Weekly Simplicity

Not simplistic, but....

So, I have this new twitter account, but I don't really know what to do with it. I don't see the difference between tweeting and facebook status updates. And, since I never update my facebook status, I am having trouble tweeting as well. I honestly just don't think I am witty enough to tweet.

I do, however, like to read updates from Flotrack, the Saints, professional athletes, good blogs, new articles and information, etc...on twitter, so I can see how there is some value to the site.

So, maybe I just need a twitter tutorial to get me in the game a little bit. Help, please? Because honestly, if is just about me tweeting that I went on a bike ride or to the grocery store, I might lose interest quickly. Well, actually, you would lose interest quickly...in my twitter life, that is.

It would probably help if I had a smart phone as well, but I am so partial to my old, pre-paid flip phone. Twittering in bed...(like writing your blog in bed, which is what I am doing) seems a little lame.

This week I have really continued to focus on making my life simple.

• Spending less. And less. And less. I think I would be happy if I reached a point in life where I didn't buy a single thing except food. I really find such little pleasure in buying things these days.
  
• Streamlining work. I am setting hours and trying to stick to them. And saying "no" when work pushes beyond those boundaries. I still suck at this one.
  
• Trying new food and cooking from recipes. I realized I was going WEEKS without cooking a meal. I am trying to make food preparation a bigger part of my life. It doesn't seem simple now, but maybe it will with some practice.
  
• Training simply. Read workout. Do workout.
  

Friday night simplicity...dogwalking at the Humane Society. This is Etta. Pure sweetheart. Easiest dog to walk. I sometimes feel so tired on Friday nights, and volunteering seems like just one more thing to do in an already over-crowded week. But once I get out there and do it, I realize I don't want to live I life where I don't give of myself. It is always worth it.

Who wrote the book on simplicity? My dogs. A day in the life of....
I always suspected they didn't do crap when I wasn't home. Proof. Rooney sleeping in the yard, and Cayenne sleeping in the dog house.
It doesn't take much to make them happy, either. I brought them inside for some family time. Stuffing and squeakers.... and hanging out with mom. Truly. Just hanging out with me makes them happy. Makes me happy too.
Oh, back to doing nothing. The simple life.

Watch This

An awesome video from coach TL

If you guys don't know Tim/Lucho, check him out. I connected with him last year when I was on the verge of giving up because I was not able to run post surgery....and more importantly, I had lost my love for running. I took this especially hard, since I have loved running my whole life- I even distinctly remember the day and moment in time in grade school when I realized I just loved to run distance. To dislike running was like losing a part of myself.

Fast forward almost 1 year later. Yesterday I was running at Shelby Farms (and looking out for dead bodies). I was tired and my run was not stellar. HR high...speed low...nothing felt good. But, I don't judge my running as good or bad anymore. I just run. When I feel good, I get in a quality training day. When I don't feel good, I still get in a quality training day, but it is based on just being out there.

As I very slowly trudged along on the trail, I thanked God for making running a journey for me. Some people are just fast or become really good runners very quickly. Their journey is shorter. Others (like me) improve in tiny increments over years, and the journey might be longer. While I want the end result (fast), I am so glad that God has given me the opportunity to take part in the long journey. I felt glad I have to run a lot of slow miles. It is almost a blessing that I have to put in a lot of time. That means more years on the trails as I stride towards my goals.

So, enjoy the video. Tim has a great blog- lots to learn over there if you get a chance to read.

Race Into Shape

It was an anti-climatic show down here in the race department this weekend. Dave and I went to a 5k with a 2-1 race record (2 to him, 1 to me). I really need distance to gain an advantage as he can just stick by me and out-sprint me at the end of short races, but we figured a 5k would just end the "who is faster" argument. (Okay, and honestly...Dave was a 4:xx miler in high school, and that was before he got fast with college soccer. There is really no competition; I just like to talk smack as we get older).

The day was freezing, with a gracious cold, Northern headwind. I already don't love 5ks, and I really dislike racing in miserable weather. Ehhh....but it was time for me to get out there and do one, as my last 5k happened in October of 2010. Ouch. I knew this would not be fun, but I am going to have to race a little bit to get in shape.

