2,000 miles and counting

Sooo... I'm moving to Austin.

Yup.

2.5 years ago my best friend and I visited because thought it sounded cool and everyone I knew had great things to say about it.

And then I met a guy that lives there.

So, I'm moving to Austin.  For love.

In 3 weeks.

I'm currently in the freak out stage and getting rid of most of my worldly belongings. Which is actually good. I've wanted to have less 'stuff' for a long time but didn't know where to start or how to do it.  But now, everything I own has to fit in a 7'11"x4'8"x7' box.   257 cubic feet.

So, it's a challenge.  Most of my furniture isn't coming with.  I've downsized my closet and kitchen quite a bit.

But, I'm excited to be able to workout again year round outdoors. Well... we'll see how that goes in the summer... perhaps just a LOT of swimming....

But, on the other side. I don't have a job. Mine is only keeping me remote until March 31.  Needless to say, I'm worrying. A bit. Ok, a lot.

And the 50 miler is on hold. Sad face.

50 miler

I'm thinking about signing up for a 50 mile trail run. 52.4 actually. A double marathon.  WTF.

over before it began

My last post on here all the way back in February was about doing another Ironman. Finally.  I had to make the hard decision last weekend- just a few weeks out from the race- that I can't do it.  I can't stop crying.  I know I can ultimately do the distances and make the 17 hour cutoff and that's more than a lot of people are 'guaranteed' going into one of these events. But, for my future self, I had to evaluate what that day would mean in terms of lasting pain and recovery.

I bit off more than I could chew. Since March 2015- my first 70.3 after all this injury/surgery crap- to now. I've done too much. More big events and races than probably my younger uninjured self could have handled.


March- 70.3
April- 2 5k's (both with a PR)
May- 3 half marathons
June- 70.3
July- ragnar
August- sprint tri
October- 5 miler and half marathon
November - NYC  full marathon
March- won my age group at a tough 5k
May- half marathon and first trail 50k
July- 4 events in under 2 weeks, including a fast sprint tri and Ragnar
August- 70.3

These, plus a bunch of other 5k's thrown in and all the long training hours really amount to no down time, except for the 2 times I was so sick I could hardly get out of bed for days and the effect lasted for weeks. I also started a new job early 2015, then again Feb 2016 and June 2016. And had a couple relationships start and end.  Apparently I can't get my shit together.

So, here I am. Just 3 weeks away from Ironman Maryland and I'm on the couch with ice on my knee, redesigning the next few weeks of running so I can at least get through the NYC marathon and kicking myself for not purchasing the insurance for IM.  $700 out of my wallet. That's 2 plane tickets back to Seattle.

Or half the cost to rent a Uhaul and drive it back.....

Ironman #4

I didn't think I'd do it again. I've registered for my 4th Ironman.... Maryland in October. At the time this race comes up it will have been almost 5 years since my last.  I am scared to death to say the least.

After that race in Nov 2011, I had 3 surgeries.  Shoulder April 2012, Hip April 2013 and Knee October 2013.

However, when I started training again last year, I went a little nuts.

In 2015 I did:  Puerto Rico 70.3 in March, 3 half marathons in May (with 2 PR's), 70.3 Syracuse in June, Ragnar in Seattle in July, the Boston sprint tri in August, a half marathon in October and NYC marathon is November- plus a half dozen or so 5k's throughout the year.

This year I'm already looking at a half marathon May 1, my first ultra trail run on May 29, Ragnar in July, Timberman 70.3 in August and now IMMD in October. I'm almost hoping I don't get into NYC again...

What have I done. This is crazy.

Adjusting...

I'm having a hard time adjusting to a new me. I can't comprehend that the running, biking, swimming, weight-lifting, super active part of me is gone. I don't know how not be a triathlete and crazy runner.

I don't know who I'm supposed to be now.

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I should have been Dutch

I should have been Dutch. I should have been born to a tall lanky blonde couple just outside of Amsterdam. Instead, I was born to an American couple temporarily living in southern Germany.  But, I should have been Dutch.  The Dutch love their bicycles.  They ride everywhere. I know part of it is because the price of petrol is crazy high there so owning a vehicle is just crazy, but it's also because they country is so flat and it just makes sense. They're an ecologically friendly and health driven people.  And they're tall. And blonde. And look great in skinny jeans tucked into fabulous boots. 
 
I should have been Dutch. 
 
I love my parents and my family, but we should be Dutch. 

Another surgery, another season off

I had shoulder surgery in April 2012. April 2013, hip surgery. Neither of these were Ironman related. Or even sports related. I'm completely pissed that I had to take two years off from racing for stupid stupid things. And now, the marathon distance may just be a faraway memory. Sigh. What's a girl to do?

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Longer runs, shorter days!

The days are definitely getting shorter. And I mean that figuratively as well as literally!  I feel like there's never time for anything.  Granted,when I lived in Seattle my commute was 15 minutes. 20 on a super rare day when traffic was terrible. Now, it's 30 minutes. At least. And the grocery stores are further, and it takes forever to get anywhere. Plan and try as I might, it takes forever to get anything done.  Plus, I think I'm getting lazier. I blame this partly that I now live in a 3 story house. So, once I'm upstairs if I've left something on the 2nd floor, it's not being retrieved until the next time I'm down there. I mean- if I remember.

