That Little Half IM Coming Up

If you would have told me before Eagleman that there would be a time when I wouldn't be as freaked out before a half IM as I was last May-June, I don't think I'd have believed you.

The truth of the matter is, I've been so focused on logging training hours lately, I haven't paid much attention to the impending Patriot Half - coming up in less than two weeks.

My logical self reminds me that I shouldn't worry about my race time. But little twinges of "I know I shouldn't be thinking this, but how cool would it be to beat my Eagleman time" thoughts start to creep in. Even though I know we ended up with very good race conditions for Eagleman. Even though we are not tapering for the Patriot - it is supposed to be a training exercise. Even though I understand there are more important goals for this race that I need to address - primarily nutrition.

Yes, that plaguing issue - nutrition. I survived Eagleman without hitting my nutrition targets. Working on my calorie consumption has been a priority for the past few weeks. I actually had an hour and a half workout where I almost achieved the 300 calories per hour goal. Now I just need to do that for - oh about 4-5 times longer - for the Patriot.

As Coach G and I discussed last weekend during a bunch of loops at West Creek, with any race, there are factors outside your control - no matter how well trained you are. You can't change a hurricane, an injury, a series of flat tires - or even panicking from a wetsuit that makes you feel like you are drowning. You have to go into the race willing to give it your best, but accepting that your well laid plans, detailed lists and months of preparation can be shot to the wind - leaving you kicking yourself for the "what ifs" and "I could have done betters."

So, on September 8th - in between the race jitters and nerves and doubts - I'll need to put it all in perspective. Practicing a nutrition plan, working through the bike gearing on hills and adding hours to my endurance base - the real tests for this race. Whether I beat my Eagleman time or not does not measure my success of failure as a triathlete, a half IM participant - or my ability to survive IMFL.

The Best Thing Since...

A few weeks ago, I was sitting with the Guppies and Ironwoman Canada during a post-work out Einstein bagel breakfast. We were talking about (surprise) triathlons, races, race equipment, etc. At one point I said, "They should have an aero water bottle with two compartments - one for water and one for sports drinks." Ironwoman Canada said "They do." And Coach B said "I saw them at Eagleman."

So, a couple days later, I googled around to see if I could find such a wonderous contraption. Lo and behold, these two compartment bottles exist. So while my million dollar idea was already taken - and though the price seemed a little steep for a water bottle, I figured it would be worth it to double my readily available liquid - and free up my bottle rack (the sip away system uses the bottle in the bottle rack). Thereby, tripling the fluid I can carry.

Most of the reviews were positive - so I placed my order for the "Revolution Hydration System:"

http://www.podiumquest.com/drinksystem.php

After using it for three bike rides, including this Saturday's wonderful ride with TriDi, TRIgirl Patty and honorary TRIboys Richard and Kermitt (totally requiring major hydration given the ridiculous heat and humidity), I give the Revolution Hydration System a big thumbs up. Fairly simple to mount and remove. Excellent access to two types of fluids. Easy to refill during a ride. Minimal spillage.

Now, why didn't I think of that - like three years ago?

Surreal Bike World

This past Saturday, I took advantage of the cooler weather and hit the road for a long bike ride. The 68 miles I pedalled was a deviation from our training schedule, but with many TRIgirls competing in various races or on vacation, offered the opportunity to ride by myself - to gain some experience riding long - alone - and to focus on playing with my nutrition.

I have to say, riding by myself is helping to gradually boost my confidence - the clipping in and out, the unnerving proximity to macho trucks trailing boats, the heightened awareness of the surrounding environment. While all these factors make the rides more stressful - and tire me mentally - I am hoping they are also fostering skills that will eventually help me develop into a stronger cyclist. But I am also thrilled and relieved that next week's 75 miler will be led by Coach B and will include many TRIgirls!

