My Journey to Ironman 2009

OUCH

2009-08-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

So the real deal is...I'm SUPER busy these days. I'm in school 4 days a week, training 6 days a week and sleeping during any extra hours that I have. That does not leave much blogging time...so they might be far between. I'll try to recap the last few days...

Yesterday I did an open water swim out at Saguaro Lake with Dave, Brig and Jason. Stupid me decided to wear just a sports bra and top instead of my swim suit. AND, I didn't wear bodyglide. Not just my arms are burned but my sides under my sports bra too. It's so painful! I won't make that mistake again...bodyglide is my friend! Anyway....we swam for an hour and I felt really good. Maybe it was because I was familiar with my surroundings, but it felt much better then when I swam my 1/2 a few weeks ago. The part I didn't care for was the lake weed touching my legs. That did put me into somewhat of a panic in a couple areas. I can't stand that! And when he made us tread water I had a pretty challenging time...I don't know why I have these panic attacks.

I'm officially part of the racelab Saturday bike ride group. These are some serious contenders too! There are about 20 or so riders on any given Saturday, most of which I believe are already IM so I do have to push to keep up, which is great because Dave is pushing my speed. (Oh, don't let me forget to tell you about our brick workout Tuesday) Last Saturday we rode from Chandler to Coolidge and back, which was my longest ride of about 70 miles. Well, it was not intended to be my longest but I followed the leaders out and ended up doing an extra small loop - oops.... Next time I'll stay with the pack and let the leaders go without me :) The best part of the whole ride was jumping into the pool when we were done. PERFECT!!! Total time was just under 5 hours. Not bad, but Dave wants better. The previous Saturday we rode the Tour de Scottsdale route which took us through Fountain Hills. Yeah HILLS is right!

Speaking of Dave...we did a brick workout (bike/run) the other day and although I think he was not super excited about my run performance (he is really pushing me out of my comfort zone these days) I was happy. Let me tell you why...I remember when it would take me an hour just to ride 10 miles. For my brick I biked 12 miles and ran 2 miles in an hour 5 minutes. My transition was pretty pathetic, but he's not too worried about those during IM. So my speed is improving, but I still have far to go.

Today is my day off and let me tell you - Thursdays are my most favorite days! Tomorrow is our last Friday gym workout. Dave is changing my schedule so not sure what we will be doing. I'm a little sad about it because my gym workouts are my most favorite. We'll still do them on Monday...just not Fri too.

I'm leaving for Tahoe tomorrow. I'm going to hike some trails, bike some single track and gamble until I'm broke! HURRAY FOR ME! Have a great week....

It's been a long time...

2009-08-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

It's been so long since my last post that I'm not even sure where to start or what to say. It's like seeing a long lost friend almost.

Well, these past couple of months have been a challenge, to say the least. I did my first 1/2 Ironman and had a blast. I did so much better than I expected and while I was there (in Northern CA) I remembered why I signed up for all this....then I came home to AZ weather and suddenly it all changed.

I've had some real struggles with getting my workouts done in this heat. I fear I'm at a breaking point. When it's 104 at 9AM everyday it takes the fun out of everything I do and I dread my workouts daily. I told Dave today that I feel so far behind....I can't do anything quickly in this weather and the fact that it's getting me so down is starting to weigh on me. It's not fun and I just don't care to do it anymore. Unfortunately for me, quitting is not at option, but each day that passes I get more and more bitter. I just need some cooler weather so that I can enjoy being outside again.

I'm starting to do my long weekend rides with racelab and I'm happy about that. Last week we did part of the Tour de Scottsdale route and man...it was not my best day. I started pretty nervous about riding with people I didn't know and I wasn't sure where I was going either so I didn't eat much and ran out of water. I managed 4 hours. I'm not in the IM to break any time records but I do want to make the cutoff times so I'm worried about my speed. My hope is that I do fine. I did the 1/2 bike in 4 hours and it was all hills...

Sunday I have a 10 mile run on my schedule. I'll be up at 4am trying to beat the heat and home before the sun is up. Man I am really hoping for just a section of cool weather along the canal. Knowing that I can actually run 10 miles is a little surreal to me. Sometimes I just can't believe what I pull off. I do breakdown long workouts. I plan 5 miles out and don't count the second 5 home so it doesn't seem so bad. I think that's how I'll get through IM too...it's just 3 bike loops and 3 run loops. Easy - right?

I staring at this screen desperate to remember why I signed up for Ironman. I'm trying to remember how I felt on the Mill Ave. bridge waiting for Dave and Windy to speed by on their bikes when they did IM. Why am I doing this, really? I need that motivation and that desire back in order to finish this. Why? Why am I doing this? I don't remember and that scares me. I need a nap. And that's another thing! Am I the only IM in training that is always tired? After a workout I shove food into my mouth and sleep for 3 hours...

Moving forward

2009-06-30T04:50:00.001-07:00

I'm feeling pretty good today. I found a really great place that I can afford, so that's put my mind at ease and relieved some major stress. I quickly learned that first, I don't have time to fall apart here...I gave myself about 30 minutes yesterday to cry and just let everything go, but now it's total survival mode. I refuse to stop living because one part of my life has come to a halt. I'm fortunate to have so many people reaching out to help me with whatever I need...from home cooked meals, moving boxes, nights out on the town, tons of people who just want to talk and even a movie, it's support everywhere I turn and it helps so very much! It's a process and one that I can handle with so many good friends.

Second, I better get organized, and fast. I didn't realize just how dysfunctional I was until I started looking around at my junk. Holy WOW I have a lot of papers. My apartment is only 400 sq ft so I'm cleaning out my clutter and starting over fresh. Moving day is in 6 days so I've got to start shredding this crap now.

Yes, IM training continues. I had goals for June but as of today I'm not sure where I'm at with them. I lost track about a week ago and have not taken the time to sit and recalculate. I'm sure I was close, but probably missed the mark on both the run and bike..I've been a little distracted here. I am on the hunt for a PT job...I applied for a couple places yesterday so I hope to find a way to make it all work. I can't imagine giving up IM, but I also can't imaging being homeless so a job will always come first.

My posts might be slow coming as I find myself focused on other things at the moment but I'll try and keep it updated at least weekly. A million thanks to friends! You make this process so much easier! As my relationship comes to an end just know that we are not fighting or making it nasty...we both want to remain friends with each other, and all of you.

2009-06-29T04:45:00.001-07:00

This is how I'm feeling....Rick and I broke up, which means I can't really work PT anymore so I have to either give up IM training (which ultimately means give up IM) or give up school to go back to work and I'm not sure which one I should let go.

The hardest

2009-06-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

Today's workout was by far the hardest I've had yet. I'm not sure if it was the heat, along with the uphill ride, or the combination of my tired legs, the heat and uphill climb. It flat out sucked!

The plan was to ride up Pima out to Bartlett Lake, meet Dave there and swim. Almost immediately I could feel my quads say, no, no, no...so the ride just up Pima was the slowest I think I've ever done...it took me over a hour just to get 10 miles...ugh. I seriously thought several times about giving up. I was just getting baked in the sun, sweat was pouring down into my eyes and all I could think about was the hill that started at Pima and Cave Creek...why did I sign up for all this? OMG

I can't believe it only took me 3.5 hours to get there...it was the longest most difficult time of my entire training - multiplied by 10. HARD! I do not want to visit that workout again for a long time. Part of the ride up towards the lake my quads felt like somebody punched them so I walked about 6 miles and considered more but I needed to just get it done and cool off. I was surprised at how many cars passed me but nobody stopped to see if I was okay....clearly anyone walking that long road with a bike in hand is not okay...I would have accepted a ride at that point.

Well look who comes pulling up - DAVE! At this point I had less than 5 miles to go with a huge decent coming so as he asked if I wanted a ride to the finish I said no...what the hell was I thinking? There is no shame in getting a ride but something inside didn't want to disappoint him, and I was so close to being done. I finally made it and that water was a perfect ending..it was very cool and over too quick...I wanted to sit in the cool spots for awhile, but also wanted to get the hell out of there. Not sure how far we swam, but it was nice to be off my bike.

I'm toast. These past 3 days have really challenged me and I can't keep this pace. No matter how early we start, the heat is going to get worse. I have to think that if I can endure these next 4 months, I can get through the Ironman. Right??

Let's wrap this up

2009-06-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

Training has continued and this week has not been any easier then weeks past. In fact, this week has really kicked my butt so far. I'm working harder then I've ever worked before. It started with a 16 mile run on Monday...with a gym workout in the middle. Today Dave and I biked 1 Ironman loop, which was a little more brutal then I had expected. It's a really LONG route out there with nothing but dry, hot freeway. Right now I can't imagine doing it 3 times. Tomorrow I'm biking to Bartlett again (3rd time) followed by a swim, which I'll certainly enjoy after a hot ride. I'm looking forward to a day off sometime this week.

Getting prepared for the Bartlett ride is kinda fun. I get to buy chips and candy and NOT feel bad about it. It's only 44 miles, but it's a brutal uphill ride the entire way pretty much so I'll need all the calories I can get - especially with a swim planned right after the ride. One thing I've learned about myself is that my body needs lots of food and drink in order to perform. I fall apart when I go too long without food.

Dave and I talked today about my training and I really only have 4 months left because the last month is pretty easy training..it's coming up fast!! He's confident I'll be ready, but I'm not a consistent rider....he told me today that I still back off on the hills.

These past 3 days have really pushed my limited. Each workout I think is the hardest and I can't believe I'm still able to walk at this point. I am encouraged by Dave's confidence in my ability...I hang on every word he says so as long as he says I can....then I can...

What a week

2009-06-19T09:32:00.001-07:00

Wow..this week has gone by pretty fast...I need more days...I need more time. I was going to have a "girls night out" with a friend but Dave put the brakes on that by giving me 60 bike and 15 run miles to get done in two days...plus I have to study for a math exam, see my Dr., and get my hair cut. I'm exhausted just thinking about all of it.

Just about all my friends are headed up to Flag. to race in the Barn Burner this weekend...I was thinking about going, but have too much goin on so I don't think I'll make it. Best of luck and happy riding friends.

Fixes

2009-06-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

I did get my car fixed..it turned out to be my battery. I'm SO glad it wasn't more. I also got my neck fixed..or feeling better at least. The Chiropractor "aligned" my neck (more like cracked the hell out of it) and wow, it felt so much better after. I'd like to get "aligned" all the time! It's in the same feel good category as a massage.

This week has been tough with Dave gone. I managed to bike/run, but not at the level I'm sure he'd like. I eagerly await his return on Monday. I'm not behind on miles, but not as far ahead as I could be.

My friend Mayita is doing the 1/2 Boise IM today so I'm watching for her updates online. The race starts at 2pm, which seems a little odd to me, but keep her in your thoughts. Go Mayita!

urg

2009-06-11T05:07:00.001-07:00

Well, so much for my workout...my car won't start and Rick is out of town..I think it's a bad ignition switch so now I have to wait for a tow truck...

Checkin In

2009-06-09T16:45:00.000-07:00

I received an email from Dave today...In case I failed to mention it, he's in Canada with his wife right now. I was doing great...in my own little world until the email came. It didn't say anything other then, "how's it going so far." Up until that point, it was going good - so I thought. I think I had myself talked into believing that this week would be easier since he's gone. You know, I could go at my own pace, on my own path and I could stop and rest when I wanted to...Total freedom over my own workout... That email said something else to me..it said - you better get your ass outside and run sister. It said - you better not get behind on your workouts. I didn't plan on running today because I swam, but about 20 or so minutes after reading the email I was putting my shoes on. It's almost as if he knew that my effort might not be 100%..but maybe 80% this week. I ran, and I felt SO MUCH BETTER after I was done. What stinks worse then a sweaty chlorine smell? Eeks...I stink! It was nasty. Isn't it funny how just five words from my trainer and I'm poopin my pants!

I saw Hollon's Chiropractor today. He did some voodoo on my neck and the range of motion is a little better. He did recommend easy swimming. After today's swim I was a little stiff but I guess the Dr. knows best. He put me on this massage machine...oh man! I'll go back twice a week just to lay on that thing.

Biking tomorrow and a run. After my accident I stopped biking with an iPod. I didn't have it that day, but I now realize the seriousness of biking..it's definitely not a game to take so lightly.

Bike ride update

2009-06-08T04:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's ride to Cave Creek and Carefree could not have been more perfect. Vickie and I headed off super early so we could enjoy the cool weather, and it was a little chilly when we started!

I should probably back up just a little. The thing about the Nelson's is...if you want a push, they will push! If you want your butt kicked, they will gladly serve your ass on a platter... If you want a nice easy ride, they are totally on board...they are SO EASY to be around that I can't help but call them about once a month for a ride. I can also gauge my progress riding with them so it's an extra bonus.

Back to the start...I told Vickie right away that I wanted to really push my speed. It's something I need to focus on with distance so I expected to be tired and I expected to really push my mental limits. (If I want to play with the big girls, I HAVE to work hard....there are no short cuts.) The last time I did this loop the Nelson's were chasing me (a little game we played) and what took me an hour about 2 months ago took me 45 minutes yesterday...I was REALLY glad to see that 15 minutes gone!

The Carefree hwy delivers a climb (from our starting point) and nice down hill followed by another nice incline to Cave Creek Rd...so you get a little of everything here. My quads were swollen from the first 12 miles we did so I was getting worried about the ride through Cave Creek and Carefree from the start...it's a pretty steady uphill climb that never fails to test my mental endurance. I kept my focus on Vickie's bike (it was just her and I yesterday) and keeping little distance between the two of us. I tried NOT to draft, so I stayed to the left of her tire for what seemed like most of our ride (where the road would allow it too).

We got passed by this dude who was SO TALL that his seat sat about where Vickie's head height was..holy smokes we could not believe how tall this guy was. At any rate, the ride down Pima Rd was a beautiful reprieve for my quads.

Riding back to Vickie's was still challenging. We kept a great 19-20 mph pace up most of Union Hills but I had made a huge mistake in not getting more water 10 miles from her house. Here is a huge lesson. Just because you are 10 miles from home does not mean you stop drinking and eating. I bottomed out fast...meaning I went from a good speed to a slow speed with nothing between. I should have gotten water...I had been eating all day and once I stopped, my legs gave out about 4 miles from home. I just couldn't get a good push to start my speed after that.

What a great time. Thanks Vickie for pushing me over some humps and offering a great workout..total time was 3 hrs 2o min with 53 miles.

Somebody please poke my eyes!

2009-06-06T05:23:00.000-07:00

Okay now come on! Sometimes we just know that when we do certain things, or dress a certain way that we will attract negative attention or stares. Dave and I were biking the other day and this is what we both saw. A man (I'm sure he was nice, right?)...a rather hefty man with no shirt riding his bike with what almost looked like red speedo shorts! Why? Why are you doing this? Please put some clothes on!!! Why do people think it's okay to show that much skin? That was one of those situations where you really can't believe what you just saw....and I wanted to put pencils into my eyes...

It's been a pretty good week overall I guess. I don't have accident visions anymore and I've pretty much forgotten about it. The cold sore on the tip of my lip is crusted over so it doesn't hurt....sounds like I'm back into the swing of things. Still stiff so I see the chiropractor on Tuesday. I'm hoping for a quick fix here so I can start swimming soon. Dave is gone next week so I can focus on just my mileage and maybe get ahead. Today is a 7 mile run with a 12 mile in my near future....it's hard for me to believe I can actually run that far. Tomorrow my bike will get me just a little ahead on mileage, but more is always better. I'm biking with 2 girlfriends that I have not seen in weeks so I'm super excited about the ride and you can plan on seeing pictures with my post.

On a more personal note...I guess the previous posts were not personal? (anyway) School is HARD...I have a very good friend coming to tutor me twice a week. Without her I would not pass this stupid math. I think this whole math thing needs to be redone. In my entire adult life I don't remember ever wondering if P=a+b+c, for c...do you? It's just stupid. TONS of homework but very thankful this class is only 8 weeks.

Gotta run now..I'm going to email Hollon and see if he'll come over and dance to Stayin Alive for us... ;)

I'm Out

2009-06-03T12:05:00.001-07:00

Well, I have officially pulled out of the Sprint Tri I was signed up for on Saturday. My neck and back are just really stiff so I don't think I'll make the swim without some real issues...Thanks to DCB Adventures for the race credit. It's unfortunate, but I can't turn my head to the right, let alone try and breath each stroke. Hollon gave me the number to his chiropractor so I'm going to give him a try.

