An update

Why hi there... yes, it has been a while.  The last time we spoke, I told you about a bike crash.  So many of you have asked how I am (which I am so very blessed to have so many caring people in my life).  I figured I might as well give you an update.

First and foremost, I'm good.  On the mend.  Some days I feel like it's slower than hoped, but really, we can't all be super picky can we?   I wish I could say that the swelling and bruising has subsided, but it hasn't... to the point where I'm a little concerned and heading to the doctor in the morning. I was going to post pictures, but my husband advised against it.  I think he knows best.  Let's just say that my upper thigh ranges in colors from red, purple, blue, green and yellow and my back is kind of the same.  Remember hypercolor shirts (am I dating myself because I used to think those were super cool and thinking about them now... gross?  They changed color when your body got warm.  So places like your armpits were always a different color.  Or under your boobs.  Luckily I didn't have to worry about that when they were in style - phew... that makes me feel a little better).  In any event, that's kind of what my "spots" remind me of.  And of course they have all kinds of weird marks in them because I've been icing, or wear clothes that used to fit but are a little tighter now due to the swelling.  It pushes all that "stuff" around.  Anyway... I'm getting off topic.

Because of the location of the two impact points (my thigh and my lower back), sleeping has been uncomfortable.  Which makes me cranky.  And I can't confirm or deny that I haven't cried more than once looking at myself because, well, it's not pretty.  I used to cringe at the permanent white tri suit I wear (does anyone else don one of these?) and now I wish that's what I was looking at. I have to keep reminding myself that these aren't permanent (cause that white tri suit doesn't ever go away...)

But then I think about it and I'm pretty damn lucky.  Nothing is broken.  I didn't lose layers and layers of skin from skidding across the pavement, which burn every time I shower. Heck, my clothes didn't even rip (although Tom doesn't want me to wash my jersey because of the cool crank mark implanted on the back of it).  My brand new Kestrel that I love so dearly - one little scratch on the brakes and Oval bars (always fall under the bike so that it doesn't get damaged... you can heal, carbon can't).  So why am I getting all crappy about the way I look?  So vain...

I guess I'm a little bummed that a week out, I haven't bounced right back.  The trainer riding is going fine, but no chance I could run or swim.  That's a bit rough because of the half marathon that I was hoping to run this weekend.  I think I'm going to walk it because the medal is kind of cool.  Oh my gosh though... have you ever walked a half marathon?  Yikes... I may need a stiff-drink after that! :)  And the REV3 Cedar Point half is still up in the air.  I guess we'll see what the next week brings.  I might be a cheerleader the entire day.  And if you know me, I'll have a blast doing that too.  :)

I'm not looking for sympathy because it's all a little pathetic, the way I'm feeling.  I know that.  But this is me... being honest.  Next time, I hope to have a better update!

Oh... and all of you asked about Keith.  I know he reads this blog (he said my last post actually helped him piece some things together about it all).  He's doing awesome and I can't thank you enough for your extra thoughts and prayers for him.  No broken bones after all for him (which is shocking).  Already has the stitches out from under his eye.  Nice little shiner though.  And lots of bruises and road rash.  He was clear to get back on his bike once he feels up to it.  He said that he doesn't remember anything after thinking he was going to hit me which quite honestly I'm thankful for.  I know that he and I will soon ride again together.  Probably side by side. But for now...we're healing together and I know that I'm glad to have him as a friend! :)

Two types of bikers

As I was being wheels away yesterday in the ambulance, the EMT said "there are two kinds of bikers... those that have gone down and those that will go down".  A wise man!  Lucky for me, for the last seven years I was the later.  Last night I became the first kind. :(

I've never been scared of my bike.  I feel comfortable on it - more comfortable on it than on my own two feet sometimes..  I like riding in a group and although I ride my TT bike, I never go down in my aerobars (unless I'm pulling).  I tend to stay toward the front of the pack.  We only ride two wide.  I'm super nervous getting close to the person in front of me so I probably leave more space than I need to.  We always yell out for gravel, potholes, roadkill (we are in the country), and anything else that might cause a wreck.

