Changing Gears

Official Pics from Texas

2006-09-28T23:25:00.000-07:00

Here are the official race images from Texas: http://www.karenthibodeaux.com/thumbs.asp?event=1100&bibnbr=297

Wow, they take many more than they used to in horse shows. And the funny part is, you're more likely to get a good photo, because you don't have to worry about two entities being photogenic at the same time. Sometimes Icy (the retired competition horse of the family) would look great and I'd have this bizarre expression on my face. In others, I'd have perfect form and Icy would have his eyes closed and one leg wrapped around his head or something. :-)

Race Day: The Texas Man Triathlon

2006-09-28T23:08:00.000-07:00

So I think I've caught up on some of the sleep I've lost in the past few weeks. Whew! Anyway, I promised to blog on race day. I'm sorry for the delay on this. Here it goes...

4:30 a.m.: Or maybe it was 5. No, it was 4:30. We got up and took turns catching a quick hot shower to wake up and warm up our muscles a little. I had my eagerly anticipated smoothie, got dressed, double checked my transition bag one last time, and opened up the curtains. Thunderstorm. Humm. Lynn and I weren't sure what to think!

5:30 a.m.: After gathering downstairs, adding smileys to our calves (Susan B. Cox tradition), and milling about a bit, we were told we would get updates on the weather. It had never really occurred to me at this point (and it never really did until after the race) that it might have been called off due to the weather. Rain poured down the window kind of like those fountain drinks you see that circulate the red punch or lemonade at diners. Lightning flashed behind the Marriott curtains as we sat on the lobby couches. There must have been 100+ bikes and their people in the lobby. It was a crazy site. A non-race participant would have been a little overwhelmed if they'd walked through the lobby at that point. The elevator activity was exciting enough, but get a load of the lobby! :-P

7:3oish: After several iffy updates, we finally hear the race will go off around 8:00 a.m., and it will be a shortened swim (500 m) and bike (18 miles). The run was to be the same. I felt kind of guilty/disappointed that the swim was to be so short! I was looking forward to proving to myself that I could tackle this challenge that I had struggled with for so long!

We headed down to transition, and by this point, most everyone who was a non-TNT athlete had already set up their transition area. It was really stressful, because I knew I had to find a spot, get set up, get my timing chip, get my race markings, and line up within 10 minutes. It went fine though. I squeezed my bike in on a rack and memorized the landmarks behind it, and after getting my chip and race markings, I walked back and forth from the swim exit to the bike several times to get used to the route. I was really nervous about the swim. Some things never change.

Race Start: All of the athletes (close to 1,000) were down by the lake. All colors of swim caps were kind of mixed in with one another. I couldn't find anyone I knew at first. It was a little concerning...I needed a familiar face. Thankfully, I found several teammates. We listened to the pre-race instructions. Nothing really notably new. It was to be a water start, meaning all 250 of the women in the wave would get in the lake and tread water for a couple of minutes before the start was called. This was probably the most intimidating part of the tri for me. Toenails were clawing, people were bumping, and it was just generally stressful for the body to be packed in with others who were treading. No one was trying to pull anyone else down, it was just cramped and that made for a unique situation for we nervous swimmers.

The siren sounded and we headed out. Almost immediately I felt the anxiety, but I kept pushing forward as best I could in freestyle. At about 100 meters, I felt my timing chip, which is attached with a neoprene band and Velcro, fall off my ankle. Oh, crap. Well, that's not what I said, but close enough. My first thought was, "I did not make it all the way here to not finish the race as a legal participant!" I thought for a few seconds about how deep the lake could possibly be, then I thought about how I could only see a foot in front of my face in the green water, at most. Then I looked back to see if the 59-and-over men were going to run me over anytime soon. Ok, good, they're not. AH! THEY FLOAT! Praise God! I was a happy camper once I saw that thing floating in the water. Seeming that it's hard to re-attach a levered/Velcro strap to your leg in deepish water when you can't see your leg or the strap...and seeming it's hard to swim freestyle with something in your hand, I chose to swim the rest of the course in breast stroke. My goggles were full of water, but I was stoked to be done with the swim when I finished. I climbed out and headed up the astroturf. I heard Eric go, "WHERE'S THAT SMILE YOU PROMISED ME!?!?" I smiled. And I think I didn't stop smiling at all for the rest of that day.

T1: The transition went uneventfully. I put on the race singlet with all of the screen printed sponsors and honored names, and all of the ribbons that I pinned on to it. Socks/shoes on, helmet on, grab bike, go.

Cycling: The bike was great (I say this like it behaved well. What I mean is the cycling course went well!). There was one notable hill, if you can call it that, and it was an overpass. We did a 9-mile loop twice. There were so many people out on course piled up in some areas that it was crazy. I was passing people and being passed continually. It was virtually impossible to keep from "blocking" because people were passing four wide in some places. I saw a few people on the side of the road who had equipment problems. By now the sun was coming out and it was starting to get warm. But I'm sure it was still pretty cool as far as Texas temps go. The course was rather straightforward. I kept thanking the police who were holding traffic. The TNT people were shouting "Go Team!" to one another and as we passed one another we'd say words of encouragement, "Keep it up, you can do it!" I did what Susan said and went through most of my water and gatorade. I had a Gu halfway through my second loop. It was my first attempt at having a Gu while en route. It was potentially messy, but I consumed it, washed it down with water, and didn't "abandon" the wrapper (thank you TNT for the pockets on our singlets). :-)

There were tons of great supporters out on the sides of the roads, cheering on the triathletes and providing a lot of encouragement! I saw most of my teammates except for Ryan (I sometimes don't recognize him and his bike, he's so fast) out on course, and Lauren shouted for me when I didn't see her. Summer and I swapped places a few times. Summer, Leila, and I all came into T2 at the same time.

T2: I felt like a speeding bullet. :-) Grabbed my inhaler and took it as I ran out of T2. Smooth, smooth transition.

Run: Something I had not anticipated about the ribbons with the names on them in puffy paint was that they'd be hitting my arms. Within a tenth of a mile of starting the run, those things began slapping my upper arms and I was thinking, "Oh my gosh, I'm going to go mad!" You see, I don't like things moving/dangling on me when I run. That includes dangly earrings, loose watches, keys in my pocket, and even the rubber TNT bracelet. I knew it was going to be a long six miles when my brain was nearly blocked by this little hiccup of things tickling and sticking to my sweaty arms. Ew. But then I thought about it and changed my attitude: These were reminding me WHY I was doing this in the first place. I was running this because many of them can't!! I really needed a reminder of the mission at this point, and it came at the right time.

The first and last mile of the run were on streets; the other 4.2 were on a wide concrete sidewalk path that meandered around through a park. The run was long and hot (not complaining, just an observation...but not as humid as it can get in Kentucky). I knew early on that I'd have to tuck the singlet into my sports bra so my abs could get some air. I won't hide it: I did walk four different times during the run, for two minutes max each time. I was really out of fuel and felt like my feet were stuck in the concrete. But I felt much better once I got to the halfway point. I found out I hate Accelerade. Not a good substitute for Gatorade, my friends. Anyway, the water stations were appreciated, and the continual encouragement from fellow TNTers was amazing. I think I must've heard and said "keep it up, you're doing great," at least 200 times. :-) I had "It is Well With My Soul" in my head for most of the run. At the turnaround we were on a horse cross country course, which was incredibly ironic considering my tri-sport background of eventing!! It was a good distraction from my discomfort.

Other distractions that are notable were Summer running out of the woods ("Did you make a pit stop there, Summer!?") and back on course and one runner I passed who was complaining about the length of men's armpit hair. Random!

The last two miles felt epic...I could hear the finish line in the distance--the cheering, clapping, and cowbells (yes, cowbells). The last two miles were quiet though, where I was. I could hear my footsteps and those of the athletes around me. A husband who had finished the race was in the median, cheering on his wife, "You can do it honey, you can do it!" I turned inward, reflecting on the past three months and on how much I'd learned about people I know and their battles with blood cancers. How much I'd learned about myself and what I could accomplish through the Lord's help and the support and prayers of friends and family. I thought about Austen and how he wanted to be in the boat at our first lake swim...and how he passed that very night. Then I almost started crying so I tried to change my thoughts...but I couldn't. I thought of Wanda, Lua, everyone who was affected by these cancers and how Wanda and Lua were going to be proud of me...and I remembered why I was running. It wasn't for me, it was for them, and I kept pushing on.

The final turn to the finish was memorable. I could see and hear the hundreds of people lined up on either side of the big inflatable finish line thing. What do you call those things? Good grief. Anyway, my pace picked up, my smile grew, and grew...and grew. The ribbons stuck to my arms. Yes, they're why I'm running. My shirt was tucked in like a crop top and my abs were hanging out. Oh, who cares. :-) Keep running, keep running, keep running. And it was finished! The race director called my name as I ran through the finish and I gave over my timing chip and enthusiastically hugged Susan and Eric. I couldn't believe it was complete!!!....Wow. What a feeling. What a feeling.

(Post-race thoughts later. I hope I haven't cheesed you out too much here. It's hard to capture the emotion in a blog. Bedtime now.)

We Did It!! :-)

2006-09-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Some more after-race shots, and a "during" shot that my teammate sent (This is after my 2nd transition--on my way out to the run.)! My blog on race day is in progress. I am not yet listed on the results; we think it might be because of a bum chip. The organizer is looking into it.

More pics...

2006-09-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

After-race shots and the Celebration Dinner.

Before the Race...

