Recovery....

Recovering from a race is like tapering but worse......at least when you taper you can get excited about the race, calm yourself that all this sitting will only enhance the race, make you faster, let the hard work be absorbed.... Recovering from an IM is not hard the first week, because, well moving is usually painful, you have NO desire to hop on the bike or run, swimming - nah. But after a 70.3 and after one where I did not leave everything I had on the course and have another race in 5 weeks is hard!

Day after I was tired - yes from the race, but also from waking up at 3am race day and not sleeping well race night. Always mystifies me how after an IM or 70.3 I do not sleep....all the adrenaline and caffeine (in my case) is surging through my body. So I feel crappy from no sleep.

Monday comes around and it is a reverse taper day...aerobic maintenance- 20 minutes of each. Really 20 min on the bike - it takes me that long to get all my gear together. Maybe I should just cruise around on my 1990 Fuji Mtn bike that weighs 30lbs and has old fashion pedals, but I do as coach says. Flush the lactic acid out. Honestly I skipped the swim- the pool is 10-20 minutes from me and the effort to go there and back is 30+ minutes. The first few steps running were stiff but I was amazed how quickly my legs loosened up. And well after 20 min on the bike, I kept riding, it felt good.

Tuesday I was back swimming and hooray UCSD is finally long course meters! Big change from short course and I love it. And my shoulder was awesome, okay, great 90% pain free. I'll take it. Felt good to swim and since this was the 1st day of long course times meant nothing to me, so I'll assume they were outstanding. The only think I dislike about long course is we go from 16+ lanes to 8 lanes and we have to share and sometimes with a lot of people. Now I am very spoiled as I swim at 7:30 when there are 70% less people that the people who swim at 6am. Since I don't have a real job I can swim later. Often at 7:30 I have my own lane, which I love, because I can modify the workout when it is too much stroke or kicking....I just swim a long set and then regroup with the workout. So now I have to play well with others and follow the workout. But it's all good because now I swim in a faster lane and just try to hang on.

After swim, Jen was riding 4 hours! She is a maniac, after 90 on Saturday and mega Mtn Biking Sunday she rips out another long ride. And she has no Ironman on the schedule....she is my hero and well young too! that's my excuse and I am sticking to it. So I joined her for part of the ride and it is amazing how we can chatter non stop the whole time- nothing better than girlfriends on the bike. I was explaining recently to Riley about the special relationships that come out of hours on the bike or long runs. How you really cannot foster a friendship like that in other ways...you have each others undivided attention and we talk and talk. Now mind you this is not true with all cyclists, the boys we ride with are often seen shaking their heads as we chatter our way up Great Western Loop, Kitchen Creek and the like. Now I'm not sure I would be described as a "chatty Kathy" type in day to day life but on a bike, whole other alter ego!

I ran Tuesday evening, something I normally do not do. I am usually all about train early, be done and enjoy the day (not that I don't enjoy training, but well, you know) In any case I ran at 5 and it was awesome - not the usual gastric issues I usually suffer from later in the day and it was great. So maybe more of that? Maybe or maybe not.

So recovery week has reached Wed and really and the runs are longer, the rides are longer but not long as in Ironman long but slowly creeping back up. So by the end of the week, the workouts are of respectable length and I roll into a monster volume week - last one and to be handled with care, too hard and I have back off. This will take patience and probably mean I am training alone- no temptation to hammer with anyone! Good Ironman training.

Oceanside 70.3....

Race....not really....here is how it went down

Swim was good- close to last years time and considering the 6 week break due to my shoulder injury I am happy about that! Great start and I immediately was looking for feet but there were none....I swam the entire way alone. No feet to drag off and no yellow caps in front of me. Not always good as there were definitely bodies close behind. But no pain in the shoulder and felt good.

Hopped on the bike and the plan was to push the ride. And well.....just did not happen. I was flat. Hard to describe the feeling- not necessarily tired, just not explosive. It was as if I was on a training ride, cruising along and doing my ride. I would look down, power was low, I would pick it up and then before I knew it, it was low. Just no motivation. I am usually holding back, it is all I can do to keep the power down and today I was just riding. I knew it was slow and I knew it fast when I was passed early but 1 and then 2 people. Soon thereafter a 3rd! WTF I can ride and ride well....this is a strength in IM for me, but people, not today. So I just cruised along and made it what it was. Around mile 40 after the last climb I began to feel it, my legs responded and I was flying, Passing a lot of people and making time up the girls who passed me. I was feeling great. So good in fact that I would have been happy to take another loop, as in another 56. I am telling you, I must have thought it was an Ironman. I should have done a few club races to get the fast twitch muscles firing again, or something. Just not sure.....My HR was fine, maybe even a bit low (as it should with the marrying along I was doing)

So when I got off the bike, I was feeling great. I decided to take the run moderate, not push it and make this a strong training day. I was thinking I could resume serious IM training in a few days. After a few miles thought I thought come on girl, this is a race after all so I decided to pick up the pace and go for an even to negative split run. Pulled off a decent run, same as last year, but actually slower as there was no sand to run through this year. And I felt great. Really strong finish and that is always good.

