I just stumbled across a new finance blog – It is called I Will Teach You To Be Rich.
I haven’t had a chance to read much of what is posted, but I kinda liked the first article. Check it out if you get a chance: The Truth: What Obama and McCain won’t tell you about your money
Sunday will be the 3rd time in 4 years that I will be doing the Danskin Triathlon. I took last year off but did it in 2005, 2006 and now 2008.
I’m scared, nervous, excited, anxious, apprehensive, worried and giddy. All at the same time. It’s slightly bizarre to have all those feelings rambling around.
In 2005, I was really nervous and couldn’t believe that I signed up to do it. I was in great shape, working out all the time and doing a ton of weight training. To my pleasant surprise, I did great! I was extremely pleased with how I finished. I mean, don’t get me wrong, of course I would have liked to do better, but I wasn’t unhappy with how I finished.
In 2006, I was struggling with some lower back issues. And that obviously affected my training which affected how well I did. At one point, I couldn’t even run a 1/4 mile without my lower back knotting up causing me great discomfort. I worked with a chiropractor which helped a bit but I wasn’t at 100% so my training suffered. I was not ready or even somewhat prepared and it showed in how I finished. I was not happy with my results. The entire triathlon was an uphill struggle for me. My back started aching with the swim, the 20+ mile an hour winds kicked my ass when I was biking which only made my back ache worse because I had to use more power with each pedal stroke and when running walking, running, whateverI narrowly avoided an asthma attack until I crossed the finish line and then I couldn’t get to my Albuterol Inhaler fast enough. After that, I vowed that I was done and wouldn’t sign up for another one.
And yet here I am. Nervous, excited, giddy, scared and anxious for Sunday to come and go. ‘Cause I’m a dumbassdoing the Danksin once again.
I have been training. But has it been enough?
I’m concerned that I focused too much on cardio and not enough on strength. In fact, I’ve hardly incorporated any strength training into my workouts with the exception of the Body Pump class I started 4 weeks ago and the 350-400 push ups I did over a period of 7 or 8 days, which was weeks ago.
Sigh.
I’m such an idiot.
I knew that I needed to do more strength training but I HATE weight machines. And I can’t afford to hire a personal trainer. I suppose I could have done more Body Pump classes but I’m truly not impressed with the class so why spend the money, ’cause those classes aren’t cheap, YO.
Hell, I could have, should have, climbed into the pool a bit more. I think I’ve seen the chlorinated water 3 times in the last 3-4 weeks. Definitely not enough.
So here I sit, freaking out about Sunday. And it probably wouldn’t be so bad if my only goal were to finish. But its not. I will be HUGELY disappointed in myself if I can’t beat my time from 2005.
I’m hoping that my adrenaline will kick in high speed and propel me through the water. Which is the part that I’m most worried about and is really quite surprising considering that I’m pretty sure that I was a fish in a past life.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m concerned about the biking and running part, but I’ve been doing those spin classes and running pretty consistently since January. So, I think hope that I’ll be okay with the biking and running but I can’t say for sure. I did a run through of the bike course last Monday with a friend and it was a LOT more difficult than I remember. Harder than my 45 minute spin class and I really push myself hard in that class. But, it was extremely humid out and my asthma wasn’t “playing nice” so maybe that was a factor. I dunno.
I’m just a mess.
And I can’t even calm my nerves tomorrow night with a couple 10 beers because drinking before the triathlon is a big no-no.
I really want it to be Monday so I can say “Oh, the Danskin? Yeah, I did that yesterday and I kicked ass!”
Big dreams? Maybe. But you have to dream big to acheive those dreams, right?
Sigh. Can you tell I’m trying to pump myself up? I guess what I’m really hoping for is that at approximately 11:00am on Sunday, I can relish in the glory that I ROCKED the Danskin.
However, if you see a girl crying, all sweaty after crossing the finish line, in green shorts and a black tank, that will be me and you will know that it took me longer than 1 hour, 51 minutes and 17 seconds not that I’m obsessed or have a spreadsheet filled with the results from the previous 2 times I’ve done the Danskin or anything to finish. After which, I’ll probably become extremely pouty and require excess beer and pizza to feel better about myself. I might even vow to never do the Danskin again. But, we all know how that story ends…
But, at the end of the day, even if I suck it BIG TIME, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the official charity of the Danskin and I know that my $85 entry fee is helping to fund a cause that could benefit a lot of women.
Plus, I’ll get a new tank top and medal to add to my collection.
And now that I’m maybe done whining and rambling, I’d like to give a shout out to my fellow Danskin Triathletes – Jenica, Kori and Badgergirl. Good Luck, Congratulations and I hope you do as well as you’d like to! See you at the finish line.
My very good friend Nodrog (Gordon spelled backwards) has finally entered the blogging world so I’m sending him a shout out.
Please check him out here. Also feel free to harrass him to switch to a WordPress Blog.
Now I’m waiting for him to join Twitter.
Last night, it became official. I received my FIRST birthday card of the year from Jessie. I participate in a birthday card exchange with a group of iFriends and it’s so exciting to get cards from them. Of course, I also received a jury summons so that’s not so good 
I SERIOUSLY LOVE BIRTHDAYS. Mine in particular.
Usually, I designate a few weeks before my birthday and a few weeks after my birthday to be all about me. For some reason though, I haven’t done that this year. Maybe it’s because I’m not to happy about turning 31. I was okay with 30. Probably because it was just on the brink of “thirties”. But 31? EEKS…
I’m sure part of my problem is that I really wanted to have a baby by now. Heck, if my “life’s vision” had worked out how I planned, I would have had a baby 5 years ago! But, it didn’t. I can’t dwell too much I guess and only hope that it will happen this year for us.
In my family, for birthdays, we typically go to dinner with a semi-small group of family and close friends. There’s usually between 8-15 people. We always have a fabulous time and I’m quite excited to get together with everyone once again. The only downer is that my sister and her husband won’t be able to join us because they are doing Christmas with his family.
What’s even better is that I don’t have to be involved with the planning of this! Last year, I got annoyed and decided that I shouldn’t have to plan my own birthday celebration dinner (I plan everyone else’s!) so my mom graciously stepped in. If you knew my mom, you would know this is huge. She is the type of person that will say “You order the pizza but I’ll pay”. She HATES doing stuff like this.
As long as we don’t get a MASSIVE snow storm on Saturday (a la December 1st, 2006), I think it will be a fabulous day and one that I much anticipating and in much need of.
Last night I met Stacey and Steph for dinner. As blogged about previously, I met these two on the Internet. Specifically on the knot while planning my wedding last year.
From left to right: Me (why is it that pictures of ones self ALWAYS turn out crappy?), Steph (whose diagrams cracked my shit up) and Stacey (ex-big rig co-rider, living off the land girl).
And for as nervous as I was to meet someone new, I shouldn’t have been. These girls are just great and were so much fun to hang out with although, I’m sure I talked way too much, which on occasion (insert sarcasm), I have a tendency to do. It was one of those nights where you start yawning, look at your watch and realize “HOLY CRAP, where have the last 3 hours gone?” I hope that we make a point to get together on occasion because I genuinely had such a nice time talking and laughing with them.
What wasn’t so great was staying up till 1:15am to help my sister with her resume. I had promised to help her when I got home from dinner but I didn’t get home till 11pm. I personally didn’t mind staying up to help her, but I did feel bad that I kept her awake that late. But, it is what it is and now she has a fabulous resume to show for it!
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