his finger was wrapped and in a splint he said "Rock paper scissors" with this perma straight finger. It was funny. I told him the girl thought he was in shock because he was so matter of fact, get me to the hosptial, and I looked at him and realize I should have known she could have taken his personality for someone in shock. HA.

It goes to show you how you deliver news and also the persons injured attitude. It could have been trauma and just a bad day. It wasn't. Normal eating food and story telling. The only bummer was it was his left hand and he is left handed. Of course that he was injured but he was so like its a good day. I am ok.

The thought makes you weasy but when you see the actual rip ts's impressive! When he only had two stitches I thought it can't be too bad, but when you see it, the tear is the entire width of his finger and they did only two stitches to seep out the rocks, which he showed me, "look, just like that." as he pulled a pebble from his finger. Injury of the month for sure. Atttitude of the YEAR for sure!!

Spinsters

2007-08-15T23:16:00.000-07:00

I decided to take group cycling yesterday for our team training since one of us has injury and can not shift gears. We set off to class and my partner left me to go get his heart monitor. Meanwhile I'm just standing near my bike stetching because I'm still sore from Saturdays run (story to be posted tonight or tomorrow). The class is so loud and three ladies that are in class are screaming to the teacher the stories of their training which entailed three sports for training, but one of them being dinner and a bottle of wine each. Then the teacher who is on foot comes up to me and says, "aren't you going to get on your bike?" "Oh class started? Do you get on your bike?" "Yes class started. No I don't get on the bike." So my riding guy is back and gets going on his bike. And the cackling gets louder and the teacher says something about RPM's but I couldn't hear. So I say, "I can't hear the teacher." And then the talking lady says to him she didn't hear either so he repeats it. Then they start talking (more like shouting) about drinking and eating early and I am on edge. My bike partner says, "Relax!" I'm not sure about anyone else but there is hardly a time when on edge that being told to relax I slightly giggle and say, "your right its me, I will relax." Instead my eyes turned to slits my head cranked to him and I was about to hiss when the teacher caught part of their conversation and brought this guy Bruce into the conversation. The teacher said, "Tell them how important it is to rest." He said, "Rest is very important..if you are in shape." ZING. I wanted to hug him. I am usually not bratty but one time a month my thoughts (hormones) are those of mean girl and today was that day. They were silent. Then finally one spoke, "yeah but have you probably haven't done a triathalon before." he then said, "if you don't count my ironman this summer your right." then they just tried to engage him and pegged him with questions. He eventually hopped off his bike for the cool down piece and said to the teacher, "don't ever bring me into their conversation again." Afterward, I realized it was 50/50. My mind wasn't normal and those ladies were out of control. I do have to say though it's hard to drag yourself to indoor workouts and I want a stress reliever and I felt worse. So I went and got a massage and the hiked little si with Marna and Misha. After my massage -my head was set straight and I loved little si. We had a great time. It was glorious to hear about Marna's 7 day biking trip.

Everything is Gravy

2007-08-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

No really! That's all that I can think about is gravy. Drinking gravy (actually). Doug Heffernan just did it on the King of Queens. It was disgusting watching, yet, the thought of drinking gravy is all consuming. Someone even asked me what I'm doing tomorrow and what came as was "all I know is breakfast and gravy." I meant to say, "biscuits and gravy."

Far cry from how I felt last week. All I could do is get sick. Violently sick. Right after my race of six degrees of navigation. I could blame heat, over workout, not enough training (for me), but right before I was laid out to die, no matter what it could have been, it just hurt my skin. I loved racing. I had a great time. We were even singing. I would have enjoyed some single track and some technical riding. But I had a blast. Riding my bike on a huge rock was a highlight. After the race, it was there and then that I decided - after a race; suffering is no longer needed. I have proved I can do that - why not go in to a race experienced. I'm a competitor - I keep thinking I want first - but then my training is spotty. Commandoughs have a race coming up in September - I raced with a different team for six degrees. Again, they were fun, this all comes back to me. I talked to the leader of our team (Commando), and told him my views and we are in fact our going to train train train (right after I drink a cup of gravy).

Oh - don't want to feel ill again, changing subject. Spaghetti is no replacement for gravy. I just ate spaghetti by my parents’ house and I am going to have to say that spaghetti is spotty at best too. Your teeth can't really sink into a noodle. I'm near choking before I believe I have a bite. Even then spaghetti is weak. I need steak (or just a cup of gravy). Will I get sick? Hmm. Need a risk assessment team.

momar places value on commandoughs

2007-07-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

But do the commandoughs?
Tough questions - there is a team name request - because one feels they have to spell out DOUGHS -to let them know we are not like commando tough - I say when we are crawling in dead last - it's a dead give a way, I also think this should be brought to an even higher philosophical question - I mean aren't we tough?. Zero training and then boom in a race? I say leave off the ugh. OR train.
This last race we did finish, no short course, and we were long because of me. SO maybe I train, then talk smack?

Ok, the next part you are about to read seems like train of thoughts so bear with it.. Or bare with it... see.. That’s the mess and typos you are about to enter.

I have some saved blogs and some photos that I need to post so I will catch up soon.

Back to Momar

The race itself was glorious - Our Kayaking was decent for two people that have never kayaked together. We have paddled once in a canoe (for a race) with Kayak paddles, but I don't think that counts. I haven't been mountain biking since I first came to Hawaii, but I have been exercising so endurance would not have normally been my weakest link HOWEVER - I just learned I have zero balance on benadryl. And when we were doing well and our navigator who has cranked it up and is nailing check points; it goes dead to the wall when the teammate (me) keeps falling down. I was like baby Simpson. I had climbed under a tree I couldn't get over and there I was full of stinging nettles. At first I thought it was poison oak so I immediately took two bendadryl. Then I hopped on my bike and about 15 minutes later I would just fall over. Then ride. Fall over. This one girl said, "she fell down again" and it was like on a straight away -I am not sure if it was the meds in my body, or my own being bummed out - but I swear the word again was yelled and emphasized by the biker. Anyway - by orienteering time - I gained a little bit of balance -but what would have been my best part (on foot) was just a so so run. The most amazing part of the race was river running and having to blow up floaties to paddle (with arm like a surfboard) to the checkpoint. GLORIOUS. FUNNY.

I also had some major rock or something in my shoe - and since I have ended a few races with bloody feet - I decided to take care of this matter before running on through the river and D was standing in line for the check point. I take off my shoe - my sock and fish out a dime size pebble - meanwhile I placed my shoe on rock, not only was my shoe was missing - so was the rock - the water slightly rapid and it was a high - the rock was dry - I think the sun dried it out and then boom, no rock and most importantly NO shoe (this is all before Benadryl). I then yell down to some boys running up the river - and said did you see a shoe? Then they said, "What did it look like" and I lift up my left foot and show them a my shoe - I was wearing grey Merrils. They said "Grey?" I then kicked in to my holy grail accent and said, "yes I am looking for a shoe that looks like a rock, have you seen it." they repeated "a rock, yes I have seen a rock" and I say, "can I wear it as a shoe" and then I finally just watched where all the water patterns were going (ten routes) where the shoe went missing and by the grace of AR racing gods, it lodged itself between two rocks ten feet away. LUCKY.

Then the whole thing goes awry - when I ended up with major spiders in my bed, back eaten alive, loss of keys, small planned surgery and whole a lot of tears - back in Seattle.

That's when I come back to Maui and have had five visitors, or maybe I am intruding on their visit. Either way, that story later. Also Valpey - flew me to an island with old growth trees -and had two awesome trails runs (walk runs) - the trees were so large that you could go inside them if you wanted. It was the enchanted forest and a great workout to boot. And when on boat – then popped over to maui.

Thank you for anyone who took my calls - at 9800 feet elevation from my bike ride up to Haleakala. D was giving me tour de France and I was giving him tour de Jill. Matt thought my messages said I rode my bike 200 feet. My ipod went dead 2 miles to go and RVG would NOT sing to me. Josue didn't answer and my mom was like "are you crying -or you happy?" Alix and I were talking about chocolate martinis. Also when I did get to the top all the cars that passed me, were so friendly and the people came to talk to me - I never turn down attention. :) One couple gave me bottled water. One couple crackers. It was freezing up there. I even got a few pictures with people - which made me giggle I probably was going like a turtle - however today I feel like I didn't ride hard enough because I am not sore but I made it. Also everyone offered me so much food, praise, but no a jacket or their blankets they were wrapped up in. AV passed me at 6500 feet. We started at different locations - he did check on my food supply, water, etc, then zip he was gone. Also a bull was hanging next to me when I did a clothes change. There were no fences (who owned those bulls?) anyway -I started even talking to the bull and was like "I hope you can read it says watch for bikers" two seconds later - I see a picture of sign with a bull on it for bull crossing, I am like, "touché"

Last thing –If all that elevation didn’t seem loopy enough – right after I downed a double espresso hammer gel – my ipod was still working and my endorphins were flying HIGH and “your beautiful” came on the ipod and I was like I think someone wrote this for me, then boom he talks about how he saw the girl on a subway and I am like “I haven’t been on any subway” the high and low of that espresso was deadly – I had to move my song to I’m a soldier – then right back up to feeling high and GREAT. Again, wish I would have worked even harder. I thought the big fat was tougher.

Ah decided, not living in Maui, I need Sun and city life. My next few places to check out are Australia, London (cold I know), Cayman (maybe not big enough city), and NY which is both humid and hot. But I need to decide this all soon, live in Seattle, school work, or work in these places. OR start training like a madman and RACE. I would like to be good and to train.

Surf Lesson(s)

2007-06-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

I went surfing with Jason Saturday. Photo was when he was in the shallow area taking his dog surfing (whom did better than I). We drove near half this island for a good spot. Me, "good spot? Let's try a wave pool." I got pumpled. Brutilized and had a couple waves of mother nature slamming and pulling me down showing me whose boss. I didn't stand up. I was just releaved to catch on enough to be laying on my board riding a wave instead of being thrown. One time I was slam dunked which felt like 8 feet only to come up to a wave smacking me down harder. I also ended like five wave layers out even tho I was paddling like mad to come in, thinking, "great where's my gu if I get lost out to sea?"

Jason starts yelling "hey come here. Come by me. " I was thinking "he is kidding right? does he really think I'm not trying to get to him? All I want to do is be close I'm scared out here. The waves were even bigger out there.

Then today I went out with Susie. I got up. We were in iddy biddy waves and she was more of the hands on approach. I had fun both times. No fear today. Saturday was fun but a little shaken. I am going again tomorrow. Hopefully something in between. I will post a picture of Susie. Her friend took pictures. Need to get them.

Friday I ran from Alix's to the Four Seasons. Best check point I have ever seen. The bell boy was like welcome back. Handed me an iced towel and bottle water. I went and changed into a bikini and hung out there all day. When I was running up the hills instead of "I think I can. I think I can. 'It was Four Seasons. Four Seasons'."

I'm going to stay there my last two nights, whenever that will be.

Bamboo Forrest

2007-06-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

oh wait that's me not the bamboo forrest, just through that picture in for my mom, last one with all that hair color. Next one, BLONDE. (She has called me every day about it) :P
Self Photography :)

Back to Bamboo Forrest.

