@Gina- are you solo for your RR? Aimme Hendrigan is doing RR#2 for IMLou, so we will be together.
Doing my swim RR tomorrow. Decided I will NOT wear the wetsuit because- 1- it is too stinkin hot and humid to wear all that rubber 2- as it is I tow a buoy around, I don't want to look too much dorkier 3- thinking about renting a sleeveless for the race, so will likely do that before next RR when the mornings and water will be cooler
Posted my RR for Friday in the Race Execution area- please critique me!
Beth- Moving is a workout in itself! But it is fun to "find" stuff.
Nemo- So glad you are being smart about the calf. Are you still focusing on run form? In Madison you looked as if you still land on the toes out in front.
Leigh- If you see this- I sent you a PM about the visors.
Nemo- So glad you are being smart about the calf. Are you still focusing on run form? In Madison you looked as if you still land on the toes out in front.
Thanks for that feedback. I'm working on it- but old habits die hard. I get sloppy if I don't pay close attention to it. GRRRRRR
Okay, a bit of guilt here, but I bailed today, after only 20 min. of my bike test. It was raining here and humid as H&!! and I was on the drainer in my garage. Although I had the garage door open as well as back door, I had huge puddles on the floor within 5 minutes! Did my warm up, and most of the spinups, but said screw it to the rest of it! Also said why am I doing this?? I have cut workouts short before, but not bailed in the beginning of one. I skipped the brick too. I skipped the swim yesterday as well. Guess I'm saving it for my RR run, swim, and bike, in that order, this week/weekend. ARGH.
Okay, a bit of guilt here, but I bailed today, after only 20 min. of my bike test. It was raining here and humid as H&!! and I was on the drainer in my garage. Although I had the garage door open as well as back door, I had huge puddles on the floor within 5 minutes! Did my warm up, and most of the spinups, but said screw it to the rest of it! Also said why am I doing this?? I have cut workouts short before, but not bailed in the beginning of one. I skipped the brick too. I skipped the swim yesterday as well. Guess I'm saving it for my RR run, swim, and bike, in that order, this week/weekend. ARGH.
@Barbara... it's not the end of the world as long as you can shake it off and get your head back on! My mojo has been all over the map and I've certainly reworked the schedule to suit my energy level more than once. If it makes you feel better I always skip at least one swim... and I didn't do my last scheduled run test (bc it was flippin hot). I did run, I just didn't test bc the way the weather has been I didn't want to deal with a lower VDot... I'll have opportunities to test again (for better or worse).
I think the important thing is you gave it a try, like the 10 minute running rule... and in this case, you weren't feeling it. Okay, go get 'em next time! Hopefully you'll have more energy and your head will be in a good place...
As for me, well, I didn't runthis morning... I plan to tonight (probably on a dreadmill bc it's darn oppressive out), which means I'm 0-2 on swimming this week. Will likely make up one swim tomorrow and do another Sunday (since I know I can't Sunday)... it will all work out in the wash.
@Barb- you are almost at the end and almost all of the hay is in the barn. Your fatigue is huge. I agree, give yourself a break on the guilt. Not like you can build much more before you start to taper for the race.
All ladies- I changed the batteries in my PT head 2 days ago and I am changing the hub batteries tonight. That way if there is a problem, it should show up before race day. Just a thought.
Thanks Becky and Michele. I am pretty fatigued, to say the least. However, I will get up early in the a.m. to conquer my 2.5 hour run before it gets too darn hot. Isn't this weather just absolutely ridiculous? We are all feeling it, as it is everywhere in the midwest/south/east! Makes me wonder what on earth winter will bring...? Good for you Becky, putting off the run until it is cooler out. And, the swim will come too. Sorry for the double post. My computer is soooo slow, that I hit submit 2 x's and it doesn't look like it did anything, until the posts show up! Oops!
Barb- If many folks hands were held to the fire, they would fess up on "missed" FTP tests. Consider me included in that!! This is my 3rd year here in the HAUS and I can almost pinpoint where my FTP is without testing. It is hard enough to work up the mojo to test when you are not tired, much less when you are super fatigued.
