Wounded Warrior Project

Most of you know I am training for Ironman Florida on 7 November 2009. I am doing it for a purpose beyond just the elation I hope to feel when I cross the finish line. So, take a minute and read the following, it is something I put out to my family and friends on email.

I have embarked on the journey to become an Ironman. I will race on 7 November 2009 at Panama City Beach, Florida. The race is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. Athletes have 17 hours to complete the course. Approximately 2000 triathletes will toe the start line on that day. However, for a race this big, and this demanding, training starts early. I’m not in specific Ironman training yet, but I am building a base. Part of that base is training for and running the Boston Marathon on 20 April! I am very excited about that as well, but I also look at it as another opportunity to get myself in shape for Ironman! It is definitely more than a race, it is a journey.

However, in pursuit of this journey, I decided that I wanted to do it for more than myself. I picked up the endurance sports bug while I was in Iraq. During that time, I ran and worked out to keep myself sane. Unfortunately, too many of our service men and women in harms went through more than some of us, and were wounded in the process. Their recovery and adaptation to the new challenges they face in life is not an easy task. That’s why the Wounded Warrior Project exists. The Wounded Warrior Project’s mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors with the following purposes:
· To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women.
· To help severely injured service members aid and assist each other.
· To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.
Ironman has partnered with the Janus Corporation to sponsor the Janus Charity Challenge, an opportunity for athletes to raise money for their designated charity. I have signed up to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. My goal is to raise at least $2500. If you are interested in helping me out, please visit my donation webpage at http://januscharitychallenge.kintera.org/fl09/brittanymeeks?faf=1&e=2281148109. If you are not comfortable with online donations, I can accept checks made out to the Wounded Warrior Project and I have a contact with them to whom I will submit the offline donations to them. The Wounded Warrior Projected is a non-profit agency and you will get a tax deduction for the donation. If you’d like to know more about the Wounded Warrior Project, please visit their website at http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.

Please contact me with any questions. I will be updating this page with and adding a link to the donation page soon as well!! Thanks in advance for your support!

Update to come

I know I'm behind on posting. I do have things to post. I will post this weekend. I promise!

My Nemesis or Can we say tired?

My nemesis is:
W.I.N.D
I expect wind in Central Texas. It happens. It happened last year. This year it is happening on a COLOSSAL scale and, unfortunately, almost EVERY weekend. It's become so consistent and bad enough that it is starting to take a toll on my mental state. It's not just 10mph winds, that is typical and I can do that. We're talking regular wind advisories of 25-30mph sustained and gusts at 30+mph. Training is tough enough, and you need to train in some tough conditions because race day may have them....but doing it everytime becomes wearing, takes more time, causes you to work harder, and even causes things like windburn. It's just nuts, and I'm tired of it. But, it is what it is I guess. Yesterday's long run was in easily in 30-35mph winds. Today we rode the first 40 miles of an 80mph ride in 20mph winds (and cold, it was 35 when we started at 7:15 AM!). HOWEVER, the tail wind from that was nice. I did this ride with some of the triathletes from the Austin T3 Tri-Team. NO WAY I could've done it on my own. A big thanks to Celine, Blythe, and Jim for braving it out there with me in that craziness. Guess we can throw the sayings of "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger" and "builds character!" My face is wind burned, and I am tired. I will keep tackling this nemesis...but I don't like it.

Wow, what a week!! My goodness, between a lot of work events and training, I am TIRED but boy did I get a lot done. I won't go into the work stuff that much, as it kind of just gets to stay there. However, this week was, I think, the biggest week of training I have ever had. I'm in a weird spot where I'm training for both the Lonestar Half-Iron on 5 April and the Boston Marathon on 20 April. Maybe not the wisest of choices, but I wanted an early season triathlon to test my base, and I qualified for Boston my first time out on a marathon course, I had to give it a shot. So, that's the path I chose, and this week was a test of that training. Yes, I'm nuts. Yes, my life is pretty much: sleep, work, train, eat and then repeat. Don't look at me to repeat this year! :)

Monday: 6 mi run (51m 13sec)
Tuesday: 3.23 mile fartlek run (25m 30 sec) 1 hr bike (*indoor trainer) (18.3 miles)
Wednesday: 2600 meter swim (57m); 3.13 mile run (*unit; 28m 18sec); 1hr bike (*indoor trainer) (18.53 miles)
Thursday: 7 mile run (56m 29sec); 2hr bike (37.30; outside); 4.06 mile ruck march (1h 6m)
Friday: 2600m swim (55m) 8 mi run (1h 10m 5 sec)
Saturday: 16 mile run (2h 18m 53 sec); 2300 swim (46 min) WIND!!
Sunday: 80 mile bike (5 hours) WIND!!

Yeah, I'm a little tired. Monday's recovery day and I'm thrilled. If only I could sleep in....

Balancing Act

So another week has passed and I have failed to post anything at all in my blog. I truly must rectify this or I shall never have loyal readers!
Not that I would expect anyone to be a loyal reader of my musings. I think I post more myself than anyone else, and mostly as a way to keep my family informed of the more crazy things I do in life. Though, I am grateful for those of you that do stop in here to peek in on the red-head.

This past week was an interesting one...in a sense I don't have a physical "home" anymore. Well, a place I call "home." After nearly 20 years my parents sold their house in Katy, TX (W. Houston) and then hopped on a plane to Buffalo, NY. I told you that this blog had crazy things in it! Who moves from warm TX to freezing Buffalo?? Well, when it's a good job to be had, my parents do! My Mom made a great observation when she said that if they could adapt to 120 degrees and the Arab culture of the UAE (where we lived from '82-'89) they could adapt to cold temperatures/snow and Yankees! They arrived in Buffalo on Saturday. So, now the question is, where do I call home? You're probably wondering why I don't call where I am now home? I guess being military it's a little odd because we move around so much In fact, the end of March will mark the longest I've been in any one location at one time since I graduated and was commissioned in 2002, and that recording breaking time is 16 months. The previous winner for that record was Baghdad, Iraq for 15 months! That being said, in the past 11 years I have lived in NY, MO, Germany, Iraq, and TX. I claim the state of Texas, and always will, but where I live in TX now may have my house, but I don't claim the city! That "home" in Katy was always home. At the same time, the home in Katy was also just a house. I was there with my folks last week when the movers were packing them out, and the only time it felt a little weird was when I was driving off, and I think that was more that they would be so much further away (for now--if they stay in NY till 2012, then I'll be close to them again). So, I have no sentimental place for which to call my home. Yet, the old saying of "home is where the heart is" does ring true...so my TX house with my dogs, my parents in Buffalo, my sister and nephew in California, my brother at West Point, and my other brother at Univ. of Arkansas, those place hold my heart...so I guess I'm from all over, but with the Lone Star State as my hub!

