21st Century Mom

Well folks - it's hot out there. If you check weather.com and enter Paso Robles which is 50 miles north of the lake you will see that the temps range from the low 60s in the morning to around 80. It's hot and sunny!!

I just learned that my wave starts at 10:55 which means I will be biking and running in the highest heat. Good times! I don't do well in heat but I'll just have to tough it out. At least we know that leg warmers are entirely unnecessary and that's a good thing, right?

Today I am going to wait until it gets hotter and then ride some ferocious hills and go for a good run. Taper schmaper - I need to test drive this thing. Then I'll taper. I'll be really good all week.
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Okay - I did it. I test drove this heat. This is going to be very tough, people. I rode some hills and then I went for a run and I remembered something really important. When it's hot and I exert myself I turn beet red and I look like I'm going to die. If you're out there on the course and you see me in this condition don't be alarmed. I promise not to die. I may actually wear a HR monitor just to assure myself that I'm okay. I don't usually wear one and I don't have my zones dialed in but I know that going over 180 for long is not a good thing.

I've downgraded my goal yet again. At first it was break 3:30 but that seems quite preposterous now. Then it was break 4:00. That's a maybe. Finish and don't be last is where I'm at now. That would be fine.

I'm also going to start packing today. Packing is what brings it all home, right? It's happening - it's really, really happening! So, Wildflower peeps - don't forget to pack sunscreen!

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 07:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Premiering May 4 (that's just before you-know-what - I'll be on my way)
This guy figured out that if you go aero you go faster. He took some heat for that.
Watch the trailer:

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 03:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Unless I am working or actively engaged in conversation about something else, my brain is fully occupied with thoughts of Wildflower. Any conversation I get in to soon turns to that topic.

"Did you hear that they are insulting each other in the Senate over the troop pull out plans?"
"I did and It reminded me of how concerned I am about my lack of training for Wildflower"

Seriously. It's all Wildflower, all the time between my ears. Mostly my thoughts are good, they are just chronic. So I'd like to welcome you to my brain as I cut a virtual peep hole in my skull with this post.

1). Placing - I've obsessed about showing up last in on the list published in my race club's newsletter because that would make me 3 for 3 coming in last. But it won't! In this last newsletter I ended up second to last but with AG/4 next to my name and I just beamed with pride. The pressure not to be last is off!

2). Swim - My masters swim team had no practice on Monday because the coaches and much of the team were recovering from the Pacific Masters Championship meet so I took the opportunity to do a 1000 yard time trial. I didn't swim that hard and managed to cover the distance in 20:55. So if no one kicks my goggles off, if I don't panic in the water, if I don't veer off course IF THE GOOD LORD'S WILLING AND THE CREEK DON'T RISE, I'll be out of the water in 30 minutes. I feel good about that.

3). Tapering - eek! It's taper time - right when I was warming up to train. Drat! I was talking to someone in the locker room at swimming on Monday about my training and saying I was planning on doing a brick this weekend to simulate the actual race and she said, "Oh no - you should be tapering". I explained that I was under trained and she said it didn't matter - I needed to rest. Then she said, "My best Ironman races were when I had been sick for a couple of weeks before". I, of course had to ask how many Ironman races she had done. "26. 10 in Kona". Whoa. If that woman says taper, who am I to argue? I'm tapering. I will still do a little brick this weekend but I won't spend more than 30 minutes on either the bike or the run.

4). Butt munch - Tuesday I spoke with another woman in the locker room (did I mention I'm obsessed??) about how I still hurt from my 45 mile ride on Saturday and how that just isn't right. I said I thought I needed a new seat and she just shook her head. "You don't want to change anything right before a race. You'd hate to have a sore nu nu half way though the event". Nu Nu is my new favorite word. This saddle sore is a drag, though and it isn't normal and I realized finally that I was sore in a particular spot on one side and that it is from dropping my bike (finally got THAT out of the way) and having the pointy part of the saddle jam me in my lower, inside, right buttock. It was such a hard hit that the seat was crooked when I picked up the bike. Owie. I do need a new seat but I will wait because other than that pain I'm okay.

