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hehehe...

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3rd Times a Charm......right? Around the Bay Road Race 2011, 30k Individual Mar 27, 2011 Thank you for registering for this event using the Running Room on-line race registration process. Payment has been received. You are now registered for this event.

Alright.  We have the fresh look.

Now I just need that last post to complete my journey.

I guess it's time.  Time for me to wrap up the focus of the past year.  Need to finish up the postings & move on. 

I need a fresh look.  Fresh purpose.  Fresh attitude.

Pondering 'Picture This........Holding Myself Accountable'.

or 

'Picture This.....A balanced, healthy lifestyle'.

or.......

Actually, any good ideas out there?  Need a catchy tag line.  Address is Year of the Picture....not really sure where 'Picture This' came into play.......

HELP?!

So thankful that this…..

…..has become this.

13 month plan

• Stack 12 cords of wood
• Run 2010 Road to Hope 1/2 marathon
• Run 2011 Around the Bay 
• Prepare for 1/2 Ironman mid season 2011
• Run 2011 NY marathon 

Now for something different....the next 6 months with GOALS!

• Run 2010 Road to Hope 1/2 marathon - Around the 2 hour mark.  
• 1.59.59 preferably but think I would be happy up to 2.09.59
• Run 2011 Around the Bay - Sub 3 hrs
• Focus on heath & vitality
• curb alcohol consumption
• tone arm & legs
• wear size 10 comfortably again or lose 15 lb

Ummmmm, yah.  How long has it been?

It's been a summer of debauchery.  10 lb gain.  Tight fitting pants.  A long run today that felt like hell.

The next 13 months are sketched out....

I wish I had completed my thoughts on my Ironman experience the day after the event.  I know I feel vastly different now than I did the first 24 hours after.  I yet to have the 'booyah' moment, the tears of joy or the sense of accomplishment that I truly expected to be with me for days, weeks or months after the event.

I do recognize that finishing is an achievement.  I also recognize that my goal at the beginning was to just finish.  I mean really?  Look at the quote that I have posted from Ironman Founder, John Collins on my side bar: 

"Ironman has always been about finishing what you started. About being able to do what set out to do. Maybe not as fast as the person in front of you but certainly faster than the person who never started........"

And yet...somewhere along the line, I let a sub 16 hour goal creep in.   And once again, I'm letting some random number plucked out of the sky influence me and dictate my feelings.  

Finishing in 15 hours and change was totally achievable for me on that day.  I know it was.  

But I didn't.  And I need to come to terms with that.  Soon.

Recovery takes on a whole different meaning when the day before involves a lot of this...

or this...

                                                        

versus something like this...

                                                        

I'm getting old.

Gu, who?

Now this is nutrition during a bike ride...

Celebrating Mardi's homecoming

Hydration

26kms of fun...

Yum!

WELCOME HOME MARDI!

Mardi and I are to be reunited today...

:0)

Iron Blue

The Bike:  It's going to take how long?

8.22.22.   'Nuff said.

Oh!  And by the way.  Idaho isn't freakin' flat.  

The Swim: 1.32.06

At the beginning of this journey to Ironman, I thought the swim would be the toughest discipline.  I have this ridiculous fear of open water.  The deep, dark, depths of murky water .  Who knows what is underneath?  And it turns out that it really is the deep, dark, depths that freak me out.  Give me clear blue water where you can see through the water and what is going on underneath and I’m better.  

I was a bit of a mess at the beginning of the swim.  Emotions had run high on the walk to the start line.  The tears were flowing freely and I was scared beyond belief.  The enormity of the day, rules & regulations and the cutoff’s had finally hit home and I was buckling.  This day’s outcome depended solely on me.  No matter how much the people around me believed, it came down to how much I believed in me.  It was a tough moment.  

Based on advice and other peoples experiences of the washing machine affect of the mass start, I made the decision to be one of the last people in the water and chose my position on the beach based on the direction of the current.  One good & one bad decision.  The cannon went off and people dashed into the water.  I took one last look around, thought ‘it’s now or never’ and meandered into the water.  I ducked into the water a couple of times and moved some water between me and the wetsuit.  Gave the goggles one final ‘spit & clean’ and realized I couldn’t put it off any longer....