I don't know what I hit last night.  All I remember is talking to Kelly and then saying "Oh Shit" as I'm smacking down on the pavement.  I was only the third rider in the line and that meant a whole slew of riders behind me.  Before I know it, someone hit me and went flying over me.  As I cringed, another person hit me.  Then it just got crazy.  I didn't know if I should cry or what.  Could I move?  My left leg was still attached to my pedal but my right leg was somehow stuck around my handlebars.  I immediately think I'm alright, just shook up.  But seeing Keith lay in front of me was the scariest thing ever.  He's my buddy.  When he hit me and went flying, I saw him smack the ground and he wasn't moving.  As a matter of fact, he was barely breathing and our friend Mel looked scared to death as she sat with him.  I got untangled from my bike.  Nothing felt broken.  Someone sat between me and Keith, probably to prevent me from seeing him.  He was pretty beat up.  I was able to move.  Just a little bit of blood.  No tears in my clothes. I got off to the side of the road and just sat there.  And that's when the tears came.  I think I was so scared for Keith... this was my fault.  I tried to stand and just felt really dizzy so I laid down.  The quads came and although I could move everything and only had a little bit of pain where Keith's tire had hit me, I couldn't stand without being dizzy so they suggested that I get in the ambulance and get checked out.  Turns out no broken bones.  I have a little bit of road rash on my arm, but the blunt of my fall was felt on my left thigh which is really swollen and a smurf shade of blue - it's not pretty.  My back is really swollen from the impact of Keith's tire I'm guessing, and very bruised.  I'm kind of walking like an old lady.

I know that at some point, everyone will go down on their bikes and I am very fortunate that nothing was broken or seriously damaged.  I keep replaying the incident in my mind, wondering what I did wrong, or what I might have hit.  I keep picturing Keith flying over me and landing on the pavement.  I'm glad to know that he is home and safe... some stitches, a concussion and maybe some broken ribs.  I feel horrible for Tom because he was in front me of, heard the crash, looked back to see it was me and then saw the two bikers hit me as I was laying there.  He's been replaying what he saw over and over too.

One thing that struck me was how many people said "Thank you for wearing your helmet".  I would never consider getting on my bike without it.  And today I threw mine away because it was dinged up from me hitting the ground (not to mention the mysterious blood in it even though no one could find a scratch on my head).  I have another and when I get the courage to get back on my bike, it'll be the first thing I put on.

Thanks for all your comments on facebook, your texts, your calls and your emails.  It means so much to me that so many people care about me!  Be safe out there... I thought I was doing everything right and look what happened.

I know I'll always be the kind of rider that has gone down.  Hopefully it's out of my system and I can move on.

I feel old...

Every year for the last 13 years or so, the Beloit college makes a list about the entering college class.  It's always fun to read.  We live about two blocks from a college campus and every August, I'm reminded that I'm not getting any younger.  Here's this year's list... keep in mind that most people entering college this year were born in 1993.  Yikes.

The Mindset List for the Class of 2015:
Andre the Giant, River Phoenix, Frank Zappa, Arthur Ashe and the Commodore 64 have always been dead.
Their classmates could include Taylor Momsen, Angus Jones, Howard Stern's daughter Ashley, and the Dilley Sextuplets.

