1000 Piece Puzzle

The completed puzzle...4 hours of puzzling and we got all the TV stars in place!

Koren, Louie, Thomas, and Dustin showing off our masterpiece:)

Turkey Day

Thanksgiving at the Carroll St. house!! I was so excited to host my first family holiday at my house! I even sent out invitations to my parents, brother, Grandma, and Aunt. That made six of us...add my roommate Thomas from The Isle of Man, and my good friend Koren...and this little house was rocking with eight people!
The backyard was filled with smoke from 10am until 6pm as my Dad smoked a huge 28 pound turkey. We used some orange tree branches and leaves to flavor the meat. According to everyone who ate some...it was delicious (remember, I'm a vegetarian now:).
I cooked my scalloped potatoes...with a twist this year. I alternated the layers with regular Idaho potatoes and sweet potatoes for a bit of sweetness and color.
Dustin made apple cobbler. Grandma made a Waldorf salad. Jan made cranberry sauce. Koren brought the green bean casserole. Thomas bought whipped cream for the desserts. My Mom did fruit salad and regular salad. There was barely enough room on my counter tops to hold all the offerings!
Before we sat down to dinner, my Mom brought over a 1000 piece puzzle that had been laying around the house. We set a large piece of cardboard on the living room table and suddenly everyone was crowded around searching for edge pieces! fortunately, the cardboard allowed us to remove the puzzle and allow half the guests to eat at the couches. But, as soon as dinner was over...we were all right back to work on the puzzle. The design was really easy and fun (famous TV characters from the last couple decades) and pretty soon, the end was in sight!
Eventually, my Aunt headed home to take care of her pets. Then my parents packed up and drove home with my Grandma. That left Dustin, Koren, Thomas and I still scrounging for puzzle pieces and stuffing our faces with dessert:)
By 10pm, the last piece was put into place and we commemorated the momentous occasion with a few photos (coming soon). Koren headed home, Thomas headed to sleep, Dustin was still on California time so he was chilling in front of the TV, and I did some last minute preparations before an early Master's swim workout in the AM.
It wasn't until mid-day today when I got home from the pool that I finally got a chance to clean my house!! Oh boy, that was a welcome chore:)!! And, for the rest of the day, I hung out with my brother and got ready for the Thanksgiving Triathlon Festival tomorrow!

Last Chance

This is one last reminder if anyone out there wants to participate in the National Training Center Thanksgiving Triathlon Festival! I'm so excited because I have over 25 participants!!
That's more than I ever imagined for my first camp at the NTC! It's a one-day camp, full of fun training and lots of laughs...and apparently, it's catching on with lots of people!
After a day of eating, and a day of shopping, why not spend a day exercising?!? Spread the word and come on out to Clermont!

I'm going to be running around all day with my camera so I hope to get some fun shots to post here afterwards...which might be Sunday or Monday after I finally recover from a day of running around with lots of triathletes!

Rudy Project

Everyone ready for Black Friday? If you want to skip the traffic jams, the grocery cart collisions, and the long checkout lines...check out this online deal:

RUDY PROJECT is giving away $290 of FREE stuff with the purchase of one pair of sun glasses!

I'm not suddenly turning into an advertisement blog...I just got an email from Rudy and I thought I would share the deal with other athletes who are out there (happening to read my blog:)!

Precision Operations

Check out my parent's new Yellow Pages advertisment for their custom wood shutters:

Louie Photos

So, at Halloween, Louie insisted that HE owned the bucket. He removed all my "Trick-or-Train" workouts so that he could sit inside.


Yep, don't argue with this guy!

The garage window ate my cat!!!!!

Thomas and Louie taking a nap:)

Under 35, 70, Over 25

The numbers of the day refer to how much $$ I had to spend to fill up my gas tank this afternoon, the number of points the Gators scored against Citadel today, and how many MPH the wind was blowing during my bike ride this morning!
I swear, sometimes, I didn't think I was actually moving forward. I thought that the wind was just moving everything around me in the opposite direction so it LOOKED like I was moving!
But, speaking of moving, I finally don't feel like I have to justify EVERY minute I drive in my car. The price of gas is back to a reasonable level here in Florida and that means...well, it really means nothing for me. I only have to drive 5 minutes down the road to work, workout, and get groceries. Lately, it has taken about two weeks between fill-ups (at least, that's how long it takes when I don't take a trip over to DeLand to visit the family, see the dentist, get a haircut, etc).
And last, but certainly not least, the Gators scored 70 points against the Citadel today in football. I couldn't find the game on TV (bummer) but I checked the score online and was very happy to see that they are selling tickets for the SEC Championship game...which means we are IN it! Against Alabama on December 6th! Go Gators.