I am sad to say it was a pitiful effort on my part. I got stuck behind some kids in the first quarter mile and lost contact with Dave and my girlfriends. I was too hesitant to sprint off of the line and was quickly 15-20 seconds back. I was not confident enough to start strong, and I was playing makeup the whole race.

At mile 1, Dave dropped out. He pulled his hamstring in a soccer game last week, and we knew he might not be able to run. It was disappointing for us both, but I am glad he was smart enough to just stop.

Mile 1 was my slowest mile by almost 20 seconds. Blah. I got going for miles 2 and 3 and negative split each mile, but it was too little too late. I could never bridge the gap back to my friends. I finished this race slower than the last time I did this course in 2008. Not very comforting.

I can conclude I am absolutely not in 5k shape. I had zero speed. I also have forgotten how to race.

(Walking with Dave:) Couldn't let him walk alone.)

I am not sure, however, if the new record is 2-2. Does it count as a loss if you DNF? Dave ended up walking the rest of the course, so I jogged to him after my race and walked it in with him. I am honestly so proud of him for doing even just a tiny bit of running. I know he has zero passion for it, so making the effort to spend time with me doing something I like is appreciated.

The tale of two athletes- Dave has to DNF, and really doesn't care. I finish, but have a shitty race, and feel pissy. So funny how we react so differently to running.

Lisa, Nanette, and Damie post race

Today I redeemed myself with a good 16 miler- zone 2 effort, marathon pace. Probably one of my best long runs in a few years. Go figure. Speed? No. Endurance? Yes. I guess you can't always have it all in January!

Living

I am posting these pictures as a great reminder of what I want my life to look like every single day.

These pictures were taken on our road trip to the Saints playoff game 2 weeks ago in New Orleans. Dave brought home a mini-van for us to drive on the trip. He is trying to convince me that a mini-van would fit my lifestyle. But, we all know that there is no way I will ever drive a mini-van. My next purchase is a Lane Meyer style Camaro. I already have my dad's word that he will help me restore one. (Better Off Dead....if you don't know Lane Meyer). I might at well post a picture of the Camaro as well. Sweet, yes?

Okay, back to the pictures....and the way I want to live my life every single day.

So, the dogs were in the back of the van on their dog beds. Halfway through the trip, I just had this overwhelming desire to go spend time with them, snuggle them, and nap on the floor of the van with them. Dave asked why I was getting on the nasty, hairy floor with the dogs. And I responded, "Because I will always remember this night, where I just snuggled on the floor of a van with my dogs. I will never remember a road trip where I just sit in the front seat and listen to the same song I have heard 1 million times." (Actually, I am sure Dave was making me listen to ESPN radio or RawDog, but you get the picture).

Remember those great road trips when you were younger? Aren't our best memories filled with happiness, laughter, and a little touch of crazy?
The dogs were so happy. We just made a hug dog pile, and I was laughing the whole time like an 8-year-old. It was a little ridiculous.
And maybe when I have my own kids, I won't be able to pile on the floor of a van with my dogs. I will have to sit up front, seat belt on, and be an adult. Or maybe not. Hopefully I can still be a friend, mom, family member, co-worker that has fun, lives in the moment, and spreads love.

So, out of all of the things I did that entire week, including: work, train, pay bills, clean, yada yada. I don't remember any of it. I don't remember a single workout from that week. I can't tell you what I did on any random day of that week. But I can tell you that on Friday night, I was so very happy on the floor of a van.

When I have days that are frustrating, painful, or stressful, I think back to this night and I remember that the most important things in my life do not start with the letters WOR. That includes, but not limited to WORK, WORKING OUT, and WORRY. The most important things in my life are the way I choose to spend my moments smiling, sharing love, being a little crazy, and living.

A Good Trail Run

Here is a picture of Breesy watching the Saints' game with us last night. She had front and center on the seating arrangements.

I am definitely feeling pretty bummed about the Saints' loss. Thank you to everyone for not rubbing it in my face. For once, I didn't get a ton of heckling texts/phone calls last night. And no, I don't want to go to a Super Bowl party this year. I just want to be sad...with Kari....the other loser.