Thanks to Trailhead Bike & Cafe for fixing my bike so fast. I didn't want bike fear to come over me...it often happens after an accident, a little fear and anxiety so I decided early on that I wanted to ride again today. I knew I would not feel 100%, but as Hollon always says, "it's conditioning for something!" so Dave and I met at the same place for the same workout that was planned yesterday. As it turns out, he's feeling pretty sore and stiff too. He told me that today he was going to say at least 50 feet behind me lol... Seriously though, I saddled up my ride and off I went.

When I went to bed last night and closed my eyes, the accident was all I could see in my head over and over. When I woke I could hardly move. My Cure - Pop 2 Advil, drink some hot tea and start moving! I met Dave at Granada Park so I just really took my time and tried to warm up slowly because I knew the workout to come.

Once we started moving down the canal I had visions of the accident again in my head...fight, fight, fight! Stay to the right and just ride Kim, that accident was yesterday's news!!...I said over and over...it did go away, and I'm glad. I can say that I didn't have fear, but I had caution and more awareness. Dave was pushing my speed to stay consistent so I was thinking about circles with my legs in order to keep my mind off the pain going down my back and neck. I'm pretty happy with the ride, though the headwind at the end really took my speed from me. My mental endurance has improved for sure.

Tomorrow I'm kayaking and running. With a long ride planned for Sunday with the Nelson's, I think I can focus on my running and be on track for the week's 100/25.

Thanks for all the emails and text messages.

"click, click, boom!"

2009-06-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

Ya know, sometimes I just need to listen and do what I'm told.

I met Dave for our Tuesday ride. He asked me the other day about how much time I spend in my aerobars so I had a sneaking suspicion that he'd been thinking about some upcoming training opportunities. When he asked me to meet him at Granada Park, which is near the canal I had a hunch that today I would spend more time in the bars total then I have since I bought them. I was right!

Off we go and it feels pretty good. Of course the tail wind was helping me some but overall, I felt pretty comfortable and relaxed. There's never much traffic on the canal so it was open territory. Or so I thought. I have a horrible habit of riding the center line. I'm not sure why, but I do know that when I'm on the road I worry about hitting the curb so I tend to stay pretty close to the left. Dave yells at me ALL THE TIME about riding over, or close to that center line and today wasn't any different. You can't see a line, but there is certainly one there and he reminded me soon after we started to get over on my own side of it.

A few miles into our ride and Dave says we are doing great at 19 - 20 mph, which is excellent for me. I was super excited to work hard and show him that yes, I can bounce back strong and hard. It's unfortunate that I couldn't stay on my side of the line heading down under Central Ave. because I had a pretty nasty sort-of head on, side clip kinda collision that left all of us on the ground dazed and wondering if all our parts were still functional.

I don't really remember how it all happened because just seconds after I saw him coming up towards me we made contact. We both tried to over correct I think and smashed into each other, but I take the blame for NOT BEING ON MY SIDE OF THE LINE!!! Had I been on the right and not down the middle, I probably could have given him more room and not hit him. I'm not sure if I went over the top of my bike or sideways, but I do know that Dave flipped over me, my head hit the ground pretty dang hard and my neck and back are pretty stiff. I remember laying there feeling scared saying to myself, okay Kim, can you feel your body? Do you need an ambulance. As I'm thinking this everyone is asking, are you okay, are you okay and I wonder, gosh - I don't really know yet but give me just a second to process what just happened.... About the time I realized that I was indeed okay, I was just scared and sore, all I wanted at that point was my phone so that I could call Rick. At that moment he was all I was thinking about and nothing more. Besides the fact that my bike was not ridable, I was pretty much done. I could not believe how fast he made it down there!

Dave walked away with some abrasions...he said he did a tuck and roll, which I kinda want to see! The other guy was also okay with just a sore knee I think.... My lesson - stay on MY SIDE of the line, not down the middle.

My bike is at the shop now and I hope to get it back today. I'd like to try biking again tomorrow. I suspect I'll still be stiff, but I can't get behind on my miles at this point and today's bike/run workout didn't get done.

(see the bars in the photo. I think they took the brunt of the fall. My front tire was messed up too...)

I forgot

2009-06-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

to mention...I only have 3 classes left before I can apply to nursing school!!! YEEHAW

I know..I know

2009-06-01T11:46:00.001-07:00

I know, it's been too long since my last post. I had some real motivation issues in May...that I think really started in late April. I began questioning why I wanted to do all this, and did I want to finish it..surely I could find an excuse as to why I couldn't finish my training, and couldn't do the IM race. As much as I thought about it, I knew Rick would not buy into any excuse I could make up...there are no other option but to race. This event has cost me nearly $10,000 in training, races, travel, bike and repairs...all that adds up to a huge weight on my shoulders. All that money could have paid off several bills...and I drowned my sorrows in pity during May. My body and my mind where both just exhausted so I didn't do much more than my workouts with Dave. After we came home from Bishop I got really lazy and didn't do anything at all except stuff my face full of ice cream, cookies and milk and soda. I gained back the weight I had lost working with Dave in March and now I'm horrified, disappointed and surely didn't want to blog about to all of you.

During May I also realized the situation I put myself in when I signed up for the half IM in Northern CA. The excitement of seeing my girlfriend had me registering so fast that I didn't look at the course much, which has ended up being my worst nightmare. I'm more worried and stressed out about the 1/2 then the full, and I'm being honest. How weak am I on hills? How long have I been working on watts and "attacking" hills with minor improvements? Well, the entire bike course for my first 1/2 is nothing BUT hill climb after hill climb and I'm scared. Sometimes not knowing is better. Following is a 1/2 marathon, and I know how a 1/2 marathon feels WITHOUT all that biking before. How can I do this? How am I going to get this done? I wish I had somebody to run with. I feel so alone and that race isn't for several months.

I'm going on and on...April and May are over, and not soon enough. I knew Dave would have lofty goals for me and he didn't disappoint. I'm ready...and I'm excited again. I have to get this ice cream weight off my thighs so when he told me I was riding 400 miles and running 100, I was okay with it. I think he was waiting for me to freak out some, but I just said okay...followed by a "I can't believe I'm about to do all this" laugh. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who struggles... I can't always reach out for help..sometimes my arms just aren't that long.

Seriously, June is going to be my month of accomplishments. I'm on target, I'm feeling much better and I'm having fun again. My fear is still there, but I can't continue to sabotage myself by letting my worry cripple my workouts. I don't know what will happen at the 1/2 but all I can do it try. If I don't make the cutoffs, well, then I don't. Will it hurt me, deeply I'm sure but this pre-race fear is killing me now and everyday I wake up, I fight it.

Here are some random photos from an Adventure Race Rick and I did this past weekend in Laguna Mtn, CA. We trekked, mtn bike and orienteering. PERFECT navigation from Rick!!! Nicely done.

This was the first AR I did where I had to pack all my gear for the bike and run so my pack was heavy with shoes, 100oz of water and food. What an experience. We traveled the Pacific Coast Trail - WOW - it was sooo beautiful!!!!

Following the race we had a big BBQ with everyone. That was the best part..everyone brought potluck food and we swapped stories, compared navigation choices and enjoyed the moments we had in common.

(high-five Ann!!) I love her! She's the kind of gal you see a couple times a year, but you feel like you've known her your whole life. Super nice!!! Go Ann Hall! I wish I could race with her...

Look at how dirty my legs are!

Final note.... yes, I'm biking 400 miles and running 100. My only event this month is the Tribal Tri on Saturday so if you are free, maybe you'll come.

The ball is rolling

2009-05-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

So I'm headed to the gym to see Dave and I expect a really great workout followed by a road trip to Vegas to help Rick with the Mad Mud Run. I'm hearing that the turnout will be fantastic with 3 live News crews showing up! eeks.

I have a BIG announcement to make too! B-I-G!!! Are you ready??? I'm going back to school to finish my Bachelors Degree and applying to Nursing school! WOW!!! Classes start June 2nd so I'm pretty excited about that. I'm fortunate enough to have a lot of these classes already done so I hope it won't take me very long...my guess is 2 more years. The nursing program is 16 months.

Gotta run...I'll write more when I get back - my routine will be back to something that resembles normal by then.

Who doesn't love a vacation!

2009-05-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

Here we go!

I am LOVING my vacation. We packed up and left town on Wed headed towards Bishop CA for an event Rick was timing. This was his first official timing job so we were both pretty excited. Me, I was excited to get out of town, Rick was excited to see if his system could handle 19 hours of timing straight...both of us are satisfied.I did manage to get some work done while away. Vacations don't stop IM training so though this week has been an easy pace, here is the scoop on my work...

Day 1 - 5.25 mile run
Day 2 - 20 mile bike
Day 3 - 10 - 12 mile run
Day 4 - Drive home
Day 5 - Recover from 10 hour drive
Day 7 - Mtn bike

So, you can see that it's been pretty easy going. It was really HOT in Bishop and extremely dry. We were fortune enough to be in a nice grassy area where I just couldn't resist a nap. The grass was so cool and the shade had a nice breeze so I think I was napping for about a hour or more... best nap ever on a vacation!

If you haven't been to Bishop then I suggest you pass on through and head towards Mammoth Lakes. It was beautiful and snow packed. What a sight for eyes that see nothing but desert. While checking out the sites we came across a beautiful water fall down the middle of a snow packed mountain..we had fun hiking through some snowy patches to get the best photo we could.
I only have a couple more fun days until I get back to business with Dave. We meet on Friday and I don't expect things to get any easier, especially with the heat. I'm going to join a gym so I can get my run workouts done inside. I have a tendency to go down hill fast in the heat, unfortunately, but I'm feeling pretty good about my running lately and can't let it slip.

Here are more random photos from our trip. Rick has been giving me surprises for the past two days as his way of saying "thanks for all you do" and WOW, they are great surprises!!! Day one, pedicure and manicure...days 2 (today) an hour massage and tomorrow is a facial!!! Can you believe it. What a great guy...I love you babe.

Vacation!

2009-05-13T04:07:00.001-07:00

FINALLY!!! We are leaving for vacation today so I'm not sure how my posts will go. Watch for photos to come when I return next Wed.

This just added

2009-05-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

I just posted but forgot something else super important....

Today was my gym workout. This will be the last time I see Dave until May 22nd so I'm happy and sad for the break. These past couple weeks I've been slacking. I mean, I haven't skipped a lot of workouts but I certainly have not put my best effort into them either. I'm just getting over the burnout and Dave reminded me today that when I return we are back to 100%.

Speaking of Dave...have I mentioned lately how fortunate I am to have him on my side? Dave has never given me negative feedback...he's never told me I won't finish something or that I can't do this or that. He's NEVER given me anything negative to dwell on. Oh believe me, we've had our laughs about my "train wreck" workouts, but he's never told me flat out that I can't do something. He seems very aware of what he says, like, "you could, but that's not a natural progression." I feel so fortunate to have such a positive energy on my side.

Did you know, Rick fills me with laughter before events...he almost always has something funny to say to lighten my mood. For my weekend race he kept saying over and over, "you're going to kick those b*tches asses so hard today" it was hilarious... I felt like a boxer getting ready to hit the ring. I never had much laughter in my life, or in my heart until I met Rick... The smile lines that are growing around my mouth are from him! He's making me wrinkly... :)

Danskin Women's Tri

2009-05-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it turns out that I DID participate in the Tri this weekend and yes, I'm glad I did. Going into this event I didn't have expectations. I had no idea how I was going to perform and honestly, I just wanted to participate without feeling like I had goals to try and overcome.

I talk a lot of smack....Lisa also participated in the race and I'll say this, it was nice knowing that she was going to be out there somewhere too. Before we started of course I told her that on the bike I was going to hunt for her...ooohhhh scary! ha-ha Will I ever learn to keep my mouth shut?

My swim was okay. My time was so much better then I had expected. I didn't put much effort into getting it done, or effort into my technique. In fact, I was telling Rick that I kept my head above water for what seemed like most of the time...

On the bike things started to breakdown for me. It was getting hot by this time and I had a difficult time catching my breath out of the TA. The bike was two loops so I shoved some food into my mouth, tried to catch my breath and just relaxed on my bars.

I saw all kinds of bikes...old looking road bikes, mtn bikes...tricked out Tri bikes as well as crazy looking people. Hard core athletes and those who looked like maybe they had just been talked into doing it.

My run SUCKED. It took me 44 minutes to basically WALK 3.1 miles! By far my worst performance to date on the run. I can usually pull off a shuffle, but not this day. I was so thirsty after the bike that I gulped down anything I could find and now my stomach was sloshing around and cramped...forget it. I was hot and tired so screw it I said and walked pretty much all of it until I reached the Marina. I started my shuffle and made my way over the Mill Ave bridge where I saw Lisa coming back for me. Now, after I talked all that smack about coming for her on the bike I wasn't sure what I was going to get...maybe she could see my suffering...or she probably knew I was suffering by how long it was taking me so she just talked me through the last 1/2 mile or so, held my water and told me to finish strong and so I did...the last little effort I had was for the last 100 yards. She saved my spirit and touched my heart....I trust Lisa....I do...

Better

2009-05-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to feel better physically. My stomach has finally calmed itself and I've been back on food for 2 days...LOVE IT. I was feeling pretty groovy so I came home from work and went for a run...not far, maybe 3 or 4 miles. After all I have just been through my body feels detoxed and good.

I'm scheduled to do SheRox tomorrow but think I'll pass...or maybe I'll go...I'm not sure yet. Do you think I should do it?

How's your week

2009-05-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

This hasn't been my best week. I've really been struggling with my stomach since Saturday and think it might be something more then just food poison. I keep hoping it goes away but if it's not better today, I think I'll call the Dr. ugh

Training wise, this week has been pretty weak. I missed a workout with Dave because I was not feeling great, and my motivation has dropped to just a tiny flicker of a flame now. I'm leaving for vacation next Wed and Dave's advice, just relax, do a little of this and a little of that and when I return, maybe I'll get my excitement back. I hope he's right. My horrible attitude has got me pretty fed up with everyone about everything and I'm not happy...Rick would say I've lost my smile - but he's in Omaha so he can't.

In an effort to find sometime positive about this week, I did a workout with Buddy yesterday that was fun. We scootered and he ran. I love Buddy and always feel goofy and fun when I see him.

Blah

2009-05-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

I've been sick since Saturday afternoon...not much to post. I pretty much have the blahs...nothing excites me..nothing motivates me. I did make it to the gym today but had to walk my bike part way home because I felt dizzy and nausea. I'm really in a slump and the light at the end of my tunnel is tiny at the moment... It's late afternoon and I still don't feel well.

Game ON

2009-05-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

I've had my two days off and I'm feeling SO much better! Game on now.. I've got my goals mapped out and I think that I can still get all of it done before my deadline, starting with my 12 mile run tomorrow morning. Since Rick's event is about 12 miles away, I'll be leaving EARLY to get there by 7:00am. I've planned for 3 hours, though my 1/2 marathon time is only 2.5...so I'll have time to stop for traffic, water and whatever other issues I might encounter.

It's crunch time so I have to put my head down and really stay focused. SheROX is also next weekend so that will help get some mile done...looking forward to a pretty intense week here.

Wish me luck!

I'm sick

2009-04-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

I must have hit my head...because after just 2 days of rest, I miss my training and working super hard...I'll be glad to hit the gym tomorrow.

For the most part

2009-04-29T07:39:00.001-07:00

For the most part, I'm taking a couple of days off from training. I have a swim class tonight that I'll probably go to, and Rick and I are going to pre-bike his race course for this weekend but that's about all I have planned...

Taking it down a notch...catching my breath and then we'll see were it goes from there...

I'm back

2009-04-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Okay - things with my mom went pretty well today so I'm back earlier then expected. She's alert, now feeding herself and asking LOTs of questions about what's going on...good news.

Rick is finally home from CA where he successfully hosted the OC Adventure Race. Absence does make the heart grow fonder... welcome back babe...

From a training perspective, I'm a little stressed out. We are in full IM training now and I see the miles and hours adding up each month. Since I have a vacation in the middle of May, I have another 2 week goal...

