Keep on movin'

Thanks & giving

2011-11-23T06:06:00.001-08:00

What a month. And I don't mean that in a joyous way.
I am lucky in that both my parents are alive and well - and basically just all-around awesome parents. They have always set extraordinary examples for me and my siblings on how to be kind & generous with others. Example: when I was in high school, my mom AND my dad (they are divorced) both took in teenagers who were having trouble with their families. Mind you, they already have five of their own children to look after - but they both graciously looked after young adults who needed help & support. Frankly, I'm not sure I always live up to their example, but I am going to try a little harder.
Anyway, my mom started to have some strange (and scary) physical symptoms this summer. She would suddenly feel absolutely terrible, sweat profusely, and then vomit. Of course, being a nurse practitioner, she did the logical thing: ignore the symptoms and keep them to herself. VERY bad idea, Mom!
Fast forward to September: she (finally) sent us (her children) an email where she briefly discussed her health concerns. She mentioned needing an angiogram, but made it seem like that was as common as getting a flu shot (umm...not quite). The ol' mother-daughter telepathy kicked in (sometimes we have that) and I sensed she was either not giving us the whole story or in denial about what was really doing on. Turns out, it was both scenarios. Again, not good.
I was able to get a few days off to fly up to see what was going on. After the angiogram, the doctor confirmed the worst. My mom had FIVE partially blocked arteries in her heart (3 of them were 80% blocked - including the one they call "the widow maker.")
Yup - my mom was going to need a quadruple bypass procedure - not the simple little stent that she thought would take care of her issues.
Thankfully, the surgical team @ Concord (NH) Hospital is just incredible. My mom made it through the bypass surgery with flying colors. She is now at home - resting & healing. She can't drive, can't lift anything yet, and is pretty fatigued. But, she is going to be with us to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's about all I could ask for.
Her experience has certainly made me think twice about what I eat, too. Suddenly, kale, spinach, beans, and carrots are looking really good. Take care of yourselves, my friends!

wishy washy...

2011-11-14T16:24:00.001-08:00

Oh boy...you all may want to stop reading this blog. It's going to make you a little dizzy with my back and forth thought processes. Yup - that's right. I'm back to wanting to focus on just one big race next year. IMFL is what floats back into focus for me. And, let's be real here - what race I do really only matters to me. I don't think it's really a blip on anyone else's screen, with the exception of Rick. The poor man HAS to listen to me be all "wishy-washy" - it drives him up a wall. Sorry honey!

Maybe I can...

2011-11-11T11:33:00.001-08:00

I had a conversation with a friend this morning @ the pool. It turns out she is every bit as crazy as me - maybe that's why I liked her from the moment I met her. I admitted to her that I had also signed up for IMFL - and she did too! She's also doing that little race in Quebec. The fact that she has also signed up for 2 big races in 2012 gave me some kind of strange comfort. Misery loves company? Maybe I can do both....might as well try.

Back to the beginning

2011-11-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

In 2007, I completed Ironman Florida. It was one of the most terrifying, exhilarating and memorable days of my life. I have often wished that I could go back there one day - and do that race one more time. Guess what? Wish granted! I (along with some super awesome people) signed up to take on IMFL one more time. I had sworn off long-distance races in light of my creaky knees. But, after consulting with the ever upbeat & optimistic team of Mark, Grandison & Cyndi, I was reminded that in the world of Ironman, "Anything is possible." My marathon time probably won't be anywhere near the time I had in '07, but that's okay with me. This will sound cliche, but I honestly feel lucky to be able to do the race at all. This time around, I am not terrified (at least not yet). I am just plain excited for this experience. By excited, I mean flat-out, Christmas morning excited. I don't particularly love the state of Florida, but I just love that race.
Apparently, a lot of other people love that race as it sold out in 16 minutes. Thank goodness I invested in an iPhone. Rick and I were driving home from Deltaville - basically in the middle of nowhere when it was time to sign up. My trusty iPhone did not fail me (seriously - how awesome is modern technology?) I could not believe how nervous I felt just signing up for darn race. Imagine my surprise when I actually got in? Wow.
So...what does this mean for that little race in Quebec I am also supposed to do? Well...my heart is 100% invested in IMFL. I'm not sure there is much room left in it for Quebec. I know that many of my crazy friends have successfully finished two Ironman races in one year. More power to them, I say. As for me, I think I'll stick to one 140.6 race per year. Does that make me sane?

Chile

2011-08-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

So...my super-cool niece Annie is spending her fall semester in Chile. She is already there - and has a most awesome blog. I'm fairly certain that the comics are even created by her - she has been wildly imaginative since she was just a tiny person (she's still pretty tiny). Enjoy!http://bylandbyseatravels.tumblr.com/

Priorities

2011-07-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

I used to be such a devoted blogger. How times have changed!
I am enjoying my first summer off....ever. I know that most people think teachers lead the life of leisure in the summer (and some do). But, until this (blessedly peaceful) summer, I either taught, worked in a summer camp or took grad school classes. To stay out of trouble, I will do a little teaching at the end of July. I'm working with teachers brand-spankin' new to the culture of independent schools. This should be interesting as we have to stay in dorm rooms - not really looking forward to that whole scene. Oh well - it's not forever, just 5 nights. I'm also (with a colleague) revamping my entire writing curriculum. My teaching buddy and I meet every other week to discuss and plan how to improve our approach to teaching the little ones writing skills. I will admit to being ambivalent to recent trends like No Child Left Behind (not sure that did one thing to help schools) but I am huge believer in teaching children how to read, write, and think critically (and I guess math skills are important, too). Our schools spend far too much time and money on testing kids - it makes me crazy.
Anyway....
I traveled with Rick (and half of the Richmond triathlon community) to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to cheer him on in his 9th Ironman race (and his second go-round @ that particular race). While he didn't have a great day (he was more than 2 hours slower than the last time he did CDA), he did finish the darn race. The weather was perfect for biking and running, but not so kind for swimming (way too cold!). We did stay in a completely fantastic house (with a large contingent of friends) that sat right on the lake and the run course. We could stroll into the quaint town of CDA from our house. While it was kind of fun to have so many familiar faces doing the big race, it was also kind of strange. I had heard there were 50+ athletes in the race from Richmond. I'm not sure what unusual forces conspired to make CDA "the" race for Richmonders, but it was. Sometimes it felt like too many people were worrying about how they did compared to this person or that person. Whatever. I'm all about the effort at doing something big/scary/difficult, the training sacrifices and breakthroughs - at simply trying. Just attempting (and hopefully finishing) an Ironman is huge. Sometimes people forget that. And for Pete's sake,
don't take yourselves too seriously, folks. That is almost as annoying as No Child Left Behind.
As for triathlons and me - I have a few short races on the calendar this summer. I'm really looking forward to traveling to NH at the end of August to do the Timberman sprint with Rick and my brother Matt. We'll be able to cheer on the cool chicks from Richmond doing the half IM the next day. Now that should be a fun weekend. Please note how we opted for the Saturday race so we can eat, drink and be merry on Saturday night. I think I have my priorities straight.

(re)focused

2011-05-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

I have been a distracted spazz this winter/spring. I couldn't seem to figure out exactly what in the world I wanted to do re: triathlons. Aquabikes? Sprints? Leisurely rides around Hanover County?

First, please know that when I write that I will never run again, I am lying (like a rug). What that really means is that I am beyond frustrated with some random injury. Happily, I did start running again (just a little) about a month ago. My promise to myself is to keep my runs short and shorter. I managed to do a whole bunch of sprint triathlons last spring without getting injured. And then I deviated from my plan and tried to run too much. Big mistake - and it forced me to stop running for 6 months.

Second, I still don't like open water swims - especially ones that are very cold, quite choppy and too long. In other words, this year's "Rumpus in Bumpass." Let's just say that my friends who opted out of that swim are far wiser than me. That freezing, choppy swim set me back in terms of swimming confidence BIG time. My hands were so numb that I actually could not take off my wetsuit. Crazy. I realized that 750 meters is about as long as I like to be in open water. And with this regained knowledge, I suddenly discovered what I wanted to do this year (the ol' silver lining...)

Yes indeed - I like the sweet little sprint triathlons.

Well...they aren't exactly sweet since they take anywhere from 1:00-1:30 hours (on average) at a very, very high intensity.

But, the training time is far more reasonable for those of us who like to spend our weekends doing things besides training for 6 hours a day (no offense intended to all my wacko friends and my husband who enjoy this kind of thing - rock on with yo' bad selves...)

So, I am happy about this new/old plan. I'll do some fun, local races this summer AND have a life.

Lovely

2011-03-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a lovely day for a bike ride - even if you are like me and you haven't ridden your bike outside for months and months and months. I'm pretty certain that I haven't ridden outside since last July - kind of skipped the whole fall riding thing. Oh that's right...last fall I was under my own delusional plan to do "lots of road races." That really didn't go as I'd planned...live and learn.

Despite the constant headwind (at least it felt that way), the ride was gorgeous. We enjoyed a jaunt through Goochland, Henrico and Hanover (I think). I love riding out there - the scenery is pretty and the traffic is low...my kind of riding. Is it my imagination or has West Creek turned into some kind of crazy traffic zone? I felt safer out on the country roads than trying to deal with hostile soccer families. I never have considered soccer families as hostile...until witnessing how they drive in West Creek. I guess they don't believe in sharing the road?

Anyway, I haven't ridden that far (50 miles) since...um....2009. I will admit that I was pretty tired by the end. But it was that "good" kind of tired. The kind where you know you've really worked your muscles and cardiovascular system.

The day was capped off with a Richmond Spiders win (woohoo!!!) and dinner with some dear friends.

Yup....lovely

Hello blog!

2011-03-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

It has been a long, long time since I last posted on my blog. What can I say? My return to the classroom comes with its share of sacrifices, including free time (what is that, anyway?) I have no regrets about leaving higher ed to return to the more intense grind of classroom teaching. While I really enjoyed my colleagues @ UR, I hardly ever saw them. We were like independent contractors sharing a hall. It was lonely for me. Yes, I like people. Now, I share a room with twenty first graders. There is nothing quiet or lonely about an elementary school - that is for sure. The energy, creativity and support at Collegiate are exceptional. It's quite a place - and I just love being there.

What about working out and triathlons? You may (or may not) be asking. Well, I fit my workouts in the only way that works. Usually, this means getting up very, very, very early....as in 4:30 a.m. It helps that Rick gets up at the same time. (We are obviously deranged, but we knew that already). Sadly, I am not running at all anymore. I have tried. In fact, I have tried just about everything from surgery to knee injections to stretching to lots of Aleve. If it's not my knees swelling like balloons, it's some secondary injury caused by running. Case in point: I developed a terrible case of plantar fasciitis last fall. It was so debilitating that I could barely stand on my feet to teach. Now that is just ridiculous. I need to be active and move around (a LOT) to keep up with seven-year old children. After a lovely cortisone shot and some major anti-inflammatories, the pain settled down. But, I can only wear Dansko clogs or running shoes right now. I'm okay with that, but I would like to have the option to wear some sassy little shoes every now and then.

So...I have signed up for a few races - two are aquabikes and one is a Olympic distance triathlon. However, I probably won't do the run in the Olympic distance race. Yup - I'll DNF it. (Side note: if Set Up events would add the aquabike option to their Olympic distance events, I wouldn't have to DNF now would I? I don't know why they don't have that option).

In the grand scheme of life, giving up running isn't the end of the world. The truth is that it has lost its allure to me. After I run, I end up hobbling around. Isn't exercise supposed to make you feel better? I think so. So, I'll stick to things that make me happy without causing injury...like swimming...and biking....and teaching....and of course...wine drinking.

Back Home

2010-11-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

Well...luckily, I do not have a torn meniscus (the good news). I just have really bad knees (otherwise known as old, bad and kinda boring news).

Let's not dwell on all that nonsense.

I am still so grateful that I added biking and swimming to my workout routine several years ago. They are keeping me sane - as is my return to the classroom. Teaching first grade again is a unique combination of exhaustion and energy - and even better than I remembered. Plain and simple, I love teaching again. Maybe it's because I'm older, but I am more conscious than ever that each of my students is a little bundle of potentiality in this world. My job is to (obviously) teach them the curriculum - but also instill in them the joy I feel in walking through our classroom doors. Pretty powerful stuff in my book.

I am finally at a point where I'm no longer sad about not being able to run as much as I'd like. It sure took awhile, but I'm (back) at a happy place. I may have underestimated how depressing two knee surgeries combined with a so-so prognosis can be. But I've worked though all that silliness.

This morning, I had flashbacks to training for Ironman Florida. (After all, IMFL is taking place right now). Sometimes, I wish I could go back in a time machine (a la "Lost") to experience certain moments of that day. There is nothing quite like your first Ironman race (or so they say - whoever "they" are). More importantly, today had flashbacks to how happy I felt training for that race.

In a sense, I'm home again.

Thank goodness.

Beware of dog

2010-10-23T04:20:00.000-07:00

So...I went to see a sports doctor about my ongoing issues with plantar-however-you-spell-it-faciitis. While chatting with the doc, I mentioned that my knee was bothering me a little after my dog ran right into me (it's a good thing I love that dog as much as I do). Okay - maybe it was bothering me more than "a little." But, after two knee surgeries, I just didn't want to deal with the sharp knee pain I felt when trying to straighten my leg. I figured a little ice and Advil would take care of any issues, right?

Umm...maybe not.

I have what is known as a "meniscal cyst" - which, I have now learned, is commonly a symptom of a meniscus tear. We'll know more after next Tuesday's MRI.

It's possible I already had a small meniscus tear - and the force of my sweet, goofball dog's body slamming into my knee tore it a little more. Who knows. I have already had a conversation with Josie about her need to use more self-control around my tender knees. She wagged and licked me. I gave her a little pat and said it was okay.

And it really is okay. I'm surprisingly okay with this possibility. My knee isn't hurting much at all, with the exception of when I try to run. So, I'm not running. A rather simple solution - but one that I'm not always very smart about doing. I can swim and bike as much as I like. So, that's what I'll do. I'm at a point in my life where I'm much more interested in being healthy and happy and pain-free.
I'm thinking I might do an aquabike event here and there next year as my friends and hubby gear up for their next big Ironman. We'll see.

And - I will be much more vigilant of my dog when she does her little "run around like a puppy" routine.

