20 years...goes by really fast...

Me, Daron (one of my pest pals through highschool) and Tanya, another good friend through HS.

My "rock moves"!!..??

Pat (school principal), me and Jason (geologist)...we have known each other since grade 3. Pat and I grew up around the corner from each other.

My HS crush...shhhh...actually he was EVERONE'S crush!! Receiver for the football team, played pro football...if you look close, you can see his Grey Cup ring.
Wait...here's a close up...Haahahahahahaha!!!


The hottest Mom's there!!!! And apparently my push up bra was not into working overtime....

Some of the gang...Tasha (mom and attorney), Tanya (mom and physio therapist), Duane (dad and ex-pro athlete), me and Permi (mom and attorney)

and that's just the kind of night it was...

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?op=1&view=all&subj=15235154836&aid=-1&pid=3247967&id=861410356&oid=15235154836

Can't really explain how we were all so close, but it was as if only a few days had passed...weird. Maybe it was we were all in a new area with new schools and new people and we ALL had to make friends from the get go...I don't know but was ALOT of fun!!

on a roll....

Swam on Wednesday.

Bike ride yesterday.

Run today.

That's three for three kids!! I'm a rockstar...I've got my rock moves...wait...will save those for the reunion this weekend...

Looking forward to seeing some of the homeboys and girls and what they have been up to for the last 20 years. Have managed to keep in touch with a few..heck some are even clients!! So will have to be on semi-good behaviour...

We moved to Saskatoon from the farm when I was in grade 3. I have known some of these people my entire life. We went to grade school...highschool and university together. Back in the 90's, everyone left for Alberta. One of the most "famous" graduates is a gal that apparently made her name in the "adult entertainment" industry!! I shit you not. Another guy has made his way in hollywood working for Lucasfilms (as in the Star Wars movies...) One of the gals I am very proud of, and still friends with, started her own spa product line and now owns two high end spas in Calgary...a total entrepreneur...has had her product and business highlighted in just about every fashion mag in Canada. Cool!! Check it out at http://urbanvenus.ca

Will be interesting to see the paths everyone took and catch up.

totally off topic...

Having a huge dilema.

I bought my 20 year highschool reunion dress a few weeks ago. Let's just say it IS THE 20 year reunion dress...black, short, tight and low cut. Ohhhhhh...yeah!! However, I have been informed a couple of the peeps I was looking forward to being there are not going. I have no problem going by myself, BUT do I wear the dress?? Because we were all supposed to go together all dressed up. But now? OR do I wear this super cool shirt I found...it says..."I'm Kind Of A Big Deal"

OMG...I think THAT would be the most perfect thing to wear!! Would it not??

And I found a pair of kick-ass stilettos to wear with the dress but they did not have my size. Argh! But then don't know how I would fair in those after a couple of wobbly-pops...

What to do...what to do....

Got to my Wed swim today. Keith...I found your swim...it went on vacation with mine...holy could tell I have not been in the water for a few weeks. The coach even asked where I have been...nice to be missed!!

and the consensus is this...

First off, thanks to all who have e-mailed and called and commented and sent me messages on Facebook!! Wow! More people read this blog than I thought!! It's funny how when you have a bad experience, everyone wants to tell you about one that they had...and some of them have been very entertaining!!

But the consensus has been from everyone "At least you didn't quit."

And THAT is what I am taking away from this mess. I didn't quit. I walked and I swore and I wanted to cry but now that I have had a few days to think...I am okay with what happened. I am still struggling to understand it but I am okay. Heck...I covered 21 km in about 2 hours and 15 minutes!! That's not bad!!

Here is what I think...not in anyway trying to make excuses, but I truly want to know why my body reacted the way it did. So here are the facts: I had an awful stomach flu just 6 days before the event. Every ounce of liquid had come out of my body. I knew this was happening and I was drinking and drinking all week to try to replace everything but maybe I just did not recover as much as I had thought? I had had a very bad headache on Friday...that put me down on the couch for the night...sometimes I get these headaches and I attribute them to hormones (the monthly kind of hormones...) Over the past year, when "that time" comes, my body is totally wacked. This was just 36 hours before having to run 21km (hard). I thought I could handle it, but obviously I did not. I am still really frustrated but it is the kind that makes me want to run a fast for me half marathon even more...thank-you Amber for the invite!! I even looked on a map to see how far GP was from here...and of course there would be the whole family thing...my spouse would say "You want to go where? For what?" But thanks anyway!!

