Positive Attitude…Activate!

1. A dear friend is going through a health scare and I am scared to death of the results. To make matters worse, she’s not here so I feel helpless. I know she is where she needs to be to get the best medical care/attention, but I’d give anything to go to these appointments with her. And in typical “Es Fashion”, I tend to make jokes when talking to her but my heart breaks when I think about what she’s going through and the fact that her support system is hundreds of miles away.

2. The same weekend I found out about her, I found out another friend was in the hospital because his pancreas was essentially giving up. He was in a coma for three weeks and thankfully he’s rallied and is back home now. He has to make a major life change (no alcohol) but I hope he realizes there is more to life than his dear Miller Lite. Right now he swears he will never drink again. I only hope this fear of death sticks with him for the long haul.

3. All this worry and fear about my friends has made me realize that Life is Good! So, if you recall, I want this year to be more c’est la vie, less Type A so here goes! POSITIVE ATTITUDE…ACTIVATE!

4. After a three week hiatus I am back to exercising!!!!! My calf is 90% healed so I am run/walking. I took Penny for a ride on Tuesday, muy happy! And I’m back in the pool (and was told twice in one practice that I have a beautiful stroke).

5. So here’s a picture of our house from March:



And from this past weekend:



Wait, that’s the same picture. But if you were to go there today it would look EXACTLY the same. Word is they will start late April. Right now they have a promotion going on that says houses will be done in six months. Since we signed a contract two months before this promotion I HOPE our house will be done within six months as well!!!! That would give us an end of October move in which means Recovery/Taper period. That would work!!!

6. On Sunday, Dude, J, and I hiked the property. We spent about an hour along the lake shore and didn’t come near the end where it opens up into the “big lake”. It is beautiful, peaceful, and right in my backyard!!! Sooooo excited about moving!

7. As for my townhouse, the kitchen has a new look - I got new countertops, sink, faucet, and drawer/cabinet pulls installed. Final cleaning and de-personalizing is in the works and it will be back on the rental market soon!

8. This week, Dude and I were supposed to start our “diet” – more protein & veggies and fewer (but better) carbs. Unfortunately I’ve been busy. Next week I’ll be out of town thru Wed, then have Face of America ride Fri – Sun. I guess diet starts 18 April. Still trying to drop 10 pounds before IMAZ!

9. Face of America in next weekend. We had a fabulous Happy Hour at Glory Days last Friday – raised $1,100! And if you eat at ANY Glory Days in the month of April, give me the food receipt (not the credit card receipt) and Glory Days will donate 10% of food purchases to Team Steel Wheels! Or you can DONATE HERE!

10. This getting up at 4 AM to make swim practice is tough. I always feel incredible until about noon then nose dive into exhaustion. Any ideas on how to extend the post exercise energy? Since I’m thinking about starting to run 4-days a week, maybe a lunch time run might do the trick.

11. Dude and I are heading to Colorado this weekend. We will be spending the weekend with my BFF and her family. I’m planning a meal for Friday, we are hiking Saturday then joining her family for dinner, and then Sunday Dude and I are on our own. We may go to Boulder to see another friend or may just goof around in Denver.

12. Hmm, if the government shutdown happens I’ll be in Colorado. Can you say darn-it!


13. Don’t forget to check out my cooking blog - Tri To Cook! Oh, and just so you know, I’m a little behind on blogging on that one as well.

Thursday (Friday) Thirteen

1. Weight Goal – Nothing to report. Still the same and I’m considering joining Weight Watchers – in-person. I’ve done the on-line thing and stick with it for about 30 seconds. If I have to check in somewhere so I feel accountable (she said as she finished the slice of cake from an office mates birthday).

2. Exercise Goal – 5 am still sucks. I need to run more. I wonder if I’ll ever do weight training again. Anybody want to buy a Kinetic bike trainer??? Daylight savings is around the corner and Penny is getting antsy (but my seat bones are not)!

3. Red Nose Race #3 Recap – This was supposed to be my 16 mile run. Started running and just below my calf muscle feels like a tight ball and as a result I can’t flex my foot/ankle. I’ve been having this problem for a year and I’ve learned that usually by mile three it works itself out. Well, not today. I only did 10 miles, most at a 5:1 run/walk. Because of the pain in my calf, my form was completely off so it jacked up my hips and lower back as well. I really need to see a Dr about this!

4. T.E.A.M. Steel Wheels – My letters will go out this weekend and am going to resort to bribery. For one week only, if you donate over $50 and live in the local area, I will make you dinner. If you are not from the local area, I will send you baked good (I’m experimenting with scones and biscotti now). We are also going to do at least two Happy Hour fundraisers, hopefully details will be out within the next week.

5. Change to Race Schedule – After looking at the long-term schedule for IM training I will most likely have to remove the Covered Bridges ride and possibly the Great Pumpkin ride from the schedule. I’m down to the marathon, three 70.3’s, and Ironman.

6. Run Faster – Well, I’m putting the run faster on hold until after the marathon (but I have every intention of incorporating it into my training) but I have implemented it into my swimming.

I now swim in the fastest lane at practice. Now, before you start thinking “wow, she’s bad ass” you should know our Team Z West pool is often quite empty. Joining the fast lane started because last week there was only one person in the lane so I joined him. We actually swim at the same pace but Competitive Me just had to “beat him”. Mind you, we were splitting the lane so we weren’t even really swimming together. My only goal was to catch and pass him, regardless of where either of us were in the workout.
So today, we’re all getting in the pool and someone had to go down a lane. He looked at me and said you get the fast lane, you’re faster than me.

I think he was setting me up. New guy leads, first set is a 500 in Zone 2. He TAKES OFF. Competitive Me tries to keep up. We finish the set and I ask (pant) was that your zone 2? Yep. CRAP!!! I ended up doing the entire swim practice in zone 4 except when we were doing a 200 in zone 5. And that’s when I caught him. BOOYA!

7. 20 Mile Run – Done. The good news is the calf issue worked itself out (this time). The better news, aside from the marathon I won’t be running anything over 14 miles until early fall!

8. Ironman Arizona Update – Bike transportation is set-up. If you know anyone in the Northern Virginia area racing, please let them know there is special pricing available through trisportexpress.com. Go to the bottom of the left column and use the Northern VA IM-AZ link! We haven’t nailed down the pick-up/drop-off location yet, but most likely Arlington. The next big planning hurdle is finding a place to stay. Then of course the training (kicks off a week after the marathon)!

