On the run again

I took a month off from training.  A month.  I didn't do anything.  Like my sister and I like to say, I sat AROUND the house.  Like I sat my fat butt down and it spread all around the house.

Actually, I jacked up my knee sometime between mile 5 of the run and 2 days after the race. That's when it started hurting, 2 days after the race (WTH is that?).  I tried to run a little bit on my vacation, but it started to hurt again, so I used that as an excuse to sit AROUND the house, for a month.

I went to the doctor the day after I got back to Minneapolis.  I started PT a week or so ago because despite the fact that I have been running my tail off for the last 6 months, I'm not really strong enough to run.  So I've been doing squats and sit ups and other embarrassing butt and hip and thigh exercises.  And I got new shoes.  That seems to help.  

So, I'm running again.  3 miles on 3 days last week.  I signed up for the PF Chang's Arizona Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon in Phoenix in January with TNT because who doesn't want to get out of Minneapolis in January? So we'll see if I can really run 13.1 miles.  

Yes, we'll see.  

More Race Pics

waiting in line for my start, I just spotted my boys!

pre-race high five with the boys

all smiles before the swim

27 minutes on the swim!!

coming into the finish on the bike

this is the end of lap #1 over the bridge, I'm still smiling

at the finish, I'm about to die, but I finished!

My inspiration!

Yay!  Some post race refreshments!!

Race Day!

I made it!! I finished!! I finished the race!!  It wasn't pretty the last mile or so, but I pulled through and made it.  

The day started early, 4am to be exact.  Kevin dropped me at the race site, we checked in, got marked, and set up our transition.  We had to wait 3 hours for the start of the race and I think I peed about 6 times during that time.  I'm not sure if it was nerves or hydration or what.  

My wave took off at 8am and I rocked the swim.  My goal was to come in under 30 minutes and as I ran up the beach I glanced at my watch, 27 minutes!!  I didn't go out too hard on the bike, but I still finished right around 1 hour 30 minutes, which was my goal.  I felt great going into the run through the first lap but I hit the wall around mile 4.  I tried to eat but started feeling nauseous.  I was in one of the last olympic waves so by this time the course was nearly deserted.  A few friends from TNT that were in my wave passed me about this time and tried to drag me along to the finish, but neither my body or my mind was having it.  I knew the run would be hard, but this was miserable.  I walked a little and then tried to rally. I thought about my niece Lindsay going through chemo, I thought about my aunt who had passed just one week ago. But I felt so bad, nothing seemed to help.

Then I thought about the fact that I was the top fund raiser on my team.  My friends and family and neighbors paid $5000 to finish this race, so I then I decided I should give it all I had left.  I started running again but didn't look up, I just tried to put one foot in front of the other.  I knew if I could make it to the north side of the lake the finish would be right around the bend. It came up a lot sooner than I thought it would and my family and my coach were there waiting.  My coach was even more excited than me that I was actually finishing and Avery ran along the sidelines with me until I crossed the finish line.  The boys came running over after I got done and Avery said to me, "Mommy, you were running so fast, I couldn't even keep up with you!"  That totally made my day!  Later in the car he said, "Mommy, I am so glad you finished, I mean I am so glad you winned your race today!!"  If that's the way he saw the race go down, then it was totally worth it!

I finished the race in 3 hours 31 minutes.  My goal was to come in at 3:30.  I had to stop and pee after the bike, so Kevin says its make.

We were so happy to have Kevin's parents in town for the race.  They had a great day and were super impressed that our team raised over $250,000 for LLS.  I was super impressed by all the awesome pictures that Papa Tom took, some of them a little too good (because fat girls don't look that good in tight triathlon suits).

I've always said that I only wanted to finish the race.  6 months ago I couldn't run a mile straight on the treadmill, so I have definitely come a long way.  I'm already making plans for next year, but for now I'm taking the next few weeks off.  

Tomorrow!!

