WOW.

I am amazed at the outpouring of well-wishes! Thanks! Man, there's a lot of people out there! Sometimes I forget this is public. :) Good people rock. I promise now that I don't have to lie anymore, I'll be writing more and commenting more, too! Just get me to spring break and I can get caught up....

Okay, as promised, here is what I've been writing the past 2 months or so. We'll go from the beginning and work our way on through.

Remember...don't laugh to hard at naive TriSaraTops. Laugh with me, please.

Okay, you can laugh at me. I already am.

_______________________________________________________________

From February 1, 2007.....

I would have killed to have a camera in my bathroom this morning. Just to see a replay of my face.

I didn't think anything of it...I'd already taken a few tests, but felt a little off somehow, so I thought I'd take one more.

PREGNANT

Wait.

Where's the "NOT?"

OMG.

There's no "NOT."

*stares into mirror. looks at test again. stares into mirror with eyes the size of saucers*

Oh my God I'm pregnant.

Am I ready?

I'm ready.

I'm scared.

Oh, God I'm really scared.

I'm so happy! I'm jumping! In my bathroom! Yahooooooooo!


I'm running down the hallway, pumping my arms Kirk-Gibson-style!

Now I'm staring in the mirror again.

This will change everything. This will change my entire life. It's not all about me and my time anymore. Ever again.

Can I do this and still be me? Sometimes I see some people who stop being them, and they get bitter and mad and upset.

I can't ever stop being a triathlete. Or a teacher. Somehow, some way, I'll need to be those things still. The theaters may change, but I need to be those things as much as I need to blink my eyes.

Some people do it every day, and they inspire me--my blog buddies, Lana and Michele never cease to amaze me, with time for family and girl friends AND training. Wil's a mommy...and a teacher...and a triathlete...I see lots of wonderful other people out there doing it, too. They make it work, somehow.

All day at school I had this goofy smile on my face. I know something you don't know, I know something you don't know....

I know you're not supposed to tell anyone for 12 weeks...and let me just tell you how much THAT rule is going to suck. Because when a miracle happens you want to talk about it, you want to scream, you want to laugh all stupid giddy and jump up and down.

And then for a second you get scared again.

But it goes away. Waves of scared, elated, scared, overjoyed...

I think this is an entirely different kind of nine month training plan. And I'm going to have to try really hard to get used to it.

But, WOW...is this finish line going to be amazing or what?

A tiny little heartbeat

Okay.

Now it's real.

I just got back from my Doctor's appointment, and Matt and I heard our baby's heartbeat for the very first time. I started laughing, which then really screwed it up, but then once I stopped I could hear my swish swish and my little baby's swishswishswishswish and even though I've known this since January, I can finally share my secret.

I've been pregnant now for 13 weeks. I've been writing lots, but haven't been able to share until now...so I will. This has already been quite a wild, crazy, humbling, emotional journey and I've barely even started. I'm sure all of you with kids out there will laugh at my naive attempts to predict how I'll feel like I'm doing some kind of race plan. As I read through all the things I wrote yesterday, I got a few good laughs in at myself.

I think it's safe to say I'm out of my element here.

The new race date is October 8, which obviously changes my race plans quite a bit. For instance, running the Chicago Marathon and going sub-4 on October 7 is probably not a good idea, unless I want to go in labor on the course and scare the bejeezus out of 42,000 people.

So I'll start at the beginning, and tell you my story so far. Warning. Disclaimer. I'm not going to even try to pretend it makes sense. I am fully aware that some things I'm feeling are irrational. This is what it is: the story of an Ironman whose life has revolved around race plans and schedules for the past five years getting a nice healthy dose of reality. It's the story of my fears, too...and this amazing, overwhelming feeling of joy I felt today when I heard that little heartbeat.

Buckle in, folks. Here we go. :)

I Went Back to the Pool-O

That title's a reference to a Pretenders song.

Sorry. It's all I could think of.

Anyway, today I went to the Y to swim....all my swimming buddies from last year (Noodle Lady, Navy Guy, etc) were absent, and that was a real bummer. So, I thought I'd just splash around a bit and see how things went.

I did a measly 2000 yards...which totally violates my "It's-not-worth-getting-wet-for-less-than-3000-yards" rule, but I'm finding that most of my old rules are being broken on a regular basis now. And you know what? I'm starting to be OK with that.

I could definitely tell I was out of practice, and felt like the best I could do at holding a semi-decent pace was to do sets of 200s. So I did 200 pull, 200 swim, 10 times. Not the most exciting workout ever, but hey, it worked.

And I totally raced the dude next to me in my second-to-last set, but he didn't know it. I caught him pretty early on and then was able to still bury the hatchet. So I've still semi-got-game.

Okay, maybe just a teensy, tiny bit of game. But we'll take it.

Then I had my guest speakers come to school today, which is always awesome. A WWII-vet who was shot down by the Germans and held in a POW camp for 22 months, and then two Japanese-Americans who were interned during WWII when they were kids. Very different perspectives and all pieces to a very large puzzle of a story. I'm glad I have the opportunity to bring such amazing people into my classroom.

So I'm feelin' pretty good....it was 75 degrees and sunny here....Opening Day is in T minus 10 Days, the Buckeyes are in the Final Four (but I think I may have to root for Georgetown since I do have a transcript there...so torn....), and life is pretty much rockin' right now.

A certain friend of mine has a pretty big birthday coming up on Thursday, too. Hee hee! The secret's out. :)

Lots of reasons to celebrate around here!

I DON'T WANNA WAIT

I WANNA SEE THIS NOW!!!

Here's your daily hit of inspiration...



Some one just posted this on our tri club forum! SO cool.

Now, don't you wanna get out there for your run today?

A Bad Date in Hollywood

Okay, I have an admission to make.

*hangs head in shame*

I really, REALLY like that REALLY STUPID MTV show, "The Hills."

There. I said it.

I am fully aware it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ridiculously stupid. I know it doesn't really match up with my interests or intelligence quotient. But, I TiVo it and watch the dumb show anyway. Here's why.

It is very refreshing to see that no matter where you are--no matter how glamorous your life may be--your twenties are still probably going to have the same drama. Uncertainty about your future, what you want to be when you grow up, boys that are dumb and some that are not, and going through it with your friends.

These girls have a lifestyle that I never did, and never will have. They live in the Hollywood Hills and despite the fact that they are 20 year old INTERNS, they have a nicer furnished apartment than any furniture I have in my house NOW. They drive ridiculous Mercedes Benz cars, wear expensive clothes, and go out to glamorous LA clubs.

Now, for me, I spent the early part of my twenties in a blue-collar kind of town, drinking Rolling Rock and eating happy hour pizza at the local holes in the wall, trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted to be with my best friends. So, in a way, it's a TEENSY bit similar. Take out the glitz and glamour, and it's the same old story.

So, it's nice for me to see that it doesn't matter where you live. It doesn't matter if you move to the "it" town and have Daddy Dollars coming out your nostrils. You have the same ol' same ol'. And I enjoy seeing that, and remembering going through some of the stuff these poor little rich girls are going through.

A bad date is a bad date, no matter if it's Brody Jenner or some guy I met at Local Bar X. And I remembered this last night, as I had a bad date with the Masters Swim Team.

I sort of knew this was going to happen. But I've been desperate for some things to change around here--hoping things will change and ready to try anything to make it happen--so I took up my buddy Joh when she said that I should give it a shot. Now, for me, swimming is a solitary thing. I spent many a year getting yelled sets and having a whistle blown in my ear doing endless laps, so I really, really enjoy swimming solo now. But I'm desperate.

"Sure," I thought. "No problem--I haven't had a swim in 2 months--literally--but I can usually wing it in the pool."

Almost everything about my date was wrong, starting with the first guy I met there, who was about as warm and welcoming as the Berlin Wall in January. He clearly was trying to "size me up," and bombarded me with questions that eventually got quite rude and obnoxious. Where, oh where is Joh? Agh!

The best part of my date was hanging out with Mr. Buckeye (totally cool hubby of Buckeye Runner) and Joh. Other than that, I knew it wasn't a good fit for me within about five minutes--just like a real date.

It's not you, it's me.

See, lots of other people like you, Masters. But we're not clicking.

I think I'd just be better off alone for a while.

And, like any bad date, well...then at least you know. So you shake hands, say "nice to meet you," and you leave. You find someone that's much more your type, since only you really know why it wasn't clicking.

Now, I should never say never. Matt, my hubby, tried several times to ask me out when I was in 10th grade and he 11th. I kept turning him down, despite the fact that he was the nicest guy ever, very cute (of course), and all my friends were knocking me upside the head saying YOU IDIOT! GO OUT WITH HIM!

I just needed about 9 more years before we really connected. And look how things ended up!

So, perhaps Masters and I are not finished. For now, however, we are. Aside from hanging with 2 cool people, everything else about it felt wrong at the moment. I need a break and it just didn't work for me. Totally not my style right now.

So, whether you're 20 in the Hollywood Hills, or 29 in blue-collar Cleveland, Ohio, you know when it's right and when it's not. And why waste your time?