1. There has always been an Internet ramp onto the information highway.
2. Ferris Bueller and Sloane Peterson could be their parents.
3. States and Velcro parents have always been requiring that they wear their bike helmets.
4. The only significant labor disputes in their lifetimes have been in major league sports.
5. There have always been at least two women on the Supreme Court, and women have always commanded U.S. Navy ships.
6. They “swipe” cards, not merchandise.
7. As they’ve grown up on websites and cell phones, adult experts have constantly fretted about their alleged deficits of empathy and concentration.
8. Their school’s “blackboards” have always been getting smarter.
9. “Don’t touch that dial!”….what dial?
10. American tax forms have always been available in Spanish.
11. More Americans have always traveled to Latin America than to Europe.
12. Amazon has never been just a river in South America.
13. Refer to LBJ, and they might assume you're talking about LeBron James.
14. All their lives, Whitney Houston has always been declaring “I Will Always Love You.”
15. O.J. Simpson has always been looking for the killers of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
16. Women have never been too old to have children.
17. Japan has always been importing rice.
18. Jim Carrey has always been bigger than a pet detective.
19. We have never asked, and they have never had to tell.
20. Life has always been like a box of chocolates.
21. They’ve always gone to school with Mohammed and Jesus.
22. John Wayne Bobbitt has always slept with one eye open.
23. There has never been an official Communist Party in Russia.
24. “Yadda, yadda, yadda” has always come in handy to make long stories short.
25. Video games have always had ratings.
26. Chicken soup has always been soul food.
27. The Rocky Horror Picture Show has always been available on TV.
28. Jimmy Carter has always been a smiling elderly man who shows up on TV to promote fair elections and disaster relief.
29. Arnold Palmer has always been a drink.
30. Dial-up is soooooooooo last century!
31. Women have always been kissing women on television.
32. Their older siblings have told them about the days when Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera were Mouseketeers.
33. Faux Christmas trees have always outsold real ones.
34. They’ve always been able to dismiss boring old ideas with “been there, done that, gotten the T-shirt.”
35. The bloody conflict between the government and a religious cult has always made Waco sound a little whacko.
36. Unlike their older siblings, they spent bedtime on their backs until they learned to roll over.
37. Music has always been available via free downloads.
38. Grown-ups have always been arguing about health care policy.
39. Moderate amounts of red wine and baby aspirin have always been thought good for the heart.
40. Sears has never sold anything out of a Big Book that could also serve as a doorstop.
41. The United States has always been shedding fur.
42. Electric cars have always been humming in relative silence on the road.
43. No longer known for just gambling and quickie divorces, Nevada has always been one of the fastest growing states in the Union.
44. They’re the first generation to grow up hearing about the dangerous overuse of antibiotics.
45. They pressured their parents to take them to Taco Bell or Burger King to get free pogs.
46. Russian courts have always had juries.
47. No state has ever failed to observe Martin Luther King Day.
48. While they’ve been playing outside, their parents have always worried about nasty new bugs borne by birds and mosquitoes.
49. Public schools have always made space available for advertising.
50. Some of them have been inspired to actually cook by watching the Food Channel.
51. Fidel Castro’s daughter and granddaughter have always lived in the United States.
52. Their parents have always been able to create a will and other legal documents online.
53. Charter schools have always been an alternative.
54. They’ve grown up with George Stephanopoulos as the Dick Clark of political analysts.
55. New kids have always been known as NKOTB.
56. They’ve always wanted to be like Shaq or Kobe: Michael Who?
57. They’ve often broken up with their significant others via texting, Facebook, or MySpace.
58. Their parents sort of remember Woolworths as this store that used to be downtown.59.  
59. Kim Jong-il has always been bluffing, but the West has always had to take him seriously.
60. Frasier, Sam, Woody and Rebecca have never Cheerfully frequented a bar in Boston during primetime.
61. Major League Baseball has never had fewer than three divisions and never lacked a wild card entry in the playoffs.
62. Nurses have always been in short supply.
63. They won’t go near a retailer that lacks a website.
64. Altar girls have never been a big deal.
65. When they were 3, their parents may have battled other parents in toy stores to buy them a Tickle Me Elmo while they lasted.
66. It seems the United States has always been looking for an acceptable means of capital execution.
67. Folks in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have always been able to energize with Pepsi Cola.
68. Andy Warhol is a museum in Pittsburgh.
69. They’ve grown up hearing about suspiciously vanishing frogs.
70. They’ve always had the privilege of talking with a chatterbot.
71. Refugees and prisoners have always been housed by the U.S. government at Guantanamo.
72. Women have always been Venusians; men, Martians.
73. McDonalds coffee has always been just a little too hot to handle.
74. “PC” has come to mean Personal Computer, not Political Correctness.
75. The New York Times and the Boston Globe have never been rival newspapers.

**I got this list from http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2015/.  If started college in the last 13 or so year, take a look at the website and see what your "Mindset List" was.  Mine was pretty interesting...**

So, does that make you feel old as well?  You’re welcome…

August randoms

I swear I'm going to go to bed tonight and wake up tomorrow and it'll be December.  Seriously, how can I make time slow down???  Ack...

And because of this, you get some bullet points (you know you love my random bullets!)