Bamboo Forrest - I can't even explain it, but will attempt it. Lets just say a top five experience for sure and I am still in awe. I can not even begin to explain life or living in the moment. Even in some of my greatest experiences I'm still day dreaming or catching myself not living in the moment. Like scuba diving I start day dreaming and all of sudden I'm Ichiro at bat or kicking George (Rush) St Pierre a++ (even tho he is my idol). But at the Bamboo Forrest I was so present. I didn't have any other thoughts then what I was seeing. I could have lived and stayed there forever. First the trail of bamboo I felt like I jumped into an unreal world, the trail was gorgeous, peaceful, muddy in some spots and dry in others, but the bamboo all looked the same, so surreal. Then the rocks, some difficult rock jumping to rock climbing. Then jump in swim to a waterfall then out again up to the next water fall. One time using bamboo to rock climb (also to reppel) then swim through another pool of water with gorgeous water fall. Then there was the rope climb. I felt a little weak on the rope. Need to lift more. But I made it. Then we swam a pretty nice swim to the last water fall. Swimming was so cool and refreshing. Someone in our group said, "I feel like we are in a movie." Just swsimming then turning the corner, just surrounded by bamboo, rocks and water, then the water fall. Felt prehistoric -nothing has changed. Like it was a movie set or we were preserved in a time warp. (Um how did you like the five ways I decribed prehistoric?)

I didn't take camera in. I needed both hands, and one swim was pretty long for holding camera in the air. I wish I had photos. AMAZING.

Today we went to fishbowl to snorkel. Climbed down in lava rock for a three mile hike. It was also amazing.

Tonight we have kick boxing, not like areobic dance. Real kick boxing.

Also Alix Kung Fu Lesson will involve the move mittens of death.

I have not had any soda, I drink just water and nuun. I only have three tablets left.
Zero fast food and no fried food.

(I could have broke that down to three sentences - no fast food, amazing workouts, amazing trails and swimming)

two commandough recruits and me running on beach

2007-06-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

Alix Boot Camp and Rehab

2007-06-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

Alix has zero body fat, healthy and very athletic. I decided after being at the beach with her the first day, I say, "you make me never want to eat at McDonalds again." She is like "yeah, we won't be eating at McDonalds" -she even rallied locals for a McDonalds watch - I am not allowed. Jokingly I say, "I eat what you eat for now on." but then it suddenly became all to real and we are taking this literally. I have eaten more veggies and fruit then I have ever have. Her beverage of choice, water. So that means zero soda. You might also guess natural fruit bars instead of ice cream...

She is also teaching me Kung Fu. We run, we swim and we are taking a Hip Hop Class. Which was very hard for me to focus, I never knew I was that long without muscles. It was throwing me off and in additiona I have zero rhythm.

I am taking her to her first official race. She runs she just hasn't entered any races. She also is a massage therapist and said "I am curing of you of your insomnia." I am truly at the alix boot camp rehab. I love it.

We went to Charlie Murphy - Hilarious.

Tonight we go to an outdoor film festival.

We went down to an awesome pools of water down these cliffs, so steep you use ropes to get down, (the ropes look a little eroded from the salt water). It was gorgeous.

bossy racer spectator

2007-06-11T13:29:00.001-07:00

This is the last guy out of the water for the maui triathalon

I'm not sure what got into me (except my personality) -or that I just got short coursed a puzzle at the beast (yeah I know?????) AND we were there before the cut off time - she was like it's been taking too long for people, I am like "you have got two puzzle heads right here" phew let that go still losing sleep over that.. back to the story, so watching this guy swim in the water for .93 mile for a an hour forty minutes, and every volunteer and local in the water surrounding this guy to bring him in, locals with their surf boards, the kayak angels, a swimmer going back out and mentally coaching him through, and then the guy on the megaphone yells, "ok, there is a cut off after an hour and fifteen so we need to give this guy a big cheer when he comes in because it's the end of the race for him"

I say "you are NOT cutting this guy off" and him being in local in hawaii (very laid back), and every volunteer and spectators were cheering at my reply he says, "time cut off is when this guy comes in" -you would have thought we just watch the guy come in first we all cheered so hard. When he finally stood up out of the water, I cried and cried and CRIED...

and I saw him get on his bike and take off... now this is a day worth living. Good job Albert! (At least that is what is family was calling him, I assume it's his name)

I am flying to Oahu for a trail run race this weekend.

My neices surgery went well and she woke up and said, "that was not as bad as I thought"

Also my mom told me before she went under they gave her drugs and she said, "mom you have four eyes, no make that three eyes" I love her. Glad she is good. Hard to be so far away on a day like today.

"That's a lot of bike"

2007-05-31T03:09:00.000-07:00

one could say no its not really -pick it up. But I knew what they meant, second rider approaches, "that's a lot a bike" out of ear shot to AV, "Is that a lot of bike?" "No, perfect. Never too much bike. A lot of bike is a great thing." affirmation covered in all directions.

So I met AV, Mike and Martin for a ride. I was straight forward with my no road biking skills, except for my test run after purchase, they were well prepared (except for my a lot of bike I brought).

I still questioned riding my mt.bike for the tri since I honestly didn't have the gears down. Martin was awesome and saved me a hill that I could easily take on my mt. bike, so my little rings (right hand gears...done and learned). Then one other hill he is like you have two big rings. Wow. Shift. um... ok, there I felt a lot of bike a lot of nada in my skills set with shifting, but I was honest coming out of the gate. I also didn't know their stroll in the park was starting at Seward, coming up around through to I -90, mercer loop and then back over I 90. Lots of hills up and down. BUT by the end, it was the best gear changing and the major support system one could dream of. I had a remarkable time. ALSO, I know they could have even looped me more, but I got out of saddle for hills, rode hard and I didn't whine. Not even a wimper. In fact I had a great time. I was singing "cool wind in my hair." crossing back over I -90. Splendid I tell you.

The very end was a little scary. AV said, "ok lets just granny granny and spin. Zero lactic acid in those legs JP." So as I am doing this, he request a practice of gear changing. When I felt I was complete and exhausted from our drills he reached over and grabbed my gear. I swear, had I not walked the tight rope and have all that balance - I would have bit it (ok, maybe I haven't walked a tight rope, but a plank for sure requires balance). However, I was like "why are you trying to kill me?" which would mean STOP. Then it seemed that it was his mission to get me to gear change by reaching over and grabbing my gears. He says my only near falling was pulling away. We needed a jury. Chan was too nice to make a judgement call we when reported our story and he said, "I can see both sides."

Then I wore AV's outfit to dinner - he threw bread at people and the night ended. Then -maybe two hours later I had a dicks burger, fries, and sundae while watching King of Queens. It was fun. Brilliant night.

GREAT RIDERS. GREAT FOOD. GREAT TRAINING.. SHIFTY GEAR TRAINING.

I liked riding with those guys a lot. When Martin, Chan and AV were going fast around the corners they looked professional. It was awesome.

OH and another swim lesson today. I love her. She is amazing swimming coach. However, I kind of liked going in blind to the last race.

All this was in the mid to late evening to see the sun out, set and the GORGEOUS moon. TODAY rocked.

GORGEOUS. SLICK.

2007-05-29T18:06:00.000-07:00

I got the most beautiful ROAD bike Saturday. I just want to stare at it. I will post a picture and all it stats in a bit if any one wants to just stare at it too.

Right after we got it on Saturday we rode for 16 miles and it was in fact faster then me riding my mountain bike on the streets. Those thin thin tires make me feel like a baby rock could throw me to my death. The first five minutes I was a little nervous, I just like my big fat tires and my mountain bike, but after how fast I could go on the straight a ways, I FELL IN LOVE. I have been pedaling like mad for this tri on my mountain bike, so this will be a great test to see how much of a time difference.

Sunday I ran the trail for the tri Issaquah - first time ever doing that. Could this be training? I know it’s the week of, but I ran the trail. My running time is slower since I have been running longer distances lately. I felt like my pace was turned way down. I hope when I am in the tri I go back up to what my normal speed is for shorter distances.

Monday SLUG.

Tuesday (Today) I just got back from my swim lesson. I have three, right before the tri. She is the swim coach for the masters team for Seattle and the WAC. I signed up for "survival lessons" since the race is only five days away. :) We made awesome progress. She is so likeable and a great swimmer/teacher.

My tri race to beat all my times is Escape from the Rock –which is the first and only tri, so I am way ahead of schedule. It would have been nice to train for this one, but I am out biking and running a lot. I hope to do decent, come September - I am going to rock that race.

Training

2007-05-26T03:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday ROCKED! Road my bike and went kayaking.

Today does not! Zero workout. Low attitude (some could say grumpy). I am too nice for grumpy more like blah. No. I’m too cute for blah. Kidding! I am a SLUG. Honestly!

Yesterday, Hart and I rode from 10am to about 11:30, we stopped for coffee (shot of espresso for me) then I hopped back on my bike and road until about 1pm. Hart and I worked on technique training (watching one hit a big log and endo over and over again can wear a person down - not to mention me as the rider.) So giving him all my scenarios, we worked on techniques and strengthening skill sets. Lots of drills. It was GORGEOUS out and time flew by.

Next week we will go to tapeworm (I hope.) I am excited since I have made so much progress since Matt and I last went trail riding together and all weekend I am implementing some new things I learned. So the combo will be fun. AND that one root at tapeworm that always throws me off my bike – it’s still my nemesis. Not anymore –until death do us part.

And as always Matt is a good mental coach. He gets you excited about racing, goals, etc. I told him my eating habits. He said that makes me want to gag just hearing that. (That was the only thing negative thing he had to say - but eating McDonalds once or twice a day wasn't a coach’s dream for a client). Anyway, he gets you all fired up. I like it! I love it actually.

I can’t decide about the road bike yet. BUT, ruled the ageless spa idea. I have a tri coming up June 2nd and just like using my mountaint bike for a training esp. having to pedal twice as hard. However, born competitive, the last of the pack thing is for the birds (in these triathlons). My run is good, bike decent to low and swimming, still no training. I want and need to beat my last race time. Then I need to start training even harder for races.

Then I met Mel and called Valpey for kayaking. My energy was so high from riding I wanted to throw in some kayaking. Valpey always insists on his own kayak, leaving Mel and I to a two person kayak. I think I was edgy because even when I was in the back before or in single kayak I didn’t have the rudder in. I felt like I couldn’t even focus on paddling, I was a mess with the pedals. It was so choppy and windy and I swear on a GPS we would look like a zigzag, or worse, when I was aiming for a straight line. I then asked Valpey what he was doing for a training tip because he seemed pretty steady and moving fast he said, “nothing I am just coasting beside you, you are all over the place” needless to say, I shot him my death look and said, “oh if you were paddling what would you be doing or what should I be doing?”
I realize it was me, not him. He looks smooth in the water. He also doesn't enjoy the lake as much as the river but after today I think I haven't even come close to joining any river kayaking.

It was gorgeous on the water. I got a lot of sun but didn’t have the exercising high until near the end when I finally got the groove of steering so that I could go back to focusing on my paddling.

Tomorrow, well actually today, I am lifting, riding, running and looking at that bike. I perform tonight too so I am trying to take it easy. So I should go to sleep, just never tired at night.

Road bike, no rode bike, road bike, no road bike...

They, Annoymous

2007-05-22T19:31:00.001-07:00

"what do you want for your birthday"
"Ageless spa gift certificate, I'm so old"
"so a road bike then?"
"Do I have red lines on my face?"
"so a red bike"
"Maybe laser eye surgery for wrinkles"
"So a red bike with flames?"
"Something for puffy lips. No I would look silly with puffy lips, or would I?"
"Road bikes have skinny tires."
"Maybe an eye lift?
"If you would just pedal faster all those g -forces will take care of all your wishes about your face. I’m kidding. I'm mean on the face, not about pedaling faster"

I feel like this week has been fun.
Highlights –Adventure Race
Running Greenlake with friends and then dinner
Kayaking with Mike C for 3.5 hours – he claims we went like 4 or 5 miles. I said 11. We went from NWOC to the end of the Bellevue side 520, back to south side of lake union then back to NWOC. I googled it. I think I am dead on. I will wear GPS –topo next time.
Movies and chocolate Pate.
Purple with Joanna and Mel.
Eating dinner with Dawn and seeing all her hair back, and all cancer gone. And she says she has no more aches and pain. Just feels great.
My parents taking me out tonight.
Having a midnight drink on Saturday night. That was FUN!

