Wednesday, September 21, 2011

If I Only Had Nuts…

Not a day goes by when someone doesn’t ask me what my next race is. I only have my overachieving, manic self to blame for people thinking I always have something on my agenda.

Right now I am in maintenance mode. While I have a few races on my agenda (Skirt Chaser 5K Denver - October 1, Rock ‘n Roll Denver Half – October 9, and the Rock ‘n Roll Vegas Half or Full – December 4). I am not formally training for anything. Just racing for fun.

This means I do what I want when I want without some plan screaming at me. This is heaven, but in about a month it will be hell because I will get antsy for what is next. What is next? Thought you would never ask. I am considering one or more of the following for the spring/summer:

  • Marathon
  • Ultra Marathon
  • Another 70.3
  • 2x a 70.3. What is that called again?

Yesterday’s adventure of choice was a bike ride with Stacia from Twist Yoga Wear (check out her amazing tie dye stuff) in the hills of Boulder County. We headed out from the Boulder Reservoir and up Lefthand Canyon, one of the most popular and scenic moderate climbs around here.

Stacia just got back from the 70.3 World Championships in Vegas and is training for her first Ironman in Coeur d’Alene in June 2012. She is about as big as my left breast, but is a real powerhouse. Needless to say, this was my view for most of the ride as Stacia pulled my ass up these mini mountains:

stacia

She has a nice backside, so it wasn’t too bad. I had a lot of time to think about how much I want the shorts she is wearing, the Vogue Shorties by Skirt Sports. But, I will have to delay gratification because they are $75 and my family needs to eat this week.

After a few miles of climbing, we arrived at the small town of Jamestown, population 300. I love this spot. There is a fire station, a church, a one room school house (one of the few remaining) and a restaurant, the “Merc” which has good breakfasts. The last time my family came for some pancakes, no one in the restaurant was wearing shoes and the woman cooking our breakfasts had a baby strapped to her chest in a sling. You don’t get that at Starbucks. And, bonus, I didn’t get diarrhea!

We rode down a few miles and if I had nuts I would have frozen them off because the wind was strong and BITING. We turned onto the infamous Old Stage Road which has a reputation for hills that make you cuss. I wasn’t too worried until I looked up and saw this. Mother f&cker!:

oldstage

Obviously I was not in a helicopter to get this shot (thanks Google images), but you get the idea.

Me (whimpering like a little girl): Okay, are we going up that thing?

Stacia: I don’t think so. I think the road veers off.

It didn’t. But, it really wasn’t that bad. I just like to be dramatic because it makes stories better, don’t you think? This is actually the road that the Boulder Peak Triathlon follows, only they go the other way, which I think would be much harder. Note to self: NEVER do that race.

We headed back to Boulder. The road from hell spit us out right by Boulder’s favorite strip joint, the Bus Stop. We thought about going in for a dance and a few extra bucks, but I forgot my 10” heels and thong.

Back to the Rez we went for a total of 32 miles and about 2,000 feet of climbing. My feet looked like this (Raynaud’s Syndrome; happens when I get cold. SICK!)

raynauds

Stacia looked like this:

stacia1

I told you she was cute.

I grabbed a 49 oz cup of coffee (well, more like 16 oz, but I’m dramatic, remember?) and ate a Luna protein bar (chocolate chip cookie dough flavor; these things are to die for) on the way home. I hopped in a hot bath which is sometimes the only thing that gets me officially warm.

A morning of pure perfection if you ask me.

What are you training for these days?

Do your feet ever look like mine when you get cold?

What do you think my next BIG GOAL should be? I am not convinced it is time for me to commit to the Ironman. Perhaps I will wait until I am 95 so Dr. Drew or Ellen might have me on their show.

SUAR

Notable extra stuff:

57 comments:

  1. IM you've got IM written all over your face. Or boobs.

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  2. And seriously. You have cold weather?! I'm sweating my balls off while yours are freezing off. Jealous.

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  3. I will be at the vegas rock and roll. I hope I run into you!!

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  4. Do the IM! and Stacia, if you are reading this, nice calves!

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  5. If you had nuts - you most likely would have more to complain about! haha.

    awesome pics.

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  6. I get Raynaud's too - but so far only my hands are affected, thank God! What a beautiful ride!!

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  7. I vote IM as well, because you would rock the hell out of it.

    Also, I'm anxiously waiting for your thoughts on Biggest Loser from last night...

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  8. Love Raynaud's.....isn't it so much fun.

