PCB Day 2 (pm)

Well, the bikes are racked...

The Nutrition has been prepared...

Race clothes are layed out...

Aero helmets are at the ready (and looking like they're an extension of the "Green Goblin" character from Spiderman!)...

And my girls are calm, cool, collected, and handeling this part like the Superstars they are.

Because let's face it: the night before a race is always the most difficult. At least that's how it is for me. And why is that? Because you can do absoluteley nothing about it. You just wait. It's literally the calm before the storm of race day.

Racing is a joy, racing is fun; racing is the celebration at the end of your training. But everyone gets nervous - myself included.

But it's been great spending time with Mary and Ashley (and later Donna and Joanna). I have learned so much from them, am so happy to be here. I wouldn't want to spend the night before the Gulf Coast Half with anyone else.

Mary is her usual sunny self. Relaxed, cool, excited and ready to celebrate. She is very excited about the swim, as the water promises to be a bit more turbulent than last year. Her power on the bike is simply amazing: but the training and effort she has put forth to control her bike and enhance her run has really caught my attention the most. I her pace discussions, her incredible running schedule, and I know that she has the finess, the fitness, the strenght, and the courage to chase down her dreams.

Mile by mile, step by step.

And as usual, she'll be smiling the entire time (working hard, YES!), but more importantly, celebrating the fact that she is LUCKY enough to race a half ironman. Because let's face it: not everyone who wants to can race.

(very small sniff from the girl with the broken back, er mending back).

And my South Carolina Soul Sister Ashley Long. She is model triathlete all the way. And while the swim may shake even the most fierce compeditors to the core, earlier in the day while staring out at the chirning Gulf, she muttered, "F*ck it!" And sprinted into the water.

I have never been so proud.

After diving under the waves and leaving Mary and I breathless and bewildered on the beach, Ashley Long found her swimming gene. And we had to drag her out of the Gulf.

I am not kidding.

She is ready, she is fast, she has an incredible bike strength (again, I saw her drop ALL the Camp HTFU'ers while climbing a hill into a headwind), and can run FAST off the bike. Her strenght shows through, just as much as her quick smile. Even though this is her second half ironman, I know that she's ready. Ever since watching her and training with her in South Carolina, I know that this girl has what it takes. As soon as that gun goes off, Ashley Long will run headlong into the beckoning waves of the Gulf.

And I can't wait to cheer.

And finally, Donna. I haven't had the pleasure of knowing Donna as long as I've known Mary or Ashley. I met her at the UWF pool in Pensacola, and have been incredibly impressed by her tenacity and dedication. Her work ethic and desire are only a small part of who she is and what she can do. I've seen her swim, know that her rowing background lends her strength in the water she may not even realize she has. Her bike is ready to go, purple bar end tape and all, and she has a very fast run. Even though she's newer to triathlons, I know that she'll put herself out on the course tomorrow and walk away loving what she's discovered.

And those are the racers.

The two sherpas (World's BEST Sherpas, I might add!) include myself and Joanna. Tomorrow we will rise early, brew coffee, support, carry, lend a helping hand, pump, console, soothe, fire up, help, cheer, wave, wistle, snap-photos, and do anthing else in our power to support the incredible ladies racing. We are so proud of them, and feel lucky to share in their day.

I was a little sad while Ashley, Mary, and Donna racked their bikes in transition earlier. I really miss this sport, am so grateful to what I've gained through it, and want more than anything to run headlong into the crashing surf tomorrow morning. I know my time will come - but this race was really special for me last year, and as such - it holds a special place in my heart. There were some tears in the car as I drove back to the hotel with Mary. She was very consoling, and told me to let it out and that I have these feeling for a reason.

And she's right.

So I won't deny my own sadness, but I'll ALSO remember the good things, the good times, all the positives that have come from this race, from this sport.

The race is about celebration: it is only part of the Journey at large. It is a happy day, full of hard work, pursuing one's dreams, doing what one loves, and having the ability to swim-bike-run. Tommorow is a happy day for those racing (and spectating).

And while I know it'll be hard, I will do my best to live up to the World's Best Sherpa name. Coffee is a must, as Ashley has gone without it for several weeks (an impressive feat all unto itself).