The new plan is this....skip the local triathlon in a couple of weeks. It was looking like it was not going to happen anyway with my dad coming to town, the kid's race the day before, I am out of town the week before...blah blah...I am really not interested in doing it. I might be talked into the sprint distance...will have to talk to Justin and see. There is a half marathon distance (Timex series race..which just means, in my world, it will be on a road and not through the bush..) up north in Prince Albert on June 21st. I am going to enter and we shall see how it goes!! So I get my do-over....awesome!!

My Half Marathon from HELL

I want to cry real bad.

Here's how she went down...The first half felt really good. As in really, really good. I felt strong and steady and was holding back a ton. A TON!! The goal, as always, is to negative split so I was really trying to just run a pace that I was confident I could run for all day. I had glanced down at Garmin just a couple of times and he was telling me we were doing awesome. I felt good.

Then:

I hit the half way mark at about 55 minutes. And still feeling really good. I was in a rythm and running along and was actually excited about the second half!! Then I got to about the 12km mark...a fierce wave of dizzyness washed over me...as in my eyes clouded over and I stopped short to walk for a few steps, I even swerved off of the path. What the F* was that? I was drinking and had had a gel, it was cool out and I was doing everything I normally do??? So I walked for about a minute and started running again...no luck...a couple of minutes later, the same swoosh of my head feeling super light and my eyes clouding over...I have NEVER had this happen before EVER so I got a little scared as I was out in the middle of no where with all these runners. The two hour pace bunny passed me and I just mentally was done. Done.

Started running a third time. This time I ran a little farther and much much slower but I could start to feel the dizzyness come so I stopped again. Threw my goal time out the window, turned off my music and just walked/ran, mostly walked the last 6-7 km.

I was super upset. I still am. On the verge of tears everytime I think about it...which is every minute so far today. Tried to make a "fun" morning out of the experience...stopped and visited with a couple of friends I have not seen for awhile. Stopped at the beer station for a cool one. Stopped at a house offering up coffee and had a few sips and visited with these complete strangers for a few minutes. Ran with a guy named Adam who was doing his very first half...he was really struggling so I ran with him the last 2 km...got him up radio hill and talked him in the last km. Saw Jenn and Chuck cheering me on at the finish and put on a brave face but nearly started bawling...glad I did not see them after because that would have been embarrassing!!

It is too early to come up with a "what I have learned" paragraph. I still feel dizzy so obviously something is going on. I just wished it would have waited until tomorrow!!!

Happy Birthday Luke!!

My baby is 3 today! He is so excited about his party this weekend. He asked me (again) today how many kids have been invited and then we had to name them all off (again). He debuts in soccer tonight, some of the family is coming over for pizza and then we are hosting about 14 kids at a gymnastics club on Saturday. Matthew has also been invited to test for his black striped belt in TKD on Saturday so we are a busy crew.

I would love to tell all about the labour and delivery from 3 years ago but it was actually not too bad...much better than the first time....but will save those details for another time. When triathletes talk about pain...I roll my eyes...have a baby with no drugs...then you will experience pain...and you have to do it, you can't quit, there are no other options!!

We are so lucky to have this vibrant, smart, talkative, healthy, little boy in our lives. He loves Spiderman, The Wiggles, his hockey blanket (which is actually a PGA golf blanket), his soccer pj's, oatmeal, yogurt, running around naked, his big brother. I asked him today if he is still my baby and he says "No Mom...I'm a boy now." Almost makes me cry at how fast the time goes by. You try to enjoy it and take it all in, but life gets hectic and busy and we work and just do our best to raise these two boys to grow up to be good solid men.

done pouting

Have had a rough go the last week. It all started with a sore throat one week ago and then just got worse from there. Had a horrible run on Saturday. Horrible. In tears...the whole bit. Went to the lake like a trooper and spent my May long weekend of 2009 between the couch, the bed and the toilet. My buddy gave me her Oil of Oregano and I was shooting it like it was a tequila shot. And it tasted about as bad as tequila. Suffered through the car ride home...had to stop in P dot A dot as let's just say, I thought I had quietly farted but it turned out NOT to be a fart...so sorry to the young gal who had to use the T-Ho's washroom after me on Monday!! Then Matthew got whatever the hell I had and we were up again all Monday night with him. He and I were a pair of couch potatoes on Tuesday, he skipped school I skipped work. He slept all day and I did errands around the house.

