I know, I know.  It's been FAR too long since my last post, and so many things have happened, including RACE DAY!!!

First things first:  Buz and Ned's Charity Night

A huge thank you to everyone who came out that night, especially those of you who made a special trip just to support the effort.  It was greatly appreciated and, I think, a great success.  The weather was a little damp and humid, but that didn't stop people coming in the door.  Buz and Ned's provided a table where I could set up information about Team in Training and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; buttons, bracelets, and other incidentals to give to donors; and the great handmade beaded jewelry donated by Heather Williams and her mom to sell.

It was a long day, but I stayed there for the whole event, talked to a few people, gave out some information on TNT and sold some jewelry.  The necklaces were a huge hit.  In addition to the money from food sales, I collected an additional $60 from people who not only bought a few items but the generous indivials who just gave to a worthy cause.

Deluca Gelato

What a GREAT partner.  Their Charity of the Month program is amazing and they helped to raise another $153 for LLS and TNT.  I was very happy to go in at least once a week and partake of their amazing selection (my favorite being the Salted Caramel gelato and Raspberry sorbet).  They were great advocates, and I can't wait to work with them again in the future for a spirit night or two!

Okay, so it wasn't THE race day, but I did have a race day.  The Nation's Tri Flex Team schedule did call for a mock or mini tri, so it was a good thing I had signed up for Pink Power Sprint Triathlon!  I did my first triathlon last year, and it was this one so I had something against which to compare.  So... how did I do?

Overall, it was a MUCH better race than last year.  I dropped over a minute on the swim, a huge 10 minutes on the bike.  Unfortunately, I didn't do as well on the run.  I could have run harder.  I knew it when I was running, but just didn't push myself.

That is something I definitely don't want to at Nation's.  Especially since so many people are supporting me and I'm representing so much more.  I'm recommitted to working even harder on that swim, making sure that I get through the whole swim feeling strong and confident, keeping steady on the bike, and then giving it my all on the run.  I WILL cross that finish line and I WILL know that I gave it my all when I do.

2014/07/23

You probably don't know this, but I love reading daily comic strips, and one of my favorites is Frazz by Jef Mallett.  I like it even more now that I started doing triathlons and those other things that go into doing triathlons like running, swimming, and biking.  Jef Mallett is also a triathlete.

There actually is a point to that intro.  I was riding yesterday.  Now, I have a couple of different training plans, one from my TNT Flex team, one from Endorphin (mentioned in a previous post) and then just some that are available online.  Now, the Flex team schedule is centered around The Nation's Tri, but I have another race before that.  ANYWAY, I was doing a bike workout and supposed to do a 10 minute warm-up followed with 30-40 minutes easy spin.  If you haven't noticed, it was supposed to be an EASY day.  Yeah.  I don't know if it just comes with the territory of training or something you learn, but over-doing it seems to be the norm for me.  That "warm-up" which, by definition should be easy?  No.  Easy spin?  Again, not so much.

I think this comic does sum up the mind set a little.  Enjoy!  And thanks to Jef Mallett for creating this great strip!

2014-07-25

Training can be tedious, boring, and down right painful!  Hill repeats, swim drills, fartleks and other speed work, threshold riding, lactic acid tolerance, distance.  Early mornings and getting up before the sun (and that's in the summer when it's light by 6!), evening workouts, raiding the fridge at 10:30 at night because you just remembered the long run/bike/swim you have in the morning and forgot to eat dinner... again.  Talk about a pain in the butt... and hips, knees, arms, shoulders, back, feet.

And then I remember why I decided to do this with Team in Training instead of just for another race.  I'm doing this by CHOICE.  Because I can do for those who can't do.  What would someone with leukemia give to be able to put themselves through this kind of discomfort instead of chemo, radiation, bone marrow transplants, drugs, needles, hospital visits, a lifetime of monitoring... if God is smiling on them.  So I take a few Advil, grab an ice pack or 3 and settle down with the Tiger Balm to get up again the next day.

Now, I would LOVE to be able to say that that is enough to get me out of bed early in the morning and on the road or in the pool, but let's face it.  I'm only human, and I really, really, REALLYwant to stay in bed and sleep that extra hour or two.  There are times, though, when it's not work.  And it hurts so good.  And I find that it's the people I'm with that make the difference.  Long running with a group, drills with other people who are ready to pass out next to you.  A chance to stop thinking about the burn in your legs and lungs but look up, look around, and enjoy the company, weather, and scenery.

2014-07-27

My fundraising deadline is coming up FAST.  August 20 is the last day for me to raise money for Nation's Tri, but don't let that stop you from donating at all if you can't by then!  Donations are always needed!

I also need to say THANK YOU again.  Not just for donation support, but also for sharing their moment with me.

I finally had a chance to make it to a Ladies' Night on Friday.  I was late and missed dinner, but I was able to catch up a little later in the evening.  It had been I while since I'd made an evening, and it was good to catch up.  Of course I mentioned training for Nation's but this time I was training and racing for TNT and LLS.

One of  the women there gets up and tells me they want to give me some money and hands me what cash she has.  Then she tells me her story:  her mother was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2012.  After treatment to reduce the instance of myeloma cells then undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation, her mother is now in remission.  She then told me that she had wanted to donate, but never been quite sure what the best organization would be or the best avenue to do so.  She then thanked me for what I was doing.

Then another friend tells me about her father, who lost his battle to leukemia 8 years ago.  At his funeral, the family requested donations to be made to LLS for all of the support they gave to her family.

That's why we do this.