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!

Thursday Thirteen - Summary by Number

***DISCLAIMER - this was finished yesterday I just never got on a computer last night***


1. It's the best time of the year - fall - I want to build a bonfire, drink apple cider, make recipes with pumpkin in it, and wear orange. Not necessarily at the same time.

2. But I'm going to miss wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts.

3. A co-worker who does Iron-Distance races just came by for the first time since July and I got to re-live the day I became an IRONMAN!

4. I have been planning on doing something huge in a couple months. By huge I mean GI-NORMOUS. I was so EXCITED about being a part of it but as I look at my finances I don't think I can swing it right now. I'm very disappointed and am cursing this F-ing economy. Seriously, I'm down about a 1/3 of what I had when I got divorced and it's not like I've stopped investing. F-ing Economy!

5. My first race in 2010 will be the Shamrock Half Marathon. I debated between the half and the full but awhile back I said only one marathon next year. I'd like to try to get into the one in Bordeaux. If not, there's always Marine Corp.

6. Follow up to the YOU did an Ironman story. I was at that same store over the weekend putting groceries in the back of my SUV. Guy walking by says "Did your husband do an Ironman"? After he recovered from me knocking his ass out (not really) I said NO-I DID. At least he was smart enough to respond with a "wow, that's really cool".

7. Speaking of husbands - lately I've been bombarded with the "when are you and Dude going to get married" from family, friends, co-workers, ex-coworkers and even the lady that waxes my brows. BELIEVE ME when I say I am PERFECTLY HAPPY with the way things are!!! No need for the sympathetic look!!! Seriously, why can't people accept that marriage is not a requirement in every relationship?! I'm living proof that the paperwork doesn't guarantee diddly!

8. Every time I think about #4 I get depressed (and pissed)! F-ing Economy!

9. Dilemma, dilemma. I really want to do an IRONMAN sanctioned 70.3 event next year so I was planning on the Orlando race (opportunity to see Mom and Friends) which is in mid-May. But now Mooseman (I love this venue) is a MDOT event and it's the 1st weekend in June so it's one or the other.

10. If I was still training for Marine Corp this weekend would be my 20 mile weekend. Instead I might run for an hour or so on Saturday then Dude and I are going hiking on Sunday. I love the off-season!

11. I had a dream last night that Dude was a jerk in. I woke up mad (really, really mad) at him and gave him the cold shoulder in the morning (I don't think he noticed in his sleepy haze). It has me thinking - does anyone else do this? Take their dreams out on the person (people) in the dream?

12. I mentioned I'm not talking to one of my sisters right now but she's the one I use to talk to when I was stuck in traffic so I'm kind of punishing myself. She called me last night and I ignored her call...

and now I feel guilty.

13. I can't believe that with this post I have over 100 posts. Can't believe I've stuck with and and can't believe others actually read it!

Ski + Snowshoe = 2 Run Workouts

MLK weekend seemed like the perfect time to do my last non-tri related weekend so Dude and I headed out to CO to ski and snowshoe.



I use to be a pretty good skier. Apparently 3 years away from the slopes changes things. Add the fear-factor of getting hurt and delaying IMS training and let’s just say I was skiing very slow and cautious – in other words like a beginner.

Nevertheless, I got talked into skiing a black diamond (something I use to do regularly) and I believe I actually said out loud “this was a piss poor decision” about 100 times. From the lift it looked there were options to avoid moguls. WRONG. My process for surviving the moguls was ski across the tops to one side, sit down, turn, and ski across the tops to the other side. It took close to 10 minutes to get down a very short mogul field. Everyone else was waiting for me, but in their speediness they missed the cut-off to the steep but no mogul section. So on we went until we came to what I’m calling a cliff of moguls. It was steep. And there were huge moguls. I started to hyperventilate and pondered how much it would cost to have ski-patrol come up to rescue me. I then did what any sane terrified skier would do in this situation - I took off my skis and started to walk to the tree line. I knew on the other side was the slope I originally wanted to be on. Finally made it and easily skied down the remainder of the run. Love the steep runs – vow to never ski a mogul again.

So, we skied for 5 hours, which equates to probably 3 once you take out waiting in line, riding the lift, resting on the runs. Heart rate is relatively low considering gravity is doing most of the work (although my heartrate was high Z4 when looking over the mogul cliff). All in all, I decided the day was equivalent to my needed Z2 5 mile run. And the 5 mile snow-shoeing on Monday equates to my Monday 45 min Z2 run.

Optional Rant: The luggage fee was enacted over the summer due to soaring gas prices. Those prices are back to normal yet the fee has not been removed. Add that Continental has a $15 FIRST bag fee, plus $25 for each additional bag. Oversized (and that would include ski bags) are an additional $100. So, to take our gear plus clothes to wear when not on the slopes it would cost $140 PER PERSON EACH WAY! Needless to say we left the gear at home and rented when we got there.