To top this all off, the last couple of weeks I have had problems with my runners. Yeah. The runners I bought just in March. Really bad blisters on the sides of my feet. WTF?? I tried every remedy I could think of. Plain and simple the damn shoes just did not fit me anymore. And they were relatively new...the same style, size, make I have worn for about 4 years. I dragged my poor sick child to the local running store, had my feet measured and looked at and prodded and I ended up dropping a couple of hundo on a brand new pair of runners. FOUR days out from my half marathon. GULP!!! I wanted to hit a treadmill today and the only chance I had was right after work and before Matthew's TKD test. About a 15 minute window. I had talked to Justin earlier in the day and he gave me the before race pep talk and I was all upset about how I have being laying horizontal for the past 4 days. He of course said the absolutely wrong thing that so many people do is they do TOO MUCH before an event. My past 4 days have probably done me more good than anything. All the hard work is done. He reminded me I have missed ONLY a handful of workouts since January...I didn't know he kept a record of that...After I got off the phone with him I could just feel my mood shift. I jumped on the tready and my legs felt like springs!! I was spunky in my new shoes!! They felt wonderful!! My instructions are to do an easy 30 minutes tomorrow...an easy hour bike ride on Friday and that's it. Relax on Saturday run my butt off on Sunday.

I am finally excited about this run!!

bloggers break...

I'm taking one.

Have too much on the go for the next little while and nothing really triathlon interesting to blog about. I DID get on my bike today...on my trainer...it sucked. The sun was shining, but lots of snow on the ground. Did my intervals like a good girl...but just wasn't into it. I should be outside this time of year.

Have another big run tomorrow...another 90minute -see-how-far-you-can-go run. This is the last one before the big dance on May 24th.

Will be back sometime, maybe next week, maybe after the half...will have to see how the next week goes!!

Promise to keep up on y'all!!

Have fun!

K~

looking....looking....looking...

...for something positive to write about.
Silence.
Crickets chirping.
Echo....echo....echoooooooo
more silence
Nothing.
I got nothing...

WTF? Is up Mutha N's asshole? Seriously. What is going on with her...? She's being a bitch.

Speaking of bitches...heading up the cabin this weekend with my bitches...Carmen and Colleen and oh...my hubby and our children. Shaun is our man-servant. Okay, he would be totally pissed if/when he reads that but he IS kind of a chick, so we all get along famously!! A funny thing happens when we get to the cabin...I do nothing. Nada. Zero. Sit on my a$$ and read/drink/snooze/read/yell at my kids to get off the road/visit/walk to the store for ice cream...I love it!!

Carmen's cabin is about 4 doors down. One day we were out for drinks after work about 5 years ago and she announces she bought a cabin. I was stunned. I was shocked. I was super jealous!! I had wanted a cabin for my whole life. So what does one do? She drives up to the lake the very next weekend buys herself a cabin...and announces it to her husband when the deal is nearly done...note to those who are newly married or thinking of getting married or even those of you who have a long-term spouse/partner...This? Not a great strategy for smooth married relations...seriously...not a good strategy at all!!

Soccer...I am not liking the soccer moms. I try to be chatty and I try to be nice but they talk about the silliest stuff!! Nope. Will not be trading any recipes. Don't feel like having playdates!! Do any of you have a comment on the hedging strategy of Russell Investments? No? (turn the work brain off....now...before you really don't make any friends!!!)

And that's it.

On the training front...I feel like doing nothing. I am tired and lazy and this weather is SO not making me happy...I want to curl up on the couch and watch Detroit go duck hunting tonight.

gak

UPDATE: I talked to Coach Justin today and the conversation went a little something like this:

Me: WHAAAAWHAAAA!!!! I hated that run!

