Girls weekend

I sent Daniel and Doug to three days at Splash Camp, a water-focused overnight camp at Sea Base in Galveston for Cub Scouts. I asked Lia what she wanted to do while the boys were at camp. Her immediate, very decisive response? "Go camping!" So go camping we did.

Tuesday morning after breakfast, she and I dropped the dogs off with my folks and hit the road for Blanco State Park.

#gonecamping #dontcall #donttext #offthegrid

We spent the next 36ish hours doing what Lia wanted to do. Because Daniel has such a strong personality, she gets run over a lot. Letting her call the shots and guide the conversation was a real treat for both of us. We ate Alvin Ord's with cousins and aunts, which was so super nice. These beauties are off to college in the fall and it is such a joy to see the wonderful things they're doing with their lives.

Next up, we shopped for our groceries at HEB (where she was allowed to pick anything in the entire store she wanted for breakfast and she chose Chex cereal).  Another hour on the road and we arrived! The only memory I have of the Blanco River was when it didn't have any water in it and all I could see were the rocks and the trees, which were pretty enough. The water? Holy moley. It's green and clear and beautiful and I was SO grateful that we chose this park.  Lia helped me "pitch up our tent" for our home-away-from-home. She was actually a very big helper and we had the tent up in no time.

We spent the next couple of  hours in the river splashing, swimming, and letting fish nibble our fingers and our toes. Lia would hold her hands out oh-so still and wait oh-so patiently for them to nibble her and then she would throw her head and laugh and laugh and laugh. It was almost my favorite part of the whole trip.

Sadly, I bought charcoal that I thought was quick start (which obviously was not...) and we had cold hot dogs and cold s'mores for dinner. Whoops. Before we left, I bought a bottle of head-to-toe baby wash for showers. We headed to the shower and stood in the cold, cold water for as long as we could stand it (the heat index was 97 after the sun set - yikes). We came out smelling like clean babies and headed for bed.

Can I tell you just how magical that night was? Holding my little one in my arms, smelling those sweet, nostalgic baby smells, listening to nature's lullaby, and watching the fireflies through our tent window will go down in my memories as a top-five moment. I knew we needed a break. I knew we needed to slow down. I knew we needed to spend some time away. But not until this moment, when my heart was swollen to the brim with love and contentedness, did I realize just how much I ached to unplug and just be. It was so soothing to turn off the news and the chatter of the world and just listen to the river and the wind and to my baby.

I didn't sleep worth a flip, but I woke up with this little snuggle bug and all was right with the world. After her Chex breakfast and a quick cup of cold brew, we were off to "splore."

We hiked a little ways along the river and found seashells (seashells?!) and talked to lots of people out riding bikes and walking dogs.

We crossed under a bridge and tiptoed through the shallows to get to the "money shot." This was the photo of the park that sold me on Blanco and I was SO glad we made the effort to trudge down for this photo. It was so neat to see the water running over this dam and see the fish jumping under the bridge.

Shortly after this, Lia stepped in an algae-laden puddle and declared it was time to go home. After breaking camp, we visited with our neighbors for a bit and headed back east. It was such a good trip and it was so good for both of us to get away and just be together for a while. Daniel and Doug got home the next morning and we all resumed our normal activities. So thankful Lia asked to go camping and so grateful for the adventurous spirit that led me to brave a tent, the woods, and all that goes with it with just "us girls."

Progress

Two weeks ago, I made two tiny changes: I stopped putting sugar in my coffee and I started eating a savory breakfast (most days). That usually looks like an avocado and chicken sausage, but sometimes when my avocado is mushy, it looks like a spinach salad with roasted chicken. If I'm being 100% honest, it sometimes looks like oatmeal, a banana, and some almond butter. Whatevs. Nobody's perfect. In those two weeks, I've lost a little less than a pound with no further changes.

I keep hearing things about powdered greens and baby kale and coconut milk from Swim Bike Fuel friends, but I am patiently biding my time and waiting for July 1 to roll around. I am a little disappointed that we'll be out of town July 1-6, which will likely make all of this really hard to implement (especially while in a tent in a state park...). Again. Whatevs. I have the rest of my life to make these changes. If I have to eat hot dogs and powdered sugar donuts while I'm camping, my life will not come to an end.