This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race

The Scene: somewhere near Painesville, Ohio. August 12, 2001. Two smelly, sweaty chicks flexing on a curb.

TriShannon: I am so pumped we just did our first Tri!

TriSaraTops: Me too! I'm pudgy! Let's get a Blizzard.

TriShannon: Seriously, we should probably pass on the Blizzards. You want to get one every time we finish a workout.

TST: OK, Dude, whatever. You so go with me every time and I don't even have to twist your arm.

TriShannon: Yeah, yeah. I know. Hey, I think our $19.99 Adidas trail shoes we got at Kohl's a few months ago are fierce!

TST: No way, man. The best part of my shoes is the COTTON socks I have on that I put on in T1. So necessary. They totally made my race.

TriShannon: Is that a nuclear power plant in the distance?

TST: Yeah...it's cool. I don't have a third eye yet, do I?

TriShannon: No...I suppose you're right. So, um, we did get here a little early didn't we?

TST: Well, the book I have says always to get to the race early so that you have plenty of time to set up your transition!

TriShannon: Yeah, but I don't think they meant to get there 2 hours early and before the Race Director shows up.

TST: Well?! We SO had lots of time to get ready.

TriShannon: OK. Whatever. These leis are hot!

TST: NO WAY. What's HOT is my shorts that I put on in T1 that made my thighs chafe because it poured on us and I like to eat Blizzards. Now THAT'S hot.

TriShannon: I executed a flawless pre-race strategy.

TST: I was at a wedding last night and my drunk roommate best friend forgot her key and had to throw things at my window at 1am to wake me up. At the time, I was really pissed but I bet in a little bit that will seem funny.

TriShannon: I am SO going to do an Ironman someday.

TST: YOU CRAZY! I will NEVER do one of those. That's just INSANE. I mean, HOW can you do that?! There's no way. I have no desire to ever do that.

TriShannon: Whatever, wuss. I've always wanted to do one.

NOTE: TriShannon would have done an Ironman LONG before TriSaraTops if it wasn't for a nasty injury she had to deal with. She would have most likely whooped her ass.

TST: I don't doubt it, dude. You do everything you set your mind to. Hey, maybe I'll do a marathon now!

TriShannon: Um, don't you think you should try something more than a 5K first?

TST: Nah! No biggie! I just did a triathlon, so now I think I can probably do anything!

TriShannon: Yeah, I feel strangely invincible. Like our training ride where we rode 21 whole miles on our mountain bikes! Our mountain bikes are FIERCE.

TST: Yeah! Remember when we were doing a ride on our heavy mountain bikes and I ran into a curb, skinned my knee, blew my tire, and we had to walk all the way home? That totally sucked.

TriShannon: Yeah. We looked like tools.

TST: I need a Blizzard just thinking about it.

TriShannon: Hey, if I ever move away, let's be tri friends forever!

TST: Totally.

Possibilities

I just posted on the Flash Point Blog here. I'm being a somewhat bad blogger and commenter here, but only for a little while longer...I swear!

For now, I'm off to enjoy a picnic dinner with my two boys up at the Lake! 71 degrees, baby!

Don't worry, it's supposed to be 31 on Saturday. :) March is so nutso!

Happy training, everyone!

Being sick is no fun.

Waaa.

I'm sick and have lost my mojo.

It's cold and I'm over it. They say this is the "last arctic blast," but I've lived here long enough to know there will probably be one more...but the little 50 degrees and maybe even a 60 that comes our way in March will get me through!

And hey, Daylight Savings comes this weekend! Yahoooooo for that!

This weekend one of my bestest friends, Sammy, came into town and we had a blast, despite the fact that I was hacking up a lung. We went to this awesome store, Big Fun, where they sell old, new, and used toys....and I traded in my old broken Nintendo set for a BRAND NEW (OLD) ONE THAT WORKS!

Oh yeah. We played Mario like nobody's biznasssss. I still got game!

And we played Double Dribble, too. But we both were HORRIBLE. Lost my touch on that one.

Um....not much else to report that I can say at the moment. Perhaps I can say more later...

Bring on the spring! And BASEBALL SEASON! Yahoooooooooooooooo!

Suit and Wheel Porn

I got my new suit from SwimOutlet.com's grab bag today....and it's....TOTALLY NORMAL!

Yahoooooooooo!



Actually, it's totally what I would have picked out for myself, and looks almost like the Nike one I'm replacing it with--except much cheaper!



Oh NO WAY I paid that much! :) I paid WAYYYYYYY less than that. Good deal! I'll be sure to use this website again.

And now, proof positive that my sweet new wheels are:

A) way cooler than me

B) way cooler than my bike



My bike's bringin' sexy back. Yeah!

HAWTNESS! Oh, to ride on these babies...I can hardly WAIT! Arg!

For The Record

I'd just like to state that I'm well aware that pool swimming and open water swimming are very different things. I feel a little insulted here, and wanted to clear that up. Perhaps I should have stated all of this in my previous entry, but I guess I didn't think it really needed to be said.

Again, my goals are MY goals, I know what I'm capable of. I set my goals based not only on what I've done in the pool both the past year of training and throughout my 25 years swimming, but also from my 5 years of triathlon racing at all distances in open water.

Thank you for the kind words--I am and continue to be proud of my Ironman day. What would life be without high goals, you know? I will continue to aim high.

Now I'm off to the CTC Newbies committee meeting--I'm excited to meet some new triathletes and help them meet their goals this year!

Settling the Score

I woke up a little angry today.

This is rare. I usually don't wake up feeling like, really, anything, except hitting the snooze button perhaps. But I just felt kind of mad. At me.

I think what triggered this was that I finally got my swim photo from Ironman Wisconsin. They forgot to include it before, blah blah blah. So it came in the mail a few days ago. And I probably should just throw it away. Because it really just reminds me of feeling rotten.

The photographer that snapped my picture as I tried to get off my wetsuit and stepped on the mat completely captured my emotions of that moment. Too much, I think.

It is a face of complete, utter disappointment and disgust.

Now, I realize that my 1:28 swim is "fine." I realize that this may sound a little bit like someone who is mad about running a 3:47 marathon because they wanted 3:40. But, in this one instance, I think I understand how that feels.

For ME, and this is why I do this, anyway--for ME--I had a rotten swim that day. The worst swim of that distance of my life, actually. And when I look at that picture, I see it in my face. No one else probably could even see it, but I know me. And I know what's going through my head at that exact moment.

"I blew it."

For me, on my face I see the look of someone who knew they could do better and didn't. And that, for me, is the worst feeling of all.

I know, I know...all the things my head and even my friends have told me to try to justify....

"It was a record Ironman swim start--more people than in any Ironman in history"

"Most people's times were a little slow...not like what they usually post"

"Even the pros came out later than usual, Sara"

"You had a BLACK EYE at school on Tuesday from the BEATING you took in the water"

Blah. I hate excuses.

When it comes down to it, I swam 4500 yards in the pool weekly at a much faster pace than what I swam that 4224 on Ironman morning. And it's the ONLY thing I'm disappointed about. Not the endless, cold bike ride from hades....not my marathon (actually, I think that was my favorite). Just my swim.

Because I could have done better. I can do much better. I expected to come into T1 nowhere near that. I had a number in my head and it wasn't even close to the one I saw on that clock when I stepped on that mat, and I see it in my face and I hate it.

I want another shot. But I can't have one for a while. So I'm just going to have to tuck that picture away for the time being, I think. I'll pull it out again when it's time to prepare for IM swim #2.

In the meantime, I am pretty proud of myself for being able to move past the moment. When I read my recap of that swim again, and when I remember how I decided at that moment--or rather, the moment AFTER that photog snapped my utter disgust--I was going to have to forget it or it would eat me up that day, I am happy that I was able to do that. So, in that sense, the picture doesn't really tell all of the story.

Because if, on the bike, I sat there and bitched in my head at myself about how much that sucked, I would have wasted so much energy on negativity. (Kind of like I am right now)

And I really don't think I would have made it. I needed all the energy I could get that day.

So, I'm gonna try to remember that. Clocks are clocks, bad stuff happens, and disgust and disappointment happen too. They are inevitable.

But the real test in life is what you do with them.

And I moved on that day. So I'll just put this picture away, and do that now.

I ordered my IMW Finishers Jacket Today

I finally did.

I've been waffling about it for about 3 months...."Should I? I dunno....that's expensive...but it's pretty sweet....I dunno...."

Sack up. I bought it. Boo ya.

'Cuz you know what? It is kinda a big deal. The more I think about it, I remember this. And I think I deserve to have one from my first Ironman. So that's that.

I also ordered a new swimsuit from the Grab Bag at Swimoutlet.com...here's hoping it's not as fugly as the one that Pharmie's poor sister Steph got! I've been lacking some swim mojo lately, so I'm hoping maybe a new suit might do the trick. Like new running shoes...you know, they have that "new shoe" smell?

(OK. Maybe that only works for cars)

But new shoe FEEL. It just gets you excited, and if that's what it takes to get me a little motivation, then I'll take it. It's a good $19.95 gamble.