• Training is kind of catching up with me.  A little.  We had a 40 mile run week this past week (along with two swims and three bikes) and by today's run, it wasn't totally pretty.  I may or may not have thrown a little fit and told the hubby that I wanted to finish my last 2.5 miles alone because I was frustrated.  Um, yeah.  Sorry about that Brady... you know I love you.  But in my defense, I had a bad night's sleep and it was 12:30 pm and hot.  I don't handle that well.
• So when I started overheating, Tom tells me to take my shirt off (get your mind out of the gutters... I had a sports bra on of course).  I'm still not there... I still struggle with body image issues.  I know I shouldn't care... I mean hell, I'm running through neighborhoods where IF we see anyone, they are out smoking on the porch and probably haven't run 9 miles in their entire life, but I just can't bring myself to do it.  I hate being self conscious.  It's a downfall of mine.
• With that being said, I bought jeans yesterday in a size smaller than I wore last year!  One of two things will happen... I'll be rocking my smaller jeans all year or I'll be stuffed like a sausage in them when my training decreases.  Talk about motivation to not gain weight in the off season.  
• Said jeans were only $15 too... of course I bought two pairs because they were a size smaller so cheap.
• I have some kick butt athlete friends.  A bunch of people raced at USAT AG Nationals this weekend.  I know that Jamie and Shannon both PRed their races - you guys rock!  My dear friend Tracy won her age group, her hubby Jim came in third in his and their son Zach came in seventh in his.  All of them are heading to New Zealand next year (and both Tracy and Jim are racing in Beijing this September for Team USA and they both raced in Budapest last year for Team USA and Tracy won her age group... yeah, she's a world champion). Congrats Team Austome!  And then there's Jen... Miss Jen rocked her first 70.3 and then posted pictures on Facebook of her chumming it up with the one and only Chrissie Wellington, who happened to love Jen's "I pee on my bike shirt".  Love it!
• I can't imagine not being able to be up and about. I'm visiting my friend Sarah tomorrow in the hospital.  Sarah's pregnant with twins (her first kids), who aren't due until the middle of November.  She was put on bedrest IN THE HOSPITAL until she delivers - they are hoping she can make it until mid-October.  Oh boy.  I'm bringing her lunch, as well as all of the magazines that I can find in my house that I've already read.  Can you imagine being in a hospital for multiple months at a time?  Poor thing... please keep her in your thoughts.
• Will you leave me a comment and let me know if you are a.) going to be at Cedar Point or b.) racing in the next few weeks.  I need to make a list for my own reference.
• Oh... and Cedar Point - for those of you going, are you planning on doing the park on Friday?  All the cool kids are (aka, Tom and I). Hahaha... we'd love to meet up with you and scream like 10 year old girls on the roller coasters.

That's all I've got...

Did I make the right choice?

We have 27 days until the half Rev at Cedar Point.  More than one person has asked me if I'm happy with my decision to switch from the full to the half.  Heck, I've asked myself if I'm happy that I switched many times over.  And the answer is always the same.

Yep.

Now I'd be lying if I said that I didn't feel like a bit of a failure at times.  I started something and I'm not finishing it.  And how much of a hypocrite am I for preaching that times will get tough but you can get through them to all of my friends that have been or are training for their first, second, tenth Ironman?  I know all about the peaks and valleys, the walls that need to be overcome.  It's probably 75% mental. I know first hand how hard Ironman training can be and that yes, sacrifices need to be made, times will be tough, but in the end, there's no greater glory than crossing that finish line.  It all comes together.

So how can I be happy with my decision?

I know that my heart wasn't in it, I wouldn't have been able to honestly give it everything it deserved.  I have done the Ironman training and races three times now... I have a HUGE amount of respect for the distance - enough to know when I'd be foolish to half ass my way through it.  I'm loving training right now.  I still do long stuff - 40 miles of running planned this week, a 17 mile run last week that was by far the best run I've had in a loooong time, 85 miles on the bike last Sunday, etc..  But I'm doing things on my time because I want to, not because I have to.  I'm going into the half in better shape than I've ever been, and I know that my fitness will carry me to the finish line, and then to the finish line of the two marathons in the following 4 weeks, and then to the goofy in January.

And while I guess I could feel like a schmuck for telling people not to give up when the going gets tough, I feel like I've finally made a smart decision that will help me in the future.

I mean, Ironman Florida 2012 is already in my mind and I'm going to blow the socks off that race.   

My love of WHOOHA

I know, I know... my title alone could possibly lead to a crazy plethora of comments.  No, this post isn't going to be about a body part.  Or a crazy spin class attendee (ha... I miss the gym and the crazies that I used to share my love of working out with).  This is a post about something I love.  And when I love something, I want to tell you all about it.