Michele- I am pretty much solo, ALL OF THE TIME. When Susanna decided not to race, I lost my training partner for the season. So, yes, I will be solo for the RR Sat am.
Neems- Glad the calf is quieter, baby that thing!!
Barb--at this point there really is NO reason to do that test. You've got it dialed in by now, and the fatigue isn't going to give you a real reading anyway. Personally, I have never done that last test, and won't again this year. Don't sweat it one iota.
@Kathy--I dunno about the boys leaving. I think that's one of the stereotypes out there--like all only children being selfish and spoiled. I saw in my own family how my dad and his brothers stayed incredibly close to their mom and sisters. I had a TERRIBLE relationship with my mother--she was the most destructive person in my life, and I spent as little time with her as possible. I think that whole notion that boys leave can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, and I'm not buying it. I think family dynamics and long-term connection transcends gender. My two-cents, anyway.
Hang in there just a little longer, girls! You can do it!
@Gina and others, how does that work with you and your partner training for the same IM at the same time? What an event to complete together, but, wow, I can't imagine both members of the household training at the same time. When did anything (other than training) ever get done?
Reading all the IMLP reports has made me a little sad that I have backed out of IMFL...until I think about those long weekend rides! Then, I'm a happier camper. I don't know what my mental block there is - I love to ride, and it's my strongest discipline, but it's the whole long-hours-on-the-weekend thing that bugs me. I'm only on week 2 of the 12 week half IM plan and the rides are already weighing on me. If I could have off Mondays from work, and I already have off Tuesdays, then I could mentally handle it a lot better. I've got it all worked out - long rides Monday and Tuesday, long runs Saturday - I could totally wrap my head around that! My sister, genius that she is, suggested that, since I will never go on maternity leave, I could argue that I need just that additional day off for 12 weeks as "Ironman Leave". My boss might go for it....maybe IMTX in 2012?
It's supah-hot here, too. Totally soaked after yesterday's long run - I was too lazy to run early so I had to do one of my less-preferred routes because it's shady. The pool sure does feel nice, though!
Soldier on, ladies, and stay cool and safe out there!
@Kristen--I was SO there re the long weekend rides. But here's an observation I've had in this training cycle. Until things heated up in this last block here, I dreaded those rides. Like you, I'd be dreading the Sat ride on Monday. I'd do them, but there was no joy in Mudville. Then the energy shifted, and it's because the IMWI group lit on fire as we went into this last block. There was a huge energy infusion to feed off of, people were getting it done--good bad, ugly. Lots of sharing and support back and forth. It really is like having people right there with you--well, almost. Seriously, the rides still aren't "fun," but they now have a purpose, everyone else is working it, you channel each other, and the end is in sight. For instance, Nemo and I texted during the RR. It's those middle weeks, that build until you get to this phase that just sucks the life blood out of me too. Something to keep in mind for the future.
OK ladies, I might talk a lot, but I do listen. I was driving by Home Depot yesterday, when I did a bat turn into the parking lot to get ear plugs. LOL! I figured construction workers have to have good ones, right? Prolly the same ones you buy in CVS, but I wore them last night, and it made a huge difference. Yes, they will take some getting used to, and a few times I really wanted to yank them out, but didn't. I slept through and didn't hear K snoring. SO THANK YOU!!!! I may survive his crushed sinues yet.
@Kristen- I know what you mean about the long weekend rides... Training for EM right out of OS was a shock and to be honest I did take some Mondays off bc I was exhausted and needed the time to do admin (clean, hit the grocery, etc). So far it's been better this go round with HIM training but I worry about having mojo left come Nov. I'm glad I have Timberman to break things up but wish I had the time for a break before jumping in to ON time for IMFL.
@Linda - my family relationships are so nuts it's embarassing... I'm amazed I turned out to be a functional, let alone somewhat productive, member of society.
FWIW my run tonight was miserable. I stayed inside bc I'm over the heat and humidity but the hour dragged and I wasn't sure I'd make it through the warmup let alone 3 miles in z4! It was brutal. I did it but wow. I suppose it's been a while since I actually hit my zones bc of the weather... I can't even say I'm glad I got 'er done. It just felt off.
