Pat Griskus finish

I'm still feeling like death warmed over and the lack of exercise (taking my rest week like a good little girl) is making me crabby and more tired.

I just got one of those emails from a race to order photos. I went through them and was reminded of the finish at the Pat Griskus Sprint. I was coming into the race shoot and a guy came up behind me and attempted to pass and I was NOT going to let that happen. He didn't realize at first that I was trying to stay with him.... the result was some funny pictures and we had a good laugh about it at the finish.

This is one of the reasons I love this sport so much. So fun to meet new people out there. You can read my race report HERE.

This first shot is just me ... I wish they had the other guy in it too. I'm laughing at myself and the effort I was putting out.

And this one is he and I after we crossed. Apparently the sun came out the moment we crossed that line.

I got a good laugh out of this and wanted to share some high notes after all my belly aching about my state of health (which I realize is really not that bad... I have a head cold, yes I feel like ass, but it will go away)....

Struggling!

Today I struggled through a 14 mile run. I'm supposed to be entering true marathon training. Thank God I'm base building right now and not working on speed yet. I've been sick (as I know I've mentioned). It's been hanging around for weeks. I noticed while looking at my training log that I was mentioning feeling 'something coming on' over a MONTH ago. Seriously! Then the family got sick while I was still fighting the bug. It came to head and I really felt like garbage and now it's lingering. I'll start to feel like maybe I'm getting my groove back and then I feel crappy again. My energy is 'okay'... mentally I'm shot! This is not boding well for my attempt at a BQ. I know I've got some time, but time is going by quickly. I'm almost 2 months away from race day. I'm going to have to start doing tempo work and I'm worried that I'm not going to be able to bring my A game. Shit I feel like the best I've got right now is my C game. I'm running slower now than I've run in years.

I'm trying really hard not to freak out!

Not only am I feeling weak in my training efforts my normal daily tasks/routine has me feeling overwhelmed. I still feel like I'm just peeking out of the rabbit hole... not quite coming out. I feel socially stunted. This is not like me. I'm a social person, but I'm struggling just to reach out to people in ways that I used to do easily.

None of this is causing us to have a joyful holiday. It's all just like regular day... or not even as good as a regular day. These things happen right. I'm so ready for a break. A day where I can sleep in (which I'll probably never do.. I'm not a good sleeper inner) then just laze around and not worry about the state of my house, the growing laundry pile, the xmas stuff that is looming, what to do w/ the kids during the cold rainy days.... blah blah blah... I'm whining. I know I've got it good. I have a roof over my head, we have expendable income to pursue things we enjoy (ie marathons/triathlons), my kids are fairly good... NORMAL 4 year olds, my husband is loving and understanding. I know I should just be happy to have all these things....

Okay I'm really sounding pathetic now. Just wanted all my bloggy friends to know I'm still here. I'm still checking in on you... I'm just feeling lazy and slow and like a hermit. It will all come together again and I'll be 'normal'... RIGHT!

And I want everyone to know it's not all sunshine and roses, speedy runs and great recovery. We all have our slumps. I'm right smack dab in the middle of one... I'll see you on the other side!

PS. I couldn't really handle anymore echinachea or Vit C.. just so you know I'm hitting all the usuals to try to get the funk out! Maybe I should just start drinking heavily. Surely this funk couldn't exist in that environment right? :D

What does it all mean?

A few people have asked what does it mean.. this Trakkers thing?

It means a couple of things.

1. Team mates: I get to be part of an amazing team of athletes! We come from all kinds of backgrounds and locations. We're bloggers, we're triathletes, we're whitty, funny and talented and are quickly becoming friends. Since we got the news the emails have been a flyin'. Plans are being made and we're already playing the games that teammates play. It's great fun already. (I have linked to each and every teammates blog on the right side bar so you can check out these crazy freaks, er, rockin' athletes.)