2006-09-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from race morning. These were taken around 5:30 a.m., well after my breakfast. I might be a morning person, but there are limits, and you can see it was stretching mine here!) There were at least 60 bikes in the lobby as we waited out a thunderstorm. In the end, the tri started about 30 minutes late, and the swim was shortened to 500 meters, and the cycle route to 18 miles. The run stayed the same.

Note the reasons why...listed and pinned on the back of my jersey.

Texas Man Triathlon Eve

2006-09-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

(Again, posting retrospectively)

We arose early and headed down to the lobby, then to the race site, where we were participating in a swim clinic with Dave Scott, a six-time world Ironman champion. He gave us many tips on relaxing in the water and sighting. Later he came over to our group and we had a photo op, and he walked over and put his arm around me for the pic. I was thinking, "Oh wow, Dave Scott just touched me, I KNOW I'll survive the swim!"

After the clinic, we all piled on to the floating dock and jumped into Lake Carolyn. I belly flopped into the lake, because I slipped on the dock as I jumped off. Nice. Just call me "Grace." Anyway, it took me a few minutes to get used to the water temperature (and its vibrant shade of green) as I swam toward the first buoy. We did 750 meters (essentially the sprint course to be used on race day). True to form, I swam most of it in breast stroke, just because of my open water/surrounded-by-people anxiety. But it's getting better. We climbed out of the lake using huge log ladders, reminiscent of the ones we used to climb out of the "well" at Chichen Itza in Mexico last month.

We got on our bikes and then rode the run course, which was mostly flat, either on lightly used roads or wide concrete sidewalks. It was a pretty day and a relaxing time for my teammates and I to take in the Lone Star State. Or at least a little snippet of it. My bike handlebars needed a minor adjustment when I returned, but the rest of the bike felt great. I was relieved that lil' red (not to be confused with "Big Red" of my high school/college days) made the trip well.

A pancake breakfast greeted us upon our return and we headed out to ride the cycling course in a caravan of rental cars and borrowed vehicles. Major food coma presented itself as we drove around, making it very difficult to stay awake. I saw enough of the route, which wound through an industrial area, past Neiman Marcus and citi (these are landmarks I remember), and through a variety of intersections. It was a 13-mile loop, and we'd make a U-turn at the end to repeat it.

emergency use in case of a flat). We did a little sightseeing. What I don't have is the photo of Lauren "pushing" one of the Mustangs in the water, and another of me racing them out. We were also on a mission to find a smoothie, my proven race morning drink. I was quite concerned about my nutrition for the morning of the race. I had tried and failed with several types of breakfasts, including toast, most fresh fruits, and anything of the Power Bar family. They are all too heavy for my stomach and the run. Success--we found a cute little grocery and shared lunch and found an Odwalla smoothie. Treacy found a smoothie place in her errands, and brought me back a freshly made smoothie, and I kept that on ice for Sunday morning.

I laid out all the stuff for my transitions and worked through them in my mind. I was pretty stoked about my pink "Texas Woman" swimcap. Lynn and I tried on all sorts of race clothing configurations. I settled on one of her swim tops with my TNT tri shorts. The top they had given me was an XS, and that wasn't cutting it. It fit, but I looked a bit Britney Spears-esque. I didn't want to have it scooching up during the bike and run. I decided to use the singlet with the screen printed names as the bike/run top. I pinned on the names that my supporters had given me with their donations. I was VERY excited about running the race in their honor and memory. I rested for the rest of the afternoon and read.

That night we had the infamous TNT pasta party (see our centerpiece at left with Austen). Besides the tri itself, this event really felt like the culmination of 3 1/2 months of hard work! The dinner refocused us on the mission of LLS and we heard the story of one team member from Florida who lost her sister to leukemia. It was a heart-wrenching story and it brought tears to my eyes. Little did I know, one of my teammates, Jeff, is a lymphoma survivor and later we joked about how he had come out of the closet when he gave us a glimpse of his experience as a "mission moment" at the conclusion of our coaching meeting that night. They recognized all of the chapters present so we could see what other areas of the country were represented. In total, there were 140 TNT participants in the triathlon of 1,000 people.

The TNT participants for this tri raised more than $450,000 for the LLS!

Dave Scott spoke to the group and told us many funny stories that had us all cutting up. Then he reminded us that one of us would probably cross the finish line last. It was pretty hilarious--because I think it muted a lot of people's laughter for a few minutes there. I've got to read this guy's books--he has some crazy interesting insights on the sport.

There was a fantastic sunset outside the Marriott as we had that coaching meeting. I just finished reading End of the Spear,and the author, Steve Saint, talks about a sunset that was so breathtaking that he was happy he didn't have a camera handy, because it was the kind of sunset you wanted to remember vividly in your mind without the help of something tangible. That was this sunset for me, and I've seen a lot of pretty sunsets (those in Wyoming being several of my favorites). I think it was an affirmation of things to come...that we were going to be cared for in the excitement and challenge of the next day, and that our thoughts should not only be with the strenuous questions we were asking of our bodies, but with the people with blood cancers that we've known and lost, and with those who are still fighting the good fight.

Susan reminded us to keep three bike lengths between ourselves and the cyclists around us (Look at this photo. I look skeptical. Ryan is thinking with the left side of his brain.). She reminded us to pass in 15 seconds total to avoid penalties for blocking. We were to hydrate often, because once we were off the bike, it would be too late to hydrate effectively for the run. I don't remember many of the other tips and reminders she gave us. We must have been ultra-prepared, because I was starting to internalize it all and I wasn't too concerned about rules or etiquette. I WAS concerned about getting lost on the bike. Eric assured me the route would be well-marked.

I painted my toenails purple, read some of The Word, and reviewed the bike course one more time before turning in that night.

Oh yes, this is Lake Carolyn. It has banks of concrete and it is in the shadow of what appears to be a monorail structure. I never saw a monorail go by, so I'm not sure what to think.

Travel To Texas

2006-09-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

(I'm posting these retrospectively, so you don't have to scroll through too much!)

Friday morning was interesting. I had tried to be "efficient" and take a direct flight from LEX to DFW. It was nearly the same cost as the flight that everyone else was taking out of Louisville (and while the LLS didn't buy the flight, I get reimbursed for the amount they spent on the other team members' tickets). The way I looked at it, I'd rather get a little extra sleep and fly separately from the group than have to be concerned about getting awake early enough and coordinating ground transportation/carpool to Louisville

As a seasoned traveler, I knew that theoretically, my flight arrangements were a good solution to the early morning problem. I'm sure you sense the foreshadowing. Short summary: Flight was to leave at 6 a.m. Fog was rolling in and out, delaying departure.

At 6:40, we were finally headed towards the runway. Everyone's heads were automatically turned toward the direction of Flt. 5191's doomed path. Right as we were picking up speed, passengers begin shouting, "Stop the plane!! Stop the plane!" ....I am not sure I have ever felt such a horrible, sinking, frightful feeling in my life, not knowing why people were so upset and what was going on. The flight attendant was visibly rattled as she ran back and forth and phoned the pilots. It turns out there was a passenger having some sort of health event--whether it was a seizure or something else, I'm not sure, but his seat neighbors were quite concerned. Thankfully, the plane slowed and we headed back to the gate. Sirens sounded, an ambulance rolled up as we arrived. I was relieved for the firefighter as he walked down the aisle of the plane, because I knew he probably felt hope that he might be able to help this passenger...a stark contrast to the first responders of several weeks ago.

Prayers and silence. The firefighter, the patient, and the patient's wife walked off the plane. The paperwork for the flight was updated. We headed back out on the tarmac. More fog. Ugh. Anyway, visibility ranged from 1,000 feet to 1,500 feet--we needed 1,600. Or something like that. Trust me, I am glad they weren't risking anything. Finally, at 9:30, we departed.

So, that made for an interesting start to the weekend. The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. I got a free lunch in the Marriott restaurant because I found a nasty long hair in my panini...after I'd already eaten half. Blech! I reunited with my team and my bike (after a loooong wait for the bikes). Eric (coach) and I (but mostly Eric) put together Lynn's bike and my bike. (Lynn and I were roommates throughout the weekend.) That night we went to a cookout for Team in Training down at the race site. It was a short walk from the hotel. Tom Ryan, owner of Dallas Athletes and race co-organizer, was giving a clinic on transitions that I considered helpful. I think my favorite take-home message was to walk the swim exit to your bike several times, choosing landmarks so you aren't weaving about trying to find your transition spot. I applied this little tidbit later.

One week....!

2006-09-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well, this time next week I will have completed the big tri! I'm very excited and I have a little case of the nerves, too!

I know I haven't been a very good blogger lately. I'm sorry. :-( But please know that I've been working really hard to get ready for this event and sometimes I'd rather just read some and go to bed and not get sucked into using the computer for a few hours when I'm winding down after training! Even tonight I've given myself a time limit on the computer by putting on a facial mask (it's blue...do you have a clear image of it? *grin*) that will need to be washed off in a few minutes. I will try to reflect on the upcoming weekend daily.