Well, tomorrow is the big day!! I went to the pick up my race packet over lunch. I just have one thing to say, those people are buff!! The guy behind me in line was talking about how he finished the race in 2:04 last year and he ran a 5:48 minute mile. I'm hoping to get in under 3 hours 30 minutes, just to put it all in perspective. So, if you want to get a glimpse of the beautiful people tomorrow, come by the race coures anytime between 7am and noon. Make sure you cheer for anyone in purple and green.

http://www.ltftriathlon.com/spectators/index.php?strWebAction=spectators_map

I haven't posted in a while. The last couple weeks have been tough. The workouts have been long and I have been desparately trying to balance my time between work and work outs and spending time with the kids. Then to top things off my Aunt Augie past away last Friday. I flew back to Pennsylvania to attend her funeral this week. My family told me not to come, but I would not have missed it. She was 80 years old, but it is still incredibly sad to say good bye to someone who has been a part of your life for as long as you can remember.

I took my running shoes and went for a run at my parents house one day. I had been having trouble running in the heat the last few weeks, but even in the heat of the day I was able to finish 3 miles with little effort. Throughout my run I couldn't help but notice how incredibly beautiful Pennsylvania is in the summer time. The sky is bluer than blue and the trees and mountains are greener than green and the air is so fresh and clean. I'm so grateful for the time and the space to run and swim and bike. Besides the physical benefits the exercise provides, it gives me quiet time to be with my thoughts, to process my emotions, or maybe even sometimes not even think at all. I don't think I have had that since my boys were born. It has truly been a blessing.

Wish me luck tomorrow and please come by the race course if you are in Minneapolis and you have time. Again, thank you all so much for supporting me in this event and for your support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!!

The X-Factor

I haven't posted anything in a while.  Training over the last month has been really hard.  I had been feeling a little deflated and I thought it would be best to take a break from the blog and not spread any negative energy.

I signed up for the Olympic distance race (1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run), incase I forgot to post that earlier.  I'm still totally freaked out by the workout schedule that the coaches put out every week.  Despite the fact that I have been training for the last 6 months, I still have doubts that I can actually run 6 or 7 or 8 miles, even though I have done it a zillion times.  The physical training is nothing compared to trying to win the mental game.  

So I am all in for the team trainings from now until the race.  I just need it.  I need the support of my teammates and I need to know I am keeping up.  Last weekend we did a "mock tri."  A mini race, just with our team, to start getting us used to putting all three sports together.  I never swam with the team this year.  I guess I figured after 12 years of competitive swimming, it was the last thing I needed to work on.  And when workouts had to slip, I always cut out the swim, because swimming is my fall back.  So nobody knows that I can swim.  They only know that I can't run, well, I can, but I am really slow.  So when it came time for the mock tri, I crushed the swim, open water and all.  I think I was the third person out of about 100 people on the team to come out of the water.  I surprised just about everyone, including myself.  It was an awesome feeling and just the boost of confidence that I needed.  

I've never wanted to do anything more than to finish this race.  But after month and months of training its demoralizing to always come in second or third to last on a long bike ride or a long run.  Despite the fact that my bike is a 9 year old "Schwin Super Sport" or the fact that some of these people run marathons.  I always want to do better.  But finishing that swim as fast as I did more than level set me for the rest of the race.  I was able to hold off most of my teammates over the course of the bike ride and despite my super slow running pace, finished right behind them at the end of the race.  

So it felt really really good.  I had to run by myself and that sucked, but I did it.  More than a sprint distance, not quite Olympic distance.  I did it, and felt good and had a little bit more to give at the end.  So, I think I will be ready.  A few more brutal trainings before the race next month, but I think I'll be ready.

A better day

The follow up mammogram went fine today. I'm all clear for another 5 years or so. I have 2 dear friends, Erin and Meg, who lost their moms to breast cancer. Both of them sponsored me for my TNT event. I'll admit that I have been terrified the last 4 days, and the appointment this morning both uncomfortable and frightening. But what I have been through this week can't even come close to what their mothers and their families went through battling breast cancer. So tonight I dedicated my workout to Erin and Meg and I hope I have the chance to sponsor them in the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk this summer.

I was rushed to do my workout tonight. Kevin was still out of town and I was trying to squeeze in a 2 hour brick in on my way home from work only to get a call from the nanny asking for new diapers. I was so rushed. I got in 18 miles and on my way back to the car I forgot to clip out of my pedals and wrecked my bike. It was the exact same accident as last year when I broke my arm. This time I did not put my arm out. So I now have a mean case of road rash on my thigh, but I did not break my arm! Thank God for the extra cushion on my fat ass. I put in a great 3 mile run later in the evening after Kevin got back from the airport. It felt really good.

