Cranberry Tri 2012

Hola!!!!  Yes I have been in the missing again...What is new with that?? I am so psyched with what all this training is doing for my waist line....LOL.....Love this dress....Love the way my butt and tummy looks...Thank God for SPANKY's.....Ladies I know you know what that is but most of the GUYS will not have a clue....

OK..... so now on to the race report!

Today was the Cranberry Olympic Triathlon......

     IT WAS GREAT!!!!!!!

Yesterday I was hurting all day with a giant knot and pain after a night of Charlie Horses in my right calf...OUCHHHH...

The day started out interesting at 4 am, as I crawled out of bed...and you are thinking why 4 am for an 8 am race 45 minutes away????

Cause yesterday morning, I received a text at 7 am that was telling me I was schedule for the SPRINT not the OLY.  I could of SWORN I registered for the OLY.. Thank God I have great friends, one of them being,   Leslie Battle  www.facebook.com/leslie.battle.3  She talked to the race director and told them that I thought I was registered for the OLY and told me to just get there early this am...so guess what I was doing at 5 am this morning?????

just thought I throw this picture in cause I love this shirt!

Yes driving to Lakeville, MA...it was 58/60 degrees,,,of course no doors or windows on jeep so I bundle myself up in my tri-suit and sweats pants and jacket and cranked the heat...I know you are thinking but there are no doors or windows... but the heat cranks out and it keep my feet and lower legs and my hands warm......I am sure the truckers who were on the road at 5 am all thought who is this NUT driving 80 MPH, all bundled up and a bike hanging out in the back of her Jeep!!!!!

I had an awesome race...I am so grateful for my coach...her training plan helped me to improve so much....COACH TARA.  I am planning on being out there for about 4 hours, so here is the day!

So register and go back to Jeep to get gear...Get over to the rack and set up the transition...hang out for a while with the  TRI-NE Team...wet suit on and ready to go...a delay in the start of the race of about 15 minutes secondary to the fog. So I take a short swim to warm up.

I was in wave 7....watching the others go off I am shaking and shivering...Yes I am freezing, it is 77 degrees out and the water was 75 or so but here I am teeth chattering and trying to stay warm and hopping in place...My team mates giving me a little jiving for it..all in good fun...

Into the water:  just keep swimming~~just keep swimming.  Not a bad swim, had to try to swim around a couple people, I was one on one with one lady for most of the swim..then I left her behind in the last few yards...there were areas that were EXTREMELY shallow water in spots..so shallow if I stood up it would of been lower then knee level...I just switch to breaststroke and kicked off with my feet several times.  I also skinned the bottom of my left great toe doing it..but it had a callous on it and that took care of it!

Out of the water, in 32:54...YEAHHHHHHH  0.9 miles of swimming

Up the slippery stairs, trying to to get run over by the others who were trying to get up the stairs as well...Into T1...strip wet suit, grab bike gear and get it all on...bike off rack and head to bike out...jump on bike and go NOWHERE...why you ask...chain is jammed in derailed....I am SO PISSED!!!  I could not get it out, All I am thinking is that I am wasting time!  Finally got it out and reset correctly...Lesson learned DOUBLE and TRIPLE check the BIKE before leaving it on the rack...I had ridden a few minutes before racking it...out of T1 in 4:23....

The bike route I had ridden several times last year as well as part of it ALOT while training for the Patriots Half Iron..I feel really good on the ride..passing some and fighting to catch others....I am so happy to see a couple of people and play "tag" with them on the bike....  Bike DONE: 26.5 Miles in 1:27:32.  YES..Legs feel Good but heavy.

Off with bike shirt (gotta show off the tattoo you know!) switch shoes and hats.....T2 was 2:24....
Running out the shoot I realize I had left my Garmin on my bike...this irritates me so much I throw my headphones and my watch band to Melissa...(great catch and thanks, Sparky)!

Out to the road to TROT.....6.2 miles of one foot in front of the other...It is warm and I feel pretty good...Lots of good support out there..run with a couple of different people...cause we all know I like to talk...at mile 5 there is a HILL..One I do not even like on the Bike..but I make it up and then there is the DOWNHILL....I love the DownHill......just glide down and keep going.....