9. House Update – Since I wrote the Design Center blog, there’s not much to report other then there is a boat load of paperwork involved. Got the call today that all of the permits were filed two weeks ago so anywhere between two to four weeks will be ground-breaking. I kind of want to go out there with a ribbon and big scissors but Dude will think I’m a freak! Can’t wait until they start though because for each delay it’s pushing closing/moving closer and closer to Ironman!

10. Dude loves me – As many of you know I do finance for a living. This means I live/die by spreadsheets. You can figure that I have a slew of spreadsheets built for the building/buying of this house. I was showing Dude my latest addition, where I went room by room of my place and have a list of everything I have. I then have it broken down by whether it goes to storage, gets moved to his place, sell, etc. Then I have where it will go in the new house. He got as far as reading the column headers, looked at me, said “I love you honey, but…” Then just gave me a look that basically said “you crazy”.

He’ll appreciate my organization skills in a couple months.


11. Hair – I got 4 inches cut off!!! It’s now right at shoulder length (shortest it’s been in 3 years) and I LOVE IT!! I wear it curly and it rocks! It also looks quite professional when I straighten it.



12. Vacation or lack thereof – Remember when I said I was going to save money this year? Well, BHP (before house purchase) we were planning on a quick weekend trip to Colorado to visit friends. Well, Dude’s sticking to our save money plan and that trip is no longer on the books. So sad! I need a break!!!

13. New Blog – Did you see that I launched my cooking blog? Tri To Cook! Check it out!!

Thursday Thirteen on a Tuesday

This use to be so much easier – I just don’t know what my problem is these days. I started writing this two weeks ago so I figured I’d just post it today….

1. Weight Goal – It’s time - I have to slim down for Ironman and to feel a little better about myself. I’ve said it before I obsess about my weight. I know I’m not fat, but my knees and feet will thank me if I could shed some pounds. On the plus side (no pun intended), I look better now then I did in my previous life at the same weight - more solid. Guess you could say this endurance training base has its perks. Without further ado –

Current = 150
Goal (by Nov) = 140
For Reference:
Air Force days (91-97) = 130 – 140
Marriage (96-06) = topped out at 178
Officially Divorced (07) = 160
First marathon (Feb 09) = 141
Ironman (Jul 09) = 147
Fall 2010 = 154

2. Exercise Goal – I’m back on the "paying myself" $5 for each workout and I’m sadly already behind the power curve. I hate the bike trainer, I hate 5 am swim practice, and I hate that it gets dark so early. On the plus side, it’s staying light a little longer and soon outdoor cycling will start. Penny will be excited to come off the wall for the first time since November. And as for 5 am swim practice, I just need to suck it up and get it done!

3. Money Goal – Big things happening this year (keep your pants on, I’ll spill the beans in a sec) so the goal this year is to SAVE MONEY! That means no crazy Ironman spending (I cringe when I look at what I spent for Ironman Switzerland), postponing my Girl’s Weekend to celebrate my 40th birthday (gulp) until next year, and watching my pennies every chance I get. That includes limiting my 7-11 coffee to days I swim and Fridays (because I’m still buying my lottery tickets).

4. Eating Goal – As part of the weight/money goals there will be changes in my eating/drinking habits. The big one is no beer until after Ironman (caveat - one beer the night before each big race is tradition). As far as eating, far less eating out! I'm a darn good cook it's time to do it more often.

5. 2012 Goal – One of my personal goals is to be a tad less Type-A in 2012. Less obsessing, More Moderation. I want this to be a “c’est la vie” year and just enjoy living without the indecision, second guessing, worrying that I usually go through. Wish me luck – this is soooo not me!

6. Red Nose Race #1 Recap – This was a 14 mile Team Z “race against the clock” race. I was not officially timed because watches were not allowed and I wore mine. In my head I predicted 2:45 and I finished in 2:43. I ran the first 10 miles with Dennis and Sally at about a 11:30 pace then Dennis and I ran the last five and somehow managed a 11:18 average pace. Felt good and I really liked the trail we were running on.

7. Freezin’ For A Reason “Race” Recap – This is an easy recap… After being sick for a month I thought it best to NOT jump in a freezing lake on an already cold and wet day. I did donate my registration money since it is a FABULOUS cause. Next year!

8. October 70.3 Race Pick – Set-Up Events introduced a new race series and quite conveniently they have The Waterman 70.3 in Maryland on 8 Oct. This means that aside from Musselman and IMAZ all of my races are within two hours of home so I’ll be able to cut a lot of the travel costs from my Ironman Prep budget (See #3).

9. “Run Faster” or “Damn you Iron-Jason” – I met Iron-Jason for dinner last Wed and we discussed training strategy. His advice – “Just run faster” - as if it’s that easy. Sunday was Red Nose #2 Race and I planned on running 14 miles. I got there late so I started 11 minutes behind everyone else. About ½ mile in there was an ice patch that seemed to last F-O-R-E-V-E-R so I quickly decided I was just going to do 5 miles then leave and go run on the W&OD. Just past the 2 mile mark Dennis was heading back so I turned around and ran back with him. Overall, I’m guessing I did just over 4 miles at around 11:30 pace. I went to the Vienna W&OD and started heeding Jason’s advice. The first 5 miles (miles 5-9) were ~ 11:00 pace. Mile 6-8.5 (or miles 10-12.5) = 9:30 (!!) pace, next mile at just under 10 min and the last was just over 10 min pace. I did it, I “Just Ran Faster” but OMG I could barely move on Monday. Damn You Iron-Jason!

10. T.E.A.M. Steel Wheels – I’m falling behind on raising money. I need to do my email letter writing sooner then later. I also need to send Thank You’s to those who have donated money. Want to know how you can help? Go here and make a donation! As a team we raised $750 dollars in 24 hours Superbowl weekend. $500 was automatically contributed when we sold all the squares then Coach Ed and Becky Fulkerson also donated their winnings to Team Steel Wheels. How cool was that?!?!

11. Change to Race Schedule – To continue to save money, my race schedule is changing. I’m only doing the big races. Wilderness ride and the Super Double Top Secret Olympic Distance are not going to happen. That still leaves me with a marathon, three 70.3’s, one 100+ mile ride, (possibly) two fun rides (depends on #12), and of course, Ironman.

