Forging Iron

Ironman Cozumel 2011

2011-12-01T11:39:00.000-05:00

Ironman Cozumel – November 27, 2011 The season leading up to this race was a series of injuries and deferrals. I was unmotivated to train and unmotivated to race. Life felt overwhelming and chaotic. I missed the joy that triathlon had given me, and I didn't know how to get it back. I mean triathlon and I have been an item now for 5 seasons, and I really didn't want to give up on it. It has

Fucking Perfect

2011-04-06T09:37:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite songs right now, shares the title of this post. It's by Pink, the non-conformist pop artist known for her fierce commitment to being herself. It's significant to me, because I spent so much time and energy chasing some unattainable benchmark of perfection and trying to figure out how to best become someone else. It is also significant, because I have recently received

Comfort and Stagnation

2011-04-05T21:13:00.000-04:00

Comfort. It's one of those words that sounds like what it describes. Soft, easy, familiar, warm. Insidious. Comfort entices us to stay where we are. It seduces us into stagnation. It lulls us into a mediocre existence. I have written before about my obsessive rule following and my fanatical adherence to crazy standards of behavior that I inflicted upon myself to keep from showing up

Cross Country Bike Ride Itinerary

2011-02-22T17:02:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in awhile, because I have been consumed with planning this ride... It is coming together nicely! I am sponsored by Hammer Nutrition, The Adventure Cycling Association, Bonzai Sports and ATP Endurance Systems, with other sponsorships in progress! If you are interested in where I will be and when... Here is the Itinerary... ALSO!!! DONATE!!! http://www.myositis.org/community

The Irrational Thoughts of a New 34 Year Old

2011-01-18T11:21:00.003-05:00

Today, I am 34 years old. It has been a really awesome life in spite of the fact that during parts of it I wasn't exactly thinking that it was all that awesome. Of course, that's the thing about thinking... The mind is a funny thing that can change an experience in a moment, and without a leash on it, it can take you some pretty strange places. I recently had the opportunity to be on a

1/1/11

2011-01-04T13:40:00.002-05:00

Thirty years ago, I was about to turn four, and life was just about learning and trying to remember not to pee in my pants... Oh yeah, and about trying to get that baby that showed up at our house about 9 months ago to learn how to actually play some games with me. She seemed so stupid to my worldly three year old ways, and it took about 22 more years before I gave her credit for knowing

Soggy Cactai, A New PR, and Chrissie - Ironman Arizona 2010

2010-11-27T17:41:00.002-05:00

Ironman Arizona 2010 – Race Report For those of you who have followed my race reports, you know that my first two Ironman experiences included inclement weather and panicked finishes in the final half hour of the race. 16:41:38 in Lake Placid 2008 and 16:34:27 in Coeur d'Alene in 2009. After being battered by winds, rain and 54 degree chill at Coeur d' Alene last year, I talked to my then coach,

The Night Before Ironman

2010-11-20T22:00:00.001-05:00

I'm here in Tempe, Arizona stuffing the last bits of food into my stomach before I retire for the final hours of sleep before I awaken in the pre-dawn chill of the desert to face down 140.6 miles of swimbikerun for the third time. It is my third Ironman, and the event has lost none of its allure. The first year I did Ironman in Lake Placid in 2008, it poured rain the entire day. The

19 Years Early

2010-09-12T22:30:00.001-04:00

July 24, 2000, I sat in a dingy basement room at the West Lab building at National Airport in Arlington County Virginia. After months of applications, interviews, polygraphs, medical and psychological exams, I was finally here. It was my first day as a police officer. MWAA wasn't my first choice of departments. The moment I decided to apply to be a cop, I had my heart set on the City of

New Normal...

