I'm Back :)

I hope I haven't lost my blogger friends in my huge absence. Dave and I spent a good full week in New Orleans, and when I finally came back home out internet was out. So, here I am!

This is a picture of Dave and I with our crowns from the crackers we open at Christmas- the crackers are always a big hit. :)

Our trip was wonderful- I don't know where to start really. I am scared if I tell you the full story you will think I am an alcoholic. The proof of the good holidays is not-so-proudly displayed in my enlarged hips and stomach. Yes, clothes don't lie, and those pants that were so big on my I could pull them off of my hips without unbuttoning them just a month ago- well, they fit perfectly now. Shoot!!!!! Dern, dern!!! Okay, so I am officially done with all of the rest and partying and back on the training wagon. I started off my week with master's swim on Mon and today, and I am getting my upsized butt back on the bike and the track.

I got some great gadgets for Christmas down in Nola- Camelbak, new bike pedals, Mignon Faget and other New Orleans goodies, fun gift cards, etc....Oh, and I also got to go on a friendly fun run with my friend Cindy, and a not-so-friendly, partly hungover and mostly exhausted run with Keith. (Keith was friendly, the run was not! ha!) When we were close to 9 miles, I kept asking him every minute- how much longer? I litterally counted down the end of the run to the tenth of a mile and stop immediately when the 9 mile beep came. Whooooo.... Of course Keith is in good shape and I was just holding him back.

Now back in Memphis, I am excited that a new year is right around the corner. I am nervous too-I am already worried about passing my PT boards. I am also nervous about my clinical rotations- what if I suck? Oh well- I guess you get through all of the little tests in life regardless of how much you worry, so worrying doesn't really help.

Racing-wise, I plan to throw myself into some more 5ks this month and force my body to adapt and get some speed back. I better not see a 22 on the clock when spring time comes like I did in this picture in beginning of December-ughhhh! Hopefully the times will start to come down as I get used to racing and pushing myself again. It feels like it has been so long since I have really raced- you know, get out there and completely push it! I am ready to have another racing season- I am not fit enough to race, but I am ready to get started!

Okay, I am back in blogger world. More posts to come- hopefully with great updates and slimmer thighs. :)

Christmas Party Time

Good news...I am feeling better. I am going to take one more day off from running just to make sure I don't extend this thing into another week. I still felt pretty awful last night with just being sick and neck pain. Today, the neck pain is a lot better and I have more range of motion (I give credit to the wine). I feel better overall too. (Jan, don't worry, I didn't start feeling sick until Tues...I just looked at my log, so I wasn't sick running with you). My week has been shot as far as getting the miles in- I got in a whopping 16 miles- Boooooo). So, my week in New Orleans will consists of running with a vengence. I will go to all of my favorite running spots: Audubon Park, the levee, the track off of river road, and City Park. I think I have convinced my friend Keith to come meet up with me, although I didn't specify for a workout or a beer. I guess I better offer both.

It is time to go to New Orleans, but here are a few pictures first.

My sweetheart Dave on crutches. My good spirited hubby always attends my triathlon parties with a smile, even though a soccer party would suit him better.

A few of my teammies: Maggi (aka Margaret), Joy, me, Laura, and Alyson. I know Maggi is excited to make the blog.

I also celebrated Christmas with my family yesterday. I left the party with a Wii Fit. At first I balked over the idea of spending time in front of the TV. I explained to my family, as the voice of reason, that video game workouts aren't for me. I am not sure how I will ever fit in more excercise than I already do- I mean, shoot- I can't even find time for my top 3! But, I am taking it down to New Orleans with me to see if I can be won over by the balance and yoga activities. I may come back bragging about how much fun the Wii is. And if so, the voice of reason will eat her words, publically.

Time to make the 5.5 hour drive to my favorite drive-through daquiri shop to get my first Cajun Egg Nog Daquiri of the holiday season! :)

What's Going On

Just in time for the holidays...

Dave is on crutches, non-weight bearing, for 6 weeks. That groin pull he thought he had is really a stress reaction to his pelvis- basically meaning he is one step away from a pelvis fracture. His dad wants him to help redo floors over our Christmas vacation in New Orleans. I am not sure what part of crutches, non-weight bearing, and fracture was misunderstood in that conversation.

I am more or less completely sick. I feel better one day- think I am over the hump, then I go run or do something fun and I feel sick all over again. Top that off with another spasm in my neck today and I am completely immobile. I am now in bed- in pain- feeling terrible. No, I did not run today- I completely kept my promise to Dave. Looks like any form of exercise is out for tomorrow, too, since I can't even turn my head enough to drive. I can, however, hold my head up long enough to eat ice cream. That may take the place of master's swim class.

But, the kiddos are doing well. I bought them their favorite toy called "mean kitty" and they have been going to town all day. Cayenne is a complete handful- she is like a little rocket just always waiting to explode. Why can't Dave and I find normal, low key dogs? Why do we end up with the crazy, must go 90mph all day long dogs?

Tomorrow we get to celebrate Christmas with my family and then head to our triathlon team party. From there it is on to New Orleans to celebrate Christmas with the in-laws. I will post some holiday pics as I think of it! Cheers!

Race Face

It is that time- the time to make fun of myself. What is life without a little self-humor? I know I have lots of pictures waving, but trust me, that is not my race face. Actually, I think the fact that I have waved so much this year shows a decline in race performance. But let's look at the historical Damie race face in all of its glory. I think my face may trump Laura's, but doesn't quite come close to Sam's.

Drumroll please....

Behold, my very first half marathon- 2004. Like the soccer shorts? That 9 min/mile pace must've been really tough on me!

2006-This is my second triathlon ever- behold the blistering two mile run! If I close my eyes, maybe this will end really quickly. (Although it doesn't really get shorter than a 2 mile run in a tri.)

2008, things haven't changed much. This is the one race this year where I did feel that I pushed hard and was pleased with my effort, although my run pace wasn't blistering, the effort was there. I guess I reverted to the eye closing tactic, too.

I don't ever notice that I close my eyes in races. What I have started doing, ever since the pictures of my in that second triathlon came out, is wear sunglasses on the run! That way I disguise my weird race face. For the 2008 race above in picture 3, though, the run went to the trails, so I didn't wear sunglasses. I think I will always wear my sunglasses from now on and then flip them on my head if it goes to the trails.