12. Oh, and Dude and I are buying a House – A year and two months after the big announcement that we were going to move in together we are REALLY doing it. We accidently went house hunting a couple weeks ago – the sign for a Model Home reeled us in – and two weeks later, we have an agreed upon offer on THIS Richmond American Home. In addition to moving in with Dude, getting a brand new house (and my gourmet kitchen), there's a WEGMAN's less than a ½ mile from my house!!! How freakin’ awesome is that!
Here's a pic of the property (you can see Lake Manassas between the trees.



13. Hold Me Accountable – OK, so the goals have been stated so now I ask that YOU hold me accountable!

2010 - Year in Review

Or Better Late Then Never...

2010 will not go down in any record books for me. Truth be told, I'm just glad that it's over. This is also delayed because the year ended with me sick...sick almost consistently from 7 December until YESTERDAY (I did have a 5-day break in there, but still) a MONTH of sinus infections, ear infections, walking pneumonia, and bronchitis. Apparently my immune system went on holiday.

Rather then go month by month, here's a summary:

- I did my first Polar Plunge, and will be repeating it in 2011.
- I ran my first half-marathon, guess you could call that a PR!
- I participated in one Relay (should have been two but more on that in a bit) and did one Oly - did NOT PR in either.
- I did two 70.3's. One in Hell (Florida) and one at a fantastic venue (Musselman - Lake Seneca, New York) that I'll be returning to in 2011. Did NOT PR in either.
- I got robbed in the MicroMussell and will redeem myself in 2011.
- I did not do Marine Corp Marathon (but if you look at my results you'll see that "I" finished in 4:08 - that was actually my ROCKSTAR cousin who came down here with 3 days notice and still finished in 4:08. BTW, she's also skinnier and prettier then me...BIATCH).
- I ran the Marine Corp 10K against Doctor's orders. Did NOT PR.
- I travelled to North Carolina to do an Ironman Relay and ended up attempting the whole dang thing. I got to the halfway point in the marathon and called it a day (and I am STILL kicking myself for not finishing)!!!!

If you remember my Motivation Plan, I was to "give myself" $5 for every workout I did. Well, I "made" $605 - that is sadly 2.32 workouts a week which is almost exactly what IM AZ costs. Convenient!

In total...
I swam 52,365 meters, or 12.4 Iron-Distance swims,
I biked 1,217 miles, or 10.85 Iron-Distance bike rides, and
I ran 445 miles, or 16.97 marathons.

Compared to 2009 (which I quit tracking in Sep 2009):
I swam 100,312 meters, or 23.75 Iron-Distance swims,
I biked 1,518 miles, or 13.53 Iron-Distance bike rides, and
I ran 512 miles, or 19.52 marathons.

Aside from racing/training, I had a blast in Vegas with some great friends, I got promoted at work (which includes my very own parking spot), I got a bad-ass tattoo, I went on a non-race related vacation in Grand Cayman and I'm still head over heels, madly in love with Dude.

All in all, LIFE IS GOOD!

BRING IT 2011 - it's time to KICK AZ!!!!

2011 Race Schedule and goals coming soon!

Beach 2 Battleship 140.6 Race Report

Alternate Title 1 – What happens when a relay turns into an Ironman (screw you WTC, I’m using the term Ironman, it’s easier to type then Iron-Distance or Ultra-Triathlon)
Alternate Title 2 – Hey Rocky, Watch me pull an Ironman out of my hat!
Alternate Title 3 – Seriously, don’t try this!

Package Pick-up/Back Story
Many months ago I signed up to ride the 112 miles in an Iron-distance race. Well, I had a feeling that my swimmer was not going to show since I hadn’t heard from her since June and she never replied to any email that CH or I sent. So I packed my wetsuit, just in case. While at packet pick-up I finally heard from her, and sure enough, she wasn’t going to show.

OK – I’ll swim (I mean, the swim profile says it’s with current, how bad can 2.4 miles be??), bike, and CH will run.

CH and I start texting and I notice signs that she doesn’t want to run. She has been plagued with injuries so after some back and forth I tell her it’s OK if she doesn’t want to come down.

OK – I’ll swim, bike, and call it a day.

I went to the pre-brief and started thinking, I wonder if I could do the whole thing. I called Iron-Jason to see if he thought I could pull an Ironman out of my A$$ and he said go for it, what’s the worst that can happen.

I go back and forth in my brain and decide WTF, I’ll be a ROCKSTAR for trying, and a ROCKSTAR SUPERHERO if I finish.

I went and picked up the run portion of the packet, changed from relay to individual, and bought all kinds of gear and nutrition required for the race.

I got a decent night sleep, at least until 3 A.M, then the nerves kicked in. Alarm went off around 4 A.M., ate something and headed to the start.

Pre:
Got all situated and found the Team Z-er’s that were going to swim. We put on our wetsuits and got on the bus to the start. It seemed like a very long drive for a 2.4 mile swim, then we got to stand in the cold waiting for the start. As we walked to the water (and the nerves were in high gear) I realized not only was I going to attempt an Ironman, I was about to get the crap beat out of me for about 15 minutes with the swim start. AWESOME! They corralled us up and blew an air horn, and the fun begins!

Swim 2.4 Miles – 1:30 in water, official time: 1:32:46 (includes run to timer)
Once again, I had an “easy” Ironman experience. I wasn’t hit, punched, swam over, nothing. I found my space and just tried to get comfortable. At first my goggles were leaking and they were driving me nuts. I finally got them situated and got into a groove. I did stop (way too often) to find the next buoy, but I still managed to stay in the groove. 2.4 miles is a very long way but I was never in pain (surprising since I only swam about 10 times, once being on Tuesday). The current wasn’t as strong as I was hoping and the water was very choppy but I’m pretty darn happy with my time.

T1 – 12:03
My first experience with a changing tent. Got out of my wetsuit and into my bike gear (it’s just as hard to get spandex on in a tent as out in the open). But I did take some time to really dry off, get some lube on, and to make sure I had everything. Grabbed Penny and headed out.