We are getting up at some oddly early hour, as Mary wants to eat oatmeal at 2. Or was it 3?

All I know, is that I'll get up at some early time, brew coffee, and hit the raod at 4:45 am. And I'll cheery my friends, my soul sisters as they complete yet another part of Their Journey. Yes, it will be hot, it will be warm - but Joanna and I are ready to have a blast.

And afterwards, Mary has vowed to spend the next 24 hours in a bathing suit on the beach. I think Ashley admitted to being the "Queen of Skank", because of her drive down and the pungent odor she produced, and as such - told Mary that the showers WOULD be taken, and that the bathing suit WOULD come off in exchange for another at some point.

There was also promises of eating Peanut M&Ms and drinking wine on the beach. We'll see.

First - the race. And then a New Journey, a New Chaper begins.

PCB Day 2 (am)

So far, so good.

Apparently, Panama City Beach CAN handle the three of us. However there are two more on the way. So you never can tell.

Currently I'm sitting on the deck of our awesome hotel, overlooking the beautiful (but roaring) Gulf. I just brewed our second French Press of coffee for the day, and the one and only Ashley "Speed Racer" Long is sitting next to me, feet propped up and munching away at Honey Nut Cheerios while people watching below.

There are two individuals who just entered the Gulf wearing iner tubes around their waists. Great for kiddies, but no so great if you're 35.

And if the inner tube barely fits around your waist, you might (just might) want to reconsider.

(We just harbored a bet that the iner tube people would be the first ones to get knocked over by the 2-4 foot swells.)

The morning dawned bright and early. Well, not exactly bright, but early.

Awoke to the sweet sounds of the crashing Gulf at 5 am. Mary had insisted that we leave our door open - and for the most part, its working out great. We can hear and see the water. But everything in our room is coated with slick moisture, brought about by the infamous Florida humidity. I am very careful when plugging in appliances to brew coffee.

But electrocution hasn't stopped me yet (knock on wood).

Did I mention that I've brewed 2 French Presses worth of coffee?

Thought so.

Shortly after waking up, I headed off to the local Aquatic Center, and knocked out my water run and swim. As the conditions of the Gulf are not condusive to long distance swimming, I figured I'd get my 45 min swim in the relative safety of Long Course Meters.

However, it didn't stop me from practicing a few entries with Mary and Ashley. And I had a blast.

The feeling of dashing in (carefully - I timed my approach during the smaller of the waves, as to avoid any impact with my back)), feeling the water on my body, jumping headlong into the green waters, and kicking my heart out was wonderful. And once we got several meters from the beach, it was the best feeling, just riding up and down and up and down and up and down...

At one point, I yelled, "Watch out!" to Mary. She panicked and swam towards me, and then got pummeled by a wave as I ducked under.

When I surfaced she was laughing, and joked, "I thought you saw a shark!"

Apparently I'm not the only one with sharks on the brain.

I don't know what else to say.

Mary has joined us on the balcony, and our room is now being cleaned. It is disgusting: coffee grinds all over the sink, dirty towels on the floor, garbage full of girl stuff, underwear here, bras there - the usual.

What else to say?

Uummm - for the first time in my life I tried sucking on a Nuun tablet. Without the water. Apparently Desire Ficker does it: and what works for her, should work for me, right? At least that's what Mary said while popping half of one into her mouth. Ashley got the other half, and me - being the HTFU'er that I am - popped the entire thing in.

Word to the wise: don't try this at home.

It was one of the most disturbing feelings that I've ever experienced in my mouth. And I know that's probably not saying a lot - but the combination of flavor and fizzy was overwhelming. Yuck. I was the first one to spit it out.

Then again, I did have the entire flippin' thing in my mouth. I was disturbing to say the least.

Other highlights include: too much suncreen application. I would not be doing my job as the WBS if I allowed my girls to get burned.

So if they looked as white as ghosts, well, the'll have me to thank for it later.

Additionally, when Mary and I were sitting on the deck at 5:45 am, we spied 4 young lads galavanting towards the surf. Were they drunk? We were unsure, but watched with great delight as they took turns playing in the surf. I was slightly tempted to flash then - but as soon as that though came into my mind, I quickly pushed it away.

