IronMoe

Commitment

2010-06-26T23:02:00.000-04:00

Funny word, that. Commitment. In it's simplest definition, it is "a pledge to do." As of Friday, I have committed to doing Ironman Texas in May of 2011. It is right in our hometown of the last year, and hopefully many more, The Woodlands. This is six months to the day after Ironman Arizona. So far, I have committed to a training program that is much more aggressive than last year, and plan to continue this program through November. I am doing more, sooner, and more consistently. With any luck, and a lot of practice, it will translate to a finishing time with much longer than 17 seconds to spare.

Wish me luck ;)

A Runner's Soul

2010-04-02T00:12:00.000-04:00

I may not have the stereotypical runner's body (yet!), but as I returned from my time out on the road today, I realized that deep down, my soul runs. When I run, I love to be outside, to feel my legs move, to be ever-so-grateful that I am able to do this.

When I started out on May 1st, 2005, my ONLY goal was to learn to enjoy running, a task I'd hated as long as I could remember. It's nice to know I'm here.

The Dead of Night

2010-04-01T03:26:00.000-04:00

Whether at home, or at work, there are times, usually around 2 or 3 in the morning, that my anxiety kicks in. Now, it could be anything from "is everything as good as it seems?" to specificities of "what if I don't finish the half ironman in time in 4 weeks?". The "thought tornado" which has also been termed the "thoughtvalanche" by an understanding colleague, just takes off.

So no big thoughts today, just little ones, passing through...

Let Someone Else Drive

2010-03-22T18:20:00.000-04:00

When I drive, the bus goes over cliffs, into pits, and just gets, well, stuck. In the past week or so, which is the end of the difficulty I spoke of yesterday, I have tried to take control of things I have no business trying to control. My habit of clinging to control has unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I'll choose the latter - bodes for a better tomorrow), brought me down today with a sickening thud.

There is very little in my world I can control. I am putting practices in place to prevent further damage by putting my two cents in where they don't belong. By practices, I mean literally. These are things I will do every day, every hour, to keep my purpose aligned with where I belong. The way I've lived for many years, with me driving the bus (but recently was shown another way) is a life I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

May god grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Amen.

Migraines

2010-03-21T14:57:00.000-04:00

Yep, I've got 'em. My last particularly bad one was a little over 2 years ago. I can remember the nasty buggers because they usually occur either during stress or shortly after the stressful event "breaks". Thank goodness, it looks like this one is at the end of a shift (and I'm not talking work shift!). Today I woke up with a doozy. Nausea, jackhammer in my head, but at least no vertigo! I got that for the first time with a cold a couple weeks ago. Interesting, that. Anyway, the headache is almost gone, which means I can get back on the trainer. Short plan today, only 30 minutes. My coach would have me do more, but that's another story. Inadequacy does nothing for my life or productivity.

In order to better plan things for my current triathlon season, after discussion with my husband, who is definitely trizophrenic, I am coming up with my goals for triathlon in general. These stem from my original goals (well, there was only one) for running I developed on May 1st, 2005:

1. Have fun (that was the only rule in 2005, to learn to enjoy running)
2. Well, I'm not sure I can think of another goal so this might be a moot point. I guess I could say to complete the races I've signed up for, most urgently, the Galveston 70.3. Ok, so that leads me to...
3. Complete IMAZ 10 happier than I finished IMFL 09 (I sense a theme). Now, the interesting thing, is that in order to finish happier, there are a few things that have to happen. Most of these conditions are intertwined.
- leave more cushion at the end than 17 seconds!!!!!
- be lighter and leaner
- be more comfortable on my bike for long periods of time
- not vomit my guts up 5-6 days before the race (we'll have address that later I suppose)
- be stronger

What am I doing now to accomplish those things? I've revamped my eating and strength training, for one. My body is feeling much better (migraine notwithstanding) with a higher protein load and 3 day a week lifting schedule. I'm likin' it. And, last, but not least, what I'm doing today...

Getting on the trainer for a short workout today, even with the migraine.

Wonderful Friends

2010-02-08T23:21:00.000-05:00

Since we moved to Texas, I have made some wonderful friends. It has been a relatively short time of 8 months, and already we have forged a solid bond.

I can only hope to be half the friend they are to me. I have friends who will drag me by my ponytail down the finisher's chute if the need arises. I have friends who don't care about labels, and understand that it's what happens next is what matters. I have friends who laugh, cry, cheer, boo and just be with me. All in all, I have fantastic friends. For them, I am eternally grateful.

Along those lines, I cannot forget to mention my husband. He's with me through thick and thin (sometimes literally!) and works to make things better every day. He teaches me how to go with the flow to become better, when my past mode de emploi was more of a salmon-like determination. If you compare our progress, I have to admit, my upstream battle has gotten me a little ahead, but at a price. I was thinking that something different may be in order and have been using the Easy Does It method. The last week has been comparatively fabulous.

Last year's Superbowl...

Tempus Fugit

2010-01-20T16:47:00.000-05:00

It has been almost a month already, since I wrote last. I'm thinking that if it became more of a habit...oh, much like other things...more on that later.

Since I wrote, I turned 36, ran my third Disney marathon, hurt my foot, registered for a few triathlons and have yet to see any "gains" on my fat loss efforts. Which brings me to my current musings. I am frustrated with the fact that I was able to train for an Ironman and gain fat. I cannot fathom how that is possible. Oh, that pesky physics thing? Okay, so there is that. Overfuel = overfat. Hmmm, rather simple equation.

Except right now I can't run. Well, I can, but I limp like there's no tomorrow because my foot is quite painful. Running the Disney Marathon with a wind chill (IN FLORIDA) of 16 degrees Farenheit was not all that much fun. It felt like running on blocks of ice with nerve endings. So swim and bike it is. I have started to weight train two or three times a week, which is good. I'm excited to see gains with that.

Random ramblings, I know. I'm feeling a bit down about things, so, I'm going to do a little retail therapy at www.splish.com - they have a sale going on, you know ;)

You Can't Give Away What You Don't Have

2009-12-28T16:24:00.000-05:00

So, after almost a month of horribly negative self talk, overeating, completely overdosing in sugar, and escaping my stress by eating, I feel horrible. Yeah, I can hear you "excusing" me already - "but it's the holidays, it's okay". Well, it's not. Not if I want to appreciate my body, use it to do good things and inspire others. How in the world am I supposed to tell people to nurture their bodies when I abuse mine daily, hourly? I'm not.

Wayne Dyer tells a story about his daughter not sharing her toys at a birthday party. She had just gotten the toys and hadn't even had time to enjoy them. She could not share those toys because they were not truly hers to give away - yet.

Yet. A powerful word. Just because my thoughts and actions up until today have not been altogether healthy, that does not mean that one week, one month, one year from now I have to fight the same battles I've fought for 25 years. I can change. I can help you change. But in order to do that, I have to have a leg to stand on, so to speak.

I don't make new year's resolutions. My birthday is just before, so instead I like to have "my year". I try to give myself a good birthday present, like a long run and a massage (this year's plan - the long run is a tradition these days, this is the 3rd year). Instead of expanding my coaching efforts, I am taking 2010 to work on Project M. I am keeping my current coaching efforts intact but not adding a significant time investment. I am writing my book. I am recreating my "glasses" through which I see the world. I am reshaping my body. I am redefining me.