5). Wetsuit - I had a blinding flash of insight the other day that about 1/2 my bad mood about Wildflower had to do with the fact that I still needed to go get fitted for a rental wetsuit and I just didn't want to do it. I have really, really bad body image and the thought of squeezing my pudgy hindquarter into a wetsuit was bumming me out. I figured I would need a large and it would be totally humiliating. It wasn't. I will be wearing a QR Superfull size small. I didn't have much trouble getting in to it (except for the part where I put my foot in the wrong leg to start and got the whole thing twisted around) but I had a hellish time getting it off. If that is representative of how it will be in the race, T1 will be about 22 minutes. I need to work on that or make sure I have a wetsuit stripper lined up.

6). s'mores - The only thing I really like about camping is s'mores and I so wanted to sit around the campfire with my fellow bloggers, toasting marshmallows and squeezing their burnt outer crusts and sweet gooey innards between 2 pieces of chocolate and a couple of graham cracker squares. And then I had a sad realization. The Long Course peeps are not going to want to eat them Friday night and I certainly don't want to eat them Saturday night. Houston, we have a problem. Unless we can all agree to a late Sunday Brunch of s'mores it just isn't going to happen. *sniff sniff* I can be coerced into singing campfire songs, though and having spent 14 summers at Family Camp I know a couple.

7). I can hardly wait to meet you all. I'm not sure how we'll find each other because this place is quite large. I did some looking around and my club camps in the Redondo Vista area as shown on this map (although not in exactly that spot). If you have any idea where you will be please let me know. Maybe we can all agree to end up at the raceAthlete RV city at some point. Regardless of planning or lack thereof I WILL find you - I must.

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 09:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Children of the 21st Century are sort of notorious for having a lack of respect in general and toward adults in particular. I think most of that is poppycock and comes under the heading "In MY day we had to walk 5 miles to school in the snow and it was uphill both ways!" but once in a while something happens that I find stunning in it's blatant display of cockiness. Friday was one of those days.

I went for a run and as I ran past 7-11 which is across the street from a little mall area I noticed 3 boys just sort of hanging out. I didn't think anything of it until something crash landed near my feet and exploded. I think it was an apple. I stopped dead in my tracks, looked across the street and realized that one of those kids had lobbed it at me. They were hooting and in hysterics with laughter. I wasn't quite sure what to do but there was no way I was going to ignore it so I started running across the street straight at them. I think those boys were about as stunned as I was when the apple hit the ground and they started to run away then they stopped, looking furtively over their shoulders. I had no idea what I would did if I caught them so I just yelled "Keep Going! Don't Stop!" and they did. And then they stopped and looked over their shoulders and there I was, still standing in the street. I yelled at them again "Don't stop now! Keep moving!" and they did, finally jumping a fence and heading behind a building.

I felt pretty powerful putting 3 young teens on the run. They clearly had at least a little respect or they would have just gotten in my face. If they try lobbing anything at me again I will keep chasing them until they puke.

Saturday I went for a bike ride with my friends. I picked a relatively flat course because one of my friends has a ruptured disk and the hills make her back hurt. I learned something really valuable on this ride. Try not to laugh when I tell you this but I figured out that if I start falling behind, all I have to do is put the bike in a higher gear and push a little harder on the pedals and I can catch up. IT'S A MIRACLE! Really. That whole 'harder, harder, faster, faster!' thing is good in more ways than one.

On the way back we stopped for coffee and a scone and then we finished the ride - 45 miles in all. I put the bike in the house, changed my clothes to running gear, checked my email and headed back out the door for a 4 mile run. I had thought that I would head straight up a steep hill but part way up I decided I couldn't do all of my catch up training at once and hung a left which put me going in the downhill direction. I knew I would have to go uphill at the end and that was soon enough. I covered 4 miles. It wasn't fast (45 mins) and it wasn't pretty but I got it done!

