Susan's World - Because it IS all about me

One Good Deed

2009-11-12T12:13:00.003-05:00

I try to be a nice person. I really do. Sometimes, being nice has a way of coming back to bite you in the butt.

A friend of mine who is currently working on his college degree asked me to read a paper for his English 102 class last week. I said sure, I would be glad to help you. Well, the paper was a mess. He had actually already received a grade, but wanted to polish it up to get an A. I read it with his professor's comments, and helped him rewrite the paper. He got an A. I am glad for him, and glad I could help, but now it has turned into a nightmare.

He has another paper due this week. He asked me take a look at the assignment, and give him a suggestion for which poem to analyse. OK, fine. He wrote the paper. I reviewed it and gave him pointers on grammar and spelling. I edited only to make his sentences cleaner, but did not comment on the content. He also sent it to his professor to review it. Overall, the professor said it was good, but the introduction and thesis are weak.

Now, my friend refers to it as "our paper," and wants me to stop by later so that we can rewrite the introduction. I am in deep doo doo. I really don't want to rewrite his paper. I am not interested. I have a degree, and I have already written all of my papers. How do I get out of this mess??

4 Weeks

2009-10-26T13:27:00.002-05:00

I have just under four weeks until my first marathon. I picked the Philadelphia Marathon for a few reasons. It is near the place I was born, and I still have some family in the area. I also picked it because it is very late in the fall marathon season. I liked having additional time to train and prepare, but soon I will just have to do it.

It has been over a week since my longest training run ever. I made it 25.5 miles, and it was a painful and ugly run. I was worn out after 15 miles that day. I really wanted to just go home after the 15 and call it a day. My friend and former group leader encouraged me to go on anyway. She said we could go as slow as I needed. While I was not happy with her at the time, I am glad I did it. I was able to prove that I can go the distance, and make it within the time limit. We finished our training run in about 6 hours, 40 minutes. I know that I will be able to finish 26.2 within 7 hours even if I have to walk the last 3/4 mile. It is a good thing to know.

I hope that my training run was an unusual day. I hope I feel strong on marathon day. I have decided that I am not going to try to predict my time, or be disappointed if I don't make a certain time. Running in a marathon is a huge achievement in and of itself, so I don't need any extra pressure. The only thing I will not do is fail, so really, I can't lose.

Birthday Freebies!

2009-10-23T13:25:00.003-05:00

It's my birthday month, so a whole slew of birthday freebies have been heading my way. Last night, Bill and I had a date night where we went to a brewpub called the Carolina Brewery. They had sent me a coupon for a free dinner valued at $9.95 or less. We had planned this outing for a week only to find out that there was a football game in Chapel Hill the same night. It was the first Thursday night game in UNC history (it figures, right?) and the location we wanted to go to is in downtown Chapel Hill. Luckily, there are two locations for the Carolina Brewery. So, we headed out to Pittsboro instead.

We had a great dinner and enjoyed a few of the beers brewed right there at the brewery. It was a fun outing, and we saved $9.95. Unfortunately, we did have to drive about 20 miles each way to get there, so what were the real savings? Oh well, I had fun anyway.

Now I need to find time to use these coupons:

Red Robin - free burger
Firebirds - $10 off next meal
Cold Stone Creamery-Free Like it Creation
Flying Saucer - Free pint of beer of my choice
Nine West - 25% off any purchase
Express - $15 gift coupon
Ann Taylor Loft - $15 gift coupon
Macy's - $10 off a $30 purchase

Glad I have my actual birthday off - looks like I have a lot to do!

I'm a Ramblin' Rose

2009-10-16T08:35:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday, I participated in my second Ramblin' Rose triathlon. The Ramblin' Rose series is a triathlon celebrating the empowerment of women. I did last year's event as my first triathlon ever, and it was nice to have this year's event as my final tri of the season.

The morning started early with my fantastic crew chief, hubby Bill, and I heading over to the race site. The worst part of a triathlon is that you have to get there early to set up your transition area before the race starts, then you have to stand around waiting for your individual race to start. We arrived around 7:20am, and I had to wait until about 9:30 for my swim time. Luckily, it was not nearly as cold as it was last year, and there were more vendors around as well. I got to see the first several finishers cross the line before I even headed to the pool.

My swim was pretty good. I got very lucky and had a young girl behind me. With only 10 seconds between swimmer, it is very easy to get caught up to the person in front of you. I had no problems whatsoever. I felt like I had a great swim up until I was ready to get out of the pool. Then, racer 464 was standing in my way. It was clear she was a first timer, so I resisted the urge to yell "Move your ass, 464!" at her. I finished by swim in 6:30 which was pretty consistent with my 250m swims this year.

My T1 time was a little slow (again, 464 stood in my way when I was ready to get out of the bike rack area) at 2:43, but I was soon off on the ride. I was just behind 470 (my number was 471) heading up the first big hill. My goal was to keep up with her, but she was a bit too speedy. I wound up trading places about 4 times with 469 on the bike. It was cold (being wet did not help), but I had a good ride. I bested my time on the same course that I did the UNC Wellness sprint in August. I finished the 9 mile bike in 36:30, which was 169 overall. It was much faster than my 332 place finish in the swim.

Racer 464 was nowhere to be found when I returned to the transition area (thank goodness). I re racked my bike and changed shoes to head out for the run. After a 2:30 transition, I was on my way. I was determined to run the best I could for the 2 mile course. My legs were definitely tired after the bike (must do brick workouts next year), but I kept moving. I got some encouragement from my yoga teacher who was cheering on the course. I managed to keep a slow run for the entire two miles with the one exception of a short uphill after the turnaround. I did feel like I finished strong coming in at 23:17 for the running section of the race. My time for a mile on fresh legs at the beginning of the season was 11 minutes, so I was very happy with my run.