Sounds like a grand adventure, doesn't it?

Fun Run

2009-12-09T19:07:00.000-05:00

I had an awesome run today. 3.1 miles, nothing spectacular lengthwise, but just a really fun time. I'm still having a bit of anterior knee pain that I'm hoping will go away soon with more stretching and strengthening. Otherwise nothing much, if you don't count that my email was compromised as was my facebook. What a royal pain!

Hope everyone's doing well.

Gotta Run,
IronMoe

Night Serenity

2009-11-30T03:16:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure why I don't like running in the dark. Maybe because I'd never done it before. I love the quiet night. I got out of work early tonight, and came home to a beautifully silent house except for the Celtic Spa music which I choose to keep at a low level constantly playing. The sounds weep and flow through my home, a grounding. As my Dad said, like well worn, comfortable furniture. I am very thankful to have had my family here for the holiday. I fear I was not as nice, or nearly as giving as I'd like to become. My husband surely knows this. I hope he knows how much I want to be "that" person, and not the one who lashes out. I am not sure if my selfishness is borne of fear. Likely so. Fear of vulnerability. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Just plain fear. What a waste. It is said that the opposite of fear is love. Selflessly giving of one's time, touch, care, even to myself. To care, to nurture. I wonder, is it something I can practice? Something I can move toward? I suppose if I follow the path. I am not the first to want this, nor the first to move toward it. I do not expect perfection, but a steady advance in the direction of a giving heart is something I crave.

Befriend the Night

2009-11-28T19:37:00.000-05:00

There are so many things I will do differently for my second Ironman. Tonight, I added another. I didn't feel well, and bid a fond farewell to my family after the holiday, so I took a nap. I woke up with not enough time to get the whole 7 miles in (not the fastest turtle in the bunch!) before dark, so I had another good excuse to postpone the run until tomorrow. But, I read the posts of my friends on Facebook, and had some extra motivation, so I grabbed my RoadID Firefly light, and went off to do my run. I ran the last half hour in real darkness. In the past, that would have been frightening, but after Ironman Florida, it is a necessity. My entire marathon will likely be run in the dark. It was in Florida, that's for sure. However, I'd done very little dark running, and it took a lot of mental energy to be cognizant of the road while trying not to keel over.

So today, I overcame my desire to be lazy, overcame my excuse that I have a sore throat and runny nose (no, I'm not sick enough not to run, but again, would have been an acceptable excuse in the "real world"), overcame my desire to grab a novel and sit on the couch, and I ran. In the dark. And it was good.

Last But Not Least

2009-11-10T09:49:00.005-05:00

A year ago when I started this blog to chronicle my Ironman journey, I thought I had the dedication to finish a full distance triathlon. This past weekend, I pushed myself to my limit and did just that.

The plan started out with Ironman Cozumel, which was closed by the time we could pay for it. Then we wanted Arizona, but the EM boards conflicted with it. So, Florida it was.

Ironman Florida was the most emotionally, mentally and physically taxing event I have ever completed. Usually when I set out to do something, it's more of a sure thing. More like "yeah, it'll be hard" but deep down I know I can do it. This beast was different. I had no idea if I could do it.

Actually, my biggest fear before the race was that I couldn't make the bike cutoff of 5:15pm. I ended up making it by about 20 minutes, so that was good. Very emotional, because now I knew I had a chance to finish this thing.

However, about 8 miles into the run, I started to do triathlon impaired mathematics. My Garmin had died, so I had no idea of my pace, and had to figure it out per mile. Well, when it takes you over 15 minutes to get to the next marker, sometimes you forget. So, by my calculations, I was worried. So I told myself, "ok, just make it to the turnaround and then you can worry." However, in the back of my head, the doubts were festering.

With 8 miles to go, I gave up. I was walking because my legs hurt so badly. From my feet, a bone-deep ache spread all the way up into my hips. That part was worse when I walked, but when I ran, my back muscles just seized. Not cramped really, but were so overtaxed that they were just painful. Very, very painful. So, I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have an unofficial finish (over 17 hours).

Then, I started to get lightheaded. I'm guessing in retrospect that this is because I had fueling issues from a nasty stomach virus the week before the race. But twice, I said, "forget the unofficial finish, I can't go on any more, I feel like I'm going to pass out!" As we walked through the park in the pitch blackness, Jenny (the girl I was walking with) says "do you think if I get bit by a deer I can stop?" as we pass a beautiful deer standing on the side of the path. Jenny finished well before me in the end - congrats to her!

So, here I am, in the dark, thinking there is NO way I can pull 16 minute miles out of my body. That's what I figured it'd take to do the last 7 miles and finish in time. I was going to sign up for next year and do things differently this time...

As my dad called them, the "angels in the dark" arrived. My wonderful husband, Greg, and my teammates Kirsten and Lynn, pull up in the car and give me the one thing that could get me through - hope.

After all the mental training I had done, I lost hope! Me, of all people. I lost it. I had nothing. Maybe if I'd had less pain, my brain and heart could have handled it on their own, but at that point, it was gone. Until Kirsten got out of the car, and said, "ok, now I know you can do this but we have to pick up the pace. If you run most of it and walk a bit, you'll make it in time. You did NOT come this far for an unofficial finish."

And so I believed her, because I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe I didn't come this far, both literally and figuratively, for an unofficial anything! I'd been going for over 15 hours at this point and I was going to miss the cutoff by MINUTES.

And so I ran.

And I turned the corner to the finishing chute with less than a minute to spare. I kept looking up, thinking "I don't know if I can make it." I had about 6 people running with me, screaming at me, and to me, this felt like an all-out sprint. It was all I could do. And I still wasn't sure I could make the mere feet to get there in time. Now, there was a chance I could miss it by SECONDS.

So I pushed. Harder. And I heard screaming, from the hundreds of friends I never knew I had, from Mike Reilly, the voice of Ironman.

And I finished - in 16:59.43
the last official finisher of Iroman Florida 2009

Even as the last person to cross, I didn't feel slow, I didn't feel inadequate,
I made it.

I am an IRONMAN.

As the Day Approaches

2009-11-03T12:49:00.002-05:00

It is Tuesday.

Ironman Florida is Saturday.

There are no numbers in that calendar. There are mere days between, not "3 more weeks" or "in only 2 months". I am not sure what to make of it. I was feeling confident after my century brick. Then I got a bit nervous. Then I got sick. Really sick. I think it was likely viral, since it went through my body like a raging freight train. I have started to eat again, which is good. This is not an excuse to not finish IMFL, mark my words. I. Will. Finish. Just to review, lol, I have two goals. 1. finish in 17 hours or less, and 2. have fun.

My physical condition isn't at its peak, but how many of us know what our peak really is? I do know that this isn't it for me. At least I hope not, and I believe that our reality IS what we believe.

So, come with me as I head over to Panama City to be in the amazing environment of fitness, health, ambition, sacrifice and festivity that is Ironman Florida.

Knowing and Believing

2009-10-20T14:36:00.002-04:00

I finally believe that I can do this Ironman thang. Yep, I did a century for the first time yesterday, with a 2 mile run afterward and it felt great. I'm actually more excited than fearful for the upcoming race!