I don't have any bathroom selfies to post this week, but I need to hurry up with that before the bathroom is finished. It looks like we'll be showering in our new amazing shower by next week!

Anywho, that's all. Just a little update to show that small changes add up to make a big difference. Carry on!

First steps, again

After my last post, I vented my frustrations to a group of women who are so very near and dear to my heart. One of those AMAZEBALLS women is none other than THE Swim Bike Mom, Meredith Atwood. She's been running Swim Bike Fuel with the lovely and talented Meredith Vieceli for awhile now. When the program first launched, I didn't have the funds to take part. Then round 2 dinged. And round 3. And round 4. And I still didn't have the funds. Well. Something clicked (or popped open on my shorts...) this past weekend and I decided that I am just done, done, done. After talking it over with Meredith, I decided NOW is the time to invest in myself. Not just by throwing money at races and training myself into exhaustion. Not just by buying fancy new tri gear. Not just by saying and not doing. I'm going to start with the most basic building blocks and fix my nutrition once and for all.

There's been a common denominator in all three of my 70.3 races - nutrition. It suffers on race day. That part is easy for me to admit. 99 calories on a 3.5-hour bike is absurd. It's taken a while for me to admit this, but it suffers before race day, too. I usually manage to eat pretty clean the week before a race, but in general, I eat entirely too much Blue Bell, entirely too much bread, entirely too much crap. I've had friends approach me about Beach Body, Plexus, p90x, and anything in between. I know in my heart that this does not require a magic bullet. It requires discipline and knowledge. The discipline I have. The knowledge I lack. I *think* I know, but all of the knowledge I've acquired contradicts itself and makes zero sense and I just wind up sabotaging myself on a daily basis.

Enter Swim Bike Fuel and, hopefully, the beginning of a whole slew of healthy changes for me AND for my family. The program doesn't start until July 1, but I'm trying to implement healthy changes right now. Less coffee. More water. I finally broke down and bought that blasted chicken sausage Meredith is always talking about. I nearly choked when I paid $6 for 4 sausages, but I'll be danged if it isn't delicious. I froze some Greek yogurt today to replace my beloved Blue Bell. It'll do.

I posted bathroom selfies earlier this week. Today I stepped on the scale. Again, I can't believe I'm putting this out there, but it said 156.8. I don't have a goal weight. I don't have a dress size I'm trying to fit into. I just want to give my body what it needs to do the things I'm asking it to do. As Mere said, I'm ready to "rawk the avocado."

322 days to IMTX17.

Ironman training begins!

Two weeks ago, we volunteered at the finish line at IMTX. We had 6 friends racing that day and the three of us managed to catch all 6 of them. It was a SUPER cool experience and I can't wait to be on the other side of that finish line.

I could write a 20-page race report on that day from a spectator/volunteer perspective, but that's another post for another day. The short of it is that we had SO much fun and we were able to be a part of a lot of our friends' stories. 

The next morning, we headed over to the Ironman Village to sign our lives away. We are seriously SO STOKED about this. There is something truly wrong with us....

Two days ago, we went to a post-Ironman party at a friend's house to eat, swim, eat, relive IMTX16, eat, and eat. When we got in the car to go home, the button on my board shorts popped open. My eyes grew wide, my face blushed, and I looked at Doug. "Ironman training starts right now. RIGHT. NOW." I purchased these board shorts in 2002 - mind you - long before babies and long before I knew anything about my body at all. Regardless, it was enough of an eye opener to jolt me into action. Right. Now. I've been slacking since Galveston, but that nonsense ends right now.

I went out this morning with my crew for 50 miles. I snapped these quick pics before I left the house. I cannot believe I am actually putting this out there for the world to see... Whatever, man. It'll be fun to see my progress (and the bathroom progress...). HA! They are sideways and I can't fix them. Only the most determined folks will be able to really see what this is all about...

Note the dissatisfied look on my face... more veggies. Less Blue Bell.

After a delightful ride with fun friends, I think I'm back on the wagon. With school letting out on Thursday, there's no telling what's getting ready to happen to my schedule. I'm keeping my knees bent and my eyes on the prize. 326 days to glory!!