2010-08-12T00:46:00.000-04:00

I recently met with the Executive Director of The Myositis Association about doing a cross country bike ride to raise awareness and money for myositis research. The idea kind of happened by accident, well, if anything really happens by accident, that is. I was talking to my friend and mentor, Bob, about Team in Training, because he coaches for them and I was thinking of starting something

Getting used to the front of the pack! Philadelphia Insurance Sprint Triathlon

2010-06-29T12:18:00.000-04:00

Originally, I wanted to race the Olympic distance race this weekend. I made the mistake of waiting for a paycheck before registering, and the race sold out, so I was stuck with the sprint. I'm just not much for short distance racing, so I was a little disappointed. Some interesting things happened that made me really excited about the trip to Philadelphia if not the sprint race, so it

A Different Kind of Finish Line

2010-06-14T00:20:00.001-04:00

It was 1999, and big things changed in my life. I bought my first house and my father passed away suddenly all in the same week. I wasn't sure whether to mourn or celebrate. I suppose it was a little of both as my two oldest friends gathered with me on the back patio of my new home, ate pizza and shared memories of growing up under the watchful eye of the man-child that was my father.

The Smell of the Podium - Shenandoah Valley Sprint 2010

2010-06-10T01:20:00.000-04:00

For those of you that know me, from race reports or from racing, you know that it is kind of miraculous that I finish these endurance events at all. You also know that I don't go out to compete against anything more than a clock or some previous version of myself. This race surprised me by turning out far from how I expected it to. Thursday, 2 days prior to the inaugural running of the

TTT 2010 - Rain, Pain and Magic

2010-06-09T21:14:00.001-04:00

Triple-T 2010 was my fourth TTT. It is a commemoration of the weekend in 2007 that I officially earned the right to call myself a "triathlete." That weekend three years ago, I set out with the goal of completing the four races that HFP crams into three days. Completing a sprint, 2 olympics and a half is a goal that most newbie triathletes would set about completing over several seasons,

Kona versus Boston

2010-04-22T09:51:00.001-04:00

With the Boston Marathon making its 114th run on Monday, I began to look at my own athletic goals. Boston is the Mecca of marathons. Books are written about how to get to Boston. Marathoners everywhere vie for that BQ time. It's an honor to qualify even if the race is already full and you don't get to run it. Of course, the word qualify brings one thing to my mind. Kona. She's the mother

Marathon #5 National Marathon Race Report 3/20/2010

2010-03-26T01:53:00.001-04:00

Coming off of my big PR at Philly, I was amped to do another marathon and try to get the first number of my finish time to be a 4 for once... My sister sent me a check for Christmas with a note on the memo line: "National Marathon Entry." I thought that was awesome, because this would be my 5th marathon (including two Ironman finishes), and now it was also a gift from my sis, who will one day

My New Year... Reflections of a New 33 Year Old

2010-01-17T22:29:00.000-05:00

I thought about writing a New Year's Day blog a couple of weeks ago, but then I decided that I would wait 18 days until it was my personal New Year... My birthday! I am now in my last few hours of being 32, and I feel it is a good time to reflect on the journey. When I transitioned from my teens to my 20s, I was sure that I had done most of my growing for life. I was in the middle of planning

Passion on Two Wheels - The Making of Matura

2009-12-28T23:30:00.001-05:00

Training for my first Ironman, I got to know my bike, Contessa really well. We rode thousands of miles together over all sorts of terrain, in heat, cold, wind, and rain. I'd had bikes before... a red tricycle, a Strawberry Shortcake two wheeler with solid rubber tires and a banana seat, a Red Ross 3 speed, a dark green Trek 800 mountain bike that was stolen from my garage and a blue and green

Running means... Philadelphia Marathon 11/22/2009

2009-11-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

Running Means... That was the theme of the Philadelphia Marathon on 11/22/2009. The ribbon on my finisher's medal says "Running Means... Independence, Running means...Being Liberated, Running Means...Loving yourself." It's a theme that is appropriate for this particular 26.2 mile journey, my fourth such run. In the week preceding the marathon, I posted something to Twitter and Facebook

All I want for Christhmas...