    Do you think there is a correlation between our Morton's toe and Raynaud's?

    OK, so what IM? Maybe Texas and homestay with the baha's? Fart and Laughter all week long? C'mon you know you want to. I am trying everything since my direct and repeated discussions about Puerto Rico have gone nowhere.

    And I just about crapped my drawers looking at that climb. Note to self: only visit Boulder to hang out with SUAR and no bike riding.....LOL!

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  9. I'm in taper mode for my last half of my season.

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  10. I am training for my first race post-baby!!! Halloween 5k... gotta start small, partially because he's not big enough to "run" with me yet in a jogging stroller, and because I have to work around my husband's schedule to squeeze runs in. Planning on increasing my mileage little by little, as I can! :) It just feels so good to run again after not being able to for so many months!!!

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  11. oh and my vote is ultra marathon! People that run distances like that amaze me... it's takes a good bit of crazy to attempt/train for/finish, and I definitely respect anyone that does.

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  12. Oh, you should definitely try to run with Dean Kar... Right, you have already done that. It appears your running life is complete.

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  13. You are too kind, and I vote IM CDL of course:-) You would rock it! The shorts, too funny, worth the money for sure.... those are 4 years old & hv had tons of use- they are always what I grab!!

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  14. Do the IM ... I'd love to follow your journey.
    I'm not training for anything. Just training because that's the part of the running scene I enjoy the most.

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  15. Yes, I agree. Go for the IM!!! I am doing my very first sprint tri this weekend. So exciting. :)

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  16. i am feeling an IM in your future...just sayin'! your thoughts on biggest loser please...

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  17. Was finally diagnosed with Raynaud's a month or two ago. Not on my feet that I know of, or should I say "yet"..... Mine is secondary, so who knows what will happen.

    IM (or should I say 70.3 x 2)!!!! :)

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  18. I have Raynaud's too. It's awesome to freak people out with it... especially if some of your toes are white, some are grey, and some are that sick purple color. Sexy.

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  19. I'm running both the Skirt Chasers 5k and the Denver Rock n Roll Half! My first half marathon! Hopefully I'll run into you?!

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  20. I'm training for a 10K. Remember those? But you! You you you! You should train for the IM. You are hard as nails. Iron nails.

    What beautiful workouts you have and even more beautiful friends.

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  21. I am doing the Denver Rock n Roll half as well! I think an Ironman would be pretty cool. That is my vote.

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  22. I would love to see you do an Ironman! That would be incredibly exciting. But then again, I would REALLY love to see you on Ellen, so maybe wait till you're a centenarian.

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  23. I'm hoping to do my first HIM next summer so I'm just trying to maintain till I start full on training for it :) You should try a full Ironman-- I'd love hearing about it!!

    My feet ALWAYS do that!!!!

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  24. Looks like a great morning to me! I get Reynauds on my feet too. No fun!!!

    Not sure what you should tackle next... but whatever you choose will be epic!

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  25. I'm guessing we will see you do all of those, just a question of what is first. :)

    Just the mention of that hill gives me hives...

    See you at the skirt chase!

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  26. Currently training for my first full marathon on October 16th... exciting stuff :)

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  27. Okay, now that I've had the 70.3 experience, I KNOW you have to be dying to do a full. Mine just got me all excited for the full.

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  28. Ultra marathon! Running for hours and hours on trails makes it not even feel so much like a hard race..it's almost like fun playtime. :)

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  29. You never said it but I got the feeling you were leaning towards some sort of ultra. It is nice to just hang out and train for a bit without much on the horizon.
    Very cool pics!! SO pretty!

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  30. Nice bike ride! That climb up to Jamestown is what we did half way through the century for Venus de Miles. Ummm..yeah, I was going sooo slow, but I made it! :)

    Me...still training for IMAZ! It's getting so close, but it feels like I've been training forever!

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  31. I think it's time someone in the blogworld swam the English Channel. And I think YOU might be just the person to do it :)

    Or maybe just an Ironman...

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  32. I have Reynauds too. I did a whole post on it, with a picture of my hands looking FREAKISH! To date, that is my most frequently visited pages because it comes up on google images. My mom wouldn't let me put it on f/b.

    http://doublejoggerdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/01/arthritis-raynauds-phenomenom.html

    I think you need to do the full IM, maybe not next year, but totally work towards it. CDA is great I hear, but is full for general entry. St George still has spots, and I think Louisville is still open. Definitely do more 70.3s. I got into Boston, so that is what I have planned for next year. It is going to bust my piggy bank, so not sure of what else I will be "allowed" to do. Another 70.3 for sure, though. I already paid to do the Detroit Half Marathon, so I will do that too, but that is probably it.

