Mastripolito

It happens to everyone

2012-01-27T10:40:00.002-05:00

Its not really a lack of motivation.. its more of a lack of wanting to do ANYTHING.

I'm in a big ole funk. I think I may need something .. perhaps a kick in the ass…

hmph... will be back..

Icicler 10 Miler

2012-01-26T16:53:00.003-05:00

It seemed like a really cool idea… 9 miles ago.. the lama furry legwarmers..

BUT TAKE IT FROM ME... NOT COOL… although my legs didn’t actually ignite into flames.....by mile 5.... I could NOT LIFT MY LEGS... sure it didn’t help that I was still recouping from the hip flexor/ankle extravaganza and that this HECK would be my longest run in .. um.. 2 months… but um...

The icicler 10 miler on Sunday, January 15th was a blast.. given that running in 17 degree weather.... with wind chills in the single digits… and various hills delight you.. HELL…

Saw a bunch of friends on the course ...which is always soo encouraging.. except when they PASS YOU… GOD DAMN!…

BTW.. just for the record... 10 miles is a LONG f-n way..,. just saying.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

2011-12-27T10:15:00.005-05:00

So yeah.... its been a few months since I posted..but it's not for the lack of trying..

These last few months have been a mishmash of mayhem with over half of my immediate family's birthdays happening in a condensed time frame (mom’s, dad’s, Joe’s, Heather’s, Joe's mom's, sister-in-law’s, 2 nieces, and my birthday), our anniversary, Thanksgiving, Christmas, working, school, training (kinda training), and a couple unexpected mom hospital visits...so yeah the writing suffered... a bit..

Eventually, I will finish my Tussey 50 miler story and my ramblings about attending the lung cancer conference (realizing I was sitting in the wrong conference for an hour), and oh yeah the hysterical breakdowns about Anatomy class and … so…. Life goes on.. and then someone shows me a website that not only takes mayhem to a whole new level, it compounds the already obsessive, compulsive disorder as well..

Welcome to Pinterest… http://pinterest.com/ (If you are even slightly crafty, love to dress, bake, sew, decorate and dream… this site will be your little piece of heaven on earth… )

Not only did I in the last two weeks, run out and buy TWO aprons, I also baked two cakes from scratch, made coleslaw from scratch (which Joe promptly called a science experiment).. got this REALLY “Fantastic Idea” about MOD PODGING a couple photos on wood for my parent's Christmas presents.. yeah..ME!!!…. If I wasn’t catatonic then… I am now.!

December 23rd.. two days before Christmas.. (put in Christmas music here)... after a "less" than stress free day of work, I somehow convinced Joe to drive from Philly (his work) to Exton (the shopping mecca).. about an hour or so drive for him and damn same for me due to the rush hour and HOLIDAY traffic..so we could meet me at the stores to do some “last minute shopping”.. oh and yeah… stop at the local craft store to get some “items” for my “project”… thanks and have a nice day…

I give Joe a lot of credit.. he’s sticking around… and not sure why… all I had to do was find the items I need for my “creation”…(1) Mod podge (found it no problem) and (2) Gel Medium (problem)…

Joe being the good chap he is.. helped me scour the store… not sure how many men would actually spend 45 minutes in any store, let alone a craft store but he does... 45 minutes looking for this thing called “GEL MEDIUM”… and
Joe to Wendy: "Wendy, what the hell is that?
Wendy: "HELL, I don't know" its kinda like.. um glue?
Joe to Wendy: "Then how do you know you need it?"
Wendy to Joe: "BECAUSE Joe the lady on the video said i need it!!! (STOMPING FEET)...
Joe to Wendy: "What video.. ?
Wendy to Joe: "The video on line...on how to mod podge the damn pictures...! (hysterical... )

And so this is how it goes.. Wendy trying to explain not only to Joe but to the store workers on how to create this mod podge thing I saw on the internet with something called Gel Medium...!

It goes something like this..
Wendy explaining to the workers with hands in air brushing imaginary wood... the girl on the video, said that you do this (whisp, whisp)..and this ( swish .. swish... ) … and (CRICKETS sounding )..

BLANK LOOK from workers ...

Wendy (wide eyed pig headed not going to give up until the store closes hysterical..) Joe frantically attempting to locate said video on cell phone... and between that and the store manager finally suggesting to look in aisle 14 (the paint aisle).. and whew...(the victory dance.. insert music here )... YES life was good.. viola… GEL MEDIUM… !!!

So now to race home… (forgetting the lets go shopping for Christmas presents part)… the pictures are printed, now I just have to brush gel medium on wood, invert picture… press.. let dry overnight… next morning I can wet back of paper and remove it from wood.. dry it again and then mod podge. AND VIOLA?!

UM... NO GET...VIOLA... it is now the next morning... Christmas eve day…

December 24th... I am NOT finished wrapping presents, its my daughter's birthday, and I am due at my parents for Christmas dinner at 4pm..and what am I doing? FRANTICALLY scrapping the back of the paper with my finger.... I CAN NOT GET THE M-FO paper off this piece of wood.. 3 hours later.. YES, 3 hours later.. like the shroud of Turin.. I see an image… and I am crying.. I now have to MOD PODGE these damn pictures… and get to wrapping, dressing and AHHHHHH!!!!

So I just want to thank you … to all of you... for accompanying me on this adventure... because if one more person sends me some "fun" link, or some "fun" website, or some new "fun" adventure .. I will hunt you down.. each and every one of you…

PS: In case you want to try out the “EASY” lets mod podge a piece of wood here you go (here's the video)... www.petapixel.com/2011/10/06/how-to-transfer-a-photograph-onto-a-block-of-wood

THIS WOMAN NEEDS TO BE SLAPPED!…

Just some school ramblings...

2011-10-05T11:02:00.003-04:00

Teacher: love your sandals but aren’t your feet cold?
Wendy: Thanks, a little...but I need to air the feet out…..
Teacher: oh…?

Wendy: (I better explain this one)… see I run a bit on the weekends…
Teacher: Oh yeah they are cute... You know this fellow teacher I was talking to is training for the Philadelphia marathon …..

AND SO IT BEGINS……………………..

Teacher: ......he runs all these miles and 6 miles at a time on the elliptical, and ..
Wendy: yeah, I ran the Wineglass marathon on Sunday.
Teacher: .....um, like did you run the whole 26 miles?

THANKFULLY.. SHE DIDN’T ASK HOW MANY MILES A MARATHON WAS……

Wendy: ...Yeah the whole 26 in the cold and rain.. it was not fun.
Teacher: How are your knees? I used to ice skate but cant now because I have knee problems…

OMG WHY DOES EVERYONE ALWAYS GO FOR THE KNEES!??

Wendy: knees holding up, but the body is old, usually stiff and achy.
Teacher: I guess you must really love it, I heard people do it because they get all those endorphins and such.

PERHAPS I SHOULD NOT ANSWER THE LOVE PART RIGHT NOW SINCE I AM STILL IN RECOVERY…

Wendy: I don’t know, I use the time to get away from people, and I like to beat people.
Teacher: (slightly concerned look)…OH...
Wendy: I mean I don’t always win, in fact I don’t always even come close to winning but its fun to race.
Teacher: (still a bit concerned…. ) … At least you don’t come in last... So I know this guy who does these things called triathlons where he swims like 3 miles or something then does a bike and a run.

LETS JUST NOT GO THERE..

Wendy: yeah ......

I have come to the conclusion that normal folks will never understand what I do or why I do it because HELL I don’t really understand what I do or why I do it! And the looks I get from them are usually is she BAT SHIT CRAZY or what!?

So its just best and just a heck of a lot easier to keep hush……

Thankfully BAT SHIT crazy UNDERSTANDS BAT SHIT CRAZY.. so if you are reading this and can relate.. WELCOME……

Wineglass Marathon - MISERY

2011-10-03T16:26:00.008-04:00

MISERY – wasn’t there a Stephen King novel called that?

Sunday, October 4th
Way back in the spring, I came across an ad for a delightful marathon that would take place in the finger lake area of New York.

The thoughts of walking hand in hand with my guy amongst cobblestone streets in the crisp autumn foliage, smelling cider and tasting wine… caused such a rush of elation that I signed us both up for the wineglass marathon.

The course was said to be relatively flattish, down hill and then the thoughts of running fast times and of grander and glory then followed.....

I have now realized I am delusional and so glad that joe is happy about that..

Perhaps, the forecast of 42 degrees and rain should have sent up a red flag or a giant flare or something.. I mean why would anyone purposely drive 10 hours (5+ hours up and 5+ hours back ) to run for 4 hours in the cold rain?.

Ok... so perhaps we were a little stressed in having to get mom home from the hospital and make sure she was ok prior to leaving her and the pup with dad… and of course a fight ensues.. because I am a let's get going.. its 7am … and he is more of what the problem if its 8:15am.. .

My biggest fault is I bring a lot of crap to make sure I have everything but all that crap is damn well in the truck at least a half hour before we are “scheduled to go”..

Joe's biggest fault is he can't move or think fast in the am and so everything takes a REALLY LONG time…

so then the fight ensues...I STARE at him(even though I offered to help him move it along) and he glares at me because I STARE AT HIM (EVEN THOUGH I OFFERED TO HELP)..

SO yeah Saturday didn’t start off very good… and to think I have to sit in the truck for 5 hours with him .. f- me.. !!

SO Of course I get hungry about an hour into the trip.. because I have been up for hours WAITING for him… so I ask him to stop at a service plaza on the turnpike because I need some food and coffee NOW…

By the time we got to Corning we were talking again but that was because I was plenty full of sugar and coffee and how can anyone seriously resist me... !??

When we arrive it is drizzling and windy. The expo was cute, people very friendly and nice but I was a bit disappointed that all the 30th anniversary gear was sold out.. but HECK I could buy 28th or 29th anniversary gear if I wanted… sigh

I actually was excited at this point, heck who cares what the weather is like, we are away, somewhere new and it will be fun!!

Damnit I will make it fun!

We get our wine glasses and splits of champagne and walk to find a restaurant that serves a cheap lunch and check into our hotel.

Of course they had jacked up the hotel prices this weekend and we were paying the same price we would for a luxury beach front hotel ….except we didn’t get a beach.. we got a highway instead, and our bed was a tad lumpy (giant bedbugs?) and the indoor pool.. a little too green..

OH but least we could walk to our pre-race dinner at Denny’s, which is anything but really scary but food is food. Then of course Joe went to get gas at the gas station and someone took off without paying and still had the gas hose attached to their get away car… drama follows us like a disease ...

We went to bed thinking omg its forecasted now to be 37 degrees at the start and raining.. whats the point of this again?

Waking up every hour from 1am on is never a good sign on whats to come.. by the time the alarm went off at 4am, and we were dressed and out the door (a little late) by 5:35 am… we jetted over to try and catch the busses that would be take us to the start (26 miles away). OF COURSE I want to catch one of the first busses and of course its once again early AM and JOE NO MOVE VERY FAST…

SO here we go again… me GLARING at him as he takes his time getting his water bottle ready and all his gear… and WTF ....we need to make the bus!!

We “sprint” to the bus and make it on at 6am… and as soon as we get on it goes.. of course there are other busses behind us filling up so technically we didn’t have to get on the first ..

BUT I am glad we did.. because there were suppose to be 3000 people getting on the buses and only 10 port a pots at the start… YEAH I know the math!

So they drop us off at 6:45am at the start… well what we all think is the start.. and its pouring rain out.. its FREEZING..

DID I MENTION FREEZING... and the race does not start until 8am… there is NO SHELTER for any of the runners… YEAH US!… F- us ALL!!

So we stand around in the cold for an 1-1/2 hours before the race (race starts late) and then just because it needs to get a little more exciting, the start is actually 1 mile down the road.. so we all have to walk 1 mile down the road… THANK YOU.. because once we start the race.. if we EVER start the race I won't have run enough so this extra mile is soo helpful.

The course was suppose to be a downward and fast. DAMN I am always duped when it comes to listening to what upstate people say is flat. Sure it was flattish in spots, but it did have some inclines and well for the fast part, heck I don’t know but there were too many turns for me. Flat is SHAMROCK IN VIRGINIA BEACH.. NEVER BELIEVE ANYONE UPSTATE WHO SAYS THEIR RACE IS FLAT.. it is flat to them because the dont run anything but hills!

The first 3 miles I tore it up.. because I am an I-D-I-O-T… I don’t know what is wrong with me.. I have done over 20 marathons now and cannot EVER run them at one pace…

So I FRENCH FRY my legs... I run until i cant run no more.. which this case was... oops 5 miles.. thanks..and have a nice day… I got so warm during this segment of my many hours of delight that I had to take off my jacket and tie it around my waist. I love when I completely trash my legs in the first 45 minutes of a 4 hour run… yeah me.. !!!

I held it all together until about mile 8… and then well.. I noticed that damn it ..I WAS FREEZING... and it was raining really hard... so I attempt to put back on my jacket and my joints were soo frozen that I could not bend enough to get my arm in the armhole... so here is me trying to put on something as simple as a jacket and unable to...

.. this is when you know humanity will be ok... if there are runners in the world... a really nice older gentleman stops his run to help me put on my jacket... chivalry is not dead! Marathon Runners are the BEST!

Once I had my jacket back on I felt a bit better and tried to pick up the pace… but boy was this cold and rain beating me up... I tried to will a shuttle from the half way point to the end… PLEASE.. PLEASE.. PLEASE... LET THERE BE SOMEONE TO TAKE US TO THE FINISH at mile 13.1.. i dont care I will be ok with that.. me no wanna run no more...

BUT NO.. damn I really do have to finish this shit myself....

All the volunteers were amazing… bless them for having to stand in the rain and be nice to us! And I had to take a drink from one little tot who was just too damn cute…. does it matter that I am not thirsty NO>>. that cute little boy with glasses I cannot refuse!!

Although I did refuse the woman who offered me a beer... now if it had been wine.. may have been a different outcome... !not much to tell in the race other than I needed to go from point A to point B as fast as possible and unfortunately my body was not really responding to the fast as possible request.

Life is what you make it.. and I am ok with that. I don’t mind the rain, in fact normally I love the rain… and I usually don’t mind the cold (when I am properly dressed) but combining the two and having to run in it for 4 hours… well.. that’s just a little MISERABLE

I wish I could have said OMG we had a great time at the finish line party… but we were both so frozen that once I crossed the line we left… no pizza.. no nothing… just our medals and left.

Joe finishing in 3:54 and me in 4:36 ish… we got to change out of our wet clothes at the YMCA and take cool showers (yeah I think 3000 people trying to take showers at once didn’t help the water heater)…

I felt like I was in the army with a bunch of smelly half naked woman waiting for a cool shower…

The ride home was fun.. 5+ hours in the rain… with joe and sore legs but we just smiled at each other.. because…

Misery loves company!

FAMILY AFFAIR - Kimberton 5K

2011-10-03T14:14:00.007-04:00

Yeah its been a while since I posted.. not that we haven't done anything interesting.. I mean we ran for 12 hours on September 4th... Labor Pains Ultra Trail Run.. Joe completing 50 miles and I completing 35 miles and spraining my ankle.

And yeah.... I started back up at night school again...Anatomy and Physiology... two hours on Tuesday nights and three hours on Thursday nights..ask me anything about plasma membrane and I bet I can tell you... oh and then we ran the Philly Rock and Roll Half Marathon on September 18th and lets see... yeah just spent a full filled weekend on September 24th and 25th running three 5K's. Its almost like old times!

Kimberton 5K - Saturday, September 24th @ 9am
VERY excited to be able to run the Kimberton 5K with my dad and my nephew James. I did this race 5 years ago (in 2006) and at that time it was my 2nd race ever…

I had just started running and couldn't remember why I wanted to do it but did it and won my first medal ever, placing 3rd in my age group (actually I was 2nd in my age group because the 2nd place person was actually a guy but never mind that story for now).. and I have that medal and tshirt hanging in a plaque on my wall to remember WHAT HAS CAUSED ALL THIS MADNESS!!!!

I mentioned to dad that I thought this would be a great race for him to try.. it only had one hill and was local, the price was right and well I knew he had been working on increasing his runs and a little bit of a hilly course would help him with his endurance and so why not!

HOWEVER, you would have thought that 5 years wouldn’t have totally erased my memory of how many HILLS there actually were.

It's when you start the race and realize UH OH…. and it's an "ok" thing if you are solo in the race and didn’t convince your father and nephew to join you.. but when you have other's join in and its an UH OH.. then well its a BIG UH OH!

YEAH, now I remember this was one of the hilliest courses i had done in the area... how the heck could I have forgotten that!!... and mental note… DO NOT FORGET THIS IS A HILLY COURSE....note taken...

I ran fine… placing second age, which thrilled me as I LOVE HARDWARE! ....But what was significantly more satisfying was to see that Dad and James ran exceptional!

My nephew James had just started doing 5K's & training and I noticed that he is a natural....
After the race I spoke to him about the race and he wasn't even out of breath and he mentioned to me that he wanted to walk so many times but didn't and that the hills were tough....
.... That my young nephew is mental toughness. ....
James made a power move on his own within 200 yards of the finish, sprinting passed a kid in his age group and the kids father and held the placing to win third in his age group.

My dad also lit this course up, running his best 5K time ever on one of the hardest hilliest courses! Dad was thrilled with his first place age win... and I was thrilled just to be a part of it all!

I love my family!!!

We scored a first, second and third place medal (in our own respective age group categories) and James won the big doorprize of a bucket of car cleaning items… yeah!

TEAM DUFFY ROCKS!!
Results: http://kimbertonrun.com/5kresults.htm

Warwick Trail 5K - the Wetlands

2011-10-03T14:08:00.000-04:00

Not sure how I'm going to piece all these stories together.. but if they fall out of order, just pretend you live my life... it will all make sense.. somehow..