And now... for something completely different

If you page back through my blog, you'll see that baptism and theology has been an ongoing discussion in our house, as seen here and here. Last September - the 25th, to be exact - Daniel decided-decided to follow Jesus. We've talked and talked and prayed about all of this, and next Thursday is the big day - the day he'll be baptized. I've been working on what I'll say as our church allows anyone (who meets their requirements) to do the actual baptizing. When Daniel asked me to baptize him, wow. I was totally overwhelmed. It NEVER crossed my mind to say "no," but wow. What a journey it's been. I had to submit what I'll say to our pastoral team ahead of time and this is it. I just want to put it out there ahead of time to give myself some time to process all of this. Here's to hoping I can get through this without falling apart!

Daniel's story

Daniel attended Nicole’s Salvation and the Gospel class back in September. The very next night, I tucked Daniel in and said goodnight. A few minutes later, here he was, in the kitchen. He told me that he didn’t know what he needed to say or do, but he was ready to ask Jesus into his heart. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard sweeter words in all my life. I knelt with him there in the dark and led him in a prayer of salvation. He told God that he knew he was a sinner and he knew he needed Jesus to take away his sins and that he was ready to follow Him all the days of his life. A huge wave of emotion washed over me – joy, excitement, pride, relief. Then he asked me then if I’d be the one to baptize him and a whole new wave of emotion hit me – anxiety, fear, an overwhelming sense of responsibility. But the more I’ve prayed about it over the last 6 months, the more I’ve come to realize that this is exactly what Daniel went through. He was excited to ask Jesus into his heart, but he was anxious about whether the water would be hot or cold. He was proud to call himself a Christian, but he was worried that his clothes would get wet. He wasn’t sure what all of this looked like. But he found the courage to stand here on this stage and let it be known that he believes that our God saves and is alive today so I can be brave enough to stand here with him. And Daniel? I want you to look out into this church at these people who are brave enough to stand here with you and to be a part of your life with Christ. I want you to know that each and every one of these people loves you and they are here for you, not just tonight, but to support you in all that you do. If there ever comes a time when you are anxious or fearful or overwhelmed with responsibility, know that you never walk alone for God is with you and so are His people. So without further ado, it is my privilege to baptize you my brother in Christ in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

RACE REPORT – Ironman Galveston 70.3

We’ll back up a few days from go-time to set the stage. Or maybe a few months. Last June, Melissa and Nicole agreed to do this race. Together. The three of us. Melissa wrote our training plan. Nicole ran with me at least once a week and we all rode together as often as possible. These two women are waaaa-aaaaa-aaaaay out of my league. Their fitness and their strength lifts me up and inspires me, but I am in no way equipped to keep up with them in any sense of the word. Maybe someday I’ll get there, but that day is not today.

Some more history: Melissa and I have known each other since we were 8, maybe 9. Our lives have intertwined a few times in the past, crisscrossing and saying “hello” here and there. A season of softball, a year or two of our kids sharing the same preschool. This time, it’s for good. She’s stuck with me forever. What to say about Mel. She’s superhuman. In college, she played softball, soccer, AND ice hockey. And she’s beautiful, a strong Christian, a good friend, an amazing mother and wife. She’s the bees knees. And Nicole? She’s all of those things. She’ll do ANYTHING for you. She loves well and plays well and serves well and I’m ever so grateful that our paths crossed long enough to forge a friendship that I believe is here to stay. (I’ll go ahead and pat myself on the back for my ability to make friends with amazing people.)

Now that you know who I was blessed enough to race alongside, I’ll carry on. Nicole was having a hard time finding a wetsuit that didn’t grow hands and strangle her every time she jumped in the water. After four borrowed suits, she FINALLY found one that worked. The last week before the race was a smooth taper peppered with several trips to the lake to try the wetsuit out before race day. Here we are, after FINALLY having found the winner. Thank God!! This was Thursday, by the way. T-minus 66 hours until race day. Word. Nothing like cutting it close!