175 bike miles
50 run
50 bike/5 mile run brick
12 mile long run
swim/swim/swim

I'm overwhelmed with worry. I worry about the time I have to put into training. I worry about my job and not making any money. I worry that this vacation is a working vacation so maybe I won't get as well rested as planned. I'm upset that this year Rick and I won't make our annual road trip because of IM training and costs. I worry about my ability to actually pull all of this off. How am I going to get all of this done in only 2 weeks? It never ends and there are days I want it to all go away. I don't want to talk about it, see it, train for it or anything - NOTHING!!!!! RROOAARRRRRRR!!!!! damnit!! All of this CRAP is chipping away at me and this whole process is just not fun anymore. And NO, I don't have PMS right now so if you are thinking it, DON'T.

So I have my 1/2 IM coming up in Aug and the entire 54 mile bike is hills....like BIG freakin hills. I'm so weak on hills. I get tired going up the freakin Dreamy Draw...that's it.... I can't write about this anymore. I'm done! I'm DONE!

No Post

2009-04-28T10:51:00.001-07:00

So real quick....having some issues with my mom, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease...no time to post so please check back in a couple days and I'll try to catch up.

Pretty long weekend

2009-04-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, Friday night was the Splash & Dash and my goal was to simply get out of the water without looking back to see how far behind I was...did I do it or not?? What do you think? The answer is within this post :)

I felt pretty good going into the event...as in more prepared this time. I have been going to my swim classes twice a week and of course running my @ss off so I was curious to see if my time improved...which it did!!! By about 3 minutes. I had just a little anxiety before the race though...just not knowing if Dave would be there so I was very distracted in the beginning. I kept looking around and he's so quiet that he could have been standing behind me and I wouldn't even know it. As crazy as this sounds, I always want to make him proud and I want to work hard to impress him. Both Dave and his wife Windy made it, about 10 seconds before the gun went off so I could relax and just play hard...I put a lot of focus on NOT being so delicate in the water, and he noticed my effort :) I want to share all of my personal victories with everyone who helps me...it's a victory we all share together...I love my friends (and Buddy too)

My friend Lisa did the Splash & Dash too so the pressure was really on to give a good performance. She's a great competitor, and since we are about the same speed - trying to beat her keeps my mind focused...maybe she'll be my pacer at IM??

My step-mom went into the hospital on Saturday so I was not able to get much else done over the weekend. She's back home tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to getting back into the game. The Dr. thought she had a stroke, but since ruled it out...lots of tests...lots of hospital food - yuke!

Define "Easy Week"

2009-04-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Yeah, the next time I hear "easy week" I'm going to get a written statement from Dave on what that actually means. What are the TERMS of "easy week" exactly. [by the way - you still owe me .55]

Today during "easy week" we rode our bikes UPPP South Mtn. Oh man...the easy part was that he was not timing us. Here is what I think...and let me try to say this in a way that makes sense (sometimes I confuse technical terms etc). Going up a hill, my watts (power output) had been really low, which translates into slow motion speed - is that an oxymoron? Dave and I have been doing a lot of work to improve my output and get those watts up. I think the last time we checked on the trainer my watts had improved, though not for long periods of time. In short, I'm starting to power up hills (good news). My theory though...because I'm working harder up hills now, my legs get tired really fast. I don't have the leg endurance to power up all of those South Mtn hills so I started getting sluggish through some of them, especially towards the top. I knew my watts had gone down...I could feel the difference but being EASY WEEK and all, I opted to keep my mouth closed about it...I'm fairly confident that he knows... :)

The Splash & Dash is Friday and this time I will not get out of the water and turn around to see how many people are behind me!!! I WILL NOT!

The Gym

2009-04-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the small gym I go to on Mon & Fri...it's a private gym that personal trainers take their clients to, so it's rarely full...which is super nice!

Skinny girl trapped inside a fat body

2009-04-19T16:01:00.001-07:00

Scouting an area is key! A few weeks ago Windy took a group up to scout the area where the Women's Adventure Race was going to be held and it sure paid off. The race was yesterday and as soon as we saw the map, we knew exactly where all the CP's were. I was SO HAPPY, and a little relieved. I wanted to come home a winner and this was one advantage I knew we had in the bag.
My teammate Lisa was our captain yesterday...she's very strong and I just kept trying to imagine myself on tow with her. If I could just keep a steady pace we'd do well. Our navigation was spot on, and our team dynamic could not have been any better. I won't bore you too much with race details, but we paddled, biked, hiked & paddled with 3 "mystery events" between...super fun!

As you can imagine, I came home with a pretty big high from winning twice...1st for our division and 3rd overall. WOW - I didn't plan on that and still can't wrap my brain around any of it.

I'll be honest though..today, when I looked through all of the pictures I do not look as strong as I feel, and I'm not happy about it. In fact, it upsets me very much. I feel like I work really hard but the results just don't show. How many more hours in a day can I exercise? Freakin seriously! I'm at this shit for hours at a time and my body just does not reflect it...I don't feel like a winner. There is a void inside me and it gets bigger and bigger. I don't know how to fill it...I don't know why I keep feeling worse about myself. The longer I go through this process the bigger my hole gets and the more frustrated I am. Geez, you'd think I was on steroids with all my emotional ups and down - but maybe that's what I need in order to get my body into the shape I want!

I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to see the results of my hard work - is there? I want a body builders body and I'm tired of waiting for it!

Winners!

2009-04-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

Team Little Fish Energy Lab came in 1st in their division, 3rd overall! Little Fish caught between two Big Fish!

A Note From Kim Nelson

2009-04-17T16:51:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the Women's Adventure Race and I'm super excited! I'm seriously looking to come home with a medal around my neck for this one.

Our team name is Little Fish Energy Lab. HA-HA It's an inside joke that would take too long to explain - but it's freakin hilarious to the rest of us. Dare I say, this race is dedicated to the "wanna be" Nelson's? LMAO

Watch for my post on Sunday or Monday for a race report and pictures....should be an adventure for sure...

Kim Nelson :D

I'm still a baby duck

2009-04-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

Okay some really great news! Last night at the pool, our coach moved me up a lane!!!! Fantastic huh? I know, I'm really excited myself. I have about six more lanes to go but one foot in front of the other and I'll surely make it soon. The last lane is where the serious "swim masters" are...wooooooo

Anyway - yesterday was a pretty serious workout day for me. With my 2-week challenge ending this week I put a good 6 or 7 hours into getting some mileage out of the way. Easy biking, gym, 10 mile run and then 2300m swim in class last night. Needless to say, I was a little worried about the long ride with Dave today - especially if he was taking me up hills (which he likes to do). He was pretty happy to hear I did my long run so maybe we avoided the majority of Mummy Mtn to give my legs a rest. Instead he chose a long steady climb up Via Linda. Such a doll that man....

I was watching those cute baby ducks at the canal the other day. They swim close to their mother for a few seconds, then a little bit away from her and then come back super fast with their little quackers honken... as if to ask mother duck if they are okay to swim farther. They are testing the waters, but still rely on their mother for comfort and assurance. Sometimes I feel that way with Dave. He's very good at giving me praise and pushing me to go further on my own...but he's always there when I need to pull back and stay close. He's like a daddy duck LMAO!!! hahahaha That's freakin hilarious! I wonder if he still reads my blog? All I can picture is Dave's head on a duck body...floatin down the canal hahahaha Sometimes when he hollers at me it sounds like a quack! QUACK, QUACK, QUACK....HAHAHAHA okay - if he does still read my blog, I better stop while I'm ahead... :D

Codependent

2009-04-13T10:47:00.001-07:00

Yep..I'm very codependent. This past week I've had a pretty challenging time with..well...time management. I can't get my head to do longer workouts without Dave. That's not entirely true. I can't get my @ss on my bike without Dave babysitting me...that's the real truth. I'm not sure why but it's been challenging for me to transition from run to bike. I can do bike to run, but man...my head does not want to turn it around and so I haven't been on my bike as much as I need to be. I'll reach my 2-week goals, but I'll be working my @ss off this week to play catch up on the bike. UGH!

I was suppose to do a long ride this weekend but blew it off. I did worry about what would happen at the gym this morning. eeks. I tried to play it low key hoping that Dave would not really ask too much about it, but I felt like a giant elephant was in the room so I just let it out...I didn't do my long ride [big sigh of relief] There - I said it!

Dave made me an offer - 20 minutes on "THE MACHINE" for 5 bike miles. Five bike mile was the better choice, but I did choose the machine for my own punishment, and to remind myself how challenging it was. Don't tell Dave this, but it was not really that bad ;D

Today I'm feelin pretty good so once my breakfast settles I'm going to get this 10 mile long run done for the week....My run yesterday was really fast so I'm curious to see if it was a fluke, or if I really am getting faster.

One week to go

2009-04-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

Wow, the clock is ticking on my two week goals! I calculate the numbers in my head and on paper at least 3 times a day just to make sure I didn't skip a mile here or there. Then if I don't ride, run or swim the entire configuration changes so fast. Keeping track of all this is like adding a discipline into the mix - geez.

I had a long run on my schedule today - 8 miles. I was feeling pretty good so I added almost another mile. I prepared properly with water and fuel so I'm happy to get the extra time on my feet. The best part of the whole thing was seeing the baby ducks along the canal. I have to admit...I stopped twice just to watch them swim - they were too cute to pass up.

So yesterday was my first day back to the Tri-group swim class. The same coach, Jon was still teaching and mentioned how much better I looked in the water. He put me in the slow lane where I kept drafting off the folks in front of me...I've gotten so much faster then a year ago...if only it showed in open water.

Pretty boring post.....here is some good info! I have a blister on my @ss from that freakin computrainer! I sweat SO MUCH and just sitting in the same position without the ability to move around or get some wind to dry me out is just too much - I can't take it. I have a heat rash and blister where the sun don't shine... :D

I came this close [ this is how close ] to getting hit by a car yesterday. I was crossing the street during my run and a woman was not looking as she turned the corner....had I been looking any other direction except in front of me, she would have hit me....

A Train wreck of a workout

2009-04-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

What is the deal? I've been on the computrainer for 3 hours before and didn't fall apart like I did today. Dave describes it as a train wreck workout - lmao! I knew I was going to be on the trainer today and was ready for it, kind of. Our goal was to do the first 20 miles of the Vineman course, which I'm doing in August, just to see what it's like. Well, I hate that freaking machine! I'm so frustrated...not with how I did, I'm frustrated that the computrainer has to be a part of my training. I have never hated a machine so much. My body just goes completely numb and in all honesty, I didn't know a person could sweat so much. I hated it, and my performance reflected in the numbers across the computer.

It's so true, it was a train wreck and I'll own that...bundle the whole thing up, bless it and toss it out the window (just like Dave told me too)...

My running goal is coming along great... I'd much rather be outside then inside! I'm currently at 4 miles a day, with an 8 mile run coming on Thursday. Tonight I start back with the Sun Devil Swim Masters in order to improve my swim time. I look forward to getting back into a swim routine. So much to do and not enough hours to do it all...

The Blessing

2009-04-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

[Please don't forget that this blog is my public journal. I try to make it funny in order to entertain you, but some of these posts are intended just for me..well, they all are actually. I can't help but feel a roller coaster of emotions though so...hold on to your seat belts folks!]

Let's talk about my training goals first.... I have to finish 150 bike miles, 50 run miles and 5000 swim meters in just two weeks! That's a lot of running, I know! Remember last week I said Dave had a gift for me..well, this little gift is one I'd like to return please :0 No, seriously....I have to include two long runs - one 8-miles and one 10-miles. Oh man - I'm a little nervous about how I'm going to get all this done. I'm looking at some long days ahead of me and I was also warned that in May my challenges and goals will be increasing. I knew it was coming...so as I always say, "let's just get this shit done!!" yeeehaw baby ;)

I was watching a pod cast today from Joel Ostein who said, "Thank God for the fullness of His blessings." I just sat for a while after hearing his message and started making a list of my blessings. About half way down my list, something I wrote stood out from the rest, "The desire is in my heart to improve in every aspect of my life." Yes, I do consider the desire itself to be a blessing... I want to improve so much so fast that I'm missing some valuable lessons. This competitive spirit I have is not part of the deal. It's not humble, and that is key for me to realize.

I believe with my whole heart that my friends are here to teach me humility through example. You know who you are..you have a whole closet full of medals and awards for just about everything you have done or touched in your life. But I notice that when asked who won, you say, "I did" or, "we did" quietly and with enormous humility. You never want the spotlight on you, you're never flamboyant and THAT is what you are here to teach me. That is why God has put our paths together. Now, just because I know this does not mean my issue is solved....the hard part is fighting through this change internally...and that I cannot do alone so I lift up my problems, my lack of humility to my Lord and I'm asking for supernatural change in my life. I'm ready, I'm willing and I'm asking.....

I have so much to learn

2009-04-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

I have so much to learn. So, here is what happened. I did the first Splash & Dash on Thursday night. It was an eye opener...or eyeS opener I should say. First, my swimming stinks. I have not been giving enough time to swim practice and Dave's response to my swim was, "You look delicate when you swim" What? I was working really hard, but not hard enough. After that I decided to sign up with the Sun Devils Tri-Club and swim twice a week again. The only way to get myself to swim is if I pay for it..so, chaaaching...Ironman is making me a poor woman.

I left feeling really defeated - and it's my own fault. I have a tendency to suck the fun out of some of the things I do by being competitive. After making my way out of the water on Thursday I turned around to see how many people were behind me. That's terrible! If I'm not in the middle of the pack then horrible things run through my head like, "why are you even doing all this Kim...this is way over your head. You are not strong enough or good enough to race with these people" and I'm just completely shattered by the whole thing. I'm my worst enemy at times. I measure my success based on my position and because I'm always at the bottom...it pretty much stinks down here. ugh... I don't know how to stop being this way. My friends, (whom I love dearly so don't take this wrong) always come home with a medal around their necks....they are quick to tell me to compete only with myself but come on. If you have never been on the bottom you have no idea how it feels to watch everyone succeed while I continue to fail. It's pretty tough sometimes.

So how do I pick up the pieces? Well, my original plan was to go on a long bike ride and figure things out in my head but last night I felt like I needed some help getting through this slump so I called on my friends Butch and Vickie. We ended up doing a mtn bike ride today and though I begged them to ditch me soon after we started because I could not keep up, they refused and we ended up having a challenging and fun ride. I needed that hard push...I needed to overcome those challenges and I just needed to get beat up a little..it felt really great and I feel much better.

I know that something is broken inside me so now it's time to try and fix it...I do suppose I better figure it out fast. One final note...and I mean this in the kindest way. I know some of you will read this and email me with great comments and accolades about how far I've come and I sincerely appreciate all of it...but you don't need to this time. Just let me figure this out - cool?

Bike Shorts Review

2009-04-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, the long awaited Bike Shorts Review is done. Look to the right, down just a bit and you'll see it on the right hand side. Enjoy and feel free to ask questions. I'll warn you, I'm pretty up front about how some of these shorts make me feel so read with caution.

Happy Anniversary

2009-04-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

This month I will celebrate my Ironman anniversary. Sounds funny, but it's true. I started training with Dave a year ago this month and look at how things have changed. I remember the first time he told me to start riding my bike to the gym. I was sure he was kidding because it was 16 miles and that seemed like a century ride to me then....now I'm up to 67 miles in a day!

I also remember one of our first workouts where I told him I wanted to do the Ironman. He must have thought I was out of my mind! I certainly was in no condition for an IM! I think a lot of my friends were shocked at my choice of races too. I could hear it in their voices when they would say, "Oh wow, that's great" .... didn't you really mean, "um....yeah, good luck with that". Don't worry, I knew it sounded too big for me but I'm not afraid. I don't think about the distance overall, I think of it in segments. Each segment has a certain number of laps and I can wrap my head around all of it. I'm going to be okay - I can feel it. I'm going to finish what I started.

Since all this started I've gone through a tremendous transformation mentally, as well as physically. My eyes are bigger and my goals are lofty. I've started thinking beyond IM about other events and races I might want to participate in so I'm creating a plan for myself. I do enjoy being on my bike for long distances more then I ever thought I would so I see it in my future. Speaking of - I do need to post my bike shorts review. It's just sitting down and taking the time to write it out. Some of these shorts are crotch killers so I want to save you the discomfort I've been through...hey - I'm saving one crotch at a time! :) I'm getting off subject....