We are tapering our this week. My last long run was yesterday morning, when I was indoctrinated into the Todds Road Stumblers. You can click on that link to read about 'em. Anyway, it was just a 6-mile run, but it felt like 10. I made it through, but it wasn't one of my better days. I felt a little groggy and at one point I had dogs bearing their teeth at me and threatening to have my ankles for breakfast, which wasn't exactly pleasant. But I had a Magee's donut at the end and got a T-shirt, so that made it all better. :-)

Today I was gone basically from sun up to sun down. I sang at the early service and then went over to the pool for our second-to-last swim (possibly third-to-last if I go Thursday night this week as a wind-down before the trip). We warmed up and then did a split 1650, meaning we did the entire distance that we'll be doing in the race next week, but split with 15-second rests....first after 11 laps, then after 10, then 9, on down to 1. This is all new to me, and there is a reason I work with words and not numbers, because I still am not great at figuring out the distances. I was simply proud of myself for not losing track of where I was in the workout. There was a lot of repetition of numbers in my head so I wouldn't (accidentally) skim off any laps. Today was progress because I only did breast stroke for about 1/3 of the mile. Yeah!! It is a given that I will need to do breast stroke in order to keep my breathing in control and to keep my sanity next Sunday morning, but my goal is to do more freestyle than breast stroke. So anyway, if you subtract the 2:30 (representing the :15 breaks) from the time I did the 1650 today, I did the distance 37:30. Not terrible. It felt great to complete the distance, and not too far behind everyone else.

The cool thing is to look back at June...and remember how 50 meters felt like an eternity, and how my head would pop up at the slightest doubt. While I am not a stellar swimmer, it is wonderful to feel comfortable in the water. Yes, my right arm sinks before I'm done breathing on my left side, and I do choke on the water at least once every 1000 meters, but I can do this now. Coming back to the UK pool last week after practicing at other pools on long courses was an eye opener...the short way across the pool seemed so much easier last week than when I started. That was very affirming. A combination of practice, persistance, and (most importantly) prayer that have brought me to this point.

I had lunch with teammates Ken, Leila, and Summer, and then the team met at Susan's for a little run-through on the tri rules. It was good to be reminded of the 3-bike distance to maintain in the cycling, how not to lose your goggles or swim cap as you run up out of the lake (points off for "equipment abandonment"), and not to forget your number in the run. I bought a belt for a number on swimoutlet.com when I made my order a few weeks ago. I'm glad I have that so I don't have to deal with safety pins.

Then...drumroll...we received our Susan B Cox shirts! Susan has her own logo. You might think, "Good grief, why would someone have their own logo?" but remember we're talking about the best coach EVER here! While she is modest about it, she competed in Switzerland last weekend at the Worlds and WON her age group. :-) So, triathlons are one of the center points in her life, and she has a shirt to commemorate them. The logo is on the front in silver and there is her signature smiley face on the back. We get a smiley on our calf too at the race. I forgot my smiley at the Buckeye (well I remembered, but there was no Sharpie handy at that point) so I'm looking forward to wearing it proudly next weekend!

Shortly thereafter, we got our tri suits, which are very sharp! Now, my shorts fit great. The top? Not so much. It is an XS. Surprisingly, I could get it on, but it left about a half inch of skin showing above the shorts (and that's before stretching my arms out forward to cycle), so I'm hoping to get at least a small so I won't look like Britney.

We went out on the Tri for Sight Course again (maneuvering traffic, bumpy roads, etc.) and I had a pretty good go. I want to say it was between 18 and 22 miles? I can't remember. All went well and I kept up with the boys for most of the ride, which was fun. I am learning to use the drops (or whatever they're called), so I can lean down and be more aerodynamic on the downhills. I can see the benefit of arrowbars, but I need to finish paying for my bike first before I start upgrading it. I love flying down these Bluegrass byways. Climbing hills comes with the territory, too, and today I learned I just can't use my smallest ring in the front of my bike on the biggest hills...my chain drops anytime I try to go back up to the middle ring, so I will probably just stick with the middle ring in the front for the tri. I hear there aren't as many hills on the course in TX. :-)

On the way back I decided to follow Ryan (cycling TNT coach and tri teammate), and he went down the sidewalk...a very bumpy, crack-filled, unpredictable downhill sidewalk, and that was not very fun on a road bike! Note to self: Don't do that again.

I'm a bit paranoid about staying in one piece before next Sunday. Yesterday I was helping my friend Jason do the final cleaning on his and his roomates' house before he moved out, and I had a vacuum fall on my shoulder/collarbone as I was vacuuming the stairs, and it sent searing pain through my body. My thoughts/arrow prayers were, "Please Lord, PLEASE tell me that I didn't just break my collarbone with a vacuum," thinking of how rarely I actually use a vacuum and how uncanny this moment was. "Walk it off, walk it off, shake it off, Steph!" I thought. I'm fine, just a little vacuum mark on my shoulder.

Accident prone? Probably not. Lacking a sense of self-preservation? Perhaps at times.

So, we finished up the ride and then we performed the arduous task of disassembling the bikes and packing them up for Texas. It took about an hour and a half and it was a bit tedious. I never thought I'd be cutting up pipe insulation and getting covered with grease by my well-lubed pedals. I stood back at one point and announced that my bike looked, "So naked and sad," without its handlebars, seat, and tires. Eric (other coach) replied, "It's not sad, it's happy because it's going on vacation." Good point. So my bike is gone--I think my car missed it when we drove away.

Here begins the countdown to the big event...! I am quite excited. And my face mask is well-dried and cracking now. All that road grime is out of my pores and I'm going to get some ....zzzzzzzzzzzz.....rest!

My prayer requests this week are for my team as they prepare for the big trip. Please pray that we'll remain healthy and uninjured. Please pray that Lynn's cold will subside. There is a lot to be done this week at work before I leave on Friday morning for Texas and I'm a bit overwhelmed when I think about it. I hope to have a calm demeanor, peaceful heart, and the motivation to get a ton done on Monday to get my week started off on a good note. :-)

Thanks for hanging in there and supporting me through these months of training, trials and tribulations. :-) As cliche as that sounds, it's true--this chapter has been full of those latter two. This has been one of the best experiences and biggest challenges I've had in my life and I'm utterly thankful for the opportunity to work with such an incredible organization as the LLS. It has stretched me out of my comfort zone and has helped me to look outward at others' needs in a time in my life where it's easy to focus only inward on aspirations and dreams.

I have a feeling I might stick around and do more for this group in the years to come, whether it's training with the group or maybe even mentoring one day. We shall see.

The Great Buckeye Challenge

2006-08-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

I report joyfully that I completed my first triathlon today! Granted, it was a sprint (in this case, 0.6-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike, 5K run), but I finished, and felt like I had some leftover energy! The funny part: I placed fifth in my division (out of about 10 I think)--the Athena division, which consists of girls weighing 150 lbs. +. (Thank goodness they don't call us Clydesdales like they do the men. There would be a riot...literally.)

Anyway, I drove up to Ohio yesterday afternoon and stopped in Waynesville along the way to register (participating was a relatively last-minute decision) and check out Caesar Creek Lake so I would be able to sleep last night. :-) Then I headed up to Columbus to see my wonderful friends Joy & J.T., and their kids, Grace and Troy (pictured below...they are the sweetest, cutest children, EVER). Joy prepared a fantastic carb-loading dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. Grace, Troy, and I played for a little while and I read to and said prayers with Grace before she was tucked in for the night. Then I was able to catch up with Joy & J.T. for awhile until an early bedtime for me, since I had an early race day. Joy made me a fantastic smoothie this morning that sat well in my stomach for the event (I was worried about eating anything!) and sent me off at about 5:40. The drive took about an hour and gave me some time to relax and think about the upcoming day.

Setting up my little spot at the transition area was a little nervewracking. Everyone looked like a seasoned pro and I was sure I had a big ol' "Rookie!!" tattooed on my forehead! I had decided to wait to put my biking shorts on until after the swim (the padding is like a sponge and I had no desire to be waterlogged)...so my fabulously bruised thigh was out there for all to see. I had more than one, "Ooooh, that had to have hurt," or, "Wow, did you have a crash there?" Mmmhmm. Yes. Then, "How long ago?"...My elbow isn't very pretty either. Thank goodness I'm past the childhood age where scab-picking is an obsession, because it would be even nastier.

I was ready early enough to hang around after getting my timing chip (Velcroed to my ankle) which felt a bit like I was wearing a homing device or being tracked for probation). Anyway, it was relieving to see Ryan (TNT teammate) and Colleen (who trains some with us) and then Susan down at the lake. Yay! Someone who truly understands my apprehension about the swim without me having to say a word...and someone who truly inspires me with HER amazing althleticism at age 69.

Susan recommended that I start the swim wide and off to myself a little to avoid the "slugfest." It was exciting to watch the waves of people go in at the appointed sirens. The sprint men went off first and it looked like a bunch of exuberant boys galloping into the water--how fun to watch! Our group went in next, and I managed to get around the course without colliding or drowning...or encountering anything else negative besides some underwater plant tangle-edge, so that was fantastic. I was quite nervous for the first half--so much that my breathing was shallow and fast so I pretty much did breast stroke the whole time. My legs felt that...oh yeah...so I will be working on my confidence in freestyle for the next three weeks.

Trotting up to the transition was fun...all drippy and with muddy feet. The organizers had these pans for you to wash off your feet as you ran through. They looked like disinfection buckets you see in the equine hospital ICUs. I was thankful I wasn't having to step in Tektol with bare feet...but that's just me being random. Anyway...my first transition went fine as far as first transitions go and I made sure my helmet was on ASAP because I heard stories about DQ because of not having helmets on and strapped upon mounting the bike. Bike send-off went well...I got in my clips OK and there were no casualties in the process. The bike felt easy for me. There were a few times my knees were hurting a bit (presumably courtesy the breaststroke), but other than that, my ride was uneventful and the hills were nothing compared to those in the Lexington area. I prefer picturesque fields of horses to corn (I saw a lot of corn this morning), but hey, the course was well-marked, pretty, and well-...um...protected? I'm not sure how you say it...but there were law enforcement people everywhere making sure our paths were unhindered by traffic. I was able to take some good long drinks out of my bottle.