Random Post

2010-10-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

So...I've had no real training plan this fall and it's been kind of nice. I decided to take a break from triathlons until 2011 or 2012 or whenever the spirit moves me. Maybe it will...maybe it won't. I have gotten back into twice/week strength training which my old body definitely needs. I've been swimming a little - and by that I mean once in the past three weeks. Luckily, ProK will soon be kicking my slack butt again soon. (Oh no...does that mean I have to try that insane butterfly stroke again? Talk about feeling uncoordinated...)

And I'm running more - about 3 times/week. I've run in Asics for years, but I've decided that I'm not a fan of those clunkers anymore, especially when the dreaded plantar fascitis reared its ugly head again. It plagues me - and I'm blaming the shoes.

After doing some research and chatting with the nice guy @ the Short Pump 3sports, I have switched to some super-light Sauconys. I LOVE them. I ran yesterday with Rick and actually felt kinda peppy at the end of the run. (Or maybe I was just elated that I was not running 20 miles like my somewhat crazy hubby). Whatever the reason, it was a gorgeous morning for a run.

Anti-Garmin

2010-09-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago (while trying to get organized), I found my old Garmin. It's one of the older versions, but it still works. Of course, I immediately became entranced in figuring out how to get the thing working (instead of cleaning out some boxes of junk - I can be such a good avoider of mundane tasks). Despite the fact that the Garmin was twice the size of my wrist and basically looked like some kind of James Bond gadget, I decided to use it to pace my runs.

I discovered that I do not like it one bit.

The Garmin completely sucked the joy of running right out of me. I mean seriously - do I really need to know how slowly I'm running up a hill or how erratic my pace can really be? I don't think so. I found myself checking my pace about every other minute. What I should've been doing - which I've done all my life - is to rely on how I feel. Do I feel like I could hold this pace all day or do I feel like I might pass out?And most importantly - am I enjoying this experience?

Before the Garmin, the only time I even thought about about my pace was a) during a track workout or b) in a race. And these days (considering what my knees have been through), I don't give my pace much thought.

I just run because I like it - and I can (thankfully) do it again.

This morning I put the Garmin back in the box I found it in. I laced up my running shoes and headed out on a run. I took in the gorgeous blue sky and felt the strong breeze on my face. Yup - I enjoyed that experience.

HOT

2010-07-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

Umm...so it's really, really hot in Richmond these days (in case you missed that minor fact). Obviously, it makes sense that I would try out Bikram yoga (also called "hot" yoga) on a day where the temperature in the shade was over 100.
In my defense, I've been wanting to add some form of yoga to my workout repertoire (thank you Rusty for inspiring me). I checked out the wide variety of classes at one studio and was...overwhelmed. How the heck do I know which type of yoga to choose? Sure - I could check out each class and decide, but that makes way too much sense.
My buddy Debbie Jo reminded me of good ol' Bikram yoga. Years ago (like eight or nine), I tried it and actually liked it. I remember vaguely that it was extremely hard - almost to the point of misery - and that I sweat like crazy. And that one time, I almost passed out. I am not averse to passing out while working out (remember - my nickname is four-bagger)...so...I signed up for a class.
First, I made the really smart decision to go for a long (for me) run in the heat. But, I ran with my friends from Team in Training so how could I miss that?
I followed that up with not eating or drinking enough post-run (which is rare for me - I love eating post workout).
I did survive my 90 minute bikram yoga class.

Barely.

It was oh so humbling because I'm not flexible and I definitely was struggling to adapt to the heat in the yoga room (yup - they keep it at a solid 105 degrees).
But, I liked it. It's an incredibly supportive group. I realized pretty quickly that no one cared if I...well...sucked. Once that class was over (and I was able to regroup with my icy cold lavender scented towel) I was so proud that I actually stayed in the darn room and even attempted some of the postures. And - get this - an hour or so later (after I HAD eaten and drank enough), I felt...great.

I'm going back this week.

Tidewater: post race

2010-06-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there were four friends, Molly, Mary, Rick & Susie, who enjoyed competing in triathlons together. Apparently, they enjoyed socializing even more.

Example A: last weekend, Mary finished second in her age group.

Where were we at this exciting moment?

Yup - that's right. We were getting comfortable at the adult beverage tent. Completely missed the ceremony.

Big News....

2010-06-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

So...after seven years in higher education, I have made the bold (some might say crazy) decision to return to teaching the little ones.
What? Why? Huh? You might be thinking. Well, years ago, when I first began taking classes for my doctorate at UVA, I had no intention of leaving the classroom. I have always loved/adored teaching children. It's exhausting, but it also re-energizes me and quite frankly, I feel like it's what I'm meant to do. I love it. I think that 6-year old children are the funniest, most lovable little people in the world. They are so open to learning, reading, playing - it's refreshing.

While I have enjoyed my time at both Radford and University of Richmond, I always felt a little emptiness/sadness that I had left the classroom. When you teach graduate students, they are with you for such a brief time period (1-2 semesters). But, the little guys (for better or worse) are part of my world for a full school year (or more). You develop bonds with their families and siblings. I guess I miss (among other things) the "connectedness" that comes from a classroom of children.

So, in late August, I'll return to the world of first graders. I'm excited, nervous and incredibly happy.
And hoping we have as many snow days as last winter :)

The choices we make

2010-04-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I chose to sign up for the "Rumpus in Bumpass" sprint triathlon (I know - it's a great name). I did it knowing that I haven't done an open water swim since August of 2008 - that's a long time ago for me - Little Miss Open Water Freak Out. I also knew that Lake Anna might be a little chilly in April.

I figured...what the heck?...I need to get in the open water sooner or later.

I arrived at the race site (the same place where the Giant Acorn triathlon - another great name - is held) with sweet Rick by my side. I surveyed the swim situation. I knew logically that I should have no issues swimming 750 meters. And yet...those old fears started sneaking back into my head. I asked Rick nervously, "Do you think those buoys are placed in the wrong place? They seem kinda far to me." He reassured me that I would be fine. His quote, "You've done it before, you can do it again." Right.

I made sure to get in the water and swim around prior to the start. Wow - that's cold water! Luckily, I adapted to it quickly (the beauty of a wetsuit). Okay, a few deep breaths..and I started to calm down. The first swim wave made their way to the start (the young lads, that is). In 12 minutes I would be off with the purple caps. Yikes! But wait...what is this? Why are they delaying the race?

Oh no...I spy an ambulance making its way to the start. It seems that someone in the first wave was having lots of trouble, so they had to pull him out.

Gulp. I'm nervous now.

Once things settle down, the rest of the waves go off without incident. Before I know it, it's my turn to swim over to the first buoy (it's an in-water start). The horn blows...and I start to swim. Sort of.

I'm swimming along slowly...not totally into this experience. I suddenly stop. That first buoy looks so far away...I could still turn around and head back to shore. That seems like a great choice. The smartest choice I could ever make, actually. I start to picture Sunday morning breakfast...eggs, coffee, the Sunday paper. Seriously, what am I doing in this lake?

Cue my tougher conscience: Well...I'm doing a triathlon - a triathlon that I CHOSE to do. I think I may have even said to anyone listening (which by now was the wave behind me), "Get going. Stop being a baby."

And so, I start swimming forward. Granted, I'm sure my stroke is in complete disarray at this point. But, I make it to the first buoy. I can hear someone near me making small panicked, whimpering sounds - and yelling at anyone who swam near her. I must get away from this situation. So off I went in the search of next buoys.

Finally, I have calmed down and start to swim like a somewhat normal human being. But, I'm having lots of trouble sighting. Is that a buoy or...no, it's not. Hmmm...it finally dawns on me in the middle of the swim. Perhaps prescription goggles would help me see where I'm going. I wear them to drive, watch TV, teach, ride my bike and run. Why has it taken me so long to realize they might help with open water, too? Who knows.

Finally, after way too much time, I finish the swim. I take a moment to regroup in transition. This was not at all how I envisioned my swim would go. But, I just have to let my disappointment and anger with myself go. I choose to smile, shake it off, and head off to the mount line.

And who is there to cheer me on? Rick, of course. Thanks honey - I needed a little smile at that moment.

The rest of the race went fine and dandy. In fact, I loved that race - spazz swim and all. Can't wait to do another one. Crazy, huh?

what in the world....

2010-04-15T07:40:00.001-07:00

has happened to this blog? I hope to become a more loyal blogger. Sorry! Actually, does anyone read this? Now that is the question...(sorry Shakepeare)

Shamrock

2010-03-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

First, let me just say that if you ever want to get an amazing bargain on something, go to the Team in Training silent auction! The silent auction last week was a smashing success, partially because my friends donated some awesome things - and my friends bought many of the awesome things. Mucho love to Cindy, Ashton, Lynnie, Jilly-bean, Shawnie, Karen, Deanna, Scott, and, of course, Rick. Best of all, the funds raised go towards curing cancer.

This past weekend, we headed to Virginia Beach to enjoy (question mark?) some races. Actually, I did enjoy the 8K. I am beyond excited that I can race again. Granted, my pace is not where it once was when I was just a young lass in my early 30s. I hope it comes back, but even if it doesn't, it's so much fun to take part in these events. A year off from running + two knee surgeries will make a lady grateful...yes, indeed.

Anyway, Rick toed the line for the Shamrock marathon. He was having a great day - until around mile 17. Alas, the relative heat (for March) and wind got the best of him. He finished (despite what the website reports) about 10 minutes off what he had hoped to do.

He seemed fine at first. But, as we headed further away from the medical tent, he started to show signs of serious dehydration. He could walk from one bench on the boardwalk to another. And then he'd have to rest. He complained of a terrible headache and awful nausea. Yup - telltale signs of dehydration. I knew we were too far away from the medical tent AND our condo.

I hightailed it to the car - only to discover that the roads were closed where I had left Rick. Egads...my sweet husband was alone and throwing up - and I was in a bind.

Thankfully, a kind parking lot attendant could tell I was in a state of panic. She let me park my car in an overflowing lot near Rick.

Such a sad sight. There he was...slumped over on the sidewalk. Poor guy. Luckily, he's tough and recovers quickly. It's weird how things that are so bad for you taste so good when you're dehydrated. Pringles and coke....the magic antidote.

And - we figured out that he still finished in the top 20 for his age group. Dehydration and all.

TNT Auction

2010-03-13T15:34:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, I'll take a break from after-work training to attend the summer Team in Training silent auction. It's at Blackfinn restaurant from 6:30-8:00 p.m. (and yes, you can arrive late). Please spread the word - it's open to everyone. We'd love to see you! All money raised from the auction goes directly to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Here's a sample of the super-cool items available...

gift certificates to a wide variety of restaurants in the greater Richmond area (such as Cha-Chas, Starbucks, Turner and Bragg)

jewelry

artwork

wine

A Timex Ironman watch

A cooler filled with Gatorade products (a necessity for all of my athletic friends!)

And...an autographed basketball from this year's super-awesome University of Richmond men's basketball team. As of this writing, they are gearing up for tomorrow's A-10 championship game against Temple (they just beat top 25 team Xavier!)
I don't want to jinx them, but I'm thinking they are NCAA-bound. Go Spiders!

Meanwhile, my fundraising is in great shape. My initial goal was $1,500 but I'm already at close to $1,800. I've raised my expectations (and efforts) to try to reach $2,500. I have about $700.00 more to raise to reach that goal. Keep spreading the word, my friends. As my friends Nicole and Art pointed out to me, cancer is not (unfortunately) in a recession.

The Silent Mile

2010-02-22T12:59:00.000-08:00

Despite the wintry weather, our spring and summer marathon, 10K, triathlon and cycle teams continue to train and raise money to fight cancer. We had an amazing workout on Saturday morning (yes, it was a bit chilly) that involved all of our teams. We met at West Creek as one, large group to start the day with the silent mile.

Please read my teammate Art's blog for an excellent entry about the event. We have mission moments like Saturday to help us stay focused on our main goal: to fight cancer.

My fund raising has slowed down a bit, but never fear. I have several plans (including stepping up my letter writing campaign) to raise funds. Thank you to the moms (mine and Rick's) for their recent contributions. Stay tuned for more information about the Team in Training silent auction at Blackfinn's on March 16th. You are all invited!

I am so close to my minimum of $1,500 - but I want to keep on raising money. My next goal is $2,000. If I hit that mark, I'll just keep on going until my event.

Snow!

2010-01-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

Some may think I'm crazy, but I love a good ol' fashioned snowstorm like yesterday's. We have at least a foot of new, beautiful fresh powder on our back deck. It looks like something out of...New Hampshire...or Maine....or Vermont. I wish I still had cross-country skis.

Of course, the snow makes it a little difficult to ride outside. Luckily, Rick and I have a room over the garage where we can set-up our bikes on trainers and peddle away to Coach Troy. I'm actually sore from yesterday's session. (Coach Troy - you are an evil genius). After the workout, I had about 3 hours of work-related stuff to do on the computer. Luckily, I finished in time for a fireside game of backgammon and a glass of wine. Don't we sound so very civilized? (Well...I might've called it a "stupid game" after Rick crushed me).

Today was spent shoveling snow while watching my dog run around in it like a wild beast. I'm also in the middle of making cajun red beans and rice (with homemade rolls, too). I love it when I have time to cook a real meal.

A special thanks to Frances M and Aimee H for donating to my fundraising efforts. I appreciate it so much!

Smile

2010-01-26T03:48:00.000-08:00

Yup - I'm smiling.

Here's the thing - I have friends pat me on the back for volunteering for Team in Training. However, I'm the one who feels like I'm taking from others. It's true. I feel guilty because sometimes I feel like I'm "getting" more than I'm "giving."

What do I mean? Well, my Saturday morning experience is a perfect example.

First, I was able to run with Rick for part (a very small part) of his crazy-long run. Made my day..

Rick continued on his run while I met my TNT buddies at the Direct Buy lot for some riding. After a quick change into some warmer clothes, we headed out on an easy ride. Two members of our team are quite new to cycling, so we mainly rode around WC - working on shifting and getting comfie on the bike. There still is a lot of debris on the road from winter weather, so we weren't too surprised when team member Allen had a flat (his son, a leukemia survivor, is one of our patient honorees). While we were dealing with that, I was very happy to see Deanna and Kate O gearing up for a winter ride. I introduced DB and KO (great supporters of the cause) to my TNT peeps.
Nice people meeting nice people - get it?

Coach Susan A and I had to cut the ride short to hustle over to Endorphin (who graciously opened their doors for TNT) for a TNT recruitment meeting. Lots of great events up and coming this summer!

Meanwhile, after realizing that I only have $400.00 left to raise (and several months to do so), I've upped my fundraising goal to $2,000. We'll see how creative I can be with my fundraising ideas.