Friday we rode down to athlete check-in. Melissa drove the weeine van, the three of us, and two little munchkins to the island. Last year, the check-in line on Saturday was 3 hours long and I was NOT into standing around for 3 hours when I should’ve been hydrating with my feet up. We zipped through check-in (despite the fact that Nicole’s ID was on the glass on her scanner at home – oops!) and sat through the painfully long athlete briefing in the blazing hot sun. Our little people were amazing and hung in there for us for the entire meeting. We rushed back home to get bigger munchkins home from school. The Longos had us over for spaghetti again (which is fast becoming a tradition!). I consumed my weight in carbs and diligently double-fisted my Gatorade and water. I was in bed early and was trying to relax as much as possible.

My amazing husband let me sleep in on Saturday and fed me oatmeal pancakes for breakfast. More carbs – yay! I took Bruce the Bike on a little jaunt around the neighborhood to make sure everything was in working order and then headed down to the island again for mandatory bike check-in. Completely uneventful, which is ALWAYS welcome! Nicole and I walked over to the swim start and got the lay of the land. The weather man had been calling for 25 mph winds for days and we believed it. The wind was ridiculous! 

We headed home and I made my superstitious traditional meal of fetuccini alfredo with chicken (more carbs – yay). My family loaded up everything in the truck and dropped me off for a sleepover with my buddies. We were trying to shave some commute time in the morning and this saved me about 30 minutes of sleep (which was WELL worth the effort). I think I slept better knowing that there were 5 people with alarms set for 4:20 or earlier and I knew I wouldn't miss the race. This was by far the most sleep I've gotten before a big race. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I knew there were 5 alarms set or if I wasn't at home and had zero other things to stress about or what, but I'll take it. Six solid hours beats the pants off of 4 fitful hours!

Once again, we loaded up and headed to the island. We had Nick and Jonathan with us and we had LOTS to laugh and joke about. It was such a fun morning of preparations. SO much less nerve-wracking that being alone and whiling away the time. Our team was solid, excited, and ready to face the day.  For some strange reason, they had us park about 5 blocks from Moody Gardens, which sucked. My race plan did not include walking a mile in flip flops! Whatever - it was what it was. The five of us goofed off all the way to transition and harassed each other about which song would be stuck in our heads. We made our way into transition and said our goodbyes. I saw Nick once more at the swim start and Jonathan blew by me on the bike at about mile 25. That would be the last time I saw these guys on race day. I won't say anything AT ALL about Mel's lucky sweatshirt.

If you'll remember from last year, I met some amazing women on the way to the swim start. I was alone and scared and nervous and lots of things. This year? I saw SO many people one the way to the dock. Krista and Heather and Nick and Randi and I hugged and smiled and wished everyone good luck. The vibe was AMAZING. Not to say I wasn't nervous, but the excitement and the energy far overshadowed my anxiety about the day. The work was done and it was time to get down to brass tacks.

Gah. I can't figure out how to flip that. Just turn your head.

It was 7:12. Almost time. I asked Melissa to pray. I don't know exactly what she said, but her prayer was full of gratitude and jubilation and praise and when she finished, we were all crying. I think this is when Nick walked up, which was a welcome distraction and gave us all a chance to wipe our eyes. 7:16 and we were on the dock. 7:21 and we were cannonballing into the water. 7:24. Game time. 

The horn blared and off we went. People talk about the brutality of an open water/mass swim start. Up until this point, I've been blessed enough to avoid such things. This race ended my streak. I think I positioned myself a little too close to the front. The first 100 yards were a turgid whirlpool of arms and legs and fists to the head. I couldn't get in a rhythm and I couldn't break free of the crowd. By the time I broke through that first buoy, I was in my own bubble, but I'd had the snot beat out of me. I never lost control of my breathing - for which I was extremely grateful - but I was worried about Nicole. Blessedly, she was fine and didn't have the same experience I did. Whew!

Once we made that first turn, the wave behind us caught up to me. This was the point of the swim where things just got flat stupid. A wall of 4 men in orange caps went completely over the top of me and I was pushed under. Not cool, orange caps. Not cool.  A guy in front of me was swimming zagzags and a woman from the first non-pro wave was back stroking. It was mass chaos, but I just kept stroking and looking for my own space. By the time I turned that last buoy, I was about done with these crazy cats. I had plenty of gas left in the tank, but I was just done being in the water with these crazies. My feet found the ramp and up I went!