I started swimming and within seconds was bumping into someone.  Stop, tread, look for open water, point in that direction and stroke...breathe, stroke...bang another body.  Seriously?  Stop, tread, look for open water, point in that direction and stroke...breathe, stroke...bang.  Stop, tread, actually took a moment to look around and was startled by the number of ‘deer caught in headlights’ or ‘sheer panic’ looks that people were wearing.  It turns out, I’m a strong swimmer.  I was passing all the folks who surged in at the beginning and were now dealing with their own demons, whatever they might have been.  I probably lost about 6 minutes trying to deek around bodies to find a sweet spot of open water.  I finally caught up with a gentleman who was swimming at a decent pace.  I hung onto to his feet for dear life (not literally, that wouldn’t have been nice!).  By doing so, I reaped the benefits of catching a nice draft, him clearing the way and finally being able to get some decent strokes in.  Unfortunately, he only lasted about 10 minutes before made a beeline to a buoy to catch his breath.  I kept going.  I had open water for a bit, and then caught up to another pack of swimmers, banged my way through by breathing every one stroke (not the most efficient but a necessity), back to open water and managing to stretch out the stokes and breathing. It was weird how there were pockets;  open spaces and bodies.  It was finally time to turn around and start heading back.  But there was a 100 feet of water that separated the two lanes.  I remember thinking many times during the swim that it was one big cluster fuck.  BUT this 100 feet was the biggest cluster fuck off all.  We were reduced to treading water and pushing through.  It was insane.  The swell of the waves and the glare of the sun were both directly in your face.  The smell of diesel from the boats and sea doo’s was so intense.  Yah.  Not much fun.  But finally, we were turning to head back to shore.  Relief!  And really?  The rest of the 1st lap of the swim was exactly like the first portion.  Open water, long strokes and breathing, hit a pack of swimmers. 

At shore, we had to exit the water, walk over a timing mat and re-enter the water for a second lap.  Yeaaaaah.  Let’s do that all over again.  .  The only problem was that when you leave the water, the wetsuit drains and is dragged down.  About halfway through the swim out, I knew I was in trouble.  The neck line of the suit was rubbing at my hairline and I could feel the chafing as I swam.  Due to an increased volume of rescue boats pulling swimmers out of the water, the swell of the waves had increased dramatically on this leg and made treading water and adjusting the suit extremely difficult.  I made the decision to not spend anymore time re-arranging and get the swim over with as quickly as possible.  I’d deal with the repercussions of the chaffing issue later....

1.32.06 minutes in later, I exited the water and headed to transition...

This post wouldn't be complete without a thank you to the man in my life that made this possible. 

Thank you St.john!

Now it's your turn.  Paris to Ancaster Bike Ride 2011!

What a roller coaster of a day.  Emotions are all over the board.  Seeing the transition areas full of gear and bikes was yet another...holy shit I'm here.

I'm so glad we have the house.  It is away from the commotion that is Ironman.  Sitting right now in the backyard, watching some busy birds making a nest and the steady stream of birdie visitors to the pond next door.

I am so done with the preparation, the crowds, the 'what if'' thoughts swirling around.  Stjohn just got sent inside 'cause he was watching a pre-show on Ironman Live.  I really couldn't care less on what the pro's think of the water temperature, etc.  It's cold.  You need to swim.  Get in.

Poor guy.

 It's going to be an extremely long day tomorrow.  Transition opens at 5am.  Swim starts at 7.  Then I have 17 hours to just get'er done.

It's time.  

I hit a wall last night.  Tired, overwhelmed, doubt.

Ending up going to bed at 8.30 and had almost 12 hours uninterrupted sleep.  Woke up a couple of times early morning but managed to convince myself that I needed more sleep.

Yesterday in photos

Holy Shit! 

 

I'm feel like I'm one of the cool kids!

PS.  My apologies to the family who are just reading this blog for the first time.  It was just meant as a personal diary for me but realizing now that it is the perfect link to keep you connected to this experience.

BUT BE WARNED...there is a LOT of swearing & bad grammar throughout.   