Nutrition continues to be a struggle. From what I've heard and read, I should be aiming to consume 300 calories per hour during longer training sessions. Part of my problem this weekend was that I only packed half my snacks thinking I'd do two loops and make a pit stop at my car. Instead, I was feeling brave and ventured further than I intended to make one long out and back. Another part of the problem was that the shot bloks just started to taste too sickly sweet - so I didn't even finish what I'd stuffed into my Bento box. The final part of the problem was not even thinking of buying more food during a stop at a country store. Why? No idea - didn't even consider the option until I was driving home and practically smacked myself in the head when I realized I could have purchased food along with water and Gatorade. Doh. Overall, I probably took in about 500 of the 1200 calories I should have. Coach B and Ironwoman Canada have been on me about my training calories - I've really got to nail this down better over the next few weeks.

So, anyway, though I felt fine, I started to wonder if I was hallucinating as I finished up the last few miles. Something skinny and very tall was riding toward me. Wow, must be a giant bicyclist. As our paths crossed, I saw it was an unusual tandem bicycle, with the front rider on some type of double-decker construction. A couple of cyclists on regular road bikes followed behind and gave me a big sh** eating grin.

Interesting.

I chalked it up to a few friends goofing off until a few miles later when several more of these freaky tall contraptions rode by me. As I loaded Patriot Sangria onto my car, my eyes started blinking as I saw the other end of the spectrum - several full grown adults riding bicycles that looked too small for a five year old.

I later Googled to find these pictures of similar "tall bikes" but couldn't track down anything about the tiny bikes. And I still haven't been able to find out what kind of out of the ordinary bike event took place in Richmond last weekend.

Then I chuckled to myself picturing what it would be like to run into one of these bikes at triathlon. Throw on aerobars for maybe even an Ironman!

Making Peace with my Metabolism

I used to be one of those people who would skip breakfast because I believed that eating in the morning geared up my salivary glands to crave more food the rest of the day.

I used to be one of those people who could literally go from dinner the previous day to dinner the next day without a bite of food – barely a hunger pain in sight – to save calories for indulging in a special meal.

An incident this week pointed out that this Ironman training may be slowly changing my body’s natural responses for food – or maybe I am just listening to it a bit more carefully.

Tuesday was my husband’s and my anniversary. We went out to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner. I ate the entire tuna sashimi appetizer (yum) and about 2/3 of my steak with asparagus, mushrooms, etc. dinner. Throw in two glasses of wine – and I was quite content and full.

Wednesday morning, I woke up early for a swim lesson and decided a Gatorade would be sufficient nutrition given the big meal from the day before. After the lesson, I rushed home, quickly showered and dressed to squeeze in some work before leaving for a meeting on the other side of town. In the hustle and bustle, I forgot to eat. By the time I arrived at the meeting, a few hunger pangs started to hit. By the end of the three hour meeting, my stomach felt very empty and ravenous. Since another meeting was on my calendar, I decided to head straight back to the office, grabbing lunch from one of the street vendors. It was after 1:45 when I parked my car and found somewhere to eat. I was actually starting to feel a little weak and light-headed while waiting on line to order a fruit smoothie and a sandwich. As soon as they handed me the smoothie, I started to wolf it down.

It had been awhile since I had expected my body to go more than twelve hours overnight without food, but I still thought I wouldn’t have a problem going back to those habits if needed - until this week left me wondering if the past few months of healthier eating patterns may have actually changed my metabolism. Even if I am still not the person who needs to eat every three or four hours in order to not feel grumpy or sick, my body seems to have formed new expectations for being fed.

Probably a good thing.

Tagged by Tri Jones

Tri Jones has tagged me - and now I am running to base!