Saturday, September 24th @ 5:30pm
SO I thought how cool a trail 5K at my local park, 10 mins from home and at 5:30pm, how could I resist?

Um.. I didn't resist that is.. there was a slight problem though... the bum ankle was still bum and well it was on trail, so uneven terrain, and well I guess I better wrap the bugger up so I don't break it.. and off i go.. for my second race of the day!

I gotta admit the day started off great.... with the Kimberton race.... but got even better with the Warwick Race.... The Warwick course was rerouted because parts of the course were washed out from all the rain. So as they were showing us the new course...was wondering if they provided a guide with that...

.. Run down this way and then go that way, turn around this tree, turn around this bush, down by this pasture and back.. and all the turns are marked and just follow the people ahead of you... and

...so the new and “improved course” was on the marshlands and had a giant grass hill… and oh yeah me… as I most certainly didn’t get enough hills this am!

Although there were not a lot of people in the race, there appeared to be a few age groupers who I KNEW were in my age group. How did I know?

Well i SPIED out their bibs with my EAGLE EYE BALLS!... LIE.. ok.. so I just casually got close enough to be able to TRY and read their ages on their race bibs and really since I am half blind I DO HAVE TO SQUINT... ok fine... So I glare at them and look really fast to try and catch their age. DAMN.

One of these women looked really exceptionally fast with sleek runners legs, and a toned body and just portrayed an air of confidence...…ok.. not going to worry about it.. i came here to have fun not compete, have fun... not compete.. just to have fun...

So I lined up in the back, not worry about placing.... have fun.. not compete... and then we were off..... It was SOO much fun giggling and squealing through the mud and fields...heck yeah... slamming tons of wet, gooey mud around.. yeah.. to run without any purpose but to have fun.. this is SOO great!!!

Around a tree.. and through the woods... and um wait... i am passing people.. and before I knew it I had caught up to the two women I had checked out in the beginning of the race... uh oh..

Super sleek legs looked over her shoulder at me and sped up … UM OH NO SHE DID NOT…
. and so I was off… chasing her ass across the field....we passed the other gal in our age group and I trailed her ass until the hill..

And LO AND BEHOLD sleek, legs gal… with her beautifully, toned legs .....was not a hill runner!

Not only did I overtake her on the hill … I gained a lead… GOD BLESS that I am a hill runner …

BUT no amount of hill running will make you have more oxygen when you get to the top of a hill in any course… I thought I would pass out and DIE... but now it's no longer about the fun... its about the competition...

And so it begins… I didn’t intend to run so hard … but I couldnt let either of them repass me. HELL NO!

SO not knowing if they were catching up or falling farther behind I just ran like I was on fire… I am not sure if I pushed anyone out of the way or kicked any mud on anyone but no one was getting past me.

I clocking in what I believe was my best trail 5K time ever.. I secured first in my age group and went home oxygen deficient but with an excellent age group award and a smile. OH yeah and all this play is hard work!!

The two learnings from this story are
(1) looks can be deceiving and
(2) DON’T EVER look over your shoulder at me. EVER

Results: http://runccrs.com/results/?p=1923

Philadelphia Zoo 5K - MESS

2011-10-03T13:48:00.001-04:00

OK.. so it's not like me to make grumbles about a race.. . because I can appreciate what everyone does.. especially if its for something as important as Cancer...

BUT then again...when i see something that is such a disorganized mess... i gotta wonder if my funds really do go to where they are suppose to... for cancer research.

Sunday, September 25th
DARK AND EARLY.. yeah.. 4:30 am up and getting ready to drive into Philly to run the Philadelphia Zoo 5K...

I was VERY EXCITED for this race..! It was for cancer (so a good cause) and we were allowed free admission to the zoo after the race.. it was a win-win!..

BUT OMG what a DISORGANIZED f-cking mess this event was!

I have been to a LOT of races and this one almost makes the number one spot for disorganized mess. Let me bullet point a few things…

But before I do let me tell you what most runners like to do:
1) Get their racing bib
2) Get their t-shirt
3) Take their t-shirt back to the car
4) Find the potty
5) Warm up
oh yeah.. and preferably … BEFORE THE RACE…

Race is suppose to START at 7:45.. i waited to about 7am while some utterly confused girl tries to sort bib numbers… (I'm sorry is alphabetical sorting too hard for you and shouldn’t this have been done maybe the NIGHT BEFORE.. )

So ok.. I don’t have anywhere else to go but I do have to find the potty and would like to warm up since I am a bit stiff… The T-shirts and Potties are in there (lady pointing to the closed gate)… zoo keeper said NO ONE ALLOWED IN ZOO YET!

Seriously!?.. wait patiently… its now 7:15.. a HALF HOUR before the start of the race.. no one has their tshirts yet.. nor has anyone gotten a chance to go potty.. there are now about 300 people milling around….

So people start SNEAKING in.. swear to god… and you know what… so did I… f-ck that I mean I have to go!... so I get in and get my potty done and get my tshirt and sneak back out. Felt like a damn criminal!

BTW they did not let the masses in until 10 minutes before the start of the race… ridiculous…. Seriously.

So obviously the race is going to start late… and they gather everyone together I thought to give us a description of the course BUT OH NO they START calisthenics…WTF!??

I made friends with a girl in my age group (although they are not doing age group awards) its always nice to see someone you can compete against. AND HOW DID I find out her age?!.. IT WASNT ME THIS TIME.. she asked me! And you all think i am the nosy one!

I find out she did an Ironman before and well.. is a LOT faster than me.. she did Lake Placid in 11 hours and 30 minutes or so many years ago … to my Chessy man of 15 hours and 20 minutes. Was kinda funny when I mentioned my swim time being around 2 hours.. and she just said, "OH… "

heehheee

We come to find out that course will be two loops OUTSIDE of the zoo and then the final quarter or so mile inside the zoo… UM.. but what about the cute little zoo chart with animals on it...

We got to see the back alley of the zoo where the workers parked and where the drunks throw up... and cars... nice.. around and around we go... and as I was coming into the zoo after my second lap I saw walkers ahead of me.. WTF?

They only did one loop and cut the course? (they didn’t have a special finish shoot just for walkers and they didn’t have anything special on their bibs saying they were walkers) so they were being scored with us. PERHAPS that doesnt bother some people... but that damn well bothers me... !

Oh yeah and THERE AINT NO ANIMALS in the zoo at 8am in the morning! They must all be sleeping in.. so I went home and took my OWN animal pictures... .

I didn’t post a good run time and only got myself mad… but it was for a good cause and so chalk it up to a disorganized mess… I just hope the cause actually gets the funds…

Race Results: http://runccrs.com/results/?p=1925

Heaven & Hell - Indian River Vacation 2011

2011-08-12T15:00:00.020-04:00

Destination: Indian River, Delaware
Objective: 2 weeks camping at the beach with the family

Sunday, July 24th
So the caravan is off… YAHOOO….!!!!
We are on our way for our ANNUAL 8th Family Camping Vacation at the Beach extravaganza...!!

Jump up.. Jump down.. JUMP UP AND DOWN!!

Each year is a “fun” filled adventure of family drama and togetherness. And like a kid at Christmas, I don’t know what I am going to get! So off we go with wide eyed expectations and anticipations.…

Mom, Dad, and my oldest nephew (James) in the lead vehicle pulling MY camper and then Bessie (pup), Fernando (our 21 year old feline), and I in the trailing vehicle…

WE ARE ON OUR WAY!! WAHOO!!… DELAWARE BEACHES LOOK OUT!

So kinda bummed that I was unable to pull my own camper this year.. .. but due to some unfortunate events, like people playing smash up derby on my truck (someone smashing into the side of my truck and then two weeks later someone else smashed into the back of my truck).. well that and the karma was bad ...kinda affected the ability to pull the camper… thankfully dad stepped in and volunteered to haul it.. dad really rocks.. !

I am so needing to re-analyze how I am the one “on vacation” and Joe has to “slave away” at work… Wendy listening to the cat scream for 2-1/2 hours and maul poor Bessie who patiently is wondering WTF is wrong with the cat as its only a car ride.. OH AND DID YOU KNOW? That a cat can actually lock the door of a truck for you while the keys are inside and you are outside?

Kinda glad I had a bit of forethought at the rest stop and put the window down a hair (enough to get my arm in it)… but not enough for the beast to actually jump out and walk down route 1 like in the whole 2010 fiasco.

…oh yeah and YOU try and set up a camper in the 95 degree heat with a cat and dog and having to take EVERYTHING out of the camper in order to set up the camper and then putting everything back in the camper REALLY QUICKLY when it decides it going to storm and OMFG vacation rocks!

Monday, July 25th
Official first day of HELL.. its 1,000 degrees out and humid… OH did I mention HOT ? Yeah the air was cooking itself and I decide I need to get a run in. Cranky run and just miserable but its done and I can wash my hands of it. I’m glad James (the nephew) asked to go the beach because I am thinking that sitting in cold water will help… I can sit and re-analyze this life.. how in the world would I ever think moving to Florida would be a good idea?

After jumping waves for about 30 minutes I need to sit for a minute; James, Aunt Wendy needs to go sit down on that blanket, pointing to the nice, relaxing beach blanket .. ok?..

Thinking, dang…I’m exhausted and would like to lie down and just close my eyes for a bit… ..

Of course I can’t just fall into a coma like I want, I am the responsible adult and have to keep an eye on the nephew! I don’t want the lifeguards to have to go in to save him and YEAH that to get back to the brother.. no way …

So I am watching and my eyes are rolling into the back of my head.. and TWEEEEEEEEEEEET>>> I jump up as I hear the lifeguard whistle as he flies into the water.. I try to focus...oh thank the LORD he is not after James… heart rate up.. ok.. so James can we go back to the camper now? Thanks…

Tuesday, July 26th:
Long Run day. Goal: run from the campsite to Fenwick and back.. 20 miles roundtrip. Done it before in previous years.. just have to get out and back before the scorching sun.. Backpack packed with extra water , off I go. DAMN those extra pounds hurt.... need air to breathe… suppose to be another 90+ degree day …

Had read an article about endurance being compromised the weeks after an ultra… and yeah I was compromised… I WAS TIRED AT MILE 2... I was hoping my legs would be able to hold at least a 10-11 min mile pace for most of the run but…..the sun…..was out..
I wasn’t sure what got me to mile 10.. It was SO HOT, the air so thick, and I was chafing… my skin was so raw that each step was becoming a battle between was I going to die of heatstroke or die from rotting flesh.

Then I got a bright idea. I should ALWAYS be VERY weary of MY “bright” ideas. I knew in a few miles there would be a small Kayak landing with an opening to the bay. Cold water.. I would cool down and soak the chafing! OH YEAH I AM SOO SMART.. I think I actually smiled at my superiority!

AHHHH… taking of my shoes, socks, backpack and garmin and still relishing in how I could get that smart… I laid down in the lukewarm water… hmm not as cool as I was expecting… and AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH ……

……………. SALT WATER…

I was on freaking FIRE… I didn’t have to worry anymore about dying of heatstroke or some sort of rotting flesh because there will now not be any flesh to rot and I will have died from the pain sensors exploding. I don’t know if you as a kid did this but when you put salt on a slug how they shriveled in pain and died… yeah kinda like that… I SCREAMED while running 3 miles to try and get to the nearest convenience store to buy NON SALT WATER to pour on myself.

I am soo glad I got that college education

I calculate, I have 5 miles remaining of my 20 miler… I can see little children on their way to the beach whispering to their parents, “mommy, whats wrong with that lady”.. and the parents gently hushing them..

Im glad I’m missed. Dad and mom realized that I hadn’t returned from my long run in the projected time frame and unbeknownst to me set off looking for me. There is nothing else you can do but go forward…shuffling along… I tell myself.. this is good training, this is “fun”, you are doing fine… I hear sizzling… I wonder if its possible to cook blood cells…I know I don’t have any brain cells left, and wonder if they will speak nicely of me at my passing. Wendy you have 3 miles… And then I see dad’s truck heading the other way.. I want to wave but cannot…

OH PLEASE let him be looking for me and COME BACK.. the next thing I know his truck is along side of me and I was in it… I have never been soo happy to be picked up in ALL my life!

When I got back to the campsite I had to ice my body, I was trembling and in-between screams attending to my chafing. My pain sensors were dead… I assume it took me about an hour to cool down. The chafing was soo bad that I had to actually put burn cream on. I really hope this is all worth it.

Wednesday, July 27th
Third DAY OF HELL: Since I cant do ANYTHING because I am a chaffed, exhausted mess.. I think I will just hide in the camper, SULK and study. The sun is EVIL. RUNNING IS EVIL.

Thursday, July 28th
Since I need to stay out of the sun and had promised to take mom to the Coast Guard station museum, this is what we were going to do, and it will be fun! This will NOT be a day of HELL! So off we go: mom, James and I. I was feeling a WHOLE HECK of a lot better and it felt nice to do something other than sulk. The museum was a self guided tour, which would have worked perfectly had I been with people who wanted to move at the same pace. Mom wanted to read everything really slowly and James I think was questing how fast he could see all the exhibits.

I did have to pull James aside and explain to him that Grandmom (mom) was a little slower and needed a little more time so if he could be just be a little more patient and perhaps tone it down a notch that would be great. Honestly I was laughing because I am so much like James in racing around the exhibits it was like speaking to myself. Bless his little 11 year old soul.

Life wouldn’t be interesting without a little OMG. Upstairs in one of the exhibit rooms mom receives a call on her cell phone, which btw its shocking that she heard it and SHOCKING that she actually answered it..AND SHOCKING THAT SHE SAT down on one of the exhibition props in order to talk..so there is mom sitting on what I hope is not a 200 year old chair as the next tour group comes through with gasps and looks..
What can you say?

… BTW.. I did get in a 3 mile run today… I Vaselined and taped myself up from head to toe… that’s all there is too say… and oh yeah Joe finally arrived for vacation… vacation can now officially start now!

Friday, July 29th
So Joe..like whats that hanging on your antenna?

This is his take on it, “ I'm driving down route 1 last night, oh about 60-65 MPH in the rain, when this rather sizable thing swoops in front of my truck, hits my antenna, whips around and then smashed my windshield like a baseball."

Pause…"Joe, is that a Bat WING?"

Joe ran today , I did not. No comment

Saturday, July 30th
RACE DAY.. Team Duffy is all set to tear it up at the BEACH 5K, it’s a 3.1 mile course and the whole family is doing it! I was thinking myself big stuff being all ahead of Joe for the first mile and what fun this was until my core body temperature exploded and the thought of sudden death sounded appealing… of course the excitement of the day was DAD placing 3rd in his age group, for his FIRST EVER MEDAL! DAD ROCKS!!! My heart was swelling with pride!

Joe thought it quite interesting that after the race, one of my competitors came up to talk to me. This is a girl who mind you won’t speak one word to me usually but this time she kicks my ass and so I guess its ok to talk to me now?

So of course I am nice… I am a nice person.. and during our maybe 3 minute “talk” she says to me, “Looks like you lost some weight” .. IS SHE SERIOUS?…. I need to work on taking her out.. NOW…

Sunday, July 31st
WALLY WORLD DAY! Actually it’s the day with the nephews, bro and sister-in-law at Jungle Jim’s., floating on the lazy river… Aunt Wendy lets go on that slide!!! Sideward’s glance to the anaconda looking five foot tubing riveted together. UM no…NO THANKS … oh Aunt Wendy, come on..

So laugh as you may this Irongirl does NOT do small round vertical tubes. Luckily for them Joe does and well off they go to scream and having fun, more power to you all… my fat arsh is going back to the river.

I am not sure if I can possibly eat any more really bad stuff… lunch is a cheeseburger, cheese fries and soda.. that makes up for the chocolate and nut covered donut I had this am.. yahoo.. vacation rocks!

Shame that I will no longer be able to fit into the 5,000 outfits I brought.

JUST know that I don’t think mom and Joe purposely tried to kill me by feeding me raw shrimp for dinner.. and so glad Dad yelled at me that I should know better…

Monday, August 1st
Happy Monday. I think… the heat is doing me in. Or maybe it’s the sodium content in my system but I am a complete bitch.. a wanker… a wolly burg… and Joe calls me on it… I don’t know what wrong with me.. I am miserable and he tells me in no uncertain terms that I better ship up or shape down… no I mean shape up or ship out.. yeah whatever… so we head to the bay to get the kayaks out.. it’s a bit quiet in the ole truck…I think I want to cry...

Yeah… I thought perhaps since I was such a bitch I better do something productive like save the world. Draggin the beach blanket out for the perfect spot.. its still a little quiet… and I need to remove the dead horseshoe crab carcasses from around our blanket.. …oh yo.. that bugger is still ALIVE…. as I am holding it up by the tail and taking it clawing to the water… so I proceed to scour the beach and return every upside horseshoe crab into the surf.. I WILL SAVE YOU ALL… Wendy the savior bitch… . I wonder if Joe really questions his decision he made 20 years ago… in sickness and health…

Received a call from mom who proceeded to call me some choice names with the word bitch attached to them and well that just solidified the day… So not sure if it was the heat or what but our family was getting along about as well as… a dog and fleas

Tuesday, August 2nd
Lock Ness has been sighted at Rehoboth! Joe must have felt bad and bought me a giant inflatable serpent.

Of course he is the BEST EVER…poor man had to use the foot pump to blow the sucker up. DUDE why are out of breath?

