That Guy or That Girl

I read this again this morning and I loved it just as much as the first time I read it so I had to put it on my blog!

That Guy. You know him. He can also be That Girl, and often is.

It is that guy (or girl) who you see at every race. He's at every one. Everywhere in the country.

He is always more tan than you are. He is usually a good bit thinner too. His calves have those mysterious vertical striations that define each individual muscle; as if to say, "I have spent hours training each individual muscle in each calf- each individual muscle fiber in fact."

He/she has triathlon clothing that is super cool that you've never seen before. You have no idea where it came from. If you were to ask him- if you mustered up the courage to approach him- you would get some vague answer like, "Ahh, well, I know Dave McGillicutty at Sweetass Trisports and he got these samples, prototypes really, that he….. blah, blah, blah…." And you just wanted to know where you could buy a pair of those cool trishorts he has. Maybe they would make your ass look like Michalangelo chiseled it too. Prolly not though. 

 

So this guy (or girl): His bike is clean. It is also weird. It has parts you think you may have seen in a magazine and, is that what carbon fiber looks like? Half the stuff he has, no, all of it, is stuff you've either only seen in magazines or never even heard of.

He's wearing sunglasses. But he didn't buy them. They just kind of "got there". He drives a special car just for doing what he's doing now: Getting ready for a ride, a run, a swim workout or the triathlon you're at now. He has stickers all over it.

You know when he talks about "Hawaii" he isn't talking about the state as a vacation destination, but rather, an event that you've only seen on TV. He is either talking about getting into it, having already gotten in, or why his last race there wasn't as good as it should have been. It had something to do with some chemical in his body you've never heard of. "Too much polychondrotineospandoplasm in my maldochondriacts during the last ten miles of the run. I should have know better." Yeah, an obvious mistake for someone like that guy (girl). Another thing that guy knows that you don't. Polywhat in his maldowho?

So you get to the race and there is that guy. Setting up all his stuff in the transition area like he's done probably a thousand times before, or so it seems.

And that guy is the reason why so many people are afraid to give this sport (and many others) a try. Because you know you are not That Guy (or girl) and they will look at you and think "Oh, another novice athlete…." And maybe you are embarrassed by that. I know I have been.

That guy is experienced, dedicated, accomplished, fit, knowledgeable, well versed and respected in the sport. You are a beginner. So you are at the bottom of the food chain here. You may be the big woman or man at work and at home. But here you feel like the first day of kindergarten and you don't even know where the bathroom is but you have to go. It's been a long time since you felt like that.

And you'll feel embarrassed in front of that guy.

Consider this though: You are that guy. You are that girl. Don't understand? Let me explain.

On the hypothetical morning we're describing you got up early, loaded up whatever bike you have (the old mountain bike you've had since you were 16, that old ten speed from college, whatever), put the gear you scrapped together in your car and went to the race. You stood there in your sweats and registered, set up your transition area as best you could.

Welcome to the show my friend. You are walking the walk.

You made that monumental leap off the couch and into the realm of That Guy. And now you, to millions and millions and millions of people- you are That Guy.

The next time you go to work when the conversation comes up about what you did Sunday morning you will say, "Oh, ahh, well I did this little triathlon, my first one, I'm not really any good, I was nearly last…."

But to the people at work, and your family, and your friends, and everyone else not there on Sunday morning (and some that were…) you are That Guy. The guy who does those endurance races. Who works out all the time (even if you don't). Who eats right (even though you don't).

Pretty soon it will get around work, what you did Sunday morning, and someone will ask you, "Hey, ahh, have you ever done that one in Hawaii?"

And then you answer, "Oh, Hawaii, no, I'm not that good. I've never done Hawaii…" And to you now it is just "Hawaii". You are That Guy. To someone out there you are That Guy.

Everyone has That Guy. He's better, faster, smarter, luckier. The interesting thing about That Guy is, to someone- you are that guy. No matter who you are, there will be That Guy. Don't let him bother you. 

Do what you do. Remember, to someone, you are that guy.

Thoughts

So December is always a weird time of year for me especially since I moved to Florida. It never feels like holiday season because it is so warm here. Case and point it is 80 degrees today. For the past 5 Christmases, the girls have not been with me. The reason of course is that I have to work and they are out of school for at least 2 weeks. This year, I THINK, they are going to be with me. That means I actually have to get the house into the Christmas spirit.

To be honest, I have not put up a tree in a long time. There is no reason to have one when the girls are gone plus it makes me sadder if the tree is up and they are not here. I was thinking a lot last night instead of sleeping about how things have really changed since I was the girls' age. Growing up Thanksgiving and Christmas were about family. While we spent most holidays with relatives on my Mom's side, we did see my Dad's family some as well. We had huge Thanksgiving dinners with left overs for days. Christmas was all about dressing up, bringing out the good china and spending time with family.

