A tale of two, er, three shoes

Be sure to tune in this weekend - click on the logo for details! Look for me, yeah, I probably didn't make the cut.

Everyone knows of my quest to find MY new shoe! I mean, seriously, what else do you have to worry about in your life than MY need for a new running shoe?! GAWD! See previous posts for my trip down Asics lane into the ugliest shoe in America, OK, all of North America, that should cover it. But wait, I see the UPS man, could it be, would it be...it IS. My original pair of shoes, the KSwiss misouls from Road Runner Sports. YESSSS!

First - the Asics - fine, they're ugly. They are also giving me the shin splint twinge on the right leg after two baby sized runs. I will give them one-two more chances and if I'm still feeling it, back to RRS they go.

Second - the KSwiss - not terribly attractive but they DO come with drainage holes and two sets of inserts. One for racing and one for training, one just lighter than the other. Drainage holes are very important in tri-land OR if your feet sweat a river when you run. I did my first workout in them and, drum roll, no shin splint twinge. I'm so sensitive to it. It's part of the reason I stopped running. I couldn't deal with IT band and shin splint shiz any longer. Furthermore, it was my track workout for the week. Big shout out to my coach, triswami - who insists on talking to 'us' when we're doing 6x800's. Um, I can't really speak and I can hardly hear you because I'm just this side of 'tarded. By 'us' I mean me and Tilghman and by Tilghman, I mean ironTilly. She's getting ready for a marathon because Ironman just wasn't enough for her this year!

Third - the heels - why am I such a jackass? I mean really, post track workout when you wanted to puke on your new shoes and you wear heels to work. Freakin genius! I gimped around all day and looked like a moron. Shocker, I know.

So there it is, Asics zero, Kswiss one, heels negative one. More to come but I'm hopeful that one of these daYum shoes will work. This is torture. OH, and if you've never tried Stuffits, they're great to keep stinky, wet shoes feeling fresh. And no, they didn't pay me, I won them at a race. See, I do win prizes, but they should pay me, shouldn't they?!

Off to swim...

Plug, Plug, Plug

***Sorry Code Geeks out there - I have no clue how to make this clip fit. The fact I even got the clip in is amazing! I'm sure it's driving you nuts and I will receive emails on how to correct.***

OK, so I didn't make the daYum Youtube video. Actually, there is a blurry piece of my suit and sunglasses running off the side but you can't tell it's me. Dang it! Reminder, must do better job of mugging for the camera. We'll see if I can make the final cut on NBC!

A break in the weather around these here parts means one thing - BIKE RIDE! We've been 50/50 on rain for at least a week. We took our chances and were mostly successful. We got hammered by some rain for ~15ish minutes. Opted to push through rather than wait for it to pass. While it may have slowed down our average, the cool rain was refreshing, actually. I DO hate the feeling of water sloshing in my shoes, though...and I had on cycling shorts not tri shorts so I had a full-on wet diaper. It was foul. I did, however, have a tri top on. I looked like a wet busted biscuit. It was a good look at the end...see NO pictures.

After the slosh fest it was the great debate...to swim or not to swim, that is the question. Hells yes, go to swim. Then I got into the car and it hit me, I'm tired. Crap, OK, go to swim for an hour, then. Done! Upon further review of our ride route we have determined that some of the hills we were hitting were 10% grade average with a 13% grade kicker, just to get to the top. No wonder my legs weren't so fond of fins. Sheesh.

Track workout on tap, please let it rain sideways, please let it rain sideways....no luck, it's track time, off I go.

(Semi) Wordless Wednesday

4am, How I love thee?

On tap for today's loads of laughs - a baby 3 mile run and bike ride with friends tonite! In between, there will be something that resembles work being accomplished. I'm just bummed that I didn't get to do or see anything exciting in the last couple of days. I think I need to head to Walmart or the pool for a fix or something. WAIT, I got it, I saw a guy, a big, fat guy who 'has bad knees' (I'm sure) on a riding mower. I wouldn't have laughed out loud if the lot size wasn't 1/3 acre or less - he couldn't even turn the thing. For crying out loud people, walk behind your mower like Diana, jebushcheeerist. Check out the pictures of her mowing the lawn, only dirty D could get away with that. Instead, I get to see giant fat guy on a riding mower...akin to the fat guy at the grocery on a scooter. Fat ass America, I swear...TN at LEAST!