At the finish, I got a first that I have never had at a triathlon. Each finisher received a necklace. The pink cord held a metal ring with Swim, Bike, Run engraved on one side and Ramblin' Rose 2009 on the other. Medals are common for marathons and half marathons, but this was the first time I have ever received anything for a triathlon. It was a great surprise.

Overall, I finished 296 out of a field of 473 with a final time of 1:11:27. I was very happy with my race. I am a little sad to see triathlon season over, but now is the time to focus on the next big challenge - The Philadelphia Marathon.

Bargain Sale 2009

2009-10-10T13:41:00.002-05:00

The Junior League holds a fall fundraiser called Bargain Sale every year. This weekend marks the 70th annual sale. My husband calls it "Crap Sale," but he is not a big fan of The League anyway. I have to say, though, it is kind of a big crap sale.

Each member is required to bring a certain dollar amount of things to be sold at this sale. So, it is really a big old garage sale with stuff donated by about 140 women. Sure, there are a few nice things here and there (we are required to bring $20.00 worth of Treasures - high value items like jewelry, silver, china, and designer goods), but it is mostly stuff you would find at any garage sale. I find it to be very stressful. It is hard to get stuff together in each category and to get enough stuff to fulfill your dollar amount. This year I was lucky that we cleaned out many books from the office which really put a dent in my quota requirement. Each year, though, it gets harder and hared to find Treasures. I donated a jade ring this year as well as a pair of pearl earrings I got free from a local jewelry store.

I am not one to scour garage sales or bargain bins, so I don't even shop at this event. Other people do really seem to like it. I don't know. It seems like a bit of a stretch to call it community service, but what do I know. I'm just glad it is over for 2009.

Best of Fall

2009-10-08T15:18:00.002-05:00

I love the fall. It is my favorite season for so many reasons. I love the cooler temperatures, the changing leaves, the beginning of hockey and football, and all of the wonderful holidays. It is also the beginning of the new TV season.

I have checked out a few of the new shows this year. Here's what I think so far:

Community - I thought the first episode of this show was hilarious. It has a great ensemble cast including the great Chevy Chase. The second two episodes were enjoyable, but not as funny as the premier. I am a little upset with NBC. They have moved Community to 8:00pm which will conflict with two other shows that I watch. So, I guess Community lasted for three episodes as far as I am concerned.

The Vampire Diaries - I love anything with a paranormal premise. In this show, we have two brother vampires who have returned to their small VA town. One is a vampire with humanity who does not drink human blood and seems to want a normal life. The other is an evil vampire who thinks of humans merely as food and does not seem to care who he hurts. In the middle of the brothers is Elena, a gorgeous young woman who resembles a woman from the brother's past. It seems the past is repeating itself as both brothers are drawn to Elena. So far, I like it. Yes, the cast is mostly teenagers, but I do enjoy the love triangle and the supernatural. Did I mention there is a witch, too? I am keeping this one on my list.

Cougartown - I have always liked Courteney Cox. I think she is a gorgeous woman and a funny actress. I had high hopes for this show about a 40 something divorced woman starting to date again. The premier episode was a dog. I stopped watching with about 5 minutes left. It was not funny or clever. I deleted the show and have not looked back.

The Good Wife - This story is set in Chicago. The state's attorney (guest star Chris Noth) has resigned in scandal. He has shamed his family and is now serving time in prison. His wife, Alicia, has stood by him and now must put her family back together. She (the wonderful Julianna Marguiles) has returned to the law and is now a 40 something woman working as a junior associate in a law firm headed by her good friend (Josh Charles - loved him since Sports Night) from law school. I like the quirky cast and watching Alicia find her legal skills after a 13 year absence. I really like this show and hope it continues.

Modern Family - The first show made me weep because I was laughing so hard. We missed the second episode due to a DVR failure, but saw the third episode last night. I love the crazy son-in-law and the gay couple. So far, so good.

Flash Forward - This show was one of the most hyped coming into the new season. Every person on the planet blacks out for 2+ minutes. People are given a glimpse into their own future - what they are doing on April 29, 2010. We return to the present, and all the pieces must be put together to find out why it happened and how we get from here to there. Promising premise. It sounded interesting, and the initial episode was interesting. How does a loving wife who would never cheat wind up with another man in a few short months? What killed it for me was an commercial that aired during the show. The main character is walking down the street just as everyone is coming to from the blackout. There is a kangaroo that jumps past him. The announcer point it out again and says something like "Did you see the kangaroo? It may be important." Well, it the show need to point out things that may be important, it is assuming I am not smart enough to follow it. I finished the first episode and moved on.

So, what are you watching this season? Has anything caught your interest?

So Much to Say

2009-10-06T15:49:00.003-05:00

Sorry I have been gone for so long! There is no real excuse - life just got busy on me. Well, there are many things to update now.

1. Still undecided about book club - I did not go to the first meeting of the year. It was the same night as a beer tasting at The Flying Saucer, so I went with Bill to that event. We drank yummy pumpkin ales (Cottonwood Pumpkin) and Oktoberfests (Old Dominion rocks). To me, it was much better than a book club meeting. I was all set to quit the book club for these monthly beer tastings when they announced that the tastings would move to Thursdays starting in October. I have no excuses now. I still want to quit, but the conflict was so easy. Now, I am uncertain again.

2. Junior League is going full swing. I am actually liking what I am doing this year. It has been fun so far, and I have had a chance to get to know the women in my committee better. I am having issues with my Extra Hands assignment, but we will see how it goes in the next few weeks.

