Race Schedule and Results

Monday, December 31, 2007

A year for changes

I know I talk a lot about what changes I'm going to make and as the year winds down, Tom and I have really had a good chance to examine where we want to go next year, and I'm not talking vacation (although there are a few of those thrown in the mix just because!) We're really going to focus on making this a Captain year and that's very exciting. We've decided to make a lot of lifestyle changes in terms of eating (we're not dieting!), exercise, relationships with family and friends, personal changes and things together. 2008 will be an exciting year and I'm looking forward to it.

As for 2007, I guess I can't say that I'm glad to see it go. A lot happened:
  • In March, Grandma passed away and there isn't a day that goes by that something doesn't remind us of her. She sure is missed, but I personally gained such a different outlook on life just from watching her and I can't thank her enough for that!
  • Tom and I had some great vacation - we went to Vegas to see the our niece and nephew(and to gamble of course!), we went to Hocking Hills for some hiking, we went to Panama City Beach which quickly turned into our new favorite beach, and we went skiing in West Virginia.
  • The Ironman... need I say more?
  • Tom and I organized our first (and maybe last for a while) 4 mile race. We learned so much about ourselves and the world of race organizing. It was fun... at times! :)
  • Friends had babies (that's a scary thing... I guess first it was friends getting married, now I'm one of the only ones without a child! EEK! Although I do love being a pseudo-aunt)
  • Family had babies (two new cousins, although I forget if they are first or second based on their parents relationship to me)
  • My sister and I renewed our relationship which was a big turning point for me. I need her so much and I know that she's needed me. I'm so lucky to have her as not only my sister, but more importantly my friend!
  • My love for trialthon grew exponentially - it's something fun that Tom and I share together and not many people can say that their spouse makes the best training partner!
  • We got a new car! :)

I'm sure there is so much more that I could post on, but those are some of the major things that come to mind. 2008 will definitely not be dull in comparison. Between my Ironman, our next trip to Vegas, my sailing trip to Tahiti, the business and everything else, it's bound to be a good year!

Happy New Year's!!

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Great Holiday




What a great holiday! We had a fantastic couple of days. Christmas morning we woke up and did something that we've NEVER done in the past... we went for a run! It was great. It was only about 22 degrees outside, but we bundled up (in our new fleece lined long underware that Janet gave us) and just hit the roads. We didn't have a particular route in mind and it was perfect! There streets were silent and you could see people just waking up or sitting by their lit Christmas trees. When then came home and proceeded to pig out on egg casserole and monkey bread, opened our 40 gifts (Tom spoiled me to death) and then walked the dogs at the park. Before we knew it, it was time to head to mom's for more spoiling and dinner with them. We were both so sleepy when we finally got home and agreed that it was the best Christmas ever!




Monday, December 24, 2007

Finally... Christmas is here (well almost)

We had Christmas with Janet and Jay today and what a great time! It's the first time that we've had Christmas here on Christmas Eve and I really liked the tradition that we might have started. We weren't rushed at all, like in years past and really had a great time. They spoiled up like always... and I even got a running skirt which to this point, is one of the highlights of the holiday. Tomorrow morning we're going to get a run in and then relax to open our gifts, then head to mom and dad's to spend the day with them and the Juth's. I'm looking forward to it.

I broke down and made sugar cookies - well kinds of made sugar cookies. I tried something new and the verdict is out on them. Tom loves them. Janet commented that the icing really helps get them down. :) I made them with half whole wheat flour, splenda, egg beaters and light butter. That helped me feel like I wasn't doing a bad thing by making them. I think that they turned out relatively good. They don't taste like cookies. Well maybe cookies, but not sugar cookies. Tom things that they taste kind of like oatmeal cookies. I think it's a sign that maybe I shouldn't experiment with cookie recipes. If I can't make them healthy and tasty, then I shouldn't be having them! Ha, oh well. It was worth the try!

With the new year upon me, I want to take the opportunity to talk about my goals for the coming year. I know that this blog was supposed to be weight loss related and I'm going to make sure that it gets back on that track for 2008. It's kind of like my online journal of a never ending battle and even if there are only a handful of people that read it, it does what it's intended to do, which is keep me honest and accountable. So here are some goals:

1. Write in my blog at least 3 times a week. My blogs will be more of check ins for my accountability. Thank you for reading, it helps me a lot.
2. I'm going to start a food/exercise journal on paper. I need to identify what's holding me back in terms of weight loss. I have some ideas, but haven't taken the appropriate action to fix it. Maybe seeing it will help.
3. I'm going to make sure that I do my weight work out at least 3 times a week, if not 4 since that's going to make me a better triathlete, and overall, I stronger woman.
4. I'm going to take more time for me. Be it reading, maybe taking a walk alone, getting a massage, whatever. I want to learn to appreciate the woman that I am and the gifts that I have. I'm my biggest critic and it's keeping me from being 100% happy with EVERY aspect of my life.
5. I will complete the Ironman... in a skirt... with everyone watching... in under 15 hours (well at least in a skirt and with everyone watching... the time things is just a thought for now! ;)

I'm sure my list will continue to grow, but for now, that's a good start.