Jobs I’ve Held
Bank Teller
Friendly’s Waitress
Credit Tele-Verifier
Office Assistant
Teacher’s Assistant
Special Education Teacher
Web Developer
Project Manager
Director of Marketing

Movies I Can Watch Over & Over
The Princess Bride
Gladiator
Rainman
A Christmas Story
Silence of the Lambs
Legends of the Fall
Good Will Hunting

My Guilty Pleasures
Wine (OK, not much guilt)
Chocolate Candy (Hmm, again, not a whole lot of guilt)
Massages (see above)

Places I Have Lived (in order)
Brooklyn, NY
Elmhurst, NY
Floral Park, NY
Floral Park – Queens, NY
Glen Allen, VA

Shows I Enjoy
Oprah
Apprentice (alas, no more)
Sopranos (another one gone)

Places I Have Been on Vacation
Poconos, PA
Walt Disney World, FL
Killington, VT (back in the “trying to ski” days)
Cape Cod, MA
Bar Harbor, ME
Outer Banks, VA
Rehobeth, DE
Asheville, NC
Maui, HA
Chicago, IL
Las Vegas, NV
Barbados
Bahamas
Bermuda

Favorite Foods
Filet Mignon
Rare Tuna
Fresh Mozzarella
Chocolate Candy (milk with ganache or hazelnut)
Berries
Fancy Cheeses
Crusty Bread
Cake Batter Ice Cream with a Mixin’

Websites I Visit Daily
Virginia.gov
Weather.com
Various Triathlon Blogs
TRIgirls’ Forum

Body Parts I Have Injured
Broke Left Pinkie
Broke Right Big Toe
Broke Left Foot Bones
Nasty Bruises

Awards You’ve Won
Town Soccer League– 1st Place (I had nothing to do with it)
A Couple of Awards in Elementary School for Reading, Math
A Couple of Blue Ribbons in 6th Grade Field Day Contests
Some Art Thing in High School
Some High School Graduation Award
Some Graduate School Department Award

Nicknames You’ve Been Called
Dee Dee
Little Princess
Nyarly
DB

Pick 5 Other Bloggers
Triathlonmom
TriJinx
TriDi
TRIgirl Cyndi
TRIgirl SL

What is That?

What is that foreign entry in my training details?

Something that has not appeared since the end of March?

In utter desperation to procrastinate completing 10 half-mile repeats today, I actually lifted a dumbbell or two.

Will this be a freak occurrence or a regular addition to the workout routine?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Workout Snapshots

While it may seem that I've spent the last few weeks merely planning upcoming races and contemplating training goals, I actually managed to complete a few, uhm, challenging training sessions, too. Here are a few recent workout snapshots:

July 26 - Not quite, but almost, kicking and screaming, I've resigned myself to early morning workouts for some of our Tuesday/Thursday bricks. Because either I'll be too tired after work. Or I'll end up in a bind because of a thunderstorm. Or because a morning workout will allow me to actually partake in a social event or two. So, way too often, the alarm clock goes off around 5:15 am. On the schedule for this Thursday in July was a 45 minute bike and a 45 minute run at West Creek - by myself - and a perfect time to see if Patriot Sangria could help me beat previous 6 mile loop times. My best with Amarone was around 21 minutes. First lap - 19:50. Second lap - 19:35. Workout snapshot - "A somewhat stunned TRIgirl 40 staring at her Garmin."

July 28 - Ah, Saturday - meaning a long workout brick. This Saturday was HOT, Virginia hot and humid. TRIgirl KO and I decided to brave the 30 mile bike and 10 mile run together. Coach B lapped us for the upteenth time before riding along with us for a WC loop. We tried to bike harder so Coach B wasn't completely bored - while we picked his brain about form and nutrition tips. I thought to myself - cool, nice pace for that lap. Until we started the next one - and heard Coach B's challenge to take it up a notch. All that talking on the previous lap - not so much on this next one. That final lap was a great push and wore my legs out a bit more than usual for the 10 mile run ahead. Great practice for IMFL - when my legs will not be very fresh for the run. Coach B's push helped me understand what I should be striving for during a tempo bike - and that I can get through a long run (even if I need to walk occasionally) when I can't imagine that my legs will be capable of getting me past just a mile or two. Workout snapshot - "TRIgirl 40 toppling off her bike in the parking lot from being 'exercise drunk' as Devil Face so perfectly described."