3. I am still running. We went to a happy hour last Thursday for the Galloway group. It was fun to see people in regular clothes, and I enjoyed talking to our friends Lesley and George. On Saturday, I had the longest run of my life - 23 miles. I felt great for the first 14 or so miles, but then the hills and the sun really started to affect my energy. There were 3 of us still running at 18 miles. I told the other women that I was ready to lie down on the trail and be still for about an hour. I was glad to know everyone felt that way, too. Somehow the camaraderie made it easier to keep running. I will say that I was very excited to see the lake which signaled the end of my run. Had you told me to go another 3.2 miles to finish marathon distance, I am not sure I could have done it. I will have to do it in less than 2 weeks. It will be an adventure. Finally today, my legs are feeling back to normal.

4. Hockey season opened in Carolina on Friday night. I was able to go to the first game with my friends Heather and her friend Tammy. Tammy was able to get us a 3 ticket package that included the opening game. The arena has a cool new Jumbotron in the center with many screens. We have several new players as well. Still, the crowd, the Jumbotron, and the new meat were not enough to get the win. The Canes lost to the Flyers 2-0. As of today, they have yet to win a game and have an 0-2 start. I hope it changes tonight against Tampa Bay.

5. I saw what was quite possibly the best concert of my life - U2 at Carter Finley (NC State) Stadium with Muse as the opening act. I have never seen a production like the U2 stage. It looks like a claw with four talons over a round stage with an additional outer ring. There were bridges that allow the guys to move over the crowd to the outer ring. There was a huge screen over the stage that showed the concert and expanded for an extra light show. The music was amazing (I am a new fan of Muse). U2 played all of there hits with one notable exception - Pride (In the Name of Love). It was really the one song I wanted to hear the most, and I was disappointed. I did get to hear Beautiful Day, The City of Blinding Lights, Magnificent, Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found what I am Looking For, With or Without You, and many, many more. If U2 comes near you, I would highly recommend you see the show.

6. My company has hooked me up with an executive coach to help me with my interpersonal issues. I met with her last week for an initial introduction. It should be interesting to see where we go from here.

Well, I think I covered all the news pretty well. I will try to be better about keeping up my blog. I should have more to post soon.

Longest Run Ever

2009-09-13T10:27:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I completed my longest run ever - 20 miles. I was nervous going into the day. My previous high was 16 miles last year, and 14 miles this season. I wasn't sure I would be able to make the extra distance. Every time I finish a half marathon, I feel like I have given it my all, and there is no way I could go any further. It would all be tested on Saturday.

I woke up at 4:10am to meet my friend to get an early start. She prefers to go earlier in the day for long runs so we can finish earlier. I was hesitant to wake up this early, but I am sure glad that I did. We met in the pitch darkness of the morning. I was surprised to see 6 people from another group already there to run. There were 4 in our group, so there are at least 10 crazy people in the area. We ran with headlamps and a little but of conversation. I was scared after the first mile - I seemed to be having problems breathing. I felt like I was going too fast, but there was no choice. I did not have my own lamp, and there was no way I was going to be by myself in the dark. The others were able to slow for me, though, and we ran 5 miles before heading back to meet the group.

It turned out to be an extra benefit for me. My Garmin watch failed after 4.8 miles. I was lucky to be able to reset it in the parking lot before the main group run began. It would have been really horrible to have it fail during the main run.

We began the big group run with a 10 miler on a familiar path. I felt like I was doing quite well at first, but became tired on the return. Of course I was tired! By that time, I was in the 13th mile of my day. We returned to the start and our group began to break up according to how long everyone was to run. The longer distance group went out again. I maintained my place in the back of the 5 person main group. I was tired, but overall, felt surprisingly good.

Soon, I was saying goodbye to my friends. I was so glad to have run the 5 miles so early, so I was able to cut the run short and head back to the car. I was lucky to meet another Galloway runner on the path heading back to the lake. She had lost her legs during her run, and fell behind her group. It was so nice to have someone to finish the last 2.5 miles. It really helps to have someone to talk to at that point. She was great, but soon we were parting ways. She had another 3 miles to finish when I was done. I headed home after about 5 1/2 hours of running.

I felt OK when I got home. Stretching was tough, but I put on my compression socks. This morning, my legs feel pretty good, but I do have soreness in my hips. I have 2 more training runs (23 mi and 26 mi) plus the actual marathon. I am beginning to think I can really do it.

Decisions, Decisions

2009-09-08T14:54:00.003-05:00

The time for my book club to start again is quickly drawing near. We will have our opening meeting/potluck dinner in 3 weeks. Like so many other things in my life, I am torn between staying or going. I love the people in my book club. Going to our monthly meetings is pretty much the only time I would get to see them (except perhaps at a holiday party). I like some of the books we have read, but they are usually the type I would not chose to read. I feel like I don't really have much to say at these meetings, but I do really enjoy the social part. There have even been a few meetings where I haven't even read the book.

So, what should I do? Should I stay or should I go?

Pros: the people, different books than I would normally read
Cons: the books, amount of time it takes, lack of discussion points from me

Help!!!

Marathon des Deux Rives

2009-09-04T16:12:00.001-05:00

Quebec City, Canada - August 30, 2009 - Bill and I wanted to run a half marathon in late August-early September as part of our training. We found this race, and decided to make a vacation of it. I, for one, am very glad we did. It was a great race and a wonderful trip.

Our race day started early (don’t they always?) with a walk from our hotel down to the port of Quebec City. There, we joined fellow runners on the ferry across the St. Lawrence River to the town of Levis where both the marathon and demi (half) marathon would start. Once ashore, we were separated into different shuttle bus lines for our trip to the start. The marathoners (42.2K in Canada) were going to town and the top of a long ascent. We demi marathoners (21.1K) were delivered to the start near a park in a residential area of Levis. I was sure the neighbors would not be happy about blasting stereos at 6:30am and the noise of hundreds of runners, but the homeowners were out to cheer us on early on a Sunday morning.

