One Gutsy Post

It's not mine, but it's oh so good. Check it out: Size-Adventurer

Sometimes You Get Kicked

Sometimes you have to kick your inner ass-kicker's ass.

(Reflections on today's sooper-dooper bike ride HERE.)

I set these grand-tastic goals two weeks ago and then let the rest of my life kick it all to the curb. Yes, I said LET. I'll own it. I dunno, it's like I got all fired up to do stuff and then immediately packed my bags for Slack-ass-ville.

All around me, really schweet stuff is going on. A student of mine ran his first marathon in Chicago today. Another friend did his first marathon in Baltimore yesterday. Still another is kicking ass-k left and right on her goals (yes, I'm talking about you, Jen) and it's really inspiring to have all these peeps around me making progress on all the schweet-ass stuff they set out to do.

So what about me? I think a symptom of whatever is going on here is the fact that I skipped most of what was in my iPod in yesterday's race. *shrugs* If the music's stale, then the drive can't be much better.

So I'm narrowing my focus onto the Girls on the Run 5K in six weeks and nixing an intermediary race I had originally scheduled two weeks from now. Oh yeah, and cleaning up the old iPod along the way. I mean, the Cool J and Marky Mark have been in heavy rotation for almost three years. I love them, but it's clearly time. (Stay tuned for a new playlist sometime this week.)

I should also remind myself that it is midterm time, and this feeling of being pulled in so many directions that I can't do anything very well will pass...especially if I get into a training groove. (Oh endorphins...is there anything you can't do?)

Stay tuned.

Racing!

I have to admit, this (like my pre-Iron posts) is just to get me fired up for my race tomorrow. I mentioned in my training log that I am reluctant to post goals before a race, but it's kind of a novelty for me to actually have goals that move beyond simply covering the distance. It's kind of exciting! I like it!

Even though I haven't gotten into a training groove, I still would like to push my pace. Nothing too crazy -- I'd be happy with a sub-9:30 pace. (Who'da thunk I'd say those two things in the same sentence?!)

Yee HAW! Nervous and excited for tomorrow! I'll run hard!

Wonder Woman Challenge 2008-2009

So my training partner Jen started on a 90-day Bikram Yoga Challenge at the end of August. Seeing as how I'm a sucker for stuff with catchy names, I decided that my next training endeavor needed to have a snappy title like hers. Wouldn't you know, she came up with this:

Wonder Woman Challenge

Hell yeah!

Things to Look for in a Training Partner #43: Ability to come up with snappy names and phrases.

Since I donned a Wonder Woman-esque outfit for the run leg in Louisville (which brought me great strength), this is a great way for me to live up to the outfit.

Of course, I am also a big fan of creating snazzy blog themes. I'm not really ready to give up my "Gutsy Broad" banner yet, nor am I that interested in mixing the minutia of my training sessions with my other musings. Thus, I've created a separate site for my training diary, complete with badass aesthetic.

Girl, Why You Trippin'?

Here's footage of my Ironman finish -- and they even got the part where I almost fall on my face. AWESOME!

Also, I love how the music and editing make it seem like all of us were out there for some kind of leisurely fun ride -- or out chasing Duke Boys.

Labor Day

This is it.

Win or lose. Official finisher or DNF. I will not be broken.

Track my progress here. I am Athlete #813.

My Heroes Have Always Been Gutsy Gals

Mary Lou
1984 was my first Olympics and Mary Lou was my first sports hero. It's just that simple.




Nadia
After the '84 Olympics, there was a made-for-TV movie about Nadia that I watched with my parents that introduced me to her. Watching this again with adult eyes, I am more in awe of her than before.




Lynnette Woodard -- The first female Globetrotter (Go to 2:06)
She became the first female Globetrotter when I was in 5th grade and made me want to play basketball, which I did until 7th grade and it became painfully clear that (a) I would be 5"1' forever and (b) soccer was my real love.




Mia Hamm
I think I've mentioned before that anemia spelled the end of sports for me in ninth grade. I have often wondered how my path would have been different if I had been able to continue in sports and/or grew up during Mia Hamm's reign. I don't get weepy over it, though. In place of sports, I veered off into the performing arts. I'm happy with that path, too, but I will always be grateful for the strong foundation sports gave me.