There are also some ideas percolating regarding my future endeavors to support athletes and help them reach their goals. Those will likely come to fruition in December, after the boards and Thanksgiving. December is my business closing & opening month :)

Back in the saddle

2009-10-03T15:53:00.003-04:00

Well this is an update. With 34 days to go, I've decided to separate my blogs, if for no other reason, that writing is therapeutic. My wordpress blog, found at www.ironmoe.com/blog , is officially diverted. I figure if writing helps me, well, why not really commit? Hmmmm, now for those of you who know me best, committing is, well, the easy part. Follow through (much like my golf swing) is the part where the best laid plans fall apart.

So this is me...
I'm doing Ironman Florida in 34 days. I bought a spiffy new Quintana Roo tri bike, that I am not strong enough to ride, even with tweaking, and oh, to mention, that I HATE EVERY BIKE SEAT I've tried on that darn bike. Dammit, I love that bike. Anyway, I got so fed up while on the Computrainer last week, I said "forget it, I'm so done with being in pain", walked out to the garage, grabbed my road bike off the wall, and left. It felt like I was a little kid again (well, actually better than that, because I was never really carefree as a kid). But anyway, you know what I mean. On the QR I was struggling to get comfortable and pull off 13 mph! I hopped onto my Specialized and did 15mph with very little effort, and that includes stoplights. It's a little late to be making huge changes like this, but I'm not really sure I have a choice - so road bike it is. I actually may leave my old comfy mountain shoes and pedals on it. They are easy, it's fun, and at this point, it's obvious I'm not about image. I can look great on my QR but if I only go 13 mph, that won't get me to my fun run at the end!!!

Moving

2009-07-10T12:58:00.001-04:00

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving” - Albert Einstein

Well, we do keep moving. We're now in Texas, and I've started a new job that's kept me quite busy. Still chugging along with the workouts, I'm running 6 today. I had to revamp, as usual, with the program because all I did was run during the move. Biking is on the agenda for tomorrow, and hopefully I'll get a call about a new bike. More to come later...

Doing your P’s

2009-06-25T12:35:00.000-04:00

Yet another gem from Ironman Talk with Coach John Newsom and Bevan James Eyles, who are a tremendous source of motivation and entertainment at www.ironmantalk.com.

DO YOUR P’s…there are six of them:
Proper Preparation to Prevent Piss Poor Performance

Are you doing what it takes?

Triathlon, Food, Carpe Diem and such

2009-06-15T10:33:00.000-04:00

“On your deathbed, you will have unread e-mail in your inbox.” - Alan Cohen
Love this quote! Ahhh, to be able to live in the moment. Huh, that sounds like a neat idea.
Yesterday Greg, Jayda and I (it was Jayda’s first) did the Dunedin sprint tri. It was Greg’s and my best sprint. Lots of fun (minus the sand on the run, come on, enough with the Florida beach runs already - I need some good asphalt path!)!!! Got to see Heather Gollnick in the midst of all of us lowlies. It was great I’m starting my new (well, old, really, but I’m going back to it) food plan based on Paul McKenna’s teachings. I just want to learn to listen to my body - I’m sure it knows what it needs way better than my head and heart do. I just have to be quiet long enough to hear it. In conjunction with a good IM training program that includes strength training of course, I think I’ll be able to finally lean down a bit. Alrighty - off to pack the house!

Adapt and Succeed

2009-06-10T07:50:00.000-04:00

"Success is the consistent progression toward an outcome of your own choosing. Success is power; power is success."
— James Arthur Ray

The goal of my choosing...Ironman.
The original plan: Arizona. The current plan: Florida

Why? Life.
In less than three weeks I finish my residency, which means to become a board certified emergency medicine physician, I have to take my board exam. It's offered between November 16th and 21st, 2009. Period. Therefore, attempting to plan a race on November 22nd is just plan asking for trouble. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Unless your plan includes certain failure, and I think that assuming I'll be able to schedule the exam with time to race would be disastrous.

So, overnight, literally, my plans changed. But the goal is the same. Thank goodness I'd decided to have a run block because I feel that I can make some leg strength improvements with that. It increased my workouts to about 8 hours per week this week.

It also increased my sense of urgency. No more dilly-dallying. Time to get the training program solidified. Ready? Set? Go!

The Next Step

2009-05-30T06:08:00.001-04:00

Onward and upward. I'm flying to Houston to find a home. Well, the four-walled variety anyway. Considering home is where the heart is, I have many homes.

But my next step, finishing residency, getting a "real job", moving, paying off "this debt", is right around the corner. I am excited, but I think I'm actually getting a bit grounded. Good decisions. I make better ones every day. As an Iron example, I bought trail mix for the flight (usually it's my license to eat chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate), not as a sacrifice, but as a choice that brings me closer to the Ironman finish. And of course, that is the goal :)

More on goals later...
Gotta fly...

happiness

2009-05-26T00:41:00.001-04:00

“Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or minor self indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.”

— Ayn Rand
Novelist and Philosopher

As I think about today’s quote I realize that “minor self indulgence” is the same as immediate gratification. It is the long haul and long term success that makes us whole.

Today (well, yesterday, since it’s after midnight) I had a great workout FINALLY! Saturday and Sunday I could barely hold my heart rate at or above 110 but today I lifted and biked for 45 minutes at 130ish. I’m following Joe Friel’s strength program & focusing on the bike for the next few weeks with a smattering of running and swimming. Still a ways to go with planning, but it’s a start. Have a great day

It's Official- I am IronMoe

2009-05-18T00:18:00.000-04:00

Today was my first Ironman Race! It was the Florida 70.3, which is, of course, a half ironman. But to me it is a huge victory and marks the beginning of a new life. Greg and I trained for multiple marathons, half marathons, a Goofy Challenge and a half Ironman, while exorcising some personal demons (or continuing to, in my case!) and during our emergency medicine residency. It has brought us closer as a couple, and has helped us believe in our ability to plan and achieve great things. I am many things, among those a wife, a daughter, a doctor, oh and I am a triathlete.

IronMoe

2009-05-16T21:19:00.001-04:00

The official blog is now www.ironmoe.com/blog

I might start to double post - I miss the other blogs I follow here and don't see them as much when I'm on wordpress. Here's today's:

Breaking through

Posted on Saturday, May 16th, 2009 at 8:20 pm

“In the advancement of consciousness there is a struggle with reason that culminates in a rational impasse — in such moments you either back down or break through.”

— James Arthur Ray

Tomorrow is my first half ironman. My goals are to finish officially (with an official time) and have a great time. I will use my day to become a better person, attempt to exorcise my demons while I exercise my legs!

Goofy Champions

2009-01-11T20:51:00.000-05:00

Today, Greg and I completed the Goofy Challenge. A 13.1 mile run on Saturday and a 26.2 run on Sunday. I have to admit, it was the hardest physical (and one of the hardest mental) challenge I have undertaken. My finish was great, though. As soon as I could see that finish line, I was off. It was very, very exciting. We got to see quite a few “Goofy” comrades at Downtown Disney tonight. Insanity loves company!!!

The new blog continues... www.ironmoe.com/blog

Holiday Halfathon

2008-12-13T21:41:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is the Holiday Halfathon in Clearwater, Florida. Tomorrow morning. Eeeeaaaarrrlllyyyy in the morning. Look for results on athlinks.com and my new blog www.ironmoe.com/blog

Have a great weekend!

