Triathlon...Success!!

I finished my first triathlon in three years, last Sunday. In some ways, it was more than just a race. It was to me a personnel triumph. I thought those days, had long passed me by..... However, this summer I have found myself with a little more time on my hands and decided to train...I mean..in reality what did I have to lose? My pride, my vanity...ha..ha..those were gone a long time ago. For those of you who may not know, triathlon consists of three sports. They are swimming, usually in open water (which is a story in and of itself), cycling and running. Of the three sports, I had two personnel records. I did the 20 mile bike course at 18.5 mph and the 4.0 mile run at 8:22 mph pace. The swimming was another story, I did swim the entire course...but let's just say there is work to be done. It will be master's swim for me on Sunday morning, styling with my new red fins..lol.

So far, it's been a good summer. While I am not in the best shape of my life....it's a whole lot better than a few months ago.

The Walk of a Broken Heart

There are things in life I just don't understand. My relationship of two years officially ended back in May. The relationship had not been going well for a long time, so it did not come as a surprise to either one of us. I really did love this man. It's just that the physical chemistry was not there for us. Also, in some respects we had very different ways of looking at life. I'll always love Mike and I hope we will always be friends. He is wonderful man in so many ways....

So here I am today, single again. I took one very small step into the dating scene and well to say it went badly was an under statement. Don't get me wrong, I made a bad decision....a really bad decision. Luckily I came to my senses, before anything happened. You see, I figured out he was already in a relationship. I don't know what makes someone do the things they do. I will never understand why someone could be so heartless to the one they supposedly love. Luckily....I escaped that mess. But it has made me stop to wonder about my own ability to make good decisions right now.

I am 46 years old. I've been married twice, once for 7 years and once for 14 months. I used to think having "two strikes" against me was a terrible thing. Then one day, a friend sort of put it into perspective for me. It's not that I have had anymore relationships than most people...I just wanted to be in a secure and loving marriage so badly....I took the chance and said "I do". Unfortunately, it didn't work out. At least, I took the chance and tried.

So where does one go from here? Back to the dating scene....Lord help me! I have decided to spend my summer training for a triathlon, then running a marathon in the fall. Basically, taking a break from relationships for awhile. I think it will do me a world of good to stay focused on my mind and body and heal alittle from years of having my heart broken. Hey...it could be worse. I have my health, good friends, a job that I love, etc. Some today I'll try again. But not now...

Behind the eight ball...

I saw something very similar on another blogger's page and decided to try it myself...here it goes.

My life in eighths.....

8 Places I Have Visited:
1- Hawaii (twice)
2 – Canada
3 – Mexico (twice)
4 – Yellowstone National Park
5 – Glacier National Park
6 – Olympic National Park
7 – Seattle
8 – Florida

8 Things In My Closet:
1 – Souvenir post of the Chicago marathon
2 – A laundry basket full of old running shoes
3 – More workout clothes than work clothes
4 – High heel shoes, I rarely wear
5 – Pillows ( you can never have too many)
6 – Spare bike trainer
7 – Pictures that will never be hung on the walls.
8 – NO skeletons

8 Dates I Remember:
1 – December 15th (my birthday )
2 – January 26 (mom's birthday)
3 – July 27th (dad's birthday)
4 – April 21 (the day my mom passed away)
5 – June 2nd (the day my dad passed away)
6 – October 15 (day of my first marathon)
7 – September 15 (my first and last half iron man)
8 – March 1st (the day I adopted my Boston Terrier at three weeks old)

8 People I’ve Talked to This Week:
1 – Julie (nearly every day)
2 – Mike (too much)
3 - My puppies
4 – Jen (running partner)
5 – Jeanne (coworker and friend)
6 – Lady in black shorts, I see every week on the Katy Trail
7 - Myself (go ahead and admit it...you do too).
8 - Kevin for the last time.