So, enjoy the fun race face. Lot's of smiles to everyone. :)

Stuff

I was working on my paper this past Thursday night when I felt the need to just get out of the house for a minute. I went to the local thrift shops and just spent some time browsing. I have always loved thrift shops. I have found expensive items in good condition for a very small price. I have also found fun, wacky clothes to wear that I could individualize- something different than the newest thing from the Limited.

Well, it has been forever since I have been in a thrift store. What I realized noticed was all of the stuff. I mean, just stuff! Clothes, household goods, decorative items, you name it. Someone paid full price for this stuff, and then gave it away. I found some stuff in there for a buck or two that I have in my own home, but it cost me more than a buck or two. I just continued to look around, amazed at all of the treasures.

But, it is really all just stuff. I felt kind of sad when I realized that we accumulate so many things we give them away, and them replace them with more things. As humans, we have a need to personalize, so I think it is okay that we decorate and make our homes kind places for us to live. But, at some point we really might just be stacking up more stuff.

You guys know I am a little bah humbug about Christmas. Finding the right gifts...the pressure... If we would only just surprise and do for our family members throughout the year, you know? Help them get the things that they need when they actually need it. And even surprise them- let them know you were thinking of them. Instead, a lot of times we end of giving stuff and trinkets. It may be great stuff for a while, but then it ends up in the thrift store as discarded stuff to make room for more stuff.

So, I am trying to halt the stuff. I am trying to not buy things. I am trying to pay more attention to my wants and think long term about purchases. And, maybe if I need to buy a little stuff for the moment, I can go shop at the thrift store and add a thing or two to my collection for a fraction of the cost.

Lessons

Hello!!! :)

I have had so much to write about this week, but I have been beyond busy so the blog has fallen along the wayside. For example, this is the house I have come home to for two days in a row:

(Wednesday)

I couldn't quite get a picture showing the large amount of torn stuffing and mail on the floor when I came home Wednesday- the camera angle is not wide enough. Can we say bored?

(Thursday)

Today, day #3 of nasty weather, and the pups were still pretty bored with staying in the house. They can make toys and chew thingies out of anything. They must know they have a patient mommy.

These pictures really do reflect my week. Luckily I don't ever really worry about a torn up shoe or shredded electricity bill. I have other shoes and the bills will still get paid. A round of kisses for everyone and a couple of thrown balls in the backyard and everything is back in balance.

Today was my last day at my clinical rotation for December. I learned a lot, and I am so happy to have one more clinical rotation finished. My instructor gave me wonderful marks and said I was ready to be a PT. She also thinks I am one of the most driven, goal-oriented people she has ever met. I laughed, because I know I am burned out and not always putting forth my best, strongest attitude towards school. I shared this with her, and I get the response that I think I have heard a million times in my life- I am way too hard on myself.

I have also listened to a lot of Dave Ramsey lately. Some people do not agree with his debt-free philosophy or approach, but for me it is right on. I already laid out a plan for cut backs in racing travel next year. I am determined to stay motivated in keeping things in check. The unfortunate thing for me right now is that I feel a ton of pressure to be working and bring in a salary to attack the massive amounts of student loans I have. Since I can't work until June, I guess I will just have to keep my money worries in check and try to enjoy school. I do think free school might have been more enjoyable. :)

Last thought of today's post actually occurred at the gym last night with Joy and Laura. Laura and I have the question: Why do some people achieve their goals immediately, while others with plenty of drive and talent take forever? (there are examples like the first time runner that BQs on their first marathon while the long time, gifted and fast runner can't seem to get there. Or, the Hawaii qualification, etc...I am sure we all know stories). We toyed over some reasons such as: we will appreciate our goals when met so much more because we had to work harder, God gives us what we need, when we need it, etc... Laura even found a post on runners world that says the average person takes 6 marathons to qualify for Boston. Maybe we just don't hang around enough average people. We don't see the people that work for 10 years to get to Hawaii, or the person that runs for 15 years before going sub-3 in the marathon.

Today I had another thought to attach to this. Maybe if I have a goal that I have been trying to reach but I have not reached it, then there is a lesson that I need to learn that I have not learned. Whether it be a lesson in training, a lesson in racing, a lesson in knowing myself, or even a lesson in humility. I do think life keeps giving us the same lesson if we refuse to learn it. To get a new lesson, you have to master the first one before you can move on. What lesson do I need to learn so I can break through and reach my goal?

I hope everyone has a great week. I have a full weekend of classes (I know, sadistic, huh, and not in the Christmas spirit at all), but I will be home free next week. Hugs and kisses.

The St Jude Review

Friday Night: Spaghetti Warehouse
We maybe had the worst service possible at this restaurant, but luckily the company was good so we didn't mind the long dinner, too much. :) It was the girls + families for a good pre-race pasta dinner.

MEL, this is for you. This is Mira hugging a pretend Mel. :)

Damie, Mira, Joy, Laura, Sammy, and a napkin that says Angie. (Angie had already left before we remembered to take a tri-bloggers girl picture).

Damie and Sam practice Sam's "race face". I am so sad she is moving so far away (Sam is moving way North next week and I will never see her anymore). Boooooo!!!!!

Saturday: St Jude Marathon.

Charlie, Angie, and Joy watching the marathon in the freezing cold. It is really hard to be a spectator sometimes.

Sammy in the half marathon. She did not do a Sam face for me, she did a big Damie wave- although it looks like she is about to cry in this picture, she really looked awesome in the race. I think she was crying because I wasn't running with her:) ha ha! She had a good race, and I think she finished 3rd OA, even in the windy, cold conditions.

Laura is just running and chilling- going to get her medal.

Gina runs by in the half marathon and says something like..."this is easy"! She makes it look easy, too.

Angie's hubby Duane at mile 25. He did so well and kept a great attitude the whole race. It was really fun to watch him run, and he is now a marathoner!

Joy, Angie, Charlie, and I spent the day riding our bikes all over the course. The highlights of the day include:

• Chasing our friend Olaf to a fantastic 2:50 PR. I almost cried I was so proud.
  