My most exciting news of the day, I made my fund raising goal, $5000!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has supported me in this endeavor!! Special thanks to my husband Kevin, Aunt Ann and Papa Tom who helped me in with fundraising to help me me this goal. I promised myself if I could get to $5,000 I would go after a half marathon later this year. I'm all in now!! Once I get past this tri, its running, running, running from here on out.

Wet Suit

This Wednesday we are starting open water swimming. I haven't been to a team swim all season, so I think its about time. Its still pretty chilly here so my TNT friends recommended getting a wet suit. What's another $200 spent on a piece of sporting equipment that I will use maybe 4 times this year in the name of raising money for cancer research? Its all good.

Kevin is traveling this week, all week and weekend, and my nanny is on vacation (Its a double curse). Its been great having two little rug rats up in my business all week. Well, I needed to buy a wetsuit this week, so naturally I took my little kids to go get a wet suit. What a great idea, NOT!

I don't even know where to start with this story, but I am sure the other customers and associates at Gear West in Long Lake got a kick out of the three of us stuffed in a tiny dressing room while I tried to stuff my fat ass into a skin tight we suit. My God, those things are hard to put on. Its like 5,000 times worse than putting on a pair of panty hose (which I do not wear anymore). I swear I actually had to tuck by buttocks into that thing. And wet suits are HOT, VERY HOT! I guess that is the point, but I think I got a harder workout trying to get into that thing than I did during my swim earlier that day. And all the while the boys are goofing off in the dressing room, spitting at the mirror, singing loud obnoxious songs, trying to open the door while I am half naked with the we suit tangled around my ankles as I am trying to pull it off.

I just bought the damn thing. I have no idea what is going to happen on Wednesday night when I have to try to put it on in front of the whole team. I actually thought about putting it on before driving to the lake, but not only is that totally ridiculous, its entirely too hot. If I can get it on I should be nice and toasty in the water.

We'll see....

Riding the roller coaster again....

Last week was another incredibly tumultuous week, both physically and emotionally. My training is going well although I think I may have hit a plateau, of sorts. I actually started gaining weight last week. Not a lot, only a few pounds, but you can't imagine how demoralizing it is to run 8 miles and then see 3 extra pounds pop up on the scale the next day. I guess my body is finally catching up with these crazy workouts so its time to get serious about the nutrition. Its a good wake up call, I really can't eat whatever I want, despite the thousands of calories my heart rate monitor is telling me that I am burning on a daily basis.

In other news, I went for my first routine mamogram last Monday. I turned 35 last month and as a birthday present my OB wrote me a script for a cholesterol test and a mamogram. Normally I wouldn't blog about something like this, but its all about cancer prevention so here goes. So the procedure itself went fine. Its a right of passage, I suppose, that all women go through - having your breasts (wo)manhandled by a total stranger and then pressed like pancakes between two metal plates. The lab tech at my doctor's office jokingly said I should prep for it by closing the freezer door on my boobs. Well, that was just about right. After the mamogram the tech told me I would get a written report in the mail, unless there was something abnormal, then I would get a phone call instead.

On Tuesday I got a message from the radiologist. I tried not to freak out when I heard the message, but over the next five minutes, the time it took me to call back and for the them to find my file, I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. Could I have breast cancer? Well, yes, I could. Its not some big news flash, its just the harsh reality of the world that we live in. Since Lindsay got cancer last year I promised myself that I would chill out, I would be more patient, more forgiving, more loving, that I would enjoy every single moment that I have with my beautiful children and my family. I thought that I made a lot of progress in these areas, but in those 5 minutes as I sat on the phone waiting, I realized that I have so very far to go.

So I am going back in on Tuesday for some more pictures. I called my OB and she said its routine, "They call lots of people back," she said, and then in the next breath, "Make sure to get in right away."

Later that day I learned that a guy I went to business school with got killed in Iraq, blown up by a suicide bomber. He was 38. On Wednesday a friend from high school posted on Facebook that her husband has Stage IV Melanoma, it has spread to his lungs. That can't be good. She has 3 kids, ages 2-11.

So this week I'm sort of on autopilot, numb from the emotions of the week. Before I know it I've run 6 or 7 miles or ridden 30 miles and the physical pain doesn't seem to bother me that much anymore.

No Comment

I really shouldn't comment on Saturday's brick. It was so beyond ridiculous I just don't even know what to say.