Spent the entire morning playing with the serpent and teaching the nephews to Kayak. Which then we were too exhausted to do our annual Bar Crawl.. as the thought of actually staying awake to drink was exhausting… NAP TIME…

Wednesday, August 3rd
9th DAY OF HELL.. Unfortunately, my brother had to leave vacation early, SO LUCKY HIM… so we moved up our normal family dinner out and family portraits to Wednesday instead of Thursday. And then as Heather put it.. I had a food baby.
NEVER EVER… put an athlete in front of a food buffet. Just saying…

I don’t know how its possible to consume that much food and be able to walk out of the restaurant.

Thursday, August 4th
Since we hadn’t run in a few days… I thought it best we do a longer run in the am and then a second run in the pm. I mean what would a vacation be without a little excess?

WOW this vacation is great.. everyone is now numb with happiness and I think the shear excitement about going home in a few days has lifted everyone’s spirits. I love you Joe!… I love you Mom and Dad… !and I love my vacation!!!

Friday, August 5th
Love that THRIFT store shopping!

Really cool finds with oh yeah I’m going to use this under my desk at work and PEDAL! And JOE SAYING, “NOT ONE MORE THING”..
Last day of vacation!!! YEAH LOVE VACATION!!!

Saturday, August 6th
HAPPY AS A PIG IN SHIT!!!

Time to pack up and go home!

24 Hours - 80 Miles

2011-07-20T18:43:00.013-04:00

Friday, July 15, 2011
OMG.. I AM SOO EXCITED ….!

I just got done picking up my race packet for my 24 hour race. They took my vitals: weight, blood pressure, internal body temperature, heart rate and respiration. They needed numbers to compare to in case, well.. I didn’t look to good on the course tomorrow.

I can’t believe I’m doing this… !!

Lone Ranger Website: The Stroehmann Back on My Feet Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon has become one of the most popular Ultras in the country. It’s for experienced runners who want to test themselves to see how many 8.4-mile laps they can do around Philly's Schuylkill River Running Loop in 24 hours. See the course here.

The race will be capped at 300 runners and starts at 10 am on Saturday, July 16th, 2011 in front of Lloyd Hall (One Boat House Row) and ends at 10 am on Sunday, July 17th. Each time you pass The Beneficial Bank Starting Line, your time and mileage will be recorded. There is no minimum or maximum number of loops Lone Rangers have to run, but there will be awards for those running 50 miles and 100 miles. Lone Rangers can start and stop at any point during the 24 hours to rest, eat, sleep, chill, get a massage, etc. Please note that all Lone Rangers must be 18-years old

Saturday, July 16, 2011
5:00 am: up and ready to roll… truck is packed with tent and gear ..on road by 5:45am..Philly here we come! Yeah its already 73 degrees…its going to be a warm one!

When we arrived it was a bit like a carnival, with runners, and cars, and police, and dogs, and bikers, and just plan general madness and its only 6:30 in the morning.. . eh gads!… Thankfully, Joe and I had a plan and we executed it with skilled precision.

We double parked at the gear drop, emptied the entire contents of the truck (which by the way, anyone who knows me .. I don’t travel light), then Joe whisked the truck away to find a parking spot and I lugged the gear to a near perfect spot…. for our “home away from home” for the next few days..

We choose to put up a 10x10 canopy and a small 5x6 tent.. a couple chairs, and a cooler.. and a “Party is here mat”… now time to sort the clothes, food, and medical equipment. Sniff. Sniff… yeah should be nice… I haven’t even run yet and I smell like a bog turtle.

The goal: Run 75-85 miles… with the ultimate goal of trying to run 100 miles.

AH, so finally let’s rest a bit and wait for the start…. THIS IS JUST SOOO DAMN EXCITING!

Keeping myself calm is always difficult… but extremely important.. its not like I am running the 400 meter dash…I need to remain.. C-A-L-M..

I got to meet a couple fellow runners.. Phil Anderson one of the co-founders of the Hat Run 50K Ultra run, he was here to check off doing another ultra…

I also will meet up with Hannah a girl who also did ChesapeakeMan (but I wouldn’t see her until I am on the course)…. And “ladybug girl” Juliane, who ran the entire 24 hours in a lady bug costume.. yeah sounds like something I would do… now doesn’t it!!!!!?

Its soo nice to have like minded people around…. I don’t feel so… crazy…

And then voila, time to line up… and
10:00am and we are off…

*******************************
LAP 1 (0-8.45 miles) Time: 10:00-11:27am (total time 1-1/2 hrs)

Well you remember that excitement I had about an hour ago?

Yeah, you can wipe that right off my face… jostling tons of people on a small running path, annoyed that TONS OF PEOPLE where in my personal space… unable to formulate any type of rhythm.....I TRIED NOT to run into the back of people..nor give them the finger.. would not be nice… ultra runners must be nice….I need to be nice..

It was starting to get really hot out… and sigh… OMG did I mention HOT!? I was trying to keep around a 10:30 min mile pace and didn’t walk during this first lap .. I found a group of men that appeared to be running quietly (not talking) and I tucked in behind them for a few miles. They kept me on pace and I got the approval nod of ok you can stay here as long as you don’t talk… I was good to go.

A few miles later my man group had dwindled to two .. me and he.. and so I had to pick up a new group to run with … a couple gals… ladybug girl and Hannah

They say that this first lap is usually the hardest and I have to admit I think it was…
************************

Lap 2 (8.45 miles – 16.9 miles) Time 11:27am-1:08pm (total time 3 hrs) *approx times

I finished the end of Lap 1 with an older man who said I should do the Comrades Ultra in South Africa with their group.. I told him I had soo wanted to do that, but not now.. thanks. So I start Lap 2 with a wave and smile and pic from Joe! See you soon honey.

BTW I want a water ice at next break!! Love you!!!

Lap 2 was definitely easier than lap 1.. I understood that I needed to really watch my pace. I got myself into a rhythm and just stuck with it. I loved the fact they had fresh iced washcloths for us to put on our head. It was blazing hot out and some dude mentioned that at least its not as hot as it could be.. dude its almost 85 degrees .. ok so maybe its not 100 but don’t make me pummel you to death… .

Yes I know running is suppose to make you feel relaxed, euphoric, happy, blissful, or something like that..but I told you .. 75% of my runs are painful.. I am guessing the remaining 25% are annoying!

So I get to the half way point of the lap.. at aid station 4 .. remember this.. this will be a very important aid station for me… its at mile 4.12 of the 8.45 mile loop.

SO I get to the aid station and I go to get my drop off bag (which has my perpetium and refueling stuff) and I go to fill up my water bottle with water to mix my drink and one of the volunteers REFUSES to allow me to take a full bottle of water, saying… “You can’t have that.. we are running out of water…"

OK.. so the expression on my face was BEYOND priceless …. I was literary ABOUT to RIP HER EYEBALLS OUT..

I think she realized after she said it and after I stood there looking at her with razor blades shooting out of my eyes that she better let me fill my damn water bottle NOW… and so she did..I MEAN WTF!?

NOTE: this was only two hours into the race… I AM thinking I SURE HOPE she ain’t serious about them running out of water already... lets put that aside.. because all of the other volunteers I encountered during the entire 24 hours were wonderful ……..

So I leave aid station 4.. ANNOYED!

I finished lap 2… and Joe got me my water ice@@@@!… YEAH!!!! I head to the tent to change my shoes and rest. Jim Standish… our dear friend had surprised us with a visit… between the two of them I felt like a queen… they both made sure I got juice, fuel, and what I needed.

And then they made sure I was promptly… BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN…..

***************************************

Lap 3 (16.9 miles – 25.35 miles) Time 1:08-3:18pm (total time 5 hrs) 15 min break *approx times

I was starting to feel a bit nauseous during the last loop and it was really started to bother me NOW. I think it was the heat… It was just REALLY SOO HOT OUT… . and I couldn’t get enough cooling rags on my head. This is SO NOT fun.!!.

NOT FUN … AT ALL!!!

I was trying to think of the reason WHY I wanted to run around in the heat and cook my brain..WHY !

When I signed up last October I was sitting in my cushy office and looking out to a beautiful crisp fall day… just saying…

While I was doing the whole hold my mouth with my hand routine so I didn’t vomit, a fellow runner came up to me and said that if I stuck my finger down my throat ...it would make me throw up.. and I would then feel better. And she said this all with a smile saying this worked for her… um…Thanks?

And UM... I THINK NOT!

So pleasant to know that others are suffering too ..

I ended lap 3 wishing I could throw myself in front of a truck, just to make sure I would have a valid reason to go to the hospital.. life sucks…

SUCKS..........
***************************

Lap 4 (25.35 miles – 33.8 miles) Time 3:18-6:30pm (total time 8 hrs) 20 min break *approx times

The guys allowed me an extended break this time.. I think they felt pity on my sick ass… allowing 20 mins instead of 15 mins… yahoo.. .. my crew rocks…

I had a bit of turkey sandwich, and some juice… OK.. GOSH… Jim pointed to the watch and joe gave me a little pat .. time for you to go out .. AGAIN. ...

ITS HOT.. did I mention,.. that?! HOT… Yeah I am sure I did…

So this is my last solo lap, I will be able to pick up my pacer at the next lap..

WOW I am violently ill… I don’t think my pacers are going to get much run out of me… yeah its kinda ugly..

WTF was I thinking.. I have16 hours left..

OMFG…………..

As I’m walking and feeling a lot of a bit sorry for myself, I see an angel.. ok so maybe this is why people love the people that keep them prisoner... I see my friend Jen Raley who drove all the way up from Dover, Delaware with her family to see me… I thought I would cry…

She told me Molly and Claudia (tri baby friends) all were wishing me well... seriously I am going cry.. you can stop now..

We walked together for a bit, and then a bit of running and YES, I’m done lap 4!

*************************

Lap 5 (33.8 miles – 42.25 miles) Time 6:30-9:14pm (total time 10 hrs) 21 min break *approx times
PACER: Megan Murray

The tent was full of excitement.. not only had Megan my first official pacer arrived and was ready for duty, Gary my second pacer was already there… and the entire Jen clan (4+ kids and hubby) and Jim and Joe.. it was a giant party!

I changed my clothes, I got some fuel and gathered all the energies from my wonderful crew… and then they sent me back out.. AGAIN…………

I had to apologize to Megan that I would have to walk a bit because I couldn’t get rid of this nauseous feeling and she and I talked and walked… and I realized that it was now 7pm and I had actually been in motion, with a couple breaks, for over 9 hours.. WOW…

I started to have a problem actually trying to pee, sorry to be so graphic but I think I wasn’t getting in enough water or enough salt or something.. and the last thing I wanted was to end up with my kidneys shutting down over something like this..

Megan is a nurse so I wasn’t worried … but I was SICK of drinking … and so I ended up sucking on ice cubes.. but the pee thing had me a little considered.

I hit every port-a-pot on the way around.. trying to pee.. I felt the need to pee.. just nothing

Megan and I did get to run a bit… probably a total of maybe 3 miles during the whole 8.45 mile lap. Much less running than I thought but given the condition I was in .. I was lucky
And then…. We were done lap 5…

*********************

Lap 6 (42.25 miles – 50.7 miles) Time 9:14-11:30pm (total time: 13hrs) 21 min break *approx times
PACER: Gary Perkins
I headed to my favorite place.. the tent… changing once again to longer sleeves as I was starting to chill from the light sunburn and noticed it was starting to get dark…

Tom my pacer after Gary was already there too… Megan headed home and said she would have a beer for me… I thanked her and wished her well…

Gary got his reflective vest on and the guys helped me with mine… and after a craving for an apple and ice tea I was back out on the road AGAIN..

I started lap 6 walking.. but I have to admit it was an extremely FAST walk. Gary is a speed walker and even though I was ready at times to blow chunks I had to keep up with him in order to save face.. you know…

The setting of the sun was nice.. I started to feel better. Someone from a car threw a light stick at us.. I picked it up. I would have to say this lap had the most drama. We saw wildlife ( a raccoon in a trash can), men fishing in the Schuylkill (like would you really eat anything you caught from there?), and yeah a runner got MUGGED.. and now they were instructing everyone , especially women to have a pacer with them at all times...

After the mugging drama… and me hitting every port-a-pot in the attempts to pee I finally got to aid station 6 and viola pee… so we ran in the last couple of miles… and Gary got hollered at for entering the wrong finish chute…

*********************
Lap 7 (50.7 miles – 59.15 miles) Time 11:30pm-3:00am (total time: 16hrs) 25 min break *approx times
PACER: Tom Howe

Each break seemed to take a bit longer.. my brain was slowly seizing… but I felt really good.. and to have my friends around me helped a lot.

The guys informed me that at this point I was 19th place female out of like 70+ females.. and I was now at the most I had ever run… I was thrilled!

Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Midnight Race was ready to start and all the crazy runners dressed in glow sticks were lining up to run one lap.. soon we would have entertainment on the course.

I was still wondering how the heck the guy with the large Christmas tree lights hanging around his neck would stayed lit? I MEAN did he have to carry a big battery!?? Gary hung out with Joe for a bit as Tom and I headed out for lap 7…

Tom was also very gracious in being ok with walking.. I was feeling ok but needed to walk .. Tom is actually quite funny.. we were walking along in the dark and we hear a couple of really loud bangs..BANG …BANG.. like gunshots… we kinda looked at each other.. So we picked up the pace a bit.. and then Tom said, “heck maybe you just moved up a couple of places?”

We heard more loud bangs and I yelled out.. "Yahoo… another place!" … SICK I KNOW….
A train went by and Tom mentioned, "Wow it’s a train… " - silly country folks..

I screamed out loud… loud enough to wake the dead… “ OMG THERE IS A TRAIN IN PHILLY!!!..”

Sarcasm and stupid folk.. . I spit on myself.. and yeah

So Tom let me walk a lot in silence.. and occasionally when I winced in pain he gently patted my back… it was nice that he was holding my water bottle.. I couldn’t hold it any longer.. that one pound was just too damn HEAVY..

I stopped in the middle of the path… “Don’t want to go on”.. Tom very gently, without saying anything lightly pushed my back and moved me forward.. and I was walking again…

So I told him .. since he had the light , that he needed to stand outside the port-a-pot and point it at the stall so I could see inside while I was in there… of course when a woman went by with a concerned look about reporting him to the police , finally Tom had enough sense to say.. "OH I am shining a light in there for my runner to see"… (yeah peeping tom)

Tom swears there was something slithery under the bridge that touched his leg.. lovely.. my pacers are hallucinating and not me.

Because I am a child at heart,… I started to collect every single glow stick that had fallen off the midnight runners who passed…and then enlisted Tom to do the same… just saying.. crazy

*****************
Lap 8 (59.15 miles – 67.6 miles) Time 3:00am – 6:30am(total time: 20hrs) ??? mins of breaks *approx times
PACER: Joe Mastripolito
Zombie girl… and its time to start Lap 8.. I think I had the rest of the turkey sandwich.. it was time to continue on…. Joe was my pacer for Lap 8.

He was soo sweet with his kind words of "FINALLY I get to pace you."

OH heck I completely forgot to mention. Since joe KNEW I would be walking when he had to pace me .. he decided back when I was doing lap 4 that he would run a lap himself in the heat by himself “as exercise”… um.. yeah… and you call me crazy.
So Joe and I are off to the world of the dead.. no one is really up.. even in Philly… except these really nutty ultra runners… .and so began another 3 hour lap…

.. Joe stumbled (he didn’t tell me until later that he actually feel asleep while walking)… I myself had a bit of trouble with listing to the right… … I am sure we looked a fine pair…

The Pajama Run was going to start at 6am and we would have some early morning entertainment…

Daylight was a welcome sign..

THANK GOD only a few hours of this shit left.

*********************************
Lap 9 (67.6 miles – 76.05 miles) Time 6:30am – 9:00am (total time: 23hrs) ??? mins of breaks *approx times
PACER: Dana Daugherty

Dana met us at the start line with donuts and coffee.. he is a god.. how perfect!!!

I really didn’t think I would make it around Lap 9 before it hit 10am.. I felt mentally spent… this is when having a good crew comes in handy.. they are your brain when your brain gets fuzzy, They are there to make sure you eat, drink, and watch your health. They think for you.. they are your other you.

Joe instructed Dana to make sure I am drinking every 10 minutes.. Joe said I was refusing to drink and to make sure I did. And OFF we go AGAIN..

KILL ME NOW.. I am in no mood to do this course anymore.. sick of it.. SICK …SICK…SICK.. OF IT… nothing was crossing my mind. I was an empty shell of voidness..

Dana did say that he was surprised I didn’t look like walking death, was shocked that I was moving pretty well for the beating I did to myself, that I walked too damn fast, and that I spent 98% of my time looking straight ahead.

Then something happen….I started to run... we ended up running the last 2.5 miles of this lap. It was like I was possessed… I finished this lap… 76.104 miles and have one hour left on the clock… the officials ask if I am going to continue on or stop…

I have been in a state of movement for 23+ hours .. and there never was a question.. I am continuing on..

My goal was to just walk until the clock stopped..and have the sag wagon pick us up.. Joe’s goal was completely different…

*********************
Start of Lap 10 ( 76.05 miles – to 80 miles) Time 9:00am – 10:00am(total time: 1hr) NO BREAKS *approx times
PACER: Joe Mastripolito
*****The rules say each partial lap, depending on where you are, are counted. At this point, they started to use the rubber bracelet system.. For each aid station you passed you got a rubber bracelet. There are three points on the 8.45 mile course that you can get bracelets at approx mile 2, 4, and 6.

Here is my breakdown:
• If I would get to aid station 2 I would be at 78.63 miles

• If I would get to aid station 4 I would be at 80.224 miles

NOTE: If you are in-between aid stations when the clock runs out, you will only get whatever mileage you had from the aid station you passed NOT the aid station you are closer to. So thus you needed to get that next aid stations if you are close!

KAPESH?