I probably passed 15 people during the ride. You'd think I was smokin' on the bike if I didn't tell you that a third of the people I passed were on mountain bikes. ;-) Despite the rules, there were groups of people drafting and blocking. Blocking meaning they were riding side-by-side (or at least that's what I gather), and I had to ask to pass. That was a little annoying, but whatever. I felt strongest on the bike today.

So, T2...went fine, I headed out on the run with my scary hair (I saw it after the race and thought, "Oh yes, a hat is in order."). I walked twice during the first mile of the run...I was a bit tired--I probably should've grabbed a Gu or a Powergel or something, but I forgot. This girl needs pockets. I saw Ryan running back the other way as I went out, and Colleen was finishing as I was coming in for my T2 (she was crazy fast...and won the women's sprint altogether!). One thing I was really struck by was the camaraderie of the participants. I must have had 25 people say "keep it up" or "good job" as they passed me going the other way...so I took their example and did the same thing to others. It was really a help and a good feeling to know these people are generally just out there to challenge themselves and they aren't cutthroat or snobby...at ALL. I had some strange Gatorade-like concoction called I...um...something that started with an I, and I think that helped a bit and I ran from the turnaround on, and finished really strong, I think.

Part of the steady concentration I had going on for the run was thinking of how I was doing this because Austen couldn't. And then I was thinking about him fishing with Troy (little Troy's namesake) in heaven. Interestingly enough, it also was a big help to sing "Be Thou My Vision" in my head the entire time.

As I ran in, the announcer goes, "And, pigtail in tow, here comes Stephanie Church..." Pigtail? I don't think men get the memo that pigtail is never singular. Anyway...that was cute. The announcer was much more entertaining than some of the ones we had in horse shows throughout the years! Ryan and Colleen were cheering for me and I ran through the finish...feeling like I could've run three more miles (where was that gumption at mile one?). They gave me a finisher's medal and my fifth place plaque (I didn't notice the plaque for about three minutes...haha! I looked down after talking to Colleen and Ryan and was like, "Oh...hey, what's this?).

I gathered my bike and things, called my parents, and got changed (dry clothes never felt so good in the summer). I think Dad might have been worried I wasn't in one piece, because he apparently left the sanctuary to answer the phone (sorry, Dad)! Ryan, Colleen, and I hung out for about an hour and a half with a few celebratory refreshments, and then we headed home.

So here I am, needing a hot shower and a nap. I'm reluctant to wash the numbers and divisions off my arms and calves. I feel like an authentic athlete at the moment, and I think I'm officially addicted to at least the sprint version of this sport...even with the swim!

In closing, some of you know I turned 29 on Friday...I just want to express my excitement about doing something I never had imagined I would do to kick off my year!

Training Update

2006-08-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

(Left, taking a dip in a "well" near Chichen Itza, Mexico. I'm the one on the right)

So it's been awhile since I've blogged on training. Things have been going really well, but I have had very little down time (aside from vacation...yes, I know...but sand and ocean are not conducive to laptop computer time). I feel healthier than I have in years and I have lost between 12 and 15 pounds, which has been a nice bonus that I had not anticipated. I'm much less apprehensive about the swimming than I was even two weeks ago.

Oh yes, and I forgot to report that I'm missing a foot of hair...it is being turned into a wig somewhere for a child with cancer, which is a cool thing to think about!! My neck is much cooler, and there are many, many less tangles after swim cap removal, which is woooonderful. At left, see my friend Emily and me at the end of our girls' week!

Here we go:

Swimming: The pool at UK closed at the end of July, and we've been training at one of two city pools. It was an adjustment from deep, cold, clean-feeling indoor pool water to outdoor, shallow (6 feet max), suntan lotiony, warm water. We have trained long course at the Tates Creek pool and I tend to do better on the 50m lane than the 25m...partially because it seems to go by faster (hey, I'm honest), and I have less trouble keeping count. I learned several ways to make myself keep my head down and keep going and have reduced (in the pool) my falling back on breaststroke. It is true that my breast stroke is really strong (thank you, 24 years of horseback riding), and I can keep up with the freestyle swimmers fine with it, but I don't want to confuse/trash my knees, whose direction of movement changes dramatically from breast stroke to cycling. Anyway, my three tricks for staying steady and forward in my swim:

Going through lists of unrelated material that make me think back. One day in Cancun it was ex-boyfriends' middle names. My memory isn't as good as I thought! :-)
Ponder song lyrics and Bible verses.
Take out any frustration I might be experiencing on the swim.

Tuesday night was our first open water swim (pictures to come). It went quite well--I had a smile on my face the whole time, apparently. I even led the group at one point when I "had it all together." Alas, I'm not great at spotting yet, and I ran ashore more than once, or I "beached myself" as I put it. New trick for keeping head down and forward in the water and staving off urge to do breaststroke: Singing underwater. I'm not kidding. Now we're not talking ballads by great bands of the 90s, I just pick three notes and go through them...it helps me to exhale everything I've inhaled under the water. Sometimes I forget to do this. Yay for Susan who suggested this trick.

Oh, yes, I did several swims in Cancun (See left, and below it, what I did when I wasn't training, which was most of the time). Emily would time me from her lounge chair--40 minutes around the perimeter of the pool without stopping. One pool I picked I only required two and a half circuits before changing direction. That was a huge pool, in which I had to dodge several leaping children, but it was pretty great...with palm trees and all.

Cycling. Ok, well, my favorite sport of the three is still my favorite. That is a good sign I think. Looking back at July, rides went really well. I had what my friend Dorothy termed an "epic ride" a few Sundays ago in which we rode 28 miles, my longest ride yet. It was grand fun. :-) We celebrated at Graeter's (for all of you non-Kentucky/Ohio people, Graeter's is goodness and light embodied in a pint of ice cream). Speaking of likes/dislikes, I have adapted to Gu and Powergels, something I thought I would never be able to handle on account of their texture. (My not-so-secret weakness is still Clif Bloks, however, but solids are a no-can-do during a workout, I've discovered.)

Prelude to a Wreck
I didn't ride in Cancun and had no desire to pay $10 to ride a spinning bike inside the gym. So I missed about 10 days of riding. On Saturday morning, the day after I returned from Cancun, I went horseback riding and tweaked my back, so I iced my back for most of the day Saturday and rested for a good bit on Sunday. Monday, Em and I attempted a shortened route of the "epic ride" and I must've been tired or just out of practice, because I had trouble staying upright. I toppled at a stop sign when I was about to go through an intersection (before I could, a car came around the turn at a high rate of speed...so I had to stop abruptly and sometimes I forget about being clipped in). That was an easy fall.

Later in the ride...on a nice, straight stretch after a downhill, I had shouted hello at my friend's horse that I saw in a pasture through the trees and was turning to tell Emily something. As I did, I ventured too close to the edge of the "crumbly" road, left the road, and automatically overcorrected. I wiped out at about 15-18mph and gave myself gorgeous road rash on my left elbow, a dark purple bruise on my inner thigh from the seat, and a lump stretching the length of my left thigh where I skidded on the pavement. The bump on my shin is gone. Thankfully, my trusty Cannondale shorts (which are dangerously close to becoming "plumber shorts" because they are now too big) protected my thigh from road rash and now they are all picked, but not torn. My handlebars were all bent out of shape (they snap back into place--ah, I love it), my brake was dragging. I was bleeding something fierce from my elbow...but I got up and finished the ride, even powering up the final hill, earning my new nickname from Emily: "Trooper Steph."

I'm nursing the elbow wound and have been fielding unsolicited questions about it and my new "tat" from where I had allergy testing today. I didn't realize I'd have to have a list of seven common molds in Sharpie on my upper arm for two days (shakes head in disbelief). This all builds character.

Running. Not much to say here. I ran three days in Cancun, where all of the staff and most of the guests looked at me like I was a freak for not only skipping the 1/2-mile tram from the hotel rooms to the pools/beach, but for exerting myself during vacation in the Mexican heat. The most exciting thing that happened was when I ran through a gnat cloud and ended up with gnats stuck to my face, arms, neck, and chest. It was gross. But I changed into my bikini and showered on the beach. Yeah, rough life, I know. ;-) Running is going OK. I had to get a new pair of shoes because my others were breaking down, leaving me running on the sides of my feet. These have pink accents--I love it. It has cooled down in Ky this week and I ran tonight at the track and didn't sweat a gallon as usual, which was a nice bonus. I think my choir buddies were thankful for that also when I arrived there straight after practice.

Putting it all together. I didn't blog on it, but the weekend before I left for Cancun, our team did a training tri out at Falling Springs in Versailles. Basically we did a walkthrough on transitions, giving a chance for Q&A, and we learned about etiquette, rules, etc. We did a 500-m swim, only about 14 miles on the bike (our group had one injury from a fall, a broken cable, a flat, and a temperamental brake, so our group was riddled with problems that day), and then a 5K. I had a great time. I hated the swim because everyone was done before me and they all were watching, but I got over it and finished to their cheers (they are very supportive and don't humiliate me, for which I am utterly thankful). I basically panicked when I got in the water and forgot to breathe correctly. It has gotten much better since then.

So this weekend I have the opportunity to do a sprint in Ohio on Sunday. I'm still deciding. I'll let you know what happens.

Please pray for Austen's family (see prior entry). That has been a cloud over my day, but I know he is with our Lord. His passing reminds me I have even more reason to push forward and complete this in memory of him and all the others who lost their battles against blood cancer. My coworkers' mom and mom-in-law (the couple works for my company) is struggling in her battle against hairy cell leukemia. Her name is Wanda--please keep her in your prayers.