Thanks to Kathleen M and William T for their donations. Your generosity inspired me to work harder to fight cancer.

Plugging away

2010-01-21T06:59:00.000-08:00

I don't have much to report about my training. I'm just plugging away - trying to balance work, exercise, friends, and family (basically just doing what we all try to do).

Meanwhile, my fundraising for the I Love the Tavern triathlon continues to progress quite nicely. I am now at 65% of my minimum goal. Woohoo! Thank you to my sister Siobhan (I know - isn't that a cool name?), my college buddy Karin, and the ever generous Kate O. Hugs to you and your families!

On a related note, I scored a great gift certificate to Cafe Caturra at last week's silent auction for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I also like to include drinking yummy wine as part of my balancing act. I am fairly skilled in that area.

Today

2010-01-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

has been lovely.

I'm at 50% of my fundraising goal for the triathlon - in one week! How great are my friends and family (particularly SanDee J & Greggy-baby, Lynnie-Lou and the Darbalicous)?

VERY

I also (finally) took a little spin outside in this (relatively) warm weather. I met my friend Nicole at West Creek. She is brand-spankin' new to the world of cycling. And, of course, being an overachieving kind-of-lady, she decided to tackle a century ride (Lake Tahoe) as part of Team in Training. Yup - she's learning a new sport AND raising money to fight cancer at the same time (FYI: You aren't the only one she makes feel like a bit of a loser - but she's so darn sweet and cute, you can't help but like her).

So...it was below 50 degrees (my usual limit) and I still felt happy and warm on my bike. Hmmm...does this mean I might learn to like winter riding?

Anything is possible...

Wow!

2010-01-14T10:34:00.000-08:00

That's the word that pops into my head as I witness the amazing generosity of my friends and family. I've now raised 37% of my goal with the help of Sarah and Tim, and Chuck, Ally, Sam, Ben & Thomas.

I don't mean to sound completely corny, but I do get a little teary when I think how lucky I am.

However, I must point out that Chuck (my oldest brother) wasn't always so nice. Yes, he did torture me as only a big brother can to a little sister. Case in point: When we played our wiffle (spelling?) ball games in the backyard, I was assigned the role of permanent outfielder. My brother Matt was part of this little scheme as well. They also made up little songs about me (to the tune of "These are a few of my favorite things") that pointed out all my quirks. My father liked to think of these events as "character-building."

But I digress. The point is that my friends and family rock.

Up and running - literally

2010-01-12T05:42:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling so energized by my work with Team in Training. In four days of fundraising, I've raised 17% of my goal. That's a reflection on the the kindness and generosity of my friends and family. Huge thanks to Mike R., Matt & Deb, Rick S., Denise W. and DB. I couldn't do it without you!
Tomorrow night, I hope to make it to the Team in Training silent auction at BlackFinn restaurant (after class, that is). All proceeds go directly to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Join me!

And yes, I am happily training for I Love the Tavern - and hopefully a few other sprint distance triathlons. My knees, although they get cranky, seem to be handling the activity well. I can tell you that I am one grateful triathlete.

My TNT website

I Love the Tavern

2010-01-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

All right, my friends. My fund raising has begun!

Go to my website to make a donation.

Please remember that every single donation matters. If you can only give a dollar, it's still so appreciated. Think about it this way, if 50 people give $1.00 each, we are $50.00 closer to curing cancer.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

Tri for a great cause

2010-01-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

It's official!
One of our fantastic local sprint triathlons, I Love the Tavern,is going to be one of the summer Team in Training events.
I plan to sign on as a fundraising team member asap. Since this is a local race with no travel expenses, basically all the money I raise will go directly to fighting blood cancers. How great is that?
A short list of the people I'm doing this for include...
My cycling buddy Paul, my cycling buddy Allen's son, Denver, my TNT buddies Art and Ed, and Rick's sister, Billie.
I'm (sadly) doing this in memory of several lost fathers, including Jan's, Susan Ann's, Favey's and Rick's.
And - in case you were wondering, several of the medical breakthroughs funded by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (who oversees Team in Training) have helped to heal other kinds of cancers, too.

Hello 2010

2010-01-05T09:21:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I used to be a resolution-maker, but I'm a little wary of making grand proclamations of what I will (or will not) do. Suffice it to say that I'm looking at 2010 with plenty of hope and excitement. The new year certainly started well - or maybe it's the old year ended well? Whatever the case, it was a lovely holiday season. Highlights include:

*a very quiet, simple Christmas morning mass in NH with my extraordinary mother (the rest of the family was in transit home). My mother is quite possibly the most giving, thoughtful human being I know (and I know many good people).

*sharing the holidays and my family with Rick. He introduced my family to southern bourbon and they shared some ridiculous stories about me with him. (Wait a minute - I'm not sure these things qualify as highlights).

*a post-Christmas run through and up and down and around my hometown with Rick. (5.5 very hilly miles - and my knees handled it nicely!) At one point, I looked over at Rick and said, "Look honey, we're running together again." He smiled and said, "That's just what I was thinking." That was my best present of all. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that all remains well with the fragile knees this year.

Yesterday, I settled back into a non-holiday routine with time spent at work and working out. Despite being less than excited about heading back to work, it sure felt nice to be back at U of R. And, my workouts at EF continue to challenge and motivate me. At one point, Karen, Rick and I were about to pass out from fatigue from one of the drills - while laughing so hard at the same time. I think I gasped something like, "Stop making me laugh - I can not breathe."

Ah yes, good times...

Snow Tires

2009-12-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

Susan Ann, the Team in Training cycle coach, had me for moment when she called on us to put on our "snow tires" for tomorrow's scheduled ride. Obviously, with snow in the forecast, we'll move our training indoors.

Luckily, I have several training options. I could zip over to Burkwood in the morning for a spinning class. While spinning classes are a great workout, I prefer to sit on my own bike, if possible.

I could head over to Endorphin for their Saturday movie ride (just one of the perks of training with Endorphin). I took part in the movie ride two weeks ago and loved it. Time flies on the trainer when you watch a good movie with friends (followed by a yummy post-workout breakfast).

Or - I could sleep in a bit and hop on my own trainer at home. There is something so lovely about shuffling downstairs in my pajamas, brewing fresh coffee and whipping up scrambled eggs and a bagel prior to a ride. Hopefully, there will be some snow falling to make the effect even closer to perfection.

By the way, I'm wishing for lots of snow tomorrow! I LOVE snow.

A wee bit o' procrastinatin'

2009-12-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

So...it's exam time at the wonderful University of Richmond. I have many, many papers to grade and another stack of portfolios coming in tomorrow.

Logically, I'm going to update my blog. I'm smart like that.

Let's see - what's new in my exercise life? I'm actually RUNNING these days. Yes - really running. I'm still sticking to 30 minute runs, but they feel oh-so-wonderful. I even ran hard enough up a hill to feel a little ill. I know it's warped, but I love that feeling. I did break my time limit rule on Thanksgiving when I ran some of the Turkey Trot with my buddies, SanDee, Deanna and Ashton. I was so excited to be running with my friends again that I talked NON-STOP. I might have been a little annoying.

I've been enjoying serving as a non-fundraising mentor for the cycling studs of Team in Training. Our team for the spring is small, but mighty. It seems the bulk of TNT folks opt for running events, followed by triathlons. I plan to return to the triathlon crew this summer. And, brace yourselves, I will be fund raising again to fight cancer. Unfortunately, we haven't kicked cancer to the curb yet so my fund raising continues. You'll learn more about that after the holidays.

Since it's the "off-season" (is there really such a thing?), Rick and I have had some time to decorate for the holidays. It's called "Ye olde Christmas Compromise".
From the outside, our neighbors see white candles in the windows and wreaths with pretty red bows on every window and door. We even have the classic spotlight on the front door. The neighbors were so thrilled by this decorating scheme that they asked one of us (that would be me) to serve on some kind of neighborhood committee. We are such suburbanites.
And then there is the tree. It's a beautiful Frasier Fir....with blinking chili pepper lights from top to bottom. And if that wasn't enough, we also have little lit-up Washington Redskin helmet lights, too. Yes, they really make those.
I must admit that I love our crazy tree.

Things I am thankful for...

2009-11-25T11:54:00.000-08:00

when my nephew Max or niece Clare giggles

A full glass of wine

When my dog barks in her sleep

Paid bills

Graded papers

Harry Potter and Bella, Edward and Jacob (yes - I'm that girl)

Freshly folded laundry

Trader Joe's

A hot shower

Flip turns (Why? I don't know)

Watching my siblings interact with their children (incredible)

U of R Spiders

Bluebirds, goldfinches and hummingbirds

Morning coffee alone or with friends

The look on my parents' faces when I see them after a long time apart

Just-picked raspberries

Puppy feet and puppy bellies

Signing up for a race or a ride

Eatin' crabs and drinkin' beer in Deltaville

My bike

Beating the Yankees

Emails from the posse in Blacksburg

Thinking about running

A wink from Mr Green Toes

Snow flakes

Now that makes sense

2009-11-24T03:55:00.000-08:00

Now that I've gained some sanity regarding my knees, training and triathlons, I'm feeling incredibly positive about 2010.

Here's what I've figured out...

* I am not doing anymore long-distance triathlons. Period. That was just me being sentimental... and stupid. I do not need to abuse my surgically-repaired knees anymore than necessary. (Thank you to Amanda and Suzanne for helping me see the light). And, as cool as completing a long race is, the recovery time (both mentally and physically) can be a extensive. I'm ready to say goodbye to that era of my life.

* The century ride next fall in Arizona for Team in Training is a no-go (dammit). While I have lots of flexibility in my schedule to a point, I can not justify missing class time in the middle of the fall semester for this ride (even though it's a fantastic cause).

* Happily, Team in Training is going to designate a local triathlon for the summer schedule. I do believe it's going to to be "I Love the Tavern." I've never competed in this race, but I'm looking forward to taking it on as a member of TNT. One of the advantages of a local race is that it won't conflict with my summer teaching schedule. But, I still get to do my part for TNT.

* I'm genuinely looking forward to doing some sprint distance triathlons in and around town. My focus is simply to stay healthy and fit, work out with some structure, and have fun.

* I'm also looking forward to fun rides. Last year's highlights include: the Heart of Virginia century, RABA Waverly rides (one where SanDee and I rode down along the James River - aka the Chesapeake Bay according to SanDee - and the other where Molly fell in love), and rides around Hanover County with TNT.

See? It makes sense.

Indecisive

2009-11-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay - I'm inspired one moment and then indecisive the next. What can I say? Let's face it, as a woman, I have the right to change my mind.

So....I was getting all excited about doing a bunch of long, big races next year. Hmmm...is that really a good idea? Perhaps not.

I'm thinking that my knees and I will get along much better if I limit myself to the sprint distance next year. At the sprint distance, I can do the whole race - run and all. If I go any longer, I'll have to switch to the Aquabike category. There's nothing wrong with Aquabiking, but...you know me..if I can run, I will.

And - three (or so) sprint races probably cost about the same as one half ironman race.

Don't worry - I'm sure I'll change my mind again. Soon.

Inspired

2009-11-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

Like 2007, Ironman Florida was incredible, amazing, fun, inspirational, emotional, exhausting and memorable. Makes me want to do it again, but not until 2011.

That could be crazy talk, based on the state of my knees. But, who said I had to run it like it did last time? If I can boost my swimming and cycling, it will give me enough of a buffer to make the marathon more of a walk/run. I think my knees can handle that. Or should I say, I am very, very motivated to find a way to make my knees handle it.

Luckily, It's a long way off, so I don't need to make any decisions right now.

Meanwhile, inspired by DB, I am developing a plan for 2010. My focus will be primarily on cycling and swimming (my double-whammy weaknesses). Races that could work for me include: Charlottesville sprint, Rhode Island 70.3 (may have to turn it into an aquabike), and the Tour de Tucson century ride with Team in Training. I'd like to add another 70.3 aquabike in there (which makes it a 57.2?), but I'll have to see what my training buddies are doing. And, depending on my budget, I wouldn't mind adding in one or two local sprint triathlons.

The bottom line is that, after a year of surgery and healing, I'm motivated to get back to being a participant.

Update

2009-10-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to spending a quick weekend in Panama City Beach next week to cheer on all the Ironman Florida folks. I still have wonderful memories of that race. Let's hope they have the same kind of perfect weather we had.
Meanwhile, I'm trying not to fall completely out of shape. I have gotten myself back into a regular swimming routine (Mondays and Fridays @ Burkwood with Rick, Wednesdays with Karen and the guppies). I am even forcing myself to do lots and lots of crazy-looking flip turns. Sometimes I even do one correctly...but not often. Thinking about the flip turn does make swimming a little more interesting. Today was a milestone. I did not inhale much water on the flips. Go me!
Meanwhile, in the lane next to Rick, Mr Perfect Swimmer made it look so easy. Both Rick and I stopped to watch him execute every stroke perfectly AND use his flip turns to travel half-way down the lane. Yes, I suffered a minor bout of swimming envy.
Tomorrow morning, I am taking advantage of my Richmond Triclub membership to attend a free 3-hour biking clinic @ Endorphin. I figure I can always use some tips on how to become a stronger cyclist. I'll let you know what I learn
My running continues to come along slowly, but steadily. I'm gradually adding more running time to my 30 minute run/walk workout. I won't pretend that my knees feel 100% like they used to, but it's better than nothing.
And one more thing...Go Phillies!!

Looking ahead

2009-10-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

And so my 2009-2010 "season" winds down.

Of course, being somewhat of a type A kind of person (or maybe I'm more of an A-), I find myself needing to set goals for next year. It keeps me motivated.

I'm playing with a few ideas, including:

1. tackling Mountains of Misery. As I told several people, this century ride seems kinda scary to me. But then again, so did Ironman Florida and IM Brazil - and I did finished those athletic endeavors, didn't I? Dr. Rick has found some other crazy ride that looks like a close cousin of Mountains of Misery - so I may find myself suffering on two mountain rides.

2. running again, but not too much. I have positive visions of running three times/week. I'm not too far from that goal, which makes me happy. That's enough running to keep me mentally happy - and to keep my bones strong.

3. riding outdoors this winter - but probably only on the weekends. I am not a fan of riding in the dark AND cold. I'm already researching the best winter riding gear. (And once again...my money goes towards workout gear instead of work gear). On the weeknights, Rick and I will be spending our time with Coach Troy (as in Mr Spinervals).