Finally I can see the park and I know it is a quick trot to the shoot to run to the FINISH LINE....  We round the fields and I can see the shoot...I pick up my pace and stretch out my torso (to make sure the pictures look good of course!!!) I am almost there and then I DROP a water bottle off my belt..UGHHH  DANG NAB IT *^$^%$^&$^%^%^%$^% and a few other choice words go off in my head.   Forget it, I am not stopping for it, I am feet from the line (someone else picked it up for me and gave it to Melissa for me).

I CROSS THE FINISH LINE...YAHOOOOOO.....

OK we all know how I am about wanting to know my data...which is why i wear a garmin, even if I do not check it while working out..which is my I find this so funny: I was so happy to finish and my right calf was burning so bad that all I could think of was ICE BATH.... I head over to the pools of ice water and soak my feet and legs.  After sitting there for a few minutes I finally look up a the finishers clock  it reads 3:42..No way...NO WAY......7th wave and 4 minutes between waves and not sure how long I was sitting in the ice bath before I looked up at the clock...So I waited to see my time....Wait for it....yes wait for it......

  *****3:14:11......Yes I did the OLY in 3:14:11  that was more then 30 minutes faster then I thought I would.   I had given myself between 3:45 to 4 hours to finish....

THANK YOU TO ALL OF TRI NE AND THE CRANBERRY TRIFEST!!!!

So a great day all around!!!

NOW ALL OF YOU GET OUT THERE CAUSE YOU CAN::::::

Renewing my faith in myself! GRAND BABIES...NEW TRI TATTOO

MY AMAZING GRAND BABIES!!!!

Hey all:  Just spending some time with my sons Alex,  Craig and his wife Emily and the grand babies.....

Craig, II

Griffin

I can not wait till tomorrow morning, when I am going to go for a run and "CROSS THE BRIDGE" that was the beginning of many years of fear.  Last year, I did this same run several times when I was here.  Each time I run across that LITERAL BRIDGE:  I feel like I am conquering fear, stress, everything and everyone who has ever tried to hold me back or tear me down....

With everything that has been happening since the middle of May and the beginning of June, I really need to go and do this.  I know it does not truely change anything except my mindset and my faith in myself............

When I started to do triathlons in 2010:  I wanted to get a tri tattoo.....but since I was not sure this was something I would continue to do and/or how much I would love it...So this year, when I finished my first 70.3 TRI. I decided it was time...I have been trying to figure out what I wanted for the last 6 months....and I wanted to include the phase "Cause I Can Now".  Guess what I got today!!!!

SOOOO HERE IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            I FINALLY GOT MY FIRST TRIATHLON TATTOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now it is your turn get out there and DO IT CAUSE YOU CAN........

1.  What did you love about your HIM experience?
The whole thing was totaly amazing..THANK YOU COACH!!!!!!  I lived it all, exept the last two weeks of training I was getting tired....LOL  but I DID IT!
2.  What are you most proud of? My swi time and OF COURSE finishing!  That I even showed up that morning with everything else that was goign on

3.  Where did you perform really well?  What part of your race was on point?my swim was at the best I thought I could do... I was hoping between 45-55 mins...really thinking It would take about 55 mminutes  (did it in 46)

4.  What were your biggest challenges before and during the race? The fear of crashing my bike  it kept me slow on the bike and not pushing anything on it.

5.  What did you learn by going through these experiences?  How can you apply this learning in your upcoming races this season?  I CAN DO ANYTHING!!!!!   Keep going one foot in front of the Other

6.  What could and would you like to improvie on?
  My bike and running the hills

7.  What are your goals for your next sprint and olympic races for 2012?  Sprint in less then an hour an the oly to finish...then on to FIRM!!!!

size 6 shorts!!!!!!

Hello SIZE 6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Yes I am  finally in a size 6...

I went shopping at the Loft and bought a pair of shorts.  Did not try them on at all...just bought them YES they were on SALE!!!!   I figured I would try them on at home and then if they fit great, if not I could give them away....so I get home and really think hard about trying them on,  SERIOUSLY I was afraid to try them on.....if they fit  that would be great  but if  I could not get them over my hips...it would be upsetting and depressing.....

I have been working so hard at my training and working crazy hours and watching 90% of everything I am eating...