I started out on this TNT journey with a simple goal of completing something that would push me beyond my limits of comfort while contributing to a good cause. I am in awe of how the mission of LLS has become much more personal now, after learning Austen's story and speaking to so many friends and acquaintances who have been affected by these cancers. I can feel the Lord changing my heart in many ways as I train...it's a glorious but painful process, and I have NOT loved every minute, certainly...but my pain is dwarfed by that of the victims fighting these diseases...and it's eclipsed by the pain my God felt on the cross, when He paid for my salvation.

Our Hero...

2006-08-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

This is an e-mail from my Team In Training Mentor, Treacy, about our team's honored hero, Austen. You will remember him from my original support letter I sent out in June. Last night at our first open water swim at Mallard Point in Georgetown, we prayed for Austen and his family during a mission moment.

Our prayers and thoughts were with Austen Williams and his family last night when he passed away at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati at around 9:15.

This is his picture at the kick-off for Fall ’06 Team in Training when he made a special effort to shake every triathlete’s hand and to thank us for everything we're doing. He told me so sincerely that he appreciated our hard work and was happy to be part of our team.

Sick or healthy, Austen was a well-raised, considerate, and thoughtful person (who just happened to really like race cars and rock and roll). He was a wonderful artist with a great sense of humor, and a passion for fishing. In mid-July he went to Indian Summer Camp when he was pretty sick, and he won the award for the Most Inspiring Camper, and one for catching the biggest fish. He said he had the time of his life this year at camp. He wanted to come to Mallard Point with the team to watch us swim (and to fish) and now he will definitely be with us the whole way every day in spirit.

Austen and his family stayed always hopeful and they had many happy times during his 10+ years of treatment. This is partly because of ongoing cancer research and advances in patient care. So keep up your hard work in Austen’s honor. The most important things for cancer families are hope, the strength that sometimes comes through pain, and support from people who care. With your training and fundraising, you are sharing these things with the Williams, and with so many others.

Funeral arrangements are to be arranged. Austen’s family lives in Scott County.

I will try to keep you updated.

Love,
Treacy

Greetings from Cancun

2006-08-04T16:13:00.001-07:00

So, I´ve been a little slack on the blogging lately. The past few weeks of training have been very, very busy, and now I am in Cancun for a week of vacation to breathe (..and swim, and run...)! All of the keys on this Mexican computer are in weird places. I hope to blog from Emily´s computer and then post it via one of these resort computers in the next few days.

Since it´s fresh and exciting--I had my first GOOD swim last night. It finally clicked. Praise God! :-) I´m now looking forward to swimming!

For now...I´m unplugging and relaxing! BAck to training tomorrow.

TTFN

Greetings from Cancun

2006-08-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

So, I´ve been a little slack on the blogging lately. The past few weeks of training have been very, very busy, and now I am in Cancun for a week of vacation to breathe (..and swim, and run...)! All of the keys on this Mexican computer are in weird places.
Since it´s fresh and exciting--I had my first GOOD swim last night. It finally clicked. Praise God! :-) I´m now looking forward to swimming!

TTFN

Still Kickin...

2006-07-16T19:35:00.000-07:00
I just wanted to drop a blog on here that training is going well--I didn't fall off the face of the earth or succumb to the formerly mentioned bronchitis. Workouts are getting longer, of course, and I'm preparing for a week out of the office in early August...plus everyone and their sister is getting married, so there are parties/showers/weddings all over the place...days have been quite full. I want to do a proper review of last week's workouts, and will probably get to it in the next couple of nights. I've trained every day since last Sunday except for Friday, and feel like I am "over the hump" when it comes to my swimming! Breakthroughs are always good. And I feel well; more healthy and fit than I have since the riding accident in '02!!

An exciting announcement: While I haven't entered a few of the contributions into the active.com donation tracker yet, we've reached the TNT-set goal of $3,900 (I think we're about $2.00 over), and we're only $300 away from the goal that I had set beyond that! Fantastic! Thank you all so very much!! We can just keep on raising, too--remember, 100% of everything raised from now on goes to the LLS (75% did before the TNT goal)! Written notes to each of you are coming in the mail. I'm trying to write several per day. I am so thankful for your support, but probably not as grateful as those people who are fighting blood cancers and their physicians who are trying to come up with a cure! You are making a difference in many people's lives. :-) You should be stoked about that.

My TNT mentor and I are planning a fundraiser in a few weeks--a pedicure party. Side attraction: Ten inches of my hair coming off for Locks of Love. E-mail me if you'd like to come for a massage and pedicure by the pool, and I will put you on the list for when the invites are distributed. Also, if you have any ideas/suggestions for short(er) cuts, let me know. I am ready to get rid of the length, which is hotter than blue blazes on my neck and back when I run, and a bear to untangle after swimming, and I've been growing it out for this for several years now, just haven't parted with it yet. The only requirement for a cut is that I can still have enough for a little ponytail. Or pigtails. Something about imagining myself at the tri in September, a relatively new 29-year-old--with pigtails--makes me snicker. Hopefully I'm not like Samson and I'll still have some strength after the hair's gone.

(Ok, sorry for the lame Bible joke. It sounded funny in my head, really.)

I have an early morning tomorrow...must...get...rest ;-)

Some pics of my bike and me.

2006-07-06T17:29:00.000-07:00
Travis took some photos of me on the bike in my neighborhood yesterday. We would've liked to have gotten some out on the pretty Kentucky roads, but time didn't allow this weekend. So please ignore the background clutter.

Yes, Mom and Dad, I always wear my helmet. :-)

Note pretty bruise on right leg. Don't worry, I did not photograph the other bruise, which is much more impressive and is on my butt.

Clipping in was tricky at first (hence bruise),
but i think I'm getting it down pretty well.

Week 6, Part I

2006-07-05T18:30:00.000-07:00
Ah, cycling. Love it, love it, love it. :-) Sunday I went out with the team on our first "real" ride out on the roads. I'd only done the circle with the team; my other rides have been out with friends. Anyway, it was great, because our route was similar to the one from last Wednesday, so I knew what to expect in terms of difficulty or encountering traffic. Actually, there was less traffic Sunday than on Wed. mid-morning.

Jeff and I are the new "clipless pedal" kids on the team. We demonstrated our new clipping in/out abilities to Susan (coach) in the parking lot at the Y and she taught us how if you clip out with one foot, hold it level with the other and coast to a stop, before which you get off the seat and lean forward a bit, the stopping is much smoother than my "eek, eek, eeking" that I had before. That was a lovely "aha" moment. :-)

A couple of team members have mountain bikes and a mountain bike/road bike hybrid, so Jeff and I spent a lot of time up front with Susan simply because our bikes are made for the road. I learned a lot riding behind Susan because I saw when she changed gears and I could learn more about the hand signals. All went well on the ride until we were going up a relatively huge hill and Jeff yelled out from behind me, and then wasn't there anymore. Another teammate said to stop for Jeff because he'd dropped his chain, and I passed the message up to Susan, who said, "Never stop in the middle of a hill," to which I didn't have time to react, as I'd already stopped and clipped out. Hmmm. So, without thinking (should've put my bike in a lower gear), I tried to clip back in and continue...*crunch*. Yeah, that was me in the ditch again. This time I contacted the ground with my shoulder, too, and got pretty dirty!

Live and learn. At least I'm consistent in my falls--my seat hit the former bruise on my thigh and did I mention my derriere bruise? The big, heart-shaped bruise is much bigger now. I wish it weren't on my butt so I could show it to people...it's like a battle scar of which I'm proud. But most people would object to me dropping my britches, even if I have dropped about eight pounds in the past two months. :-) I'm not timid about falling anymore, that's for sure. And from what Treacy, Susan, and another triathlete friend, John, tell me, it's rare that I will have to stop in the middle of going uphill in a triathlon. That's good news. :-)

However, one thing I've failed to mention is I love my shoes and pedals! My pedaling feels so much more efficient. I do not regret the upgrade one bit. Maybe it'll be arrowbars next. Nah, I'd better get my balance more fine-tuned before I do anything like that.

Monday: After sleeping in (yaaay, Nyquil, some relief for that throat thing), I hiked at the Red River Gorge for three hours and change with my brother, Travis, and his girlfriend, Jenny. Tons of fun, even though it was super hot out that day. Parts of the hike were the same as my last hike out in April, and it felt good to power up some of those inclines that had me winded last time.

Tuesday, July 4: Completed the Bluegrass 10K with Jenny and Travis. Learned my lesson--don't attempt a 10K when you feel like crap. The adrenaline of the situation captured me and I wanted to prove to myself I could do the distance, so I was stubborn and ran/walked it. Travis hung with us until mile 5, and he ran ahead. I was happy with my 1:14:09 finish, considering my condition.

Here is a slideshow of the race and the 4th in Lexington (Props to my friend Johnny for the logo he designed that was painted on the street and appears on our shirts!): http://www.heraldleaderphoto.com/multimedia/2006fourthof/july.html

This brings us to today--I've been (unhappily) diagnosed with sinusitus and possible allergy-induced bronchitis. Fun, fun. I'm on antibiotics and will be laying low for a few days.