Where did that come from?

Perhaps from the last time I was on vacation at the beach with Nathanile, I may have flashed a passing helicopter. But I was too inebriated to remember.

Ah - those were the good old days.

Ahem. Moving on.

Now, we just spied Elizabeth Fedofsky's husband's fat twin. The guy was rinsing a wetsuit and had the biggest grin on his face. So cute!

But he looked up our way after Mary took a picture. A little obvious perhaps, but then again, we're on vacation at the beach.

Overall, so far so good. We're off to the expo in a few minutes to get packet pickup, and then return for bike cleaning and some shopping. Can you believe that this hotel doesen't serve fruit for breakfast? So wrong.

And now I must go.

But not before I mention that our iner tube friends gut got pummeled. And there's only one that's still in the water. He looks to be okay - but you never know. We'll have to stick around to find out.

Can PCB handle it?

Well, I'm here. Sort of.

And all I can say is WOW!!!

I'm actually in a bit of a daze, bewildered at the conversations flying between the three of us, laughing my head off, and plotting our adventures for the weekend.

It's already been quite the adventure thus far... but where to begin?

I am in serious doubt about weather Panama City Beach can handle us. After all, there are only 3 of the original 6 Camp HTFU Ladies. And as Ashley and Mary are racing, and I've been dubbed the "WBS" (World's Best Sherpa, we are at half strength. Well, 2/3, as my sacrum is procluding me from racing. But I'm doing my best to hang on, and flying by the seat of my pants in the process.

I arrived in PCB, to find Mary waiting outside of our beachfront hotel, sporting a black tank top and hot pink shorts. It was easy to spot her - not only for the vibrant colors, but for the amount of honking cars passing by.

Priceless.

Or perhaps it was from the Hooters next door. A new Hooter Girl?

Perhaps - you never know. But that's for a different time (tomorrow - so stay tuned!)

After a quick round of hugging, catching-up, and all other things girls do who-are-spending-a-long-weekend-together (wink wink), Mary and I headed down to the beach to attempt a 45 minute Gulf Swim.

The HUGE waves (not really huge, perhaps 4 feet or so - slightly difficult with a healing back), prevented us from doing much swimming. Instead, we wave hopped. And got in a few quick strokes. Until Mary lost her goggles.

Our first sacrifice to the Gulf this weekend. Hopefully the Ocean Goddess will be pacified with Mary's loss. After that incident, we quickly headed to the local outdoor pool.

Panama City Beach Aquatic Center - for all you visiting athletes, check it out. Great center, beautiful outdoor Olympic sized pool, and a mere stone's throw away from the IM bike course.

If you're Brett Favre.

For all of us non-footballers, it's a 2.9 mile drive. Check it out.

Post swim, Mary and I visited one of the oddest cities on the Gulf Coast. Rosemary Beach, Florida - an exclusive "resort town" that's been fashioned into a Eruopean Village. Except that it only has 300 residents year round.

It's almost too perfect for its own good.

Imagine the city from "The Truman Show" starring Jim Carrey.

Yeah - you get the picture. Something is just wrong.

But they've got a great Starbucks, and it's a place that Nathaniel and I stop at with every return visit from PCB.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Mary and I discovered that Ashley had covered 200 miles in just over 2 hours and was well on her way. She was due to arrive at any moment - and she had warned of her stinkiness.

Apparently, in an effort to acclimate herself to the heat of Florida's Gulf Coast, she opted to drive the ENTIRE WAY from South Carolina with NO AIR CONDITIONING and the windows down.

It was disturbing, and I could smell her before I saw her. But it didn't matter, as I was determined to giver her a huge hug anyhow. And I did. And then I changed my shirt afterwards.

After showers for all, later we headed out to dinner at Carraba's (sorry for my unique spelling!), where our waiter 1) Flirted with Ashley 2) Guessed that one of us was a military dependant 3) refused to bring us bread (jokingly, of course) and 4) Was fired for not bringing us bread (but the re-hired according to the manager).

Confusing to you? Me too. And I was there.

