Fueling the fire.

I Won the Lottery!!

2009-12-15T15:25:00.004-05:00

I won the lottery!

Before you get excited, let me just say: I entered the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Lottery. This is not to be confused with the lottery that has a huge prize purse that is only marginally attainable. Instead of a prize purse, I received an entry into the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race. Pick your pleasure, right?

From the Cherry Blossom website, it looks as though approximately 1/2 to 3/4 of the lottery's entrants were granted an entry.

Woohoo! Go, me!

No, seriously. Now, I have to go. As in run. As in train. To be able to run 10 miles again.

It shouldn't be too hard. I've got oodles of time. (The race is in April.) Plus, I've been entertaining my muscles with Pilates to get them strong. I did a 30 minute run yesterday without it being a big issue, which is a great start!

So, the plan is basically:
3 miles - December
5-7 miles - January
8-10 miles & speed work - February
10-12 miles & speed work - March
Race - April

Woop-woop! Back on the wagon.

GI issues resolved.

2009-09-25T16:42:00.003-04:00

After a year and a half of issues, I finally went back to the GI doctor to get my diagnosis. I knew I was fine as long as I was dairy-free & gluten-free, but with the new boyfriend, new stressors, new house, etc. I wasn't adhering to my normal diet. Before my appointment, I binged for a week on gluten & dairy.

I hadn't felt that ill in a long time.

I had one more invasive exam with a few biopsies, but the results were all negative. It turns out that I don't have celiac's disease (HURRAY!). I do, however, have a gluten intolerance.

Gluten intolerance isn't an auto-immune disorder. A few online sources make it seem probable that gluten intolerance is a precursor to celiac's disease. That is the part which made me take notice. It's one thing to have celiac's disease & be required to be gluten-free for life. It's quite another to be gluten intolerant & to think that I may be able to not eat 100% gluten-free all the time. Must I really be gluten-free for life?

If gluten intolerance can eventually cause celiac's disease, then it's a good thing that I'm so body-aware. I've saved myself years of trouble.

Though, I have to mention - When I emailed my mother (the nurse) to give her my diagnosis, she said, "Looks like you had diagnosed yourself anyway - no charge."

This isn't going to be easy, but at least a minor slip-up isn't going to cause a major biological meltdown of my body. The more control that I exercise, the healthier I will be. And that's basically the mantra that I will need.

And thank god that we're an allergy aware culture!

Update!

2009-08-27T18:50:00.002-04:00

As of Tuesday, I will be completely debt free. I've been slowly picking away at my student loan debt, but I was hoping that I'd use the good credit buildup for purchasing a house. But Jeff owns the house where we live, & I think I'm here to stay. So, I paid off my debt & am now a saving machine!!

Woop-woop!!

Off & Running!!

2009-08-04T14:45:00.003-04:00

Jeff & I went running again yesterday. He's much faster than I am, which is hil-a-rious when you think about how frequently I ran over the last few years & how he didn't. Well - at least we've made the pact: I'll get him to run more frequently, & he'll get me to run faster.

Today, we have plans to run again together. In order to run together, I have to jet to work early-early-early so I can be back home with time for a run. So, I'm getting up at 6:45 to ensure I get my run with Jeff in the afternoon.

****

In other news, we packed my entire apartment this weekend & moved most things to Jeff's house. Very few items from my apartment are left for the movers.

I'm almost all moved in!! Welcome to suburbia!!! Outside the beltway! Where's my paperbag for breathing into??

What a crappy day.

2009-07-27T22:35:00.002-04:00

I had the crappiest day. It started with a bad morning at work, continued with a shitty afternoon, & ended with me realizing that I put a wedding on the wrong day in my calendar. When I got home, Jeff said, "I don't know if this is going to make you happy or not... but I was going to run for a mile or a mile and a half. Did you want to run together?"

It was great!! We only ran for a mile, but I was so happy!!

Work & other such things.

2009-07-16T13:37:00.006-04:00

If you're wondering why the sudden surge of postings, I'll tell you - "Things" have finally calmed down. I've been working nonstop for the last few months on a project that "needs" me. While I like feeling needed, it would be nice to be slightly less needed.

Beyond that, I have a 1.5 hour commute (each way) to my client site. Initially, I loved it, & I was finishing a book every 3 days. Then, my neck started hurting from craning to read while on the bump-bump-bumpy ride with the stop&go mass transit. Now, I've changed to tolerating it, & I'm finishing the news, crossword puzzle (what's a 4-letter word used while running?), & sudoku. All on the same day! The next thing? Plan out the front garden/read gardening books. & then back to reading.

Speaking of reading, I've been exercising my library card lately. Today, I picked up 2 gardening books (one mid-atlantic region) & a strength training book. I figured that the book will be due when it's time to change the strength training program.

In a few weeks, I get to see my sister & then go to trapeze class with my friends Kerri & Casey. How exciting!!

Oh! & yesterday, I ran for 25 minutes. Because... it's time to start the habit.

Tonight, I am going swimming with my friend Stacey. I've printed out a workout for her (endurance/peak) & one for me (endurance/beginning). It should be fun!

Dangerous questions.

2009-07-14T15:26:00.002-04:00

I'm going to visit some family in Connecticut in a few weeks, & I got this email from my sister:

"Are you bringing your bike?"

...

Conversation ensues about how she would bring hers if I would bring mine. & this... THIS!! is how I got into all that trouble last year with racing.

"Are you racing _____?"
"I'm not sure. Are you?"
"I will if you will."
"Okay. I registered."

At least all of my bike gear (minus the bike) lives in the trunk of my car.

Officially withdrawn.

2009-07-13T15:23:00.002-04:00

I officially withdrew from the Patriots Half Ironman today. While I realized that I wasn't going to be able to race, I had forgotten that I could withdraw & receive a refund.

I hadn't been able to find time for training. Pushing myself to compete in the Half wasn't required. I'm tired of pushing-pushing-pushing for races, races, races. Partly because of the team environment that dominated my free time, I was enticed to enter into too many races & to practice more than I wanted. I had forgotten that I actually *like* to run, bike, & swim.

I went for a jog last Friday. The trails around Jeff's house are very peaceful. I've seen deer & other animals on the trails. (A fawn was born just beyond the neighbor's lawn in the copse!) My runs were good, overall. I just wished that I had more stamina. (& speed - but first things first)

I cleaned my bike & regreased my chain yesterday. So, there will be biking in my future. :) I'm still swimming with Stacey when I get the chance. It's a lot of fun.

I've also been spending time in the front flowerbeds. They WERE more like weedbeds, but now they're just large patches of dirt. My hamstrings were KILLING me after doing all of that manual labor.

So, that's what I've been up to lately.

What I've been doing...

2009-06-23T23:07:00.003-04:00

I've been failing to update my blog for quite some time lately. There has been a little bit of training. But mostly - I just lack the time to write anything worthwhile. After a bit of nudging from a friend of mine, here's a brief update of what I'm doing lately.

1. Staying at Jeff's place every night since mid-May. While it is only a 15 minute commute from my apartment in Dupont to my client, it is a 1.5 hour commute to & from Jeff's house to my client in Chinatown. Let this be a testament to how much I enjoy spending time with him.

2. Due to #1, I've been reading a lot. A LOT. In the last 3 days, I've finished 3 books. Taking the bus & train to my client alleviates any stressful driving situations & lets me breeze through my stack of unread books. Also, I picked up a library card.

3. Stacey lives 10 minutes from Jeff. I never got to see enough of Stacey before, & now I get to see her more often. We've also become swimming buddies, which is hugely fun. I admit: I'm jealous of her endurance & want to be able to keep up with her (again).

4. Running. I ran once. Woohoo. A simple 25 minute jog where I explored the backyard trails (into the park) & tested my running legs. All in all, a good run.

5. Planning weekends away with Jeff. We've got 4 weekends of adventure in summer - 4th of July, 2 weddings, & one trip we took last weekend. Also, we will be attending this year's Austin City Limits Festival. Woohoo!!

6. Taking Peter to the vet. Peter has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is basically a genetic heart disease. After we found the issue (late October of last year), Peter's been to the doctor a number of times. First, he was put on a cheap medication, which stopped working after a few months. He stopped eating & being social. Now, we've changed his medication. There is a higher possibility of side effects on these, but they are controlling his arrhythmia, blood pressure, & the progression of his heart disease. Here's hoping. It's hard to deal with bcause Peter is my little buddy. Peter was always my cat, & Charles was more of my ex's. ^&YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUY&UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhbgvbhjjjjjjjjjjjjjj - Peter says hi by the way.

Charles just puked next to me. I think he sensed that I was typing about Peter & wanted some attention. Ick. Well, at least it's on Jeff's side of the bed. (Just kidding, hon!)

On that note, I'll leave it here & go clean up.

We are sooo close.

2009-06-02T12:18:00.003-04:00

Update: I only had "a" flu this time, & I've officially kicked it.

I could run tonight. (TONIGHT!!!!) I'm staying at Jeff's, & I've surreptitiously brought over my running gear in anticipation of unleashing my slow running capability onto the town of Herndon. I could run tonight... (TONIGHT!!!!) If only I hadn't scheduled a delivery of 150 iced sugar cookies & a groom's cake for this Saturday. I'm behind, & I'd like to be away from the kitchen on Wednesday to treat the boyfriend to a movie night.

Damn. The things me & my fat ass do when we don't triathlon...

I haven't gone for a swim in a month even though my swimming gear (i.e. suit, goggles, & cap) is brazenly hanging in Jeff's bathroom. The bike sits forlornly at my place & has a 1/4 inch of dust on it. I may need to fix all of these things soon.

Jeff says that the WOD is right near his place, & I could take it "all the way out to Leesburg", which isn't that far on a bike (about 12 miles). However, I could snag a 50 mile ride if I biked from his place to the end of the W&OD. Upon learning this & reading Athena Diaries, I realized that I do miss riding. As I can't bring my bike over to Jeff's & then say, "Gee! How'd that get here?!" I got permission to bring my bike to his place (not that I need to ask but it's always nice to ask).

Now, all I have to do is start e.x.e.r.c.i.s.i.n.g. And also not wear my cleats in the house.

Finally.

2009-05-29T13:37:00.001-04:00

My back is finally healed. As soon as I kick this version of strep (the third this year), I'll be back on my feet again.

I can't wait.

In the meantime...

2009-05-19T11:54:00.001-04:00

While my back was healing, I went to Europe with my Mom. Pictures are on Picasa.

:)

Back update.

2009-04-27T10:40:00.003-04:00

Just to let you know (for those of you who don't). I've broken three bones in my back. Three of my transverse processes (tongue depressor shaped bones attached to my vertabrae) are broken. The doctor says they are very minor fractures, & that I should not be extremely worried about them.

The doctor advised that I return to my normal level of activity. To which I replied, "So, I can run?" His response, "Urrr... no. Well, maybe you could try on a treadmill very slowly & only for a few minutes. Discomfort is allowed - Pain is not." So, I decided to try swimming with my friend Stacey first.

Swimming with Stacey was a lot of fun. I had mild discomfort & slight pain when I breathed on my right side with my freestyle stroke. Trust me when I say - I took it very easy still. Even my kicking was fairly slow. I drifted to my right on plenty of occasions. I managed to do breast stroke for a while without issues, which made me happy.

This slip down the stairs has forced me into reassessing my goals for the year. I had planned on completing the half Ironman in September, but I may not be able to cycle until June/July.

We shall see.

Tomorrow starts training...

2009-04-07T15:08:00.003-04:00

.... except I fell down some stairs yesterday.... while carrying a stack of 8 plates & 8 forks, a glass of wine, & my phone. The only thing that survived that fall-bump-bump was the glass of wine.

I had to take the day off from work. I needed assistance to complete my abbreviated bedtime ritual. Sometimes, it hurts to walk. Running tomorrow is completely out of the question. I am having the worst luck. But at least I have a good boyfriend who will sit & care for me while he was supposed to be entertaining guests.

Silver linings!

M.C. Bakes-a-Lot.

2009-04-01T13:52:00.004-04:00

I have news. First, I wrote out my triathlon schedule for the Half Ironman in September. I haven't heard back from the doctor yet, but I feel very healthy. So, we'll see.

Second, remember my first paid baking gig (i.e. the baby shower onesie)? Well, I have 2 more paid baking gigs approaching.

The earliest one happens in a few weeks. I will be making gluten-free dairy-free cupcakes for a friend's engagement party. Flavors haven't been decided upon yet. The couple is going to let me know what they want.

The next paid baking gig is A) larger & B) more stressful. I'll be making a groom's cake for a friend's wedding. I'll also be making the wedding favors.

The groom's cake is going to be a lot of fun. My 30th birthday is approaching, & I had planned an evening or two of cake decorating as a present to myself. Now, those evenings will serve as practice for the groom's cake. Fondant, artistic decorations, etc. I'm so excited!!

The wedding favors are a little more tricky. You see - I only make cookies one time per year, & I rarely make sugar cookies. & I rarely decorate any of my cookies with icing. It'll be good practice (which I've already started). The best part? My boyfriend has offered his HUGE kitchen as my baking playground. My kitchen has one 16"x20" counter where I can work. His has .... maybe 5 times that.

So, here goes nothing (now with elbow room).

How doctors should be.

2009-03-27T10:19:00.003-04:00

First, let me say - I dislike going to the doctor. I normally walk in the office, wait with a bunch of sick people, see the doctor for 10 minutes, get his/her advice, & then get a prescription for whatever s/he thinks is the problem (which may not be the actual problem).

Lame.

Now, I've luckily found a doctor that A) I like & B) is excellent. Here's how it goes down:

1. I walk into the office, talk to the receptionist, & pay my deductible.
2. I am given a pee cup, which I take care of.
3. I wait for 5 minutes in the waiting room.
4. The phlebotomist calls me, & I take care of filling a few vials of blood samples.
5. I wait in the waiting room again.
6. I get interviewed by the nurse, who takes my blood pressure, weight, & temperature.
7. I wait for a little longer.
8. I finally see the doctor, who has all the results of my bloodwork & urine. She knows what's wrong & we figure out a plan of attack.

Wouldn't you prefer the doctor's office to work that way?

***************************

Training may start again in April. I'm hoping for the first or second week. Woohoo!!

Update.

2009-03-23T14:40:00.002-04:00

I've been sick - as you know. It seems that the infection is finally gone (*crosses-fingers*), but time will tell. I've felt better since day 2 of the 2nd round of antibiotics.

My plan is to start running in 2 weeks or so. I've got to ensure that my infection is gone for good. It sucks having an internal organ be sick.

Since I can't run/bike/swim, I've been cooking & spending a lot of time with the new boyfriend, who thinks my foodstuffs walk on water. (I've decided to keep him.) This weekend, I made a trial burger recipe that will be entered into a cookoff when I finish it, tacos, & a meatloaf. I had plans for a strawberry rhubarb "something", but I ran out of time.

The good doctor says that I lost 6 pounds during the month of sickness. As you can see from above, I'm trying to regain that 6 pounds in a weekend of eating.

The boyfriend is also worried about his impending weight gain due to my voracious cooking & baking habits. (He's also decided to keep me.) As my number 1 taste tester, the boyfriend says that we need a plan to keep him from gaining weight from all my quality kitchen time. My answer was "running." His answer was "no."

Well, a girl can dream, can't she?

Yer out.

2009-03-11T15:32:00.003-04:00

What a bummer.

I've been decommissioned from the Cherry Blossom 10-miler. Apparently, my strep infection never went away - even though I was antibiotics for 10 days. This time, I'm to refill the antibiotics if I continue feeling icky.

No running. Therefore, no racing.

It's time for this infection to go. SERIOUSLY!!

Homemade popcorn.

2009-03-03T14:24:00.005-05:00

My apologies for the lack of postings. I've been sick. AGAIN. With a fever. AGAIN. I thought fevers were so 1980s?