The Blog's Set Up

2008-12-07T23:28:00.001-05:00

I've gone to the other side...
I may keep both blogs going, because this one was a bit more superficial. But for those of you who are interested:
www.ironmoe.com/blog

I'll be certain to follow your progress...happy blogging!

Maureen

Sluggish & Newness

2008-11-16T23:17:00.002-05:00

Short post, have to head to bed... I'm working on starting a new blog, so will likely be transitioning this one to it. I'd like to have it up to chronicle our Ironman training "year". Keep your eyes peeled!

Communication

2008-11-10T12:18:00.002-05:00

"To say that communication is important to human life is to be trite: communication means life or death to relationships."
— Reuel Howe
Author and Professor of Pastoral Theology

My husband is great. We've been together for a long time, and he's still my best friend. We have grown so much over the past year, and are both better people for it. We are building an amazing marriage and have an awesome life. Not much else to report, but it certainly says a lot.

Fat Loss

2008-11-03T07:52:00.003-05:00

Good morning everyone :)

I woke up, hungry, as usual, for my bowl of cereal. These days it's a Fiber One Honey Clusters kick. Anyhow, a month ago I weighed 143 lbs, which is down from my heaviest of 154 lbs. This particular heavy, from a career yo-yo-er, came after, yes AFTER running my second marathon. Are you serious? Ok, enough self flagellation. Either way, I haven't binged in 2 months and I've been tracking my food for about a month on sparkpeople.com. I make sure I get enough protein that way. But, I digress. I woke up this morning, got on the scale and was frustrated. I'm 138lbs. So, 5 lbs down in a month. Not bad, really, but it's been rather stagnant. So, I decide to do my bodyfat (with the Omron bioelectric impedance). It's down 4 lbs (to 26.6%bf). So, I'm down 2% bodyfat. My goal is less than 20, but first and foremost to be able to do the Ironman. So I do the next right thing. I halt my frustration about UNquick weight loss, be happy about good solid fat loss and have a bowl of Honey Clusters.

Moving from What If? to Whatever

2008-10-26T15:05:00.003-04:00

Well, that wasn't exactly how it went. But, I needed my Dad's advice again today. I seem to be drowning in my "what ifs". These are more of a personal nature lately, to which as my husband can unfortunately attest. I think I'm afraid to let things unfold. I'm afraid to get hurt. I'm afraid I'll be heartbroken. I'm afraid. I'm afraid. I'm afraid. So, I talked to my Dad, because he'll give me no-bull answers (the real one ended up being instead of "what if" substitute "WTF", lol). So, his no-bull answer was that "yeah, this is your problem, and no one else's, so you'd better @*$# or get off the pot." Now, oddly enough, my Dad's not a vulgar person, so apparently I'd better pay close attention! As it is, those buggers (the what ifs) are driving me crazy. They hold me back from experiencing my already amazing life.

The End of the Road vs The End of the Day

2008-10-24T20:15:00.003-04:00

I just had a great talk with my Dad. Last night, I couldn't sleep. I was up until almost 4. My brain wouldn't stop. All day today, I was off. I didn't get up early to swim. I was tired. I was grumpy, utterly unsettled. So, on the way home, I called my dad. Told him we signed up for the Florida 70.3. He has no doubt I'll finish. I asked him why I can't shut my brain off. We proceed to have a long discussion about the big things, and the little things, and that I do lots of big things, and have trouble with "everyday" issues. The bottom line is that in order for me to truly be happy, and I'm going to use ironman training to hone this skill, I have to live "just for today." Even the Ironman is about the journey. The beauty of accomplishment is not in the finish, but in every step it took to get there.

Then, this is the quote of the moment on igoogle:
The greatest mistake you can make is to be continually fearing you will make one. -Elbert Hubbard

Sore Legs and Sleep

2008-10-23T21:46:00.002-04:00

1. My legs are less sore with Mizunos, even my worn out ones, than my Nike's.
2. I named my cute green shuffle Green-T, just 'cuz
3. I have slept more the past 2 days, 2 hr nap yesterday, slept 10.5 hours last night, likely because I can, and I think I'm needing more sleep with more exercise. Well, there goes what remained of my social life. Oh well, Florida 70.3, here I come!!! (signed up today)

Powerful Words

2008-10-17T12:59:00.003-04:00

"Life is a checkerboard, and the player opposite you is time. If you hesitate your moving, or neglect to move promptly, your men will be wiped off the board by time. You are playing against a partner who will not tolerate indecision." — Napoleon Hill

The question seems to be, what do you want?
Really, what do you want your life to be about?
What do you want to make your life into?
When you lay your head on your pillow at night, how do you want to feel?

My dad says "work harder to sleep well". There is wisdom in those words. A good nights sleep comes from a hard day's work. Some days it might be a good workout, others it might be a 14 hour workday. Either way, it is your BIG goals that drive you. If you don't have big goals, and WRITE big goals, you will simply be buffeted along by life, and not end up anywhere in particular. Most of us in the land of the free and the home of the brave, will end up obese, ill and bedridden. Some of us, the truly brave, will leave this life happy, healthy, and satisfied. A dear friend Ramzi, will remember the quote paraphrased here...

" The point of life is not to arrive at your grave safe and sound, but to skid in sideways, out of control screaming, 'Whoa...What a ride!'"

Because life is, in the beginning, middle, and end, about living.

There's no place like home...

2008-10-17T02:32:00.002-04:00

Move over Dorothy...Moe's got new shoes!!!

Shuffle off to Buffalo...or Texas...or...

2008-10-16T12:28:00.006-04:00

Just for fun...with a little twist ;)
When I was a kid, maybe 11 or 12, I was depressed. I was just down. I didn't like the color green because it was everywhere, it was cheery, it symbolized life. Then, in high school, I started to change (maybe it was the swimmer's hair) and my favorite color's been green ever since. Oddly enough, it's because it, to me, is the color of LIFE (and limes...mmmmm). So, I have a new friend to take on my runs with me. Plus, I've reverted back to my Mizunos instead of Nike shoes because I think that's why my legs are so sore now, and part of why I had so much pain (and a much slower time) than my first marathon. So, let's keep shuffling along, shall we?

Job Hunting

2008-10-14T10:04:00.002-04:00

Well, it was bound to happen eventually, I had to talk about work. I really like my job. I mean, who wouldn't enjoy being a doctor. Now, I do have to admit I'm not so keen on resident hours, but in all reality, I need the training. I probably need more training than we can pack into three years, but I'm still marvelling at the beauty of the light at the end of the tunnel. I just got my Texas license number. It is a notoriously difficult process, and I am happy to have completed it with nine months to spare, lol. Maybe the procrastinator in me is slowly phasing itself out...one can hope.

ick

2008-10-11T16:01:00.002-04:00

I ran with Greg's Forerunner 305 today to see how accurate my Nike + ipod is. Well, bad news? It's not. Worse news? My pace is slower than I thought! It's slower than my first marathon!!! Jeez, I think it's the thrust-to-weight ratio. My muscles must not be strong enough to haul around my dead weight with any kind of speed. When I checked 2 months ago, my body fat percentage was high, around 28%. That seems to be my norm. My weight hasn't changed since then, unfortunately, and I'm too heavy for my 5 foot 4 inch frame. So, I have begun to track my food, to see what I'm actually fueling with. It's making me a little diet-y, like "oh crap, I'm already over where I want to be, so what the heck." That can get dangerous for me, so I'm writing about it and talking it over with people I can trust. I want to be lean, for the first time in my life.