Official swim time - 45:46

I always look like a lunatic coming out of the swim. I'm always grateful and relieved that I didn't drown. I really, really, really wanted to come in closer to 40 minutes, but given the fact that I had to swim 1.2 miles while fighting a wrestling match? I was ok with this. I dropped down at wetsuit stripping and got a hearty cheer from Nicole and  Melissa's husbands. Then I saw Krista and Ann and a bunch of other people I knew and I felt like I had wings! On to the bike and to fight the wind!

T1 was smooth. I shoved a waffle in my mouth, dried my feet off, and girded my loins for cycling. I felt like I was moving quickly, but my time showed otherwise. Away I went!

Official T1 time - 3:53

As I mentioned, everyone had been on and on about the wind. This is Galveston. OF COURSE there's wind. We ride in the wind every weekend so I'm not sure why anyone would have expected anything different on race day. Here's a fun fact for you - EVERYONE I talked to said, "Oh get your head wrapped around this - it's going to be a tailwind on the way down and a headwind on the way back." Well see. My daddy taught me how to read a map and I could see the little arrow indicating wind direction and I KNEW in my bones that EVERYONE was wrong. I KNEW that we'd have a cross-head on the way down and a cross-tail on the way back. But EVERYONE was so convinced that they were right, I just kept my mouth shut and decided I had to be an idiot and I tried to wrap my head around that. Well guess what? I'm not such an idiot and that wind did exactly what I thought it was going to do. It wasn't much help on the way back in, but it beat the heck out of a head wind for the back half of the course!

I settled in early on the bike and got as comfortable as one can get on a tri bike. I started drinking and taking my salt. I was SUPER focused on my salt as I had some cramping issues at Oilman in November. Pedal, pedal, pedal. Flat, flat, flat. Wind, wind, wind. I actually passed a fair amount of people which truly surprised me. We were in the 6th swim wave, so there really weren't that many people on the course ahead of me, but I found quite a few to pass. Right around mile 25, I hear Melissa cheer me on from the other side of the course. She just FLEW on her new bike and really put a hurtin' on that course. I was so jazzed to see her and got a huge surge of energy. Back to business. Pedal, pedal, pedal. Flat, flat, flat. Wind, wind, wind. Just before the turnaround, Nicole came up behind me. FINALLY! I was so worried about her. I truly expected her to catch me by mile 10 (and would not have been surprised had she caught me in the first 10 minutes!). We chatted for about 60 seconds and off she went. Apparently, she had some technical difficulties in T1 and had a hard time getting out of there. She stopped at an aid station and I passed her only to be passed again about 5 minutes later. I noticed my hamstrings and QLs were just tired. I wasn't cramping at all, but I was just tired. I took in some more salt, ate another shot block, brought home the bike, and dismounted feeling strong but tired. Actually more tired than strong, but I was glad to have my legs back underneath me. (After some thinking and race analysis, I realized I only took in 99 calories on the bike, which was a HUGE mistake that I paid for on the run. Lesson learned.)

Official bike time - 3:30:12

T2 was fast and furious. I traded my cycling shoes for running shoes, grabbed a hat, and pulled my Gatorade bottle off the bike. Away I went, feeling fast and actually moving fast!

Official T2 time - 2:05

This is where the rubber met the road. The run was HARD. It was hot and it was hard. I saw Julie and Liane just coming out of transition. I was feeling strong. Sort of. I thought I had a 2:35 in me, but my body said otherwise. Just before mile 1, my left hamstring cramped. Hard. I had never cramped like this while running and I had NO idea what to do. I hobbled through it, stopped for some water, and took some more salt. As I worked through it, I was thinking, Well hell's bells. I guess I'm getting ready to walk 12 miles... It finally let up and I was able to run again. I took it easy, worried that I'd be right back in this boat if I pushed too hard. As I ran, I saw a LOT of friends and family. Heather and Gracie, Randi, Penny, Crystal, Ann - a ton of people who believe/d in me. I wasn't sure where my family was, but I knew they'd be there. I rounded the parking garage where they were last year and my heart sank. No family. I pushed on up a stupid hill and over a stupid overpass and was cursing this stupid race when I saw my mom and dad's Tahoe. I didn't think they saw me (they didn't, but Daniel did!!!), but I knew they were there and I knew they were coming. I picked up my pace a little and was so grateful to see them on the way back for loop 2. Just before the end of the first loop, I saw THE cheering squad - Nicole's entire family, Melissa's family, Julie, Liane - I can't even name all the people who cheered for me. I stopped and I told them, "LISTEN to me. I am HURTING. My hams are gone. I'm hot. I'm already out of gas. When Nicole and Mel finish, GO HOME. Do not wait here for me." They encouraged me and lifted me up and off I went. Again. 

