I know, I know...I'm not a good blogger. It's been weeks (ok, months) since I've had much of anything to say.  Sorry.  The big news is that on Sunday 11/9 I made my dream of being a 1/2 ironman a reality!  The race was long with some ups and some downs, but I finished healthy and happy!  That means I'll have lots of time for more blogging as we all prepare to transition into cold weather training.

I should learn to stop promising more updates. I'm training for a freaking 1/2 ironman!  I struggle to find the time to clean my house, do laundry, or grocery shop on any given day...let alone update this blog.  So be sure to leave me lots of comments to remind me to get on here.

Question: How am I?  I'm great!  I'm 9 weeks away from a life changing goal.   I hurt everywhere, everyday.  This morning I sent my better half the following text message: "No matter what I say or yell or scream at you tonight, I need you to make me go swim."

I bought this sticker (in girlie pink of course) and am anxiously waiting until 11/9 to put it on my car.

Readers

I'm sorry I keep taking unexpected "breaks" in my posting.  It's not on purpose,  I promise.  Just struggling to find time for all of the things that need my attention.  Hopefully you're watching the Olympics and getting as fired up as I am.  The Triathlon competition is the 18th and 19th for those interested in watching.

I'll update the 1/2 ironman training page next.  Suffice to say I'm hanging in there, one day at a time.

I finally got rid of the impractical 2 seater convertible and got a Honda Element.  Great car for any athlete!  Lots of cargo space, waterproof/stain proof seats, and no carpet (perfect for a bike).  It's made training, specifically with the bike, a LOT easier.

More updates coming this week....I promise!

Sorry for the delay in posting.  I have updated the 1/2 ironman training page (link is to your right on the main page) so you can see what I've been up to for the last few weeks.  Training is going well, but like anyone I struggle to find the time (and the motivation) and sometimes both.  But I've had some good (but tough) workouts so that's boosting my confidence a lot.

Oh, and I got some new gear!  Thanks to our marketing guru I now can ride in style in my new Rasmussen College bike jersey!  I won't wear it tomorrow night on the trainer, but I can't wait for Sunday's ride when my coach and I can show off the Rasmussen pride in Central Florida!  Happy training...

Ah, summers in Florida.  Hot as ever duing the day...with daily storms and rain in the afternoon.  Yesterday I decided to take a rest day (switched rest days with Friday actually - didn't take an extra one) so that meant tonight I had to do the speed workout from last night.  And I have to say I was looking forward to it.  Our afternoon rain started around 3pm which I was also excited about - rainstorms take it from 90+ to 70+ degrees outside.  But at 6:30 when it was still rainy out I realized I had two choices - 1). treadmill or 2). run in the rain.  Mostly because I hate treadmills and was longing for the open road I took option #2.  I dodged puddles, took corners with caution (so as to not slip), and enjoyed the cooler temperature.  I also got some very bizzare looks from my neighbors who all rushed around trying to get out of the rain as I just kept making loops through the neighborhood in the rain.

Workout was good - 8 minute warm up, 10x2 minute fast with 1.5 minute recovery, 6 minute cool down.  When I was done I was soaked and I think my shoes and socks weighed an extra two pounds each.  But it was fun.  It was also apparently guys night on the ipod, as I ran to a shuffle of songs from Glen Phillips, Ted Leo and the Rx, Guster, Tom Petty, Jason Mraz, and Ryan Adams. 

Well hello again!  Sorry for the delay in blogs.  Krupinski has been busy getting us an awesome new blogging platform, so the lack of posts hasn't been due to laziness...but rather a huge upgrade for all of us bloggers.  You might have noticed things look a little different around here.  Be sure to take a minute and look around.  And check back often because I've got a LOT to blog about.

In the meantime, here's some inspiration to get you moving today: "I am building a fire and everyday I train I add more fuel....at just the right moment, I light the match." Mia Hamm

Sorry for the lag between posts.  I’d love an exciting excuse (I’ve been on safari in Africa, or on tour with the Rolling Stones, or on a two week run through Death Valley ) but the reality of it is life happened.  Between trying to be a great Rasmussen employee, a decent girlfriend, an attentive mom to my allergy ridden pug, and a ½ ironman in training…the time just got away from me.    

