What It Takes. . . . . . March 2011
Wow! I can't believe that I get to start this month's topic.
How is everyone doing? Things here are going great! Busy with work, school, etc. I got a keratin treatment on my hair on Saturday. No washing or getting hair wet for 3 days. That means Noon today! I am so looking forward to a run with a friend this afternoon.
I'm trying to be better about logging my food. I've been using myfitnesspal.com. You can do it as a group. Anyone interested in joining in with me to do this?
What is going on with everyone!
Happy March!
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I can't believe it's March already. February flew by! Joe gets home tonight from the long trip. Not sure if everyone heard the details, but his can blew up on the drive down to Florida strandening him just south of Savannah. He left the car (along with the table he was transporting down to my parents) with a mechanic in Savannah and I scrambled to get him a rental car so he could get to Florida for our vacation. Turned out to be a cracked head, which meant $$$$$. We had the mechanic fix the car while we were in Florida and Joe drove the rental car back to pick up the fixed car. If the table wasn't inside the car that would have been the end of it, but he drove the car down to my parents to drop off the table, spent another day in sunny Floriday, and then finally headed back home again. Long ordeal for him and I'm sure he'll be happy to be home.
@Nemo: What a HUGE hastle for Joe! I know you'll be happy to have him home.
Hi all - wow, it's March!
Nemo- glad you had a good vacation and that Joe is getting back soon! What a huge pain when you are trying to relax!
Penny can I admit that I am afraid to do myfitnesspal!!
thanks for the support around the layoff of my colleague - it had the unintended consequence of relieving some unacknowledged stress in the office. I think she'll be ok, she is now traveling around in warmer climates!
I'm having a weird week where everything seems slightly "off" - crappy 1/2 marathon Sunday (I did not train as well as I should, the weather was bad, my carpool was late, excuse, excuse excuse!!); bored and grumpy in bike class yesterday; DH leaving for 5 day work trip today; had a friend from kidnergarten contact me on FB -sounds nice, but then she wrote a very long and rather strange email remembering things my mother then said did not really happen..nothing really creepy, but just weird. I have very few memories from that age. I can picture my kidnergarten classroom and teacher, but most other memories come from pictures.
Skiing this weekend, so that should be fun!
Keep the date updates coming ladies - Becky, Jennifer, sound like you are both in good places.. and the date/food updates Beth!
I am a newbie to EN and to this forum and looking forward to joining this forum.
@ Penny. How do you like the keratin treatment? Does it really work? I bought an at home Keratin produce with 4 steps and it did smooth out my hair. I have very wavey hair but I think I might want to try the salon treatment but $$$$.
Nemo- Looks like you had a fun birthday vacation. I am very much looking forward to the summer and getting out and doing some short backpacking trips. Just need to get out there!
As for me, I finally got in to see the doctor yesterday which was a slight disaster. Since the only appointment they had was at 1:45 I had to fast for most of the day, and then got there and had some confusion about insurance and who could draw my blood. Ugh, I didn't end up eating until 3pm, which by that time did not help and I felt awful all day. But, hopefully I'll get some answers about the fatigue and weight problems I've been having. I think in the last thread someone mentioned my thyroid, and the doc definitely said it sounded more like that than anything else. I will find out on Monday when my blood work returns. Other than that I plan to hang low this weekend and relax. A friend and I scored some awesome vintage mid-century modern rocking chairs from a local convent that was just giving them away
Hope everyone is having a great week!
Oh, Jennifer, that sounds like a tough day! But awesome on scoring rocking chairs!
March. Wow. I'm also into seriously low-key time this week. Last week, there was a) a trip to the theater; b) the ballet, with drinks beforehand and burgers after, c) four restaurant week three-course tasting menus. That is about five weeks' worth of outing -- oh, yeah, wandering around the Art Institute, too. This weekend may involve going to a movie. Or maybe just lazing on the couch.
@Penny, I use Lose It on my I phone but might switch. I try to log daily but then Peter out after lunch.
@Aimee Sounds frustrating. Maybe you need some down time? This is the place to post though. So many knowledgeable people here to help!
@Mary, welcome!
So. Husband has second phone interview with Amazon. To muddy the decision process the company I work for called him about an IT Director position. Not sure which he would rather do so I'm praying for a clear path! I really like my new job so moving to Seattle would be a major bummer on several fronts, job, so far from kids, selling house the kids grew up in
@All.... Have a great weekend. I have oodles of hours on the drainer!!! Ugh never doing an early season IM again!