The demi marathon started at a relatively flat area of Levis. It didn’t last long. Soon, we hit one big hill, a short break, and a second big hill. Luckily, these hills were the worst of the course, so I was glad to get them out of the way early. Soon after the hills, we were on the world’s longest cantilever bridge crossing the St. Lawrence to Quebec City. There was a long downhill (finally!) to a road that ran just along the river. We stayed on this road all the way into Quebec City. The race finished in the heart of the port with lots and lots of excited spectators shouting “Bravo!” as I passed. The last few yards were even on a red carpet. Once we crossed the finish line and returned our race chips, we received a unique lighted finisher’s medal. We also got a bag to choose our food from the finisher’s area. There was plenty of water, bagels, cookies, yogurt, chips, peanut, and other food.

I was very impressed with this race. The expo was small, but nice. We received a reusable tote bag and a technical shirt with our race information. By staying at one of the official race hotels and booking the stay through the race center, we received free entry into the pasta dinner. The food was good and plentiful, but, alas, there was no wine at the dinner. There were many stops along the race route with both French and English signs announcing what was available at the stop. There were stops for bananas, oranges, Carb Boom!, and even wet sponges (although we didn’t need them as the remnants of Hurricane Danny kept the morning cool and overcast). The race was measured in kilometers. The kilometer signs descended to let you know how many Ks you had left to the finish. I enjoyed passing all 21 kilometer signs.

Quebec City is a wonderful place to visit as well. The city is gorgeous and quaint. The people are very friendly and will gladly speak to you in English if, like us, you do not speak French. The food is delicious, and Canadian beer is exceptionally good. The weather in August is quite cool as well. We both enjoyed this vacation, and would recommend this race to anyone.

Bike Crawl #2

2009-08-25T13:45:00.003-05:00

This past Saturday, our friend Jon organized our second bike tour/beer run. The weather did not hold out for us this time, but it didn't matter. I think I had as much, if not more, fun this time.

Our tour started at J&M's house. We had to delay our start by 30-45 minutes due to a downpour, but we were soon on our way. We rode our bike a few miles over to the NC Museum of Art which has a beautiful trail (though hilly!) that connects it to the Meredith College campus. We have been lucky to run there on several occasions. The trail has a variety of art works along it and leads to a pedestrian bridge that goes over a major highway. From there, we headed toward the NC State Campus and our first stop, East Village Grill & Bar.

East Village is a popular hangout for the NC State crowd. Their deck is usually packed on the evenings, but we had it to ourselves in the afternoon. It was a great place to relax for a few minutes with a beer before heading to the next stop. Unfortunately, it started to rain just a bit as we were sitting at East Village. We quickly rode over to our second stop, the Village Draft House, with a quick stop at The Raleigh Little Theater for coverage from the rain.

When we reached Village Draft House, the rain began again in earnest. Luckily, we were able to be seated in a covered area outside where we could sip a beer while watching the rain pour on our bicycles. We were determined (and hungry), so we powered on the the next stop, The Flying Saucer.

We had an easy ride downtown to our old friend, The Sauce. Once there, we ate big hot pretzels and enjoyed a beer on the covered deck. We were not done eating, though. Out next stop was Krispy Kreme.

We were a little giddy at this point, with beer in our tummies and rain on our backs. The donuts were fresh and sweet - a great stop on a Saturday afternoon. The sugar gave us the energy we needed to head to Big Boss Brewery.

Big Boss is my favorite of our local breweries. One of my personal favorite beers, Bad Penny, is brewed there. There brew pub is a neat little watering hole with tons of memorabilia and great people. We even met some new friends at the table next to us. The do not serve food, but they are just a few blocks away from our final stop, Carolina Ale House.

We were planning to be at Carolina Ale House around 3pm, but with the rain we were closer to 6pm. It worked out well as we had quite an appetite for dinner when we arrived. We had stashed two cars in the parking lot so we could load up and return to the beginning after dinner. It had been a long day, but one of the best days we had in a long time. Bike Crawl #3 has got its work cut out to beat this day!

Check out pictures from our adventure on Jon's photo site.

20 Years? Seems like yesterday...

2009-08-24T11:27:00.003-05:00

I am so glad that I went to California for my 20th high school reunion weekend. Not only did I have a great weekend with my friends who I don't get to see enough, I actually had a blast at the reunion!!

I was nervous for nothing. People were so nice at the reunion. Folks remembered me from elementary school (we even got a picture of a group of us who all graduated from Montevideo, our elementary school). Facebook even helped. We felt like we all knew one another via our posts, so it wasn't hard to start up a conversation. The venue was wonderful, too. I have added more friends to my Facebook list, and just thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the reunion. I am already thinking about making this trip a yearly venture to CA, and I would certainly consider going to the 25th reunion.

All my fears and concerns were for nothing.

On top of a fabulous reunion, I got to see three of my best friends. I stayed with Melissa who I met in elementary school and have stayed in touch with over all these years. She still lives in the area, so she made an excellent tour guide for my return trip. We went to all three of our schools, drove around town to see how things have changed, and went to see my old house, now totally different with no trees and a second story addition. I also got to spend a glorious Sunday in Laguna Beach at the Sawdust Art Festival with Melissa and sisters Devi and Dorene. Devi and Dorene lived with their parents just three houses down from mine. Our families were extremely close, and went out to dinner every Friday night for many years. It had been years since I saw all three ladies, and we had a wonderful day together. I made me realize how lucky I am to have life long friends. I truly cherish my friendship with each of these ladies. I know it will not be years before we see each other again.