Do you notice ratio to eating to exercising? This week I have been LAME. I need be out there every day. I do have a spa appointment tomorrow, does that count? I mean it involves muscles?

I do have set training with Hart with Mt Biking Thursday. I can’t get enough of Mt. Biking.

P.S. That guy that was missing came home (thank goodness he was alive). I need to follow the story more but - he came home yesterday said he was passed out since Friday, went from Cougar to Tiger - then fell down a ravine, woke up, filled his water bottle and walked home. I must have my facts wrong. I just want to interview him. Is that possible? Anyone know him? Again, thank god for his family, that he is alive, but there is something more I need to know.

odd feeling

2007-05-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

i literally just left purple and the last conversation I had was with Joanna speaking about the 13 mile run we did at Cougar in August or September. She was my friend that got lost out there. We brought it up because I wanted to run the cougar five mile series race this year instead of starting at 13 miles. Start at the five. Oddly my mom asked me to rest a day since I haven't shaken this cold. First request -even as a kid, and I obliged. I had ZERO idea (actually Joanna also had no idea) that a runner went missing on Cougar Friday when Joanna was talking about how lost she was. They were even going to call search and rescue for Joanna when I was asking about who are the sweepers etc. It's on my blog - a bit back. HOWEVER -watching the news tonight I discovered the runner didn't tell his wife that he wasn't going running at 7am. Is that common? He wasn't reported missing until 11pm. I can't google him for any race - which means he could just be a recreational runner - they had a 180 searchers looking for him. Two heli's with infered light. Is he there and they missed him? Does any one ever feel the need to go join the search? - they just called it off and I am thinking professionals couldn't find him, why would I be able to, but what if he is hurt? they even searched in the mines...sad. I hope and pray he is alive, but he is not at Cougar.

Momar = #VALUE!

2007-05-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

I think on the list of Adventure race how you would want to be ranked would be as follows
1.Finsih Full course 1st Place
2. Finish Full course
3.Short Course
4. DNF
5. #VALUE! (what the hek?)

First I have to say I wouldn't even change a thing about the race itself or about our performance -even if it meant one tweak or change would have put us at first. I had so much fun. I wouldn't change ONE moment. It was amazing from start to finish.
The course design A+
AR community A+
The location A+
Race Director (personality and presentation) A+
Medals A+
Volunteers A+

When we got our passports and found out we were on foot first - we ran to the furthest checkpoint and came backwards 6 through 1, and then 7. You could go in any order. We spent forever and day looking for check point 6. TOO much time. And the fact that each team kept hitting our same road, then giving up left us with maybe we are on the right track. The other teams gave up after moments - time restrictions - and the ones we didn't see on the road were at the right check point.
That was our only BIG mistake. After that hitting check points 5-1, 7. Nailed like dead on. Check point 4 to 3 D said, "Do you trust me?" I was completely thrown off by the question but of course, "yes" Then I realized he was making a navigational decision that he would be putting 10 tree's lives in jeopardy. Actually these trees were already dead for any green peace readers, they just were standing up - lets just says I moved them from purgatory to laying down dead.

He points out the map and says "this hill down (cliff) or couple miles running up and then a switchback" I am like, "I trust you"

So we both on our own on little paths down, he is leaping like a deer, and I am feeling like I'm scaling from a cliff so I am cautiously taking my first steps,
Then I see my only hope for me not to fully roll down this cliff is to use branches and trees - the first branch I grab - it came fully off. I fall forward to another tree - and had that branch not been dead too - it would have pierced my chest! Instead when I fall forward to the what i think is a dagger to my death, the branch nearly diminishes like ashes. Then I decide -no branches - I will use only tree's to put any weight (if I have too). My first slipping foot I lean on a tree - circumference is about the size of grape fruit, not largely tall and i seriously push it down (There was a moment I felt like say "fee fi fo fum" and continue marching, but even these shattered trees, I didn't want to hurt.) SO then I decided a low crouching walk - and I start going under fallen trees, trying to use ground if I need to stop from falling and then I poked my head up and I was in the middle of ten fallen trees - small -not large - double my length - and I feel like I just entered a game of pixy sticks, like one move and I am causing this forest to fall all at once - so I crawl underneath and finally make it to the bottom at the road- D says "The next checkpoint should be three hundreds meters on the right of the road, down in the trees" and boom there it was! Then we ran a beautiful run around the lake for check point, 2 and 1 and the had to locate 7 (a girl) on the beach because she thought there was nobody else out there.

On to bikes - It felt so GREAT - The view already from the trekking had blown me away, but my energy level just started to rise, and we were on a major time crunch from our checkpoint six snafu (I blame myself). However I was reminded "next race, speed, this race, navigation and mostly here for FUN" - I wanted to chase ahead to make the cut off time, and then my bag was being inspected by D and he was throwing away my Arby's sandwhich (where is the fun in that?) He was like “that meat will make you so sick after this heat, eating Arby's off their shelf is questionable."

On bike route - To date I can claim - my best riding yet. I was standing up on the uphill(s) and I was going faster than I ever have. I wasn't even begging for tow or wishing death upon me or even thinking, "When will this end?" Just LOVING it. There was the section, "Hike a bike" where I did dream of RVG popping the woods and saying hey JP let me carry that up for you. That hike a bike could be a race in it's own. And I am not counting it against my riding and I made it.

Then we got to the pink flags bike design - you just go through and then at the end you loop back for your check point. FUN. Gorgeous. Stayed on my bike the whole time except one backwards wheelie. Even after I fell I had to bring my hand through by bike to undo my shoe - at my angle I couldn't twist one shoe out. That ride was FUN.

This is where -
LOGISTICS grade D-
of the race - so we weren't speedy enough to make up for our lost time - although we did go fast but we had such a tiny window – so they say you are supposed to be short coursed, you know when people say “who is the they?” there was really no they. No one was there to say, “here is your new course” or go on to check point _____.

So then it was the executive decision to ride the course, since we were loving it this far, and we ended up getting check point 13, 14, then we knew we would miss another time cutoff - so we rode the course, since this seemed to be the best part of the whole race - the views, the rides, WAS gorgeous- but we wanted (or thought somebody must be worried) so we decided to go to check point 17 - passing 15 and 16 - because that is where you check in again and repel.

They didn't notice us missing and we checked in then jumped back on to course -finished 17- 21. I heard a team didn’t even get to ride out some of the flagged designed course because they didn’t realize a team was out there and picked up the flags. So I am grateful we were able to ride that.

We also decided once we were not going to make it to 15 in time and we were ready to take major bombing hill all the way down because we rode up hill FOREVER and earned it! But at such speed and so much fun -the one left we were going to take we zipped by it, and ended up on HWY99. Our navigator looked at that map, knew which residential streets to take to get us up to checkpoint 17, and there we were again. Only one beginning error and it cost us so much time -crazy. Again, I would not change a moment because that could mean one change could take away how much fun we had. How hard we rode and we didn’t get hurt. D did have one moment where his legs cramped – we were NUUN-less (yeah all that bragging about sharing my NUUN left us with NONE) So a girl gave him salt and he instantly was back in the game. I watched her do that, I licked my arm cuz I was really sweaty and salty and thought it might work. I never cramped so my test is currently just a theory.

BUT - had things not happened how they had we would not have had some of the fun, the great riding, the people we met and these two guys for the city run. HILARIOUS. They actually hit all check points so they were "qualified" dead last.

When watching the slides show - Alex -one of the guys we met, was slouched, in pain, drinking and watching the slide show. As they would show people on the podium he jump and say stuff like, "my grandpa beat me?" FUNNY.

By the time we did come in the clock was on the ground.
In the slide show we found it fell down. Rinn was there as witness to the fall and to witness people putting it back up.

I had a marvelous time all the way up until I read results
I wouldn't mind dead last, but to read NO VALUE or at least #value! esp since we had check points in those sections.

Looking back I am glad we continued to follow that map. That course was AMAZING!!!

Food - good - but the Beast post race -immediate tailgate provided by Bruce has forever ruined me.

The dinner and party was fun.

I did have to go eat BigMAc an hour later.

Only posting two pictures today. Tomorrow no words, just a few more pictures. I have some cool ones of Dart Sport too. AR is an extremely nice and a fun person. A+

Picture 1) A Commandough going back to find the guy that typed #VALUE! by our names. Kidding!

Picture 2 New Team Outfit

Vancouver Half Marathon

2007-05-08T03:31:00.000-07:00

I got a call late to mid Saturday evening from Mel "You are the only person from our Paris team not here in Canada to support or watch the Vancouver Team" - my response -"I seriously would go up if I had signed up for the half or something - I get racers envy and I don't want to just go and party - feel depressed today - I need to run"

Phone rings two minutes later, "I just signed you up for the half marathon so come up" "what time is the race?" "7am" (which meant I couldn't get up and drive in the morning - if anyone knows me - that is close to a near impossibility - "I will be right there, where do we meet?"

One minute later - Mel rings "Dude - I can't believe I want to run, I don't want to have runners envy either. I signed up. Can you go to my house and get my clothes. Shoes. Etc." funny, I thought they would be nicely stacked - it was a scavenger hunt -with more clothes than I on the bottom of her closet.

It was fun. I am glad I ran but - I really loved running through Paris better.
Exibit A below

Vancouver Vs. Paris view
And
Vancover Rain Tarps Vs Paris Rain Tarps.

done speaking of PARIS - on to MOMAR

FAI

2007-05-08T03:03:00.000-07:00

I feel like a I was a working out machine this last week and half, getting up going swimming, weight lifting at the WAC, road riding, mt. bike riding.. Thurday I felt ill. It was when we were lifting weights that I felt like lactic acid like immediately go into my system. I can't tell if it was the weights - or was sickness coming on. I even had a light 4 mile run at alki this last week to keep every thing from being sore. Just feeling good, then BOOM - out of ORDER... But Friday night I put my rally cap on and watched my sister and her husband start the NW FAI chapter with a committee and the Benefit was on this Last Friday. While Robert kennedy Jr. spoke and gave awards, Wally Walker gave Elise and Mark an award. I cried the whole time. Their video they made called SOMEDAY - was the day a cure comes for life threatening allergies. They didn't do those videos where they pull you apart and you leave yourself to cry and feel sick inside. It was happy kids, even those the kids that spoke its so serious 1/2000 of cross contamination can kill them -with their food allergy. To see clint talk and say what he was allergic to, I lost it. But then they all said what they wanted. One girl was a teenager and she said, "All I like want is like to eat a Dick's cheeseburg." It was so funny and cute.

of course included, self photo, Robert Kenedy Jr and I. I brought him a day pass to the WAC :) and took a photo with him at party. He was very well spoken. Looks like a Kennedy. Picture of my sister Elise with Joyce Taylor - and one of Elise and her husband. I can't believe how remarkable they are!

Oh and thank you to Lisa and Norm - they are so generous and my seat was in the smack dab middle of them - I hope it wasn't date night -I might have put a monkey in that wrench... wrench in that monkey? A wrench at the monkey? something..but I was delighted to be at the fun table - there were so many friends of our family's there. It sold out. They reached their goal - the love in the room was amazing!!

D.O.A.

2007-04-27T22:31:00.000-07:00

AV's circa 1995 Nokia has been confrimed dead after getting lost at the top of Tiger. It had been reported earlier that it went missing after free falling from his backpack on a late Thursday night ride. Friday JP and AV road to help save him from his fate. AV claims it was an accident and JP questions it may have been a suicide. It had everything from and antena to crank on that thing. The Nokia is survived by AV.