2. Sponsors: We will be supported by some amazing sponsors. So far we are on board with Kestrel Bikes, Avia Shoes (the official footwear sponsor of the USAT) and SBR (triswim, triglide, foggle). This is all new to me and I find it to be simply amazing. I'm honored to be able to represent great brands. Carole (aka Mama Bear-totally saying I know her... cause yea, I'm cool. I KNOW her. Totally. No, really I do.) along w/ Teammate Michael Lovato (yea I'm totally going to pretend I KNOW him.. cause really I don't) are kicking butt on other great sponsors.

3. Rev3. Check out my 2011 race schedule. I'm all up on the Rev3 Series. We are in cahoots w/ Rev3 and we are PROUD to be representing them as a race brand. You wanna have a high end triathlon experience? Pony up to a Rev3 start line and see what all the talk is about!

This is an amazing opportunity I have been offered and I am humbled by my teammates. They are amazing and supportive and I don't take the chance to be part of the team lightly. I plan to represent them (and our sponsors) to the best of my ability.

So come along for the ride. I promise it's going to be wild and crazy with a lot of highs, lows and A LOT OF FIRSTS!!!! FIRST HALF (I can't DNF all of them can I) and maybe (probably) first FULL at Cedar Point! (there's my big secret. I told myself that if I made the team I would do the FULL... well, I don't want to be a liar and really there is no time like the present right!?)

2011s Awesomeness is already in full effect!

Perhaps you already noticed the little tweak to the blog design? Sportin' a new color!!!

And the AWESOMENESS begins! I am excited to announce that I will be a member of Team TRAKKERS in 2011! Thank you to everyone who sent me such wonderful words of excitement and encouragement! I made some 'promises' to myself IF I made it. Uh, in hindsight I think these 'promises' I made were more to 'let me down easy' if I didn't make the team. So now it's go time and I have some things to figure out! :)

This makes my race season pretty easy! I would absolutely LOVE to do each and every Rev3 race, but reality is likely to slap me in the face as I sit down and review both calendar and budget! :) The for sure races:

June 4&5 Quassy - duh
July 10th Portland, OR (long trip to see family)
Sept 11 Cedar Point, OH (a vaca with the family - Gma and Papa included)

The others are ones I would LOVE to do and WILL do if the calendar and budget align.

May 15th Knoxville, TN
Oct 8th/9th Anderson, SC (right next door to Clemson University)
Feb 19th&20th 2012 Costa Rica (ok this one is a total pipe dream, but it is the year of awesomeness so who knows)

No matter how it all boils down it's going to be an awesome year. Now if I can just get my body free of this gunk so I can get to work on my first race as a member of Team Trakkers! Austin Marathon 2/20!!!!

Sponsors are still being worked out, but one we know about is Kestrel Bikes. So guess what this mama is getting for Christmas/Birthday/Anniversary/Valentine's... you get the idea... a fancy new tri bike!!! Yeah me. There is a rumor out there that there will be a pretty little Trakkers number that looks a little something like this:

Stop drooling. She's pretty ain't she!? We'll see if there will be a green one... if there isn't there are blue, yellow and red to chose from. All totally doable! :)

Poking my head out of the rabbit hole!

I feel like I went underground for a while. I haven't really been blogging, tweeting or Facebooking a whole lot. I haven't really been dealing with people in the real world too much either. I've been lurking a bit here and there, but my google reader is all kinds of balled up right now. Lot's of catching up to do.

The short story is that Tom was gone... I hung in there okay through that. We're all pretty used to that deal by now. Then he came back and the anticipation of his return always sets me up for a huge face plant! This time it was worse than other times. Not only was he jet lagged he was SICK. In bed for four days sick sick. While I am not a nurturing or sympathetic person by nature it was especially hard for me to keep keeping on for those 4 days. I was all ready to let my guard down and share the parenting responsibilities. I was already fighting a cold (thanks kids) myself and feeling rather crummy, but Tom was OUT! In bed! Jetlag + flu (he thinks) = completely SHITTY! So the kids and took off and were out of the house for most of those 4 days in efforts to give Tom a chance to rest and to keep the healthy ones healthy. All looked well. Tom started getting out of bed and then WHAM! Both kids got a fever. Happy Thanksgiving everyone... no one had an appetite and we did a lot of sitting around the house. I continued to stay away from this flu... then the kids were up and at em and the holiday was over. Time for Tom to return to work. Wouldn't ya know it... my turn. Thank God I didn't have whatever it was they had, but I was sick.. Not uberfeverish and in bed for four days sick, but weak, sore, coughing, sore throat head floating sick.