August 1 - Gotta love Wednesdays because they are a swim day. With Ironwoman Canada back in town, I decided it was time for another private lesson. 7:00 am, we met and worked on my form. She videotaped my stroke - which showed my left arm having a "windmill" like motion vs. a nice relaxed elbow bend and extend. By the end of the lesson, my stroke was longer and stronger through focusing on more of a "catch up" action. I was excited for that evening's Masters swim class to practice what I learned. Except, when I got to Masters, I found myself struggling, exhausted, breathing heavily - and not having the productive swim I'd been looking forward to since the morning's lesson. My body rebelled with my first ever calf cramp while swimming. Workout snapshot - "Ironwoman Canada digging her fingers deep into TRIgirl 40's leg cramp."

August 4 - Another Saturday, this time a 30 mile bike, 12 mile run. I was so jealous of some of my TRIgirl buddies heading out for a 60 mile ride. The bike went fine - 30 miles in 1:41 minutes - and it didn't feel like a major push. Even the first 8 miles of the run were OK. Then the heat seemed to worsen. And I realized I miscalculated my route which ended up being closer to 13 miles. Workout snapshot 1 - "TRIgirl 40 has the best reason to take a slight break - a beautiful doe glides across the road and stops within yards of where TRIgirl 40 quietly watches." Workout snapshot 2 - "Lying in the parking lot as TRIgirl TB kindly offers a bandanna filled with ice to cool down a disgustingly sweaty TRIgirl 40."

August 6 - Guppy Swim. TRIgirl DL has joined Guppies - and since we both share an unusual first name - there are occasional funny situations where folks try to figure out how to address us. Ironwoman Canada helped me experience another "aha moment" when she pointed out that I was following through too far with my left arm - contributing to the windmill like motion we worked on the previous week. The cue of immediately bending my elbow when pulling out of the water made a big difference with understanding how to stop the windmilling. Workout snapshot - "TRIgirl 40 watching the clock for the end of five straight minutes of kicking."

August 7 - Another early morning bike/run with TRIgirl DL. Another ridiculously hot Virginia day. We were both thankful for waking up early to fit in the two hour workout before the predicted heat index of 105 degrees kicked in. We biked along at a good pace for the first 20 miles. For the last 6, I timed myself - 18:46. Beating the July 26th record. Workout snapshot - "TRIgirl 40 shooing the geese that strolled across the road just as she was trying to gain some momentum for the dreaded Farmer's Bureau hill."

A Little Melancholy

Though I guess the official start to this journey to Ironman began last November, I've been wondering lately if the "twinkle in the eye" happened about a year ago, last September, when I signed up for Eagleman.

A lot has happened in the past eleven months. I've learned to not only swim in a wetsuit, but to also like it. I completed two half marathons. I've swum, biked and run the longest distances in my life. And, of course, I finished Eagleman!

This year, the Eagleman registration opened a month earlier - on August 1. With a little melancholy, I've observed the excitement of others as they have signed up for the race. My name will not be on the participant list.

As of now, I'm planning on two half IMs next year - White Lake and Mightyman. Then, if I survive Florida, maybe another IM in 2009 (I'm thinking somewhere very far away with amazing Sauvignon Blanc...).

Eagleman 2007 will always hold a special place in my heart - the excitement and trepidation after hitting the registration submit button, the fear and panic race morning, the happiness and satisfaction of crossing the finish line, and all the hard work in between.

Training Goals - By Fezzy

Lately, Mommy has been doing all this crazy talk about training goals for me and her.