I did have a couple of rest/easy days this past week following the 1/2 Marathon and then it was jumping right back into training. The Lonestar Half-Ironman is only 41 days away and Boston is only 56 days away!! Part of me wonders how ready I will be for both of those events, and another side of me wonders why I'm not freaking out about either one (yet!)!! I think it's because, ultimately, Ironman Florida is the prize. While I would definitely like to "shine" at every race I do, I also must understand that if I am going to race in an Ironman year that I must keep that as the focus and use everything as preparation for that. I should be pretty solid at Lonestar for the bike and the run, but I will admit that the time I've spent in the pool lately hasn't been enough or that stellar. A wetsuit and the salt water swim will help because my kick is so terrible and my pull so good, that the buoyancy both the suit and salt provide will assist my form and speed.

This past weekend my workouts were fairly solid. I had a 70 mile ride planned for Saturday...well, actually the schedule called for 40, but I had some friends from the Austin T3 crew that were riding 70 and I wanted to ride with them. I got there and we had an awesome first 30 miles (despite my attempt to play NASA at two points when I launched a water bottle off the back of my bike)...then it rained on us and we got wet and cold...and then one of the T3 coaches had a bike crash and hurt his shoulder (I haven't heard how he is, but I hope he is okay)...and then God flipped the wind switch and I think miles 33-40 were some of the most miserable miles of my life. I have never worked so hard on the bike and gone SO SLOW. Previously we were averaging 19-20mph on the bike easy. Blythe was kicking my butt and I was having to put out some good effort to stay with her, and it was great! She was truly making me a better cyclists. But, when that wind turned on (30-40mph winds), it took everything I had just to a.) stay anchored to the ground and b.) to go around 10/11 mph! We finished the first 43 miles and they entire crew decided that the next 28 mile planned loop wasn't worth it. These T3'ers are pretty hard core athletes and are training for Ironman CdA in June, so when they opted not to go out, I knew my decision to not do the second loop with them was not wimping out!! We did make it into a "brick" (bike/run) and I just ran with Blythe at a nice easy pace. My feet were cold and felt like bricks for the first couple of miles. We ended up running for about 40 minutes or so. Overall, a good workout, but it's amazing how something like insane winds at the end of the ride can make the whole ride feel like it was so hard! But, the best part was training with PEOPLE. REAL PEOPLE. It was just nice to train with others. I'll admit it, I'm insanely jealous of the social aspect of triathlon that my friends in Austin get and that I don't get here in Killeen. The silver lining is, if I get my wish and end up at UT for grad school, I know a tri team I plan on joining! Sunday I had a 10 mile run and 1 hour swim on tap. I went to church in the morning, and instead of opting to go to eat with the Sunday School class (which I seldom do anyways as I just don't eat out much) I headed home to go run.
The weather was GORGEOUS. I mean it was in the 50's/60's with some wind (but nothing like Saturda) and SUNNY. I wore shorts and a long sleeve shirt. I could've worn a short sleeve, but I knew when I was running in the wind and sweaty that sleeves would be comfortable. I guess I should've put sun lotion on as well as I have a light red tint and my first running short lines of the year! I wasn't pushing too hard on pace and was keeping a good eye on my heart rate, and I was feeling so good that 10 turned to 14...yeah, that usually doesn't happen. Usually workouts get shortened, not lengthened! Then, about an hour later I was in the pool and knocking out a good 3000m swim (with some sets). I think the swim did wonders for keeping me to the lowest amount of soreness I've had in a LONG time after a long run. It's usually not bad, but it is noticeable. Today, it isn't really! Yay!

I do wish I had more time to sleep. My sleep isn't nearly what it should be, but there isn't too much I can do about it. I do not have a choice but to be at work at 0630, it's part of my job. Sometimes, I must be there earlier if we have certain mandatory things to accomplish (fun things, like urinalysis, health and welfares), and sometimes I am up late for important things (like greeting some of my Military Working Dog handlers after they redeploy from Iraq). So, I just have to roll with it, get what I can get, try to eat well, hydrate well, and pace myself during workouts with the appropriate effort. That is easier said than done though! Some days I'm successful, some days I am not. I do not want to burn out, that is for sure...thankfully, I have some good friends that keep an eye on me and help talk me down when I'm pushing my days to fast and hard. I just try my best to roll with the punches, know that my job as a commander is important and I am grateful to have the privilege to serve in the position. It would be harder if I didn't know that I had a respite just a little over a year away. Grad school will be challenging, but I think I may actually enjoy having my studies and my furry canine kids, Davey and Annie, be my primary responsibilities. It will be odd, yes, but I do am so looking forward to it!

Austin Half-Marathon Race Report

This is a tough 1/2 Marathon! I don't remember the hills being this difficult when I did the Mary last year, but then again, I run the 1/2 at a much faster clip than I run the full, so I think I felt it that much more. I seeded myself between the 3:10-3:15 pace groups for the marathon as the course is the shared for the first 10 miles. When the gun went off to start the race it was VERY crowded and I had to weave in and out of A LOT of people that mis-seeded themselves. I'm not talking slightly slower, I'm talking they started off by WALKING or at a 12+ min pace. Why would you seed your self in the front of marathon/half-marathon if you are not fast? It's not like your time starts at the gun, it starts at the chip for all the non-money contenders. The first mile was all about getting into position, and I was staying between the 3:10/3:15 marathon pace groups and that was fine. I have had a weird mystery pain lately, and thankfully today it wasn't flaring up, and that was good, and I made sure to watch that I didn't go out to fast because I knew those first 3 miles were a gradual uphill. I was a little chilly waiting around to start and so I had throw away gloves on that I tossed at the aid station at mile 2. I loved miles 4-6 because there was so much long downhill and great fast flats. Took a GU at 5 miles. Mile 6-7 was a little tougher, and 7-9 I started feeling it a bit as we were into the rolling hill phase. We were also more into the wind here, and I attempted to draft off some tall big guys, and did some, but then their pace dropped below what I wanted to maintain. The turn up Lake Austin BLVD is always one to get me. I got some minor side stitches around mile 8, but thankfully they didn't last too long. Then, at mile 10 we split from the marathoners and I keep telling myself that it's only a 5K left and I can keep pushing it. Took GU #2 here. The rolling hills are getting to me some though. Then, we're at about 11.75 and traveling on Enfield East back towards downtown and we hit that same dang hill the sucked the life out of me at the Turkey Trot 5 miler. Thankfully, it didn't kill me as badly this time. I just kept steady, but didn't push too hard so as not to stress out the HR and lengthen the recovery up top, then, once I got to the top, I opened back up and it felt so good to have a slight downhill. With a mile left, I started pushing the pace again. Then, as you're heading into that last mile and you make the turn onto San Jacinto you meet another fun little uphill...but, once I hit the top of that I had about 800m left. A nice part of the course was that the last 1000m they had signs counting down: 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m, 100m, 50m. There was a girl about 10m in front of me and I was determined to beat her in that last 800m, and I think I probably overtook here in that last 200-300m. As usual, pain goes away for me in that last 100-200m of the straight finish chute and I sprinted in as hard as I could. I hear my name announced and from Killeen, TX, and I'm done. Official time was 1:37:32.

