Monday Funday!

I could have called today Monday Not-So-Funday with all the work that fell into my lap... BUT that would not be in the spirit of Monday Funday!  So here it is folks: What could possibly make me so happy on a Monday?

How about a little private plane ride to Montauk for lunch?!?  Oh yes, people, I got to act like a Million Air...

...and I loved every second of it!  Well, maybe not every second, because I apparently don't like it when small planes make sharp turns.

like this... 

or this

But despite the sweat dripping down my face after the turning - I had a blast.  Enjoy the photos!

Pilot and Co-Pilot Simon 

passenger ME

Why hello Long Island!

Montauk - the inlet where we swam for the MightyMan Tri

Montauk Lighthouse

Landing in Montauk on a tiny runway

Montauk for lunch? Sure thing!

Leaving MTK - the building is where we had lunch

pretty shot of Long Island

NYC skyline in the distance

The plane!

Very cool and streamlined

HAPPY MONDAY!

What am I up to in 2012?

Since the Age Group National debacle I had some decisions to make regarding my 2012 race schedule. Did I want to add a couple more Olympic Tri's to try and qualify?  Did I want to say "screw you nats" and do more 70.3's?  I struggled with this during my blog absence in January.

I finally had a nice long chat with Coach about what was going on inside my head and where my motivation was.  We both came to the conclusion that I should go back to my triathlon roots.  So what does that mean?

I started out doing tri's because I've always been an athlete.  I played soccer, basketball, softball and most importantly field hockey all throughout my childhood.  I captained my High School field hockey team.  I played hockey in college and excelled until injury took me out of the game.  After college, I started running again and played club hockey.  But triathlon was a completely new challenge for me.  I did my first tri in 2005 and as they say, the rest was history.

Being a triathlete keeps my uber-competitive spirit engaged, keeps me fit, sane and is a nice break from my 'real' tv job.  When my friends started racing tri's as well it was even better.  I didn't care how fast I was.  I wanted to improve, sure, but biking in X amount of time or running an X pace wasn't of any concern. 

As I've progressed I've become more in tune with getting fitter and faster.  I invested in a Coach, got the coolest tri bike around, took on an Ironman and now?  I'm going back to racing certain races because they sound like fun.  NOT because I could potentially qualify for Age Group Nationals.  My goals are still to improve my times and put out a 100% effort in each race and if I qualify then awesome.  If I don't, then it's cool.  You never know what kind of competition will show up on race day.  There could be girls who can smash the run with 6:30 min miles and would blow me out of age group contention by a long shot.  I can't control that.  What I can control is my training, my consistency and my attitude.

So no more whining about not making nats. I actually stopped whining about it weeks and weeks ago but was just to busy not whining to write about it :)

So here's an updated look at my Race List.  The first half of my season is packed and I like it that way!  I'm racing with friends and am psyched to clear the tri cobwebs off with the TriRock Sprint and Harryman Olympic.  Rev3 Quassy is an awesome race and that will be my A goal of the early season.  My late season goal is still on par with the whole "Smash 4 Hours or Bust" plan for the Philadelphia Marathon. 

As you can see there's a big gap between June and September.  I'm gonna see how I feel after Quassy before I sign up for another 70.3.  I may want to add either Timberman or the new National Harbor in DC to my plan... or I have a couple of fun sounding olympics on my radar.  So stay tuned!

March 25th - Central Park Duathlon
April 15th - More Half Marathon
May 5th - TriRock NY Sprint
May 19th - Harryman Olympic
June 3rd - Rev3 Quassy
September 30th - MightyMan Olympic
November 18th - Philadelphia Marathon

Hope everyone had a great weekend of training!

Monday Funday - President's Day Edition!

You would think that since I'm the lone 1% in working on Prez Day, I would want to skip the "Monday Funday" post.  Right? I mean, what's so fun about a Monday that I have to work and no one else does??

Well, peeps, here's your answer!! 

This past fall, I did some extensive research about race wheels.  My biking had improved so much this past year and I felt like it was the right time, fitness wise, to invest in race wheels.  I'm a believer in tuning up the engine before dropping dough on expensive speedy accessories.  So after months of research, I knew I wanted a pair of HED Jet 6's.  They fit my budget and had great reviews.  Plus Chrissie Wellington uses them and if they're good for the World Champ, they're good for me!