2009-11-09T21:45:00.000-05:00

I started this post in August and it wasn't ready to be finished... It is now.In August I spent 5 days at Rising Phoenix Retreat Center with my Inner Visions class. Apparently, there is something fascinating and intriguing about someone who adorns herself with a head lamp, reflective ankle bands and a red bike light at 10pm to go for a 3 mile jog along an unfamiliar rural road and then gets up

Uncovering the Lost Desire

2009-10-30T22:08:00.003-04:00

This time last year I was living back out in Front Royal in my mountain house and working as the lone employee at Front Royal Bicycles. It was a nice life. I took my labs to work with me every day, and we'd play fetch in the expanse of the mostly empty bike shop. I was swimming three times a week at 5am with the Winchester Master's. I was biking scenic mountain roads and running and hiking on

Finding Meaning in Bicycle Tires

2009-09-19T11:13:00.002-04:00

So, in the last few weeks, I allowed myself to be charmed back into some kind of crazy no good for me relationship with an ex-boyfriend. I thought he meant it when he said he quit drinking, and he was in the midst of a crisis... Being a superhero is in my blood, so of course I had to step in and help him out. A vulnerable man with eyes like melted chocolate is irresistible.After one fantastic

Invisible Illness Week Blog

2009-08-08T21:08:00.001-04:00

From Police Officer to Patient… to Ironman August 6, 2009 by admin Filed under Guest Blogger Posts Comments (0) 2003 was the year my life changed in ways I never could have imagined. On the surface, it looked as if it was on fast forward to its end, but underneath of the outward appearance it was just beginning. My first

Anaerobic in the Rain - Culpeper Sprint

2009-08-02T18:20:00.001-04:00

This race fell on a weekend when none of my usual fans were available to come out and play sherpa/cheer for me, so I put out a message on Twitter and FB to see if anyone was willing to get up before dawn and help me carry things... Of course I neglected to mention that despite a forecast for dry weather, the universe always sends rain if it finds out that I am racing. One of my Tweeps, CW,

1 year and 6 days

2009-07-26T23:32:00.002-04:00

That's how long it has been since I crossed the finish line at my first Ironman in Lake Placid NY. That race is on again today, and I am sitting here at the computer watching Mike Reilly do what he does on the live feed from the finish line. They played my finish song, YMCA, and I was taken back to the final hour of June 20, 2008.... back to the pain of the final miles, the dark roads, my angel

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Report - June 21, 2009

2009-07-21T21:46:00.001-04:00

0400, June 21, 2009, My fingers found the snooze on my alarm. I was awake, having slept better than the previous night when I had been plagued by crazy time warp dreams. My chest felt tight with anxiety, and I wanted a few minutes to breathe before the day got rolling.There was something about knowing what was ahead of me that made this race seem bigger and more impossible than last year. Even

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Road Trip Day 6 - June 2009

2009-07-21T21:44:00.001-04:00

Morning in Yellowstone was FREEZING!!! I tried to huddle deeper into my blankets, but it was futile. I got up and turned on the heat. With warm air blowing from the vents, I was able to function and get some breakfast.I tried to text my coach to see what I was supposed to do for the day. I was thinking a 30 minute bike ride and a swim the next morning. Signal wouldn't let anything through. I'd

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Trip Day 5 - June 2009

2009-07-21T21:40:00.002-04:00

Day five dawned without incident form our lawless night in a South Dakota rest stop. I realized that we had not yet spent two nights in the same state! How cool!We ate and left for Wyoming. In the last few miles of SD, we waited at some road construction for a pilot car to take us down the one lane that was functional. It wasn't a long wait, probably because it was Sunday and not too many people

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Trip Day 4 - June 2009

2009-07-21T21:39:00.001-04:00

I woke early the next morning, and grabbed my typical on road breakfast of cereal and yogurt. I started driving while Les was still sleeping. We crossed into South Dakota, and I kept seeing signs for 5 cent coffee. The suggestion had been planted, and I wanted coffee. I kept looking for an exit number for Wall Drug, where the coffee was supposed to be. I soon became aware that Wall Drug was some

Ironman Coeur d' Alene Trip Day 3

2009-07-21T21:38:00.000-04:00

The morning of day 3 we slept in a little. We gained an hour by driving into the central time zone, so we had some time to spare. I hoped to make Minnesota by nightfall. I was excited to be getting to the part of the country I had never seen before!We hit the road after some cereal and So Delicious coconut milk vegan yogurt... It rocks. We headed for the next rest stop, so that I could do my bike

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Trip Day 2 - June 2009

2009-07-21T21:36:00.001-04:00

Thursday the 10th, I woke to the roar of traffic on the interstate, and Les calling out that it was 6am. I was amped to get to Wheelie Fun, so I jumped up and poured some granola cereal into a bowl... only to find that the rice milk in the fridge wasn't as cold as it should have been...The batteries were dead AGAIN!!! I ate my cereal dry, and we rigged up two extension cords across the rest stop