It was a fun race and after I got my clothes bag (so much better organized than the San Antonio Rock and Roll), and found my friend Tia we went to grab some coffee--I needed my morning caffeine, and it was a little chilly out. The line wasn't too long at Starbucks, and the lady gave me a funny look when I ordered a regular coffee--yep, plain old brew is what I wanted. I'm too cheap to pay for the other stuff! I need that money for racing and training toys! Anyhow, we sat there and waited to hear from a friend that was on the course cheering on another friend who was doing her first marathon (as a prep for Ironman AZ in Nov). She called us as our friend passed mile 21, and a little after that Tia and I headed out to take some pictures and go cheer our friend on in that last finish stretch. We did that, and then we all headed to Pappasitos for some lunch where we shared some chicken fajitas.

It was quite the enjoyable race again, though I had forgotten about some of those hills. Though, the worst one, the Enfield hill at mile 11.75 is NOT one that is part of the marathon course. A big bonus of this race was that they offered a military discount of 50% and they had a military discount. I truly appreciate that! There were some fast ladies out there in the women's military 1/2 Marathon!! I ended up 4th in the women's military 1/2 Marathon...missed out on 3rd by less than a minute, but 1st and 2nd were at 1:24 and 1:29 respectively! That is some FAST running! I was 12th/228 in the military 1/2 marathon overall (men and women) and that makes me happy! I was 14th in my age group for the whole field (F25-29). It was not a personal record for me today, but it was my second fastest time, and there is no denying that the course is challenging. It definitely isn't as fast of a course as the San Antonio one. I enjoy Austin, and I enjoy this race. Not too many "frills" with the race, but volunteers are great, course is well marked and supported, and again, the military discount ROCKS! :) I want to do the full marathon again next year, but 100% as a "fun" and "no pressure race." My friend training for IMAZ wants to do the same, so if you see two gals goofing around and taking pictures next year, it's probably us!

2009 has started well! I'm excited to see what the rest of the year holds! (Especially 7 Nov 09!!)

Race Season '09 Kick Off

It has been a crazy couple of weeks (thus lack of posts and checking others blogs). Nothing too much of interest for here, but work definitely kept me hopping. Thankfully, this week was a taper week, and I had less I needed to do workout wise, because life was definitely getting in the way. THANKFULLY, tomorrow is the start of my 2009 race season. Tomorrow I tackle the:

This year I'm only doing the 1/2 Marathon since I'm doing both the Lonestar Half-Ironman and Boston Marathon in April. I almost feel a little sad that I'm not doing the full considering it was such an awesome race for me last year. However, it's all about staying healthy and building up for the bigger races, and ultimately for Ironman. I have some friends that are also running tomorrow, and one of them is doing it as her first marathon as well, so it should be a fun day. The weather looks like it should hold out nicely, but probably slightly warmer than last year. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to be wearing...I should get on that! :) I don't think I'll set a personal best tomorrow--the course isn't nearly as flat as San Antonio was in November, but you never know what race day will bring. It took me until packet pick-up yesterday to get excited about the race. I think it's because work has been so busy. I do like the 1/2 Marathon distance a lot. It's a very manageable distance to train for, to recovery, and you can really push yourself pretty well over 13.1 miles. So, it shall be fun. It will be an early wake up here as I'm traveling from here to Austin, so about around an hours drive early in the morning. That's okay, it means I'll be well awake come race time. SO, time to kick off the 2009 adrenaline rush!!!

Super Bowl

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl, and I am not a fan of either team. Last year I rooted AGAINST the Patriots due to various reasons...it wasn't that I liked the Giants, but some friends and I had someone TOTALLY turn us off to any team from Boston. This year, there is nothing driving me for either team, so I have decided that I shall root for the Cardinals. I'm a TX gal, and AZ is much more closely related to us than the frozen north of Pittsburgh. So, GO CARDINALS! Plus, they are the underdogs. Granted, I think I sometimes watch more for the commercials than the game itself, and I know I am not alone. Tonight I watched a "best of" Super Bowl Commercials, and I saw one that I must have missed while deployed to the desert...it literally had me laughing OUT LOUD. So, for your entertainment:

Grad School

Well, I can let the cat out of the bag. I get to go to GRADUATE SCHOOL!! Those of you that know me well know that I nearly said "adios" to the Army after some burn-out and other issues following my 2nd Iraq deployment. THANKFULLY, God re-directed my path and I ended up having the opportunity to command some very fine Military Police. I am SO glad to have stayed, and it was burden off my back when I made that decision. We all have crazy decision times in our lives, and this was mine. I am a planner. I like to know AS FAR OUT as possible what I am doing. It doesn't bother me in the least that I had to sign up a year in advance for Ironman! So, in that line of thinking, I was doing, as we say in the Army, some "leaning forward in the foxhole" and planning what I would like to do post command (my current job). My "dream" job, and truly one of the opportunities that drove me stay in the Army, was to return to my alma mater, West Point, and teach. The majority of the faculty at West Point are active duty officers. This fall I completed and submitted applications to a couple of departments for consideration to join their faculty. The boards that review the applications met this month and made their decisions. I was accepted as a primary nominee for one department, and an alternate for another department. Needless to say, I have accepted the primary nomination and will return to the Department of Social Sciences to teach American Government (politics, public policy, and strategic studies). Cadets and Faculty simply refer to the department as "Sosh." I was an American Politics major when I was there, so I am ecstatic to have this opportunity to go back and be on the other side of the desks and the assignments!

Before I head back to teach, I must first earn my Master's degree. So, after I finish command in the Spring of 2010, I will attend graduate school for two years (Fall 2010-Spring 2012). My JOB will be STUDENT. My responsibilities will be to study, write, and prepare myself to be an instructor in the Sosh Department. I will then move back to West Point, NY and teach from Fall 2012 thru Spring 2015. Have I mentioned I'm ECSTATIC!! Not only will I get to study, in depth, subjects that I enjoy and will stretch my mind, but I will also, and more importantly so, get to play a role in molding, mentoring, and shaping future leaders. I am excited about re-entering the academic world, though, I will confess I'm slightly nervous and intimidated. I read my senior year thesis again the other day and realize I was smart 7 years ago...I have to regain that!! :) I also remember all of my instructors as EXTREMELY intelligent. Thankfully, I don't have to fit that bill perfectly till 2012. I have a lot of learning left to do! Attending a civilian university for two years will be an experience I haven't had. I may not know what to do when I don't have to wear a uniform everyday! (I think I'll figure it out!)