This weekend, I only had a chance to run about 1.8 miles until I had no energy, wondered what was going on, & then ... BOOM! sick!

Just before I got sick this last time (AGAIN!), I made a really fun flavored popcorn at home. Today, I saw a Chile Lime Tequila Popcorn recipe at 101 Cookbooks, & it reminded me to post this.

Smoky Sweet Popcorn

small dash of chipolte chili pepper
a few good shakes of smoked paprika
about 3 teaspoons (or more) of sea salt
a good drizzle of honey
1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn
enough oil to coat the bottom of a good pot
(& every good pot needs a lid)

So, I don't have a microwave. I do this the stove top way - which is to throw the oil into a big pot (with a good lid) & turn stove up to high/medium high. Drop 3 kernels of unpopped popcorn into the pot & close pot with lid.

When all 3 have popped, the pot is ready! Throw the popcorn into the pot & close with the lid. Lower heat. Shake back & forth periodically until popping has stopped/mostly stopped. Kill the heat. Throw in the seasonings (except the honey & remember - you can always add more but you can't add LESS), put the lid on the pot, & shake to cover all the popcorn.

Taste. Add more whatevs if you need. The popcorn should be smoky flavored & a little spicy. Drizzle with honey to complete the flavor & enjoy!!

********************

See? I told you I could do low-cal. :)

Vanilla bean cupcakes with Nutella frosting.

2009-02-23T14:52:00.006-05:00

This month's IronCupcake challenge was coffee. I never submitted a recipe, but I did create a cupcake & icing combo that worked really well. I'd say these are my best cupcakes to date.

Vanilla bean cupcakes with Nutella frosting!!

Here are the recipes:

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

* 1 vanilla bean
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (good quality)
* 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 & 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup milk

Preparation

0. Two days prior to making cupcakes, slice the vanilla bean open & scrape out all of the seeds. Keep the seeds in an airtight container, & place the bean in the 1 cup of sugar in another airtight container.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter and vanilla seeds. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake 30 minutes - Makes 12 cupcakes.

Adapted from:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-White-Cake/Detail.aspx

Nutella frosting

* 1 cup confectioners sugar
* 1 cup Nutella
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup heavy cream
* <1/4 cup brewed coffee

Place the confectioners sugar, Nutella, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Put cream into a 1/3 cup measuring cup & add enough coffee to fill the cup. Add the cream mixture and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Adapted from:
http://www.unrepentantcarbivore.com/2009/02/chocolate-cupcakes-with-nutella.html

Don't let hurricanes hold you back.

2009-02-19T15:36:00.008-05:00

Oh, Triathlon. You are like the girlfriend that I just can't quit.

Here I am.
At work.
Reading all about DC Tri Club.

Looking at their race calendars.
Ogling their pool options.
Dreaming about their NW chapter.

It's official. I'm swooning for Triathlon. All I want to do is swim, bike, run.

So, maybe I'll hit DC Tri Club? Sign up for the Patriots Half? After all, I do have all of the paperwork filled out.

Bossman was right - I'm not really quitting.

Speaking of which, time to get back to work.

Marathon relay.

2009-02-19T11:24:00.007-05:00

Edit: I didn't run for 3 weeks prior to this race due to illness. I should note that I was pleased that I even finished.
*******************
On Sunday, I relayed a marathon with my friend Stacey & her friend Paul.

Initially, I was to race with Marlene & possibly Jen. Then, Marlene & I were looking for a 3rd. Stacey joined the team. Then, Marlene injured herself. Finally, we found Paul 3 days before the race.

Thankfully.

Race morning, I tried to stop for a red light. We were cruising downhill so fast that we ended up in the middle of the intersection. "Oh, well," I said. & we continued through the red light. Nice.

When we arrived at the race, we decided that our name should be "The Red Light Runners". We registered, estimated our times for each other, & then Stacey was OFF!

Stacey did the 9.7 mile run. When she finished her portion & arrived at the relay corral (at her time estimate), she looked exuberant & like she pushed herself pretty hard. I gave her a quick hug, took the relay sash, & was OFF!

I did the 7.3 mile run. About 5 miles into the race, I wanted to start walking. The course was ALL HILLS. When I realized that I was almost to the relay corral, I was absolutely ecstatic. NO MORE HILLS!! I was tuckered by my finish, but I still did well. (Very close to my time goal.)

I handed off my sash to Paul, & he was OFF! Stacey & I drove to the race finish - hooting & cheering to the runners along the way. Some runners gave us "the marathon stare of death", which we ignored. We changed & ate Clif bars & used The Stick to roll out our muscles & waited for Paul. Right on schedule, Paul showed up to cross the finish line. Hugs for everyone!! We headed back to the race start, grabbed some greasy chili & foodstuffs, & proceeded to want naps very badly.

Later that evening, Stacey, Paul, & I hit Adams Morgan for beers & dancing. It was a whole heckuva lot of fun. My legs surely didn't want to dance, but I made them anyways. Go figure - the next day, my legs were *almost* fine.

So, that's the story, Morning Glory. Paul's got a picture of The Red Light Runners, but I have to get a hold of him to get it. I'll post when I get it.

woah!

2009-01-28T16:32:00.001-05:00

i got promoted today! woop-woop!

A-do-run-run-run.

2009-01-23T16:09:00.002-05:00

3 weeks until the GW Marathon! Yes, the marathon! Surprise! I'm running the GW Marathon!!

Okay, I'm only relaying. Still - Surprise!

& 10 weeks until the Cherry Blossom 10-miler! :)

Last weekend, I ran 5 miles. I had to walk a little as my pacing was too fast & as my heart rate monitor needs new batteries. This weekend, I'll be running 6. Hopefully, I'll be more consistent this time.

In a week, I will decide if I'll be racing the Patriots Half in Williamsburg, VA, in '09. 75% of me says that I'll be racing. The other 25% wants to ensure that my training isn't inhibited by my trip to Europe with my Mom.

*************************************

My boss asked me the other day if I thought that I would "actually be quitting the triathlon stuff." To which, I replied, "I'm only relaying a marathon, doing the Cherry Blossom 10-miler, maybe an 8k in March, & possibly the half Ironman in September. That's really nothing."

Right?

IronCupcake Challenge: Wine

2009-01-21T00:00:00.012-05:00

The secret ingredient for this month's cupcake challenge was wine. What I immediately thought of was - mulled wine. Nothing is as comforting as a warm mug of spicy wine on a frosty evening.

The cupcakes were very classic - a tried & true recipe where I substituted almond extract for vanilla. It gave the cupcakes a depth of flavor that complimented the wine icing very nicely.

I was lucky this month to have my friend Jessica bake with me, Sean to heckle us, & Hux as the remaining taste tester. We had a grand time - baking, drinking leftover mulled wine, chatting, & making an all-around mess of my tiny kitchen & living room. (All that baking cannot be contained in one room!!)

What didn't work this time:
- Dropping cherries into the cupcakes. The taste of the cherries inside was perfect. It would've been amazing, but they sank like rocks. Next time, we're going to try dusting them with flour. Word on the street is that may keep them from sinking.

- The first icing recipe. Jess & I made an incredibly delicious icing recipe on our first try, but it became hard like decorating icing. (You know - the kind that you make hard sugary flowers out of.)

What did work:

- The cake recipe. These cupcakes are nearly perfect. Not very sweet. Nicely textured - very light. Very, very good. This one is a keeper.

- The 2nd frosting recipe. The 2nd icing recipe had almost a marshmallow texture. It was a very fun purple color, & the sweet/spicy taste was nicely paired with the almond cupcakes. I really enjoyed this cupcake & frosting combination.

Here is my recipe for the IronCupcake challenge this month. All pictures from this endeavor are listed on my Picasa site.

Mulled Wine Frosting

Ingredients:

* 1 & 1/2 cups sugar
* 2/3 cup red wine
* 2 egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 2 teaspoons light-colored corn syrup
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preparation:

1. Combine the sugar, wine, spices, egg whites, and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the ingredients for 30 seconds to combine.

2. Boil a small amount of water in the bottom of the double boiler. Place the top of the double boiler, with the frosting ingredients, on top. Cook the frosting on medium heat, beating constantly with the mixer on high speed, for about 7 minutes, or until the frosting forms stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. Taste. Add more spices if needed & beat in additional spices. Allow the frosting to cool; it should be slightly warm or at room temperature when you use it. Discard any leftovers. Store frosted cake in a cool, dry place until ready to serve.

Adapted from:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Seven-Minute-Frosting-350069

**************************************************

Almond Cupcakes

* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons almond extract
* 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 & 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup milk

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the almond extract. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Adapted from:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-White-Cake/Detail.aspx

**************

This is a competition, & I am competing for the following items. I do not expect to win, but I surely had a good time trying!

Our January ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:

* DOGBONE ART - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=22042
* as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.
* PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

As an added bonus for January, our friend at SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY will be tossing in another treat as well, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com. NEW, BEGINNING IN JANUARY; our new friends at UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/ will be providing our winner with one of their cute cupcake attitue t's! Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

Can an administration change a city?

2009-01-20T23:16:00.005-05:00

I asked my colleagues 4 years ago if an administration change makes a difference for the District of Columbia. Now, I know the answer.

On Wednesday, November 5th (one day after the election), I flew to London for 3 weeks. When I returned, my city was alive with positivity. Could it be the holiday season? Was my city fueled by good tidings due to holiday spirit?

Hell, no. We're not easily swayed by family, gatherings, Christmas, & good feelings! We're career-focused! We're too busy to be happy & courteous!!

For example: When I go grocery shopping, I normally move out of other shoppers' way, I say excuse me, & I am a decent human being. The unknown shoppers don't even acknowledge my existence. Once, I accidentally bumped into someone when the store was crowded. The woman that I bumped said, "Excuse you!" when I attempted to apologize. DC people - angry. Period.

When I returned from London & went to the same grocery store, someone excused himself & moved out of my way. Shocking! I pulled away, looked at him, & stuttered a thank you.

Now, I know that's not a big deal, but let's examine more evidence. I noticed that city folks chatted with each other more often & friends wanted to meet more frequently. Everyone just seemed... happier.

Happiness. In my city. It's a Christmas Miracle!!

Then, I remembered that last Christmas DC wasn't that happy. We were still too busy & bottled with road rage anger.

I was hoping that the remembrance of how to be well-mannered, polite, & nice was related to the upcoming Obama administration & our new leader's character. Now, we've remained happy until today, which was Obama's inauguration.

I hope, dear readers, that we stay happy, focused, & courteous for many years - regardless of the reason & no matter what the future may hold. & if it is due to Obama, I hope that our leaders continue to inspire us to become better people.

Weekend update: Pilates & Striptease 101

2009-01-04T17:23:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I hit my first Pilates class. It would've been amazing if my glutes & thighs weren't already overworked from my home-grown strength training plan. Pilates was very fun, & I think I'll be attending every Saturday.

Today, I hit Striptease 101 with JKo. The instructions said to wear tights with boy shorts & heels. Wearing that crazy outfit & walking through Bally Total Fitness was unnerving. All the dudes on the machines were like "Baroo?"

Though, that was nothing compared to what happened when 10 Striptease ladies started working out in the aerobics room. JKo & I were laughing about it - "Man, I love this abs machine. I've been on it for an hour & a half with my mouth agape."

In class, we didn't remove any articles of clothing. Instead, we learned some challenging moves that seemed perfect for a striptease or erotic dance. Let me tell you - It was HARD. Think of it as Pilates with a sensual twist. You have to move confidently without effort, with attitude, & not look like you're going to fall over. We wouldn't want the men laughing in the middle now, would we?

We even had to pick stripper names, who we were dancing for, what we were wearing, etc. etc. I just (internally) giggled & giggled & was glad I was only asked for my "name." Creating a mental scenario helped get everyone focused. The next time we went through the routine, we looked like two rows of serious dancers. It was great!

I definitely want to take various types of dancing classes. It was such a blast. & the whole time, I was in heels - Not too shabby!

Recipe: Pasta sauce.

2009-01-03T20:17:00.003-05:00

In 2004, I spent a summer with my friend Julian where we made pasta sauce at least once per week. I thought we had perfected our sauce every week. Now, I think I've managed to top that.

Ready? Here we go.

A Better Keri & Julian's Pasta Sauce
(based on K&J's pasta sauce & Giada DeLaurentis's Lamb Ragu)

2 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 jar of pasta sauce (or more) (or homemade)
12-14oz of chopped canned or boxed tomatoes (Muir Glen or Pomi)
1 cup of red wine
1/2 bag of frozen spinach (used Whole Foods loose, frozen spinach)
olive oil
1/4-1/2 tsp basil (optional)
1/2-3/4 tsp oregano (optional)

Place olive oil into very large skillet on high/high medium heat. Place garlic & shallot into the skillet & cook until softened. Add beef, salt, & pepper. When the beef is brown, add the cup of wine & reduce until almost non-existent. The beef is so flavorful at this point that you could probably use it for other dishes such as ground beef sandwiches, chili, shepherd's pie, etc.

Add the pasta sauce, tomatoes, & spinach. Heat thoroughly. Taste & add any required seasonings (more salt, basil, oregano, etc. etc.) Julian & I would sometimes add a little sugar. I didn't think it was needed in this case as the Muir Glen tomatoes were very sweet.

I ate this chunky sauce over rotini with dollops of ricotta cheese. Very tasty.

Living up to my nickname.

2009-01-02T13:50:00.005-05:00

Hello, New Year! I have big hopes for you. If you're anything like 2008, we're gonna be good pals - I know it.

At the end of 2008, I quit my triathlon team, signed up for the Cherry Blossom 10-miler, went to a culinary class, cooked for a family of 10 three times in one week, finally visited South Of The Border, visited my family, listened to a violinist play on a beach under a lighthouse, & saw Cirque Du Soliel.

Not bad for a year's end.

For 2009, I finally attended a Yoga class at Yoga District - which was playful & fun. I reserved a spot for Saturday's Pilates class at the same studio. I've always wanted to do Pilates!!

Sunday, I'm attending a Striptease aerobics class. No, I'm not kidding. Yes, I am bringing a friend for this one. It's supposed to difficult but fun - Plus, I have to do my aerobics in heels. Don't fret - I have my physical therapist on speed dial.

Also, I found a Trapeze class in Baltimore. Think of it: Keri on the Flying Trapeze! (I hope I don't pee myself in fear.) I tried to wrangle my friend into this too, but she told me that we need to pace ourselves - maybe we'll do one crazy & new thing every month.

Sounds like a good resolution to me.

150 calories down. 800 up.

2008-12-17T23:49:00.001-05:00

Just because I ran a whopping 20 minutes does not mean that I should've indulged in a small calzone, coke, & antipasti from Petes-A Pizza.

That is all.

What is this new feeling?

2008-12-17T16:56:00.002-05:00

I went for my first run since I traveled to London. My newfangled training schedule says that training for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler starts in two weeks. Two weeks!

While waiting for an email response from a coworker in a different timezone, I decided to hit the gym downstairs for a short 20-minute treadmill (yuck) run. Forgot my flying pig socks upstairs & gave myself a very long shallow blister on my right non-existent arch. Nice.

I had to muster some internal fortitude to finish the 20 minutes. Some of my bad habits came back - but many good habits came back. I quieted my negative inner voice, I pushed until my time limit was completed, I stretched, I watched my form.

Now, I feel great. Only twenty minutes showed me how much I missed running.

I should write a thank you card to Huxie for pushing me to sign up for the 10 miler. (which consisted of "are you doing it?" "i don't know. are you doing it?" "yeah" "........ okay, i'm signed up.")

So. Yay! Running!

& Coach said I could continue swimming with the team as long as I want. So, I may still be hanging with the team on occasion.

So. Yay! Swimming with friends!

Goodbye, team koolaid!