I'm currently substituting for an 8th grade math class. Since the teacher left videos for the kids to watch, I was killing time by googling myself. I came across this photo, which I had not seen before. It gave me goosebumps and nerves because I'm so excited to know I'm going to be competing again next year! And I'm going to be running with the big girls, just like in this photo!

Swim...?Practice?

I was bound and determined to get into the pool last night and drag my sick, coughing, aching, and stuffy body through swim practice. I've always done it and I don't complain.
But, I'm just not that young anymore...I'm not in my early-20s, in college, and full of energy and life. Now, I'm in my mid-20s, I've got three or four jobs (I have seriously lost count), and I'm full of aching body parts and scars.
So, it just so happened that a few of the swim coaches were not on deck to coach half of the 8 groups that were in the pool. This was forcing Alec, the head coach, to run around trying to keep track of beginner swimmers as well as the National Group. During one of my couching fits on the wall, he mentioned what a hard time he was having.
I immediately perked up, asked if he wanted help, ran to the locker room to get dry and change, and then I was back out on the deck...but, this time, as a coach. I knew I wasn't accomplishing much in the water as an athlete...other than making lots of snot and probably getting other kids sick:). At least I was able to give back and help out the team that has welcomed me with open arms...and how do I repay them...with ALL OUT 50s!!
(Hey, that wasn't MY set. I was just doing what Alec told me to do!)
So, I'm out on the pool deck, glad that I'm not doing the sprint 50s, trying to stay warm (I was up to 2 sweatshirts and one parka) when I see the USA Anti-Doping Control Officers walking across the deck towards me! How hillarious! Here I am, not even training, and I get a Out-Of-Competition test...fortunately, I was still at the NTC, and not home in bed resting (no more missed tests for me this year!).
I wasn't about to make Alec short another coach, so I politely asked if the USADA people would mind waiting until I was finished on the deck. They had no problem with that...and it also gave me some time to chug a water bottle in perperation of peeing in a cup!
After the third set of 8x50 all out, most of the swim groups were out of the pool, Coach Alec had everything under control, and I was able to go take care of my USADA business. It was an appropriate ending to an interesting day...highlighted by my first NON-STOP 30 minute run at noon (but, those details are subject to another post).

Animal Kingdom & H100

Being a Florida resident automatically means that I never visit any of the Disney attractions. Unless...good friends are in town from out-of-state and invite you to come along for a day at Animal Kingdom. Saturday morning started with another early alarm clock because I wanted to get my swim workout over with.
Too bad I didn't check out the NTC weekend hours BEFORE I went to bed! Arriving at 6am and finding that it opens at 7am...not so fun! I went home and back to sleep.
Eventually, I woke up again and headed down the road to join Jarrod and Alicia for a day of roller coasters, safaris, and overpriced food. Even though I had a sinus cold coming on, it was a fun day! The animals were all out because it was shady and cool in the morning.
After our feet and legs were completely exhausted, I said g-bye to the Bostonians and headed back to Clermont. It was by complete sheer determination that I made myself stop at the NTC on the way home and do my 5K workout...not too shabby for some timed 500s: 5:20, 5:17, 5:15.
By the afternoon, my cold was definitely here to stay for a few days. I knew that Sunday morning was dawning with the Horrible Hundred Century ride and my Dad was coming over so we could make the torturous adventure together. Unfortunately, after a night of tossing and turning and trying not to die from asphyxiation from snot:)...I was in no mood to ride all day in the killer hills. I rolled out, moaned and groaned my way up a few hills and then turned off for home after 30 miles...fortunately, my Dad finished the ride and even saw some friends along the route!
For the remainder of this freezing Sunday...I'm become master of the TV remote and haven't moved off the couch for more than the bathroom, the refrigerator, and feeding Louie. I'll sleep tonight propped up on at least three pillows and then it's off to Master Swim Practice in the AM.