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your holiday is the best yet!

Monday, December 17, 2007

Chistmas is coming...

Laying in bed last night, it dawned upon Tom and I that Christmas is only a week and a day away. How very exciting! We have almost all of our gift wrapped, most of which are under the tree and I have to say, we've done a darn good job of not opening them! There have been the occasional "can you have Christmas now" conversation, but I think we can hold off!

So I've decided not to bake any cookies this year. :o( I'm kind of bummed because I love baking them, but baking them means eating them, especially when you are married to a diabetic. I've been pretty bummed about my weight lately. It just seems like when I get in the right mindset, something sets me off and I am on an endless downward spiral to rock bottom again, where I just have to start from the beginning. I started this blog as a useful tool to track my progress and I haven't kept up on this either. So no waiting until January 1st to make resolutions here. I'm starting today. I've been really good about getting 45 minutes of cardio in at least 5 times a week, I've been lifting (and really enjoy it) at least 3 times a week, and I filled my fridge this weekend with everything I need to stay on track through the holidays. heck, if I can do it now when temptation is at it's highest, I can do it anytime!

Watch out 135, here I come! :)

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Great Morning!

Although the weather is less than perfect (closer to crappy than anything!) Tom and I got out for a good 10 miler this morning. It felt so good to get a good run in and I often forget the power of a good sweat session! It was only about 30 degrees and they were calling for rain but we were able to get away with not an ounce of precipitation which made for a good run. We always have a good time talking about the coming year and what our plans and goals are. Just really clears your mind and I like that. We're just having a lazy day today though, in fact Tom's sleeping now with the dogs! :o)

The other thing that I started this week is my strength training program. I hate lifting weights... they aren't fun and are often intimidating. Tom and I took a lot of time coming up with the perfect routine for me. It's all using resistance bands and although I've only done the routine 4 times (which is how often I'll do it every week), I love it already and know that I'm going to stick with it. I'm sure it'll help me get closer to my Ironman in a skirt (or at least my 135 goal!)

Hope you have a good week!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

I'm still here..

Although I don't blog much, I'm still around! :) In case any of you were wondering where I had gone of course, which is highly unlikely! Things have been so busy around here. Our 4 Miles 4 Diabetes race is on Sunday and for my sanity and the sake of my marriage, I can't wait for it to be over! Let me tell you - running races = fun, while organizing races = VERY not fun! I feel bad because I think Tom's really into it and for once there is something that the two of us don't enjoy and it's causing some friction! But, we're going to be stronger for doing it, we're going to be better people for doing and I know that it'll end up being a good time come Sunday! :)

Otherwise not much is new here. I'm ready for the holidays... sad, since they aren't for another month. I have a good chunk of my gifts bought which is nice, although I'm anxious to get them wrapped and out of my closet. I think by December 15th of so I'm going to be so sick of the holidays because I have such a huge jump on them now! Hehehe... oh well!

We're planning a trip out to Vegas to see Tonia and the babies. I can't wait! Richard will be in England visiting his family so it'll be a good time for us to go out and help Tonia with her little ones. From what we hear, they are a handful! They are both walking and starting to talk more so Tom and I are anxious to get out there. And of course, we can't wait to buy them something totally unpractical from Christmas just because it's from Aunt Colleen and Uncle Tom! I love having a niece and nephew! But I know that paybacks can be hell! :)

Friday, November 16, 2007

It's Official...

Tom and I are registered for Ford Ironman Florida 2008. Guess there's no backing out now... although I wouldn't want to do that even if I could!

In the spirit of triathlon and Iroman, here's a good list for you.