What's my point? Hell, I don't know. My dogs are barking and now I lost my train of thought.... I do have goals for this month, but I don't know what they are just yet. This is all I know - yesterday Brigid towed my ass all the way around Papago Park. She was working on strength, I was working on speed so we made a good team. She's a strong running and gave me a great workout. We made it around in 22 minutes! I could never make that time on my own. Well done Brig. That was the last of my 70 miles for March. My reward - time off for good behavior. No, just one day off. Dave says that on Monday I'll be starting a pretty tough 2-week challenge so I'm super excited to hear what it is!!! It's almost like knowing he has a present for me, but I can't open it until Monday...that's how excited my stomach feels.....hurray!!! He does keep things super fun and always fresh.

Tomorrow is the Splash n Dash - burrrrrr - anyone have a wetsuit I can borrow? Mine doesn't have sleeves so I'm going to be SO COLD! ugh....

Mission Accomplished

2009-03-31T09:17:00.001-07:00

March Goals:
325 bike miles - DONE
70 run miles - DONE

Holy Freakin Cow

2009-03-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well geez....where do I start. I have been chipping away at my bike/run miles all month but it seems like a scramble towards the end to makes sure I'm not one mile short on either. With my cutoff tomorrow, I've spent most of my days biking and haven't had the time or energy to post updates...sorry. I am very happy to say, however, that I just finished 325 bike miles! HURRAY! Thanks to Lisa aka Lucinda, for pushing me through those last 16!!

Saturday was Rick's Camp Verde race so I was not able to get any miles that day. I did enjoy seeing all of my friends. It inspires me to see people push themselves but I noticed a huge change in my attitude. I use to be so happy being everyone cheerleader....seriously - I enjoyed it but it's not as satisfying anymore. Don't get me wrong here. The difference is, now I want to race. I feel like a little piece of life just passed me by standing there with my little "hurray" bell. ugh I missed out on all the stories and experiences teams go through when they struggle and overcome together. My story is I got to put up and take down equipment - wooohooo. I want to play....play, play, play!

Sunday made up for my lack of exercise Saturday. I'm thrilled to say I ran my best 5k in 27 min 12 sec and came in 2nd in my age group. Damn I love being 40! There are less people in my division so MAYBE I have a better chance at winning something??? It was super fun just to hang out with girlfriends and cheer for each other. See, this cheering was different because I also got to play. I feel like a slug when I don't exercise. Get the difference?? Anyway...Georgie did her run in 23 freakin minutes!!!! Can you believe that? She's a MONSTER! ROAR (*wink) And thanks to Lisa for being drugged up on allergy meds :) hurray for Kim...

After our 5k I road my bike home and spent some serious time getting use to my aerobars. I had 18 miles to figure them out so I went in and out of them the entire ride home. Now I can be in the low position, take one hand off and fix my helmet or change gears and not have to take both hands up. I don't love them yet...but I don't dislike them as much. We are becoming friends....slowly.

Later in the afternoon Sunday I met Georgie, Lisa and Christine for a mtn bike ride. With the women's race coming up we all want to get some mtn bike time in so trail 100 is perfect for a quick diverse ride. It was fast and furious...without injury. Super fun!!

Dave kicked my @ss today in the gym. He pulled out some new stuff, bumped up some old stuff and my arms have been suffering for it all day. I had a swim today and WOW! I'm jello now. I LOVED IT! Sometimes I feel strong and today was one of those days. My shoulder still holds me back just a little, but I'm still trying to get her to catch up.

I'm tired...I have sweat on top of chlorine on top of sweat and now I need to go run for more sweat. ugh....that is gross.

Despite it all

2009-03-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

Despite everything...... I LOVE my training! I would not change a single thing. No matter how hard or how easy - it's worth every second.

I've got something to say!

2009-03-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you something...having strong friends makes a huge difference on the days I struggle - well, even on the days I don't struggle for that matter! It's no secret that this week has really been difficult for me so I was quick to commit myself to a workout today with Laureen...my new "accountability coach". This is what I love about Laureen. She NEVER stops short. If I tell her I want to ride 15 miles we won't be under even .99 miles. We will either be 15 or over but NEVER under. The same with both our run and swim...and when I'm this tired I appreciate her really holding my feet to the fire.

I barely pushed myself today and my quads were just cramping during most of the bike ride. Honestly, could I still be recovering from last week? I have my eye set on doing two IM loops soon so I'm curious to see how many miles Dave gives me next month. Then all I have to do is talk him into riding both of those loops with me *wink, wink* before it gets too hot.

What the hell? In the past two months or so I have been getting these bumps all over my face. No, not pimples! I think it's from sweating so much under my bike helmet because they are all over my forehead. The other day I noticed it's now on my chin and spreading like a rash. Finally I have a Dr. appointment to get it looked at but eeks - don't look at me until I get it fixed because it's nasty.

Only 14 run miles and 62 bike miles to go before I reach this months goal!!! HURRAY Can't wait for the clock to roll over April 1st.

Taking a turn

2009-03-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

My last post was not so great, but I think things are turning around. I've talked before about being more aware of my thoughts and controlling my actions...plus a good gym workout really makes me feel better. I made up for Monday today at the gym. I sure do love a hard workout.

Let's talk aerobars. I'm in a love/hate relationship right now. When my bars were ordered I thought I was getting adjustable, but it didn't end up that way. Returning them is not an option because I got a deal through a friend....on the downlow. That means I'm stuck. The bars take all of my comfortable space and as my biker friends know, we don't always want to be in that low position. I'm looking for an easy fix in different attachements.

Next week starts the Splash n Dash series and I'm looking forward to the challenges. I'm ready to start racing and get the ball rolling towards the IM. Let's see how my times have changed since last year.

My next post is going to be a DO NOT MISS post!! I'm doing the "Soft Tissue Challenge". Yep...it's a rating of bike shorts by me and some of my biker friends. Having good bike shorts can make or break a ride. Stay tuned for more....

Tomorrow, swim/bike/run/rest...looking forward to all of it.

Bitch Post Warning

2009-03-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

**Bitchy Post Warning**

I'm desperately trying to fight burnout right now. It's such a battle and this is another reason I see Dave everyday....to make sure I stay focused even when I don't want to. I have so much fun with some of the things he and I do but then there are days I feel like he's just dragging me along and I don't want to get motivated. I don't want to run or swim. I'm really tired lately and it's taking a toll on my head. I can't sleep through a night and even with a sleeping pill last night I was up three times. I'm very aggravated!!! I'm hungry all the time too. Not just like I need a snack hungry but my "metabolic furnace" is burning so fast that I have to eat all the time or I'm starving. I can't stand it!!

I'll say it again...I'm frustrated that I'm so tired. AH-HA!!! That's it!!! I'm not frustrated with my training, I'm frustrated with how tired my training makes me!!!!! (Wait..did I already say that? geez, now I'm confused. ) Either way, there's a HUGE difference and I'm so glad to have figured that out. Now I'm going to eat my lunch and take a nap.

Weekend to remember

2009-03-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

It has been a weekend to remember, for sure. It started with hiking 4-peaks on Saturday, (in this order) North Mtn, Shaw Butte, Lookout Mtn & Squaw Peak. I had done this challenge before so I knew what I was getting myself into. What I like most about doing the peaks is the mileage goes towards my run goal for the month!!! I have 22 miles left with 9 days to get them done.

Sunday I met my girlfriends for some Saguaro Lake scouting. We all plan on doing the Women's Adventure Race coming up in April so Windy Marks took us all on some great trails that I had never been on before. Since Lucinda, Christine and I are a team, Windy gave us the maps and let us navigate our way to each point...it was a blast!!! Okay, so pretty challenging too. There was a HUGE hill climb that went on forever and nearly zapped all of my strength. I hope that Luc brings a tow line to the race because I might need some of her help getting through some of these areas. I think total we clocked 10 miles, which is great and leaves me with 93 more to reach my bike goal this month. I took a couple of spills on the bike and today I feel pretty beat up and sore. Nothing broken, but lots of bruises.

Following the bike was the best part of all - adventure rafting. I can't even describe to you how fun it was to know Dave fell into the cold water! I wish I had seen it... It's the simple things in life that bring me the most pleasure :)

As last week, and the weekend came to an end I could feel my body getting pretty worn out and needing a rest....I biked 140 miles last week and ran 13 so I'm pooped. This morning it kinda said enough so I canceled my workout with Dave and my swim partner to take what ended up to be a 5 hour nap. One of my spills yesterday landed me on a chunk of ice in my camelback and I feel like I was kicked in the back...hurts pretty well.

I am definately popping a sleeping pill tonight and hope to be rested enough for a ride tomorrow. Can't take too many days off...I'm getting so close to reaching my month goals!!

A little secret

2009-03-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Okay so check this out!! My bars are on and my bike is totally dialed in. (Yes, this photo was indeed taken in my kitchen, but the light is better) The fitting was really cool...every inch was measured and adjusted. Perry, the bike guru said this bike was made for me....which really makes me happy. I was getting stressed about riding a road bike for IM instead of a tri bike. He told me one of his clients qualified for Kona on a road bike and as long as it's dialed in right, I shouldn't have any issues at all.

I left for the gym this morning and I was pretty nervous. I just kinda looked at them and wasn't really sure about the whole thing. Was I ready to try it? Not ready? Am I sure? Seriously - I was perplexed. Okay...it took several miles before I got the guts to do it. Nice and slow, down I go....eeks.... I was all over the place. If you have biked with me you know I can't hold a very steady line most days. I like to go outside the white or yellow lines ALOT. Well, today was a little worse...it took me several minutes to calm down and try to straighten things. Speed is not a concern at the moment - it's comfort and as best I could tell, I was comfortable.

After the gym workout today I had a completely DIFFERENT view of my bars. Dave really killed my arms and shoulders so I was very happy to rest on my bars almost the entire ride home.

Okay - a little different post now. I had some folks email me about going on long rides, or rides in general with me and I'm going to tell you a little secret about me and riding. I kinda don't do that great in groups - and here's why. It's not ALL the time, but sometimes I get a helpless mentality when I'm with other people. Again - not all the time...but enough times that I'm often uncomfortable. I worry about my pace and my ability the entire time I'm with other people and it kinda takes the fun out of riding for me. I work harder and smarter when I'm alone and yes, I do get lonely sometimes but I never see that as a bad thing...I enjoy my solitude and being in my own thoughts and ideas. Now, that doesn't mean that I never want to ride with people...I do, but I try to be cautious about who I'm with and when or where we go so I don't hold you back....and so I don't have to be stressed out for the entire ride. If I say I can't ride with you - don't take it personal. Cool?

I made it!!!

2009-03-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

What a day. I knew that sometime this month I was going to be riding out to Bartlett Lake again. Dave had already told me weeks ago to be prepared for it, so I really was. I got the message on Tuesday afternoon that Wednesday was the day...so I was ready.

Let me refresh your memory. The last time I biked to Bartlett (towards the end of summer last year) I said I would never do it again...but I was probably fresh off the ride and tired. It was miserable. My will was bigger then my ability at the time and the ride really was too much for me. I had pretty much begged Dave to let me try it.... I walked almost every hill, both up and down. My legs were not strong enough at the time, though I did finish it. Remember, I had a flat and had to go into Cave Creek, which added another big climb so I was not happy most of the ride...and that's a long way to go when you're not happy. Okay - is it all coming back to you know?

When Dave posed the Bartlett challenge I was a little excited, but then not so much. Here's why....I knew this time I could ride those hills. After all the hill riding Dave makes me do I just kinda knew that my legs were ready this time...I had more confidence in my ability. Not excited because that's a long & lonely ride - plus the traffic makes it a stressful ride.

The longest, more challenging section was up Cave Creek Rd to the Bartlett turn. That is the longest worst climb ever. It just doesn't stop and as I passed every section I walked the last time my confidence grew and grew. I was really proud of myself for putting in the effort that I did. I stood up and pounded it up that hill as best I could and when I finally reached the top I knew everything else to come was icing on the cake.

By the time I reached the bottom Dave was waiting for me. I felt really good and had plenty of food so I had him drop me off at Pima and Cave Creek for a fun downhill ride home. Overall I hit 67 miles, which is now my longest ride so far. When I hit the 60 mile point things kinda started to fall apart. My legs felt fine my my back, neck, arms and hands were really feeling it and I wanted to be done at this point. One stop for cold water and a stretch and I was going to push it home....

The shower was the best I've ever had!!! A quick hike up Lookout Mtn and now my legs are done!!! Sore and tired for sure.

I'm getting my aerobars put on today. I'm in for a 2-hour bike fitting and I can't tell you how happy I am.

Hurray for all the rides up and down every freakin hill on this side of town!!! It paid off yesterday for sure...

More to come...

2009-03-18T14:54:00.001-07:00

Okay - did a LONG ride out to Barlett Lake today and can't wait to blog about it...but I have to get my butt into the shower and go hike so stay tuned my peeps...stay tuned!!!

Humble Pie

2009-03-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

Yep...had me a big'ole piece of humble pie at this weekends Duathlon in Prescott. It started with my cocky mouth about a week or so ago after CZK and I beat my friends Lucinda and Geronimo at the Urban race. We had a bet for that race... if I had lost, I would have been washing their car this weekend and vise versa right... okay, so we won, which meant they would wash MY car. Why couldn't I just stop right there and enjoy that victory??? What great pictures that would have been right? Both of them washing my little red car....damnit Kim! So I got a little big for my bike pants and said, let's bet again at the Duathlon and if I lose then I'll wash YOUR car. Well, they put the smack back in smack down! I got so spanked my @ss is red. Here is the sucky part though. I'm a decent biker. I mean I bike almost everyday right but the elevation and all the hills just killed me. When I started on the bike section I really did feel like my lungs were choking me so I slowed way back, tried to relax and new the "race" was over for me at that point. Not over in that I would not finish but over in that I just needed to go slow to get through it. Needless to say they are both stronger and faster and it's my new goal to try and get as strong and fast. One really cool thing to come from all this though!!! Both L & G won metals in their division!!! HURRAY! That's really cool I'm so happy you two get to share that victory!!! :)

The second run loop was not as bad as I thought it would be. It was 2 miles and mostly downhill so I was able to go a little faster then planned. My shuffle breathing was as heavy as my run breathing in lower elevation. Anyway....I think I did pretty good and that's really the only proud part for me in this whole event. I mean, I'm glad I did it but when I know I can preform better, it kinda sucks when everyone sees you at your worst ya know. The best part!!! I had just told Rick how great it would be if Dave ran in with me and low and behold, guess who is waiting for me at the top of the hill?? DAVE! I asked, who are you waiting for and he says, "you". We had a little race at the end so it was really fun.

Congrats to everyone who raced, Geronimo, Lucinda, Butch, Vickie, Windy, Dave and Laureen (who is new on the mtn bike but looks like a pro already!) And to Hollon who was with us in body but your spirit was on the race course with me the whole time!!! Get better so you can play...

And one last note - to Rick. Your support is endless and appreciated. Thank you for constantly hauling my junk around and telling me how great I am. You help me believe in myself and that carries over into every event I participate in....

Nose blisters

2009-03-12T04:19:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get them? Blisters inside your nose?? They look almost like cold sores and feel like it too. I seem to get them ALOT and they really do hurt. I constantly rub my nose with my bike gloves and that's why the little suckers pop up I think. The sores will stick around for a good two weeks and it becomes pretty difficult to wipe the snot so I'm sorry ahead of time if you see it running down my face. It's just too painful to do anything about it.

Yesterday I had a pretty fun workout with Dave and Windy....and the fact that I won certainly added to the fun, I won't deny that at all! We met at Papago Park for that challenge. They did a ride-n-tie and I mountain biked (in my big girl shoes) around the park twice. They told me up front not to get discouraged when they passed me and I'm thinking - oh great...this will be fun. So off we go right. Dave on the bike, Windy running. Out of the gate he passed me of course but at the first drop I was able to get ahead and didn't see them again until the hilly paved section. I was very happy at this point and was warned that that's where they would take me down. The most humbling experience - watching Windy run past me while I bike my ass off up a hill...geez....am I so slow that a runner can pass me? Okay, yes, I am but I knew I had to work hard to keep a small gap between the two of us... I finally make it to the top of the hill and take my lead back. Hurray. If I can get enough speed going, I can get a big gap between us. I didn't see them again until the paved section....I locked out my suspension, stood up on my bike and gave my poor legs a beating. Knowing this was my last lap I really put all my effort into this section and it was great - I won! It was only by seconds but I won and I'm takin it!!!

