Kris' Blogorama

snippits from a 5 miler

Its funny. When I run, I am talking/thinking/praying/blogging like mad. I thought today - people who are driving by have NO idea what is running thru this crazy brain of mine. And so...I thought it'd be funny to note some of the things runnin thru my earphoned head for your enjoyment...I know, I'm a little crazy...I know.

1. Its cold...and that Barney song is in my head "its c-c-cold burr, I wish I had fur, I wish I was a bear w/furry furry hair, its cold!" (now I snicker to myself)
2. 3 footfalls where I hit ball of foot on crack in a row...must even it out...OK, now right foot hits 3 times and then hits on the heel...ah man, must even it out
3. someone is doing the laundry
4. I GET TO. I GET TO. I GET TO. Thank You Lord that I can and I get to...strike words "HAVE TO" from my brain/vocabulary
5. these lyrics on iPod:
   they will see us waving from such great heights
   "come down now" they'll say
   but everything looks perfect from far away
   "come down now" but we'll stay
6. muddy sidewalks...muddy shoes...ew
7. I'm hot...this run is awesome (rolling up sleeves)
8. walk at the top - walk at the top - walk at the top - walk at the top
9. THE TOP. THE TOP. Dont walk - dont walk - dont walk
10. Asking God to check in on some people that keep crossing my mind: friend w/hubby on his way to war, friend w/medical worries, family w/weight of the world, and it goes on...
11. I GET TO. I GET TO. I GET TO.
12. Asking God what song is coming next?
13. He throws this one out there on my iPod: You are my joy, You are my joy, You are my joy, You are my joy
14. How do people still smoke? Stinky suburban just drove by
15. Maya is worried about word problems at school - Lord, give her some confidence
16. I love talking to my bro Steve on the phone
17. OUCH - stitch in my shoulder
18. Can I get discernment in the good times as well as the bad times? I dont want to just ask for direction when I'm struggling. Thanks God that I get to run and think
19. I love these shoes
20. They are muddy now, tho
21. I GET TO. I GET TO. I GET TO.
22. A good story is when a character has to overcome great struggles to achieve something. Do I have a good story? Day to day?
23. I love squashing acorns
24. More lyrics on the iPod, wow love these:
    Like a breath of fresh air and the wind at my back
    Toe to heel with strong strides taking miles off the map
    In this journey called life where Ive walked so far
    Under the heat of your sun and the shine of your stars

Funny right? And so, next time you are driving past some goofball running down the sidewalk, remember you never ever know what is REALLY going on in that head of hers. I love the run. I love it.

tri tri tri

Well...sorry for the blog drought - I've been gone for a few days (and if u follow me on FB I'm certain you already know all of that - I do consider my raceday FB broadcast rather epic thankyouverymuch). I went to Sonoma County, CA to "champion" (aka, cheer for/support) my hubby, bro-in-law, sis-in-law, and new friend Fitz at the Vineman 70.3 race. My job was simple - man SEVERAL cameras and cheer for my crew. Well...I decided SIMPLE is not the correct word. I do believe now that "championing" is HARDER than racing, fo sho!

Regardless, it was perfectly great day...I got to be there and watch Robin (aka birdy) and Patrick (aka Fitz) finish their 1st 70.3s. I got to see my bro-in-law PR (aka "personal record") on his swim and bust out a speedy bike (run kinda hurt him, but STILL). And, I got to be there when my hubby had to DNF (aka "did not finish") bc of foot issues after a rough day of bike repairs and broken down bike racks. It was EPIC.

But, as I watched them and got that BURNIN' to do another big race, I went back in time to one year ago when I was doing my first/only 70.3 race. I realized, at that time - I had my head right and my focus clear. Lately, I've been trying to get my training going steady again (I have a 1/2 marathon in Oct) and have been frustrated bc it hasnt worked out the way I'd like...I'm 3 weeks behind my "plan" and irritated at myself for it. My mental frame hasnt been there yet for real training and its been getting me down.