Before I get to gushing about WHOOHA, let me tell you about something I'm not gushing about... our race this past weekend.  How can a race where my hubby had the escort motorcycle in the bike and finish first over all and I finished 2nd overall female (and was the 3rd fastest biker overall) be something I'm not gushing about?  I'll spare you the details. :)  Let's just say the work we did was good - nice hard training day.  The work the race company did, eh, left a little to be desired.  Oh well.  We gave them a fair shot and as a local triathlete, that's all I can do.  Frees up some weekends next year!

Alright, back to gushing.  I found a company that I absolutely love.  And you need to know about it.

WHOOHA GEAR

So what's with the name right?  WHOOHA actually stands for Women Having Optimistic Objectives & Healthy Attitudes.  Love it already, don't you?  Wait till I get to their products.  So they are a company that makes the most adorable clothes for active women.  (Men, don't stop reading yet.  I know you have girlfriends, wives, sisters, favorite bloggers like me, etc. that you need to buy Christmas presents for and hello, Christmas is only in 137 days - why not get a head start). Two women, who inspire each other through their daily lives, started the company and continue to help other women.

Last year, my hubby Santa got me a few shirts from WHOOHA Gear and I instantly fell in love.  Great cuts, great material and even better sayings.  They have inspirational shirts, running, swimming, biking, tri shirts, outdoor themes, etc.  They have tee shirts, long sleeves, tanks, wicking shirts, bags, thongs, you name it.  And I've yet to find one that I don't love.

I recently bought the "I Ride" Heathered Tee for myself.  

 It simply says "I ride..." and then is followed by all the reasons that I in fact ride...

• for those who can't
• to spin out my frustrations
• to stay fit
• to be aware of the world around me
• to hear myself breath
• to look at phat butts
• to celebrate my freedom
• for the challenge
• to save on gas
• to feel the sun and the wind
• to beat the boys
• to clear my head
• to be part of something
• to go real fast
• to get to where I'm going
• so I can eat a lot of cookie dough
• to feel alive
• to feel young again
• to escape
• to feel my heart and feed my soul
• for myself

Perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  I also have the "I Tri" shirt which is the same concept and just as cute reasons (I especially love "so I can have my cake and eat it too").  I loved it enough that I bought one for my friend's birthday, knowing she'd love it!  When I placed my order, I told WHOOHA how big of a fan I've become and Julie graciously sent me one of their newest designs to try out.

That one didn't disappoint either.  She sent me the "Inspire Yourself" Burnout Tee and it's awesome!

Their new line includes some great inspirational quotes ("Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", an Apache blessing, A Robert Frost quote)   The sizing of the burnout tee runs a little small, but I got a medium and if fits great.  You can't really tell, but it too has a great set of inspirational words surrounding the main "Inspire Yourself".

You know, when I'm feeling kind of lost in this crazy world of training, these shirts just make me smile.  WHOOHA Gear reminds me of how strong I am, how courageous I am, and how much I love doing what I do.  I wouldn't rave about WHOOHA Gear if I didn't think that every woman who lays eyes on their stuff will instantly find one (or two or in my case five) that they must have.

So there, that's my WHOOHA Gear PSA for the day.  Go get yourself one.  Tell your hubby Santa that you'd like one.  Don't have a girl to buy one for?  Okay, I'll help out.  I'm a size Medium and I love them all. And, if you use the code INSPIRE, you get 10% off.  Tell them I sent you. :)

Play Hard - Take Chances - Keep Smilin'

Love the one your with...

Forty years ago Sunday, two amazing young kids vowed to each other to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, till death do them part.  And over those forty years, so many things have happened to them... as individuals, as a couple, as parents, as friends.  And with the changes that were presented, both good and bad, they never wavered from the vows they exchanged.

They've become role models of what a marriage should be, what true love really is.  They have shown how natural love can be when it's shared with someone with similar passions, dreams, and ambitions. True love is being married to your best friend and that's what they are.  They have taught that you are never too old to hold hands and that each day, you must laugh with and at each other.

 

Since that day, forty years ago, when they walked out of the church holding hand, they have never left each other's side. I admire the love they share, I'm honored to be part of the love they share, and I strive to emulate the love they share in my own marriage.

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom and Dad...

 And here's to many, many more!