I HAVE HAD IT… the sheer thought of going back out AGAIN sucked.. But I have to run out this clock… Its starting to get HOT again… and I am really really just sooo sick of this crap… I am completely comfortable with my 76 miles… I just want the madness to stop…

As I am shuffling along, Joe carefully explains that if I pick up my pace we can make it to mile 80… we watch a girl run by us and then watch her stop and start to stagger… the heat is killing us.

Joe says, "We can do this."

I just wanna make it to aid station 2… I will be happy with 78 miles…I am ok with that. Joe is not.

"YOU CAN MAKE it to 80"…he says

I am in PAIN, PAIN, PAIN… ITS HOT... HOT......HOT...AND I just WANNA stop...STOP... STOP!!!

I am crying.. he has me in tears.. I NO WANNA do 80.

Joe: "But 80 will be soo much better than 76 or 78.. !"

Sniff Sniff... I see aid station 2… I have my 78 miles…

Seriously 2 more miles… ?

How much time is left.. ?

Impossible… I'm never going to make it..

We leave aid station 2… SNIFF...SNIFF...SNIFF..
.
Joe says to me.."We can go back if you want (back to the last aid station)"

WHAT!? at this same time another pair of runners passes us and she says… "COME ON you can make this.. you can DO THIS!"

Joe says, "YEAH you can…"

And then I started to run. RUN like I have never run before… every ounce of my soul was put into that run.

Joe calls out splits, you have 15 mins… I run faster.. you have 11 mins.. I run faster.. I see the aid station … I don’t hear anything else.. I have left Joe some yards back

and I grabbed me a Bracelet!!! ....... 80 MILES!!!!!

(afterwards joe checks his Garmin to find we were running well under an 8 min pace with me hitting under 5 min pace in the last 100 yards or so)

I DID IT!!! WE DID IT!

80 miles!!! With few minutes to spare… I was too exhausted to cry… !

What Joe did for me…his belief in me. He is my rock and soul…

Its amazing how the mind sometimes cannot see what REALLY can be done… and it takes someone to help show you… The girls who had passed me came up and congratulated me and let me know how happy they were that I made it.. they knew I could… and I did!

We all didn’t have to wait long for the return shuttle, ending a near perfect 24 hours.
By the way… If I EVER see that course again …..I will rip my eyeballs out.

I believe my accomplishment was due to my terrific team who were my ears, eyes, brain and guiding spirits in this journey.

Thank you to Joe, Jim, Jen, Paul, and the kids, Megan, Gary, Tom, and Dana… to all those who believe in me, especially my mom, dad, daughter, and family.

The funds for the race went to an excellent cause (Back on the Feet Charity for the homeless) and I realized something about myself:

THAT I AM STRONGER THAN I BELIEVE… I will NEVER doubt myself in any situation again.

PS: My recovery has gone really well.. that day my feet were ON FIRE and I needed to ice them a few times in order to be able to stand, I ate and peed and slept and tended to the blisters and realized I just did something harder than any IRONMAN… I JUST ran 80 miles in 24 hours… !!!
11th woman!! 41st overall.. 3rd Masters woman…
FINAL RESULTS

Lap breakdown

Recovery

2011-07-01T14:53:00.003-04:00

WORN OUT.... it's now Friday, a week after Heather’s wedding and I am just starting to feel semi human again.... DANG… THAT wedding stuff is exhausting… !

Sure the humongous amounts of alcohol consumed from Friday night through Saturday night, the late nights with limited sleep, the socializing for three solid days with family and friends, the flailing of arms dancing, and the pitiful EARLY morning runs on a hangover depleted not only my physical reserve but my entire mental reserve. PITIFUL…

I do have to give some credit to the fact I took my nursing 3-1/2 hour Teas test three days before the wedding, Bessie’s 1st birthday was the day after the wedding and mom’s trip to philly to see the cancer doctor was two days after, and oh yeah I put in a garden fountain and some annuals.. so ...its.. ok.. I am sure this all didn’t help my complete, utter exhaustion. …

So I shouldn’t be so down that my training this week have been below par with a total depletion of natural resources.... BUT still, how many days does it take to recover from a wedding?!

Recovery from FULL Ironman: 2 days

Recovery from a wedding: 7+ days & counting

Just a little fun stuff at the wedding with the nephews:

Ironman New York 2012

2011-06-17T16:10:00.003-04:00

I'm IN!...Ironman New York, August 11, 2012:
The inaugural Ironman U.S. Championship begins with a wave start, 2.4-mile point-to-point swim in the Hudson River. The 112-mile bike course spans the cliffs of Palisades Parkway followed by a 26.2-mile run course over the George Washington Bridge and finishing at 81st Street in the heart of the city.

I WAS SO EXCITED about the new Ironman debuting in 2012 in New York and had a careful conversation with Joe about me competing in it. It would be a rather large expense and given the amount of training needed, I would need his full support. With his blessing, I attempted to sign up. [Registration opened up at 12 noon on Wednesday, June 15th and all general spots sold out in 11 minutes.]

I was so nervous about trying to sign up, we were camping at the beach and the only internet connection and computer was dad’s paid by megabits, and if we went over allocation it would just shut off. And so I waited, watching the clock…..sigh....

ME, being the organizational queen, I made sure I had my credit card info, USAT license, and active account info handy. IN fact, I made sure what questions they may ask on their form so I could expedite it faster ( see it pays to have previously applied to the Kona Lottery and filled out their HUGE questionnaire). I knew this race would sell out fast, even with the higher price tag, and I knew it would take the proper time to log on to not be shut out.

I knew from previous shut outs not to log on before 12.. but that I had to log on EXACTLY at 12 or possibly get shut out.. so I had watched the seconds pass …11:55..11:56...11:57.. and.. it was A GO… 12:00pm… click on REGISTER NOW link on the website (which I already had up).. wait.. wait.. wait…GOD this is SOO stressful… a minute later it goes to the next screen…

Put in my Active password.. pray.. wait.. wait… wait.. OK.. next step… who is registering?.. fill in.. click fast Wendy… how old? click fast… and agree to conditions.. wait.. wait.. next screen. I am SHAKING because of all the adrenalin in my system… I cannot keep my hands still.. concentrate Wendy!!! PLEASE don’t let the connection go out… I knew how to answer REALLY fast.. there were 43 questions to answer… and I am a FAST TYPIST!

Click.. wait for next screen…please.. oh please… and we are at the PAYMENT screen… put in my card number.. wait… and...

INSUFFICIENT FUNDS comes up…WHAT!! OMG!!!!.. Wendy stay Calm!...I am in a crises, I don’t have any other cards, except my Victoria Secret card and I am about to FREAK OUT... (I totally work well under pressure).. I keep a level head.. .. I knew that if I didn’t obtain another form of payment within a few minutes, it would be refreshed and I would have to start over and most probably will lose my spot… I DIAL JOE AT WORK.. PLEASE...PLEASE... PLEASE answer.. don't be in a meeting... sweating and feeling sick.. he has to answer..

PLEASE GOD….ring.. ring…and..

"Hello…" (Now he already gave me his blessing on this expense and knew I would be trying to register)… I explained to him as calmly as I could and he gave me his credit card info and I put it in.. and I PRAYED.. and clicked the button… AND…

CONGRATULATIONS! You are now registered for the 2012 US Ironman Championship..

I then I cried…

PS: by the way, thank you honey, you also bought me a women’s 2012 Training Shirt! KISSES!

Eagleman Half Ironman 2011

2011-06-15T20:45:00.012-04:00

Cambridge, Maryland

Sunday, June 12, 2011
Half Ironman: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run

Weather: HOT, start was 70 degrees @ 6am and ended up around 85 with heat indexes in the 90’s by 3pm.

Swim: Water 82 degrees, warm, calm (except when fat boys swam by)..TIME: 1:15:56.. Garmin picked up 1.46miles (that’s because I swam wide to get away from the fat boys)

Bike: Some winds, flat, warm… TIME: 3:28:11 (16.14 MPH avg)

Run: HOT, flat, no shade, did I mention HOT ..TIME: 2:32:25 (11:38 avg)

Motivation. What causes someone to wake up early, on their day off, so they can spend 7+ hours in the hot sun? Motivation? Dedication? Insanity? Because they are dumb as a board?

Sometimes I have to wonder WHY?..Why am I doing this....... and why do I continue to do this!?

Originally, I was going to qualify for Kona...YEAH... that was 4 years ago... REALity check... realized that after Eagleman 2008, qualifying was going to take A LOT MORE then dedicated training and hardwork, it was going to take a jet pack on my arsh and a miracle.
That year, in 2008, was the hottest Eagleman that I have done to date. The heat index were well over 100…with whispers of 107..… and carnage was everywhere..

I came back to race again in 2009 with “milder temps” and HIGHER winds for Eagleman 2009... because I just didn’t have enough PAIN...

THEN... I came back again in 2010 for the Eagleman diabolical... not being able to wear wetsuits...the buoys blowing off course....and having hundred’s of people DQ'd off the swim time cut offs. ....BUT the best part was not getting pulled UNTIL riding the ENTIRE bike course of 56 miles ( 3+ hours later) and coming in to find a big “DO NOT RUN” taped across our shoes..

OF course what would any normal person do!?..... SIGN UP AGAIN and come back for 2011, my 4th Eagleman attempt.

AND AGAIN I have to question WHY?...WHY do I want to do this AGAIN?!

I ended last year coming off a great full Ironman, Chesapeake Man, and took a month of swim lessons and a few daily swims in January and then nothing.. huh?... nothing…NADA, NIL, ZIP , ZINGO...ZERO... I didn’t swim from March through June... OOPS..OUCH..

OH and don’t even get me started on the bike… Since Chesapeake Man at the end of September.. I rode my bike.. um.. ONCE.. yes in the last 8 months I road my bike ONE TIME.. HOLY HELL.. !

SHHH...

So the weather this winter sucked, I played around too much with Derby, I just didn’t allocate the time I needed to train... UM... ok .. but to my credit… I did a couple marathons and half marathons, so I did at least run.. a bit. SIGH..

When the April 15th REFUND date came and I had lost my “last chance” to back out of the race and get a partial refund of the $$$$ exorbitant race fees.. I had to question WHY.... even when a couple of my friends backed out...I just COULD NOT put my finger on the refund trigger... WHY!??

At this point I knew ....I must suffer from some sort of mental illness.

Poor Joe.... suffering the same fate…he didn’t train adequately either and he too could not back out... WTF!

As the last few weeks went by before the June 12th Race... we both wrestled with what to do?!Should we attempt it with inadequate training OR not? What to do? What to do!?

Then a light...and a SLAP in the head from Molly, Claudia, and Jen (our Bricks Tri buddies from Delaware)... who pointed out that the race cut off rules HAD CHANGED.. and that instead of a 1:10 cut off after each wave for the swim it would be 1:10 after the LAST WAVE....and since I was in the 4th to the last wave (something like that).. stay with me please.. I would have about 1:45 to finish the swim... I WAS LIKE WHAT!? SERIOUSLY!?? Hallelujah!!! AND WHAT NOT!!.. That means I would NOT get DQ’d off the swim!!... I knew last year even with no wetsuit and floundering around I made that by a long shot!. Sweet baby Jesus! TOTALLY in!

Contrary to popular belief .. I LOVE to swim.. I love swimming in the choptank because it reminds me of the summers at Port Herman on the Chesapeake. Chop doesn’t bother me, dead fish dont bother me, murky water don't bother me.. but being DROWNED BY FAT MEN BOTHERS ME!

Packet pick Up and Racking Bikes:

OK.. so now the Race Report:

4am: Wake up, (actually wide awake since 2am)...breakfast, coffee, and I AM READY!

4:45am: Drive to race, try to run a couple people over, heck its early, score a good parking spot.
5:30am: In transition, setting up, SO COOL to experience this with Joe. He did make mention that he couldn’t do this without me and my “organizational skills”…

6:15am: Uh Oh… potty problems

7:30am: Joe and I sample the water and end up getting our feet cut. My toes get sliced on barnacles while Joe had the bottom of his foot sliced open. Of course neither of told each other of our bleeding feet TILL after the race.... I mean why worry the other! ?

7:50: (Approx): My swim wave (women 40-49) gets in the water and I am ready…

7:55 (Approx): The swim wave behind us (men 45-49) get int he water with us, HUH?.. They are not suppose to get in until AFTER we start... congestion... Now I have a HUGE man standing in front of me!!! .. I take my arm and push him aside as he says, "OH I DIDN’T SEE YOU".. UM, NO, really a-hole? Another man steps on me.. UM EXCUSE ME..HELLO!?? The whistle, its a go... I have to push away another man swimming IN FRONT Of me as I am proceeding to go forward.... he is blocking me…arrogant MEN!

The Swim: Seriously had a great swim for the first half of the course and made it out to the first buoy before I heard the FAT BOYS wave whistle go… BTW this is Joe’s wave (The FAT BOYS 45-49 Men).. they were scheduled to go off 8 minutes after my wave (which was 40-44 and 45-49 women). I almost made it to the second buoy before the FAT BOYS got to me…the lead swimmers stay to the inside and hug the lines, I never have a problem with the leaders.. I swim wide to make sure I don’t get in their way. BUT it’s the MID packers that kill me… these men literary swim over me. Normally if you hit someone or something you move over.. not the FAT BOYS.. .they have no problem with the thought that they are the best in the world and that they are entitled to own the swim.

I was hit once, then twice, I moved further out and then some really large dude smacked me on the head and THEN continued to try and drown me. No amount of kicking to keep the beasts off helped.. I ended up having to stop swimming and turn around and DODGE them..the water is now a turbulent sea of waves...................

I swung out a little farther and got back into a rhythm. Then I felt something on my toe. UM.. I stop and turn around..nothing there…swim.. swim swim.. what the heck is sucking on my toes!!!! Of course this is why MAYBE my swim times SUCK… I spend more time fooling around in the water then anyone out there… BUT something was nibbling my damn toe!

I noticed that I was passed by the silver wave, then some in the pink wave with a really nice girl stopping her swim to see if I was ok… what a sweet heart.... I am at the last buoy and I hear the boy managing the incoming wave trying to get my attention… I purposely was ignoring him because I didn’t want to be told I was disqualified for any reason.. if I ignore him I cant get disqualified!

Finally, I understood what he was saying… PURPLE CAP (me).. you can stand.. ME: oh yeah! So I start to run in the water.. it was waist deep and I still had about 200 yards to go…kinda felt like I was cheating but F-ck that!!… swear to go God I make more of a production of the swim than it needs to be.

9:15am (approx): ok so I am in transition and I glance over to make sure I see if Joe’s bike is gone, of course it is..AS IS almost the entire field of 2500 racers.. all their bikes are gone.. sans mine and LOOKY..smile …there are still two bikes in my 45-49 rack.. ok... thank god I was not last out of the water in my age group... Sweet!

Bike: So I grab ole crusty (my bike) and head out for my 56 mile bike jaunt. AH...I was thinking between Eagleman, Chessyman, and our practice rides, I believe I have completed this course about 10 times… I knew it well... I hated the rumble strips they put in a few years ago, I was pleasantly surprised with the new paved portion, I saw the normal church, and said a prayer in passing for the graves, I saw the place I flattened a tire in a race a few years ago and said another prayer that it wouldn’t happen again this year, and then I realized that this year their lacked a serious headwind!.. SWEET! HECK.. I didn’t feel the need to crawl up in a ball and die! BUT MY ARSH SURE HURT…

Around mile 25 or so I saw a leg.. yes a critter leg… at approximately the same place we had seen a carcass of WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT JOE? on one of our practice rides last year….EEEWWEE..like seriously EWE!...

I have my home on wheels... I am able to eat, drink and be merry on my bike and not break the pace... I started to pass a lot of people after mile 30.... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this no headwind crap!

When heading down Egypt road I noticed a sign for a new development, uh.. oh.. and oh much sadness hit as I realized that the many dark days of running down Egypt road during Chessyman may not be the same now.

SO around mile 50 a motorcycle official drove up besides me and I thought, SHEETAH .. now what did I do!? OMG, I hope I don’t get a penalty. He pulled up besides me as I rode “to talk”.. it appears he “seem to remember me” from other races… since I have done Eagleman and Chessy man quite a few times, interesting conversation.. I assume I vaguely remember him as well… but it was a good pick up line on his part... kinda enjoyed the company, glad he didn’t mind the gummy worm that I was spewing out of my lips. I bet those elites don’t get this treatment!

As I was coming in from the last 3 miles of the bike, I saw Joe heading out on the run, he was at mile 3.. he waved and I think it perked him up to know that I was at least 6 miles behind him (3 on the bike and 3 on the run). My knees started to lock up a bit, and my arsh SURE HURT A LOT and it was REALLY getting HOT now.

1:00pm: Transition time again, took my time and poured water on my feet to cool them off.. AHHHH... I got myself together for the run, walking out of transition until I hit the run start.. then I ran… something like a run… it was forward motion at least fora bit and then UH OH..

Run: NEED to get to a potty NOW! I literally sprinted to the first port–a-pot and almost passed out inside it… DAMN HOT in those things.. At the aid station I got a couple cups of ice and put them in my sports bra… I rattled…

I was very pleased with my run this year… IT WAS HOT.. I WAS SICK.. I hit every port a pot… with serious distress…. And at each aid station I filled my bra with ice. Thankfully I packed some Tums…

I saw Joe again perhaps at mile 9 but I was at mile 5? He had picked up the pace a bit. I also saw a bunch of my new tri friends.. I totally was not alone on the course. I knew this was only a 13.1 mile run and that I had done 26.2 in just as bad, if not worse conditions last September, so I thought I CAN DO THIS… and I did.

I remember Joe cheering me in near the finish and then I was done.. 7 hours and 25 minutes. Not my best Half Ironman Time but I’ll take it... I finished.. and with Joe...