So that means that I really and truly can do Wildflower. The first 25 miles of my ride took about 1:57 and the run was 45 so I'm thinking I can do WF in just under 4 hours. That puts me at the bottom of the middle of the pack or the top of the bottom of the pack which is just about where I belong.

I had intended to test my nutrition plan for the race, also. I wonder if I could choke down an orange/current scone in T1. If I could, I'd be so money.

My new Wildflower motto is "HARDER, HARDER, FASTER, FASTER" 'cause I know it feels so right.

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 09:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)

Jessica of Daughter of Opinion issued a challenge to post a picture of yourself taken first thing in the morning.

So here I am, bedhead and all. No makeup, semi-conscious, bad breath, holding the camera myself (hence the appearance of what seems to be an oddly off-center nose. It isn't). If you are camping near me at Wildflower this is likely what you will see. Sorry 'bout that but I will try really hard not to breath on you before I've brushed my teeth.

In other news - swam and worked out on my trainer yesterday, I ran today and I am riding and running tomorrow. Things are starting to come together!

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 06:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

You Are a Ring Finger

You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything. You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word. Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world. You get along well with: The Pinky Stay away from: The Index Finger

Does this mean I'm destined to end up with a ring on my finger? As if.
ps- I'm the most unartistic person on God's Green Earth. I can't draw a decent smiley face.

Wildflower note (yes - it sits right on top of my head and distracts me all day). I forgot to mention that when I was running my event Sunday (4 hilly miles) I was struck by how hard it was. That lead me to realized the run at Wildflower will be really hard. At the time it bothered me but now? BRING IT ON!

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Please read, then watch the video below if you have 6 minutes to spare.
UPDATE- there is a URL to the video below for FF users who can't see the embeded video

I am a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to a foster child. I can't discuss her case because it is confidential but I can tell you a little bit about what it means to be a foster child. It means that you have no ground under your feet. It means that if your 'parents' decide that your behavior isn't to their liking, they really can "send you back". It means you have no one watching your back because everyone is just trying to survive and you just aren't that important to the people you live with. It means that when you go to bed at night you don't know if tomorrow will be another day when a social worker shows up to pack your stuff and move you elsewhere - again. It means you have no educational, medical or spritual advocate. It means you have no real family and no one who is making it their business to teach you how to get along in the world. When you turn 18 you are suddenly on your own with no one to help you or guide you.

Being a CASA gives a child in this situation a small foundation - a person he or she can count on and some assurance that someone cares. It is, second to raising my own children, the most rewarding and satisfying thing I have ever done. It takes time. Every other Sunday afternoon belongs to this child (my choice, there are no mandatory requirements for visits). There are court dates and case review, continuing education and time on the phone with teachers, therapists, attorneys and social workers. It's a small price for me to pay in order for her to have a footing on something that is a little closer to solid ground than to quicksand and to provide her with a life long mentor - the person most of us call Mom or Dad.

If you are not currently raising small children, if you have some time and you want to do something bigger than yourself for someone other than yourself please look into becoming a CASA by clicking here and finding your local organization or clicking on the National CASA site. It is one of the better ways to make the world safer, stronger and richer one person at a time. Make that two people at a time. Your world will be richer, too.

The video below will give you more insight.
(video link for FF users http://www.nationalcasa.org/movies/lifelong.wmv )

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 08:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I'm back! After a forced rest of 5 days I managed to get back in the saddle yesterday (literally) and I managed to make my race today. My hammy is just fine but my inner thigh hurts - the way it is supposed to hurt after a race. My buns are sore, too and that's okay with me.

Yesterday I did a 30 minute Spinverals workout that focuses on technique. There were some cadence drills that had you ramp up the rpms every 10 seconds and then rest 40 seconds. Due to my previous experience with the trainer spontaneously falling over I was a little reluctant but Shelly had sent an email that said 'make sure it is locked in there' and I looked and realized I had not done that. doh! So this time I was fully clamped down and then I made my son look at me on the bike and make sure I was really straight in the vertical axis and then, just for good measure, I put a little rug under the right side of the stand. And then I spun that baby- I even got up to 150 rpm which was awesome for me! And I did not fall over - it was like a miracle.

