No change in numbers, but HUGE change in stats - PHOTOS!

So here I am again... at 196... although I would much rather be sitting on a plateau at 196 instead of 201... or 212... or 250... I spent WAY too much time up at 250, so I'm good (at the moment) with 196.

Although my weight numbers have not changed, something else has!!!  I have a scale that measures my % of body fat and % of muscle (among other things.)  Much to my surprise as I weighed in this week, I am now the proud owner of MORE MUSCLE than FAT!  WOOO HOOOO!  My fat is 28.5% and my muscle is 29.7%!!!! 

196 pounds

196 pounds

I can feel my clothes fitting better, so I knew, although the number wasn't changing, that my body WAS changing.  I love this journey!  There are so many different ways to see that all those hours in the gym ARE paying off! :-)

San Diego International Triathlon... GOALS set... MUSIC DAY!

I would NEVER be racing if it wasn't for the PALOMAR YMCA!
Soooooo proud to "represent!"

My next race is in 3 months... Sunday, June 24... the San Diego International Triathlon.  I've pulled the results from my category (Athena) for the past few years and I've set my goals.  The swim is 1,000 meters (the last one was 1,200 meters), but this is in much more active water... the bike is 18.6 miles (instead of 24 miles), but this one has a good hill and lots of undulations... the last one was flat.  And the run... both 6.2 miles... and both pretty flat...

I've set very aggressive goals for this race and I will have my 3 month, daily training schedule ready in the next few days.  So much is changing right now that it is hard to figure out how to get my daily training in, much less meet my goals, but I've worked too hard for too long to let a "scheduling" issue get in the way of my training, health and... ultimately, flirting with my husband!

I'm going to post my goal times here... to keep me in check...

Swim - 1,000 meters - 18 minutes (50 seconds/50 meters)
Bike - 18.6 miles (HILLY) - 60 minutes (18 mile/hour average)... CRUD... I'm going to have to go downhill FAST... AUGH!
Run - 6.2 miles - 55 minutes (9 minutes/mile)

So, in the spirit of the KICK ASS WORKOUT, here is a new song that I've added to my workout playlist.  It doesn't have anything to do with working out... and is actually a slower song, but the beat and the passion of the singer really gets me pushing... especially up a TOUGH BIKE CLIMB!  "You and I" by Lady Gaga... (I didn't post a link because I really didn't like the video images, but find the song and listen to it... you will love it, too!)

St. Paddy's Party...!

I posted before that we are Irish and we host a party every March 17th.  Family... friends... green everything... clothes... food...and of course, drinks!  We had to skip last year due to a triathlon I was racing, so we were THRILLED to get the tradition back and going this year.

For those of you concerned about the calories of a party like this... I ate a small breakfast, worked out that morning for 1.5 hours (spin and weights), and ate a small lunch... and funny enough, I didn't gain an ounce the next day! :-)

Here are some of our photos... enjoy...


I LOVE setting a formal table... family heirloom Irish china, Waterford crystal,
and my Papa's orchids... nothing better!

Me and my Uncle Dave... YES, he is the AWESOME owner
and loaner of my Orbea road bike!

Jeff and Chris on this Irish holiday!

Me and Mindy... I can't believe I didn't get a photo with her at her
25th wedding renewal last week... we did this week! And, NO...
I don't ever wear shoes when I host a party at my house...

Jeff is the meat MASTER!  We registered for those Pro-Henckles knives (which we got
from his Frat Brothers for our wedding) and he is the only one that will touch them!

We had a SPECTACULAR March 17th... hope you all did, too!  We sure love family traditions and this is one of our favorites of the year! (SERIOUSLY... Thanksgiving... St. Patrick's Day... a toss up for us!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

NOTHING better than the Muppets!

Yes... I'm Irish... and St. Patrick's Day is a pretty big deal in our house... 
We're getting ready for our annual party, but in the meantime, here is a little something to help you bring in the Luck 'O the Irish... The Muppets doing, "Danny Boy!"

Music Day... "I Melt With You..."

It has been WAY TOO LONG since I've done a Music Day and I have a good one today!  Actually, it's a 2-fer...

Yes...this photo is part of an old layout... but I LOVE this photo...
my sweet husband to be... October 2000

IS IT WEIRD... that I am turned on by my husband doing his job?  Taking it down to basics, Jeff is an electrician.  I have always found it totally sexy when he puts on his tool belt to do work around the house.  It is not the actual belt, full of tools and parts that makes me swoon... I think it is the fact that he is the provider for our family... he has experience that he uses to fix our house... to build a new deck... to add new lighting to the kitchen... to take care of us...