So we look towards IMSG. 5 weeks! Talking with coach about the race, what happened. He asked me if I flatted? Did I have a mechanical? In other words, what the hell happened? Sleeping was the best answer I could give. He reminded me of the serious block of work that I did the week before last, this was a moderated taper, I was really tired etc....all good and rational but I still want to PR.

Okay, over that and onto IMSG - seems I have the pacing down for that :) Recovery....ugh! Recovery is okay after an awesome race, after a mediocre race well it is not as fun. But I understand very necessary if I want to do a serious block of work before IMSG. And being the glutton I am am, of course I do. So I follow the plan and recover! Work hard, taper and hope for a better race!

So I should not be all down....3rd place is good! The one place I have not achieved in this race- well other than the magical 1st. I have to say I am most proud of my buddy Amy.....I am going to call her the sleeping lion or the queen sandbagger :) As she hopes she will do well, maybe this will be a long training day, blah, blah, blah. She rocked it! 1st place, Kona slot! Awesome, awesome race. The other special mention goes to Tracy- she crashed at mile 3, pretty bad crash, yet has amazing will and she persevered and finished. Not a quitter but a fighter! And to everyone else who raced with heart and suffered in Oceanside today- well done! Have 2nds at dinner you earned it!

I have to say before I go....4 years ago I raced out there knowing no one, no cheering on the course, no one on the sidelines (except my husband and my brother who arrived for the finish) And compare that to today and there was love everywhere.....from my 2 Erin Baker teammates, the many SanDiego Tri Clubbers and all the other great friends in this sport! Good people you all are.

It's an Ironman blog....whats to say I am tapering

Okay I will indulge you all with the usual Julie Dunkle raceweek panic.....I am tired, sluggish, feeling like I am gaining 1lb a day, doubtful.....but I am also excited, edgy, peppy, astonished that walking up stairs is not painful, unclear why my legs feel fresh within 1 minute of staring my run versus taking 10-20 minutes to shake off the fatigue, edgy- did I already say that? Just ask my family.

Nervous in a good way and nervous in a bad way. This is my 4th O'side 70.3. 4 years ago this was my 2nd triathlon and 1st 70.3 and longest tri to date. And I am pretty sure I was not as nervous. Then the expectation was to finish, now.....well, that is my secret.

Here I am 4 years ago.....no clue what to expect - no HR monitor, no PowerMeter, no nutrition plan- oh it was so simple!

Yeah! I finished - let's go home....no awards, no worry about a Kona slot, no clue how hooked I really was. Within hours of returning home I signed up for Vineman 70.3, 2 local races and marked my calendar to register for Ironman CdA 2008. After all it was only double what I just did :)

People ask why I keep doing this race....it is WTC and expensive, it is always cold and so on and so on.....so why you ask? It is the only major race I can sleep in my own bed! That is huge. Now my 4th year I know the drill, where to park, how transition is set up etc and oh right I almost forgot there is that one small detail, there happens to be a Kona slot, just one, but there is one for each age group.

So the usual preparation begins.....dusting off the race gear, checking and rechecking goggles, kit, gear etc.... Bike is ready to rock and roll. I dropped it at Moment Cycle Sport on Monday and took it for a sweet spin today. Love the race wheels and clean bike. No grim and road debris clogging up the components. With all the rain we have had the bike was trashed. It was like riding a new bike today. So tomorrow is registration and then the final prep. Yeah!!! I love to race.

Saturday race is nice....have Sunday to recover, sleep in and planning to chill with some good friends.

Wish me luck!!! I am waive #12, 7:17am and my bib number is #1679. If anyone is looking for something to do on Saturday am....you can follow along in the fun. www.ironman.com and track an athlete!

Cheers. Please make a request to the weather gods for sunshine and no wind please :)

Whirlwind of family, life and fun!!!

My sis, bro-in-law and nieces arrived on Friday for the beginning of the celebration weekend! We kicked off Friday night in La Jolla at Dad and K's with a sensational dinner that was made to order. Prime steak, halibut or vegan lasagna- your choice. Riley pulled off a terrific banana cream pie and Mom brought along a lemon meringue pie. Enough food and wine for any ones delight! Naturally this was the beginning of my taper which means I have to taper off the eating so as not to show up race day with a few extra lbs to carry for 5 hours.

Mom, Sis and RM

Joe DeRose, Billy and Kathleen

The patriarch toasts the birthday boy!

