quarter pounder

Remember when a quarter plunder was a huge burger that only the hungriest eaters put away? Well, i've noticed now that the half pounder seems to be in vogue. Went to a restaurant today and wanted a mushroom Swiss burger. Size option? Half pound. A half pound! No one needs 8 oz of hamburger piled high with stuff. Jack and I split it and im glad we did. Last night we ate Mexican. I.ordered pork loin with mole sauce. My.ate was pilwd so high there was no way I could eat if. At least 8-10 oz of meat. Plus all the sides. As a cheapskate who doesn't want to weigh a ton, I'd much prefer to pay half the price and get half as much.

Corpus Christi Triathlon

Mom says that people (her anyway) are still reading this, so I guess I better keep writing!  I have plenty to say, but seems I have little time to say it.  And now my computer is dying, so I guess I better say this one fast!!

I did my first triathlon of the season this weekend.  It was a last minute sign up.  I am on an actual Triathlon team now for the Air Force- we get free uniforms and free entrance to races!!  but I have to pay for one to get the other ones paid for and this was one of the ones I could do.  I have been swimming all winter, but in sets (25-400 meters at a time with rests of 10 sec to a minute or so in between.  The last time I swam a long way without stopping was my last race in October!!  I have been on my bike exactly 4 times since Thanksgiving.  abut I HAVE been running!  So that's something.

I was a bit scared of this one because I was in Corpus Christi last weekend because of Heather's swim meet (regional finals- she did great and is going to State next weekend).  I went for a bike ride in the morning and the wind was 15 mph.  The waves in the ocean were huge!  Like 2 feet high!  OK- that's huge to me.  And the wind was terrible. I did an out and back next to the ocean and I was doing about 18mph on the way out quite easily and then only 12-13mph on the way back. So needless to say, with my lack of training and the prospect of giant waves and terrible wind, I was a bit nervous.

I left work and drove the 2.5 hours to Corpus.  Checked into the hotel and then went to the race site to pick up my packet and eat the free pasta dinner. It was raining.  A lot.  And it was pretty cool.  But guess who was there?!  Dave Scott.  He is one of the legends in the sport - he won the Ironman Championships 6 times and he battled in one of the most famous races of all time.  He gave a talk and stuck around to answer questions and then was around to hand out awards after the race.  And it was a little tiny race- only about 600 people there.  I had some dinner, listened to him talk, and then went to Walgreens to pick up some stuff for the race.  One was an ace wrap.  You see, I forgot my jog bra.  It was even on the packing list and somehow I left it hanging on the back of my door.  But I figured an ACE wrap might make a good substitute,

I packed up my stuff and went to bed.  Up at the crack of dawn, packed all my stuff, went to the race site.  We started at 0730- the ocean we swam in was more like a bay- just a mile or so down from the big waves, but it was a bit protected, so the waves were not big.  It was cold- about 60 degrees.  But I survived the 1500 meters.  The bike (25 miles) was awesome on the way out.  The route went along the ocean and there were giant houses and beautiful ocean to look at.  The way back was horrible with the bad wind again.  The run (6 miles) was fine- great on the way out and windy on the way back.  My goal was to finish unhurt and in a respectable time- and I met both goals.

The hotel gave me a late checkout so I was able to go back and have an awesome shower and then drive home.  It was a good day!

Oh...and the ACE wrap worked.

Austin Half Ironman

Finally getting around to writing about the big triathlon last weekend!  I trained for 4 months for my  1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, then a 13.1 mile run.  Goals were to go under 7 hours and place in the top half of my age group. Guess you gotta wait until the end to see how it turned out!

I went up on Saturday with Heather.  James had a soccer game, so Jack and and he came up later that day.  Heather hung with me as I checked in, turned in my bike, and went to the athlete brief.  Jack and James arrived later and we went out for a nice Italian pasta loading dinner.  I finished all the last preparations on my stuff and it was lights out at 9PM with an Ambien to make sure I slept peacefully all night.  With my eye cover and ear plugs to make sure Jack could keep watching tv!

Up the next morning at 430, I think.  Ate about 700 calories so they could start digesting 3 hours before the race.  Then I hopped in the car and headed out to the race site. Parked the car in the dark (remember that!) and then hopped the shuttle to the swim site.  This was a two transition race- had never done one of those before and I don't like it one bit.  that means that you pick up the bike in one spot and drop it off at another.  Your stuff has to go in all these different bags and all your stuff has to go back in the bag before you can leave for the next leg.  Then they haul all your stuff to the end of the race.  And you hope your sticker stays on the bag so you can find it later (remember that, too!).