6am

2007-04-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

Yep I got up at 6am (after it took me 24 hours to get home) and went swimming. I said my next goal was that .93 miles swim in Lake Washington and I have now decided training may be key to my new set of goals. It's been all about finishing before -now its going to be about speed, technique and endurance.

Take a look at this photo

Paris Marathon

2007-04-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Before race.

I have never been this scared in my life. I haven't trained for this race most I have ever run on the streets is 13 miles 3 weeks ago for the Mercer half marathon.
I have not slept in four days. On the plane a teammate sitting next to me said "have you ever ran a marathon before?" I am like “no. you?” She said in Japan she WON the Sasayama marathon. At that moment my fear jumped even higher. I think I can say I am only that wants the plane to be hijacked. Not from a terrorist but a cute little old Irish man who temporally lost perspective when he needs to be home because his wife is at the hospital just to have their first child. A little baby girl. The type of story we would all be clapping for him when we land on the street by the hospital but then it would make it too late for us to make the marathon.

Once we got to the hotel my roommate Lyle was unpacking and she said "have you ever ran a marathon before?" "No. You?” “This will be my 46th.” Now I wish I would have jumped from the plane. God. I took three xanax it 20 hour span, not one helped. I have not slept in 4 days.

Afraid to talk about it because it seems to summon negativity. I wasn't fishing for affirmation but I sure as hell was asking for anybody bad beat stories. But they came flooding in and who is the guy about the mile 18 but no offense but before the race, I couldn’t stop help thinking I am going to go thru some kind of vortex and it’s going to be this hell. I do think one foot in front of the other Purcell was perfect. And another friends, “you have the mental strength.” So I summoned all the gods to bless me on this very day for the Lukemia foundation and anyone that has been touched my cancer.

Race day. 35 thousand plus racers

I got all excited –and with my deepest voice yelled “Bring on the pain” then I realized Pain in French is Bread. I just yelled bring on the bread. So I yelled one more time “Bring on the Hurt” started jumping and down. Someone says that is my karaokee voice (you know who you are) Endorphins kicked way up. At that point I had no fear I wouldn’t finish. My coach is like “she is back” and I was jumping up and down. Roaring.

They started running out of water, and one mentor was cutting back saying keep this speed to keep water. I was well stocked, three bottles, with new in my belt, four gu’s, two hammer gels. I would take water on the course and also drop my tablets in the bottles.

It was 86 degrees and I was had two bottles of nuun I was handing out little tablets to teammate before the races, refusing people saying no I have water. Some graciously took it. None of them had used them before.

It was out of Dean Koontz novel watching people get water. They also ran out of water for the people very end.

Also when I ran under the 32K banner, I was like sweet! 10 K left. And I heard for most people that was the hard part knowing they had six miles lefts. Or they would say the six miles were there toughest, me, knowing I had that only that amount left was the easiest. I think the small adventure races I have done have given me training, because you don’t know when you are going to end. Knowing there was an end in sight was glorious.

The only sad thing was the last six miles I saw a few deaths. CPR. A man on life support and one on our teammates in ambulance after the race. 200 people throwing up and many on the ground with space blankets waiting for ambulances.

I took it slow. I did pee blood from a kidney infection half the course and am on antibiotics. I tried holding pee-ing for and hour and half before the race. No bathrooms. Team didn’t want me to leave out of line. Then I ran 45 minutes before I could pee. That was the worse of it.

The close down the marathon after 540 but they left it open until 6:11. Me watching anyone coming in afer 5 to 611 looked like a death march. I heard this is abnormal. Because kona is even hotter and less sick racers.

This is not my best report and will be edit with better details. Exhausted and bought small wi fi time.

However as teammates came in they were praising me on the nuun. I was like a god. I am either insecure or a god. Notice? The carnage on the last six miles of the course was lack of water and electrolytes. Very unsupported race and they weren’t expecting the heat and VERY unsupported race. Except spectators. It was like a parade. We were the parade. A little French girl with a cute little accent yelled right at me “I believe in you” I cried so many times for happiness and sadness when people were down. I also need to write about Austri, the most amazing girl I have ever met and I ended up running with her. AMAZING.

A woman Elise I met on our team said at mile 17 she decided to quit. She had an empty water bottle. A fireman filled it up (lucky her, eh?) and then he said “your freckles have no more color maybe you should stop.” Then she said she remembered the nuun – and put it in. She swears it changed her life. She got up and finished the race. I have no reason to pump up nuun…no sponsors, I am pumped about the fact she loved me for it and my status was raised by my teammates. NUUN –GOD SEND!

This is what you look like when finish a race is Paris. Ok truth, this is what you look like when you won’t take your medal off. All waiters “did you win?” “oui” really? No. I heard another girl say (because I wasn’t dressed American –wearing like four inch heals, jeans and lingerie shirt –when in Paris (I was taller than all the men I walked by) and sitting with a couple who I met who kept speaking French to the waiters –so these American’s said, “I bet she has to keep that on” HA.

I have some of the most amazing photos in the world through the course.

This will be edited with more fun events and better grammar, just wanted a post a thanks to all my friends who I race with and send out love to all that supported me emotionally or donated. I will send the link of the running pictures. Ran the entire city of Paris.. Amazing.. oh and it was not 26.2 miles. I am in Paris. It was a 43K. My next goal is a 50K trail run. But that I will train for.

The BEAST

2007-04-11T01:05:00.000-07:00

What can get two boys to turn their heads so fast at you that they could almost get whiplash?

A) Be a smoking HOT chick
Or
B) (Which turned out to be my case) take a photo of RVG while I’m on tow and he is pushing D up the biggest hill in the beast race.

Yes, one could say, "what the flip?" as if I was not pedaling back there. BUT one could also say that's a pretty monumental moment and a tough ass racer and who wouldn't want some footage? I was pedaling really hard up until that very moment. I can honestly claim I was winded and giving it all I got. Then I just checked out and my head starting talking to me in this UFC announcement voice, "and on his right he is pushing heavy weight champion MAC daddy weighing in at 225 and towing light weight JP coming in at 110" and I was like this is a photo op. The scrutiny for 15 seconds was all in the flip of their heads, the look of astonishment, but then it became humorous - and comments from D and RVG were like, "does she have her feet up?" “yes while on her cell phone”…etc. Lots of laughter but for one second I was the mortal enemy. But I wouldn't take that moment back, even for a second. NO REGRETS.

The race started and 7, put on by team Mergio -Bone -dead on navigator, Roger -speaks more languages then there are countries and AV –kind of a ladies man. :) Also recovering to be racing again.. but you know that from other posts.

It was chilly in the beginning. D and I thought we were racing alone and in pops RVG he was there for support or lotto -we say you want to race with us he said "Is it ok with you guys" and literally dropped his clothes and he was dressed and ready to rumble.

D and him made this decision that D would navigate and RVG would correct if we were off course. This lasted six checkpoints when RVG kick in some competitiveness when seeing other racers and his instincts were saying go this way. D was doing great, it was just excitement of the race. I felt helpless -I kept say Never Eat Soggy Worms (something I learned in grade school to remember direction) but that only works if you know which way is North. I, however, will begin more navigation classes, orienteering and take my compass out of my backpack. I will strengthen that skill. I am very determined. I don't take promises lightly and I PROMISE this will become a strength. D and him continued to make decisions –but he did train D and they liked talking about it.

There was a straight away where D and RVG were at same speed and I got to be back on tow (yes one would think I would be banished) but I was on hardest gears and standing up, giving it all I got and still RVG was tugging me - we were flying. I think I was actually going faster than when I wake board or water ski. I love speed.
It also was amazing to me that D is so strong biking. I am going out there too, its just happening at different speeds.

I had a blast. There is not a moment I could wish differently. Even where I noticed my weaknesses, it just gave me goals to shoot for (Maybe next time too, I can turn off my flash since I had the booming light and the boys would have never noticed me taking photos on tow – see? already thinking ahead).

Top things
-Even though it started off chilly, I was in that happy buzzing mood I see most racers prior to a race. Just down right giddy.
-There were a couple of down hills where I used zero breaks and I was flying and it felt so amazing.
-I was winded before a body piece hurt - I will be sore tomorrow but usually I am suffering some ailment (my toe hurt but nothing like the last few days.)
-Some of the single track was smooth as butter after riding tapeworm.
-The race was well done and had a lot of tough spots and exciting pay offs.
-I love seeing some of the friends I met before and meeting new people.
-As always the food was amazing -my hats off to the chefs. I loved it
-My light was bigger than the moon. I felt it was amazing and a curse at the same time. If anyone was lost I felt like at a check point I was the spotlight you follow in the sky. People also when we passed said "Bright light, Bright light" -I wasn't sure how to take that so I internally was like "damn this light ROCKS"
-I took some great photos of as many people I could.
-Our transition was 30 seconds or less. We ran with everything -just a shoe change.
-I couldn't ask for better, stronger, funnier teammates. They were BRILLIANT.
-We went to wash our bikes off and D said "I ate so much (this sentence is usually followed by a "why did I do that?") but this was "I ate so much, I need more food" so we went to Dicks on 45th, deluxe, fries, cheese burger and a coke. That was the best coke. My mouth just watered typing that. YUMMY.

Great job Beast go-ers. Thank you to the volunteers as well. I will send a link to the Roger or Eric for people to view of all the racers.

Great tued dude

2007-04-10T00:54:00.000-07:00

that was a text I just got, I yet to decipher it.. and I consider myself great at puzzles, but I can’t.. hmm

I would say I don't have a lot going on but I have the beast tomorrow and a marathon on Saturday that I fly too - which seems tougher than the race (please don't let me eat my words)

I haven't exercised a lot since the half marathon, it wasn't the right toe keeping me from running, it was the left toe. Little infection by the bone, I am like when doesn't running injure me, and where do I draw the line in the sand as injured or pansy apple?! HOWEVER, at our Team in Training Kick off Party I was wearing sandals because my toe on the right wasn't into wearing socks at the moment and my coach pointed out something looked wrong with my toe, the left toe, not the red rum toe - I was like grr. She said I will make a call, one HEALTHY toenail removal later (didn't drain any infection) and antibiotics. - It was hell! So that is my lazy excuse!

Anyway Sunday night in the rain -we rode to Alki and back, oh stopped for a sugar fix of hot chocolate and a danish. We rode about twenty miles. Felt so great.. I forgot the memory of a high from exercise... it was fantastic. WET. COLD. but very ALIVE.

I need to download awesome motivating itunes for Saturday. I need suggestions. I have gone ipod free for a month or two.

The top title could be slang for "great attitude dude." "or your a tool dude.."

red rum red rum

2007-03-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

I keep playing with my toenail and opening it back and forth saying, "red rum, red rum." No one is particularly enjoying this. The toe was only lifted a little, just newly injured from the race today. But we all have ripped toenails off before so we could put our shoe back on, or to run a race. No big deal right? But this puppy was still alive and even connected down to the nerves where they push your cuticles back (all but one piece let go) it hurt like and SOC (son of a cat) -not allowed to swear. And it was still attached to my skin under the toe, they are usually dead, so I didn’t know this about the toenail…. it was so gory it was like something out of Friday the 13th. :)

Anyway the half marathon was fun. I ran with D, we decided to go a slower pace -this was his longest running race (YEAH D!) - but at the five mile mark -the lady standing by the 5 mile sign yelled "fifty minutes" and I look around me and these mothers were around me chit chatting up a storm (nothing wrong with mothers) -just not out of breath talking about their kids, an old man right in front of me, and there it happened, that thing I do, I can't let these people beat me, I want the front, I want to go go go go, no goodbye, nada, just got a little lost in the moment and started running. My leg, toe, knee hurt, but I felt emotionally great, not winded. It was a pretty hilly run which surprised me. I finished just at two hours - D quickly did the math. I ran five miles at ten minute miles and 8:37 for the last 8. I had a lot more to give too. Darn it.