2008-12-16T13:49:00.003-05:00

After careful consideration, I've decided to quit the triathlon team. The cost-benefit ratio isn't inspiring me to continue. Plus, it erased any spare time that I had. Presently I am only running & swimming (in theory). Since I run on my own, paying the team & swim fees seems a bit overkill to my wallet.

I know what you're thinking... "She's quitting. She's allowing herself to gracefully slide off the wagon when no one is looking."

To you, I say, "Ha-Ha! Ho-Ho! This cannot be true - for I have just signed up for the Cherry Blossom 10-miler. Also, I have created a training schedule that starts this week & brings me strong & healthy to the start line on April 5th."

Now, I can incorporate other hobbies into my life that I enjoy - like cooking, baking, & doing random things that strike my fancy - like going to a culinary school, going to movies, dating, trapeze class, Bikram yoga, pole dancing, etc. etc. etc. Plus, I can join the DC Masters Swim Team, which meets daily for an hour & a half.

Of course, I'll miss some of my teammates (& still plan on seeing them away from practices), but really - I don't need to pay a third party to see my friends if they are truly friends.

& if anyone ever wants to bike for fun, let me know. My calendar is considerably more free now.

Recipes: Chicken Noodle Soup.

2008-12-05T12:49:00.004-05:00

Dude. I am eating the best chicken soup that I have ever tasted. The best part? I made it from scratch. Since I care, I've written the recipe below. Follow exactly or it just won't be right!

Roast Chicken & Chicken Noodle Soup

1 roasting chicken (unroasted)
potatoes
2 onions
5 cloves of garlic
1 pack of smoky peppercorn turkey spice rub (or Sea salt, pink peppercorns, smoked pepper, dried parsley, paprika - or smoked paprika)
a pack of celery
4-5 carrots
fresh rosemary, thyme, & sage (or poultry blend fresh herbs)
olive oil
salt
penne noodles
1 large pot
1 medium to large size roasting pan
1 television with DVD player

Preheat oven to 350. Get your chicken out of the refrigerator. Don't remove the plastic just yet! You cut your potatoes & one onion into quarters & peel your garlic. Cut 2-3 of your carrots into sticks. (Once a fan of baby carrots, I abhor them now as they're wet & processed & taste funny. Go big!) Toss with a drizzle of olive oil. Place into the sides of the roasting pan. Doesn't that look great?

Now that the chicken is more room temperature, prep the counter top to accommodate a large pile of dripping salmonella. Take 3 small bowls & place... I don't know... maybe 4 tablespoons of salt into one bowl & 1/8 cup of olive oil into another & the spice rub into the third.

Here comes the fun part. Take out the gizzard & neck. Provide these tasty treats to your furry companions. (Yummmmmm... & completely safe as long as they're uncooked.) Smear your olive oil on the skin of the chicken. Rub it down with salt & then the spice rub. The olive oil & salt mixture help seal in the juices - what friend Mike once dubbed a "comically juicy chicken".

Place chicken in roasting pan & throw it in the oven until the thermometer reads "no more salmonella" when placed into the deepest part of the thigh. Mine says that temperature is 165. (I've seen other temperatures for this too.)

Hours pass. Go ahead & make your real dinner, clean, watch the Food Network, pet the cats, sit on couch & feel sick, & check on the chicken. Then, chicken's done!

Remove the parts of the chicken that you like to eat & place with potatoes, onion, garlic, & carrots into container & place in fridge.

NOW! We're ready for chicken soup!!!

Throw carcass, poultry blend (or 2 sprigs rosemary, 1 sprig sage, & 3 sprigs thyme), any carrot tops, celery hearts, & enough water to cover all into pot.

Bring to boil, then let simmer. Watch Pride & Prejudice - I MEAN some amazingly rockin action/scifi flick!! - on the television.

Strain soup. Remove pieces of chicken from carcass & throw into broth. Cut the remainder of the carrots & a helluva lot of celery (aids in decongestion) into pot. Throw in noodles. Taste. Add salt if needed. Return to pot & boil until noodles & vegetables are barely al dente. "Barely" because I hate brothy soups. The noodles will soak up more broth if they're left sitting in the soup overnight.

& tomorrow, you yum. :)

A quick update.

2008-11-29T10:41:00.002-05:00

Hey! I've gotten a few emails from people wondering if I'm doing alright. I'm dandy. Over time/various medical procedures, the pain went away by itself.

I've been on business travel for the last month & may need to take a longer hiatus from training due to additional required travel. I am presently unsure of my status on the matter.

I am, however, home today. & that feels pretty good.

I may even go for a run.

Conversations with my stomach (part 1)

2008-09-22T16:56:00.004-04:00

About 4 weeks ago, my abdomen started talking with me. It went something like this:

Tummy: hey.
...
...
...
Tummy: heyheyheyhey.
...
...
...
Tummy: HEY!!!

Which I ignored. Then, it proceeded to do the "heyheyheyhey" minorly for 2 weeks. On September 17th morning, my abdomen revolted. Officially.

Tummy: HEY! YOU WEREN'T LISTENING TO ME!! I HATE IT WHEN YOU DON'T LISTEN TO ME!!!

& then it had a temper tantrum & threw things. For over an hour. That was fun.

4 visits with medical professionals, 3 days, & 2 blood draws later, I feel like this is the story of Keri & "The Very Angry Tummy." Now, my abdomen behaves like this:

Tummy: I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!
Tummy: .......
Tummy: .......
Tummy: are you gonna feed me? i'm so hungry... please...
........
Tummy: please?
Tummy: YAY!
........
Tummy: That was really good... oh, wait... I forgot...
Tummy: I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!

My race season is officially over. All training has halted. I'm on a liquid diet. It's souper. The good news is that we're finally doing the celiac test.

(I had wanted to wait until race season was over - My previous doctor wouldn't test me unless I was eating gluten every day, which I hadn't wanted to endure during my race season. Now, I have a new doctor.)

My decision on IMFL is on hold for now as well as my marathon/half-marathon goals for winter. & I'm okay with that.

Okay, I see it now.

2008-09-14T23:38:00.004-04:00

I ran into ... well... if you want to be accurate - I lunged at my friend Annette when I saw her on Metro this evening. Annette-sightings are rare as she lives in Columbia, Maryland. So, I seized the opportunity by "running into her".

As we were chatting, she mentioned that my core group of friends have been gossiping about how skinny I have become. It's been "Have you seen Keri? She's so skinny!"

Hrmmm... As I've told my coworkers, friends, & fellow triathletes, I really don't see it. I've only noticed that my clothes don't fit, & my savings fund is missing some cash.

Until Julia sent me this picture from her birthday shindig:

Dude, how come no one told me that I became so skinny?!

Please note: Do not for any reason give me access to your credit cards. I might use it to purchase all of Banana Republic & Filene's Basement. No, I will not hold your wallet while you do something crazy or kegstand. I will run away with it & purchase pants that fit.

Be warned.

Bits & pieces.

2008-09-11T11:52:00.003-04:00

There were free hugs for the taking in front of the Scientology building. Call me greedy - I took two.

I love happy protests! :)

****

Also, I played a great joke on my boss yesterday where I pretended to resign. He actually clutched his chest & gaped at me. It was priceless. I wish I had a camera for that one.

He kept eying the paper in my hand as I was discussing my meeting with the Vice President of Operations. I saw the opportunity & went for it. It was well executed if I do say so myself.

****

I bought an official fuckton of new clothes this week as I was tired of looking like I was in hand-me-downs from a larger person. Coincidentally, I celebrated "Forget to Take the Tags off Your New Sweater Day!" Did you?

****

Also - Here's an email I sent out to my tri team:

For those of you not traveling for Savageman, you're in for a treat. The inaugural Capital Criterium is taking place on September 21st in downtown DC. Christian Vande Velde will be racing.

Further information at:
http://www.velonews.com/article/83018/vande-velde-to-race-in-dc-s-ing-direct-capital-criterium
http://www.capitalcriterium.com/

As God is My Witness, I'll Never Want to Do Lunges Again.

2008-09-10T20:26:00.010-04:00

My triathlon motivation waned to almost nil last week. This year was supposed to contain my 70.3 races on my way to the 2009 Florida Ironman. My first attempt turned into a 2/3 relay. My second was canceled. Go figure that I am disappointed.

I know that I normally enjoy training & racing. Very much so - actually. In 4 days, I'm racing The Nation's Triathlon, but I'm not super jazzed about it. In fact, I'd rather not race. Right now, I'd rather hang with friends, be social, hit a concert or two, go dancing/camping/hiking/etc.

Officially, I'm burnt out. I don't want to run for 30-minutes.

(It also doesn't help that I tried on a pencil skirt at Banana Republic (the Official store of Yuppies (*gag*) - but hey! Nice clothes!) & wasn't too impressed with my smooshed bottom & that caused me to do a million & a half squats & lunges on Monday & now I can't walk or climb stairs without saying Ouch. That 30-minute run would contain a lot of Ouches.)

To get rid of my funk & resurrect my love for my triathlon habit, the new Official Plan:

1. Give Nation's Tri a shot. I did pay for it, & I do love running & biking in my city.

2. Next week, hit one training session per sport. Do it for fun only. Ignore training plan.

3. Relay Savageman with Meredith. Give it all on the 2nd half of the bike. Leave nothing left.

4. On weekends before Army 10-miler, run at least an hour.

5. Complete Army 10-miler as a training run.

6. Finish October as a fun month. Ignore all workouts if needed. Hit belated 10-year HS reunion. Celebrate Zoe's first birthday. Hit as many Halloween parties as possible.

7. Decide sometime in October/late September if signing up for IMFL09. (& Remember that this for fun - not for stress.)

Sounds good to me.

Surf's up.

2008-09-06T17:08:00.009-04:00

Around 4pm today, the curls of ocean started looking very, very tempting. Mike & I ran back to the hotel room, donned our suits, nabbed our boards, & were out the door. The waves were sporadic & speckled with a dozen or so surfers. On my difficult traverse out to the surfable conditions, my surfboard was torn from me, & my leash broke.

After a quick jaunt to the surf shop to fix my broken leash, I "caught" 3 waves. One spectacular failure occurred when my board nosed into the wave as I popped up. I'm particularly proud of that one.

I still need to work on my pop-up, per the usual. I know if I can catch a wave, where the wave will break, when I've caught the wave, when the drop-in happens. Yet, I'm still getting stuck on the pop-up. I'm fantastic on riding half upright, but standing has always been a little more difficult.

Mike did alright as well. I watched him disappear numerous times beyond the sea foam crest.

This is a great surf trip already. Hopefully, tomorrow will have more manageable waves in the AM.

*******

It's become apparent that the surefire way to meet new guys is to A) wear a bikini & B) hold a surfboard. This afternoon, I met 9 guys when Mike left me for random things. I'd say that I was alone for an average of 10-30 seconds before someone would approach me to chat.

This works even better than looking confused/forlorn in Whole Foods gluten-free section!

Patriots Half-Ironman Race Report.

2008-09-06T15:49:00.005-04:00

For those of you unawares, my "A" race was canceled due to safety issues regarding Tropical Storm Hanna. Pursuing an alternate race (either DiamondMan on Sunday (Delaware) or the Duke Liver 1/2) wasn't really an option for me. On my commute home on Thursday evening, I pondered what to do & came up with the only solution that brought a smile to my face & a glow to my cheeks.

I called the only friend I knew that would A) not worry/balk at the idea, B) would be able to leave "whenever", C) would be thrilled at the opportunity, D) not bail on me last minute, E) know what he's doing, & F) say yes.

So, I called Mike & asked him if he wanted to surf pre-/post-Tropical Storm Hanna. His answer was, "That sounds like a good kind of crazy. I'm down." After the official cancellation from the Race Director, I called Mike & said we were a-go. In a few short hours, we were gone.

Below is written my "race report" for the Patriots Half-Ironman. It is how I spent my hours where I would've been pushing myself to exhaustion (& back again).

***********************************************

Saturday, September 6th, I awoke from my hotel room 30 minutes prior to race start, peeked out of the window, & noted some good waves but terrible wind. Noticing that my surfing companion was still slumbering in his bed, I decided to wait & see what the next hour held before yelling, "Surf's up! Let's go!!"

The next hour held a typical pre-storm downpour. Rain. Winds. Rain & winds. The hotel continental breakfast had bagels, pastries, waffles, pancakes, cereal, juice, & fruit. Mike had frosted mini-wheats. Given the name of the cereal, I decide that it's not safe to grab a handful for munching. I had juice & fruit. (Life on the gluten-free/dairy-free diet is not easy, yo.)

Back at the hotel room, I downed the rest of my gluten-free granola & then went back to bed while Mike computed (as he does). Hours later, we meandered down to the boardwalk to see what the beach held. If the surf looked moderately possible, we'd try. If not, well..... more downtime. (This is why I brought 3 books & my lappy top.)

The surf, as well as the patrolling of Police, indicated that it was not especially safe for our surfing adventures. We hunkered down for a meal at a local Greek establishment where the waitress was shocked at my eating ability ("OH!! You ate the WHOLE THING?! Sorry... Most people say it is too much. It IS a half chicken.").

Now, we're back at the hotel, sitting on what would be our porch with our laptops, waiting for the surf to get good. That promises to be tomorrow - as our forecaster said it would be. Our surfboards are sitting in the hotel room looking expectant.

Like them, I can't wait.

When life gives you lemons...

2008-09-05T13:07:00.003-04:00

My Half Ironman is canceled. The Plan said that I would race Patriots & then I would assess if I would/could compete in Ironman Florida.

Now, that plan is out.

So, what am I going to do now?

I'm going surfing!! Catch ya later!

Whirlwind & Imminent Rain.

2008-09-04T10:56:00.013-04:00

Why is it that many of my life's events are punctuated with large storm systems?

My brother's birth & Hurricane Andrew. Driving through some off-the-coast TS's winds to visit Orlando. The Charley, Ivan, Jeanne debacle that forced my move to DC. Then, the move back to Orlando. Then, Wilma.

Knowing how to secure a house in an hour for an oncoming Hurricane. Knowing which Hurricane category to do it for. Cooking mac & cheese on the grill because we were still out of electricity. Not having electricity for weeks. Cold showers. No air conditioning. Being thankful that we had 3 days worth of water saved.

"Florida - Check, please!"

Now, Tropical Storm Hanna is going to rain on my Half Ironman. Seriously. SERIOUSLY! I live in Washington, DC - Not South Florida - Not Central Florida. Washington, DC!

If the winds pick up, it's going to be hard to ride a bike through a Tropical Storm. That drive through the TS's winds years & years ago? Most of the time, I found myself in another lane on I-95. That was in a car... Imagine that on a bike.

Theoretically, Hanna should be relatively tame when it hits Williamsburg. Hopefully, she won't even have a name by then.

I hope.

*****

Addendum:

One thing that my life as a Floridian has taught me - You never know what is going to happen with major storm systems. Whenever hurricanes/depressions/storms were approaching, we always watched & waited. We always had plenty of water, food, & sundries on hand throughout the summer & fall. Yet, we never barricaded the windows until the storm was about to hit land. It could, after all, be a waste of time, energy, & sometimes resources.

Consider Hurricane Charley. Category 1 the day before landfall. Heading towards Tampa. No worries. Who worries about a Cat 1 that's not even coming towards us? We'll get moderate winds & some light rain.

The day of landfall? Category 4 & hitting Punta Gorda with a beeline to Orlando. Destruction everywhere. Blue tarps instead of roofs for years. YEARS.

With hurricanes & tropical storms, you never know what's going to happen. You just watch & wait. Watch & wait.

********

Also, for those of you who don't know:

Tropical Storm (definition courtesy NOAA):
A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind speed (using the U.S. 1-minute average) ranges from 34 kt (39 mph or 63 km/hr) to 63 kt (73 mph or 118 km/hr).

39mph to 73mph winds.

Odds & ends.

2008-09-03T10:13:00.006-04:00

Voting is up for the Iron Cupcake challenge. Vote for me (or others) at http://mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com/.