Today I had my race. It is a 4 mile run on a hilly course. I didn't know how I would do but I went out and just did it. I was actually ahead of this other woman on my team until the 2 mile turn around. Then we ran together and then, in the last 1/4 mile I sort of lost it and she got in about 20 seconds ahead of me. Bummer - last in on the team AGAIN! And that's just the way it is but be that as it may this run was certainly an accomplishment for me because I placed 4th in my age group out of 17! I WIN!!!

I don't think I have ever been anywhere close to 4th. What's even more exciting is that the woman I was running in with is in the 30 - 39 age group. Granted - she rode a metric century yesterday but still - I'm feeling pretty good here!! Happiest of all was that my final mile was my best. Official Time: 41:34:7 (34/85 OA for women) Let me just repeat - I WIN!!!

Here are some visuals (click to enlarge):
My pace:

See that??!!! I went sub 10 minute the last mile and it wasn't ALL downhill although it was largely downhill. But then it went up. See??:

The only issue I'm having is with what my Garmin has to say about energy expended. I really don't think so:

Do you think my Garmin is giving me a hint to go on diet?

All of this leads up to my current thinking on Wildflower and training but I'll save that for another post.

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 05:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

I have but one word to say about deep tissue massage.

OW!

Actually I have more words. Like "Ow! That hurts" and "mmmmmmmmmmmm................that one is kind of painful!" and some other words that only rattled around in my head and did not come out of my mouth.

I went to get brutalized massaged, twice today. The first time was for an evaluation but he just couldn't hold back. He found a bone in my foot that was slightly twisted and stuck so he needed to get that fixed and then he broke up some adhesions and pounded on some mineral deposits behind my knee.

Who was I to complain - his goal is to get me to Wildflower because he's a Wildflower guy himself. He's doing the Long Course. He was impressed that I was taking on Wildflower as my first ever Oly. I try not to think about it.

Anyhow, he decided I needed to go back for more with the massage therapist and since he was a cute guy I agreed. I had to overlook his crocs but once I did that I was good to go.

I actually got to go in one of those 'ding dong' rooms where they have the gentle drum music playing and it is so pleasant. But where was the soft bathrobe and the scented oil and the fresh sheets and the getting naked part? Nowhere - it wasn't there. It was just me in my clothes and a cute guy who hurt me a lot. He was cute but he wasn't gentle. He had a job to do and psuedo seduction was not on the menu. Story of my life.

The official word is that I'm okay to ride my bike, I might be okay to run this Sunday. And Wildflower - here I come.

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

A couple of bloggers have left the 'hood lately and abandon their blogs. Bob of Haiku Thursday (Ourmarathonblog a.k.a Running Destination) is an example. He must have deleted his blog or something. The URL he left behind has been hijacked by a spammer (something about drugs from Canada).

I don't know what the alternative is if you decide that blogging is taking over your life and you need out but don't just abandon. The spammers thrive on that. I don't know how they do it but they do and who wants to be part of that road to hell? Not me!

Speaking of me - I tried running again last night and it did not go well. The hammy cried 'NO!" in no uncertain (and very painful) terms. I iced. I elevated. I went swimming today but mostly pulled. I have an appointment at a sports clinic tomorrow where they will probably tell me I need a deep tissue massage or 5. Anyone have any opinions about the benefits of deep tissue massage? I'm all ears. I'm also sort of skeptical.

Here's why. If you have some sort of tear, what good can massage do? I can see massage making a huge difference if your muscles are in a state of tetnus or rigor or something but if you are torn or internally bruised wouldn't the massage make it worse. My real issue is that the receptionist was trying to book the massage before I even had a consult. That strikes me as daft. Does the mechanic schedule you for a new head gasket before he's looked at your car? No.