This morning I took my heavy heart to run my first 25k trail run ever. It was hard to stay sad with such a beautiful day!!!! I had no plans to run this race. I haven't even run this distance since IMWales. But, the opportunity presented itself last minute, and it sounded more fun to do my workout with others than all by my lonesome.

I still had to stick to my workout plan, which was a long run at zone 2 effort with some zone 3 in the end to make sure I didn't just trot the back half of the run. I started in the back of the pack and just chatted away with friends for the first hour. I have done so much solo running lately, and it was such a joy to be with others as we galloped through the forest.
As the miles ticked by, I felt so grateful and thankful for every blessing I have in my life, especially athletically. To be able to just run 16 miles, because I feel like it, is a dream. I felt very lucky today as I ran through the trails. I never would have thought there would be a day where I would go run a 25k at the spur of the moment because I felt like it.

I felt so good running today. I really picked it up the back half of the run and let my pace drop about 2-3 minutes per mile. My HR was staying down even with the increase in speed, and that was a good thing to see. And at the end, it felt like just another easy run. Nothing hurt, and I didn't feel a lot of fatigue. It felt a lot like adventure racing....just a fun day making your way through the forest. It was so nice to be off of the road and just running for the joy of running.

Changes Abound

Whoa...whirlwind!!!! Hello 2012!!!
Last week was intense, as is this week. I might be slightly absent for the next week, but I promise to make up for it with a vengeance shortly.

2012 has brought a lot of incredible change to me. With change comes stress, but I know that while I don't want chronic stress in my life, a little short term stress can be the sign of growth and hard work. Here are a few things going on right now...

I am leaving my current employer and embarking on a some new job changes. It was extremely hard to tell my employer, as they have been very good to me. I was nightmarishly hard to tell my families that I would no longer be working with their special needs children. I have made many parents cry in the past week with my news. It is very hard as a physical therapist to no longer be a part of the journey of the amazing and wonderful kids I treat. I have children that were not able to hold their own heads up 1 year ago...yet today we are starting to learn to walk. I know the change in my personal life will bring about change for these families, and I hope that newly open doors will bring them opportunities to continue growing.

Speaking of open doors, I also received some big and awesome news last week. I was invited to be a part of the Wattie Ink. Elite Team. Thrilled doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about the invitation. It has only been one week, yet this team has already been bringing the fire. I am so pumped to be joined with other triathletes with similar motivation and desire to Rock the W.

In celebration of new beginnings with job and triathlon, Dave and I went to New Orleans to watch the Saints rock their way through the first round of the playoffs. Yes, I was in heaven. How do I get so lucky???

Damie and Dave cruising from the Old Algiers ferry to downtown Nola.

I am pretty sure I did not need to be drinking champagne this early in the day.

The latter result of a day in the French Quarter and some amazing tailgating.

Charbroiled oysters and crawfish pasta...

Who Dat!!!!!!!

Thank you sooooooo much, Keith.

I returned to Memphis solo and left Dave to enjoy suffer through the LSU game in New Orleans. I have been unreal busy this week....wrapping it up at my job while starting to make the new work happen. Laura came in town to visit from San Fransico, and it was so wonderful to see her. It has been hard losing great friends to other cities, and she is a wonderful, wonderful person. I was so glad to spend some time with her last night.
And then major fatigue hit, and I think this picture happened 1 minute before I almost fell asleep at the bar and told Laura I had to go home.

In the midst of all of this, I have managed to do some training...including a 3.5 hour ride today in the rain with enough pain in my private area to make me want to quit the sport. I have decided I don't need some more HTFU, I need a bike fit. Any helpers out there???? Dave would greatly appreciate it, as would I. Not being comfortable on my bike is no bueno.

And seriously... I need to have that fit dialed in so I can sport my new suit in some upcoming races!!!
Whoop Whoop! Here we go!!!!!

PS: I am now on twitter. I haven't really figured out how to tweet, but I like reading tweets from everyone else! @DamieRoberts17

Time To Get Crunk

Welcome Breesy!

Breesy fits right in to the dog pack with her new family. She has been a super awesome kitty, and we love her already.