Engineers at work

We left early-1: we are tired. 2- JD and I were heading to Irivine at 7am for a full day of soccer and 3- Braman and DeRose had a big ride planned (jealous, jealous)

JD was home late from lacrosse....and we hit the hay.

Up at 5:30 for a nice run in the very, very dark with Zen. No choice he was running long as I was not running alone. When he called it quits we headed to the park by the house where he can sit and relax and I can run continuous loops around the park which is .3miles each lap. After 10 laps I was done and we headed home....Zen was asleep on the grass by that time. I kept him with me though as I promised hubby no running alone in the dark.

JD and I headed for Irvine- long day of soccer. 1 tie and 1 loss. Argh! JD played well, very well and it was great to see all my soccer buddies. We have been on Club Soccer sabbatical while the boys played HS soccer. Fun day.

Braman and DeRose had an awesome ride to Dudley's and I was ever so jealous to hear the bike stories.....I smiled and was encouraging but jealous. Can I say I was jealous one more time. So here I am with a 6 day taper and I should be elated- let the works soak in, enjoy the break from grueling training but no I wish I was out riding long.

We get all spiffied up for celebration number 2- Adult dinner at the Marine Room. Sort of an old peoples spot but the view it 2nd to none. Stunning on the shores of La Jolla. Food was sensational so really zero complaints!

My dashing husband and Mom

stunning view for a stunning group

Birthday girl and Dad

Sunday - JD was off with another family for more soccer and I was off with Riley for lacrosse. Her day started at 11 so I had time for a long run, make a vegan coconut cake for Sis, grill the Pollo Asada and get to the tournament! They won 1 and lost 2- ouch, but that meant we did not keep playing- which I was thankful for. JD did not play in the finals either so he was home early afternoon as well- He fired up the grill and cooked the carne asada for dinner.

Oh and Braman and DeRose rode Great Western Loop....you think I was jealous on Saturday, Sunday it was all I could do to smile and be happy for them! No really, I love it when others are loving GWL, even if DeRose got lost....ooops- extra 10 miles back up Lyons Valley- heck he is the super cyclist now so it was good for him.

We got ready and headed to Mom's for the 3rd celebration of the weekend- K's 50th. Mexican delight and a good time for all. Mom was serving up Margaritas but I was abstaining by this time- race week, time to get serious.

Sis and mom and dad

Teenagers at the party

Uncles and Jamie and Willa

When we fell in bed Sunday night we were exhausted but thankful for the sensational family we have. I am blessed to have my parents in San Diego and to have spent a long weekend with my sis and family. We missed the Hancock's in AU but had some good times with them not too long ago.

No....not sick

So I hopped on my bike this morning with a flexible plan....1- feeling crappy after 20 minutes, turn around an go home 2- feeling okay after 20, give it another 20 and then decide or 2- feeling good after 20 and do the full ride.

Luckily for me it was #3....so then the game was ride easy, ride easy - do the time but not the hard effort. Race in one week and nothing to gain, race in one week nothing to gain and so the mantra went.

Great ride- logged the time and miles and am still feeling good. Shoulder is killing me, numbing pain while Aero so that is not fun. But thanks to KP I am feeling much better now- nothing like a torturous ART session and ah relief.

So I manged to ride, work and am now looking to the weekend. Sis, bro-in-law and nieces on their way from Boulder for 3 days of celebration- Bro-in-law turning 40 and Sis 50. So we have parties and a nice dinner out tomorrow night. Oh yeah and JD has a lax game tonight, soccer tournament in Irvine Sat and Sun and Riley has a lax tournament on Sunday. Good thing this is not a massive training weekend or I would be training in the dark! Busy kids is good, right? Right! Just think how much time I will have when they go away....5 years and the bummer of that is I will have the extra time but will be 5 years older to instead of more time to train it will be more time to recover. Ah....it's all good!!!

Have to go finish the Banana Cream Pie Riley made for Uncle John. She made the pie and I am going to do the frosting....the recipe called for cool whip (yuck- nothing like a plastic bucket filled with chemicals) so we found another recipe which calls for whipped cream and cream cheese. But Riley has about 10 minutes after school before lax practice and then we head to Dad's for the first birthday celebration, so I volunteered to help out.

Zen pulled a Rocky today....actually raided my office, knocked over the trash can for the napkin with a drop of peanut butter and while he was in here discovered the box of gluten free macaroons for Braman (since the pie is not gluten free) So Zen managed to open the box, the plastic and eat them all. So much for his diet. He is looking good, but starving clearly. He sure if content and happy this afternoon with a box of cookies in his belly!

Sick....no

Ugh......woke up Thursday and headed to swim. What a horrible swim. Slow, really slow and sluggish. Really not a fun way to swim. I upped the interval and slogged through the workout. Toward the end I realize I have to now pull off a 90 min run, hilly.