Some days just suck.

2008-10-07T14:06:00.003-04:00

"Some days just suck, there's nothing you can do about it". -Aaron Osborne
Well, I think that just sums it up right there. I had no "flow" at work, felt like a fish out of water. I try to do a good thing or two. Nope. Backfires. Want to do some great things, like really big things. Nope. Eh. Whatever.

longest long run

2008-10-05T21:41:00.002-04:00

Today was 11 miles. The longest long run in this training cycle. I wish, oh do I wish, I wouldn't let myself get out of shape between marathons. Good thing I have a PLAN this time...Disney, Gasparilla, Florida 70.3, Cozumel (assuming they don't sell out before I can scrape up the cash to enter!). So, there it is...in black and white.

Read it and weep. Oh, right, that's me. But I'll be weeping at that finish line!!!

Who woulda thunk?

2008-09-30T15:30:00.002-04:00

So, this morning I woke up irritable. I didn't fall asleep until around 4 (got home from work at about 12:30pm, tossed and turned until then), and slept until 10:30. I read some 12 step stuff, to try to grab some serenity, had some breakfast, coffee without half and half because we're out - argh - and answered some email. I wandered around a bit, not wanting to do a THING on my to-do list. My knee still hurts from throwing myself on the sidewalk Saturday, so I had the perfect excuse not to run. But, I thought, just go run, you're only scheduled to do 3 today.

I got out my Wayne Dyer podcast, and headed around the neighborhood. What a gorgeous day! It's 83 degrees, mostly sunny. I heard about an awesome site www.hollyriddel.com on the show. Her rings are wonderful.

Then, about mile 1.5, I have an epiphany. I am no longer restless! If I don't do everything (or anything) on my to-do list, it's not a catastrophe. I didn't work out yesterday because of work and feeling terrible from my tetanus shot, and lo and behold, when I don't work out, those feelings of restlessness, irritability and discontent run rampant!

Somehow, I think I've become one of THOSE people. You know, the ones who "have" to work out? If I don't work out for long periods of time, my migraines come back; they are very sensitive to stress after all. But, I have never been an "I have to work out every day kind of gal". Hmmm. Never even saw it coming.

OW

2008-09-28T10:59:00.001-04:00

"Forget about likes and dislikes, they are of no consequence. Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness, but it is greatness."— George Bernard Shaw

I swam this morning. That was after, at a pretty nice pace, tripping on the sidewalk and doing a faceplant. Well, actually, my face didn't hit the ground, just my knee (hamburger), my shoulder, my other knee a bit, and both hands. I was so grateful I hadn't hurt myself for real. Yep, looked like a real winner. The guy running behind me on the path, though, was nice. Understanding. I only had a quarter mile to go at that point.

So far so good with Goofy training. In reference to the above quote, I did NOT feel like swimming this morning. I felt like sleeping. So I swam, lol. Whaddya know, it was greatness AND happiness! I felt better after my swim, 1100 yards.

Today I am getting a schedule together for pre-training for the Florida 70.3 in May. As soon as I get a check in the mail, I'd like to sign up for that and the Ironman Cozumel. Yep, you read it right...it's out there!

Have a phenomenal day :)

Another good quote

2008-09-25T10:08:00.002-04:00

Today's quote...

"When we come close to those things which potentially break us down, we are walking the path that will break us free." — James Arthur Ray

Some days when things seem too hard, I have to remember that everything is happening for a reason and at the right time. Everything helps me grow.

Plans

2008-09-17T16:07:00.002-04:00

Well, apparently I've mentally sorted through the garbage I wrote about earlier (with a little help from my friends...). We requested to be off on May 17th next year to do a half Ironman. Yep, nutso! But, insanity is FUN. I do have to admit enjoying the question of "you're gonna do WHAT?!?", shortly followed by "why?". If you're reading this blog, though, you probably understand. Here's a pic I got off my camera today. Cleaning up a bit...

Escape to Siesta Sprint Tri

2008-09-14T20:38:00.003-04:00

I did my first triathlon today. I was so proud of myself for finishing, even when I saw my time. I thought it'd take me longer than 2 hours and I finished in just under. The bad part, was I finished almost last. I run slowly. Too slowly. I'm frustrated. I have to decide what to do - keep doing these things, marathons, triathlons, and be slow, or change my life around to get better. What's important to me? I kinda wish someone was following my blog to give me some feedback.

Oh, by the way, currents were interesting - thanks Ike.

'Nuff Said

2008-09-11T18:31:00.001-04:00

A grave is a place where the dead are laid to await the coming of the medical student.

Ambrose Bierce

Miracles

2008-08-28T12:23:00.002-04:00

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." -Albert Einstein

I am so thankful I have the ability to train for this marathon. The 2008 Disney Marathon was very hard for me because I didn't train well. I don't want this to be my story again in a year, saying "yeah, I didn't train well for the Goofy, I know I could have done better." I want to say "yep, that went great, it was so much fun, and I did both!!!"

So one day at a time, I have to do what it takes to make that happen. I'm running 4 miles this evening, and swimming in the morning before work (and after a good night's sleep!).

Goofy Start

2008-08-27T18:57:00.002-04:00

Goofy training officially started today (well, for me that is). In case people want to google for tips, like I did, I'm more than happy to explain my 2009 Goofy Challenge Training Plan. I found a good one on a blog when I decided to do it. Mine's a variation on one of Hal Higdon's Novice 2 plan at www.halhigdon.com. I moved some of the medium runs to the end of the week to have 4 or 5 weekends with back to back medium and long runs to simulate the Goofy weekend. Sometimes, I'm not sure it's just the title, I think it's more of a descriptor!

Today's workout: ran 3.5 miles on Bayshore, walked 2 miles at the end

Forget Tired

2008-08-12T22:09:00.004-04:00

The Olympics inspire me. Let me be more specific...the swimming inspires me. Always has. I'm a swimmer first, a runner second (and now plan to be a bicyclist in a somewhat distant, frightening third). Here's my new bike to prove it!! --->

I like the women. I like their power. Their shoulders do not move after a flip turn as their cores power through the fly kick off the wall. Amazing. As I sat next to my husband and watched the 100 free men's semi-finals, I said "the women impress me. Men are made to be strong. Women make themselves strong, whether it be physically, emotionally or mentally. Men make themselves weak."

I haven't been able to watch much in the Olympics. Thank goodness for the web. I got home from my 12 step meeting at 9ish, which left me some time. Yes, time. Such a precious commodity. Time, energy. Power.

I am blessed with my physical ability. May I waste it no longer.