Here is a picture of Melissa and me at the reunion.

Where did the time go?

2009-08-13T16:15:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I leave to go to my 20th high school reunion. Now, I actually did not graduate from the high school in CA (I did graduate from a high school in SC), but I did spend second grade to tenth grade there. I count CA as the place I grew up. I know these folks better than I know the people I actually did graduate with in SC. So, I am heading out there and staying with one of my dearest friends who I have not seen in about 6 years.

I am excited, but also nervous. Will people remember me? Will I remember them? Will they think it is strange that I am there even though technically I did not graduate from CA? With the advent of Facebook, I have gotten in touch with so many more people. Most are so excited for the reunion. I hope the trip will be as much fun as I imagine it will be. I guess I will have to let you know when I get back.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Hughes

2009-08-12T11:22:00.004-05:00

I was just listening to Billy Idol's cover of "Don't You Forget About Me." It takes me back to my teen years. The Breakfast Club was the first R rated movie I ever saw in the theater. We walked up to the box office to buy the tickets, but they would not sell them to us as we were clearly not 17 years old. The person who drove us to the theater (I can't remember if it was my parent or my friend's parent) stepped up to get us the tickets. In we went to our first adult movie.

To this day, The Breakfast Club is still a favorite. It makes me laugh, it makes my cry, and it makes me remember that people may look different, but we are mostly all the same on the inside. We all feel pain, sadness, happiness, and fear. It is finding that similarity in your fellow man that makes it easier to go through life.

Like Michael Jackson, John Hughes was a huge influence on me as I was growing up. It is hard to believe that both are gone. They will always remain in my heart and mind, as I am sure they will in millions of people, old and young, throughout the world.

It's Tri Time Again - Triathlon #4

2009-08-10T14:29:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I participated in the UNC Wellness Super Sprint Triathlon. I had some good advantages coming in to this tri. UNC Wellness is my home gym, so I am very familiar with the pool and surrounding area. It is also just a few minutes from my house, so no 4:15 am wake up call (we got to sleep in until 5:45)! I also have my brand new bike. It turned out that all of those things did work in my favor.

I was very excited for the pool swim. I really lucked out with a 2 minute break right in front of me. There were no people in the lanes in front of me when I started. I got extra lucky that the person behind me was missing, so there was a 20 second gap between me and the next swimmer. I spoke to the guy before we got started. He said he was new to the sport and that this was his first tri. I thought that would also benefit me, but it didn't. He did catch me in about the 4th lap. I let him go around, but then he slowed (I think he went out too fast - rookie mistake). I wound up literally on his heels for the rest of the swim. It did help with my breathing and energy, but I may have been able to go a bit faster. Still, I finished the 250 meter swim in a new personal record - 6:23.

T1 is usually a breeze for me. This time, it was a little bit different. I had to get on my bike shoes, then run with the cleats on my feet to the mount line. I was right at what I thought I would do - 2:22.

The new bike and the clipless pedals made all the difference in the world. You start the bike on a flat section for less than 1/4 mile, then turn right and straight up a big hill. I was a bit tired getting up the hill, but once I scaled it, I started to fly. I really felt strong on the bike. I was going so fast, I passed the guy who had passed me on the hill. I actually got past more people than those who passed me. I was very excited about that. I even got to pass the guy who held me up in the pool. By the end of the 14K (about 9 miles) ride, I was feeling tired. I did have to slow a bit at times to catch my breath and straighten my back, but I will get better the more I ride. I was very proud of my bike time - 37:28 - which ranked 97 out of the 193 female competitors. It was clearly my best stage of the day.

T2 used to be easy for me. I would not have to change shoes. This time, I did have to change from bike shoes to running shoes. The great time also took its toll on my legs. I was more wobbly than usual coming off the bike. I had to walk out of transition. It was a bit longer than T1 at 2:32.

I headed out to run the neighborhood of Meadowmont. It is a lovely place, but has a lot of hills. We had a pretty quick ascent that was soon followed by a nice downhill. All of the folks around me were very glad for the downhill, but we soon remembered we would have to see this same road from the other direction. The volunteers on the course were wonderful. They were so supportive and kind (one lady took my empty water cup without my having to ask). I was able to run quite a bit, but did stop to run when I felt the need. I felt very strong at the finish (the downhill helped), and finished the run in 37:43. The 5K was a new PR for me. I was shocked to get a PR in the third leg of a tri, but very happy. My overall time was 1:26:25, well under my goal of 1:30.

I did try something different for this race. My friend, Judy, told me that she had her best times at triathlons when she ran the day before the race. So, on Saturday, I met my running group for our regular run. I did the 9.82 miles with the group, and still felt great for the tri. Guess I will have to run on 10/10 before my final triathlon of the season!

Feels like the end of summer

2009-08-07T15:17:00.002-05:00

Things have started getting busy again.

Summer is not my favorite season. Actually, it is my least favorite season. The only good thing about summer is that most of my activities are on hiatus. The Junior League ends in May, and traditionally begins in September. Hockey season ends in June to start again in October. My book club has a final meeting around Memorial Day, then picks back up at the end of September. It is only August 7, and I can already feel things closing in on me.

We had our first committee meeting for the Junior League this past Wednesday. It was a nice meeting - a chance to meet everyone in the group and organize for the coming year. I will be on the same committee this year. Our function is to plan single day volunteer activities in the community. I contacted one local agency already, and the one day they have available for us is the same day I have to run 26 miles according to my training schedule. Guess I will have to pass off the activity because I don't think I could work a three hour shift after 26 miles.