Everyday, I remind her with my super good behavior about how quickly I learned to go into my crate when Mommy and Daddy are leaving the house. Mommy has never had a furkid that she didn't have to chase down, with elaborate traps and fast reflexes, when it was crate time. I totally shocked her when I just followed the treat she held for me in the crate and plopped my cute little self down. Now, sometimes I can even guess when Mommy is about to leave and just head right on in - waiting oh so patiently for my biscuit and fuzzy toy.

You would think that would be enough, but Mommy had decided that it is time for a new goal for me - something about not jumping all over people when they walk in the house. I am choosing to ignore her lessons as they seem stupid. I am only showing how excited I am to see my favorite people or to meet someone new. I am hoping to train Mommy on this one.

But, I'll give her a little slack, as I've heard her mumbling about whether she should try to plan for more specific training goals. She is wondering if her current attempts to just survive a workout or even her loosely defined aspirations to "be a little faster" should be thought through a little more.

And the more she thinks about her training goals, hopefully the less she will think about mine.

The Decision

The coaches pretty much agreed either Mightyman or Naylor's would work with the IMFL training schedule. But I've decided to stick with Naylor's this year, mostly because it will be cheaper for both the registration and travel fees.

And as Ironwoman Canada told me this morning - it will be great speed work for me.

An Olympic distance race as speed work? Naylor's, no less, with its rip tide swim, challenging bike and demoralizing run course? I just shook my head.

Next year - though - I am in for Mightyman - and have already heard that several TRIgirls may be joining me!

So Tempting!

I was just paging through the Triathlon Life magazine that arrived the other day and I what did I find?

Mightyman!

A Half-Ironman back "home" and through the beautiful, picturesque Montauk.

Close to family and friends who I could either try to tempt to race with me or who may travel just a couple of hours to be cheerleaders.

Problem 1 - Naylor's Beach is on my calendar for that day. I was actually looking forward to doing Naylor's again - between hoping for some improvements, the new September date and racing with other TRIgirls. I haven't registered yet, so depending on Problems 2 and 3...

Problem 2 - I'm doing the Patriot Half three weeks earlier. Will I have recovered enough? Then again, we are not tapering for the Patriot in preparation for IMFL - so I doubt I'll be resting much after.

Problem 3 - Which race would be better for IMFL training - an Olympic or another half???

Problem 4 - If I do Mightyman, there won't be an Olympic distance race on my calendar. Therefore, no fourth TRIgirl pint glass to add to my collection.

The decision rests in the hands of my coaches - based upon their recommendation of which would be better for IMFL training.

If not this year, Mightyman (and maybe some other LI Event Power races) WILL be on next year's schedule! And you betcha I'll be trying to convince my triathlon friends to join me!

Not Triathlon Related...

Walking down Main Street to find some lunch, I see the spectacle that has formed right outside my office building.

The side roads are closed, the usual street cart vendors pushed aside, rows of news cameras line the curb, the protestors and the curious gawk about.

A few dogs are scattered in the crowd. Their people carry signs that reflect the full spectrum of the controversy – from “CON-VICK” to “Innocent Until Proven Guilty.”

I try to avoid the signs with photos, but as I circumvent the crowd, one is right there in my face. I quickly look away before the full impact of the abused dog pictured sinks into my eyes.

A lump settles in my throat.

Yes, Michael Vick is due at the Federal Court building today to face dogfighting charges.

I have not read the indictment; know better than to read it, but have heard enough about it to wonder if even half of it is true, do fines and prison seem like an adequate punishment?

When Did Virginia Become Florida?

I've been a bit out of the loop the past few days.

I spent four awesome days with my family in NY - for my mom's retirement and birthday. Was able to see my brother and sister-in-law's beautiful new home (with an in-ground pool that I may have to visit in the near future for "training"). I even squeezed in a few workouts.