Hey gals,
Signing in to hit "subscribe." I'm coming off of a tough 24 hours. I had a second epidural cortisone injection into my herniated disc - these are totally helping and this is my last one - but wow, was this one more painful than the first. I'm still sore - I never quite understood why people limped when they had back pain, but now I get it.
And then I spent all day (sitting painfully) in vets offices yesterday while my 10-year-old Daisy dog was diagnosed with a stroke. At least, we hope it's a stroke - if not, we're looking at something worse (lesion, tumor, etc.). Frown. She's lost a lot of proprioception in both left legs and lost the blink reflex in her left eye. She's just the sweetest thing and I'm kind of floored at the possibility that I might lose her before my 13-year-old dog, who is remarkably stable and hardy. There's so much we don't know yet, and this could always turn out to be a short-lived crisis. The next few days should provide answers, as she'll either start recovering, or get worse. I'm choosing to see the silver lining by observing that this now means that she can't jump on the couch and get it all hairy - less vacuuming for me! But my poor, sweet dog...don't we just love them to pieces?
Anyway, I'm off to ride the bike outdoors. Have a great weekend everyone!
@Sheryl- An adventure is the only way to look at it. I cried when Max got a job in Massachusetts and we had to leave VA. I may not be overly fond of the winter at times, but big picture, it was the best move we ever made. It will be great no matter what!
Mostly lurking these days. Biding my time until vacation in under 2 weeks.
Sheryl- WOW! Pretty exciting time for you. Here's hoping the decision is an easy one.
Michele- I can't wait to see the pics from your vacation- they are always amazing.
Hi Ladies... I took an unexpected leave of absence from all things EN... and am trying to get caught up, well, at least with all of you.
I had a horrible head cold last week and pretty much did nothing but sleep. I'm crazy busy at work (finally - but the cold obviously came at a horrible time)... and trying to get back onto training track. I'd been having calf/heel issues so I skipped the running test in week 8 and actually took 1.5 weeks off running altogether. Last week I did a few short, easy runs (while sick) to test the foot out and to try to get some fresh air... so far so good. Think I'll just go forward with this next segment of OS without another test, since it's track work and I don't really hit a zone, rather I just do the sprints trying to be consistent. I finally put the loaner adamo saddle on 2 weeks ago (with the help of a friend). So far so good. I don't love love love getting started, but it's not hurting me either. I'm going to get a mirror from target or someplace to put on the wall next to my bike so I can check my form and positioning.
As far as life... glad work is picking up. Things with Mike are still humming along. He's so different than Dan in just about every way... some a bit scary (namely, 2 kids and lack of financial safety net due to a business bankruptcy 7 or 8 years ago), but more in a nice way (he's very warm, very communicative, and very tender... and, as I mentioned, I don't have any issues getting hot and bothered).
@Mary - welcome to EN and welcome to the chicas thread!! Please feel free to jump into our kitchen table talk with whatever is on your mind... I started posting to the thread about a year ago and I can honestly say it's been a life changer. The team and these women are so wonderful, warm, and wise.
@Suzanne- oh no.. hope your back is okay and of course I'm worried about Daisy, too. Give her a kiss for me (since she gave me a kiss when I crashed on my bike, which made me feel better).
@Sheryl - wow, what a tough situation. Hang in there... glad to hear your husband is getting so many offers, though. Keep us posted. Seattle is a great place (if you do end up there)... heck, I'm hoping in the next 5-10 years to move to the West coast myself - probably in the Portland, OR area.
@Jennifer - awesome score on the rocking chairs, It sounds like you're dating life is humming, which I'm very glad to hear! I'd never tried okcupid before and so far I'd say I'm a fan.
Things with Mike are still going really well... into week 7 now.
OK, back to work. Wanted to say hi and tell you I miss you!
@ Sheryl- Wow, that's great news for your husband. I'm guessing you would prefer to be close to your kids, but I've heard such great things about living in the Seattle area, I'm jealous you might have a new adventure. I'm sure you'd enjoy it up there!
@ Aimee- Hope this week is going better for you. I feel your pain as I've been on and off for a while now and it can be extremely frustrating.
@ Becky- I am super glad to hear that things are going well for you with Mike. Even more glad to hear there is no BS like there was before.
I'm wondering if anyone here has had any experience with a vitamin D insufficiency. I just got all my blood work back and all the thyroid, etc. stuff was very normal. The only thing was the D insufficiency. I've read a lot saying that it could contribute to my fatigue and weight gain, but that it's usually coupled with something else (like a mildly high TSH thryroid level, which mine isn't even close). I meet with my doctor next week to discuss some possible options, but I want to go in informed. We've talked about SAD (which I've been diagnosed with before, and which runs deep in my family) but I've been able to self-treat it with exercise in the past. I would like to avoid anti-depressant type meds because I haven't had the best reactions to them in the past and have only had minimal success using them. If anyone has any personal experience I'd love to hear it and any suggestions.