Bike 112M – Bike computer ride time 6:36 - Official Time (includes stops) 6:47:58 -
Mind-numbingly boring! Me no-likey 112 mile loops. Including the volunteers (who were awesome and I thanked whenever I remembered) there were less than 100 people out there cheering. Add the F-ING headwind for the first 80 miles and I was not a happy camper. Hydration was not an issue - I stopped at every porta-potty except at special needs (but stopped 10 minutes up the road at a mini-mart) and at the last stop.
For the first 30 miles I was convinced I would finish the race.
Miles ~31-60 I thought I’ll just stop at the half-way point on the run.
Miles ~61-75 – F-This, I’m stopping after the bike and drinking beer (I got screwed up on my nutrition for a bit and this was my bonking/crying in the porta-potty phase).
Got back on my nutrition track and started doing math, and for the rest of the ride I thought “Wow, at this pace I have plenty of time to finish this race”.

Oh, and notice the PR on the bike?! BOO-YA! (OK, it's 100% due to the lack of hills (mountains) compared to Switzerland).

T2 – 10:42
Absolutely thrilled to get off of Penny and I may have asked bike catcher to “throw that b!tch away”. Got changed, asked the volunteer to talk me out of heading out. She told me I was awesome for even trying so I headed out to the run. Another stop at a porta-potty (stupid hydration) and off I went.

Run 26.2 (or Not)- Time: ~3:00 (obviously not)
I s-l-o-w-l-y jogged out of transition and down the road until I rounded the corner to get on the overpass. I stepped on something that was jabbing into my foot so I took a moment to figure out what it was. Hmm, a nail, good thing I checked! I basically walked any incline and “ran” the rest. I had to stop at every other porta-potty, so maybe I’ll wear a diaper for my next Ironman. The crowd support was great through downtown Wilmington, but aside from that there was barely anyone out cheering. The sun set around mile 7 and it started getting chilly. By now, it felt like I was getting stabbed in my lower back with each step (car accident in the beginning of October) so between the pain, cold, and lack of crowd (oh, and the fact that I was only partially trained for the bike portion) I decided I was calling it a day at the ½ marathon point.

Overall: DNF I circled the cone at the turn around to ensure I did the whole ½ marathon and headed to the side of the finish area to turn in my chip and immediately burst into tears. I’ve only DNF’d one race (and I ended up in the hospital with pneumonia, bronchitis, and strep throat). I stopped and tried to talk myself into finishing at least 10 times before I got to where I could hand someone my chip. I gave my chip to a volunteer and said take this before I hurt myself. Went to the team tent, grabbed a steak and ate it caveman style. I soon realized I was exhausted so I caught a ride with Marie back to the hotel.

The following days
Quite honestly, I’ve been beating myself up. I still had 5 hours until the cut-off – I could have finished. Two days later there was no pain, which in my head means I should have pushed myself and finished.

But I’m putting this behind me and getting back on marathon training this weekend.

Oh, and signing up for Ironman Arizona on Monday – this one I will train for!

Friday Edition of a Much Delayed Thursday Thirteen

1. Despite the lack of blogging – LIFE IS GRAND. And I really do have a lot on my mind, and talk myself through a blog post quite often. I just never have the chance to sit and type anymore.

2. I’m still “running” MCM…running, that’s funny! I’ve done two 16 mile runs so far. My next couple of weekend’s run mileage will be 18, 20, 16, 14, Race.

3. Two weeks after MCM is the B2B Bike Relay (Full Iron-distance). I’ve been loosely training for this. My next couple of weekend’s bike mileage will be 90, 100, 112, 60, 40 (MCM), 60, Race.

4. Somewhere in there I have a silly little Warrior Dash to do. Run through a pit of fire AND give me a furry warrior helmet. HELLS YEAH!

5. I suppose I should mention I rarely exercise during the week. Work, family, work, laziness, work, prior commitments, etc.

6. Even with the lack of exercise I’ve “maintained” my post Ironman weight. I gained about ten pounds in the depressing months following the race. I managed to lose five by Spring and have stayed there since. I’d still love to drop another 5-10 (marathon weight) but that would require eating less and exercising more.

7. A couple weeks ago a bunch of friends competed in Ironman Wisconsin. I couldn’t make the trip to cheer so I sat behind the computer and cyber-stalked them. WOW! It was fun to watch, text, message, etc. with people there and on-line. And it got me excited thinking about next year’s journey to Ironman Arizona!!!

8. My deal with Dude is I promised I wouldn’t be as obsessed about it as I was for Switzerland. I think I can make good on that…I know I can do the distance, I know my nutrition needs, I know what the training will be like…so I should be able to maintain some semblance of sanity

9. I got back from a week in Grand Cayman last Saturday all refreshed, relaxed, and happy. That lasted until around 10 am on Monday. Stupid job! Stupid career! Stupid need to stay clothed and fed!

10. While on vacation I realized I need to find something I’m passionate about (besides Dude, I can’t retire and do Dude…well I could but…). Once I identify that “thing” I need to try to make that a priority in my life.

11. The top things that come to mind are cooking (eating) and writing (reading). I suppose triathlon/exercise ranks up there, but that’s already relatively steady in my life.

12. So now what?! How can I turn these hobbies into something?! Anyone…Anyone…Bueller…

13. Holy crap – where has this year gone?? I just looked at my calendar and realized (1)it’s is October, (2) I’ve been incredibly busy since July and have done a ton of things, and (3) I haven’t been blogging about any of it!

BTW, did I mention I have a tattoo?

You Know What Thursday Means...

1. It's the start of my second 4-day weekend in a row! Boo-ya!

2. I'm now registered to relay the Beach 2 Battleship Iron-Distance race in November. I'm biking, a new Team Z'er is running, and Charlotte is running.

3. It's two weeks after Marine Corp Marathon...hope my legs will be ready for it!

4. Here's a surprise, I actually had fun "camping" last weekend. It helps that there was a cabin. And that everyone knew how I felt about camping so we got the room with the bed. So slept in a bed + incredible bug spray = fun camping.

5. Dude heard that I liked it so he's booked two more trips. Hope there's cabins wherever he's booked!

6. This weekend is Musselman!!!! Finally, a 70.3 that I'm somewhat, a little bit, trained for.

7. So, it's "OFFICIAL", I'm racing IRONMAN Arizona next year. Official is in quotes because I can't register until November.

8. I'm doing a Girl's Week in Grand Cayman for a week in September. There's extra room in the condo, anyone interested???

9. Someone is coming to look at my townhouse tonight. GULP, what if she wants to rent it?! Guess Dude and I are REALLY going to live together!

10. Lots of work to do on the house before someone moves in...plumbing, electric, yard work, wood floors, maybe ceramic in bathrooms.... All tax write-offs and increase value when it's time to sell.