You know you ARE a Triathlete when:

  • Your favorite clothes contain the words "Cool" or "Max."
  • At work you realize the reason your under-arms feel remarkable smooth, free, yet stinky, is that you've mistakenly applied Body Glide instead of Deodorant
  • Transitions are not a type of prescription sun glass or time of profound personal change
  • You know precisely what size of wet suit, running shoe, bike shoe fits you to the exact half size
  • You know the name of several bike seat manufactures
  • You know how to change a bike tire
  • You have a multi-colored collection of swim caps
  • An easy swim is any distance less than 1500 yard
  • You know the difference between an A, B or C race and plan your vacations around them
  • You're favorite bar has the word "power", "cliff" "energy" and not "Cheers"
  • You know what Plantar Fasciitis, and how to pronounce it
  • You know your resting, max, and zone 1-4 heart rates
  • Spending $2000 on a bike seems reasonable
  • Helmet head is your most recognizable hair style
  • You shave way too many body parts for a guy
  • Bloody nipples are something you know all too much about
  • You know how to easily remove permanent black marker from your skin
  • You've had a recent conversation that contained the words, Aero, PB, PR, Split, diarrhea, rack, goggles, non-stick Pam, butt burn, black toe nail, Bento
  • You can swim a sub 1:00 minute 100 yards without flip turns
  • That something hard between your legs is usually a pull buoy
  • Drafting is not a football or baseball recruiting term
  • You have the word "Triathlon" on your Tivo's wish list
  • Your car has a USAT sticker
  • Your car has a bike rack
  • Your friends and family think you are a complete exercise fanatic
  • When asked, how old you are you answer 35-39.
  • When asked how long your training was today you answer: three to four hours.
  • You think an Ironman is easier then a Marathon because you don't have to start by running fast.
  • You think it's natural to do your 'business' behind a tree in the woods.
  • Nobody believes you when you say 'Never again'.
  • You go for a 5 km cooldown run after a 5 km race just so that you can call it a training session.
  • You consider work, regeneration time between training sessions.
  • Your friends don't ask you if you're going to train this weekend, but how long and how far.
  • You know inside out how much Protein each energy bar has.
  • In the summer your legs are smoother then your girlfriend's.
  • You need a picture for a job application and you only have race pictures.
  • You use running T-shirts to clean your bike.
  • You think there are only two seasons during the year, racing and off.
  • Yyou can't change the oil in your car but you can completely rebuild your bike in 45 mins and You clean your bike more often than your car
  • You spend more $ on training and racing clothes then work clothes
  • When a co-worker asks if you are racing this weekend, you say "yeah, but I'm just running a 10K, so that is not REALLY a race".
  • You have more water bottles than glasses in your cupboard
  • You consider you bike saddle your "couch"
  • You consider Clif Bars as one of the four food groups
  • Your bed-time reading on your night stand consists of a pile of: DeSoto catalogs; InsideTri; Triathlete, VeloNews, USMA Swim, etc.
  • You haven't bought work clothes in two years, yet you own bike shorts made by every manufacturer under the sun and can recite the merits of CoolMax, Supplex, etc. in your sleep!
  • You wave at other cyclists, because all triathletes are friendly and if they are not, they are probably purist cyclists trying to get into triathlons and they do not know that triathletes are friendly.
  • The one "suit" you own has a QR on the chest.
  • You’re tempted to do your long rides in a speedo so that you don't have a stupid tan for your next race.
  • You get done with a hard workout and drink a recovery drink while on the toilet and in the shower.
  • When non-racer friends tell you they ran/rode you automatically calculate their pace to see if you're still in better shape.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

It's all over... for now at least

Well, we're finally back from Panama City Beach and settled back into the real world. The Ironman went awesome and Tom had a great race, finishing in 12:26:22 - a full hour and some before his goal time. He loved it and the stories that went along with it were priceless. Jay finished as well, 1st in the 70-74 age group (so what if there weren't any other people, we told them his competition was probably in a nursing home!). We had a great time. So much so that I've secured my spot for 2008. Tom and I can't wait to train together this year and then race together November 1, 2008. It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm so excited!


My weight loss goal of hitting 135 means more now than ever. I know how much that will help my racing. With this being our "off season" I'm really going to crack down on things. I think it's a good time to evaluate my habits, stop eating with the excuse "well I'm working out so it doesn't matter" and get to that goal weight. Plus I want to do the run of the Ironman in a skirt (just because they are cute) and I need to put some space between my thighs for that to look good! :) Honesty hurts, I know!


I'm so proud of you Tom and can't wait to join the Ironman badass club next year!

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Long time no blog

I haven't written my blog for exactly a week. Things have been anything but calm though - work's picking up, the Ironman is in T-minus 13 days, we're deep into race preparing...

There's not too much to blog about. I **think** I'm going to be successful in hitting my goal of 143 before leaving for Panama City Beach, although the pizza party complete with cookie cake to celebrate Janet's 3:57 marathon finish (yup, she qualified for Boston with no worries - yeah Kita!!) may put me back a pound or two!