A LOT!

Had my first Ironman nightmare.  WOW.  I forgot to register!  That woke me up with a start.  Can you imagine.  All this effort, planning and money and missing the registration deadline?  My thoughts were swirling after that...

But so you know, I'll be one of the first people at Ironman Village this morning to get that minor detail taken care of!

As I mentioned in the post below.  Yesterday had the potential to be a friggin' crappy day.  But it wasn't. It was actually quite awesome.  I have a feeling this will be a very random and a very long post.  A lot of pieces have finally slotted together.
_________________________________________________________
Mardi is now back in my possession.  I didn't realize how happy I would be to see her.  I was so ready to hand her off on the 17th...but it was awesome seeing her racked up with 'the others'.  The amount of stress that disappeared when I finally had her back was amazing.  Stress that I didn't even know I had...so weird.  We were walking down to the waterfront to get a feel for things, when I realized that we had a small window of opportunity to get my stuff.  Poor St.john.  He thought is was going to be a leisurely stroll.  HA!  We, ok I, was almost sprinting at the end trying to locate the pick up area.  It was a race against a non existent clock.  TriBike Transport were there pretty much all evening.  It turns out I'm not the only one with separation anxiety.  It was getting busier and busier during our time in line.

Getting her was my first experience with 'the village'.  It was the tail end of Day 1's registration and expo.  It will still full of people but things had closed (registration) or in the process of closing (Official Ironman Store).

Yep.  I snuck right on in.  I needed a race belt.  Hopefully the only item that I still 'needed'.  And yes.  That is a true need.  No belt, no race.   So many rules.  

For the record.  I fit in.

I didn't realize how much I doubted that I would.  But obviously I did.

I guess if I look back over the past year, I have spent much of it feeling almost like an impostor.  I wasn't super fit.  I've never done a triathlon.  I struggled with training.  What the heck was I thinking taking up a spot at an Ironman?  But yesterday?  Yesterday, I laid a lot of those fears to rest.  I can't pin point it, I'd like to but...I just felt like I didn't stick out like a sore thumb.  I'm not sure what I thought I should look like to attempt becoming an Ironman but I know I've worked my tail off.  I've become stronger.  Fitter.  Leaner.  And conceited as this may sound, I'm loving my legs.  I haven't thought that since my soccer days.  I sooooo don't like all the work that went into making them this way but damn, I like 'em.

Ohh, Stjohn just appeared.  It's only 7 am here.  I've been up since 4.30.  Typing and processing my thoughts.

The house we rented is awesome.  I have to admit.  I've been pretty resentful of how CDA jacks up their rental/hotel prices during Ironman...but...we made a decision to rent a house in the slim chance any one was able or wanted to come down and more importantly to have a kitchen and not have to rely on restaurant food.  The place is beautiful.  Clean, spacious with a beautiful garden and hot tub.  It is close enough to walk down town (driving and parking is crazy right now) but far enough away that we are away from the hub bub and stressors of the village.  Last night while in the hot tub with a beer...it actually felt like we were on vacation.  Quiet, private and relaxing.  I am on the patio right now listening to the neighbours 3 storey pond gurgling.  Kinda like home.

I'll leave you with some slick marketing material.  The fuckers don't mention any of the hundreds of hours that go on to get you to that finish line...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh1yMnrby3w&feature=related

And one last unrelated random link.  My current favourite song that makes me smile...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDKva-s_khY

Hope today goes as well as yesterday

I thought once we were on the road to cda that I would have some down time and really come to terms with what I am about to attempt.  

But true to the Ironman experience I’ve had to date...not much has gone as planned.  It was a late arrival at the stay and park hotel, notification of a flight delay putting the connecting flight to Spokane, WA in jeopardy, a massive massage induced headache (with relief inducing pills left on the kitchen counter), a 5.45AM wake up call to avoid any G8/20 traffic after only 4 hours of sleep all added up had the potential for today be ...... well... a shitty day.  