Endorphinmachine

So a buddy of mine moved away last week and my parting gift (I get a gift for staying?!) was 10 Prince albums in mp3 form. Though I count myself as a fan, I am nothing compared to the super-advocate this guy is (I only ever owned the Purple Rain soundtrack, the Love Symbol album, Diamonds and Pearls, and The Hits/The B-Sides). In any event, I looked forward to exploring the new additions to my library.

Of course, the runner in me immediately zeroed in on a track called Endorphinmachine. (Seriously, click away if you know what's good for you.)

This track kicks so much ass, it's getting a post all to itself. Though it is part of a playlist that is scheduled to be posted tomorrow, I didn't want to risk it getting lost in the shuffle. (Speaking of shuffle, I *might* have listened to this on a loop for the last 2 miles of my long run yesterday.)

Interestingly, this also reminded me of the first Prince-aficionado to cross my path...Kris Selvidge and your triplets (!!!) this one's for you.

Enjoy!!!

No Free Passes Between Gutsy Broads

Yes, this is LOOONG overdue. No excuses besides simply not being in a writing mood. *shrugs* What can I say? It's been a whirlwind month.

In Part Two of the Multi-Sport Athlete Exchange Program (Part One: Dam-to-Dam), Danielle came out to the east side of Iowa and joined me for the Lake Geode Challenge.

It should be obvious by now that recounting the minutiae of race day kinda bores me, and during this race I decided on a truncated form for race reports. HOWEVER, this particular day wound up being one of those turning-point kinds of races, so I actually have something to say about this one.

It was my first tri of the season (I couldn't get to the QC tri for the flood) and the first day back from strep. I was going to treat it like a long training day (I was only looking to finish somewhere close to my average paces without being too miserable and/or collapsing).

And then late on Mile 5 of the 10K run, I entered the race.

The Lake Geode run course is mercilessly hilly. I unapologetically walked all the hills -- until the approach to the Mile 6 sign. Here, I heard the footsteps of the two women approaching. I said to myself, "No free passes," and started to run again. They eventually passed me, but I kept them within reach.

I re-passed them as we approached the finish chute. And then, inexplicably, this gutsy broad re-re-passed in a dead sprint, and of course I gave chase! In the end, I ran out of pavement and lost 2nd place in our age group by one foot.

The irony is that she and I were easily 8th and 9th from last in this race overall. I had no illusions about where we were in the pack, and figured placing/hardware was out of the question. But, dammit, neither one of us was going to let the other get a "free pass" especially not that close to the finish line. And even though I "lost," I am so grateful to that woman -- that gutsy broad -- who made me dig deep and enter that race, if even for the last moments, because she lit a fire in me that I had almost forgotten about. We high-fived on the other side of the line as I gave her heartfelt congratulations. Forget Inner Ass-Kicker, she helped me rediscover my own Inner Gutsy Broad -- who is way tougher, hands down.

When I got home I watched this clip a few times, reveling in my renewed competitive, yet appreciative spirit and shed a few tears of recognition at the final voiceover:



To be clear, I don't put myself on the same level as these elite athletes, but stripped down to the least common denominator, their moment was our moment writ large. For me, this drive is part of what makes me an athlete. Yes, triathlon is sometimes about going the distance, other times about the competition, but at its best about digging deeper after you thought you had nothing left.

So thank you, Stephanie May of Somewhere in Iowa for making me dig deep that day and energizing my inner athlete. But thanks especially for helping me re-discover my Inner Gutsy Broad, who admires yours...and is hot on your heels! :D

Opening Day -- Cinco Du Mayo 2008

Wow! What a day! A lot of firsts:

Today was my first multisport event of the 2008 season, my first true duathlon ever, and Lucy Q's racing debut. She showed herself well (and pretty much paid for herself in numbers of peeps passed, which I will discuss momentarily).

First of all, I got pulled over for speeding on my way to the event -- and got off with a warning! (That NEVER happens to me -- I always end up with a ticket, but I suspect that turning off the gangsta rap that I had blaring probably helped.) I was a little worried about what that might augur for the race...in the end it's probably just ironic, as I am slow-ass-slow on foot.