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Road Trip Day #1 - June 2009

2009-07-21T21:35:00.001-04:00

A single race report would not do justice the trip across the country in my RV with my trusty Jeeper trailing behind, so I am breaking it down by days. I made notes during my time in the passenger seat, so that I could bring you all along on this journey with me.Monday and Tuesday June 8 and 9 were hectic days. I missed workouts on both days. There was so much to do to get ready. Time had run

Thoughts Upon Arriving in the Ironcity - IMCDA 2009

2009-07-21T21:32:00.001-04:00

About year ago, I sat at my desk the day after Ironman Coeur d'Alene with my friend Chuck. We were logged on to Active.com, clicking and clicking on the IMCDA registration hoping to get a slot in the race. I was about 1 month away from the completion of my first Ironman in Lake Placid, and I knew even before that first race that I wanted to do more.A lot of people have heard how I started

Monument Ave. 10k Race Report - April 2009

2009-07-21T21:31:00.000-04:00

This was my first 10k, so I was a little nervous... I mean usually I swim 1500m and bike 40k before running this distance, so I wasn't sure how I was going to do without that kind of warmup.... Ok, I'll stop being an endurance snob, and get on with the story.I went down to Richmond on Friday evening, met up with my friend who was also racing. We hit the expo, which was quite impressive! I picked

My Garmin 305 - From Feb 2009

2009-07-21T21:30:00.000-04:00

Somewhat of a cross between a clock and a watch and some sort of medical monitoring device, my Red and Gray Garmin 305 straps to my bicycle's drop bars, peeking out from under the forearm pad of my aerobars just enough so that I can stare at the numbers as I ride, the seconds ticking by in the upper left hand corner, my heart rate bouncing around within the prescribed zone in the lower right,

About Ugly - From Jan 2009

2009-07-21T21:29:00.000-04:00

December 2003; life looked a bit like post-tornado Kansas at the old Land of Oz amusement park on Beech Mountain in North Carolina. Having just moved out of my home, the first house that I owned, and the place where I had made my life with my first boyfriend and husband, I thought it was finally time to move past the pain and the mistakes and rebuild.I woke in the afternoon after sleeping off

Memory of rain - At Ironman USA - from Jan 2009

2009-07-21T21:28:00.000-04:00

July 20, 2008, I was about half way through the first lap of the 2.4 mile swim of my first Ironman in Lake Placid. I had settled into my stroke and was marveling at the ease with which I could propel my body when riding the draft of some 2000 people swimming in the same direction at the same time. I turned my head to take a breath and felt more water on my already wet skin. It was falling with

Post Ironman USA memories - from Jan 2009

2009-07-21T21:26:00.000-04:00

July 22, 2008 was two days after Ironman and Joe and I were preparing to leave Lake Placid. Neither of us were in much of a hurry to leave the leisure or the beauty behind. I was still limping and still ravenously hungry from the exertion of the race.Cool morning air surrounded us as we walked up Main St. in search of breakfast by the water. We inspected the menu at Charlie's and I decided that

Learning to Swim - From Jan 2009

2009-07-21T21:25:00.001-04:00

Tell something about swimming...One winter, when I was still too short to touch bottom in the shallow end, my mother signed me up for swimming lessons. Hearing this, I had visions of swimming a whole lap, jumping in off the side of the pool like the big kids, the Olympians on TV moving gracefully through the water.I arrived at the YMCA with my faded blue bathing suit. The building was old, the

My first Bicycle - Written Jan 2009

2009-07-21T21:05:00.002-04:00

Christmas morning, I was maybe 7 years old. All of the presents had been opened, and I was beginning to dig beneath the mounds of shredded wrapping to find my treasures. My dad left the room. I don't remember how long he was gone; I was caught up in whatever world a new toy had taken me to.The first thing I saw was not my dad, but a black tire slowly rolling into the room from behind his big

Enthralled - From 12/2008

2009-07-21T21:01:00.001-04:00

I was given a gift today. It may not sound so special being that 'tis the season, but this is unique, and I am enthralled.I can look back on my life since 2003, and I can see the road to now so clearly. I can look back on live before 2003, and I can see the universe working in concert with my subconscious, nudging me, shaking me, then pounding and kicking me to wake up! 2003 was a turning point,