• Biking the last mile of the course with Duane in his first marathon.
• Hot coffee from Quetzel.
• Seeing a red head girl running by and yelling out- "GARRISON!!!!" It was Jenny Garrison! I have never met her or talked to her, but I know she is friends with Coach Jen Harrison and I have seen pictures of her. It was so funny to recognize someone from a blog. She looked at me like, who in the heck is saying my name? It was so much fun! I saw her again at mile 20 and she was rolling along at a great pace.
  

Unfortunately, there were lowlights for me today to.

• I did not eat breakfast.
• By 11:30 I was well aware that I did not eat breakfast.
• It was freezing- and I was hungry.
• I decided to bunny hop a curb at an angle (I don't even know how to bunny hop).
  
• I crashed my bike in front of hundreds of runners.
  
• I was pissed for 20 minutes.
  
• I was still hungry.
• I came home exhausted and, well, exhausted. A few tears later like a 5-year-old and everything is okay.

I love marathons. I love running. I love seeing the little victories- the people finishing for the first time, friends setting PRs, and runners that never give up despite the cards that come their way for the day.

And, I had so many deep thoughts while watching the race. I can't wait to work on some of my running goals. My motivation is further deepened. My goals are mine to reach- they are up to me. Watching a marathon gives me that hope. It also reminds me that there is no excuse. If achieving a certain goal is harder for me than for the next person, than so be it. No excuse- I just have to work harder. For the goals that I have not reached yet, and that I have not reached easily...well, I will appreciate them oh so much more. Those are the ones that are worth it.

Also, marathons remind me that running goals are very personal and individual. We all run for many different reasons. Running is fun! I love to run and I love my friends.

St Jude Marathon Weekend

Everything seems really slow in blogland these days. I am excited to say that blog chicks are hanging out this weekend in Memphis, though. We have Laura and Sammy running in the 1/2 marathon. Mira and Angie have husbands that are also running. Joy and I will be using our "we just did IMFL" card and just spectating on our bikes.

We are planning on dinner with the girls (husbands and kids too) on Friday night, and maybe some celebratory drinks post race. If you are in town, come meet up with us!

I promise to post lots of pictures of Samantha's race face this weekend, so everyone stay tuned.

Soccer and Unrelated Injuries

How else to title this post?

I am finally ready to return to soccer. I took the fall season completely off from the sport because I didn't want any injuries before Ironman. Truthfully, though, I hadn't been playing much before that in the past two years. I am generally a perfect attendee in soccer. I will skip just about anything to make the games, and I even get upset when it storms and I can't play. However, I found myself missing more and more games the past 2 years. I was always exhausted...always fighting the knee or foot injury. I may have been on the field, but I wasn't always enjoying it. So, I slowly came to the conclusion that I needed time off to heal, rest, and rethink my role on the field.

But, now I am ready to come back. I wasn't sure if there would even be a spot for me on my team anymore, but I have been assured that I am wanted and needed out there- that they would love it if I would play again. It is good to know my teammates have missed me and want me back. And really, I just love women's soccer. I love my teams- I love my girls.

This is one of my old teams in New Orleans, Calypso. Funny, but I hardly have any soccer pictures because I didn't have a digital camera in college or New Orleans. I will do better this year with getting soccer pics. I am second from the left on bottom. One of my great friends and fellow triathlete, Cindy, is 4th from left bottom. We must've just played a game because we are looking a little rough in this pic.

On and unrelated note, I had to drag my butt out of bed this morning to swim. I am finally ready to get in the pool when I reach up to put my swim cap on and BAM! The worst pain ever- well, at least a 9/10. I was frozen. I couldn't move my head or neck, and I honestly thought I may have a thrown a clot. (I know I am young, but I think all kinds of things). I tried to work it out- got in the pool with tears in my eyes and then got out since I couldn't even bend my neck forward or rotate it. Nothing helped- not the hot tub, not any self applied manual techniques, no slide or glides of my vertebrae, nothing. My morning was a complete wash. So, I am okay now, but I still can hardly move and have maybe 4/10 pain. My best guess is a pinched cervical nerve. I think in all honesty my neck will never be the same after that car wreck. Who hurts themselves by flexing their shoulders 90 degrees to put on a swim cap?

Gotta Start Somewhere!

It is time for Damie to run again. I love to run. I love to race, too! I love to race myself- the clock- my past PRs. I haven't done near as much running or racing this past year, so it is time to get going again!

With my main goals for the spring being half marathon distances, I have some building to do. The distance is a no-brainer, but getting the pace back down is going to take some work. And, I have not been sure where to start, since I really don't know where I am? I know what I can do for a marathon after a 112 mile bike, but that is about it.

So, I need some numbers. I need a place to start. Here we go- Jingle Bells 5k. Now, being 28 days post IM, I still have had no desire whatsoever to run a 5k. I know my speed is lacking. I haven't even paced 2 quick miles in succession for a long time- much less 3. Actually, I haven't even run a 5k since last January! Honestly, anything other than my marathon pace feels fast! But, if I am going to have a starting point, I have to get out there, and this is the only chance I have in the next 5 weeks.

(and I don't know about you, but I hate going to a race when I know I am not in my best shape for that event. I like to line up knowing I have done the work to provide a good result. However, I found myself feeling happy this morning just to be out there...:)

So, off I go this morning, HR monitor on, watch on wrist. First mile 7:21, second mile 7:19, third mile 7:18 (total time 22:43). Well, I have always been a model of consistency, huh? This is by far the slowest 5k I have run in 2 years (well, 3 if you don't count the broken foot). I felt like I could've run more miles, but I could not go any faster. I felt strong- just slow! :) It really goes to show how important specificity is for my racing because I know I am not tremendously out of shape- but I am out of 5k shape. (Pros and amazing people are the exception- I know some of you that stay quick at every distance, Ironman training or not!)

So, now I have a time in hand- a baseline. No, I am not going to start hitting the track with crazy intervals to bring my 5k time down- actually- NO TRACKWORK until Jan for me. What this will do for me is give me a realistic starting point for adding miles at the appropriate paces to work towards my spring goals. I can use some tables from McMillan, Daniels, whomever... and guide my training now. If I had used my old times, I would have been over shooting things. And then maybe we will run another 5k in Jan just to see how we are doing adding mileage and time on my feet again.

Happy running, eating, and holiday shopping to all!