But in reality things are going ok.  Stjohn had the foresight to wrestle my frugal tendencies to the ground and upgraded our flight to Priority.  A.K.A. first class.  The total cost was $154.  Priority boarding, free checked baggage, access to Star Alliance/Red Carpet lounges.  The cost to check our two bags in economy was going to be $50.  So really?  It is an additional $100.  

The first 10 minutes at Pearson airport that $100 became priceless!  The ‘check in’ line for United was massive.  We guessed a good 45 minute wait.  Priority boarding was 3 minutes.  I really should write a comment card asking them to speed up the process :)  The usual nonsense ensued.  Customs, checking your bags, security and encountering stupid people.  All ended with entry being granted to the Maple Leaf first class lounge.  God, I love that lounge.  Free food, beverages, papers, showers AND magazines.  I stole away like a bandit with 6 magazines to read on the trip.  Cottage Life, Shape, Canadian Living, Better Homes, Architectural Digest, Elle.  I had to cut myself off.  I did however show restraint and did NOT help myself to the draft beer that was on tap at 8 in the morning.  I am in training you know?!

Anyhow.  I’m in midflight as I type this some ironman stories shall I?

Chicago Airport.  Gate B20.   One of the fittest collection of people waiting to board a plane I have ever seen!  The plane sits 80 people.  I’m thinking at least 60 will be passing me at some point on Sunday!   I am sitting beside a dude who looks like Lisa Roddie’s husband.  He is insanely nice and has the deer caught in headlight look.  This is his second event and has been great to talk to.  He says the experience on the day is fantastic and on Sunday everyone is on even footing because you just never know what will happen.  He tried to explain that the next couple of days will be intense as there is a lot of posturing / talk.  I think I expected that and have tried to prepare myself for that.  I have experienced the ‘oh my god WTF am I doing here’ moments before... basing it totally on how people look (buff and dressed the part) only to see the person struggle.  I know that I will be overwhelmed by ‘the looks’ but I also know based on past experience, that I will also ‘pick off’ at least one of these people before I cross the finish line.  Mean spirited maybe?  But when I’m at the back of the pack, I get to be :)

I thought I would have an epiphany now that works is done and the journey has begun...

I’m still waiting. 

Ready for something to go right.

Massage induced headache from hell
4 hours sleep
1st flight already delayed...putting the connecting flight in jeopardy

Toronto traffic BETTER not be snarled due to the freaking' G20.

Seriously?  How many days left and I'm sick.

No workouts since June 7th.  WTF?

Matching socks are overrated!

Trucking along:
Saturday - 56.5 k ride/ 5.5 k run/ 66 k ride
Sunday – 15.09 k run (hellish)
Monday – off (I excelled at this)
Tuesday – 20 k mountain bike ride
Today – 13 k run
The run this morning was nice. I took forever to get out of bed and get ready. Warmed up after 2 k and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the run. I ran out of time and was heading back with an expected distance of 12k…but I ran into the family and ended up taking turns jogging a dog which got me to 13km’s. Sweet!
Chipmunks, a shiny blue bird (need to look up the flavor), deer and rabbits were all seen this morning.
Should get down to work now…

PS Thought of an alternative name that I should have called this blog; Lesley Tri's...

The first ride I've truly enjoyed in ages.  

• a mountain bike
• not part of a training plan
• no concern about speed
• no Garmin
• no wind!

Did you hear that?  NO wind!

I survived the weekend. Biking, running and an open water swim.  All done.

My reward?  Sitting on my deck in the early morning sun with a puppy beside me.  Love it!

The weekend overall was a blast.  The food, the wine, the company and most of the training was fun.

Highlights:

• Meals that incorporated 7 to 10 people sitting around the table at one time ~ making it feel very festive
• A cottage that rivals anything Martha Stewart could put together
• Amazing weather.  Rain held off 
• 140 km bike ride completed in a stoopid, krazy amount of WIND.  So much wind resistance that I was told the ride was equivalent to 170 km's.  Now?  I'm not a hundred percent sure if I was told that to make me feel better about the amount of whining and complaining I did.  BUT whatever.  170 km's!
• Bike pit stop (lunch) in Creemore.  Complete with a half pint ~ my kind of training!
• 10 km run with bike support and new running partners
• Amazing food, cooked by others.  Thanks Stj & Robin

AND....ready for this?