Here you go kids - set your DVR's, TiVO's or just sit down and watch. The third annual Aflac Iron Girl Atlanta Triathlon will be televised nationally on NBC Sports. The broadcast will air on Sunday, Aug. 2, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET. Now, I'm sure it'll be full of fun and inspirational stories. I did not get interviewed but look for a bright green flowery Speedo, that's ME. I'm sure I stepped on someones head to get into the water.


I happened to mention to Ryan that I was getting up at 4am this morning so I could run and ride later. His question, WHY, again? I told him that the 'plan' goes into affect today. He says - the plan for Beach2BattleSHIT? I said yes, the plan for Beach2BattleSHIT, baaahahahaha. He's all for it, he just thinks that getting up at 4am is, well, shitty. Can't blame him, I don't love it either. Here it goes...

WE put the WE in WEekend

We haven't had this much togetherness since idon'tknowwhen. Thankfully, we still like each other a bunch and had fun in that low key fun kinda way. No great parties or howling at the moon, just us, just some Tour de France (NOW what am I gonna watch), some swimming, some Ironman on TV Saturday, some meals out, some bike rides and one too many drinks on Friday nite. Holy crap. I get through one TUMBLER of a Danger Bob Margarita and ask for another. Well, he was most certainly happy to oblige...drunk wife, hells yes. It made for a rough Saturday! How DO YOU fix a hangover? A run in the heat, of course! After I got through the first mile in my new shoooze, I thought I was going to barf on the neighbors lawn, then I did a little bit of the penguin waddle because you can't trust a fart when you're running, then, it all kinda went away - I felt better and just ran. Oh, except for the fact that I was so full of fluids that my gut sloshed and I was pregnant with a water baby (see picture, jeeze, what are ya 4 months?). I started to think about how much fluid I pounded AFTER the Danger Bob Margarita nite - at 5am, one Sprite and two Endurolyte tabs, half of a nasty Dr. Pepper, back to bed. Up at 830, still haven't peed, water, two cups of coffee and then went for my fabled run. It wasn't as disastrous as it could have been. I didn't run home crying or anything. I did smell a little like tequila, though. ***Danger Bob Margarita are the cocktails I talk about regularly. The link above has the recipe. Bob is a good friend of ours and these are primO. I suggest high end oj or fresh squeezed. This is the tequila!

Today is the day, today is the day my training plan starts in earnest. I've been at it all along but it's time to buckle down and go with the plan. It will most certainly include longer rides and more time at the track for some puke sessions with my favorite peoples. I have enjoyed B+ Missy for a while but I'm sure A(type) will be out shortly. I'll try to go for A- this time and be a little bit flexible, for crying out loud. This IS the plan of PAIN. I told coach that I want a PR at Beach2Battleship....by about 20 minutes. For 70.3, that's a tall order. So, with my big girl panties on and some compression socks, I'm ready, I'm ready to play!

Most good stuff happens at the pool...

I arrive at the pool on an open swim day, minding my own business to find THIS walking towards me...

Now, guys, of course I'm going to look - there is a man walking towards me ON THE POOL DECK in his underwear. At first I thought I had to be mistaken, he had on some jammers or something. Nope, Under Armour Underwear with johnson hole and all. Will someone please tell the guy that this is NOT OK? I was so dumbfounded that I just got in the water to get away from Mr. Underweartothepool guy. If you forgot your suit, it's still not OK to get in your undies. If I rolled in my bra and panties, I suggest that someone would say something...or maybe they wouldn't and do just like I'm doing...just point and snicker. Thankfully, he was AT LEAST built like a bathing suit model. Could you imagine my horror if the guy looked like a busted biscuit on top of wearing his underwear to the pool?! Sheesh.