If we break down the competition though, they did have the unfair advantage I realize that. I'm not so stupid that I don't get it but right now..today..I beat Dave and Windy and that makes me a bad @ss :)

Big girl shoes

2009-03-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

I had two options this morning....bike to the gym or drive. Now, typically I start to feel guilty when I think about driving to the gym. I dread the look I get from Dave when I don't do what I'm suppose to so unless I have a good reason, I ride. This morning I was still feeling really tired. Not just physically but mental as well. I took some time thinking about my options and decided that today was a driving day and kept my fingers crossed that Dave would not be too upset with me. I would know the second he walked in the gym and didn't see my bike...it takes only seconds to realize my fate.

Days I drive (which are very few) I start on the treadmill for a warm-up. I took my iPod and starting slow but went early enough that I could get 3 miles done before he arrived. To my complete surprise I felt pretty good so I increased my speed and felt comfortable at a 6.8 for nearly the entire run. Don't get me wrong...that's not a pace I can keep for long! I was watching the door for any sign of movement because I knew when he arrived I would be done. Finally he arrives- eeks... I had my head phones on but could see him ask either, where is your bike, or you didn't bike? He definitely made a comment about NOT having my bike. You know I was pretty fast to add that I had just run 3 miles really fast in the hopes that would save me from a seriously "punishing" workout on "the machine". Fortunately for me he was in a pretty chipper mood and I got out alive and still able to stand!!! YEAH for me!!!!

So Dave and I will celebrate our one year anniversary next month. Yep...we broke up for the holiday a little but still saw each other once a week (or was it twice?) so you know the honeymoon is kinda over. He's seen my worst and celebrated my best. It's been a pretty fantastic year and with only 8 months to go, I can't imagine what things will be like when we break up again. Sometimes I wonder what it's like for him to go through this process. What's his point of view? Sometimes he's frustrated with me, mostly I think he's happy with my performance, sometimes, (like me) he's just there to get the work done....he laughs, gives me the stink-eye, gives me high fives and sometimes he goes the wrong direction road biking. Sometimes his socks have a hole in the toe and he hardly ever drinks or eats when we go on long bike rides. He always waits for me or comes back for me...he never leaves me and I don't think we've ever had a session where he didn't end with, "nice job today". I can't think ahead because knowing he won't be my trainer 4 days a week makes me sick to my stomach.

I'm in big girl shoes now!! I'm totally clipless - hurray. Both my road bike AND mountain bike are clipless and I'm excited about it. Nervous, but happy. I'm curious to see how much faster I can be, and how many times I crash before I figure out how to unclip fast enough. Should be fun. I'll be sure to post any bloody sores for you to see. I had some minor crashes with my road bike because I couldn't unclip fast enough but as long as I don't land in a cactus, I should be okay I hope....I'll let you know tomorrow!

(photos from the Urban Adventure Race. Windy, (Dave's wife) Vickie & Dave eating Saltine crackers

I'm so tired

2009-03-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I'm pretty tired. Saturday one of the Zampino sista's and I did the Urban Adventure Race and it didn't disappoint! Ms. Z added a little adventure of her own too! The race was a skate/scooter & mtn bike with some "mystery" challenges mixed in the middle. Challenges like, find a security guard and take a picture of one teammate getting arrested or take a picture of your team swinging a golf club. Really cool, creative fun stuff...I was impressed.

We represented our women's riding group as team NWLB (no women left behind) and we sure did look good! Ms. Z was on a pretty heavy mtn bike and as we approached a "mystery" challenge stop I looked back to see her picking her bike up off the pavement. That is never a good sign! Sure enough she got caught on the curb and hit the pavement pretty hard. See picture for details...Poor Z was in shock, and although you see it dried up, when this sucker was fresh it was bleeding like crazy! The Zampino babes are TOUGH!

Overall we finished 6th and I'm very happy with that. I think if my navigation skills were a little buttoned up we might have pulled a 5th place but we'll never know.

That night Rick had a 5k race he was hosting so I took it as an opportunity to get more miles done for my monthly goal of 70. I marked his course for 3 and then ran the race for 3 and I'm happy with my time I guess. After just finishing a race in the morning and running at night, I finished at 29 minutes. More importantly though, I am chipping away at 70 miles and can't believe I only have 41 to go!!

Sunday Rick and I went Orienteering. This was pretty special for us because Dave, my IM trainer actually set the course and put out all the CP's so we were pretty excited to participate. Rick and I started off silly and unfocused so we made some minor navigation errors. We blew it off as "one of those days" and started taking photos and such. It was fun, but towards the end my legs were pretty tired of the stickers, cactus and the hike overall. My body felt like it was ready to shut off.

Today a group of friends and I mtn biked the duathlon course we are doing next weekend and let me say, it was not one of my better biking days. My legs are tired and the whole thing felt like one big hill. ugh! Where is my strength - where is my will. It was really all I had just to get the 12 miles done. Let's hope that by next Saturday I'll have some fresh legs.

So that's my weekend....fast and fun!

Oh - so I have a bad habit of cursing a lot while I'm riding or whatever. I don't curse at people, but I just say the F word more then I should so it's now my goal to find another word.

I'm behind on updates

2009-03-09T04:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know...I'm getting behind on my updates. Check back tonight because WOW, I've got a lot to say. This weekend I raced and Urban Adventure Race, ran the Full Moon 5k, went Orienteering and today I'm headed up to Precott to pre-ride next weekend's off road duathlon course! TONS to talk about.

See ya outside

3/4 Tan vs. 1/4 Pasty

2009-03-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

Let's try to look beyond how great these 40 year old legs look.... I have part pasty white legs vs. super tan legs - ugh. How do I fix this? I could do a partial leg sun bath.. you know, just cover the tan parts?? But what if the line between the two tans gets super dark and I end up with rings around my legs?

It's not just my legs either. I have different stripes down my back from having 3 different swim suite. My ass and stomach have never seen the sun and geez, I just noticed a ring around my ankles from my shoes too.

I'm suddenly feeling like a farmer...

Off all the posts, this is the hardest for me to make public. I can write about my stinky farts during training, gas buildup, unshaved legs and armpit hairs but this...pictures of me when I was heavy are REALLY hard for me to look at. I was not happy...I was trapped but today I'm going to unleash the chains (that is so freakin cheesy I can't believe I wrote it). Seriously - I want you all to see what is possible with hard work and dedication. I went from a tight pair of 16 pants to a loose size 8 pants... Train for something! Plan ahead! Be honest with yourself and most of all people - find activities you truly enjoy doing. (click the pictures to make the bigger)

It took hard work to drop 33lbs...but it takes daily dedication to keep it off and to train for the Ironman in Nov. I expect to be in the best shape of my life for this race. Wow..the journey getting there is hard, fun and worth every second for sure.

I've been thinking about what I'd like to do after the IM and since I do enjoy long bike rides, maybe some century races will fill the need before I decide if a second IM is in my future...(Rick thinks I'll do it twice). I just need a good bike! *wink, wink*

Get outside! Find an event! Hire a trainer! Do whatever it takes to reach your dreams!!!

New Aerobars

2009-03-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Yep! I FINALLY have my new aerobars for my bike.....my challenge now is getting them on my bike. Sure, it's pretty easy to assemble but after reading about how areobars on road bikes don't mix well, I'm a little bummed. It creates low back pain and loss of leg power.... My wish list....a tri bike! If I squeeze my hands real hard, hold my eyes closed and wish it as hard as I can, maybe when I open my eyes it will be there??? Let's try.....

Okay, maybe if we do it together - ready? GO!

DAMNIT!!! Wish HARDER!

I need a sponsor!

Bring it on!

2009-03-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

With Dave, I never really know what to expect. Well, that's not entirely true. I can always expect more then what I think I'm ready for. Okay...let's start this whole thing over again....

Dave never stops challenging me physically or mentally! (That's a better start) About the time I get nice and comfortable in my training he adds a twist and steps up the pace...I think it keeps me humble and it certainly keeps my body guessing.

Our ride started from Camelback and I kind-of expected the Mummy Mtn route to be added into whatever we were doing. He loves to take me up steep hills - and I know I need them, (though I tend to toss out alot of F-bombs) so I wasn't surprised when he said we were headed that direction. So here we are bikin and chattin about whatever comes to mind and he says something like, you'll be happy to know we are doing a pretty big hill climb towards the end of our ride today...and it's bigger then the biggest hill we climb on the MM route. I wasn't sure if I was glad to know ahead of time, or pissed that he told me at all. I was glad for no other reason than pace setting.

It took me a good 5 plus miles with Dave to really get back into my groove this morning. After two bike days off I just wasn't feelin it - but it's back. There was something about Dave's challenge that forced me back into focus. This climb is more then I can describe. I don't even know where we were except up a massive hill going towards the saddle of a mountain. Now my legs are really screaming and I knew that if I stopped pedaling for a tiny second I would fall over. This is the type of climb you have to commit to because once you stop pedaling your @ss is on the pavement. My speed was 4mph and we were not even half way up yet. Fear came over me at this point. Fear that I would not be able to make it...fear of failure...fear of falling. It came out of me again....the words "I can't do it". But even as the words are coming out of my mouth my feet continue to move. My heart and my will were stronger then my head today.... Dave is saying, "yes you can"... just keep pedaling...circles with your legs! and then there it is...the top! Holy Mother I can't even believe I did it. We actually made it! HA-HA YEAH!!! Certainly there is a bigger hill we can climb somewhere in the valley - right Dave? ugh

Yesterday was sluggish and today started that way but now I feel like my strength is back and I'm ready for the rest of the week. I have to challenge my body and work hard daily in order to keep my momentum going...two days of relaxation is too much for me - I don't like the way I feel.

Where is the fire?

2009-03-01T19:42:00.000-08:00

This weekend was really fun. Rick and I started at the Melting Pot for dinner, followed by a margarita at Aunt Chilada's and an Urban Adventure Race in downtown Phoenix. It was perfect...and I certainly appreciate all the text, emails and calls from everyone!! Thank you!!!

I failed to mention the mini triathlon Laureen and I did again last week. It's becoming a weekly event and I sure enjoy it. Since the cortisone shot my shoulder has felt really great and I noticed a big difference in my swim...LOVE IT!

I didn't bike Saturday or Sunday and when I jumped on the seat today I sure could tell. I'm not sure why but I feel very heavy and tired today. In fact I just took a 2-hour nap but still feel burned out. Our gym workout was good but I didn't feel strong. When I got home, Rick and I had a plan to hike Piestewa Peak and then I would run home....I'm not sure where the fire under my feet went, but he hiked and I ran home. I am happy to report that I actually beat him home and ended with 7 running miles total.

Hummmm, I am hoping to get my spark back soon. Maybe a sleeping pill tonight will do the trick :)

I can't really be 40

2009-02-27T01:49:00.000-08:00

It's now 2:50am and I've been up for about 30 minutes....I have been tossing and turning for hours and thinking about the number 4-0. It's just a number...why do I feel so wrapped up in it?

I honestly feel as though I have found the sacred fountain of youth. It's not in a little bottle or at the Dr's office. It's exercise!! It's pushing my body beyond what it wants to do at any given time. My lungs expand and fill with more air then ever before, my heart pounds a strong purposeful beat, my veins are BIG and together my body feels younger and more alive then any other time in my life. I'm turning back the clock so let's call this my 38th birthday instead and leave it at that!

Yesterday I stumbled across a race report written by Sarah J. Tracy, a woman I have never met before but a Ironman finisher and inspiring writer. She really summed up how I feel about my training, and about the processes that one goes through when in the journey towards becoming and Ironman. "Obstacles are a natural part of the journey and should be celebrated. They serve as intermittent nuggets of evidence that the goal is stretching you to new places." Isn't that true. For every time I write about my struggles, not far behind I write about an enormous victory and growth. I have never failed in my training and though some days present great challenge, I am achieving new heights and new strength that I use to dream about.

My favorite quote from Sarah is, "being in the bottom does not equate with lack of effort or lack of feelings of accomplishment." LOVE IT! I did equate being at the bottom of the pack with my being the weakest of the bunch but after reading Sarah's story my view is shifting. "A view from the back of the pack is a stunning view that is qualitatively different than a view from the sidelines." I may not ever be in the center of the pack but that does not mean that I'm not strong or worthy of participating. Look at me now! Watch me work hard! Watch me participate in my own life! My name may never be called for a podium finish and that's okay...I will always hold my head high with pride knowing that I did not waist one single day.

I can't reiterate enough what a difference support from Rick and my friends has made. Rick has sacrificed so much in order for me to train and participate in this event. It means less weekend trips for fun because I have an event on my calendar almost every weekend from March through November. He hears my stories, both good and bad over and over and he's never told me that he does not have time to listen. He washes my exercise clothes when he knows my favorite bike shorts are dirty and I have a long ride coming. He encourages me to take naps at every available opportunity. He adjusts the back of my swim suit because it gets bunchy when I put it on and he seems to enjoy helping me get the wet thing off..he's always here...he's always saying "Yeah Kim" and he's always there to pick me when I need that extra hand. Rick will be here when it's done and I have "post race depression" and don't know what to do next. He will be there to carry me to the car after the race and he'll be there to help me get off the toilet because my quads are so cramped up I can't stand. I would not be able to do this without you, Rick ....simply saying Thank You does not come close to how I feel about your contributions in my life. You allow me to be selfish right now and I love you deeply, appreciate you enormously and thank you from the bottom of my heart.....my life can't get any richer then it is at this moment.

Some serious smack down!

2009-02-25T12:44:00.000-08:00

Today was pretty crazy....I'm still a little bit confused about what happened. Don't get me wrong, I know that my endurance has improved but I still feel like my head is not always in the right place so I work against myself. My thoughts are a little scattered, bare with me...

I did the Duathlon route at Papogo Park again today..you know, the one where I run four laps, mountain bike two and run six again? I just blogged about it not long ago (though I don't remember what I wrote). The transition between bike/run is always a bit challenging for my legs and the run start is up a little hill - we all know how I really struggle with hills. So we've had goals in mind each time I do this course and today it was to finish both bike laps each in 15 minutes or less. EEKS!!! I knew that was going to be HARD. Not long ago I rode that loop ONE time in 17+ minutes. How that heck will I pull off 15 or less for each lap now?

Anyway, my first four run laps were pretty consistent with the last time I did this route so not really a big deal. The challenge really starts on the bike so off I go. This course is mostly uphill but I was ready.. About half way I can really feel my quads and then like clockwork the voice in my head that says you won't make it anyway so just slow down. UGH! I hate her!!! I knew it was going to happen....it always does and I was ready. I fought her the entire way! I stood up on my bike and beat my ass to the top of the hill as if I was trying to bike away from her.... I get down the hill to hear a big "HOLY SHIT" from Dave! I've never seen his face so lit up :) Apparently I made route one in 13:55 (I believe it was 55 seconds). WOW!! I very rarely hear Dave say a curse word so I knew what had happened was pretty spectacular. I was surprised, but had to fight for lap two to be equally good. The bitch in my head was gone now and it was just me this time...I made lap two FASTER then lap one...but I can't remember the time!!! 13.? I remember it was better.

I ended up taking 9 minutes off my time - I'm at 48 minutes now and I can't even believe I did it!! I exceeded Dave's goal by such a huge margin and the best part was seeing how happy he was. That made it all worth it for me... I wonder if that's how he will look after I finish the IM..hmmmm

March goal update - It's 325 bike miles with 70 run miles

XXX - Rated

2009-02-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

That's it! B-O'N and I agree that the locker room at El Dorado pool is too X rated for us...There are just too many naked old ladies walkin around for our taste. Am I the only modest person alive? I mean after I shower I get dressed IN the shower stall.. We've been traumatized too many times...

Needless to say, our swim was pretty fun. There were four of us swimming today and everyone was in a pretty corny mood. The plan was 32 laps a.k.a. 1-mile non-stop. Now, this was not MY plan going into today's swim, but once Brigid said it I was committed. It's really hard for me to back down from a challenge no matter what size. If I can go at my own pace, I'm in. Off I go and 40 something minutes later I was done. (I can't remember the time exactly) Not so bad I guess. My focus really was on how to push myself when I got tired so I walked away feelin pretty good. Not sure I can do it for 2 mile yet, but I have lots of time.

Did about 5 miles this morning with Dave. Let me say it again, running with him always stresses me out. I think I've narrowed down why and it's the cardio. I can hear my breathing become irregular when I start to worry about where the turnaround is or how much longer or will he tell me it was just a warm up... I haven't been able to get comfortable or learn to pace myself when I don't know where I'm going or for how long I'll be running.