Joe did amazing, nailing the swim in 56:26, bike in 2:24:08 (19.30 mph) and the run in 2:29:55 (11:26 mph pace).. total of 6:29:29.

After my finish, I was still feeling quite sick and needed a moment or so to regroup. But no one could erase that smile off my face. I had finished my 3rd complete Half Ironman Triathlon (would have been 4th had I not got DQ’d last year). AND I think this is it.

The training takes SO MUCH time and is such a personal commitment and I know that I don’t want to enter a race again untrained.

I have a lot of great ideas, and great goals.. and I can't wait.. until my next adventure..
AND OH HOLY HELL.. the mental illness did it again
Ironman New York, August 2012... just saying..

The Tree Doctor has spoken

2011-05-20T13:07:00.007-04:00

OK.. I am a TREE HUGGER and proud of it...

.. so when a few of our trees were.. well.. looking.. a bit CLOSE TO DEATH, we hired an Arborist to help determine WHY....and well the news..

IS NOT GOOD...

3 of the 25 year old rather large Maple Trees are suffering from Girdling Root.. which I come to find out is especially common in maples where trees have been transplanted from one site to another, like from nurseries to landscapes.

SO WHAT IS THAT? Basically the roots of the trees are strangling the trees…

OK.. so how does that happen?: Sometimes, when the trees are planted the transplant holes are too small and the planter chooses to “screw” the tree into the hole rather than take the time to enlarge it. In other cases, the tree is grown in a container that is too small to accommodate the increasing size of the root system. The roots are forced to grow in a circular fashion rather than their normal pattern of radiating out from the stem. Death without removing the strangling roots is 5-20 years.

SOOO…because our poor STRANGLED trees were denied proper nutrients and water... they are in a lower state of health ..

WHICH brought in a secondary infection because of their weakened state…

WHICH brought in the wood boring beetles & insects who are eating it from the inside out..

WHICH brought in the woodpeckers who are trying to eat the beetles who are marking up the trees and providing further avenues for infections to enter the trees.

WHICH is why the trees are covered in black mold soot (its actually tree sap leaking out from the woodpecker holes and turning into a black soot mold).

................AHHHHHHHHHHHH

He said unfortunately …2 of the trees CANNOT be saved.. SORRY…DONE.. FINIS... CAPUT... they would probably go into fall colors early and then just die, DIE....DIE><>DIE

He said one of them still MAY be saved... but its a stretch.. it would take excavating around the tree to get at the strangling root and remove it. However, if he opens up the area around the tree and see it's too diseased he will not go any further. He left prices for all this at the house for my review upon my return. UM THANKS?

HE ALSO examined the oak tree closest to the house… took tissue samples as he believes it has a bacterial infection…will know results in two weeks… Dude my trees are being strangled and possibly have STD'S!.. SUCH a SAD, SAD Day at Mount Krumpet!

FOCUSED

2011-05-11T13:00:00.000-04:00

SOOO if I can remain focused..

This is my fall schedule :

9/4/11: Labor Of Pain 12 hour Run (I get to run with Joe all day.. precious) http://www.pretzelcitytiming.com/laborpain.html

10/2/11: Wineglass Marathon (get to drive 5hours to NY to run for wine..) http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/

10/23/11: Tussey 50 Miler (50 miles of hills and running “with” joe..no comment) http://www.tusseymountainback.com/

First off though...I have to get the LONE RANGER out of the way......

7/16/11: Lone Ranger Ultra 24 Hour Run…(SAY WHAT!)

So once that is done I should be able to FOCUS …a bit….so yeah the Lone Ranger Ultra… 24 hours of running… it REALLY DID seem like SUCH a good idea at the time (when I signed up 7 months ago).. but HELLO… running for 24 hours??!..

This is when you say OMG what the hell was I thinking! Like waking up after a night of drinking and OMG who the hell are you?!..

BUT I am STOKED! Seriously excited to see what I can and cannot do for 24 hours… I have my plan of attack… Pacers on board .. here is some of the info from the website:

The Stroehmann Back on My Feet Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon starts in front of Lloyd Hall - One Boat House Row and has become one of the most popular Ultra’s in the country. It’s for experienced runners who want to test themselves to see how many 8.4-mile laps they can do around Philly's Schuylkill River Running Loop in 24 hours .

All Lone Rangers must get their vitals taken when they check in (weight, temperature and blood pressure) – NO EXCEPTIONS. PLEASE DO NOT RUN or BIKE TO PICK UP YOUR BAG AS YOUR VITALS NEED TO BE PROPERLY RECORDED, or they will have to be taken again on Saturday morning
(Seriously… like why would anyone run or bike PRIOR to running for 24 hours..WTF! )

Many participants choose to bring their own tent to have outside to be a part of the great 20in24 atmosphere. There will be a lot of space to set up camp and you can see the site layout here. Some people choose to rent a van or a RV and park in the parking lot.
(Now that’s what Im talking about…. A RV!)

Pacers are only allowed for lone rangers after the 4th lap and they must be on foot – not bike. They must check in at the table and get an official bib. Anyone caught using an unofficial pacer will be disqualified
(Check pacers only after mile 30+)

We have instituted a flag system to keep all participants aware of the weather conditions and each flag color represents a different level.

1. Green Flag - Race status is normal

2. Blue Flag - Require all racers to carry electrolyte replacement (Gu Electrolyte Brew -supplied on course). In general, you can expect a blue flag when the heat index is between 90 and 101.

3. Orange Flag - Require all racers to stop at both of the medical stations on course. This flag will be shown when heat index is 102-105. Heat cramps and/or heat exhaustion are a very real possibility; heatstroke is possible.

4. Red Flag - Require all racers to walk. Please know that we are also runners on this end and we know the idea of having to walk is not appealing, but we hope you understand that we would only ask this of you if the heat index gets to a dangerous level of 105 or more.

5. Black Flag - If the risk of lightening requires intervention. Runners should proceed to the nearest rest station and the rest station personnel will record the bib number of runners who took shelter at the rest station.
(SERIOUSLY FOLKS... like I will even know my name, let alone remember what color flag means what after running for God knows how many hours....)

SO here are some helpful hints I pulled up for Pacers:
A large part of a pacer's success is his or her sensitivity to the runner's emotions. (UH - OH)Knowing the runner well allows the pacer to provide different incentives at different times. And it helps for pacers to understand the peaks and valleys any ultrarunner experiences while covering many miles over long, lonely hours. Sometimes a runner might be encouraged by praise for a fast split between aid stations or a great climb. At other times, simply mentioning the amount of distance covered or the "measly" 22 miles left to go might spark a wrathful reply from a fatigued, nauseated ultrarunner. At such times, the pacer needs to use his or her best psychological skills to redirect the runner's venting and refocus him or her on the task and goal.

The point is, first, be prepared for all requests that a runner may have, and if that fails, be creative. It doesn't take much to redirect a tired runner's limp mind.
(So whose in to pace me?!)

Ultra Website: http://www.20in24.com/the-back-on-my-feet-lone-ranger-ultra-marathon.html
Lone Ranger Start Time: 10 am - Saturday, July 16th…..front of Lloyd Hall - One Boat House Row.

Each lap is 8.4 miles ..at a 12 min pace would take around 1 hour 40 minutes..

End: 10am - Sunday, July 17th.

Tentative Pacer schedule
10am–5pm: SOLO (4 laps) 33.66 miles
5pm – 7pm: (2 laps - 16.8 miles)
7pm – 9pm:
9 pm – 12am: NIGHT
12am-5am: NIGHT
5am-7am:
7am-8am:
8am-10am:

(So whose in to pace me?!)

Altercations

2011-05-03T12:33:00.006-04:00

I had an altercation today..

At work…

You really have to wonder if people will ever truly get it.

I am seeing it more and more every day.. people are just HURRY crazy. People are in a hurry to GET to work…in a hurry to get OUT of work.. in a hurry to get JR to soccer, baseball, guitar and swim lessons…to get to the grocery store…to a movie…even to get to church..

But what people are forgetting in their HURRY is that many of them are driving thousand pound killing machines.

I know its frustrating when someone slows up your world, heck I hate being inconvenienced, but at least I know that even though I am supreme ruler of the universe, I am not the only one in the universe...

I don’t know how many times I have been almost killed while running…people in their big ole metal machines not paying attention… driving too fast…talking on their DAMN cell phones.. well today just solidifies it.

While taking my “peaceful” walk from my truck in the far parking lot at work to the entrance of our building, some ANGLO SAXON man who thinks he is more important than the rest of world ….tried to run me over. YES, I did see him in his “really important car" ..and unless I have new magical powers of invisibility that I am unaware of…. I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVISIBLE…. and the fact that he had to swerve around me should have indicated to him that perhaps there is a problem.

So lets say that MR. I AM MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD man missed the fact that he had to swerve around me because I was allocating space in front of him ……then maybe perhaps my arms in the air and screaming as-hole pointed out the exaggerated fact that dude.. “YOU ARE AN A-SHOLE.”

Somehow Mr. A-shole manages to park his car and catch up to me as I enter the building. Bad move on his part…

“Mame, I sorry but I didn’t know you were going to walk out in front of me… and you didn’t need to call me an an a-shole”

(... oh he is soo not seriously lecturing me after he just tried to run me over....)

I don't think its wise to start something with someone who is coffee and donut deficient…

"Seriously dude I was in the middle of the street and you tried to RUN ME OVER, you are an A-SHOLE. (EXCLAMATION POINT)!!"

Not sure if his mommy ever talked to him like that or what.. but he was completely shocked that OMG someone called him an a-shole.. NOT ONCE.. BUT TWICE!

I think he tried to justify trying to kill me by stating I leapt into his path.

It’s a stretch buddy.. truly now you are reaching for it, you do realize if I had "leapt" into your path you most certainly would have felt it because I would have put my fist through your windshield.

He started to mumble that he was “only going 15 mph.” Really and you know this because you were watching the road or your speedometer? And you do realize you were in a parking lot?

Conversation is done… told him to call security explain that to them and perhaps maybe they can explain right of way to him.. i did "wish him well" with a closing remark that “I hope you don't run anyone else over…”

I am sure I will see him later in the cafeteria or something.. or maybe he will try and push me down the steps or poison me…

.. perhaps if I had had a chance to have a donut..I would have been more charming…

When one door closes SLAM THE NEXT DOOR SHUT!

2011-04-07T14:09:00.007-04:00

Most of you have already heard by now.. for those who have not…

I did NOT make the first ROLLER DERBY DRAFTS….

So I pouted and I sulked.. and I cried myself to sleep. …

I guess I really didn’t think out what if…and yeah that was a bad assumption on my part.

I am fearless.. and believe that anyone can do anything if they believe it… I remember that first derby meeting, sitting around a picnic table listening to some man and his wild ideas, thinking what the heck, but oh yeah! I remember that first practice on my birthday learning how to skate...but oh yeah! I remember putting on my helmet on backwards and someone telling me.. but oh yeah!

I knew it would be hard balancing work, class two nights a week, family, keeping up with my running and tri training but derby was creeping into my soul. Yes, I know I am fearless..

I attempt a lot and sometimes I fall flat.. I pick myself up and continue on.. but sometimes it's just better to move on.. I spent a good portion of my life trying to make myself better, to hit goals and aspirations that well.. maybe are just not meant to be. Perhaps sometimes if you try something and fail.. maybe you are just suppose to fail and let it be.

For me life is about trying things I never thought possible and having fun doing so... a quote from one of my derby girls:

"I think of the first Saturday morning that we skated together and think how far you have come! You have been an inspiration to me. I am doing things at my age I never thought I would. I probably would have quit if you weren’t around pumping everyone up."

I'm glad my time in the league meant something, not just for me but for someone else. I am coming to terms with it ...and each day will get better. Perhaps maybe when that next door opens...I will peek first… R.I.P. NIKKI CAGE

Florida has made me SOFT

2011-02-04T10:06:00.003-05:00

So WHY can't my life BE DRAMA FREE!??? I was excited that class got cancelled last night (teacher had a personal emergency)… so I pick up Bessie from mom & dad’s and gleefully headed home.. thinking I will relax with a glass of wine and wait for Joe (his flight from Wisconsin was to land around 6pm)…

SOOO, I'm home, I change into comfy clothes, pour a glass of wine, and log onto computer. Typing away...enjoying my beverage.. I notice my fingers were cold....really cold.... WOW, this Florida trip must of made me reallysoft... I put a housecoat on and think about gloves… it hasn't dawned on me yet to check the thermostat..

Ok... I check the thermostat… uh oh....60 degrees.. heater fan blowing cold air.. hmm... we use Propane Gas... I check stove.. UH.. OH....NO GAS.. means NO HEAT, NO HOT WATER, and NO STOVE TO COOK….

I KNOW I paid my bill. ..yeah... I'm sure of it... and were on automatic fill.. D-mn, I am going to have to go outside and check the outside gauge. I put the big girl boots on... and slop over mounds of snow and ice in the pitch blackness, in the frozen tundra... to check the outside buried tank... which by the way is up a large hill… it' me and the flashlight...trying to make it through the back yard in almost knee deep snow..

I get to the tank... phew... take cover off ...look around... did I mention its FREAKING DARK AS H-LL OUT THERE and I’m next to the woods where the "CHUPULAPRA" is?… and that I’m ALONE?… I notice there is a hang tag in there stating: 2/3 Delivered fuel, but since tank was empty we had to turn off service because no one was home.

WTF??? WTF??? AND WTF? I mean isn’t the reason you deliver fuel because someone is low in fuel? I am soo screwed because now my peaceful night of relaxing is DONE…

I trek all the way back to the house..., amidst cursing and surprising myself that I didn’t just roll down the ice covered hill into the driveway with my big boots and house coat wrapped around my head… I call the emergency number on the tag.. I speak to a really nice gal who is sympathetic to my plea. It appears that since there was NO FUEL in the tank when they went to fill it they were concerned that perhaps there was a leak… so they shut off my service as a safety measure since no one was home. HMMM....I asked her why no one called to tell me this.. she said they didn’t have a phone number on file...

Seriously? We have been your customer for 5 years and you do not have our phone number… I am exasperated but either case I give her my cell phone. she would call an “OFFHOURS” person .. and that the “OFFHOURS” person would be calling me soon..I thank her… .and have another glass of wine … and wait.. AND WAIT…

An hour or so later… NO ONE HAS CALLED… I recall the E-M-E-R-G-E-N-C-Y number and speak to a guy who was truly unimpressed with his job and did not give a rats a-s that I was cold, hungry, and annoyed.. I very nicely asked the status of my “OFFHOURS” person as I had yet to receive a call. He acted like I was interrupting him, and matter of factly stated, “We have been trying to get ahold of the “OFFHOURS” person, we call every half hour and they have yet to respond.” I thanked him and asked him to continue to reach them.... he ended the call with something to the effect of, “Is there anything else I can help you with and have a nice day”.. ...

SERIOUSLY?? HAVE A NICE DAY? Are you kidding me? I am livid and on my third or was that fourth glass of wine.. Bessie looked warm enough and I was quite warm because my blood pressure was up.. and contrary to popular belief if you are in a plane crash a bottle of liquor is important!.. (dont ask it was on a survival test).

SO I WAIT.. and WAIT SOME MORE.. Joe gets home, I brief him, WELCOME HOME honey.. I’m going to bed… at this point I can hear Joe talking with the E-M-E-R-G-E-N-C-Y number people again… and it doesn’t sound pleasant… I pass out. …and wake to the SHRILL sound of my cell phone ringing at 10:30pm or so and it was the “OFFHOURS” person…It appears “OFFHOURS” Dude will be at our house in the am.

ITS NOW THE AM... the house is 52 degrees INSIDE.. I tried to wash up... I now have frost bite...do you realize how COLD well water is when not heated?...I dont feel the cold anymore.. i have lost all feeling in all my extremities... miserable, an understatement... I have had no breakfast, no coffee, and on the verge of a mental throwdown... Florida has made me SOFT!.. I toss Bessie into the truck and headed to mom and dads leaving Joe to deal with the “OFFHOURS” dude… WELCOME HOME JOE..

End story: so there was NO LEAK (of course not), the guy mentioned (under his breath) that they were behind on deliveries and that is probably the reason we ran out of fuel (NO REALLY)… So everything is FINE (gee thanks)… the service is BACK ON (no really thanks)… and the house is attempting to warm itself up…if anyone mentions snow, ice, or the cold in any format other than BAD.. I will hunt you down... life is good?

Rehoboth Marathon 2010

2010-12-17T13:02:00.004-05:00

December 11, 2010
Somehow I once again convinced joe that it’s a great idea to drive 2+hours in order to run 26.2 miles in 36 degree weather. Either I have really great persuasion powers or he's just really unintelligent (kisses)....originally the plan was to get up at 3am, drive to Rehoboth, run marathon, drive home.. but the ole man said that was not to his liking and we had to do option B: drive down late the night before, stay in cheap hotel, run marathon, then drive home.

I am not sure what it is about the Rehoboth Marathon but this is the 3rd time we have done this race and twice we were feuding prior to the start. “...and how come you didn’t wait for me you asshole!?” … “screw you beeach”… its just another wonderful morning in Mastripolito happy land. Next time I am so going to bring one of those light box things so when he starts, CLICK in his eyes, seasonal dysfunctional disorder... NICE BOY…

My intention for Rehoboth this year was to run it as a long run, no racing, just training. What was Joe’s intention? Not sure.. I tried to give grump a pep talk but like I said.. light box...

The start was great, other than the bitter cold, it’s a fast course and we lucked out with no wind.. and off we go. The first 3 miles flew by and I looked at my watch and UH OH… 25 mins… too fast tart… I clear 5 miles.. 43 minutes.. SHEETAH… stupid pet tricks.. yeah lets see how far this will get you.