Today my freshmen were filling in a map about Europe at the outbreak of WWI, and we were discussing the English Channel. Someone asked how far across it is, and I guessed about 20 miles (turns out it's 21--not a bad guess!), since I said it can't be THAT far if people swim across it. "Not far? Maybe for YOU!" one kid said. I had to laugh at that. "Um, no guys, that's way too far for me." So some of my students then decided that's what I should set as my next goal.

No thanks...2.4 is quite enough for me. :)

I'm pretty pumped for the SimplyStu Worldwide Triathlon and for the Indy Mini Marathon! These should be fun...and interesting....

And on a positive note, only 6 more days until March!

OK. I'm not usually like this, but I get a little antsy this time of year. February can be a bit dreary in these parts. I don't mind the cold, but I definitely am not down with the gray. March brings spring and sun and even an early daylight savings time this year! Yahooooooo for more daylight!

And, of course, March Madness. GO BUCKS! But, why does Oden look like he's about 37?

Man, I'm all over the place with this post. I guess that just kind of sums up how I feel right now. A little. All. Over. The. Universe.

So my jacket should arrive in a week or two, and my new suit...and I will be all decked out and ready to go. Come on, March...

Polar Opposites

Staring out the window at about 6 inches of the white stuff...getting 3-5 more tomorrow, and 6-10 tomorrow night...don't get me wrong, I love the white stuff! But...

...just got these pictures from my buddy Vicki in Oregon, that we snapped on the boardwalk from Lahaina in Hawaii.

And this is pretty sweet, too.





Le sigh....

But--running in nice weather is boring! Running in 12 inches of snow is much more fun!

Yeah, that's RIGHT! Bring it, Lake Effect! :)

Race Resume

Well, I really am finding I have some extra time on my hands on the weekends.

Like, a LOT of extra time.

I'm just not used to this. But I'd better get used to it....

Anyway, since I really have nothing better to do, I figured I'd take up Cara and Elizabeth at InTransit and try to make my "race resume." Currently I have most of my bib #s in a pile somewhere, but I can't find 'em. So, I'll have to go from memory here and from the random race hardware I've managed to get over the years. This resume is probably a better way to keep track. I can add to it as the years go by and just keep the bib #s that REALLY mean something (like 2198, for example).

This has been fun...it's helped me realize how FAR I have come in just a few short years. It also is reminding me that, for crying out loud, I'm only 29. I have many, MANY years left in me to reach some more racing goals. With the current situation, sometimes I think I forget that and get a little bummed. So it's been kind of fun to type this up and put it all out there--and FORCE me to remember how, just a few years ago, my first 5K was in about 31 minutes. I was carrying about 30 extra pounds around, even in my first marathon! And now? Wow...progress is definitely good.

I also find it funny that I pretty much STARTED with a marathon. That's totally something I would do.

Let's see....how to start? Perhaps I will make it look like one of those cheesy templates on Microsoft Office. :)

TriSaraTops: Race Resume

Education: Second Sole Running Club, Cleveland Triathlon Club, Angela Forster Training

Objective: To continue to challenge myself in every way possible by pushing my own little envelope in racing...and in life.

Skills: Persistance, steady speed
Areas of potential for greatest growth: 70.3, IM, Marathon
Life racing goals: PR by at least an hour in IM #2, complete a 50K run, BQ (although I may need to wait until I'm at least 35 for that one...I need every minute I can get), meet up with my good friends and travel all over the world for Half-Marathons and 70.3s until the day I die.

2006 Highlights

• Pace Team Leader the first half of the Cleveland Marathon "In On Time" Pacing Group 4:45 (hit split exactly)
• Maumee Bay Olympic Distance Triathlon: 2nd AG, PR in the swim, 2:59
• Musselman 70.3, as a C race and long training day, negative split the run, 6:47
• First of a few Century Rides: Sweet Corn Challenge 100 Mile
• Ironman Wisconsin: First Ironman, finished in 15:32 (close to my B goal)
• Fall Classic Half Marathon 1:55, PR by 40 seconds on not much training
• ran with one of my best friends from mile 23-26.2 at the Chicago Marathon and ran into another good friend on the course, and got to see another good friend, too--and decided I MUST do that marathon someday

2005 Highlights

• Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon 4:18, a 56 minute PR over previous and only attempt at distance
• Silver Spring Stow Sprint Triathlon, 2nd AG
• Findley Lake Sprint Triathlon, 1st AG
• Lorain Olympic Triathlon, 4th overall female (out of, uh, 10...but it sounds pretty sweet, huh?), 1st AG, PR on the bike at Olympic distance. 2:54
• Deer Creek Pineman Half Ironman, first 70.3, 6:34
• Rocky River Spirit Run 5K, fastest staff member (female)

2004 Highlights

• Great Lakes Escape Olympic Triathlon: First Olympic ever! PR on the challenging run at Olympic distance 2:59
• Hermes Road Race Series: 2nd in Age Group 25-29 for year long competition of 5Ks and 10Ks for 2nd year in a row
• Lorain Sprint Triathlon, 3rd AG
• Dolores Sawan 5K 2nd AG
• Rocky River Spirit Run 5K, fastest staff member (female)

2003 Highlights

• First real season of racing 5Ks and road races
• PR in 5K this year 23:33, and haven't really been able to work on bringing it down since I fell in love with the long stuff
• First Half Marathon in Athens, OH 1:59 with Matt!
• Second Half Marathon: River Run 1:55
• Hermes Road Race Series: 2nd in Age Group 25-29 for year long competition of 5Ks and 10Ks
• A Most Excellent Run 10K: 2nd AG
• Multiple Sclerosis 150: Pedal to the Point: 2 day, 150 mile charity bike ride to and from Cedar Point Amusement Park, raised $500 to benefit MS Research
• Huntington Sprint Triathlon, 2nd AG
• Independence 5K 2nd AG
• Old Oak Run 5K 1st AG
• Dolores Sawan 5K 2nd AG
• PR'd by 8 minutes in the Turkey Trot 5 Mile, 40:02
• Lost 30 pounds, kept off to the present!

2002 Highlights

• First Marathon Ever: Cleveland Marathon, 5:14. Trained by myself with little knowledge of running, or racing for that matter

2001 Highlights

• Lighthouse Sprint Triathlon: First Triathlon ever with TriShannon, and now you can safely call us addicted.

1998 Highlights:

• First Ever 5K: Cincinnati Race for the Cure, September 1998, 31 minutes or so? Looked behind me just after the gun went off and thought..."Wow...a lot of people do these things...it must be fun or something."

________________________________________________________

So I guess you could say I've come a long way.

Kinda fun to think about what I'll add to this as the years go on...!

Tagged again

Me gots nuthin' else to report, except I'm back in the pool after a short hiatus! Yahoooo

So, I'll respond to tags from Lana and my girl TriShannon. They were to list 6 weird things about me. I guess that means I have to list 12? Hmmmmm....here goes:

1. I don't eat things that swim as their main mode of transportation. I've tried. I just can't do it.

2. When I was a kid, my favorite thing to eat was a McDonald's Filet 'O Fish. WHA-WHA-WHAT?! The horror!

3. I put peanut butter on my pancakes. Syrup is bunknasty.

4. I've got a damn good poker face.

5. I have to sleep with socks on.

6. I have a teddy bear (Teddy) from when I was a kid and pulled all the hair out of it by the time I was, oh, about three. DaisyDuc and TriShannon would always torture me in college, calling him "Baldy" and "Furry" and "Harry" and stringing him up by the light in our room.

7. Cleaning relaxes me. I love to come home after a stressful day, go for a run, and then vacuum.

8. Both of my last names (maiden and married) are difficult to spell and pronounce. One of my very first swimming ribbons for 1st place, no less, had "Sara Avicado" written on the back. (I'm still pissed.)

9. I sometimes enjoy messing with telemarketers.

10. I keep things in my classroom immaculate....but don't open my desk drawers.

11. It really bothers me how President Bush says "nuclear." I mean, REALLY bothers me. I usually yell at the TV loudly when he does it and sometimes throw things. I don't know why.

12. I have a pretty high threshold for girliness. I usually backpack with Matt and 2-3 other guys, and am often the only girl. I go several days without a shower (it's not pretty) and it doesn't bother me TOO much. But when backpacking July '05 in Kentucky at Mammoth Cave, I had a level 5 girl meltdown when we had some "dehydration and tick/chances of Lyme Disease issues" where I sat in the tent and sobbed that "I want to go home and I want some shampoo NOW." The guys knew better than to say a word. I'm pretty sure they all laugh now at it. (I'm finally ready to start laughing)

And now, I need to get on the trainer! I'm going to celebrate my buddy Sarah's 30th tomorrow at my FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT so I need to do some double duty workouts today and tomorrow to get ready to eat tasty enchiladas.

JenC and E-Speed, have fun at yoga tomorrow and I should be back next week! I'll be stuffing my face with oh-so-healthy grub. :)

Oh--yeah--and if you want to be tagged, you are.

SNOW DAY SNOW DAY SNOW DAY!