• An awesome open water swim!
• The water was absolutely beautiful up there
• No fish, no seaweed, no Sea Monsters!

Not one photo was taken.  Sorry.

But this is where I plan on spending the rest of my well thought out day off from work...

Why do I always feel like I'm running around and yet getting no where?  My house is in constant disarray.  Laundry piling up.  A garden chock full of weeds.  And dogs that have not had a proper, long walk in goodness knows how long.  If any of my friends decided to just drop by ~ well ~ we would have to sit on the deck.  The only 'cleanish' spot in the establishment.

I have been invited up to a triathlon training weekend at a friend's cottage.  Actually, she was my room mate in Arizona (poor girl, that must have been a treat!) and believe or not, she is still talking to me.  I'm surprised.  Anyhow, back to the weekend...she had invited a handful of people that were in Arizona up to her cottage in Wasaga Beach.  It is a long ride on Saturday and short run on Sunday with an open water swim.  G'ACK!  I'm thinking (because I haven't been told my distances as of yet) that I'll need to ride 140-160 and run 10.  Hopefully the weather holds out and the 'chance of showers' comes to nothing.

I have been charging around trying to locate all my gear, pack the linen, organize the dog sitters, do some laundry but the food is being taken care of by St.John.  Although, I think he has relaxed and has a c'est la vie attitude because the beer has been purchased and already packed.   Priorities people, priorities.    

I'm off to finish the packing...I'll post the results of the weekend if I survive my open water experience and I'll see what I can do about some drinking photos!    

120 km bike ride - done
5k run - done

For those of you that are following along.  Yes, the bike was 20 k too short BUT I would like to point out the ever present FUCKING wind was along for the ride again.  Combine that with the Hills from Hell and we have one great workout.

Went to friends for dinner and I managed not to fall into my dinner asleep.  Success!

I wasn't sure how I would feel today.  But overall, not bad.  I can feel my legs being tired but they are not sore or painful.

I leave you with a parting shot...the wash, go and roll out of bed look.

I'm trying not to read into the fact that almost every long ride I've been on has had clouds, hail, rain or wind.  Is there a message there?

WHOOPS. The first line of my last post "So this blogging break does equal workouts getting done"...  Should have read So this blogging break DOESN'T equal workouts getting done.


Training dumbness prevails....

So this blogging break does equal workouts getting done.  It means work has been 10-12 hour days with no time for anything else.

Friday night was an upgrade.  Did not leave the building until 1:00 AM and back in for support at 8:00AM .  Yeah.  Yesterday was a write off.

I was smart enough to foresee Friday's lateness and came in later than normal.  I know my boss wasn't happy about me showing up at noon...but yah know what...them's the breaks.  I went out for a bike ride and as usual, i ran out of time.  I only got 74kms in.

I am in the 'holy fuck' stage.  I don't think I can do this.  I am so ready for a half but this full business.  Not so much.  This may tie into the fact that we have purchased to tickets to CDA and I have sent off the cheques for the house we are renting.  What if we have invested all of this money....and I fail?

PS why does blogger not capitalize my small 'i's but refuses to let me write yah without an h?

What success looks like...

70 k bike / 21 k run

no posting ='s work outs being done

sweet.

It's Sunday. Weekend workouts are done!

65 kms on the bike and a 16 km run. Had 2 dropped chains during the ride, which I now know I can fix and a hard time with my gears. First thing that happened when I was picked up at the arranged meeting spot was take Mardi for a tune up. She just isn't riding right...

I'm pleased with the ride yesterday. It was a windy, windy day and that added to the experience. Today's run was a just gett'er done workout. Legs were moving but not with any finesse. The hills that surround us often make me want to stomp my feet. I know they are great built in training tools but g'eesh.

Anyhow. I'm on the deck now. Sun is shining, I've earned my beer and I'm making a to do list. Exciting things like laundry, empty dishwasher and obtain insurance quotes are on there. Woo hoo.

I really, really need to get going on organizing somewhere to stay during Ironman. I just can't get over the mark up on the house rentals.