I have to post my Jamaica pictures, esp. my zip line pictures, one was a thousand feet and one was 750. There were seven total. Being in the jungle was awesome, walking up to the zips, it was like an adventure.

I also kayaked -almost lost forever. I was by myself in the kayak and the waves kept taking me out further and the wind was brutal, I did all the tricks trying going in slightly parallel, but it was tough and turned out to be a good exercise. Lesson learned; don’t go by yourself out in the ocean –no one to eat if you are lost out to sea. You will starve!

I went run at 6am on an 8 mile beach, I climbed these rocks when the beach ended and there was a little cove, and these guards (guards with guns- started yelling at me.) But hotel said it was an 8 mile beach and I knew I had only gone two –and I am almost over the rocks and they are yelling more – I finally stop look up and they were pointing to a gate, oops, “It’s easier. Ya Man?” Probably would have been but I enjoyed the climb.

We also snorkeled... just BEAUTIFUL.

I had extra stress on my mind which put a damper on the trip but there were over 20 of us so it helped a ton. Such beautiful fun people.

TAPEWORMY

2007-03-07T23:40:00.000-08:00

Cute rat pack of peeps again hitting Mr. DNA and Tapeworm, one dropped from last week, and a few invites I assume were too afraid of the rain :). The rain made this ride spectacular. We loved every moment of it.

I do love downhills.. and that thrill.

I don't love that I can easily get thrown from my bike, sideways roots kill me. The same root has knocked me off four times now!

Jen gave great tips tonight, D cleaned my shoe like a horseshoe hammering it with a stick so I could clip in, Ryan even once was manually pushing my tire to get me up a hill..(while still balanced on his bike)! yes you could say I was the weakest link but why would you? it was too fun for name calling and they all had great ride... it was a great ride.

I vow to my friends that train me..I am learning and I will try even harder. I love it out there. Gracias night riders!

DISCOVERY -Tuesday March 6

2007-03-07T23:21:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous run along the water.. I felt great, strong, happy, running up the stairs I just felt energized, my leg had same pain but easier to ignore.. then the run came to screeching halt for someone when we made it back to the car. I say "Time" "one hour and two minutes" "oh, we need 20 more minutes" he said "I will support you, run" and "I am like you can't quit" "I completed my run not quitting, run around the parking lot" -at first I was like "what?" but then I started sprinting and going faster and faster and faster. TRULY.. I was so giddy happy. Then "TIME." Mission accomplished.

I carried this in my backpack for afterwards to keep me motivated. YUMMMMYYYYY.

Nightmare after Nightmare

2007-03-06T00:35:00.000-08:00

Lance Armstrong immediately after his marathon, "That was the hardest thing I have ever done."

I sit up with cold sweat. What the flip? and why did he say that publicly?

I am in crash course 101 for a marathon..

Tonight I ran for one hour and two minutes at a great pace at discovery. Tomorrow one hour and fifteen and stronger pace... god us help us all..even if it's just to complete a marathon. I have one month to train.. is this possible? (For those of you that have donated ignore this blog) and know that my RUN was gorgeous, the moon was large YELLOW ORANGE and near full. I have my big runs on the weekends...

Anyone want to run with me.. tomorrow?

St.Edwards March 4th

2007-03-06T00:13:00.000-08:00

1. I am passed the point of wrecking when someone says, “good job” this came simultaneously when someone kindly pointed out even when I wasn’t being told “good job” I was always crashing in the bushes or having a little ruckus with a tree here or there.
2. Chilly Hilly prepared me greatly for uphill riding that I know I used to walk (or at least want to)... Also there is the voice of friends in my head that taught me, locking your arms, spinning, and moving more forward on the front of the bike during an uphill. I listen peeps, tell me more.
3. Tapeworm, still may be taking me down, but it sure made choosing a line and cornering so much easier on a regular trail.
4. I am still after tapeworm.
5. I can honestly say I love my bike.
6. I did a bunny hop, it was little itty bitty bunny hop – but a bunny hop none the less…
7. I was able to slightly purposely pull my front tire up (premature to say wheelie)
8. D sunk in the mud and I buzzed passed him, and one point he was near stopped and very quicksand like... I laughed and laughed…full stop and sinking, it was hilarious!

Saturday March 3

2007-03-05T23:15:00.000-08:00

I have always been a little on the emotional side - but AV walking - well it made my eyes water. He was already on the water until I got there and he came in for me get in a kayak and go. I asked if we could paddle together instead. He -always easy going- "sure" and I went to turn around to either look for crutches, something to help him out and I turned back and he was walking past me to grab another kayak. At the same time the woman was trying to get me a life jacket. I was still shocked, kind of loud, "YOU CAN WALK" and the lady looked at me like I was crazy but it was nice to see him without crutches.

Great day for a paddle. No one was out there, which is too bad, it was so gorgeous in its own Seattle way... I don't even think I saw a boat (I hope I didn't just post a picture and there are millions of boaters and kayaks about.) Anyway it felt good to be in the presence of the athletic AV, far cry from Harbor View. He looked fit and strong. I guess he has been paddling for awhile and able to spin... in no time...he will be at the top of his game.
Yeah AV is back!

Tapeworm

2007-02-28T23:10:00.000-08:00

I think saying, "I shall conquer the tapeworm" was pre-mature.. The more I stay on my bike, the harder it gets. :) That course can never get old - you can just go up different levels. I'm not sure I am at a level yet.. but I will be sure to tell you when I am.

I went with a rat pack of friends to tapeworm tonight (the cutest rat pack of people you have ever seen). It was so COLD starting, but I swear I have JVG's voice in my head from a race once, "start off cold, don't overlayer" its like Galadriel's voice in Lord of the rings - I hear it when I about to put on two fleece, a neck warmer, ear muffs, gloves, and long johns and underoos...because once I didn't listen and I was running and changing at the same time, I was so overheated I wanted to die.. so now the voice enters my head tonight, in the dead of darkness, wind below 20 degrees, snowing and I am like -maybe I need a fleece and then I hear it, "you will heat up trust me" - and then it is so!

I swear this Under Armor shirt with my Arcterxy jacket has been my perfect combo. I can't stand the happiness. Two minutes into riding I was perfect temperature and never thought once about the weather, except how beautiful and light the snowflakes were.

I did think "DAMN IT I SUCK" on a couple of endos or bad turns. The whole course is designed for tight cornering and I was like a kid in a big wheel, my radius was off. Cool thing is I didn't need to rush to keep up because of the twist and turns they could see me and truthfully I am so loud with sound effects - (I am like my own little beacon). I was trying HARD to stay on my bike, hit the roots and trying hard not to cry. KIDDING. kind of.

I would say better than last ride but a long way to go. I need MORE technical training and just to RIDE RIDE RIDE.

Chilly Hilly

2007-02-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

What I started out was going to be a 10k, turned into the Hilly Chilly.
and I say today A+! Minus 10 points because I was late meeting D causing us literally to pedal, my fastest in my life, to an almost pulled away ferry but they let us on. Plus 10 points (Bringing us back to A+) –because of my lateness D assisted in a medical 911 when a man walking right by him went into a seizer. I said, “You saved his life.” He said “Assisted someone in need.” People thought the man was drunk so he was being ignored but D helped him, got him to the ground, and had 911 to the scene. So with all the frenzy, He said, “Jill never again.” I shed a tear. I hate it when I let people down but truthfully it was the man lying on the ground with all that vulnerability just made me sad. BUT only one tear. So before anyone could say stop crying I was done. Glad that guy was ok.

I nailed and I mean NAILED my attire, what I packed, water, my nuun, protein and my food intake. I was never too warm, too cold.. I was just right. I wouldn’t let D stop for any picnicking. Only bathroom stops. I did see him wash his Rudy’s, but I realized he wears contacts so it was forgiven and he waited for me at the tops of many hills when he could have looped me, so I am far from saying no washing the glasses.

3 miles in I was just enjoying this little old ride when D came back from the top of hill to me and said, “Can we get a little more power out of those legs, put it in middle middle stand up if you have to but if you need to double your speed, grandma just passed you. Or we are going to short course it” That was not tough love, that’s just tough. BUT I did once say I want to be faster and I am biking with a guy that loves pure anaerobic hell in the quads. I was up for the challenge and usually I don’t respond well to that kind of feedback, but the word short course FRIGHTENS me. It worked; I gave it all I got.

It lit me up and I did pedal strong and rode ten times faster then I was riding previously. But one hill, I was in granny granny and I couldn’t do a thing about it. I saw a lot people getting off their bikes and I decided my goal for this hill would not be speed (thank goodness I was going two miles an hour) but this time but to stay on my bike –which I accomplished.

Mind you, everyone was on road bikes and D and I were on Mountain Bikes. We got a lot more feedback from people then expected. It was a conversation starter, like “awesome job being on Mt. bikes. Etc. was it longer? I would never have done that without a road bike... Etc...”

It was such an incredible ride. I had an incredible high from it. I could have definitely kept going. The ride was 33 miles and truly was hilly!

I love the buzz of the energy of people heading back on the ferry. I loved it all. It was fun to hear people cutting out, doing the short course – I would not revel in ones failure, but I was surprised we didn’t have any of the complaints, or do the shorter course. We heard complaints about temperature, food, hills, and the course, etc.

However we were the majority – most everyone else had an incredible ride.

And I also got the, “your riding, preparedness, awesome attitude made up for any lateness, this day rocked.” Then I got knuckles.

Riding home from the ferry was the only moment I was not as excited about - chilled down, but it went so fast, and those hills seemed so easy peasy after that ride!

a little jaunt in the park

2007-02-22T22:43:00.000-08:00

I ran only 4.2 miles at Discovery and my poor leg and knee hate me. But one thing I feel esp. proud about it, in the past I couldn’t tell a one tree from the next or what direction I was facing. On highways or streets I know direction, but never in the trails. I listened in my Nav class and I really am now noticing my surroundings from small things to big HUGE water towers – I know you think it would be obvious.. But it wasn’t before and now I have a perspective of where I am –and I love that piece. Puzzle like. I have much more to learn but I am enjoying this process. My leg hates me but my head likes me... so I will call it an even-steven day. I have a 16 mile run on Saturday and I wish I was doing the Orcas run but I will be running on the street, I know ,OUCH.. then a Sunday 10K, I think on the street as well. :( Orcas trails sounds GORGEOUS. Good luck to my friends out there running it. You will be spectacular.

boarding

2007-02-21T23:55:00.001-08:00

we were little speed demons today on the hill.. they said lots of new snow, but your ride to ride the chair ratio is off... I need Whistler.:) I did have a blast, laughed a ton, it was WINDY and as always ate yummy food.

My brother-in-law ruptured his Achilles Tendon - it was completely severed. His surgery was really early this morning and he came to late to mid evening. They live on a golf course and he golfs more than anyone I know and that is all he really talks about.

My sister R bought him a trip to Pebble Beach for Christmas and that was the first thing he mentioned when he came to is how sad he was about their trip.

My heart aches for him for his recovery road ahead. He is just the greatest nicest guy and FUNNY.. and he has two little girls that he is dying to teach sports and instead they love flowers, dishes, and anything pretty.. it kills me (funny kills me) to watch him try to teach Halle baseball, she says, "now why would want to do this?" she is so cute and tiny.

They had to do a spinal. YEE. He is in a hard cast and can't move for awhile and then when he does he won't be able to place his foot down for six months!!! Then of course rehab. He injured it playing football. Not the same brother in law with the Nike life, this is the brother in law with the golf life..