Barb: There's an FTP right before taper?! Seriously? No sweat on not doing it!
Olivia: New wetsuit...seems like Xterra is always having a sale. It's nice to hear (on FB, right?) that you're back having mtb adventures. The riding out there must be amazing. My sister-in-law is trying to convince us to move to Denver
Linda: Construction worker earplugs---that's brilliant! I'm gonna pick up some for my DH as I'm the snoring monster.
Nemo: Yipee on the calf! Can't wait to hear what you think about your new phone.
Kristen: I too had no love for those long rides in General and Race Prep. I just posted on the IMWI thread that I wish I could bottle all the enthusiasm/hope/fervor of the first 6 weeks of OS and the urgency/drive of the last 6 weeks of Race Prep. I would drink from that bottle during all the weeks in between.
Michele, Aimee, Gina: I'm doing a good weather dance to the gods for cool breezes and all tailwind for your RR's this weekend.
I will find ANY excuse to not do yardwork. This year "I'm training for an IM" and "It's makes my allergies worse" seem as good as any. The result is SWARMS of butterflies have taken up residence in my yard. HUGE monarchs and swallowtails! One whole side of my yard was overgrown with milkweed this spring (yummy for caterpillars and good places for crysallis) and I have an enormous Butterfly Bush (hasn't been trimmed in 7 years) that's like the Nectar Buffet for them. Walking around the yard surrounded by 100's of butterflies, I feel like The Nature Girl Princess. I don't think I shall ever do yardwork ever again!
Hi gals, just checking in quickly so that I can subscribe to the August thread. I see everyone's workout posts to FB and part of me misses the long runs...and part of me enjoys hitting snooze with no guilt.
Ironman "recovery" continues in that my body is currently engaging in some sort of cleanse or purge. I just wrapped up a random breakout on my face (bleh!) only to come down with a mild upper respiratory infection. It's taking days and days and days to do anything - I wish it would just rear up and clobber me so that I could take a sick day and be done with it but instead I'm stuck with a nagging sore throat and smoker's rasp. Come on, immune system! Up and at 'em! Let's go! Aaaaaaany minute now...
Hang in there just a little longer, girls! You can do it!
@Gina and others, how does that work with you and your partner training for the same IM at the same time? What an event to complete together, but, wow, I can't imagine both members of the household training at the same time. When did anything (other than training) ever get done?
As a dual IM and identical race schedule household, it gets pretty funny/"bad" for the back half of race prep. The rest of the time it's very manageable. Stuff always gets done, just not in the time frames that most people find acceptable. Lucky for us, we're pretty laid back, don't have any kids (well, aside from the cats) and our 60+ hr work weeks have sucessfully beaten the type A behaviors out of us ("eh, good enough" is our family motto). Some examples: my xmas tree came down in May (yup, it was a live tree), I still have a holiday moose out on the front lawn and halloween decorations up in my bathroom, my kitchen table is pyramid stacked with mail and medical journals, and at any given time, our lawn is a knee high jungle, but...we live in the woods, so no one sees it unless coming to see us. We generate more laundry than trash and live out of baskets and cars this time of year.
Hang in there just a little longer, girls! You can do it!
@Gina and others, how does that work with you and your partner training for the same IM at the same time? What an event to complete together, but, wow, I can't imagine both members of the household training at the same time. When did anything (other than training) ever get done?
As a dual IM and identical race schedule household, it gets pretty funny/"bad" for the back half of race prep. The rest of the time it's very manageable. Stuff always gets done, just not in the time frames that most people find acceptable. Lucky for us, we're pretty laid back, don't have any kids (well, aside from the cats) and our 60+ hr work weeks have sucessfully beaten the type A behaviors out of us ("eh, good enough" is our family motto). Some examples: my xmas tree came down in May (yup, it was a live tree), I still have a holiday moose out on the front lawn and halloween decorations up in my bathroom, my kitchen table is pyramid stacked with mail and medical journals, and at any given time, our lawn is a knee high jungle, but...we live in the woods, so no one sees it unless coming to see us. We generate more laundry than trash and live out of baskets and cars this time of year.