4. Swimming more. I have been a completely slack swimmer this fall. My teaching schedule has prevented me from Monday night master's at U of R - and I've had a hard time making it to the Friday U of R swim, too. I'm ready for that to change. Swimming is such a fantastic workout. On the upside, I have been a loyal Guppy swimmer on Wednesday mornings. Coach K has taught me so much about swimming - and doesn't give up on me - even when my attempts at the butterfly look like someone thrashing around in the a big fish net. Yes - I'm that bad at it.

5. Volunteering my time for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This spring, I will be mentoring the cycle team (who are training and fundraising for a century around Lake Tahoe). Unfortunately, due to my summer teaching schedule, I won't be able to take part in that event. However, it looks like I may be able to train and fund raise for a century ride in Arizona next November. Did you know that VCU just received a major research grant from LLS? Yes - the money raised helps to fight cancer AND supports research in our backyard. Love it. UVA has also benefited from research dollars raised by Team in Training (for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society).

Sea Gull Weekend

2009-10-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

After a delay of about four months due to multiple knee surgeries, I was finally able to take part in my charity century ride for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Team in Training).
I traveled to Salisbury MD with Jan, one of my buddies from Blacksburg VA. Jan is one of the top volunteers for TNT in Virginia. In fact, this century ride was her 19th event for Team in Training. She, like Rick, lost her dad to myeloma (one of the blood cancers we are hoping to make a thing of the past).
We arrived in Salisbury with barely enough time to unload out stuff before the Inspiration Dinner. The dinner is one of the highlights of the weekend (and a definite tear jerker). We met the rest of the Virginia team as well as teams from as far away as Nebraska and San Diego. We listened to a man describe the battle his young niece has waged with Leukemia. She is (thankfully) considered cancer-free after three years of treatment. I also had a cancer survivor pull me aside to thank me personally for raising funds to help her. I was speechless because she is the real inspiration.
We went to bed fairly early so we'd be well-rested for our 100-mile jaunt around the eastern shore.
On Saturday morning, we met in the lobby to head over as a team to the start. We left around 6:30 a.m. to ride our bikes in the dark to the start. That was a little freaky as I have no lights on my bike - but I managed.
The Sea Gull is an incredibly popular ride with somewhere around 8,000 cyclists taking part in either the metric or the century ride. I have never in my life ridden with so many other cyclists. I definitely had to keep my wits about me at the start as there were bikes weaving all over the place. I did see about 5 (yes - 5) crashes along the way. One crash looked like something from the Tour de France as an entire paceline went down in the middle of the road. We won't talk about how rudely they were riding...but anyway...
The ride itself was really lovely. The route was incredibly well-marked with great traffic control at all the major intersections. The rest stops had plenty of snacks, water, etc. It did live up to its reputation for being very windy, especially the second half of the ride. I especially loved riding over the bridge to Assateague Island (home of the famous wild ponies).
I ended up riding the bulk of the century with four of my Virginia teammates. It was great to have a friendly crew around me. Alas, I did have one flat tire, but some of the San Diego Team in Training crew came along at that moment and helped me out.
All in all, it was a wonderful experience. Most importantly, this single day of cycling raised close to $500,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

October

2009-10-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, a kind physical therapist told me to wait until October before I tried running again. I, of course, tried to defy him by running in the summer.

Bad idea. I wasn't ready. I found myself with a very sore knee and dejected spirit. It was also a reminder that my knees could not be bullied by me into running.

So I pushed the thought of running to the back of my mind. When people asked me if I had started running again, I'd just say, "No - and there is no guarantee I ever will again."

Instead, I rode my bike. I swam. I did other exercises designed to strengthen my legs and core and upper body.

But...with the approach of October, the thought that maybe...just maybe...I was healed and strong enough to run again kept popping into my thoughts.

So - I found a beginner's running plan online. It's designed for people who have never run before. It starts by alternating running and walking and running and walking - for 30 minutes. The idea is that in 8 weeks, I should be running 30 minutes straight. Not the kind of mileage I used to do, but I'm just so happy to run again.

So, on Thursday and Saturday and this morning, I did my 30 minute run-walk combo (1 minute run, 2 minutes brisk walk) completely pain-free. My right knee felt a little tight at first, but that's very different from the stabbing-take-your-breath-away pain I experienced last fall.

I can not even tell you how fantastic it felt to do one activity that felt so natural. As much as I enjoy swimming, I'm always thinking about my flippin' stroke - and biking, as much as I love it, is simply not as relaxing to me as running.

But running...oh running..I've missed you, old friend.

11 days...

2009-09-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Until my fourth event for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. I'm really looking forward to the Seagull Century up on Maryland's eastern shore next weekend. In addition to my wonderful TNT teammates, SanDee J and Deanna B are signed up for the ride. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a sunny weekend!

Meanwhile, I trekked up to the eastern shore this past weekend to cheer on/support Rick and the TRIgirls taking part in the Cheseapeakeman aquavelo. As usual, the Choptank river lived up to her name and provided lots of waves, current and even some jellyfish. However, a 16-year old from Baltimore (who swims with Michael Phelps) made the swim look easy as he crushed the swim in 48 minutes. Amazing.
From what I could tell, the bike ride may have been even windier than usual as a storm front was moving in. I asked Rick, once he had finished the 112-mile bike course, if the ride felt easy after doing Ironman Lake Placid. His response, "Hell no!" He said he missed the descents of Lake Placid, which for fearless Rick, provided a break. He also mentioned that hilly courses do allow a wider variety of leg muscle groups to share the workload. Needless to say, the gang finished the aquavelo feeling much more confident about their upcoming Ironman races.

On another note - healing wishes to Mary T who took a spill on her bike...

I'll take it

2009-09-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to report that I did ride the whole 100 miles at Heart of Virginia on Saturday with Tammy, Molly, and my buddies from Team in Training (Allen, Paul, and Rob).

While we did not set any records for speed (do I ever?), it was a wonderful day for a ride. I loved finishing it - and having that "Wow, I did a really long workout - go me" kind of feeling. Even my knees were happy - how about that?

More details to follow soon. I'll definitely put the Heart of Virginia on my calendar for 2010. It was a great experience.

Tomorrow...

2009-09-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

I will attempt, along with Molly, Cindy D., Tammy, and the boys from Team in Training, to ride 100 miles. Mind you, this will be the longest ride I've done in well over a year (since May 2008 - to be exact). We're doing the Heart of Virginia ride, which is supposed to be wonderful. If I manage to get all 100 miles in, I may have to send a picture of me & my bike at the finish to my orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapist. I think they would be mighty proud of how well their handiwork has turned out.

And yes...Rick and I did elope. I'm not going to devote a blog post to something so personal and special (sorry), but suffice it to say - it was fun, funny, touching, emotional, stunning, magical and just plain lovely. In case you are wondering, sweet Josie served as the canine of honor.

Saturday ride

2009-09-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

How gorgeous was the weather this weekend? Virginia is quite a place.

This week, we had tickets to the UVA/William & Mary football game (if you can call what UVA does as playing football) so I knew I'd have to start my ride earlier than the Team in Training group. Luckily, a large contingent of the Ironman Florida crew (including Rick) had planned a long ride out in Goochland. They graciously let me tag along.

The first few miles were very chilly, but we warmed up quickly as we headed across Broad St to St Matthew's Lane. I do adore riding out that way. Quiet country roads, horse farm after horse farm, Patty zipping along laughing all the way - you get the picture.

On the second loop, I had to deviate from the group due to a time crunch to get to the tailgate party in Charlottesville. I rode a slightly different route with Rick and Tammy that included Miller's Lane and Shallow Well. I don't get tired of riding out there. I think it's gorgeous. I did spy Bart and Bethany riding down Miller's, too. They looked happy & relaxed - but still fast. Too fast for me to see Bethany's new M-dot tattoo!

While I didn't ride the 90 miles the IMFL crew rode, I still logged 75 miles - my longest ride in over a year. And, my knees seemed to handle the work fairly well.

As for UVA football, I won't be cutting any more workouts short for them. Now the Richmond Spiders...well...that's a different story.

Crazy friends

2009-09-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

It's true. I hang around with a crazy bunch.

I'm looking forward to sharing in SOME of the training adventures of my friends who all just signed up for Ironman Canada in 2010. As far as I know, the following psychos are all in: Shawn, Karen, Shelley, Lynn, Carrie, Amy, Dr. Rick and, of course, my Rick.

There may be some others out there who haven't 'fessed up, but they'll admit what they've done soon enough.

While I have "retired" from Ironman distances events (my knees said, "No ma'am" when asked if they'd like to partake), I am excited to do part of the training with the Canada people. First, I am playing around with the idea of doing another amazing event for Team in Training in the late spring: a century ride around Lake Tahoe. It calls itself "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride" and I'm thinking that may be true.

And, I figure the Canada people will do a half-ironman race here and there to prep for the big race, so you never know, I may be inspired to do the aquabike portion of a 70.3.

School is in session

2009-09-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

And consequently, my blog has been neglected.

I've been busy with things like getting my syllabi ready, teaching classes, meeting my new advisees (love them), and generally putting out small fires here and there. For the record, I really love my job and feel extremely lucky work at such a fantastic university. Go spiders!

Meanwhile, I have been getting in some quality workouts. Two weekends ago, I rode about 50 miles with my Team in Training peeps. Before we headed out into the countryside of Goochland, we listened to several of our patient honorees share their experiences/battles with blood cancers. Very sobering and humbling. Each of our patient honorees spoke with grace, eloquence and candor. From there, we rode the first mile in silence as a tribute to everyone battling cancer. Read my teammate Art's blog for his perspective.

Last weekend, I did a 60+ mile ride out in the somewhat unfamiliar roads of the east end. Alas, due to the construction of an exit (or something) for I-895, our original cue sheet (courtesy of Shawnie) was not going to work. We did find some nice, quiet country roads to ride on so all was not lost. I rode 63 miles, while my riding partners continued on in their quest for more mileage. More power to you, riding machines!

Random thoughts..

2009-08-20T15:48:00.001-07:00

So...good news/bad news on last weekend's workout...

First, the bad news: Rick and I didn't ride nearly as long as we had hoped. We mapped out a route from Deltaville to Saluda and back (twice). That would've given us about a 70 mile ride altogether. The problem was the road that we had to ride on (route 17) is full of very fast vehicles...who are not really keen on moving over for cyclists. It was actually a little scary. After almost 40 miles of stressful riding, we decided (for our own sanity & health) to cut the ride short.

Rick followed the ride up with an hour run. I went on a 45 minute walk with some of river friends (including my dog, Josie) followed by...drum roll please...a 20 minute run.

Well...my pace could barely be described as a "run" but it was faster than a walk. That, my friends, is the longest I have run since last October. My knees seemed to do okay, but I won't be adding additional time on my little runs for awhile.

Hopefully, if all goes well, I'll eventually be able to run about 3x/week for 30 minutes or so. But, I have learned my lesson (the hard way) and will not push my running beyond what my knees will allow.

Finding my niche

2009-08-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today, I rode out in Hanover with the boys from Team in Training. I haven't ridden much out there - and I'm wondering why. It's so pretty. We did a 50-miler that included the three sisters and their crazy cousin. The hills aren't really that bad, particularly in comparison to the mighty Ironman Lake Placid bike course or the Blue Ridge parkway (granted, both of those rides take place in actual mountain ranges). I think it's just the second sister that is surprisingly (as in granny gear surprising) steep.

Anyway, I heard myself saying to one of my riding partners that I "used to be a triathlete."

Weird - what a difference a year makes.

My comment reflects, I think (here goes a little self-analysis), a defense mechanism on one hand - and a positive outlook on the other.

I have tried a little running - and...big ouch. My knees did not appreciate that. I'm not sure they really ever will.

And so, I find myself focusing instead on what I can do.

I can ride my bike. It's not quite as convenient as running, but what is?

Ironically, we rode the last 30 miles of our ride with Casey. Casey won (yes, won) the Richmond marathon two years ago (and qualified for the Olympic marathon trials in the process). Now, she's sidelined with a major hip injury (and it's up in the air if she can run again).

And there she was, riding right along with us.

Life is unpredictable. It can be mean. It can be unfair.

To quote some little note my mom used to have hanging in her kitchen, "When God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes."

These days, my sweet Sidi cycling shoes are the strongest ones I wear.

My sporty vacation...by the numbers

2009-08-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

(I stole the format for this entry from Weldon Bradshaw, coach/teacher extraordinaire @ Collegiate School)

9: the number of states we drove through...West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut

101: as in miles per hour...the speed of Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard's fast ball. That's just nasty.

41.73: seconds...yes, that was our gold-medal winning time at the Bobsled run in Lake Placid. And yes, we (Rick, Shelley, Lisa and I) stood on top of picnic table afterward and hummed the Olympic theme.

2: the number of hard-boiled eggs that Rick exploded (not on purpose) in the microwave. It sounded like a mini-bomb going off...we didn't stick around in that hotel for long.

2: the number of broken toes (that we know about) that took place in the beginning minutes of the Ironman swim...Deanna B and Rick are tough.

24: the total number of Ironman races completed by our cottage (aka Team Mountain Ash)...Blake and Rick lead the club house with 6 a piece. Can you say crazy?

13: Lucky 13! The number of Leahys Rick shared dinner with over the course of our vacation.

Priceless: watching the people who mean the most to you finish something amazing... like an Ironman race.

Lake Placid

2009-07-24T05:53:00.000-07:00

So far, the trip has been wonderful. We are staying in a beautiful, fully renovated "cottage" in Lake Placid. It is one of the original cottages of the Lake Placid Club. Rick and I are sharing the house with Blake & Twila, Sharon, Karen & Shawn, and Shelly & Lisa. Right next door, we have Deanna B + family and Bart & Bethany + family. A few houses down from us, we can find Lynnie Lou, Kate O + family, Amy M., and Dr Rick & Holly.

Fun people all around!

Our cottage provides an extraordinary view of the Adirondack mountains. Gorgeous. We can also walk to all parts of the Ironman course. The swim start is maybe a 5 minute walk from our backdoor - and both the bike and run courses are even closer.

And seriously, Lake Placid is one of the prettiest little athletically-inclined towns you can find. Picture quaint shops, flowers galore, and very healthy fit people everywhere you look.

Yesterday, I took my bike on a brief ride (20 miles or so) with the boys (Rick, Dr Rick and Blake). I had no trouble keeping up with them on the way out (I think they were lolly gagging), but it was a completely different story on the way back in. Yowzers - they were cruising. I did everything I could just to keep them in my sights! I figure it's always good to ride with faster people from time to time - as long as you know where you're going.