200 Meters!!!

Leaving the Middle School today, where I was a substitute teacher for 7th grade math, I happened to pull out of the parking lot behind a long line of buses. I'm not kidding when I say that I drove 200 meters down the street and was suddenly braking because one of the buses was dropping kids off!!!
200 METERS! I mean, are we seriously paying taxes so that these kids don't have to walk for 2 minutes down the street (with a sidewalk)!?!? I've got nothing wrong with buses, or kids riding buses (I was a kid that rode a bus)...I DO have a problem with the option of riding the bus when your house is within shouting distance from the school!
That's it...thats all I have to say about that topic!

4-Weeks...To The DAY!

This beautiful Florida Monday morning marked exactly four weeks since I scooted myself onto the operation table in Orlando and went under the knife to fix my foot.
How am I doing these days, you might ask. What kind of rehab does Dr. Funk have you starting?
Well, geee, thanks for asking. Let me tell you what I did today.
After waking up at 5:30am and coaching Masters Swim practice on my feet for 90 minutes, my coach told me to meet him down at the track for a TRACK WORKOUT!!! No kidding. I'm 100% serious. I was running 80 meter sprints for 30 minutes this morning! 4-Weeks To The Day!!!
And let me tell you...I am feeling EVERY step of that workout...in every part of my body...except for my foot!!! Absolutely AMAZING!
My calves are tired. My quads are sore. My hamstrings are tight. But both feet feel like a million bucks!
Back home, after the workout, I actually had to take a mid-day nap to recover from my big morning training session (actually, I just wanted to fall asleep so that I couldn't feel my legs anymore).
Eventually, I moseyed back to the NTC for a 30 minute strength workout, two hours in the pool, and finished off with 40 minutes on the spin bike (what I would give for more daylight hours). oh yeah, I feel like a million bucks...a million bucks that have just been run over by a steam roller!

Quick DeLand Visit

I've just returned to Clermont...just in time to watch the Gator/Vandy game. I drove over to DeLand on Friday morning and got a lot accomplished in a short period of time. First, I coached Master's Swim at the NTC and chatted with some friends then I loaded up the car with a few important items (toothbrush, change of clothes, bike, etc).
My first stop, before I even got home, was for a little hair cut. Nothing drastic, just a 1/2 inch trim...I actually think I might be the only one who can tell:). I was home for just enough time to say 'hello' to my Mom, Dad, and Sally (more on why she was in town later).
By 11:30am, I was over in Daytona for a lunch meeting with the organizers of the "Volusia County National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration." In February, I have been invited to be the Keynote speaker to 500 high school girls...I am honored and excited. This is the third-annual event to celebrate high school female athletes and I'm very jealous it was not being celebrated when I was in school. Fortunately, I am being given an opportunity to encourage the current generation! The women in charge of the event showed me some posters they created, took me to lunch, and gave me a tour of Mainland High School where I will be presenting in Feb.
After that, I headed back to the Farm for a training session with my Grandmother. She is participating in my Mom's "Get Grandma Fit" exercise plan and Friday's are 'fun days'. Apparently, this Friday the 'fun' part was to hang out with me for a walk around the Sperling Sports Complex. Going for a walk there was a bonus because I noticed that they were all set up for a Cross Country meet...after asking some questions, I was informed the District CC meet was the next morning at 8am.
I made a mental note to come back out and watch the races...but before I left, I made sure I did my own running workout around the CC course. With a HUGE smile on my face, I completed 2.5 laps with a combo of walking and jogging. The soft surfaces (dirt, grass, clay) were very comfortable on my foot and body. I followed that with a late-afternoon bike ride with my Dad. We headed out to the Flagler County line as the sun was slowly sinking in the west.
Saturday morning started with me cruising out to Sperling and watching the start of the women's race at 8am. I spotted Jim Loeinstine, my former DeLand HS CC coach...still coaching...and I volunteered to work at the finish line for both races. It was great to see the kids still running fast and strong...brought back great memories (especially seeing a young lady trip within the first 100 meters and having the race restarted). Before I could sneak out and get home, Coach Lo asked me to stick around and pass out the awards...how could I refuse:)
Back at home I took care of a few chores...faxed some medical paperwork, sanded some of my shutters, cleaned up my room, checked email, etc. By 3pm it was time to pack up the car and head out to the airport for Sally's surprise Birthday party. She thought she was just in town to see friends, make some jumps, and hang out...but her husband had planned a whole secret b-day party including himself as the surprise guest! So I just spent the afternoon out at the Drop Zone (hadn't been out there in a long time) catching up with friends, watching the Birthday jump, eating the Mexican buffet, and having some B-day cake before I started driving home.
I wanted to make it home before the Gators started the football game versus Vanderbuilt. I've been watching the game while writing this post and I sure feel bad for the Vandy crowd...it's six minutes until half-time and the score is 28-0!!! Go Gators!