JP: GOOD!

Me: What?

JP: That's what your legs will feel like the last 5km of your half marathon, except minus the walking. You held onto your goal race pace for 5km on super tired and heavy legs. Now you know what's going to feel like.

Me: OH.

Well, I had the toughest run of my life last night. And it was only 5km. I showed up for my monthly timed 5km event. Had a crazy busy day, called in re-inforcements aka: my mom...to take Matthew to TKD and feed them supper and get them ready for bed as ball season has started and Shaun is MIA on Mondays for the rest of the summer.

I should have just done my mom duties on my own as I was hating everything running by about 6:40pm!!

Here's how it went km by km:

Kilometer #1: My legs feel okay. Coach Justin said my legs would be tired but to try to run a fast 5km on tired legs. I am feeling pretty good! What does he know? I even warmed up. It is a gorgeous night...and many people on the path. We run down Spadina Cres and this is one of the most beautiful streets anywhere. Right along the river, all of the old BIG homes.

Kilometer #2: Okay, my legs are not feeling so hot. They all of a sudden got really, really heavy and sluggish. I can't breathe. Why can't I breathe? Here come the leaders. Crap they can run!! It just looks so easy for them,,,Gary is telling me I am running a 4:45/km pace...no f*cking wonder I can't breathe!!

Kilometer #2.5: THANK GOD THE TURN AROUND!!!!!!!!! I have made it to the turn around. I am going to puke. Seriously. Just slow down and keep running. I need to walk. I only allowed myself to walk 20 steps. I still feel like puking.

Kilometer #3: I hate this. I hate running. Why are all these people out on the path? GO AWAY!! Can't you see I am in survival mode here? Somebody HELP ME!! My legs have nothing...nothing...nothing...nothing...nothing...OMG I need to walk AGAIN!! That lady has a bottle of water that is not opened...and it looks cold...I wonder what she would think if I grabbed on my way by? Would that be rude?

Kilometer #4: Was that my supper that I just tasted?

Kilometer #5: Okay...you have one stupid ass kilometer left in this horrid run...just look a few feet ahead of you. Just go on autopilot. Who cares about this run anyway? My eye is on the half marathon. I hate this run!! This SUCKS!! And I was a running rockstar only 36 hours ago!!!

Finishing time: 26:18...so after all my complaining and walking and negative crap in my head, ended up being not too terribly bad. And it's in the bank which is a good thing!

Mother's Day Sunday

So lucky that I was the one chosen to be their Mom!!

Matthew and my amazing, beautiful, trendy, crazy, and super brave sista! She is doing well...is back to work a wee bit, lost lots and lots of weight, joined a gym and does yoga. She is my hero.

The fam damily.

Luke's passion...basketball. He will shoot hoops for hours. I really mean hours...

Ya HOOOO!!!!!

From Gary Garmin: 15.9 kilometers; 1:29:49; average HR 157
That?
Just.
Plain.
Hurt.
Busy day...deets to follow...but I am happy, happy happy with that run!!!

Okay...so here's how she went down. Up and at it way to early for a Saturday but you just have to do it when you have kids. Out the door and it was cold. My fingers were freezing the first couple of km. Took me forever to warm up...did not feel really into it the first several km...even considered bailing on the run but I have to do it all again this week and wanted two done to compare them. So put one foot in front of the other and thought about other things...listened to my music...enjoyed the views. Got all the way to the train bridge, climbed those awful stairs, tip toed across that rickety old bridge and then it just all seemed to come together. I suddenly felt like running, and I felt like running hard...this was at about the 6km mark. I never did look at Garmin as I was not feelin it so just had concluded I was going to run for 90 minutes and whatever will be will be.

Started to see all the other runners out and gosh it was a beautiful morning. I have listened to Ryan Hall talk about how he feel closest to God when he runs...not that I am a super religious person, but I totally get what he says!! It just feels so good when it all comes together. By about the 11-12km mark I was looking at Garmin and trying to do the math as to whether or not I was going to hit my goal of doing 16km in 90minutes. I could not do the math so I just kept running!! I even did the last 4km of the half marathon route, up that dang radio hill that kills me every year. I was pretending I was coming around that last corner towards the finish and imagining the people and the crowds, seeing the clock, I even teared up!! I am such a NERD!!