Soon I will begin the grad school quest as I will have to apply to several. I do need to re-take the GRE so I can get a more competitive score and ensure my acceptance to the program I want. My 1st choice in schools is the Univ. of Texas in Austin...we will see!!

In the meantime, I still have a very important and privileged job, and I take that seriously! So, I won't be jumping the gun or getting short termers thoughts with only a year out. The chances to command are less and less after where I am, so I intend to enjoy this time and make as positive of an impact as is possible!

There you go! That's my big news!

Writer's Block and 2008 mileage

I have been pondering all weekend (because I had a long weekend) what I wanted to blog about but I have had some writer's block. There are some exciting things to come regards to my grad school opportunities, but until it's all finalized, I want hold some of it close. But, in a sneak peek, the good news is that I WILL be going to graduate school full time starting the fall of 2010. :) More to come as far as that goes, but suffice it to say, it's all good and I'm very happy about it.

I did make some homemade pizza yesterday as a friend of mine and her two daughters were coming over. I decided that pizza was a fairly good option for kids. The crust is pretty good and VERY easy to make, again, I credit my Mom with it:

RAPID RISE PIZZA CRUSTS
Makes 2 crusts

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup white wheat flour
1 ½ tsp sea salt
1 package Rapid Rise yeast
1 Cup water
2 Tbs. grape seed oil (I didn't have grape seed and used olive)

Place 2 Cups flour, salt and yeast in large mixing bowl. Blend. Heat water and oil until hot to touch (125F-130F); stir into dry mixture. Add only enough extra flour to make stiff dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 mins. Cover, let rest 10 mins. Divide dough in half. Roll and stretch each into a 13” circle. Place on pizza stone that has been greased or sprinkled with cornmeal. Bake at 450F for 8 min. Spread with choice of toppings and bake 10-12 mins more, or wrap and freeze for up to 6 weeks.

Of course, you may put whatever you want on top, but this is a nice, easy, and fairly healthy way to make your own pizza at home and avoid some of the not so good pizza additions you may find at other places.

I did realize that I didn't post my "miles traveled" in training here yet. If you've followed for awhile, you'll remember in mid-2008 I posted how far I had "traveled" with the swim, bike, and the run. So here is 2008 for you:

2008 totals
Bike: 211h 50m 09s - 3811.61 Mi
Run: 161h 36m 30s - 1163.25 Mi
Swim: 96h 12m 56s - 238686.8 M
Strength: 39h 18m

So I rode my bike from here in TX to visit my brother in NY, then visited lots of family and friends along the east coast, then some friends in FL, and a trip to Panama City Beach for some "on site training" for Ironman Florida '09, then I went to Nashville just because TN is pretty and Nashville is fun.

I had a friend from Rapid City, SD come down for the Longhorn 70.3 in October, so when calculating my run mileage I found that I ran about from where I live to where she lives.

For swimming, I decided I'd just head south and I ended up right on the edge of San Antonio!

So, now we'll see "where" and "how far" 2009 will take me!

Training, Pups, TX Weather Wimps, and Age

I am a horribly delinquent blogger. My apologies and HAPPY NEW YEAR. Wow, 2009 is already here and half of January is about passed. What they say about time going faster as you get older is surely true.

2009 is going to be a busy year, and I should update my race schedule. I don’t think I’ll be racing nearly as much as I did last year because this year’s goals are more than “become a triathlete,” they are “become an Ironman.” The training and mental toughness I need to build before 7 November is a lot, but doable. Right now I am gearing up for the Austin ½ Marathon in February, but it’s really more of a “motivator” in the middle of training before I knock out the Lonestar ½ Ironman in Galveston on April 5th and then head to Boston for the 113th running of the Boston Marathon. Thus, my training right now more along the lines of building up to marathon distance on the run, improving cycling fitness for Lonestar, but really for Ironman, and getting some good swims in as well. I need to get my focus back into the swims. I did well with them last year and improved a lot, but lately I haven’t had the best motivation during my swims or to even get the swims done. There are days where I am thrilled and excited about Ironman. Then there are days where I am utterly petrified at what I have signed myself up to do. Sometimes, it’s less the race day itself that scares me, and more the training I MUST do between now and then in order to be successful. I have had some really good training days, and then some not so good ones. Thankfully, I’m just under 300 days till I get to toe the start line…By God’s grace, I will get there healthy, happy, trained and fit to tackle 140.6.

My little pups have been loads of fun lately. Not only do they play with each other well, but they are just so sweet to me. Both of them could be laying different couches or chairs, but if I go sit at one spot, they get up and come to where I am. They definitely make me feel loved and I am so glad I have them in my life. It’s truly amazing how much two furry and excited dogs can “love” and make a house feel full and not empty.

The weather here in TX is best described as a roller coaster. This week actually looks like it will be cold all week and get colder. Okay, cold is relative to the location. I did say Texas…know that our cold equates to lows in the upper 20’s and 30’s and highs between 40-60. I think my years of living in the United Arab Emirates and Houston as a kid have conditioned me to adapt to the heat much more easily than the cold. I don’t mind the cold, but it is more fun when snow happens. In NY for college and in Germany for my first assignment, I never minded the cold when there was the snow to accompany it. BUT, the bitter cold days with whipping wind were something I had little experience with. Now, if you want to talk weather shock, turn your attention to my parents. They have been in Houston for the past 20 years, the UAE for the 6.5 years prior to that, and New Mexico (not the mountains, not the northern part of the state) and West Texas before that. Where is Dad now with Mom soon to follow---BUFFALO, NEW YORK! I talked to my Dad the other day and asked what he was up to that day. His response, with no hesitation, “trying to stay warm!” Thankfully, their thoughtful, eldest, red-headed daughter that has spent some winters in NY and Germany got them some really great ice scrapers and brush tools for Christmas. Dad says it’s the best gift he got. Ahhhh, I know!

A funny story for you to close this post out, and maybe I will find myself a more regular blogger in these coming weeks. Last week, around 6PM my doorbell rang, which in turn means my dogs went nuts (typical), and I went to keep them from escaping (mainly Annie—she wants to take off, where, I don’t think she knows, she just wants to GO) when I opened the door. I open the door and it is a Salesman (I should get a no solicitation sign…). What is the first thing this guy asks me (who probably, at best, was 23/24)…wait for it…no really, it’s hilarious….he asks me if my MOM AND DAD ARE HOME??? Seriously, are my Mom and Dad home??? I think I gave him the look of death I used to give my co-workers in Iraq when I was in my “angry red head” moments OR I gave him a completely bewildered “did you really just say that” look because he actually took a step back and then stammered something about “or are you the homeowner.” I know I then gave him “the look” and said yes, I am, and I’m not interested in what you’re selling. Which he still proceeds, quite rudely so, to try and demand to show me his “miracle, clean all solution” to which I insist I’m not interested and close the door. Now, I do laugh at this, and I wasn’t mad—probably more dumbfounded and giving him a hard time—but at nearly 28.5 years old do I really look so young that you would ask me if my parents were home?? I can only hope when I’m 40 they ask me the same thing.