I got up a 6 am and met my friend Tracy to drive an hour to some little town on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. I figured there would be some hills since it is close to a ski resort but I was up for an adventure so we went. I didn't figure we start riding, go around a curve and then head straight up and up and up. I so was not prepared.

On the very first hill I didn't gear down fast enough and my gear started clicking as we started up the hill. It was so hard, I thought I would have freaking heart attack. I finally got off the damn bike and the coach came by and adjusted the gears. It got marginally better from there but I was so freaked out, mentally I just couldn't deal. By the third or fourth monster hill I just shifted down to the lowest gear possible and kept peddling, one foot over another, for what seemed like an eternity. It was one hill after another. It got to the point where I just didn't even look up anymore, I just looked right in front of me and kept pedaling. I couldn't look up, it was too demoralizing.

By the way, it was 40 degrees and the wind was gusting at 30 miles per hour. I seriously think I have lost it.

I guess the good news is that I finished the ride and then I ran 2 miles to boot. I suppose they are trying to beat us down, just to make sure we are ready for anything on race day.

again, no comment

Strange things are happening

Its 6 am on Saturday. I'm getting ready to head out the door to go to another brick near some ski resort near the MN/WI border (this means hills). I still can't walk from Thursdays run. This is so outside of my character.

In case I don't make it back, I love you all.

8 miles (rounding up)

There are a few people on the team who I get a lot of inspiration from. One of the guys, Mark, is amazing. He's a big guy, like Papa Tom's size, and he is always out there until the bitter end and he trains with purpose. Tonight I learned his sister is battling cancer, blood cancer, I assume, and I am certain he trains for her. One day I was running hills with him and I was at my wits end and he said, "Just shut your mind off and put one foot in front of the other." I think about that all the time when I am running and actually think it is good advice for life.

Well tonight I caught Mark at the end of the 8 mile run.

I yelled out, "Great Job Mark!"

He yelled back, "Put a bullet in me."

He was kidding, but that's how hard it was, really hard.

I'm headed for the tub with a bottle of Advil in hand.

Brick

As in, my legs feel like a pile of bricks or I would rather have someone hit me in the head with a brick than ever do that again.

I missed our team workout yesterday for our garage sale so I did one on my own. 22 miles on the bike then a 2 mile run. Thankfully, the new seat on my bike has solved the problem of my girl parts falling asleep, now I must address this issue with my feet. My bike shoes are at least 8 years old (pre-baby) and my feet have certainly gotten bigger. They are too small and when I get off the bike and try to run they are completely numb. It takes at least a mile or a mile and a half until I start to feel them again. I just stumbled along for the first 10 minutes or so until I get traction. Its painful, really painful.

I guess it could be worse. Tonight I heard the team work out was 32 miles Some how the coaches always seems to underestimate the mileage. I think they do this on purpose so they don't freak people out before they even get started.

Not looking forward to Saturday.

10%

Today was not a great day for swimming.  It all started with Avery's swim lessons this morning.  I hate his new teacher this session and I swear he has regressed.  It makes me really crabby because those lessons are expensive and I know he can do better. 

I went swimming this afternoon even though it was a beautiful day.  I didn't want to, but I am trying to keep on the training schedule.  I'm really thinking about trying to do the Olympic distance race (1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.1 mile run) so I decided to time myself swimming a mile tonight.  I made it in just over 26 minutes.  I was hoping to finish under 25 minutes, but that was pretty close, so I felt good.  After I showered and walked past the pool I felt like maybe it looked a little short.  I've had a sneaking suspicion that the pool might be short, but I think I've been in denial.  So I stopped at the desk just to double check that it is in fact a 25 yd pool.  

Well, it's not.  It's only 22.5 yds.  22.5 yds?! Who the hell builds a pool that is only 22.5 yds?  That means I've been swimming 10% fewer yards than I actually thought.  10%! Crap.   I would have much rather had one of these realizations today.....

I actually weigh 10% less than what my scale says!

My grocery bill is actually 10% less than what my receipt says!!

There are actually 10% fewer calories in those brownie bites that I just bought and scarfed down!!!

My work week actually consists of 10% fewer hours than I originally thought, so I'll be home at lunch on Wednesday!!!!

But no, sadly I have been swimming 10% less yardage than I actually thought.    