Well, my perspective got a little changed as I read thru my race report from last year. The junk I overcame, the focus on "I GET TO" not "I have to" - I had the right head for this stuff. I want to go back...I want to get back there. I will.

Anyway, I posted this on my BT (aka, triathlon workout log/community) and thought it might be worth sharing my blogland, too. Who knows, maybe you have a "race" of your own that you need to refocus for...no matter what kind of "race" it is, we all need to gain perspective...to get it right. So, here are my thoughts on it...and my race report, too. I'll get back there...I know I will.

~~~~

Great weekend/week we had at Vineman. I loved watching and taking pix of my fav 1/2 IMers! I must say, I did get the ITCH something awful, but know I needed to take it CHILL this season and get priorities in line. If/when I train for another 70.3, it has to be during school year...I know that. And, it has to be in line w/priorities. Summers are too nutso.

Watching superbird and pfitz finish their 1st 70.3s brought me back to last year and the emotion of completing my first/only. I even went back and re-read my race report...I really needed to do that. I needed to remember that this stuff is NEVER supposed to be void of FUN ("i get to")...so often we get too focused on what we HAVE to do, workouts we HAVE to get in and even the competition. We forget so easily that we GET to do this. Its truly amazing when you stop to think about it that we are even doing THIS. I know I forget and start complaining when I'm slow or frustrated when I'm out of shape, etc, etc.

I've been having a hard time w/my re-start and getting going on training for my 1/2 mary in Oct; I wanted to be farther along in my training by now. Re-reading my race report reminded me that my focus is OFF big time if I'm stressing about this. Life is full of stress, these workouts are supposed to be my release...my joy...my time.

So, to all my fav BTers, dont forget why you are doing this...I'm going to try not to as I move fwd.

Florida 1/2 Ironman Race Report - 2008

What are your wave-at-people etiquette rulz?

Just back from bike ride and was laughing bc I am such a "wave-y" girl. Was wondering, what are your rulz, yo? Here are the ones I abide by in the book of Kris:

On bike:
1) always make DIRECT eye contact w/cars at intersection and give them big GRIN and WAVE when they see me. Works 2-fold: appears to be a friendly shout "hello there motorist", but actually is an effort to make them take notice of me (and my said friendly nature) so as to minimize my risk of being squished.
2) wave and/or "g'mornin" to all runners/walkers on my side of the road
3) slight bike-wave or head nod to all fellow bikey bikers

On run:
1) See above 1, 2, and 3.

In car:
1) wave only to people I know OR who have earned said wave (ie, letting me out into road, etc)
2) in response to wave from biker who appreciates my WIDE PASSING when I go by

I have rulz. Do you? Although, I do have one addendum, see below:

Addendum to all above rulz: I'm not chatty on bike or run. I'm friendly - there IS a difference. When I'm stuck w/u at stoplight in front of FMHS, please smile and abide by rulz and dont try to chat...that requires me taking out my earbud during the greatness of Tom Petty. I do that for NO ONE.

Re-run blog

This was one of my all-time favs from last spring. Hoping to get back on my bike next week...but for now, in honor of my sweet boy who is now a road bike man...here ya go:

why I ride

On my other (getting more attention these days, too) blog there's been some discussion back/forth about WHY we ride the routes we ride...and it became a WHY WE RIDE yesterday when my big brother (who lives in beautiful Colorado) posted this...

The Ride 
-------- 
I broke my record with five consecutive rides on this route. Deep down, I'm a bike rider. Always have been since the day I bought my steel Dave Scott Centurian. Every day is the same. I want to ride my bike. 

What do I love about riding besides everything: 
* people watching on the path. 
* People flyfishing. 
* Thinking about everything or nothing. 
* The sound of the river. 
* Watching 22.5 miles of earth's beauty unfold. 
* The silence of my machine. 
* The pain of the climb. 
* Approaching fear on the descents. 
* Improvement on a route that used to kill me become easy. 