11. Work is crazy busy but it's all good. Still looking for a replacement for myself!

12. Dude and I are going to Colorado next month. Woohoo - time with friends, time in the mountains. Oh, and we will be in a hotel!!

13. Marathon training is going well so far. Had a fantabulous run on Friday. Since then I've gotten some rides in but it's too flipping hot to run!

~~~~That's all, Folks!~~~

Back in the Saddle (and other stuff)

Literally!

Not horse saddle but bike saddle! As in I did a 50 mile hilly ride last weekend, the Tuesday night Conte's hill ride, AND 70 miles yesterday!! Can I get a WOOT WOOT?! OK, it wasn't quite 70 it was 67.5 but close enough! And for the record...I feel great while riding!!! I'm still slow as mollasses getting up the hills, but I am TRI-ing to get faster...TRI-ing to pull up versus pushing down...TRI-ing to figure out the shifting!

Speaking of shifting, my derailler is jacked up. The ride ended yesterday stuck in the granny gears so Penny goes back to the shop tomorrow.

Other then that, my running is lagging. After Musselman I will be going to the Dr about my foot/ankle issue. Or maybe after Marine Corp Marathon since that training starts the weekend of the 19th.

Other Stuff:
Today was the Cancer 2 5K race. I've been volunteering with them for 12 weeks and it's hard to explain the joy I felt watching "my runner" cross the finish line. She pulled her calf earlier this week so the coach told her she had to walk. Well, she wanted none of that so she did intervals and would stop when it really hurt, but kept moving and crossed the finish line running and smiling. I'm so proud of her and ALL of the C25K Runners today!

After the race I went to an Bethesda's awesome Farmer's Market so tonight's dinner is New York Strip with Arugula Pesto (homemade), Arugula/Asparagus/Ricotta Ravioli's with warmed garlic olive oil, and grilled tomatoes with some incredible cheese I bought at the market. BTW - all organic - all clean eating! Can't wait!

Speaking of which - it's time to head to Dude's to start cooking. (Oh, and after much delay, the house will be on the rental market next week)

Oh, and as an aside, I guess I should let you all know...

IRONMAN


ARIZONA


2011!!!


STRONG, STRONG, STRONG POSSIBILITY.


As in, if the Team picks it, I will be toeing the line once again!

Lots going on

and no time to blog.

First - I finally got my promotion. Woo Hoo and double WOOT!!! But now you know why the "no time to blog".

Second - Ironman FL 70.3 is on Sunday (Bib 1681, Wave 15, 7:03 start). Yep, Sunday, as in 3 days and a wake-up. And if you think my training has picked up from the pure laziness since October the answer would be a resounding NO. And the weather...upper 80's and sunny. This is going to be a SUFFER FEST!

I did run 2 1/2 - 3 hours two weeks ago - the run was fine but it was unseasonal HOT and HUMID. My body tends to shut down in those conditions (like I said, SUFFER FEST). Then on Sunday I rode 40 plus miles. The first 25 miles my eyes were swollen shut from the pollen. I took a Benadryl at the rest stop and was in a coma for the final 15. Literally, I put my elbows on my aero pads and closed my eyes whenever the road was straight. Just a little dangerous!

This past weekend Penny was in the shop. Instead of running I went on a hike with Dude. If you want to know the truth, I was kind of hoping that I would get injured so I wouldn't have to race this Sunday. No such luck - still healthy, still racing.

Racing, now that's a funny word.

I will compete. I will do my best. But I have no goals except -
Don't stop swimming, pedaling, or putting one foot in front of the other for 70.3 miles!

Guess What I Did...

...all of my half-Ironman training over the weekend! And by Sunday afternoon I was paying for it! How the hell did the folks who were finishing a three week build feel?!!

Saturday I went for a run…a 10-mile run at that - and it hurt!! Apparently I now need 3-miles to warm up. First 3-miles was flat-footed plodding as described in my race report then suddenly I was fine. For the training run I was able to stick to an 11 minute mile, including a 1 minute walk at each mile marker. Anyhow, 1-3 sucked, 4-7 was ok, 8-10 hurt...but in a good way. This weekend is Recovery Week but I’m going to do what I did with Shamrock training – 14 miles, three weeks before my half.

Sunday was my 48 mile bike ride. While 48 miles doesn’t seem like much in comparison to last year’s training but since October I’ve only ridden 51 miles and that was over three different occasions. Surprisingly, the bike ride went quite well. First 40 miles was easy-peasy, last 8, not so much. Uphill - the whole entire time! I swear!

What a difference a year makes. Last year nutrition was my 100% focus, this year, not so much! I showed up at the ride with one Gu for a 3 hour+ ride. I do think gels reproduce though because in my search of my car I did find two more and don’t know how/where they came from...or how old they were for that matter.

I got back home around 1:00, showered, and by the time we headed out for lunch I was STARVING. Dude took me for sushi and we more then slightly over indulged. After the fact I figured out everything we ordered (and finished): three special rolls (those are the big ones – 6 pieces each), two rolls (those skinny ones – 6 pieces each), two piece each of salmon, tuna, and fresh water eel.

Yep, 42 pieces of sushi, and three large beers split between the two of us. And please believe me when I say Dude had far more sushi then I did!

We finished (and they gave us some free wine, I think because we had the largest bill of the day) then did some shopping. Went home and neither of us can remember what channel we put on because we went into a sushi coma for about three hours.



Needless to say, there was no need for dinner! (Don't you love google image...the things you find)

Stay tuned…big news coming!!!

Rumpass in the Bumpass Oly Race Report = Brain Fart

First tri of the season and I found that I have forgotten more about triathlons in the past 7 months then I care to admit!


Pre: Team Z Rulz! It was fun to see the nervous newbies, catch up with the veterans, and found a new love for a pancake with Nutella as a pre-race snack. Thanks Lindsay! Couple brain fart moments – I couldn’t remember where/how to attach the bike number, didn’t bring scissors/tape, and forgot sunscreen (I paid for this later).

Swim 1,500 M – 34:42 Over 1 minute faster then Nation’s Tri – probably had more to do with swimming a straight line then anything else. This was by far the choppiest water I’ve ever swum in and got flipped on my back a few times. Brain fart moment – I had taken my goggles off for pictures and started to swim out to the start line with my goggles on top of my head. DOH!

T1 – 2:34 Almost a minute faster then Nation’s. It was a long way from my bike to the mount line and running in bike shoes bites!