Christmas 2008 and looking towards 2009

Christmas 2008 has come and gone. I was able to enjoy time with my family, especially my sweet little nephew. He had grown so much in just the two weeks since I had last seen him! He was much more responsive to his surroundings, and that included some cute little smiles. He did cry much more than before, but I’m sure that’s just because he needs a little bit more. He is healthy and putting on weight, and I just am quite fond of the little guy. Once again, my furry kids did well with him, and here is proof:

Other than that, it was a fairly low key Christmas. The family did look pretty snazzy on Christmas Eve:

We had some good food, and I made a pumpkin pie, to include crust, completely without adding any fat or eggs!! Here is the recipe. I think it is something I shall make again, though not sure when. It was TASTY.

Pumpkin Pie
Make this the day before serving. It's needs a day to set.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Have ready, one 9" pie crust (see below recipe)

1 15oz. solid-pack canned pumpkin
1 c. milk (I use Soy Milk, worked great, non-dairy)
3/4 c. brown sugar or Sucanat (sucanat is natural, unrefined sugar--good stuff!)
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 T. molasses or blackstrap molasses
1.5 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. EACH ground ginger, nutmeg and salt
1/4 tsp. ground allspice or cloves
Pour the filling into the pastry and bake 60 minutes. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

Fat-Free Oatmeal Cookie Crust

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup sucanat (or packed brown sugar)

2 tablespoons natural sugar (organic or sucanat or brown sugar, whatever you didn't use above)1/4 cup apple sauce

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Lightly oil a 9-inch pie pan. (I used Pam)

Put the oats into a food processor or blender and process until finely ground. Add the remaining dry ingredients and blend well. Transfer to a bowl and add the vanilla and apple sauce. Stir well until completely combined.Put the mixture into the pie pan, and starting at the center, flatten and press it with moistened fingers until it evenly covers the bottom and extends up the sides of the pan as far as possible. Bake for 8-10 minutes, and then let cool before pouring the pie filling.

I did see two movies over the break: Australia and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I will say that I got my money’s worth out of each movie. With previews, they both were about 3 hours long! However, I thoroughly enjoyed both of them as well. They were slightly long, but I never felt like it was horribly boring or ridiculous. Australia is a fun drama movie with added comedy, and I’m a fan of “period” movies and think Nicole Kidman does well in those roles. Hugh Jackman is, well, VERY good looking in the movie. My brother said he thought Jackman was “too big” as far as the muscles go, but I completely disagree! J Benjamin Button was an interesting concept and fun film to watch and imagine “what if” it actually happened. I’d recommend watching both of them, but beware that they are LONG and plan accordingly!

I am ready for 2009 to get here. There are some big things happening in 2009: my parents moving to the cold, Yankee north; I get to experience training for and racing the Boston Marathon and Ironman Florida; I will hopefully have an idea of what my future holds as far as grad school goes, which means I will probably be diligently studying to improve my GMAT or GRE scores (dependent upon which options open my way); lastly, but not least, 2009 will see the bulk of my “command time” where I can truly make a difference now that I’ve established processes and built the systems that I need for success. I have, what I think, are some good ideas to improve the training effectiveness and readiness of my Soldiers…now I have to translate those into reality, and that of course is where the challenge exists!

Happenings!

I have been SO delinquent in posting, and I apologize!! Life has simply been crazy busy. Seems like in December we try to cram as much work in as possible in the first 3 weeks so we can do as little as possible the last two weeks. I guess I'm okay with that!

I made it to Houston yesterday, after a detour to Austin to pick up my Dad who had plane difficulties, due to snow, trying to get from Buffalo, NY to Houston. Ended up that he could get home faster by flying into Austin and having me pick him up on my way to Houston for Christmas anyhow. It only added a little bit more to my drive, and I had someone to talk to, so it worked out well.

How insane is TX weather, let me illustrate by showing what yesterday (Sat, 20 DEC) and today (21 DEC) forecasts for where I live were: If that doesn't illustrate the roller coaster effect that is typical here in the winter, I don't know what does!!

It is good to be home with my whole family here. My little nephew is growing so much already. I don't think I've shown him off yet. Here are pictures from when he visited me, he was 2 1/2 weeks old then. The first one is his furry cousin Davey checking him out. They're good buds of course. ZAM's (his initials and what I call him) Mom is worried about Davey's kisses and keeps crying about it, but those kisses won't hurt him... :)

Then of course this is me, the happy Aunt, with the little cutie. We've already discussed several things, and in 18-20 years he's gonna run a marathon with me, and in the meantime we'll get him started with the basics of swim, bike, and run...so he'll be a triathlete yet!! Haha!!

I will post more as I'm on vacation this week (gratefully so!!) and enjoying some Christmas cheer with my family! Merry Christmas to everyone!

GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY!

"Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that, upon other fields, on other days will bear the fruits of victory." GEN Douglas McArthur

GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY!

Kickoff at 12PM EST

Even Davey says, "GO ARMY! SINK NAVY!"

Check out some fun Spirit Videos for this year's Army Navy:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving family, friends, and fellow bloggers! :) Have a blessed day!

Thankful for: Babies, PT, and Fun

Just in time for Thanksgiving I bring you a few things I am thankful for this year:

1. I'm thankful for babies because as of 19 November I am a first time AUNT!! My sister has a perfectly healthy 6.5lb, 19.25 in baby boy. Both my sister and the baby are doing awesome. My Mom is with her, and Dad is on the way. I cannot wait to see the little guy in a week or so when they come through here!! Do you think this Christmas is too early to buy him goggles and running shoes?? ;) I am ready to hold and kiss my little nephew!

2. I am thankful that physical fitness is an important aspect of Army life. This week at work was a full one. I had every commander's favorite, the Quarterly Training Brief (QTB), but thanks to a lot of hard work from everyone involved, we hit a home-run. Now, the big task is making sure those training events we've planned actually come to fruition! I'm pursuing fielding and funding a unit team for the Texas Independence Relay as a way to encourage and have fun with fitness. Weekly, on Thursday mornings, we do "combat PT" (PT=physical training)--we wear our fatigues and do various events that mimic similar movements we'd have to do in much more intense situations...but it's also combined with some of your typical exercises. This Thursday we had our big water cans, a stretcher, and sandbags. Those three items, especially when mixed with lunges, result in some soreness, but all good. I'm pushing good PT with my unit because healthy, fit, and strong Soldiers are confident and prepared for duty. It's a growth project for all, that is for sure!