Another reason why Kevin and I get along so well with you guys! We should have a contest to see whose yard is the MOST JUNGLE---the first one with an anaconda and monkeys swinging from the trees wins!
Kev and I have trained for IM's at the same time. As Leigh says, it gets worse as the fatigue and volume goes up a few weeks out from race day. The basics just barely get done: Bills, laundry but only the technical stuff, and feeding our children (yellow lab and black cat). The person who has the most problem with the squalor (Me) has finally made peace with it and figures that during taper all that housework will get done as a means of burning off nervous energy.
@Gina and others, how does that work with you and your partner training for the same IM at the same time? What an event to complete together, but, wow, I can't imagine both members of the household training at the same time. When did anything (other than training) ever get done?
Although I don't remember how, we did manage to get things done. Last years training seems mostly a blur. On the one hand, it seems easier to train solo, as you are are not building your schedule around someone else's. The down side of that is, I am doing ALL of my training solo. Talk about long weekend rides....
Also, we don't get to share this ( Finish @ ;Ari*ona last year, one of my favorite pics!)
My colleague and friend, Mary, died of cancer this morning. She was a runner, and was out even the coldest days in style, all decked out in Skirtsports ToughGirl gear. And in the office, she was happiness and color and everything good. We all thought she was coming back in a few weeks. So sad.
@Beth, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. Hugs to you!
@Gina, that's a wonderful picture! I like Nemo's thought bubbles, too. The most fun period I ever had training was fall/winter of 2005 when Tabitha, Jill (my sister), and I all trained for our first marathon together. We did the long runs together and some of the shorter ones, too, all ran approximately the same speed, and crossed the finish line all holding hands. It was a blast! Now Jill is super speedy speedster BQer, I'm MOP, and the longest run T has worked up to recently is 40 minutes. We all signed up for the Houston Marathon lottery, though, and plan on doing long runs together again in some fashion.
Training household...this year is the worst!!!! Between all that went on with K's accident, I just threw up my hands to the powers of the universe. Know what, I'm surviving and so is everyone else. Grant leaves for Lisbon on the 9/7 and Taylor reports to BC on the 2nd (I think--don't even really know! Bad mommy!). All of Taylor's college stuff is plied in the dining room, and Grant's is crammed in his room. I tell them (yell really), "THIS IS NOT A FRAT HOUSE," but I'm living like it is too. Had a clean up frenzy today, and it's much better. Our brick walk is disappearing under a carpet of weeds. The stump that was ground out remains a big ditch--in the FRONT yard. Don't care. Do not care. I'll get to it all on 9/14 when I get home. Or not.
beth sorry about your friend, cancer, very bad, sad for you too
okay my yard is looking good but I weed/deadhead about every day. look forward to it actually as I like to garden and take dips in my pool to cool off so a nice chore to have! don't have any weeds, yeah I know... we have one of those manicured yards visible to all angles to all neighbors! and my husband likes a neat yard, clean garage and a clean house. but then that is my job.. so there ya go! anyways just up from a nap... as 6.5 hours of sleep don't cut it!! ha. cooking cleaning and right now I am very thirsty! been that way all day long.. weight is a smidge down and I can tell by my measurements that I have lost with IM tng. well dog is barking as it is too hot out there!! scooting.... got some laundry clean staring at me...I have not been hungry this week.... is it too hot or what> m
Again drives home the point that no matter how fatigued we are, how messy the house, weedy the lawn- or my personal fav.. the jungly yards.... friendship and family are the things that really matter.
Comments
Doing my swim RR tomorrow. Decided I will NOT wear the wetsuit because-
1- it is too stinkin hot and humid to wear all that rubber
2- as it is I tow a buoy around, I don't want to look too much dorkier
3- thinking about renting a sleeveless for the race, so will likely do that before next RR when the mornings and water will be cooler
Posted my RR for Friday in the Race Execution area- please critique me!
Beth- Moving is a workout in itself! But it is fun to "find" stuff.