Rain has been the name of the game around here so I'm going to test out those new ugly ass shoes today on their first run, baby hangover and all. If a drink is called a Danger Bob, you should never have two and by all means, never make them extra large like we did last nite. They are tasty but OUCHY!

New Shooozzzzzeee!

So, like all of your favorite things, they change the recipe! Whatever it is, they want to change it, improve it, make a new model - cars, food, running shoes. When Fila said they were going to stop making running shoes altogether, I knew I was in deep shit. My legs like what they like, shin splints be damned. I have finally run out of (literally) my last pair of Fila's. I used them for some trail running in Colorado and they are cashed. Prior to going to CO, I ordered a new pair of KSwiss miSouls - site unseen ... not even tried on. I'm keen on the idea of inserts for training and another for racing. They've been getting a lot of good press lately so I'm anxious to try them out. Ordered them from Road Runner Sports with my VIP discount, perfect. Ship day passes, I call, they're shipping tomorrow, OK. That day passes, they're on back order, they're shipping Monday, fine. I'm starting to lose patience. I know they're just reading what's on the screen but I basically have nothing good to run in. Third call, I keep my cool and just tell the guy - I need shoes, yesterday, find me something. I don't know what kind of 'Fit Expert' Mr. Running Pants is but this is what he got me....these might just be the ugliest shoes I have EVER worn. Don't get me wrong, I don't care if they do me right but c'mon Asics, really?!? Who the hell is in the design department because we need to chat...

Mr. Running Pants wasn't so much of an expert as he was the phone guy. I give him my stats, height, weight, I'm a neutral, mid foot striker, blah, blah, blah. He says - well, Asics is our most popular brand, does popular mean that's what I should get? OK jerkey, find some that work for me, then. THIS is what he comes up with. Fine, fine. I am going to wear the shit out of these before my 60 day/return period is up, that's fo sho (and put Road Runner's return policy to the test if necessary). This poor kid was probably some college runner who weighs 95lbs and runs a 5 minute mile - that qualifies him for fit expert, apparently. I'll test them out this week and will know if they are shin splint worthy in about two runs - that is MY downfall and I will get the twinge early on. They feel great walking around the house, but what wouldn't, you're on carpet for crying out loud. At least you'll be able to see my size 9 feet from a mile away, holy crap! Oh, and my KSwiss are still on back order but I intend to keep those two. Two is better than one.

In workout news...
It's recovery week so um, yeah, not a ton to report. About an hour in the pool working on a bit of speed with my coaches (they just happened to be there swimming too) and a 3 mile run and I didn't even wear a watch. Just out for a stroll. At the pool, HOWEVER, there always seems to be good stuff. First of all, when I am relegated to water aerobics, what kind of music will they play for 'my crowd?' Today, it was show tunes and Barry Manelow, no shit. I love these ladies because they're working out in water but their hair and makeup is done. Perrrrfect. In contrast, the Senior Games are taking place at our pool this weekend. Rather than hairs did, make up on, skirted bathing suit lady doing the jig in the kiddie pool, there were older ladies, in their one piece Speedos, caps, goggles, getting ready for their events. I have NO clue what their times are or even what events they host but they were getting ready. They are more modest and cover themselves before walking on deck, generational, I'm sure but that got me thinking - who do I want to be when I grow up? I figured that when I couldn't tri any longer I'd do aquabike and when I couldn't do aquabike, I'd swim and when I couldn't swim, I'd do water aerobics BUT the Senior Games!? Hell yeah, that's who I want to be when I grow up. I just hope someone will shuffle me, my blue hair, and my Speedo to the pool. These are the things I dream about when I get older - getting to Kona, because that is the only way I'll qualify, if I'm hanging around long enough where I'm one of two in my age group. What's that about 60-65 for women? AND the Senior Games. Please don't put me in water aerobics, I don't like show tunes or Barry Manelow.

