In the Meantime...

(I am slowly loading pictures from my last race, which was like, a long time ago. Hey, Procrastination is in the title - there's truth in my advertising....)






WOW!!! What a weekend!!

I don't know about you, but my weekend was filled with babies and triathlon.

I figured it was bound to be some sort of foreshadowing into my future.

Between my besty's baby shower on Sunday (and the fact that everyone in my life is either preggo or new mommies), and the Chicago triathlon (which I was unable to attend this year due to said baby shower, but the Tri For Life guys were town gettin' their triathlon on again!), and all the Ironmans this weekend (Mark Mason and Dennis from RunBubbaRun abd Michelle's husband earning their IM medals), there has been a lot going on.

I'll tell you what - its really hard to watch these IMs and not get teary-eyed. Even now, I get so overwhelmed with the enormity of it, and I can still feel all the emotions that ran through my body that day in 2008, now as I watch these athletes make their blaze their own way. I love it, I love it.

So congrats to all the finishers from yesterdays races, and with IMWI right around the corner, there are plenty of cheering to still be had!!

And if you stay tuned in, there might just be a little IM surprise in a day or two...

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In other random news....

As if personal training didn’t destroy and humiliate me as it is, I was about halfway through my third blocks of moves and could see the finish in the near distance, and what do ya know?

My lady friend creeps out to say “Hi.”

I sensed she was acomin’, but I was hoping against hope she wouldn’t pull into town until maybe, say, once I got home and wasn’t caught…off guard.

Completely mortified (thank GAWD for my black running tights), I silently prayed that I wouldn’t have to do anything that required me to sit or lay on a bench.

Throw in some kick-in-the-gut cramps and sanity-destroying back pain, mix it all together and you get a sick-to-her-stomach 33-year-old just fighting to stand up and keep down the Kashi bar she ate about an hour previous.

But true to my form, I refuse to admit defeat or let my semi-pro basketball trainer see weakness, so I swallowed my vomit and did my plyos and lunges with a grin on my face.

It’s been an awesome morning, and it’s only 830.

Sigh.

At least I get to go to Ravina tonight.

Yes, again.

Carrie Underwood, bitches.

You heard me.

My hairbrush-turned-microphone is already packed in the picnic basket, ready to make it's big Ravinia debut.

What? You didn't think I actually used it to brush my hair, did you?

So silly.

So three cheers to getting my workout done for the day, and three more cheers for the Tylenol 3 I’m going to have to medicate with just to deal with these cramps.

And three cheers for Underwood! Ms. Carrie, if your nasty!

Big kisses and hugs, y’all.

A 16-Miler and Some Spectating Love

This morning called for a 16-miler. After waking up just slightly late, but late enough to have to forgo a real breakfast, coffee, and BM, I made it to the lakefront at about 6:45. This alone is a miracle fit for the Lord's day.

I had to loop it again due to the Chicago Tri chaos south of Ohio Street Beach. The first loop was great (running early did me well) but the second loop was tougher, complete with my own brand of knee pain called "Stop-Hurting-or-I'll-Give-You-Something-To-Cry-About-When-We-Get-Home."

Three gross-ass GUs and not nearly enough water stops later, I was done, and just in time to high-tail it one mile north to spectate at the bike-turnaround for the Chicago Accenture Tri.

As I wrote about earlier, the TRI for Life team was out there rocking the course. I literally set up my spectating spot ten minutes before I saw Lon speed by me (or speed as fast as that tiny turnaround would allow for!)

I then saw his brother (who I think I JUST missed on his first lap), and then Lon again for his second loop. They all looked fantastic, and I was sooo glad I got there on time.

See, if I had taken the time to eat breakfast pre-run, I woulda missed it all, so in the end, it was good decision making.

But what wasn't good decision making?

My lack of water.

When you're rockin' one kidney, you shouldn't do this.

And as a new general rule of thumb, I am SO good about taking care of this. But today, with the rushing around, I got horribly dehydrated out there. No water bottle in the car for post-run, which again, is not typical.

So when I wasn't screaming my face off for all the racers, I was talking to the ambulance guys who were there, silently hoping that if I did collapse (I came frighteningly close at one point) that they would wisk me away to IV-infused heaven, even though I wasn't technically (or non-technically) a racer.

So after I saw the TRI for Life-ers, I said my goodbyes and got home ASAP and have been sucking down the water. I am not in the clear just yet, but getting there.

Urine issues aside, I wanted to say this about triathlon - a thought that, when racing, I don't pay much attention to, but as a spectator, I noticed.