She looks big in pictures, but she is actually a tiny little thing, weighing in at only 4 pounds! We like to call her Lil' Breesy around here.

And speaking of our other favorite Brees, it is time for Dave and I to head to the Superdome this weekend for the first playoff game. There are few things I like more in life than going to watch the Saints. A huge thanks to my many good friends, especially Keith, who always seems to make sure I have a seat in the Dome of Death. Section 609, here I come. 1...2...3....First Down!!!!!!

2011, Done!

I started 2011 excited to race. I had Ironman Wales planned as my "A" race, and I was really starting to make some progress post surgery.

Except that by March I still could hardly run 10 miles...as a weekly average. I was not enjoying running at all, and I had serious doubts if I could make it to the start line of IMWales. I started working with Tim at the end of the month, and the rest of the year is really a story about training consistency and a lot of hard work.

March:

Rebel Man: amazing support through the season from my teammates

Rebel Man Triathlon. I was scared to race- I wasn't ready. Something changed when I lined up, and I forgot all of my fears and just focused. I had a great start to the season with a 1st OA.

April: hit by a car while riding my bike. I think it must be comparable to what it feels like to be attacked by a shark. One minute you are doing your own thing, and then with no warning something just hits you from behind. My brain and vital organs were intact, and I felt very lucky. It was a hit and run, and fortunately another car chased the guy down and we were able to call the cops on him.

May:

Morgan and Damie post race :)

Steamboat Classic Triathlon: grabbed 2ndOA female to up and coming pro, Morgan Chaffin. We matched each other on the bike and run which was very encouraging for me, but she killed me in the swim. We had an awesome time hanging out after the race, and she has been such a great source of encouragement and support through the year. Watch for good things from her in 2012. She has been training very, very hard.

Riding in the flat- when it all goes wrong, just keep your chin up.

Memphis In May: I think this race is tied as one of my season's best. I panicked in the swim (I guess you are never too experienced for that?) but rallied to have an amazing bike and chase everyone down in my AG. And then I flatted in the rear around mile 20- my first race flat ever. I had nothing to change the tire, and I had to stand up and ride it in nice and easy to keep the tubular on the rim. I mentally blocked out the loss of time and just did my best for the rest of the race. I had a PR run, and finished 1stAG. If you just keep moving forward, it is never over till it is over.

June:

Heat management was the ticket to the day.

Rock N Roll Half Iron: tied for best race of the year with MIM. I set a PR for this course by almost 37 minutes and won 3rdOA and money! I was pleasantly surprised to see that for once, I could handle 90+ degree heat for racing.

July:

I hadn't felt this bad since Chicago Marathon of 2007. Every step of the run was misery. My mantra was no walking, even if I had to jog 15 minute miles.

Racine 70.3: And as good as the previous half was, this was just as bad. I felt awful the whole weekend- full of stress, complete lack of sleep, and just not in a good place to race. I pushed my brain and body the whole way to work with me and help me pull through, but it just wasn't my day. And on this day, I just couldn't handle 90+ degree racing. At the end, the cold beer with my husband and friends was a welcome relief.

August:

Just get out there and go! Race because you love to race. You can't always been 100% ready.

Mountain Lakes Triathlon: I was pre-registered for this race, then spend the 48 hours before the race throwing up from both ends from a virus. I did not want to let 9 weeks pass between my last race and Wales, so I decided to race even though I wasn't firing on all cylinders. I didn't feel good, but it was great practice before Wales to go through the motions and make sure I had everything working. You can't always feel perfect or great for every race- sometimes you need to just do it because you like to race! 2nd OA for the day.

September:

Triathlon= a great adventure!

Ironman Wales: I heart international racing. It was an amazing venue and a great day for me, especially on the run. I enjoyed the long distance so much, and I promised to not let so many years pass before my next ironman.

October:

The end of triathlon 2011!

Heber Springs Triathlon: I thought I was through for the year, but I still has some motivation in me:) I will say that going from an ironman to a sprint was hard...I don't think my legs had a fast twitch muscle left in them. 1stOA to end out the season.

Thank you 2011...you were a great year. Thank you to everyone that offered help and support through the year. Welcome 2012! Let's make it happen!