I also did something stupid. I actually took on more responsibility with the League. I am going to be a membership advisor for our committee. We have our first meeting next Wednesday. They promise it will be easy and that we will only have 4 meetings a year. Of course, those meetings fall on a Wednesday night like all of the other JLDOC meetings. Wednesday night is my yoga night.

I have quit hockey, and I am seriously considering quitting my book club. I had hoped I had time to make a decision, but it feels like time is running out even though the weather outside is still very warm.

My achin' back!

2009-07-29T20:41:00.003-05:00

My back has been sore for three days now. It is my lower back, and I am not completely sure what is causing it.

Hubby and I went for a bike ride on Sunday. It was a hot day, but I really wanted to try out my new bike. I was nervous about working with the clipless pedals (shoes that clip right in to the bike pedals), but I soon got the hang of it. I actually have a bigger problem getting my feet in the pedals than out. I am pleased to report that never fell over on my bike (at least not yet). I rode around the parking lot for a bit, then we headed out to the road for a short ride. Soon, we were back at the car, and it just didn't seem like we had gone far enough. So, out we went again.

We rode along the American Tobacco Trail until it ended. We ran into fellow biker who told us he had been harassed by two teens further down the trail. He said that they had tried to knock him off his bike. We rode with him for a while until he got a call from the police stating that the perps had been found and returned home (one boy was receiving a beating from his mama in the front yard). I was starting the get very tired at this point, and it was well after lunch. My back was aching and my hands hurt from holding the handles. I was afraid I would not be able to make it back to the truck.

Luckily, we ran into friends on the trail, and I perked up a bit. We did make it back to the truck after about an hour and a half of riding (courtesy of my new bike computer that track time actually moving on the bike).

I know one needs good core strength for bike riding (which I don't have). I also know that the position of the bike is different than what I am used to being in, but should my back still hurt because of the ride?

New Toy #2

2009-07-24T14:03:00.002-05:00

After the Triangle Triathlon, I really wanted a road bike. While I love my sport hybrid, it is just not the bike you want to use for racing. So, last weekend, I got a new bike.

We went to several stores and I rode several bikes. This one, however, just felt right. This bike literally makes me smile when I ride it. Well, you can't just buy a bike nowadays. With a road bike, you need bike shoes to clip into the clipless pedals. You need cages to hold your water bottles and a computer to monitor how fast you are riding. There is also the necessary biking wardrobe - gel bike shorts to make the seat more comfortable and bike jerseys that are tight at the bottom to keep from causing wind drag. It cost a pretty penny, but I think it will be so worth it.

This weekend is the hard part. I will be practicing the clipless pedals for the first time outside of a trainer (a device that keeps you steady an upright). I am afraid that I will fall over. Most people do forget that their feet are attached to the bicycle for their first ride. I know I will get used to it and it will become second nature. Then, I can do what I really want to do - ride my beautiful new bike for miles and miles.

New Toy #1

2009-07-20T11:03:00.003-05:00

About two weeks ago, my wonderful hubby surprised me. He purchased a gift for me that was from my wonderful girls, Misty and Lily. He said they wanted to get me something nice to remember their first anniversary with us (yes, it has been one year since we adopted Misty and Lily from the SPCA). Inside the box, much to my surprise, was an ITouch.

At first, I was not sure what to think. The ITouch has the same features as the IPhone, yet it is not a phone. It is also not a camera. It does, however, have access to the Internet as long as there is a Wifi signal. So, you can access your e-mails while in a Hot spot, but not where there is no network present. I wasn't really sure how I would use it, but I have grown to love it.

It does have a calendar and all of my contact information in it. I can also load on photos of my loved ones, and well as all of my MP3 music files. It has 16GB of memory, so when I am travelling next month, I can but a movie on the unit and watch it whenever I want. It is small and incredibly compact, but has all of these features. Plus, you have the App Store at Apple where you can download games, podcasts, websites, and much more for free or for a nominal charge.

I have also found it the past two weeks that there are more and more places with WiFi. I have been able to get online at my car dealership and at various restaurants. It is also great to have at home if you need to check your e-mail quickly, but don't want to boot up the computer.

I have to say hubby and the girls did a wonderful job with this gift. I love my ITouch.

Third Tri is a Charm

2009-07-14T06:43:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday, I participated in my third and most challenging triathlon. It was the Triangle Triathlon, a race Bill participated in last year. The location of the race had moved this year from a murky brown lake filled with possible toxins to a lake that is used to cool the nuclear power plant. Most people said it was a wonderful change. I am just happy to be alive and not glowing.

Our day began at 4:15am (yes, we were wondering if there were ever any evening triathlons we could do), and we were on our way to the race site by 4:45 am. We arrived in plenty of time which was a definite advantage due to the lack of parking at the park. We were able to set up our gear (and fix it as we both had racked our bikes incorrectly) and get body marked with ease. There was also a little bit of time for meditation, which I really needed before the race.

I had signed up for this race on a spur of the moment whim. After the process was complete, I began to freak out about what I had done. This race was far longer than anything I had done, and the swim section was in a lake, not a pool. There was also a time limit of 2 hours and 30 minutes that really scared me. I have never been removed from a race because of a time limit, and I certainly did not want it to happen in this race.

As we got ready to head down to the beach, we found some friends of friends who had also signed up for the race. It was so nice to have someone to talk to as we waited for the wave start to begin. The husband of our friends, M, started first. Soon, Bill was off in the water. As the waves continued every four minutes, it was soon time for A and I to head to the lake. It was so nice to have her there and in the same wave. I didn't have time to think about how nervous I was or worry about anything. We were knee deep in water, watching the group before us head to the first buoy before I knew it. Then, the horn sounded and it was our turn.