No school tomorrow!

No school tomorrow!

*jumping and dancing around my room*

Yahooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Apparantly when the high is 8 degrees with a wind chill of minus 15, that'll do it!

I'll take it! :)

On a side note, I will most likely have very sporadic posts for the next month or so. I'm writing lots, actually, and will probably publish some later, including my race report from the very chilly Dirty Dog 10K. But for now I'll just be lurking around a bit. All is well...no worries!

As for tomorrow, I'll be making me some gingerbread waffles and sleeping in! BOO-ya! Enjoy some pictures from the Dirty Dog, courtesy of DaisyDuc. Yes, those are teeny tiny little ice fishers in the second picture on the frozen lake. And all of our hair was totally blowing in the wind gusts, too! Gotta love it.

Who would want to sit on a frozen lake and fish when it's 10 below with the wind chill?! Seriously. Then again, who would want to run a trail 10K when there's 1-2 feet of snow in some drifts and a 10 below wind chill?

Man, those ice fishers sure are crazy! ;)







Chillin' like Bob Dylan in the O-H,
TriSaraTops

Tri Tag Time

I'm hangin' in. Thanks for the kind words.

Looking forward to a great yoga class tonight, dodgeball game tomorrow (if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball), and a fun 10K Trail Run which MIGHT just have to be in 8 degree weather Saturday morning. Well, I said I wanted snow.....

I've been tagged!

1. Describe a memory from your first triathlon ever

By far, my favorite memory of my first triathlon was the training I did with TriShannon. We were both such newbies and we printed out the "Beginner Triathlete" program on trinewbies.com and followed it religiously. It was such a fun summer--We'd swim in the morning, then we'd go to class, come back and do a ride or run...and then often top it off with a tasty DQ Blizzard. Hey, so we weren't that concerned about nutrition yet. ;) Training with a good friend was my favorite part of the first tri, aside from crossing that first finish line.

2. Describe a memory from your most recent triathlon

Ironman Wisconsin. Wow. How do I begin? I'll tell a funny memory. I remember wading into the water with Wil, hearing Fatboy Slim's "Right Here, Right Now," and thinking, "Hey, TriEric said they played this song at IMUSA as he got in the water." Then, I heard Mike Reilly yell over the loudspeaker, "ONE MINUTE! WHO WANTS TO BE AN IRONMAN TODAY?!" And then, for the first time in my life, I got so nervous I peed myself. And about 7 seconds later, the cannon went off, and my day began.

3. What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you in a tri?

A few years back I did the Lorain Sprint Triathlon, got back to T2, put my bike on the rack all fast and slick since I was trying to place in Age Group, feelin' all tough...and I KNOCKED OVER THE ENTIRE RACK OF BIKES. Nice job, Slick. I was totally "THAT GUY." I started apologizing like crazy and the volunteers (as they were laughing) told me not to worry. Somehow I still won my age group....must have been a small field that day, I can only guess. :)

4. What's the most thrilling thing that's happened to you in a tri?

Hands down, the last two miles of Ironman Wisconsin, right after Alicia and Jacks ran alongside me and my other buddies cheered me on with their layers of sweatshirts and umbrellas in the pouring rain and freezing cold...right after Coach Kara ran by me and said, "Think of all the people you raised money for! You're going to do this, Sara!" For the next two miles, I ran with the biggest stupid grin on my face and felt absolutely no pain. And when I got to the finish line, I laughed and screamed and felt more alive than I ever have.

5. What is something you discovered about yourself by doing triathlons?

That I'm the luckiest girl on the face of the earth, and I have so much to be thankful for.

6. What is The Big Goal that you're working towards?

Race related, that would be Ironman Florida 2008. That's the big 'un. I might be a little busy until then, so I'm going to take it day by day and work towards another Ironman.

I will tag TriShannon, DaisyDuc, TriEric, and TriAl.

Faith Somewhat Restored...

Yesterday was a bad day, with bad news. Here is not the appropriate medium to discuss said news. But, it was bad, and while it's definitely not the end of the world, it left me feeling helpless, upset, infuriated, and tearful at the state of things.

I tried not to think about it today. Which was hard, as the lesson I had to teach about actually touched upon it a bit. I left school with my hat over my head low, head to the ground, and walked through my snow-globe parking lot and drove slowly home in the gray sky and white as far as I could see, feeling rather numb.

And tonight, I got this email:

Dear Sara:

As you know, X's desire is to become a history teacher. I think you know that her decision was primarily because of the education, interaction, and support received in your classes over the past year and a half. Even if her plans change, and she decides to not pursue a degree in education, I have you to thank for igniting a passion in our daughter, the likes of which we've not seen in a very long time.

I know I've told you this before, but I want to tell you again: You are a very special person, Sara, and a gifted educator. Thank you for sharing your gift! The lives you touch exceed the number of students you've had over the years.

God Bless,
The X Family

And now I'm crying for a different reason.

Hmmmmm...what to do before I crash....

Got home last night a 1am! 11 hours on a bus. Whew.

We had a great time. Well, I guess I should say THEY had a great time. I, my friends, was on the clock all weekend. Literally. Very stressful at times...but worth it, as they all had a lot of fun. 1,200 students from 60 schools from all over the US and world--including China, South Korea, Canada, El Salvador, South Africa. Very cool! Especially fun to see them all at the dance, jamming to the likes of Justin Timberlake and Ludacris.

And not so fun....but definitely a little ironic...to have to deal with the school of the CHILDREN of ACTUAL UN DELEGATES that brought nine bottles of liquor to the dance. Um, yeah. They all got kicked out. (OK--that's a little funny at the irony, at least)

My kids were so well-behaved and such a great bunch, so I was very lucky. I couldn't have asked for a better or nicer group.

Now, I need to SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPP as I haven't slept more than 5 hours per night since LAST TUESDAY. I'm on a bit of a high now trying to get all my stuff at school done (holy pile of grading, Batman) and I could really stand to mop the floor tonight, vacuum, etc. etc. Hmmmmmmmm. We'll see how far I get.

I did manage to squeeze in a 4 mile, 8:15 pace treadmill run before breakfast (I had to kick it up since I barely had any time!) one day, and the highlight of my weekend by far was meeting the awesome Cara from InTransit--and doing a KILLER run up a big 'ole hill to the top of New Haven to look out at the entire city and the Long Island Sound leading to the Atlantic Ocean! So. Freakin. COOL. Wish I could have spent more time with her!

The 2 runs were a far cry from my 18 miles I was supposed to have in those 4 days, but they were all I could do....and they kept me SANE. Yay for sanity!

OK. I MUST start entering these grades and do productive things before I COLLAPSE. I am fighting a cold, so I think I"ll take today off, too (ugh) and hit the road with my Soler friends tomorrow night. I see a DIRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTY Trail Run 10K this weekend with my homey in my future, and maybe some snowshoeing with my hubby on Sunday!

Hope everyone had a great weekend--I could REALLY use a day off! Ahhh....why, oh why can't I ever get a snow day? Sigh........:)

2 Stars and A Run for my Sanity

Yesterday was a no good, very bad day.

I woke up late. Then, couldn't find my keys. Called Matt freaking out and forgot that we had made spares (he calmly, as usual, reminded me of this, since I *might* have done this before). Then I got to school early for a Model UN meeting and a bunch of the kids I really needed there WEREN'T there. We also found out Monday we were accidentally $1,600 in the hole for our trip to Yale TOMORROW. I had nightmares that angry parents would be in my room wanting to tar and feather me for our clerical error in payments.

My kids sort of drove me nuts yesterday, but it was probably not as bad as I thought...I was just in a bad mood.

Decided I NEEDED a Northern Lite Latte (Chocolate Raspberry) and couldn't get my car to start in the parking lot. Said some inappropriate words. Got car to start. Got Latte.

Read horoscope at Caribou, 'cuz they always print it out. Usually I don't look twice, because it NEVER says I have anything but a 4 or 5 star day. Blah blah blah.

Yesterday's horoscope? 2 star day. Something to the effects of, "It's not your day. Stay at the mast of the ship. Tonight: don't even think about missing it."

Well then. I guess that's the way it's gonna be. Not missing my Second Sole run last night, apparently!

Had a great run, 6.3 miles, with my buddies in the snow. Packing? Still haven't started. But, the sub lesson plans are in, we coughed up the money in time, I almost have all 3 emergency medical forms/liability forms per kid, I did 5 lecture/discussions today so I don't have much of a voice but felt like they actually learned--yahoo--and tomorrow morning at 5am I'll be hitting the very, very long road to New Haven, Connecticut with 19 students.

I'm going to pack. And then, Bible study at my place. And then, a 9pm run, because I know it will calm me down.

And I will even, hopefully, get to meet up with Cara from InTransit this weekend! So that rocks.

It'll all be worth it in the end....right? No, it will. I know it will. It's just a little crazy getting TO the bus. Once we're on it, it's all good. I'm not very excited about the prospect of arriving back at 2am Sunday night and then teaching all week.

BUT--their memories will always be with them, and I get to see that. That should suffice for sleep for a few days.