Family Time, and the New T- Shirt Champ

Featured in our 2008 shirt from L to R: Boone, Zinny, Rooney, and Cayenne- all chasing the turkey. Jon drew the original picture by hand!

The 4th annual Turpin Turkey Trot has come and gone. We have a new t-shirt winner: Jon Coker. His shirt was wonderful! The ante is getting upped around here every year, and my shirt clearly ranks in 4th place now. By the way, I am saving all of the t-shirts so in 20 years I can make a quilt of our turkey trot shirts.

Bekah and Zinny on the Turpin Turkey Trot. Lots of smiles!

Dave and Rooney struggled to stay focused during the Turkey Trot. Rooney couldn't understand why we were walking and not running.

I am thankful that I have a family that spends time together. Since my granny passed away several years ago, we have had to work hard as a family to come up with new traditions and keep our family close. And sometimes, as Gina and I have discussed on one of our long runs, keeping your family close takes work and effort. You have to make the effort to meet up- make the effort to keep traditions going- make the effort to create a loving environment.

Everyone got two lottery scratch off tickets. Jon, Bekah, and Dave won something. I was left empty handed, along with my mom and papa.

Damie and Bekah were the main chefs fort the afternoon. He were are dancing and singing in the kitchen...our love's in jeopardy, baby, oooohhhhh.....by Greg Kihn.

Which brings me to my last thought. My post on children, while supposed to be a funny commentary on facebook and the defined age of 30, seemed to spark a lot of different emotions from readers. Rest assured, my friends, that I honor and love all of you with children. I think children are a wonderful gift. Dave and I have weekly, if not daily discussions on planning our own family. We are waiting for our time- our sign that we are in the right place. We firmly believe that we will know when the time is right for us- IF it is right for us. If we just listen to our inner voices, the answers will come to us about our own family. So, we are calm and happy at this time to just enjoy each other and our puppies. Dave is my family, and I am his, and we realize there is no rush. :)

And, of course I also don't need to explain our choices about family planning on a blog. I really also can't pinpoint anything about my decisions that make me selfish, either. So let's move on.

To all of the wonderful moms out there - Happy Thanksgiving, and enjoy this time with your beautiful family and kids. To all my friends sans children, Happy Thanksgiving to you too and enjoy the times with your family, loved ones, and kitties/puppies. And to my granny in heaven, if you can read this, I can't even cook remotely like you. I sure do wish I had paid more attention when you were showing me how to cook instead of just being the taste tester every 5 minutes. We sure do miss your chicken and dumplings and homemade pies.

Turpin Turkey Trot- 4th annual coming up!

Damie and Rebekah- original creators of the annual Turpin Turkey Trot.

This year marks the 4th Annual Turpin Turkey Trot. Turpin, as in my family.

When I lived in New Orleans, I was a recreational runner. I had done a marathon and loved to run, but I never did any 5ks or anything like that. I just ran for fun and to stay in shape for soccer and really had no concept of time. I think I decided to do the New Orleans Turkey Trot 4 miler in 2003 with my friend Carol, and I had a whole lot of fun. If I remember correctly, I ran over 8 min miles. The next year I coerced Dave to go do it with me. I figured this could be my annual running event. I really wanted to break 32 minutes, but I was 32 on the dot- flat 8 min miles (I guess that was the start of me wanting to get faster!). The funniest thing about that day was Dave. We started off together, but at about mile 2 I must have been going way too slow for him because he took off. This was back when he was at his soccer prime and ran so effortlessly. We both enjoyed the morning so much, and then probably got an daquiri on the way home...haha!!!

In 2005, Dave and I were in Memphis living with my parents. And, I still had the cracked-up femur problems from earlier that year. I couldn't run a single mile. When Thanksgiving rolled around, I was a little bummed because I couldn't go do the Memphis Turkey Trot. I really wanted to make that my annual event, but since I couldn't run, well...

So, my sister and I decided to hold our own Thanksgiving run. We made it a 5k course and called it the Turpin Turkey Trot. We even gave t-shirts to the finishers. The first year finishers were: Damie, Bekah, Dave, Linda, and Jim. Since I couldn't run, we just walked the course. It ended up being so much fun we decided to do it again the following year.

Linda Turpin, finishing the 1st annual Turpin Turkey Trot.

Jim Turpin, finishing the 1st annual Turpin Turkey Trot. Maybe this year he will wear running shoes- look at his boots! ha ha!

Yea for me! I got to do a turkey day run/walk!

The first year my sister made the t-shirts. Basically they looked like a little kid had splattered paint in the middle of a turkey.

The second year I made the shirts. Everything was neat, orderly, and in the lines. No one liked them- Bekah said the "lacked creativity." I don't have a picture of them, but I thought they looked very official.

My mom made the shirts for the 3rd year. Although she forgot to write 3rd annual Turpin Turkey Trot on them, she actually sewed old scraps of material to make turkeys. Pretty creative!

This is me in a 3rd annual shirt.

This year it is Jon's turn to make the 4th annual shirt. I can't wait to see what he comes up with! Everyone is welcome to our Turpin Turkey Trot. If you eat with us, it is a requirement that you go on the 5k walk/jog. And, you have to wear your t-shirt. It looks hilarious, and it is! It is a great healthy family tradition we have started in our home. And, no time clock required, just a sense of humor!

2nd Annual Turkey Extravaganze- the Trailer

Well, I don't want to steal Laura's post, since she did host this event.

This is our Thanksgiving day party with our buddies- no family drama, just good food and alcohol. Some people stand in a corner and talk about Ironman Strategy (ahem, Joy, Gary, and Charlie), others sit on the couch and watch football (Don, Dave, and Brandon), and still others just hang out and eat and drink the night away.

We had great food- oyster dressing (a cajun favorite!), bourbon chocolate pecan pie (thanks Linds), and all of the other great Thanksgiving casseroles, starches, and goodies.

Unfortunately I pooped out early- still not feeling my best. That is why I am home blogging and posting pictures! Ha!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Good luck to those of you at Ironman Arizona. Good luck to the rest of us battling the desire to gobble till we wobble this week!

My Babies

This post is sure to offend someone- or maybe even more than one. I am writing it anyways, so please keep your panties on- not wadded up. It is just a different, and supposed to be humorous, perspective.

Kids- the new accessory for the 30 year old.

