Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for TRIgirls. For Mr. Preschool. Of course, for my beautiful kids.
And, I am thankful we can all be together at home for a nice relaxed Thanksgiving. And, It may sound silly, but I am really thankful that we have 3 days with no going to work, no driving to school, no VCU classes, no obligations.
Just family.

Drink Beer Kids, the Pilgrims Did

My daughter, who is 6, came home from school yesterday telling me that she drank apple juice, but that everyone in the class had to pretend it was beer. She assured me this was the teacher's idea. Weird. I try not to get to picky with the teachers, but we wrote her a note, just making sure that was right, that all the kids had to pretend they were drinking beer.



Yep. Apparently they were Pilgrims for Thanksgiving and all the water was "rotten" so even the children had to drink beer. BUT, fear not, her teacher said. No one was allowed to get drunk...first of all they were just pretending....and second of all, that apparently was one of the first rules the Pilgrims made, when they got to Plymouth Rock.



I am all for bringing history to life for the sake of teaching, but this seem crazy. By no means am I a teetotaler, but we've always made sure the kids know beer and coffee are "adult beverages". I'm sure many of her classmates don't even know what drunk is. I talked to Daisy about what "drunk" is, what, one time, about 6 months ago. Her version of drunk, "you know when you get in the car and drive around and the policeman catches you." Yeah, I was laughing on the floor. "Oh, yeah" she said about 2 minutes later, "because you drink too much."

I Won the Lottery!

No, not that kind of lottery! The swim lottery. See, there is this race that I've been wanting to do for years. The Great Cheasapeake Bay Swim. Yep, you swim accross the entire Cheasapeake Bay. 4.4 Miles. And, I never thought I'd actually have the balls to sign up. But, it is so hard to get into, you have to enter the lottery. So, I figured, what the Hell, I won't get in anyway, right?
I think that is how they suck you in. But, I did get in. And, I'm like, "How lucky am I? I won the lottery....this might never happen again, I guess I should do this race! I have to hurry, only 24 hours to register or they will give my spot away!"
$250 dollars later, I'm thinking "ACKKKKKKKK, What have I done?"
I don't even belong to a pool! I guess that is gonna' change.

In light of the drownings the past 2 years at Ironman Florida, yes I am scared. But, I am also the kind of person who sometimes needed a push to follow my dreams. So, here goes!

Ruby's Run is Sunday at the Carillon

This post already appeared on my other blog, The Near West End News, but I think it's worth repeating, so here it is again!

I’ve been trying to encourage my friends with kids to sign up for Ruby’s Run, in memory of Ruby Harvey. Ruby’s Run is a celebration or Ruby’s life, and a way to raise money for a scholarship in her name at her old preschool.
I didn’t know Ruby, but I did know her mom and dad, Kathryn and Bryan Harvey. They made a huge impression on me. They were the among the first people I knew who were parents and still managed to be “cool”. It sounds silly to say it now, but I was pretty young when I met them, and I had just married and It made a huge impression on me that they were able to be parents and still maintain their pre-kid lifestyle of having lots of friends and being really involved in the things that they were interested in. They showed me you could be a dedicated parent and that it didn’t have to interfere your own sense of self.
Like many Richmonders, I have been devastated by the Harvey family’s death. The best way to honor them, I think, is to remember all the good things about them. Remember the happier times and to celebrate their lives as best we can.
My kids will be running on Sunday, in memory of Ruby, and if you’d like to make a pledge for the Ruby Harvey Memorial Fund or if you’d like your children to participate here’s the info:
Sunday, November 18thpacket pick up is at 1 p.m.the race starts at 2 p.m.It is for ages 4-14 (ages 15 and up can volunteer)the race distance varies from 100 meters to 2 miles, depending on age.
Pledges can be made online.

Ntelos 8K Race Report

Due to my back injury, I decided to walk instead of run the 8K today. I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to finish if I started having back pain, but the Prednizone seems to be keeping it away. After plenty of jokes about how I was going to be disqualified due to my steriod use, I started out. I had never walked a race before and I was surprised at how much company I had.
I enjoyed it, but it was difficult not running, it was like fighting an instinct. And all those people running around me at the start made me even more aware of it.
I was worried it would take a long time to finish, but that sad truth is that I wasn't much slower than if I ran. I came in under 1:15 averaging 15 minute miles. The last time I ran this race, it took me 59 minutes, and I ran my little heart out, I was surprised there was not more of a time difference.
I walked for a lot of the race with a guy named John from Arlington. He did the Marine Corps Marathon last year racewalking (which is I guess what we were doing). That was inspiring to hear about, because I signed up for next years marathon. And, if he can do a marathon walking and make the time cut off, then I can too.

Anyway, I will say that I had fun getting back out there today. I've missed racing and workouts and happy to see a light at the end to this injury tunnel. Cross your fingers that when I wake up tomorrow, after a long nights sleep, that my back doesn't change it's mind. Now if I can just fight off this infection.....

Active.com Tells Me What I Already Know.....