Not sick, just tired

2008-08-03T12:08:00.006-04:00

I'm feeling really pathetic. I'm no longer sick, but feel dog tired. I finished up my three hard, hard months in a row, have an August coming up that for most people would be hard, but for me is just another month. Hey, when have I ever been normal?!? Ugh. Anyway, I am spending a couple weeks getting on track - a mentor meeting, 6 month eval (eek), finishing paperwork and writing an article long overdue, going to the doctors (you know, the family & girl types - can't take care of others if you can't take care of yourself), taking my dog to the vet, sitting for a licensing exam to practice in Texas, restarting on my dad's business if possible (having a server issue), and catching up with Suzie, Erin and Shana. Oh, yeah, and I'm working and training for the Goofy Challenge & my first triathlon. I started the Body for Life (BFL) plan - although it's a 12 week program I intend to finish twice, it's not a "body for 12 weeks plan!" - on July 28th, and that's been going well. Now that my trauma month is over, though, I need to step it up a bit. 20 minute cardio sessions are fine for weight loss, but not so good for event success (unless I do a one mile race, I suppose). I think I'm ditching the scale for a bit. One day at a time, by my fitness, not a number. Maybe I'll weigh myself every 4 weeks for BFL.

Right now, I'm heading out for a run. I think it's ninety something degrees outside, so it'll be a short one. I'm off, wish me luck...Oh, yeah, I make my own luck. I forgot.

Excellent Quote

2008-07-18T21:44:00.001-04:00

I'm sick. The kind when you feel like someone poured rubber into your lungs and they just won't expand, but with the added bonus of nausea! Anyhow, I have three 24 hour shifts left, one of which is tomorrow. In my inbox travels, though, I found this quote:

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." — Henry Ford

Excellent sentiment. May I live by this always.

On the road again....just can't wait to be on the road again....

2008-07-15T20:21:00.002-04:00

Whew! Halfway through Trauma. It looks like I'll have a couple days off to recoup from this rotation. Five 24 hour shifts in the month, three to go. After that I never have to do a shift longer than 12 hours unless I want to. Yay! I am starting the Body for Life Challenge on July 28th. It is 24 weeks until the Disney Marathon so I can cycle through twice. I would like to change the direction in which I'm moving. My destination, if I continue on my current road, isn't exactly where I want to be. So, we change. Back to the road, just a new, sunny one!

Sunday

2008-06-27T12:54:00.002-04:00

Alrighty. It's out there...I'm starting to run Sunday. Although I've been swimming, I haven't been pounding the pavement a'tall. My schedule gets insanely busy in July, but I want to use that as a catalyst instead of an excuse. So, Sunday it is.

"The measure of mental health is the disposition to find good everywhere."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rethinking rethinking

2008-06-25T18:51:00.002-04:00

Do you ever feel like you need to get your life together? Like it's spiraling out of control and you have neither the time nor the energy to change the direction? I feel like I do a lot of rethinking and then end up back here. Well, not back here exactly. Maybe it's more like two steps forward and one step back. Speaking of steps, my running has been um, well, nonexistent. I have been swimming at least 3 times a week, and started lifting, but the Goofy Challenge won't be run in the water! Hence, the rethinking. No, I'm not rethinking my insane decision to do this "race" (in quotes b/c I'm not really racing anyone or anything except the finish lines). I'm rethinking my motivation. When people train for events, it has to be a part of the schedule. We all know that once you start doing something, you feel a lot better about yourself and that thing. You get better at it, and therefore enjoy it. So why can't I make myself run more than a day a week? Maybe it's because I'm "making" myself run. I'm not having fun with it. Hmmm...food for thought. Which brings me to my issues with food. My friends Erin & Lara helped me come up with a name for the seductive "nature" of food (really it was a more colorful, albeit inappropriate for common viewing, term. Janice. That witch (okay, now we're getting closer to the real title), who is named after Janus, the two faced God, is food. She is seductive, relentless, and promises all things. In reality, though, she turns on you. You see the other, ugly side. The side where food controls you. Your life is run by food, not by a higher power. It feels fulfilling but deep down, it's empty. So my life is being run by my job, food, laziness, and procrastination. I wonder if the laziness and procrastination are just rebellion against the job. The food is an entirely different issue. Maybe I'll touch on that more at another time.

So, I rethink. I regroup. I am not where I would like to be, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and financially. I will set clear goals, that way, I can start on the road to them. Enough thinking.

"The Warrior leaves no part of himself to laziness and weakness. All must be disciplined and mastered: Physical, Emotional, Intellectual and Spiritual. You will never scale the mountain of Power carrying twenty pounds of extra weight." — James Arthur Ray

Unlucky? Nah!

2008-06-13T23:03:00.002-04:00

It's Friday the 13th. I'm hanging out at my Dad's for the weekend. It's awesome. We just chatted for a while before bed (it's 11 o'clock - late!!!). Some things just make me frustrated. I can't spend as much time as I'd like with family because of residency. But, when I'm done, I'll have the means and the time to do so. I'm listening to a book again my Matthew Kelley - he states that time is not the most important resource. That distinction goes to energy. We are all given 24 hours in a day, but our energy to make the most of it is what differs between us. Hmmm, I intend to agree. If someone requires me to spend 14 hours of that 24 at work, by default, my relationships suffer. I wonder, is it the best situation? Is it worth it? Now, it has to be, I suppose. I love my job, and want to do it for a long time, which will require the time commitment now. So, again, delayed gratification. There is no happiness without discipline. But no running today or yesterday (call, then driving, poor excuses) ~sigh~

Hungry, Angry, Lonely & Tired

2008-06-09T17:44:00.003-04:00

If you've had any experience with addiction or behavior change, a basic tenet is to not let yourself get hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Today, I was post-call. I slept well (all in all considering I was in the hospital), so I thought I could blast through my day. I had a bunch of things I wanted to get done. It seems like my productive days are fewer and farther between the longer I go into residency. The good thing, I've crossed over from going INTO residency to coming OUT OF residency. I got out of work a little later than I would have liked, grabbed my running clothes and went out to run 3 miles. I made 2. It was ninety something degrees. I felt SO dehydrated. The funny thing, I walked 2 miles - I was 2 miles away from the hospital! I did get to see my dolphin playing right next to the sidewalk though. S/he is about, I don't know, 9 feet long? I'm terrible at that kind of thing. But he hung out with me and played right by the edge of the water for a few minutes. SO worth being in the right place at the right time.

I started feeling quite strange when I was driving home. Not so much tired, but out of it. When I got home, I was very, very hungry. I hadn't eaten since breakfast (bad idea) and it was after 2pm. I then proceeded to collapse on the bed and fall asleep. I really thought I'd pass out if I didn't. The thunder woke me up, so I brought the dog in, was STILL hungry, so made myself dinner. But I was laying in bed, wondering if I'm still just getting over my cold, thinking "why do I feel so horrible?". Greg was extremely supportive, for which I'm eternally grateful. With a bit of introspection I figured out that I was hungry (easy to figure that one out), angry (at myself for not being super productive on my half day off), lonely (more sad, feeling like there's so much I want to do but don't have the time or energy for), and tired (bone-deep exhausted). Being all of these things is unfortunately a great set up for overeating. So, I took a nap, ate some dinner, maybe did eat too much but not out of hand, read a book, called Greg, and stopped berating myself about not being productive. It is what it is. Hope tomorrow's better!

I'm Back! Back in the paddles again...

2008-05-28T21:22:00.003-04:00

Okay, many apologies to Aerosmith, but I just couldn't resist. I started swimming again this morning. It felt great. I did 1000 yards before work.
200 warm up
5x100 IM
4x50, sprint down, easy back
100 easy
We didn't end up finishing with rounds until close to 8 pm, but I still came home and ran 2 miles. I was pretty proud of myself for doing that, actually. What I really felt like doing was a whole lot of nothing.