Except when you are 30 and don't have one. Like me. Do dogs count? No, they don't. You see, I live in a sheltered world around here. Many of my every day friends do not have children. So, it is completely normal for me to not have one. My friends here are acquiring dogs too, so I fit in.

But, I can hardly get in touch with an old friend on facebook that does not have a picture of them with their child on their profile. The kids- and the kid nots. That is what it comes to when you reach the age of 30. I am flipping through profiles and all I can see are those with kids, and those without kids- because it is very much advertised. It is the craze- all of my friends want a kid- and they want one now. I try to back away slowly....why the rush? Diamonds aren't forever- KIDS are forever!

And then there is me in the monkey suit. A tri suit to all of us, but a monkey suit to my friends that do not do triathlons. Picture with kid= happy and successful. Picture in triathlon suit=unhappy and crazy.

And then there are the friends with kids that I never get to talk to. They talk to other friends (with kids) quite frequently. But, when it comes to kid-less me, well, what is there to talk about? (what, you don't want to hear about my Ironman, again?)

Some moms are getting quite mad at me now. How can I say such things- obviously I have never had a kid and I don't know the life changing effects they have on you. Actually, I have been told you have never lived or loved until you have a kid. I don't doubt this. And now I will go cry as I realize my life has been shallow and meaningless.

Some of you are laughing at me- you may even be one of the 80% that reported if you had to do it all over again you might not have kids. I heard that on the radio- not sure where it came from. Well, probably none of your kids have hit the teenage years yet, so maybe that statistic doesn't apply just yet- your time will come.

Okay, so I am 30 and kid-less. I am flipping through facebook and don't feel one bit jealous that I don't have a kid to put in my picture. If and when the stork brings a kid to the Roberts household, I will let you all know. With the luck I have with dogs wandering up to me, maybe a kid will just wander up to me too! (neutered with shots would be great).

So here is a picture of me with my newest kid. She is 8 months old now- she is already walking and running, and she has hit her developmental milestones faster than your kid. She can also feed herself and is potty trained. And, while your kid will just develop an attitude and talk back more over time, mine will continue to improve her behavior. I don't have to worry about her getting pregnant or smoking crack. This may be the best mother-daughter relationship around!

A Little Sick

Not full blown, yet. Just the kind of being sick where you feel terrible all day long and then come home and sleep from 4 till the next morning trying to shake whatever is going on. Just when you think you may be feeling better, you are achy again.

Although I was asked not to, I am blaming Elizabeth Fedofsky for giving me her sinus infection.

I am definitely on the grumpy side of life right now- let me go ahead and apologize to my friends. I am missing Laura's birthday dinner and coffee club tomorrow. I have also spent 2 complete afternoons in bed without running or workout out. The dopamine is low and the achy body won't go away- leaving me a irritable mess. For once I have been smart enough to NOT go push my body and go work out. I think the 13 hours of sleep + still feeling like I have been run over is telling me something.

At least tomorrow is Friday- and hopefully this won't cut into my fun weekend ahead.

And thank you to my mystery friend that left soup and tea on my porch. I am drinking the tea right now :)

17 Things

***A request to my blogger friends:  I am in need of some new wheels for my bike for training purposes.  I am looking for something very reasonable and/or even used that will let me get in a lot of riding miles.  If anyone has any suggestions or some for sale, I would love to hear about it.  If any of you have any pro friends that are getting new equipment and maybe trying to get rid of some of their old equipment, please shoot me a note.  I am definitely interested.  

* For some reason I decided to spend more time in the kitchen this week- yesterday it was cooking the pumpkins.  This was fun for the first 30 minutes, but 3 hours later I was really annoyed.  It is messy and takes forever to steam those suckers!  I am so over being Miss Damie Homemaker- this is exactly why I don't cook.  It doesn't leave me time for working out!  But, if anyone local wants some 1-2 cup bags of pumpkin for cooking, let me know because I have extra.  

It is 17 days post Ironman.  17 is my lucky number- today must be a good day.  

17 Things I learned from Ironman:

1. Cooking still sucks.  More to the point, it takes up too much of my time.  I will not pick up cooking as a post Ironman hobby. *
2. I am ready to be off of my bike at mile 108.
3. Chicken broth and flat coke are not near as good as everyone says they are.  Who are these friends of mine that kept bragging about this stuff?
4. I have a terribly weak bladder.  
5. I can keep my cool even when someone calls me a bitch- I never thought I could do this.  (Some crazy girl tried to drown me at IMFL, I wished her a happy IM after she cussed me out. )
6. I have very hot girlfriends- they live at mile 1.5.  
7. I train with some superstars.  That does not make me a superstar, but it makes me the friend of some superstars, which is pretty cool too.  
8. I need to stop bragging about how fast I am at transitions.  My grandma could transition faster in an IM than I did. 
9. While it may not be appropriate for me to smile at my Oly races since I should be hurting, smiling at an IM is completely okay.  
10. No one cares about your race the way you do.  No one has looked at your results and analyzed them- no one cares.  Half of your friends may not even know you did an Ironman.  
11. Dave really does honor, respect, and support my dreams.  
12. Taping pictures of your dogs on your aero bottle and handle bars is a good conversation starter around mile 70.
13. An Ironman is addictive- like exercise crack.  
14. You will forget to do something that day.  For me, it was a change of socks and body glide in my special needs run bag.  
15. It really is a long day- that is over very quickly.  
16. Training will become a distant memory.
17. RAMS:  the right attitude means success.  Oh wait, I learned that in grade school.  

Planning for 2009

My two weeks post- Ironman has ended. I have given my body a wonderful rest! My only workouts for the past two weeks: run x 3 (all easy 30 min or under), swim 2x easy, yoga x 3, and bike x 0! While I have not enjoyed missing out on my daily does of good exercise, I have appreciated the fact that good rest for me now will pay dividends for the next year.

I have also spent this time thinking about the upcoming year. I have had two recurring thoughts:

1. I need to focus on my school clinicals until graduation in May to make sure I am developing my physical therapy skills and feel prepared to pass my boards.
2. I need to race closer to home to honor the financial situation in our family. I need to trim the fat and race locally more often to reduce travel costs.
   