My Life is truly a Danielle Steele Novel...SAD/BAD News First then the Good Stuff!!!!!!!

HOWDYYYYYYYY!!!  It has been 5 weeks since I last posted here...I am sorry..BAD BLOGGER::::BAD BLOGGER...

As I have always said, Yes LIFE is so much better the fiction...cause you just can not make up some of the CRAP........

5 weeks ago, I thought things were going perfect...life in general, job going well...feeling great about starting classes again in the fall for my Doctorate Degree in Nursing,  training for my first HIM Tri was going really well... Bad News First then the Good Stuff!!!!!!!

SAD/BAD: just a quick note and not going to mention it again... so that you may understand some of the mind set and emotional mess I have been over the last 5 weeks.

June 1st, my world came to a screeching halt....I was informed of somethings pertaining to my relationship with my husband...and because of those disclosures I had to make a decision on where I wanted our relationship to go or even if it was to go on any further...I will tell you this:  This was one of the most difficult decisions to make for me.  Because of some the choices he had made, I had to make a decision and I have ended our relationship after 13 years and 2 days of being together...

We have talked since that date and we will no longer have a marriage but maybe some day we will be friends again.  But the actions that caused me to have to make my decision can  not be taken back or changed.  My heart and trust has been shattered and I am not sure if I will ever get the pieces back together again.  But God will take care of me cause only GOD knows what He is doing, where as I have NO CLUE!!!!

GOOD:
I COMPLETED MY FIRST HALF IRON DISTANCE TRIATHLON!!!!!!!!!!
.

Patriots Half  June 16, 2012...and I completed it is 34 minutes faster then I thought I would ever do....

1.2 mile swim: 46:44 minutes (I had given myself 55 minutes to do this part of the race)  here is the link to my Garmin Swim Patriots HIM Swim...It was amazing...Water was warm... lots of people around, I was not nervous as I thought I would be...A couple of times I got hit in the head or one time swam over but for most of the swim I would be next to my friend and fellow Super Woman Maryann Buma...just swimming away...My goal was to stay with her as far as I could, I know she is a faster swimmer then I am and I figured if I could stay with her till at least the second turn, then I was doing pretty good.

T1: 7:01 minutes..T1 Garmin Link.Had a hard time getting the wet suit off the wrists and my left calf...Finally got it off and skipped putting the compression socks on cause it took to long to get the wet suit off( regretted that later).

Dry bike shirt, bike shoes, helmet, race belt with number and sunglasses on and off the back end of transition  and mounted the bike and off we goooooo..

56 Mile Bike: Bike garmin Link 3hrs 33minutes & seconds:   Not too bad,  legs felt great...Passed one or two people but many more many more many more passed me....lots of comments on what a great bike I have...( still did not make me that faster...)  loop one went well  no falls or not too much wind...Then loop two.  Very happy with my times...( I had given myself 4 hours to complete the bike)...Several TRI NE teammates fly by me and speak encouraging words THANK YOU!!!!  Love ya all....did really good on fluid intake and nutrition.  Felt strong when I got off the bike.

T2: about 4 minutes  T2 Garmin Linknot 100% sure..forgot to lap the Garmin when I dismounted the bike...but quick toss of bike shirt and helmet and grabbed fuel belt and was off...

13.1 "TROT":  (noticed I said TROT not RUN...2 hr 54 minutes and 47 seconds  or so....  Patriots TROT Garmin LinkFirst three miles I had wobble or BRICK legs...Then the next two miles were awesome...Then I HIT THE WALL....I was thinking as i had gotten off the bike and started to run,,,,Damn I can do this, I can not wait to sign up for my next HIM....About mile 5 I was "ARE YOU NUTS???? Your going to be lucky to survive at all...Why did you do this to yourself?"  SO I walked a while...then I ran/trotted...then repeated the pattern till I got to mile 10 or so and then I basically walked the next 2 miles straight..

Trying hard to keep my spirits up. and not cry...I had a lot of thoughts going through my head...about my separation from my husband, my decision to move with my job to the new hospital, about not being in Florida with my grand babies, then I would take a DEEP Breath wipe away the tears and say  "I CAN DO THIS:  CAUSE I CAN NOW!!!