If you are ever on Long Island - and need a place to swim, check out the Nassau County Aquatics Center. After finding out my parents no longer belong to our local pool - and that the "alumni privileges" at my alma mater only offer monthly pool memberships - and that the YMCA "AWAY" program only included NY Ys in scary parts of the boroughs - I hit gold with this indoor pool facility with a reasonable non-resident fee. The pool was beautiful - though I wished the 50 meter lanes had been open.

From afar, I tracked Ironwoman Canada as she competed in Lake Placid (with an amazing fourth place finish) and many of the TRIgirls as they competed in a local sprint (with awesome times and great stories (especially the post race party)).

Back home, unpacked and cuddled up with the furkids, I was looking forward to finishing the week with a few good workouts. My bag was packed with swim gear for tomorrow's Masters class - where I was hoping to catch up with Guppies, TRIgirls and maybe even Ironwoman Canada.

Until I saw the weather report. Starting around 3 pm, thunderstorms are predicted.

I don't remember afternoon thunderstorms being so commonplace in Virginia's previous years - but for whatever reason, they are a regular occurrence this year. After a few too many annoying pool closings this year during the evening Masters class, I've revised my plan and am going to try to swim in the morning.

I am ready for Fall.

Good News in the Mail

For the second time since beginning this Ironman journey, my mailbox has greeted me with more than just bills and paperspam. The other day, an envelope from my aunt and uncle caught my attention. I opened it to find a supportive note and a news clip called "Women find unity, strength at triathlons." A few months ago, the day before leaving for Eagleman, another article from my sister-in-law, "The growing allure of the Ironman race" seemed like a perfectly timed cheer of encouragement.

Some great information can be found in these articles.

From "The growing allure..."
"There's this sport called triathlon. There's this event called the Ironman."
"'After almost not letting me do the Ironman in 2001, saying it is not safe, my mom came up to Lake Placid to watch me,' says Rich Barkan of Long Beach. 'She had such a great time that now we go up for the race even if I'm not doing it. She's out there cheering.'"
"Time is not on the side of Ironman athletes. Even the experienced triathletes must train 20 hours a week over several months. This doesn't stop people with no tri background from taking the challenge."

From "Women find unity..."
"Triathlons can do that: turn ordinary middle-age women into passionate, can't-stop-me-now athletes." (This might be my favorite!)
"That's where you really get the community feel amongst women in our sport, when they're supporting a cause that is very close to them."
"The nonthreatening atmosphere of women-only events makes them attractive to novices and nonjocks. The emphasis is on testing one's mental and physical fortitude, enjoying a sense of accomplishment and just crossing the finish line -- not necessarily finishing first."

But, for me, the articles are more than just interesting and relevant words on newsprint. Someone I loved took the time to not only read the article, but thought of me and what I am trying to do, found their scissors to carefully cut out its jigsaw like borders, included a handwritten note, smacked a postage stamp on the envelope and sent their discovery to me.

Eventually, these news clips will work their way into a scrapbook I'm planning to put together, with the stack of photos accumulating by the computer, of the TRIgirl experiences and the Ironman training moments caught on film.

In the meantime, they will travel with me in my pocketbook over the next few months - something that will catch my eye as I rummage for change or keys - and will be a welcome reminder of the support I am fortunate to have.

Top Brick Moments

This Saturday's brick - a 30 mile bike ride and 10 mile run - definitely had some good, bad and ugly moments.

The Top 5 Bad and Ugly:

1. Totally screwed up the gearing with Patriot Sangria on nasty hill number two by crossing the "waited too long to go into my small chain ring" point. Ended up having to escape the bike vs. toppling over.
2. The last 4 of the 10 mile run. Most of my running buddies were on the half ironman schedule - with a 6 mile run. Without their company, the weather seemed hotter, my water breaks were longer and my legs felt increasingly tired.
3. The ugly blister on my pinky toe after the run.
4. The bizarre heat or sweat rash that appeared the morning after the brick - 50 tiny little puss pimples. Gross. This is the second time this has happened to me after a long workout. Does this happen to anyone else? Any ideas how to prevent it?
5. No TRIgirl coffee. Other than TRIgirl CD and her husband, West Creek was empty by the time I finished the brick.