This really led me to the conclusion that 2009 will stay very local. It will allow me to focus on school and not strain to fit in travel. It will also save Dave and I some money. This past year I raced everywhere BUT home, and the costs really did add up by the end of the year.

Here are some of the races I wanted to do next year but I cut from the list because they did not fit my vision for 2009: Mardi Gras Marathon, Sylamore 50k, Gulf Coast Half Ironman, New Orleans 70.3, and Ironman Cozumel! Yes, these races seem so exciting and fun! But, they all involve time away from school and travel $$$.

So, here is my revised plan for 2009.

Jan: Swampstomper 50k. Located in Memphis, for $30 it can't be beat. This would be a fun way to attempt my first 50k with friends in a local environment. While it doesn't have the Sylamore appeal to me, I think it will still be a fun experience.

Feb: ?

March: Little Rock Half Marathon. Mira, consider this your recruiting letter- will run with me? I have done this half 2 years in a row, and I love this race. It is only 2.5 hours away and I can stay with family. This will be a smarter travel option for me in place of the Mardi Gras half marathon. I would like to run this half fast this year!

April: ?

May: Memphis In May. Our biggest local race, I can work on getting a new Oly PR right in my backyard. I have an extra bedroom and another pull out bed if anyone wants to race and needs a place to stay. You must be able to tolerate 2 dogs and 1 cat.

June-October: I am going to do some local tris and pick a Half IM for the fall. I will be out of school and hopefully have a job, so I can maybe treat myself to a half IM out of town.

November: New York marathon perhaps? I think I will put my name in the lottery.

It looks like the ironman will have to wait for 2010. The only IMs I have interest in seem to be filled for this upcoming year. So, I think I will keep my eye out for that Cozumel IM in 2010....

Why I Like To Work With Kids

Special moments working with kids this week:

• One little boy ran and jumped in my lap to sit with me during circle time. What is that wetness I feel? Oh..... great.

• As we were pretending to wash ourselves for gross motor and sensory integration practice, one boy in the class reminded me that we forgot to wash our wieners. I now know who the cleanest kid in that class is!

• One girl wiped her nose on my pants, but tried to do it in secret. When I called her out, she laughed and laughed that I had figured out what she was doing.

• As I was working with a three-year-old girl with spina bifida on pushing up the stairs, she decided she wanted to use my stomach as a place to push. She told me that my tummy was "big."

These are just a few samples of the funny moments in my days, and they are the moments that really keep me going at work.

Sorry I don't have pictures of any of these things- pee, wieners, boogers, or my fat tummy. Next post maybe...

Just As Busy?

I guess when you are a busy person naturally, post Ironman is really no different from every day living. I spent most of my Sunday catching up on all of the chores and to-do's that I have neglected for the past few months.

First up? cleaning the bedroom. That included putting up all of my Florida gear and doing a ton of laundry. My room was a complete wreck, but it is starting to look more like a bedroom. Of course I had some help cleaning with Rooney and Cayenne.

We love to keep mommy company!

Next? The office space. I was facing 2 years of PT school books, notes, and trash just piled everywhere. I didn't even know where to start. I couldn't believe how disorganized everything had become. I don't know how I managed to make it through last semester. Notes were found everywhere except in their proper binder. It was such a mess!
lI am still not completely finished with this area, but it is getting better.

Following the big cleaning session I took Roo out for a run. Cayenne barked for only the second time ever when I left without her, and Dave said she was not very happy with being left behind. She can't go running right now, though, because she has an injury to her back foot that is still healing, plus she was spayed last Tuesday. Roo and I just went for 23 minutes exactly- enough to stretch our legs.

And finally, I had my family over for dinner. Yes, I attempted to serve food to others. I am very proud to say that everyone ate the food, and so far no sickness has been reported.

Here is my papa kicking the soccer ball to Roo. I had to get a picture of him in his Harley clothes with his skull t-shirt and new cap on. Business man by week, Harley warrior by weekend! Oh, and papa has a new blog too- he is also on facebook now, so feel to ask him to be your friend!

The week of domestication has been fun, but everyone keep me in check to make sure I don't get into this home-making rut!

Week One Post Ironman

is so boring. I am such a movement oriented person, just being and not doing has been hard on me this week. And, heaven forbid I had enough time to mop the house today. Yuck! Someone give me a training plan, quick! I don't want Dave to start to take advantage of my extra hours :)

I am recovering really well. I didn't have much soreness at all after the IM, and I am so eager to work out. I have taken the whole week off- the longest time I have ever gone in probably 15 years without some sort of exercise or sports. Tomorrow I am breaking the seal and heading to swim practice- and Sam will be going up to the pool too so I will get to see my buddy. Believe it or not, I am eager to get back on the bike and head out for a run! I am still contemplating my goals- what do I really want to do next? I have a few things in mind...

Nancy, Damie, and Joy- We couldn't quite make it up the stairs without sitting down to rest and pow wow. What is wrong with this picture? It wasn't taken Saturday after the race, it was taken pre-race, post-expo shopping! ha ha! Shopping wore us out!

Mostly right now I am missing my friends. Since there is no training going on, our daily conversations and crazy emails have ceased. I think about doing drastic things like immediately signing up for another ironman so my friends don't forget about me, but then I come to my senses. Life sure is boring without my training partners. Hopefully I will see everyone soon at the Second Annual Turkey Extravaganza hosted by our own Laura. I really feel lucky that we have such a great tri-girls community here in Memphis.

I also feel honored to tell everyone that my ironman has inspired Dave to go to the gym AND go on a run this week. My mom also reported that she hit the gym too, and I think that is great. Movement is so important to our health.

That is all that is happening here on the home front. Dave and I were given tickets to a very nice wine tasting event, so I am heading out for a night full of good, flirty wine!

Post Ironman Thoughts

My hubby and my mom spectating at Ironman Florida.

Yes, so the adrenaline has worn off- for 3 days I was sky high, but now.... So, what to do next? Another IM (yes!). Marathons (yes!) Short stuff (yes!). Life is too short for my long list of to do's! Okay, but I have been instructed to take this week to really think about my goals for next season. So, no decisions just yet.

I have decided to spare the blog world of a mile by mile race report. I figured you guys got the point with my last post that I had tons of fun and hit my goals. The hard part after any race is looking back and saying- could I have done this better? Well, yes and no. I have no doubt that with my new experience I could make some more aggressive goals for the next race and push myself harder. But, I would not change the way I executed my plan this past Saturday- I think it was spot on.

