I believe...

On Tuesday I did my first training test for Coach Sharpie... my HR test.   After what seemed like a plethora of mishaps leading up to it (I won't tell you about all the things that should have pointed me in the direction of doing it another day), I found myself at the track doing my prescribed workout.  In the pouring down rain.

But it went well, despite some technological mishaps (I'm telling you, someone must have been doing voodoo on me somewhere in the world...) but I was able to get the numbers that Sharpie wanted.  Success. 

After giving her my data, Sharpie very calmly explained (in a great way that incorporated pizza... I knew she was the perfect coach) that I've been cooking the edges of my crust and not letting my insides cook properly.  It made sense... that's what I've always done.  She said "heart rate training is hard.  You are going to be running and biking slow.  You will get frustrated.  You will question what I'm doing.  Believe in the process".  Fitting that she says this... if you remember this post, I got an Endorphin Warrior Training Bracelet recently with my chosen word and new motto for 2012... BELIEVE.

And I do believe in the process.  Even after getting my HR zones and being told where I will be training for the next few weeks, I didn't freak out (okay, I kind of freaked out a little, but it wasn't bad).  I believe that Sharpie knows her stuff.  I believe that she's going to make me a better athlete.  I believe that she will teach me a million things in the process.

And after talking to Tom about it all over lunch, today's "aha" moment came (I think I'm going to have a lot of these working with Sharpie).  So for the last three or four years, I've done no heart rate training.  None.  I have a great watch with all the functions of HR training, but I don't use it.  Our training has always been together, with me going hard in hopes of "getting better" and Tom along side of me, never seeming to put out as much effort.  I always said to him "you are holding back to train with me and you'd be so much better if you just went at your pace", but he never left my side.  Come race day, I've not had the ability to go hard without dying.  Tom gets faster with what seems like little effort in training.  It baffled my mind for so long.  And yet, after one conversation with Carole and it all makes sense. You see, he's been cooking his crust at a slow, even pace.  He's building his aerobic engine every time we train together.

And now it's my turn to make my crust better.  I haven't even really full on started training with my coach (that "officially starts" on Monday), but I already see what I've been missing.  It's going to be a great year.

I do believe.

And yes Sharpie, game on!

All over the place...

This blog will be all over the place... just the way I like it.

• How come every time I try to take a picture of my dog, he has his tongue out?  Or he looks possessed?  Or like this picture, both?  Seriously, how am I supposed to get a good picture?  Maybe I need to invest in an SLR camera just to capture him.  For those of you with kids, I don't know how you do it.

• Sunday, we cooked the big bird.  Yes, there are two of us and according to the Butterball website, with 2 adults and 2 kids (well... we do have two, see the picture above), wanting left overs (the best part) and being big eaters (see... proof again that the scrawny little twerp at the local restaurant was maybe right) we needed a 6 pound turkey.  HA.  I laugh at 6 pound turkeys.  We made a 21 pounder.  Go big or go home people.  And these pictures prove that Tom's much more mature than I am...

• I love great products.  I love winning products even more.  I recently won an Endorphin Warrior Training Bracelet from a giveaway on the Women's Endurance Gear Blog.  Endorphin Warrior has some super great items (hint hint... Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are all coming up).  From their website, each bracelet features a positive and powerful keyword or phrase to help you train, perform and live with greater strength of body and mind.  I had so many to choose from.  I decided to pick "BELIEVE".  Something you might not know about me is that I had a hard time believing in myself.  I'm full of self doubt.  But I'm working on it.  This bracelet was perfect.  I got it in the mail a few days ago and I love it.  They would be great for men or women (mine's the smallest they come and fits perfect).  Thank you Laima and thank you Endorphin Warrior!!!

• Do you visit Etsy?  I forget it's there, but have recently found some great things there.  Check it out!  So I bought two "no-slip" headbands (very similar to sweaty bands) but for a fraction of the cost and tons of super cute designs.  The lady custom made me two of them in the ribbon of my choice.  I got my hair did a few weeks ago and my bangs are just a teeeeeeeny bit too short so the bands work great.  No moving or slipping when I run and bike!  And I scored two, shipped to my house for $14!  NICE! 

• Also from Etsy was this cute sign that my committee got me as a thank you for chairing the fundraiser.  You can barely see the holes in the bottom, but those are for 9 hooks that came with it (I haven't put them in yet).  I love it.  And Nicole who ordered it for me knows me all too well - she requesting Malibu Barbie Pink as the color!  Love it!

• I haven't been writing much about my training.  That's because I'm not training, my training is boring, it's off-season, I've been kind of blah about it.  I'm running.  I spin occasionally.  That's the recap. :)  Anyway, a while back, Zensah sent me one of their new racerback tank to try out.  I actually wore it during the Chicago Marathon for the first time - you know, because it's always smart to try new things on race day.  Anyway, it was a super smart choice because I LOVED it right away.  It's long, not clingy, deep arm holes, seamless and super comfy.  I've been wearing it a lot when I ride inside because I sweat like a pig at a luau, and this thing just sucks up the sweat.  Super big fan and I've added another to my Christmas list.  You should too.  

So hope you followed along with my crazy all over the place post! :)