3. I'm thankful for opportunities to have fun all the time! Today was the Ft. Hood Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 5K. I participated and probably felt some of the most leg fatigue I've felt in a race yet! I was doing okay and in the lead till about mile 2 and then I got passed and couldn't regain the lead. It was about then that those lunges and last weeks 1/2 Marathon made their presence known!! I still ran a decent 21:24, but I definitely know that with fresh legs I can get this near or below 21. I'm not that fond of 5k's really. In my opinion, they are too short--not that I should be able to run them well, I just don't enjoy them. I enjoy being able to get into the groove of a run and hold it for a while instead of just go all out hard like you have to for a 5k. I still placed first in the 18-28AG and 2nd OA female. The BEST part about the Ft. Hood Race Series is that they've gone from about 85 people participating in February to 250+ out there today!! They have been doing a great job of putting on events and improving from event to event. They have a Jingle Bell 5K on 20 December, and I'm not sure if I run it, but if I don't, I'll support as part of the bike crew. Members of the Team Army Cycling Club help "sweep" the course and make sure runners are good to go. I may do that this next time. These races are free too, so of course that's a huge plus! :)

4. What else am I thankful for this year? It would take to long to discuss each, so here is a little snapshot: A GREAT family, finally finding a church, great friends (CW, BB, TT, SO, KG), furry friends like Davey and Annie, mentors and leaders that build me up and encourage me, a good job, a fun hobby, good books, fresh fruit, fresh veggies, cooking, connecting with friends: email, blogs, Facebook, haha! This is just a TINY list...but you get the point.

So, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, take some stock in what you're thankful for this year. Just the fact that you have internet access, can read this, and probably are an American indicate that you have countless blessings for which to give THANKS!

Rocked, thankfully no roll!

SAN ANTONIO ROCK AND ROLL 1/2 MARATHON (11-16-08)

Last weekend at the San Antonio Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon was a blast! I got to travel down to San Antonio with a good friend who was going to race her first 1/2 Marathon and meet up with a college friend who was running the 1/2 Marathon as well just a few weeks after tackling a 50 mile race!! We made it down on Saturday and perused the expo, ate lunch on the Riverwalk, and then just relaxed before the race. Sunday morning meant an early wake up and drop off at the start line area. We beat the major crowds, so that was good...but it was COLD for this Texan...easily upper 30's/low 40's. We waited as long as we thought was prudent to take off the warm top layers and get to our race gear...then we huddled for warmth before the start! Finally, we made it to our separate corrals. I had put my predicted race finish time as, what I thought, was an aggressive 1:37. Thus, I was seeded nicely in corral #2 out of around 32!?! So, that was nice and meant I hardly had to wait to long after the race started to make it across the start line (individual time doesn't start till you--with your timing chip attached--make it across the start line timing mat) and it meant I didn't have to deal with an extremely crowded course to get through. I wanted to make sure I didn't go out too quickly, but keep a good pace. Miles 1-5 went super fast. I reached the 5K mark I was feeling pretty solid and the pacing was good. Mile 5 had the only noticeable "hills" (inclines) that I had to work past. In the first 5 miles I passed several women with the "Military" tags on their backs. Didn't know if they were 1/2 or Full Marathoners, just picked them off. I had my speed belt with two bottles of NUUN. I took my first GU Roctane at 4.5 and my second one at 8.5. Mile 6 was a lot of downhill, and I took advantage of it, and all the downhills. Flat and fast for the most part. Lots of spectators at various locations. I was feeling really great and often had to slow a little cause I knew holding 6:50's wasn't going to get me to the finish without some significant slow down in the last few miles. But, I was feeling great. Never needed anything from the aide stations with what I had. I wore a short sleeve shirt with arm warmers and my BT shorts and throw away gloves and my Newton racing flats. I threw my gloves at around 3 miles. When I hit the 10 mile mark at 1:11/12 something, I knew I could finish strong. All race I knew it was going to be a PR, I just didn't know how much. From 8 forward I kept telling myself, keep the pace, keep the cadence, good form, good turnover. And I just kept going. Mile 12 was actually a little tough and I could feel some of the juice going, but then I saw another military gal ahead of me, and I was going to pass her. In the last 1/4 of a mile, I did. There was a hill going up to the last turn for the last 200m and I was afraid she'd catch me on it, but she didn't and when I saw the finish I pushed it in pretty hard and I was done! Ended up being just 24 seconds from taking the 1st overall place in the women's military division...but 2nd/305 is pretty amazing for a girl who hated to run just a few years ago.

The post-run organization was insane, but I guess it's the inaugural race bugs to work out. We were pretty happy: Friend on the left beat her goal of 2hrs for her first (sub 1:52 in fact--she picked up the sign as "I conquered this", my other friend finished despite having a bum knee from her 50 miler, and I can't believe I can run that fast! It was a fun, fast course!

Then, before taking off I took a picture with the HEB Buddy. HEB is a Texas grocery store that is quite popular, and is HQ'd in San Antonio. One of my brothers worked there in high school and really loved the experience and would like to work at much higher levels within HEB someday. He misses them all the time, so I took a picture with the HEB Buddy just for him! :)

I wonder how fast I could do a marathon now? :) But, more importantly, it is very evident that my cycling fitness needs improvement so that I can hold a post-bike run at a pace much closer to my open run time than what I've done thus far. I have the speed, I need the endurance.

But, that's the end of the "big" races for 2008. I may do a couple of 5Ks and a 5 miler, but now I'm back to some base building and preparation for my '09 adventures! Thanks for all the encouragement and support. I know I post what may seem like "bragging rights" here...but it's more of a rejoicing what has been, and it couldn't be done without the blessings God gives me physically (for without Him I am nothing) and the love and support of my family and friends!

RANT on FAT!