So to get back on the blog roll I’ll start with an update on my training.  Right now I am training 6 days a week under the direction of the amazing Coach Bill.  Roughly two days a week are swim workouts (including one tonight that has me unable to lift my arms above my head), two runs a week (various distances and speeds – this is where having a coach comes in handy), a cycle day (which is usually spin class for me), and a brick or other multi sport day.  Overall I have managed to impress myself a few times (especially in the pool and on the run).  But like anything there are peaks and valleys.  I get so hard on myself when I struggle through training.  In my mind I’m some hybrid combination of Deena Kastor, Lance Armstrong, and Coach Bill.  In reality – I’m one who should be happy just finishing a race.  While I may be a Bassethound instead of a Greyhound…I can still train to be the fastest Bassethound around.   

As the great Penguin would say “waddle on friends.”   Many more updates coming this week…I promise.  Check back often. 

Well I pulled the trigger – I am now the proud owner of a Felt B2 full carbon tri bike.  I went out on Saturday to check out the bikes Coach Bill picked out for me.  I had a great list of bikes to inspect…but like I typical woman I quickly went off the list.  The B2 wasn’t on the list because it was out of my price range (and to be honest, it’s a bit more bike than I need).  But the owner of the shop had a brand new 2007 in my size, and since it was last year’s model he was willing to deal.  I took it for a ride and was in love. At just under 18lbs this bike is FAST!  But I wanted time to think about it.  So I went home and frantically scoured the internet for reviews, bike to bike comparisons, and anything else I could find.  And the news was good – buyers loved the bike.  Professional reviews gave it great ratings.  Best of all, I couldn’t even find a used one for the price I was getting for a new one.   

I headed back to the shop to pick out the accessories and get fit for the bike.  After some consideration I went with Look Keo pedals and the sleek new Cateye Strada wireless computer.  Also picked up a sweet pair of Shimano SH-TR30 Tri shoes.   From there, it was time for Dave and Kevin at Adventure Cycle to start the magic that is their Body Scan Laser Bike Fit process.   Boy was that cool!  A few lasers and a few measurements and they dialed me in perfectly!  Now, I’ll need to get some more mileage in before I know what (if anything) needs adjusting – but for a first fit it was awesome!   

Now the hard part is working instead of riding this week.  I do have a bike on my schedule for Thursday night and I plan to take advantage of the longer days to get some real biking in (instead of spinning) on my new rig.  A million thanks to Coach Bill who did some rushed research on the B2 to help me make my decision, and of course thanks to Dave and Kevin at Adventure Cycle.  I’ll see you on the road…but now I just might be passing you!

You don’t get to be single and in your 30’s without having experienced your share of breakups.  But the newest breakup on my plate is different – I’m breaking up with my gym.  For four years now I’ve been a member at a wonderful gym right around the corner from our Orlando Rasmussen office.  The gym has helped me prepare for each of my marathons and triathlons, and has been the source of many wonderful workouts.  

So why have I decided to call it quits?  Well, a few reasons really.  The first is the price.  The gym is wonderful, but it is about twice the price of any other gym in town.  Don’t get me wrong, when you see how clean the locker-rooms are…you understand why you’re paying a premium.  But now that I’m spending more time running and biking outdoors, paying for a pristine facility seems a bit silly.  Second is the location.  I know it’s right around the corner from our office…but it’s a good distance from my house.  I find myself struggling to get to the gym on weekends because of the distance.  Third is convenience.  If I join another gym that has multiple facilities in town, I can work out at any location.  This means I can go downtown for swims with Coach Bill, or meet up with some of the other iron-woman-wanna-bees at the their gym.  Right now, I’m the only one out of my group of friends who works out at my gym.  Lastly is the opportunity to find a new and better suited personal trainer.  A trainer will be a big component in my 70+ mile journey, and finding the right person will take time.  The new gym I’m joining has many trainers to choose from, all at a much cheaper rate than what I’m paying where I am.  

And despite all of the reasons listed above, I will say breaking up truly is hard to do.  For two weekends now I’ve promised I’d cancel my current membership and join the new gym.  Yet it’s still not done.  And last night, as I enjoyed the entire pool to myself, I found myself second guessing my decision to join a new gym.  The one I am currently a member of has a certain comfort to it.  A comfort that you get after 4 years together.  But the reality is it’s not giving me what I need…so I need to move on.  Really, it’s not you gym…it’s me.