We've had some great fall rides the last few days. The trees are so gorgeous, although we've been told that they aren't even at peak yet - we find that hard to believe. It's been so great though in terms of riding weather - definitely not what we thought we'd be getting in late October, but we've been eating it up. Makes Tom's final Ironman training days a bit easier!

Well, hopefully I'll have more to write this week. We're hoping to get a new car (a Pontiac Vibe) and that could happen this week is things fall into place correctly. Otherwise, it's just more of the same... working, working out and getting ready for Panama City Beach!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

A PR for me!!!

So after a less than stellar showing three weeks ago at the half Ironman, Tom and I ran the Dayton River Corridor Classic. We've run it for three or four years now and to be honest, it's always dreadful, yet we keep coming back for more. It's really a nice race, but inevitably it's right at the end of training for a marathon and I'm hurt or burnt out! NOT THIS YEAR! I PR'ed with a 2:04:52! YEAH! My goal was to just beat my best on the course (a sad 2:14 something) and not only did I do that, but I beat my old PR by over a minute! And I bet the big ogre like guy running in front of us who I thought was going to lose a lung while running... you know, the kind who are hacking up everything under the sun and always seem to be just right behind you or right in front of you. Yeah, a lovely site! So those were my goals and I was successful. A good end to a long season!

Friday, October 12, 2007

Quitting cold turkey

I have an addiction. And it's serious. And I need to admit it to the world.

My name is Colleen, and I'm a pasta addict.

Oh yeah, like you all didn't know that already?!?! So for the past few weeks I feel like I've been doing alright with the whole weight loss thing, although not really being entirely as serious as I know I need to be. I got on the scale this week and there was no movement (which I guess is better than upward movement, but I digress...) So thinking of the things that could really help me with my weight loss has been difficult. I don't eat fast food all the time, I'm no addicted to full fat anything, we eat veggies, I drink water, blah blah blah. But I do eat a ton of pasta and with training being less now that my race season is over, I guess I need to cut back. That's hard, but I'm admitting that what needs to be done. So, with that being said, please keep on me. No pasta for a month - well let's make it that if I have ANY pasta, it has to be whole wheat and it has to be only one serving and that it can't be done more than once a week. That seems fair... Just to see if I can do it. That's my goal. I will still eat rice, in the form of the brown stuff, and potatoes so I'm not cutting carbs (I'm smarter than that!!!), but I need to break this addiction!!!

Starting Monday (and only because we're having past tomorrow night before our half marathon on Sunday) I won't eat white pasta at all. The ONLY exception I will make is the day before the Ironman and that's only because dinner is at my condo and I'm making Tom a big Italian meal (plus that's like 22 days away and if I can actually keep to this, I will reward myself with just a little bit). I think that might help - I've read a lot about refined carbs and bloating in your stomach. Maybe I'll actually lose a little.

Poor Tom - he knows about this and is still willing to help (what a great husband). I say poor Tom though because he'll get to deal with an addict quitting cold turkey. Poor guy!

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Oh what a day

So it was 90 degrees today (unheard of in October for Ohio). Tom and I decided to go to a local pumpkin patch. hehehe - nothing like being covered in sweat as you walk through vines and pumpkins finding just the right one. It was pretty humorous! BUT, we found the PERFECT pumpkins (and they were $9 total... gotta love small town farms). We aren't going to carve them until later though because they'll rot in the heat. I'll have to get a picture of them up here so you can see how we painted them in the meantime!

So to top off our 90 degree day, I decided to make Texas Chili Soup and Applesauce... ALL... DAY... LONG! I thought that I would stock our freezer for the winter, or if you know my wonderful husband, until the end of the month! (kidding dear!) 20 pounds of apples, 4 pounds of ground beef, 22 cans of chili fixin's later, I have 16 quarts of applesauce, 4 gallons of chili, fed Tom, myself, Janet and Jay and never want to eat either of the above mentioned again! It kind of helped me feel like it's fall. I'm sure tomorrow when I'm swimming in the 90+ degree heat I'll keep thinking fall.

On a side note, Tom and I are so happy that we didn't run Chicago this year. The marathon was today and it was 88 there. I guess 300 people were sent to the hospital with heat related ailments, 1 person died on the course, and the officials ended up shutting down the course at 4 hours. WIMPS - I did a half Ironman in 91 degree temps! Hehehe! Seriously though, if you do the calculations right, we would not have finished! And can you imagine the sight of people being told that they have to turn around and go home after running at least a half marathon in the heat. $110 down the drain... wowzers! Hope it's not that warm in PCB! (although I'm secretly hoping it's that warm from Wednesday through Friday, then Sunday through Tuesday - those would be prime beach days!!!) Hey, I know it's all about Tom and Jay, but come on... it's hard being a spectator!