While out on the ride, I did see cycling studette Cyndi D taking her bike out for a little spin. She looked lovely and fast - as always.

We finished up with a cruise (by car) by checking out the rest of the bike course. It is hilly - but it is so pretty. You might as well be in a beautiful place while you suffer, right?

More later...

Ode to my bike

2009-07-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, one of my favorite people, Anne JT, convinced me that the new bike I wanted for my 40th birthday was the completely fantastic Trek Madone. I have complete faith in Anne and her cycling knowledge (which is probably quite frightening to her twin, Lynne) so I went ahead and bought Sweet Baby Gray. Of course, that year, I was doing nothing but flat races (Eagleman, Patriot Half, IMFL) and probably could've used a Tribike.

However, I am not made of money (indeed - I'm pretty sure I am made of blood, cartilage, arteries, organs, etc), so I was only shelling out cash for one bike.

I went with the road bike.

And I am completely grateful for the sage advice from Anne and the rest of the crew at East Coasters in Blacksburg (an awesome bike shop).

I had no idea that, in a few years, my focus would shift from triathlons to road biking.

My road bike has started to fill the void left by the absence of running from my life.

I finish a ride and...I'm happy. More importantly, my ol' knees are happy.

She is accompanying me on my two-week trip to the northeast. Hopefully, we'll get some riding time in Lake Placid and NH. I am somewhat fearful of my NH ride. My brother Matt has some kind of hell ride planned (he is cut from the same cloth as Coach Blake).

Stay tuned..

More fun on the road

2009-07-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

Another weekend = another new bike ride

This weekend, SanDee J ("The Teenager"), Molly ("Man Dropper"), Sharon ("Darbalicious"), Lynn ("Lynnie Lou") and I headed to Waverly for a 50+ mile ride with RABA.

Once again...we finished the ride laughing our heads off (not literally).

It all started innocently. Molly was riding about a quarter mile ahead of us with some unknown guy. We threw around the idea of trying to catch her (and her new boyfriend). But, we were only at about mile 10 of a 56 mile ride, so we opted to keep her in our sights.

We came to an intersection along the way and (wisely) stopped to check the cue sheet. Meanwhile, Molly and her man stopped, too - but they were far enough up the road to make conversation basically impossible. We quickly realized that we missed a turn and needed to backtrack. We yelled to Molly and the stranger.

They looked us, waved us off and kept on going....in the wrong direction!

Well...we knew that they had the same cue sheet as us, but apparently, they were reading it upside down?

Anyway, we turned around and headed towards the mid-way store stop - all the while wondering what Molly and the man were going.

At the store stop, we caught up with the rest of the group (who had not missed the turn), refueled, and continued on the ride. Sharon did manage to get Molly on her cellphone - and according to Molly, "They were just fine."

We, of course, hypothesized that Molly and her strange man were now engaged - after a brief 90 minute courtship by bike. We pictured them sitting by their bikes in a meadow, gazing into one another's eyes, sipping Gatorade. Romantic, isn't it?

Fast forward to the end of the ride: up ahead on the road, we spot a cyclist walking his bike up a small hill. Helmet off, sweaty, ripped shorts - it looked like he had just finished one of the mountain stages of the Tour.

Fancy our surprise when we realized that this was Molly's man. Apparently, she had set a pace that he was not ready to keep.

Okay - we've found Molly's man.....but where is Molly?? We knew she didn't have a cue sheet...or a riding partner at this point.

Our vision of wedding bells was completely out the window at this point. Instead, we figured she had inadvertently ridden to Petersburg.

That seemed like a fair punishment for ditching your friends for a guy in blue cycling shorts, don't you think?

Miraculously, Molly appeared (like a mirage) at the final intersection into Waverly. Note: she was traveling in the opposite direction from us. Lord knows where she rode.

I don't think she even knows - and that cracked us up even more.

Josie swims

2009-07-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

I will admit that I had a wonderful July 4th holiday. Sometimes I feel a little guilty blogging about my various joyrides...while my friends endure torture workouts. I'd be there if I could, my friends!

Anyway, on July 3rd, Sharon D (aka "the Darbalicious") and I headed to Kilmarnock for a ride along the northern neck (to Reedville and back). We had a hilarious day...filled with misreading the cue sheet (but not for too long), riding with a hostile ol' man who continuously blew snot rockets in our direction (we finally had to drop the guy - and didn't feel guilty about it) and a relaxing lunch along the water. We made some new friends and enjoyed gorgeous rural riding. I did almost wipe out at a stop sign (yes - in front of many other riders and cars). I'd like to blame it on adjusting to my new bike fit - but the truth is, I'm just a spazz sometimes.

On the fourth of July, I enjoyed a sweet little fair in Deltaville complete with snowcones and crab races. Yes - crab races. I opted not to bet on any of the poor confused crustaceans shimmying down the chutes. Instead, I returned to Rick's cottage to chill out on the dock with a book. Meanwhile, my 8-year old dog finally learned how to swim.

Apparently, you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Josie, who loves Rick, followed him into some deeper water - and realized she could not touch the bottom. Suddenly, her doggie instincts kicked in - and she was dog paddling with glee. I, being a proud mom, immediately told her what a good girl she was. With that praise, Josie swam round and round - showing off in her doggie way. It was one of the cutest things she has ever done.

The next morning, she showed off a little more. I was afraid she'd follow Rick and I way out into the water (he was going for an open water swim - and I was serving as the safety kayaker). Instead, she just watched us dutifully from the dock. When we returned from the swim, she jumped in and swam round and round the kayak.

Love that dog - and my ongoing bike joyrides.

Riding with the team

2009-06-30T18:48:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, I finally was able to join my Team in Training buddies on a training ride. What a great workout - and simply awesome riding friends.

The crew consisted of Coach Ed (not Maramarc Ed - a different badass cyclist named Ed), Ryan, Allen, Paul, Sarah (another surgery victim), a friend of Sarah's and me. Our plan was to start at Laurel Park with the RABA ABC ride. I have mainly ridden in Goochland, so this was fairly new territory for me.

We started out at a very relaxed pace, which made me (incorrectly) think I'd need to fit in a swim later to get my heart really pumping.

Foolish, foolish me...

We didn't do the traditional 20 mile ABC ride. Instead, we followed a slightly different loop that added 10 miles to the front of the ride. The different loop had some nice rollers on it that woke my legs up.

Early into the ride, the other two ladies turned around as one of them wasn't feeling well.

That left just me and the boys on the ride. All four of my riding partners either are regular riders (Ed rides for Team Nature's Path) and/or just completed a century ride (Fletcher Flyer or Lake Tahoe) in the past month.

I'm sure for them the pace was a "piece of cake" but for this runner-trying-to-become-a-cyclist, it was a brisk pace - challenging but really fun. They even tried to teach me how to draft. I'm still a little wary of riding so close to someone else's wheel, but I'm willing to give it a try.

I finished the ride completely invigorated - and feeling like my legs & lungs had done some work.

I'm definitely looking forward to riding with these great guys as we all peddle for a cure. One of my buddies - Allen - has a 22-year-old son who is currently in remission from leukemia. We're riding for him - and anyone else affected by cancer.

Did I mention that I love my bike? Yup - I do.

A different ride

2009-06-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how the simplest decision can sometimes cause the most angst?

For instance, I'm not working next Friday (come on people - it's a holiday weekend) so I figured I'd fit in a longer ride that day (happily leaving the 4th free and clear for relaxation).

The choices included: traveling up to the Blue Ridge Parkway with my Lake Placid friends for a lot of climbing. I certainly had no intention of riding the 100 miles featured on their schedule. Quite simply - not necessary and really not possible at this point. But, I could ride about 40, maybe 50, miles up there. I admit that I do love the BRP - although I'm still not a huge fan of descents.

Despite the difficulty of that ride, there is something very reassuring about riding that route I know well - and hanging with my main riding buddies for the past 3 years.

Or....

I could choose an easier ride on the northern neck....with a group I've only ridden with once.

While the route is much kinder and gentler than the BRP, I've never actually ridden it. The ride includes a lunch stop...at a pretty little marina.

And yet - the northern neck choice intimidated me a little more. What if I get dropped? What if I take a wrong turn? What if...what if...what if...whoa...stop.

(Sometimes, I have to stop my meandering mind when it gets all ridiculous - like it was today regarding these rides).

Instead, I asked myself, "What if you meet some more cool people? What if you discover more beautiful places to ride? What if you push yourself out of your comfort zone?"

Hello northern neck....

Helping the cause

2009-06-24T10:05:00.001-07:00

As you know, I'm currently training for the Seagull Century in October. It's going to be a very memorable event as it will be my fourth endurance event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. My first event was in 2005 - The Mayor's Midnight Sun marathon in Anchorage, Alaska.

It was amazing - as you can imagine. I even enjoyed the last few miles of the marathon, which are typically anything but pleasant.

I am so flattered and excited to report that I have been asked to serve as a mentor for the spring 2010 cycling team. I'll be helping the spring team fund raise and train for their century ride. Hopefully, I'll join them on the ride, too.

I love combining my hobbies (endurance stuff like swimming, cycling and...maybe running) with something that helps others (fundraising for blood cancers).

This has been a happy, happy day.

Refreshing

2009-06-15T12:31:00.001-07:00

You know that feeling you have after a long, worthwhile workout? I felt that on Saturday, thanks to the great idea of SanDee J. She and I were talking about going for a little spin on our bikes on Saturday. She suggested we try one of the RABA rides. I thought, "Why not?"

Well...the ride was a little bit longer than anything we've done this spring (she is also a victim of knee surgery - ACL reconstruction in March). Yup - we signed on for a 59-miler. Luckily, the ride was absolutely flat as a pancake and described as "social."

Flat + social + the good people of RABA = awesome Saturday

RABA may be my new favorite athletic group in Richmond. Not only did they all welcome us as if we were long-lost friends, they were just so...laidback. While I know some of their rides are very fast and competitive, this was not so - nor was it advertised as such.

The ride included gorgeous views of the James River from Chippoke State Park - and miles and miles of relaxing rural riding. The man in charge of the ride arranged for the sweetest refueling stop at a tiny church in Surrey County. We had Gatorade, cookies and a personal welcome letter from the church.

On July 3rd, this same group of people is planning a ride from Kilmarnock to Reedville (with a lunch included). I think I know what I'm doing that day...

A little more progress

2009-06-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

Last year, for unknown reasons, I loved to do kicking drills in the pool. I don't know why. I also like tequila shots, so you get that I'm not 100% normal.

This year, I have been a non-kicker (knee surgery - as if you didn't know). I think I actually forgot how to pull, rotate AND kick while swimming. I've been pulling and rotating with minimal kicking since January.

Until Karen H (aka ProKaren or Ironwoman Cananda) pointed out that it might be a wise move for me to start kicking again.

I tried it out tentatively. I've had some moments when if I kick too hard, my knees kick me right back. Darn knees.

Last night, I could actually incorporate a little kicking back into my swimming.

But forget about springing off the blocks. No thank you. I will try that out when I am healed enough to run again. (How about that bartering with myself?)

And, most importantly, this morning, my knees weren't uncomfortably tight and stiff from swimming.

The healing continues.

Cycling for a Cure - part 2

2009-06-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Last winter, I decided to take on the challenge of competing in another endurance event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. By finishing the SeaGull Century in October, I will have completed the "triple crown" of fundraising for TNT by finishing a marathon (Mayor's Midnight marathon in Alaska), a triathlon (Dave Scott's Texasman Tri in - where else? - Texas) and at last (fingers crossed) a century ride this fall.

Due to the extreme generosity of my friends and family, I have already raised the minimum funds of $2,500. Close to 80% of the funds go straight to cancer research (the other portion supports our training). But, every dollar that I raise beyond my minimum goes directly to cancer research.

If you know of anyone who is interested, please have them donate to my cause: My Team in Training Website

(Big hugs to two of my favorite people who have been personally affected by blood cancer: Rick and Fave...this one is for your two wonderful dads).

Finding peace

2009-06-04T19:28:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time I was heartbroken to have to drop out of Lake Placid.

And then I saw their workout for this weekend...and I was no longer heartbroken.

But seriously, I am in awe of all my many friends who are training for Lake Placid. They have worked so hard, battling injuries, fears, and the crunch of IM training. You all are my heroes.

Meanwhile, I am in a great frame of mind in terms of training and general health. I actually feel sore this week. I haven't felt sore from riding or strength training or swimming in awhile (not including soreness from surgery, of course). I love it.

After consulting with my posse of people-who-know-a-lot-more-than-me-about-cycling, I've decided to : a) update my bike fit and b) transform my bike back into a pure road bike. At least for the next year, my focus is on doing long rides - but not races. I'm really intrigued by the world of century rides (I think). It seems like a great way to stay fit, see the world, collect cool t-shirts - and be able to stay connected with my triathlon friends (I plan to tag along on many of the Ironman Florida training rides as I train for a couple of century rides - most notably the Farm Ride in Massachusetts and Seagull Century on the Eastern shore of Maryland).

So there you go - there is life post-surgery. And it's a good one.

Other options...

2009-05-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

Now that knee surgery is behind me (and I hope to avoid it from this point on - fingers crossed), my thoughts turn to...what next?

I will admit that I sometimes ponder what it would be like to do one more Ironman race. Obviously, my training plan would have to be seriously altered to focus primarily on swimming & biking followed by a lovely 26.2 mile stroll. Someone please slap me. And for Pete's sake, do not share these musings with my parents. They are not big fans of Ironman racing (something about their daughter spending excessive amounts of time in the medical tent will freak out a parent - I guess).

Anyway...enough of that madness.

I've also been investigating the whole century riding thing. Who knew there were crazy long and very cool rides all over the place? Actually, many people already knew this, but whatever.

I'm already planning on the Heart of Virginia Century and the Seagull Century this fall. Perhaps I'll do some long rides with the IMFL girls, too.

I also found this one in New England:

It’s time to get out of the city and get back to farm country. Check out the photos on this web site -- all taken on The Farm Ride route.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert, we have an incredible ride ready for you. We’re going to pedal along the river, on no-car bike paths and on quiet, back-country roads shaded with trees. You’ll ride past farms, dairy cows, rivers, tobacco sheds... Overhead is the Holyoke Range mountains. (No, we are NOT pedaling UP the mountains! We’ll pedal in the valley, ALONGSIDE the mountains!)