* Watching even my old broken body adapt and recover faster and faster. 
* Being good at something. 
* Seeing the same local 70 year-olds 

(who look 50) still riding daily. 

* Seeing tourists who spend thousands to come here to just get a taste of my daily ride. 

How can I ride the same route every day? Come ride it and you'll know. 

~~

I loved it...he inspired me to write my own. Its funny, the other day I got into a "discussion" w/a local person who has issue w/bikes in her neighborhood. Her argument made no sense - ranging from "they take up the whole road" to "I cant see you when I come over a hill" (to me, those 2 complaints cancel each other out...dont you think?). In addition my hubby almost got smushed by an angry lady in a mini van who was on her phone and ran a stop sign. Its crazy. But for me/us, it all comes back to "WHY WE RIDE". So...dedicated to my goofy brother up North in the land of mountainous beauty...here is mine.

WHAT DO I LOVE ABOUT RIDING...besides everything:

*  I ride w/people that I love

*  the sound of changing gears and clicking in my shoes

*  climbing a big hill in my big ring...seated...in aero when I used to ALMOST get off and walk!

*  weird tan lines as a badge of honor

*  that my bike is orange

*  that my kids play "triathlon" and "bike shop"

*  Braeden has now done 4 kid tris

*  the head nod or the subtle wave of others out there doing it too

*  seeing peacefulness in the country...I love riding the horse farm routes

*  when the road changes from chip seal to smooth, black, wonderfulness

*  talking to other people who love it about it

*  bike chain grease on my rt leg

*  escape

*  that when you are stopped, every cyclists asks "are you alright?" and NONE of the angry minivans or duely trucks do

*  appreciating what I can do when i put the time in

That's why I love it. Thanks Steve for the motivation to stop and appreciate it. (Pic is my bro on the route he rides every day)

friday felicities

This was NOT hard today...5 things that I loved about my bike ride today:

1) My route... (notice the NICE NEW asphalt in pictures #2 - my fav road EVER)

  

2) my soundtrack today

3) my favorite riding buddy/hubby

4) my rig...meet "candace mango murphy" (yes she is wearing her OLD wheels today - broken spoke)

5) 82 degrees in September in Texas. 

(DISCLAIMER - I actually had a GREAT SHOT planned for amy/colin that I was going to work in here...I actually pulled out my camera on the ride to take a pic of a TX flag flying at same height at USA flag, but almost fell down-go-boom, so no pic this time)

YES!

Report: Lance to return for '09 Tour de France

Sep 8 03:46 PM US/Eastern By The Associated Press

Lance Armstrong will end his retirement and hopes to compete in the 2009 Tour de France, according to a cycling journal report. The 36-year-old seven-time Tour de France champion will compete in five road races with the Astana team in 2009, the cycling journal VeloNews reported on its Web site Monday, citing anonymous sources. Armstrong's manager Mark Higgins did not immediately respond to a voice mail left by The Associated Press. The move would reunite Armstrong with Johan Bruyneel, now the team director for Astana. VeloNews reported Armstrong also will compete in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia and the Dauphine-Libere. The Astana team, however, was not allowed to compete in this year's Tour after Alexandre Vinokourov was kicked out of the 2007 Tour for testing positive and the team quit the race. VeloNews, which said Vanity Fair will publish an extensive article detailing Armstrong's comeback, said the cyclist will race for no salary or bonuses and post his internally tested blood work online.

105.7 miles

Enough said? Your prayers GOT ME THRU (more than I anticipated...we actually rode from hotel and then BACK to hotel after race...yes, I know...NUTS) and I made it! More details at my tri blog (see link on the left)...for now here's a shot of happy Kris at mile 55, my hubby the HERO (he stayed w/me the entire time and 'pulled me' the last 25 miles) and a few of the crazy rest stops...12,000 cyclists!! Notice the one that says "hell's gate is OPEN" - that is critical and exciting to ME bc they have a time cutoff and send you back if you dont make it in time...I was SO happy to see that sign! I even took that shot on my bike...

      