(Semi) Wordless Wednesday

Acclimated

Officially acclimated to HOME again - no more mountains (oh how I miss you), no more lazy mornings of watching the tour, drinking coffee before a trail run. It's laundry, mountains of laundry, old and injured dogs and a dirty house. You know it's bad when your kitchen floor feels like you're at the beach. Oh well, another day, not today.

Got the rest of my training in for the week including an open water swim with Grandma, a 'longerish' run and a ride with Ryan. Who tried to kill me, by the way! His expectations are great since we left Colorado. Apparently, our five or so days at altitude were supposed to carry over and make me into some kind of climbing machine or something. I'm trying. My legs are shredded and now it's a recovery week for me. Hoorah! I'm not like most of you frrrreaks. I love, even cherish recovery weeks. They just give me the time I need to get to other shiz. Don't get me wrong, I DO get the jimmy leg and feel a little crampy but I like the extra rest - it does a body good. At least it does to me.


I'm sorry to say that Grandma (Kasha) is not doing well these days. Her hips are getting worse by the minute, it's like you're actually watching her get OLD. I've had dogs before this shouldn't be that new but she's our first dog together. We got her as a scared little puppy at 8 weeks old and now she's relegated to having us carry her up and down steps. We've both caught her falling down on multiple occasions and it seems to be increasing exponentially. Her heart is still there, she still wags and is happy to she you, she gives you a little jig when you come home even. Her body is really starting to fail her and that just makes me sick. It's one thing if you can tell that their 'heart' isn't in it any more. We always said, we'll know, she'll stop wagging her tail. But what if she doesn't, what if she doesn't stop wagging? Oh for Pete's sake, I can't even see through my own drivel here. Why the hell do these damn animals affect us so much? Unconditional love is the only thing I can come up with. Hell, she's better traveled that some people and has better health care than at least 50% of the world. Even with that, there's nothing else they can do for her hips. At 13, what else do you want? Like anyone you love that is old, you just want more time, but it has to be good, quality time, more time.

Friday nite we shut down a restaurant in town with some good friends, good drinks and good food. We moved our little party to our house where it was more cocktails...always spells disaster. We had a blast so I'm chalking up my Saturday morning in bed until 10am to good times and "I only do that a couple times of year so that makes it OK, right?"

So, I'll be busy recovering this week with some baby swims, bikes and runs and catching up with everyone. Race season is in full affect. IM Louisville is on quick approach and I can't wait to do some serious cheerleading!

TdF Dreams....

When you have the sleep schedule of a pre-schooler, you're asleep before the evening recap of TdF ends. I never have any clue as to what happened. Yep, that's asleep by 9pm because I know how to parrrrty. First, I have to watch the daYum thing with a calculator - sorry my Canadian friends, I just really don't know how fast 42kph is. Why we never went metric, I'll never know (snobby Americans). Didn't they tell me I had to learn it in the 5th grade because we were making the switch?! It makes so much sense, but I digress. While watching, it seemed as though they just were out for a weekend ride, chatting it up on an easy stage while rolling at 25-28mph AND 102 BPM on some guys heart rate monitor!!! 102 BPM, are you kidding me? I can fart and be at 102 BPM or run across the house to grab a puking dog! 102 BPM.... pffft.

Last nite was a short but hilly, fast ride. Ryan wants to continue on this power 'thing' we started in Colorado and decided to put me to the test. If it wasn't 430am, I'd post a profile but I need to get swimmin. Suffice it to say, I blew 102 BPM out of the water and I think my heart almost blew up trying to hold onto his wheel. I figured a nice little 3 miler would be good since the ride was so short - 8:30/mile (OK), 9:05/mile (mmm?), you can see where this is going, right into the toilet...My legs were blown up and I actually remember seeing 11/mile on some hill. Meh, and now it's off to swim!

Still trying to catch up with everyone!...while doing all my laundry. What a mess.

The Party is over...