I put some of this in my BeginnerTriathlete blog and it got A LOT of agreement...granted, that is a site full of triathletes. So, I got HUGELY irritated at two issues I saw on TV, one yesterday, and one this morning. Yesterday I was getting on my bike trainer to ride cause it was raining outside. I turned on the TV to find something to watch while I pedaled away. Well, what was on as soon as I turned it on, the Rachel Ray show with Whoopi Goldberg as the guest. They were discussing the concept of a "Fat Tax" where workers must pay more their health coverage if they are obese. They hardly spent any time on it, and I'm not going to discuss the fat tax here, BUT, I found some of the comments of the two HUGELY ignorant, inaccurate. Watch it for yourself HERE, but the highlights that caught me to just lose it were these comments:

"Sometimes if people are eating the wrong food it's cause they don't have the money to buy the right ones." Whoopi Goldberg

"People don't understand that obesity is sometimes the only option for people...they can't afford broccoli and fresh fruits and vegetables. Government should be spending time to make good food more affordable for all of us." Rachel Ray

Interestingly enough, I was headed to the grocery store that afternoon, and I checked out the costs of some of the veggies and fruits, to include fresh, frozen, dried, and canned. I looked at the prices of canned beans, dried pasta, rices, and chicken (skinless). I then checked out the things like frozen pizza, potato chips, cupcakes, ice cream, store bought cookies, pre-made "meals" (frozen boxes and bags) and fruit snacks. GUESS WHAT FOLKS, you get MORE for your money when you buy the HEALTHY STUFF...truly you do. You forgo the twinkies, and you can get a whole 2lbs of bananas. You leave the frozen pizza and whip up some chicken, beans, and rice or some whole grain pasta and veggies, and you get more. The idea that "obesity" is the "only option" is so bogus, disgusting, and a cop out that I would love to debate Rachel Ray in person on it. The American Obesity Epidemic is caused because Americans are addicted to refined foods and fast food. They are more willing to wait in a 1/2 hour long fast food line than take the 10 minutes needed to cut up some veggies, put 'em on a tray and broil them for all of 10 minutes till they are ready to eat. The pure liquid, sugar calories that adults and kids pour into their bodies in the form of soft drinks and "gourmet" coffee are making them fat and more addicted to refined sugar. The trans fat and high calorie meals that the fast-food industry eagerly hands over for more cash than what it would cost for one to make something healthy themselves is clogging America's arteries, causing heart attacks, causing Type II adult-onset diabetes in adults and children alike, and leaves people winded doing just the simple chores of life. LAZINESS and lack of SELF-DISCIPLINE, not lack of money, is, in my opinion, the root of the American obesity problem. Americans have choices...and, as the Crusader in Indiana Jones and the Search for the Holy Grail said to the bad guy who picked the ornate and flashy grail from which to drink, "You chose...poorly" and death followed. Luckily for him, his death was quick. It won't be for those that do not choose to eat healthy and exercise.

Second part of the rant. This morning I saw this article featured on FOX News about how studies have shown that obese 10-year olds have the arteries of a 45-year old and how they are showing signs of pre-mature aging. It was such a sad article....and in its closing the author writes "The time has come to seriously deal with the issue of childhood obesity and physical inactivity on a governmental and parental level." I agree...at least at the parental level (not a big fan of growing governmental regulation in everything). It must be addressed. What got me MAD was that the lady discussing it with the Fox News reporter, and not mentioned in the article, was that the answer was prescription DRUGS...she even said that we're seeing that "diet and exercise" are not enough. Did she quote a study for that?? NO. Come on, let's look at history...before we knew about all of the evils of this that or the other (and so much of it didn't even exist), kids weren't stuck just in front of the TV and video games. Competitive sports were encouraged, even if a kid lost--no "self-esteem" or "PC" issues (maybe it explains why the new generation of kids are more "depressed" as they get older--they never lost, then they meet the real world and found out that losing is part of it). Kids played kick the can, "Cowboys and Indians," and pickup basketball, and football. Now they do the same thing, don't they? Sure...just with a Wii...
I think, of all the aspects of the obesity epidemic, the children is the most sad and infuriating. I see children all the time that are 10 or under and weight more than I do. They waddle when they walk, and most of the time they're sucking down a coke or Mom and Dad are handing them a burger. Did you know that a McDonald's Happy Meal will not mold or be eaten by bugs if left for, oh, 2-3 years? It looks exactly the same--just hard...nothing touches it...how do I know. My Mom has one she uses as an example for health fairs she does and in promotion for a healthy way to get your full day's worth of NATURAL vitamins (Juice Plus+, <--click for more info). That Happy Meal she has still "looks" happy--hasn't changed AT ALL, minus hard. And she lives in Houston, if it's going to mold, it will mold there, if it's going to get bugs, it'll get bugs there. My brother left some food in his closet in High School and was invaded by THOUSANDS if not MILLIONS of fruit flies or ants...but did they touch the open McDonald's bag...not a chance. And people eat that? They feed it to their kids? If nature won't touch it, chances are, we probably shouldn't. Parents are fully responsible for setting their kids up for success in the food realm. Drugs are NOT the answer for normal kids...only for real diseases that were NOT brought on by the obesity in the first place. A healthy diet and regular exercise will do the trick! Play sports, serve up vegetables in a tasty, but fun way (and covered in cheese doesn't equal "fun" it equals "FAT"). It is terrible that predictions say that many parents will outlive their children because their children are just plain obese. Give the kids a chance, teach them what right looks like, and if later on in life they chose to be a couch potato and eat themselves to death, you did what you could to prevent it...but for right now, set the right example...they may not like you know, but their "self esteem" is going to be better when they can run around and be the star, not waddle around. "Instant" gratification in thinking that we can truly HAVE our cake and EAT it too by maintaining a poor diet, little exercise, and then just pop a pill or have cosmetic surgery done and be fine...not only is this erroneous, it doesn't go at the heart of the issue--one must choose to be healthy.

Health comes in the form of WHOLE food, veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean meat. It means not touching fried food, ignoring the donut at church, drinking water instead of sodas, and taking some time to buy fresh and cook fresh. I'm single, I'm busy, but I eat healthy, homemade meals for virtually every meal of my day. When my peers are headed to the closest Mexican food restaurant, I'm having a healthy sandwich or wrap, an apple, and some carrots with about 32ozs of water. Takes some planning, but I save MUCH more time by not going out, not to mention money. A healthy life comes by healthy choices and self-discipline...but it also means a long life with fewer boundaries and limits! I WANT to be that 75 year old, spunky old woman running across the finish line at a triathlon or a marathon...I won't be the fastest, but I will be healthy enough to do it and finish smiling. Take that journey with me. Eat healthy, have the sweets in moderation, and structure good solid aerobic and muscular strength exercises within your schedule. If I can train for triathlons, and soon an Ironman, with the job I have--most of you can go for a few mile walk or knock out some push-ups and sit-ups. It's a choice. In the end, it's your choices that matter--not the government regulating you from yourself. . Just remember, choose wisely...sometimes the right "grail" is the most plain and humble, but with it comes long life! (corny analogy, but I like it!) Choose to live healthy and long, or choose to eat yourself to death.