Off to apply sun screen and stop the dogs from woofing at a passing puppy.

Back at it. Nice break both mentally and physically BUT really have run out of time...

Less than 80 days until 'The Day'.

Found a new running partner to run with during the week before work. Truthfully I had been avoiding her casual invites to run with her. Her background is marathons and has two Boston runs under her belt and that scares the bejeebers outta me. You have to be fast to run Boston and umm, yah? my speed? More of a jog than a run. Turns out to that I held my own. In the rain. Sweet! Every Wednesday, 6.45 AM! 8-12ks.

Last night I went to a make up Yoga class. Thursday nights are a level 3 class that pushes me. Totally what I needed. A fantastic stretch after my morning run and first real long stretch since the Bay.

As much as I was warned (and obviously didn't listen) this game is heavily stacked towards being Mentally prepared.

I will succeed...

Long weekend review via photos.

And yes, there is not a photo of a bike, bathing suit OR a pair of laced up running shoes. Which yes, means none of the three activities happened.

Instead, home repair, garden clean up, visiting family, hosting friends and enjoying the gorgeous weather took precedence.

So yep, it was a great weekend!

Friday morning. The sun is shining and it is WARM. It is supposed to go up to 25 today. I have to admit I was leery because the past 2 days had reached temps of 18 to 22 degrees but it still felt mighty cool. But today, the breeze is warm, sun is beaming....

I moved the indoor plants outside for their first taste of sun in months. I believe I can hear them singing and giggling. I'll need to remember to bring them in tonight...otherwise I'll hear them crying!

I was gonna post a picture of me squinting in a sunbeam. BUT I won't. Bedhead reigns. Instead here is another bedhead and the kat...

It is a 4 day weekend (my 1st ever 4 day Easter weekend, evah!) and I'm excited. We had planned on going to 'the cottage' the entire 4 days but my parents invited us over for dinner. More so because 2 birthdays happened this week...I'm trying to decide if we will cab it home or if I'll be the DD.

I missed my workouts yesterday** because it was Stj's birthday. I enjoyed myself, it was really nice even though we stayed home. Hope the birthday boy had fun too. (**not that I ever really need much of a reason to miss a workout). So I need to get a 70 k bike ride in and a 10 k run this weekend. Since I'm already dreaming of beer...the bike ride probably won't happen today. Possibly a brick tomorrow so that I can enjoy another guilt free day off working in the garden?!

I'm off to ponder, enjoy the sun and listen to plants singing while they bask in the warmth!

ps an essie coffee was just delivered to me. aaaaaah loverly!

Who? Who in their right mind designed toilets so close to the ground? Obviously someone who has never had to deal with lactic acid build up, that's who.

Holy crow. Owwie, owwie, owwie!

Once I get going, I'm fine but the initial 5 to 10 steps...? Yeah. Hell on earth.

Silver lining in all this. Not nearly as sore as the 1st Around the Bay AND a way quicker time. Felt much stronger for longer and the hills were a breeze...no issues until the last 4k....then the tweaks and twinges came out to play.

34 minute improvement over the first year? Yah. I'll take that.

Alright...for the whole 3 people who read this blog and who are used to a negative, holy shit what have I done tone of this blog...get ready 'cause;

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN BLISSFUL. SUPER. RELAXING. Actually ENJOYABLE

This translates to TAPER WEEK.

Around the Bay is tomorrow. A 30k run with a punishing last 10k.

No matter. It got me a light week of workouts that made me laugh. 4 k run with 3 intervals, 3 k run with 3 intervals, a 20 minute run today ~ no distance required. Just 20 minutes.

This week made me realize that I cannot wait for the weight hanging over my head to be gone. I knew that it was affecting me but I had no idea to what extent. I was actually pleasant to be around this week.

Pleasant. Laughed. Found humour in life.

Yeah. I've missed her. Can only imagine how Stjohn feels.

Alrighty. Two weeks since I returned from the 'trip from hell' or 'the character building' trip' or 'what the fuck was I thinking' trip. Actually I could come up with a kajillion more descriptors but I'll leave it at that.....

Training has been more than 50% but less than 90%. I'm happy with them overall because they have been quality work outs.