We’re going through towns that were founded in the 1700s. There are no car alarms here. There are no booming radios. Instead you’ll enjoy a clear sky full of stars, friendly townspeople, great riding companions, fresh local food, and lush scenery.

Sounds like heaven to me...

Is this a need or a want?

2009-05-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

I found this super-awesome cycle jersey online today. It is cut for women...and sports to of my favorite things on it: dogs + beer. I think it's a definite "need."

PT

2009-05-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

I headed to PT for my second session since surgery #2. It turns out that two reasons my left knee is healing so well are a) Dr H mainly performed a lateral release whereas my right knee had a lateral release AND chondroplasty and b) I only have two incisions this time (last time I had three - and one was somewhat biggish).

Anyway, PT was fine & dandy. It's always great to shoot the breeze with Jim as he helps me rehab my knees. I happened to mention that I was spending Saturday watching my friends compete at the Kinetic Half. Jim told me that it would be a very, very bad idea to go.

Huh?

He (patiently) pointed out that I'm only 8 days out from surgery. Standing/walking around all day was not a wise move at this time. So, I may try to catch the end of the run - or I may just have to wait for you all to fill me in on the day.

Meanwhile, I was able to spin on the stationary bike for a little while. I am weeks ahead of my recovery from my first surgery.

And that is almost as nice as the sun (finally) shining...

Good news

2009-05-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, it pays to have two knee surgeries within a four month period. I have very clear memories of my recovery from the first one - and my goal remains to heal(within reason) just as well - if not perhaps a little faster - this time.

First, I had a lot of swelling during the first two weeks last time. I'm fairly certain that I a) did not use my ice machine enough and b) did not elevate my leg enough.

Solution: I spent the first 48 hours icing and elevating (and sleeping).
Result: Left knee is swollen, but it looks so much better than the right knee did 5 days post-surgery.

Second, I was really wary of putting any weight on my knee last time. It looked so...gross. I just couldn't believe it could hold me. And so, I didn't move around enough in the first 5 days - which also led to increased swelling since my blood had nowhere to go but to my feet.

Solution: Hobble around more (in between icing and elevating) - and see how much weight I can bear.

Result: My knee is still attached to my body - and thus, it really can carry my weight still. And - moving around is keeping my left quad from wasting away in front of my eyes.

Believe it or not, but I can even drive already. How awesome it that? I'm sure it looks a little strange to see me get out of my car with my brace & crutches.
Don't worry, folks - my right leg does all the work when I drive.

Anyway, my first PT session was today. Jim gave me double-thumbs up. He was quite pleased with the minimal swelling and solid range of motion in the knee.

I'm already dreaming of biking and swimming again. I'm sending positive thoughts from my mind to my knee. I think it's working.

Recovering (again)

2009-05-01T04:21:00.000-07:00

And so, I'm back in the major recovery mode again.

This time around, there were a few minor changes during the day of surgery. Lynn picked me up and toted me to the surgical suite. Miraculously, Dr. H was running a little ahead of schedule and before I knew it, I was being wheeled in for surgery. Of course, due to all the meds, I have no recollection of any of that. The next thing I remember was waking up in recovery. Since my surgery was fairly late in the day (3:00 p.m.), I was so hungry & thirsty (I hadn't ingested anything since the night before). The super-awesome recovery nurse was right there with gingerale and graham crackers. Happiness is the post-surgery snack. Yum. Apparently, I react quite joyfully to all the medication. I was talking non-stop to the nurses, Lynn and Rick. Everyone was more than patient with loopy me. At one point, I asked Rick if I was amusing or annoying. His response, "A little of both." He did eventually admit that he sort of likes it when I'm on percocet.

This time, I also have a much better attitude towards surgery. Back in January, I was seriously heartbroken about having to drop out of Lake Placid. Now, I'm much more accepting about the condition of (sadly) both of my knees. Dr H. explained that the damage to both knees is in nearly identical places. While I do have a lot of healthy cartilage, I also have a spot on each knee that has grade 4 damage. What does that mean?

With grade 4 damage, the cartilage tear exposes the underlying (subchronal) bone. Yes, I have two spots with no cartilage - which explains the ongoing pain and swelling I have during certain activities (deep squats, stair climbing, running). Dr H., via the lateral release, was able to pop my patella back in its groove. As such, the pressure is more equally distributed over all the cartilage.

Basically, my running future is in question. While that makes me sad at times, I'm looking ahead to other things. I find that swim workouts with Coach K are a tremendous workout. My flip turns are improving (and they are fun) and I can finally do no-breathers. Biking, of course, is a perfect activity for those of us with knee issues. I plan to do a lot of that - and can't wait to join the RABA folks on some of their fun rides (like the Sat morning ride to Ashland). I also plan to be rehabbed and ready for the SeaGull Century in October - and hopefully, the Heart of Va ride in September.

Hangin' with Fave

2009-04-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

I knew I needed another knee surgery, but I wasn't quite sure when it would happen. On one hand, I wanted to get it over with so I could focus on getting totally healthy again. (I want to run again!) On the other hand, I really didn't want to go through another knee procedure.

Fave, my surgical partner-in-crime, jokingly said that I should tell my surgeon (who happens to be in the same practice as her surgeon) that I should have surgery this week so we could be crutch buddies.

Well now...be careful what you wish for..

Knee surgery #2 (on the other knee) is set to take place this Wednesday - a mere 24 hours before Fave's leg is repaired.

We will be the ones with the bedazzled crutches.

Released

2009-04-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

After 3 months of PT, I was officially released on Friday. Of course, chances are high that I will be back in May if Dr H. performs surgery on my other knee. I'll find out about the situation with that possible surgery on Thursday.
The funny thing about recovering/prepping from/for knee surgery is that it both restricts me and frees me. Weird, I know.
Obviously, I'm restricted in what I can do. I've missed a lot of training over the winter, so I'm not able to do the hard core workouts the half and full IM people do. I'm not running yet (we tried that on Friday - not quite there). And so I find myself being able to...do whatever I want.
I can fit in a random pilates or yoga class and not worry that it's "getting in the way of a scheduled workout."
I'm checking out a wide variety of spin classes and instructors - different music, different routines. It's something unexpected every class.
I'm trying to learn the butterfly which is hilarious. But, I figure - why not? It's something new. And funny. Very funny.
I have a lot more time on the weekends. I love that. I'm reading books again. I'm looking forward to creating beauteous flower boxes. I think I might even cook dinner from time to time.
Yup - there is a silver lining after all.

Outside

2009-04-06T04:57:00.000-07:00

How nice when the weather cooperates with outdoor riding plans. Saturday was the first TG ride - as well as my first attempt at riding outside with my fixed-up knee. I will admit that I was a complete grump on Saturday (before riding). I was feeling sorry for myself that I couldn't do the Lake Placid ride. I know, I know - self-pity gets me nowhere.

However, as soon as I started pedaling around the friendly confines of West Creek, my bad mood was gone. Sunshine + friendly faces all around + my beloved Trek = happiness.

I kept my pace very easy (I didn't even turn on the bike computer) and simply spun around the 8-mile loop three times. At first, my knee felt a little stiff - but it was fine within 10 minutes. I did find myself nearly blown off my bike a few times...ah yes, spring riding!

I'll probably stay away from really steep hills for awhile until my quad regains more strength, but as Coach B wisely pointed out, "You are in no rush."

After riding, we did our usual lounge around the WC parking lot (not as dangerous as our notorious picnics-in-the-middle-of-the-Blue-Ridge-parkway).

Good stuff.

Mucho love..

2009-04-03T17:47:00.001-07:00

to all of you.

Thanks for all the love & support re: my last post.

My new mantra is: patience, patience, patience...

Sigh...

2009-04-02T05:15:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been a little too enthusiastic about my recovery. It's going really well - but not quite as well as I'd like to think. I need many reminders that it really hasn't been that long since surgery. I'd prefer reminders from my own brain - not my knee.

Heavy sigh..

After too many hours on my feet over the weekend combined with swimming, hard cycling and overdoing it on the step ups, my knee looked like a big fat melon yesterday at PT. Jim sat me down, put some ice on my knee, and told me to stay off my bike and out of the pool for a day or two.

Dang it.

He did reassure me that I haven't done any damage and that all will be fine in a day or two.

It's just a reality check that coming back from surgery is a process that can't be rushed.

Monument Ave 10K

2009-03-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

Since I couldn't run the 10K this year (or more accurately, run into the Kids race and cross the finish line with the youngsters - see last year's report for more details), I opted to volunteer. It's a big race with a ton of opportunities to help out, but I think I may have picked one of the cooler options.

I worked the finish line.

Back in my cross-country/track coaching days, I tried to avoid the finish line due to the high probability that someone would throw up at the end (happens all the time in the mile and the cross country races - those kids fly!)

There was some vomit - but luckily the guy missed Debbie Jo (barely). Debbie Jo, of course, handled the situation with humor (as always - love her).

A couple of volunteering highlights:

1. Handing out the medals to the little guys & gals at the end of kids mile race. They were all so proud of themselves. Nothing like seeing a 7 year proudly wearing her medal. It really, really made my day.

2. Being in charge (along with several other volunteers) of the elite finishers. I was "in charge" of the second place male. He spoke a little English (he's from Ethiopia) and could flat out run (hello 4:30 miles). I made sure he had water, a towel and food. I also had to make sure he made it to the awards ceremony on time (which was somewhat tricky due to the language barrier).

3. Seeing so many familiar faces at the finish: Sandy L, Fave, Shelley, Anna, Debbie Jo, Patti, Heidi, Kelly, Sharona, Kate O & Maddie - I'm sorry I didn't see all of you - great racing!

Coming along

2009-03-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

When I mention to random people that I have a physical therapy appointment, they cringe and say things like, "I bet it's awful" or "Do they just torture you?" Umm..no. It's actually just the opposite.
PT is actually a reaffirming experience for me. I leave PT (at times with very tired legs) knowing that I am healing...that I am making progress.
For the past month, Jim has only seen me every other week since many of the exercises I can do on my own. I spent time building more strength (which will be ongoing for quite awhile).
As of yesterday, however, we have moved into a new phase of rehab. I still do all the leg strength work (and I've gained a respectable amount of strength in a month), but now we've added some "dynamic" work.
"Dynamic?" you ask.
Yes, that's what I wrote.
Jim has a nifty pilates machine that I met yesterday.
It's the first step towards putting some more force (i.e. running) on the knee. I push off from the bottom and it propels me upwards - and then I have to concentrate on landing lightly. Occasionally, I can do it right.
Jim chuckles at me in much the same way that ProKaren cracks up when we try to do the butterfly. Evil geniuses, I call those two.
Anyway...
Here's the new plan:
1. I return to PT for 2x/week sessions to work on the dynamic exercises.
2. We are going to adjust my peddles to try to help my knees and feet stay in better alignment.
3. I can start to ride outdoors again - but I have to start with short, slow rides at first.
4. I can return to doing the core & arm exercises at strength workouts. However, my days of (trying to) spring up on the steps are over for good. Jim said that is a big no-no for my knees.
5. Let pain be my guide when it comes to swimming and indoor cycling. I can try to stand on my peddles today - but I still need to lay off (my feeble excuse for) flip turns.
And finally, Jim warned me that, while my knees should be well-healed in a month or two, it really takes a year to heal completely from knee surgery.

Latest news

2009-03-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

I had three highlights this week (my spring break week...so peaceful).

1. A return to Thursday night master's swimming @ the Y. How lucky for me to find myself in a pure lane of joy, which included: Shawn, Molly, Mary & Debbie Jo. I was able to do most of the workout without the pull buoy. I kicked - but very lightly. I also can't push off with my right leg right now. For now, the breast stroke and flip turns (if you can call what I do a flip turn) are going to have to wait.

On a sad note, I left my snazzy pink & gray pull buoy in the locker room. When I went back to get it, it was gone. I couldn't find it by the lap pool, locker room or the two lost and found locations. So, if you see a pull buoy matching that description @ the Y, it's probably mine!

2.I rode on the trainer for 2 hours today. I still can't do the standing work (it puts way too much pressure on my knee) but that will come eventually.

3. My new niece, Emma, was born on Tuesday. From the pictures, she looks cute as can be.

That's pretty cool

2009-03-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

I know that some of you are probably tired of my blogging about my knee. Sorry. But, I know that when I was researching the lateral release procedure, I found very little information that documented the real experience. Basically, I read either scientific journal articles (confusing) or people ranting about how it didn't work for them (scary & depressing).

I also knew that it was highly likely that my other knee would eventually need some kind of surgery (confirmed) - and I thought this would be a reasonable way to document my experience (the good, the bad and the ugly).
Much to my surprise, I've had two lateral release patients find my blog - that's pretty darn cool!
So...7.5 weeks post-surgery, this is where I am:

a) I rode on the trainer for 90 minutes on Saturday. I haven't been on my bike that long since December. And - after my 90 minute ride in December, my knee blew up like a balloon and I could barely walk the next day (darn cartilage piece). Yesterday, my surgically repaired knee felt really good. I did try to stand up for a moment - OUCH - not quite ready for that yet. I'm doing endless one-legged drills and can clip in and out of my pedals fearlessly again. I'm not riding outside yet. I think I need to build up some more strength in ye olde quads - and where the actual release was performed is still a bit tender (would not want to wipe out on it).

b) I'm swimming with the pull buoy still. After Wednesday, I'm supposed to transition from the pull buoy to light kicking. Pain will be the guide on that one. I'm still not very comfortable pushing off the wall with the right leg - it doesn't feel quite right.

c) I had a little miscalculation. I should expect to be almost 100% by mid-May (not mid-April) - four months post-surgery.

d) Walking upstairs is beginning to feel better. It used to kill me, so I'm happy to feel the improvements.

e) Running - I really can't think about that right now because I will cry. (I've lost track now of how many times I've cried because I can't run). I need to focus on what I can do comfortably - biking and swimming.

So there you go...steady progress - love that!

Good news/bad news

2009-03-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

First, the bad news:
1. SanDee J (aka broken knee #2) tore her ACL a few weeks ago. She is undergoing reconstructive surgery next week.

2. My left knee needs surgery,too. Dr H. confirmed what I suspected today during my appointment. We're going to hold off on that for awhile. It may happen next November. (My left knee makes very nauseating sounds when I walk upstairs - and on bad days, it clicks during every pedal stroke).

And now for the good news:
1. It's going to be a gorgeous weekend.