Not really sure what went on or what exactly transpired, but it involved a lot of discussion between Ashley and our waiter. Mary and I just sipped our Diet Coke's and stayd out of it. And naturally, we polished off the second basket of bread.

And now, I'm the last one up. Ashley is in the next bed over, and Mary is laying next to me. Our balcony door is thrown wide open, and the crashing waves is echoing throughout our room.

I am tired, but extatic to be here. And even though I'm not racing, I'm still FIRED UP! for this weekend. I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time - it has been a focus while I've been going through my recovery.

And tomorrow morning, we will awake to the sounds of the waves. I'll make coffee (I brought the French Press, whole beans, coffee grinder, electric kettle, and 5 coffee mugs - because you CANNOT drink good coffee from styrofoam cups!), head to the pool for my aqua jog and swim, and then Sherpa proudly for Ashley and Mary all day.

It promises to be a fun-filled adventure. And the Hooter's story will be explained in full detail - so three cheers for that.

As Ness joked about our group at Camp HTFU, "Don't loose the 'H', because then you'll just be the F*ck-ups!" Suffice to say - we found our H. And no, it's not Hooters.

Don't really know what else is in store. All I know - is that with these 2, it's bound to be fun, carefree, and an adventure.

Also, tomorrow afternoon Joanna and Donna arrive - so there will be 5 of us in our little room. 3 athletes, 2 sherpas, and one hecuva good time on the beach. And I can't wait!

Stay tuned!

(Jen, Elizabeth, Leslie: We miss you guys. Our group isn't the same without you... thinking of you often and wish you were here! Love, Marit, Mary and Ashley!)

Senses

Earlier this morning, I read with great interest about a concept on Courtenay’s blog. In her post, she discussed how her neoprene wetsuit reminded her of ponies and horse stables. As horses use neoprene wraps on their legs for support while running, the neoprene smell is very prevalent upon the removal of said leg supports. So it would only stand to reason that while sporting a neoprene wetsuit – with its distinct smell – Courtenay would be reminded of the ponies that she spent so much time with.

And that in turn, prompted me to think about some of the different scents and senses that have triggered memories in my brain, that have generated emotions and memories from my past.

Some are good, others not so much. But the point is, is that I carry these senses with me, still remember the events which have already come to pass.

One of the most vivid is the scent of a 400 meter rubberized track. Starting in junior high school while competing at the Hershey State Track and Field Meet in Minnesota, through high school cross country and track workouts, to the present (pre-crash, of course), nearly every visit to the track has been filled with gut-wrenching speed workouts.

And as always, the track has a very specific, very rubberized scent. And it is even more prevalent on hot, steamy Florida days.

It became a Pavlovian response in my case towards the end of last summer. I would drive to the track in effort to do some crazy workout, smell the track, hit the bathrooms, warm up, hit the bathrooms (again) and do said workout.

Interestingly enough, as I started my power walking as of late, I noticed that every time I would merely walk onto the track – with absolutely NO speed work on my agenda – my stomach would clench, and I would find myself heading for the bathroom.

The whiff of the track, the sight of the turns and long straight away was enough to send me galloping for the restrooms. Healing back and all. And I have a feeling that I’ll retain this sense for life.

What else?

Well, for starters, whenever I see the ocean, I think of sharks. That’s just a given. Especially since I’ve actually seen two of them while swimming or preparing to swim.

(The first was an angel shark off Panama City Beach last summer, the second was a big shark of large size getting pulled into a fisherman’s boat about an hour before the start of 70.3 Worlds in Clearwater. Suffice to say, I stuck with the pack as best as I could for that race.)

Whenever I smell Nathaniel’s shaving cream and deodorant, I’ll think of him. That goes without saying. Whenever he deploys, I always sleep in his shirts – as they smell like him. But in a good way, not a gross guy-smell sort of way.

When I smell onions sautéing, I’ll remember all the times my Mom made Czech food. And my mouth waters (especially when bacon is added to make zeli, a Czech cabbage dish. Delicious!).

Classical music makes me think of all the times I played violin in an orchestra, and how nervous I would get before recitals. And then my hands begin to sweat. It was a big problem before giving a violin concert, as sweaty hands = difficulty keeping my fingers from slipping and sliding along the keyboard. I even went so far as to try putting anti-persperant on my hands before playing for people – but that didn’t work too well.