Week 5, Part II

2006-07-05T18:29:00.000-07:00
I'll do a retrospective on the latter part of last week to break up my entries, since I'm behind after a busy holiday weekend. I know I write long at times. Thursday was my day off from training. I swam Friday at the Y during my lunch hour and had a very good session. I must be using my legs right now, because they get sore. I feel more confident in the water. I realize it's a long way from going a mile in open water, but it's steady improvement. It made me chuckle when an older lady joined me in my lane and said, "You're probably much faster than me,"when objecting to us using the lane in clockwise fashion. Little does she know. :-)

Friday night was tons of fun. Alan put my bike on his trainer and he and Jennifer helped me learn to clip in and out of the pedals. He loosened the clips a little so I could maneuver more comfortably, as they felt a little too rigid. We took the bike outside and Jennifer shooed him inside as she thought I might be nervous to try it out in front of a "pro." She had only been on her bike with the clipless pedals five times, so she considers herself a relative beginner as well. The first few times were a bit wobbly, but I stayed upright with the bike between me and the ground. I had a strange little skipping action at first when I was clipping out, somewhat reminiscent of the sound of a plane, "eek, eek, eeking," on a runway as it lands. That came to a resolution Sunday, but I'll save that for later. Well, we only rode about 5.75 miles in that hour--we were clipping in and out constantly, which was exactly what I needed. Plus, there was all the requisite girl talk. You put girls on bikes and send them out, and they're going to talk, that's just how we're built. :-) Anyway, all went well until one intersection where we paused to clip out, and when I clipped back in, something happened and I lost my balance with my right foot still clipped in. Before I knew it, I had toppled over right onto Jennifer! Poor girl! My seat was a bit out of alignment from where it hit my right inner thigh (yeah, the bruise is gorgeous), and I had a nice road rash mark, which resolved as just a long scratch. Anyway, we had a good laugh, she forgave me, and we continued our ride, after which I had dinner with their family and more fun times.

Saturday morning, I ran five miles with a few walk breaks at the Arboretum and was debating whether I could do the Bluegrass 10K on the 4th. I had started to lose my voice a little on Friday, and it was a touch worse on Saturday, but I assumed it was just my allergies and I pushed through it. Yeah, I know, I can hear most of you saying, "When will you ever learn to listen to your body?" ;-)

Week 5, Part I

2006-06-29T19:11:00.000-07:00
I'm a little behind in posting this week. When I returned from Orlando on Sunday I hit the ground running, almost literally, and it's been rolling ever since!

This week I started receiving wonderful surprises in my mailbox. I am so very thankful for your support! You've helped me reach 25% of my fundraising goal as of today, and we're steadily climbing. I am thrilled that you are joining me in this wonderful cause. You are all making a difference in the lives of those battling cancers and I am very proud of you for it. Thank you for including survivors' and victims' names so that I'm able to pin them to my jersey that I'll be wearing when I cross the finish in September.

Thank you also to the people who have said they are going to pray for me. Remaining uninjured is a big concern of mine, as I'm well aware of my mortality after breaking two vertebrae in '02. It's important to me that I stay fit and in one piece during this whole endeavor.

Over the weekend I was able to see Lua Southard, a dear friend and mentor in equine publishing that I've known since I was a student in American Horse Publications. She is currently battling lymphoma--she is responding well to treatment, but it has not been an easy road. She explained the medications that she's taking and her prognosis--her doctor says she's likely to go into remission,, which is good to hear. A cure would be better. I am going to make her my personal "honored hero" during this Team In Training event. We need a cure for Lua! This new connection makes me want to train harder.

Sunday: After 2.5 hours of sleep at the hotel (yes, we were out late celebrating our magazine's best overall award!) and 30 minutes of sleep here and there on planes and in chairs at the airport gates (now there a place of comfort!), I was back in Lexington. After getting a lift home, I was back over at Beaumont Circle within 30 minutes with my bike and training with the team. This was my first real team training on the bikes, and the first time Eric, our cycling coach, had seen me ride. We did four laps around for warmup and then we had to make the going as difficult as possible and work as hard as we could for half of the circle and then drop to easier gears for the other half. We did this for another four laps and there were an additional three laps in there for cooldown. (11 miles and change.) I feel much more confident in my cycling so far than I do in my swimming (obviously) and perhaps even in my running. Now, I'm still not the most coordinated in getting on and off the bike, but I'm getting there. I really do love being on my bike. It's not a gallop, but I still get the wind in my ponytail and the adrenaline flows. I'm encouraged because Eric seemed to think I was strong in my cycling, or at least he told Susan so--she mentioned it at swim practice on Tuesday.

Monday: Ran at the Arboretum at 6am with Treacy (my mentor) and Jennifer. I felt the stiffness from riding and the grogginess from jetlag, but we did about three miles. Oh yes, hills. They have those in Kentucky. Flat-as-a-pancake-Orlando spoiled me for a couple of days there!
Tuesday: Swim. Better, slowly but surely. I need to take my multitasking skills from the rest of my life and apply them to being in the pool. A la carte, my flutter kicks are beautiful, my arm strokes are nearly right on, and my breathing is fine. When combined, they kind of...collide. But I'm focusing on the positive in that I am showing improvement and am feeling more comfortable in the water. Did I see too many drowned things last fall in the Gulf Coast? Is that where I'm going wrong? Nah, I just need to keep plugging. It will come. I know that it will.

Wednesday: Kim and I were going to meet and ride at 6:30 a.m., but the Bluegrass was languishing under a deep blanket of fog, so we went into work and took a later ride out. Ben met us in the parking lot and Kim realized she'd left her helmet and gloves at home, so she drove back and said she'd meet us en route. Ben and I rode down to Man O'War, down Parkers Mill down behind the airport (New asphalt that was like ice--awesome!), left on Dedman, left on Military, right on James. We rode James for awhile and then turned around when we met Kim and headed back to the office. We went a nice 15 miles or so.

I've noticed that I struggle to get my relatively large girl feet into the toe cages, and that can frustrate me when I'm trying to get across an intersection without getting smooshed. It has also been explained to me how with a running shoe, your foot is basically wrapping itself around the pedal and you're losing some of the power of your pedaling in the flexibility of the sole of the shoe. Well, I'll be. So, the solution? *Drumroll*....clipless pedals. Now it still doesn't make any sense to me how if you're wearing cleats that clip into pedals, why they are called clipless. Anyhow, on several people's advice, I went ahead and took the plunge, and the new pedals are on my bike and the shoes are ready to wear! I'm very excited to see how it changes the efficiency of my pedaling.

Tonight I was at church talking to Jennifer Siebenthaler (she and her husband, Alan--a triathlete--have been wonderful in giving me advice through this!) and was mentioning how I had grand Friday after-work plans of parking near a curb and some grass with minimal nearby traffic so I could practice clipping in and out and in again. I want to get my falling out of the way and get comfortable in the new pedals. I hear it's not a matter of if you'll fall, but when you'll fall. Years of horseback riding means that gravity is no stranger to me...been there, done that, and have the scars, bumps, and creaks to prove it. It's just the pavement I'm not used to yet. Well, Alan has a trainer, so they invited me over to put my bike in the trainer so I can learn on it upright for awhile before going straight out on the road. I'm looking forward to it!

One thing I'm having to learn is more (figurative) balance. I feel like I'm barely home, except to sleep and do laundry. Sabrina the cat is very, very needy (sitting in lap as I type). I'm looking forward to the 4-day weekend and a chance to catch up on odds and ends that I've neglected since my trip. Refreshing sleep is an important part of this whole equation, and when magazine deadline and training are occuring simultaneously, I have to pace myself carefully in order to be fresh and ready for the next challenge.

Week 4, Part III

2006-06-24T14:32:00.000-07:00
This will be my last post from Orlando.

Thursday morning Swim: I cannot complain one bit about being the only person in the pool at 7:15a.m. on a gorgeous day beneath the palm trees. Once I figured out there was a line of drain fixtures down the center of the pool, there was a lot less swerving going on. I think I've been taking the lane markings for granted at the Lancaster Aquatic Center! Fellow guests eating breakfast and looking out of their rooms were probably like, "What is she doing?" noticing me and my crazy drills.

Friday: A much-needed day off. These conferences have you up early-early and to bed very late. I love how everything is walkable around here, though. Lots of built-in exercise to be had.

Today: I went out on the same route that I did on Wednesday afternoon, but this time at 6:15 a.m. I ran all but about four minutes of 4.5 miles (I did the whole route this time). It was gorgeous out when I left the hotel. I found myself amazed at how quickly the humidity kicks in as the sun rises in the sky.

Banquet time! Later.

Week 4, Part II

2006-06-21T19:39:00.000-07:00
Monday night I took a quick bike ride (my first solo one) behind Keeneland before Bible study. As I was starting, there were bagpipes playing somewhere nearby. That was random. This is not my first random bagpipe soundtrack experience--ask me about it sometime. Anyway, I had a short but worthwhile ride (it was hot, so I got a workout, no matter how briefly I was out). I'm really enjoying the cycling part; what a great way to enjoy God's landscape.

Tuesday: Swimming. Hmmm. Still not clicking as well as I would like. Really, I know exactly what I need to be doing at every moment (I might even be overthinking it all), but my body is just not cooperating with the breathing aspect...somehow, my breaths aren't "effective..." my body starts feeling oxygen deprived and up pops my head (instead of rolling to the side, one goggle in the water while breathing, and staying in the rhythm). And as we know, breathing is important! Susan is focusing on the positive (I'm glad she is, because I'm easily frustrated in the pool) and she had me doing not only normal freestyle drills, but she had me work on my breaststroke. Apparently my legs are prone to breaststroke kicks and not freestyle kicks, and she said we should embrace that so I know that I have a "back up" stroke...I'm assuming that means if for some reason I have a freestyle meltdown in the middle of my swim, I can do breaststroke for awhile until I get my wits about me again. My left leg does something that is a bit catywampus, but I'm working on it. My arms are feeling "good sore" today, so I must've had a good workout last night, despite feeling about four sessions behind my teammates.