Speaking of, I did not come up with my 350 cal, zone 2, yada yada plan all by myself. I am proud of myself for being the executor of such a great plan, but my inspiration really came from Coach Jen Harrison. She has been my mentor for the past year- helping me undo my bad habits and approach racing differently. I came to her as a burned out, plateaued athlete destined to continue doing what I had always done. I am now growing into a more rounded athlete that can work consistently, push harder, and take charge of my mental outlook.

Jen helped me get to the starting line injury free with clear, appropriate, respectable goals. She always extended the opportunities for me to challenge myself and gave me permission to be competitive. This is something we are still working to develop- bringing out the healthy competitor and not hiding in races. I am still learning what makes me tick as an athlete.

For the past couple of years I viewed myself as a runner. I did what I needed to do to swim, rode once or twice a week on the bike, and then ran like hell. So when Jen yanked my running back for IM training, I freaked. I can't tell you how many emails I sent to her complaining about my running times that were slowing- and, she patiently answered them all and told me to pull my big girl panties up. I felt for sure I couldn't be in shape and I lost sight of my goal from time to time.

Me around mile 22ish? Wow, look at that salt on my shorts!

As I ran the marathon in Florida, I laughed to myself thinking how that dern Jen Harrison was right. She told me I would run the whole marathon, and I did. Yanking my miles back on my burned out ass and teaching me to be able to ride and run off of the bike was just what I needed. She saw the big picture, and I only saw that my 10k time was slower. And, let me tell you- I probably passed 200 people on that run who have faster 10k times than I do.

So, a huge thanks to Jen Harrison for keeping me in line, seeing the big picture, and putting up with my crap. Thank you for a great plan that let me reach my goal.

Ironman Florida!!!!

Yes, I had this much fun the whole time. This is me at mile 12 of the run. I was loving it!

An Ironman race report is not easy to do, so I will just do some highlights here, and then write a detailed report later. I think this will be good for the bloggers that don't really want to read my race mile for mile!

My goal- as stated on my goal sheet- for Ironman Florida: Finish Ironman Florida running the whole marathon. It was that simple. My secret goal was to beat 12 hours.

My plan for Ironman Florida:

• Make the swim easy
  
• 350 calories every hour on the bike (heed/carbo pro + gel)
• Pay hommage to my HR monitor and do not leave zone 2 on the bike.
• No battles on the bike- the ego has to stay home.
• Run the way you have practiced- 8:45 to 9:30 min miles.
  
• No walking. Period- non- negotiable.
  

Okay, I had the most frickin' perfect day ever. My plan was executed exactly the way I planned and practiced. I had only one problem the whole day, and it was the fact that I peed 13 times on the bike- yes, I went back and counted, 13 times on the bike. And, although I did pee on myself a few of those times, I had to stop 8 other times to really go. I lost a lot of time stopping, and I was also uncomfortable for a good portion of the race with a full bladder (plus my bladder is very weak and I cannot hold too much in there). That part was miserable. However, I was getting in plenty of sodium and I was not bloated, so I stuck to my nutrition plan. The problem was the cool weather in the first 2 hours was reducing my sweat output (I am used to Memphis weather), so I was not using all of the fluid I was taking in. And, in the end I think everything worked out because I was hydrated completely and had the appropriate amount of calories to set me up for the run. I was frustrated, but also understood that while my bike time would suffer, my run time would probably improve. In the future, I will probably practice some other nutrition strategies to keep my bladder a little more comfortable. Lord help me when I have kids- I will be in the bathroom all of the time!

But, a good point is- nutrition counts. I never got hungry the whole race. I got in every calorie. I stuck with the plan. I had no stomach problems because I went at my appropriate pace for digesting food.

Also, I stuck with my HR plan. When I saw my HR in zone 3, I immediately backed down. Even if this meant my pace would slow down. Yes, it sucks to let people pass you that you know should not pass you. Yes, it is hard to see a mph avg that you know should be higher. But, I made a decision to use my HR monitor and stay in zone 2. I averaged EXACTLY low to mid zone 2 for the bike. I think this was a good decision for me as a beginner to keep everything on the low end. It meant I was able to digest food. It meant I would be able to run the marathon- my goal. It also meant I had to control my ego when I didn't want to obey my HR monitor. This was the hardest part.

But, let's get to the good stuff. My run rocked. It was the easiest marathon I have ever done. I had one porto-potty stop for some diarrhea time at the 13.1 turnaround but never felt bad or had any problems beyond that. I made sure to get in all of my nurtrition at ever station. I took 1 gel per 3 miles. I did drop my endurolytes and had to start picking up salt tabs off of the ground, and thank goodness for special needs because I stopped there too to retrieve some things I dropped. I ran the whole time unless I was taking in nutrition and needed to walk to do so. I ran just as fast, if not faster at times, on the back half of the marathon. I loved every minute of the run. I never felt like walking- never went to a dark place. I cheered others on and enjoyed myself.

I ran at the pace I trained, and I trained at the pace I thought was reasonable to run for my first ironman. And I finished- no death march, no walking. Goal achieved. It is a beautiful day. Secret goal achieved with an 11:46, it is still a beautiful day.

Okay, that is all of the time I have this morning. I feel great- I am ready to starting training again, and I am not kidding. Don't freak out on me, I am taking the week off. I am just saying I feel good and happy. More details and thoughts to come later.

Cheers!

Over And Out

This is me- chilling and relaxing before Florida! I am reading Going Long for the 100th time to make a permanent imprint in my brain of my plan for the IM.

Last post for a while- I know I will have so much going on this week I will not have time to get on the computer and play. In my defense, I have gone above and beyond this week with posting to make up for my upcoming absence. :)

I am excited and looking forward to the weekend to come. If you are in Florida, we have a huge Memphis group with a beer stand at mile 1. You will recognize them as the crazy people in costume on the run course, so feel free to stop by and hang out. You will more than likely find me right around there before and after the race, and I would love to hang out!

Thanks again for the friendly support, from both old and new friends. See you on Saturday!