Anyhow- if you know something about deep tissue massage please tell me about it.
TIA!

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

I'm trying to be a triathlete - I really am. I have an event scheduled and it is coming up soon - very soon. Wildflower Olympic distance on May 6. My enthusiasm for this event waxes and wanes hourly. I get excited about going mostly because I get to meet a whole bunch of great bloggers - Carrie, and Tri-Mama and Taconite Boy, the whole RaceAthlete Team , FeLady, and I get to see Jeff again and probably meet SHSMH (at least I hope so) and a bunch of other people I neglected to list. (Apologies in advance if you are one of them. Give a shout out in the comments!) I don't get excited about doing the event, though. In fact I'm sort of dreading it.

I have not trained for this the way I had intended to. I bought a training book. I was fired up. I had plans! I didn't follow them - not at all. Part of it was the wedding which took up most of 2 weekends although I did get 1 bike ride and a couple of swims in. I could have done more, though - I really could have and that was only 9 days out of the last 4 months. Mostly it was me just blowing off one workout after another. Especially the running. I've logged a grand total of 71 miles this entire year - ugh.

So what's the problem? Why the reluctance? Wherefore went my zeal and enthusiasm and why, oh why have I replaced it with the dread of humiliating myself on the course and finishing in far more time that I should? Why the self loathing and self flagellation?

I don't' know. I really don't know. Maybe, as Bold has pointed out, I've lost my reasons. I had them once. I even wrote about it last November and it seemed so clear. So why do I feel like I'm forcing myself through this?

There are no answers; there are only solutions -

Time to just do it. Too bad about my BrickHouse injury. I was bound and determined to run 6 miles this morning - hard miles with a lot of hills. I got about a quarter of a mile down the road and TWANG! That's what my sore hammy did. It twanged, it pinged, it did not feel right. I stopped, I stretched, I resumed, it hurt like hell. I walked home. I have continued to stretch and use a roller (the stick) and I took some ibuprofen. I will try this run again this evening. I hope it works. Tomorrow I want to swim and ride my bike. Wed I want to train some more. I want to train with discipline and energy and renewed enthusiasm for Wildflower and I want to let go of the idea that I will humiliate myself and just do what I do. No matter what it is, it will be PR and that's a good thing, right?

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

I have a role over at CRN to provide the Saturday inspirational video. It's a fun job because it gives me a reason to wander the internets in search of fun and/or inspiring video that pertains to training. Sometimes I bump into something else, though and today was one of those days. I give you this (word up, Roman - video mashups are fun, too!):

Speaking of CRN, I need you to do me a little favor. If you are subscribed to this blog I need you to dump the feed you are using and use my Feedburner feed instead. You can do it by clicking on the link at the top of the upper right side bar. I'm not sure how all of this works but that's what I've been told. One of the things Feedburner provides are lists of posts sort of like the lists of blogs you get with Bloglines. To see my last 5 posts at CRN just look toward the bottom of my sidebar on the left. If I were more ambitious I could figure out how to put those titles in a scrolling and well decorated square thing but I spend too much time at my computer as it is so you just get the static content.

In trainnig news - I swam AND ran yesterday (booyah!) and today I went to go on a 25 mile ride and just didn't. I only went 12. I wanted 25 miles in 90 minutes and I got 12 in 60. Not the plan. Not the plan AT ALL! I will not be discouraged, I will just keep on keepin' on. Yeah - that's it.

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 03:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Looks like I have some questions to answer: (updates!)

1). There was no bias! Really - read the comments again and find the one from my sister. oops- that wasn't a question.

2). The gent in the background at the shower is the husband of the hostess. He and his son did a wonderful job serving tea and pouring champagne. He was the perfect butler!

3).. Line dancing? Oh no, Momo! I am suffering a Brick House injury, Brick House being the world's very best dance song evah!

4). I don't believe there are any incriminating videos of me dancing like a crazy woman but I'm guessing there are more pictures. If any show up I'll share.