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

One down...12 to go

Well my ticker only says 11, but it's 12 in the world of losing 15 pounds. Anyway, Yippie! I lost a pound. I'm overly thrilled because in the past 7 days, I've biked 40 miles and ran 5.5. That's it... total. (Yeah, I know... am I nuts for saying that's all?!?! Probably, but those of you reading this know that's not much in the life of me). So I'm very excited.

I do have the challenge ahead of dinner tonight at my Jill's. To celebrate her b-day and Tom's, we're having a cookout. No turkey brats here baby... it's the real thing. And they are fresh from the farm. I've never had a fresh brat. Do they taste different than store bought? She seems to think so... we'll see.

I better go workout...

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Hello... Is anyone there???

This world of blogging is sort of funny to me. I don't think that anyone reads my posts, yet I still continue to write. If I tell someone I have a blog, inevitably that is followed with a "who reads it?". My answer never fails... "probably no one, but it's fun". So with that, I'll continue blogging. I guess it's sort of therapeutic.

Tomorrow morning I weigh myself again and am slightly nervous to see my number. I need a new approach to eating, especially with my training season primarily over. Maybe I need a smaller goal in the interim. Hum...

We leave for Panama City Beach on the 31st. I would like to be at 143 by then. I think that's attainable. Probably about a three pound loss, but I have 4 weeks. It's a good goal. And I'll share that and be accountable to anyone who wants to listen! :)

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Feeling like myself again

Since Sunday, I haven't really been feeling like myself. Tom noticed. I've been down, tired, nauseous sore. We've talked a lot about it and I think I'm just coming off an emotional hang over. Really... I've cried a lot, been happy, been sad, been scared, been proud, etc. Quite frankly, I've been all over the place. I've taken 3 days off from working out - probably the most that I've taken in a long time, but I think I needed it! Although the scale proves that even three days off can throw me into a loop. I'm up this week - 147.0 to be exact. I'm a little bummed, but I know I'm an emotional eater and well... I've been emotional! :) That's just a fact of life. But like my title to this post says, I feel like myself again and am looking forward to my workout today which will get me back on track!

Oh, and I heard a great quote today that I'm going to remember... NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SKINNY FEELS

On an unrelated note, here are a few pictures from Sunday's race-

Tom and I before the race, just heading to the water.
Janet and Jay came to the race, but kept busy on their bikes. Mom, dad, and Kristen were awesome enough to just sit and wait for us to come by. I know they were bored, but we really appreciated them being there.
This is me at T2. Isn't she a beauty (my bike... not me!)
My rockstar hubby finishing with a PR and a 1st place!

Monday, September 24, 2007

I'm a half iron woman

I know that I have the intention to keep this a weight loss blog, but I wanted to give everyone a race report and this seemed like a pretty good place to do it! So yesterday was the Toyota Challenge Half Ironman. It was by far the most difficult event I have EVER participated in. Here's my recap...

I guess I should start by saying that I was a nervous wreck all last week - not eating, feeling nauseous, crying at the drop of a hat... tons of fun for my poor Tom! :) We went to the park on Saturday to get our gear and swim the lake. I was really worried about the distance and the water was really rough last year making the swim miserable for me. I think I had that in the back of my mind. We got there about 1:00pm and went to the water. It was really rough again. Tom and I decided to swim just one lap of the rectabgle course (Sunday I'd be swiming 2). We got about 1/2 of the way done and Tom stopped to tell me that it was too rough for him and that he was wasting more energy than he thought we needed too. So much for me being comfortable about the swim! We left, met mom and dad at the resort which is where we spent Saturday evening. We had a great time that night, a couple of nervous breakdowns for me, but a good night.

Sunday morning came early, but Tom and I had done most of the prep for the race ahead of time so we pretty much dressed, ate and left. When we got to the start area, it was hopping, and our assigned racks were already filled. We decided to venture to the overdraft rack and noone was there! YEAH! So we were able to rack together, at the end by the fence so mom and dad could be right next to us during transition. I was feeling good at this point - I guess because I've been there enough times to know that others where feeling the exact same way I was.The race was supposed to start at 8:30 (our waves didn't go until 9:04 and 9:06) so we wandered down to the beach with mom and dad around 8:40. The water was glass. I couldn't be happier! I knew that the swim wasn't going to be so terrible. Tom and I got our wetsuits on, got in the water for a bit and then watched as the race started (it was late in starting, but we've learned that's not really anything new in the world of triathlon!) Janet and Jay got met us about 5 minutes before our waves and I got real nervous again. What had I gotten myself into?