Do I stop and ponder....I feel like crap maybe I should skip the run? No way, this is Ironman you suck it up and train. Well best intentions anyway....I change and head out from UCSD with grand plans of running hills. 1 mile into the run, HR is way high, pace is way low and I am not a happy camper.

Light goes on...hey Julie maybe, just maybe you skip a workout. Depressingly I slink back to the locker room and head home. It is now I realize I just don't feel well and looking in the mirror, things don't look so great. So the symptoms come and go, are they for real or not. I am thirsty beyond belief (not a general sign of sickness), mild sore throat and so very tired. After I get through most of the day I nap. 1 hour REM sleeping nap, something I really should do more often. Felt better but not great.

Literally drank 4+ water bottles, took Wellness Formula and ate a maximum antioxidant filled dinner. Yams, carrots, lima beans, mangoes and brown rice. Back in bed at 7:30 and asleep by 8. Going to bed like that is always a bit scary. Will I wake up feeling well, usually the case, or the dread of the cold setting in, feeling worse. 11 hours of sleep - yes and I am feeling better. The irrational side of me says, great go make up the 90 min run and get a ride in.

The rational side, the one I am trying hard to listen to, and hearing coach's voice.....8 days out from O'side, no fitness to be gained. Goal is to get well! The little voice in my head says yes cannot gain fitness for O'side but, but I have IM SG in 6 weeks. Ah so much to think about.

So we take it one day at a time......but it does not appear a massive cold or flu has settled in. I suspect delayed fatigue from some serious training.

Training, birthdays, travel

A lot to catch up on :)

Decided to surprise my sis in Boulder for her 50^th birthday! Plane and car bookings were easy – the tough parts come in working in training. I booked a flight for mid morning Saturday to get there in time for the surprise party.

Oops, Saturday was my long ride- pretty much no way to ride 5 ½ hours and catch an 11am flight- so I backed up the ride to Friday. Caroline kept me company for 4 hours and then I rode another 2 alone, well with my iPod, and had a solid 6 hours and over 8000 ft of elevation! Perfect IMSG ride. Planned a transition run but work was calling and I had a few hours under my belt before I realized it. The run as put aside for a shower and the driving Riley to lacrosse, dropping the boys at the HS for their game, picking up Riley and then taking her to a self defense class. Whew….I then realized we (JB and I had maybe 90 minutes before the kids came home) I decide perfect for a nice surprise dinner- candles, wine and romance. Best laid plans but he worked late- I almost tipped him off but I really wanted it to be a surprise…..I tried! Zen and I enjoyed the basil chicken and roasted yams. Skipped the wine- 6 hour ride + alcohol not a good mix.

Up early for my long run- thankfully JC joined me for 90 minutes. Training for IM when your buddies are not means you take their company for as long as their workout is. So I ran 20 min and met JC and we did his 90 min and then I ran home. Not too bad actually.

Ice bath in the 58 degree pool and quick shower and change and off to the airport for my Boulder fun. I was through the security and debating whether or not to get Starbucks (do I want caffeine or do I want to remain tired and possibly sleep on the plane?) When I check out the monitor to confirm my gate only to see the dreaded words of airline travel DELAYED. And to find out the delay is 3 hours. Ohhhhh. I immediately text my bro-in-law (cryptically as you never know when a spouse may be reading texts) to alert him that 1- I was going to be too late to help with the last minute party prep and 2- maybe too late to make the surprise.

Thank goodness for fee Wi-Fi and I settled in (with caffeine) and did the work I needed to finish up, prepped for next week and then did all the fun web surfing that we all love to do.

Finally we are on the plane, in Denver soon and in my rental car. Guzzling Red Bull now, I am tired; I call JD and give him my ETA. He is stalling sis in a bar and I make it in the nick of time. She was so surprised- blown away, tear filled and so elated. And then I casually walk up and it was priceless. The fun of surprise and family, second to none!

Had a fantastic weekend with my nieces and sis and bro-in-law. I woke up on time for masters on Sunday- 1- very cold outside, snow was forecasted 2- indoor pool- yuck 3- swimming at altitude- gasping for air 4-great work out and rounded out a solid week of training! Delicious Boulder breakfast followed by an afternoon of strolling through Boulder, coffee and eventually wine with my Sis. Great fun.

Back home and a few days of solid training and then time to back off, not a taper per se, but “freshening up “before Oceanside 70.3. I cannot afford the time for a full taper as I have Ironman SG in 6 weeks- that is my A race. So we are walking a fine line- how much training can I get in and not be tired for Oceanside….that is KP’s job to figure out J

Day Off? What's that

So Tuesday was a DO (day off) I was so taken back I was not sure what that really meant....yoga only? No! Just swim? NO. Really nothing...yes. Well when I look back at Training Peaks (where coach puts my workouts and I record what I did) I can see 4 weeks at a time. And there is not any DO's in that 4 weeks.....I dared not go any further back, that was justification enough that a DO was in order.