The Top 5 Good:

1. Awesome new bike route plotted out by TRIgirl CD which starts at West Creek and winds through the rural backroads of four counties. Lovely scenery, quiet roads, great company. Nice little bonus - the bike route was actually 37 vs. 30 miles.
2. Patriot and I made peace on the rolling hills and the one nasty hill TRIgirl CD mentioned. (I thought the worst was over until I hit the second one, which must not have phased our route planner as she is a rock star cyclist.) I am starting to figure out the gears I need to be in with her to not loose too much cadence when climbing some hills.
3. Getting through the 10 mile run. The first six miles with TRIgirls SD, MW, KO, LD and MW went well. We frequently found ourselves dropping below the 10:30-11:00 minute miles we were aiming for - sometimes even seeing paces in the 9 minute range. I could have justified stopping at 6 because the bike was longer than planned. I pushed for 8 to try and meet last week's long brick run, then decided to try for 9 to add 1 mile, then figured it was only 1 more mile to hit the 10. I've really been trying to remind myself that to finish Ironman Florida, I will have to push myself when my mind or body wants to quit. I am hoping that plugging through the tough workouts will help build my confidence and will be something I can remember and draw from this November.
4. The water stop set up by TRIgirl CD and her husband that became our nirvana every three miles for fabulously chilled water to drink - and to dump on our sweaty selves.
5. The wonderful two hour post workout snooze - nothing like a good nap after a draining brick workout!

Not A Diet, But...

Ironwoman Canada had the nerve to leave her guppies and masters students for a whole month to train in Colorado because she was preparing for one of her biggest races of the year - Ironman Lake Placid. Hmph. We plugged along without her on Monday mornings, but it was wonderful to see her again this week - during her brief hiatus home before she leaves for Lake Placid this weekend.

And, boy, is she lean and in top condition. She looks like she will be kickin' some butt on July 22nd.

Which motivated me a bit to take a look at my diet. These past few months I've been eating way more than ever - because I can. A welcome relief from the constant calorie counting and food restrictions I've obsessed about my entire life until this Ironman training. The TRIgirl nutritional clinics have reinforced the idea that this is not the time for deprivation. But in retrospect, did I really need the extra side of cheese at lunch - or the second helping of whatever at dinner because I've been able to get away with it? Would it have hurt to eat a little more consciously?

So, for the past few days anyway, I've been trying to break my gluttony, gleeful, hand rubbing habit of wolfing down whatever looks tempting. I don't know if I'll lose any weight - and I've come to terms with the current number on the scale. Just a few small changes that could lead to losing some fat and gaining some lean muscle mass.

And I'm putting the disclaimer out there now - I'll still be in complete denial about any reports about the wasted calories from wine.

That's It!

The Patriot Sangria!

Where's my bottle of wine to christen my new bike with her perfectly combined, official name?

"The beauty of the Patriot Sangria is that it's as delicious as it is easy...The brandy adds its own unique zest to give this Sangria just a bit more hype."

Seems like a hopeful description for a bike, don't you think? Still gotta work on the "easy" part when hitting those uphills, but loving the Patriot Sangria just about all other times.

And here is the inspiration recipe:
http://wine.about.com/od/howwineismade/r/patriotsangria.htm

Did you notice the red, white and blue ingredients?