The water was 73 degrees, so it was wet suit legal- that means it would be faster because the wet suit adds buoyancy, so you don't have to work as hard.  We waited in the cold and saw the pros start.  Then it was our turn!  We dove into the water and I tried to keep clear of the other swimmers, but be aggressive when needed.  My plan was to go moderately hard on the swim... I got my face kicked once and had to stop to put my goggles back on, but other than than, and having to readjust course a few times, I finished strong and loved my swim. Finished in 43 minutes.  Out of the water, then run up a hill (why is it ALWAYS UP A HILL!!!!!??) and get the wet suit stripped off by a helper. Then run to the transition area, fling off swim stuff, put on bike stuff and sunscreen and then ran with the bike to the line where it's legal to jump on and then took off like crazy! My goal was to go as hard as I could for the whole bike race and then to survive the run.  I was flying!  I was set to do a 3 hour bike and then I went in to the last 10 miles.  It was straight into the wind!!  OMG.  I ended up going 3 hrs 17 minutes.  Oh yeah- and at one point I was riding along getting ready to pass a girl (I was on the left ) and another guy passed me on the left.  I held my line so he could pass and then she noticed I was there just as he was passing me.  She freaked out and squeaked something and then swerved left into me.  I had nowhere to go because the guy on my left was still passing me.  Then as I passed her, her hand hit me on my rear or upper thigh and then I felt her front wheel connect my back wheel and then I heard a bit of a commotion behind me.  I didn't look back.  The guy passing me dropped back.  Later he caught up and said "she tried to take you out!".  Turns out, she went down, but she was OK.  I heard later that someone else had crashed and broken their arm.

 I got into transition #2 with my bike, flung off my bike gear and then put on my run gear and headed out on the run.  I was NOT looking forward to the run.  For the first two miles, I had a stitch in my left side.  That was awful.  Then it went away and I was finally able to settle into a hot (about 87 degrees) miserable run with some big hills. I ended up walking up most of the hills.  Then it got worse.  I had to count.  When I am counting steps- it's bad!  When I am counting 100 run steps and 50 walk steps, it's really bad!  I walked through the aid stations, drinking water and gator aid and trying to grab cold sponges, Every mile got slower.  I finally finished the run, in the arena, chasing down a woman who had a "40" on her left calf- meaning she was in my age group.  I beat her!!!  I about collapsed into a volunteer's arms, got my chip taken off, and then looked for the beer.  Oops!  I forgot to get my medal!  I walked back a few steps and got it.  Then Jack was there to meet me.  That was such a nice sight!!  Then I got some food and some beer and went to sit with the kids.  I stretched and ate. My run time was 2 hr 37 minutes- slower thank my last half-ironman, but faster than my first ever half marathon 4 yrs ago- I've come a long way!

After chilling out for a little while, I went to collect my bike.  Then I gave my bike to Jack and he left and went home. I took the kids to collect my other bags.  My after race clothes bag and my first transition bag with my wet suit in it were supposed to be together.  Only one bag was there.  Then someone pointed out that there was a bunch of loose stuff separated into piles. Sure enough- I found all my stuff, wet and grassy and gross and lying in neat piles.  Even my wet suit. I'm surprised I recognized it- I think I'll write my name in  it now!  Apparently the sticker had come off (despite my making sure it was well stuck on).

I went and changed my clothes and then we went off to look for the car.  Remember how I got there in the dark?  We went to the parking lot I thought it was in (based on it being near a road).  Carrying bags and the kids had some stuff.  We walked all over the place and could not find it.  Then on to the next parking lot.  No car.  Finally, I realize maybe it's the wrong road.  So I pull out my phone and sure enough- the road I came in on was in a different place.  We finally made it to the right lot and there was my car- right where I remembered it!  And right next to all the bikes,  We never even saw it when we were getting my bike.  Oh well.  The kids were super patient and didn't complain for 25 minutes in the heat carrying all that stuff.  I told them Dairy Queen was next on the list!

Off we went.  The phone found Dairy Queen, James got a large Blizzard, and Heather and I got something.  James said later he was afraid to ask for a large (I usually only let them get a small), but he figured he'd try.  I told him he could have had whatever he wanted!  I was just so happy they were pleasant to be around.

Heather drove home and we had a great time listening to her iPod and me being semi-shocked by what the heck they listen to and the fact that they know all the words.  There were a couple of songs where I literally understood maybe 1 word in 4. It was all in all a great afternoon with my kids.

I finished the race in 6 hr 49 minutes (14 minutes faster than the last one).  The last one was pancake flat- this one had hills!  I finished in the 48% ile of my age group and 42% ile over all of all the non-pro women.  So I made both my goals!  I was so thrilled.   Then I had a week off and now I am training to run faster on my PT test in November. Then a half marathon in February and then my next Half-Ironman in June.  In Hawaii!!!!!!!!

Glass half full. Or is it half empty???

It was only a few years ago that I figured out which was which.  You know, when someone says their glass is half full, that means they are an optimist.  I think.  Someone explained that a "half fuller" is optimistic because they believe that it's possible that if the glass is half full now, then there is the possibility that it could be all the way full eventually.  Hence, they are optimistic.  And a person is a pessimist if they think that their glass is half empty, because they are pretty sure that it will eventually be all the way empty.  I never saw it that way and I think that's why I never understood that stupid saying.  And I still never use it!