Today: Training on the road is interesting. I am in Orlando for the next few days on business (today and tomorrow are mainly vacation days, however). Today I relaxed for a few hours by the pool and swam a little. I attempted a run at about 5pm. I have no idea what the actual temperature was, but later tonight, someone told me it was 96 and humid. Well, no wonder it felt like I was breathing soup! :-) I ran about 2 miles and had to take a break (and cross a busy intersection and contemplate whether I was hydrated enough to keep going). I did mostly run/walk for the remaining 2.5 miles, and was completely beat. I will be better rested tomorrow--I managed to only get 2.5 hours of sleep last night and then a couple hours on the plane today.

I have plans to hit the pool in the morning before meeting up with my cousin, Christina, whom I haven't seen in a few years! I'm very excited--I get to see her dance in the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom tomorrow afternoon. We've been trying to orchestrate this for years!

2006-06-19T20:58:00.000-07:00
Photos from the weekend...

Week 4, Part I

2006-06-18T16:11:00.000-07:00
It's been quite the TNT weekend. First I ran with the groups at the Arboretum on Saturday morning. We did 5K through campus and nearby neighborhoods. We had our Hydration and Nutrition Clinic a few hours later, at which I learned I should never exercise fasted (I guess this is kind of obvious, although a trainer I went to back in '02 told me I should get a workout in before eating anything in the am). That would explain why I felt a little weak on my run.

One of the fall team's (I think it's the marathon team) honored heroes spoke at the clinic. He is a youth minister that developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the late 90s while he was in grad school. After going into remission, he and his wife did a marathon with TNT. He said the doctors told him he probably would never be a father, and today he is still in remission and he and his wife have a gorgeous little daughter. His story was inspiring. It is good to be able to put faces to the cause...if I'm ever struggling up a hill in the heat, I will think of these people who are battling these blood cancers and my motivation will return. The progress in developing medications is fantastic...a cure would be even better.

On to Corbin, with my first-ever road block. I felt like frogger, collecting money from passing motorists at a very busy interchange. Many donors mentioned they had family members with leukemia and lymphoma.

Last night we went down to Lake Cumberland and I began my baking for today's bake sale. While my pound cake was in the oven, Treacy, Becky, and I went down to the lake for a little swim. I tried to get accustomed to not being able to see anything underwater. :-) It was a beautiful night and we enjoyed the scenery for a bit before climbing the trail back up to the house. I baked two batches of chocolate chip cookies to supplement the cake and we bagged all our goods for the bake sale.

The bake sale went fairly well. We received some nice donations to split and I got one marriage proposal.

All in all, a very successful fundraising weekend.

Week 3, Part II

2006-06-15T19:40:00.000-07:00
Tuesday: I was in the pool for about an hour, mainly doing drills. Felt a bit like I regressed in my week away with the jaw fiasco, but I guess I did OK considering the circumstances.

Wednesday: I ran two miles at the Arboretum. Beautiful night, even though it was pretty hot. We'll be going longer on Saturday morning, I'm sure. I was happy that my jaw didn't feel any different after the run, which I suppose could have caused some jarring. Still on antibiotics/ibuprofen, so I took it easy.

Tonight: (Big grin.) I met up with Emily and Dorothy after work and we went out for my first greater-than-8-mile ride! To get out to the remote area, we had to navigate some traffic, which made me a tad nervous, but I survived it. Dorothy is super-experienced, so I felt safe in her tutelage. We did a loop out Brian Station to Muir Station, and I think to Briar Hill (I'm looking at a map and this looks like it made the most sense). I spent the first five miles figuring out my gears again and learning which ring to use when...it felt kind of like driver's ed. I dropped my chain at one point (oops) and I was briefly taken back to the time when I was 15-and-eight-months and Mr. Woodson, the high school football coach, reached over and turned off the driver's ed car when I was on Rt. 60 (I can still show you where). Anyway, Dorothy taught me how to recover from that so now I feel prepared in the event that I try to switch to a gear that isn't there again.

The best part (and most humbling part) of the ride was when about three cycling groups came up on us at once (two from behind, one from the other direction). Bicycles everywhere! It was a sudden splash of color (helmets, bikes, etc.), hellos, and "On your lefts." It was especially entertaining because Emily had one cyclist sidle up next to her, making her a little leery, and it ended up being Dorothy's husband! I felt a bit like a slow, steady turtle meandering along that was suddenly and breathlessly surrounded by a flurry of lithe, svelt hares--which reminded me both how fun this activity is and yet how far I have to go.

The latter part of the ride was beautiful, canopied by trees and still surrounded by horse farms. In the end, we went 22.9 miles. I'm quite content and slightly tired.

Reflecting on the events of the past week and the weekend ahead that is saturated with Team In Training activities, I will probably take off tomorrow.

Week 3, Part I

2006-06-13T05:26:00.000-07:00
Back in action, for the most part. Survived the root canal, but realized I'm developing dentophobia, without really choosing to do so. It's weird how the body develops coping mechanisms.

I walked about four miles last night--resisted the urge to run. It was really nice to get outside. I anticipate I'll swim tonight and Lord willing, all will be back on track.

Tri Friends

2006-06-12T08:28:00.000-07:00
I'm fortunate to have people in my life who are already doing triathlons, so there's a constant reminder that it can be done, no matter how tough the going! My coworker, Leigh, and her twin sister, Anne, completed the Mooseman a week ago in pouring-down rain (they started from scratch as I am doing, although they were much better swimmers!). Ken, whom I know through several people, completed a half ironman there along with Mary the next day.

(Flashbacks from the college cross country conference championships--running as buckets of rain were released from the sky was not easy nor pleasant! I just remember feeling really cold. Horse trials in the rain were never too terrible--but I was typically wearing layers and admittedly, Icy was doing most of the slopping around in the mud for me--it was more about balance and impulsion to the cross country fences than staying motivated. Then there was the whole white-breeches/show shirt in the rain ordeal, but I digress.)

So anyway, I'm so proud of them. Here is their journey: http://tourdemoose.blogspot.com/.

Missy called me yesterday and said she and her boyfriend Roger did a mini-sprint up in Ohio! Very fun! In her words, "If I can do this and I haven't been training, I know you can do this!" I love you, Missy! Thanks for the encouragement, girl.

Root canal scheduled for this afternoon. Please pray for a uneventful, brief recovery.

Update...back to training in a few days!

2006-06-11T13:51:00.000-07:00
So, 24 hours, an ER visit, and another trip to the dentist later, I found out there's a reason why I was in such misery! When my neck began swelling and I felt like my airway was becoming restricted, I knew something else had to be happening besides the TMJ. The ER physicians at 3 a.m. on Saturday gave me more pain med scripts and sent me home saying, "Yes, you have swelling associated with TMJ." (Boy, the ER is an interesting place on a Friday night...that's something I'll reserve for my non-TNT blog.) Dr. Thomas met me at the College of Dentistry later that day--at this point I was nearly begging for euthanasia--and he took a radiograph. Turns out I had a couple of sizable abscesses associated with a molar that I managed to kill with a misaligned bite (not his fault--that's another dental horror story for another day). Anyway...he relieved the pressure. Bless his dear heart, having to deal with that kind of case on a Saturday afternoon. I feel like an entirely new person today, although I'm a bit weary from the infection/antibiotics. It has been fantastic to be able to have some solid foods today. I have to get a root canal (aaagh!) in the next few days, but I should be back to training in no time, I hope. Thank you to those who prayed for and checked on me.

OK, so I've been resting up all day so that I can do some salsa tonight. Sshhh, I promise it won't be too strenuous.

A bit of a setback

2006-06-09T15:39:00.000-07:00
My TMJ has decided to rear its ugly head this week. Thankfully, a friend's husband is an oralfacial pain specialist at UK. I was able to snag an appointment today and he tried to straighten me out with trigger point injections. Usually, he's able to ease the pain significantly, but today the muscles leading to the right side of my jaw are extra angry and the relief was only minimal. Dr. Thomas recommended I get a massage afterward to help relax the muscles he "reset" with the injections, and my massage therapist was able to relax me enough this afternoon that I fell asleep and then he left me in the studio to sleep until I woke up an hour or two later and came home. Two of my awesome friends brought me a Frosty later this evening...I can neither open or close my mouth without excruciating pain, so it was a wonderful thing to have frosty coolness. I am blessed to have some amazing, selfless people in my life.

Dr. Thomas told me to stay put, keep quiet, avoid stressful situations, and not work out again until Monday. (Sigh.) Now that's super-frustrating, but if it means I will feel better than I have been in the last 24 hours, then I'm all for it.

Sorry to bore you with my ailment, but it affects my training, so I figured it was pertinent.

Week 2: Part 2

2006-06-07T18:28:00.000-07:00
Monday I wasn't able to get in a workout, so I was up early Tuesday morning for a run/walk...30 minutes, walk 1 min, run 2 min, walk 1, run 3, walk 1, run 4, you get the picture.

After work I had a dance lesson and Matt and we learned some more great salsa moves. Granted, we had to dance salsa and meringue (sp? sounds too much like a pie) to tango, which is a little slow for salsa, but it was a lot of fun. Now if we can just get out there and practice some of these moves at a salsa club! There's just something about flourescent light, a room full of people dancing various styles, and wearing your work clothes that doesn't lend itself to getting a real salsa workout. :-)

Transition to pool time. I still can't seem to get my goggles to fit right. At least last night they weren't fogging. So in the pool I went, doing all the drills that make me sputter and cough. Interesting thing though--everything seemed a lot smoother and I felt more relaxed. One of my teammates who had not been to a swim practice yet was in my lane and Susan had us doing the same drills and I found myself being Ms. Affirmation (I think it's a habit built from dance lessons where I'm constantly telling Matt when he's done a good move--Matt, yes, all of this is said in complete honesty!). Anyway, she was asking for advice on certain strokes and wondering why her body was doing certain things, and I found that when I explained it to her, it became easier for me. It was the old learn by teaching concept, I guess. So anyway, we moved on through various drills that alternately made me feel inept and capable. Finally Susan said, OK, now swim down and back. And I did it, several times. Holy cow, that wasn't so hard...it was actually pretty enjoyable! And there I was, swimming...and all was right with the world...although more so when I was breathing to my right side than my left. Hey, I wasn't perfect, but it was a major step.