About Mile 12.5 , I see my Tri Coach Tara...It takes everything in my power not to cry and stop to catch my breath..I had started to trot again about 0.25 mile prior and when I saw her I KNEW I WAS ALMOST THERE...THE FINISH LINE....Tara ran with me to the end of the little bridge which leads you to the finishers shoot..and that AMAZING FINISH LINE...  I was crying all the way to the end...trying to breath and running a little harder and faster with each stride...

As I cross the finish line a friend Cheryl Osborne was volunteering there and she was hugging me and I was trying not to be a blobbering fool.....

6 years 11 months and 3 weeks before, I could not walk 2 blocks or go up one flight of stairs cause I was over 265 pounds and had a list of medical issues..That day June 16, 2012 starting at 7:04 am and going for 7 hours and 26 minutes I did something less then 1% of the world will ever be able to say they did!!!!! I was 575/595 that finished BUT I DID IT,  I COMPLETED A HALF IRON DISTANCE TRIATHLON.. 

The next 5 to 10 minutes are a little blurry as I was being lead the the TRI NE Team tent...getting hugs and sharing my tears of joy with others, Jen Tripp and Leslie Battle, and about 30 others....I wish I could name all of you here but I am sure I will forget someone and then I would really feel bad!!!

Finally done at the end of the day and head back to RI...drop of the Jeep at the garage and go home to finish packing for my trip to San Diego Ca for the next week....and that is another story for another day...and just let me say this....I ROCKED THE PATRIOTS HALF IRON TRIATHLON and by the way I rocked that blue evening gown a few night later at the conference too,,,,,,

So now what you may ask???  RACING:  Well a couple more 1/2 marathons, another 1/2 IRON TRI..(Sept 9th, 2012 FIRMMAN, in Narragansett,  come see me race!!!).  School:  DNP: starts in September.  WORK:  Love my job and what I get to be blessed with and do every day.

Personal Life:  Well we will see where that goes, for now I am still going to be working on who I am and who I am becoming.

NOW YOU GET OUT THERE AND DO SOMETHING ANYTHING CAUSE YOU CAN!!!!

New Job, 1/2 marathon, Work, Training and Life!

HOWDY!!!!!   I'mmmmm BACKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, now I am back...between work, training and life...I have not been very good at blogging....

What has been happening...

A couple of weeks ago, on April 27th, we had an unexpected death in my family.  One of my cousins passed away...that kinda set me off a little, he was only in his mid 30's....

Also that week before was CRAZY at work.... lots of long hours and prep for the 2012 RI Obesity Symposium.  12 and 16 hr days meant no training...lots of "running" around work and meetings....not much time to eat either....had to make myself stop and eat a few times as I had started to feel "not good" after realizing I had gone about 12 hrs with out eating anything and only drinking coffee and a little water.....

The Symposium was May 1st, 2012 at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick RI.....IT WENT GREAT!!!!!   We had 181 people n attendance.. wonderful speakers and super presentations...  We had people calling and emailing the very next day asking if we were going to do it again next year!  I have to tell you the people I worked with the planning committee an the speakers and vendors, the CME office and the others that were all part of the event WERE AMAZING!!! The day went off pretty much perfect!!!!

That same night I had a big meeting about 30 minutes after I left the venue for the symposium and then had  the wake for my cousin..... Tough Week, Please keep praying for my auntie and uncle and the rest of the family as well...

So the rest of the week the training was back on track and doing great....Love biking on PIPPY and Swimming is getting stronger...and running is about the same....

May 6th was the Cox 1/2 Marathon....2:40....not my fastest but not my slowest either....  Ha a good race felt strong and actually "ran" up every hill and did not have to stop to walk at all,,,,but did need a couple of "potty" breaks.... oh well....moving time on the Garmin was 2:30...wasted 10 minutes in porta potties and lines for the porta potties....

May 9th...my 44th B Day..worked 7 am till 7 pm then meet some great friends and family at our local favorite BAR 101...for dinner and drinks.....

May 11th, officially accepted the job offer to be the Bariatric Program Coordinator for the Lifespan Bariatric Surgery Program at The Miriam Hospital......