Nemo- So glad you are being smart about the calf. Are you still focusing on run form? In Madison you looked as if you still land on the toes out in front.
Leigh- If you see this- I sent you a PM about the visors.
Very inspired by you all!
Thanks for that feedback. I'm working on it- but old habits die hard. I get sloppy if I don't pay close attention to it. GRRRRRR
@Barbara... it's not the end of the world as long as you can shake it off and get your head back on! My mojo has been all over the map and I've certainly reworked the schedule to suit my energy level more than once. If it makes you feel better I always skip at least one swim... and I didn't do my last scheduled run test (bc it was flippin hot). I did run, I just didn't test bc the way the weather has been I didn't want to deal with a lower VDot... I'll have opportunities to test again (for better or worse).
I think the important thing is you gave it a try, like the 10 minute running rule... and in this case, you weren't feeling it. Okay, go get 'em next time! Hopefully you'll have more energy and your head will be in a good place...
As for me, well, I didn't runthis morning... I plan to tonight (probably on a dreadmill bc it's darn oppressive out), which means I'm 0-2 on swimming this week. Will likely make up one swim tomorrow and do another Sunday (since I know I can't Sunday)... it will all work out in the wash.
All ladies- I changed the batteries in my PT head 2 days ago and I am changing the hub batteries tonight. That way if there is a problem, it should show up before race day. Just a thought.
Isn't this weather just absolutely ridiculous? We are all feeling it, as it is everywhere in the midwest/south/east! Makes me wonder what on earth winter will bring...?
Good for you Becky, putting off the run until it is cooler out. And, the swim will come too. Sorry for the double post. My computer is soooo slow, that I hit submit 2 x's and it doesn't look like it did anything, until the posts show up! Oops!
Barb- If many folks hands were held to the fire, they would fess up on "missed" FTP tests. Consider me included in that!! This is my 3rd year here in the HAUS and I can almost pinpoint where my FTP is without testing. It is hard enough to work up the mojo to test when you are not tired, much less when you are super fatigued.
Michele- I am pretty much solo, ALL OF THE TIME. When Susanna decided not to race, I lost my training partner for the season. So, yes, I will be solo for the RR Sat am.
Neems- Glad the calf is quieter, baby that thing!!
Barb--at this point there really is NO reason to do that test. You've got it dialed in by now, and the fatigue isn't going to give you a real reading anyway. Personally, I have never done that last test, and won't again this year. Don't sweat it one iota.
@Kathy--I dunno about the boys leaving. I think that's one of the stereotypes out there--like all only children being selfish and spoiled. I saw in my own family how my dad and his brothers stayed incredibly close to their mom and sisters. I had a TERRIBLE relationship with my mother--she was the most destructive person in my life, and I spent as little time with her as possible. I think that whole notion that boys leave can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, and I'm not buying it. I think family dynamics and long-term connection transcends gender. My two-cents, anyway.
@Gina and others, how does that work with you and your partner training for the same IM at the same time? What an event to complete together, but, wow, I can't imagine both members of the household training at the same time. When did anything (other than training) ever get done?
Reading all the IMLP reports has made me a little sad that I have backed out of IMFL...until I think about those long weekend rides! Then, I'm a happier camper. I don't know what my mental block there is - I love to ride, and it's my strongest discipline, but it's the whole long-hours-on-the-weekend thing that bugs me. I'm only on week 2 of the 12 week half IM plan and the rides are already weighing on me. If I could have off Mondays from work, and I already have off Tuesdays, then I could mentally handle it a lot better. I've got it all worked out - long rides Monday and Tuesday, long runs Saturday - I could totally wrap my head around that! My sister, genius that she is, suggested that, since I will never go on maternity leave, I could argue that I need just that additional day off for 12 weeks as "Ironman Leave". My boss might go for it....maybe IMTX in 2012?
It's supah-hot here, too. Totally soaked after yesterday's long run - I was too lazy to run early so I had to do one of my less-preferred routes because it's shady. The pool sure does feel nice, though!
Soldier on, ladies, and stay cool and safe out there!