My plan was to sleep in....who knows how late. Maybe something as luxurious as 7am! I was so excited going to bed knowing that when I woke naturally at 5/5:30 I could roll over, snuggle back under the blankets and go back to sleep.

So when my eyes popped open at 4:30.... and I was wide awake stressing about my business taxes, I took a deep breath and nestled back into bed. By 5 I was so awake I could hardly close my eyes. Every time I turned over Zen jumped on his feet and was ready to go. So I finally got up and came down stairs for my usual ritual. Coffee, check email, walk Zen. I pondered going to swim but stuck to my DO.

I got my taxes done and QBfile sent to my accountant by 8am. Caught up on some work tasks that I had been putting off and had a very productive day. It felt good!

So that was that and back to the grind....Swim/Run is the focus this week and well I am swimming and running every day. Arms are tired, shoulders are sore, ITB needs attention but I am feeling good. A good tired, not a I'm on the edge of injury or sickness tired, not a I cannot do this any more tired, a good Ironman training tired!!!

Is a Zebra a Horse?

No. A Zebra is a Zebra....and so our hooky Monday ride went. Wouldn't it be funny if I just ended this here and that was my post for the day?

So since we made a smart decision and bailed on Gran Fondo we had some riding to make up the ride on Monday. So, JB, Tati and I did our new favorite route....tour of Scripps Ranch, Ramona and through Elfin to the Coast. We did not have a balmy sunny day as hoped but it did not pour rain and we did not freeze. Although you can see we are bundled up for the ride.

John's new love of cheese goes to no ends....we made a quick stop and he pulls out a wedge of cheese to gnaw on and refuel. He kindly offered to Tati and I but we politely declined and enjoyed our conglomeration of shot blocks, gel and who knows what else.

By the look on his face you may be wondering if it is stinky cheese....no just JB's photogenic self :) love you babe!

Grandfather and Grandson fishing....

JD is still elated about fishing.....Friday night he had a lacrosse scrimmage until 8:00, he rushed home, showeed and wolfed down some food. Grandpa Jim and K were finishing up dinner and cheese tasting with JB and I. JD went home with them with a plan to fish on Saturday.

It was cold and windy Saturday....I know I was doing my long run. JD and GJ were out of the house by 5:20AM and at Lake Poway before 6. I was expecting them to return around 11 or 12. By 1pm I was texting JD, are you guys okay? Are you or GJ tired? replies are we're gud, als fine. They pull in around 3:15 with 2 nice trout- both caught by GJ. JD says GJ casted 1 or 2 times and catches a fish.

Oh well....another day of fishing and not catching for JD. But a terrific day of stories being passed down and a kind of bonding that can only take place on a boat, on a lake under cloud covered skies while fishing. I was teary eyed as JD recounted the many stories and how much he genuinely enjoyed the day with my Dad.

He did not cook the fish that night as he had 45 minutes to change and get ready for another lacrosse scrimmage and was not home until after 9.

Sunday evening he cooked the fish on the grill, just like Uncle Scott showed him- wrapped in foil, a bit of olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper and thyme. It was delicious! Zen especially loved the ski and fish tail. We did not let him eat the head....such mean owners we are.

Wimped out....

I flipped my run and ride again this weekend so we could do Gran Fondo. Great idea but, reminder, this is an El Nino year and it rains every weekend. Saturday it was overcast and chilly and I slogged out my long run. Tired, tired legs but after about 45 minutes they loosened up and toward the end as I was chugging up the 1.6 mile hill my pace did not falter...it was a decent hill- okay only 300 feet but it felt like a big hill. And at mile 12 it was a big hill. So my 2:10 run I had 1525 ft of elevation....ugh SG is 2800 so that was a pretty good simulation for the Ironman run. I guess the good news is that I felt strong on the hills- gee only 11 more miles to go. That is when I start freaking out but then I talk myself down from the panic ledge- you are tired now, not tapered with fresh legs. Ya, ya, ya...but see this is where IM experience is good- I always feel this why on my long runs when I am really tired. How the hell can I pull off a marathon after 112 mile bike ride? Whose idea is this- oh right mine and I willingly paid $550 to experience the day.