I have heard (and this is just hearsay -did I use that right?) that the Achilles Tendon is was one of the most painful injuries, surgery and recovery. He isn't talking about physical pain yet. He just is CRUSHED.

Maybe I buy him Wii Golf.

I got car washed

2007-02-20T01:45:00.000-08:00

Monday Feb 20th

Murray took D and I on a run today for 6.6 miles. It was great and we all could have kept going. No one ready to pass out, I think Murray had time limitations or he might have made us go 40 plus miles, thank goodness for family obligations.

Then off to the car wash, because I was so muddy, literally it was like a one way water fight from the knee caps down. With a power blaster super soaker. It had nothing to do with D's car at all - exhibit A me being sprayed down and exhibit B. -Picture of D after car wash. I was suckered.

Then we were going to hit tapeworm, but a little storm rolled in at we hit the WAC instead for lots of upper body training and belly blasting. Again, If I could change my diet I would be so fit! But I was in such a rush to get back to see Jack that I was FORCED to eat fast food.

Kayak

2007-02-20T00:30:00.000-08:00

Sunday
Marna and I entered the building and they say "sorry no kayaking 40 knot winds too dangerous." Seconds later Valpey enters and Herby says, "Valpey, are you taking them out?" "Yep" "Ok take the triple" Marna looks at me and says, “What just happened to ‘too dangerous’?" I wasn't sure, but I was THRILLED.

There were some sail boats that looked tipsy but there is NO WAY there was forty knot winds.

We were a well oiled machine synchronized piston firing with perfect form.

On the way back I said, as I was enviously looking at Marna's beautifully warm kayaking gloves, "Valpey, are your hands cold?" "Yes." "What do you do?" "Pretend they are somebody else’s and keep going." "Oh"

Coming back into the wind we were still kicking, until I mention it again,
"Ok, well my hands keep staying my OWN hands as much as I pretend they are somebody else’s they are frozen (again as Marna's gloves are growing to look like Mickey Mouse’s gloves but made with Gortex).

Now I have made him stop paddling, focus on his own hands and he says, "I put them under my shirt on my skin." That’s when things went a little south, Marna says, "Did it just get worse?" and turns back to see we aren't a well oiled machine, we were a trio with a motor who I made stop paddling because I brought focus to his hands over and over and they are now under his shirt on his skin.

Marna yells out to me, "WE SUCK" and I want to yell back "I hate the word WE in times like this" but she is laughing, I am laughing, We are going backwards, our paddles are clinking and clanking with each other. We did suck. We just lost our motor.

Minutes later when we were all working again (Valpey), I say, "we should auction him off at our fundraiser with a kayaking lesson." He says, "YOU are auctioning me off?" and I went to mumble just as instructor... But Marna shot me the look. The look of, "remember a party ago when we got left because you wanted to auction of AV and we have this wind we are facing and when he quit for two seconds we were screwed." So I was silent.

I like the idea for my fundraiser though to auction off trainers instead of dates. But this will be approached again when I don’t have my life in my hands (cold hands).

Pictures below; the three of us on our Voyage.

Marna with all of her cuteness.

Eric with his long hair - which will be gone and short short tomorrow. BRIGHT BLUE with WHITE. Yep I know. He is a youth leader at a church; this might be the only thing that could make me attend his service, nothing more fun then joining in a heckling group from 13- 17 years old. But now that I look at it.. Not sure short, white and bright blue will be Valpey. Sad. Cute little Valpey hair all gone. I will post a photo my next Popparzi moment when I hunt him down.

my fake Danielle Steel Voice

2007-02-18T18:16:00.000-08:00

The morning is February 13th and it's gloomy, not just outside but in the depths of my very soul. This isn't any normal day; this is the day I have to get a cap on my tooth -my molar. Oh where has time gone? It seems like just yesterday I had lost that original baby tooth and the tooth fairly visited me in my dream leaving me a shiny fifty cent piece. Now, the years have passed and it shattered on a chip. (yes how messed up is that? oops back to story) I take a deep breath and head out the door to my car and begin driving to what seems a lifetime journey. Memories are flooding back to my last visit. The sounds, the drills, the saw. I feel woozy and I roll down the window as sweat beads up on my forehead. The horror is rushing in my head like the wind is into the car. The last visit I had to get a root amputation. Petty as it may seem, I thought one clip of the root and it would be over.. instead.. oh I can't even speak about it.. I just drive. I can make it. I finally arrive and it seems days or weeks have gone by in just one little drive from Seattle to Bellevue. But alas, I am here. I open the door and get out of the car. The dentist's office smell has leaked out into the fresh air, the noise of the saw clouds my thoughts and I jump as the sound of my own car door being shut startles me. I laugh quietly to myself. My heart beats louder with each step and before I make it to the door, the full memory is being replayed over and over in my head.. First they sliced both sides of the tooth from the top of the gum, to where the root ends, They peel backed the gums exposing all the nerves and that poor root (ten stitches total.) This is where the horror begins, I thought they would have a clipper or some technology, but they had this little saw and it took two long hours of that root to finally detached itself from the rest of the body of the tooth but did it really ever let go?... Sometimes at night I think I can feel it but I am not sure if its my own imagination..

Ok, can't take the voice... even though I am writing it. So I can't imagine reading it.

However my last visit was a root amputation - I have an incredible picture - I won't post it though because someone said I am the ONLY one that thinks it's cool.
Two - this visit seem like a piece of cake compared to last, esp. with the nitrous and the paraffin dip with my hands.

However at the end of the day, my tooth hurt and I needed to go to the wellness center. I showed up so early for my appointment - I decided to run out all the anxiety on a treadmill. The pain was a bit much, so when I finished I was just in more pain and full of anxiety. They shot me up with vitamins in my gluts. Yes. ugh.

I am making my goal to go to the WAC for at least five times a month.

Then next day BACK to the wellness center of Feb 14, talking about knee pain, eating healthier and anxiety. Then I had a tough workout with weights -again anxious but it helped so much. Then off to eat a lot of cheeses to counter balance my workout - but it was VDAY.

Saturday February 17th I hit Tapeworm. D set up drills before and after. It helped a lot. There were a few shortcut I took last time because a secret friend would say "Jill come this way" to catch up me up with everyone. This time, any near chance of a bushwack I had a big road blocker stopping me and said "go around, stay on your bike, you need to learn." TOUGH LOVE.

Anyway.. Sunday- I paddled today for near two hours. Actually it was an hour and 43 minutes. I will blog that in a bit. I have to post pictures and a fun story.

I am going back to Tapeworm tomorrow after my run at Bridal Trails. I told you.. Tapeworm...someone is after you, 3.. 4....

Soccer Ball Adventure Race

2007-02-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

I simply need stimulus when exercising. For example in soccer, there is competition, wakeboarding -THRILL if you jump, flip, 360 or even if you do the Mac special and Superman and land to 14 stitches on your skull. In Adventure Racing -those little checkpoints keep me energized, being on a team, competing. BUT some sports, I need a little kick to get me going. I went Kayaking Saturday with Valpey -the boy (I need to clarify between the two Valpeys - well actually there are three). But, I asked him to go Kayaking Saturday. I was just paddling along -forgot everything I learned and I was high sticking (I know that's for hockey) -still my form was OFF... then all of a sudden this little kid is whaling over by the Arboretum and my blades, body and all were just moving. It all came back in a flash, and he said, "I think his mom is right there." I said "let’s get close enough to check it out. Something is wrong." (Yes very Scooby Doo like.)

As we near this man says to me, "Are you going around this island?" I said "No" he then said, "Will you? My son lost his soccer ball in the water." "OF COURSE!" We were speed demons racing for the lost ball, then the retrieval, and then all smiles NO tears. It was motivation for me to work harder and faster.

We were only out for an hour an a half. I hadn't been since my broken elbow. We took it easy until the ball incident then we kept that pace and I kept my form. It was a good day.

Saturday night I went out with AV, Marna and Rob to a fundraising party. They were auctioning people off for dates. AV immediately took his exit when I thought we should sell him. I felt terrible.

Just running by myself is hard for me. So if anyone wants to go to my marathon and be check points I have to find, it may be the only way I can finish. I get bored of my own thoughts in my head. Sometimes I am funny -but that is usually when I am trying to fall asleep at night I stay up listening to myself think. :) My Ipod works for a bit then I out think it... will somebody please go mark certain aid stations? a number on a Gatorade cup? CP’s ?Something.

Today's Valentines day run was fun, I wasn't speedy, but I kept a decent pace.

I wish someone was running with me for my big run...that would be the best, funny stories...etc

FLAT

2007-02-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

This sums up my night last night

My riding = flat
leg warmers = flat
tire = flat
my humor = flat

The people and trails were fun and technical. Yes peeps were both fun and technical.
But I felt a tiny bit discouraged, but today I am itching to go back there. I will make the tapeworm my friend or beat it the ground. I am coming back for you!

Tonight I ran with Team in Training and it felt great. I came home soaked in the bath with one knee out with ice on it, two Ensure shakes, Nuun and a one pound bag of beef jerky... I know I'm eating in the tub! Gross or awesome?

Night Rider

2007-02-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

Check out this dude!

BMX Bandits

2007-02-08T21:06:00.000-08:00

If they had BMX Bandits II - I think JVG and I would be cast. Only problem is she would have to be my stunt double (and half the guys in the movie too) and still be the main character. While she was flying through tapeworm I was flying in the air to the ground. (They might cast that guy lurking in the back as the evil villian - I think he could "hold his own" riding)

Top Ten

2007-02-01T23:58:00.000-08:00

Tonight I was running with my ipod and was able to daydream (while listening to the Rocky theme song of course) and come up with my top ten for the year 2007. I also biked 13 miles and did an upper body workout including abs... So I am a little fired up and have big goals

1) Run a marathon in Paris in April and raise $6000 for the Leukemia Foundation
2) Do the Tri in June at Lake Sammamish in Issaquah
3) Swim from Seward Park to Mercer Island
4) One 12 hour Adventure Race
5) The Big Fat again, but this time with lots of training!
6) Hit Whistler and Sun Valley two more times for boarding season (at least), and keep up with my snowboarding schedule at the Summit this year.
7) Help with the food and allergy initiative foundation chapter my sister started
8) Paint five paintings that I love
9) Private Trapeze (I need to step it up a notch)
10) Back to belly dancing and abs class -it was when I was the most happiest in life, could have been life- but it was part of it!

Ok – 11- most important – Do great things for people, life changing.

Wait 12 (This isn’t going to ever stop is it?) – be the best aunt I can possibly be.

13…..run on beach in the sun…I loved my Maui runs.

14. Work hard!

inch by inch

Water drills - 10K race

2007-01-30T00:52:00.000-08:00

When I wanted to be great at a sport -or a technique inside a sport I would do it over and over again until I was successful. Like pitch a thousand pitches to my dad in the back yard every night. Like have my dad hit as many line drives at me after I pitch and charge the ball. Header - hitting the ball from a corner kick with my head (that one I still hated -even if you got the goal- it still hurt).. Drills! That what I need is a water drill!

I need to learn to drink from an aid station when running in a race. I am a mess. I blow it every time. This time I was directly in line with two girls. Same pace, they pass on the water guy, I grab the cup -and I have just been told the trick is pinching the cup and a take small sip two days earlier when I confessed my aid station mishaps. Well that went awry when the cup was Styrofoam and it turned out to be purple Gatorade. Two problems, I breathe in the Gatorade instead of drink it, stumble and splash purple Gatorade down my shirt, and is all over my face. Who fills cups to the rim anyway? When I looked up the two girls I was pacing with were at least 300 yards ahead of me. I fumbled and own the worse play of the year at an aid station. In history the worst play at an aid station is a guy dying, so I am not a complete mess up.