A 3000 yard swim

A 3 hour spin class (on a malfunctioning bike ~ which I'm trying not to read into)

A 18.5 km run....

Life is busy throwing curveballs but wow...thank god for a supportive husband. I love him to pieces.

I'm home.

Lots to digest.

I'm tired. Off to bed.

Sorry. A lot of whining this week. You need some photos.

Each day is getting a little better. It is too bad the week started the way it did. Everyone keeps telling me that Sunday's bike ride is like nothing they've even seen before. The biking conditions were deplorable and if I survived that, I can survive anything. Maybe. But every shred of biking confidence I had was destroyed during that ride. It doesn't help that since then...I've been the last biker on every single ride. The people have been great. In fact, in some cases phenomenal. Many people will drop back and ride with me, but it seems in my case, misery does not love company. I just need to plough through

I got a lot of work ahead of me if I plan on actually completing this journey.

Suntan lines have been acquired along with a sunburn on the face...not sure what to do. It's 55 and 30 SPF being applied ALL the time.

Today's agenda is a choice of bike or hike. With a 1.5 swim in the afternoon. Even though I need to work on the bike, I'm going to choose the hike today. Had enough of the fucking bike and being last. It is my vacation and I have Mt Lemmon to dread tomorrow.

Fuck. Whose idea was this.....?

The sun came out to play yesterday. Unfortunately the ride in the snow and rain on a highway the day before eroded any confidence I had in my biking.

Yesterday saw an hour long yoga class. 1.5 hours in the pool. 2 hour break and then a 2.5 hour bike ride.

What the fuck am I doing here? If someone offered me a ticket home today, I would go. Some hard decisions are needed...

I had typed up a post of my first full day in Arizona but screw it...here's my update:

I AM HAVING AN ABSOLUTE SHITTY TIME!

SHITTY.

The absolute icing on this experience so far was that it fucking snowed on our bike ride this morning. I just can't find a silver lining in that experience. Nothing.

After a 4 am wake up call, arriving at the airport at 7.15am, clearing the checked bagged line, the immigration line and then finally the security line up, all while having to pee and yes I was one of the individuals who had to go through the new whole xray body scan, the flight is posted as En Retarde. Due to an equipment malfunction, the plane was grounded, due to the size of the flight and the weather the flight was re-scheduled to 3pm. 5.5 hours LATE. You kidding? I'm not going to dwell on the fact that by the time I had to be frisked because I failed the body scan that I thought I was going to pee myself. It hurt so bad. There was a lot of positives. Access to the business class lounge with free wifi, alcohol and food for a minimal fee helped ease the wait. Unfortunately, we left the lounge too early. The flight didn't end up boarding until...well you know what, I had stopped taking note by this point. We arrived in Phoenix at 9.35 pm. 15.5 hours after the morning wake up call. And all I got to show for it was a 'comp' beer on the plane...but I'm not even going to go there. We still had to find the rental, start the two hour drive to Tucson and grocery shop.

AC didn't win many points yesterday, I think the last straw was luggage showing up SOAKING! I'm pretty sure they left the cases on the tarmac during the first snowstorm of the year. And yes, my case was one of the wet ones. Fortunately, the liner did not let too much wet through but the case weighed about 20lbs more than when I left.

I'm here. Safe. Sound. And with a fridge full of hodge podge groceries.

I have so much more to say about the personalities of yesterday, the disappointment of driving to Tucson in the dark but I hear my room mate is up and I need to get ready for today's first session. A 3 hour bike session, lite ride with technical skills thrown in.

I'll try to post later and try to get photos....

So. Day 1. A snowstorm. A late plane. An unexpected entry into the Maple Leaf Lounge (FREE BEER).

We are off to a good start.....

Here it is. Sunday evening. I survived yet another training weekend.

I am content.

It is 6.15 pm as I type this post. On the deck with the creek gurgling below. There is still light in the sky & the moon is out above.

Today felt so much like spring and was the kind of day that makes you appreciate what you have.

I have come far in this journey. I know there is still miles to go but when you stop and take stock, I'm heading in the right direction.