But, here I am trying to start training for another Ironman, and looking at a half marathon in two weeks.  And I am TIRED!! I slept well Saturday enough night, ran 9 miles Sunday early-afternoon and afterwards all I wanted to do was sleep some more!!! I allowed myself a 30 minute nap before I dragged myself to Costco all in shambles to buy large quantities of this that I have to drag out of my trunk (the perishables did make it inside).

Training. Eating. Working. Sleeping. Having a life.  How am I a newbie at all of these things at once again??  I'm so fortunate to be gathering people in my life who understand and appreciate how important my hobbies are to me.

Holy CRAP!!!

I can't believe it's been 10 months since I've written. Well, yes I can. See, in January I fell down a flight of stairs and hurt my shoulder.  I had to stop running. And swimming. And biking. And I was sad. In April I had surgery to repair the bicep tendon and clean up the cartilage. And I was sad.

But! In early August I got the ok to start training again- and good thing because I already registered for an Ironman in 2013. And I am happy!

So, starting next Monday, I'll be training for Ironman #4. The fourth one almost five years to the day after the first.  Let's see how this goes.  :)

Super success!!!

Ironman was just a few days ago, and I gotta say- I have no idea how I pulled it off!!

I finished in 12 hours, 49 minutes and 12 seconds! I can't believe I went under 13 with as little training as I actually did!

I'll give a full race report soon, once I'm back in Boston and life in general has settled. Things are a little weird right now.

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Wicked headache!

I slammed the corner of the rental car into my forehead yesterday. Luckily I was wearing my bike helmet, dented it though. Still have a crazy headache I haven't been able to shake.

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Sunshine bound

I'm headed to Arizona tomorrow!!! The race is just a few short days away and needless to say... I'm not ready. I'm packed, but I'm not ready.

Last night I had a dream. I was flying down a hill on the course going about 40mph when I crashed. Several broken bones, destroyed bike and a crushed helmet and a lot of missing skin later I was in the hospital going in and out of a coma.

Soo... we're going to pretend that it's a good sign and that it takes away all the bad that could happen and gives me strength to finish strong.

Ironman #3, here I come!

#229

Race numbers have been assigned and we're less than two weeks out. I ran 9 yesterday and 4 this morning. I also finally got a chance to take my bike out - now that I'm only two days from shipping it. Yeesh. The ride was awesome though. I'm super mad at myself for not heading west before!!

Anyway, off to sleepies and to the gym @ 5 tomorrow AM. #229, signing off!

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It's sooooo close!

Well, the big race is only a few weeks away! Am I ready? No. Am I scared to death? Yes.

My life in Boston has settled nicely. Found a great house with some pretty cool roomies. Found a sweet gym with a nice pool. Getting lost only every other day instead of twice daily. Dating an incredible guy (yay! ). But, my training hasn't been enough. I'm still working out frequently, but the volume is down. Way down. Did a 17 mile run last weekend that went super well, but no real time on my bike. Oh, my booty is going to hurt for 112 miles!

Should I even risk it??!!?

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Soooo, this was on my car after work today ...

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homeless :(

Okay, so... I move to Boston in 13 days. At the other end, I don't have a place to live. This might concern a normal person. I am not a normal person. I am a worrier. Therefore, I am stressed. To the Nth power. And then some.  Myself and all of my worldly belongings are being relocated 3100 miles away- with no real destination on the other end. Okay, so my belongings have 30 days in storage. I might wind up in a hotel for 30 days, then what? I'm out of money and homeless. Ironman is just over three months away, and I'm supposed to be learning new job.

I'm a planner of sorts. I like to know what I'll be doing this weekend, where my next check is coming from and where I'll be sleeping, call me crazy- but I don't have the nomad instincts like some people.  Sure, I'm sure I can beg a few people to sleep on their couch if needed, but that will only buy me a couple extra weeks. And a lot of karma debt. 

Sigh. What am I doing? Can someone please explain the rationale to me???

Moving...

Well, it's official. I'm moving to the Boston area. And soon. For a job I'm not sure I know how to do....this could be interesting. New location, new job, new roommates, hopefully new friends, new gym - and training for Ironmman, which is just over three months away. Not gonna lie, I'm not just a little freaked out. I'm a lot freaked out.

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About 6.5 miles into my run today I realized two things:

1. i think i grip my toes in my shoes while running, not allowing a full toe-off and creating tension in my arches and making my big toes fall asleep
2. i think i want to wear a girlie pink tutu to finish IM AZ in November. how cute would that be???

Oh, and I also realized how much I love my Saucony Kinvara's (sp??) that I had three PR's in this year. Yay speedy shoes!!

Might be a bit scared that my dreams are coming true ....

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Ever wonder if the best thing is right in front of you, but you're too stupid to notice til it's too late. What if you never notice??

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