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  33. I'm training for the Corning wineglass half - my dad and sister are running it 'with' me (as in, we are all registered to run it). My mom is running the full. After that it's run for fun time!

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  34. IM not BM! Ha! Girl put your toesies in your cozy leopard slippers! I wear my slippers every day (even in SC!) Speaking of slippers....I know this is late and off subject but a few of my favorite things are a 10 lb buckwheat hull pillow, eye mask for nighty-night, my Garmin, Impact Bra Cup Dress from Athleta, k-cup Chocolate Glazed Donut coffee w/Peppermint Mocha creamer AND my Cioccolati biscotti (done daily), SUAR blog(I'm not trying to be cheesy here....just being honest), and my favorite book is Run Like A Mother. PLEASE write us a book! I want to add it to my Favorites List!

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  35. MY FINGERS look like your feet on and off all winter...I have to google that syndrome..I think no, I know I have it. Crazy!

    Your posts are hilarious...and man it makes me want to move to Colorado.

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  36. Just finished the Maui 1/2 marathon, which was a BLAST! There is a duathlon, Xterra 10K and an off-road sprint tri in October, but I'm not sure if I'm going to do any multi-sport this fall. Thinking more about training for the Maui Oceanfront 26.2 in January. It would be my first!

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  37. Raynaud's phenomenon. Looks like you've got a mild case...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud%27s_phenomenon

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  38. ...and you already knew that. so I'll shut up. Nice ride!

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  39. Yes! That happens to my feet and my hands too. I can never stay warm. It really sucks some days especially since I live in Upstate NY where I freeze about 6 months out of the year!
    I say go for an ultra or an IM. You'll excel at either. :)

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  40. Stacia is hot. Tell her about me but not the wife and kids and 45 and blubbery parts.

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  41. I am training for my second half Ironman. I really want to do a full but this half business is killing me. I think you should try it and I can just read about your adventures, it's the same right? My feet don't do that but I get really red and itchy legs when running in the cold.

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  42. I have that same thing where my hands and feet turn white and/or blue after I run when it is cold outside. I have to take a hot shower, then it goes away.

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  43. Well of course I'm training for the Rim Rock Marathon in Fruita! Who doesn't want to enjoy Colorado wine country after a very hilly 26.2, hmmmm?

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  44. How did I not know you were doing Vegas?? After St. George next weekend, it's the only thing on my agenda!

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  45. It's still kinda hot here in AZ- hard to think it's cold in some places. And why is the workout wear I seem to want is usually expensive?
    And i'm thinking IM! IM! IM!

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  46. I like Stacia's blue tech shirt! You need to ask her where she got it. :)

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  47. Like Jason said: Raynaud's and Morton's neuroma. You would think that numb would just take feeling away but it is so uncomfortable! Of course the warming up is a blast too! I was going to go to Vegas RnR but at the moment all i am allowed to do is light stretching, so no races on the books for a while. I just read about others' training and do my best not to ruin my screen with the jealousy daggers coming out of my eyes :)

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  48. I would love to see you run an ultra. I think it would be a different kind of challenge than you are used to. Me - I'm doing an 86 mile relay next Saturday. We have a team of 8, so the mileage isn't that high - but I'm excited to race and to be on a team!

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  49. Ugh! Lululemon could get me in trouble! :)

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  50. I've got Raynaud’s issues too. In the winter my toes go white, and if it's a really good day, they go numb! It's great for party tricks! (Ok... maybe that last bit is only in my own head.)

    But at least there's a cool name for it. We could be stuck with "Schlub Syndrome," or something like that.

    PS - frozen toes or no, I'll trade weather with you. 95 percent humidity in FL today. I looked like I ran a sweaty marathon before I started my run this morning!

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  51. I would vote IM but don't do it unless you are totally sure you want to, I have heard it can suck out your soul! I am hoping to do an ultra next fall even though I hate training in the summer heat. I've heard Devils Mountain ultra is great (oct. 1st this year)

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  52. Did you do your marathon you were training for? Must have missed that. I just signed up for my 2nd half and I haven't even ran the first one yet (2 weeks to go). I'm constantly looking for what's next so I keep my ass off the couch.

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  53. Oh duh I just realized this is a really old post. No idea how I ended up this far back haha.

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