Clothing Removal Required to Have a Good Time
At last! I am vindicated for the Jermaine Stewart Debacle! Despite being chilly in Iowa City when I left this morning, it was surprisingly warm (and sunny and perfect overall) in the Quad Cities and I quickly realized I was wearing WAY too many clothes. I have to admit, I did not plan well for this: I was wearing full tights, capris, a tank, a long sleeve shirt, AND a windbreaker. Luckily, I brought a short sleeve jersey along, but I left a pair of bike shorts sitting on my bed. What to do? Well...I decided not overheating was a fair trade-off for no butt padding. Yup, I went commando under my capris. BUT I was temperature-comfy and I didn't really notice the lack of padding.

Lucy Q -- My Trusty Steed
After a standard-issue out-&-back run, I hopped on my bike and took off for the 17K ride. It was mostly on quiet country roads, and the last few miles had a pesky headwind. I don't know what kind of crazy mojo I've got going for me all of a sudden, but I not only managed a 15+ mph avg (official times forthcoming), I PASSED TEN PEOPLE on the bike leg!!! (You better believe I was counting) It's one thing to pass a bunch of other women, but I will admit, I felt a special kind of joy when I picked off those last three guys -- going 17-22 mph!!! Even though two of them passed me again on the run, passing on the bike is a triumph I hardly ever experience. Certainly not 10 times in a short race and certainly not when there is a headwind. Oh Lucy Q, I love you!

We Ain't in New Mexico Anymore
One thing I noticed at this race is that peeps don't talk here. I mean, I've spent a LOT of time at the back of the pack. In New Mexico, we're all back there cheering for each other and giving supportive words when we pass, or on approach to turn-arounds, etc. Frankly, that was one of the most pleasant surprises when I first started -- it certainly made it easier to continue in the activity. But there was significantly less of that going on here. Except for the cheers I gave people, I don't know how many of the athletes would have said anything. Of course, the volunteers and spectators were amazing with the cheering, but I was left scratching my head about the relative silence of the other participants. Maybe this race had a lot of super-newbies who don't yet know to do that. *shrugs*

So...I finished with a time of 1:18:04. I forgot to hit my watch for splits, so I'll update that as soon as the race organizers post their results. I am chomping at the bit to find out how fast I rode. (Also forgot to zero out my computer -- D'oh!)

Happy day!

Music Monday 4.21.08

In honor of Lucy Q's inaugural ride and my first ride of the season I've come up with a very special bike-intensive playlist that's all over the road, as it were, genre-wise. In case you need a refresher: click the titles to hear samples. Enjoy!!

Playlist: My Kingdom for a Bike***

Let Me Ride
Dr. Dre

Fantastic Voyage
Coolio

Push It
Salt 'n' Pepa

Weapon of Choice
Fatboy Slim

Chain of Fools
Aretha Franklin

Spinning Wheel
Blood Sweat & Tears

Slow Ride
Foghat

Free Ride
Edgar Winter

Life is a Highway
Tom Cochrane

Gear Jammer
George Thorogood

Low Rider
War

Life on the Road
Kinks

Ride
Amanda Marshall

Ride
Shelly Fairchild

Ride
G Love

***Biking on the open road is an iPod-less activity!!!

I. Am. Qualified!

Long story short:
1. As soon as I sat down they told me my written portion was a "strong pass" -- woot!
2. The session was planned for two hours; I was done in 30 minutes -- woot woot!

Apparently it was all in my head. But seriously, last night I finally worked up the courage to look at what I wrote. It was shockingly coherent and not at all reflective of the chaotic turmoil I experienced while writing it.

Go figure.

And now...back to the grindstone.

The Garish Light of Morning

First of all, check out those time stamps -- what the hell am I doing up right now?

I have to admit, I'm impressed with the coherence of those late-night posts, randomness notwithstanding.

In my defense, I'll say that I had to get that stuff out of my head to make more room for the quals stuffs.

And now...back to the books!

The Great Gord-holio

Here is the pivotal moment when I cross over from mere caffeination into cartoonish super-caffeination. (P.S. spell checker HATED the last half of that sentence!)

I have to love this from Wikipedia:
"Beavis also has an alter ego named The Great Cornholio, which usually surfaces after he consumes large quantities of caffeine and/or sugar."