But, I'm reading a book called "The Seven Levels of Intimacy" by Matthew Kelley. Well, I'm listening to it, really. I love audiobooks on the ipod. And now that my new (awesome) car has an mp3 jack, I'm all set. Anyway, this book is exceptional. A tidbit I want to share is that our number one purpose is to become the best version of ourselves.

So any decision, any action, any choice can be filtered through that question, "will this ________ get me closer to the best version of myself."

Kelley also states that there is no lasting happiness without discipline. Hmmm.... food for thought, so to speak. More on that later...

and the base keeps running and running....

2008-05-18T20:39:00.002-04:00

Black Eyed Peas kept me going today, that's for sure. I think I was swimming rather than running. The humidity was crazy. I ran though :) - 3.34 miles. Yay!!!

I'm in 16th place in the "Bikini Body Bound" Nike+ challenge. I had a sluggish week, and I'd hoped to be into the top 10. I knew it'd take consistency, but apparently my ambition didn't agree and took a vacation instead! Let's see what we can do this week.

Re-Anniversary

2008-05-10T19:51:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was our 2 year re-anniversary. Greg and I renewed our vows in Scotland at Borthwick Castle. It was a phenomenal vacation. That's us with our piper, Jim, in the great hall :)

I ran today. I had fun. I ran 3.1 miles in humid weather - probably mid 90's. I decided to bring the Nathan hydration bottles, too. I can do 3 miles without them, but I figure no time like the present to start thinking in the direction of long runs. Even though it felt grueling, my pace was 11:50 per mile :) Hey, faster waddling!

Ok, time to do some work, then head to bed. ANOTHER day of work - surprise surprise.

Already???

2008-05-06T13:15:00.002-04:00

It's been a week already! Today's my first day off in that time, so I suppose it makes sense. Had a great run today. Three point something miles. But I enjoyed it. I ran near home, which I enjoy for the sake of running outside (I grew up in the North - close to the Great White North even - so running outside all year round is something I will not give up), but I don't like to run here all that often. No sidewalks and such.

Anyway, I had fun today. Hope you did too!

A little history...

2008-04-30T22:00:00.002-04:00

I started running on May 1st, 2005. I'd run before then, but my goal was this: to enjoy running. I began in Lima, Ohio when I went to do my family practice rotation with Nick Powers in Wapakoneta (the best rotation of med school, okay, maybe second to my ER months). I ran 2 minutes on the treadmill in the little fitness center in St. Rita's hospital, and walked 28, and worked up from there. Since then I've run a bunch of races, including two marathons.

Tomorrow is May 1st, 2008. I do things in threes, usually. Life seems to work out that way. Well, my new 3 year running plan, I s'pose, starts tomorrow. I have had a tough time getting my head in the game. So, tomorrow, as I venture into the world of cardiology for my last foray into a dedicated month of it, I'm going to do a little running soul searching. Where I am is CERTAINLY not where I want to be! But, hey, the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step (or 2 minutes on the treadmill).

Here's to fun running!

PS - I ran 2 miles today - and logged a personal best mile (it must be individual, b/c the 2 mile total was mediocre) and got to hear Paula Radcliffe congratulate me! (This Nike iPod thing is STILL awesome!!!!).

Back in the Swing

2008-04-25T10:10:00.002-04:00

Good morning! I'm getting back into the swing of things. I got out and did a 20 minute interval run followed by a 40 minute walk/stretch session. Slow pace 12:23/mile for 1.63 miles. But, it's done and I've had some trouble getting out of my head. Also, today, I'm getting a combo massage/reiki treatment. SOOOOO looking forward to it!!!

Boston!

2008-04-21T19:53:00.002-04:00

Congrats to the winners Robert Cheruiyot and Dire Tune, and to EVERY runner out there today!!! My friend Allison Hull qualified at Disney and we cheered her on from the TV today when we watched Lance Armstrong finish :)

Way to go everyone!

Running The Woodlands

2008-04-19T22:11:00.003-04:00

The Future of Happymoe Runs!!!

Here's a pic of a path in The Woodlands. They have (no lie) 146 miles of trails that look like this! We're visiting my aunt & uncle this week, chatting with an area ED director about future job possibilities and looking at some crazy houses!

Today's run was great. I downloaded Lance Armstrong's Run Longer mix from itunes, it was so much fun! My pace was 11:59 per mile for 3.42 miles. Woohoo!

Monday's Boston :) Good luck to all the excellent runners partaking in those festivities, may your weather be great and may your legs be strong.

Workin'

2008-04-15T16:32:00.004-04:00

Here are some pics from flying with our med flight team yesterday :)

Unfettered

2008-04-11T12:59:00.002-04:00

Good afternoon, or morning, or evening, depending on when you read this. I woke up this morning feeling about a thousand percent better than yesterday. I felt bogged down, bloated, unhappy, restless and irritable. Wow, fun day, I know. But today, I awoke to the sun shining in the bedroom windows, feeling more like a kid when I used to wake up at my grandparents' house in Port Charlotte on vacation than an overworked, somewhat disillusioned, bitter second year resident. Hence, I named the blog entry "unfettered". Easy. I've spent 3 hours working on emailing auto dealers haggling over lease deals, completing overdue tax forms and home office filing without one minute of resentment. I feel almost healed.

Yesterday, I was very distraught. I felt bloated and miserable. So, this morning, I took a look at my little calendar that serves as a daily health record of sorts. I record my weight in there too. When I stopped eating animal parts, I lost between 13 and 16 pounds. However, for the past 3 months, my weight has been within 2 pounds of where it is now-a pound either way. Even with increased exercise and better food intake this week, I'd actually gained weight. Not to mention a recurrence of menstrual irregularities (and not the good kind) in the past 3 weeks - due to soy? I don't know. Oh, and last night, with my fake chicken strips that are "an excellent source of protein", I decided I'd had enough. My feelings of better health eating veggie are gone. I couldn't eat the "chicken". I think they even recreated gristle! Ick. So, I won't stop eating the soy foods I enjoy, because I do enjoy a large number of them, but I want more variety. I do believe that will include animal products. I'm sure this will make my uncle Dan happy, carnivore that he is :)

Ok, today, I'm lifting my upper body and adding an additional cross training cardio workout at the gym. Time to start burnin' some off some dead weight.

The days pass quickly

2008-04-10T08:51:00.002-04:00

Wow, it's been 5 days already. Lucky for me both of the runs I did since I posted last have had EXACTLY the same pace of 12:09 per mile for 2 miles. I started the Body for Life eating and training program on the 7th. So far, it's great. I went from eating 3 times a day to eating 6. I'm never hungry. It's awesome. The protein requirements (evenly matched complex carbs with protein) are a bit difficult on the veggie end, so I confess, I've added some cheese & tuna into the mix. Pure animal protein sources are so simple compared to attempting to find truly high protein sources per serving of vegetarian fare. So, I eat close to the ground (and in the water, as it were) as much as I feel is good for my body AND lifestyle. Any tips or suggestions are welcome. I'm off to a research meeting...have a wonderful day!