Now that I am older and a mom, I wonder what happened to those traditions. My sister, brothers and parents don't get together very often. We certainly don't spend holidays together. The last time the majority of my family was together for a holiday was Thanksgiving of 2003. So besides the fact that I have to work over the holidays, I feel guilty when the girls are with me because it is just us, the Three Musketeers, on Christmas day. I want them to have the same family centered holidays that I had. But the reality is that is not an option. For some reason, my family does not really care to spend holidays together anymore. Plus we are spread literally across the country. Most of the time one or the other of us is fighting with another one or the other of us. So I let the girls go to their dad's each year. I know that this way they will have the huge family get togethers like I had as a kid and a young adult.

I know that family size does not make tradition and that we have our own traditions. Sometimes I just feel like the girls are missing out on one of the better things in life by it being the three of us all the time.

I think this year, Frick, Frack and I need to make traditions of our own.

XOXOX,
Elizabeth

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

So everyone keeps texting and emailing to find out what my future plans are. Will I attempt another Ironman? Will I take some time off from training?

To be honest, I am not 100% sure of what the future holds. I know that I WILL attempt another Ironman. I know that I am taking some time off, mostly because I am tired but I am not stopping training entirely.

What are my goals going forward?
1. Complete several coaching certifications.
2. Continue coaching for Team in Training.
3. Start working with Girls on the Run.
4. Lose some weight. (What is new right?)


So do I have a schedule of what I am thinking about for the new year? Sure. Is anything definite? Nope not at all.

I am coaching the Spring/Summer Triathlon teams for Team in Training. These events are:
1. St Anthony's Triathlon on April 25th
2. Tri Miami Triathlon on May 2nd (the new dates are not posted but I am estimating based on 2009.)
Kick-off for these seasons is Jan 30th at 10am. For more information you can go to the local TNT site.

Coaching Certifications:
1. USATF Level 1 Cert - Charlotte NC Jan 8th - 10th
2. USAT Level 1 Cert - Charlotte NC Feb 19th - 21st or Orlando May 14th - 16th.
3. RRCA Coach Cert - Atlanta March 19th and 20th.

I would like to be at a minimum a mentor for Girls On The Run. At some point I would love to open a branch of the program on my side of town.

Of course I have to continue to do some races just for me. Possibilities for 2010 are:
1. Tour De Cure 100mile Bike Ride Feb 28th
2. Princess 1/2 Marathon March 7th
3. Wildman Oly Tri Mar 14th
4. ING Georgia 1/2 Marathon Mar 21st
5. Great Clermont Oly Tri Mar 28th
6. Florida IM 70.3 Disney May 16th
7. Moss Park Tri Oly July 18th
8. Fall Tri Festival Oly Aug 22
9. IMLOO Louisville Kentucky Aug 29th
8. Volunteer at IMWI Sept 12th to register for 2011
9. Wine and Dine 1/2 Marathon Disney Oct 2nd
10. NYC Marathon Nov 7th

There are many others on my wish list. So far the only definite events are the Tour De Cure and the Princess 1/2. I have entered the NYC Marathon lottery as well but there are no guarantees there at all.

I am definitely going to continue coaching private clients as well and an pushing forward with Beyond Endurance on a daily basis.

Of course I still have my day job with Oracle and am still working on my Advocare business, although I have to admit I did not focus on Advocare when I was in the final months of Ironman training so I have to restart my focus there as well.

I will let you guys know if I think of anything else. :-)

XOXOX,
Elizabeth

IT IS ABOUT TIME!

Well I finally have gotten up enough courage to try to blog again. When I first started blogging over a year ago, I was writing new entries almost daily or at least weekly. This past year however, I have been so overwhelmed with stuff that blogging has not been on my list. I am not sure why because writing the blog seems to be cathartic most days.

At any rate to catch everyone up quickly, It is now December 2009. I did not cross the finish line at IMFL. I will talk more about that later. Kelsie my oldest daughter is now a black belt. Hannah is testing soon for Red and will be testing for Black buy summer of 2010.

So what happened at IMFL? To be 100% honest, I am not sure. Until the end of August my training was going amazingly well. I was doing much better in the water and on the bike than I had ever done. Something happened when the kids returned from their summer trip. Life Happened. Kelsie started a new school and had to be up at 6am and on the bus by 6:40. That meant Hannah would be alone if I was out training. She did not want to be alone. I can understand that. So I tried to adjust my work schedule to accommodate both of their school schedules and my training needs. This was a mess. :-) I am thankful that my employer allowed me to have the flexible schedule but I am not sure if it helped or hindered.

