Water drills - 10K race

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

AV 40 LAP CLASSIC

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

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

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

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

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

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."