Bike 40K – 1:26 Five minutes slower then Nation’s. Had fun on the ride and considering this was only my second time on Penny since October. Per the usual, I need to work on hills…and have a talk with Mother Nature about winds on race day. Brain fart moment - I forgot to check what gear I would need to be in coming out of transition. Bottom of a hill, big gear = FAIL! Then I couldn’t clip in. Rookie mistakes!

T2 - 2:24 One minute faster then Nation’s. First race since Kinetic (May last year) that my knee was not hurting! WOOT! Brain fart moment – I forgot to put my speed laces on my new shoes and this was the first time I had to tie my shoes in a very long time. I did take the extra minute to put my devil horns on though.

Run 10K – 1:14 Twelve (yep, twelve) minutes slower then Nation’s. I’ve been having a problem running lately. For the first 2-3 miles, I have no motion in my right ankle so I flat-foot plod along…very, very, very slowly. About the time I’m ready to call it a day the motion returns and I can run again. So, I’d say my first 3 miles were at a run/walk pace of 13+ minute miles. Eventually, I may have gotten to an 11 minute pace, but I did walk the hills and the portion through the woods where roots were bigger then what I could lift my legs at this point. No final sprint – I was DONE!

Overall 3:20 – 14 minutes slower then Nation’s. Not real happy with the results but considering the sheer lack of training it is better then I deserved! Also, due to lack of base strength, this was the first time I left everything on the course. Like I said, no final sprint because I just couldn’t. I took off my shoes to get in the lake for an ice bath and found that the front of my right ankle down to the arch was grossly swollen and it hurt to walk. I should probably get that looked at but FL ½ Ironman in less then a month.

Rumpus in the Bumpass = great way to start the tri-season!

Stay tuned for the Rumpus in the Bumpass Sprint Relay Race Report.

ShamROCK Half Marathon

If you’ve been following my blog, you may have noticed winter training has been few and far between. A couple weeks ago I forced myself to run 14 miles to prove to myself that I could do it. Needless to say, I had little aspirations for this race. My unofficial goals were: ultra stretchy goal of 2:17 (about 10:30 min mile) to expected 2:23 (11 min miles).

This was also my 1st Half Marathon only so regardless it would be a PR.

Day Before – Saturday I drove to Virginia Beach and by recklessly speeding I was able to catch up with Ken and Brian. We followed each other in and went straight to the expo. I proceeded to do some shopping and bought these:


And this cute little necklace (it's on a black rubber "chain"):


Oh, and some gel (never ate) and ANOTHER race belt. Had an incredible dinner then back to the hotel for some much needed rest.

Lori and I agreed to run with each other. We ended up in the wrong corral – a little too slow so we were passing people left and right. We got to the first mile marker, checked the watch: 10:15. YIKES! SLOW DOWN!

Miles 2-10 – We slowed down to 11 min mile and I was feeling great. I told Lori that if I still felt this good at the half way point I’d speed up a bit. Well that didn’t happen. The aches started around mile 7 so our plan changed to speed up for the final 5K. We got to the 10 mile mark and I started to speed up as I heard Lori yell I’ll see you at the finish.

Mile 11 – ~ 10:45 pace – Felt good, keep going.

Mile 12 – ~ 10:30 pace - Still good, not that much further to go.

Mile 13 – Under 10 minutes. Yeah Baby!! One mishap – I was trying to pass someone as I was going around a cone. My foot caught the cone and thankfully I was able to stumble and did not face-plant. What a klutz!

13.1: Rounded the corner to get on the boardwalk and I could see the King Neptune statue and started sprinting. Quickly realized I started sprinting a bit too soon so let off a bit. Once I could see the word FINISH I went back into sprint mode. Saw two Team Z’ers up ahead and tried with all my might to catch them but to no avail.

Got across the line and felt GREAT! Got my medal, and hat, and shirt, and water, and banana. They had some other stuff to give out but my hands were full.

My time? 2:20:24!!! And I celebrated with some Yuengling Light then went to watch the marathon finishers.

Two days later – I’m feeling great, very little residual pain. But I have this nagging question in my head…

How well could I have done if I had actually trained.

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday night Dude & I went to see Strongman & Heidi's 14-year old play at Ned Devine's - KISS cover band. But first I had a couple people over for munchies and drinks. Overall Good Time! We did learn that we are NOT bar-hoppers. Between my house, the concert, then we dropped by another place we were POOPED. I suppose I should mention that it was all of 1030. We Are LAME!

Saturday was a sad day. We went to Dude's Dad's house to check on him/make sure he's taking care of himself/visit/help him with the house. I won't get into details, but I will say I called my mom the next day and asked for a POA. The deal I told her was once she's past a "certain age" if the four of us kids unanimously agree something is in her best interest, we can make decisions for her. Not necessarily to put her in a home, but little things like house/car maintenance decisions.

Sunday I went for a run. First I want to say that I found the joy of running again - there's just something about running in near perfect weather after a long hiatus. To prove to myself that I could run the 1/2 marathon in 3 weeks, I decided to run 14 miles. Take that 1/2 marathon! I ran almost SPOT ON 11 minute miles (HR at ~160 - FYI my Zone 2 is high 140's). I am paying for ignoring Zone 2. Screaming Quads. Aching IT Bands. And sore, sore, sore hip flexors. But I did it - I know I'll be fine at Shamrock!

So, last Thursday I said, "This weekend’s goals are install a garage door opener (Fail - but purchased), chop down a tree (Success), fix a light fixture (Half-fail - bought/installed what we thought was needed but apparently we have to get a whole new fixture), stage my house (Fail), run 10-12 miles (Success +2 miles), and work on my new blog (Fail)." C'est la vie - tomorrow is another day!

That's all folks - work is going to be Insane this week so I'm not sure if I'll be checking in again.

Thursday Thirteen Random Thoughts

1. So far I’m doing so-so on my Non-Catholic Lent. No brussel sprouts, shoveling snow, watching professional sports, or time on the trainer. Still have to commute everyday though.

2. I’ve also only had one Barq’s Root Beer and not a single Disaronno’s! See, so I have sacrificed something I like!

3 weeks to Shamrock ½ Marathon

4. I have stayed true to my New Year’s promise to myself. I made myself the deal that I could only get my 7-11 coffee on mornings I go to swim practice and Friday’s. So far, I haven’t made swim practice and I’ve only stopped on Friday mornings.