5). UPDATE - I forgot the poem. Momo asked about it. You can read it here. Perpare to get a little verklempt.

My hammy is recovering and I got a great workout this evening with the one, the only Amazing Hip! I am in his 'hood so I met up with him at a beautiful track where he was hoofing it at a 6 min/mile pace. I got on the track and was running at about 10:30 pace and when he passed me I asked him how many more repeats he had. I waited for him to finish and then we chatted for a minute and we ran his cool down together which for me ended up being a smokin' pace. My splits were:

Lap 1 - .58 miles 9:20/ mile (I swear while I was running it said 10:39)
Lap 2 - 1 mile - 9:07
Lap 3 - 1 mile - 9:23
Lap 4 - .42 miles - 9:31

I am feeling GOOD! Thanks Jeff - you are the BEST! I couldn't have done it without you. You really are the Amazing Hip.

UPDATE - that is PR! I have never run 3 milles that fast in my life. I can hardly wait for my next 5K so I can PR officially. Jeff, you are my new best friend.

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Does dancing like a fool count as the line of duty? If it does then the title stands.

In the wee hours of Sunday morning I woke up, or thought I woke up, from a deep, champagne drenched sleep because I had a horrible cramp in my hamstring. I wasn't sure I wasn't dreaming because who in the world gets a cramp in her hamstring? I got out of bed and walked on it and tried to stretch - at least I thought I did. Then I went back to sleep.

When I woke up for real Sunday morning I just wasn't sure if it had happened or not and my leg felt okay. Maybe a little sore but I couldn't really tell. Monday I went running and it was fine but maybe my left hammy was a little tight? Still wasn't sure. Today I swam. My hammy is definitely sore and tight and I do believe I suffered a dancing fool sort of injury. Nothing too drastic, though. And really, it was totally worth it.

In other news... like mother like daughter

These 2 shots are from a shower we attended on Thursday

My group was reading a poem we had written about the bride and groom. I'm the one with my hand on my chest (I will be posting some decent pics of myself when I get some)

The bride was listening to the poem.

Like mother like daughter??

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 09:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I should revise that - oh what a weekend. It started Friday afternoon with an invasion force raiding the local nail shop for manicures and pedicrues and continued that night with a group of about 30 people at my house for tamales and Margaritas. We polished off a handle of Tequila and a case of Corona in no time flat! Saturday morning the same group assembled for Wedding Morning Mimosas and then the day was off. We had little errands to run, hair appointments in the afternoon and then it was time to get dressed for the big event. I was fine until about 30 minutes before I got in the car to head up to the room. And then I was a wreck. I forgot my bracelet. I forgot to put the chip in my camera which was then rendered useless. I didn't fully charge the battery for the video camera and then forgot to take the AC adaptor with me.

When we got up to the room it finally hit me - I was the Mother of the Bride! I almost started crying right then and there but held off until the bride arrived.

It was a gorgeous evening in a beautiful setting

When the Bride arrived I I gave her hug and then looked at her adoringly while she almost cried.

She drank champagne and laughed with the groom.

The wedding ceremony was really amazing and magical. It was the most heartfelt, authentic, romantic wedding on record. The officiant has been the Bride's best friend since they were in high school and the words she wrote and then read to the attendees made everyone cry and laugh and rejoice. The couple wrote their own vows which were a perfect expression of their feelings, their love for each other, and their vision of their shared future. There were a couple other readings and some more words and then the Mother of the Bride completely broke down and cried like a baby.

After that there was only 1 thing left to do - toast the couple and dance.

Or, in some cases, dance like a fool

Everyone was touched and everyone had a great time. It really was the most fantastic wedding I have ever been to. I feel honored to have been a part of it. I could NOT have done it without a considerable amount of help from my sister. Thank you so much!!

These picutres represent but a mere fraction of the total. I'll have to figure out some sort of slide show when we get the digital images from the professional photographer.

Posted by 21st Century Mom at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)