Joe says I have a short attention span.. although normally I would agree, today... running for 4 hours and 41 minutes with no music and not a lot of happenings...nah.. I did get the unawarded honor of being "best dressed"…

Around mile 15 my knee locked up.. like I damn near fell over.. uh oh.. I stopped to stretch.. um… didn’t realize how much it was really hurting until about mile 18 when thoughts of morphine and chainsaws came to mind..

Crying would have been great, had I not been so aggravated over my candy corn. Trying to heat it up in my mouth while trying to run and breath, because if I dont get the 1 mm of sugar right now I may pass out...wtf is it frozen or stale?!! Something severely twisted about all of this… stop..

The bike patrol asked me if I was ok… he told me I could walk… NO REALLY.. thanks anyway.. NO REALLY I CANNOT PHYSICALLY WALK..

I couldn’t really get a good leg lift to run, and it hurt to walk so I would have to settle for a sickly slow shuffle. EVIL eye to the old crone listing to the right that pasted me, F/U's to the man dressed as a bumble bee, and yes I smiled at them all as they passed me.. because I CAN!

Around mile 22 I met a man, about dads age, he was curious why I kept stopping to stretch, I told him my knee was just being a bugger. He said it sucks getting older, I shook my head in agreement and thought he can't possibly be talking to me... heehee..

I am not much of a talker when I run, I mean I need to breathe and all and I still had candy corn stuck to my teeth but I grunted a bit with my new friend as we ran together, it was nice, my new friend was a man of few words.. until he pointed out the fact that we couldn’t possible run any slower and still be standing..

Finally finishing in 4 hours and 41 minutes… a smile on my face and then I realize that my beloved had been sitting in his silver wrapper in the cold waiting for me for almost an hour.. YES my friends, Joe beat me by almost an hour, finishing in 3 hours and 45 minutes. What the heck did he have for breakfast~!

The best part of the day was knowing that I burned like 5,000 calories and could eat a half of a pizza and drink a half of bottle of wine and go to bed with a smile on my face. Sometimes the lessons learned are not always in the actions applied.

BTW: December is our downtime… just saying

Because ITS MY BIRTHDAY

2010-12-09T13:59:00.008-05:00

My birthday day……

5:30 am: up early, breakfast with Joe … respond to all my wonderful birthday wishes and emails..

8:30 am: jumped in truck to drive the hour to Claymont Delaware for derby skates… hit up Panera, coffee, snack…

10:00am: an hour later arrive at Skatebuys in Claymont, excited... jump out of truck and race to door.. um.. hello.. door locked.. peer in window… hello?....check my watch, its 10:05am.. look at door… try door again (like I am assuming I am not pulling it hard enough).. still locked… peer in again.. HMPH.. check watch.. place was suppose to open at 10am.. it did not.. bang on door… HELLO?... go back to truck.. call them... no answer… get back out.. bang on door… try door again... sit back in truck.. call them.. no answer..

A little agitated… what to do?.. I am in Delaware..well...Christiana mall is “only” 15 miles away.. and since I am already in Delaware that is… I mines well ….because its my birthday…!

10:30am: so drive.. drive.. drive... get to Christiana Mall and the right lane ends and I have to merge.. do they NOT realize its my birthday!!! Refusal to allow me to merge.. sure its ok.. I ride down the side give them all the finger and cut in front of them…

I am now at Christiana Mall.. alot more agitated than I was say about a half hour ago.. and realize I really DON’T want to shop… just want to skate… but I don’t have skates..

Dilemma... BUT I bet some place in philly sells them and is open for skating.. I google on my phone and locate a couple of open rinks and go on to my new quest…. (I know I am mentally ill)....

10:45am: I am now heading down Route 95 towards philly…and coming up on the same exit I came off of where the skates are SUPPOSE to be in Claymont… you know THE NOT OPEN place… I try and call them one last time and I get an answering machine… ohhh… does this mean they are in???

Debate.. should I…. or should I not….??..... try and see if they are open ONE MORE TIME? … and WTF… off the exit I go…..AND YES they are OPEN! .....HAPPY DANCE.. because its my birthday..!!!

Go in.. get skates, jump back in truck.. and finish heading to philly.. I am going to open skate and try out my new skates!!!

11:45am: An hour later I’m in Northeast Philly and realize…WOW I am about 5 minutes from Joe’s work…

RING.. RING... Call Joe.. Want to do lunch for my birthday?.. Yes.. Great.. first have to check out roller rink…one moment please...

So Palace Roller Rink in Northeast Philly.. its off the Boulevard… btw WHO IN GODS NAME CREATED THE BOULEVARD?!.. its like 6 lanes divided into two sets of 3 lanes with a medium strip in the middle AND a ramp between each set of lanes.. so I am shooting to the left.. then to the right..then to the left.. and......

12:00pm: FINALLY… arrive at the rink... jump out of truck rush inside… find out it’s “Mommy and me” skate time.. ok?… So like “Do I need a kid to skate ?” (I ask the slightly irritated overweight man at the window)… .

YES you do… (I am SURE he was thinking more of YES, you stupid ingrate... idiot… why do you think its called, mommy and me! ) ..

Fine whatever… I ask him for a schedule.. for what reason... to save my dignity... because why the hell would I EVER drive an hour into this arm pit of society to skate anyway!?…pondering where I can find a child SO I CAN SKATE... off to meet Joe for lunch....

12:30pm: Pick up joe, who in turn brings me inside his office to meet all of his co-workers…..how precious… I don’t think I even brushed my hair… HERE IS MY BEAUTIFUL… here is Wendy.

Off we go to Unos, seat by the fire, a peppermint candy cane milk shake and walnut salad… because ITS MY BIRTHDAY…. !!!

Joe takes me next door to the mixed martial arts store for some apparel and ends up dropping $145 for both lunch and presents... SWEET… thank you darling.. kiss kiss.. he is looking for someone mentally stable.. please send all inquiries to Email Box: I cant take it anymore, please help... … I drop him off and head towards home.

2:00 pm: Out of Philly I go..an hour later I am nearing King of Prussia…thinking wow.. still have time..I can stop at the King of Prussia mall and look around…Because its MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

The OUT OF GAS light comes SCREAMING ON… with wild pings of like you are OUT OF GAS YOU MORON… . sheetah!!! SHEETAHHH!H!!! I plug in GPS (THANK YOU GPS) for nearest station.. PRAYING .. please.. please.. please… DO NOT run out … its FREEZING and I have to pee!!

WHEW.. find a gas station…start to breathe …that is “reasonably” priced at $3.08 per gallon and fill my tank for $75 dollars.. WTF!

2:15pm: SO TIRED… need A NAP… but I am soo close.. and its STILL MY BIRTHDAY.. ok.. so get to mall.. walk around REALLY fast…….. realizing that there are TOO MANY RICH people who can pay $75 for an eye cover made of FUR and $395 for a feather sweater... I dont blame the sales reps for completely ignoring me... I didn’t look like I had a dime… which of course is NOW true..

3:00pm: Jump back in truck… and I KNOW its STILL MY BIRTHDAY… I will head to Exton Mall, least they like me there, and hit up the tanning place.. and TJ Max..

5:00pm: have to get home, have to let Bessie out, feed … feed… feed… play…play..play… dress for practice, back in truck… Derby practice…

7:05pm: Made it to Derby Practice.. AWE! Bro, sister in law, kids stop by with balloons and a card… SWEET!! because ITS MY BIRTHDAY!!!

9:30pm - 2 hours of skating practice and drills… I am INSANELY exhausted…home, STARVING… pasta.. wine…

11:45pm – pass out and die…

BTW: I was up for all but 6 hours of my birthday day!!!!!

WHEW.. in 365 days I get to do this again!

Breaking the Rules

2010-11-24T12:33:00.006-05:00

Disclaimer: Note this is NOT to offend any of my facebook friends or family but to alert my facebook friends and family to something that may or may not affect them.. and oh its for me to vent.. thanks!

There is a reoccurring problem in the running community that I have no idea how should be addressed… People who run a race in another person’s race number and are scored in the wrong category..

Like Men who get scored in a women’s category, or a 20 year old who gets scored in a Masters age group category. Now, I am NOT talking about people who WANT to be woman nor am I talking about men who have a “woman’s” name and then accidentally get scored in the wrong division.. I am talking about people, specifically men, who race in a registered women's bib and then get scored in the women's division.

For those that don’t know the racing scene, let me bring you up to speed. There is a common occurrence that happens, people share race numbers (bibs), sometimes it is by accident (a wife and husband wearing each other’s race bibs in error), or sometimes a person is injured and can't run and gives their number/bib to a friend, or perhaps sells their number/bib to someone who couldn’t get in a race. BRAVO to them for finding a good use for a paid race number/bib… BUT… do me a favor, before you race ....take off the timing chip.

See, what people who run races as someone else fails to remember is that they are skewing the race results... because the person who is taking the bib may NOT be that same age nor even the same gender as the original race number's owner. Thus all of a sudden you have a MAN placing in the top 10 of a race in the WOMENS 45-49 age group category.

So you say why should I care? I don’t ….unless it AFFECTS ME, and my race results,AND THEN trust me...I care and take issue with it.

IN some races, the rules specifically state no transfer of bibs and they make you sign a waiver (something about legality issues). But besides that, the point is people need to remember that there is more than THEM in the world and that what they are doing may affect someone else; a man should NOT be scoring in a women’s age group category. PERIOD.

The way I see it is, if you are going to run in another person’s number/bib, remove the timing chip…DO NOT GET OFFICIALLY TIMED. You don’t need the official times anyhow because it's not your name that will appear in the final results. I had stumbled upon this issue again this am, it's not the first time I have seen it and I am sure it will not be the last.

I always check the top 10-25 gals in my age group to see what they look like, to see I guess who my competition is or how really SKINNY they really are…HA! And what I found was 3 men running in registered women’s bib for the women 45-49 age group..SHAZAM… and one guy went to the effort to tape off part of the girls name, and the other crossed off the girls name which you can still read if you look closely enough.

This GUY ran for Christine Hetzler of NJ and placed 8th in the 45-49 year old womens age group… totally skewing up results for people who like poor Gwyneth who is 9th but actually should be 8th… picture below is the guy who ran in Christines bib.. you can see he even covered part of her name so it looks like he is Chris

So here is another one…he was running for Deb Foster placing #23 in the 45-49 age group… he went to the effort of crossing off her name but you can still read it..

And then there is this man who is #27th in the WOMENS 45-49 year age group.

So could all these “women” Christine, Deb, and Hye use their winning scores to qualify for Boston? Absolutely, and the REAL women didn’t even have to run the times to do so.

Would they do that? I hope not, but they could. What irks me the most is that races try their best to prevent this from happening, even checking drivers licenses when you pick up your race packet. But, if someone wants to hand off their number to someone else, there is nothing anyone can do. I didn’t even research any further… if there were this many people skewing up the results in just the top people in one age group, I can’t even fathom how many overall there were. What is truly sad is I can’t honestly know where I placed in my age group. SIGH.

I guess for the future I can do one of two things,( 1) win the damn races so there is no question on where I place, and/ or (2) tackle any man trying to be a woman.

Voting is Hard Work

2010-11-02T09:08:00.009-04:00

Have to vote.... have to vote...running late, late.. late... have to vote..vote.. vote.. grab jacket, hat, gloves..

...drive to polling place.. Sweet..not too many people..should be easy in, easy out!...jump out of truck, look around.. it is me, a lady and a man...us.. only... with the doors locked..I peak in the windows.tap... TAP.. TAP.. i see someone... I motion to him…he unlocks the door ..and "YES?"

"Is this the polling place?"

"No…"

"Oh.. um… like do you know where the polling place is?

"No, sorry..…"

"Oh hmm…"

(like wtf to do?? - scratch head and)

"You know this hasn’t been the polling place for two years."

(Ok I am thinking smart ass isn’t that the last time there was an election, two years ago…? and shouldn’t you know where the polling place is if its NOT HERE!!!???)

Man in car - voting is at elementary school now… off we go.. I am SOO irritated.. will be late for work, havent had my coffee, and finally, get to the school, jump out of truck, notice that the STUPID seatbelt is stuck in the truck door... UGH!!... I turn back around but am still going forward … least my legs were..

Projectile missile... new shoes with pristine smooth bottoms…...catapulted my legs out from underneath me..smacking my big ole head on the ground... sprawled out, legs twisted underneath me.. half under the truck, half not, purse contents and cell phone spewed everywhere and OHH ... moan...groan...I only lay there for a fraction of a second, mortified, and amazed at my own amazingness... jumping up, looking around to see if anyone happen to see me.. brush off, and dude THAT REALLY HURT... hobble into vote... DUDE this voting takes a lot of work…!!!

Pathetic woman entering polling place and so kind polling volunteer, And "Good morning miss, nice hat…"

Pathetic woman touches her head.. and "Thanks"..i say realizing I had grabbed my funky hat instead of my professional work hat and then proceeded to look at my hands.. and OMG I am wearing gardening gloves…!

Dont ask... just really don't...least mom will be proud ...and I think my leg should be about broken by now...

Tussey Mountainback 50 Miler

2010-10-28T15:18:00.027-04:00

Tussey 50 Miler
Saturday, October 16, 2010

Not sure HOW I managed it... but I did… I somehow convinced Joe that running 50 miles was a good thing and then I proceeded to only run 26.2…

Distance: 50 miles
JOE: 9 hrs 41 mins (for 50 miles)
WENDY: 4 hrs 53 mins (for 26.2 miles)

START: 7:00 am
Leg 1:
Three Bridges, One Leg-Breaker
Mileage/degree of difficulty: 3.2 miles; difficult
Topography: Mostly gently climbing, with some steep ascents.

Cold (48 degrees) at start, windy (gusts 30 mph, sustained15 mph). I was bundled up w/hat, gloves, jacket. Joe’s plan was to run with me, well at least for the first half mile then he pulled away. Um ..what about the "we are running together" plan???

Joe is great hill runner and since the first three miles are basically up hill, I expected him to get a lead. I managed to run this first three miles better than last year, I felt good and was excited, maybe this year I can do A LOT better!

Of course what I failed to mention is that I started the race with a leg injury that I obtained playing at a race a couple weeks ago, rolling atop and over metal trucks in the Warrior Dash, and well I honestly didn’t know if I should even start today’s race. But I did... and I felt good, at least at this particular moment ....and hoped for the best. BTW: I did run the ENTIRE way up.. it was a slow run… but a run none the less..
Mile 1) 10:12 (up)
Mile 2) 11.03 (up)
Mile 3) 11.14 (up)
Break: No

************************************************
Leg 2:
Down to the Swamp
Mileage/degree of difficulty: 4.0 miles; easy
Topography: Downhill to level; gravel.
I am definitely a downhill runner, love how it feels, and well, perhaps I should have taken it a little bit slower... the THRILL of zipping by Joe was SO worth it..7 miles down and counting.
Mile 4) 8.59 (down)
Mile 5) 8.00 (down)
Mile 6) 8.07 (down)
Mile 7) 8.20 (down)
Break: No
****************************************************
Leg 3:
Race to the Beach
Mileage/degree of difficulty: 3.8 miles; easy
Topography: Fairly flat; gravel and then finishes on paved road. BOY I am simple....I LOVE this race..11 down!
Mile 8) 8:42 (down)
Mile 9) 8:51 (down)
Mile 10) 9.12 (down)
Mile 11) 10.17 (up)
Break: 3 min (sat, drank half bottle perpetium, potty, refilled heed and water bottle, stretched, saw Joe coming, waited for him, handed him his bag and left, most certainly he will catch me now the hills are coming).

**********************************************
Leg 4:
Three Up, Three Down
Mileage/degree of difficulty: 6.2 miles; difficult
Topography: Gently rolling, with several long hills.

I said this last year and I have to say it again… HELL... Ok so you can WIPE that smile right off my face. WTF was I thinking!!.. I started some walk breaks.. my leg is starting to hurt.. and Joe PASSES ME..17 down and how many left!?
Mile 12) 11:03 (down)
Mile 13) 11:40 (up)
Mile 14) 10.40 (flat)
Mile 15) 11:58 (up)
Mile 16) 15:18 (up)
Mile 17) 11:18 (Down then up)
Break: YES

**********************************************
Leg 5:
The Breeze
Mileage/degree of difficulty: 3.4 miles; easy
Topography: All downhill or flat.

PAIN and more PAIN.. I tried really hard to channel my energy to other things and the damn leg stopped working… I had to decide, what to do.....
Mile 18) 11:04 (down)
Mile 19) 11:05 (down)
Mile 20) 12:21 (down)
Break: YES
**********************************************
Leg 6:
Made in the Shade
Mileage/degree of difficulty:5.3 miles; moderate to difficult
Topography: Gently rolling with some moderate climbs.
WTF YOU DOING!? I am unable to run, basically walking and pulling the leg...so I debate with myself... I pass the aid station, I stop.. I turn around.. and I call it a day. I think it’s the most mature decision I have made in my life, but then why do I feel like such a failure?!

I huddled on a bench, shivering, waiting for the sag wagon. I thought about things, trying to calm the mind, cursing the injury when another girl joins me..she had hobbled into the aid station with a bum knee... and she too called it a day.. when she looked at me, she cried, thanks I think… dude we need psychologists here out on the course…I am now a blubbering mess... I tell her we are NOT failures.. weboth just ran a marathon.. 26.2 miles… on a HILLY course in less than 5 hours!!!! Through tears she agrees but we both know it's still there… those thoughts…

I have made peace with myself and I will be back.

Mile 21) 11:27 (flat)
Mile 22) 12:51 (up)
Mile 23) 13:44 (up)
Mile 24) 13:22 (up)
Mile 25) 16:01 (up)
Mile 26) 17:41 (up)

THIS WAS THE END OF MY DAY..