If you’re ever at a concert, and see the soloist wiping their hands against their trousers our dress, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’re wiping the sweat off their hands. And that their pulse is about 180. Trust me.

And the morning cell phone alarm. Ah. The ring is the SAME annoying one that I use to get me up on race mornings. So whenever I hear the irritating jangle go off – even while standing in a book store or while waiting at an airport – my heart rate jumps and I think about how hard I’ll be working in a short amount of time.

I know, I know – I should just change my alarm. But it’s so darn effective. And it gets me going on race morning.

The sight of a bathroom scale makes me nervous. Although we do have one, and I do step on it, I now have a very healthy approach to my weight. However, the scale reminds me of my brief tenure of lightweight rowing at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. The coach at the time (thank God she’s no longer there) was very insistent that all the girls on her squad maintain their weight at a certain number. We were given random weigh-ins 2-3 times per week. And our place on the team was contingent on our weight. And our athletic scholarship was contingent on our place on the team.

You do the math.

There were lots of girls who exercised all the time, who rarely ate, and who obsessed over food.

To this day, I think there’s a reason why there are so few seniors on the squad, a few more juniors, and a lot more sophomores. The stress associated with a regiment like that was one of the most horrible things I have ever done in my life. I’m not sure about the current program (as there have been several coaching chages), but one of the assistant coaches for the current squad, was the captain while I was there. So who knows for sure?

It was a horrible environment, and to this day, every time I step on a scale, I remember how awful I felt rowing at Wisconsin.

But I also remember how I survived that environment, how I grew stronger because of it.

So I have a healthy respect for the scale, I realize that my self worth is NOT equated to a number. And for the most part I know where I’m at based on how clothes fit and how I feel.

But I still get nervous if I haven’t stepped on it for a while – the glass-is-half-empty part of me envisions a weight gain of XX+ pounds. And that’s no fun. But after 8 years of work, I’m at a better place – and that’s a reason to smile.

Every time I see the aqua blue waters of The Gulf, I think of Pirates of the Caribbean. Love those movies – they’re a lot of fun! And the shots of the clear waters sprinkled throughout make me yearn for white sandy beaches, calm waves, and perhaps a corona thrown in for good measure.

Plus, they’re really fun to watch – a great date movie for couples on a rainy afternoon.

The Long Leaf Pine Trees that are peppered across the Gulf Coast remind me of Cherry Point, North Carolina. Eastern Carolina has an abundance of Long Leaf Pine Trees – the topography and soil is perfect for them. And than in turn reminds me of my long trail runs through the woods and trails of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.

The smell of wool and books makes me think about my Dad. During the winter, he’ll wear warm sweaters and read lots of books during his time off from teaching. And that makes me think about how lucky I am to have the parents that I do.

Visiting old race sites – but not racing – still makes me nervous, and brings up memories of that specific race. A few weeks ago, I spectated at two different races – and I still felt nervous while watching the various waves start off.

I felt my heart rate rise, and joked with Nathaniel and Ryan (Caught on the Run – no more!) to hold me back if I suddenly bolted towards the water. Wonkey back and all.

And finally, on some early mornings, Nathaniel will get up ahead of me and grind coffee. When roused from my slumber by the tune of the grinder, I remember how Dad or Mom would get up early and make coffee. The house would slowly awake in the Minnesota darkness, and soon the scent of coffee would permeate to the upstairs.

I hated the stuff, thought it was gross.

But now I’ve come to enjoy it. (With a healthy dose of fat free French Vanilla Creamer, of course.)

Senses, touch, smell, taste, texture, sound – they all play an important part in our life. Most of the memories that I choose to keep are good ones. A lawnmower buzzing on a hot day brings me back to summer’s growing up, the smell of orchid’s reminds me of Mom, and windows that are being opened and shut remind me of Dad (usually running to close them after his weather radio would beep). I see frozen suckers at the grocery store, and I think about me and Karyna, sneaking down into the cool basement on a hot day, and collecting as many frozen treats as we could carry into the safety of a shady tree.