In this moment, I'm reminded of my time at Cal State Northridge...
I was 19, writing my first upper-division term paper. At 8pm I drank ONE cup of coffee...and was up for the next 36 hours. I wandered the halls of my dorm around 4am and wrote increasingly illegible messages on the dry-erase boards people had outside their doors.

What I wouldn't give for some strangers' dry erase boards right now...

So this is what I'm in for the rest of this night:



It can only go downhill from here, folks!

Tune in in a couple hours, when you can hear Nurse Piggy say:



Wow...they gave it to Christopher Reeve in that episode. I didn't see that coming. (But I did have a HUGE crush on him when I was 5 or 6. I distinctly remember tuning in for his episode.)

P.S. CBS Friday night lineup circa 78-80:
7:30 Muppet Show
8:00 Incredible Hulk
9:00 Dukes of Hazzard
10:00 Dallas

When they went into repeats, my dad let me watch Wonder Woman on ABC instead of the Hulk (it's the little things).

Can you believe this stuff is taking up valuable Quals space?!

With Great Nerdom Comes Great Snackability

I am nerding up my own spring break. I can't believe it. (Okay, I can.)

Diet Dr. Pepper and rice pudding...these are my study fuels of choice. Break is almost over, I'm almost 5 pounds heavier and still have more work to do. A LOT more.

Quals are Monday, 2pm. I've got at least two knots forming in my neck and back and I'm almost out of rice pudding. I *would* $#!t a brick, but there's just no time. Also, all these simple carbs can't be helping.

Does anyone remember that episode of Family Ties where Alex gets speed from Mallory to study? Don't worry, Mamar and Daddy...I'm not gonna go that route. I'm just sayin' that I am about to become incredibly caffeinated and sugared on soda.



More later...

Tardy Tuesday Tracks

Haul Ass Mix
You'll see...

Baby Got Back
Sir Mixalot
Because I do.

Big Bottoms
Spinal Tap
Because I have one.

Fat Bottomed Girls
Queen
Because I am one.

Little Miss Can't Be Wrong
Spin Doctors
Because I can't.

U Can't Touch This
MC Hammer
Because U can't.

I'm Too Sexy
Right Said Fred
Because I am...in my head.

Shake Your Booty
KC & the Sunshine Band
Because it's going to happen, whether I/you like it or not.

Rump Shaker
Wreckx-N-Effect
See above.

Big Ole Butt
LL Cool J
How many times do I have to tell you I've got this?!

Bootylicious
Destiny's Child
Because NOBODY is ready for this jelly.

Da Butt
E.U.
Because I've just stopped trying.

I loved it. It was much better than Cats...

GOOD NEWS: There will be an encore presentation on Thursday, Feb 21 -- GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! I'll see you there!

In the meantime:

I have an on-again/off-again relationship with the fact that I ran a marathon. My iPod died before me -- at Mile 15. On again. I only beat Katie Holmes' time by eight minutes. Off again. There are rumors that she may not have even completed the whole thing. On again. She's kinda strange and her husband is insufferable. Way on again...oh wait. I digress.

I will admit, I felt like I was going to get a little something extra out of the film because I have a finisher's medal. (Not gonna lie -- I teared up a little.) I also thought the event might cement my feelings of ownership over 26.2. If only it were as simple as that.

As I settled in for the opening moments of this film, I thought Hey, I did that! On again. One of the first talking heads validates the "slow-timers" -- that it doesn't matter how fast or how slow your time; the distance has been covered. On again.

Then they showed the amateurs and first-timers training. Off again. Ooh. I didn't do that. My longest training run was 10 miles, over two months before my race. Yes, I will say that part of the reason I don't "own" my first 26.2 is because I don't feel like I earned it. I didn't make months of sacrifice -- I simply forged on for a few hours. That feels disingenuous, somehow. Off again.

Then we got into the meat of the movie: Greek history, growth of marathon-distance races around the world, etc. But the one thing I was most impressed by was how they gave the women their props. From Kathrine Switzer's infamous entry in Boston (go girl!), to Joan Benoit's winning of the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984, I felt a special sense of -- not ownership, but something else, camaraderie, maybe? -- to see my sisters (whoa, I never use that word) kicking ass. And I will admit that I'm not sure if being a woman made me read the film this way, but I LOVED the fact that the end of the women's race was more compelling than the men's race. (Just sayin'.) On. Again.