I digress.....so the run was Saturday so we could to Gran Fondo. What is a Gran Fondo....well let me inform you. Gran Fondos are long distance, mass-participation cycling events – not races – that have become immensely popular in Italy. In France they’re known as “cyclosportives”. So we want to take part. We register and go to the Expo on Saturday with Zen and Riley. Zen made a million friends and Riley tasted all the delicious cycling food- shot blocks, Good on Ya bars. cappuccino ( this is the Italian) influence and even some delicious cookies. This rides registration actually comes with a jersey! Cool, well not so cool. We are getting the jerseys and I realize I will never wear this get up- so I exchange mine for a men's medium and my husband now has 2.

As we are tasting food, sipping cappuccino and watching Zen offer him self to any breathing person it is chilly- overcast and chilly but not a bad day for a ride. And now let me tell you, I wish I had ridden on Saturday. So the day progresses and no rain, we will be fine Around 5pm the wind is howling and it opens up and pours. I walk Zen in the gale force winds and decide the at 5:30 when the alarm goes off I will not be packing and getting in the car with these conditions.

When we go to bed, after watching the greatest movie- World's Fastest Indian . Great film for everyone. Riley and her friend were reluctant to watch it and ended up loving it. We were cheering for him, criying for him. It was sensational. Best comment from the girls- when he hooks up with a lady they both let out "ooh gross they are old" So we promptly say, what old people cannot have sex? The roll their eyes and Riley comments, see what I have to live with?

Okay so I wake up a few times to no rain. Awesome I am thinking. Alarm goes off and it is dark and cold but no rain. We put on our gear, load the bikes, get the water bottles and head to Little Italy. About 1/2 way there it starts to drizzle and that progresses to rain....not so good. We get to the start, find good parking- gee I wonder why? It is now pouring rain. We sit in the warm car and promptly decide to go home.

We get home, dry the bikes and unload the car. John goes back to bed and I head to Masters for a swim and then an unplanned run with some of the swimmers. Lots of rain, very cold and now I have ride tomorrow! Ah, I wish it was done, but luckily I have some fair weathered friends who bailed today as well and we are riding together!

Really, remind me of when I complained about the heat......

Metal detectors and cheese

Yes that is what my husband is doing to take back his life.....

Would be kinda funny if that was all I wrote. Okay so JB is not thrilled with his job right now and has decided that he has been neglecting some of the fun in his life.

Why he does not see a 95 mile bike ride as fun I don't know....but I digress.

Before he became celiac he was lactose intolerant and before he was lactose intolerant he was a cheese mister. He would eat cheese as it was a piece of toast. When we first met he ate cheese with abandonment, no knife, no cutting, single serving blocks of cheese.

Gastrointestinal issues led to the elimination of cheese from his diet. Well he has rediscovered "hard" cheeses and they are suiting him just fine. I got a message today from him, he is excited, excited like a kid when the ice cream man comes. He says....I just heard about Cheese 101 on These Days on NPR, I think it's tonight, let's go.

So I podcast These Days and hear about a Women's Surfing Exhibit, Blind Boys from Boston who sing and then finally Cheese 101. Well this event is tonight and is also $50 per person. Wow, that is $100 for cheese, and well wine. But he is excited and love to see him excited so I email the details and say let's go. Meanwhile I am thinking, he can eat all the cheese and I can drink all the wine. Perfect! Except I will be hungry and drunk and have to train tomorrow. Well, it was fun to think about anyway.

After discourse we decide that Cheese 101 is maybe not timely for us. I have to pick up from lacrosse and we maybe late and for $100 dammit, I want to be early, not miss any cheese and wine.

So I propose a Cheese tasting in our home, either tonight or tomorrow night when Dad and K are coming for dinner. He is very excited and is off to purchase a plethora of cheese. So tonight toward the end of dinner we tasted 4-5 cheeses but will have the big tasting tomorrow. Very apropos as the Hancock's are big with taste offs. See if my brother was here he would blindfold us or take the labels off and make us guess, which is sheep's milk cheese, which is sharp Cheddar from Wisconsin vs hard cheddar from Ireland. We have done many such tastings with chocolate, wine and who knows what else.

So the other item of pleasure is a metal detector. Now this has to be a total guy thing. Think about all the times you see someone with a metal detector at the beach, the park or well anywhere. Has it ever been a female? NOT.....so he has been shopping on craigslist and went and looked at one yesterday only to walk away. After all for $850 it could not find the quarter he buried 10 inches into the earth. Scandalous.....he left.

The seller contacted him and said I guess you did not intend to buy a metal detector....funny just because he did not buy it the assumption is he had no intention? Hello, he had the $$, drove to Escondido for what....to try it out. Okay so the story continues.

JB negotiates on the phone and that is the last I hear. I pull in the driveway from lacrosse and Riley is in the garage painting Happy Birthday posters for her friend- gotta love that kid and JB is in the front yard digging a hole and filling it up and waving his detector over it. He was having a blast. And now, after the cheese taste off, he and Zen are at the park, in the dark, looming under the swings. Who knows a 7 year old may have dropped her grandmothers diamond ring while swinging.