So the Dr. says I have tendinitis in my shoulder and gave me a cortisone shot along with a prescription for therapy. It's nice to finally know why my shoulder hurts all the time and why my left side can't keep up with my right.

March goals - at least 350 bike miles and 75 run miles. Walk in the park right?

100 Miles

2009-02-23T12:14:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure my weekend could have been any better.

It started with my 60 mile ride, of which I've blogged. That night Rick and I got a call from Butch asking about a mtn bike ride early Sunday...HELL YEAH! So off we go and it was really loads of fun. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous about my legs. I'm not a fast mtn biker and you know I hate takin up the rear all the time so I was pretty stressed out thinking about it. I was just going to push as hard as I could and as it turns out, I was on fire...I had one of my better biking days. Let's set the record straight though. Butch and Vickie were not going their typical fast pace and I appreciate that. Probably for the first time I did not feel like the one holding everyone back and honestly, it felt fantastic! The path was just perfect for me...FLAT! Seriously...it was pretty smooth except for two pretty big hills that I did try.

We all made it back after 18 miles and out to lunch. During our drive to lunch Rick says, "you know, if you go bust out 22 miles on your road bike you will have done 100 miles this weekend." WHAT!!! NOOOOO...take it back!! Take it back!!! Yeah, he says this. Total manipulation too. He adds, "just think how proud Dave will be when you tell him you did 100 miles in two days. But if you're tired then never mind." Oh man... he just committed me to another 22 miles today I'm thinking.

I knew the biggest mistake would be not jumping on my bike as soon as I walked in the door so I ran for it quickly. Load my gear, put my shoes on and just getter done.... Slow and steady wins the race right?

I'm finally done...home, pooped, HUNGRY again and a little amazed at what I just pulled off in two days. My weekend challenges are getting more and more fun. I think my next challenge will be one IM bike loop. From Tempe Town Lake to Fountain Hills and back. I'm really curious to ride it outside of the computrainer. Either way...I'll be outside.

Goin Green? Hummmm

2009-02-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

Well I did it! I met my goal today of riding 60 miles. WOW, I can't even believe I made it. Yes I can...I knew I could make it but I didn't know how long it would take and how tired I would feel. I started to crash at about mile 50ish. My stomach would not take any more Shot Blocks or Sharkies so my legs were pretty sluggish towards the end.

So check this out ladies. How many times have you gone to the bathroom and discovered your undies are on inside out? Seriously, think about it. Do I flip them back over now that I discovered it or is that like wearing them twice? Geez...what do I do?? Ooppss Did I just announce that I don't wear a thong? Ouch...okay, I wear "granny pannies" and I won't ever wear a string up my @ss - EVER! I'd be pickin my seat all day!!! Yeah, yeah, Rick HATES the granny's but some things I will not compromise on.

Anyway..you are probably wondering WHY I'm talking about my undies. See those bike shorts in the photo? Those are riding boxer shorts on the OUTSIDE of my bike shorts! SHUT UP!! The undies are on the WRONG SIDE! I'm not that big of an idiot. I actually did that on purpose. I really like the extra pad on long rides but those boxers crawl up my thighs so I was thinking...hummm....I don't plan on seeing anyone while riding so why not put them on the outside, right? Sounds logical. It kinda worked. They still crawled but it was more manageable since I had shorts under.

I signed up for a 1/2 Ironman distance race on Aug 1st. I'm pretty anxious about it.. Whenever I really start to think about the distances I get pretty scared so I try not to put a whole lot of thought into what I'm doing distance wise. It's getting closer - I can feel it!

I think I'm coming out of it

2009-02-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that the past few days have not been that fun..or eventful...or really worthy of a post. I've gone back and forth about whether or not I even wanted to post today. I'm sitting in front of my computer, which is in front of my window and I'm looking outside at a hibernating tree in my yard. In some ways I kinda feel like that old tree....gray and crusty looking... certainly crusty because I haven't taken a shower since Wed morning and gray because I'm trying to dig myself out of the PMS blues that I get. I hate this!

There is good news and that is I woke up feeling a little better today. For whatever reason I found a smile on my face at one point today and that's certainly a sign of recovery...for me and my family. The bad news is though...I have not worked out since Tuesday. Wouldn't you know it too that on Wed I met a man who did an IM, and several IM distance races who wanted to chat about my training. I got the impression that he was not impressed with where I'm at....but we all know that everyone likes to act like a coach. Some people say I'm starting too early, he thinks I'm not doing enough...who would have thought that so many people really care.

The crazy thing is - that portion of my life, the finish of IM is already written..it's done...all I have to do is open the pages and I can only do it one day at a time.

I have to get out of this house tomorrow and get on my bike. I'm riding 60 miles, which will be my longest ride so far and I'm almost certain that Rick will be glad to get me out of his hair.

The Blah's

2009-02-19T07:25:00.001-08:00

I've been a little poopy this week....I've got the PMS blues I think. I'm bloated, fat, tired and just overall not feelin it this week. I had my workout with Dave on Tuesday and fell apart. We did some crazy biking on the computrainer that wore me down mentally and physically. The idea was to keep my watts at 130 or above for 4 miles on a slight uphill and it was all I could do not to cry. I just did not want to be there. We did this 4 times with each time getting more and more challenging.

Following my was shoulder MRI where this time I lost it. I'm claustrophobic and the second she started to wheel me in that coffin I had a panic attack. I was not going to be able to do it. After several minutes of her calming me down she put a towel over my eyes and we tried again. I could hear her say, "you're doing great Kimberly" and give me that pat on the leg to assure me that the walls were not falling in on me. It was the longest 20 minutes of my life and I've never prayed so intently. I hope to never be in that situation again.

I'm suppose to swim/bike/run today and as I sit here thinking about it I don't want to go. I'm horrified with the weight I've gained over the past few weeks as I started to get comfortable and cocky with my training... That equates to cookies + soda = fat ass and gut. ugh... If people were not counting on me to swim/bike/run with them I probably would go crawl back into bed today with a box of min oreos from my pantry.

Picking my battles

2009-02-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

It never fails....Joel Osteen seems to know what I need to hear each week and this past Sunday was no exception. It's all about picking my battles. I don't think it relates just to people either. I was biking home this morning and was thinking about the upcoming hill...do I want to work hard and "attack" it as Dave says or do I want to just ride it casual and climb slow? I remembered the the message I heard on Sunday about picking my battles. I chose to fight today and pour my heart into getting better on hills - no matter what the size. Whether it's my fitness level that causes me to be slow or my head I was prepared to fight both battles. I felt really good when I was finished and I appreciate my body not giving in to the discomfort.

So this week I think I have PMS. Yeah, bummer I know. I feel introverted, cautions and I crave sugar. ugh. The drain on my emotions is really wearing me out...poor Rick! He's locked in the house and he can't get out!

Oh, so there is this woman who rides Dreamy Draw all the time. I see her at least four times a week right. She's super focused and serious looking, has a tricked out bike and goes up and down, up and down the hilly parts. The second or third time I saw her I thought, "well, she's got to realize we pass each other all the time" so I started smiling at her and giving her the road bike wave right. Nothing...she has the grumpy face ALL THE TIME! I named her Fly Like Wind Grumpy Face. My name is Happy Girl With Green Coat, since I ride with a green fleece by the way. Anyway, she makes me sad when I see her. Like her frown is trying to reach out and slap the smile off my face. She's picking the wrong battle here! I think the next time I'm going to say Hello Neighbor as she whizzes by me...won't THAT piss her off :0

Here is the deal. Sometimes I wait to blog because I have some things going on inside my head that I need to understand first. (I wish I could turn it off but it makes for good blogging!) I have distractions that I have to clear out again. The battle I choose is no battle at all so it's back to business as it was a month ago. I decided that my long bike days will be Saturday instead of Sunday. I need to get my weekly message that feeds me for the week and it comes Sunday morning. It also gives me time to spend with Rick doing fun stuff...he is too busy during the week. Riding with NWLB has been good for me and I'll miss it. I didn't get to ride too much but it was enough to build my confidence and get me started on the road.

Nothing too funny today... it's almost 10:00pm and I'm tired. MRI on my shoulder tomorrow so I'll miss my swim with Brig and I'm bummed.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Hey, can you turn the lights off please?

Summits Challenge

2009-02-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

I can't believe what an awesome day I'm having! So I challenged Rick to 4-summits today... Piestewa Peak (aka Squaw Peak), Shaw Butte,
Lookout Mtn and North Mtn. We started with the biggest and best, Piestewa Peak...it was PACKED. I have never seen so many people hiking. Is that our next summit in the distance of this photo?

Summit 2 was North Mtn. It was pretty easy up but after comin down summit 1 my knee was pretty sore now. I started to think this challenge was going to be too easy and was thinking about doing summit 1 again after we were finished...the day was still young!
Summit 3, Shaw Butte. I didn't mind this hike too much but it's not one of Rick's favorites. The trail is pretty torn up and nasty so we busted this out as fast as we could. Okay, now I'm getting a blister on my toe and having second thoughts about revisiting summit 1....

Our last summit was Lookout Mtn. I've never been to the top of this summit so I was looking forward to it. My calf muscles are pretty tight now and my original idea about doing summit 1 was swiftly removed from my thought. What a terrific feeling when we reached the top.

I really put the smack down on my expectations. I knew it would be a mistake to start fast so I took it slow and steady (I have a constant ringing of Dave's voice in my ear telling me watch my pace). Once the climbing started I put my head down, put my whole heart into it and impressed myself. I feel pretty good hours later but I expect I'll be pretty sore tomorrow. Rick and I are dedicated to an easy 20 mile bike ride to work out the lactic acid we both expect to have in the morning.

Happy Valentines Day!

Nice way to end a week

2009-02-13T06:13:00.000-08:00

A very good friend of our family told me late last week to give my troubles over to God and everything else will fall into place. Boy, he sure was right! My week turned out better and less stressful on the personal side then I thought it would and I'm so glad. I don't need the distractions - that's for sure. Joel Osteen's prescription for the week was to laugh out loud at least three times a day... I did and I could feel the laughter run throughout my body - it was amazing and fun. But you certainly don't read my blog to find out about my renewed relationship with God do you...you want the juicy details of how my training has gone...

Let's see...where did I leave off? Oh yeah, Dave and I running. Well, yesterday I met Cliff for my last swim lesson. I'll miss him...he's really taught me a lot. We used the paddles again and I have to put my foot down and say firmly that I don't like using them. They are really hard to use and I just get tired really fast. I can't seem to swim well after I've used them a few times. At any rate we swam lap after lap after lap...(well, I think you get the idea) until our session was done.

Laureen and I went for a 26 mile ride and with a horrid headwind it should really count as double. It's tough to bike and shiver at the same time. This is the first time Laureen and I have spent time alone together and what a hoot she is. We seem to see things eye to eye so it was super easy to relate and feel comfortable right from the start.

Following our bike we did a 3 mile run loop. She's a die-hard! With just 3 minutes left on the clock it didn't matter that we were approaching our vehicles, we had to pass them and keep going until the clock ran down. NOOOO!!!! She's just like Dave! She never stops short!! I don't mind. It's good for me to be around stronger players. The time went by so fast that I was a little sad when we parted.

I'm not sure yet what I'm doing today. I have a Dr. appointment at 2:30 for my knee and shoulder so with a full weekend planned I might take the entire day off....we'll see how it goes.

I'll see you again this weekend!

The smack down on breakfast!

2009-02-11T11:01:00.001-08:00

I sure can eat a TON of food! Let me just say this....my favorite part of IM training is how much food I get to eat. Don't get me wrong, I don't eat cookies all day (well, not most days) but when I sit down for breakfast and everyone looks at me like, she did not just eat all that, holy smokes I can't believe it either. My stomach is a bottomless pit waiting to devour anything and everything I shove into it. FEED ME!

Side note - I get a lot of emails and comments about my training & blog and I'm so appreciative! But sometimes they come from people that I don't' know...like my latest one from "lifting iron". Who are you?? Please tell me who you are and where you live. I like to keep track of how far my blog goes. We've made it to Tennessee before. - End note

So here is a knee update for you. Dr. appointment is Friday. Tuesday was HELL! I felt like a cow by the end of the day for not working out. I met Dave for a run (Dave style of course) and although I was aware I had a knee situation it didn't hurt like it did on Monday night. This whole thing really does lead me to believe that it's my foot position on the pedal. I'm biking tomorrow an easy 25 so we'll see how it goes.

Yep, I ran today. Running with Dave always gives me anxiety and I don't know why. He scares me! It's one of the few times I have a really hard time focusing my head. I worry about falling over and having road rash all over my face or my breathing is too fast....I'm going to faint or he's going to get even faster...STOP!!! All these things flood my head until I just want to stop and say those words....you know, those words I hate to say.... I can't. I think sometimes not knowing how far or how long we go makes our workouts hard for me to wrap my head around. It's really a complete loss of control when we are together. WAIT A SECOND!!!! hummmm maybe I'm on to something here....

Yes, yes... swimming, biking AND running tomorrow so it's a tri day. Looking forward to LM puttin the smack down on me for all three. eekks

Frustration and worry

2009-02-10T06:00:00.001-08:00

So today is not my best day...You all know I've been having some shoulder problems and now, well, my knee is giving me problems too. I've been working though these pains for a while hoping they would go away as I got stronger but as it turns out I'm just playing games with my head.

For the first time since I started last April I had to cancel my workouts for today because of my knee and shoulder. I'm trying to find an Orthopedic Dr. today. I did some research and it really could be a number of things, however, I'm hoping it's just the position of my cleats, bike seat and hill work I've been doing. Keep your fingers crossed because I cannot take another day off.

I'm almost certain my should pain is my rotator cuff...not good. Sometimes the pain wakes me up at night and all the swimming has created a constant ache that I just can't take anymore. It really does stink to get older. We'll see how it goes.

Weekend fun

2009-02-09T08:33:00.000-08:00

Brrrrrrrr - there are some days where I just don't want to ride my bike to the gym because it's so cold... Let's weigh my options. Ride and get the miles that are required for the week/month (REWARD) or not ride and end up on the dreaded "machine" (NOT A REWARD) and have Dave ask me where my bike is (double whammy!). This machine leaves me swimming in sweat, unable to feel my legs or rear and just all around beats the hell out of me. Let's seeeee......which do I choose??? Sometimes I start to choose the machine but then the quilt hits me and I start packing my backpack for the bike.

I was thinking on my way home, why can't the IM include weight lifting? I could do well in that category. It started to sprinkle on my way home and I thought, YEAH, I get to call for a ride home. As quickly as I thought it though, I could hear Hollon's voice say, "no you don't, riding in the rain is training for something" and I just kept going. How do I get the voices out of my head???

This weekend was awesome. I played a little cat-n-mouse with Butch, Vickie and Hollon for 55 miles. I left B & V's about 7:00 and the idea was to see if they could catch me...they left at 8:00. SUPER FUN! I was a lot faster on the uphills then I thought (though still slower then most people I know) and my nutrition was spot on so I really learned alot, besides just having saddle time. As I approached Pima something competitive happened and I just kept going. I wasn't sure how far behind they were and something inside said to not let them catch me until we get home....so I jammed on Pima, got lost after Pima and they took me out....they made it home about 20 minutes before me and WOW - what a day. I can't wait to play it again. We do need to shorten the time...maybe 30 - 45 minutes next time.

I'm excited about the week. Brig and I meet for regular weekly swims, Dave and I are progressing on the bike and I'm always working on my internal dialog. Maybe he'll have another group workout soon?? Always something to look forward to.

53....

2009-02-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

53 bike miles tomorrow. I'm packed and ready....and nervous...and excited...but mostly nervous!

It's Hollon, Butch and Vickie's job to try and catch me tomorrow so it's a little cat -n- mouse we are playing...and it will be fun. I leave 1.5 hours before they do so we'll see how fast they go. I'm hoping to be close to Pima by the time they see me and able to ride the down hill home together. Keep your fingers cross...

Come to Jesus meeting!

2009-02-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

Things are happening...I think I'm growing up!!

Recently I came to the conclusion that my desire to do the IM came from my Heavenly Father and the process of training for this event was for a much bigger reason..and it has nothing to do with crossing a finish line.

I have spent more time alone in my thoughts since this whole process started last April. That's a lot of time to think and rationalize about how I feel about a lot of different things and who I want to be and how I want to contribute to my own life and those around me. During this process I was able to let go of some "dirty secrets" as my friend Lori called them and really start to heal some wounds from the inside out. I'm not a victim of my past, I own it and I'm learning how to step outside of myself and see things from other points of view.