Feel free to poke around on other contestants' blogs & check out their pictures as well. I was mighty impressed.
Toenails & fingernails are trimmed for Half Ironman. I still have to pack.
Yesterday, I accidentally had some gluten for lunch. Coincidentally, I feel crappy today, & I had a terrible 30-minute run yesterday. I feel like I have a weight on my chest that won't go away. I'm cooking all my food at home until the HIM.
Please, please, please let this go away before the race.
Tropical Storm Hanna is threatening to downpour on my HIM. Truthfully, I'd rather have rain on the run than towering inferno heat.

Can't we have one good weather race this year?
Also, I think I've finally chosen where to get my tattoo placed. 8 years of deliberation & I still want it. Thundercats are go!

Let's call it a day.

2008-08-30T20:20:00.007-04:00

After 8 hours of chopping vegetables, cooking, cleaning, & serving for Dave's party today, I finally got home at 8pm & am ready to go for my run. Except... that ain't in the stars for tonight.

As I was laying on my hardwood floor, I thought that I should rally to meet my non-athlete friends after my run. Or I should run & do yoga & then sleep. Or I should just do yoga.

During this deliberation, I drifted to sleep while curled up on my hardwood floor. I didn't wake up when my cats (both of them) decided to snuggle with me. (Shocking, I know!) I only rose when there was a sharp chill in the air, & then I wondered where my bedsheets were.

So much for hanging with the non-athletes. So much for my recovery run. So much for yoga. It's officially long nap time.

T-minus 6 days until the Half-Ironman.

Taper week #1: Taking time to clean up my act.

2008-08-25T22:30:00.006-04:00

With the extra time due to taper/recovery week, I decided to clean my closets. (Deep cleaning, after all, takes up a lot of time.) In cluttered closet #1, I found my old video camera. Usually, I slide the camera bag wherever it will fit in the closet & continue with my merry Cinderella ways.

This time, I plugged the camera into the wall & watched some of ye old footage. Videos of family, friends, concerts, art projects, & vacations. Everyone looks young, some people whose names I can barely recall.

Moving to DC was never an easy decision. It was a forced move the first time & still a little shaky on the 2nd (& permanent) move. Watching good times from 5 years ago (before my life went haywire) made me realize that my decisions were truly for the best. I do miss my old friends, but I don't miss my old life.

& How often can you say that in retrospect after a tumultuous time? Only after things have calmed down. & I think they finally have. I'm pretty happy here in DC - doing triathlons, being outside often, being employed at a good job, having great friends, & living in a metropolis.

Really, I should quote Kurt Vonnegut on this one:
"If this isn't nice, then I don't know what is."

It's almost race day, & I'm feeling great.

****

Also, I should thank Meredith for her swimming assistance on Tuesday. We did 2x1000m swims & worked on breast, fly, & back. Honestly, I was a little concerned about the Patriots swim. It might not be wetsuit legal, & I hadn't completed an uninterrupted 1000m swim in ages.

When Mer & I were done, my energy level was still soaring. It was quite the confidence booster. Though, my left arm is killing me from the fly work.

I want to continue working on strokes other than freestyle. The plan is to resurrect my breaststroke & see how viable it is for me to compete again. I did love racing breaststroke back when I was varsity.

****

Also, I'm watching Big Fatty try to climb into a shoe box. He looks unfazed that it doesn't seem to fit him.

Patriots Half Ironman imminent!

2008-08-19T15:45:00.002-04:00

In discussing my assignments for the next few weeks with my boss, it dawned on me that I should let him know that I plan on leaving early on September 5th for Patriots HIM. Then, I realized that September 5th is in 2 weeks.

Two weeks! 2 Weeks!

Mentally, I'm almost ready. Reminding myself of how well I feel physically is helping me become ready mentally.

Physically, everything has become much easier - especially now that I've integrated my strength training & speed work. On a slow day, I've estimated that it will take me about 7.25 hours to finish the Half. On a fast day, I could manage 6.5 hours. (Though, I highly doubt that I'll complete the Half in 6.5 hours.)

I'd be happy with anything below 8 hours. My only goals are to finish (#1) by the cutoff, (#2) happy, & (#3) uninjured. I'm willing to forgo #2 for #1.

Two more weeks.

***************************************

I'm in the planning stage of my next Tri-DC article. The topic? Deciding to do Ironman. It will be published in the Winter edition of Tri-DC.

If you haven't picked up a copy yet, I highly recommend it. It's a great magazine.

IronCupcake Challenge - Chili Pepper cupcakes.

2008-08-18T10:31:00.013-04:00

First, let me say that this challenge was a little tricky for me. I wanted to make more "traditional" cupcakes, but I was incapable of tasting them due to the gluten & dairy issues that I've been having. My first batch contained a blend of gluten-free flour mix (sorghum, white rice, tapioca, xantham gum) that I courageously blended myself. Then, I threw in some eggs, reduced mango nectar (from a bottle), chipotle chili pepper, baking power & baking soda, sugar, coconut oil, & a lot of hope.

Those were the tastiest concave cupcakes ever. Very, very moist. Mildly spicy. Good coconut flavor. A little lacking in the mango department. Not the correct cupcake shape.

Batch #2 was created immediately after Batch #1. Batch #2 consisted of a slightly more flour to fat/fluid ratio & the traditional all-purpose flour. That dough was super sticky in comparison. (Go figure.) Batch #2 plumped up just as they should, but I couldn't taste them to find out their shortcomings.

I brought them to the only two groups of people that I know who will eat anything: coworkers & triathletes. The various responses that I received from the coworkers & triathletes were - "Freaking awesome", "Can't taste the mango as much", "Is that coconut?", "Where's the heat? .... Oh. There it is!", & "If I wasn't diabetic, I'd eat the whole thing & probably have another one."

Based upon simply looking at the cupcakes, they looked a little dense. So, I altered the flour amount again. This time, I wasn't able to create two batches of celiac cupcakes & "normal" cupcakes. I wanted to taste them & make sure they had more mango punch & enough heat.

Last night, I finished the recipe. Here it is:

Mango spice cupcakes.

1 mango
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cup Gluten-free flour mix (I used Whole Foods baking mix)
2 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 - 1 tsp dried chipotle pepper (I used McCormick's - readily available)
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel & chop mango into manageable chunks. I pureed mine, but chunks would be very, very nice.
3. In a large bowl, add sugar into coconut oil. Whip together.
4. Beat eggs in a small bowl. Add to sugar mixture slowly & mix well.
5. In a medium-sized separate bowl, combine the rest of dry ingredients.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients to sugar mixture. Fold in mango.
7. Place 1/4 - 1/2 cup of batter into cupcake tins, & bake in oven for 20-30 minutes. Yields 12-14 cupcakes.

These cupcakes are little dense - as most gluten-free baked goods are. They're not gluten-free rice bread dense. More like a mix between a muffin & a cupcake density. If you choose to use all-purpose flour, they should have a lighter more cupcake-like density.

Key lime icing.

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter substitute (or butter)
1 tablespoon key lime juice
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional)
food coloring of choice (optional)

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar.
2. Add key lime juice.
3. If icing is too thick/dry, add a smidge of water. (Don't overpower the icing by adding more lime juice. It will overwhelm the cupcakes.)
4. Add chili powder & food coloring, if desired.
5. Place in piping bags/pastry gun/small bowl & refrigerate to allow it to thicken.
6. Decorate cupcakes when they are cooled.

I felt that these cupcakes didn't need much icing. Therefore, the above icing recipe was enough for me to frost all 12-14 cupcakes. In the pictures, I used more icing than I thought was needed when I bit into the cupcake. Also, I'm not a huge fan of buttercream, but adding more Earth Balance would allow the icing to be thicker. A lot of people seem to like that too. It's all a question of taste!

Scene of the crime:

Attentive audience:

Finished product:

*******************************************

In theory, I'm competing to win the following prizes (but like triathlon - I just love to compete & love the challenge. Aren't cupcakes their own reward?):
Etsy artist CAKESPY gear
A Jessie Steele apron
Cupcake Courier
Taste of home

A Better Push-up.

2008-08-12T13:50:00.004-04:00

When I saw the words "A Better Push-up" as a subject in a recent email from Victoria's Secret, I immediately thought, "Get down on the floor & give me 20!!"

Which is not exactly what the marketing gurus at Victoria's Secret were going for.

Why do I bring this up? Well, someone forwarded the 100 push-up challenge to me a while ago. The concept intrigued me (as did couch-to-5k once upon a time). Here is the concept, briefly:

You do an initial test of how many push-ups you can accomplish in good form without rest.

Based upon your results of the initial test, you select which track that you wish to follow for the 100 push-up challenge.

For 6 weeks (or longer), you build the number of push-ups that you are capable of doing.

At the end of the program, you complete (or attempt to complete) 100 push-ups.

Since I've learned about the 100 push-up challenge, I've had it on my list of things to accomplish. I was going to wait until after the Half Ironman....

but....

the Olympics are on...

& they're so inspiring...

So, I started the 100 push-up challenge yesterday. I really only want to complete 20-30 consecutive push-ups before the Half Ironman. Last night, I completed 11 man push-ups, which were comprised of 3-sets of 2 push-ups & a final set of 5 push-ups. Not bad!!

Off-topic: Iron Cupcake

2008-08-07T19:58:00.005-04:00

I've taken on the Iron Cupcake challenge. Think of it as more Iron Chef & less IronMan. :)

First order of business? Create an original cupcake recipe using this month's ingredient: chili peppers.

IM Florida.

2008-08-05T12:21:00.003-04:00

I just volunteered for Ironman Florida.

Patriots Half Ironman - 4.5 weeks away. The plans - they are being actualized.

Oh.
My.

Family Circus run.

2008-08-02T12:56:00.005-04:00

Today, I decided it was time to start running in the morning again. All the GI issues appear to be resolved since I've purged my body of gluten. So, off we went - me, my new nutritional strategy around my waist, my tunes, & my heart rate monitor - to run through the city for 2 hours.

With the freedom to run anywhere & needing to be away from the lure of home for two hours, I ran the only way that I truly enjoy running: When the walk signal says go, I go. When it doesn't, I turn & run the other way.

The only problem with Family Circus Running is that the walk signals might lead me in the direction of home prematurely. Then the temptation to actually go home is, well, tempting. I've become fairly good at knowing how long it will take me to get home from practically anywhere in the city. So, when I found myself running up 15th Ave halfway through the run, I had to make an abrupt U-turn.

(I know a lot of runners appreciate the "out & back" or trail running or parkways or running uphill on Massachusetts Ave, but seriously I can't do that all the time every time.)

On today's Family Circus(tm) run, I experienced/saw:

1. An urban music experiment, which I had to hit every pole for the sound.
2. A bum throwing trash at another bum.
3. A herd of geese flying off a wall in sequence.
4. A group of Asian students listening to a classmate recite the "I Have A Dream" speech, which I slowed down to listen to.

It was a good run. Full 2 hours of running with free waterbottle filling stops throughout the city & all my fuel on me. By George, I think we've got it! :)

************************

Although Perpeteum tastes like batter, it does not make for a good gluten-free pancake mix. Trust me. Don't bother adding an egg & baking powder to it. It won't work.

************************

Also, an addendum to the Belgium post: In the end, I didn't take the position because I wasn't qualified for it. Though, I am unsure how I'd swing the cat thing for 3 months anyways. & I do really need to hit the Patriots Half.

I can't believe what won.

2008-07-31T13:47:00.007-04:00

My boss offered me a position in "Europe" - he wouldn't say where. However, I'd have to go now, I'd have to say that I knew a specific programming language, & I'd have to stay for at least 3 months.

Where in Europe? He wouldn't tell me.

My boss knows me. He is one of the few people at my company who knows my athletic ambitions & how much I train. He knew that I'd decline because of the Half Ironman. He knew that I also might be swayed - Hence, the offer.

Given my training & life plan for the next 15 months, I opted out. 1) I can't go now - the Half Ironman is in 6 weeks. Finishing it is integral to my plan. 2) I don't know that programming language. (Though, I hear it's easy to learn.) 3) 3 months?! Could I find someone to adopt Fat Cat & Doctor Claw for 3 months? Would they ship my bike (& possibly the two cats) with me?

Too problematic, we decided.

Then, I found out that he wanted to send me to the Land Of Chocolate & Excellent Beers.

Beer. And. Chocolate.

Let me say that again:
Beer.
Chocolate.

I've opted out of other worldwide adventures because of poor timing or inability to find replacement caretakers for furrballs. This one has me a little more irritated than the others.

Beer & chocolate versus biking & swimming (& sometimes running). Triathlon won. I can't believe it. I know I wasn't a good fit for the project, & I do love triathlon. However, it did shake my resolve to do Ironman next year.

*************************

Also, I should add that I've been gluten-free for 6 weeks now. It's gotten much easier. I know how to navigate a menu well, discuss options with the wait staff, & how to change recipes (more or less) for being gluten-free.

So, the Belgian beer? It's not on the menu yet (if ever). I miss you, Belgian beer.

My Momma done told me...

2008-07-29T23:00:00.006-04:00

When I have any sort of medical question/concern or need advice, I hit up my Mom. (She's the medic in the family.)

When racing Lake Anna '07 when the water temperature was 56 degrees, I asked her if she thought it was safe for me to swim in the frigid water. (I didn't know, & I was worried.) I thought she would "baby" me. I am, after all, her youngest daughter.

You know what she told me? She said, "You'll never know if you can handle it unless you do it. This is the perfect opportunity to try. Just do it."

Words of wisdom from the woman who used to tell me, "It's just gas. Get your butt to school." (By the way, it was.)

(Lake Anna '07 turned out to be my best swim time thus far. A 2:11 split. Not bad at all.)

She's been extremely helpful in my training - always level-headed & always fair. When I was miserable that I couldn't race the entire Half Ironman (Mooseman) due to injury, she reminded me that it was only last year that I struggled to run 3 miles. & I was upset that I couldn't race a Half Ironman? "Do what you can & be satisfied that you've come so far already" was her message.

Tonight, I called her to say that I jammed my finger in the lane line at swimming. (There's a first time for everything. Shocking - considering that I have swam for a total of 7-8 years now.) I can bend my finger, but it is extremely painful when I touch it.

Damn. I need medical advice. So, I called Dial-A-Nurse/Mom. Her advice? "You know what to do. Elevation, ice, ibuprofen." Sure. I can do that. Wait, quick question. "Can I take my Advil with a [Gluten-free] beer?"

Mom's response? "....... Sure! You're not going anywhere tonight." God, I love that woman more & more every day.

A fool & her money.

2008-07-25T12:14:00.003-04:00

Finally pay day arrived, & I registered for the Patriots Half today.

1.2 miles of lovely swimming.
56 miles of non-stop spinning on the bike.
1 mile of discombobulated running.
12.1 miles of run/walk on a pancake flat course.

Coach, put me in! I'm ready.

The sun will come out.... tomorrow.

2008-07-22T18:27:00.006-04:00

From a spectator perspective, Ironman weekend was grueling & enlightening. I lack the words to describe the whirlwind events of the weekend. I am going to try.

Friday:
Lake Placid is a gorgeous place. After 9 hours in the car, you would think that the first thing on my mind would be getting out of the damn car. Instead, I offered to drive Victoria through Lake Placid Main Street. She hadn't been to LP before, & it is quite a treat to see Mirror Lake from the top of the hill near the stone church.

The drive on Main Street was anything but relaxing. It was still beautiful, but it was extremely crowded. Part of the reason why I like Lake Placid are its rural setting & small community.

After I dropped off Victoria at the KOA, I drove along the IMUSA bike route to my rental house & met up with my housemates. After unpacking, I mentioned that I brought the goods to make brownies to Kerri. The look in her eyes was part crazed & part gratitude. Given that she fixed my hip & has been helping me keep it strong, I took a ride with Matty to get eggs & faux butter & started brownie-making. (mmmmm.... gluten- & dairy-free brownies.) They were gone in record time.