But Joe got to finish, I don’t have his specs.. nor his write up.. but he did mention that he saw a bear… A BEAR!!

it ran across the road in front of him... or so he says... and how he didn’t get eaten.. well thats besides me since he was taken out by little bees a year ago... things that make you go HMMM...

Although he did mention something about doing someone some bodily harm and something about not knowing about some hills and.. so on and so forth... and when I asked him after the race what he thought of how beautiful it was out there... I will not repeat what he said!!..

Don’t think I aint beating his ass next year!
*********************************************
Leg 7:
Miles from Nowhere
Mileage/degree of difficulty:4.9 miles; moderate.
Topography: Uphill, flat, then gently rolling.

Mile 26) (up)
Mile 27) (up)
Mile 28) (down/up)
Mile 29) (down/up)
Mile 30) (down)
************************************************
Leg 8:
A Flash of Civilization
Mileage/degree of difficulty:2.8 miles; easy.
Topography: Mostly flat, then gently rolling.
Mile 31) (up/down)
Mile 32) (down/up)
Mile 33) (up)
********************************************
Leg 9:
Head for the Lake
Mileage/degree of difficulty: 2.9 miles; easy.
Topography: Begins uphill, then gently rolling and downhill.
Mile 34) (up)
Mile 35) (down)
Mile 36) (down)
*********************************************
Leg 10:
Are We There Yet?
Mileage/degree of difficulty:5.3 miles; difficult.
Topography: Flat, gently rolling to more serious ups and downs.

Mile 37) (up)
Mile 38) (up)
Mile 39) (up)
Mile 40) (up)
Mile 41) (up)
Mile 42) (up)
**********************************************
Leg 11:
Climb to the Vista
Mileage/degree of difficulty:4.0 miles; moderate/difficult.
Topography: Progressive ups and downs.

Mile 43) (up)
Mile 44) (down)
Mile 45) (up)
Mile 46) (down)
**********************************************
Leg 12:
Trucks Use Lower Gear!
Mileage/degree of difficulty: 4.2 miles; easy.
Topography: Mostly downhill, winding.
Mile 47) (up)
Mile 48) (down)
Mile 49) (down)
Mile 50) (down)

FINISH: 4:41PM!

Results:
http://www.tusseymountainback.com/results.html

SIGNED UP: 117 people signed up for the Ultra
• 88 men
• 29 woman

Did Not Start: 16 people did not start (11 men/5 women)
*********************************************************************
STARTED: 101 people started the Ultra
• 76 men
• 25 women

Did Not Finish: 6 people did not finish (3 men/3 women)

FINISHED: 95 people finished the Ultra
• 73 men
• 22 women

Joe’s placing was:
5th Age 40-44
55th Overall out of 101 Ultras

CONGRATULATIONS JOE!!!!
YOUR AN ULTRA MAN!!

AND YOU WONDER WHY I RUN…

2010-10-25T14:26:00.010-04:00

Got to enjoy two great races this weekend…
Philadelphia Cross Country 5K (3.1 mile) Open Race & the OctoRun 13K (8 mile)

Cross Country 5K
I really do have a love affair with cross country, perhaps it’s the feeling of being able to take off running across fields, frolicking through woods, and traipsing up rather large inclines… or maybe its because that’s where I started my running 25 years ago… in cross country… either case I decided on Saturday to run an open cross country race, hoping beyond all hope that I could beat at least one gal, and hopefully a young one…

This particular race was an "open" race, which meant no age group awards, only the top 15 girls will place and I would be competing with everyone from ages 18+ and up ...

I soo love competing… something about just the idea of being able to do your best and being acknowledged that you did so… but then again nothing deflates it like when you see one of the area's top women runners, who happens to be in your age group, preparing to run your race... sigh.....when I saw Ms. Cecily Tynan... just say some people get gitty when they see “celebrities”.... I just want them to pick up knitting or something… just saying…

SURE I wish I could give her a run for her money or at least be somewhat competitive... but honestly… I will still be running when she is warming down and on her way home…

As I was waiting for the 1pm open to start, I watched the college and high school races ....I guess I should have warmed up instead... oops... time to race... across the field and through the woods.. to grandmothers house we go... and DUDE ....should have warmed up those legs... ignore the old man who passes… ignore the young boy who passes… ignore the fact that if you dont get your butt in gear you will be dead LAST... AHHHH... so I run... like I should run... because I can run....

24:50 (8 min mile pace)… 8th woman out of 15….[48th out of 73 overall]... I will take it… with a smile..!

PS: BTW do not NOT use the the port-a-pots in Fairmont Park.. I think someone was very created with their crap.

PSS: Cecily and I had a brief exchange after the race, she made mention of my long compression socks in which she was wearing a similar pair… it's hard to hate nice, talented, rich and beautiful… just saying.

OctoRun 13K
On Sunday, I thought a nice long run was in order and signed up for the OctoRun 13K …which by the way is 8.08 miles… so thinking at first it was a half marathon (thus the 13K mixup in my mind).. then realizing it was only 8 miles.. which of course was a pleasant find… less is best!.. and so I was up early and off to run me some fun in Hatfield…

Coolest tshirt and coolest gimmick… here have a small bag.. if you see a ghoul or someone dressed up with candy along the course, fill your bag.. the person with the most candy (weight wise) in their bag wins a prize.. hmm. Should I run for speed and try and place?.. or run for a prize for the most candy??... dilemma, dilemma…

Being the competitive bloke that I am.. I decide.. I am going to run it fast AND gather candy on the way… I can do BOTH!!!!

So we line up and OFF we go.. I have a strategy… I am going to use my hat to carry the candy and bag … I AM a SMART GAL… hmmm.. I see the first candy stop.. I pass it.. too soon.. not even a mile into race.. don't want to be bogged down yet….. hmmm... What if they only have two more stops and the last stop someone takes all the candy?? ...SOOO I better get candy at the next stop.. just to be safe.. I AM a SMART GAL…

I am blazing through the first 3 miles.. well under what I should be for an 8 miler… and I see a candy stop.. SCREECHING to a STOP to fill up my hat… (later some dude was like I saw you stop.. wasn’t that candy heavy?)… ok more on that ..

So I am pleased.. I AM a SMART GAL… I get back into my running having not lost too much time… mile 4… mile 5….ugh this candy is freaking HEAVY!… I am now debating whether to PITCH the candy or not.. my arm is going numb… I feel like I am carrying a small child… . and HOW MUCH does this freaking candy WEIGH anyway!!!?

By mile 6, I literary wanted to stop running… I am traveling the speed of a snail… I feel sick.. I am starting to get passed by everyone...WHY?! WHY?… WHY must I feel the need to win everything!!!

At mile 7…. I see another candy station.. and there is a TON of candy left.. are you seriously telling me I could have waited until mile 7.. and gotten my candy!!?? I AM SOOO NOT a SMART GAL.. .. I wanted to cry…

I brought in the race at 1 hour and 9 minutes and some odd seconds (8.30 ish pace)… I have no feeling in my arm and NEVER, EVER want to see candy again…

EVER….BTW I did manage to get my candy weighed in at almost 5 pounds… and was the record holder until the LAST OFFICIAL runner pushing a stroller came in.. and YES her child was holding a HUGE bag of CANDY… CRY...

(this is me holding my candy in my hat.. and in PAIN)

No place in age group … no place in candy weigh… may not be able to actually use my arm for a few more days… just saying….
(this is the gal and her stroller kid with the BIG bag of candy)

PS: Rethink running in a full German outfit at the half marathon next weekend… rethink… rethink...but they are offering… prizes.. and then there is the egg contest…hmmm

Next weeks Half Marathon: We will reward the best/funniest outfits (must have some kind of relation to Oktoberfest). Everyone loved the cuckoo egg hunt during the sloppy cuckoo trail half, therefore we will once again hide some cuckoo eggs along the course. Return a egg to the RD to win a cool prize…
....AND YOU WONDER WHY I RUN…

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful

2010-10-20T10:46:00.004-04:00

Please dont hate me because I am beautiful…

Ok so this has NOTHING to do with this posting… but I gotta have something..... can there just be one day.. just one day ....that I can live drama free….?!

Rush rush rush… always in a rush.. .. life just needs to slow DOWN... a bit... sigh.. sitting in traffic... Do you ever sit in traffic and look over and see someone doing something that just totally, utterly amazes you..?? Because you cant believe they are doing it… !? YEAH...

I have seen all types of crazy shit in the morning.. people putting on make up, reading the paper, SHAVING, god knows what they do at home because they are all on the roads doing it… and so this am was no exception on crazy…

I came up to the traffic light at the intersection of 401 and have to wait for someone who is backing into traffic in front of me out of the gas station... they are backing OFF a rather large strip of grass OFF a curb.. ouch.. thats gotta hurt ...dude.. what AN IDIOT!!… HOW do you do that?..you drove right up the curb and onto the grass.. like there are two entrances/exits... and you missed both of them??? .. what a F-ck NUT!…

Shaking my head .. I tell you .. menace..… as this person manages to get their vehicle to one of the gas pumps... how embarrassing... I look back over…hmmm that truck does look awfully familiar… thinking...

NAH... he doesnt go this way.... and he most certainly wouldn’t drive his BRAND NEW VEHICLE up a curb..I mean the dude buys specially made squeegees to wash his damn car.. I am straining my neck to see who will get out of the vehicle.. and the damn light turns green.. I soo wanted to see who ….

I dial Joe’s number..

RING.. RING… (pause).. RING.. RING…. Sigh no answer..RING..

Joe: “YES?”. (he answers)

Wendy: “Oh hi.. ........just was curious.. (PAUSE).. are you at A gas station?

Joe: “YES”

Wendy: “Um. … (PAUSE)… um...where you just up on a curb?” (IT WAS AN HONEST QUESTION!!!… )

Joe: “YES”

Wendy: (Silence…. Trying to contain an utter outburst of hysterics)

Wendy: “Oohh… (snickering )… UM ARE YOU alright? ......(pause)... Do you need me to turn around? (silence)

( perhaps the question of WHY he was on the curb should have been asked but I figured that well ….it was truly a mute point.. )

MORE SILENCE… like silence of the lamb silence…

Joe: “I’m fine”

Wendy: “Ok if you need anything…… let me know..”

HANG UP …..end of conversation … AND OMG ………………………………………..

PS: a shortcut to the gas station?.. just saying...

ChesapeakeMan Ultra Triathlon

2010-10-05T08:59:00.002-04:00

I thought I would share….here is the video of my second Ironman Triathlon that I did on September 25th…(140.6 miles).. did it in 15 hours and 26 minutes… it’s a 2.4 miles swim, 112 mile bike and then a 26.2 mile run… YEAH LONG DAY!..

Joe did an awesome job filming! It has sound… (btw I was LAST out of the swim.. but passed some people on the bike and run!)…I was a bit hungry afterwards.. just a bit..
CHESSYMAN VIDEO (Click Here)

Goals are Achievable

2010-09-23T16:23:00.006-04:00

Saturday, September 18th
I snuck out of the house on Saturday to run a local 5K race(3.1 miles). I didn’t have to go far.. in fact it took only about 5 minutes to get there… and that’s because I drove slow….. YAWN…

I have gotten really lazy lately... my pre-race routine used to be.. warm up, stretch, then some sprints... heck I will be lucky if I actually raise my heart rate while napping in the truck..

I check out my competition (while napping)... lots of 40 somethings ...W-H-A-T-E-V-E-R... no big plans, just go out and run …. but I better get outta this truck.. i line up...and sorry fat chick.. instinctively… my body does lunge forward on take off..

Around the first turn, I pass two young gals and I am now leading the race.. um.. excuse me... ? LEADING THE RACE!?… WHERE IS EVERYONE!!?? ..finally a guy passes me.. I am now in 2nd place overall with 65 or so people behind me… BUT NO PRESSURE... At mile 1.. two more guys pass me and I am now in 4th… I am lead female.. I am not sure how to handle this new found “pressure”… especially when someone yells out.. YOU ARE FIRST FEMALE!!!… um.. sheetah..gulp

This was supposed to be a semi "easy" training run.. not an all out and die run.. but um .. at turnaround, I notice there is a gal behind me.. not too close but still there… I am not sure I even breathed that last mile... and felt no sort of sadness when I passed the guy who passed me previously... I am now in third place overall..uphill finish, crossing the line at 23 mins.. (a 7:26 pace)… and I am FIRST FEMALE!!! YAHOOOO!!! Jump up..jump up.. jump up and down .. So perhaps my time was not earth shattering… BUT YAHOOO!!!! Even the most impossible goals are achievable!!!!

2010 Goals:
Run a half marathon in 1.45 or less
Run the 8K in Shamrock at 37 minutes or less
Qualify for Boston and eventually run a marathon in 3.45
~~Run a 5K WITHIN 22-23 minutes~~ COMPLETE
Run a sub 6 min mile
Improve Bike Time.. keeping a 18-19 mph pace for 30-50 miles
Improve Swim Time.. 1 mile to 1.2 mile swim under 45 minutes
Improving time on the Full Ironman hope to be under 13 hours
~~Be first woman finisher in any race (even if only 10 people run!)~~ COMPLETE

(PS: won $75 for being first female!!) Here is the link to the results: 5K RACE

Philadelphia Half Marathon 2010

2010-09-22T15:56:00.009-04:00

I can't seem to get a grasp on how to actually write all that’s been happening because all the stuff keeps happening!!!… one day… our life will slow.. and when it does…

Sunday, September 19th
Joe really doesn’t function well prior to say… 8am…

TIME TO GET UP! 4AM... RACE DAY!

Today was the ING Philly Half Marathon (13.1 miles) and somehow I convinced Joe that it was fun.. and that he should do it with me… (SUCKER)..

We arrived in Philly around 6am, parked and started our trek to the start… thankfully only 8 blocks away and we got there early enough to christen the port-o-pots, and oh yeah.. watch the sunrise from the art museum steps…

Life was in fact …Good..!

OK...time to line up… 20,000 people in 22 or so corrals.. thankfully we are near the front!.. Joe in corral 4… I corral 5… then off we go… yeahhhh.... running free... free...FREE.. and strong.. strong.. STRONG!... ain't no one stopping me....I ... AM...

....... Freaking tired as shit!... by mile 5… I was done.. toast.. finis... my legs felt like someone had beaten them and were just hollow shells attached to my dead carcass... and then D-mn .. "Hey"... um.. "Hello".. (my friend Denise had just caught up to me)...

[Denise is my running buddy… she and I are great competitive friends..in fact best friends... we sometimes train together, race together, work together and well I beat her last year at this race by like 11 seconds..and well HOW DID SHE CATCH ME!!?]....

I am thinking... calculating... she was suppose to be in the corral behind me..which by the way should have gone off 3 minutes later than me....thus I SHOULD HAVE HAD A 3 min lead!...Calculating that I just ran a 38 min 5 miler.. what did she just run a 35 min 5 miler!!!??? HMPH!!

I tried to ignore her… perhaps she would just go away.. but she would NOT.... I couldn’t shake her.. ...I couldn’t … and well... so it began... we ran together to the finish....

[BTW I come to find out later.. conveniently ...she failed to mention the fact she changed corrals.. so she was NOT 3 minutes behind me and thus when she caught up to me... she didn't have a 3 min lead... she started in my corral and only had a 30 seconds lead... DUDE... !! ]

Good tactical maneuver on her part!..hmmm...had I known... would I have tried to take her out? ..hmmm.. She swears she did tell me...when we were running.. that she had changed corrals... the fact I had ear phones in.. well... today was not about the win but about the friendship... she could have easily taken me out .. but didn't.. in fact she slowed at times to stay with me when she saw I was hurting...and I with her...

She was hurting from her previous day’s flag football with "the Amazons" and I from Saturday's overall female 5K win… so between us …pulling each other… and stubborn persistence (in not letting the other get ahead)… we managed to bring in the last 8 miles of the race…..together… finishing in 1 hour and 52 minutes… (around an 8.30 pace).. not too shabby for two 40 somethings…

Joe ran a blistering 1 hour and 44 minutes (around an 8 min pace)..which just goes to prove that he should have taken this up years ago… this running stuff… he is a natural. With no speed work and on tired legs to pull that... I have to admit that he showed really great restraint in not punching the punk who pushed passed him during the race and then later when Joe got ahead of him, the punk spit on his back.. I tell you… Joe is SOO much the better man… because I would have been arrested… for sure…

Joe waited for me at the finish… I tell you… nothing is better than that.. seeing him at the finish... unless of course it's me waiting for him..

Dad - An Inspiration

2010-08-07T07:47:00.004-04:00

THE RUNNER.....
Everyone has goals....some more than others...others more than some... but everyone has something they want to achieve.... then again...

Some of us achieve more...this is his story....about a man.... who had the strength and willpower to overcome two heart attacks, quit a smoking habit of 45 years and rebuild his life.

For anyone who has overcome an addiction, you understand the utter determination, dedication and strength it takes to win. To start from scratch and to rebuild your body from the utter core up... to take years of excess and shave it away...

5 years ago... my father had a heart attack...then another....

...the family core unit was disabled...and we didn’t know what we would do... without our dad...

Life never asked him what he wanted... but he told it ..his goal was to live...and so he did..... a stint or two later, a new lease on life, and months and months of rebuilding......of frustration, disappointments and setbacks.... of progress, success, and enlightenment.....it started with a walk... and then one day ...a run.

He ran through the cold, wet, and snowy winters......he ran through the hot, humid summers.... he ran through rain and wind storms...He ran after falling, bruised and bloody ....and he ran while his soul hurt when the love of his life was diagnosed with lung cancer. My dad ran to LIVE!

My dad the RUNNER!