2. My right knee is healing beautifully. Hooray! The good doctor predicts I'll be "normal" (I use that term loosely) by mid-April - four months post-surgery. He said it can take anywhere from 4-12 months to recover. He mentioned something about "type A, tough" people tend to heal a little faster. I shared this comment with my mother, and her only comment was "He's got your number." I'm not really that tough...no comment on my occasional type A tendencies. Triathletes and Type A personalities go together like Peeps and Easter. But, I think some of my training partners make me look like Little Miss Laidback (you know who you are - smile)

3. My spring break begins tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. Six years of grad school are paying off...

Kicking

2009-03-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

I am not kicking...yet in the pool. But the other guppies are kicking and kicking and kicking and kicking and kicking and kicking. You get the picture.
I think they all may have been a little jealous of me and my oh-so-pretty pull buoy this morning. Don't worry, Gups - you'll have the last laugh when I begin to kick again (in about 10 days or so). My hip flexors are crying already.
Meanwhile, I'm thinking (because I am deranged) that I might just step up and do the Chesapeakeman Aquavelo (or as we regular people call it - the aquabike) in late September. What can I say? I'm addicted to training with my peeps. And I just know that Deanna, Fave and Lynn want to do the Sea Gull Century with me in October...any other takers?

Avoiding the vacumn

2009-02-28T13:23:00.001-08:00

I need to vacumn the never-ending supply of dog hair from Josie, the shedding machine - which does not explain why I am updating my blog right now.
Anyway....
My knee continues to heal. I spent some time at physical therapy yesterday after my classes were over. Jim gave me the thumbs-up to clip in and out of my pedals again. I never really thought about the quick, violent move that we have to make to get out of bike pedals (that is, until I had knee surgery). He also suggested that I do the ol' one-legged drills during indoor cycling while everyone else does the insane climbing drills (I'm not quite ready for those).
So - I tried it out this morning.
I was a little leery of clipping out at first. I had visions of popping my knee out of place - a rather scary vision, indeed.
But, it didn't happen (and if it had, I probably wouldn't be blogging right now).
I forgot that one-legged drills are pretty tough. But, I need to do them to build up the strength in my hip flexors and hamstrings again.
I managed my longest ride on my bike since surgery - 70 minutes. I'll add about 10 minutes every Saturday - and attempt to add a little more tension, too.
Following my spin, I headed to the Y for some swimming - or my version of it. PT Jim told me that I should expect to use the pull buoy for another two weeks. After that, I could gradually reduce the pull buoy time and add in light kicking.
I managed to do 5 300s (although I wasn't exactly breaking any speed limits) with a 100 cool down = 1600 meters.
Amazingly, I found the pool to be relaxing and kind of...fun. I let myself just enjoy moving through the water...kind of how I used to let myself just enjoy trotting along Grove Avenue. Hmmm - perhaps this whole surgery thing could help me love the water a little more...
Speaking of running, PT Jim thought that I might be able to re-introduce light running into my regimen in about 6 weeks (3 months post-surgery). He warned me that this is just an estimate. Healing times are hard to predict with specific certainty.
My attitude towards my knees and working out and triathlons is definitely on an upward trajectory. In fact, I can think about IM Lake Placid without wanting to cry now. I'm genuinely excited to be there to cheer on and support my training buddies.

Simple pleasures

2009-02-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday had some definite highlights, including:

1. A return to Guppies - despite floundering around with the pull buoy, it was so fun to be back with the gang in the disturbingly murky pool.

2. Walking outside to a winter wonderland - there is something about snow falling that makes me smile (perhaps because it is so rare in Virginia).

3. My undergraduates put on a fabulous presentation in one of my classes. I was so proud of them!

4. My car AND laptop are in fine-working order after a trip to the car doctor (oil change, balance, brake pads) and the computer doctor (upgrade to Leopard - my laptop is totally fancy-pants now).

Moving along

2009-02-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

This morning, PT Jim cut back my visits to just once a week. A very positive sign, indeed. He told me that my range of motion is excellent - yippee! Now, we are going to focus primarily on building more strength in my quad - and eventually move to "dynamic" exercises. I'll be heading to the gym (most likely the beautiful Weinstein Center at U of R) every other day to go through the long list of exercises he has prescribed for me. I'll also be spinning on my bike - and floating around in the pool, too. Running, alas, is somewhere far off in the distance. Believe it or not, I'm really okay with it.
While I miss the funny, quirky conversations from long training runs, I don't miss the ongoing pain in my knees that accompanied those runs.

Adorable

2009-02-11T04:47:00.001-08:00

The little winner from the Westminster Dog Show

Another update

2009-02-10T04:43:00.000-08:00

This morning, I took my bike for a virtual 35-minute spin. It made me smile to feel my heart and lungs do a little work - at last. I'm hoping, if all goes according to my plan, that I'll be back at indoor cycling on Feb 21st. However, I won't go unless I get the blessing of PT Jim. I am learning patience with the healing process.

For instance, I thought I'd be back in the pool this week (with the pull buoy - no kicking for awhile). But, I was not given the green light. Maybe next week, little Guppies!

I started planning all the different sprint triathlons I wanted to do this summer. And then I had to stop myself. I need to wait to see how my recovery goes before I sign up for any races. If I sign up, I'll do whatever I can to finish the race (e.g. doing the run at Timberman - probably not the greatest move for my knee - but it sure was a gorgeous run course). I already had to drop out of Ironman Lake Placid (which I only did the day before surgery...I might've still been in bit of denial). So, for now, no races are planned.

However, I have completed my fundraising goal for the Team in Training century ride. I am going to do that - but not until October. The October ride is typically the Seagull Century. Join me! Better yet - join Team in Training. Be a lifesaver.

Making progress

2009-02-04T17:51:00.000-08:00

Three weeks after surgery, I am completely free of my brace and crutches. I can bend my knee between 110-120 degrees (which has made spinning on my bike much more comfie). PT Jim told me that I can begin to increase my spinning time by 5 minute increments every day or two, in the hopes that I would be back up to spinning for an hour in two weeks.
I'm also allowed to use my bike shoes again (but no clipping out with the right leg) and I can put some tension back on the ol'trainer.

Besides working on the flexibility, Jim is working on rebuilding my quad strength. Since September, I haven't been able to do any squats or step-ups due to that pesky floating cartilage piece. Needless to say, the combination of little leg strength work and surgery have left my quads weak.

But, fitness that is lost can be rebuilt (this is what I have been telling myself for weeks now).

And so I keep plugging away.

Unfortunately, it does not look like I'll be ready to do my Leukemia & Lymphoma Society century bike ride in June (the Fletcher Flyer). But, the kind people at Team in Training reassured me that I could postpone the ride until the fall. Amazingly, I am only $30.00 short of my fundraising goal. The fundraising is almost complete - now I just have to get my body back in shape.

Happy update

2009-01-31T05:18:00.000-08:00

Two days after my surgery, I cried. My knee was...well...rather grotesque. Three times the size of the other knee, stitched up, immobile, painful. I thought, "What have I done?"

17 days later, I'm thinking, "When can I fix the other one?" Amazing what a little time can do.

I don't need my brace anymore - and I only use one crutch when I go out. At home, I walk around fairly normally. My knee still has a fair amount of swelling (especially after I do my exercises), so Jim M (PT extraordinaire) gave me a compression sleeve for my knee. He also has been "massaging" my lower IT band (near - but not on - where the release was done) during each PT session. OUCH is all I can say. While his massages cause me to grip the side of the table so I don't scream, they have loosened up whatever is causing tightness in my knee. Yesterday (drum roll please) I was able to ride a stationary bike normally. Yes - I could make a full revolution with my surgically-repaired knee. I couldn't do that on Wednesday.

Today, Rick is bringing me my bike and trainer from Maramarc. I'm not allowed to use my biking shoes (no clipping in yet) or any tension on the trainer, but the simple cycling movement is supposed to be excellent for my knee's healing.

Soon, I'll be able to walk Josie again - that is if she'll ever leave Rick's side.

The latest..

2009-01-27T05:46:00.000-08:00

I'm wondering why Richmond is never quite cold enough for snow. I'm watching some kind of sleetish-stuff falling from the sky. Yuck - snow is much prettier.

Anyway, I met with Dr Higgs yesterday. It turns out that, yes indeed, that was a piece of cartilage I saw on the pictures. He was quite pleased with how nicely my patella popped into place after the lateral release procedure. But, he did tell me he wishes that I'd had this surgery on my knee years ago (who knew?). I do have a spot that has no cartilage - which means my bone is exposed in one spot. He told me that steep hills and stairs would probably always be a problem for that knee. On a bright note, the rest of my knee is very healthy - no signs of arthritis, etc. Based on how much popping my knee made before surgery (combined with pain & swelling), WebMD diagnosed me with osteoarthritis, too. Dr Higgs trumps WedMD every time.

Anyway, I'm being quite a dutiful PT patient. I'd like to ditch the crutches and brace asap. The crutches have knocked over more than one glass of water (maddening) and the brace...well...it doesn't go with most of my outfits. It's also a wee bit cumbersome hoisting it (and my leg) into my car.

Most of all, I miss walking Josie through my 'hood.

Humbling

2009-01-22T04:43:00.000-08:00

Knee surgery was not in my grand plan for 2009. In fact, I ignored the doctor when he first told me it was what I needed. Luckily, my prognosis looks pretty good. I'll get all the nitty-gritty details of my knee's health next week when I return to Dr Higgs. That's when I'll have him explain each picture he took of my surgery. I think two pictures show the before and after position of my patella. Another picture shows (again - I think) the piece of floating cartilage that was giving me fits all fall.

Okay - that stuff isn't what's so humbling. What is humbling to me is how much I've had to rely on the generosity of my friends to help me get to where I need to be (Lynn, SanDee, Deanna B, Cathy F), feed me (Kate O, Grandison, SanDee - Annnn-in the future), send treats (Cyndi, Annie, Mom), visits (Lynn, Karen H, Kate O) and boost my spirits with emails, calls and text messages (a slew of good people). And Rick - well, he has just been simply amazing. Don't be fooled by his occasional smart-alecky remarks, he is a softie and has been so good to me.

It brings home the realization that even when you feel alone, if you have good friends or family (luckily, I have both), you are never alone. And if you have a neurotic dog (like mine), you are literally never alone. Luckily, Josie fears my crutches, so she hasn't tripped me yet.

Crutchin' around

2009-01-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

Before surgery, I was completely focused on the procedure itself - and the potential successful results. I didn't consider post-surgery.. and things like adapting to crutches and a knee brace.

Ignorance is bliss?

First, I am doing well and do feel better every day. But, just as TG Maggie (who happens to be a physical therapist) predicted, my knee is so swollen that my quad has essentially shut down. I actually have to lift my right leg to move it. It's weird. I also felt like I should be "tough" and not rely on prescription painkillers. Silly, silly me. My doctor reminded me that there is a reason he prescribes percocet post-surgery - and that I'm not being a wimp. I have taken the minimum dosage - and hope to be totally off it today. Fingers crossed!

I have grown to love my super-cool ice machine that provides constant coolness to my knee. What a fantastic invention. I am the proud owner of another device -I forgot its real name - but it provides electrical impulses to my quad. It cuts down on pain AND helps to prevent too much atrophying of my quad muscle.

While my training partners are out running repeats in the arctic cold, I will be contemplating which bathroom will be the least problematic for showering. Do I attempt to climb the stairs to get to the big shower? Or do I use the downstairs, more accessible shower that requires I somehow hoist my leg over the tub (without wiping out)?

Decisions, decisions...

Lateral Release:debriefing

2009-01-15T05:46:00.000-08:00

When I learned that I needed knee surgery, I obsessively read everything I could about the two procedures I needed: chondroplasty and lateral release. The first involved cleaning up damaged cartilage and the second involved cutting the lateral-something-that-I-can-not-pronounce-so-forget-about-spelling-it part of my knee. I heard very mixed reviews about the latereral release procedure. Apparently, it was often used incorrectly. It's only recommended for those lucky people (like me) who have patellas with an extreme tilt.

I also did research on the various knee surgeons in town. Richmond has several exellent ones - including mine (Dr Higgs) who rocks.

However, even though I knew I needed the surgery (have you seen me walking up and down stair lately? Disturbing) and I knew Dr Higgs was excellent, I was still nervous.

Until I got to the surgical suite. I just have to give a little shout-out to all the nurses in the world (and especially the ones @ advanced orthopaedics). My nurse, Carla, was so kind, patient and funny. She immediately put me at ease. I even took a little nap while waiting for surgery (and I did have to wait and wait and wait). Dr Higgs stopped by to answer my never-ending questions and check out my knee again. Meanwhile, sweet Rick was right there by my side.

Before I knew it, I was being wheeled off to surgery. One minute I was talking to the nurses and the next...I was waking up. I think I asked them something like, "Why didn't you do my knee surgery?" They laughed because my knee was wrapped and braced and iced.

Dr Higgs met with Rick while I was in recovery. He took pictures while operating on me - and showed how he moved my patella (via the lateral release) back in position. Sadly, I can see where I've done some damage to the cartilage. But, I also have a fair amount of healthy cartilage left, too.

For now, I'm on crutches and my leg is in a straight brace. I won't lie and say I have no pain - because my knee is actually quite tender and swollen. I do begin PT on Monday. I think I'll be put through my paces for 6-8 weeks by Jim Miller. But I do see myself biking and running again. Yippee!!!!!!

Waiting...

2009-01-14T07:37:00.000-08:00

Hmmm...how can I keep my mind off my impending surgery?

Change the layout of my blog, of course! Let's see what else I can do before they knock me out....

p.s. I was inspired by Deanna & Bethany.

Hello again

2009-01-11T15:05:00.001-08:00

It's been over a month since I've written something on this blog. Lame, I know. I have been busy with holidays, travel, etc. etc. But, that's not why I've been absent.

I think I've been in a bit of a grieving period. I miss my (somewhat) healthy knees.

Heavy sigh.

I have gone through denial (way back in August), sadness (the blue period = Sept/Oct), anger (November & December) and finally...acceptance.

I am scheduled for knee surgery on Wednesday. I am not expecting miracles. I know my knees won't miraculously become the way they were when I was a youngster. But, I do have hopes that I can bike relatively pain-free again (although that my require some work on my other knee, too) and maybe even run a little.

It helped to have coffee with two of my original Trigirl training buddies (SanDee J and Carmen). We reminisced about doing the ACAC sprint tri in sub-freezing temperatures and competing at Naylor's with hangovers (I never said I was hardcore, people).