Saturday:
1.2 mile swim in Mirror Lake was fantastic. I felt a little congested about half-way through, but I trudged onwards. I finished the 1.2 in about 50 minutes without my wetsuit & while doing a lot of slow do-I-really-want-to-do-1.2-miles breaststroke. That's not so bad.

Hanging out with non-IM folks (how relaxing!!). Dinner & slideshow with the team. Grocery running for the house & now frantic Ironman athletes.

Sunday:
3am wake-up. Considering there was no grill until 6pm, I brought all the food that I'd need for the day to the Team Z tent. Victoria & I purchased chalk at Stewarts & started chalking the course. We wrote everyone's names, & every one was a little different. It was awesome!! (Though, I managed to misspell Michael, Stacy, & Behnke.)

We scuttled over to Mirror Lake to watch the mass start, & it started sprinkling a little. Then, it officially started raining. Victoria & I went back to the chalk site with a camera, but it was already gone. So, we meandered over to the first big incline on the bike start & cheered in the rain.

Having forgotten my umbrella in the car, I was soaked through. After two hours in the rain, I was shaking uncontrollably, & my fingers were purple. Victoria & I went to my car, nabbed the umbrella, went to the Olympic Center, squeezed the excess water out of our clothes, & got really, really, really cozy with a heat lamp that we found.

Then, we bought "Lake Placid" clothes next door. I love my new $23 fleece pants & $much-more hooded sweatshirt. Those kept me warm all day.

We caught up with Dan who offered to take us along the bike course while he took pictures of our team. Finally having gotten warm & dry, I couldn't keep my eyes open in the car. I napped for four (4!!!) hours while they took pictures. Then, we went back to Dan's house, threw our clothes in the dryer, & snacked.

Sometime around 5pm or 6pm, it finally stopped raining. Endurance raining at an endurance event... funny.

Once back at the Team Z tent, I grabbed Behnke's "Special Friend" ticket & trounced on over to get her bike & gear out of transition. That took much longer than I anticipated - maybe an hour?! I was late getting to the Finish Line for my volunteer event.

Around 830, I finally made it to the Finish Line to "catch" people completing their Ironman. We weren't given any instructions - Jana, Priscilla, & I made up our own rules. We asked important questions like "What's your name?", "How was your race?", "Do you want me to take you to food/medical?", "What size shirt do you want?" while wrapping the athletes like Mylar burritos. I only escorted Frank all the way to food (but that was more because he is my friend), & everyone else said they were okay (*cough*Liars*cough*).

Also, I got a front-row seat to Durst's proposal to Meredith just after he crossed the finish line. Woop-woop. They were so cute.

We had a ball at the Finish Line & standing in ~4-inches of water. Everyone who came through seemed a little squirrelly, exhausted, or completely normal. It was exhilarating to meet a bunch of friends at the end of Ironman. Hugs for everyone!!

Best job ever. (& no one vomited or collapsed on me either. I kept my trashbag/Iron-poncho on just in case.)

At 2am, I got home & peeled off my new clothes, made eggs for myself, John, & Kerri, showered, & hit the hay.

Monday:
I got up around 8am (or earlier), packed my stuff, listened to Ironman athlete stories, picked up Jenni, picked up Victoria's bike, picked up Victoria, & hit the road. Enroute, we said, "Look at this beautiful weather! This is bullshit!!! Let's get out of here." Ensue laughter.

9 hours later, we arrived in Arlington a little friendlier, a little smellier (if possible), & with big-ass happy-to-be-home grins on our faces.

***********************************************

Of all the places to do Ironman, Lake Placid is top on my list. However, I opted to not reserve myself a spot with my volunteer t-shirt. After seeing an actual Ironman & the pain that they go through, my resolve was a little shaken.

On a perfect day, Placid would be awesome & very difficult. The scenery is gorgeous & never stops being breathtaking. I love Lake Placid immensely, & I want to do IMUSA.

However, I know that I'm not ready. In theory, I "could" be ready in a year, but I've never completed a Half Ironman. I want to train for & complete one as a litmus test before signing up for Ironman. Mentally & physically, I'll be better prepared once I do that.

Lake Placid will be there. The race isn't going anywhere. I want to be prepared when I face those hills.

I'm sticking to the plan:
1. Train for & finish Patriots Half Ironman (a flat course) in September.
2. Feel good/not terribly broken.
3. Sign up for Ironman Florida (a flat course) in November for 11/2009.

That's the plan. I'm sticking to it.

Help.... I've been glutened.

2008-07-15T14:29:00.004-04:00

3 weeks without gluten. 3 weeks! I feel great! I have so much energy! Well... had. I had so much energy.

I've been trying to eat at restaurants lately, & I've found them either very accommodating or not at all. Basically, the waiter & kitchen staff try their damnedest. More often than not, I end up with some sort of contaminant. Mostly, it's extremely mild & passes quickly.

Today, it was not. They may as well have fed me a bowl of pasta with an alfredo sauce. Of all the things to be contaminated, I would NOT have chosen tortilla chips or a corn tortilla. I would've probably eaten one of those doughnut holes that Leila brought over last night. (Mmmm... Forbidden doughnut.)

Bastards. I feel like poo.

On that note, I need to make more meals at home. I don't know how I'd do this without good culinary skills.

**************************************

I should note that I fit into a size 6 at Banana Republic today.

Sweet.

Falling through your clothes.

2008-07-13T18:16:00.005-04:00

Friend Johta Ce had his 31st birthday party on Saturday. I was 1.5 hours later than I expected because I couldn't find anything to wear. Though not in the "girl" sense... more in the "none of my clothes fit anymore - seriously" sense. I can pull most of my pants & skirts out by 3 inches or more now.

I had to wear a dress that I bought for my 25th birthday - all it has to fit is my boobs, & we're set. It was a little big around the waist, but I got away with it.

My sister Kathy told me that the pounds would drip off me when I stopped putting my allergens into my system, but I wasn't expecting it to really happen.

*****
(Mom - Avert your eyes until next section.)

Also, playing flipcup with a mix of rum & water is not a good idea. It may be a gluten-free option, but kids, don't try it at home.

*****

In other news, I rode to & around Hains Point tonight. I'm faster than I used to be. & I'm starting to get comfortable in my aero bars. (Previously, I called the aero bars my $200 bottle holder because that's all they were.) I haven't gone aero on my long rides yet. Very soon.

& Now, Pictures.

2008-07-09T12:09:00.007-04:00

So, take a good, long look at the picture on the left. It's my one trophy for placing in triathlon (General Smallwood '07 - 2nd place Athena). It will probably also be my last.

"Why is that?" you ask. Because, darlin', I have to race age group from now onwards. My weight has dropped below 150.

It's taken me 2-3 years to drop what I amounted in 1.5 years of very bad eating, being overworked, going through a very messy breakup, temporarily moving to DC, returning to Florida, moving permanently back to DC, & drinking like the Irish (Guinness & lots of them).

Dude, I had never been that big. Ever. Now that I've lost 18-20 pounds, I surely never want to regain it.

I have pictorial evidence of my feet on the scale (for any non-believers). However, no one wants to see runner's toes. I need to paint those suckers if only to pretend that they're normal.

So... no more trophies, but I should become much faster now. :) I'm cool with that.

*******************************************

Also, 3 friends of mine & I completed the first annual Run Amuck race at Quantico MCB. Mud pits, faux barb wire crawls, really huge hills, & water hazards - it was totally awesome. I really appreciated the fire hose for washing off afterwards.

It was non-stop joking & giggling from some ungodly hour onwards. Good times.

Ladies who Run Amuck. We're a 4-pack of trouble.
Seriously.Posing with my well-earned finisher's coin.

The end.

Expect another post tomorrow if I don't have a new project at work.

Cyclist killed 4 blocks from my apartment.

2008-07-08T14:19:00.005-04:00

This morning, the yellow caution tape kept me from taking my normal route to the Metro. The police had blocked off Connecticut & R St NW. Perhaps something with Anonymous? They're out there protesting all the time in front of the Scientology building.

When I arrived at work, I got a message from my friend & neighbor Jeff that reads, "good you're online". Why the worry?

A female cyclist was struck by a garbage truck 4 blocks from my apartment. WaPo informs us the only details released thus far, which is that they were on R St NW & 20th St NW. That's actually an intersection of 20th St NW, R St NW, & Connecticut Ave NW. There's a lot of activity always going on there.

From an ABC News report, it comes out that the truck & the cyclist were riding in parallel with each other on R St NW. The cyclist was on the sidewalk. The light turned green, & the crosswalk light said "Walk". The cyclist rode into the crosswalk, & the truck turned right & turned into the cyclist.

I walk this route every day. There are many cyclists & commuters on bikes in my 'hood. Most of them ride in the street. This isn't a novelty. The garbage truck drivers? Most of them are extremely aware of their surroundings. In fact, we wave to each other every day.

As a cyclist, I would like to note that there is a bike lane on R St NW. Legally, she should have been in the bike lane (or the road). It may seem "safer" on the sidewalk, but it is actually safer for you to ride in the road. Trust me. It's safer to ride in the road. Especially in the city where there's a lot of activity on the sidewalks & on the road, it's safer in the road &/or bike lane.

The driver should have checked the sidewalks & crosswalks for oncoming traffic. As a city driver, you have to be hyper aware of the activities around you. This isn't the suburbs where you can watch for pedestrians or balls crossing the street every 10-15 minutes. It's constant vigilance that is required. He obviously missed her approach. She obviously didn't think he was going to run into her.

It was a horrible accident. I feel for her family, & I feel for the driver & his family.

***********************************

Cyclists & drivers, please keep aware of your surroundings. Never, ever assume anything.

Drivers, the cyclists aren't there to ruin your day nor are they trying to make you late. Keep patient. An opportunity to pass will come.

Cyclists, the 2000-lb steel car always wins.

For more information, please see:
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0708/534131.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070800975.html

For cyclist awareness, please do the test:
http://www.dothetest.co.uk/

A curious turn of events.

2008-07-07T15:59:00.004-04:00

Not exactly triathlon related, but bear with me...

On Sunday night, I checked my mail (finally) & found the following waiting for me: one copy of Tri-DC, one copy of Runner's World, & one copy of Outside, 2 postcards reminding me of my annual summer trips to doctors' offices.

Outside's cover was touting that this was their "2008 Where to Live Now" issue. Throwing my invisible dice in the air, I played the gambling game. You know the one.

As I climbed my stairs with my Cannondale, my mail (which slipped a few times), & my gear, I threw my weight behind my gamble. If it says what I think it'll say, I'll work harder for the move option. After all, it's Outside - how could it not list this extremely Outside town? Hell, how could it not list the entire state?

This wasn't as flippant as you are thinking. You see - I made a deal with myself in December/January. 2008 would be my last year in DC if I couldn't make it work. It's not easy living here. Everyone is extremely busy/preoccupied, it's expensive, & it's hard to date/make a good connection.

But you know me. I don't just give up. Giving up is for sissies. Plus, I could move & have the same damn issues in two years. It is classic mea culpa. Things don't change on their own. You have to institute change. You can't expect to become a better athlete by sitting on your heinie & wishing that it would happen. You have to get up & work on it. You can't move & expect it to solve all of your problems.

I got off my duff, & I started finding reason to love Washington, DC. If I was going to leave, I need to know exactly what the hell I was leaving behind. No grass is greener mentality without looking at both the positives & the negatives.

Since the decision & my corresponding personal call-to-arms, I've been much more invested here, & I am nearly falling in love with my city. I still get a mite downtrodden by city life, dating, Dupont parking nonsense, & a little homesick for my family. I do love it here, though. Seriously.

So, why did I throw my choice to glossy pages stuck together with crappy glue if I like it so much? Because I am a little bit crazy - but you knew that (*cough*triathlon*cough*). Also, I figured that this was the last effort in the "leave option". DC is quickly becoming my home - my very expensive, very odd, & sometimes very frustrating home. Plus, I was pining for my family when I opened my mailbox. & then I had to climb my goddamn 3 flights of stairs with my bike, gear, & mail. Ugh.

Go figure - I felt like moving.

After I placed my Cannondale back in its spot & I petted the cats, I sat down for a little glance through my new fate-decider. At first, I couldn't find the damn article. Then, there it was. Places 1-10 highlighted, & alternates boxed. I nearly dropped the magazine when I read the list.

Nowhere. No. Where. Did it mention where I thought. The state wasn't even listed. You wanna know what was Number 1 on Places to Live? Washington Motherfucking DC.

Washington, DC.

Well. Now don't that beat all? If ever there was a sign...

Longest 4th of July Ever.

2008-07-05T21:15:00.003-04:00

This 4th of July, I had a great plan for my escapades. First, I'd hang with the triathletes in Arlington. When 9 o'clock came around, I would jet over to the city & hang with non-athletes. After all, triathletes don't party toooooo late. The party would be ripe for leaving shortly after sundown.

Oh, how I underestimated them.

After an all-night marathon of Tour de France & a jaunt to Bob & Edith's (first time!), everyone crashed around 5am. I was up around 7 when Al the cat decided to make friends by whapping his tail in my face.

Needless to say, I missed my run on Saturday. Napping took priority. Sunday's bike ride was difficult too - Though, I think that has more to do with my nutrition.

Speaking of which, the gluten-free & dairy-free thing? It's as tough as gluten- & dairy-free bread. I accidentally glutened myself tonight with some Meyer Lemon sorbet. Wooo... headache & belly bloat.

Otherwise, I'm doing pretty well. I've never felt better, but I definitely need more energy. I've been seeing a nutritionist for this. I hope that we figure it soon.

*******

Shameless promotion: The latest issue of Tri-DC is out on the shelves. Pick a copy up.

Did I dream it?

2008-07-01T11:48:00.003-04:00

This morning, I must have not been firmly planted on the scale. It read 149.8. When I ran to get the camera, my next two hefty climbs onto the scale read 150.4.

At that point, I yelled at my glass weighing robot. What a tease. I haven't seen the 140s since I (temporarily) moved to Washington, DC in 2004/2005, & I worked incredible amounts of overtime & ate crap for 9 months.

140s - you are so close. So close.

Once I officially & consistently break the 150 barrier, I can no longer race Athena. That means - no more placing in races.

I can live with that. Totally.

Poor, unsuspecting parents.

2008-06-27T19:12:00.005-04:00

My triathlon team chose 2 Ironman races for next year - IMUSA & IM Florida. IMUSA is in July, which would be difficult for me to accomplish next year. IM Florida is in November, & it's a 9-hour drive from my parents' house. Also, friend Meredith is racing it.

I am highly tempted to sign up. First & foremost, I have to ensure that my hip will not cause repeat problems. Secondly, I need to iron out my nutrition for on & off the training grounds. This little food allergy nonsense has to be understood. Thirdly, I have to race the Patriots Half-Ironman to ensure that I feel comfortable with completing an entirely flat course.

All that being said, I've already broken the news to the 'rents. This is how they took it:

Me: Dad, what do you think about Panama City Beach, Florida?
Dad (very suspiciously): What do you mean "what do you think about Panama City Beach, Florida"?
Me: Well, 'insert-text-about-racing-Ironman-without-mentioning-distances'.
Dad: Oh! That'd be great. We'd all go up there to see you.
Me (relieved but uncertain that he understood): You know I mean the Ironman, right?
Dad: Not the Half?
Me: No, the Full.
Dad: .............................................................................. Oh. .......................... You be careful, alright?

Now, Mom's visiting her Mom. So, I got to hit them up separately. None of this "MARY! Keri's acting crazy again!!" Divide & conquer, my friends. Divide & conquer.