@Kristen--I was SO there re the long weekend rides. But here's an observation I've had in this training cycle. Until things heated up in this last block here, I dreaded those rides. Like you, I'd be dreading the Sat ride on Monday. I'd do them, but there was no joy in Mudville. Then the energy shifted, and it's because the IMWI group lit on fire as we went into this last block. There was a huge energy infusion to feed off of, people were getting it done--good bad, ugly. Lots of sharing and support back and forth. It really is like having people right there with you--well, almost.
Seriously, the rides still aren't "fun," but they now have a purpose, everyone else is working it, you channel each other, and the end is in sight. For instance, Nemo and I texted during the RR. 
It's those middle weeks, that build until you get to this phase that just sucks the life blood out of me too. Something to keep in mind for the future.
OK ladies, I might talk a lot, but I do listen. I was driving by Home Depot yesterday, when I did a bat turn into the parking lot to get ear plugs. LOL! I figured construction workers have to have good ones, right? Prolly the same ones you buy in CVS, but I wore them last night, and it made a huge difference. Yes, they will take some getting used to, and a few times I really wanted to yank them out, but didn't. I slept through and didn't hear K snoring. SO THANK YOU!!!! I may survive his crushed sinues yet.
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!
weekend rides... Training for EM right out of OS
was a shock and to be honest I did take some
Mondays off bc I was exhausted and needed the
time to do admin (clean, hit the grocery, etc). So
far it's been better this go round with HIM
training but I worry about having mojo left come
Nov. I'm glad I have Timberman to break things
up but wish I had the time for a break before
jumping in to ON time for IMFL.
@Linda - my family relationships are so nuts
it's embarassing... I'm amazed I turned out to
be a functional, let alone somewhat productive,
member of society.
FWIW my run tonight was miserable. I stayed
inside bc I'm over the heat and humidity but the
hour dragged and I wasn't sure I'd make it through
the warmup let alone 3 miles in z4! It was
brutal. I did it but wow. I suppose it's been a
while since I actually hit my zones bc of the
weather... I can't even say I'm glad I got 'er done.
It just felt off.
Olivia: New wetsuit...seems like Xterra is always having a sale. It's nice to hear (on FB, right?) that you're back having mtb adventures. The riding out there must be amazing. My sister-in-law is trying to convince us to move to Denver
Linda: Construction worker earplugs---that's brilliant! I'm gonna pick up some for my DH as I'm the snoring monster.
Nemo: Yipee on the calf! Can't wait to hear what you think about your new phone.
Kristen: I too had no love for those long rides in General and Race Prep. I just posted on the IMWI thread that I wish I could bottle all the enthusiasm/hope/fervor of the first 6 weeks of OS and the urgency/drive of the last 6 weeks of Race Prep. I would drink from that bottle during all the weeks in between.
Michele, Aimee, Gina: I'm doing a good weather dance to the gods for cool breezes and all tailwind for your RR's this weekend.
I will find ANY excuse to not do yardwork. This year "I'm training for an IM" and "It's makes my allergies worse" seem as good as any. The result is SWARMS of butterflies have taken up residence in my yard. HUGE monarchs and swallowtails! One whole side of my yard was overgrown with milkweed this spring (yummy for caterpillars and good places for crysallis) and I have an enormous Butterfly Bush (hasn't been trimmed in 7 years) that's like the Nectar Buffet for them. Walking around the yard surrounded by 100's of butterflies, I feel like The Nature Girl Princess. I don't think I shall ever do yardwork ever again!
Ironman "recovery" continues in that my body is currently engaging in some sort of cleanse or purge. I just wrapped up a random breakout on my face (bleh!) only to come down with a mild upper respiratory infection. It's taking days and days and days to do anything - I wish it would just rear up and clobber me so that I could take a sick day and be done with it but instead I'm stuck with a nagging sore throat and smoker's rasp. Come on, immune system! Up and at 'em! Let's go! Aaaaaaany minute now...
As a dual IM and identical race schedule household, it gets pretty funny/"bad" for the back half of race prep. The rest of the time it's very manageable. Stuff always gets done, just not in the time frames that most people find acceptable.