I just love that he is such a kid at heart......

Listen to the body....

Yesterday was a hard day....masters swim was over 4500 yards it was test Wed so some hard work was done as well. When we did the final 100 and Sickie had the stopwatch and we went one at a time I knew it was business. I have to say I was darned pleased with the 100 I was able to pull out...no drafting, short course but did a respectable 1:07. So feeling pretty good about the swim.

Took a long shower, ate a almond butter/honey sandwich and headed out for my run. 90 minute run, but there was some testing so I headed to the track. After 2 mile warm up I did 2 miles at IM heart rate and then 2 miles at IMHR + 10. I recorded the times without really looking and kept running. I deiced to do one more mile at IMHR +20 and ouch that hurt...the rest was ez run through UCSD Campus wishing I was 19 again and going to college. Well not really but it was fun to relish in the memories of college.

So I reported the data to KP thinking oh my, my run fitness is not where we want it.....well he was looking for something else and says we are just fine, good in fact. Where I need to be for O'side and for IMSG. Good thing...I was ready to start running every day over panic it was not good. Only goal now is to stay injury free and pack on the miles for 2.5 weeks.

I finished and was wiped out... I did not fuel for a hard 90 minute swim and run. I did not bonk but was dizzy and needed food. I high tailed it to Trader Joes and immediately downed a TJ Protein Shake- chocolate, yummy! I always love when I go to pay for something I have already consumed. The checker looks at me with one eyebrow raised and I wink and don't say much. I was so tempted to eat an entire bag of chocolate covered pretzel thins but held back. I want for the most delicious wrap with bamboo shoots, turkey, cheese, lettuce on a whole wheat wrap. Nothing like going from being ravenous to totally satiated.

From there I made a few works calls in my car....mobile office, you know how it goes. And then had a "play date" You know like when our kids were little, we set up play dates. Except this was a Starbucks. New friend from idropboys.com. I was there a bit early and since we had never met and her FB picture is 2 dogs I was checking out everyone as the walked up, is that her, could that be here? Well I should have known, I can spot a triathlete anywhere , and yes we do really stand out. Amy is training for her first IM- yeah, so excited for her. And she is doing Coeur d'Alene, where I lost my IM virginity.

We yucked it up for a long time....the girl can run. HS when she lobbed out her training pace I nearly fell off my stool. Note to self, to runs with this chick! So maybe we can ride together when she gets over her pulled muscle.

Home and then it was chauffeur for the afternoon,....drive JD to soccer in Carmel Valley, grocery shop for Mom's birthday dinner, pick up JD and drop him at WV for lacrosse practice, race home and whip up chicken curry, delicious vegetable concoction I made up, rice and a home made lemon cake. Oh right, clean up the house, set the table, walk the dog ( well I actually did that after grocery shopping and while waiting for JD at soccer and managed to negotiate a contract for a client) Can I multi task or what!!

So today I had 2 hour ride and 30 min gym session. I am up, power through email and am dressed to ride. Oh wait, I am starving...4, yes, 4 pieces of wheat toast. I am planning to meet Carolyn for a ride and I take Zen out and it is cold, windy and starting to rain. The brakes come on....no riding in the rain for me today. I sit down and realize I am actually totally wiped out. Tired, just plain tired. So I email coach and he says Good Job listening to your body.

I did decide that yoga would be very good for me. My calves are balls of knotted pain. It was supposed to be the ez breezy yoga stretch but the sub decided hard core yoga for 90 minutes. I was cursing and then took my deep cleansing breaths and only did what I wanted to do.

Evening at home

While the kids and I enjoyed a dinner of Thai Chicken, rice and fresh mango's, John was logging a few miles on the trainer. He is set up in the play room so we can see him through the sliding doors. He has on noise cancelling headphones and is practicing his Russian. We can hear burst of bad Russian as he repeats what the CD is saying,

After a while we ignore him and carry on with dinner. We hear a bust of Russian and then a loud woah and a massive crash. We turn around and we no longer see John....

Hugh laughs for us all....now it's back to homework and taxes for me.

A moment of reflection

For those who live in San Diego....we are all living day by day as the search for Chelsea King. This vivacious 17 year old disappeared on Thursday afternoon while running in some Rancho Bernardo trail. The horror of her leaving has escalated to the discovery of her clothes with a convicted sex offenders DNA. They have since arrested him and the search continues for Chelsea.

This runs tragically deep on so many levels....the concept of losing a child is beyond thought, let alone in such a horrific way. As a runner myself I think of the hours I have run alone on the beautiful trails around the county without fear. As a parent of a 13 year old girl I am afraid to let her walk out the front door yet do not want her to live in fear. The empathy for Chelsea's parents... My heart aches for them. I think about this poor girl and her family so often throughout the day and feel so helpless. I decided to try and join the search today only to be told they have so many people they do not need any more...