I have to say, I love love love love love the pool at this gym.  It's my princess pool.  Its warm in there, really warm.  The water is warm, the air is warm.  The walls and ceiling are a warm slate color and I can look out the window on a snowy day or a rainy day or dark night and still feel warm.  And a lot of days or nights I have the pool all to myself, not even a lifeguard.  Its very peaceful.  Some nights I feel like I could swim forever and I guess maybe I should think about it since I've been shorting my workouts by 10% for the last 3 months.  

Ugh. 

Thankful

My sister had foot surgery this week.  I should clarify - she had the inside bone of her foot broken and reset with 4 pins, and joints taken out of her 2nd and 5th toes.  She's off her feet for 6 weeks and her doctor's say it will take her a year to recover from this surgery.  

Thinking about her today made me feel thankful for my body which is allowing me to train for this amazing race.  Its an interesting place for me.  I've been the "fat girl" most of my life.  My body has been the root of my insecurity for nearly my entire existence. This body has given me my two beautiful boys, the center of my life, and yet over the last few years I've carried a lot of distain for it.  But training for this race I have a new appreciation for my fat girl body.  I'm amazed at what I have been able to do and it is helping me raise money for a great cause and for once in my life I feel really grateful!

We had a team run tonight.  I was so happy to see my friend Angie there again.  We went after the Olympic distance workout tonight and made it- 5 miles!  And if felt pretty damn good!

Beautiful Day!

I got out for a run over lunch today. It is gorgeous here today, the kind of day we wait for all winter. I felt really good today, despite, or maybe beacuse of, that hellacious hill workout on Saturday. I ran across the river again today, south on the east side and then over the Stone Arch Bridge. Stone Arch is a pedestrian bridge that is right next to the 35W bridge that collapsed in August of 2007. Looking at the new bridge I was reminded of the bridge collapse and how quickly our lives can change. Another reason to be thankful for each day that we have!

Oh - one more note, when I went to put my running shoes on today I found a big rock in one of them. Jake likes to collect rocks from the neighbors yard (they use them for their landscaping). I guess it was a little gift from him today, a little extra motivation for the run.

Another day of hills...

OH DEAR GOD, today was another hill day.  Serves me right for missing the last two weeks of team runs.  My butt hurts so bad, I can't even describe it.  I have to go to Target to get groceries now.  How bad will it look if I get one of those carts I can drive around the store?

On the positive side I went to the mall last week and bought some new jeans because my old ones are too big!  No pain no gain, I guess. I'm looking forward to getting my bike out in the next few weeks although I suspect it will be slightly harder than riding a stationary bike at the gym.  We'll see.

Happy Easter and Happy Spring to all!  May the change of seasons bring renewal to your heart and your spirit!

Ups, Downs, and All Around

Its been a busy few weeks since my last post.  

Last weekend we flew to North Carolina to visit with Kevin's family and celebrate 6 months of remission for Lindsay (definitely an up)!  Lindsay is doing great.  She is a happy and vibrant almost 4 year old.  She and Avery were practically attached at the hip all weekend running around all over the place.  They even tried to have a sleep over, but it was all too exciting.  They just could help talking and giggling and tickling each other into the late evening hours.  Although the weekend was pretty low key and there was little or no talk about cancer I couldn't help but think it was nothing short of a miracle to see her so healthy and happy given what she has been through the last 6 months.  

As for the rest of Kevin's family, well, lets just say everyone's life has changed since Lindsay got sick.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but its like there is a haze in the air.  Things are different.  It's another interesting casualty of the cancer, not one you would entirely expect or think about, but any carefree feelings we once had about our lives or the lives of our children are just gone.  Its just like that song goes; "You don't know what you've got til its gone."  Seriously, we all need to try to be thankful for the many blessings we have in our lives today, in the present, because everything can change, in an instant. We have been very lucky this year with Lindsay making it through chemo and into remission, but everyone will always worry now, about her, about each other, about everything.  It's tough.  We never really knew how easy our lives were before cancer.  I think about all of the stupid stuff I used to spend my days worrying and obsessing about and it seems crazy now.  It is crazy.  So in some ways, I guess it has been a gift.  A wake up call of sorts to start enjoying life for what it is and for that I am thankful.  