Swim-
I seated myself in the back of my wave knowing that I'm most comfortable back there. After one last wave to Tom and the family, I was off. I felt great and got into my rhythm very quickly. THe water was wonderful - not too cold and very calm so I was relaxed from the start. I had a few people swim over me and grab me, but it wasn't horrible. Almost 1/2 way through the race someone grabbed my leg on a turn. I kicked them pretty hard trying to get them off of me. About 3 seconds later the person was around me and I look up to see it was Tom. He waved and I later found out that he didn't mean to crab me at all and apologized. He didn't know that it was me until he had already passed. So it was a 2 lap course, 1.2 miles and my swim time including the long run up the hill to transition was 41:54. I was pleased, as I had been aiming for 45:00.

T1 -
No problems here. Mom and dad were right next to me. I dried off a little, grabbed my helmet and shoes, stuffed some jelly beans in my bag as was off. T1 time - 2:23

Bike -
The bike was a 3 look course and I had ridden most of it last year. I say most because the half has an extra 6 mile loop added to it which Tom told me about. The first lap when great. Right as I was leaving the park I saw a familiar car and realized it was Kristen! She had come to see us and was told she couldn't get into the park! It was awesome knowing she was there!!! There are some bigger hills toward the end of each lap and I felt great climbing. I was ahead of my time and even saw Tom on part of the course and he smiled knowing that I had a good swim and was feeling good on the bike. Right before I went into the park to do my turn around, I decided I should eat part of my PB&J sandwich. I took it out, ate 1/4 of it and then dropped the bag. Not good as I know that would be very important to me. I come to the turn around with mom, dad and Kristen there and tell them about my sandwich, laughing saying that I need to go pick it up. ON the way out, I saw the bag and did indeed stop. Good thing because I ended up eating the whole thing! The second and third lap were pretty uneventful, except the wind started really picking up and that made my times each lap a little longer. I started to get kind of broed with the course by about mile 50 and was glad when it was done! so 56 miles and I averaged 17.4 mph - 3:13:25 - not too bad fr the wind and the hills!

T2 -
Came in quickly, changed shoes, put my race number on, grabbed two packs of beans and was off. T2 time was 1:57.

Run -
Now the fun started. I really had to use the bathroom right at the start of the run. Luckily there were porta johns waiting. I was happy with this, kowing that I had drank enough on the bike. Mom, dad and Kristen cheered me off as I started the first 6.55 mile lap. I felt like I had a bad case of triathlon legs, but knew that they would quickly go away. The first mile came and with the potty break, I was at 10 minutes. I thought, "this is great, although I need to watch my speed or I'll die at the end". I was feeling good. The day had gotten REALLY hot and the sun was blasating down. For some reason, all of the wind that we had felt on the bike was nowhere to be found on the run. I couldn't really get my body cooled and I started feeling myself slow down around mile 4. I knew that it was going to be a long day. I saw everyone at the turn around point but had started feeling pretty bad. I walked through the aid station with them there and at a pack of beans. I was extremely salty, but drinking water and Infinite at each aid statation. I was still worried that I was losing too much salt for the day. The second lap was horrible. I was barely shuffling along and could feel that my IT was tight - I knew I had puched my gears on the bike and I shouldn't have. I saw Tom at mile 7. He looked great and was on his last mile. He was going to PR. He asked how I was doing and stupidly I burst into tears. I can't lie to him and I was feeling pretty miserable. He kept apologizing thinking that it was his fault that I signed up for the race and I finally said that I'd be fine and would just be run/walking the rest. That lasted about another 2 miles. Then I just started walking. I couldn't drink anything because I was so bloated. I knew that the water and electrolyts that I had drank were just sitting in my stomach. I started to cramp pretty bad. And it was so hot. The walk was horribly slow, but at that point, everyone around me was walking too. At about 12.5 miles, I thought that I might pass out. At this point I hadn't drank for about 4 miles, and was having a hard time catching my breath. I'm sure that had something to do with wanting to cry, but I just kept saying "only another 1/2 mile!!!". I knew that I was way off from my time goal of 6:30 and I didn't even care. I came into the park with Tom, Janet, Jay, Kristen, Mom and Dad cheering me on. I shuffled o the finish shoot, burst out in tears and was done! Final time, 6:55:44.

