BIG DAY

Whew hew!  My head is spinning, but in a good way.  :)  

Shelby Angel had a BIG day- small surgery, abscess drainage, x-rays, and anaesthesia...plus, a new foster home!   I must say she was a scared puppy when I went to pick her up from the vet's office.  After 2 weeks of food and love, she had to experience more pain in order to keep her healthy.  We are really trying to avoid amputation at this point, especially since she has already lost some bones in her feet either through self amputation or other mutilation, so the vet had to do some draining and poking around in there.  Her feet hurt worse than ever, and I think she was doggone happy to leave the vet for a while! 

So, here is Shelby Angel with her new foster mom, Heike.  She looks scared and tired- because she is.  I bet she wondered when the next round of foot torture would be coming.  I hope she was pleasantly surprised to find that her new temporary home has lots of food, lots of love, another dog for a friend, and a great new human friend.  Of course Heike is already in love with her, as EVERYONE is when they meet her.  Last time I checked they were eating some 5 star main course and snuggling.  Now THIS is the life every dog should have.  

Shelby Angel also made the newspaper here in Memphis.  Check it out here:  

ARTICLE ON SHELBY ANGEL-COMMERCIAL APPEAL

So, like I said- BIG DAY.  I hope all of this brings Shelby Angel the life she was meant to have as an amazing companion to some lucky person.  As for me, I felt SOOOOooooo embarrassed to see my name in the newspaper.  

I plan on making a separate blog for Shelby Angel this weekend for those readers who would just like to follow her progress on her journey to a great life.  The rest of you crazy triathletes can stay here and lament with me as my fitness erodes into the winter months.  2010 anyone?

Time For Week #2!

Here are some more pictures of Shelby Angel.  She is up to 35# now and covering up a few bones.  She still has a longggg way to go, and you would really have to see her in person to see how underweight she is, but she is definitely making progress.  

This first picture of her is my favorite pictures of the day.  She looks so beautiful to me here.  Her eyes are simply amazing, and her coloring is so beautiful.  She is such a pretty dog.  

Here is another picture of the pretty girl enjoying a quiet day in my parent's backyard.  My sister and I snuck Shelby Angel from the vet's boarding house today and took her on a day trip for some relaxation and time with the girls (and papa).  

Damie, Bekah, and Shelby Angel...all smiling!  Every day we get to spend with Shelby Angel brings so much pleasure and joy.  It is as though I found the secret to happiness in life, and it comes packed in this amazing dog.  

Our current big problem- her feet.  Shelby Angel can barely walk.  She is in so much pain and limps so much.  I know it is hard on her because she wants to follow us around everywhere.  This is a picture of her back left foot.  It has a digit that is basically missing with the nail that is cut down to the bone and split in half.  On top of that, there are abscesses.  Ughhh....  poor baby.

This week Shelby Angel will undergo some clipping and draining for her nails and toes.  She will also be getting some x-rays to see if amputations are indicated.  Keep her in your prayers!    

Bekah and I soak her feet several times a week.  We did it again today and watched the puss ooze out of the open sores.  The soaks are painful for Shelby, yet she does not get upset or try to get away.  She has such amazing behavior, she tolerates pain and discomfort for over 30 minutes without so much as a mean look.  It is as though she knows we are trying to help and trusts that we are not trying to hurt her.  What an ANGEL!!!!

I have recently stumbled upon a great website I wanted to share with everyone:  Badrap.  Whether or not you are interested in pit bulls, I think it is a good site for education on the breed.  I had two people at work literally freak out on me last week for even considering saving an abused pit bull mix and letting someone adopt her.  I try not to take things personally, but since I own a pit bull mix- AKA:  Cayenne, well, it didn't sit well with me when they were telling me that I was irresponsible for ever considering putting my family at risk.  They basically wrapped it up by implying that I probably shouldn't ever have kids because my home not safe...I guess I would be an unfit mother because of my choice in dog rescues.  

Well, I guess Cayenne could possibly lick me to death.  Anyone that knows her knows she does not know how to stop kissing.  "Stop kissing me Cayenne"  falls on deaf ears around here.  Last night she woke up a couple of times and just started kissing me.  Come on, Cayenne!  No kisses!       

All I am trying to say is this- form your own opinion...I always believe in that.  However, do it based on education- read more research and valid studies and steer clear of the nightly sensational news.  

As always, thanks for reading my blog, whether it be about training, lack thereof, or animal adventures.  

Holding On Just A Little Longer.....

I am very good at pacing.  I can hold even splits in training and racing.  I can pretty much call my split and then do it within a very close range.  (at least I was good at all of this...hope it is still true! ;)  

I am not so good at pushing through and holding on.  When the pack runs/rides at a higher pace than I think I can hold, I drop back.  I am saving myself....from what?  I am not sure, but I think I am saving myself from a sure death.  

However, this hinders me as an athlete.  The safety of the splits I know I can hold...the familiarity of the paces I know so well...   It is good, but then there is no BREAKTHROUGH.

Since I recognize this as a weakness of mine, I now look for times when I have allowed my comfort zone to dictate my training.  On Tuesday, we were given a really tough set- well, tough for me (non-swimmer)for sure, and I think Steve would agree.  Given the fact that we have both missed a good handful of swim sessions lately, it was a little scary when the main set was 1,900 of different distances on an very challenging pace.  The only thing I could think to say was, "wow...we don't get to talk to each other today, do we?"  There was maybe 5-10 seconds of planned rest between everything...the whole time...if that.  

After the 7th whatever we were on, I heard that voice in my head.  It said, YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO HOLD THIS PACE THE WHOLE TIME.  I wasn't even half way through and I panicked.  I sat out the next 100- and the coach asked if something was wrong.  I said- no...but I can't hold that pace!  He couldn't understand why I would stop, when I had made every interval with time to spare- I hadn't even fallen behind yet!  

I got back into the mix after that- realizing my mistake and held strong the rest of the time.  Yes, I felt like throwing up the rest of the set- it was the first time I have ever been nauseous in the pool.  But, when I finished the set (and I did...I made ever interval)- I just wished I had held on a little bit longer in the early part of the swim... it was like having an asterisk by my workout since I sat out one 100.   

So, one of my overall athletic goals is to learn to push more in training- to trust the times coaches give me, even if I think they are ludicrous- and to not drop out of any set until I fall over or drown.  

I am also happy to say I have been on my trainer 2 x this week.  Monday it was miserable- I couldn't wait to get off.  Tonight I enjoyed it just a little more...it reminded me of all of the IM training on the trainer and it was a little easier to stay on.  I have really, really neglected my bikes and I am going to try to start making it up to them.