Love to all!
Beth

Why I Do What I Do?

Everyone always asks me why I coach, why I train, why I run, why I swim, why I bike, why I get up at 4am every day. Well here is why. This was passed on to me from a friend but it sums it all up very nicely!

WHY we TRI (Triathlon), RUN or WALK or CYCLE?
. . .The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. We have invested more than $600 million in research since 1949 - over $71 million in 2008 - specifically targeting Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma. Last year alone, LLS made 6.3 million contacts with patients, caregivers and health care professionals. We are running for Team in Training and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's. Our mission is to find a cure for Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and Myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. We are raising money to help find a cure and help support patients and their families dealing with blood cancers.

Here are ten of the infinite reasons why we continue to put ourselves through hours of strenuous training every week...

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...because every four minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...because every ten minutes someone dies from a blood cancer.

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...because hearing the stories of our honored teammates helps us realize that the pain we experience is nothing compared to what they endure for months or years.

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...because anyone battling a blood cancer would rather train and complete a half / full marathon / triathlon (or Ironman) than to go through another chemo treatment!

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...to honor those we know and don't know who are living with a blood cancer or have lost the battle.

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...because every mile we run, walk, swim or cycle and every dollar raised makes a difference in someone's life.

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...so that a child or an adult with cancer can have another birthday!

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...so that another parent or family does not have to hear the words: "I am sorry I have to tell you that ...."

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...because every day The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is making advances in blood cancer research, educating the world, and improving the quality of life for blood cancer patients.

We Run, We Walk, We Cycle, We Tri...because in some small way, we're helping to save a life!

All I can say is that I am SO THANKFUL that I CAN RUN, WALK, CYCLE and TRI!

I love you my friends!

XOXOX,
Elizabeth

What Will You Do With The Chances You Are Given?

Well, I have started several different blogs and then gotten distracted and never finished them. When I go back and read them, whatever mood I was in then is not the mood I am in now and therefore I have not published them.

Lots of things have been going on, what is new with me. I always have several too many irons on the fire. Or at least that is what everyone tells me. This is nothing different than at any other point in my life, since I was very little I have always taken on lots of tasks. Or maybe too many tasks. For some reason, I can focus better when I have too much to do. Otherwise I flounder. Or maybe I just think that. And really it is just an illusion. Like when that famous illusionist made the boeing 747 disappear. The plane was there the whole time, we just thought it was not.

Hence the similarity to my life, I think that I am perfectly balancing everything but in reality, I am leaning one way and then another way and then another way. My team is constantly razzing me about being Coach Momma Beth. And I always tell them I am who I am and I cannot change which leads me to the point of this blog.

"What will you do with the chances you are given?"

When I was little, I wanted to grow up and be the president of the United States, then I wanted to be a Lawyer and then a singer and so on and so on. Always in those wishes, I wanted to have a house, a car and all the material things that Americans seem to want.

Now these days, I really don't care if I drive a Mercedes or a Ford. I don't need a giant house, actually I don't want the responsibility. Besides how do I rationalize the desire for some huge house with the fact that there are so many many people don't have any sort of shelter or transportation. Don't get me wrong, I do like nice things but the point would be that I don't NEED them.

to be continued.......

Wow It Has Been A Long Time

Well I have not blogged since Michael Vinecki died. Why? Not really sure to be honest. For one, I have not really had any time to do laundry much less organize my thoughts.

The past few weeks have been crazy. Monday nights are swim practice with TNT. If Coach Bill is there he coaches and I get to swim, well that works unless K&H are swimming and then I have to make sure they don't drown. Tuesdays have been run practice, coach meetings, Bon Voyage etc. Wed am, I am at Lucky's to swim by 6:30am. Thursdays I am doing a bike ride from Advanced Cycles by 6:30am and then after work the kids have a weekly doctor appointment. Fridays I try to get in another swim at Lucky's and then have to get everything ready for the group training on Saturday morning. On Saturdays, the team does some sort of brick and then I add some extra mileage if I don't have to be somewhere with K&H. Sundays are always a long ride whether I am on the trainer or outside.

If I tell you my house is beyond gross, that I have not done all of the laundry in my house in months, I only wash what is needed when it is needed will that gross all of you out? LOL

At any rate things have been crazy. If I go backwards, last night was the last swim practice for the TNT TriMiami team. I have to say it is bittersweet at the very least. I will be letting all of my baby birds leave the nest on Sunday. I am so proud of them! They will all rock.