Since the other tris I have done have been pool swims, it was a whole different thing to do an open water swim. First, your whole age group starts at once. Second, the water is dark and murky. Third, you have to watch where you are going so you don't miss a marker and get off course. There are arms and legs all over the place. It is hard to tell where you are until you are right at someone's legs. The swim was also 750 meters, 500 more meters than my longest race. I have to say, though, that I was proud of my swim. Sure, it was slow going, but I never stopped or had to grab a rescue boat. I felt comfortable in the water. I think if I practice the spotting, I could do quite well. I did get run over by some of the men who started behind me, but I still was not the last in my group to reach the shore. I finished the swim in 22:56.

I was on the shore and started the long run to the transition area. My transition time was very high, 4:33, but there was a long run from the lake up to the transition area, then to the end to enter. I hate being barefoot, but I managed to run up the grass without an incident. I was off on my bike.

Biking is not my strongest discipline. I ride a sport hybrid bike. It is a nice bike for cruising, but not really meant for racing. If I had a road bike, I am sure my time would improve just from the change of gear. After this race, I am very interested in getting a road bike and working on my cycling. I must have been passed by 100 cyclists on the course. The course itself was not too bad. There was one dramatic hill (I am not the best hill climber), but the rest was relatively flat. I gave up 7 spaces during the bike ride, and it was tough watching all those folks pass me by. Still, I kept moving, and finished the 17.5 mile course in 1:16:40.

My second transition was much better as I didn't have to change shoes. It would have been great if I could have gotten my bike racked properly, but it still only took 2:01. I was off on the run, seeing my friend A heading toward the finish on my way out.

The run was different. It was a 5K course (3.1 miles), but most of the running was on a trail. I had never done a trail run before, so it was a different feel being on a dirt path than asphalt. It was also starting to get hot. The beginning of the run was in a shaded area, but it soon gave way to high grass and no covering. I kept moving forward as best I could, stopping to dump water on my head and drink as I could. I did have to walk (really must start doing brick workouts!), but I kept moving. I really was beginning to think it was the longest 5K of my life when I finally got to the turn around point. I was tired and really staring to question why I do these races. I headed back to the fork, and a race volunteer told me I was near the asphalt. As soon as I hit road, I felt much better. I was in the parking lot, and could hear the finish. I ran as best I could up to the finish line, and knew I wasn't the last to cross. I finished the run in 40:46, not stellar, but not too far off my PR of 38:00.

My goal was to complete this race in the 2 hour, 30 minute limit. I finished in 2:26:54. Not bad for my longest triathlon. I know I can do better. Not that it is over, I am looking forward to my next event (a shorter tri in August), and even considering an Olympic distance event for next year.

Check out the local paper's story about the event. Take a look at the photo gallery as well. Photo #28 shows my husband running toward his bike during T1. He is the blond in the black suit on the left.

My Latest Obsession

2009-07-10T13:12:00.003-05:00

I have a tendency to become obsessed. I became obsessed with Gossip Girl (but have since stopped watching it) and the Twilight Book series (I finished that obsession, and now have the movies to obsess over). Now, my latest obsession is the HBO series True Blood.

I had heard about the series in passing or in an entertainment magazine, so I decided to put the show on my queue at Netflix. Well, now I am hooked. We watched all of the episodes in Season 1 just as the second season began on HBO. Of course, we do not get HBO at our house. It has been tough for me because I have already heard from friends that this season is really good. I have seen things in People magazine about the stars on the show, and it just makes me want to see the new shows even more.

The show is based on the novels by Charlaine Harris about a telepathic waitress named Sookie Stackhouse who lives in the town of Bon Temps, LA. Her boyfriend, Bill, is a vampire. The town is full of other colorful characters as well, some with unique abilities. I have always loved any story with magic or paranormal things in it. The fact that it is also a love story with a twist is just a huge bonus. I also love the chemistry of the two stars of the show, Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. When I found out that the two are also a couple in real life, I just went over the top of obsession mode.

I have been pricing out cable TV to see if I could somehow make it work to get HBO. Of course, my dear friend, Melissa, said that we could have a True Blood marathon when I go visit her next month so I can catch all of the new shows. I just don't know how long I can wait.

I guess I can always read the books. I have also added a few other TV series to our queue. Will Big Love, Mad Men, Rescue Me, or Entourage take the edge off the obsession? I don't know. I do know that if you haven't seen True Blood yet, check it out. It may be your obsession, too.

Laundry room Re-do

2009-07-06T07:08:00.006-05:00

This weekend, Bill and I renovated the laundry room. Bill took down the wood cabinet and repainted the room. We then picked out wire shelving from Lowe's and installed it in place of the cabinets. We also installed shelves on the side of the room and hooks to hold our grocery bags.

I was a little nervous about this project. I was unsure how the wire shelves would look since there would not be any doors to hide things. I love how it looks now. It seems much cleaner, organized, and brighter. It is a happier place to do laundry.

Vacation in A-ville

2009-07-04T11:40:00.009-05:00

After the triathlon last Sunday, Bill and I headed west to Asheville, NC. I had always wanted to stay at the Grove Park Inn, and we had seen a special in our local paper. We got a package deal for 2 nights stay which included various discounts throughout the resort. So, away we went.

We arrived around 5pm Sunday evening. We were supposed to have a double bed room with a property view, but my wonderful husband asked if there were any King rooms available. We were quickly upgraded to a king room in the newest wing of the resort, the Sammons Wing. We were on the 8th floor, so we had a spectacular view of the mountains and downtown. I immediately feel in love with the Craftsman style of our room and its wonderful amenities. We headed to the bar in the lobby (or Great Hall as it is called) for a few beers. We took our over priced brews out to one of the terraces to enjoy the stunning view. Soon, it was time for dinner, but we didn't have far to go. We were eating at the resort that night at The Sunset Terrace. We had a tasty dinner and got to enjoy the view some more before heading back to the room to call it a night. Remember, we had been up at 4:30am for the tri.