Back in December, I found my dream pair of wheels on sale for a "no freakin way can I pass this up" discount.  I hit purchase and three days later my babies arrived!  With all the craziness around Christmas and some events in January, the gorgeous wheels didn't make it on my bike until this past week!

Here's their public unveiling!

I took this picture on Saturday as I was planning to head out for my long ride in the unusually gorgeous Feb weather.  Well, that dream was sort of shattered when I realized that my rear brakes were not working properly!  I rode up the to park, saw how crowded it was, and promptly turned around to head home.  It was way too dangerous to ride basically without rear brakes!

So I did the next best thing...

I put on my pink running gear and went for my run instead! Poor Roo had to sit out this one, but yesterday I took her to the shop to get fixed and 30 minutes later, she's good as new!

I cannot wait to really test these wheels out.  I'm sure they will not disappoint!

Happy Monday Funday, whether you're stuck at work, or relaxing at home!

Monday Funday!

I've decided to kick off my return to blogging with a new, nifty little feature.  Most people despise Mondays.  Hate them.  Mondays symbolize the hum drum beginning of a boring new work week... an early alarm wake up... and the drudgery of commuting in the fabulous chaotic subway system. 

Sure, I feel that way too.  BUT - I also think Monday is the beginning of a brand spankin' new week! 

Missed a few workouts last week?  Start fresh on Monday!
Had a bit of a boozy weekend?  Start sober on Monday!
Had an amazing weekend that you don't want to end?  Keep it going with Monday Funday!

I think people could use a pick me up, including myself, so I'm offically proclaiming Monday as "MONDAY FUNDAY!"

I'll be posting a photo of something that makes me smile, motivates me or something that I just think is funny.  It may be triathlon related - but it may not be.

The first edition of Monday Funday is not triathlon related... but maybe there's a hidden meaning in there somewhere....

Nothing says Monday Funday like Olive & Penny in a box!! 

I mean, if you don't say 'aw' at this photo, you do not have a soul.  Seriously!  This photo makes me smile and makes me feel very lucky to have a job that I can bring my dog to work with me! (the white fluffy one is mine)

HAPPY MONDAY FUNDAY EVERYONE!

Well this is embarrassing...

I've gotta come clean. I thought about just letting it slide... hoping no one would notice but I just can't.

January 12th has been circled on my calendar since October.  Why, you ask?  Well January 12th is Age Group Nationals Registration Day!  Woo, right?!?  It turns out it's more like WAH. 

Exactly at 1pm on the dot, I drop any work that I am doing, go straight to the AG website and click register.  It says to enter USAT member number.  I enter my #.  The screen now says there is a problem registering.  Either my USAT membership is expired (it hasn't), I mistyped the number (I didn't and re-did it 6 times to make sure) or I didn't qualify.  Blasphemy I yell at the computer screen!  Or maybe it was another 4 words I'd rather my Mom not read (you know you're reading this Mom... hi there!) like SOAB!!

I followed the directions and emailed the registration department.  It went something like this:

"I am trying to register for Age Group Nationals and I think there may be a mistake..."

I plead my case, providing race results, remember I totally qualified at the Montauk Olympic tri getting 2nd in my Age Group, and hit send.

And then it happened.  I got a swift response from USAT.  I think you can see where this is going.... even though I placed SECOND in my age group (with a small age group field only 1 & 2 in my age group can qualify) the first woman OVERALL is 32, therefore bouncing my slow ass out of Age Group Nat contention. 

So for the past 3 1/2 months I've been talking a BIG game...  I'm SO speedy... I QUALIFIED for Nats... I'm the coolest of cool....  Blah Blah Blah... but in reality I was WRONG.

Yes, I placed well, but in a larger race I wouldn't have come close to top 10! So am I disappointed...? um YEAH!  I'm bummed.  I didn't even realize I wanted to qualify for AG until I (falsely) did.  Now I miss it.  And now I have to rearrange my race schedule.  Do I try to qualify at another race in June/July??  Should I add another early Olympic specifically to try to qualify?  Or do I say "screw you, speedsters" and add another Half Ironman, like Timberman in August? 