Minute’s later I have a sticky sticky foot. Not to mention they didn't close the highway we were running on with no sidewalks or gravel to run to and cars didn't seem to like us much. There were people in yards burning their garbage, tires, trees, and whatever else that could make a rather large black endless cloud of smoke.

so now -
sticky foot. Check. Gatorade down your shirt. Check. Running through the smell of burning tires. Check. Dodging cars. Check.

Anyway I was top in my age group. That happens a lot to me when there are only 30 people racing. It was just 6.2 miles and driving home I all of sudden got a burst of happy energy so it was worth it.

Also in the car I was like "I taste blood" "What?" "Blood. I taste blood it’s overwhelming. Am I bleeding out of my mouth?" I open my mouth, touch my nose. Then it strikes me. Sticky foot syndrome. That is not Gatorade -Can you believe it? A little piece of glass was just rolling around in my shoe. It started at mile 1.5 because that is where the water boy was and I noticed *SFS right away and pinned it on him and his little Kool-aid stand. I wish to take back the thoughts I had of him and his Styrofoam cups. Oh and the thought of kicking him in the shins for my sticky foot. (Taste is 90 percent of smell) -hence, therefore, because of..just kidding.. um, I smelled blood, I didn't taste it. It was the blood from my foot. Smell. taste. (I am doing a drill -saying it over and over again- that's how people learn too.)

So back to doing drills. I can actually make a track in my apartment running from the bathroom around to the living room through the bedroom back through the other bathroom door making full circle. Yes a mini track.. I am going to place cups of water on the table and get this thing down. I refuse to carry a backpack or bottle for my marathon and if I am not taking home the medal I am taking home the victory cup. Ew that line sounded cheesy – I will take home the honor of knowing I did my best to hydrate myself during a race.

P.S. I was sore Sunday so I decided to go to WAC and get my a** kicked so I am equally hurting on my upper and lower body.

*SFS – Sticky Foot Syndrome

In memory of Sock Puppet 2006 - 2007

2007-01-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

Its hard to have sympathy - he had such a foul mouth using words like "m- f-er" all the time. I assume he was either shot in the head or in a bar fight. But no one deserves to die. Either way I would like to take a few minutes of silence...

now what?

2007-01-24T19:20:00.000-08:00

Today with Lisa B I got my eyebrows waxed - that was my only New Years Resolution. So here I am again with NO goals.

So I need to come up with top ten by the end of the week. Coming up with a list counts as one! See, I aim for the sky?!

Last nights boarding was like riding on concrete. Alpental -old name for the locals now The Summit (I say that with BITE) has a lot of moguls and it was pretty icy. So instead of catching an edge I was skipping like a rock - which sucks cuz i would like skip three or four times before becoming a rag doll - what ups that sucks is I can only skip a rock like 2 maybe 3 times.. but there I was like ice, bounce, ice bounce, ice bounce.. got the picture? or Mom (my only reader) did I lose you?

Eventually I gave in and lost tough girl attitude and begged for my shoes to be tied tighter and when my heals weren't coming out of my boot (which is how I normally like to ride) I did start having a great time. This thumb thing is such a brat! I think you even use your thumb for balance. Anyway...

picture D (camera set with slow shutter speed)

Look me straight in the eyes, this helmet is not by mistake, I
will pounce! I need fat powder! Out of bounds!

Heaven

2007-01-22T00:37:00.000-08:00

Today was serene. I brought my ipod and didn't even turn it on. I was in love with the silent snow. It was gorgeous and we also had funny dialogue.

There were a few interruptions if we stayed on the groomed trails (like a gang of snowmobiles.)

Getting off the beaten path was gorgeous. I was always sent first to see if we would survive it or if I could see some kind of path in the near future. I never could but as long as I didn’t bust through into a river, I had a follower.

It was our first time up so we chose a safe 5 mile route up to 4090 feet elevation. I got new snowshoes. They are gorgeous and new waterproof pants. Today was like Christmas AND it was snowing.

Oh and my Tri was excellent, I beat running and biking times from my last Tri. My TA’s rocked except my TA for the swim is now going on like hour 24:33 minutes or something.

amazing

never miss a photo op

look i am in there

leading the way

someone is running at 4000 ft elevation. impressive.

MINI TRI

2007-01-17T17:53:00.000-08:00

Last night after lifting weights I was duped. I ordered a big greasy burger with bacon, cheese, and BBQ sauce (suggested by my workout partner - This a thing we have, we work out and eat the worse food in the world -not purposely- but we are starving and we just gorge. Saturday after the five mile run we had an 8 course meal at Denny's.) (Are you still with me?) anyway right after my burger order - he said "I will have the baked salmon and a glass of water."

You would think one should be happy that one is working towards a healthier diet BUT when you find out they have a goal - and the goal is to take you down in a triathalon and they are fattening you up like the county fair pig, and running at the gym when they say they are at work - you would then think.. hmm... what's a girl to do?

A mini tri inside my apartments gym is what you do!! Tonight! NOW!

I am going to start with the running, move to the bike and then swim last - because if I scare myself from going into the pool I am going to officially count taking a bath as the swim.

I have three problems

1st my neighborhood friends since I was a baby (we also went to pre school to college together -living in the same house) want to go get a beer. I am trying to stay focused. We have so much fun....

2nd Problem - my body aches and I will TRY to Tri but my dr. said all over body ache, running -unless it's an injury will help me. I will know in about five minutes if I can run.

3rd - I just loaded my baby money clip shuffle with Rocky Theme Song, Eye of the Tiger, We are the Champions, Let the bodies Hit the Floor, Ride, Down with the Sickness and You got one shot -anyway that is NOT the problem - The problem is I can't find it and I haven't left the couch after downloading the songs to itunes and uploading them to my new toy. This is what I get for bragging for having the smallest and best shuffle in the world. I am serious. I unplugged it and haven't moved out of this spot (other then looking for it)....

my phone is ringing.. friends or mini tri.. where is my ipod?

TOGA TOGA

2007-01-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

When I was at cheer camp (yep I know) - I was 16 at the time. My sister Robin was the captain, and my dad told her I HAD to miss practices for any sports -soccer and USSA ball. I was NOT the best cheerleader and there were constant fights with my sister who is one year older than me. If I missed a practice she would make me practice at home. Dreadful, I had kick the can to play with the neighborhood. My mom would always side with her.

Back to cheer camp...

As we were heading to our beds after a long day of cheering, my sister said directly to me, "No Toga parties!" I truthfully would never have thought of that - but then the ball was in motion and I rallied all of floors of the cheering dorm and gathered at least 100 Toga participants. I had them all packed in the hallway and we slowly and quietly started chanting Toga Toga until a full on roar! She was so hacked (it was her idea!) Our squad almost got kicked out of the camp but my sisters was also chosen two years in a row to be a leader when she graduated from school (she was talented) so we got a pass, but it made our school ineligible for the victory -which we had taken home the last ten years of the school's history.

Next Toga - My oldest sister once in Sun Valley promised the boys I would go to bed when they did - because they didn't want to go to sleep. Her intent was they would fall asleep and I would quietly climb out of the bunk room and go back downstairs. After thirty minutes of knowing they were not going to ever fall asleep and I was in bed at 745 pm on my vacation, I decided to dress them up classic Toga style and sent them downstairs, TOGA - TOGA - My sister laughed for awhile until they would never go back to bed. I have not been sent to bed early since.

But last night -all the stars aligned and I was asked to be the model in a Toga photo for a poster at Unexpected Production. See all that training paid off?

These are not the photos that will be used, but the ones from my camera...how great is this?

TOGA TOGA

We are truly supposed to be Goddesses -but it doesn't get any more Toga than this!

Always flexing -one day muscles will come - Still no disappointment here, I'm wearing a Toga! Made my outfit with pillow cases and a flat sheet -

whining in a winter wonderland

2007-01-13T19:39:00.000-08:00

The snow was gorgeous. The trails were gorgeous. People were beyond festive - so I am trying hard to remember the good points....but

Imagine climbing a mountain to the point your legs are fried and cross that with growing pains -that is how my legs felt in my quad area 30 feet into my run -which was 5.2 miles -and it just kept getting worse. When either foot landed I felt my leg would break and I would fall to the ground. I couldn't stop because I knew I wouldn't even be able to walk or run out of the trails and I would be forever lost.

I had my backpack and was constantly hydrating, I was well fed and was gu-ing. The only thing different were my shoes which were more of hiking running shoe that were gortex montrails. I thought it would keep my feet warm. I can't imagine that would be the cause but they are very stiff and made me run flat footed and I usually more of a toe runner. <-that is what I have been told. That is not a fact. Also the ground was frozen. No give.

People were flying by me, even one guy that was the speed of Tim Conway.

I just took a hot bath and my bones still feel like someone is grasping them in a choke hold. There is no muscle pain at this point.

I have my camelback hooked up to my wall, so its like an IV and I am drinking Gatorade while lying in bed.

Photos

This little guy Jeffrey came it at 38 minute for five mile trail run - photo op for me with this little star

Commandough's cult colors -

When did my eyeballs get so squinty?

Look how much more eyeball I have to give?

LOVE IT

2007-01-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

For exercise we climbed under the chair for the first run, some further than others.

It was wet snow -rain -I was drenched but I had such an awesome time! I love to board!!!

AWARD CEREMONY

2007-01-08T00:51:00.000-08:00

AV 40 LAP CLASSIC

2007-01-08T00:04:00.000-08:00

January 5th the eve before the AV 40 Lap Classic

Like a day before any race, I can’t sleep. But this time its different –It’s not the jitters, its not the early wake up, it’s not the unknown, its that I am physically out of my bed making shirts for the AV 40 Lap classic. My imagination is big and sometimes I say things out loud –or even if I think it in my own my mind and if I do anything less than I think that it won’t be successful… so iron on shirts is the winning ticket to a successful race, party and a friendship. Where do I come up with this brilliance?

January 6th -The day of AV 40 Classic race day 430 am.

Shirts are now complete, Do you know when you do a bib style, that all shirts should have a different number? Did you also know that this makes the t-shirt factory rummy and hallucinating and barely functioning.

Definitions

AV 40 Lap Classic – a race where friends gather and celebrate AV being healed enough to be in the water and his first competition since the break of his femur bone, surgery and blood clot (two harbor view visits). The race include 40 laps in a non-Olympic size pool

Lap – one way down in a pool

January 6th day – Race Report

My phone rings at 8:15 and Dawn is downstairs. I have nervous thoughts, again not to do with a race, but will everyone have fun...then the crowd comes.

Mark, Marna, D, Joanna and Dawn are all in my apartment, next Misha, -I give her my WSU bullhorn, and there she is with a stack of prizes from Starbucks, ribbons, water balloons and this lap race just took a turn to an adventure swim.

Then AV comes and we head down to the 8th floor to the pool for AV40LC!

We dip in the water – Dawn and Joanna are the cheering section, Misha is on the bullhorn and there are five of us in the water, BANG the race is off, ten laps, then a balloon toss, ten laps, the hitting a paddle pall five times, the every lap up you squirt Aaron with a water gun. Which was a mighty blast of water. D after be truly shoved out his lane stepped aside and watched what he thought was supposed to be a fun little swim turn in to a full on power house with Marna and Aaron fighting to their deaths. There was more splash and kicks (illegal) then at any tri I have participated in (ok I have only been in one triathlon) but all my fears if would it be fun diminished four seconds into the race, Misha, the cheer squad, the games, and the prizes made it for a great first race for AV off the injury box.