Me: Hey, Mom. The team chose the 2009 Ironman races for next year. We're doing Ironman Florida in November.
Mom: Florida? Where?
Me: Panama City Beach. Near Pensacola.
Mom: Oh! That's near where your father's thing is at. In November? First week?
Me: I think so.
Mom: That's my wedding anniversary.
Me: How would you like a nice, beach vacation in Panama City Beach for your anniversary?
Mom (laughing): Maybe. Let me talk to your father about it. (& change of topic)

No idea that the term used was "Ironman". I'll win 'em over eventually.

***********************************

Also, update on the allergy status: I feel great when I'm gluten & dairy free. 39 skin pricks later & one blood draw, there are no real results. Will post when known.

Oh, ghee.

2008-06-19T08:40:00.005-04:00

I've been restricting my dairy & gluten intake as I had an inkling that I had both allergies since Lake Placid training camp. This week alone (& keep in mind that it's only Thursday), I've dropped 4-5 pounds.

My sister told me last night that the pounds just dripped off her when she eliminated the allergens from her diet. So did friend Annette. Still, I didn't expect it to be so quick - I'm not even 100% gluten-free yet!!

Also, my sister told me to give up the cereal & crackers regardless of what they're made of. Why eliminate them, you ask? Well, there was a medical study done where 3 sets of mice were given nothing to eat, cereal, & cardboard. The order of their deaths were: nothing, cereal, & cardboard. The cardboard-eating mice lasted a lot longer than the others.

My response was to eat a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios audibly while on the telephone. One day, I'll give it up 0r transfer my cereal love to granola (or something healthier). Just not while I have a box of HNC, two PB Puffins, & one Rice Krispies in the house.

Another tidbit that Kat imparted was that ghee (clarified butter) is probably okay for me to eat regardless of my allergy. & all this time, I only thought that "ghee" was good for Indian cooking, baking, & as a Scrabble word.

Welcome back, butter. :)

Put your money where your mouth is (Part 1).

2008-06-18T12:14:00.006-04:00

I had my first appointment with Rebecca Mohning today. As a first one-on-one meeting, I felt very comfortable explaining a lot of my nutritional problems. First, it's become quite apparent that I have a dairy allergy. That's a little different from a lactose allergy. I can't even drink Lactaid or eat yogurt.

Dairy, you're outta here! Goodbye, delicious Greek yogurt! Goodbye, feta cheese! Goodbye, Swiss cheese!! Goodbye, hunks of Parmesan on which to nibble!! (Butter, I want you to stay just a little bit.)

:(

If that wasn't heartwrenching enough, I had to bid adieu to all wheat & gluten products as well. I just finished my last baguette. It was nearly rock hard, but I ate every crumb. Here start the goodbyes.

Goodbye, fresh breads from the market! Goodbye, most oatmeals! Goodbye, normal soy sauce! Goodbye, pasta! *sniff* Goodbye, sandwiches!! Goodbye, most protein bars!! Goodbye, most cereals!! Goodbye, bagels!! Goodbye, croissants, muffins, delicious scones, & pastries!! Chocolate muffin with chocolate chunks, you will be reincarnated in a non-gluten form - I KNOW IT!

(If you see me looking forlorn in the baked goods section, you know why.)

OH! DAMN. Goodbye, most beers. & :( Goodbye, hefeweizen. :(

I know you'll think that I'm being melodramatic, but I really feel like I might cry now. Now, I have to figure out how to cook/bake my favorite items without any gluten. At least, I enjoy a good challenge.

On the bright side, I made a lovely gluten-free chicken salad last night. Here's the recipe:

Fruit & vegetable chicken salad
1 English cucumber (or two Kirby cucumbers)
2 avocados
a helluva lot of chicken - I used 1 breast, thigh, leg
1 mango
a bunch of fresh cilantro
(lime)
salt & pepper

I recommend chopping the chicken first to see if you have enough to satisfy all those non-meat items. Also, a squeeze of lime over it might be nice. It's the only thing I thought was lacking.

Chop & enjoy. Without baguette. *sniff*

Mooseman race report - Picture version

2008-06-15T22:47:00.009-04:00

Here is a revision of my race report - picture book style:

GO GO GO!!!

Then, I saw a big fish or rock or something. Then, I totally :

When I finished the swim, I was so happy. That's not me in the foreground. Look closer. Oh... I'm there alright waving to a few Zrs on the sidelines.

Still very excited, obviously. I have Muppet mouth!!

Pflugie takes over on the bike. He's very focused.

Pflugie still being very focused on the bike.

Pflugie hops off the bike, & I take over on the run - I'm so excited, but I'm still slow.
Still happy - About mile 3, I believe.

Mile 11 or so. This is my focused picture. I swear I was smiling 3 seconds ago.

It was hot. Unbelievably hot. I feel like this:

Oh, hey. I finished. It's return of the smile! But apparently, I left my butt behind on the course somewhere. Don't fret, though. Someone returned it to me.

The end.

Thanks for scrolling by!!!

Mooseman race report.

2008-06-12T23:49:00.004-04:00

So what happened to me at Mooseman?

1.2 mile Swim: 42:48

I had trouble sighting during this swim. I zigzagged a little, & I panicked when I saw something large & pale near the channel. I had thought it was a very large fish or something else amphibious. As I hail from Florida, seeing a large something that might live in the lake made me HUGELY uncomfortable. I pretended that it was someone swimming without a wet suit & zigzagged back into the middle of my swim wave (which made me feel more "safe"). I also tried to pick up the pace - I did not be the last niblet of swimmer in my wave - lest whatever it was felt like chomping on toes.

At the end of the swim, my neck hurt a little as I was favoring my strong side. I decided to change it up to weakside breathing. If I thought I zigzagged before, it was nothing like what I did after I changed my breathing side.

All in all, I was happy with my swim. It was the perfect distance. I felt that I could've gone faster, but I was saving myself for the run.

56-mile Bike: Pflugie did the bike leg of the HIM. He did a great job & came in at 2:59. I took a nap. :)

13.1 mile Run: 3:10:22

Snicker all you want at my time - It was "towering inferno hot" as Tim said. My average pace was 14:32, which is only 2:32 over my average run pace. That's not too shabby for over 90-degree heat & completing my first half marathon.

On the first loop, I was just happy to be out there. My heart rate rose with the temperature. Even though I felt like I wasn't pushing it after a few miles, I started walking to lower my heart rate. I had never ran longer than 10 miles, & I wasn't sure how the heat, hills, & distance would affect me. Better to play it safe on the first loop...

I met someone on the run who gave me some interesting advice regarding keeping cool. Blake said that I should drip the icy water from the sponges around my waist to keep my lower half cool. That worked like a charm - even more so than dripping water on my head or putting ice in my sports bra. Whenever I followed Blake's advice, my heart rate dropped from Zone 4 to Zone 1 - A full 30-40 beats.

Despite the heat, I really enjoyed myself on the run. I ran when I could, & I cheered at every opportunity. I kept to my nutrition strategy - double mixed HEED in my fuel belt, 3 endurolytes per hour (or as needed), & water at every water stop. (I even managed to urinate near mile 9 - good sign.) I nabbed a few orange slices & half an Oreo after I finished the first loop, but they caused my stomach to sieze. I didn't allow myself any more food on the run after that.

I kept fairly cheerful during the entire race, but nothing compared to hearing the Team Z horns being blown near the finish line by Leslie & Es. (Thanks, gals, for being out there.) I knew I was going to make it, & I was so happy to hear them. I actually yelled to an anonymous spectator, "I'm going to FINISH!!"

**********************

Mooseman was my "A" race for the year. Now that it's behind me, I have the rest of the summer to focus on my weaknesses. Perhaps in a few months, I'll decide to race the Patriots Half Ironman in its entirety. We'll see how strong I can become in the next month or two.

Pre-Mooseman endurance race.

2008-06-05T23:20:00.006-04:00

I don't know what I was smoking when I decided to visit my grandmother before Mooseman. Visiting my grandmother isn't the issue. It's the last time that I visited her that is causing the problem.

What happened, you ask?

Well, it was over 5 years ago... for a wedding... where she & everyone else do not remember my presence at.

So, I had to visit the entire family in the Boston area. & this is the Greek side of the family. Have you seen My Big, Fat Greek Wedding? Seriously. SERIOUSLY! I don't even know all of my cousins.

I'm exhausted. & everyone wants to talk politics because I live in DC (proper). When we don't talk politics, they tell me family gossip. Minus the sleeping, I've gotten about 19-hours of it.

I feel like I've gotten my quota of family news & world events. Time for another endurance event. I think I can handle the Half Ironman better than all of this food, family, & chatting.

P.S. I got one "please give her some baklava. Look at the size of her!!" Feels good.

*********

Side note:

My boss just wished me well for the race & said that he hopes I get a t-shirt.

A race t-shirt.

For a Half Ironman.

:) That's funny.

Always a triathlete, never the runner.

2008-06-01T23:02:00.004-04:00

I am not a runner. Don't get me wrong - I run the last portion of my triathlon. Yet, I would never categorize myself as a runner...

...which makes it difficult to explain that long red line of irritation on my inner thighs & the growing collection of running t-shirts.

*sigh* Okay, okay, okay. Maybe it's just time that I finally bite the bullet. The evidence speaks against me. Yes, I have a fuel belt. Yes, I get chafing. Yes, I can run for 2 hours.

Some of you can walk faster than me, but that's okay. One day, I will be faster. One day, I won't dread the run portion of the triathlon.

Until then, how about we make a deal? Let's pretend I'm a runner, & we'll see how much positive thinking will make it happen.

Being neighborly.

2008-05-30T11:59:00.003-04:00

I missed biking at Hains Point last night to watch a movie with a friend. To ensure that I wouldn't be late, I decided to complete my speed work on my cycling trainer. The only problem is that my trainer & climbing block were in the trunk of my car which was parked a block away.

I nabbed my trainer, block, & Manu's foam roller out of the trunk. Quickly, I realized that I only brought 2 arms with me that day, & I didn't have enough to carry my work bag, purse, & the items from my car.

Call me stubborn, but I was not leaving anything behind.

So, I slowly made my way through the alleyway nearer to my apartment. I stopped to chat with Carl, my neighbor who sits on his porch & watches the working folk come home from work. (This is a daily occurrence if I come home on time. I like Carl. Plus, he seems to know everyone in the neighborhood.) He felt obligated to take my trainer from me & carry it to my apartment building.

I'd like to take this moment to say: Carl has a handicapped license plate on his car & is probably 60-something years old.

Allowing Carl to carry my trainer to my apartment was difficult for me, but he insisted. Then, he told me matter-of-factly that I was not to take it from him until I put everything else in my apartment. After all, I did not have enough arms for it all. I followed his advice, & he bid me a good night & walked back to his porch.

He's such a lovely man.

I hope his arms don't hurt today. That trainer is HEAVY!

Mistake Whiteface Mountain

2008-05-26T23:49:00.009-04:00

Because it didn't seem to fit with the last blog post, I decided to make the Whiteface Mountain story into its own post.

What, praytell, happened that caused me to climb Whiteface Mountain?

Well, as I said in the previous post, I had changed my nutrition strategy & was hurting a little bit because of that. Basically, I didn't have enough calories during the bike thus far. I probably also needed more electrolytes as well.

So, I wasn't feeling well when I pulled into our Mobil station rest stop. I talked with Ed about being sagged because my hip was hurting. He stated that I should drop the out & back to continue on the main drag until my hip decided it was time to call it quits. I agreed with this plan, & I started again without my riding buddies. (They were doing the out & back.)

I pushed forward to the stop sign where I was supposed to turn left. There was traffic. I got a little distracted & pushed forward. Onward, I pushed up Whiteface Mountain. When the incline started to make me feel uncomfortable, I cross-checked the cue sheet & made my 2nd mistake - I misread the cue sheet. Instead of 0.4 miles, I misread the Left turn to be in 6.6 miles. I trudged onwards.

A few times after that initial cue sheet check, I read the description of the section of the course. It reads: "HWY 86, after climb into Wilminton, next 2 miles are flat." Damn, this climb into Wilminton is pretty killer.

At one point, I looked right & saw a butterfly flying at the same speed as I was going. I laughed as I wheezed up the mountain. At some point, I thought to myself the following:

"Okay, the 2 miles of flat have got to be right ahead."
"Okay, just after this curve, the flat is coming up."
"Jeez, I'm so impressed that the Ironman people can do this twice. This is HARD!"
"I think I wouldn't be able to handle Ironman if they all include this much of an incline. Seriously."
"Where the hell is the flat?"
"Ed thinks I can do this?"
"This is really fucking hard."
"Fuck. I'm tired. Fuck. I'm hurting."
"How am I supposed to finish this?"
"No more negativity!"
"I can do this. I know I can do this!"

My heart rate was way high, & I was feeling too hot. I decided to dismount & start walking up the "hill". I trudged upwards.

At this point, I looked back downhill... err... downmountain. I didn't see anyone. File this one under Clue #1. I looked uphill (upmountain) & didn't see anyone. File this under Clue #2. I watched cars pass me & saw some woman's face look shocked at seeing me there. Clue #3.

Hrm.... Something's wrong here.

Some time during the ascent, I thought to myself, "This reminds me of Bogus Basin - that mountain climb I did in Boise with my brother-in-law." Now that I was off the bike, I remembered that & had enough red blood cells in my head to do the obvious.

I looked up. Then, I looked slowly to the right - where the mountain was supposed to be.

No Mountain. I tried peering over & around the treeline. No Mountain. I looked down where I climbed up from.

This looks like.... Shit. I'm on the Mountain. I made a wrong turn. Fudge. Double Fudge.

So, I crossed the street as quickly as possible, saddled up, & breezed down the mountain. I saw a sign part of the way down that notified trucks that it would be steep for the next mile. Great. I climbed about 1.5 miles of a Mountain next to the Ironman course.

None of the remaining hills seemed so hard after that. The 11-mile ascent that included Little Cherry, Big Cherry, Mama Bear, & Baby Bear were almost a breeze. Papa Bear hit me because I was out of fluids, but that's in another story.

I texted Ed after the ride & said, "Thought the IM course was too easy. So I threw in 1.5 miles of Whiteface."

Lake Placid Ironman training camp.

2008-05-26T22:45:00.006-04:00

First, let me just say: Ironman training camp was an excellent way for me to get more comfortable with the idea of completing an Ironman. The course was difficult, the town was adorable, & the scenery was gorgeous.

Second, how the hell did people in my house manage to rally every night? Seriously, these Ironman people can drink, run, drink, bike, drink, drink, drink.

Third, you should see my farmer's tan. It's not so much as being sunkissed as being sunmadeoutwith or sunslobberedallovermyvisibleparts. I am currently wearing one (ONE!) red thigh-high, two red arm warmers (one has a cutout for my watch), two red gloves, & two pinker cheeks. How can my hands be sunburnt? I don't know.

So, on to the Training Camp.

My Saturday run was a little over two hours, which I believe was a 9-mile run. I didn't exactly keep to my 12-minute mile pace as I had to walk the hills. I still have a lot to work in relation to running. More distance, more speed, more hills. Yes, yes, yes. Thankfully, I just want to finish the Mooseman half-marathon portion of the Half Ironman.

My Sunday ride was really brutal. It wasn't the actual bike ride that killed me. I thought the bike ride would've been fine for me if I A) wore sunscreen or a light jacket, B) had more than 2 water bottles with me, C) didn't change my nutrition strategy, D) brought something along to eat, & E) didn't miss a turn & head up Whiteface Mountain all gung-ho for 1.5 miles. Prior to climbing part of Whiteface, Jill saved my ass by handing me another bottle of water at the rest stop. I still needed more, but it was enough to get me to mile 40.2, the turn for Northwood Road.

WHICH! Let me just say - Northwood Road? I was DYING while looking for Northwood Road. I actually yelled out, "Where the FUCK is Northwood Road?" when an anonymous cyclist passed me & asked if I was okay. He sorta shocked me. So, I mumbled that I was fine (which I really wasn't) instead of asking where the fuck Northwood Road was. I had one more swig of fluid left, but I was so close to finishing. It had to be super close. I hadn't seen anyone since I made the mistake of turning up Mt. Whiteface, & I just wanted to ride into town as quickly & safely as possible.