Grrr... I feel lame.  Sorry for talking up a big game... when I got none!!

Antigua "Race" Report

If my end of 2011 race goal was to....

SCUBA DIVE

SHARK HUNT

DRINK TOO MANY RUM PUNCHES

(rum punching with my bro)

(Rum punch knocked me out for Christmas morning)

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ON THE BEACH

TAKE OVER A PIRATE SHIP

SEE A DOUBLE RAINBOW

AND RIDE IN A DINGY BOAT WITH A HOLE IN IT OUT TO SEA

(my Dad steering while the boat dude gets water out of our leaking boat dingy)

Now... if I just happened to do all that, giving 100% all out effort, what was my race result?  Well, it was a close race but..... I got SECOND woman overall.  So just who was the fancy fast lady who beat me for #1 party animal????  

My Mom of course!!  Now I see where I get it from.

(so angry someone put a thumbprint on the camera at this point!)

After our week long "race," we headed back to the Big Apple to celebrate New Year's... 

dunce caps and all! 

And after a week of eating and living it up like a Queen, ringing in the new year with my love, feeling not so fit after imbibing 8 days in a row... what could possibly happen next??

An early morning January 1st run in Central Park of course!

I'm sweaty and ready to rock 2012!!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My 2012 Race Plan

After I met up with my Coach and we chatted about the 2012 race possibilities we came to a surprising conclusion.  Now, the big picture is, if timing works out, I want REDEMPTION on Lake Placid in 2013!  I know I have a faster race in me, especially a bike ride without THREE flats.  Therefore my original thinking was that my 2012 plan would include more half ironmans than ever and maybe a fall marathon.  The fall marathon conclusion came from me wanting to smash 4 hours and the mental breakthrough that would come with it.

But after Coach and I talked and talked and talked... we are chicks.... and I gushed about how fun it was to race these shorter races, she asked me if I missed my long bike rides from IM training.  With a very slight hesitation, I said nope!  I mean, I liked riding farther than I ever have before and hitting triple digits in my rides.  But I don't miss the time suck of it and being exhausted afterwards. 

So it was decided that 2012 is the year of SPEED!  I have a year's worth of endurance under my belt so now it's time to get speedy!  This race schedule makes me excited.  Not as excited as when I signed up for Placid but excited where I'm looking forward to see what I can push myself to do, just in a different way!

The overall layout will be...
- an early season half marathon to build up endurance & speed
- my first A race Rev3 Quassy Half Iron in early June
- my A+ race of Age Group Nats (olympic distance) mid-August
- A race of Philly "below four or bust" marathon

So here are my A races as well as the support races:

Early Season Half Marathon – EITHER
NYC Half Marathon March 18th (if I get in, they have a lotto system and not many New Yorkers are picked)

OR Hook Mountain Half Marathon (depending on April date)

OR More Half Marathon (usually 1st weekend in April)

Central Park Du March 25th - I gotta defend my title... or even better... place overall!

Harriman Olympic May 19th - a tune up race in prep for Rev 3


A Race: Rev3 Quassy June 3rd - sub 6 hours is the goal for this sucka!

2 WEEK VACATION IN JUNE - not sure where but Simon and I will be taking a big trip.... either Australia or South America WOOT

NJ State Tri Olympic July 22nd -  OR I may head up to Placid instead to spectate and sign up in person for 2013

Central Park Tri August 5th - very local race I'll do if I’m around

A++ Race: AGE GROUP NATIONALS August 18th - this is my main focus of the season.  I can't wait to work hard at getting faster!!

Central Park Du September 9th - again, another local race where I can let loose in Central Park!

LBI Tri September 16th - just a sprint by my parents house down the Jersey Shore, if I’m around

Mightyman Olympic 1st weekend in October - I had a lot of fun doing this race this past year!

Staten Island Half Marathon - or another half marathon the second weekend to mid-Oct for marathon prep

A Race: Philly Marathon Nov 18th - SMASH 4 hours!!

Chicago Marathon 10-10-10 4:04:44 PR - this will be broken

So there it is folks... my 2012 cards have been revealed!  What do you have in store for 2012?  Your first 5K? half marathon? Ironman? Cupcake eating??