My favorite moment was when we all had a dip in the hot tub and Misha had an award ceremony. When they announced Mark 4th, D shot me a look, like “You weren’t top 3” then when Marna got 3rd, I heard “what the flip?” but not by Marna, she graciously took her ribbon, big smile, and then “2nd place. JP!!!” I couldn’t stop giggling, I seriously was over charged with laughter. I felt like the lady in the marathon that hopped the subway and took the victory without a conscious (that is speculative – I have no idea how she felt), but I bounced in the air to my victory. Luckily Marna is funny and realized that it was rigged -truly at the same time I did I might add. Then the winner of the AV 40 LAP Classic was AV!

Then I made a mimosa breakfast, which included breakfast burritos, French Toast, fresh fruit, sausages and bacon. I had FUN and I took 2nd by only completing about half the laps and double the time. I LOVE IT. (Truly I do like a fair victory but this was so funny, esp since Marna was like an Olympic Swimmer.)

Look at the shirts!

Aaron, "Want a piece of me?"

Those yellow caps were making white caps

paddle

The balloons are supposed to go in the bucketts peoople

Misha, me, Jo

Celebration

WAC

2007-01-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

One of the new years resolutions I have is to go to the WAC at least five times a month. I think I currently do that now, but I really want to make a point of being there more often for weight lifting and the belly blaster class. I had a great workout -more like most efficient. Today every part of my body is sore. So that is the most important, a good workout!

My gloom is gone, so it is a Happy New Year

2007-01-03T20:57:00.000-08:00

I just came off the best high from a bike ride. I was tryng to write about how positive of a coach Hart is but I felt like I was writing an ad. Although I do believe every word I was writing (am I doing it again?) of it to be true. He is so positive it's contagious. I also feel pushed while getting great technique.

We rode for 14 miles averaging about 15 miles an hour - I was on my mt. bike on the road. We hit some great hills, my endorphines were flying. I just feel awesome. We rode down by the water and gusts of wind were snapping at us and I felt really alive. He was like damn that is cold, I was so happy that the wind had no affect on my mental state except making me happier that I was on my bike. I love my bike.

I actually have a list of goals for the year 2007 - and a list of the best of 2006. I will have to write later because I want to use this confidence and ride this high to conquer the Legend of Zelda/Twilight Princess - my wii-mote is just taunting me. I must go.

Peace

Sha-BAMB

2007-01-02T22:25:00.000-08:00

There is he coming in like a lightning bolt- taking names and conquering his New Years resolution on day 1 - break a nine minute mile... rocking the house at 8:37. Congratulations.. I heard his next goal is to beat me in a running race. I hired Hart for tomorrow.. friendly competition is over.. it's on!!!!!!

WORRY

2007-01-01T20:51:00.000-08:00

will he ever come in? I already dipped - went through finish line.. I am on the look out.. Maybe he changed his mind and actually did the dip in the lake.. nah...I keep waiting...looking.. keep your eyes open.. I'm kind of sad I gave him a hard time. No sign of him yet

Top Ten of my complaints

2007-01-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

1-The year becomes 2007 and I wake up....damn it! The same anxiety. Those New Years people.. only the date changes. Its all fake, its not really a new year.. its the next day with the a different date.

2-The man I love is being tortured in the back of ship on the way to Shanghai. It might be worth getting cable because I can't wait for the disc or the season to pass without knowing the status of Jack.

3. Sometimes I have anxiety and I can't point it to anything, this has a direct cause and effect. Something a good medicine can't take away.

DAMN IT (Jack's favorite saying) I can't complain anymore because today was absolutely glorious. My parents were able to watch me run and I wasn't stressed or crying.. I think tears have bled from my eyes (Like the evil character from James Bond) since the week before Christmas. DAMN IT (honoring Jack) -did I just think I was being positive and started whining.. holy cow.. TODAY'S race was glorious! I had fans. My parents, Dawn and Anthony (Anthony is doing the Iron Man in June).

My mom on my right - your left showing support

involving my dad in the race

Yesterday New Years Eve I went Boarding.

I climbed under the chair to get a workout and what a cure! When you can't breath, you really do forget about all of the pain. I also felt this competition, because I wasn't going to be the first one to stop or to say my legs are burning. I have a new camera - I did self photography for boarding and one myself in the car. Did you know I need my eyebrows waxed? I had no idea.. that picture DELETE DELETE DELETED. They aren't growing to a unibrow -they are just about to interfere with my eye lashes.. OH MY GOSH I have a New Years Resolution - get my eyebrows waxed!!! (Thank god, I was starting to feel abnormal with no goals)

My thumb is still killing me! (I should have stuck with the top ten complaints) It's one of the body parts you so take advantage of. It lets you know down right, "you need me for everything."

I'm taking you down!

2006-12-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

Someone mentioned I wasn't getting any faster and they are slower than me! They also signed me up for a race Jan 1st. In the race you plunge in the lake at the end and they pre-opted out of that piece... stay tuned.. I think I will beat their time, have a documentary of events, a lot of smack talking... even after a swim I will still come in before them.

See, I train?

Disclaimer -1st indoor running training - usually low concentration skills lead me to be flung from the treadmill but due to competition - I managed. Do not run indoors..

walk purcell walk.. - um, what?

2006-12-18T13:14:00.000-08:00

My girlfriend Valpey came to town from NY with her husband and her family has no electricity so I offer up my home (and bed) to them while I sleep on the couch.

Saturday we went and grabbed her grandma and took her out of the retirement home and went for a movie. Then of course, coming in from NY – she had friends and family to see. So Saturday we spent our time grabbing people, and the van just kept getting more and more full.

I also stopped by a friend’s house that had no phone that I needed to check on due to some illness they have in the family – trust me – I am no mother Teresa – cuz this night ends with much Vino and debauchery (that’s an exaggeration but it sounds fun just the same) – since she was visiting. We had many people to meet. Luckily it was all by the bar by my home – all that drinking. BLEEK!

I wake up at 7:30 to my alarm, and a text page, “Are we on for the 5k?” I thought for sure it would be canceled (that is why my Saturday I drank) - but hek yeah! I all of a sudden get really excited... Then whoa, I stood up too fast...3.5 hours sleep and all that Vino. Am I nightmare or what? My head is pulsing. I have quit the drinking down to a glass here or there.. and ZERO before race days.. Damn it! I blame the power outage.

I decided, just getting out there to run 3.1 miles, will be good. I deserve any suffering.

I got the same speech, “I am running this race at my own pace, against my own time, you want to run it, go, but I am not starting in the front”

Me, “Trust me, I am only here to hang out with you and just get a run in.” I believed it when I said it. BUT LIES LIES ALL LIES.

As I stand at the back of the line I begin to feel it. That pulse from adrenaline. Then the realization, “I am behind slow poke Rodriquez (Speedy’s cousin) – and they are multiplying.”

Count down… Five seconds to race – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.. nobody is moving! (Except the front people who are already a half a mile out!)

There is the ankle timer.. so I try hard not to panic, they said its on the mat which is the size of picnic blanket.. Which part of the mat? The beginning or the end?.. and as I cross over this mat, it’s still a slow walk – They have this monster clock ticking the time clock is all I can see, and I am in slow motion, not in my head but for real – and I can only hear ticking like in the tv show 24– tick, tick, tick (the show its more like tink, tink, tink), I am like I need through these people.. Then I calm myself down for one minute. Then I was off the mat, still walking I went for full on “I am not doing this for nothing!” It’s almost like I blacked out – I do remember politely barreling through people – can you do that politely?.. If so, I am sure I was polite about it… :)

Then boom, I finished 10th out of 150 women – for the 5k.
Should have would have could have… but I tell you, as cranky as I was starting off in back and it not being my best running time..10th isn’t bad – and I literally got to pass everyone but 9 girls! I had a blast.

No more 5k’s for fun. I need to move it up to the 10 to 12ks I need longer distance, and I need to be faster. I swear I am getting slower!

Yo Dog it's the Jingle Bell Run

2006-12-10T23:46:00.000-08:00

I go to the jingle bell run and everyone there HEAD to TOE is in red with bells on (literally). Except for my jacket I am dressed all in black -all the way down to my underoos.

This was no ordinary race. This was a cheerful jingling mob!

After the second wave (which we were in) it took about five minutes to get to the start line - then another five for any movement - it was a slow slow walk if that.

I wasn't planning on running this race -I just merely wanted a jaunt... which was impossible!

Finally I edge my way up to sidewalk -which is the picture above and there comes D sprinting right beside me. I was like "ah one way to get him to run fast is to put him behind slow pokes and a hoard of people." We got kicked off the sidewalk for our two minute sprint and back to the mob. I start weaving and waving through people, it was awesome and D is just moving. I wish I could have real times for him because this is the fastest I have seen him move and his stride was much different and he was enjoying passing everyone -I was like "Heavens to Bitsy D is a runner."

no one was passing. it was just a blast

Finally this lady dressed as a christmas package comes sprinting by I look at D and said "I am not going to let that box beat me" so I picked it up. That when spirits were being crushed while I am knocking through reindeers, leaping over dogs, and pushing kids a side all to beat that box, which I did. Then back to FUN..

It felt good to run three miles. There was no pressure. I felt really normal running and just loved it. Then I did my quarter mile sprint in and we waited again entering the finish line in rows for about four minutes to take our tags.

Congrats to Team Dart and Ben for their race. I am in so much regret for missing it. I even stayed in Friday night so I would be all amped to go. Since last weekend body still doesn't love food... Today I ate ok, but I only had a protein shake and cheese fondue. Not much food. Not good for me either. My water is like at zero. That's what is freaking me out.. Like right now I hate water. Who hates water? "I do" no not you that's who were talking about here... I am now going for some nuun to see if that helps...

I JUST BONKED

2006-12-04T15:25:00.000-08:00

holy cow.
my week.
Sunday night in Sun Valley November 26 - snowed in -we were in a blizzard. First flight out was Tuesday.

Monday November 27th - made one GLORIOUS day of being stuck in Sun Valley. Snowboarded HARD. Last run by myself. I stood at thet top at 10,000 feet elevation. Got the last ride up on the chair. It was so quiet and i just kept spinning in circles just in aw of the beauty, the best part, I knew I had one hell of ride going straight down, and after two day blizzard, hitting the face of the mt. it was like butter.. carving was barely a sway of the body. board forward and just down with speed (down with the sickness) ...

Tuesday flight canceled. Drove 4 hours to Boise to catch plane.

Tuesday night heavy workout.

Thursday -work and heavy lifting.

Friday December 1st. Glorious private party at the Pink Door. They announced your name when you walked down the stairs and threw gold dust in the air. They had people dressed as Toy monkeys on all the ledges of the wall banging cymbals when they announced your name. They had trapeze, juggglers, topless servers, singers, performers, and incredible wine. I felt like I just entered Vegas. It was really well done -sounds odd, cuz i have zero energy to write, but it was not tacky it was all beautifully done and classy. Then -I ate this little appetizer. I said "is this crab or lobster?" too much hestitation on her part. She said, "crab" then out for the count for two days solid. Couldn't even keep water in. Itchy lips -puffy tongue -and sick sick sick. Lobster and I are not friends.

Then the Beast on Sunday. I will write about after I get some photos and have the energy.

I just went down to starbucks I told them I think I want to just lay down on the ground. They rushed around me (that is what being a good client gets you) telling and had me taking espresso shots straight from the bar. It was like a serious matter. They are like you have five seconds to shoot it. Good to know starbucks can come to the rescue. Still feel like a zombie. But not like I could pass out and that's the important thing. Getting sick and no hydration for two days was AWFUL.
I can't wait for bed. That caffiene will probably kick in then and I will be hacked.

This is my favorite picture of all time AND normally I would wince at sleeping on a rock but I would take it right now rather than having to sit up at my desk. I never feel this bad.. that food thing -missing planes.. no water. . BOOM. I ate and hydrated so much yesterday..

photo by RVG (?) again -favorite photo of all time