Insomniac

2008-04-05T03:45:00.003-04:00

Every so often, I can't sleep. This used to happen all the time as a kid. It'd take me a good 2 hours to fall asleep, then I couldn't get up in the morning. Now, for the past 4 days, I wake up after 3 hours of sleep and whammo! I'm up. So, today, at 2:30 am, I tried to sleep for 25 minutes, and decided "I'll just get up. Stop fighting it." I hopped online, caught a 12 step meeting at 3 am (they happen every 3 hours) and figured I'd update my blog. I was working nights at the end of last month, so maybe that has something to do with it.

As long as I'm not fighting it, I'm pretending I can't sleep because I'm so excited to start a new day! It's now 4 am, I have 3 hours until 7, when I'm going for a run. I may stay up until then, and take a nap later. We'll see. I think it's better just to let myself be excited than to dream up some reason why my otherwise healthy 34 year old body can't handle a few days with less sleep. I appreciate those few extra hours to catch a meeting, update my blog (here's a pic of Greg and I on Main Street, USA), send a few emails. Thanks insomnia!

Oh, so THAT'S what dehydration feels like

2008-04-02T19:45:00.003-04:00

I'd forgotten. Lately, I've been better with keeping myself really hydrated, and I rarely run in the middle of the day. Well, today, I had coffee, tea, little water and ran at 12:15 pm. It felt like the slowest run ever. But, my time was 12:09/mile average over 2 miles on Bayshore. (I still love that nike+ipod thing!). So, it felt hard because I was pushing myself :) Well, that and the fact that I was dehydrated & was hot outside. It's POURING outside now. I hope it's nice this weekend because we're both off. Yay!

Stomping Ground

2008-04-01T16:18:00.004-04:00

This is a picture of Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa, where I run. It's 3 seconds from where I work, so I run there pretty much exclusively. I see dolphins (ok, porpoise), rays, ducks, pelicans, manatees, oh, and runners & walkers & bikers :)

This route has been part of my happy runner strategy. Even if my time is bad, I've still had a beautiful run. I ran before work last night, and did 2 miles at 12:12 avg pace - which is good for me. My goal is to average around there for the marathon in January. I just got off of six 12 hour night shifts in a row. I also just got my yoga DVDs in the mail, so there's NO excuse for me not to start a great regimen. Ok, I'll start after I sleep!

Behind Schedule

2008-03-27T17:35:00.003-04:00

Good morning everyone. It's 5:35 pm, and I'm behind schedule. I was having such a lovely time sleeping that I just didn't want to stop! I'm off to work. Speaking of schedule, I set a goal on NikePlus.com that I would run 12 times in 4 weeks. I have a little less than a week and a half to go and 7 runs left. Therefore, I'm behind. I'm running almost every day, because I don't want to let myself down on my first mini goal. The purpose of my goal was simply to get me running consistently again. In the meantime, I've put together my goofy schedule. No, not the one for work! The Goofy Race and a Half Challenge training schedule. I'll still order John Bingham's program in August, but I'll be ready for it! Oh, and by the way, I need some ideas for new running tunes. I'm quite bored with mine. So, if you've got any songs, just post 'em :)

Nike + iPod = Awesome!

2008-03-24T22:27:00.002-04:00

Check this out - I finish my 2.22 mile run (I'm doing little runs - making sure I'm happy! I'm not up to telling you how long it took me though) today after work, and a voice comes over my headphones "this is Paula Radcliffe, congratulations, you've just beat your time for your fastest mile". How cool is THAT!?! I didn't know it did that!!! I was so excited. Ahhh, the little things. Fun, fun. That IS what this is about. Finally.

Good Morning

2008-03-23T17:08:00.002-04:00

It's 5:00 pm and I just got up. I work at 7pm, but it's only one shift, so I'm hoping I can convince Greg to run with me after work. I'll have to take my camera down to where we run so I can post it. Maybe I'll get my dolphin in the pics. I think I have a working Goofy training schedule. I'm combining Hal Higdon's Intermediate Marathon Training Guide with the info from the sample 2 weeks from Jenny Hadfield & John Bingham's Goofy Training Program. I plan on buying that one when it gets closer, especially because it's only 4 days a week. I'm sure I'll tweak it a bit throughout April, to start pretraining in May. As I said, I wasn't prepared for Disney, so this year, I'm adding two days a week of cross training (likely yoga or cycling or swimming), two days of strength training, and stretching every day. My diet needs some work, as I've had some issues in the past with fluctuating weight (doesn't that sound much more pleasant than it's been?) so until my training picks up, I'm sticking with 3 meals a day, no snacks. "No one ever died not eating between lunch and dinner."

Next Time No Burnout

2008-03-22T19:21:00.004-04:00

Okay. After the Gasparilla Marathon in February 2007, I did nothing for 2 months and gained 15 pounds. I swore I wouldn't do it again after Disney this January. Well, here it is, March 22nd. I've run a few times (let's see...on NikePlus it says I ran 6 times since the marathon) and only gained 3 pounds. I started writing this post to berate myself for not getting off my duff and doing more, but as I see it now, I did better than last year! But, it's getting to be that time. We signed up for the Goofy Challenge in 2009. Not sure what bunch of craziness came over me, but I'm excited.

I didn't train very well for Disney. As John Bingham says " Being a slow runner is not the same as being an unprepared runner." I was unprepared. I had a lot going on (what a crap excuse - maybe I would have had less stress if I ran more!) and used a different training program. It took me 45 minutes longer than my first marathon, when I'd love to be about 45 minutes faster! Plus, Greg and I want to take pics this time throughout Disney so I can't be his literal ball & chain. So, for Goofy, I will be prepared. I think I'm going to go back to Hal Higdon with some modifications because it's a two day event. I've read other bloggers and forums about training for Goofy, and I am going to do so again, because I really would like a training program that is really set. My own personal coach, so to speak. By the way, my Nike plus ipod gadget (who i named iSis (get it?)) is great. I ran 3 miles last Thursday - on the boooooring treadmill at the gym and wouldn't have finished it but for that voice in my ear "one more mile to go".

Alrighty then, I'm off to do some research on Goofy training. Have a great Easter, if that's your thing!

Introductions

2008-03-21T20:19:00.004-04:00

This is my husband, Greg, and me in The Woodlands, Texas. He runs faster than I do, but I love him anyway. We ran Gasparilla (our first marathon) in 2007 & Disney in 2008. We're coming up on 9 years of marriage, and of course, every year gets better. Right now we live in Florida, but will be taking our 2 cats & dog to Texas in a year and a half or so. Until that time, we'll finish up our residency program, keep working on becoming better doctors.

Ahhhh finally

2008-03-21T17:10:00.000-04:00

I've finally created a blog! I toyed with the idea for a while, because I wanted an easy way to log my workouts no matter where I am. Carrying around a paper log hadn't really worked for me since I stopped running in my neighborhood. Plus, I really enjoy reading other blogs, especially those kept by Disney (and Goofy) runners. So, I had to come up with a title. I definitely wanted Runner in it, and my original training goal during my first marathon was "to learn to enjoy running". Voila! The Happy Runner is born.

Notice I didn't say fast (yet), or efficient, or champion. I said happy. I am happy (albeit somewhat painful on some longer distances) when I run. I am always happy after I run. So, why do I not run more? Hmmm, a point to ponder in future posts.