The lady to take my chip came up and was concerned because I wasn't sweating at all. After volunteering at IM Louisville, I knew to tell her that I hadn't drank anything in about an hour. She immediately got the medics to my side. They checked my vitals and kind of kept an eye on me, but I was able to get a bottle of water down and sitting felt great. Everyone was so proud of me, but all I could do was cry. I was so happy that it was over!!! :) And I wasn't mad at my time. I wasn't even remotly disappointed. It was the hardest race I had ever done and I'm glad that I can say I did it. I know that I had a bad day and that it had nothing to do with my fitness level, but I learned that I'm not into long distance racing and the only way I was going to learn this was to try it. Tom still keeps apologizing and I keep telling him that I'm so happy I did the race because I know I don't want to do another! :) He did great though - had a PR time of 5:35 and came in first by a long shot in his division (and yes, this time there were more people in his age group!). He was so excited, although I think that was muted slightly by his worries of me! God love him!

So today we're taking it easy. It's Tom's b-day and I think we might fill orders and then take the day off. I'm pretty sore, and very sunburnt so I'm looking forward to just doing nothing! Maybe we'll go shop - retail therapy always does a woman's soul some good!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Muffin Tops

I used to like Muffin Tops. Panera carries them and the pumpkin one that's sprinkled in powder sugar was to die for. I'm sure it's a total no-no in the world of eating healthy and thus, I avoid them now. But it's always the best part of the muffin. Isn't that what you always eat first when you have a muffin sitting in front of you? As I strive to lose weight, I've learned a new meaning for the terms "muffin top" and I will strive to NEVER have one! :) For those of you that might be a little "slang-illiterate" here's to you:

Muffin-top (or muffin-top girl) is a generally pejorative, slang term used for a person, usually female, whose flabby midsection spills over the waistline of his or her pants in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its casing. This generally occurs when an individual wears low-rise or hip-hugger pants and midriff-baring tops. In an attempt to avoid this, manufacturers have re-introduced mid-rise jeans, which come up higher on the waist and eliminate the "muffin-top". Mid-rise jeans have proven popular across North America, and manufacturers have also introduced new styles of high-rise jeans. However, the muffin-top is not exclusive to low-rise jeans. Any jeans that are too tight at the waist can cause a muffin-top. In addition, low-rise jeans of the right size usually will not create a muffin-top, but they may slip down. Muffin-top originated as Australian slang in mid-2003, but has since become popular in other English-speaking countries. It may have been first popularized by the Australian television show Kath & Kim. Australia's Macquarie Dictionary named "muffin-top" the word of the year in 2006; the American Dialect Society named it one of the "most creative" new terms that same year. Muffin-top was earlier used in a different sense (the best part of the muffin) on an episode of the American television show Seinfeld. The character of Jenna Maroney from the sitcom 30 Rock has a hit dance song called "Muffin-top". An additional derivation is "Split Top Muffin" to describe seeing the "muffin-top" from behind with the jeans so low as to expose the top of the gluteal ridge. (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muffin_top)

And the fact that the term "gluteal ridge" is used in this official definition just adds to my liking.Maybe this weekend when I make some low fat blueberry muffins, I will not feel guilty splurging on that muffin top. By my quest for a muffin top stops there! :)

Monday, September 17, 2007

The test of time

Next week at this time I hope to have a half Ironman under my belt. The idea to do a half started last winter. I stewed over the idea for a while and then with a lot of consideration and talk with Tom, we decided that I should just enjoy myself and race short races this year. Yeah, I'm signed up... so how did that happen you ask? Well, after completing at least 75% of Tom's Ironman training, I've decided I'm there anyway, why not try it. So Sunday it is - 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run and hopefully a smile when I'm done. That's my goal after all. And of course that means that I might be able to splurge a bit for dinner that night. After all, I'll be working out for like six and a half hours. That constitutes some sort of cheating for the day right?

Another highlight this week is going to be the Delaware County Fair. The BIGGEST week here in little ole' Delaware. I think we'll go tomorrow, walk through the 4H club barns to see the animals that the kids raised (they actually get off school for the fair to show their animals which is still funny to me after living here 3 years!), then plop ourselves down at the race track and bet on some horses. Oh, that and try to keep any food down that we've previously eaten in the day as the smell of pepperoni on a stick or fried cheesecake on a stick waft through the air. In Delaware, they can put ANYTHING on a stick and people will come flocking. Although that's half the fun... watching them flock. The joys of living in a small farm town!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Already seeing the difference

I meant to get on the scale yesterday and got a bit sidetracked. That's the first time in a long time when I've actually WANTED to get on the scale and didn't. :) So I got on today to see how my last week went. To my surprise, my weight was 145.4. That's a big loss. I have been working really hard on my portions and my training has really been tough. I'm happy. I don't feel like I'm dehydrated which I know can cause false readings. So there... I'm being accountable and I'm lost 3.8 pounds. I'm happy...