Savageman QUADrathlon Race Report - 9/2008

2009-07-21T21:00:00.000-04:00

Swim, Bike, Walk up insanely steep hills wearing carbon soled shoes and dragging bike, Ride in truck! You know how I love a challenge, so when the inaugural Savageman half was unveiled in 2007, my very first triathlon season, I was kicking myself for already having registered for Patriot's. Savageman was billed as the hardest half iron distance tri in the world, and I wanted to do it! I vowed to

Luray Olympic Tri - Not as recovered as I thought 8/2008

2009-07-21T20:58:00.001-04:00

Luray International Triathlon Race Report Three days after my Ironman finish inLake Placid, my legs felt great, like nothing had ever happened to them. My coach insisted that I rest, because I had done more damage than I was aware of. I listened to him. I pay him to temper my enthusiasm, to share his knowledge, and to keep me accountable. So, between July 20 at 11:41:38 pm, and August 17

Ironman USA Race Report - I AM AN IRONMAN - 7/2008

2009-07-21T20:56:00.001-04:00

Ironman is a journey much longer than 140.6 miles. It encompasses at least the year between registration and race day. It is months of early morning workouts, miles on the bike, thousands of calories, and countless pairs of running shoes. It is also something deeper than the physical. It is a journey within yourself, beyond your limitations. For me, Ironman began with a death sentence at 26 years

Charlottesvile Sprint Triathlon - 6/2008

2009-07-21T20:54:00.001-04:00

Unleashed to go wildly anaerobic! Sprint races are notoriously difficult to document in writing, because it is hard to notice the details of the moment from the anaerobic haze caused by all out effort for less than 2 hours. I'll do my best to recall something other than my abnormally high HRM readout and the burning in my legs.I got

Great Chesapeake Bay Swim Race Report 6/2008

2009-07-21T20:53:00.001-04:00

It was a Murphy's Law kind of weekend. I think the only thing that could have gone wrong, but didn't was that I could have drown. So, focusing on the bright side, I am alive to write this report! Everything I did on Saturday took twice as long as it should have. I ended up getting on the road to Spotsylvania to pick up the RV at 6pm, which put me getting to Kent Island, MD around 9-9:30. I still

American Triple T 2008 Race Report - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:46:00.002-04:00

Race Report American Triple T 2008 Shawnee State Park Portsmouth, OH Race 1 Friday May 23, 2008 5pm Swim 250m 8:07 T1 2:44 Bike 5 mile 16:39 T2 1:26 Run 1 mile 10:07 Finish 39:04 Race 2 Saturday May 24, 2008 7:30am Swim 1500m 32:57 T1 3:26 Bike 25 miles 1:51:31 T2 2:14 Run 10k 1:22:56 Finish 3:53:06 Race 3 Saturday May 24, 2008 3pm Bike 25 miles 1:55:30 T1 9:08 Swim 1500 39:42 T2 3:53 Run 10k 1:

Arrivederci Italia - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:42:00.001-04:00

I think I squeezed every last drop of experience out of today, my last day in Italy...until I come back... I will come back. I woke this morning at 0515, as I have the last 3 mornings. I have been meeting Erin, my biking partner, for early rides, since she had been working early. Although our wires were crossed yesterday, and I missed the message that we were riding to base to run... I ended

So there's this new love in my life... - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:35:00.002-04:00

So, there's this new love in my life.... and no, I didn't meet a guy. I came out here to Italy, because my sister was pregnant with her second baby. The first one was Joshua Lee, born on August 13, 2006. He is vibrant and sweet and beautiful, so I was definitely looking forward to see what she and Frank could come up with now that they have practiced... Due May 10th, we hoped that she would

Throught the Eyes of a Child - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:32:00.001-04:00

Not much news from Italy. We've spent the last two days mostly around the apartment, as there have been signs of impending baby, but no baby... Oh well... Mother's Day is tomorrow, so that's a good day to have a baby, right?? I was feeling a little cooped up today, so I took Josh out after lunch. I wanted to go brick, but Mags was feelin pretty bad, so I didn't want to stray too far. We were