Okay. Today is just getting crazy:

• My cell phone can send it's photos to my laptop.
• Then my laptop software uploads to facebook directly in a matter of seconds.
• My Garmin uploads directly to blogger

AND

• Photo Booth takes videos which also exports & then uploads to blogger

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for run from hell with hills from hell in it...

Plus...

Lazy Dazy Day on tap...

Books, fire and wine.

Sweet!

What I learned on today's run:

• Hills suck
• Head wind sucks
• Running on snow covered roads suck
• Being hungry while running sucks
• Running on tired legs suck
• Caca is actually spelled Kaka...
• Finishing 15k while encountering all of the above ~ Rocks!

Knowing that a yummy breakfast and coffee supreme was waiting helped get through the last 4k!

Thanks Melissa! And Kate, I hope you are feeling better?!

The 3 hours of 'hell on wheels' (aka Megaday) is OVER! Tomorrow is a 17k run (on tired legs) and then a nice easy 30 minute recovery ride on Monday!

Today was my second time bringing Marty and the trainer...adds some time to getting ready but what a difference. My butt & hip flexors are sore....obviously need to condition my body to the bike position again.

That's all I got for today.

It's Thursday and the 3000 yard swim still hasn't happened. Since obviously today is my day off...it is to the pool (probably only a 40 min swim) tomorrow morning and I'll need to make

one of the pool days next week, 'the day'.

Not feeling quite a hundred percent. Struggling with my nutrition, sleep and keeping things balanced...weird.

Busy weekend planned with workouts that aren't 'back-out-able'...which is a good thing 'cause really all I want to do is this...

I'm here to report, 1 successful workout since my run on Sunday. Woke up with a gimpy knee Monday AM. I knew that it was tender when I rolled over during my sleep and could feel 'a pull' up and across the inside of my knee...I didn't realize how tender it was until I was outside and tried to speed my warm up to a jog. OUCH!

I ended up coming back to the house and taking the puppies for an early morning stroll. They enjoyed it and truth be told...it was a lot 'funner' walking 3k with company than the jogging the planned 5 k solo.

This morning should have seen me in the pool cranking out 3000 yards. But nope...slept in and took the pups out for another morning perambulation. Again, 'funner' with company but no where near my forecasted workout!

Good thing Yoga was a success tonight. I left work later than anticipated and it was a rush against time to get there. Combining that with my terrible sleep last night (hence the laying in this AM), it could have been easy to skip the class but I got it done and much happier for it!

Depending on the weather tomorrow, 'cause it's snowing right now and that tends to make traffic slow to a snails pace, I'll either get in 45 minutes on the trainer at home (preferable) OR head to the Y for whatever amount of time I have left after commuting in order to make my 9am meeting.

3000 yard swim is on for Thursday and a make up run (depending on knee status) on my scheduled day off! Which I guess isn't so bad since I'm hoping to 'flex' out of work a couple of hours early to lead into a 3 day weekend....

BRING IT ON!

Not to point any fingers but this post has to 'be quick' because someone is using the new 'plastic' laptop....not super happy about this.

I had a lot to chat about regarding today's run BUT seem to have to 'give up' my laptop for school work?!

I did realize one thing as I was driving home...I was giving Melissa such a hard time about being a no show for today's run ~ that I neglected to say thank you for the coffee's she eventually showed up with.

So, I'll leave this post with these points: 25 k run is done, Stj likes my laptop and a thank you to Melissa for a cup Hamilton's finest coffee....any one note that the culprit who has stolen my laptop ALSO has a cup of coffee in his hand? That is caca in my opinion!

Multiple choice:

What is Lesley the most excited about?a) Her 90 minute indoor trainer workout is complete?

b) She typing this post with her new laptop, connected to the internet with just the little red rocket stick?

c) Sitting outside, in a sunbeam wrapped up in blankets....with a beer? **see proof below

d) all of the above.

Yep. You're right D! Life is damn fine right now....

....can you remind me of that tomorrow while I'm suffering thro

ugh a 25k run?! Thx.

**

Plus i lurve my new photo booth feature....which makes my plastic laptop (AHEM ~ Stj!) that takes this such cool things like this!