We woke Monday morning and enjoyed breakfast at the Blue Ridge room. After breakfast, I headed to the spa for what turned out to be the best spa experience I have ever had. The spa at the GPI is pretty amazing. It was built in the center of the grounds, partially under the ground. I received a tour of the spa which includes several different pools with different therapeutic uses. The main pool area is built to look like you are swimming in an underground cavern with rocks covering all the walls. I didn't have much time before my appointment, so I decided to try the contrast pool. You sit in a 103 degree hot tub for about 10 minutes, then immediately plunge into a 64 degree pool about 3 feet in diameter. It is supposed to improve circulation. It certainly got me moving quickly. After the plunge, I sat in the inhalation room with a cool peppermint towel on my face. Soon, it was time to head back to the fireside lounge for my massage. My therapist let me pick the scent of my massage lotion as well as the music we listened to during the massage. There were small extra touches along the way such as scented paper on the head rest and an eye bag for my face. It was a wonderful experience. Later in the day, Bill and I went back to the spa to enjoy the pools. We listened to the under water music in the lap pool, sat under the therapeutic waterfalls in the hot tub, and sat outside in the whirlpool while staring out at the mountains. Talk about peaceful!! We were able to go right to dinner after the spa since the water has no chlorine in it - it is all enriched with minerals to make your skin and hair silky smooth.

Before we hit the spa, we did take a tour of the historic park of the inn. The original building will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2013. We rode the main elevator that is built in to the side of the fireplace, and viewed the palm court lounge area. We also looked at the photos of the building of the inn - a remarkable feat that was done with one steam shovel and took only 1 year.

While in Asheville, we checked out some local beer houses, and found a great place called The Thirsty Monk. The Monk has 2 sections - an upstairs featuring brews from USA, and a downstairs featuring brews from Europe. We each enjoyed two tasty Belgiums in the downstairs bar and had dinner as well. I would recommend the Monk, and hope I get a chance to return. We headed back to the inn, and slept wonderfully with the open windows letting in the mountain air.

Sadly, Tuesday was our last day of vacation. We did start with a bang. We ate breakfast in downtown at Tupelo Honey, which we agreed was the best breakfast either of us ever had. With a quick stop in neighboring Black Mountain, our vacation was over. It sure was a great one, though. I hope we will have a chance to go back and stay at The Grove Park Inn again. I bet is is beautiful at Christmastime...

A Second Tri

2009-06-30T18:25:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday, I participated in my second triathlon. It has been about 8 months since my first triathlon, so I was a bit anxious about this one. While I have been working out, I didn't really "train" specifically for this race. I swam, took spin class, and ran as individual pursuits, but never did a "brick" workout (putting together two of the disciplines - usually a bike ride followed by a run).

The morning started at a very early 4:30 am. This tri was located in the town of Wake Forest, about 45 minutes from home. We had only been to the venue the day before the event. The swim club were the pool was located was very nice. It was big enough so that racers did not have to use the same lanes for going down the pool and back again. That was a tremendous advantage when you needed to pass another swimmer or to be passed. It didn't slow down your particular race too much. As with my first tri, I felt very comfortable in the water. Even though I was passed several time during the 250m swim, I felt very strong. I finished by swim in 6:30, which was faster by about a minute from my first tri.

I was off on the bike pretty quickly. The beginning of the bike race felt like it was mostly downhill. I was a bit nervous as I saw the racers before me coming back on the same route. I wondered if I would still have the strength at the end of the race. Luckily, I felt that my legs and my riding just got stronger as I continued the 12 mile bike ride. Those hills I feared didn't seem too bad on the way back to the transition area.

I saw Bill in transition. He had started the race almost 40 minutes before I started my race, so he was finished well before I reached T2. He gave my words of encouragement as my weary legs took me out to the 5K run.

The run was tough. Not only did I have wobbly legs, the route was a very hilly one and the heat of the day was setting in. I also started feeling a bit of an upset stomach and my left foot was tingling due to a too tight race chip. Still, I felt like I finished strong and was only about 3 minutes off my PR for a 5K.

All in all, it was a great race. I really do like the challenge of the three sports together. I was aiming for a 1:50 finish, and I came in at 1:44:24.2. I was quite pleased. I also had a good time wtaching my friends, J&M, in their first triathlon. We all finished the race with smiles on our faces.

Next tri is in 2 weeks - featuring a longer lake swim and a longer bike ride. Hope I do as well.

The King is Dead

2009-06-27T08:18:00.003-05:00

I was as shocked as everyone else to learn of Michael Jackson's passing this past Thursday. I actually found out via Facebook with all of the status updates referencing his passing. While he had gone a bit off the deep end in the last few years, there is no doubt that he was an influence on me as a child and as a teenager.

My first real dance recital was to a Micheal Jackson song. I was taking a jazz dance class and we performed to "Don't stop til You get Enough."

I remember going to my friend Carrie's house with all of the other girls in the neighborhood so we could watch the world premiere of the Thriller video on MTV. It was all we talked about for days.

I remember watching MJ on the Motown special. I tried to moonwalk in the living room for weeks after that performance. I never did get it down.

My first concert ever was The Jackson's Victory Tour at Dodger's Stadium in L.A.

And, yes, I had a Micheal Jackson poster in my bedroom.

There can be no doubt of Michael's influence on pop culture and music. I am saddened that a life was lost so early, and hope he will be remembered for his amazing presence and not his crazy later in life behavior.