Biking Italia - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:27:00.002-04:00

Well... still no sign of Harry. I'm beginning to think that Maggy is faking this whole thing with some beach ball in her shirt or something! I went for a ride this afternoon with the people from Outdoor Rec again. It was a different group this time... a few beginning roadies, me, and the two leaders. We took the same route that we did on Tuesday, but when we got to a bike trail, one of the

Still no baby in Italy - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:21:00.001-04:00

Well, I can't really say that "Harry" is slow, because "Harry" isn't even DUE till the 10th, but we're all waiting... especially Maggy for the arrival! Yesterday, I risked going for a bike ride with the people from Outdoor Rec on the base. There were three of us and all were pretty serious cyclists. I was the slowest, but I am used

Waiting for a baby in Italy - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:17:00.001-04:00

I had a dream last night that we left Italy... like yesterday... yes, after only being here a few days, without the baby being born.. all that... My sister comes to the states shortly thereafter, and she is without the kids. She says she had the baby, it was a boy. I asked her where the kids were, and she says, "In Italy." I asked her the name, she says, "Harry." I say, "Harry what?" She

Italy Post Espresso Crash - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:14:00.001-04:00

Per Eileen's request, I will continue to blog about the Italy trip! I ended up sleeping a little bit last night!! I was tired today, but we were busy, so it wasn't really noticeable. We were mostly settling in... Got passes for the base, went grocery shopping, played with Josh, and had dinner. I think my knee is finally healed enough that I can go for my run tomorrow! It still hurts like hell

Caffeine induced blog - 5/2008

2009-07-21T20:08:00.001-04:00

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii OK, I am really hyped up on caffeine!! I almost never consume it, and today I consumed a lot... the final blow being a sinfully yummy espresso after dinner when I was tired enough to sleep on the table... So, now I am awake at 2340 and feel like I could run a marathon or two!!! I'm gonna blog instead... OK, so I am in Italy

Training Woes - 4/2008

2009-07-21T20:04:00.002-04:00

Oh boy! So, I finish the first race of the season and my coach doesn't post this week's workouts all day on Sunday... and all day on Monday, so I'm thinking... guess I have a day off from training... I kinda like it better when I know I have the day off beforehand, because I can savor it instead of just wondering is he gonna post something at noon and I'll have to arrange to squeeze it in??

Kinetic Sprint Tri - April 2008

2009-07-21T19:58:00.002-04:00

Kinetic Sprint Triathlon Lake Anna State Park 750 Meter Swim, 18 Mile Bike, 3.1 Mile Run What a way to start the season! Following a beautiful week of sunny warm weather and lots of hard workouts in rolled a downpour for race day!!Kinteic was a training race for me, as I am really only concerned with finishing TTT and Ironman this year... Everything else is just to get me to those goals or just

Mexico again - 3/2008

2009-07-21T19:50:00.002-04:00

Ok... I am back at the computer, even though there are some other things I could be doing. I just figure I'd better get this finished before I lose details. In going over the last episodes from Mexico, I noticed that I forgot to let you in on what nearly fell on me as I walked through the palapa on that first night. I went back the next morning, curious to see what it was and discovered a HUGE

More from Mexico - 3/2008

2009-07-21T19:40:00.002-04:00

The first morning at the Rancho, I awoke before dawn to the sound of ROOSTERS crowing! I had to smile at the quaintness of being woken by roosters! We were still not officially underway classwise until 6:30 in the evening, so the day was ours to spend however we wanted to. First was breakfast... I dressed in summer clothes!!! I made my way to the open air restaurant and was greeted by a spread

From Mexico Yoga Teacher Training - 2/2008

2009-07-21T19:36:00.001-04:00

I'll start with the beginning... novel concept, right? I left here at the crack of dawn from Dulles airport. I was filled with anticipation and much anxiety. I flew to Charlotte, NC where I wished I could stay a bit longer, because at least I had cell signal there... I feared that I might go nuts during my six hour layover in Mexico City with no contact with my friends who keep me sane. Well, I