OK, fast forward, today. I didn't sleep too well, my TMJ is going nuts (jaw pain), and I was feeling lethargic through most of the day. It was probably sleep deprivation more than soreness. Anyway, I took several hours off and met Kim and Ben for a bike ride...my maiden voyage on my new wheels! :-) Yesssss! It was very fun. I'm figuring out what gears are correct for what situations, and getting on and off the bike more efficiently (read: less clumsily). It stopped raining just long enough for us to get a short, 5-mile ride in on the roads before I had to run to ENT. The doctor says I've recovered from my surgery well! Thankfully there were no weird procedures today to excavate my sinuses any further--it appears everything has cleared out on its own. Thank goodness, I'm not sure I could've taken any more instruments of torture up in my nose. (Later on tonight I had my final voice lesson with my teacher who is moving to NYC, and we "tried out the new nose" as she put it, and it was amazing how much more resonant my voice is now.)

After work I finished up some TNT stuff and then met the TNT marathon group and ran two miles at the Arboretum with the marathon team mentor (the coach and another team member left us in the dust, although we did run it all).

Tomorrow I'll probably get a swim in and the Y and then take off Friday, depending on how things shape up for the weekend. For now, I must get some rest.

Week 2, Part I

2006-06-04T18:30:00.000-07:00
We met for our first run early Saturday morning. Treacy (our team mentor), Jennifer (a past participant in TNT), and I ran/walked for about 45-50 minutes. Ah, it was good to feel proficient in something after the swimming debacle (s) of earlier this week! :-) No, I'm just being dramatic; from what I understand, a lot of triathletes had difficulties in their initial weeks in the pool. Susan (our coach) isn't worried about me, she says, so I'm choosing to trust her. Right now I just need pool time. Good thing I work across the street from my gym, which has a pool. I'm loving how things line up so well sometimes.

The run went well--I felt like my uppermost airways are back to normal after the sinus surgery. I go back in for a followup quite soon, so I'm looking forward to see what the Dr. says. Here's hoping I didn't mess some of his work up by an overzealous sneeze. Anyway...I digress. Oh yes, I learned I shouldn't run with coffee in my stomach. I'm not sure what possessed me to down a half a cup of "bold" brew before I took off.

Today was a bit of an unexpected adventure. I will be missing the bulk of Sunday morning swims and doing those on my own because of singing and our new class at church. I met up with the team this afternoon at 2. One of the TNT cycling coaches who is on the tri team for September had brought a bike that someone he coached has been trying to sell. I was hopeful that it would work, but unfortunately, it was too small (shoes too). Susan and Eric (our other coach) immediately called ahead and sent me over to Pedal the Planet so I'd be set up. My trip to the shop last week had been overwhelming because the salesperson had shown me a range of about eight bikes and I had no idea where to start. The guy Eric set me up with today was extremely helpful for a novice and able to recommend a smaller, more realistic selection.

It was between three--two Specialized and a Felt. After some contemplation, I chose the one in the middle (pricewise)--my new bike, a 56" Specialized Allez. If I ever wonder if I truly miss my old Jetta, I now drive another set of wheels that satisfies my attraction to bright red. The bike has been fitted to me, and I have all the necessary equipment that comes with me (extra tube, C02 tire inflator, etc.) and stays home (tire pump). I have peace of mind knowing I'm set now for this part of the training and that I remained within my budget for the purchase (so when I finish paying for my refrigerator this month I can start setting aside the money each month for the 6 months same as cash bike deal). YES, and I have a women's seat. That was important. At this point, I'm going to stick with the non-clip-in pedals until I'm more experienced.

I'll likely run again tomorrow or get in a swim before team swim #3 on Tuesday.

Week 1

2006-06-02T20:21:00.000-07:00
Training officially began this week. I've already been back running for about two weeks. About a week and a half after my May 4 sinus surgery I couldn't stay still any longer and began hitting the treadmill, sidewalks, and trail. I've doing the classic run one minute, walk one, run two, walk one...etc. We have our first team run tomorrow morning and I'm pretty anxious to get out, especially after two days of sitting in dark rooms listening to research presentations (I'll consider that run part of Week 2).

Last week I borrowed Ben's bike (my boss, Kim's fiancee) and Kim helped teach me the basics of riding a street bike, as I'd only ridden mountain bikes and spinning bikes. Skinny wheel, different gears than the ol' mountain bike. Immediate goals: Must learn how to turn without smacking wheel into my foot. Watch out for stray gravel, don't veer off the road when I look back. Change hand positions often, use signals for traffic, but don't fall off bike in the process. Stop gripping with your calves when you go down hills, this is not a horse.

Most every mission was accomplished. I was scrubbing grease off my calves that night though. Strange tendencies. Anyway, I had great fun and the traffic didn't intimidate me. I loved how the broodmares trotted along the fence as we passed. Seeing the Bluegrass by bike is a treat, especially on a gorgeous evening as it was. Reminiscent of riding, a bit. Yes, I'm totally in to this. :-)

I left the swimming for last, the part in which our first official team trainings have commenced. I've got a long way to go here. Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% comfortable in the water, goofing off, doing the breaststroke. But freestyle is different. My body is convinced it is drowning anytime the water even suggests it's approaching my nostrils when I inhale. I know all the strokes in my head--I learned them when I was probably five, and I remember getting a swimming badge as late as age 12 or so with Girl Scouts. I've come to the conclusion that since I'm at least a foot taller and shaped much less like a toothpick than I was back then, it all feels foreign and the muscle memory is barely there. It's coming slowly. First night was bad. Second night, much, much better. The kickboard and various other floatation devices of different shapes and sizes are my friends as I learn to perfect arms and legs independently. When I put them together, that's when it gets a little freaky. I've got some serious work to do here, but I am encouraged that Thursday went much better than Tuesday.

My summary haiku:

splashing, sputtering
remembering how to swim
glad I have three months

:-)
Go team!

Hi there.

2006-06-02T19:35:00.000-07:00
Welcome to my Team In Training (TNT) blog! If I've sent you the link to this page, you know that I'll be completing my first triathlon in mid-September in honor of those suffering from different types of blood cancer. Chances are, I've either asked by letter or e-mail for your support of the cause and/or your thoughts and prayers as I train. Thank you for stopping in for a visit.

How did this come to pass? The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has been sending me postcards for years about informational meetings for several years. Most of you know I'm a very busy girl with weeknights that are normally chock full of activities, so training for such an event has always seemed out of the realm of possibilities. But in the past year or so, I've been making an effort to give myself more time to recharge and spend in solitude, whether it's reading, just being still, or out running. In that time, I've realized how much I really missed the goal-setting and teamwork (laugh if you may, I consider it that) of my lifetime of competing with horses in eventing. It's pretty bad when you're out running in the park and see a horse and its rider trot by and you nearly melt into a puddle of wistfulness.

Anyway, to make a long story short, one of my former roommates, Missy, was visiting in April and she had completed her first tri with TNT in 2005. Another friend got into triathlons a few years ago and expressed his enjoyment and subsequent addiction to the sport. Yet another friend, a coworker, has been training for her first triathlon, which she is running tomorrow (June 3). I'd received little updates on what Missy was doing last year for her TNT training (it sounded hard core!), but the whole of what she did had not sunk in until we went to watch some friends compete in a triathlon sprint out in Woodford County. First off, I was really amazed at the versatility of the participants and their passion for the sport, and then I found out I could count the triathletes I knew not now on just one hand, but two...possibly even three! When I began asking questions about the triathlons, I found I was flooded with answers and encouragement to try it. Three very different demands in one day. Huh, kind of like dressage, cross country, and stadium jumping...a passion of mine in the past!

Enter TNT. The day after Missy had pleaded with me out in the driveway to train, another TNT card arrived. Here is a challenge that will push me out of my comfort zone, and at the same time I can help a cause in which I believe wholeheartedly. Some of you know I had a brief brush with skin cancer 2003. Thankfully it was a relatively uncomplicated tumor that was removable with several surgeries. Even still, it was a frightening experience. As I'm sure you are well aware, people with other types of cancer aren't so fortunate to have several outpatient procedures and a clean bill of health in as many months as I did. We all know someone who has struggled and fought against--and either won or lost--a battle against a much more serious cancer.

I'm a firm supporter of research into ways to better treat--and eventually cure--blood cancers. Here are a few points on these particular cancers:
An estimated 712,145 Americans have blood cancers
Every five minutes, someone is diagnosed
Every nine minutes, someone dies from blood cancers (an estimated 55,100 deaths in 2004)
There are approximately 50 different drugs being used in treatment
How awesome that the money the LLS has already put toward research has already enhanced the treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Very cool in my book. Even cooler that 75% of what I raise up to my goal goes straight to the cause...and 100% of everything I raise beyond my goal goes to the LLS.
I'll try to sprinkle in a few more facts on the cause in my upcoming blogs. I'm excited to be a part of this and I hope that my blog entries inform and entertain you. My first few (and them some) likely will sound novice and whimsical...but that's part of the journey. Thanks for coming along.