I found the key to a good quality workout..

Well, first you make your training sandwiched in between 2 important appointments..Then you bring your bike to the bike trail, look at your watch and say, "I have 1.5 hours to do a ride. let's go!" So Hartley and I rode hard and managed to do around 26 miles in that time. It felt really good-no middle age felt today! Then we rushed to the pool to do a 2400 meter swim workout in 40 minutes. I would love to say I completed that one but I would be one hell of a swimmer if I did! I did do 1400 meters, took a very quick shower, went to a Dr.'s appt where the doctor said I looked great and younger than the last time I was there..OK-my ego needed that! So feel great today-off to Long Beach tomorrow to see the smartest 3 year old that ever lived (granddaughter Lane). We were going to drive but yesterday I was on the phone with Lane. She says "Grandma Debi-when are you coming here?" Me: "in 2 days-we are driving" Lane: "Grandma Debi, why don't you go on a plane so you can get here faster?" This is coming from a 3 year old! Well, Grandma Debi did some research and guess what? I found a killer last-minute fare and we are going to fly! Wow, my grandkid is something else. Someday I will make a list of all the things she comes up with. like conversing with a little adult..Can't wait to see that kid..

The dreaded "A" word..

I heard it today from a professional..the word that has meaning on many levels to me..I was recently prescribed physical therapy for a few bulging discs an MRI showed in my spine. This is mainly for preventative measures to make sure I can still keep abusing my body with training. Little did I know 13 years ago when my dreams were to be Cory Everson-(world class female body builder, before they started looking like men) and lifting heavy weights, I was also slowly damaging my spine. The doctor explained that since I lifted weights, it messed up my discs and now I have the dreaded "A" word.....ARTHRITIS! Now some may take this gracefully-"oh I am just getting older-normal sign of aging for a woman" But NO I want to say-"NO" to aging gracefully. I hate that my body is aging. Today the physical therapist used that word about my knee too-ARTHRITIS! Geez, it's spreading now...Now I have alot of fear about that word. My mom died at a fairly young age of complications of rheumatoid arthritis. By the time she was my age, she was in a wheelchair. She use to be a golfer, active woman and one day in her forties-boom! Some professional said that word and her life and mine changed forever. Having a handicapped mom is very strange. Here was the woman who raised 5 children, could do anything, fix anything, travel, be there for me and one day the "A" word stopped all that. Now she coped with it as best as anyone for 20 years. Never gave up until the end when she could no longer move or talk....As a result, I am pretty hypervigilant about any aches and pains I have that is for sure. I even consulted with a rheumatologist who is taking my fear seriously and working with my neurosis. He doesn't really think I have RA,but never hurts to stay ahead of the game with blood tests, etc..
So you see, that word is loaded..Now the "arthitis" I have in my spine and maybe knee is not the same as mom (is osteoarthritis-if you haven't heard of it and you get older, you will). but I think of this as an "older" person's diagnosis. Not me-I am in some serious denial about being 53 years old. I have always looked young-that has kept me from facing facts. And there are some miracle things that my favorite doctor does to my face to keep it young. Now I just need to find the nice doctor who can turn back the hands of time and stop this ridiculous aging thing..I have aches and pains I never had before. I am wondering if one day I will wake up and just not care anymore. Just start eating fat, sugar, stop working out, start smoking again, drinking. Just to hell with it and go out with a bang! I have told Hartley that if I get a terminal disease I am pulling out all the stops and doing all the bad things to my body i have given up for so long (well probably not but it's a dramatic dream)..
Well, I think the PT is helping my back. Today, there was a strange little man who tortured me for 30 minutes and called it "massage". But I think it loosened me up. He reminded me of Mr. Hyde or some guy trying an experiment on me. Not threatening by any means-just like I was a specimen he needed to knead and roll until he found the place that hurt the most then pushed HARD to "release it" I believe it is called Shiatsu or something. OW!!
More stuff to do when you get older to keep up the athletic ability..that is for sure..
And..my new name is Peter Pan..

The Aliens did it..

Well, I should have known the aliens were coming to harrass me at this race when we witnessed the "UFO" parade last nite after dinner.. yep, right down Main Street for the UFO convention in Roswell. I think some got confused though cause they had Star Wars themed "floats" Kind of funny actually. They were having a good time it seemed..

Gosh I felt so good this morning. We got to sleep in as the race did not start until 8:30! I started my 400 meter swim in "Bottomless lake Triathlon"- I am not sure why it is called Bottomless-maybe there is no bottom? Or maybe cause you cannot see the bottom? I made the huge leap to no wetsuit since it was such a short race. The temp was around 72 degrees. Felt refreshing-I think I had a good swim split-sub 10 min. I was on a roll! We had practiced transitions Friday with the old leave my shoes on the bike and jump on method several times so I was ready. T-1-got the helmet & sunglasses on at lightening speed. I was so happy and such a fast transition-damn I am good! When I got to the bike mount line I looked down to jump on the bike and WHAT? No shoes??...I was confused for a second then I realized- I had grabbed my HUSBAND"S bike!! (he was next to me in transition) Well, after all it is a Specialized like mine, it has 2 wheels-DUH! So what if it has a completely different seat post, is taller than mine-geez! That was probably the stupidest thing I have ever done at a race. So I run back, wasting all my not wearing a wetsuit time, and got my own bike. I saw confused looks by my friends as I am running back to T-1. Like what the hell? OK, I got past that..The bike was a very short 8 miles with one pretty steep hill out of transition but then it was just rolling hills. The road pavement sucked-very bumpy. I passed a few, got passed a few times. I am coming in for my leap off the bike. I take my first foot out of the bike shoes and somehow my other shoe comes out..then I am staring at dirt instead of pavement. I know I am going down so I steer more into the dirt so as not to hurt as bad from the fall. Oh damn!! Someone asks me if I am OK. I get up, dust myself off and then the chain is off the ring of course so there another 2 min. wasted.Now I am just plain pissed!! You know that little girl-I am not getting my way- angry! Like I wanted to stomp my feet. I get into T-2, grab my hat, put on shoes and of course start running the wrong way out of transition. As I got on the right path, I notice it is hot. Not just a little hot but scorching hot! Now, I am passed by a woman who is in my AG (she got 1st, I got 2nd). I am really mad! So I do what every good athlete does under pressure when they are tired and have had these calamities. I gave up..I mean in my mind I said f#^$#k it! I don't care anymore..I give up..I start to walk a bit on this very long 4k course. I walk the aid stations,. My husband passes me. I am pissed. Another team member passes me..Again-happy for her-but i am still angry. I feel like crying..Gee do you think I am dramatic enough? I finish around 1:10 or so, I don't stop to talk to anyone and I run and jump in the lake. That helped..Then it suddenly occurred to me that I should be thankful I can do triathlons at all. I am lucky I can walk, that I have my health, that I am even alive. So gratitude pulled me out of my sh^%&thole and pity party. I went on to celebrate lots of Outlaws getting awards today. My husband got 1st in his AG, I got 2nd. Then another big breakfast and pancakes at IHOP-YUM!! I have battle scars on my cheek which got me some well deserved sympathy. A little hard to swallow my pride when they ask-"which part of the hill did you fall on" And I gulped and said-"No hill, just going into transition-you know the flat part."
Moral to story: Don't do 3 races in a row when the first one is Buffalo Springs Half Ironman..
Lesson to me: I need to figure out why I keep sabotaging myself unconsciously in these short races when I could win..