I survived...

OK, there is really something wrong with people who see this:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 916 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS: BERNALILLO COUNTY, ETC..

and this:

... FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM MDT FOR NORTHEASTERN BERNALILLO... SOUTHEASTERN SANDOVAL AND WEST CENTRAL SANTA FE COUNTIES...

and this:

SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO ABOUT 50 MPH WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY THIS EVENING.

and STILL go out for an 80 mile ride! I woke up this AM at 4:30 AM..I can't seem to sleep in these days..probably something to do with training..who knows? H told me last night about the weather report. Then this AM I saw the above warnings and immediately texted Mark and said are we still on for the ride? Of course he was not up that early so we carried on thinking There is no way we are riding in this. No-one will show up, etc..We got at our Sat meeting place and not only were there 7 NM Outlaws there who are training for IMAZ, but then there were 3 or 4 other folks there just to come along with the crazies..So as we discussed in total denial what route to take for our long ride, the wind was blowing a bit and it was partly cloudy so hey the weatherman is wrong all the time, right? Off we went on our merry way and man were we FAST the first 40 miles. I must have averaged 18 MPH going out to San Isidro, our turn around point..Me being one of the last ones in, never has enough time at the stops. I want to relax, take a nap, drink my energy drink. But after everyone has been waiting 20 min, well time is limited. And we knew we would have wind coming back.


The plan was: Stick together and stay on the wheel of the stronger riders. That worked for awhile. The wind was stronger now, alot stronger. I think around 25 MPH with gusts higher.

S. Baboo was telling me stories of how IMAZ 3 years ago was twice as windy..Are you kidding me? I decided right then and there I would not have survived that race..

In the midst of riding back to town, I saw in the road, the biggest friggin' tarantula I have ever seen! I don't think I have ever even seen a tarantula outside the zoo. I tried to yell above the wind to Mark, who did not see it. I wanted to go back and take a picture for Facebook but there was no way in hell I was going to turn around and get dropped at this point. As I went up that hill (above), I was really struggling. I was peddling as fast as I could, in the headwind and felt like I was standing still. By now I think the wind had picked up, if that were possible. Oh, these must be the 50 MPH gusts they were talking about..I thought..Then it started to rain-pour actually. Then it stopped.. As we went down the hill the wind was so strong it was blowing my bike around. I was still able to control it but damn-it was hard!! Dust abound..poor Pirate kept stopping because dust was obliterating her vision..Two folks got flats-that sucks, glad it is not me! I am so compassionate when it comes to pain of others..Our next stop, we were a little more flustered, S. Baboo sticking to his IMAZ story..we talked briefly about calling someone to bail us out but we are OUTLAWS!! We must endure! Well, we headed south, now directly into the head wind, which by now was consistently 30-40 MPH I think. Then the lightening started..Uh-oh...this is not good..Wind, dust, rain continued. Then at one point it really started to pour..I am talking about the "flood advisory rain" Then the hail came. H & I were basically with just each other at this point. I knew the next gas station stop was about 3 miles away. This seems like an eternity in a torrential downpour...I was one of the lucky ones to have a jacket. Many didn't . Two people bailed by now and called for a ride-I don't blame them....Others had loved ones calling to make sure they were OK. I can't talk right now-I am trying to survive a hurricane right now..I think I heard them say. The next time we regrouped we were all cold, more complaints other than just me. I think I bitched the whole ride. At least under my breath, Oh my god this is so bad, geez the wind is incredible..oh shit did you see that? Now I was hearing the really strong IM peeps getting a little freaked out too. One more called for a ride. Now there were 5 of us, riding the last 5 miles. We had a chance to catch a ride but H wanted to do the last of it..I gave in..It was beautiful for about 10 minutes! No rain, no wind, etc..Then came another storm. VERY windy, cold-we were just speeding back to the car to beat the rain. Just as we got in the parking lot, very large rain drops were coming. We raced to get the bikes on, attached to the bike rack on the Pre-Ass and boom slammed the doors just in time for the worst rain of the day with large hail and flooding conditions. Whew! At least we didn't have to ride in this!! Now that is just sick thinking that is all there is to that...I survived the wind, rain, dust, a tarantula today...

Total Miles: 78.6
Time: 5:17
Ave. MPH: 15.1

Oh H just told me they issued a friggin' TORNADO WARNING (no joke) in Albuquerque!!!

OMG is this Ironman ever going to get here?

I am grumpy, tired and sore...OK so that means the training is spot on! We did 7 miles on the treadmill this AM, then 40 mile bike ride..After consulting with our chiropractor (that just sounds like something an old couple would say), we are to stick to the "dreadmill" or soft surfaces for all our running until IMAZ. Has anyone ever run 3 hours on a treadmill? It is like torture..I am sure..

H has a pulled or inflamed tendon in his lower leg, I have back pain..from long standing arthritis in my back and all the training..no doubt..The chiro can't seem to "crack" me out of the pain so plan B is to go to a pain doctor and look into an injection in my back. I know this is risky but just once before the race-I don't think will hurt me..I just need to get back to "normal" training and I'll bet the pain will be gone..

Hunger..now when you go to bed and lay there and think I am so hungry! then you know you are doing some hard training...Large tablespoons of peanut butter are helpful at this hour..better than candy or doughnuts I guess...Still have the extra weight I did not have before IMCDA. Oh well, just have to deal with it..Is frustrating to do all this working out and still be gaining-actually really pisses me off but what the hell-I am still in good shape..

The economy is going to hell in a hand basket and I continue to be in my little Ironman world.I guess it keeps me from becoming actually worried..It did motivate me to go to Blue Cross yesterday and discuss my benefits with this really nice woman who explained everything to me. Basically if I use "out of Network" doctors, it sounds nice that it will be "covered" but in actuality they are not....long story short, I have been scammed for the past 2 years, paying for this benefit..Time to switch to HMO. The good news is I found out I have some retirement left over from my nursing career 15 years ago..I may get to collect as early as next year. For some reason, this makes me feel good-all those years of working as a nurse and I do get some payoff in the end..

I feel like I am rambling but this is my life..

Rain, rain go away!

I woke up today to an interesting sound: Rain...not just pitter/patter of the rainfall but gushing down pouring rain! Very unusual in the "Q" but it does seem to come every year at Balloon Fiesta time. The International Balloon Fiesta is here very year the first 2 weekends in October. I remember one of the first times I was there in 1970s and there were maybe 50 balloons:

Now there are literally hundreds and it is quite a sight..



This is our crew riding up Tramway yesterday on our quest or a 95 mile ride. It was "fun", tiring, challenging. The best part was when Bones and MG pulled us the last 35 miles against a headwind..thanks guys..


The bike profile is less 10 miles since my Garmin stops working after about 5 hours ...




The big payoff was the pizza afterwards..The whole thing took us 5:45. 16.5 MPH!! YAY!! Oh did I mention I turned off my HR monitor? There is no way I could keep up with this crew unless I did.

Note to self: Do NOT weigh yourself the day after you consume massive amounts of electrolyte fluid and pizza, even if you did burn 4500 calories the day before. I gained 3.5 lbs!! I weighed myself because smart ass Miguel mentioned last night that he had lost 3 lbs after the ride yesterday. I wondered where, you SOB, you are so skinny already!! Oh, we women and our weight...just stupid really..

I am wondering if some of these folks actually did get up at 6:30 (in the dark) this AM and run in the pouring rain! As for H & I, we will be at the gym, running a mere 2 hours, 10 min. on the dreadmill. You know you are Ironman training when this seems like a short time to run.

Seven weeks from today, I shall be doing IMAZ..Can't wait!!