A little this and a little that

It is getting to be that time of year when you feel like a caged animal. The kids tickle each other just to get a laugh b/c they are so sick of being inside. I think I am more sick of being stuck inside with them! UGH. I don't know why we live here. Bill LOVES warm weather and I am a triathlete, hmmm. Chicago doesn't seem to make sense anymore. California is calling our names, come stay here. Oh but then there is the whole job thing and babysitters that are free. WE do have great jobs that we love and our families are both here. The positives outway the negatives. BUT the negatives are starting to decrease and I feel a change coming! Maybe a heat lamp over my trainer in the basement will make me feel warm inside. This is what we do when it is cold, snowy and well, just snowy.

We took Molly swimming for the first time last week. I know tons of people bring their kids swimming all the time. I think when you swim laps WAY too much swimming as a fun activity looses it's appeal. So the kids loose out. The last thing I want to do is put my suit back on for "fun". But we did it last week. Here is the proof. She was a trooper, I even dunked under water a few times and she just looked shocked. No tears just shock. She was probably thinking this is the lady that takes care of me and now she is forcing me under water! GREAT.

On the racing and training front. I am suppose to be getting my new bike in a few weeks!!!! I will be riding a Scott. The pictures are sooo pretty. Bree, I think it might be similiar to yours? I can't wait to take pics and post them. I need to get used to that baby with only 3 months to train on it before riding 56 miles in NOLA. Yikes! Plus my new computrainer should be arriving soon. In my world that is like getting a new car! I spend soooo much time on that thing. I bought my current one back in 2000. OH boy, it is 9 years old! I have been doing that a LONG time. Now I can have a friend over to train and race. Oh the fun.

ps. The pool this morning was 1000 degrees. So we opened the doors to let air in so we could breath. It was like a movie with the fog above the water. The air temp was 0 and we were 10 feet from the door. If I get sick in a few days, this will be my fault. BUT it was soo worth it during that 800, thanks Barb!

Sacrifice...

I was coaching masters swim last night at the high school pool and saw this quote on the wall. I needed to share it! I truely believe this. I don't know who wrote it.

If you ran without sacrifice, congratulations you just jogged.
Running hurts, it always has. It teaches us that good things do not come easy. It teaches us that we are capable of more than we think. It teaches us that hard work will be rewarded and laziness will be punished. Don't expect to learn those life lessons from jogging. Next time you suffer on the roads, suffer proudly.
You just RAN.

I think this not only applies to training but to life.
This is something to remember in the off season when it really counts. And there are no races but only days after days of lonely training. But you must keep running!

Welcoming in the New Year

These were the fast guys post run!

This morning I would consider the kick off to training 2009. Or at least the effort to start training. We met up at 6am which in my books is sleeping in for a 90 min casual run. Normally on my long runs it is just my brother and I or Janeth shows up. But today was my swim partner Adam, Guy (client and friend), Brian (brother), and Colin (fast college kid). I have not run much since the marathon a month ago. I would consider this my hardest effort since then. Adam wore his Garmin this morning. Typical of us triathletes. We constantly need numbers and feedback to feel validated for the hardwork we are putting out. Some would say we are OCD but I would say we are just type A. Brian is the COMPLETE opposite. He even forgot to bring a watch to the marathon. I think if any triathlete I knew forgot their watch they would have made a scramble the night before to find the nearest sporting goods store and bought a new one. A little into the run I asked Adam how fast we were going. I love when you ask that and all you get as an answer is a laugh. I was REALLY working. But it was fun to run 12 miles at almost a 7 min pace. I am saying the word fun now that I am in my comfy sweats and drinking a cup of coffee. I think it so neat that runners can come together and find something to talk about. All of us that ran this morning have nothing in common really except for running. But you still can find something to talk about.
So here is to the next few months of freezing my butt off outside and sweating my butt off in the basement to get ready for New Orleans!