I loved doing those sweet, fairly short triathlons. And - I wasn't in bad shape, either.

And so, SanDee J and I are hoping to do the Pink Power sprint tri in August. It will be like old times again.

And that makes me smile.

Life goes on....thankfully.

It's official

2008-12-09T09:15:00.001-08:00

My sad ol' knee needs surgery. Both of the surgeons I consulted with agreed on the plan.

I finally understand what they mean by my patella being out of alignment. I saw it right on the x-ray. My right knee cap sits at an angle, rather than almost flat (as it should). Consequently, the wear on the cartilage under my knee has been uneven. Both doctors believe this has been coming on for a long time (many years). But, I've finally worn it down to the point where I'm now causing damage to the cartilage. One doctor said that I was able to keep on going for so long due to my strong quads. Ha! They don't feel very strong right now since I haven't been able to do much strength work or hill running for months. But, for those of you who shun strength training, you may want to rethink that choice. Merci beaucoup to Ed and Mark for their killer strength workouts. You two kept me going much longer than I could have otherwise. And, I have no doubt that you'll help me get up and running again.

Anyway, in mid-January, I'll be undergoing arthroscopic surgery where they'll do a chondroplasty (I think I got the name right) and a lateral release. I'll jump (not literally) right into PT after the surgery.

From there, I'll slowly build up my quad strength again - and hopefully, get back into reasonable amounts of running and biking -and obviously swimming,too.

Please note I wrote "reasonable" amounts of running. I would be very, very happy to get back to a point of running 5-6 miles painfree again.

My knees are fragile - and my cartilage is finite.

I don't want to say that I will "never" do another Ironman race or marathon again. But, I have a great doubts that those kind of distances are what's best for me.
Yup - it only took four orthopedic specialists telling me that AND surgery for me to finally get it.

But, I didn't say I would "never" do another triathlon again - did I? Time will tell what the distance will be.

I blame Dad

2008-11-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong. I love my dad. He's a great, great guy. I wouldn't trade him for any other dad...ever.

However, this whole genetics thing sometimes can backfire.

Case in point:
Dad had his appendix out (possibly by a butcher - you should see his scar). So did my sister...and so did I. Surprise, surprise! Last weekend, my little brother had his appendix removed. Welcome to the club, Jon!

And how about our knees?
Dad was told many years ago to stop running or face certain knee replacement surgery. He stopped running. My sister had to undergo patellar realignment surgery about 10 years ago - and she really could use the same surgery on her other knee. My oldest brother completely dislocated his kneecap (two words: gross and ouch) playing soccer.

It's hard to fight genes.

My MRI results showed (happily) no ligament, tendon or cartilage damage. But it did show a lot of wear on the my actual patella. It does not track in the groove (just like my sister's) the way it should.

And so, I've scheduled two consultations with two different orthopedic surgeons in December.

But, let's end this on a positive note. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Deanna B, Kathleen M and Kate O for donating to my Team in Training efforts. You rock!

Just your basic update

2008-11-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

I'm (finally) trying to join in on the whole Twilight craze - and ordered the first book. We'll see if I get addicted like Margo, Deanna B & Cyndi. I trust those three, so I'm thinking I'll soon be voraciously reading all of the books. Stay tuned.

Huge thanks to Lynn D. for supporting my Team in Training fundraising efforts. As soon as I send in some donations that were mailed to me, my webpage should reflect a total of $930.00 raised to date. I have until mid-March to raise my funds, so you'll be hearing about it for the next few months.

Let me just give a big pat on the back to all the 8kers, half-marathoners and, of course, the marathoners for braving some nasty weather on Saturday. It was humid - very humid, hot, and to top it all off - windy. Just lovely running weather. But, you've got to go with what the day gives you, right?

Big goal for 2009: flip turns. I am fully aware that I won't actually do a flip turn (at least not on purpose) during an open water swim. But, I just think it would be a fun little addition to my (slowly evolving) swimming skills. I figure that swimming is gentle on the joints, so I better embrace it.

And...I'm headed for an MRI on the knee tomorrow. It's not the MRI test that worries me. It's what they will find. But, my friends (especially Blake,Karen H, and Rick) have made it clear that it's time to stop ignoring it.

Sometimes I listen to advice. It just takes awhile. :)

Don't forget...

2008-11-14T07:42:00.001-08:00

that all donations - large or small - matter when battling cancer. Please consider checking out my website...and giving to the cause. Thank you to Tim and Sarah F, Rick S, CJ & Anita, Ray, Denise & Jeff, Annnnnn, Sandy L, and Josie-Posie for your support.

All donations are 100% tax-deductible.

You'll be a life saver!

Go here.

Looking ahead

2008-11-10T10:58:00.001-08:00

I'm thinking about next year - triathlon-wise,that is. Not that I want to wish my time away. I don't. But, I need goals to keep me on track, and since my races are over for this year, I'm starting to ponder 2009.

1. Swim three times per week. I am one of those spastic kinds of triathletes who seems to forget how to swim if I am out of the pool for more than a week.

2. Baby my knees. I am also one of those triathletes who will run and run and run...even if my legs feel like they are about to fall off. I realize that I can't do that anymore. I am just figuring out what my knees seem to tolerate (the treadmill & nicely-cushioned tracks), what they don't like at all (split squats,step-ups, and running downhill) and what they love (swim workouts and drinking wine).

3. Maintaining balance. It is so easy to let one's life get a little out of whack, especially when training for endurance events. I've really had a lovely fall since I've had more time to focus on work and healing my knees. While I have really, really missed training with my buddies, I also feel more organized and effective in my career. I'm also looking forward to cheering for the trigirls, Rick and some of my other friends (go Amanda and Erin!)this Saturday.

4. Sneaking in some more reading. I love books. I love to read. So, why don't I do more of it? I definitely want to change that - Ironman training or not. And what do you know? The trigirls have their very own book club - that I've never attended. How lame is that? My goal is to get to the next TG book club. No - not the one on Wednesday. I haven't read the book...but the next one - in January. Hold me to it!

Big Weekend!

2008-11-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

Where do I begin?

First, enormous congratulations to the new Ironman: Patti, Fred, Sharon, Shawn, Kate O, Kate G and Charlotte. Isn't it amazing crossing that finish line? Special congrats to Som, who has now completed 1,000,000 (that's for you, Carm) Ironman races - or something close.

And how 'bout Blake? Seriously, who runs 50 milers? Way to go...Ironman USA will seem like a piece o' cake after that effort.

Congrats are also in order for Amy M who completed the NYC marathon this weekend - speedy as ever.

Belated congrats to Coach Ed for competing in the Xterra World Championships last weekend.

It's easy to feel quite humble around these folks.

And, finally, a huge shout-out to my brother, Matt. The Timberman girls met Matt. (He loved being kissed by Patti).
Anyway, he ran in his second full marathon ever - and took 24 minutes off of his previous time to run a zippy 3:26 on a hilly course. He is creeping ever closer to qualifying for Boston (he needs a 3:20).

Yikes...you all are making me feel out of shape!

Reason #1

2008-10-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

to do Ironman Florida.

Check out the forecast...just like last year!

Team in Training

2008-10-28T11:49:00.001-07:00

There are so many worthy causes out there, so why do I choose to help Team in Training?

Reason 1: Funds raised by Team in Training directly benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). LLS is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services.

Reason 2: Close to 80% of the funds raised by me go towards blood cancer research. That's nothin' to sneeze at!

Reason 3: Since 1954, the LLS has awarded over $550 million to cancer research, pioneering many life saving ways to treating and finding a cure for cancer. Our very own University of Virginia received a $6 million research grant.

Reason 4: Leukemia is the leading disease killer for children under the age of 20. That just makes me mad.

Reason 5: And finally......Because I can.

I am blessed to be able to swim, bike and run as I do. I want to give back.

Because I can. And I will.

Please help me reach my goal.

Visit my fundraising page. You'll be a life saver.

Best of luck!

2008-10-27T09:15:00.001-07:00

The Ironman Florida ladies are heading to Panama City Beach in a few days. I wish for you...

calm water
sunny skies
warm, but not hot, weather
strong legs
frequent hydration
appropriate nutrition
happy bikes
Comfie running shoes

and more hydration :)

But, even if things don't go perfectly the entire day, you can do it.

You are so ready.

Savor the experience.

Smile.

Giving back

2008-10-15T11:02:00.001-07:00

Several years ago, I took part in a marathon, a half-marathon and a triathlon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. As many of you know, Team in Training (a.k.a TNT) is a major fund raiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I've been toying with the idea of participating in another fund raising event for them: a century ride near Asheville, NC next June.

I have also been toying with the idea of NOT doing the ride - primarily for selfish reasons.

I've been pulling out some of my old excuses. The "I'm too busy"or the ol' "What if I can't raise all the money?" ones.

Then, my oldest brother sent me a poem today. It was written by a young lady who did not win her battle with cancer.

It made me cry.

It also stopped my wavering. It's time for me to put my love of crazy endurance events to a good cause. You'll hear more about that later.

For now...read this. Hopefully, when the time comes, you'll make a donation to the cause.

Things I Didn’t Know I Loved
(Jamie Connors)
Fourteen years old
I’m sitting in a wheelchair
Being pushed by a nurse down a stark white corridor
She stops to get my chart

I close my eyes
I’m running
Muscles flexing, adrenaline pumping
Sweat trickling down my forehead as the sun beats down on my back
Laughter
Screaming
No one can catch up
Speedy Gonzalez
Pure ecstasy
The best high in the world…

I open my eyes to the cold, harshly-lit hallway before me
My blanket slips
I adjust myself,
It’s extremely difficult
I’m practically out of breath
All seventy five pounds of me ache
Only skin and bones
I knew I loved running
I never knew I loved muscle,
Never knew I loved fat

My nurse comes back
She starts wheeling me again
We’ve been passing so many people
They’re all staring, but I ignore them
My mind is wandering
I never knew I loved daydreaming
I’m everywhere and nowhere all at once

The chair is still moving
But my mind comes to a complete halt
Boys.
I feel myself flush
Don’t look at me, don’t look at me…
They look at me
I smile and look at something else, anything else.

I close my eyes
I’m walking into a crowded room,
Feeling all eyes upon me
I smile humbly, but it’s a lie,
I’m hot
I know I look good
I open my eyes
People are staring
The boys aren’t smiling back
Children, not knowing any better, point
Like I’m some animal in the zoo…
I never knew I loved blending into anonymity.

I fiddle with my hat
I know I look strange
I’m bald,
I have no eyebrows,
No eyelashes
To be honest, I don’t think I look that bad bald
Some people encourage me to embrace it
When I’m out in public
With everyone staring
I wish I could hide all of me under the hat
But when I’m all alone
I’ll look in the mirror and smile
I always knew I loved my hair
I never knew I’d love it gone

I never knew I loved fresh air
I take a deep breath of artificial oxygen
Trying to remember the taste of happiness
A cool refreshing September morning
Leaves changing
Dewy grass
Hospital air tastes horrible.

Turning a corner, I rub my eyes
The florescent lights are so harsh
I never knew I loved the sun
I close my eyes
I’m on a picnic
My mother is making sandwiches
Singing the wrong words to a Beatles song
My sister is cheerfully picking dandelions
The breeze is cool
But the sun is so warm and protecting
I feel so content,
Serene
Everything is right in the world…
I open my eyes
Nothing is right.

A lady walks by with a tray of food
A hot dog and french-fries
The smell makes me nauseous
I try to hide my disgust, but it’s hard
Cafeteria food, no,
Worse…
Hospital cafeteria food
I never knew I loved my mother’s home cooking
Pans crashing
Earsplitting screams
Smoke and flames
But finally a delicious meal
I don’t think I’ll ever beg for pizza again.

My nurse leans over
She asks me how I’m feeling…
Horrible
Anxious
Lonely
Distressed
Angry
Aggravated
“I’m fine, thanks”
She smiles
So sweet and caring
I feel so safe in her care
I love her;
I love all of my nurses.
I never knew I’d love lying to a nurse

I see a little boy
He has cancer
So small and skinny
A little Red Sox cap covering his little bald head
He looks up at me and smiles
Beautiful
Innocent
In so much pain and still smiling
It makes me smile.
They’ll do that to you,
Those kids with cancer…They know when you’re scared
When you’re in pain
Feeling insecure and all alone
That’s when they sneak up on you
And smile their beautiful innocent smiles
I never knew I loved how much a smile can say
It’s going to okay
I know what you’re going through
Be brave
Be strong.
They give me strength
I hope I’m able to give someone
What that little boy has just given me.

I look up at my mom and dad
My mom is fighting back tears…
Her big green eyes
You can tell everything about her from those eyes,
When she’s happy
When she’s mad
They always tell you the truth, even when she isn’t
I usually love that about her
But not right now,
Right now I don’t want to know what she’s feeling
My dad looks exhausted…
The man has worked three jobs all my life
And could still come home and wear me out
He wakes up every day at 4:30 in the morning
Forever running
Always busy
Never complaining…
I have never seen him look so tired
Like Superman holding kryptonite,
My poor Superman
I love them so much,
I never knew how much
I never knew how much they loved me.

We get to the end of the hallway
Double doors,
“You ready?”
Ready?
No I’m not ready!
I’m terrified
I want to go home and hide under my pillow
I wish this was a dream,
A nightmare,
I want to just wake up…
“Yeah, I’m ready.”
My mother kisses me
I look straight into those eyes,
But I already know.
My father wraps his arms around me
So tight, not wanting to let go,
He lets go.

I close my eyes
Not trying to picture anything
Not trying to be anywhere else but here,
Trying to fight back the tears.
This is it.
I knew it was coming.
But it was surreal
It wasn’t really happening…
I open my eyes as the doors open up
Nothing has ever felt more real

I’m fourteen years old
I’m sitting in a wheelchair
As a nurse is pushing me down a stark white corridor
Just me and the nurse
Nothing to look at
No one to think about, but myself
I never knew I loved myself
Never knew I’d love doing whatever I could to save myself
Because I love myself so much

Belated congratulations to....

2008-10-09T16:27:00.000-07:00

Karen B for winning her age group at Chesapeakeman a few weeks ago. And that was her third iron-distance race in 11 months (she also completed IM Florida and IM Brazil).

Extra congrats (and maybe a sanity check?) to Som for completing his fourth IM distance race in 11 months.

Love to the aquabikers to: Shawn, Sharon, Kate O, Molly, Patti, Heidi, Tammy & Brad and Charlotte & Fred.

You all make us proud.