I've been thinking about Jeff and his job A LOT lately, and I can't wait to see him come through the door at the end of the day.  Although I've told family and friends about this "love" of mine, they all think I'm weird.  You know what I think...  I think that God found the perfect person to love, and be turned on by, a cute electrician...

So... changing directions... I was looking for the perfect song to represent the above, when I saw a post by a friend (Hi, Lauren)... she is going through her "umpth" series of chemo/radiation for breast cancer.  She was just told the cancer is back and very aggressive and she is starting her series... AGAIN.  Today, she posted a song for her husband, who she loves so much... and I think her song dedication is perfect... and also perfect for how I feel about Jeff... for all you 80's fans... Modern English's, "I Melt With You."

My goal for you... find something about your husband that is TOTALLY HIS... electrical work... type of music... love for landscape... favorite sports team... whatever it is, you probably already know... and you already love/support/endure his love... so LOVE IT RIGHT BACK... and you will have a great night... :-)

Jeff and Mindy... Happy 25th Wedding renewal and anniversary!

Last night, we were blessed to be a part of best friends, Jeff and Mindy Seltmann's, 25th Wedding Anniversary and Wedding Vow Renewal.  The ceremony and reception were held in the most beautiful home, with the sweet smell of early spring blooming gardens, the sound of the trickling stream and pond, the glimmering view of the sun setting on the mountains.

I am going to sit back and let the photos tell the story.  Congratulations, Jeff and Mindy!  God has blessed you with love, laughter and health, two beautiful children and 25 wonderful years.  Here's to the next 25!

Jeff, Me, Chris and Jessica just before the ceremony.  Look... I'm wearing
a dress... for the first time in over a decade!!!

Jeff and Mindy's kids, Krista and Michael, escorted
Mindy to her groom.

Coming together, again, as husband and wife.

Pastor Ernie did a wonderful ceremony... reminder of vows and Corinthians
"Love is patient, love is kind..."

... then Mindy and Jeff read their own thoughts to each other... and
I don't think there was a dry eye in the house.

Here they go... onto whatever the next 25 years will bring...
oh, and the reception!

We have the BEST friends!  Deb, Krista, Paulette, Mary Beth,
Me and Andie... LOVE you guys!

Krista and Mindy... soooo cute!

They had a candy bar, a dessert bar (no, not the same thing)
and even their own water with their original
wedding photo on the label!

Krista and Brian...so happy and excited... :-)

This was all just the first hour or so of the evening... for the next several hours we were dancing and laughing and dancing and playing and dancing and, well you get the idea!  Who knew that we could still rip up the dance floor like we did back in high school!!!?  We SURE DID!  And, yes, there are more photos, but those will be privatly shared with those who attended. :-)  Love ya, Seltmanns... mean it! :-)

Photos... still down...!

Funny thing... I've found that the weigh-in after races is usually up because I have to eat and drink so much to get through and recover from the race that I am usually up in weight for a few days... even with the huge use of calories in the race, I'm usually still up...

197 pounds

196 pounds

... not this time!  I went down a pound to one of my lowest weights so far!  WOOO HOOOO!  And... here I am, PROUDLY showing off my YMCA race tatoos and my finish medal.  Oh... and my color... I TOLD YOU it was hot it the desert for the race!!!

Desert International Triathlon... Holy Cow...

It was DARK when we arrived at 5:30AM to set up my transition area...
I had to lighten this up a bit so you could see, but it was BEAUTIFUL
as I set up my "race home."

Let's just dive right in, shall we!?  Yesterday was my first International distance triathlon... so, let's look at that for a second.  I've done 4 sprint triathlons:

Usually 500 meter swim, 9.3 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. 

THIS race was:  

1,200 meter swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile run.


Racing is half physical training and half mental training... and I thought I had these both covered.  I have had 24 hours to think about this race and, in hindsight, there is a HUGE difference between a sprint and an international distance triathlon.    



I knew there was something different about this race when people started showing up to set up their transition area.  Most people were a part of a team... team gear...high quality bikes and equipment... and I realized this was not the "entry level" triathlon that I was used to where it was common for people to race with mountain bikes or even beach cruisers... this was a whole new level... and these racers were serious.  And, I will admit... I started thinking, "What in the HECK am I doing here!" 

Before the race... setting up the course markers...
what a beautiful location for a race!