After Mexico 2/2008

2009-07-21T19:34:00.000-04:00

Well, I am back from my Yoga teacher training in Mexico. I was trying to figure out how to blog about 30 days in this intense program with some of the most amazing people I have ever met in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been without writing a novel..... I decided that the only way to do the experience justice is to write about it is a series of blogs that document the timeline

Thoughts on departing for Mexico 1/2008

2009-07-21T19:31:00.001-04:00

Well, I am three days away from my departure to Mexico for Yoga teacher training... a far cry from my previous career as a cop! After the grand yet tumultuous transformation that was 2007, I am hoping to start 2008 by finding some solid ground on which to stand. I still feel very off center and directionless a lot of the time. I feel my time being eaten up by things that are not moving me

Thoughts from a silent retreat 1/2008

2009-07-21T19:24:00.002-04:00

I think it's finally time to break the silence on the Silent Retreat.... I'm still a little unsure what I experienced over those four days. I will say that I though it should have been about 10 days though, as my inner monologue didn't really start to get quiet until the end of day three. We arrived and ate dinner on 12/28. I noticed a guy I had met at my non-attachment program in November, so

The Power of Vegetables 12/2007

2009-07-21T19:16:00.001-04:00

It's interesting how we come to view ourselves as the things that we enjoy or the things that we do or believe. We come to identify so closely with these things that we react or overreact in strong and sometimes strange ways when those things are threatened, questioned or for some reason change. Of course the nature of life is change. There are seasons and cycles to everything. Nothing is

Evolution - Awakening to the spiritual - 11/2007

2009-07-21T19:10:00.001-04:00

The universe is a curious thing. It has been nudging me awake over years. It's funny how much you can sleep through... I have always had a sense that I had abandoned myself. I had dreams and goals and plans that no one in my immediate circle understood. Those things fell aside in favor of more "acceptable" paths. I became numb

Marine Corps Marathon Race Report forn 10/28/2007

2009-07-21T19:01:00.002-04:00

26.2 Official time: 6:16:41 Well, I finished! I went in injured with my left IT band (big tendon running betewwn hip and knee) giving me hell every time I tried to run more than three miles. I was also undertrained due to the fact that running more than three miles at a time was AGONY! I actually considered giving up the spot to someone who could actually run the race, but when I found out that

Pre Marathon post - 10/28/2007

2009-07-21T18:58:00.001-04:00

Well, it is marathon day. I went out with the folks running for 25:40 for dinner yesterday evening. It was nice, but it was also the reason I am now sitting on Myspace in my pjs, waiting for my race clothes to dry..... Oh well, it gives me the opportunity to sit and eat breakfast for once instread of running out the door with it in a Nalgene bottle like usual! Strawberry Banana smoothie with

Race Registration from 10/2007

2009-07-21T18:56:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure what I am setting out to write here tonight. I am mostly just looking to waste 15 minutes, so it will be October 8 and I can register for Triple T! Registration was supposed to be open on October 1, but there was some computer glitch and HFP strung all of us eager triathletes along all week till they finally announced a new date. Anyway, it appears, from all of the enthusiastic

I'm a half an Ironman form 9/2007

2009-07-21T18:52:00.000-04:00

70.3!!!!!!! Swim 1.2 miles: 54:15T1: 09:13Bike 56 miles: 03:49:04T2: 3:44Run 13.1 miles: 02:45:01 I finished!!! I had 19 minutes to spare before they closed the course. It was an amazing race, and the greatest high to finially see the finish and then actually cross it. This race was my first open water swim with a current. The course was the typical three sided rectangle, and the first two

About IVIG from 10/2006

2009-07-21T18:51:00.001-04:00

I did mention awhile back that I would post something here about my new treatment. I am on day four of my second monthly infusion of IVIG.... Intravenous Immunoglobulin. Eileen referred to it yesterday, in the Halloween spirit, as immune goblin. :) It's a medication that is made from the plasma of donated blood. I am initailly getting five days of treatment each month for three months. After

Intro...

2009-07-21T18:03:00.003-04:00

I am going to be posting writings that I previously posted, so that the story stays intact, but here is the run down...I am 32 years old, and I was diagnosed at age 26 with an autoimmune disease they call dermotomyositis. It started with a red, itchy skin rash and progressed to include severe and painful muscle weakness. Think of the pain the day after a really intense lifting session