5. I have to change lanes so it makes it difficult to get to the 7-11 to resist the temptation. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

6 weeks to VEGAS BABY! Girl’s Weekend in Vegas – we’re going to go to the spa, see Le Reve and take a Stripper 101 class (hey – I hear it’s a great workout and who couldn’t gain from learning how to shake that boot-ay!)

7 weeks to first Tri (RumpASS in the BumpASS Oly and Sprint Relay)

8. This weekend’s goals are install a garage door opener, chop down a tree, fix a light fixture, stage my house, run 10-12 miles, and work on my new blog.

9. Yep, I’m going to abandon this blog and move to another. More details to follow – but it will be about training, racing, life, and cooking – just more Type-A organized then this one.

10. My house goes on the market next week. For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent?

11 weeks to first 70.3 of the year (Ironman Florida 70.3)!

12. There are big changes coming at work and I’m one of the few that knows about them. I don’t like being “in the know”!

13. I registered for the WARRIOR DASH for 9 October. It’s a 3.1 mile run, but there’s obstacles, like mud pits, a wall, and rappelling. Oh, did I mention you get to run through fire. "Fire, Fire, He He"! {Beavis & Butthead reference} They also give away warrior hats – furry warrior hats with horns. How could I NOT sign up!

Damn You Punxsutaney Phil

That's right, Damn you, you furry GROUNDHOG!



I want to run - I really do. But I am a Fair-Weathered Athlete and I won't run in snow, in anything below 30 degrees, or on the treadmill for over an hour.

A girl has to have her limits.

In case you didn't know, that little F-ER predicted six more weeks of winter. And to kick things off here in NO-VA, we are expecting 3-6" tonight (Tue) and even more this weekend.

DAMN YOU PUNXSUTANEY PHIL!

Modified 13

As in you'll only get 8!!

I love my job

This week has been a "Eat More, Exercise Less" week and I'm up a pound. My job is relentless and the one night I could have went to the gym I went to Happy Hour. I deserved it! Yep, you read that right, I haven't done anything (except sit-ups one morning) since last Saturday. I'm suppose to run 14 miles on Saturday but rumor has it that it will only be 18 defreeze. Maybe I'll just lounge around the house and drink Bailey's laced hot cocoa.

I hate my job

My brother arrives in DC tonight for the weekend. Originally he was going to stay at my place but then I heard (through the grapevine) that he got a hotel. WHATEV! I emailed him to see about meeting for dinner and he said sure but didn't make any plans (again, through the grapevine I've heard that they have everything planned, from arrival to departure with everything in-between). Should I take the hint? I'll be mad if he completely blows me off. We have an odd relationship - best of friends growing up and we still get along great but neither of us are the greatest communicators. Basically out of sight, out of mind. When I go down to FL to visit we'll go out and have fun then not talk for another year. Weird, I know.

I love my job

I mentioned going to happy hour. One of my favorite things about HH (aside from good company, adult beverages, and yummy wings and nachos) is I get to drive by this take out joint called (and I swear I'm not making this up) "MEAT IN A BOX". And just so you know, I think sexual innuendo every time I see the sign (then I giggle). Yes, I am that juvenile. Seriously, MEAT IN A BOX! (I'm giggling just typing it). Someday I just may have to pop in and get me some.

I hate my job

I've mentioned my insomnia. This weeks story - There's this traffic circle that I go through EVERY SINGLE DAY on the way to work. In my sleep deprived state, I apparently missed my exit and kept going. It took a few minutes until I realized I had NO IDEA where I was. I actually had to use my nav system to find my way to my office.

Peace-Out!

9 - 13

Dang it, I couldn’t even do the three days in a row. If it’s any excuse, I worked 12.5 hours Thursday night, busy on Friday, and I make it a goal to not get on my computer over the weekend.

9. 2010 Motivational Plan – It’s going ok – I’m a little behind on my monthly $$$ goal because my back pain made me miss a week. I’m learning that in addition to the monetary incentive, it helps when I have someone depending on me to show up. Jason texted me the other day and we met at the gym to work out. I also made the team run because I told him I’d be there. GREAT 2 hour run with Jill!!! Didn’t make Sunday’s bike ride though – too tired and it was raining.

10. Sleep Deprivation – Every once in awhile insomnia hits me like a mack truck. And it’s been running me over for about three weeks now. Basically I sleep for 2 hours, I’m wide awake for 2 hours, repeat until the alarm goes off at 5:40. I’m exhausted, I’m grumpy, and my concentration is shot. I AM MISERABLE!

12. Social Networking – How much is too much? I Blog, I Facebook, I Email, I Text, I’m Linked-in, my Blackberry is always within reach, and I have a Twitter account (but I’ve never twitted – and I find it odd that strangers are following me even though I like that strangers read my blog – I’m just weird like that!) Is all of this really necessary though?

12. Weight – Remember that whole thing I said about eating less and exercising more. Well, it still works. I’m down 4 lbs! 5 till I’m semi-happy, 7 till I’m happy, and if only I could lose 11.4 I’d be ecstatic!

13. Zone Workouts – As you know, I haven’t exactly been keeping with the training schedules. Well last weekend I did 8 miles at “my pace” (what felt good, versus monitoring my heart rate) and was a little sore on Sunday – not horrible, but there was some tenderness. Sunday, Jill and I did 10 miles, pure zone 2, and no pain. None, Zilch, Nada. The stuff works people – try it!!!

1-4 of 13

1. Work – BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! Well obviously I’ve been busy since I haven’t blogged in, oh, about forever. I owe 2 weeks of Thursday 13 and I have no time to think about it much less write. So for this week, I’ll build up to the full 13 by Thursday then maybe I’ll get back into some sort of rhythm. Any-who – back to the work thing, in addition to my day to day job (and increasingly frustrating dealings with one of my divisions) I am trying to launch a Program, Planning, and Control Organization at my company. This is something near and dear to my heart and something I was very involved with at my last company. So far, people seem interested but I’m not quite feeling the love. Trying to get it kicked off by 1 April…yikes!