The genuis of triathlon is that it is the "Everyman's Sport."

Hear me out.

Any Bob, Sue, or Joe can pull out and dust off their ten speed, find an old pair of goggles, and running shoes, and train for a sprint or Olympic distance race.

You don't need Triple A leagues, years of training, team try-outs, or sponsorship to get out there and do it.

It is the sport where Pros race next to grandmothers, where $8000 bikes make the turnarounds alongside of the Sunday cruisers with baskets.

It is a sport that trains the whole body, and requires signficant mental effort to transition from one discipline to the other. But these are the things that I believe everyone has, even if they have to reach down deep to find it.

It was amazing seeing all the differnt people out there. The Zip wheels sponsor-covered jerseys wizzing by while the mountain bikers in their tee-shirts smiled through their second loop.

I loved it - I felt so proud to be part of this sport that EVERYONE can do, a sport that today, in Chicago, made thousands of people realize their potential.

Realize the endless possibility of their bodies and mind.

Realize that, as they are racing, their children are watching them become the best type of role model there is.

Realize that, no matter your age, or pants size, or race - YOU CAN DO TRIATHLON.

I love being a triathlete.

Even if JLo thinks she is too.



(By the way, I have decided that my issue with the JLo triathlon nonsense is this - While I so appreciate the fact that she is using it as a goal to get back in shape [hey, I JUST said anyone can do this sport, right?], my issue with her began with the whole GMA thing - The self-importance of her to think that her own triathlon expreince is not only CNN newsworthy, but actually MORE IMPORTANT than the possibly-never-to-be-seen again Olympic performances we have all just witnessed. Yeah, first tris are nerve racking and special -no doubt-, but more newsworthy than the beyond-humanness of the Olympics athletes? Yeah, not so much.)

TRI for Life

Back in March, I was in Tennessee for my little brother’s wedding. At that time, I had already completed all my testing for the kidney donation. But aside from having made the decision to donate my kidney, I don’t know how much I talked about it then, or really even thought about it – my biggest issues was how to get my six hour brick done that Sunday after flying home, as Ironman loomed on the horizon.

Ha – it was Ironman all the time, at that point.

Back then, it was like, “Okay get through the race, then donate the kidney. A before B.”

It really hasn’t been until recently that I have these moments when I think, “Holy crap – I did that.” Like when I see a tv show about people donating organs. And then I get all teary and emotional and boogery and slobbery and – well, nevermind.

Lemme get back to my story.

The day I arrived in Tennessee, my brother-in-law Nat handed me an article in the USA Today – it was about the three Coleman brothers who had lost their fourth brother, Chase. Chase was an avid cyclist and 20 years old when he was killed after being struck by a car while riding. Following his death, his organs were donated to various individuals. One individual received his heart – this man continues to live and prosper today.

I remember reading the story and having tears in my eyes for the loss these brothers sustained – if I ever lost one of my siblings, it might just be what kills me – I simply could not imagine it.

And even though I was going through my own organ donation issues at the time, I had kept the significance of my own donation at arm’s length – it was simply too much for me to emotionally deal with as I stared down Ironman. So I didn’t fully wrap my mind around the piece of the story where Chase’s brothers have reached out to the organ recipients, and have formed a triathlon club called TRI for Life, in memory of their brother and in support of organ donation. They have made it their mission to compete in all 50 states through triathlon, and raise public consciousness for organ donation while doing it.

I kept the article tucked in my bag, though, and reread it at the airport while waiting for my flight home.

Fast forward to my own donation – while in the hospital, a man commented on my blog – he mentioned that he had an experience with organ donation, and encouraged me to check out his site TRI for Life. His name: Lon Coleman.

Lon is one of the three surviving brothers (from that article) who now races to raise awareness of organ donation. While laying in my bed shortly after my own donation surgery, feeling miserable and sorry for myself, Lon hit me up on Instant Messenger. We chatted for some time, and he told me about all the things that are happening for his team.

It’s amazing all the things these brothers are involved in, including the US Transplant Game this summer.

He mentioned that he would be in Chicago for the Chicago Accenture Tri this weekend, and we talked about maybe crossing paths while he is town. Though I consider myself to be the unofficial ambassador of Chicago (we all know how I do love to be the tour guide!), I unfortunately will be in Rockford all day when they come in on Friday. But hopefully I will get a chance to have dinner with the team the Saturday before the race.

So check out their site and their story if you can. And if you are near or at the race here on Sunday, cheer them on – they are out there racing for second chances at life.

And if that's not something to scream about, I don't know what is.