Wish me luck! :)

PFC Jessica Lynch, Y2K, and nothing to do with triathlons

So I was checking the top news stories yesterday, and saw a nice happy story of that former POW Jessica Lynch. "What a nice story," I thought. So I clicked on it.

I read it, and had a "wait--you've GOTTA be kiddin' me" moment.

So I had to do a little searching to find out if you've-gotta-be-kiddin'-me was in fact, true. It wasn't, but in the process, I accidentally discovered where someone I once knew was. A person I had a relationship with, when I lived in Cincinnati 8 years ago. I accidentally found that person is, for all intents and purposes, doing what I knew he'd worked hard to do, had a job at a certain university, and also was married like myself. And I thought, "Well, that's nice. He was a good guy, and even though things didn't end very well, I always knew he was a good guy."

And then for some reason, I didn't think about HIM anymore, but everything surrounding his memory. It was like I was watching a movie where he played a very, VERY small role, and the important stuff was really everything else.

I'm turning 30 this year. I'm actually really excited about this. But I have to admit that I'm already starting to feel a little sad, not at getting older because there is SO much to look forward to. But, for how AWESOME my 20s have been. Still are, I should say. I've still got 6 months. :)

I started thinking about where I was when I was with this person--how we met at a Mount Adams bar that I can't even remember the name of when Jacks was visiting from her 2 year program in Lexington, KY. Writing my number on a napkin. Dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

BUT--what's more important is that I remembered everything else about that time--it just started coming to me in these waves and I started smiling--and even laughing!--at the memories. I remembered being a first year teacher that fall, living with 2 of my best friends and having a ton of friends within 10 miles of me. Thinking I knew what I was getting myself into, as, 4 weeks after turning 22, I moved into my first real apartment, and I entered my first real classroom. My parents took this picture right before they left after helping me move in.

Then, I remembered having 168 students and realizing that teaching was in NO WAY what I thought it would be.

How in some ways it was the hardest year of my life, and in others it was the best thing that I've ever done, being at that school, staying up until 3:37am grading and thinking and trying so hard to figure out how to teach subjects I knew so well to 168 subjects I was struggling to reach. I remember making the decision to move that spring--to leave my friends and the classroom I was finally getting warmed up in. I remember the scrapbook the kids made me, that I still have, with all the notes and pictures they wrote.

I remembered these freshman girls, who are now 22. They are the age that I was in that picture. My seniors that first year are now 25. I remember all of their names, when I went back through my books. You never forget your first class.

I remembered packing up my classroom that June, after saying goodbye. The second the kids left--the moment the last one shut the door--I cried the whole time.

I thought about meeting Rizzo, another brand new first-year English teacher who was placed directly across the hall from me, and realizing just how important it is for some people to come into your life. How things change and you move on, and move up, and move away...but they've changed you and will always be with you. How strong she was with what she was going through, and how close we got so fast--us "outsiders:" her playing the role of Jersey girl, me a Clevelander with a "funny accent," both of us with Italian last names and a sarcastic sense of humor.

I'm reminded that the relationship that reminded me of all these times was over by Y2K. It was short. But I remember it being fun--I remember laughing with Rizzo about these things on our morning commute across 1-74 in our old cars with 140,000 miles on them, listening to the Dixie Chicks and Y96--the ONLY time in my life I've ever listened to country music. About riding the bull at some hole-in-the-wall-bar called Bobby Mackey's in Kentucky. (Kentucky!)

I remember how my friends from Cleveland came down for New Years 1999, and Mindy came home in the middle of her 2 year Peace Corps stint in Belize. And how that night I had all my friends, old and new, there to celebrate what many thought would be the end of the world. But our computers won't work! But our cell phones! Stock up on water and batteries! How now, as I look back, it seems so ridiculous. We had no idea that the day that would really change everything-everything-would come 21 months later, one sunny morning in September.

I remembered all the mistakes I made. Some were good--like Sheryl Crow says, "my favorite mistakes." Some changed my life and led to a lot of happiness. Some were very bad. And every time I fell flat on my face, either that year or later years, these girls were there. I lived my Carrie Bradshaw years in an apartment with them, and I lived paycheck to paycheck on my small teacher's salary, but I felt as rich as a queen.

All of this hit me today after reading a stupid little news story. It's bizarre--like I'm staring back at this decade, but at the same time looking forward at a new one. And I think--can it be as good? Can I be surrounded by such friends? Will I make such dumb mistakes? Will I have as much fun? We are all a few hours away now, not a few miles: Denver, D.C, St. Louis, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati. Many of us are married. All of us have great jobs, some of us have kids. But I'm also reminded that at the time, some things seemed so bad...some mistakes irreversable, some problems insurmountable. Sometimes, I'd call Sam and Jill and not even be able to talk--I'd just cry. But they were there. We got through it--everything. Every time.

So now I've got nothing left really to do, except be reminded, by a roundabout and rather random way through a story on the news, of how good I have it. I wouldn't trade any of these memories, these mistakes, these friendships for a billion dollars if you offered it to me.

And I understand that I have many, many more mistakes in my future. But, what I also have are amazing friends who will be there to catch me, and I'll catch them, too, even if they are not in my time zone.

My twenties are almost done.

So, I'll take all these memories with me as I turn a new corner and open the next door.

"We do not remember days...we remember moments." --Cesare Pavese

LOVE running in snow. LOVE IT.

Today was my first long-ish run since the 11 I did to get ready for the Fall Classic Half....I was very excited to see a fresh new dusting of snow on the ground for my 10 miles this morning! The valley I run in is SO beautiful in the winter--especially with a fresh dust of powder. I just love how it sticks to the trees and makes everything look like a snow globe.

I got my bottles of water and nuun ready, grabbed some Clif Bloks, and headed to meet my Soler friends for a run. They are all getting ready for the St. Louis Marathon in April and had 16 on their schedule, so I just decided to go out 5 with them and back 5 by myself.

Running with friends is the bomb. Especially in the winter. It just makes you feel warmer and makes it go faster with good buds. We took off and I decided to wear my HR monitor, which I haven't been wearing lately. I figured now that I'm officially on Indy Mini training schedule time, I might as well keep some data to notice trends. (Sidenote: If anyone is interested in seeing my plan for the Indy Mini, you can find it here. I'm on week 5.)

I find that unless I'm careful, I really can become a slave to the HR monitor. I am very much more a fan of RPE training. But, for Ironman, HR training is kinda essential for NOT screwing things up. So, for now, HR will be a guideline for me to just notice trends and see improvements, but I refuse to be a slave to that darn thing.

It was 22 degrees at the start, and very very very icy. So, we were pretty conservative in our pace. Which was good, as I took the time in to enjoy running with my buds, hear the sound of the creek rushing against the rocks, and the snow crunching underneath our Brooks and Mizunos and whatever else we all had on. Some parts of the creek were frozen solid, and it was really peaceful.

Around mile 3 or so, there was a BIG puddle on the trail...I warned, "Puddle!" to those behind me, and then tried to gazelle-like jump OVER the puddle. Instead, I more sort of Kerri Strug-like landed on one ankle directly IN the puddle. NOT GOOD. Luckily, I didn't twist anything and was fine, except for a cold squishy foot. Dr. John even gave me a "10.0" score for sticking the landing. My friend Jen was not so lucky on the way back and rolled her ankle pretty bad.

At the 5 mile mark I said goodbye to my friends and ran back. It was nice to just run without an iPod, no podcast, no music. Just me and the snow and other runners on the roads as we waved or smiled in acknowledgement. Running in silence is a good thing.

Around mile 7, I stopped to take a Clif Blok or two. I had taken the liners of my gloves off, since I was hot, and was just running in my mittens. The liners were stuffed in my fuel belt. Well, I dropped the darn liners and didn't realize it until I was 1/4 mile away.

Poop.

Turned around and high-tailed it to go pick up my liners--right by the street. Whew! Not like anyone was really out there that would take 'em, but still. They are essential for my winter runs when it's less than 25 degrees. So, I added an additional 1/2 mile onto my run. Oh well!

I made it back to the car, and checked my "stats:"

Total Miles: 10.5
Average HR: 157 (right on the money of where I needed it to be! Yahoooooooooooo!)
Average Pace 10:23/mile (hey, not bad for nasty ice and stuff!)
Total Calories burned: 2231 (I don't buy that for a SECOND)
Number of friends ran with: 8 for the first 5 miles, 1 (that's me) for the last 5.5
Gloves Dropped: 2
Puddles fell into: 1
Deer Spotted: 4
Fun had: infinity times 10

Went to Caribou to meet up with a few Soler buds, and then about an hour later the rest showed up. Now I'm home, showered, and warm, ready to read and relax a bit, and play some Guitar Hero II with my buddies tonight.

In the words of the infamous Ice Cube, "Today I didn't even have to use my AK...I'd have to say it was a good day."

Get out there, friends!

Alias: TriSaraTops

Mission: To exit during the long break between midterm exams/lunch and hit the snazzy new Y to do a swim.