Like all good things, they must come to an end...vacation is over and it's time to head back to work. I would highly recommend Crested Butte to anyone. It's a small town and you kind of feel like you're on an island. Everyone knows everyone else and their business, as far as residents go so if you're planning on a bender some Saturday nite, it might just be in the newspaper. You don't have to lock your bike and most people leave the keys in their car when they're in town. Dogs are allowed everywhere and I didn't see ONE misbehaved hound. It was a great break from normal.

I confirmed a few things on this trip...

I'm a mountain girl. Given a choice of beach or mountains, hands down, mountains.

I still suck at and don't like to mountain bike. If I lived there, I'd learn but I don't need one more hobby at this point. I'm busy enough.

I DO like to trail run. I'm sure there's a way to properly trail run but I did my best. I kept my eyes glued to the trail. I went to look at my watch ONCE and stumbled to the ground. Lesson learned, don't take eyes off the ground. Note to self: get trail shoes, old road running shoes without much tread left were sketchy on the descend. It was a nice change of pace, literally and figuratively. I did not have delusions of what my pace would be, I was in the mountains for crying out loud. I was happy when I ended up ~12:30ish/mile and zero oxygen.
OH, I beat this guy to the other side too. The joy of beating someone on a bike...it was a new feeling. Have a good day...sucka...

I need to stop eating like it's my fourth sport. While I was active every single day, I was also consuming like it was my vacation. Blasted. That swim suit was a little tight in the middle yesterday. Felt a bit like a stuffed sausage.

Since bikes are not locked up, it leaves us with great moments after dinner and drinks like this one...

People ARE crazy. We headed out for a back country picnic by a waterfall only to find some crazy ass kayakers getting ready for a dip. No joke, there were two waterfalls and they nailed them both.

8-14% incline will make you stronger - I don't care if it was a mountain bike and I thought I was going to die, I made it and even beat a person or two.

And now, it's back to training for B2B! I recently received coaches new and improved training plans for me this time around. My quads quivered when I read it. Not all but mostly hill work. Um, B2B is flat coach...yeah, yeah, strength building, I know, I know.

I'll work to catch up with all y'all!

Crested Butte

Full report will come but let me tell you one thing...ok, maybe ten, you know me...

Do NOT hike up a freakin mountain in old running shoes with no tread. I didn't totally bust my ass, much, but I had to crab walk it down on my arse. Lovely. I think I'm in the pink in the background...falling over.

I have been on a mountain bike twice, yep twice and even some G Rated single track. See, the last time I was here, they took me on some R Rated single track for my first ride EVER on a mountain bike. I cried, I fell, I cried some more, I bled - who the hell puts a tree in the middle of the road for crying out loud?!?! To get me back on a mountain bike is a feat in itself. I'm sticking to G-PG Rated - fire roads, double track and shit that doesn't drop off a sheer cliff for Pete's sake.


When you're on vacation, time does not matter. Especially when it comes to drinkin! That's our morning cup of joe ....

Thank GAWD I'm in decent shape or the altitude might have just killed me. Don't get me wrong, it's hard and I'm not moving as fast as I should BUT I can't imagine if I was out a shape or a huge fat ass. OH, there's another thing, NO fat people here. I think CO is one of the most in shape/skinniest in the country if I'm not mistaken.

Cheers to you and I'll be catching up soon.

VACATION!

Beloved readers, friends, freaks, stalkers, trigeeks, runnergeeks and Glaven, I will be on VACATION for a week-ish. Not sure if I'll be willing or able to get to a confuser whilst I am away. If I don't check in, never fear...I will be trying my hand at some single track trail running in Crested Butte, Colorado. OK, it might not be running, maybe more like fast walking or hiking but I'm going to give it a whirl. If you don't hear from me in a week, or so, send for help. A bear has eaten me....

Be safe and train hard. My little lungs will be killing it at 9,000ft (ouch)! Oh, yeah, got me in some riding and some swimming and now it's time for mountain biking (I use that term very loosely), hiking and drinking! See you on the flip side.

(Semi) Wordless Wednesday

I did mention that hubs is mostly responsible for Wordless Wednesday, right?