It never ceases to amaze me how these memories stay, and how they make us feel.

To this day, whenever I hear a stupid comment on the radio, I think of Nathaniel yelling at the speakers about all the idiocy in the world. But that’s not so much a memory, as it is reality. Some things will never change.

And then there’s the House Monster, aka Jabba The Hut, aka Tabbithias Rex, aka Charcaradon Tabbithias (shark kitty!). I see her charging, and I leap out of the way. Pretty soon – or so it would seem – I’ll jump instinctively. Nathaniel already does.

Rest assured, he’s a quick study when it comes to that cat. (And YES, she’s still 18.2 pounds. I swear. I was only recently allowed to start picking her up, for fear that her girth might damage my back. Go figure.)

I know that my senses will be in for a shock this weekend. Tomorrow morning after my am water run and physical therapy, I drive out to Panama City Beach, meet Miss Mary “Sunshine” Eggers at the airport, and will be swimming in the Gulf by afternoon. Later in the day, Ashley “The Sleeper” Long will join us.

The weekend will be a blast – I’ve been looking forward to it for the longest time. I love these amazing girls with all of my heart, and while it pains me to be unable to race, I am devoted 110% to my job as a Sherpa for the weekend. Coffee will be brewed, bikes will be cleaned, and best of all? Lots of relaxing on the beach with wonderful friends.

And I’m scheduled to do several ocean swims with Mary. This will be the third time that I’ve voluntarily swam in the ocean. Holy afraid of the open ocean Batman! But it’s okay – it’ll be something new, a new memory, a fear to overcome, new senses established.

Later on Friday we’ll be joined by Donna and Joanna driving out from Pensacola.

And hopefully I’ll get a chance to meet up with Ludi and Katy later on. Saturday (RACE DAY), I’ll cheer everyone, in addition to Jen’s awesome coach Spencer Smith (I’m sure I’ll be weak kneed when I meet him) and Ryan the Clydesdale, who is planning on smoking the course. Seriously – this guy is. I literally ran into him at the grocery store earlier, and he looked like he was ready to have a great race.

And no doubt, Sherpa Marit will do her best to accommodate.
It’ll be a blast, some of the best times to be had. A total sensory overload and new memories to boot. I don’t think it could get any better… And I can’t wait!

Alphabet Day

Self explanatory. Here we go!

A: Aquatic Center. The one at University of West Florida, to be exact. I was there 4 times today, but only in the water twice. No show lifeguards and pool closings during times they’ve been open in the past had me confused. And a bit ornery. A weaker, less determined person would have given up, but not me: I needed to get in my swim and subsequent water run. Sigh. It was just that kind of day.

B: Ball. The Swedish Ball! Not only am I balancing on it, but today (for the very first time since The Crash!) I did ab work on the ball. Crunches! They were awesome. But my tummy shook like a bowl full of jelly. Which reminded me of Santa. Need to continue with the abs.

C: Core. See “B”. One word: ouch!

D: “Deadliest Catch”. Tonight’s the night of the new episode. Nathaniel is on the bed studying during the commercials, and I’m curled up on the futon with the computer. Humph – I hate this show. But I was the one who turned it on. Maybe, just maybe its growing on me….

E: Excited – about this weekend. I’ll be meeting up with my South Carolina Soul Sister Ashley Long aka “The Sleeper” and my New York Soul Sister Mary Eggers aka “Miss Mary Sunshine”. It’ll be Camp HTFU all over again – except they’ll be racing and I’ll be the best race sherpa ever! I leave for Panama City Beach on Thursday….

F: Fancy, which is what our dinner was NOT. Meat, rice, veggies. Simple, easy, and quick.

G: Good Lord, I never realized how much my midsection could shake while balancing on the ball, doing abs on the ball, or holding front/left side/right side planks. It was painful, hard, embarrassing, and shaky. But it’ll get better, easier with every time that I try. So carry on I will!

H: HTFU Marit! (see G, C, and B)

I: Interesting how many people comment to me about The House Monster, including the random man at the pool today. Huh?