Gary Garmin told me I hit the 15km mark in 1:23...Holy CRAP

And then the wheels completely fell off. I think what happened is that I was like, I can run/walk this last km, I did it, I am the BOMB!! Goal accomplished. Mentally I was DONE! Stopped my watch just shy as I came into some traffic. And there you have it.

I have to do it all over again this week but want to talk to Coach Justin, as I am hurtin today. My swim was a gong show, I had nothing in me for a swim...

I WON!!!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=Pw1LaY6K52iZkPEMfRAP7TEzMjc2NDU-&referred_by=15940643-8.gjGcx&p=wmc

frozen

Did a bike ride today.
Yeah.
You read that correctly. A BIKE RIDE!
In the morning, when it was cold, I was out on the highway doing intervals, my toes were frozen when I got home. Frozen. Could not face my trainer. And I would have had to change my back tire and I just wasn't up for that so out I go into the cool morning. Wasn't that bad, but was glad to see the end today!!
I have a big BIG workout coming up on Saturday. A 90 minute run. But get this...Coach Justin wants to see how far I can run in 90 minutes. oooOOOooo...a challenge!! I LOVE IT!! Last time I did 15km in 90minutes, it felt good, I could have ran it faster but how much faster?
Practise, practise, practise that half marathon goal pace...
In other news (because many family and friends read this darn blog...) Matthew has his first soccer game tonight. We were supposed to be at a practise last night but darn it all if I am going to sit out there in the cold and the wind...and besides he had TKD as well and my rule is only one activity per day. He could be up for his next belt at the end of the month so we ditched soccer for TKD!! Luke starts his soccer next week and is SO excited. This is his first activity for just him and he asks every single day "When is my soccer, Mom?" He was the official ball gatherer at the practise on Monday...whenever the ball went out of bounds, there was Luke running for it to give to the older kids.

trying to take the high road

Really trying. But boy oh boy was I annoyed at swimming today. So I shall start with two funny stories about my kids before I vent about getting yelled at.

I had bought some cute little pj's for Luke with soccer balls on them and the soccer balls have flames coming out of them. He runs out the bedroom last night and says "Dad!! My BALLS ARE ON FIRE!!!" OMG...funny.

Matthew made me something for Mother's Day at school. It is all wrapped with a ribbon and bow etc. He is so proud of whatever is in that gift but has to wait til Mother's Day to officially give it to me. Today he asks "Mom, how many more days now till St. Mother's Day?" So CUTE!! And we ARE Saints, are we not?

Back to my swim. First we must rewind to about week or so ago when we were doing a set of 400 meters. I can't remember the exact set but the last 400 was an all out effort. I was feeling great so I swam my butt off and managed to post a bit faster swim that a couple of the guys. One of those guys says "Must be a rest week for you!! And you can't pace, you went out way too fast!!" Really? Cause I was checking the clock and yeah...my first 100 was a bit faster than the rest but the last 3 were pretty even...

Fast forward to this morning. We are doing a set of 10 x 100s on 1:45 but aiming for 1:30s. I was swimming fourth in the lane. Mr. Intense was second. Near the middle of the set, he says to me..."Try leaving 15 seconds!! You're swimming right up his ass!!" Wow. I guess I should be flattered he is so interested in what I am doing at the back of the lane. And by the way, I was leaving 10 seconds behind the guy and catching him, he would not let me by, I wasn't about to sprint for 100 meters to pass him, waste all my energy. We were holding the pace, everything was going well. Not sure what the problem was...

At the end of the set he says to me again "You need to leave 15 seconds!! You are going to get to a race someday and get dropped and then what??!! Are you going to WAIT for the next pack to come so you can swim off of them?" Keep in mind, he is saying this to me in a very loud and annoyed voice, in front of the whole group. I think he even cursed.

My response was a shoulder shrug and "What's it to you?" Which I think pissed him off even more.....

Here's to you Mr. Intense.

I have two words for ya and one of them is OFF.