So, I'm trying to keep up with the training schedule as much as possible.  I took my running shoes to NC and ran around the golf course at BB and Papa's house.  I remembered walking the course when I was pregnant with Avery and thought it was really hard.  Well, its still hard, even when you're not pregnant and have been training for 3 months.  There are a lot of hills!!  Add that to an 8am flight with 2 squarely toddlers the next day and I was pretty wasted the day we got home.  (Down, way way down).  Then I cashed in massage gift certificate that Kevin got me for Valentine's Day that afternoon and things got a lot better!! 

Its been a busy week getting back to work, back to school, back in the pool and back on the bike.  I haven't had a chance to workout with the Team in Training folks this week but I can't wait to get back.  I miss comradery and emotional motivation.  Hopefully this week the stars will align and I'll get out of the house at the right time on the right day.  

See you then!!

Month 2, Week 3

Okay, sorry for the bad language, but Holy Sh*t!  

Its a good thing that I didn't know that week three is the "hard workout week of the month," or "the week that helps you break through to the next level," because if I did there is no way that I would have gotten up to go running this morning.  We met in St Paul along the Mississippi River for our run.  As the coach is describing the workout: hills followed by steps followed by more hills  and steps followed by more hills, 1000x, I think I started to have a panic attack.  I think my brain just stopped processing after a while.  The group took off running, and I just joined into the fold wondering what I was getting myself into.

Thank God my running mates were there.  I've hooked up with two women who work as pediatricians at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital.  They are awesome, super chipper and over achievers, as any doctor should be.  They totally kept me going today.  We did 1 mile out up and down 1 hill and up and down a set of steps to a bridge, 4 times, then up and down a second hill on the other side of the bridge plus steps, 3 times and just for fun, as if our legs didn't hurt bad enough, up another really really steep hill on the way back 2 more times, then back to our cars, another mile.  Seriously, that was freakin crazy!  In total, 1 hour plus of running, not just running around a lake, running up and down hills and steps for 1 hour!!

So, there are people on this team training for half and full iron man triathlons and they are running right along with us, except a lot faster and they are doing even more hills and steps.  So as I am huffing and puffing up the hill and they are giving us high fives along the way, I'm thinking to myself, just the fact that I am here at a training with these people says something about what I am doing and about this organization.  Its truly and amazing experience!  

Now, I am off to take some Advil in hopes it will get me through the day chasing after the little guys.  Wish me luck!

Lake Calhoun - Round 2

2 weeks ago I ran around Lake Calhoun for the first time. It's a little over 3 miles around. I'd never actually ran the whole way around (without stopping), so I was pretty proud of myself. That Saturday I ran with a bunch of TNT members. It was good to meet some new people and it seems to help to run with others.

This past weekend not many people showed up for the run. Although the temperature was in the 20s, the wind was pretty bitter. Halfway around the lake most of our group peeled off to run some hills. I was feeling intimidated about making around the lake again so I kept going by myself. Despite the cold temps there were a lot of people out running and biking. I passed the time around the lake watching and listening for other runners and walkers and bikers and trying not to look at my watch or my heart rate monitor. I just wanted to keep going.

I'm not going to say the run was easy or that it didn't hurt, because it did. But as I was coming around the west side of the lake, back to the place where we had started, I couldn't believe I was actually doing it. I was running around the lake, by myself, in the middle of the winter, no less. It was hard, but it wasn't impossible. It did hurt, but it didn't kill me. So as I was coming to the finish I started wondering why I thought I couldn't do this? And then I just got mad. Why did I tell myself, and everyone else for that matter, that I couldn't? And how many things have I not done in my life because I have told myself that I couldn't? How do we prevent ourselves from living our best life because we have a crappy attitude?  I wonder how our lives would be different if we weren't always telling ourselves or our partners or our kids that we can't do something without even really trying?

Sunday

Good swim yesterday, not to be negated by the fact that I ripped off Kevin's driver side rear view mirror when pulling out of the garage or by the jerk that stole my front row parking spot at Costco.

Learning to love Minneapolis in March (or at least trying to)

I skipped out of the office over lunch today for a run in downtown Minneapolis.  A friend of mine at Target who is an avid runner suggested a route for me and I scoped it out on my new favorite website mapmyrun.com.  We had temps in the 40s today so it was the perfect day to get out.  