I spoke to Jeff and my Y friends and trainers who reminded me that I was not only ready for this level, I WAS a part of this racing level.  DAMN those negative voices that keep telling me, "I'm not ready... I'm still overweight... and I don't belong in a sport, much less THIS level of sport."

 

After going to the restroom no less than 4 times to help relieve my "stress," I went back to the transition area to gather my wetsuit and swim gear and do a final check of my set up.  I have to say, that even in this moment of emotional crisis, there were two ladies there, who were obviously teammates, who asked if they could "zip up my wetsuit" because they noticed I was alone in the transition area.  That is the great thing about this sport... we all rack up with our immediate competitors, but we all support each other, give advice, and try to help one another as we get ready to race... that is AWESOME!   

 

The start of the race... the pro group just starting the swim... they are the
"water disturbance" in front of the "start" ballons...



I walked over to the start and ran into a few of our YMCA team members... all in the zone and getting ready to race.  Then I ran into teammate Matt's wife, who stopped in her tracks, and must have seen the look on my face, and started into a quick prayer with me... and then I was READY TO GO!  I did a quick warm up in the water and lined up to go. 

So, here we go with the photos, that will tell the rest of the story...

That's me in the middle starting the swim... at the front of my pack!

I had a panic attack and thought my swim was slow, but I
actually finished 1 minute faster than I thought, and 2nd in my
category... I just love that there are 3 fit guys behind me
(in the blue caps) that started 4 minutes before me... and I'm in front of them...

I LOVE THIS!  I mark my transition area with BRIGHT ORANGE fabric
over my bike... and from here you can see my bike... and that is me, purple on top,
wetsuit on bottom, running, just about to hit my transition...

  

Transition from swim to bike... dripping wet... feeling great...
Good sign that there are so many bikes on the rack... that means
that I got there before anyone else!



LOOK... I'M RACING on my bike, downhill
leading to the finish where there were multiple
crashes... HERE... I... COME!!!



I had a "hydration malfuntion" in this race... not
enough water... 3 hours of racing... 90 degree temps...
I was seeing stars and couldn't see the trail in
the 1st 1/2 mile of the 6 mile run.  Here I was at mile 3 and
GOING TO FINISH EVEN IF I HAD TO CRAWL!

THE FINISH... I... MADE... IT!

So... I had to walk 3 of the 6 miles of the run, but I only finished 10 minutes slower than expected... and I missed the podium in just under 10 minutes.  LESSON LEARNED... DRINK YOUR WATER!    

FINAL RESULTS... I took 2nd place in the swim, 3rd place in the bike, and after all that walking on the run, I STILL finished 5th place in my category!  Who knew that a little thing like water could kill your race...?  I will be training and ready for my next tri in June... AND I CAN'T WAIT! 

2 days to go... Desert International Triathlon...

All the numbers above my computer screen... drilling them into my head
everyday for months!

40 hours to go, to be more precise, before my very first international distance triathlon!  WOOOO HOOOOO!!!  Last night, a friend asked me if I was "training to the numbers" for this race like I did for my last 2 races.  Let me explain... to prepare my training for the previous triathlons, I pulled up the split times for the top racers, for that race, in my category for the past several years... and posted them above my computer for months before each race.  I studied these numbers to determine how fast the winning racers were completing each split, so I knew how fast I would have to train to match their times... and IF I could match their times!  I know there are a ton of factors that will affect the race splits, but I figured if I looked at the times over a period of years, I could get an idea of how fast I would have to go to be in podium contention.

I DID train to the numbers for this race... which doesn't mean that several racers won't come in and blow those previous splits apart... but at least I have a threshold to go for!


Starting to pack my gear to swim... bike... run... RACE!!!


So... here they are...

1,200 meter swim... my goal was 24 minutes... my fastest in the pool was 23:27... without traffic, waves, lap lanes to control my course...

24 mile bike... my goal is 20 miles per hour... my fastest time trial (with a SUBSTANTIAL head wind) was 18.9 miles per hour...

6.2 mile run... I have only done 2 runs in the past 6 weeks due to my sprained ankle, but my goal was 10 minutes per mile... and my last stand alone 4 mile run this week was 9:30 minutes per mile...

Add in the fact these aren't stand-alone times (I will be doing each discipline behind one another)... traffic... transitions... here are my best guesses...

Reality Goals:
Swim:  25 minutes
Bike:  1 hour, 15 minutes
Run: (and this leg will tell the tale!)... 1 hour 5 minutes
Transitions:  5 minutes or less...
TOTAL:  2 hours, 50 minutes

WISH ME LUCK!  :-)