No one suspects a thing. Flying Pig bag is all packed up. Zoot suit is ready to go.

Enter 29 civilians to take a 143 question test.

Play role of "teacher." Code name: Mrs. Z. (Other Aliases: ZimDogg, ZuhzuhzuhZEEEEUNIT.) Answer questions. Read the riot act about cell phones and iPods. Pass out scantrons. Watch for wandering eyes. Demand nothing but a number 2 pencil.

Commence.

Collect tests. Eye clock. You will have a short amount of time for said mission. Must complete 2500 yards or it's not worth getting in the pool.

Testing period ends. Two subjects approach you. Keep your cool. They are what the District calls "freshman." These types of subjects usually ask questions incessantly. They are overly excited to actually go out to lunch, since they never get to do this.

"Mrs. Z, we're going to Herb's Place for lunch! Where are you going?"

Quick! Response!

"I'm....going to swim. And then a sandwich."

*blank stares*

"What?!"

NONONONONO you have BLOWN YOUR COVER! Exit strategy commence!

"I mean I'm going to swim. Really. And then come back here and eat my sandwich."

*freshman look at each other quizzically*

"You're going to SWIM?"

Quick! ABORT CONVERSATION!

"Yep."

*one subject says to the other:*

"Dude, I don't think she ever stops."

Quickly grab Pig bag, while laughing at subject comment. Lock all items secure. Drive to prearranged location. Quick change back into TriSaraTops.

Execute 2500 yards. 500 warm up, 10 X 50 drills, 5X200 NS, 3X100 hard, 200 CD.

Examine clock. Just in time.

Quick change: grey pants, purple sweater, makeup. Back to "Mrs. Z." Report back to 221 for duty. Appear as if nothing happened.

"Hey, Mrs. Z...can I have some extra review?"

Outstanding. They bought it.

Mission accomplished.

Rest Day = Randomness

OK, this is too funny. I found this on TXSkateMom's blog. I have absolutely no training to post for today, so I figured, what the heck.

They take a scanned image of your face and match you up with celebrities. The ONLY picture I have of just me and my mug where I'm NOT making some asinine face, gangsta symbols, or generally making an arse out of myself is the one that Matt had to take for me for Trifuel. So, here's the pic and my so-called "matches...."



OK--first off, who are Lisa, Kelly, and Delta? I have NO clue who these "celebrities" are!

Second off, ain't no WAY in HADES that I resemble Jessica Alba. I guess I shouldn't complain, though.

I actually have heard Rachel Bilson before, but I most often get Courteney Cox or Sandra Bullock (although she's been MIA for a while so I don't hear it as much anymore), and they aren't on the list.

I also found a pic of me and my buddy Jacks...scanned that one in and, hey, Jacks, you look like Hayden Panetierre, Jessica Biel, and Cameron Diaz! Who knew! I still looked like some chick named Delta.

Ahhhhh...rest day.

Do you SEE why I need a training schedule?! Seriously. I think I just lost some brain cells from this activity.

Tomorrow....swim and some girls' night yoga with my buds E-Speed and JenC!

Enough of this ridonkulousness. I am going to bed.

A Devilishly Good Run

Snow today.

SnowsnowsnowsnowsnowIamsoexcited.

I love my classroom, not just for what I get to do in it, but for the view. I have four HUGE windows, with evergreens outside, and it looked like a SCREEN SAVER today outside my window.

I was so excited and couldn't wait to get outside, so on my lunch, I put on my red coat and black plaid hat and drove to Caribou to use a gift card for a tasty drink. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Snow. Love. IT.

Stayed at work late to get things done, came home, had an apple with some peanut butter (a little piece of heaven) and changed into my FUN new Nike running pants that I HEART, my Pearl Izumi cool gloves with the blue flower, and my Brooks cold weather running coat. My snow running Nike Storm shoes. My lemon ice lip gloss.

Snow. SNOWsnowsnowsnowsnowsnow!

I drove to meet my Soler friends. Lots were there: Dr. John, New Zealand Pat, Ultra Irene, Electric Mike and Jen. We took off!

23 degrees. Ice and blustery wind. A few inches of fresh snow.

I CAN'T FREAKIN' GET ENOUGH OF THIS!

6.66 glorious miles later, I ran with Electric Mike for an average pace of 9:29, through the wind and the snow and the ice and I felt like doing somersaults and making snow angels.

Get out there. Bundle up like Randy on a Christmas Story. Run in the snow with friends, and tell me it's NOT FUN. I dare you.

Warm chocolate milk and a bowl of chili later, and I can't wait for another round.

SNOWSNOWSNOWSNOW I heart snow!

The distance girl

I haven't been able to sleep much the past few days.

There's not really one thing on my mind. It's really bizarre. I just try to sleep, and before I know it, it's 1:17am. Not fun.

I wasn't sure if I'd have enough energy to swim on Friday, as I hadn't slept well and was still getting over the little bug I had earlier this week. But after school, I went to the brand new Y down the street, and dove in.

I didn't even go that far...relatively speaking, of course after this year's training schedule. 2250 yards. Just nice and easy with a few negative split 200s just to push me a bit. A 500 warmup. 10X50 drills.

It was awesome.

I have a few sounds that I just LOVE. My bat hitting a line drive. Leaves crunching. Laying down in snow and just listening.

And I love the sound of water as you're swimming laps.

For me, there's the sound of water as you swim in Lake Erie--with the waves hitting you and cresting by the shore. Then, there's the sound of water as I swim laps in the Y--my breath, and a muffled sound of me moving through the water. In the summer, I love the sound I hear when I swim at the outdoor pool in the summer. It's similar to the Y, but with a lot of kids laughing muffled with the sounds of my arms and legs moving.

I remember the sounds of the water at Ironman less clearly, but I clearly remember the sounds in my head. I could probably type back most of what went through my brain that morning. It was almost like I was watching myself swim and taking notes on the situation as it was unfolding.

Strange, but true.

Today, I ran at the zoo with some friends. It was awesome. We did some hill repeats, and said hi to the bear-sloth (did you know that such a thing existed? I didn't), the tigers, the seals (my personal favorite), the wolves, reindeer, and camels. Before I knew it, 70 minutes flew by. I have no clue how far I went.

I came home, and made some dessert for my family progressive dinner tonight. I'm sort of a dessert girl, so I volunteered to make it. Then, I had to clean things up a bit. I vacuumed, dusted, mopped the floors, and straightened up the place a bit. In our spare room, I have a shelf where I have a bunch of my race numbers tied together with a ribbon in a stack. Each one has written on the back the race and time, and sometimes another comment--"1st in Age Group!" "Very hot!" "Almost hurled!" Also on that shelf, are a bunch of trophies that I have from when I started road racing back in 2003. There's quite a few-mostly 2nd in Age Group for the road races, since my buddy Jenn was always first (I just never could quite catch her--she's speedy), but there is one glorious 5K age group win (not my PR, though--kinda weird!), but definitely some 1st for tris. "1st in Age Group." It really used to motivate me quite a bit.

I looked at the shelf and thought to myself, "That's funny...those just don't seem to motivate me as much anymore."

Perhaps it's because the longer the race, the lower in age group I seem to fall. But, whereas that might have REALLY bothered me 3 or 4 years ago road racing the shorter stuff, it really doesn't bother me now. Really. I say that, and probably only Matt can vouch for it. He used to see me get all geeked up about trying to win my age group, or being so pissed if I came in "third--ew." He'd roll his eyes and half-smile when I came home from my races with my little report of who beat me, or who I beat.

Over the past two years, I've been focusing on long distance stuff. 2005 had for me a marathon and a half ironman, with a few road races and sprints/olympics sprinkled in for fun. 2006 was the year of the Ironman, with a half ironman, olympic, and half marathon in as training, and a few road races that really were just glorified tempo runs.

I finished 69/100 in my age group at Ironman. And I am really, really happy with that.

At first, I think it was a little hard for me, to go from bringing home some shiny little trinket almost every time I raced--whether it was a coffee mug, a trophy, a ribbon--to finishing in the middle of the pack, at best. And then--and NOW--I think I realize that I've really changed in the past two years.

I'm not a trinkets girl anymore.

I am a distance girl.

I love to go long--to run with nothing but myself or a good friend for 2 or 3 hours, to hear the sounds of nothing but my feet on the trails, my arms in the water, or the wind through my helmet.

I can't stop thinking about getting another chance at an Ironman next year. I hope I can. I can't wait. I think now, I've seen the value of making my own goals and deciding what MY first, second, or third place is.

So I dusted off that shelf, with the random plaques and trophies. I know that things are cyclical, and that someday, they may be just what I need to get going again. Someday, probably, trinkets will seem exciting to me again.

But, for now, I'm going to trade them in. I'm going to trade them in for the distance, and I'm going to dream at night about going long, and about another Ironman someday.

And I'll make my own definition of first place.

What I Did on my Christmas Vacation

by, Trisaratops.

First, we flew to Honolulu, where we got to stay with our awesome buddy, Molly.


She showed us all kinds of cool stuff. We got to hike to the top of Diamond Head Crater (as in volcano!) and saw the whole city and Waikiki Beach.