The next cyclist that passed me? I asked him if he knew where Northwood was, & he chatted me up a little & slowed down a bit to make an obvious turn onto Northwood. Plus, he was super positive, which lifted my spirits. Thank heavens.

In addition to the training, the time with the team was great. I had a lot of fun. I even have pictures to prove it.

This week's agenda is to hit the bike shop & get a rear water cage for extra bottles. I'm not making that mistake again. My bike will now become a 4-bottle holder. We're moving up in the world!!

****************

Also, my cats greeted me at the door after a long weekend away & were really happy. Then, one tried to shit in my gym bag. Welcome home, indeed. I missed you too, buddy.

Only 2 years ago.

2008-05-19T08:26:00.004-04:00

2 years doesn't seem like a long time ago. Two years ago, I couldn't run 3 miles. Two years ago, I struggled to do 30 miles on bike. Two years ago, I thought I was disappointing if I didn't race during the entire race.

A month ago, I was literally crying that I couldn't compete in the full half Ironman & needed consolation. What a difference a few years make.

Now, I'm scheduled to do a 1.2 mile swim, take a short rest, & then complete a half marathon. & I'm not even blinking an eye. Sure, it'll be a test of my endurance, but I'm not very worried. I know I can complete it, & I know how to complete it.

Only 3 weeks until Mooseman!!

Away from Tri Team: Master Baker Edition.

2008-05-17T12:02:00.007-04:00

Thursday, my friend Clara notified me of a little dilemma of hers. The husband of the baker for her friend's baby shower had accidentally burned their kitchen down. Therefore, Clara needed someone to bake the baby shower cake. We chatted for a bit, & I decided to go ahead & try. It would be my first paid baking gig.

I thought of making a tier cake - after all, those are "like" classical cakes only on top of each other. Easy peasy. The only drawback was that there would be only 6 ladies in attendance at this baby shower. Hrmmm... a tier cake is a little overboard.

Clara & I chatted some more, & we decided that creative was what they wanted. So, I perused the internet for ideas & found a little onesie cake. It didn't seem too complicated - a little carving, a little manipulation, & a whole lot of decorating. All of these I didn't think were that difficult, but in which I have very little experience.

(Have you thought to yourself "uh-oh" yet? You should've.)

Thursday, I had to work late & spend some time with Bryan & Mark (his coworker) who were visiting from out of town. Friday, I picked Bryan up from the Dulles Alamo car rental. After sitting in traffic for 1.5 hours on the way out, we hit the grocery store, the Italian Store, & Starbucks for all necessary ingredients. Then, we returned back to Dupont to find parking near my apartment.

Time passes.

I get into my apartment around 930p & start assembling The Most Delicious Chocolate Cake that I've Ever Made™. I realize that we have forgotten wax paper, & we head to the nearby Safeway Townhouse (i.e. The Most Outrageously Priced Food Market in the City Next to Dupont Market™), which has just closed at 10p. We hustle to the Rite-Aid where we obtain the goods.

The cake is then assembled & poured into the now properly prepared pan. Oven 350, then down to 300. During this downtime, I make rice krispy blocks & a ducky for detail. Also, I make a rice krispy pie for the Columbia triathlon. Cake comes out, & both Bryan & I are beat. We decide to rise early & finish the cake.

I make the top of the cake flat & create the onesie through my handy knife skills. Then, I fixed what I thought my handy knife skills were doing fabulous (but not so much). I start frosting the cake which turned into a light purple & not a bright blue as suspected. It doesn't want to become smooth. So, I chill the cake with the crumb coat on it. After breakfast, I frost again & try to smooth it out.

Officially, I hate this cake now.

Bryan leaves to meet Josh & Toby. I smooth, smooth, smooth out the frosting. I decide to give up & start decorating. I pipe bright blue details over the onesie to give details.

Officially, I hate this cake. again & more so.

I decide to not put stripes on the onesie as I hate piping. Officially. I write the word "GIRL?" on the onesie. I use my little candied stars & make details. It looks better.

Officially, I hate this cake. Only less now.

I give up on the onesie & start eying the rice krispy blocks. I cut them to make them more blockish & start on the details. Eventually, I give up & throw some stars on them & call it done. The ducky, however, I love.

Repeat: Love the duck.

I call Clara & say that I'm done. She arranges to have her husband pick up the cake (HURRAY!). I'm relieved that I don't have to do anything more with this damn cake.

Here's what the damn cake looks like.

& the whole shindig. With ducky. Love the duck.

Now that that's done, I can finally go for my long run for today. *phew*!

The first ride. All over again...

2008-05-04T20:50:00.005-04:00

I took my Cannondale out for a 35-mile spin today. The fit was great - I have yet to gain the "killer ab" strength that Jason says I need in order to support my body properly when in the correct position. So, I had a little upper body stress/pain. Also, I wasn't rotating my hips properly - Therefore, I couldn't feel my sit bones on the seat as much. & my hoohah hurt because of the improper hip rotation.

Seriously, I need to work on that.

Otherwise, the ride was great. My hip didn't hurt, & my leg alignment was good. Considering that this was a hilly ride, I think I'm nearly healed!

Manu & I had a good time. When I saw her at swim tonight, we laughed because we're sporting the same damn farmer's tan. Hello, shirt sleeves!

I don't even know you anymore.

2008-05-02T18:31:00.003-04:00

I left work early today & had a real bike fit. What didn't survive was my stem, my saddle, my pedals, my shoes, my handlebar's angle, my seat height, & my stamina.

She's lighter, she looks faster, & she promises to be faster.

Look. Look at my newly reincarnated bike.

Lake Anna Sprint

2008-04-23T22:10:00.007-04:00

I completed the Lake Anna Sprint on Sunday. My time wasn't specatular, but a good time wasn't my goal. Keeping my heart rate in Zone 2 was my goal. This was my training race for the Mooseman Half Ironman, & I wanted to practice everything as I would in a Half Ironman.

Overall, I added about 10 minutes on my time. However, I did walk a significant portion of my 5k due to a sharp pain in my foot (left over from the Cherry Blossom 10-miler). Since I've had hip issues over the last 6-8 months, I thought the hip might have something to do with it. While jogging lightly, I placed my hands on my hips to assess. One hip was dropped - go figure. I realigned myself, & the foot pain went away.

About the hip pain:
Kerri has been amazing on fixing my hip. I have considerably less pain & am much stronger than I was 3 weeks ago. We'll assess me on my bike on Friday again & make some minor modifications that should help.

That's all the good news. There is a little bit of bad news, though, regarding the Mooseman Half.

I'm concerned about pushing myself for the Mooseman Half. If I had a perfect race, I will finish the Mooseman Half in about 7 hours & 15 minutes (excluding transition time, bathroom breaks, fitness breakdowns, etc.). That's 45 minutes short of the cut-off time. To me, that's a little too close for comfort - especially for a hilly course & just coming off an injury.

I've requested to change to a relay option where someone else would complete the bike portion of the race. I preferred this option to downgrading myself to the Olympic distance. I will still push myself to complete the half marathon & the 1.2 mile swim, & I think this is an acceptable alternative.

We'll see what the race director says. If he says yes, I'm making him something tasty as a thank you - no doubt about it.

I may decide to race the Patriots Half in September, but we'll see how things progress. It's the week before the Nation's Tri, which I already have an obligation to race.

***********

Total side note: I love city dogs. They know that they can get the attention of anyone on the street & use it to get extra pettings. It's always great to take an evening stroll in the neighborhood & give some canine lovin'. I love city life.

Macaroni & cheese.

2008-04-20T23:19:00.004-04:00

On Friday, I made a killer macaroni & cheese. Here are the details:

2 lbs. macaroni
4 blocks of various cheeses - shredded to fill 4 sandwich bags. (maybe 1.5-2 lbs?) (i used a smoked gruyere, a gruyere, an irish cheddar, & a "filler" of Cabot 50% fat cheddar.)
4 tbs. butter
4 tbs. flour
2 shallots, minced (onion would do too, but shallots are less harsh)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tbs. stout beer
6 slices of bacon, cooked & broken into pieces
3 cups of milk
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
fresh parsley or cilantro or other herbs if you're feeling fiesty

Cook & drain pasta. (Personally, I like it pre-al dente for any baked pastas. It's less mushy that way.) Place pasta in baking dish.

In a saucepan, heat butter. Add flour after butter is melted. (Note: should be equal parts flour to fat in a roux.) Stir continuously until flour & butter are combined & flour is cooked. 2 minutes, maybe?

Add minced shallots & garlic.

Okay - & I'm not so sure, but I may have screwed up with adding the shallots & garlic in at this time. Officially, I might've had to add the shallots & garlic to butter before making the roux, but hey... that's why cooking is an art. It's forgiving.

Cook shallots & garlic in roux until aromas are delicious. (Or until the shallots are partly translucent & garlic is, well, not burnt.)

Add milk. Stir. Add cheeses. Stir until combined & cheeses are melted. Cook for another 2 minutes or so. Add cooked bacon pieces. Add beer. Taste. Add more beer or seasonings (e.g. pepper, cayenne, etc if you want/need. I didn't add any except maybe 1/4 tsp black pepper).

Pour over the waiting pasta. Top with breadcrumbs. Let it hit a 350 oven until bubbling. 15 minutes, maybe? Top with garnishing herbs (parsley/cilantro/etc.).

Then, yum.

Beijing 2008.

2008-04-09T22:52:00.004-04:00

I received a letter in the mail with the Olympic insignia on it.

Before I opened it, I thought to myself, "If they have my name & my correct address, then they surely are smart enough to find my racing times. Why would the Olympic committee of the USA want to contact me?"

Oh, they're watching me because they know any minute that I'm going to break out of my 13-minute mile pace & become the fastest woman on the planet.

Orrrrrr..... they want money.

Either way, I get a nice fleece with the Olympic insignia on it if I act now.

Cherry bomb!

2008-04-08T17:12:00.003-04:00

Remember? Remember at the end of last year, I was running 11:30s down to nearly 10:30s?

Those were good times.

I could easily say that I was a middle of the pack'er. Now? I'm a back of the pack'er.
How much did my speed fall while being injured (& lazy)? Check out my time for the rainy & cold Cherry Blossom 10-miler:

2 hours. 9 minutes. & 39 seconds.

That's an average of just under 13 minute miles... of very little walking... & on flat terrain.

Although I think the time is absurdly slow, I'm still proud of myself. I completed my first 10 miles at the Cherry Blossom 10-miler.

I should note that my time would be much more slow if I hadn't been running with Frank from my team. I think I would've walked a little more to keep my heart rate down.

At the end of the race, we sprinted to the finish line. I egged him on, & we both tried to beat each other to the finish line. It was exhilirating!! My heart rate went to 207 - I was seriously pushing it!

So, all in all - It was a good race. I definitely milked my time out on the course. :)

Blatant self-promotion

2008-04-01T16:29:00.003-04:00

So, on an early Sunday morning, you're thinking to yourself, "I could just sleep in! I've got nothing better to do."

But, NO! I say. There is something better for you to do.

What's that?

Well, come on out & spectate the Cherry Blossom 10-miler! It'll be a rip-roaring exciting way to start any Sunday well before 8am. (The race officially starts at 750am for the fast guys.) The cherry blossoms, no traffic allowed on the roads, & 17,000 of your favorite pre-stinky runners - nice!

Still not convinced?? Well, let me tempt you further... yours truly will be running in this - my very first 10-mile run. I'll be in the PURPLE corral, which is for the *ahem* "turtle" runners.
Since the race director is adamantly adhering to the cut-off time, yours truly will also be jumping over barricades & teasing the Sweeper bus all the while.

Purple? Sweeper buses? Barricades? Watching people run for 2 hours (or MORE)?!! Oh, the SUSPENSE of it all!! Consider it better than coffee!

See you there!

Sleeping Beau-- HOLY COW! Look at those bags under your eyes!

2008-03-18T10:49:00.003-04:00

If I hadn't already spoken with my neighbor about it, I would again. His television. His television is too loud. That's irritating when I am in my living room & trying to drown out the sound of his lifestyle. When he's watching in the bedroom at 2am? That's infuriating.

Two nights ago, I got very little sleep. Last night, I wore earplugs (until they were too annoying) & eventually drowned out the sound with my a/c unit.

Today, I am exhausted & trying to pretend that the combination of lack of sleep, the stress of my job, the triathlon training, the cleaning of my house, & the impending parental visit is not making me feel ill.

Repeat: I am not getting sick from this shit.

Regarding the neighbor: If this continues for a few more days, I'm going to talk with him about it. My last neighbors were super quiet & respectful.

Regarding the slowness with which I am moving today: I'm feeling better as the day wears on, which is making me happy. I'm going to bike today on the trail during lunch, but I'm going to skip out on swim tonight. If I don't pep up, I'm going to skip more workouts than one.

I didn't miss a single workout two weeks ago, & I postponed one swim until Sunday last week. The implication of missing workouts is impetus enough to get back to 100%. I don't want to break my stride.

12 weeks to Mooseman 1/2 IronMan.

Recovery week approaches.

2008-03-09T13:41:00.005-04:00

This week, I completed all workouts. Let's recap:

Sunday: Long bike ride
Monday & Wednesday: hour of running; almost an hour of cardio
Tuesday & Thursday: hour of swimming; hour of biking
Saturday: Long run

Plus, I worked 54.5 hours from Sunday to Sunday.

I am tired, & I slept in today. Screw you, Spring forward!! I took an extra hour (or two) of resting. I needed it.

Thankfully, next week is recovery week - no strength & shorter workouts. Hurray for more rest time!

**********

In other news, Manu confessed to me that she was my Secret Pal last year. She (the vixen!) had previously told me that she never found out who she was assigned to. It was true for a time, but she eventually did.

I never mentioned SP stuff to her because I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable as she had wanted to be in the program but missed the deadline. She was always a little (I thought) melancholy when I mentioned the program. So, I avoided the discussion.

She was an *amazing* secret pal. & she's my good friend now too. How incredible & how much fun we've had this year together.

Post-workout pasta dish

2008-03-03T19:44:00.005-05:00

When I finished my run tonight, I was craving pasta. PASTA PASTA PASTA. I don't eat a lot of Italian food - maybe once or twice a month. So, this craving is a pretty rare thing, but I needed some pasta with protein.

What protein could I add? In the fridge, I have:
1. Whole, raw chicken.
2. Whole, raw Cornish game hen
3. Nuts

Nuts! There's nothing I can add to my pasta.

Oh! - I have canned fish in the pantry. Sardines, kipper, & anchovies. So, I concocted a really great pasta recipe that I wanted to share here. It's based partially on a Food Network Sicilian-Style Sardine Pasta. But trust me - Mine is better. :)

Sardine Pasta
1 lb pasta, cooked
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cups flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Coarse salt and coarse black pepper
2 tins sardines, 4 ounces each, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons lemon juice (good quality)
4 tablespoons sundried tomatoes in oil

To a large skillet preheated over medium heat, add olive oil and chopped garlic. When the garlic sizzles, add bread crumbs. Stir bread crumbs until deeply golden in color. Add parsley and a liberal amount of salt and pepper, about 1 teaspoon of each. (RR recommended putting breadcrumb mixture aside.)

Add sardines and red pepper flakes to the pan and saute over medium heat 2 or 3 minutes. Add sundried tomatoes & lemon juice. Taste & adjust flavorings. Top pasta with sardine mixture. (Supposed to feed 4 people, but I used about half of this recipe & had leftovers for a smallish lunch.)

So good.

What a small cue sheet you have!