I just received an update from signonsandigeo stating there is a press conference today at 3:30 and my I am sickened at the thought of what they will be sharing.

Be aware.....and hug your loved ones and keep the King family in your thoughts and prayers.

Big weekend.....done!

I was psyched to run on Saturday with a new friend Terrish. We met online...not in the dating kind of way but in the idropboys.com kind of way. She is new to SD and looking to find cook chicks to run and ride with....and she founds us :)

So we had a "date" to run at 6:30 on Saturday. My long run and test run - had some mile repeats to do by heart rate and then track my speed. She was game. I am up 5:30 and walk Zen and it was hard to say what the weather was like, because, well it was dark. As the sun came up the clouds loomed....optimistic! We will be fine.

The heavens open up and it pouring..not CA rain but Louisiana rain. We communicate via text and I decide to run over and meet her at the designated spot. I jump in the car, we say hello and chat and I jump out and she has to make the trek back to IB. Sorry.....

I run across the park and home and decide that maybe I will run in the rain. I run a mile and decide it is not so bad and then I nearly slip....that's it. Okay I am the girl who falls on a dry day running on asphalt, who knows what may happen on the slippery street with rivers running in the gutters. I boogy home, strip and change, grab my bottles and head to the gym. Nothing like 1:45 on a treadmill. I am thinking, cook I can watch the Olympics....ah no. Saturday AM and they have Fox News on the TV in front of me. Yippee....conservative, right wing "news" I can sort of see ESPN and catch some Olympics recap and the far TV has Saturday AM cartoons. So I listen to the iPod. I love the looks from my treadmill buddies who come and go in 20-30 minute bursts. I am camped out with 3 towels, 2 large water bottles and a gu. So I got it done, pace was good, I was bored to death but NO, I am saying NO hip pain. YeeHaw!!!

So the whole reason I am running early on Saturday AM is to get to Riley's lacrosse game, which of course is cancelled due to the rain. Ah well....work out is done and I head home and the kids are waking up and we have a big pancake family breakfast. Nice way to start the weekend.

Sunday was big ride day and we had a nice little group.....rolling at 7:30 but there are always issues, John had a flat and had to replace the tire, Rachael was a bit late and of course as she drove up the people who had been waiting then had to pee. It gets quite comical after a bit. But we were on the road by 7:50 and headed to Ramona. Early flat for Beth but we fixed it and we rolling soon. We had a short group: Beth, Randy and Terrish and a long group with Ryan, KP, Rachael, John and I. As soon as we hit SPP, Ryan left us and decided to do 2 laps...he has his groove on and went with us. Right on ya mate, as they say down under.

When we hit Ramona, OMG the clouds rolled in, temperature dropped and we were freezing. Visions of last week haunted us all- cold and rain. Descending 78 was miserable and I flatted twice, double the bummer there. But as soon as we got to San Pasqual sun was out and the it warmed up 10+degrees. Thanks to Rachel's handy thermometer we knew that it really was cold or really was warm!

Around North County Fair the "short" group turned off to head back for their 63 mile ride and we headed out through Elfin. I must say it is not like Beth was wimping out and riding short, she tacked on a 2 hour, HOUR, not mile transition run. The girl is going to rock her first IM. Secretly, okay well not secretly since I am publicly writing this in a blog, I am glad she is young and not in my age group. Spectacular day- everything is so green and beautiful. JB left us at El Camino Real and took the short cut home and we rolled to Sorrento Valley and home. 95 miles and it was great! Kudo's to RG, she totally impresses me. She too is an IM virgin and foolishly or gallantly chose St George (slated to be the toughest WTC Ironman) for her first. She piles on the miles with the best frickin attitude. I am blessed to train and have so cool friends. We finished the ride, picked up Zen for a short transition run and the training for the weekend was done!

All games were cancelled for the weekend but we had some good friends coming for dinner on Sunday so time to start cooking! Rounded off the night with some terrific wine, thanks to TB, and good conversation and a good sleep for all.

We are in a good groove around here....Riley has stepped up her commitment to school and is now bringing home A's on a regular basis. I am so proud of her efforts and being amenable to our ideas and accepting help from John when needed. The rewards are so big and she wants to keep the streak going.

JD made the Varsity lacrosse team and he is super psyched! Try outs lasted 6 days and the final day was Saturday for 3 hours in the torrential rain at times. He has been tired every day. Now his challenge begins to keep his grades up and balance lacrosse + club soccer is getting ready for state cup. The boy eats, sleeps, studies and then it's lacrosse and soccer. No time for anything else right now....he loves it and it definitely keeps him out of trouble.