Friday, March 6, 2009

Time to get the ball rolling here...

OK...it is time..

Time to get ready to start the REAL training for Buffalo Springs Lake Half Ironman Triathlon..

This year we have no coach, no plan. So I am determined (with a little help from Beginner Triathlete.com and Coach Eric) to come up with our own little training program. I got one from BT online, showed it to H yesterday. The first thing we see is the 4700 yd swim on Monday. Is this a misprint? Already we are editing the plan. The most I have swam since IMAZ is 2000 yards. It has been a nice break from chlorine, bad hair days and general feeling soaked all the time..Funny thing is I looked at last year at this time and all our training was the same (bike and run) except swimming. AND I was 10 lbs lighter then.. So either Mark Allen's low HR training really does burn more fat or swimming really does burn alot of calories. SOOoooo, Monday we are back on the horse, so to speak. I am feeling a bit of lack of motivation..hope that turns around soon.

I am taking a 10 week "Time Trial Spin Class" from who I lovingly refer to as the "Spin Nazi". This fellow has had these classes annually at least for the last 10 years and I have taken it many times, although not in years. It is a 2 hour spin class that gets progressively harder until it all culminates into an hour time trial at the last class...The teacher (SN) has a "special" way of teaching-I sort of liken it to what I think a boot camp Sergeant or really tough basketball coach would be. Alot of yelling, mostly motivating, although he has no problem coming up and changing your resistance to a harder one if he thinks you are not working (dying) enough (and yes, I paid money for this and knew what I was gettig into)...The good news is that Dread Pirate and I are in this one together at 5:30 AM every Wednesday. I just wanted to break up my routine a bit and actually I like having my workout done at 7:30 in the AM It is just so hard to do if you don't have to!

We continue to do weekend rides with our triathlon club. Tomorrow I guess the newspaper will be there to do a story on us or something? That should be interesting and who knows if they are interested in all of us or just the new folks or what..

We continue dreaming more about Australia. H's mom seems to be in a good place physically for now, which may continue indefinitely so our travels are a real possibility..

On a last note-allergy season here in the Southwest this year is OUTRAGEOUS!! My eyes have ever burned so bad in one year. The sneezing, headaches..the pollen is awful..and after spending a few days in Long Beach where allergies are nothing except if you have lung issues from the pollution, this is torture. It is suppose to be better after the first week in March..That is today so it better get better soon. I know alot of folks who are suffering these days...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

About America's Favorite Pastime..

Observations about baseball from a girl:

1. Is it just me or does it seem strange that 9 men stand in a field, just waiting for something to happen? When it does, it lasts about 10 seconds, then they stand around again..

2. It is probably wrong that I think there are no ugly major league baseball players...I am old enough to be their mother.

3. Speaking of being their mother, who dresses these guys? One guy had his back pocket hanging completely out...Isn't it like the army where they all have to look good?

4. Nine innings is WAY TOO LONG! I could get the point and enjoyment with 7 innings. I think they do this at the Little League level, don't they?

5. Why do people who drink beer get more obnoxious the more they drink and yell LOUDER at the umpire?

6. Who pays $6.00 for a beer? I have been out of the loop way too long!

7. Why did the lady next to me think it was really cute to spray water on her husband with one of those fan thingies just as I was on my Blackberry that got water on it too, then chuckled when I gave her a dirty look?






8. I love my husband's reaction to a professional baseball game. It is worth it! He looks like a little boy who is the happiest kid on the planet when he is at these things..













9. I love sports, I love a good, fast basketball or football game. But there is something so sleepy about baseball.

10. Why can't we have just ONE male child to go with H to these things? I know girls can love this stuff too but our girls are very girly. I think until we get a small male child who can have that shit-eating grin on his face with H, I will be going to the games with him..

11. To the people behind us, who talked THE WHOLE GAME, please do not sit near us at the game tomorrow. We do not care if you go to Hooters, or got up at 2:00 AM this AM or drank too much yesterday..or have a whiny teenager who wants to go home after the 2nd inning!

12. Tommy Lasorda is eating and drinking WAY too much these days!














I am trying to love baseball!! I really am!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

February totals and trip to LB..

February training totals:

Swim: 4188 yards

Bike: 215 miles:

Run: 75 miles

This includes trainer rides in the Spin Nazi's class, which should count as double miles in my book but it is in my heart anyway.

We are enjoying a few days in Long Beach visiting Lane:





This child has boundless amounts of energy and a strong personality...very hard to say "no" to her but I actually do sometimes!






She looks very much like her mom at her age. This is her mom now.
She caught the running bug from mom and Hartley and here she is training for her first half marathon (in which she will be kicking my ass):



We are staying at a house we found on VRBO.
We have found many places on this site. This house is several decades old and is called "Poet's Corner." I think a famous poet lived here but who knows? It is on a quiet old street in Long Beach with little difficulty in parking (a big plus). We were a little worried when the owner met us and showed us around. When we mentioned grand daughter and daughter staying here with us, it was met with talk of "charging us extra" & "not really a place for children" Uh-oh..With all the old nic-nacks around, I can understand that..We have really not had any trouble with Lane messing with anything. If all goes well this weekend, we will talk to said owner to see if our week long stay in May for the marathon will be any trouble. In my opinion, in this housing market in CA, I would not put up much of a fuss if I were her. We can always find somewhere else for the price I would bet. There are signs everywhere in the house on what we can use, what we cannot; which is a little offputting at first. I think at this point the positives outweigh the negatives..but will make final judgement tomorrow...

Did I mention the owner lives across the street?

We ran on the beach 10 miles yesterday. It was so beautiful-the sun, the ocean, the perfect temperature, no allergens, sea level. If only the pollution and traffic were not such an issue, I would live here in a heartbeat...oh and the cost of living..