Spring Fun Run Report

Let's put the emphasis on FUN!! Does anybody else hate it when you set some goals for an event...all is going well...and then you show up AT the event and you have to throw all of those goals out the window? I find this disheartening. And I have to learn to adjust on the day for whatever comes my way. I find this difficult...i want everything to go as planned, and sometimes it just doesn't.

In the pre-announcements, it is said, "We had to change the course due to road construction. The new course is very technical. We are sorry for the hills, but remember this is a FUN RUN!!!" Hills? In Saskatoon? Nah...he's LYING!!

Ummmmm....no he was not. I mean, they weren't that bad, but I was not prepared for the trail running. 80% of the course was on the trails. So different than anything I am used to!! Jumping over rocks, stepping over mud puddles, leaping over a creek...then we get to Diefenbaker Park and we have to climb a hill to the park...I mean climb...as in I am using my hands to steady myself so I don't fall or sprain an ankle or knee...I just kept telling myself...do not hurt anything, this is a FUN RUN!!

But what a beautiful day...we were against the wind on the way out and then the wind was at our backs on the way home. It was hot and even though I was a bit discouraged as i KNOW I can run faster...my finish time, according to the clock they had at the finish, (I did not wear Garmin or a watch of any kind..I tossed it in my truck after I heard the announcements...) was 55 minutes. This equals my stand alone 10km time, so I know I should be happy, but I just want that breakthrough run!! You know? The encouraging part is that I WAS up there with all of the fast(er) runners...the ones that used to kick my butt...I was still far behind them, but at least I could SEE them today!! I was excited about this and it actually motivated me. I counted at the turnaround, and I was about the 8th female...out of over 100 people...i know that is totally nerdy and sounds competitive, but i felt like i was running well, even given the course, I just wanted to know!!!

i was tagged!!!

I was tagged by Keith

The rules are:

1. Fill it out

2. Change one question with one of your own

3. Add an additional question

4. Tag 3 other people to do the same

1. What are your current obsessions?
Running a fast for me half marathon at the end of the month; Michelle Obama; I get hooked on a news story and then read and learn everything about it.
2. Which item from your closet are you wearing most often? Nylons
3. Last thing you bought for yourself? A new to me wesuit!!
4. What’s for dinner? Whatever my mom is making as she has the offspring today and we will have supper at her place before we head home
5. Say something to the person who tagged you: Does it have to be nice?? Ha Ha!! I have never met Keith . I love his sense of humour and I appreciate all the support he has given over the past year. I can tell he is a solid person.
6. What is your motivation for continuing to work out? It started out to help me sleep and then I wanted to loose some poundage but since neither of those things seem to be happening, I am loving the challenge of trying to get better and faster...
7. What are you listening to right now? The admin staff gossip in the coffee room.
8. What is your most immediate short term goal? I want to run a fast 10km on Sunday and then a fast half on May 24.
9. What are you reading right now? Just finished "The Shack". Next up is "Marley and Me"
10. What is the last movie you saw and enjoyed? Last saw "The Wrestler"...was just okay...
11. What’s your guilty pleasure? Life is too short to have any guilt.
12. What’s your favorite smell? My kids after bathtime
13. Whats something you look forward to? My 10 km run this weekend
14. Favorite Quote? It ain't the man in the fight, it's the fight in the man.
16. Whats one thing you can't go a day with out doing? Reading blogs.
17. What do you have an addiction to? I am addicted to cocaine...I mean caffeine!! I get that aweful headache when I do not have a coffee in the am.
18. Whats your favorite holiday? Hands down Christmas. I don't like the whole commercial part of it, but the family time and the excitement for my kids is so much fun!!
19. How many pairs of shoes (not just running) do you have?? I am guessing here, but probably 25.
20. Tell us one random thing about you. Hmmmm....people often recognize me from my laugh...it is apparently distinct and goofy...they will say "I knew it was you! I could hear your laugh!!"
21. Why did you start your blog? I was following Jen's blog a few years ago when she did a marathon...and I thought it was such a great idea to keep track of my workouts...then it has kind of evolved into an online social gathering every morning!!!


Everyone who's blog I follow has been tagged!!