Thank You Dr. Funk!!!

Every day I have an 'amazing moment' where I just can't believe how fast and great my foot is recovering after surgery!
I was very happy doing my walk/jog around the track yesterday. I started with 20 minutes of 300 meter walking and 100 meters jogging. Before I called it a day, I did a few laps as 200m walk, 200m jog. On the walk back to the car I was definitely feeling very sore but thrilled at my quick progression.
Today, I started the day with a bike ride with friends. We chatted the whole way around a 90 minute loop and time does fly when you are having fun. After a two hour crash-nap with Louie, I got a perfectly-timed visit from my Dad.
As of mid-afternoon yesterday my kitchen sink stopped draining! So with tools that he still has from 25 years ago when my parents were building their house...my Dad managed to unclog the problem (I was there helping! We also got a 'third hand' from my house-mate Thomas.) and then find three more problems!! It was Hilarious. By solving one problem we were forced to take a closer look at parts of the house and spotted some things that had escaped us the first time (and second and third).
After cleaning up and saying "Thanks" and "Goodbye" to my Dad, I rushed off to swim practice. The kids are still kicking my butt in the pool but I'm enjoying the atmosphere of fitness and big dreams. I made it to 6700 yards before telling Alec that I was running on empty. As a finale to the day, I went into the gym and hopped on a treadmill. I thought I would just try to simulate what I did on the track yesterday but I completely AMAZED myself!
Over the course of 30 minutes, I did 3 x 5 minutes RUNNING! Okay, admittedly, it was more like jogging or waddling...but it was still 15 minutes total of running without ANY pain!! No pain, soreness, but no pain! I did a little dance:) Everyone, join me in a little dance:)

Triathlete Magazine Article!

CLICK HERE to see the Triathlete Magazine article featuring Clermont, the NTC, and ME!

Other than that great advertising, I've been getting back into the world of training. I almost forgot what it's like to sweat, breathe hard, have my muscles ache, and be exhausted at the end of the day. I LOVE it!!

East Coast, West Coast

This weekend will have some of my friends off to the West Coast (San Francisco to be exact) for the Treasure Island Triathlon. It should be one of the last, if not the last, ITU-style race of the year for most Americans. Finishing out the season in November is tough, especially when some people started in February!
On the East Coast, this weekend is the 70.3 World Champs in Clearwater, Florida...just down the road 2 hours from Clermont. I've got some long-distance friends competing here as well. Unlike the ITU style, the long-distance season can span year-round because people compete less often. Just a few weeks after the 70.3 in Clearwater, there will be some familiar faces at the Arizona Ironman!
And as for myself, I'm officially back into training. Yesterday I went for an hour walk down the lake-front trail. I had my phone with me and I was just chatting away as I headed towards my arbitrary turn-around point. As I neared the trail-marker that was going to be my half-way, I suddenly realized that my foot was starting to make it's self known! It was a big undertaking for me less than three-weeks post-surgery but I finished what I set out to do...and I made it all the way back to the house!
I even went to swim practice...yesterday...Sunday...which is like a religious holiday for swimmers! We NEVER swim on Sunday! But, I was there, in the pool at noon...swimming laps...and I have a sun-burnt face as proof!
On a side note, the latest edition of Triathlete Magazine is on store-shelves! It has an article about the National Training Center in Clermont...where I coach and train. The article mentions some of the triathlon training camps that we are offering this winter! Come check us out and pass on the info to your friends, teammates, and training partners!