On the back half of loop 2, I saw my family for real this time. I stopped for hugs and kisses and MUCH needed motivation. I was so happy to have them there for me. 

It was shortly after this that I met up with David. I didn't know David, but he approached me and asked if he could run with me. I'm always up for a running buddy, so I gratefully accepted. Wow. This dude? Loco. He signed up for this thing having never done a triathlon. Race day was his first time in a wetsuit and his first time in open water. Word? Well. Whatever, dude. He was on track for a sub-7 and needed somebody to pace him in. We ran together and chatted about our kids and high school coaches and why we were out there doing what we were doing. The time passed quickly and before I knew it, we were on the homestretch. David told me that he could tell I was mentally tough and that he didn't think he would've finished without me. I'm not so sure about that, but a buddy is a buddy and I was happy to have one.

One thing to mention about the day is that it was HOT. Did I mention it was HOT? At every aid station, I stopped and poured ice everywhere I could manage. Thank GOD they had cold sponges. I soaked two at every opportunity and stuck one in my bra strap and one on my back. I basically had water running down me the entire 13 miles. I knew I was getting blisters, but whatever man. I was almost done and a blister never killed anybody. I considered stopping and wringing out my socks at one point, but I was afraid that once I did, I'd never get my shoes back on. After actually seeing the blisters, I made the right call.

We FINALLY made it to THE cheering squad and I nearly cried. I was sure they would've gone home long before now, but they waited. My friends are amazing. Have I mentioned my propensity to pick amazing friends?? I made it in across the finish line and actually heard my name this year. It was such a rush and I'm so glad I persevered. David found me shortly after to shake my hand and thank me for helping him through. Crystal found me first and gave me the most awesome high 5 ever. Julie was close behind and then I found the mother lode of supporters.

We are some happy ladies!!! Official time - 7:18:35

I am ever so grateful for this life and these people I get to call my own - the husband who handles weekends with the kids, my parents who pick kids up from school so I can train (or nap...), the friends who train with me, the friends who pray with me, the friends who ask me about my training. I wake up some mornings and I just can't believe that I get to do this sport with these people in this place. I am so incredibly blessed and grateful and I can't wait to put my money where my mouth is. April 22, 2017 is going to be best day ever and I am so beyond honored to toe that line with these ladies and show IMTX what this body can do.

Marathon in the morning

So I'm running my first marathon in the morning. I signed up in a moment of fervor when my friend Heather convinced me to push the button. Guess who isn't running 26 miles with me in the morning? Thanks, Heather! ;o) Eight months later, I'm ready (enough). My long runs have accounted for over 6 marathons. I have to rely on my training and know that these legs have 26 miles in them tomorrow. I missed 4 key runs (Disney, my daddy having aneurysm surgery, my being sick, and my daddy having a heart cath), but I can't (and won't) focus on that. I am focusing on so many other things - amazing weather, incredible friends who have run with me, supportive kids/husband/parents who will come out to support me. I'm also running in honor of Dylan Will, a young man who lost his life in a battle with depression. I'll carry his memory and his struggle with me and remember that I have found a passion and an outlet that allows me to have a positive, healthy outlook on life and to be brave and to be thankful and to just keep moving forward.

This time tomorrow, I'll be on my couch in my compression sleeves, sitting on an ice pack, eating a crapton of pizza, and calling myself a marathoner. Here's to fresh legs, cool air, supportive crowds, and a good night's rest.

Giddy up!!