And then: sweeping aerial shots of Chicago, footage of the race itself, glimpses of the finish line -- I've got to do Chicago. I want to see that city from the middle of the street, not the sidewalk. And you know what? Why NOT try to qualify for Boston? Then I started running the numbers and calendars trying to figure out a timeline. This year = Ironman, so...Chicago...2009? Boston '11 or '12? Is that even possible?

I think this is the moment that I made peace with my 26.2 skin: yes, I've covered the distance -- ran every step. But all I did that day was show up and keep going. So no, it's not so much about the race behind me. I'm looking to the horizon. I'm looking at the road between here and there. I've got some dues to pay. My journey to the finish line needs to be longer than 26.2 miles. But more importantly, it's one thing to earn the finish line -- it's something else to earn a starting line.

26.2

3:45

On.

Music Monday 1.21.08

I've decided I'm going to try to post a new (hopefully motivational) music mix every Monday...we'll see how this goes. I'm also going to try to make it consistent with whatever theme I have going with the quote and the video clip in the sidebar.

Anywho...

We're about mid-way through January, which is but one teetering point for staying on track. The newness of the plans start wearing off and could use a little boosty before the habit of it really takes hold. Also, I'm starting school again this week...that should explain the tie between the quote, the video, and this mix. GET UP AND GET AFTER IT!

Here's what I'm listening to on this front. I admit, this particular mix is pretty thugged out (even with its detours into pop and country), but I already have a few other mixes in the works that span other genres and themes. So, like Iowa weather, if you don't like this...don't worry, you'll get something different soon.


Ass-Kicking Mix (Thuggy Version)
(click titles for samples)

Let's Get it Started
Black Eyed Peas

What could be a more self-evident first track?


SexyBack
Justin Timberlake

Okay, I will own my vanity and say that part of the reason I'm training is just to get back into all my cute clothes...and my cute body. I miss them both.

Yeah!
Usher

Who doesn't want someone yelling "yeah!" while you're working out? (Though I admit, the actual lyrics are pretty reprehensible.)


Till I Collapse
Eminem

Lose Yourself has already become something of a tri anthem (I've included it further down), but I think this little gem might be more appropo. The prologue on this + Nate Dogg's hook = magnifique.

Intro:
Cause sometimes you just feel tired.
You feel weak and when you feel weak you feel like you wanna just give up.
But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
and just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up
and not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.

Outro:
Until the roof
The roof comes off
Until my legs
give out from underneath me

I will not fall,
I will stand tall,
Feels like no one could beat me.


Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J

This one might be a bit of a throwaway -- sometimes I listen; sometimes I skip it. I just like the opening line: "Don't call it a comeback/I've been here for years," given my recent realizations. But it's a tuff song all the way around.


You Can Do It
Ice Cube

I will just say that in addition to the hook, these lines are why this track is included. Warning: this one is not for the kiddies.

Hear me banging down these back streets
Bumpin' Blackstreet, treated like a athlete
Life ain't a track meet (no) it's a marathon
F*** the cemetery that a nigga get buried on

There is another song by the same name by No Doubt that is also a goodie, but it is for a mix of a different feel (maybe next week).


Fighter
Christina Aguilera

This sorta picks up the boxing theme from Mr. Smith two tracks back...but mostly this track needs no explanation:

Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
It makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

'Nuff said.


Lose Yourself
Eminem

Ah...the requisite Iron anthem:

If you had one shot, one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted-One moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?


The Distance
Cake

This is more of a race day track, but if you don't visualize, how will you ever reach your goals?


Desire
U2

Toward the end of a workout, when I might be tempted to cut it short, this and the next track help me dig a little deeper and help connect my present pain to the future triumph that I want so much.


How Bad Do You Want It?
Tim McGraw

This song alone has gotten me out of bed, out of the house, to the pool, through the last few laps, through the last few reps, away from chicken wings...you name it, this one is just too good not to include no matter how thuggy the mix might be.

Are you hungry?
Are you thirsty?
Is it a fire that burns you up inside?
How bad do you want it?
How bad do you need it?
Are you eating, sleeping, dreaming
With that one thing on your mind?
How bad do you want it?
How bad do you need it?
Cause if you want it all
You've got to lay it all out on the line

See what I mean?