I am very happy but sad all at the same time...it is very bitter sweet...I love what I do everyday and SO HAPPY, I will be able to continue to work with my surgeons and work with my patients and the weight loss surgery program....But so sad that I am leaving what I consider to be where I "Became a Nurse", or what some in my family call my second home ( and some weeks what they call my first home)... yes in school you learn the book stuff and basic skills of nursing  but to learn the ART of Nursing and truly learn what it means to "BE A NURSE"...that is what I did for the last 15 years at RIH...

I will miss everyone there so much..I feel like I know everyone...even if I do not know all of their names I know their faces and voices.sometimes i can tell who it just by the way it sounds when i hear their footsteps!

I started at RIH on May 27, 1997, as a nursing student associate in my first day of hospital orientation.  But I was at RIH even before then, as I was attending clinicals there as a student at RIC...and on May 21, 2012, I will start at TMH in hospital orientation as the Bariatric Surgery Program Coordinator,,,,a dream job for me.....I am so blessed!!!!  I am nervous as well....

As some of you many know we well.... I tend to be a little pushy and bossy and LOUD.... I hope I do not scare my new co workers too much at first...!!!!!


Some of the Attending MD's were Med students or 1st year residents when I started there 15 years ago....
and speaking of ATTENDING DOCTORS!!!!  I almost forgot CONGRATS TO DR RYDER for being on the cover of RI MONTHLY as ONE OF THE TOP DOCS OF THE YEAR!!

SO get out there and do it cause you CAN!!!!

My Hubby finishing his 11th 1/2 marathon since 2009!!!!!  Congrats Honey, Love ya!

ZOMBIES ATE MY NEIGHBORS!!!! What a life change...NOW and THEN...

Zombies????   Yeah, read the blog and you will understand!!!!

I saw this list on fat girl iron man journey blog, I really thought it good.  And asked if I could "copy" the list for my own blog.....But I just thought I would change the list up to fit my life a little more... Thanks Laura for the original list...

• Now: You think 1 workout in a day is a '"DAY OFF"

• Then: Used to be a workout to go downstairs and get laundry
• Now: You look forward to the next training session to beat what you did the day before

• Then: Work was the next training station
• Now: You smell like chlorine no matter WHAT you do

• Then: Did not own a bathing suit
• Now: You forget how to drink from a cup, no squeeze top, no workie

• Then:  Dunkin Extra Extra Extra 
• Now: You have everything with you to shower at all times

• Then: Would never shower at a gym, did not go to a gym
• Now: You always have 3-4 pair of shoes with you at all times (bike, run, shower, work)

• Then: well shoes I have always have..but not bike or run....
• Now: You are constantly charging gadgets (phone, Garmin, HR monitors, GP)

• Now: OK always had gadgets...
• Now: You check your workout 'stats' 3x a day

• Then: Yeah OK 3 x a year!
• Now: You get excited when you see a workout gear sale, but can't figure out when you can get there

• Then:  Shopping and Sales:  OK so I have always done this but not for gear...junk food and restaurants and potato chips
• Now: You offer to 'run' to the hardware store, but then realize you have to carry the items back in your POCKET

• Then:  used to be quoted "Run, what is that?"
• Now: You have a designated dresser (or room) for your workout / race gear

• Then: My work out gear was couch and remote
• Now: Your bikes lives in the living room( or in some case your bed)

• Then: had not had bike in years....
• Now: Your bike is worth more than your car

• Then: See above
• Now: Your house is a disaster

• Then:  OK that has not changed either, just out moving instead of sitting in front of TV or Computer
• Now: You have 3x as much laundry than anyone else in the house



• Then: Had 8 outfits a week...Work (7) and PJ's (1)
• Now: Your spouse forgets who you are

• Then:  Couch Potatoes together
• Now: Your dogs forgets who you are

• Then: Couch Potato # 3
• Now: The neighbors think you got a divorce because your car is always there, but you aren't

• Then:  I had Neighbors????  Never went out to find out!

This weeks workouts WERE AWESOME!!!!!!

Count: 7 Activities

Distance: 65.50 mi

Time: 8:58:57 h:m:s

Avg Speed: 7.2 mph

Avg HR: 132 bpm

Avg Run Cadence: 81 spm

Avg Bike Cadence: 59 rpm

Calories: 4,742 C