2008-03-02T19:50:00.003-05:00

I nabbed the 17-miler cue sheet for the ride this morning. It was teeny-tiny - 3 inches! Really wanted to do the scheduled 40-50 miles today, but I didn't want to push my PT-allotment. Plus, I got a chance to talk to the newbies, which is always fun.

Since there weren't too many of us doing the 17-mile course, Coach asked me & the other 17-milers to upgrade to the 20-mile trek. Heck, what's 3 more miles without any more big hills?

On the first hill, I felt my glutes activating. On the last hill? I felt my quads - not so good. Overall, the cycling treated me pretty well. I stretched amply afterwards, & I plan on foam rolling tonight.

(Ohhh... foam roller, I love you.)

**********

In other news, Mom & my little bro are coming for a visit in a few weeks. The training schedule says that I'm doing 60 miles that weekend. I told her that I might need to leave her & Steve to their own devices on Sunday, which they were both cool with. Mom says that my training comes first. (HURRAY!)

**********

To cover the caloric cost of training, I borrowed Mastering the Art of French Cooking from the library. So far? Two souffles (one savory & one sweet), some carrots, & a sauce mornay on salmon. Everything has been really good so far & surprisingly much more light than expected.

It'll be fun to see what my weigh-in for the weight loss challenge is this week.

Swimming finally.

2008-02-28T09:14:00.007-05:00

It's 930am, & I've been up for 5 hours already. Let me show you my lion pose: *big-yawn*

Getting up at 430am for swimming? It's tough on a gal who sleeps until 730am every day. (Doesn't that seem like sleeping in now?!)

I would have opted to go to the **new** evening swim today, but someone owed me a cheque for the Mooseman house rental. & I get paid only on the last Friday of the month. Since I haven't gotten paid in 4 weeks & fronted the Mooseman house rental at the beginning of the month, I needed the cheque.

So, I got my lazy butt out of bed & swam this morning.

In the 4 months of my break, I dropped two lanes down. I'm not terribly upset about it. The "elite" swimmers had taken over my lane, & I was having trouble hanging with them. When I dropped down a lane, Coach talked with me about my level of exertion. We decided that I should drop another lane.

After I settled into my new lane, I had a great swim. I had trouble doing my Zone 4 & Zone 5a swims at the end, but I think I'll bounce back quickly.

I've officially started all 3 sports now - & I've added strength training daily to the mix.

.
.
.
It may be time to increase the food budget by 200$.

False start.

2008-02-26T11:17:00.004-05:00

Last night, I vowed that I would attend swim practice this morning at 530am. Into a gym bag went my work clothes, my shower items, my plethora of swim caps, my goggles, & all other various important items. I shaved & checked my swimsuit for liner degradation.

Then, I proceeded to not fall asleep until post-1230am. At 420am, I awoke prior to my alarm sounding. I took it as a good sign & didn't grumble. I launched out of bed, went to the bathroom, & then the too-tired headache came.

Hrmmm... I decided to sleep until 445am when the alarm would officially raise me from my slumber. Post-445am, I still couldn't manage it. I was dragging too much. Going to swim practice on less than 4 hours of sleep is a recipe for falling asleep at my desk at 11am.

If I wasn't under pressure on my present project, I would chance it. However, I can't right now. So, I skipped swim practice even though I shouldn't/didn't want to.

There is light at the end of the tunnel/week - The team now has two evening swims near my apartment, & there is one more morning swim on Thursday. I have 3 more chances to complete my required 2 swim workouts.

I can't let myself slip on the training that PT doesn't impact. I have to swim at least twice this week.

Light the fire.

2008-02-23T11:18:00.004-05:00

Given that I am now on Track 2 of the 70.3 program, I decided to test my physical therapy allotted exercises. My rationalization was this: If I always play it safe, how will I know what my new limits are? I don't want to injure myself again, but I need to test the boundaries gently.

With my PT schedule, I had cycled up to 30 minutes on the trainer without issue. Would I be able to complete an hour of cycling on the trainer with little/no resistance?

With my PT schedule, I had ran/walked up to 30 minutes without issue. Would I be able to jog 3 miles?

I decided to test the bike first. It was already cluttering my living room & causing the "broken window" effect. Mail, my backpack, boxes, etc. are strew about everywhere. If I do the bike first, I can clean up the living room afterwards. Good idea.

During my hour of cycling, I periodically checked myself for any flare-ups. I didn't experience any old pains (quad, back, knee). I thought to myself, "If I'm not having any pain, I should try to complete the bare minimum mileage for this week's recovery workout."

20 miles? No problem. I followed the bike with some stretching. Due to the glute strength training, I could definitely feel my glutes working on the bike. Everything seems to be working right.

Today, I'll be testing the 3 mile run. I'm overcompensating my injury by turning my right foot inwards & angling my body awkwardly. If I keep body-aware, I should be able to correct myself.

So far, this is good.

************
Addendum:
Bumpy & leaning sidewalks made it difficult for me to correct myself during my ~3 mile jog. Therefore, I can feel the irritation in my quad & hip again.

Damn.

More stretching. More icing. I'll work through this. It's not as bad as it could be.

Before you know it, you're back in the game.

2008-02-22T11:18:00.003-05:00

Coach sent out an email yesterday in which he stated that he's upgrading us to the next track of our programs. Since I was injured & not training, I thought, "Hell, I'll just stick with Track 1 of the 70.3 program. It's easier, & I can slowly get back to training still."

I decided to check it with Coach - just in case. His answer? Basically, his answer was that I can't stick with Track 1 & expect to complete Mooseman.

Also, I'm officially back in training because I can't wait any longer. I will definitely be taking my Physical Therapist's advice by jogging slowly & cycling inside, but I will be doing my swim workouts & my non-PT strength training.

Damn. & I thought I could swing another week or two of laziness.

Mooseman maps & elevation

2008-02-09T22:13:00.002-05:00

Procrastinating my work (yes, I'm working Saturday night - *grumble*), I meandered over to the Mooseman Half-IronMan site to see what's new. What's new is that they've added course maps with elevation.

Initially, I looked at the biking portion & thought, "This ain't so bad. Just two short hill climbs at miles 10 &.... wait... There's more to this graphic. Let me scroll to the ri---OH MY GOD."

Suddenly, I'm concerned & feel the need to stick with my strength training.
& not skip any workouts.
& get back into training as soon as possible.

Oh, physical therapy - do your magic & make me stronger & less prone to injury. I'm going to need it.

Reference:
Mooseman Half-IronMan website
Triathlon course maps
Biking course elevation
Running course elevation

Physical Therapy update

2008-02-09T10:14:00.001-05:00

This week, Jen told me that I can start jogging & cycling lightly. Unclear on the concept, I asked her to clarify. She defined:

Jogging lightly - [jog-ging] jog, jog·ging [lahyt-lee]:
Running slowly for 5 minutes followed by 5 minutes of walking. Repeat until a 30-minute duration has been reached. Stretch afterwards.

Cycling lightly - [sahy-kling] cycle, cycled [lahyt-lee]:
A strictly inside bicycling event where a Cannondale Synapse is placed on a Blackburn fluid trainer that has very little resistance set. There are no opportunities for hill climbing or any enticement for increasing speed/distance.

Taking Jen's advice yesterday, I exercised my freedom to exercise in 5-5 minute increments. ;) It was great! The run cemented in my mind that I want to complete all long/tedious distances in the Galloway method. Thirty minutes is not a long run, but taking walk breaks was hugely enjoyable.

(For those of you who don't know, the Galloway method is a run/walk way of completing longer distances of running. The ratio of running to walking is dependent upon the overall length of the run & the experience of the runner. The Galloway method is named for Olympian Jeff Galloway who created the method.)

Considering that I hate running, this might be a way to ensure that I can make it through the run portion of my half-IronMan.

You've Got Great Game.

2008-02-04T00:34:00.002-05:00

While I was a little disappointed in the Patriots loss at the SuperBowl, I thought the game was great. We were all on the edge of our seats until the end. During the game, I noticed something - or rather someone - amazing.

Wes Welker.

It's not how easy on the eyes he is, how muscular he is, or how tight his end is. It wasn't even how short he is compared to the other players.

No. No. No.

It was how fast he was. How he changed his positioning, his direction, his pace so quickly. He was incredible on the field. Almost always open. Always ready. Faking out the opponent. His would-be tacklers fumbling over themselves attempting to catch him after he changed direction on them.

Amazing.

He obviously trains & trains well. Most importantly, he clearly does his strength training as well as his speed work. He's strong, & he's faster because he's strong.

Wes Welker, you've inspired me to be more of a bad-ass. You've inspired me to consistently do my strength training.

& that is quite a feat.

If you can't beat 'em...

2008-01-29T22:04:00.001-05:00

My physical therapist estimated that I will be healed enough to continue my training in approximately 2 weeks. Until that time, I will be SAGing for my team. (SAG stands for Support And Gear.) It's not as fun as training, but it is needed & a good way to stay with the team while injured.

Two more weeks!!

Wait. Isn't that the wrong word?

2008-01-23T20:10:00.001-05:00

Today, I had my first consultation with a physical therapist. After being poked, rubbed, stretched, & prodded, the PT gal thought that my ITBS must be considerably less irritated than how I described it. After all, I had no pain or irritation when she hit the "magic pain button" that indicates the patient has ITBS. She left to get a few exercises for me to complete. Then, she decided to test one more thing. I laid on my back. She pushed my leg down while I hung off the table.

Bulls-eye. Pain, tightness. Spanning where I had indicated that I was in pain.

I don't have IT Band Syndrome. No, no, no. I have irritated my rectus femoris.

The rectus femoris spans from the hip to the knee & aids in hip flexion, which is crucial to cycling. Just before I injured myself, I was focusing on my cycling technique. Add a few thousand repetitions of "pull up on the pedals, don't push down" without having strong "big" muscles & *BAM* pain.

The PT gal gave me a list of 4 stretches & 3 strengthening exercises to complete over the next few weeks. One of the more interesting stretches involves me lying on a table & someone helping me. Of all 4 stretches, that one works the best.

After two weeks of PT, I'm going to do a bike fit at their office. Hopefully, I won't have any more issues after stretching, strengthening, & the bike fitting. I am not allowed to run or bike yet, but soon.... oh, soon.

Hip-Hip-ouch-HOORAY!

2008-01-15T21:37:00.000-05:00

After seeing a primary care physician (who was an absolute waste of time & money) & an orthopaedic doctor (who was amazing), I finally know what the hell is wrong with my leg.

I actually made the orthopaedic doctor say "wow" when he watched me balance on one leg. When Dr. Sumida had me get into certain positions, my hip hurt to the extreme.

*drum-roll* Go figure - It's my hip.

Actually, that's not entirely true. I have IT band syndrome coupled with a very, very, very weak hip. I've recently learned that having weak hips can cause IT band syndrome. Slacking on my strength training now seems like such a foolish idea. It may not have prevented my injury completely, but it may have lessened its chokehold on my tri training.

Now, I have two prescribed stretches from the doctor & a prescription for 3 months of physical therapy. I was also informed that I could continue with my training during PT.

I'm back. Hurray!!

Off-season: Ouch edition.

2007-12-07T13:00:00.000-05:00

That nagging irritation near my knee has become a full-fledged pain that extends from my foot to my hip. Sadly, this means that the only thing that's running lately are my pantyhose.

I've quit the tri team for time being. I can't attend any of the practices except for Happy Hour. Beyond my RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation), I've been taking Hammer Nutrition's Tissue Rejuvenator. It's working wonders. On Monday, I was walking with pain. On Friday, I can barely feel the irritation. I had heard very good things, but this is absolutely incredible. I hope to be back in the game slowly in January & full-fledged in February.

We'll see.

With all this new free time, I've been exploring culinary delights in cookie form. Be warned - If I know where you live, you shall be inundated with cookies soon. Lock your doors if you're trying to lose weight.

Off-season: Foothill run & Switchback mountain edition

2007-11-18T16:12:00.000-05:00

For my Thanksgiving holiday, I meandered over to Boise to visit my sister & her family. Since arriving two days ago, I have ran up the Rocky Mountain foothills & cycled up an actual mountain.

Yesterday, my 5.4 mile run averaged 13 minute miles. Without the serious incline of the foothills, I averaged 10.5 minute miles. Those foothills? They easily kicked up my heartrate to my zone 5a & decelerated me to at least 16 minute miles.

Today, I biked 20-something miles on a rented road bike. Up. A. Mountain. 2600 feet in less than 11 miles. Check the elevation map.

The ascent took us 1.25 hours - mostly due to my novice mountain climbing. We descended the switchback mountain path in 21 minutes, & I only pedaled about 10 minutes of this.

I took pictures. Click for larger. :)

Photo op! 4000 ft elevation

Where I decided I had enough - just after 4000 ft elevation stop. FYI: Don't stop while on miles of incline. Your legs won't want to continue.

The view from the top.

After the bike ride, we returned home, picked up my sister & the kids, & biked (yet again) for 7 miles to get pizza & beer. Heaven.

If you want to know more stats about the switchback mountain trek, please click here.

Missing in action.

2007-10-27T22:36:00.000-04:00

I've been missing all of my triathlete practices lately.

Initially, I took a week off for the strange pain I was having above my knee, which coincided with my first houseguest's visit. Now, I have another houseguest. Next weekend? Another who hasn't visited in 3 years - Mom!

Soon after that, I'm heading out for an overdue vacation. (Hell, yeah!)

The plan is to start training tomorrow. I'm biking for fun while spectating the Marine Corps Marathon. That's a good start, I think.

Tri-DC, article two.

2007-10-25T00:30:00.000-04:00

After what feels like a million days of writing, I finally finished the post-race slump article for Tri-DC. It's hard to make a "depression" article into something entertaining & peppy.

Trust me - You don't want to be forced to read the first draft. It was as humorless as a college biology essay. The fact that my family critiqued that one for me proves that they love me. Seriously.

All griping aside, I love writing for Tri-DC.

Off-season: Candy apple edition

2007-10-11T23:24:00.000-04:00

Over the last two days of off-season, I attempted to make miniature dipped apples. Caramel? Yes. Red candied? Yes. Chocolate? Er... we'll get to that in a minute.

So, it started off well enough. I purchased some new supplies: a cheap candy thermometer, some red food paste, craft sticks, & nonpareils for kicks.

Step 1: Scoop out bon-bon shapes from apples using melon-baller.
Check!

Step 2: Combine caramel ingredients in saucepot.
Check!

Step 3: Boil ingredients until candy thermometer reads 250 degrees.
Check!

Step 4: Watch for health code violaters #1 & #2 as yo u've been paying too much attention to the stove.

Step 4: Poke sticks into apples, dip, & drip. This is easy peasy. Why doesn't everyone do this?

Step 5: Notice that the caramel is dripping off the apples. Also, notice that the caramel in the pot has begun to solidify.

Step 6: Reheat caramel. Dip & drip.

Step 7: Burn caramel. Frantically dart around apartment, open all windows, turn on fans to blow smoke away from touchy smoke alarm.

Step 8: Crisis averted. Eat caramel apples in relief.

Step 9: Save some caramel apples for team shindig.

Step 10: Follow steps 1-4 using ingredients for candied apples.

Step 11: Do step 7 & 8 & 9 again with red candy. (I'm not this bad normally, I swear it. My excuse is that I've never worked with sugar & a candy thermometer before.)

Step 12: Notice that the candy apples are now dripping their candy on the baking sheet. Sheeeet.

Step 13: Notice that the caramel apples have vetoed their little coats of caramel. Perhaps it is too warm in the kitchen for coats? I chill the rest of the apples without any future luck.

Step 14: Realize that the apples sans skin are doomed for failure. The apple flesh is too wet to allow the candy to adhere properly. Even the good ones are melting their candy away. I decide to eat what I want & throw out the rest.

Step 15: Decide to make brownies for team shindig. Follow recipe listed in Scharfenberger chocolate & call it a night.

& that, my friends, is how you make brownies & drive up the cost of apples in your area. Any questions?