Here's why.  I think of it the opposite.  (What a surprise, right?)  I think of my glass as having chocolate milk in it.  Chocolate milk is the nectar of the gods.  It is the best drink on earth.  If all that existed was chocolate milk and beer, I'd be fine.  What chocolate milk doesn't work with (pizza, crabs, steak), beer is awesome.  And the other way around.  Anyway, my glass is full of chocolate milk.  I drink half of it.  Now my glass is half empty.  Awesome!  I have drunk half my milk and I'm optimistic that I can drink the rest in another two seconds or so. Now life is great because I have drunk an entire glass of delicious chocolate milk.  Say my glass is only half full.  Well, I'm pretty optimistic that I could easily fill it the rest of the way.  Or am I pessimistic because that's all that was left in the jug and half full is all I'm gonna get?  Dang!  Now you can see why I get confused.

Or maybe it's a matter of  control.  Half empty- I emptied it and I'm optimistic I can empty the rest.  Half full- I'm pessimistic that anyone else will fill it for me.  I just don't know.  So I avoid it all together.  I'm an optimistic and I'm just not sure what's going on with that glass.

Don't even get me started on the fact that bimonthly can mean two times a month or every other month.  I don't even allow that word.

Superpowers

I asked for some feedback today from a highly placed person that I respect a lot.  I wanted to know what other people thought of me and if he had any feedback.  His personality is a lot like mine- he is very out there and says what he thinks.  But he has done pretty well for himself, so I figured I'd ask him how he made it work for him.

He told me that I have a very good reputation around that the Air Force and that I shouldn't change anything.  He also said that I do a good job letting my personality out at the right times and holding back at others, as appropriate.  And that's when I told him I treat it like my superpower.  I made a reference to Charlie in Fire Starter, but he didn't know what I was talking about, I think.  You know- the Steven King book.  It was the first one I ever read.  I was 9 and I couldn't believe that my parents let me read books with the F word in it! But I kept reading anyway, of course.  Anyhow, Charlie was 8 and she was able to create fire spontaneously.  But she was just a little kid and couldn't really control it.  She would get angry and fire would fly and she would set people on fire by accident.  As she got older, she learned to control it. Well, my superpower is Supercheerfulness and Superenergy.  But it has to be controlled or it can set people on fire and get me in a lot of trouble!  I let it out in controlled doses and with the right people.  Seems to be working so far!  And he liked the superpower analogy, even if he didn't seem to know who Charlie is.  Oh yeah....what feedback did he give me?  He said to make sure I have people who will tell me when I messed it up and stepped over the line.  He said he had a few of those and it helped a lot over the years.  And he volunteered to be one- awesome!  So I got a new mentor in the deal- cool!

Smile, It can't be that bad!

Really?  Who says?  Has anyone ever said this to you?  I would bet that if you are a man, no one has.  If you are a woman, you may have heard it several times in your life, or maybe even often.  I have heard it occasionally and it has always irked me because it's just dumb.  Of course it could be that bad!  I've even had people say it to me in hospital elevators.  HOSPITAL ELEVATORS!!!!!!   In a HOSPITAL!!!!!  Of course it could be that bad!!  People are sick and die in hospitals!

The other night I read that this is a phrase said almost exclusively to women because they are supposed to be smiley and agreeable.  So when someone said that to me a couple of days ago, I had had enough.  I was washing a cup out at the common sink at work, and a guy walked in and said, "Smile!  It can't be that bad."  I said, "How do you know?"  He told me it really couldn't.  I repeated what I had said- how could he know?  I had to say it one more time before he gave up.  I decided that time not to let it go.

I would really like that phrase to just go away.  And the next time some clueless jerk face says it to you, don't let him get away with it.  Oh yeah- it's always men who say it.  Never once has it been a woman.

Flying- written on 9-17-11

I have been through airport security twice in the last week.  I'm slightly concerned because I have accidentally....really... accidentally both times taken through a large tube of sunscreen, a small tube of sunscreen, and a small pepper spray.  PEPPER SPRAY!!!!   And I've done that before!  Not on purpose... in fact, I didn't even think about last week's transgression until I realized I did it today.  I did remember to take the knife out though. I guess that's something.  This time I was a bit concerned because I realized it when I was still in line, before I got to the xray machine,.  Then I saw that there was a guy in training, so I figured they'd be looking extra hard.  Then they pulled my bag out for a special search- but not the right bag!!!!  Good grief.  Of course, if they were allowed to profile, maybe they never would be suspicious of me in the first place.  Maybe they would.  But who knows how many people are taking contraband on planes by accident.  But how many are taking it on purpose to test the system? I'm almost afraid to wonder.

Hopefully I'll be flying safe today.  If there's a problem, it won't be me!