2. Race Schedule Thoughts – 1st of all, I already missed the first race of the season – didn’t feel like driving in to DC. Instead, I ran 8 miles around my neighborhood to include hills, trail, ice, traffic dodging, and an overwhelming desire to stop at Starbucks. Minor changes to the schedule: see #4 for Feb and I changed my mind (saved some money) by just signing up for the micro-Mussel and the Musselman in July (no Sprint). The big change – after looking at the schedule, I realized that if I did Marine Corp Marathon and tried to relay the swim and bike at B2B I would basically be training for a fall Ironman – it would just be in a different order and I’d have a REALLY long transition between run and swim. I don’t want to train for an Ironman this year (said in a whining voice) so I’ll just relay B2B either just the swim or just the bike.

3. Procrastination – You may have noticed I haven’t mentioned the whole living arrangements for awhile. Truth be told, I’m procrastinating. First off, it’s scary thinking about selling my house to live with someone (even though it is Dude). But mainly it’s because I don’t want to live at his current townhouse for too long. I’ve been waiting for him to show some initiative about getting his place ready to sell before listing mine and guess what…just this weekend he did just that. Looks like it’s really going to happen!

4. Freezin’ for a Reason – this is my February thing. Not really a race. Well maybe a race to see who can get out the fastest! This is a charity event raising money for Camp Sunshine. Camp Sunshine is pretty cool, in that it is a camp for terminally ill children AND their entire family. Imagine, the terminally ill child has some fun, the siblings who may have been put on the back burner for a bit get to have some fun, and the parents get a bit of a respite from the stress of caring for an ill child. Pretty cool! Now, for those of you NOT in VA, take a look at their website – they are all over the North East (and one in Seattle). If you don’t care to take the plunge, you could donate (my site). And for those of you in the Northern VA area that aren’t going to plunge, again, you could donate. Or come on out and watch.

Stay tuned for number 5-8 tomorrow…

2010 - Bring It!

Here it is – the much anticipated race schedule (subject to change whenever I feel like it)

Jan 16 – DC Road Runner Club’s JFK 5K – no goal. OK, I want to break 30 minutes (shut up speed demons!). A couple years ago – before Ironman training - I did a 5K in 23 minutes. My, my, my how times change!

Feb – Nothing yet – possibly the GW Birthday Classic

Mar 21 – Virginia Beach Half Marathon – Hopefully my runner cousin will be joining me on this trip (she’ll do the full marathon). Goal = 2:20

Apr 17-18 – Rumpass in the Bumpass Triathlon Weekend – This year I’m thinking of racing both the Olympic and the Sprint. If not both, race the Oly and relay the sprint (bike leg). Goals: Olympic under 3:10/Sprint under 1:20

May 16 – Ironman FL 70.3 – this is going to be fun. Family and high school friends are going to be lined up to cheer me on (and possibly provide a beer stop on the run). Goal = 6:40

Jun – Nothing – recovery and rebuild for…

Jul 9-11 – Musselman – Team Z event. I’m thinking all three events:
Friday - micro-Mussel (100 yd/.6 m tricycle or bigwheel/.2 m) - Goal – HAVE FUN!
Saturday - mini-Mussel (750m/16.1 mile/3.2 mile) - Goal – HAVE FUN!
Sunday - Musselman Half Iron(1.2 mile/56 mile/13.1 mile). Goal – HAVE FUN!

Aug – Nothing – Recovery and begin Marine Corp Marathon training in the dreaded heat wave that IS Northern Virginia!

Sep – MCM Training

Oct 31 – Marine Corp Marathon – deferred from 2009 – this is a race I have always wanted to do. At the very least it will be inspirational! Goal: 4:59:59

Nov 13 – Beach To Battleship Iron Distance RELAY – I’m looking for someone willing to run a marathon because I want to try the swim and bike. This is a potential Iron-Distance race in my future. Goal – HAVE FUN!

Dec - Nothing but relaxation!

Year in Review (Thursday 13)

January – Ran my first 20 mile. Also had a wonderful trip to Colorado with Dude (pic) to do some skiing and snowshoeing.




February – First marathon and Jason and I ran every step (pic). We did miss the 5-hour goal by 3 minutes but c'est la vie. Most important though, there was a new addition to my family. Penny arrived on 7 Feb at just over 18 pounds (pic).

March – Big training month and finally back to riding outdoors (pic). Unfortunately the weather never agreed so the riding was miserable (you can't tell in the pic but it was cold). I also started getting a sport massages every other week and bought a bunch of gear during March!

April – Race season has begun - Cherry Blossom 10 miler (pic) and Rumpass in the Bumpass (still the best named triathlon) – had a blast on the Olympic relay, serious fail with the sprint. This was not the best training month in terms of performance but I got it done.

May – First 70.3…and I got injured (pic). YIKES! Took some down time, then eased back into training. In other news – I planned and arranged our post Ironman vacation to Lake Como, Italy.

June – Second 70.3 and it was Awesome! (Sang in a high pitched voice) (pic). Then came the final long days of training and the expected angst leading up to race day. That angst turned into an odd calm as THE day got closer.


July – I AM AN IRONMAN!
Oh, and I had a fabulous vacation to Lake Como (pic).




August - Basked in the glow of being an IRONMAN. Also did some local exploring and found some incredible places. Due to those finds, I cooked a lot this month (pic). Dude and I also went to Pennsylvania for a Metric Century and I even managed to get some marathon training in.

September – Two firsts this month – my first Olympic distance tri (other two I participated in either cut the swim or turned into Duo) and my first 10K run. Decided not to do Marine Corp marathon. Highlight of the month was going home and hangin' with my highschool friends (pic).



October – PID set in…BAD! Barely trained, hell, I barely exercised. I also cut out a lot of socializing. I injured my jaw and I think I spent most of the month in pain and depressed.

November – PID still there - Depression sucks!! Managing to do some exercising on my own and a little bit of socializing. On the positive side, Dude and I have decided to buy a house together – but it will be awhile until we are living in sin - must sell two places before buying one.


December – Typical in that there were a lot of parties (pic), socializing, eating and not a lot of exercising. Developed my New Plan. Had a massive snowstorm on my birthday weekend. Celebrated Christmas with Dude and his family. And am planning a quiet evening to bring in the New Year.



Plans for 2010 are in the works. Continuing with “The Plan”, increase training with Team Z, a couple races, selling/buying a house, try to squeeze a vacation in, work on 101 in 1001, and enjoying the happiness I’ve found with Dude.

I wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year!

Bring it 2010!