The good news is, in addition to my back feeling all better, my dog is improving. Those on FB saw that yesterday she'd managed to get up onto the couch, her favorite (technically forbidden) napping spot. I think part of her improved mobility is that she actually got some function back, and part because she's figured out how to compensate. Last night I broke down and bought her some booties because she drags her back paw. It's been two straight days of coming home from walks and having to tend to a bloody paw (the nails are wearing down to the quick, poor thing). She actually picks up her back paw with the bootie on, so I think I may have stumbled onto some kind of rehab therapy.
Jennifer, I don't have much to add, but I was tested for Vitamin D by my rheumatologist last year and was found to be deficient. I think I did a month or two of super high supplements. They've found that people with autoimmune disorders are more likely to be D deficient that the normal population, and there's some speculation that the two are related, though the direction of causality (autoimmune -> D, or D -> autoimmune) is unknown and almost certainly not a direct line. But I did some reading and it seems that testing for D levels is the latest and greatest thing - tons of people are coming up deficient, but does that mean that we're all deficient and functioning just fine and only now just finding it on labs? Or do we need to redefine what the limits of "normal" are - perhaps the bar is set too high? Or is it really a problem and indicative of lifestyle patterns and other practices (e.g., sunscreen)? It's kind of an interesting issue...
Aimee, hope you are feeling better! Becky, so happy that things with Mike are going so well! You deserve it!
Sheryl, I hope all works out to both you and your husband's satisfaction, with his job decisions.
Nemo, what a nice vacation you had!
Hope I haven't left anyone out. If I did, it isn't intentional. Hope all are doing well! As for me, work is getting tougher, as spring break looms in the next 2 1/2 weeks, students are acting as if it started already, so behavior is not so good. I've been working my tail off doing my OS stuff, but it has been really tough with tight, sore, piraformis, hamstrings, and plantar faciaitis. Time to bite the bullet and see a doc so I can get some physical therapy. I'm really hurting. And, my movement is so restricted. Did intervals on the indoor track at the Y last night and thought I was gonna die! But, I got them done!
Had a friend of Olivia Syptik's contact me on Facebook. Her maiden name was Spitler. We've been chatting, and sounds like we may be related! Not only that, but her sister met either my Uncle or my cousin, in Taos! (They both have the same name.) Wild! So, it is fun to talk to someone with the same last name. It isn't that common.
Can't wait for the weather to finally turn, so I can get outdoors to bike!
Have a fantastic day everyone! Shout out to those of you whom I haven't talked to in a long while! Hugs to all! And welcome to new members!! Luv the Haus! I promise to be better about getting on the forums and keeping up with everyone and everything!
I have to start logging my food again too, but not for under eating!
Are these three 70.3 races the ones you are doing this year? So cool!
Welcome to those who are new!
@Jennifer: As others have said, supplementation can take care of the Vitamin D deficiency. You'll need to keep an eye on it from here forward.
@Suzanne: Glad things are better - especially Daisy.
@Becky: Glad things are going well with you now. You deserve that!
@Barbara: How are you feeling?
The last couple of weeks have been CRAZY! We were in New Orleans for Mardi Gras two weekends ago. Lots of fun. Lots of craziness. I kept mindful about my eating and was pretty successful not overeating. I also logged most days. On some days I didn't log because it was just too hard - tapas. But, I did put the foods in a note. Pat Benitar and Train were both fabulous. Apparently, we missed the live sex show at a table next to ours at the Extravaganza. Two ladies were, um, going at it then one started on a guy. We need to get together with our friends to get the whole story. That's NO at Mardi Gras I guess. Overal, we had a fabulous time. Great people watching, great food, lots of fun.
Last weekend I was in Chicago for a sports nutrition conference Great info, great friends. Both of these have resulted in me being exhausted. Hoping I can get some rest the next couple of days. It was really cold in Chicago. Funny - I was working on knitting a hat. I finished it while I was there so, luckily, I had a hat to wear. We also walked up and saw the river dyed green Saturday morning. Weird, funny, weird.
Things are going to stay crazy-busy util Mid-April then again around IMTX. There are two big tris the first and second weekends in April. Chris Lieto will be in for them. We will get to work with him (I have a nutrition consult with him - should be interesting). Also, we'll be doing some other promotional things with him, as well as dinner with him and other pros for at least one of the races. I'm not a star-gazer, but it will be interesting to meet and talk with these guys and gals.