Bringing It All Together

Christy Bohannon is the reason I ever attempted a triathlon. She had just joined my soccer team in New Orleans, and I thought she was a super neat person. We hit it off immediately and have remained great friends till this day. I often tell Dave I wish we lived closer to Christy. In fact, I say it probably once a week.

So, Christy started off pretty much the way I did- a beginner that had a lot of fun and continued to improve. When it came time for me to try the sport, I did everything that Christy did. Here are some of the things that I completely copied from her.

1. She had a road bike, so when I had the choice between getting a road bike or tri bike- I got a road bike. Her bike was entry level aluminum, so that is what I got too.
   
2. She wore Desoto tri shorts, so I got Desoto tri shorts.
   
3. She bought some really inexpensive Lake bike shoes. I went on ebay and found a cheap pair of Lake shoes.
   
4. She suggested a certain pair of bike shorts, so I bought that exact pair.
   

And I am sure there are many, many other things that I copied.

Christy has since moved on in the world of triathlon. She has competed in Worlds. She has run in the low 1:30s in a half IM. She has qualified and raced in Kona. She has completed 3 IMs, including her last one just weeks after being released to walk after a bike crash that left her with a broken pelvis. She is still someone that I call and ask for advice and comfort. She is bringing me tri shorts to Florida to make sure I have something to wear in the race. When I feel like a triathlon ragamuffin, I call Christy (ragamuffin: when you realize you just don't have all of the "things" that everyone else has- in my case, I am a ragamuffin because my entire outfit for Florida is borrowed- among many others things- kind of like house poor, I am tri poor). Christy makes it all better for me, because she has been a ragamuffin before too. She is the one friend that truly understands.


She has patiently answered all of my IM panicked phone calls this month. She believes in me and truly wishes me the best. She is the type of friend that thrives on others' successes. I hope to carry some of her spirit with me next weekend. Actually, I know I will because she will be at the race egging me on and snapping a million pictures- her spirit will be unavoidable! She will be right there in my face, never letting me quit and always getting that smile out of me. I am so lucky Christy helped me get started in this sport. I have had so many enjoyable moments, and I haven't been in a race yet where I didn't have some sort of a good time, and I attribute a great deal of this to Christy :)

Part II- Elliot Perry

And, I just realized how boring these posts must be for some of you, especially those not racing right now. I guess my season has been a little long this year!

The second installment of my mental tricks of the trade goes way back. As a kid, I had a best buddy Shawn in school. We would call each other on the phone at night and watch Memphis State basketball. If you didn't know Memphis Sate before it became University of Memphis, you are young.

One player really stood out to me in the late 80s as a kid- Elliot Perry. He was a point guard for Memphis and went on to play NBA. In 1994-95, he was voted the NBA's most improved player- now that is an awesome honor. That speaks volumes about this man as an athlete.

I liked Elliot Perry as a kid because of his knee pads. To the best that I can remember, he was having a spell of trouble making free throws during one season in college. Someone (coach/trainer/?) told him

Confidence Is The Key

Perry (or the coach/trainer) wrote that on one of his knee pads, and he wore the knee pad every game. When I would watch him on TV, the TV crew would always do a close up of his knee pads to show the writing. And, his free throws improved.

As a kid, this delivered a very powerful message to me. I started writing Confidence Is The Key on one of my soccer shin guards from the time I was a grade schooler- all the way through college. I did not play a game without a shin guard that did not have Confidence Is The Key written on it.

Somewhere on my Florida gear, I bet you will find a magic saying....

Gathering Thoughts Part I

I have so many things that I think about when I compete at any event. I have a psychology background, so I really feel that mental training is just as important as physical training. And, of course there are times when my mentality is low- you have probably even seen it at times on the blog- and that is okay because I am a real person that experiences the same doubts and fears as the next person.

I always carry different inspirations with me in a game or race. Some are serious, and some are fun. Some of my favorite inspiration comes from movies. If you are looking for some motivating movie watching, let me make 2 suggestions- Vision Quest and Without Limits. If you are not ready to be a front runner or challenge Shute at 168 after watching these movies, I don't know what will motivate you.

But my all time favorite is Star Wars! I am a Star Wars freak. In college I had Star War posters all over my room and a Star Wars bed spread. Yes, I was (am) a dork. I was even Princess Leia for Halloween with a great R2D2 beer cooler. I think Dave threw away or hid all of my Star Wars stuff when we got married. He insisted the posters come down. Boo! But, at least I still have my Star Wars lunch box.

Okay, so here it goes- my top Star Wars quotes for racing:

1. May the force be with you.
2. Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.
3. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
4. You must do what you feel is right.
5. Stay on target.
6. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.
7. Size matters not.

:) If you don't remember these quotes, I insist that you put your old, original Star Wars tape in your VCR immediately.

What's Up?

Not much here I can say. Sorry I have not been a great blogger this week. I have started my new clinical at the Memphis City School system. I love it. I love working with children with disabilities- of all ages. Going to the schools is so cool- I get to see the kids in their everyday environment. It is a lot of fun for me. Unfortunately they don't hire new graduates, so it doesn't look like I will get a job there anytime soon.

And at nights I come home and hang with Roo and Lilly Lizard (at least that is what I have named her. Dave vetoed the name, so we are supposed to have a renaming tonight). It is so much fun for me to have a new baby in the house. She is crunched up right now behind me on the couch, snoring. Of course I am getting attached, which is exactly what Dave did not want. But, I did contact a rescue agency, Dog's Second Chance, and Lil Liz is getting put up for adoption. It has been hard to think of giving her up- I hope I find a young, energetic dog lover like me to take her. Oh well- she can stay here as long as she wants to.

And, the rest- well, taper time is here. I am very happy as I was just getting tired of having something(s) to do every single day. It was time for me to wind down. I went to yoga this week and realized how tight I have become- it is amazing what loads of training can do for your body in both a positive and negative way. I have been slowly losing the negative energy that I accumulated with miles of training- tired body = tired mind. Wow, so that is it! Nothing neat-o to post about today. Sometime this week I will try to write about the things I will think about in ironman- the things that inspire me. Star Wars and Elliot Perry will be among the topics. More on that to come.

Damie and pregnant Andi doing a tree pose at Yoga Elements in Erie, Colorado. This studio is owned by my friend Andi- if you are in the Erie/Boulder area, check it out! Yoga= Good.