TdF, Magnus, and some workin out

OK, I just love to watch the Tour de France. I'm sorry but there is nothing that gets me more jazzed to ride than watching these 'specimen's' ride up a mountain at 20mph when I'm rolling at 10mph (on a good day)...gawd, just amazing. BTW, they shave or wax better than I do too. I need to find out their secret because it's always slightly disturbing to me when I show up for a group ride and the guys legs are smoother than my own.

Three, Three and Three - three swim, three bike and three runs turned into two, three and three. I'll take it. The bad part, I've been seriously relying on my swim fitness from that 5K swim training to get me 'through' everything so far this year. Whenever something gives, it's the swim. I have this internal thing that tells me - you've paid your dues, you don't need to hit the pool right now. Sleep, sleep will be better right now. Blasted, I gotta get over myself and quickly. The bikes were great, although downhill at 17mph blows, literally, BLOWS. Thought I was going to get my ass blasted off the bike a few times BUT I just held on for the ride. Even got a TT ride in last week. I'm not like many trigeeks, I'm a HUGE fan of my road bike and will ride it 1-2 days/week and my TT bike for the remainder. When my (roadie) friends get together to ride, it's hilly, it's technical, often dark and a TT bike is just not the right choice. My road bike is the shiz and I LOVE IT. In fact, coach says that some of my key bike workouts (for B2B) will be on my road bike for strength building...hill repeats. Um, did I ever tell you what I suck at the most? Yep, you guessed it, hills. He says, stronger climber = stronger on the flats. I'm trusting you big bald man. PR, remember, PR at B2B and YOU have to get me there! Running has just been running, nothing spectacular and nothing terrible.

In Magnus news...I had to sleep with him one nite last week. We were nose to cone in HIS bed together because dogs don't come INTO our bed with us. We're way too big to deal with two big dawgs. SO, I made a bed along side his (stinky) bed and we snored the nite away. I heard a rumor that my head was inside his cone. Here's the substitute cone we've been using. Looks like a hemorrhoid pillow! He's not as anxious as he is wearing the cone. He might just die of drowning by drool in that thing. This is like a built in neck pillow you wear on a plane. Not a bad deal. He's totally embarrassed.

Tour de France!

Happy Fourth! Enjoy your time and thank a soldier!

Now, the Tour de France starts today. I'm amp'd up and ready to get this run in before it starts. Ah, all the wasted ours of watching on TV. Another Floyd Landis deal and I'll freak out - I want those hours of my life back...even if he is/was innocent!

Yes, I pull this picture out every year at this time. I'm pretty sure that Bobke is NOT mad here. Ha, yep, met him and he is hilarious. Plus, there was a line of guys behind us waiting to meet him. Do you think that's why he hung onto us for at least 10 pictures?!

We even got him to wear one of our pieces of flair! A very proud moment. What IS he looking at here? We do love Bob Roll...

Popeye

Belated Happy Canada Day to all you Northerners!

Now, if YOU walked out of the opthamologists office and they gave you seven medications to be administered 16 times a day, you'd be pissed right? You would have a hard time remembering everything, right? OK, now imagine it's your DOG....and you work and you're not home all day to give meds and such. To top it off, he may just die of anxiety with that cone on - heavy breathing, whining and clearing coffee tables. For the love of a dog, I swear. Poor Magnus - an ulcerated eye and a baby cat scratch has sent him down this path. Bless it....


In workout news...
Recovered from irongirl, still felt the legs riding last nite but was able to move forward so that was a bonus. Off for a 3 mile run that didn't suck an egg either. I was pleased. Gots lots more to do this weekend and really need to start dialing up my ride time. I don't think 25 miles a pop is gonna get it done. That's 75/week to you and me. I am hopeful that all my base miles from last year will pay off. Speaking of which, I heard a rumor that the year after and 'ironman year' can be your best, race wise. Let's test that theory. So far, so good.

(Semi) Wordless Wednesday

Even I, yes I had to remove a photo because I started to feel bad...it was funny but maybe over the top (even) for me. I leave you with sniper dog and Camel Toads...