8 Life Changing Events:
1 – Getting married
2- Getting divorced
3 – Graduating from Murray State University
4– Hiking through Glacier National Park.
5 – Moving to the St. Louis, for my first job.
6 – Getting a job promotion
7– Completing my first open water swim
8 – Having surgery


8 Words To Describe Me:
1 – Curious
2 – Quirky funny
3 – Aloof (at times)
4 – Searching
5 – Driven
6 – Unpredictable
7 – Intuitive
8 – Generally happy

8 Songs That Are Currently The Soundtrack of My Life:
1 – Crazy Train - Ozzy Osborne
2 - Free- Zac Brown
3 - Far Away-Nickelback
4 – Free Falling - Tom Petty
5 – Roll with the Changes -REO Speedwagon
6 – Twin Bed-Death Cab for Cutie
7 – High Speed-Coldplay
8 – Slow Down- Third Day

8 Things I Will Do This Weekend:
1 - Ride 50 miles on Saturday
2 - Run 10 miles on Sunday
3 - Eat strawberries
4 - Plant in the backyard - finally!
5 - Household chords
6 - Drink COFFEE
7 - Work...just a little though
8 - Go to a movie

8 Things You Should Do Today:
1 – Coffee
2 – Go for a walk
3 – Pet your dog
4 – Hug your spouse or significant other
5 – Say something good about yourself
6 – Close your eyes for 5 minutes during the day
7 – Eat something green
8 – Get back to work

Prayers for Natalie

My sweet adorable, six year old niece will undergo a bone marrow biopsy this morning. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Into the great wide open.......

2 I just can't help myself. I have my blog set to display the astronomy picture of the day. I think this picture of the Hubble Space Telescope is amazing. Did you know there is a website, dedicated to the telescope? No matter what, in good times and bad times...this is an incrediable country we live it!

What is that astronaut doing? Fixing the Hubble Space Telescope. During the fourth servicing mission to upgrade and fix Hubble, astronaut Michael Good can be seen attached to the shuttle's robotic arm, working in an open panel of Hubble. Far below, the terminator between day and night can be seen across planet Earth. Since Hubble was captured by the space shuttle Atlantis last Wednesday, five long space-walks have been used to fix and upgrade the aging telescope. One of the more ambitious orbital missions yet taken, the toiling astronauts have upgraded the Wide Field Camera, fixed the Advanced Camera for Surveys, repaired the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, and replaced COSTAR with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. Numerous other general repairs included replacing batteries, gyroscopic sensors, and insulation panels. Hubble will now undergo testing as Atlantis prepares to return to Earth later this week

Runs and Cold Medicine

I have a cold. Yes, that achy, sneezy, scratchy, yucky feeling. I spent most of the morning in the house, trying to rest and take it easy. Around 10:00, I decided to take some medicine-Dayquil Sinus tablets, phenylephrine and acetaminophen ("that should do it"). After about 45 minutes, I was feeling better. I proceeded with my weekly household chores; laundry, vacuuming, dishes, etc...mmm still feeling pretty good. So around 1:00pm, I decided "Well, I'm feeling much better, no more excuses....go for a run". So I did. I got dressed, drove to the Katy Trail (once a railroad), parked my car and proceeded, just as I always do on Saturday.

I set out on a 12 mile run. I have been trying to increase my distances, each week. I still have hope that I can complete another marathon someday soon. So I try to maintain a long run base of between 8-12 miles. The first part of the run, went as usually, the first mile or so I am always a little tight and so I take it easy. Light jog, settle in, get the iPod set, etc... everything proceeding as normal.

And so, I proceeded 1 mile, 4 miles, 6 miles than turnaround. Prior to starting back, I opened my gel pack, Hammer gel espresso, one of my favorites..yummy. Good to go....stash the used gel pack in my water belt and I'm off.....

I ran for another mile and then it hit me. "What? Huh? Ugh? "My head, throat, neck all burning in pain. What could this be? Then it hit me...the Dayquil....must have worn off. With a vengeance...the cold is back. My old friend, ACTM has long since left me there on the trail alone to do battle with a virus. It feels like my cold has parked its big fat ass, right on my chest! But I keep running, I will not be denied. I am tougher than a this! "Bring it on...you crabby old " _ _ _"!

I really doing this? Having an argument with a virus? I could just stop and walk, so I could breathe. So I did, briefly....then I stopped, hands on thighs leaning over and coughing. Nice, such a sight, a women leaned over coughing and spitting... pretty huh?

Okay, get on with it! Run! So out of sheer determination....I ran again, all the way back to my car. Never so glad to be back. You have to wonder? What makes a runner, put themselves through these things? I have always said, I have never regretted running after finishing. But I have regret ed missing a workout. So, for today, I'll take it...better to have tried, then to not try at all.

Meanies

"Dont ever have the feeling of hatred toward the people who ill-treated you. Take it in positive way, gather your inner strength and turn the tides in your favor. Rather, be kind to them for they are the ones who inspired you to strive for even better. For they are the ones who made you realize that best in you is yet to be. Always be thankful to such people, who once looked down upon you, for they helped you in being a better person."