We got to see where over a thousand heroes still rest...



It's hard not to get a tear in your eye when you stand there and realize what the memorial truly means. Most of them were younger than my brother.



I stood on the memorial, looked up, and this is what I saw:



Then, we flew to Maui. On Christmas Eve, we went up 11,000 feet, above the clouds at Mount Haleakala, to watch the most amazing sunrise I've ever seen....



It was pretty chilly, but not as cold as everyone makes it out to be! I guess we're used to it, though.







Then, we got to ride mountain bikes 38 miles DOWNHILL...we saw some amazing views and by the time we got down it was very warm! I felt like such a tool as roadies climbed UP the mountain, while me and my rented mountain bike hauled down.... :) I decided someone needs to put an Ironman course on it...but shuttle you back up to the top and get all 112 miles downhill. Now THAT would be the only way I could break 11 hours in an Ironman... :)




When we drove back to our hotel, we stopped at this beach to watch the hardcore surfers. If you look really close, you can see tons of 'em. I couldn't WAIT to get my turn!



This just made me laugh WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY too hard. Outside a swanky resort, on Christmas Day...



We got to see some humpback whales from a distance, which was amazing...



On the Hana Highway, we stopped here for some banana bread...mmmm....



Everywhere we turned on the Highway to Hana, it seemed there was another beautiful waterfall!



The views were unbelievable. We had a red Jeep Wrangler so it was a fun drive!



We stopped here for lunch. The black rock was awesome.



We found a black sand beach! The contrast of colors was like nothing I've ever seen before.







We made it all the way to the O'heo (sp?) Gulch, which is otherwise known as the "Seven Sacred Pools," and we jumped in!



It's hard to NOT relax when all you see are things like this:



Finally, we got to meet up in Lahaina, an old whaling town, with my friend Vicki, her husband Jeff, and her little guy Aidan, who just happened to be vacationing there the same time we were!

And we got to do some surfing, which I can't wait to do again:






Woo hoo~that's me, standing up, with some help from some surfer dude!

Now, here's me on my VERY FIRST WAVE ALL BY MYSELF so you're NOT ALLOWED TO LAUGH TOO HARD...




Okay, you can stop laughing now. Seriously. It's not bad for my first one ever, right? Right?! Come on! Cut me some slack, I'm from Ohio!


Definitely....the trip of a LIFETIME. Soooooooo far away from everything, though....it's strange to think that it's 2,500 miles away from CALIFORNIA, let alone from Cleveland! I knew it was far, but I guess I never realized just HOW far until I was on that plane ride and saw nothing but water for four hours.

So I'll leave you with this, your moment of Zen..... :)

Me and El Nino Down by the Schoolyard

It's been warm here.

Today, the temperature FINALLY dipped down to about 27, although it was not really snowing--not enough for my liking--but at least some flurries are coming down. When I walked out of school today, I needed my scarf and heavy red winter coat and white gloves. The air hit my face and felt crisp when I took a breath. And I felt better, knowing this.

They say it's "El Nino." That's what's made it so unseasonably warm.

A few days ago, when I went on an 8 mile run, I stepped outside to notice that there were little flowers blooming in my garden. Little snow lilies--they usually don't pop out until early March.

They're confused.

I'm sorta feelin' em.

This whole weather thing has really made me feel "off." It just doesn't feel...quite right. Sure, I've enjoyed running in shorts for all but two weeks this entire winter.

But.

It's not what I'm used to.

You know what? I've had a rough time coming down this Ironman high. I'm just gonna lay it out there. I thrive on structure. Plans. For the past year of my life, that's how I lived. Really, two years, when I think that 2005 was filled with a spring marathon and a late-summer 70.3.

I'm getting better at this. Because, I have to. This is how it's going to be this year.

Pencil, Sara. Pencil...

Let's cue Paul Simon:

"Well I'm on my way....I don't know where I'm goin'...I'm on my way...I'm takin' my time, but I don't know where..."

Well.

So I'm here with a calendar, and with a plan that I will sort of follow week by week, and that's OK. Because, you know what? I'm a firm believer in the school of thought that you grow the most when you make yourself uncomfortable.

During the past two years of endurance event training, it's been uncomfortable sometimes.

(That's putting it mildly.)

And I loved it. But not every day, while I was doing it...sometimes I really wondered why or what business I even had doing it. But I look back now and know that I loved it and I loved what it's done to me.

So now, a new phase and a new year. This feels...uncomfortable. That seems like too weak an adjective, but it will have to do.

I'm going to just have to learn to adjust to this. I know, eventually, I'm going to look back and say how much I loved it. How much I loved the freedom to sleep a little later, run if I wanted to, do yoga when I wanted to, read a book when I wanted to. Start teaching a new class that's much harder and challenges me more, run a half-marathon with friends for fun, swim because it relaxes me and not because I-have-to-get-in-4000-yards-today-or-else.

I'm going to stand back in the crowd, now, and watch my friends...all of them, near and far. Because I am still young, and I still have a LOT to learn. I need to remember that Ironmans aren't going anywhere. That I am an Ironman. That I have many years of Ironman, and probably even other things that at one time or now seem impossible, left in me, and this year isn't one of them, but it's still a year to grow and learn and try every new thing I possibly can.

Shove me outside of my little box. Stick my head out of the ground on January 10th, even if it doesn't make sense.

Confusion can be good, because unless you feel just a little, teensy bit lost sometimes, how on earth are you ever going to get going?

shut the FRONT DOOR

If you would have told me yesterday at this time that the Buckeyes would have played ALMOST as bad as the Browns and gotten PUMMELLED by stupid Florida, I would have told you to shut the FRONT door. (Well, I probably would have said something similar that requires a parental advisory sticker, actually.)

But, if you would have told me yesterday around this time that, intead of going to two Buckeyes parties, I would not WATCH but LISTEN to the National Championship game through the bathroom door as I was curled up in a ball and wanting to DIE, I really would have laughed.

Unfortunately, both of the above happened.

I got home from school yesterday to find poor Matt hurling. Little did I know what was about to hit me.

Between Hawaii stomach flu and last night's debachle, we've each lost over 5 pounds.

Needless to say, my training for today has been put on hold. And probably tomorrow. And....ugh. I don't even want to think about it. Right now I can barely stand up.

To put it mildly:

LAST NIGHT WAS NO FUN AND I AM VERY PISSED OFF.

On a bright note, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in 37 days!

Let's hope I can report back to work tomorrow....

I need some serious updating.

And, by updating, I don't mean pegged, rolled up jeans.

I mean, I really need to update my sidebar stuff. Man. So. Behind.

I could use a sweet new header on this blog, too. How does one go about doing that? So html clueless.......

Anyway, I'd like to give MAJOR SHOUTOUTS to my buddy TRISHANNON who officially has her own BLOG! Go there NOW. Give her some lurve.

This girl is hilarious and cracks me up. I've been telling her she needs to write a blog forevah. So go there and give her mad props. She's part of the reason I got into triathlon--we both did our very first sprint tri ever back in 2001, and trained dilgently all summer in the Lakewood Pool...often followed by Blizzards at DQ. Yeah. No, we're aware it doesn't make much sense. We also had many a great MOUNTAIN BIKE ride in the Valley....ahhh, those were the days. I had a sweet wipeout and we had to walk our bikes home once as I bled all over the sidewalk--good times, good times.

We go WAY back to Scott Hall 1st floor corridor at Miami. She's doing IMW this year, and I already know she will kick SO much ass. This girl might be the most intense chick I've ever met in my life--when she puts her mind to something (ie. giving up chocolate for a year for NO REASON other than to see if she can, cutting horrible bangs with me in the dorm bathroom as we really thought it was a great idea), she does it. Every. Freakin'. Time. So, add her to your daily reads--this one's gonna be fun to watch!

Okay. This week, I ran 25 miles (yay! hi, base miles! nice to meet you), did only one trainer ride (BOO!) but it was definitely a tough one, and swam NADA. I'm really excited that the Lakewood Y is finally open--they demolished it and built all new, and it looks pimped out. I heard a rumor from Canada Jenn that the lap lanes are open ALL DAY! WHA-WHA-WHAT????????????????? Could it be? I decided I will check it out after school tomorrow and bring my swim stuff, just in case! If that's true, TriEric, I might have to swim there since I am not crazy about gettin' up so early since I don't necessarily have to (meaning I'm not IM training with 2 workouts, like last year). Don't hate me.....:)

Tomorrow, of course, is THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP where the Buckeyes will TROUNCE the stupid Gators. HANNNNNNNNNNNG on SLOOPY, SLOOPY HANG ON--
O!
H!
I!
O!

(Did you know that "Hang On Sloopy" is actually the state song of Ohio? Seriously! How many taxpayer dollars were wasted in drafting THAT bill?)

So I will be partaking in some festivities wearing my scarlet and gray. Other than that, this week will have me trying to reorganize things a bit around here, as I feel like it's a bit stale. We'll see if I can figure anything out without somehow accidentally deleting everything. I'm real good at that.