Knicknacks

This is going to be an "all over the place" long blog post since I've been horrible at posting lately.
1. Ironman Florida: I got to Florida on Thursday morning. I flew into Pensacola, got a car, and drove to Panama City Beach. It was a nice and scenic drive--so much more green than where I am. I got to condo complex where I was staying with a friend of mine who was racing. She had been at a press conference with the pros because she had raised some significant money for Janus Charity Challenge for cancer research. We linked up, grabbed some lunch, went down to the Ironman Expo...I could feel the excitement of it all. That evening we went to a get together/dinner with several of the BT.com folks, and that was enjoyable. The sunset was just awesome and beautiful. It was much cooler than I had expected Florida to be, though. Friday morning we got up and headed down to the Gatorade practice swim and I swam about 1000 meters of the swim course. The water was SO CLEAR compared to the BROWN and GREEN waters of Texas lakes! It was fairly choppy compared to the previous day and how race day would end up. But, I was glad it was choppy as that gave me a good taste of what it can be like out there. Was not disconcerted at all, and it was one less unknown for next year out of the way. I went to a little tri talk with another friend of mine and gleaned some decent information. My friend who was racing got registered for next year and later we got her bike and transition bags checked in and we met up with some friends again. I went to the volunteer meeting that evening and it was unorganized at best. But, I knew when I needed to be the next day, and that's what mattered. Then it was off to bed before race day. On race Saturday I got up with Sue (my friend) to help her take her gear down to transition and get bodymarked. The condo was close enough that we walked back afterwards so she could get her wetsuit on, and then it was back down to the swim start. Once she headed into the corral for the racers I found a spot to watch and saw the pros head out, observed the National Anthem, and then the racers were OFF for their first loop of the two-loop swim. It was awesome to watch the mass start, and the entire time you could see this big massive "school" of swimmers heading out and around the buoys. The excitement in the air was incredible and I cheered for friends of mine as I saw them come out of the first lap and then I made my way to the bike out location so I could cheer on everyone starting the bike. I stayed there till the last racers made it off on the bike. Myself and two of my other friends then linked up to make it out to the out and back part of the course where, with cowbells in hand, we cheered on a great majority of the racers. Throughout all of this I was imagining myself doing it next year! By the time we made it back Sue had already started the run, she was doing great!! I caught some of my other friends coming in off the bike and starting the run as well, it was awesome to cheer for them. We then had a little bit of a break before we would cheer for runners coming into the last lap of the marathon. Sue was doing awesome and then it was time for our volunteer shifts. I got my volunteer wrist band and t-shirt and got directed to the finish line tape where every racer came through. Four of us manned the spot so we had two finish line tapes available to try and have one for every runner. It was amazing to see the smiles, the tears, the elation, the managed pain, and the utter joy as competitors raced across the finish line. Some ran, some walked, some limped, some came with a kid in tow, some where husband and wife racers, and it was awesome. I got to hold the tape for many of my friends, and that was fun!! In fact, the last one to come through at 13:59 for me was my friend Sue! Couldn't have planned it better!! She was elated and had a great time, cutting 2 hours off the first time she did it. A group of us that were her cheering section helped her back. It was a great great day! Too much to capture, but so inspiring and exciting for next year! Great job racers!! The next day was up and early to get registered, and I did it without any second thought!! In fact, today was when I could finalize my registration and it is DONE!

2. Elections. I'm an American Politics major, I can't avoid discussing this issue, though I don't feel like spending entirely too much time on it. Here are my thoughts: I personally am not a fan of the President-Elect. I didn't vote for him and I disagree with his positions. I was an educated voter, not an emotional voter. In the same light, despite my pretty significant disagreements, I will acknowledge the historical significance of it. Race has never been an influence on my voting preferences. It should not be the motivator for any voting preference, against or for a candidate. So, now America is going to get something new. I will not wish failure upon the new administration. That goes against the core of who I am as a patriotic American. The administration fails, we fail. I wish and pray for a prosperous and successful America. To wish failure to make a point that someone was a wrong choice does not benefit. Now, that doesn't mean that when I see what I feel are wrong policy choices that do not benefit America that I won't say something and criticize. But, hate can't be part of it. It irritates me to all get out that some would wish evil and perpetuate hate because their choice didn't win. That is not the way to do it. As a Christian I will pray for the President; I will hold my leaders at all levels accountable and continue to do my civic duty and communicate with both the executive and legislative branches as are my rights as a citizen. Forward momentum is necessary. Forward thinking, forward preparation, and the pursuit of preserving the values and foundation that make us free Americans, that's what I want to do. So, regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, don't think you're done with your civic duty. It's only just begun. Continue to raise your voice, continue to demand accountability of our leaders, and continue to educate yourself on the issues that are vital to the nations forward progress, national security, and continued preservation of American freedom.

3. Vet's Day weekend: Phew has it been a busy one!! Friday and Saturday I was in Houston for the Army/Rice football game. Unfortunately Army lost, but they kept it interesting and it was only a one touchdown lost. Sunday was church and dinner with a friend at McCormick and Schmicks in Austin--the restaurant has a generous free meal for veterans, so that was enjoyable. Today has been some recovery from the busy days, but I did get some housecleaning and workouts in the mix!

I will try to be better at posting, but just seem to be quite busy. Next weekend is the San Antonio 1/2 Marathon and I'm looking forward to that being a fun race and time with some good friends!

WOW and I jumped off the cliff...

It'd take quite a bit to capture the whole experience from yesterday--and I will later, but suffice it say Ironman atmosphere here at Ironman Florida was AWESOME. What a day...beautiful weather, great racers. I saw/cheered the first lap of the swim, then all the folks going out on the bike, then out on the bike course at an out and back stretch so we could see folks twice, and then back to the run course at the turn-around for a bit (I love the names on bibs...I cheered for tons of folks by first name), and then worked the finish line from 6-9PM holding the tape. More than 1300 racers came through during that time, and it was up and down and up and down...my knee is a little sore from it. IT WAS AN AWESOME job...I got to see the emotion and expression of joy from so many racers, wow. I'm hoarse from cheering! It was tough trying to get the tapes up in-between racers when there was a mass of them coming through. Most everyone got a tape to run through, but in the masses, we would've tripped people if we had done that. All of the friends I was really watching for came in during my shift and that was great!



This morning I was down at registration for 2009. Wasn't supposed to open until 9AM, but being the Type-A that I am, I was there at 7AM. BUT, they had opened early and it maybe took me 30 mins to get through. Yes, I have done it. I have taken the plunge and I am REGISTERED for Ironman Florida 2009 on 7 November. Come cheer for me! :) Now...must start training! 1 year and 4 days to get ready for 140.6 miles of swim, bike, and run! (Yes, family, I know I've lost my marbles...but reserve the date and come experience WHY I have!)

Heading to FL!!

I AM OFF TO FLORIDA! Why?? To cheer on awesome athletes in pursuit of the finish line after 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running and hours upon hours of training and dedication!! I am volunteering at Ironman Florida 2008 on 1 November! I am staying with friends, volunteering on race day, and taking the plunge off the Ironman cliff with rest of the crazy triathlete lemmings (okay, not lemmings...but we do all drink from the same kool aid pot and it shows!) and signing up for IRONMAN FLORIDA 2009, 7 November 2009. The journey to 140.6 and the title of Ironman begins!!

Best of wishes to all the racers! I will be cheering for YOU!