I didn't want to do or see anyone... not really an option. Couldn't stay in bed. So I coped the best I could worked through the basic needs of two 4 year olds and we rocked the house some more. I hate to stay in the house all day.... every day... and for weeks on end. Just shoot me! Even if I'm sick. Obviously no workouts are happening during this time... double shoot me!

I started to get bored, lonely and agitated on top of the sick. Man I was a peach of a person to be around let me tell you. Needless to say the holidays aren't so joyful around these parts. The kids are crabby bc they were sick and have now been stuck in the house way too much. I'm crabby for pretty much the exact same reasons. Joy joy joy!

It's strange on one hand I've been lonely and on the other hand people have just plain been irritating me! Didn't really want to deal w/ anyone or anything..... BUT....

I think the veil has finally started to lift. After a sub-par run yesterday I think the cobwebs are getting worked out of my head. I'm still coughing and kinda phlegmy, but my head is getting right. That right there is all I need... for my head to be right. My energy to return and to be able to run (and enjoy it).

I'm psyched to head back to the pool tonight... though I'm trying to keep my expectations for that workout in check. Knowing that taking over a WEEK off swimming is certainly not going to help my technique or endurance. It's about just getting started back at it again.

Marathon training officially started this week... first run done, but not a great confidence booster. Coach assures me that all is well and we have plenty (uh, 11 weeks) of time!! Trust grasshopper, trust! You have nothing if you don't have trust. So coach, I trust you! And I only had to force myself a little bit to say that.

REV3 Portland!

I am totally jazzed that REV3 is headed to Portland! If anyone wants to know where they can find me on July 10th, 2011... this is it! We are due for a trip to visit family (BIL and SIL are in Portland and my MIL and FIL just moved to Brookings, OR) and this gives us (er, me) even MORE reason to get out there.. to put a date on the trip and make it happen. I know there are quite few PNWers reading this blog... you in? Come on... top of the line treatment at REV3!!! Plenty of time to train and well, I'll be there!

I ordered a pair of Avia Running shoes to give them a test drive. They appeared on my doorstep today. Unfortunately I can't really run in them right now because I'm sick as a dog... but I wore them around a bit and they are nice. A nice snug fit in the heel and a roomy toe box (key to me.. the loser of toenails). And though it doesn't matter (IT TOTALLY MATTERS) they are way cuter in person than they are on the internet. The pink mesh is layered and gives it a really nice texture. The colors are really bright and pretty (for now anyway) and who wouldn't love the skull and cross bones on the back?

Sorry about the cruddy photo (I can't find my real camera...I'm blaming my husbands tendency to just put stuff wherever the hell he wants.) I'm hoping to be well enough to take these up to the gym with me on Sunday for a little TM spin. I'll report back after that!

I've had my head down the last couple of weeks... first staying a float while Tom was in Asia and then dodging the sick bullet for weeks and now I'm sick. BLASTED! I've also continued to clean out the house. We are really trying to simplify our lives and have LESS STUFF! I need things to be as simple as they can get before training starts in 2011.. there will be time for screwing around with a bunch of crap I rarely if ever use. It feels really good! REALLY good. (And my tri/running gear has even gotten a slim down.. a SMALL slim down, but I'm not leaving it untouched. Don't get me wrong we still have WAY more bikes than any family would EVER need, but that's really not mine to downsize if you know what I mean.) If I get the GREEN I'll replace a bike, but I PROMISE I will remove the current bike from the premises... the frame anyway)

So I'm still here... pluggin' along and praying for the sickies to vacate! I'm scared we're just going to keep giving it back to each other. Fingers crossed for health at the Mount household!!!