Recently I have found a ton of comfort in prayer. Something Joel Osteen said weeks ago really hit home with me... God wants us to be prosperous. That doesn't mean he wants me to have a ton of cash (though I am waiting for my stimulus check any day now) but it means he wants me to have a rich life and until I can soften my heart more, pay attention to my actions and how they affect others and let some of the walls down - I can't prosper. I'll continue to pound my head against the pavement in frustration until I quiet myself, be still and listen to what He wants to teach me. He speaks very LOUD when I workout alone.

I'm not sure the finish line will ever come and if I keep learning and start to "get it", then I don't want it to. I want to stay on this path...maybe He'll clean up my mouth next....I curse too much!

Swimming

2009-02-05T11:56:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post today. I met my swim coach and WOW..I didn't realize I could sweat in the pool! It was a tough workout and my shoulder was very sore by the end. I've been thinking of seeing a Sports Physician but not sure just yet. I've been wishing it away, but it's just not working for me....

I don't always like having a "rest" day. I feel lazy and bored, though I know how important this day is. I should bite my tongue because tomorrow is packed...biking, swimming, gym and I need a run. That's an all day deal there and I'm super excited about it!

Focus, Focus

2009-02-04T13:05:00.000-08:00

I'm in a mood today! Poke me in the head again and I'll have your finger for lunch...beeeaattcchh

I have to keep my head down and stay focused...when I do, WOW my workouts are fantastic! The best way to start is by watching Dave and Windy push hard. Man...they are beasts and I got a little glimpse of it this morning.

We did a run/bike/run today and I have to say I'm pretty pleased with my performance. I started with four running laps, then biked and ended with six running laps...my six lap set wasn't too far off from the first set (time wise) and that makes me happy. I'm really focused on my thought process when I'm training and trying to be more self aware. When I overcome my mental challenges, everything else falls into place but that certainly does not mean it's easy. Sometimes the mental exercise is HARDER then the physical but I need to be mentally strong and able to pull myself back into the game for IM or it's all for nothing.

I'm thinking about my plan for the weekend already because I'm almost certain a long bike ride is in my future. Though it's always nice to workout with friends, spending time alone in my thoughts is nice too and I'm in the mood for some of that meditation and peacefulness.

Tomorrow, swim, swim, swim and Friday bike, gym, swim and run....Gosh, I feel tired just thinking about it all.

Nake ladies - literally!

2009-02-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

I don't even know where to start! Today's post is XXX rated so don't let your children read this.

Let's start at the beginning though. Sometimes I have external noise that takes my focus away from training. Sometimes my head is just full of negative thoughts and sometimes my heart just isn't in the game. I had a combination of all three starting off today. My legs felt heavy and I just couldn't get myself motivated to try harder. Here is the deal....I do my best thinking while on my bike and it didn't take long for me to realize that it wasn't really physical today because it was not a hard ride. It was mental. You see, I've had a pretty tough couple of weeks with an acquaintance of mine. She's called me a few choice names like f -er and poked me in the head with her finger and told me "YOU SUCK"...she's pretty much bullied me and I can't stop thinking about her. I don't know why this is happening or why she would be so rude in general but it's taking all of my attention away from my job, Ironman training. I feel really bad about it and I can say with all honesty that I didn't provoke any of her nasty comments and certainly not the poke in the forehead. Why is she like this and why is she like this to me? I told her she's not allowed to call me names anymore. We'll see what happens with that. If I wake up with egg on my car I'll know who did it but I feel bad about the situation. I think she wants a friend but doesn't know how to have one...I'm torn. Geez...am I back in high school or what!

Nevertheless, my focus today was not on biking and when I realized it I started to think about how blessed my life is. I don't have much and I live a simple life - just the way I like it. My family and I sacrificed a lot this year so that I could train 4 days a week with Dave and I'll be damned if I'm going to let somebody try and take that away from me by taking my focus away from what I'm suppose to learn from him. I kicked my butt into gear and started to feel better. Much better. I started thinking about how I want my body to look and feel and was able to put a smile back on my face, laugh a few times and enjoy being outside.

(XXX rated - bypass if you are under 18 or have a weak stomach) The good stuff!!! I met B ;) at the pool today and it was nice. I was able to share some stuff and just chatting with another gal made me feel better. We swam for an hour and hit the shower. Now, remember months and months ago when I talked about the naked ladies at ASU and asked, is it really necessary to walk around the locker room chatting with people while your boobies are flappin about? Remember that??? Well...today "tops" it! First of all, there was a lady in one of showers making some strange noises. Like maybe she had somebody in the shower with her kinda noises. B and I were a little freaked about that! Okay, shower quickly and get the hell out of there I'm thinking. This is a SMALL locker room too. I'm packing up my stuff, B is just getting done and out comes amazon woman! Yes, a very jolly looking woman probably in her late 50's early 60's who hasn't given herself a trim since 1945 or so. Somebody could weave a sweater from that craziness. Not that I was looking but sometimes it's just thrown at you and you can't look away. Now seriously, what makes a woman think that first, she doesn't need to take care of her business and second, it's okay to show everyone that you don't care? Somebody take a match to my eyes!!! The really funny part, the part that made me laugh out loud was that B was stuck there..in the corner of the locker room and the only way out was to turn around and face Miss amazon head on. LMAO!!! B says she needs therapy now...and lots of it. What was I to do? I'm so sorry I left you behind...lol.. We both needed that laugh so bad. What a great way to end a long, hard day.

Say my name!

2009-02-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

Booooo...the Cards lost. It's like the Monday Cardinal blues in the valley. Everyone is kinda poopy. Well, it was great just being nominated, right. lol

Jumped on my bike for a ride down to the gym. It was hard today. Was I tired or did Dave add more weight, I'm not entirely sure but man, I was wiped out...nearly showed him my breakfast towards the end. Have you ever noticed that when people add your name into a conversation it kinda makes you take notice to what they are saying more. Like, "Come on vs. Come on Kim". Well, for me it does and tone too. The tone of voice adds intensity. So I'm working on this machine and Dave says, "come on Kim" eekksss...he said my name! That means I must not be trying hard enough....I'm looking lazy, acting lazy, not living up to my potential PANIC!!! It's not the first time this has happened but I never really know what it means..ya know, when he adds my name into the mix. Is it bad? Is he disappointed in my performance or is it just a way to get my attention? Don't know....but I'm freaked out! Freeeaaakkkkeeeddd out.....

I had to stand outside for a few minutes and get some fresh air before I could ride again. It was rough today. I didn't feel very strong and that bugs me.

I've been bidding on aerobars on eBay but ugh, can't seem to win one yet. I was out bid last night by $9!! Man that stinks! I asked for foot warmers for my birthday...we'll see how it goes. Maybe I should have asked for bars?? Is it too late to change my mind? I have champagne dreams and only beer money.

Let's do it all again!

2009-02-01T04:55:00.000-08:00

It's February, can you believe it?? That means two, no three things.

1. The clock rolls over on my bike/run/swim miles.
2. Training will get harder
3. I turn 40!!!

And all in that order too. Let's start with #1. I finished 300 bike miles yesterday and have to give a huge shout out to my friends Geronimo and Lucinda (names changed to protect the innocent ;) HALLLAAAA After a few mishaps like tire changes, pump issues, shoe changes - oooppss, no, the shoes are okay, and a quick chain fix we were off and riding. What I witnessed was down right hilarious ladies! If it's entertainment you want, just go to G & L's pad...

Anyway, our ride was perfect. Had it not been for them I can't say that I would have talked myself into getting on the bike. They really made me work for my position in the pack and that's exactly the kind of riding that I need.

#2 As I get stronger, and this month I've overcome some plateaus, my training will get harder and harder as the miles get longer and longer. However, this is a short month so I have to admit that I've been really curious about the miles Dave will give me on Monday. I opt for a rest day today so I won't be riding with my NWLB (my Sunday woman's group) and I feel guilty about it. I shouldn't...but I do. ugh.

#3. I'll be 40 this month. I feel so young and alive that I can't believe I'm leaving my 30's already. I want a do-over! I'm just getting started here. Save the date because we are going out Feb 27 for drinks and dancing!

It's Super Bowl day and I'm baking red cupcakes for the big game. Go Cards!

I can't believe I did it!

2009-01-31T05:19:00.000-08:00

That's right... I can't believe I pulled off 182 bike miles, 21 run miles and 2000 yards at the pool in 12 days straight! That's some crazy training but looking back on it, it really wasn't that bad. I would have liked my rest days but losing them was nobodies fault but my own... hurry for me!

Probably the hardest day was my last 25 bike miles and I ran just over 6 miles...(from Squaw Peak to home). It was the slowest biking I have done in a looonnnggg time. I was pretty bored and my rear was baked to the seat at this point. I think I ripped some skin when I got off - ouch.

I just felt really fortunate when I was running. Fortunate that I can go outside and just run without having to cover my body or my face. Without having to worry about being kidnapped or raped or arrested. What a great place of opportunity and freedom we all share. I am blessed and the feeling was so overwhelming that it kept my feet going and going.

There is one thing we all need to address though. As neighborhood stewards I really think it's our job to remind our communities to TAKE DOWN YOUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS! I can't even believe this but I've been riding in some really nice neighborhoods and even THEY have left their lights up. It strikes everywhere. I'm sorry but in Feb I'll be sending out tickets to anyone who still has a blow up Santa laying on their lawn or robotic reindeer on their roof. I cant' take it anymore - the holiday if over people!

Well, I hate to say it but I do have 12 bike and 2 run miles to get done today. I was mtn biking but as it turns out a whole group of men are going so I opted to bike on my own and leave Rick to his group of guys. Something about a new trail they just found up near Blk Canyon City has them all in a frenzy....

hummmm

2009-01-29T09:26:00.000-08:00

I've had my hand under my chin for about 10 minutes thinking about today's post...just looking at this screen...hummmmm...should I go funny or serious? What kind of mood am I in?? What do people get from reading my thoughts? It's like a reality show but online and you can't see me? How many of you people do I really know (I'm knocking on my computer screen - Hellloooo in there!) My mood is tired so you get what you get...

So I've been on facebook for several weeks and it's interesting really. It's a mini blog! But that's not what today's post is about! It's about my workouts and speaking of...I lost my rest day today because I didn't get enough miles in earlier this month and I only have until Saturday to get them all in. I'm SOOOO TIRED! I learned a great lesson through all this. When Dave tells me at the beginning of the month what my goals are he's not kidding around. This is what I love about having my own trainer/babysitter. I don't have to think about this stuff. I've become robotic and I won't have it any other way. He gives me a command and I stand at attention. No matter how miserable I just keep doing it...and I say thank you when we are done! It's a sick process.

Random thought - I never used an iPod when I first starting my training. I was totally against it but now I can't live without it! My shins hurt... (here comes the pitty party)

We had a group workout yesterday Brigid, Dave and I We did some drills and running followed by a swim workout with Butch and Vickie. It was SO MUCH FUN! My swimming was not as bad as I thought after so many weeks off. One of the best things about Dave is his ability to make exercise super fun. My shoulder still gives me worry but I have lots of time to build up the endurance.

I have to go bike and run.....I'm going to let out a few really horrible curse words (P(*&)(&#$#_$*@#$*@#*$@#!#$%%%$#@@*$*@#) and then go put my bike clothes on. If you are looking for me just go outside and you'll find me :)

Miles

2009-01-27T15:52:00.001-08:00

I just added my miles up for the week. I can't even believe it but I rode 141 miles since last Tuesday! Yippy for me!!! No wonder I'm tired :0

UPDATE - It's 151 miles because I didn't include my CompuTrainer miles. I'm such a bad ass!

I knew it

2009-01-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

Didn't I say yesterday that I was sure today's workout would test my limits and make me sweat? I'm exhausted. Mentally and physically I'm just toast right now. I am counting the hours until my rest day and since I have some serious running to get done before the 1st, it won't be coming before then.

I met Dave at Camelback again today. I was prepared! I brought food even though he told me we were not going long today.. Anyway, I'm not sure the name of the street but it's off of McDonald & 44th St. near Camelback Mtn and let me tell you, it's tough. We did a loop with some baby hills followed by one giant freaken mammoth hill that I thought for sure I would not make. If I stopped pedalling just for a second I would have fallen over for sure. My loop time averaged about 6:40 or so (some laps were better then others) but honestly, I had a really hard time holding back my tears after lap two and three. I just don't know why hills are such a challenge for me. I tried, honestly I did with all my might to do exactly what Dave was telling me to do but half way up that hill my legs just said no more and I would fall apart just barely getting to the top.

The question is...is this a mental issue? I don't think so. I want to do it...I'm not afraid of it but my quads start to burn and I can't seem to push past that pain for more then a minute or two max. It's ironic really. I've had so many people ask me why I'm training so early for IM...a race that's in Nov. Well, today's performance is the reason. I don't have the leg endurance to keep me going for 17 hours so I have to start early. I'm in this race to finish...nothing less.

What a day

2009-01-26T12:42:00.001-08:00

First, a quick message to our friend Hollon. Our hearts and thoughts are with you and your family this week as you mourn the loss of your mother. John 14:1-3
--------------------------------

I was able to get 42.25 miles done yesterday, which puts me really close to reaching my mileage for the month....only 55 more to go. I'm sure Dave is happy about that too since I've been missing the mark since the holiday.

He and I met at the gym today and let me say this - WOW. Riding home I stopped at the light and my arms were literally shaking. It was a slow ride home for sure.

"Julie" and I swam and it was fantastic. She's much faster so I made it my goal to try and keep up with her without letting her get a full 25 yards ahead. Boy, it was close! I really like the challenge it brings swimming with stronger people. Nicely done B...way to put the pressure on sister.

Who knows what's in store for me tomorrow but I'm sure it will test my limits and make me sweat... My guess though...since Dave just did a 12 hour ride is that we are running. I can't image he wants to sit on a bike seat for very long ;0

NWLB

2009-01-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of my bike group, NWLB (no women left behind) from this morning. Super fun and fast ride! That's our leader, Christina in the middle.

Nice job gals!

Watch and Learn

2009-01-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

Here is Buddy fast asleep in my car. We went down to watch his owners race in the 12 hour mtn bike race yesterday and after a quick jog, lots of hellos, petting and panting he was ready for a nap. Poor guy was fast asleep before I got him home. It was a fun adventure for Bud...

It was a fun adventure for me too. I was filled with emotions yesterday as I watched my friends compete in this 12 hour race. Watching the transitions, watching what and how they eat, change clothes and bikes all of it helped me plan for IM in November.

That's not all I learned. I want to do it! I'm totally in for next year and even if I only complete 5 laps in 12 hours I'll be better for it. I'm not sitting on the sidelines after IM is over. I'm in the game 100%.

But today, I'm feeling pretty small when I think about what I just witnessed. My training is great but I have such a long way to go. Will I be good enough? God I am so sick of asking myself that question. I'm so very tired of always feeling like second best ya know....like I'm two steps behind everyone else who is waiting for me to catch up. I want to play! I want to participate! I want to be strong and fast enough! ugh... what if after the IM I still feel not good enough? What's this for then? It's an battle in my brain that won't turn off...

I woke up this morning before the birds thinking about the internal strength that it takes to do a 12 hour mtn bike race. It literally brings tears to my eyes thinking about how badly I want that strength. I can taste it and I feel the blood rush through my body when I think about it. I just wish I knew how to get it. I want to be those people and my only hope now is that IM will get me there....

Today I'm doing my own biking with my women's group. We have great new jerseys so I'll try and get a photo to post. I'm going for another 40 miles and maybe a 3 mile run when I get home just to push my mind a little bit more. I enjoy brick workouts much more then just one or the other.

Congrats to my friends who were all podium finishers yesterday..Dave, Windy, Vickie & Butch and Brigid... very inspiring - very touching...thank you...

My new buddy, Buddy...

2009-01-23T11:42:00.000-08:00

Wow, this week is finally over. Well, not really....my training continues despite being Friday, Saturday or Sunday. I'm wondering when my rest day will come again.

Did I mention the 15 notes Rick left me? This is how much support I get at home. I woke up to a note that said, "Your arms are getting particularly strong and sexy looking"...and "You are smart, driven and crafty...." and "You inspire others..." Can you believe this? WOW! Notes ALL OVER the house! In my shoes and my wallet. How fortunate am I to have this kind of support. I love you deeply...