how appropriate...

Considering at this time tomorrow I'll be a good 10 miles down and NINETY to go at HHH, I read this in a book I'm reading (All You Need to Know About Raising Girls) this a.m. - laughing at how this is STILL true. This is written by a child therapist discussing teenagers at a camp:

"During our summers at camp, we take a sixteen-mile bike ride with a group of boys and another bike ride with a group of girls. The two rides couldn't be more different. The boys pedal with a sense of purpose. They are trying to reach their destination--as quickly as possible. They might joke with each other a little along the way, but mostly they are independently pushing themselves toward their goal.

The girls, on the other hand, meander. We have a long, slow, enjoyable ride. There are typically several clumps of girls deep in conversation about friendships or boys. A mile or so up the road, there is usually a group singing their favorite childhood songs at the top of their lungs. The purpose of the girls' ride is more in the relationships formed than the accomplishment of reaching the goal." 

And so, we'll ride...and chat...and chat...and chat (hey we'll have like 6-7 hrs to chat!). Say a prayer for my legs...and other body parts that will suffer equally!! 

why I ride

On my other (getting more attention these days, too) blog there's been some discussion back/forth about WHY we ride the routes we ride...and it became a WHY WE RIDE yesterday when my big brother (who lives in beautiful Colorado) posted this...

The Ride 
-------- 
I broke my record with five consecutive rides on this route. Deep down, I'm a bike rider. Always have been since the day I bought my steel Dave Scott Centurian. Every day is the same. I want to ride my bike. 

What do I love about riding besides everything: 
* people watching on the path. 
* People flyfishing. 
* Thinking about everything or nothing. 
* The sound of the river. 
* Watching 22.5 miles of earth's beauty unfold. 
* The silence of my machine. 
* The pain of the climb. 
* Approaching fear on the descents. 
* Improvement on a route that used to kill me become easy. 
* Watching even my old broken body adapt and recover faster and faster. 
* Being good at something. 
* Seeing the same local 70 year-olds 

(who look 50) still riding daily. 

* Seeing tourists who spend thousands to come here to just get a taste of my daily ride. 

How can I ride the same route every day? Come ride it and you'll know. 

~~

I loved it...he inspired me to write my own. Its funny, the other day I got into a "discussion" w/a local person who has issue w/bikes in her neighborhood. Her argument made no sense - ranging from "they take up the whole road" to "I cant see you when I come over a hill" (to me, those 2 complaints cancel each other out...dont you think?). In addition my hubby almost got smushed by an angry lady in a mini van who was on her phone and ran a stop sign. Its crazy. But for me/us, it all comes back to "WHY WE RIDE". So...dedicated to my goofy brother up North in the land of mountainous beauty...here is mine.

WHAT DO I LOVE ABOUT RIDING...besides everything:

*  I ride w/people that I love

*  the sound of changing gears and clicking in my shoes

*  climbing a big hill in my big ring...seated...in aero when I used to ALMOST get off and walk!

*  weird tan lines as a badge of honor

*  that my bike is orange

*  that my kids play "triathlon" and "bike shop"

*  Braeden has now done 4 kid tris

*  the head nod or the subtle wave of others out there doing it too

*  seeing peacefulness in the country...I love riding the horse farm routes

*  when the road changes from chip seal to smooth, black, wonderfulness

*  talking to other people who love it about it

*  bike chain grease on my rt leg

*  escape

*  that when you are stopped, every cyclists asks "are you alright?" and NONE of the angry minivans or duely trucks do

*  appreciating what I can do when i put the time in

That's why I love it. Thanks Steve for the motivation to stop and appreciate it. (Pic is my bro on the route he rides every day)

in case you give a hoot

at home today w/fever (YES I said FEVER) - weird eh? Anyway, in case you are interested, here is what I did last wkend. Next race is next Saturday...be gone fever, be gone.