Lucky for us, we're pretty laid back, don't have any kids (well, aside from the cats) and our 60+ hr work weeks have sucessfully beaten the type A behaviors out of us ("eh, good enough" is our family motto). Some examples: my xmas tree came down in May (yup, it was a live tree), I still have a holiday moose out on the front lawn and halloween decorations up in my bathroom, my kitchen table is pyramid stacked with mail and medical journals, and at any given time, our lawn is a knee high jungle, but...we live in the woods, so no one sees it unless coming to see us. We generate more laundry than trash and live out of baskets and cars this time of year. 
Another reason why Kevin and I get along so well with you guys! We should have a contest to see whose yard is the MOST JUNGLE---the first one with an anaconda and monkeys swinging from the trees wins!
Kev and I have trained for IM's at the same time. As Leigh says, it gets worse as the fatigue and volume goes up a few weeks out from race day. The basics just barely get done: Bills, laundry but only the technical stuff, and feeding our children (yellow lab and black cat). The person who has the most problem with the squalor (Me) has finally made peace with it and figures that during taper all that housework will get done as a means of burning off nervous energy.
Gina: "gee, you look familiar, don't I know you?"
Su: "Yeah, I'm you freakin partner! I love you, but let's agree never to do that again!"
My colleague and friend, Mary, died of cancer this morning. She was a runner, and was out even the coldest days in style, all decked out in Skirtsports ToughGirl gear. And in the office, she was happiness and color and everything good. We all thought she was coming back in a few weeks. So sad.
Beth- I am so sorry to hear that! Huge Hug your way
@Beth, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. Hugs to you!
@Gina, that's a wonderful picture! I like Nemo's thought bubbles, too.
The most fun period I ever had training was fall/winter of 2005 when Tabitha, Jill (my sister), and I all trained for our first marathon together. We did the long runs together and some of the shorter ones, too, all ran approximately the same speed, and crossed the finish line all holding hands. It was a blast!
Now Jill is super speedy speedster BQer, I'm MOP, and the longest run T has worked up to recently is 40 minutes. We all signed up for the Houston Marathon lottery, though, and plan on doing long runs together again in some fashion.
Beth- So very sorry about your friend
@Gina- I think the thought bubbles say:
Su:"So glad you're done and safe. What did you think?"
Gina- "I don't want to do that again."
Beth, so sad and sorry for you!
@Beth--very sorry. That is a shame and a hard way to die.
@G--what a great pic!!!!
Training household...this year is the worst!!!! Between all that went on with K's accident, I just threw up my hands to the powers of the universe. Know what, I'm surviving and so is everyone else. Grant leaves for Lisbon on the 9/7 and Taylor reports to BC on the 2nd (I think--don't even really know! Bad mommy!). All of Taylor's college stuff is plied in the dining room, and Grant's is crammed in his room. I tell them (yell really), "THIS IS NOT A FRAT HOUSE," but I'm living like it is too.
Had a clean up frenzy today, and it's much better. Our brick walk is disappearing under a carpet of weeds. The stump that was ground out remains a big ditch--in the FRONT yard. Don't care. Do not care. I'll get to it all on 9/14 when I get home. 
Or not. 
okay my yard is looking good but I weed/deadhead about every day. look forward to it actually as I like to garden and take dips in my pool to cool off so a nice chore to have! don't have any weeds, yeah I know... we have one of those manicured yards visible to all angles to all neighbors! and my husband likes a neat yard, clean garage and a clean house. but then that is my job.. so there ya go! anyways just up from a nap... as 6.5 hours of sleep don't cut it!! ha. cooking cleaning and right now I am very thirsty! been that way all day long.. weight is a smidge down and I can tell by my measurements that I have lost with IM tng. well dog is barking as it is too hot out there!! scooting.... got some laundry clean staring at me...I have not been hungry this week.... is it too hot or what> m
Again drives home the point that no matter how fatigued we are, how messy the house, weedy the lawn- or my personal fav.. the jungly yards.... friendship and family are the things that really matter.