My run took me up Nicollet Mall from Target Plaza past the Minneapolis Central Library (a very cool building and my first time actually seeing it in person), over the Hennepin Avenue bridge and around historical Nicollet Island which sits right in the middle of the Mississippi River.   Nicollet Island is home to DeLaSalle High School, a well known urban catholic high school, the Nicollet Island Inn and some very cool very old homes.  In my 6 years in Minneapolis, I'm not sure I've every been on Nicollet Island.  We still have snow on the ground and it is quite a beautiful place, even in the winter.  It was so quiet on the residential side of the island, its hard to believe its nestled right in the middle of the Twin Cities.  I wished that I would have had my camera on me to take some pictures.  I am afraid (or maybe hoping) that next week the snow will be gone so I'm not sure it will be as beautiful next time.  But what a cool thing - to see someplace new today.  I think about all of the lunch hours I've wasted working at my desk, or aimlessly wandering through the stores in downtown Minneapolis.  So thank you Vicky for the recommendation on the new route!  

The run itself was a little bit longer than I anticipated so I took the red lights as an opportunity to rest my legs (and my heart).  I was feeling really good on the home stretch heading back to the office, that is until some lady in high heels ran past me as she chased down her bus.  Oh well, at least I got out there today, even if I wasn't all that fast!

Downtown YMCA

Last week the YMCA offered all of the TNT members free use of their clubs, all week. I'm in a bit of a lull at work so I decided to head over to the downtown Y to squeeze in a swim over lunch. I used to workout at this club before I had kids so I felt pretty confident I knew what to expect.

I headed out to the pool area a little after 12 to find a water aerobics class in the first two lanes and three of the remaining four lanes blocked off with big orange cones. I inquired with the Lifegaurd and he told me the lanes were reserved for a Master's Swimming program.

"You should join them," he said, "Its a great work out."

I peered down to the other end of the pool to see a large group of grown men in tiny speedos getting ready for their workout.

"It's all guys." I replied. Maybe at some point in my life I would have wanted a large group of almost naked men pawing at my legs and feet. But not now, not at this point in my post-baby, overweight, out of shape, married life. Don't get me wrong, these guys were fit (for the most part) but this was just not my cup of tea.

So I jokingly replied to the lifeguard, "I don't think my husband would approve."

I jumped in the 'slow' lane at the end of the pool. It wasn't too bad, I only had to swim with one other guy who I think secretly wanted to be a part of the chaos in the next lane over. He kept trying to make small talk with the 'Master Swimmers.' During one of my rest breaks I counted the number of nearly naked men swimming in the lanes next to me. 30, that's right 30 men, in 3 lanes. I wondered to myself, isn't there some kind of limit to the number of people in a lane, like a daycare limit, like 8 babies in an infant room? I mean seriously, it was a little crazy.

Eventually one woman did show up for the workout, making the total 31. Better her than me, I guess. Maybe she was single? I keep telling all of my single girlfriends that this is a great way to meet really fit men, if you can stand the workouts.

Here's the real story....

8 years, 2 babies and 20 lbs ago I did my first triathlon. The training was time consuming and the event itself was grueling. After I finished the race, I vowed I would never do something like that again.

Here I am.

I signed up for Team in Training on pure emotion. After 6 months of watching my neice Lindsay go through cancer treatment I was beat down. I wanted to find something productive to do. I wanted to get back in shape. But a triathlon, really, in my condition? Seriously, when I signed up for this I couldn't run a mile to save my life and I didn't even own a swim suit suitable for swimming laps. After the information meeting where I readily handed over a check to cover my registration fees I came home and asked my husband, "What did I just do?"

Later I told my parents about the race and my Dad said, "What do you mean, you can't run."

So, its about a month into training and I am hanging in there. Its not easy and not necessarily fun, but I am hanging in there. I will say there is something theraputic about a spinning class that is so freakin hard that your brain actully shuts down because your body is just trying to hold on. For 1 hour, twice a week I don't have to worry about my kids or my job or my finances, I just ride. And I can run a mile now, infact last weekend I did 3 miles, around a lake, in 3" of snow. It was 13 degrees. Not fun, but hey, I did it. And as for swimming, well, those 12 years of competitive swimming as a kid have served me well. I'm not very fast these days, but I can still swim.

Thanks to all of my friends and family who have contributed to LLS. I have already met the fundraising minimum for the Lifetime Tri, so there is no backing out now. Stay tuned for my updates if you want some inspiration or just a laugh.

And just remember, if I can do this, anyone can do this.