J: Jabba the Hut – the new nickname for Tabbitha. Thanks to Kayvee who left a comment yesterday, The House Monster has yet another pet name. Like she needs one – her and her 18.2 pounds.

K: Ken Follett, the author who wrote The Pillars of the Earth. Great read that I discovered after reading Greg Remaly’s blog. Thanks Greg – now I have another reason to stay up late! If you enjoy architecture, a good story line, and great characters to follow, this is the book for you.

L: Lively! How I walk into Physical Therapy every morning – I have been given this opportunity to heal and to recovery, so I’m going to make the best of it that I can. First stop: The Hand Crank!

M: Moisturizer – now that I’m in the pool 2X per day, my skin has the permanent smell of chlorine imbedded into it. Not fun. But I’ve been using the moisturized that was included in my Get Well Care Package, and I LOVE IT! Sad news is that I’ve almost run out. Time to hunt down some more!

N: Nathaniel, my sleepy husband – has just fallen asleep. It is 9:02 pm, and the poor guy is OUT like a light. Makes me want to run my finger along his lips and see him twitch. It’s actually really funny. Especially when he wakes up and I pretend that I’m reading. Why would I do anything like that- silly Nathaniel! :) Very funny. Ah – the plight of couples.

O: Ouch! My arms, chest, back, upper body – all sore. The band work, ball work, ball tosses, repetitions, swimming, and general work that I’m doing is a painful reminder that I’ve been out of commission (so to speak) for a few weeks. But I embrace every challenge, every moment that I’m throwing a 6 pound weight against a trampoline while standing on a Bosu ball – because it means that I’m that much closer the returning to my normal. Whatever that is.

P: Pork chops, which was the protein that we ate tonight. Word to the wise: don’t cook pork chops while sporting a bathing suit. The skillet tends to spit up hot oil and other heated juices, which made me just about jump through the roof. But, the point is – is that I CAN jump. In summary – wear an apron and long sleeves when cooking!

Q: Quit, which I didn’t do after the pool was closed the first two times I attempted to go. But I prevailed, although the complete and utter ridiculousness of the situation was quite apparent. But at the day’s end, I completed my swim and water run.

R: Red wine, but nothing fancy. Had a glass of Smoking Loon Syrah with dinner tonight. Why not fancy? Well, long long ago, in a galaxy far far away, Nathaniel and I decided we would never spend more than $10 on a bottle of wine. And for the most part, we’ve stuck to it. And tonight was no exception. But the wine went down well, and was thoroughly enjoyed by yours truly with my book and The Deadliest Catch on in the background.

S: Snuggle, and lots of it! Spent some time on the couch snuggling with Tabbitha and the aforementioned book. It is great to finally be able to relax and not feel an ache resonating from my backside.

T: The Time Bandit – the ship on “The Deadliest Catch” that I really like. Well, that one, and The Cornelia Marie and The Northwestern. Can’t quite decide which one I like the most – but they’re all pretty neat. The crews are all fun to watch for different reasons – and I enjoy watching Nathaniel watch his favorite show. Good times.

U: Up and at’em! Woke up today just after 5 am in anticipation of my 6:30 non-occurring swim. That is just plain wrong.

V: VW Bug – the car that cut me off on my third trip to the pool. Or was it the second?

W: Woolly Monmouth. Couldn’t think of anything else – can you?

X: X-Ray! I’m due for another round in 2.5 weeks. Should be interesting to see what has occurred since the last round of images.

Y: Yikes! Now that I’m swimming and water running, my stomach has decided to take over my judgment. I’m hungry and can’t seem to get enough food – which is a new feeling for me, as I’ve been less than hungry due to lack of activity for the past few weeks. Now that I’ve finally trained my body to not eat like I’m training for an IM, I’ve got 16.5 hours on my workout schedule this week. And my body is responding. Dessert anyone?

Z: Zoo – our bedroom looks like one. Towels here, pillows there, and clothes scattered over our chair. Nathaniel has been great with doing the laundry – but the clean clothes never seem to find their way into the closet. Someone who broke her back is supposed to fold the laundry… but as I’m able to swim and water run, I don’t think my back will suffice as an excuse much longer. And let’s face it: I would much rather fold clothes than break my back any day!