Maybe Not My Best Brick

Yesterday's 30 mile bike and 8 mile run probably wasn't my best brick. The paces for the bike and run, when I actually biked and ran, were not bad. But I seemed to find many ways to stall and break-up the workout:

• Before brick begins, talk to Coach B about IM CDA. Fiddle with Patriot, water bottles, food. Move Amarone from backseat to bike rack. TRIgirl KB said she'd be coming by to test her out. TRIgirl Annnn asks me if I am going to ride sometime today - hop on the bike and go.
• About halfway through the bike, pull into parking lot, look for TRIgirl KB. Don't see her, continue ride.
• After the bike, run into TRIgirl KB. Amarone is too big for her, too. TRIgirl JH had expressed interest as her husband is looking for a bike. Pack Amarone into her van to give him a chance to try it out.
• Complain about running to Coach B.
• TRIgirl DL heads out on the run, telling me she'll meet me later.
• Eat Gu. Drink cold water kindly offered by TRIgirl Annnn.
• Put on visor, reset Garmin, head out.
• Forget fuel belt. Go back, put it on. Head out again.
• Forgot IPOD. Go back, put it on. Head out again.
• Forgot to body glide. Go back, put some on. Finally head out to begin run for real.
• At mile two, catch up with TRIgirl DL - who was ready for a water break. Sounds good. Stop. Drink. Decide to continue with her plan to stop at every mile for hydration.
• Heat picks up.
• Around mile 4, run into TRIgirls SD, MW (Happy 40th birthday!), AF, TD and TB. Stop and talk for a few minutes. Decide to run the rest together.
• Humidity worsens.
• Stop at mile 5 to buy cold water, refill water bottles. Sit by picnic tables for awhile to gossip, chat, complain about heat.
• Stop at mile 7 to walk up nasty Capital One hill. Too hot.
• Finish run - 1:25 time for 8 miles actually ran. Probably covered over 9 miles including walking - and probably took close to two hours factoring in all the breaks.

So maybe this was more a sponge than a brick.

Hanging Up Those Boxing Gloves

As those of you following along may remember, my running style leaves much to be desired. Give me some boxing gloves and I may even be able to hold my own against a kangaroo.

I've been working on keeping my shoulders relaxed, elbows behind me and hands down for several months. It still is a conscious effort.

The run photos from my past two races show that occasionally I am getting it right - or at least making progress. More often than not, especially when tired, the pictures tell the truth - my shoulders want to come up and in - and my subconscious hope for a punching bag comes out.

Need proof?

Not perfect, but not bad, running at the PowerSprint (remember, it was a hurricane):





















Bad running at Eagleman (I tried to pick up the pace a little after seeing the finish line):




















Now that the post Eagleman slack period off is over, we've resumed a more serious run schedule - and I'm still struggling to piece this form thing together.

6 miles yesterday, 4 today. I seem to be able to concentrate on my form for a quarter mile maximum. Then I get distracted. Or tired. Or bored.

But I've discovered a few things. Watching my shadow can give me an indication of just how much my arms are flying around. Sometimes, when things "feel" right, I'll check Garmin and see that my pace is better. Other times, I look down, thinking things feel right - and see that my pace has dropped, but when going through all the checkpoints, can also figure out that something slipped.

I just hope someday, muscle memory kicks-in. Looking less like a kangaroo when running, no matter how cute they are, would be a welcome improvement.

Patriot

I love my new bike. I LOVE my new bike.

At the suggestion of Triathlonmom, because she is red, white and blue and because we will be doing the Patriot Half later this year and because it is so close to July 4th, Patriot will be either her first or middle name. Still need a wine related one, too, though.

Yeah, Patriot and I are getting to know each other, though our first outing went wonderfully. Not sure how she felt about her new Sip Away cup and Bento Box, but she tolerated it. Her seat is way too low (got in a great quad workout today) - and the aerobars need to come up and maybe in a bit, too. She is happy I not only adjusted to, but also love, the gear shifting on the aerobars, her responsive brakes and the way-cool clipless pedals that may actually need to be tightened. We are already making progress on flats and downhills, but I need to figure out how to work with her on the uphills.

Patriot and I have many miles ahead of us - and if she can deal with her less experienced rider, she may just have the satisfaction of seeing her new owner become a more confident and possibly faster bicyclist.