It's been a pretty great workout week. I did some bike/run bricks along with my long ride and I'm still going strong. Today I beat virtual Kim on the Computrainer, though she's getting stronger and harder to beat! Following was a tow from Buddy, Dave's dog and two hikes up North Mtn.

This is hilarious! Buddy, Dave and Windy's dog actually did tow me on the run section today. He is one strong dog! Since I'm dog sitting tomorrow Dave thought it best we give Buddy a trial run and I'm glad we did. I actually had the tow line around my waist - it was hilarious. Buddy and I are going to try and make our way down to the 12 hour bike race tomorrow to watch his owners ride....should be fun if we make it. It seems Buddy has a mind of his own so we might end up wherever he decides to take me. (I wonder if the new train allows dogs on board?? )
What do the neighbors think when they see a person being towed by a dog? I can't stop smiling....

This week I think I finally made it over a plateau. Three people told me I looked really fit and I'm super happy about that. Dave says I'm stronger and that's really what I like to hear most. My biking endurance has definitely improved and the brink workouts have been awesome. Now it's time to swim...swim...swim. I'm on a three day a week swim schedule with an IM swim goal of 1.5 hours. The more bike time I have the better! I still can't believe the IM is this year. Friends and family are flying and driving in just to watch and I'm so appreciative of the support everyone provides. This would not be possible without Dave and Rick... (why am I getting all sappy...pull it together Kim and go take a shower - you stink! )

Some things I've learned

2009-01-21T13:47:00.001-08:00

I learned that when you travel with Dave, always pack a lunch. My guess is he could survive off of tree leaves but not me...I need some fat covered in salt so I'm planning better from now on...

I rode my bike to meet Dave at Echo Canyon (the base of Camelback Mtn) on Tuesday for a ride. I didn't know where we were going or for how long but my clue was in an email he sent me... It said, "we'll go longer on Tuesday." Indeed, we did go longer but I'm jumping ahead of my story.

Off we go. I was a little worried because I had just run 13 miles and my legs we tired. I didn't know how well I would be able to hold up or for how long. My first thought was that we were going to ride Mummy Mtn, which is hill after hill after freakin hill. As it turns out, we passed it and ended up some 20 miles North around Union Hills and 64th St or something. I was feeling pretty good too. I was able to keep up his pace and my legs kicked in shortly after we started so I wasn't too worried. Besides, I live right down the street so surely he's going to drop me at Shea or Cactus and we're done.

Here comes Cactus. I'm wondering to myself, does he remember that I live down the street? I'm waiting for him to say something like, "okay, see you tomorrow" but nothing. Well, maybe at Shea. Here it comes. The light turns red and as we approach he starts to move into a lane...but wait, my turn home is the opposite direction I'm thinking. I asked, "are we going back to the start?" Now I'm scared...he said, "eventually" EEKKSS Okay Kim, it's going to be okay... we aren't that far from the start. But even the shortest distance can be the hardest.

We are in some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the valley and I started to feel very thankful for the opportunity to ride with Dave. Until he turned onto the dreaded street that I don't know the name of...but it's the start of the hills I thought for sure we wouldn't ride. I'll call it Quad Killer Lane. We turned the corner and I said, "oh no" I was fearful. We had put in some 30 miles now and I was hungry and tired. I didn't bring any food with me and was almost out of water at this point. The next time I travel with Dave I'm packin a lunch!

My legs were definitely tired at this point and I knew what getting up this hill felt like when I was fresh. For the first time I stood up on my bike to pedal the entire way up. My legs were burning so bad and all I could think about was the 6 or so hills ahead of me. Why, why, why is he doing this to me...I just want some potato chips!

Needless to say we did it. I was ready to eat my arm by the time we made it back to Echo Canyon and with another 6 miles home we did a great 40 miles. Here is the deal. Had I prepared and had food and extra water, I could have done more. My legs were tired but not toasted yet. My rear felt fine and my overall spirit was good. I look forward to another long ride with Dave soon.

A ride to the gym and home was all I did today. Tomorrow, ride/run/relax - My only job now is training for Ironman...

Great things are happening

2009-01-19T06:04:00.000-08:00

This weekend turned out to be something, right. The Cardinals going to the Super Bowl! How great it that. Can't wait to watch how it all ends.

Chang's is done... So my goal was 2:15 but I said I would be happy with 2:30. I'm trying to be happy, really, I am because I did 2:26. Here is how it all went down. Rick dropped Christine and I off early enough that we enjoyed the "warm zone" that Chris got us into. NICE...food and heat and real bathrooms. Can't ask for more on race day really. We head down to the start and moved up from row 12 to 7 just to get in front of people...12 just looked too far back. We get through the start and I feel okay. I have been having some intestinal issues for a while. It seems everything I eat gives me an upset stomach but I really thought I would be able to run off the feelings I was having. I was able to have two bathroom breaks before the race even started so technically I should be okay.

My 5k time was great - 30 minutes and I'm happy with that. Something started happening to my stomach after that. I had the Cytomax drink and eeks..it wanted to run right through me. I had two "issues" during the race which pushed my time back and that's the bummer. I would have done really great had my stomach lived up to what it was suppose to do. Honestly, I'm down right pissed about it so now I have to do this damn race again next year to reach my goal time.

The hardest miles were the last 4. My hips started to hurt and I didn't bring enough recovery to help ease the pain. Despite it all I can honestly say I could not run any faster or I would have fallen over.

Today I feel okay. I'm not sure what hurts worse, my hips or my pride. I really wanted that 2:15 and I think I would have had it if my stomach wasn't acting up. 11 freakin minutes! ERGGGG Being that close is just painful....somebody hand me a tissue and please, don't tell me what a great job I did. Thank you, I appreciate it but I didn't do what I had set out to do and I'd like to just leave it at that...

I'm super excited

2009-01-16T17:01:00.000-08:00

Quick post today...

Did a 25 mile ride followed by a 3 mile run yesterday. What a nice time to be outside!

Gym workout today and then a fun time with Christine down at the PF Chang's expo for packet pickup. I think I'm ready for the race, mentally and physically. I'll post again after the race so watch on Sunday....in the mean time - GO CARDS...

Some days are good....some...not so much....

2009-01-14T12:42:00.000-08:00

Dave and I rode Desert Classic today. I have really been wanting to ride this trail so I was pretty excited to break out the mtn bike this morning. I felt really great and happy to get going. Something happened today that I'm confused about. My performance was just terrible. Seriously..I couldn't keep my tire straight and I couldn't climb those little baby hills. What the hell! Now, I love Dave to death..seriously he's an awesome person and bless him for trying to find reasons why my performance sucked today but the truth is...I was just off my game.

I think maybe a couple of things....

1. He was following me. Who has played chase with Dave (okay, besides Windy)? It ain't fun!
2. I didn't know where I was going or what was ahead of me.
3. Maybe I was trying too hard. I never, ever want to perform poorly in front of him and I just nearly killed myself tying to keep a pace that was not really that doable over the long haul.
4. My breakfast routine is changing since I can't have milk anymore so I'm not sure how that played a part.
5. Maybe I'm just not a strong mtn biker and I sucked because I stink...

The end was fun. He made me hike up the side of a mountain and as I stood on top I raised my arms, gave out a huge haallaa and down I came.

It was in the shower when I realized maybe another reason why I performed poorly. (Dad, don't read this part - skip to the next paragraph) My "girls" are sore....

That means one thing - my period is coming and it's gonna be a long week. One big reason why I hope it doesn't happen. I'm doing the 1/2 marathon this weekend and don't want to deal with it..HOWEVER, that could be why I was so clumsy today.

Tomorrow - bike 25 miles and run for 3... Who wants to join me??

Cyclocross

2009-01-13T16:31:00.001-08:00

Did I mention the Cyclocross course Dave created last week for training? Let me tell you why I loved this. It was SUPER HARD! It had hills and obstacles and sand and it was all on grass so I had to work hard to try and beat my time each lap. I don't remember my lap times but I do remember thinking that I needed to set a doable pace from the start or I was in trouble. I always dart out the start line then crash and burn before the finish and I'm learning to pace myself well these days.

So a hill is a hill, right? You know what he did! Just as you build speed down the hill about 3/4 of the way down was the turn to get back up. We all know that hills are my worst enemy but ugh..I attacked with everything I had and man, my quads were so tired when we finished.

Oh, wait! What am I saying...we aren't finished yet!! I ran the course twice too. LOVED IT. It's the challenges that I don't think I can finish that end up being my most favorite. The ones that bring me to my knees when I'm done... Kudos to Dave for a nice workout and for always keeping it fresh and new.

The Flu

2009-01-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

This weekend turned out to be, well, not so fantastic. I had a rather rude awakening about 1 a.m. Saturday morning from my stomach. From 1 a.m. to about 7:30 a.m. I was literally pooping my brains out. (Don't read if you don't want to know!) Here is the real deal. I've been sick here and there over the years but never have I had the flu like I did this weekend. It was so bad that I just sat on the pot, put covers over my body and tried to sleep right there. It was slowly sucking the life from my body.

Around 7:30 I started to text my friend Sarah who happens to be an ER nurse looking for a solutions...any solution I would try. She's awesome and certainly set my mind at ease but I'd have to rough this one out. ooppsss...wait a second! I have nothing left in my body but I want to vomit. Here it goes! Both ends almost at the same time. Cold to the bone, fever over 100 and I can't keep one piece of crushed ice in my stomach. What a mess...what a scene...when will it end?

Yesterday I started on soup and lots of Pedialyte. I took a shower and Rick swears I lost 10 lbs during this whole ordeal. I feel it. I just wasn't that hungry so I won't force food...just the warm soup was nice.

Have you noticed that levels of illness dictate which room you rest in? Really sick means you're in bed. Getting better means the living room couch. Yesterday I spent my recovery in the living room surrounded by 3 types of drinks. Pedialyte, tea and water. I think I only peed three times during the day. That's how dehydrated I was. Today I'm back on solids. I woke with a HUGE appetite but am taking it slow with some cereal. Let it sit and maybe I'll add to it in a bit. No workout today as I just don't feel my body is ready for the load.

My biggest disappointment is the long ride I paid to participate in and missed. For my first long ride I felt comfortable knowing it was supported and I'd see lots of people out there. Now I'm out the cash and will end up riding alone...I'm not happy about it at all. The only positive spin on this entire deal is I lost weight and cleared out all the toxins from my body. That has to count...otherwise the weekend was a total bust. .....

I'm back

2009-01-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

I stopped blogging for one simple reason. I ran out of things to say. I think that once you spill your entire life to the world you pretty much don't have much to talk about after that. It's interesting from my point of view. I'm in a transitional stage. I say with all honesty that my load feels much lighter since I let go of the guilt and anger that I toted around all these years. Letting it goes frees up some space in my head and in my heart. My focus in 2009 is to be more forgiving of myself and others. To be open to other peoples ideas and to let go of clutter that holds me down be it people or things.

I have a lot of thoughts bouncing around my head...here they are quick before I forget -

The best way to bike up a hill is with ACDC's Thunderstruck blaring in your iPod!!!!
The best way to come down a hill is with SexyBack by Justin Timberlake...
The best way to stay motivated on the bike when tired is to listen to Eminem's Lose Yourself... "Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted-one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip?" Humm, kinda puts a fire under your feet.
I'm SUPER HAPPY to be seeing Dave 4-days a week again all the way through Nov!
What the hell was Dave thinking with the 40lb and 300lbs this morning?? I did both exercises so my bad...apparently he did know...why do I question my ability...

Speaking of Dave. We did some riding the other day. Holycow it was hard but I am getting so much stronger, and faster I was pretty self absorbed afterward. We did 7 miles out switching legs. Yes...that means biking with only one leg at a time for about 7 miles. Coming back was at a fast pace that I was able to keep. Don't know what it was though because my bike computer broke that morning. erg After I made a quick trip up North Mtn followed by a huge Coca-cola....super fun workout.

This weekend I'm doing about 7 miles on the canal followed by a 64 mile bike on Sunday. They have finally arrived...long bike rides. It's a supported 64 miles so that does make me feel better. Be sure to read about my drama on Sunday night or Monday. I've been trying to think of a good timing goal but I don't know the route or road conditions so I'm not sure really. To average 15mph would make me happy but there are too many unknowns right now.

Seriously though. My leg presses this morning were 300lbs! Oh, I decided that since I love my biceps so much - that's where I'm going to put my Ironman tattoo in Nov.

I'm having some rotator cuff issues...shin splints and some low back pain all of which I attribute to aging. Damnit!!! I just want a second chance...a do-over ya know. I'm begging my body to just let me get this right before it breaks down on me. Just give me 12 more months! Like asking your car to just make it to the gas station before you run out of gas....right. Good luck with that.

Send me some words...the ball is in your court...

Okay...I'll Finish

2008-12-29T14:49:00.001-08:00

So okay, I'll finish up my story and then I'm taking a blog break....

Geez...I can't remember where I left off so I'm just jumpin in.

I got tired of getting beat up and messed up...I wanted to straighten up. I stopped doing drugs and I actually went back to school...for seven years I was in college! I know..that's a long time. I LOVE school now. I'm almost always in a class or looking for one to join. Psychology, marketing, group training, web design, graphic design... you name it and I've taken it or should have a degree in it!!

There aren't too many things I haven't tried once or twice in my life. I've been bungee jumping off a bridge in the middle of the night... I broke into an empty house just for a place to sleep. I was "arrested" once for breaking into that house and I've been on probation before. On the more positive side I was also a volunteer at a homeless youth center for several years in my early 30's and was this close to joining the Peace Corp. just a little before that. In my late 20's early 30's I spent most of my time trying to pay back all of my bad decisions and give back as much of myself as I could. Trying to reverse Karma I suppose.

I live free now. I've given up the guilt and embarrassment. I'm smart, funny, loyal and mostly I just try to live a simple life with a few really awesome people around me. My story ends with this... I am defined by who I am today...not by what I did yesterday. Happy Training....Kim

Thanks

2008-12-27T07:21:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all my readers in 2008....I'm taking some blog time off and just focusing on my training. Thanks for your emails and messages and if I start blogging again I'll be sure to let you know!

Happy Trails

My New CompuTrainer

2008-12-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty excited! I bought the CompuTrainer yesterday. I've already downloaded the IM route and I'm ready to sweat. My goal - to blow Dave's mind the next time I race virtual Kim! That's right. I won't see that look on his face again! EVER.... On Wed I raced VK (virtual Kim) and I'm still able to kick her ass but it's getting harder.. She's getting stronger every time I see her. No more....I'm done with VK.

Biking use to be the only means of transportation some months ago and I have to get back to that routine. She's got to be my feet and now with the trainer I'll be able to get so much more done. I'll post photos soon. We are headed out of town for the weekend so watch for pics soon!

My Journey to Ironman 2009

OUCH

It's been a long time...

Moving forward

The hardest

Let's wrap this up

What a week

Fixes

urg

Checkin In

Bike ride update

Somebody please poke my eyes!

I'm Out

"click, click, boom!"

I forgot

I know..I know

The ball is rolling

Who doesn't love a vacation!

Vacation!

This just added

Danskin Women's Tri

Better

How's your week

Blah

Game ON

I'm sick

For the most part

I'm back

No Post

Pretty long weekend

Define "Easy Week"

The Gym

Skinny girl trapped inside a fat body

Winners!

A Note From Kim Nelson

I'm still a baby duck

Codependent

One week to go

A Train wreck of a workout

The Blessing

I have so much to learn

Bike Shorts Review

Happy Anniversary

Mission Accomplished

Holy Freakin Cow

Despite it all

I've got something to say!

Taking a turn

*Bitch Post Warning*

Weekend to remember

A little secret

I made it!!!

More to come...

Humble Pie

Nose blisters

Big girl shoes

I'm so tired

I'm behind on updates

3/4 Tan vs. 1/4 Pasty

New Aerobars

Bring it on!

Where is the fire?

I can't really be 40

Some serious smack down!

XXX - Rated

100 Miles

Goin Green? Hummmm

I think I'm coming out of it

The Blah's

Picking my battles

Summits Challenge

Nice way to end a week

The smack down on breakfast!

Frustration and worry

Weekend fun

53....

Come to Jesus meeting!

Swimming

Focus, Focus

Nake ladies - literally!

Bitch Post Warning