Life is good. Tom and I have been training really hard for our triathlon next week. It'll be my first half Ironman and I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a bit nervous. It's the longest total workout that I've done. A 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run. I know it'll be a gut check for me. Luckily Tom will be racing as well. Mom and dad are going to be there which will be nice (as long as it's not muddy!). And I'm just going to take it one event at a time. But until then, I will just continue with my crazy training partner. I love him!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

My new dinnerware

I went to Target to find my three section plates. I looked in the kids department thinking that I would have to compromise and get a Dora the Explorer plate or something to find one with three compartments. I struck gold!!! On a clearance rack, they had a plethora of big girl plates that were separated and had no characters on them. Kind of boring, but just what I was looking for. Here they are...


Very exciting, I know! The way it'll work is that I'll fill the biggest part of the plate with my veggies. In one of the small portions will be my lean meat and the other will be a grain. I figure this way I'll make sure I get a good size serving of veggies, less of the stuff I don't need, but still enough to make me satisfied!!!


On a side note that is nothing related to weightloss, Spence and Em were in town (Tonia and Richard too of course) for the past two weeks. We had a great time with them and enjoyed celebrating their first birthday a little early. Here are my cuties:





Friday, September 7, 2007

I like to ride my bicycle

So Tom and I decided to go for a long ride today in preparation for for his upcoming Ironman and my upcoming half Ironman. I opted for the 84 mile route, while he added a few 30 or so to the end of it. Mom called while I was out and being the savy bike rider that I am, I talked to her while coasting along a back road. Her response to our distance choice was simple... just one word - "WHY?" We get asked that a lot and the best asnwer we can ever give is "Because we can, that's why". As if the distance wasn't dreadful enough, we pick a day that is 91 degrees and has winds upward of 19 mph. It was a blast... let me tell you! :) We did come to the conclusion though that our ride conversations would probably be funny if they were taped and we listened to them at a later time. They would go something like this:

(A jeep passes with 4 yellow smiley face lights on the top)
Colleen: "What are those stupid smiley faces for?"
Tom: "They are light covers."
Colleen: "Well that's retarded"
Tom: (laughing) "I can see you and you sister on long car rides now, pointing all the dumb things out, while your mom and dad sit in the front and enjoy the scenery."
Colleen: "What does that have to do with stupid lights on jeeps with smiley faces"
Tom: "I dunno"

or

Tom: "You are covered in salt"
Colleen: "Yep, I'm a human salt stick. I should lick my arms during a race to replenish the salt I lose. I could be like a cat - just call me Catwoman!"
Tom: "I have a better idea, attach a funnel to your head and every once in a while pour water over your head and have the funnel go straight into your water bottle and then just re-drink the salt you are losing."
Colleen: " I would have to be careful not to fart though because that would contaminate my water"
Tom: "Why do you always try to ruin my good ideas"


See... long rides are good for the body, but even better for Tom and I to clear our minds of the pointless thoughts that fog our brains. After 84 miles, I have a clear brain and feel so good about myself... I call that a successful day!

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

My name is Colleen...

And I have accountability issues. There, I've said it. I have a wonderful family who supports me, friends who would be there at the drop of the hat, and a husband who puts every other husband in the world to shame. You'd think I would be accountable to someone right? Yeah, not the case. So I start this blog. After tears shed (too many to count), endless days of frustration and the final straw, admitting to Tom that *gasp* it's actually my fault that I've reached the weight I have, maybe I will have some accountability with random people I don't know, and those that I'm brave enough to share this with whom I do know.

I guess there shouldn't have been any surprises or "Eee gads and little fishies" (that's a direct quote from my grandmother) when I stepped on the scale this morning. I needed a starting point. Oh I got a starting point for sure... and people always tell me that it's easier to lose when you have more. Maybe that's why I've been eating so much lately... to make losing higher numbers easier (see... there's the accountability issue coming to a front!). Anyway, it wasn't a pretty sight, but I will admit it for all to see. And who says I can't be accountable.

So for everyone who laughs when I complain about my weight (yes mom and dad, Tom, Jill and everyone else) here are my stats and maybe a few goals.

As of today, September 5, 2007:
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 149.2
BF%: 27.9
BMI: 23.3


My goals:
1. drop 15 pounds (I know, how many people are going to write and tell me I'm crazy... whatever people! You don't have to look at me in the mirror!)

2. drop my body fat % by at 5%. I'm a muscular girl... I can do it.

3. Start eating off a kids place (you know the ones I'm talking about... the three section ones that I grew up eating off of and now have a huge complex about my food touching because of... yeah, I'm getting me one of them!)

4. Look at myself and be proud, because I can't do that now.

Wish me luck!