Someone asked about the keratin treatment a while back. This is the third time I've done it. This is the one my stylist uses: http://www.keratincomplex.com/. I am happy with it. I don't really have curly hair, but it makes it more manageable and smooth. I have short hair, so it isn't that expensive.
I did a 40K TT this weekend. Big Props to Beverly who was there as well and really rocked it out with a great time and a 1st in AG finish! I'm only sad I didn't have the chance to meet up with her before/after. Maybe next time.
It was a good race though- the weather was perfect and it was nice to really test myself again. 40K is always farther than you think!!
Work is crazy right now. End of quarter, covering for folks out on spring break vacations, just nuts. Gotta go!
@Penny - that is exciting getting to work with Lieto! I bet he is super tall.
I love that it is now daylight saving time and we have an extra hour after work. The weather here in VA is getting nice too, so it's back to biking outside!
I was happy that in my pics this weekend my thighs are looking better. When I first tried on the Blue Ridge Cyclery Racing kit, my thighs were bulging out of it, but now much less so! I'm just going to stay the course with my diet, even though I'm still haven't broken through to the sub 120s. Almost there, but I get really close, and then something happens, like a race weekend. I'll get there.
I got taken out to lunch by a colleague Friday who told me that he is moving to a new project/new company, and invited me to come along. This is the kick in the butt that I needed. I had been thinking about updating my resume and starting to look around, since the interesting project that involved data mining is done in my current job, and so it is back to boring old stuff. I'm going to send my resume out to 4-5 places that might be interesting. My goals are: interesting work, maintain salary, achieve a better work/life balance, either by less than 40 hrs/week or more vacation, shorter commute. Really excited to see what happens.
I should get my new mountain bike this week! A couple weekends ago I went to the Trek Women event in the area and spent a couple hours playing around on a full suspension bike. It was so much fun I decided to upgrade my Mtn bike. I got a deal from the bike shop whose racing team I belong to on a Pivot Mach 4 which is a dream machine. It is a beauty, annodized cobalt blue. How do I fit some mtn biking into the EN IM training, I wonder... I'm signed up to do this super hilly mtn bike race this weekend with the BRCR team. I have mtn biked maybe 5 times in the past 5 years. Should be interesting. Good chance to meet some new folks though. Got to get out there because I would really like to start dating.
Sounds like everyone is doing well
I am really new and just wanted to say hello! As you can see, I am Kelly and live in the Milwaukee area. I am sure as time goes on I will share more than this: I have 2 kids, many jobs teaching spin, yoga, taking pictures, I am doing IMWI this year with a few races before(I didn't finish last year-got to mile 11 on the run), I like people, I am addicted to trail mix and coffee, I love yoga too much, my two dogs are mentally insane, I am really far behind in last year's spring cleaning, I am terrible with directions, I love triathlon, I love to cook and garden and read, I love the friends I have made through triathlon, I ride a pink bike....
So! Hello!! I am looking forward to getting to know you and being part of EN!
You said you ride a pink bike...what is your bike's name? Many of us have names for our bikes, so I had to ask!
You will love EN! Best team in the world.
Jennifer, hope you are feeling better and finding your mojo. I'm slowly getting mine back. It has been a long, hard, winter. Looking forward to meeting you in Muncie.
Beverly, nice job on your race, and sounds like a nice, new bike! Good luck on the job search!
Nemo, good work on doing the TT this weekend! @ Penny, OMG! Sounds like Mardi Gras is CARAAAAZZEEE! Also excited for you with the big projects coming up, involving Chris Lieto, et al.!
Charlotte, yes, I find logging food a pain. I did it for 2+ years, faithfully, every night. And when I did do it, I kept the weight off. However, since I haven't done it faithfully, lately, the weight has not stayed off. I hope to get to the U.K. sometime in the next few years, to do some races. I spent a month traveling in England, Scotland, and Ireland when I was in college, and loved it. Where in England is Shrewsbury located?
It is allergy season in Indiana right now, and I have been hit big-time. Sneezing, runny, stuffy nose, itchy eyes=misery!
@ Penny, thank for Keratin info. Maybe I can find it on line and give it a try, but how to get around not perspiring or pulling it back. Also, LOVE NO, been back once since Katrina. But not as much fun as when I younger and less conservative.
Love the pink bike. My sister has a baby blue Orbea called the Flying Pixie. I have yet to come up with something creative for my bike.
Watching The Bachelor right now. Never seen it. OMG, is this for real? My 13 year old and I are getting a good chuckle out of it. He just broke someone's heart and asked her if she was OK!!???