So, I wasn't really holding out hope....but this confirms what I already knew....2008 wasn't my year. Here's the email I just got regarding my Ironman Florida registration:

Thank you for contacting Active.com.

There was a technical error during your registration. Unfortunately, the Ford Ironman Florida is now full.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact the Customer Support Team at Active.com.
Best Regards,

Active.com Support - Amy

Bigger Challenges Lie Ahead

You gotta love your coach when she calls you at 8 a.m. the morning after she does an Ironman, to tell you that you too need to sign up for it next year. AND, you have 3 hours to decide. AND, you'll be at work during that deciding time. God, I love her. I love that she can even wake up at 8 a.m. after an Ironman, no need to sleep late! I love that she has faith in me that this overweight woman can accomplish that kind of a feat. I think what I love most is that she doesn't take this lightly -- she knows how much hard work is involved, she knows me -- and she still thinks I'm ready for the challenge.

But wait, you say. You've had years to ponder doing an Ironman. You've had plenty of time to think about this. You've even admitted that it is a dream of yours. Yea, and I decided I wasn't ready yet.
Swimming 2.4 Miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 just for fun and within a 17 hour time limit, is a dream of mine. But I figured It would be years away. I figured first I had to loose 25 pounds or so I could run faster and longer. I figured I would certainly help if Mr. Preschool didn't have class on Saturday mornings for his PhD. I figured at least my 3-year-old would have to be in school part time (we had to pull him out of preschool -- loooong story). I figured, no way in hell it would be this year.
But, when your coach calls you, and tells you that you can. ...and you secretly know you want to ...and she has that much faith in you, well all sanity and reason goes out the window.

Registration was pushed back to 1 p.m. local time. I had a few more hours to think about it. I loved the prospect of getting to train with TRIgirls that were going for it next year. And, I decided, what the hell, It's a dream of mine, I'll go for it.

I signed on the the Ironman Florida registration website, which mentioned that there would be VERY FEW spots available. I felt like a teenager on Ticketmaster trying to get tickets to the next big show. At 12:56 p.m. I sat down at my work computer, making sure there were no customers around to be helped. If anyone walked in that door, I would abandon entering the race at all. I was at work afterall! I clicked "register." The race was not open yet. At 12:57 p.m. I clicked it again and gasped an audible gasp as I got to the registration screen. Still no customers in need of help coming in. I proceeded to enter my USAT number, my address, my medical info, and my credit card number. I hit send, but had to go back a screen because in my nervousness, I'd forgotten the (804) on my phone number. Then started freaking.
What am I doing?
You see, for the past 7 weeks I've been unsuccessfully fighting an infection. Remember back in September when my nurse practitioner told me not to even race Sandman? That's the same one. I'm now on my 4th round of antibiotics. Not working out really messes with your head. I've been struggling. Then, last week, I through out my back trying to carry a kicking a screaming Redfish up the stairs to bed. OUCH! Damn. And get this, I feel like such a hypochondriac that I haven't really told anyone how much pain I'm in.
What am I doing, registering for Ironman Florida when I couldn't even walk 10 steps without pain, and I haven't worked out since September? What am I thinking?
But, I know it is a leap of faith, and after calling 2 TRIgirls, I'm convinced. I hit send! But in my hesitation, I lose my opportunity. The slots are all gone.

So, at least that has gotten me here. I WILL register for IMFL in 2009. And by then, maybe Mr. Preschool won't have class on Saturday and Redfish will be in school. And I will be well. And I will finally follow my dream. And it is oh so nice to know that there is someone besides myself who thinks I can do this.
I can do this.

Richmond Team Rocks Ironman Florida

Today, 9 of my teammates and 3 of my coaches are on one of the biggest journeys of their life. Swimming 2. 4 miles. Biking 112 miles. And capping it all off with a full marathon just for the hell of it. Today, is Ironman Florida.

These are normal people. People like you and me. Professors, network engineers, waitresses, ropes course instructors, research analysts, computer geeks and stay-at-home moms. These are average people who have chosen to accomplish something extraordinary today. And, as I write this they are winding up the 112 mile bike course. I can't tell you how much these women have inspired me. I trained with them closely for the first 6 months of their season, as we all trained for Eagleman together. This women have accomplished so much, just even getting to the starting line. They have trained for nearly a year. Sacrificing many hours at home with their loved ones so they could complete long brick workouts. Finding ways to train on the road while traveling for work. Biking and running in extreme conditions, rain, and wind and in the dark, because there just wasn't enough hours in the day, to get it all in. They have run miles and miles on some of August's hottest days and biked bundled in all their winter gear, trying to keep their toes from freezing.

Today, they started in the dark, at 7 a.m. swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. Today, they will become Ironmen -- 8 of them for the first time. And, at midnight, some 17 hours later, the last of these warriors, who chose to take on something greater than themselves...will finish the longest day of their life.

Deanna B.,

Suzie Q,

Karen,
Carmen,

Shelley,

Granidson,

Deanna L.,

Cyndi,

Lynn,

Anna,

Som

and Blake, Congratulations

YOU are IRONMEN. You are amazing. You are representing Richmond well.

Now, go get your tattoos!