So, at the moment, the race schedule is looking like there will be 3 A Races:

1. Indianapolis Mini Marathon: Goal = 1:50
2. Steelhead 70.3: Goal = 6:10
3. Chicago Marathon (although I am gonna hold off on signing up until I do some research on their refund policy) Goal = sub-4

I will fill it in with a few local tris for fun. Probably some Olympics and not sprints, as I feel like that would be better for my 70.3 goal.

The big goal...the eyes on the prize goal...is still IMFL 2008. That, is ultimately, what this year will have to be about. I want to get stronger in a few things this year so that next year I can take on that challenge.

Well...I think that's it. Not much else to report. Except it's still NOT snowy here, and I'm sad. Where is my snow? :(

Only one more week until 24's season premiere! Yippppeeeeeeeee! Maybe this time I can actually watch it at night, since I don't have to get up so early!

(For those who didn't "know" me last year, I had to tape it and watch it the next day, because I'd get so into it that I wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Lame.)

So I'll end with the sound of 24 going to a commercial....

BLOOP BLEEP BLOOP BLEEP BLOOP

Today's sign of the apocalypse

Oh you have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.

I thought it was just a fluke.

Yesterday, in the hall, I saw one of the cute, stylish senior girls wearing her jeans.....

(wait for it...)

PEGGED AND ROLLED. Like I did in 6th grade. Perhaps the most ugliest and unflattering thing EVER to voluntarily DO TO YOUR OWN FREAKING PANTS.

I thought, "No....no, that must be a mistake. Maybe she just forgot she did that."

And I JUST SAW HER IN THE HALL AGAIN.

NO. No NO NO NO NONONONONONONO.

That is NOT allowed to be in style. EVER. AGAIN. This style makes NO ONE look good, even if you are teeny tiny as this girl is.

I'm going to go cry in a corner now.

Okay. All better. Screw "fashion." Now it's time to return a tag from TriAl. The tag is as follows:

1. Find the nearest book.
2. Name the book & the author.
3. Turn to page 123.
4. Go to the fifth sentence on the page. Copy out the next three sentences and post to your blog.
5. Tag three more folks.

Since I am at school, here's what you get.

The American Republic since 1877, Teacher Wraparound Edition
p. 123
"They include the right to raise taxes, borrow money, provide for public welfare, and administer criminal justice. Conflicts between state and federal law must be settled in a federal court. The Constitution declares that it is "the supreme Law of the Land."

Bonus points if you can figure out what kinds of powers the first sentence describes, since it was the sentence before that in the book that says it.

I will tag ESpeed, because she's always reading cool stuff, SteveS, because he's just hilarious, and Kim, just cuz that girl cracks me up.

I swear that pics from Hawaii will be up soon...been a crazy week, trying to get back into Eastern Time Zone--much harder than I thought! Tuesday night before school Matt and I were wide awake until 3am, which is 10pm in Hawaii. Sweet. To pass the time, we played "Guitar Hero II" on Playstation 2, which might be the most addictive game EVER.

(By they way, I totally rock. Especially on "Free Bird.")

Last night we met some friends at a Comedy Club downtown--very fun! Tonight we're hanging with some buddies and then I'm very excited to head to Second Sole for a run and breakfast/training seminar on Sunday morning. I did a few 6 mile runs at a nice easy pace this week and a tough Spinerval workout yesterday. It feels good to get my new training schedule this weekend for the Indy Mini coming up in May!

Now, the most pressing question....

Do I sign up for the Chicago Marathon or not? Some of my Soler buddies are doing it, Jacks my kick ass friend lives there, the marathon turns 30, I turn 30....sounds like fate to me! But, $110 is an awful lot if I'm not sure if I can commit to it. My buddy Pat says it will sell out in May. Decisions, decisions.....

Happy Half Birthday to Me!

This might be the most random post ever.

Bonsai!

Make Your Own New Year

Well, first, before I sound like a party pooper, Happy 2007!

Can you believe it's two thousand SEVEN??! Where did THAT come from?

I feel like it was 1987 about 5 minutes ago.

Anyway, now onto the parade-raining. I don't like New Year's Resolutions. More power to ya if you are one who makes them and sticks to them, but I really think it's quite pointless.

Why?

I dunno. I think because, to me, it sounds quite crazy that one would think that on January 1 of every subsequent calendar year, you must make a list of things to accomplish and if you don't accomplish them, you are an utter failure. And, oh, by the way, most people give up on their resolutions within a few weeks. January 1. That's it. That's your ONLY shot. You don't write it down that day, you're DONE. Toast. FIN.

The constant Hydroxycut commercials. The Home Depot organization commercials. The endless gym commercials with tan dudes in muscle shirts.

It just don't seem right.

I bought into it for a long time, too. I'm not saying I'm immune to this thinking--far from it! This MAY not surprise anyone out there, but I kept a diary from the time I was 6 all the way through college (you know, before computers were even in existence). An old-skool, handwritten diary. They are really quite funny. Most of the entries in elementary school are about what I ate for lunch, what I did at the swim meet, and which boy is uckey. Then, of course, as you get to the middle and high school ones, it's drama, drama, drama. Pretty hilarious to look back upon now, at least.

And in most of them that I still have, starting with age 8, I always listed my "resolutions" until I got to college. You know what #1 was on almost every page? The wording was different but the message was the same.

Quoting from my diary from age EIGHT:

"1. Be skinny"

Now, that's pretty sad. First of all, what does that even mean?! I'm EIGHT for crying out loud! Needless to say, "being skinny" is so vague that it is virtually unattainable. And what kind of an empty, vain goal is that?

I stopped making resolutions eventually. I just didn't see the point. Why set myself up for failure? Goals are NOTHING, nothing, unless they are meaningful and have a plan.

For whatever reason, January 1 just isn't my time to make resolutions. Maybe it's the history teacher in me (well, I'm sure it's the history teacher in me) but I see the year's end as a political chapter, not a personal one. I like to look back on the major events that have happened, remember the people who have shaped our year and passed on this year, and think how different the world is than it was last New Year's Eve.

And that's it.

As far as I personally am concerned, I truly feel that my own personal New Year is in August.

(Huh?! I know what you're thinking..."Um...someone needs to tell her that August is the EIGHTH month. Clearly you can't have a New Year in August.")

Well, it works for ME, alright? August is my New Year.

I think it's just more me.

In August, I'm wrapping up the summer and getting ready for a new first day of school. Remembering that I've spent 24 out of the past 29 years of my life preparing for a first day of school in August, maybe this will make a bit more sense to you. August for me used to mean a blank red plastic 5-star-three-divider-notebook and color-coded subject folders. A brand new rainbow trapper keeper. A clean locker, for a change. A new teacher...a new grade...a new start.

Now, August means to me an empty classroom. 131 faces looking to me to help them find the answers. 131 faces all with a 0/0 in the gradebook. Endless possibilities. Knowing that some will be harder than others...that I'll be frustrated countless times in room 221 in the next few months...and that some days I'll question whether I'm even doing any forward progress at all.

And knowing that on some days, I'll see proof that I am.

August is when I said, "I need to see if something's ever going to happen," and then I traveled somewhere to find out, which was probably the best thing I ever did.

August to me is when I changed my name from A to Z, and when I made a committment to my best friend forever.

It's when I finally, in 2002, said, "I think I'm ready to get healthier and lose 20 pounds." And then, by the next August, I had lost 30.

It's when I decided to and implemented a plan to hit the "submit" button the day after Ironman Wisconsin 2005.

August reminds me that it's never too late to change...to be happy...to make your own New Year. Whenever and wherever you want.

So, don't buy into all the hype. Maybe you are a person who can stick to your New Year's Resolution...and if you are, man, I salute you. Really, I do. This time of year just never worked out for me.

And if you're not...remember...your New Year is whenever you decide it will be.

Happy New Year!

It just ain't 2007 until this happens:

(picture blatantly stolen from TriEric's blog--thanks, Aimee, for recording the moment!) :) That's Espeed, TriEric, JenC, TriAl, and yours truly

I TOTALLY blew it and parked where I used to RUN down the hill, since I used to live in the area, thinking I could DRIVE down...yeah, not so much. So I heard "3-2-1-AAAAAAAAAgggggggggGGGGGHHHHH" and was still fully clothed and about 10 feet behind everyone and got SOOOOOOO sad. :(

Then I saw TriAl who was a little late, too--and a few brave souls above jumped in AGAIN with us for the "second wave!" :) Yaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy! Only us truly nutso CTC folk would enjoy such a sadistic and chilly ritual. We all agreed this year felt much warmer than last year. My parents were on hand to film the festivities--hopefully will get a vid clip up here soon!

Jodi , Rob, and Charlie were there, too, as well as about 40 others, but were all smart enough not to jump in a second time with the other crazies! :)

Happy Happy New Year and here's to new beginnings and waking up like someone dumped ice water on your entire body!

UPDATE: Here's the nightly news story! I'm on the far right in the first scene...along with JenC, TriAl, TriEric, and check out ESpeed's TV DEBUT! :)

Click HERE!