PS: Dad just completed his first EVER 5K race (3.1 miles) at age 65, five years after two heart attacks, and just learning how to run....CONGRATULATIONS DAD!

Furnace 666

2010-07-27T15:07:00.014-04:00

DREAM RIDE 2010?

So really... you can’t take responsibility for people who willfully sign up to do something.. of their own free will.. right?

The Dream Ride Lancaster Century.... a spectacular 100 miles of elevationious changes, in 100 degree heat..was truly one of the most entertaining, scenic and challenging courses in the area....

And with this year’s inferno temperatures, even Satan himself watched from his shaded stoop shaking his head at the handful of knuckleheads attempting this ride.

Sometimes.. just sometimes....you meet people in your life that make you realize that...if you were to go to war... you would want them on your side....three of those people were with me today...

Joe, Denise, and Jim.

The day started off at 4am and it’s already 80 degrees.. the expected high was around 100 with heat indexes well above that. At 100 does it really matter what the heat index is?? !

We arrived at the start and started loading my bike at the amazement of people who asked if we or excuse me I... was going on a coast to coast tour.. so yes ok..I pack enough so that if I were perhaps to get lost for a couple of days.. I would be SELF SUFFICIENT..BUT HECK...I was a Girl Scout you know.. prepared!!!

We were on the road by 6:25am.. with a few banters back and forth of who was leading and which way we were going and then laughter and giggles and joyful abounds, sprints and smiles.. and happiness... for the first 30 miles..

So listen.. I tell you the first really big climb is around mile 43... and dude I need a really bigger set of lungs.. legs and a motor...how do they do that!?... Joe and Denise, up they go......damn light SKINNY people...heat.. heat..D-MN Its hoT... and try and BREATH.....legs... are... starting ... to ..seize.. up... up ... and up..

I am going to fall the F- OVER.... I get to the top...out.. of ... breath... gasping....Joe and Denise waiting for Jim and I....I tell them... through gasps that I think Jim was helping an ole man...

See smart Wendy kept Jim BEHIND her ....well at least on some of the hills... just in case I fell backwards.. you know so he could catch me...

So Jim.. the good Samaritan... STOPS in the middle of the GIANT hill to help a man with directions...... and then has to regain momentum just to make it back up... dude.. you deserve a medal for that one... hey and by the way... did ya notice that since Joe and Denise got up those blasted hills before us they got to rest a bit waiting for us!?.. and then didn’t let us rest.> WTF!... Jim mumbled to me that was some hill... and like YEAH!!...

You know when you are at the point in the hill when your legs seize up... you really have only two choices.. either stop and walk a bit or fall over.. I took the later... I got off my bike a few more times this year than last.. but I figured since it was now hovering over 90 degrees ... well that was acceptable.......

Then there was music... we have GOT to keep this Jim man around... I am like where the heck is that music coming from???......Jim is like our own sound man.... these droids...

So a little over the half way point ..rest stop... mileage is 66.66.... NO SHIT... told you when I said it was the Furnace 666..think I was kidding!?.. ....the ice packs they gave us ... were truly delightful.

Sometimes the reason you do something is not always the reason you end it.

Each of us had our individual reasons for doing the ride today... whether for training, time to think, for exercise, or just to say we did it, whatever the reason I know I needed to do this for my training... ..
what Joe, Denise, and Jim did it for.. I don’t know.. they would have to say... but what I do know.. this ride not only tested my mental strength it also tested Joe, Denise, and Jim’s mental strength.

At mile 80....MILE 80...Jim made mention that he could not go on..we all felt it.. Jim just vocalized it.... he was feeling extreme discomfort, pain in the legs, said he pulled something and that he was done.

I looked at him and not seeing any bones sticking out... said.. "NO you’re not"....

He said, "OH REALLY, I think I am.". .....I was a bit quiet... not sure how to motivate someone at this point who has done more than they ever have in their life... but I looked at him.. and there still was soo much fire left... I could feel it...

"Get something to drink... eat....rest a bit"...

Of course I didn’t think he would actually listen. I mean NO ONE.. really listens to me.. about the good stuff that is.. BUT...when I said to rest..I didn’t MEAN LAY DOWN AND DIE...

I marched myself over and told him in no uncertain terms that he was to get his fat lazy ass up and that if he needed me to massage his leg I would...that he had only 20 miles to go and that he could do it ...in his freaking sleep...!!

Perhaps I should feel offended that my massage offer didn’t even muster even a twitch of his finger...as Jim made NO ATTEMPT to acknowledge my existence.

NOW before you all go thinking I’m the epitome of hell..... I knew that if he dropped out now... he would regret it forever... and unless he was broken he could finish... I KNEW HE COULD... he just had to know he could.. ..

You can’t teach what he learned... how to quiet those demons..you have to be a person of utter superior strength internally and externally to make those demons STOP... those demons that say.. my legs are shot, I can’t go on.. I am tired, why am I doing this any way, I’m too old, too slow, too whatever... Jim beat those demons today.....

But let’s go back a bit.. so as Jim is laying there I tell him and Joe... that us gals (Denise and I) are going ahead... not waiting...

I was hoping I knew Jim as well as I did.. that he would see that yes its DREADFULLY hot.. UNGODLY HOT....and YES he should be in pain.. JEEZ US!!!.. its 100 miles... and that if he wasn’t in pain then he hadn’t done enough... and YES two gals are going ahead.. and he is sitting in the shade...

I knew... he would get his helmet back on and he and Joe would go on.... we didn’t see him do this.. but I knew he would... I knew he would be coming for us..

Of course Denise and I did have a chuckle about 5 miles down the road when we thought of ... what if one of us gets a flat tire?.. you know damn well the guys will pass us with their middle fingers in the air... and that would make us smile...

The gals brought in the last 20 miles... and yes happy... claps when we finished.. not sure if because THANK GOD they are finally done or WOW impressive that they did it.. either case .. it was nice... even the comment.. they are...gurls..... Denise and I finished at 3:45pm.

Joe and Jim showed up about 20 minutes later.. and I had the biggest smile on my face... because I KNEW THEY COULD DO IT... no one quits on my watch...

Although, Joe didn’t speak to me for about 20 minutes.. it wasn’t because he was mad...he was just physically UNABLE to speak..... and not sure if the temps ended up being 99 or 100 degrees and the index being like 110 or something ... did it matter?....with 9 hours on the road... 5,000 calories burned...and god knows how many elevation changes..

If I had to go to war.. I’m taking Joe, Denise, and Jim with me...

Smart Devices - Mom's Radiation

2010-07-27T15:06:00.005-04:00

SMART.......

I am ....... A SMART GAL....and can easily understand simple technology.. UM.....W-R-O-N-G....because me and the Droid X have been at WAR...

See my beloved Blackberry had done it's time and I thought how cool...I'll upgraded ...to the new Droid X.. looks like a gem...

NOT...!!!!!!!
Of course it was my mistake to change phones the night before my mother had to go in for a major radiation procedure not thinking that OMG I may not know how to use the phone...

Like I said I’M a SMART GAL. ... not only did it take me 15 minutes to figure out how to turn it on.. I am still trying to figure out how to actually answer the blasted thing!...

Tears... and more tears... not only did I somehow mistakenly turn on the Querky key board(or whatever the heck that is) ..and every time I type..jibberish..and pinging...and STOP SAYING..D-R-O-I-D!!!...

STUPID F-CKING MACHINE!!!!!!!!!

SHUT UP.......STOP With THE .......I couldn’t use the phone to tell Joe I couldn’t type.... and I couldn’t type to let him know I couldn’t type..and I was staying at the parent’s house so I could drive them into philly in the am...AND OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The morning came fast.. wake by 4 am....through puffy eyes off we go to Philly... we all held our breath a bit..wondering what the day would bring.. Would the MRI show new stuff in the brain?.. If so...how would that impact mom.?... How long would the procedure actually take?...would she remember my name!??....... so many unknowns... and so much thinking....AND.. what is that smell???

We are cruising down Route 76 at 5am in the morning and I smell peppermint... sniff sniff... I look at mom......MOM, what's you doing?

Mom says, “I’m sucking on a chicklet”...

“MOM.. you are not suppose to have anything to eat or drink!”

Dad pipes in, “SUZIE so help me god if they don’t allow you to have that procedure today because you are sucking on a chicklet.......”

Mom, “ I’ll do what I d-mn well please”

....so not going to say not one more word.......

WE made it to Philly and checked in .. now to wait.....wait for the word on what mom’s newest brain MRI would show... the wait.. is sooo utterly .. horrific... and then the nurse came...

The MRI showed no new lesions, and they would just do a clean up around removed tumor and then recovery and she can go home. I realized I was holding my breath because now I could breathe....and thank you GOD for this....

The nurse brought us to mom so we could visit briefly with her before the procedure..when we walked in the room, she had this metal cage screwed into her freaking skull.. jeez us...!!!

She looked like Darth Vader (when he removed his helmet)... GOD BLESS MOM!!!!.... so dad is like ...get her picture so she can see it... and I tell him I can’t figure out how to use the phone...let alone take a picture..

So as mom is laying there with the helmet thing on her head... dad and I are fumbling around with the phone.. .try this... no that doesn't work.. try this... ugh.. I can't get it.... mom is watching us... and finally says, “GEE...THANKS guys for coming”..

OH sorry mommy.. kiss kiss... now smile..CLICK....... (NOTE: this is NOT a picture of mom....)
http://www.pennmedicine.org/neuro/gammaknife/video.html
SO I swear I will never post her pic ... and I swear there is something really mentally wrong with our family.....

Now both our phones are dead... and we didn’t bring the chargers... and.....UGH...!!!

BUT THE BEST THING OF ALL IS.....Moms procedure went really well, and with her eternal great spirit... we got her home and out of philly before rush hour...

GOD BLESS MOM!

Hate the Droid by the way............

GEARING UP

2010-07-22T13:55:00.006-04:00

So I'm gearing up for a couple of interesting days..

Friday, July 23rd
I will be taking mom and dad into Philly so Mom can get her radiation treatment. The procedure is called the Gamma Knife.

Which is a highly advanced machine that delivers a powerful
dose of radiation to a precise target in the brain. Patients experience little or no discomfort during the procedure, usually go home the same day, and are generally able to resume normal activities almost immediately.

This treatment is suppose to eradicate any left over lung cancer cells in the brain. We have to be there by 6AM… which of course means leaving for Philly tomorrow by 4:30AM ….and then mom having to stick her head in a machine and get zapped for a few hours... .MOM, YOU ARE MY HERO!!

Saturday, July 24th
Is the DreamRide 100 Miler Bike Century.. it's now suppose to be 99 degrees.. YES I think that's just really really WRONG... I mean with the heat index.. what's that? 115? ..Did I say I was interested in doing the Furnace 666? ..

Meeting Jim and Denise in Lancaster around 6AM... which means leaving the house at 4:30AM... and UGH.. WTF!... BTW.. how much water CAN you haul... ? Perhaps I should get a camel...I figure we will be cooked by noon and anything we post.. well just be kind to us...

Sunday, July 25th
Camper leaves at 9AM… so that means all the clothes, gear, bikes, kayaks, and CAT.. has to be packed and in the truck by 9AM….Dad and Mom will be ready to leave at same time… um slight problem ... I signed up to compete in the Keystone Games in York, PA…a couple hours away... just doing a couple events… like the 3000m, 1500m, 400M, 200M, and the Javelin throw.. so Joe can handle the camper himself.. right... ???....UM yeah.. UM YEAH…!!!... I'll let you know THAT day if Joe just binds me up and throws me in the truck.

.. who likes reality...?

The Duffy Mastripolito Camping at the beach excursion starts in 3 days..................

Dream Ride Lancaster - Saturday 7/24/10

2010-07-21T12:58:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, July 24th, Joe, Denise, Jim, and I will be riding what I consider to be one of the most fun.. and HARDEST 100 Mile Bike Rides in the area.

It’s not necessarily the distance that’s hard, I mean that's hard in itself.. 100 miles on a bike in 6-7 hours...yeah your hinny will hurt.. but it’s MORE so because of the elevation changes, and the couple of STRAIGHT UP hills… that make me want to cry.. as I PUSH (walk) my bike up them... yeah.. Joe has NEVER had to walk his bike up.. but I can honestly say... I have, on two of the hills... had to... if I didn't.. I would have fallen flat over and just laid in the street to die...

OH YEAH and the fact that this particular bike ride is usually in mid July and it's HOT doesn't help..but I just love the course... the countryside is beautiful..limited yuppies in their elitist vehicles talking on cell phones running us over..not much to worry about, except those d-mn hills... (disclaimer: oh yeah the occasional farmer in his combine - who by the way looked awfully big in the middle of the road to me as a tiny biker)... well there we go.. I just checked the weather and its suppose to be 96 degrees on Saturday… holy sh-t and a half…

This will be the third time that Joe and I will do this Bike Century (100 miler) and the second time that Denise has… and Jim being the newbie… well hopefully he can put up with us for 7 hours! I wonder if I should wear the camera sunglasses... this may make for some great video play backs..

The 15th Annual Dream Ride Lancaster - J uly 24, 2010

Our bicycle tours will take you through the rolling countryside of Western and Northwestern Lancaster County with continuous views of preserved farmland, some covered bridges and the less traveled country roads.Rides start between 6:00AM-6:30AM (depending on fog) and usually finish around 6:00PM. Day-of Registration begins at 5:15 AM.
http://www.dreamrideprojects.org/BicyclingEvents.html#Dream_Ride_Lancaster

I need a VACATION from my weekend….

2010-07-20T14:09:00.009-04:00

Saturday, July 17th
Glorious day to drive to Ardmore to meet the daughter and her entourage (bridesmaids) to find the perfect bridesmaid dress.. and possibly the dreaded MOTHER OF THE BRIDE DRESS…sigh... now don’t get me wrong.. I LOVE shopping..and I love shopping with my daughter… but the idea of actually getting up early on a Saturday morning, fighting traffic, then having to deal with overly happy girls, trying on dresses, well .. the shop was exquisite... and I can BUY A USED CAR FOR THAT..

So after looking at a gazillion dresses… the girls decide upon some lovely ensembles.. in marine.. and they still had plenty of energy left..I'm exhausted... I'm resting in a fluffy, oversized chair, when Heather rushes over, "OH MOM, you have GOT>>>GOT... to try this one on"… I take my ___ and walk to the fitting room.. I stuff my body in the too small dress… so what you think?

"I don’t know mom… kinda makes you look like a skunk”…

So just gotta say.. it's soo wonderful to see Heather soo happy, and I am SOOO glad that she has such nice girlfriends. ..

I'm home now, contemplating my long run… How to get in 20 miles in 89 degree heat?

I didn't really notice much at first… I mean there is a slight breeze, and it's sure hot… STINKING HOT... STINKING .....AFRICA HOT... and not until about mile 7 do I realize I HEAR SIZZLING… is that my brain.. on FIRE?… and then I see Joe.. he drove the course backwards to find me and brought me more fuel! WHAT A SWEETHEART!!

After a quick couple minutes of replenishing my fluids, I'm back in business… Joe had agreed to meet me at the house when I got to mile 14-15 and then join me for the remaining 5 miles…

I circled back to house, grabbed Joe and off we went … should have known he would have tried to push the pace a bit… I am in some SERIOUS hurt now… and it came on fast… my toes went into spasms…..I thought if I ran one more step I may die… no.. I WILL DIE... EVERYTHING SCREAMED …… STOP.... RIGHT.... NOW… but I didn't.. you can't listen to the demons...no matter what they promise you... and so I drug my chaffed body in.. 20 miles…3-1/2 hours … then proceeded to deal with cramping for the next two hours… crawling to bed at 7pm….on a Saturday night... just saying... some of us party..

Sunday, July 18th
Oh lookie.. it's another day... so Joe.. let's go up to Blue Marsh Lake for some open water swim practice…(poor Joe)... … onroad and in water... Swim.... Swim.... Swim… a couple hours later..… one dead carp and a hallucination of a man on a raft… it's all good… it happens… SO BACK HOME…

....laundry, cut Joe’s hair, trim tree (so camper can get out of drive way), ride bike 15 miles..run another 4.... then my legs SCREECH to a halt… NO>>

Dude I HATE when that happens ........

Celebration Triathlon - June 27, 2010

2010-07-09T10:16:00.010-04:00

My fingers nails are too long, thus I guess was the delay in getting the Celebration Triathlon Story up.. the great news is Joe is officially a triathlete!!!!...

Here is our little story:
Joe and I arrived in Columbia, MD on Saturday, June 26th and proceeded to pick up our race packets, check into our hotel, and rack our bikes. The weatherman was predicting hot and humid weather and we were just really thankfully that this was a sprint triathlon, only a .6 mile swim, 17.5 mile bike, and a 3.4 mile run.

Of course race morning arrived way too early. Seems like no matter what we do, race weekends fly by. So 4am wake, oatmeal, coffee, stretch, check weather (yup still going to be HOT), mentally review list of things in truck for transition, head towards race. By 5:15am we were parked and on our way to get body marked and to set up our transition area, and of course to find a port-a-pot.

I want a muffin... I do NOT get a muffin.. and then I proceed to recheck my stuff in transition… like what do I think? My helmet will just walk way???!….so now to find Joe and wait 3 hours until our swim waves.. UGH!! Joe’s wave would be going off 40 minutes before mine, and mine was near the end… I guess that’s good.. I get to compete when its even that much hotter… sweet!!

I got to watch Joe’s wave go off and concentrated on his swim cap… he had a bit of a rough start and I had a slight moment of panic.. debating as to if I should jump in and “save him”… not sure two poor swimmers equal one good swimmer… but Joe gets himself into a rhythm and off he goes.. … whew… now to line up for my swim.

I know.. I know.. I am not a fast swimmer.. so I just line up in the back.. and we are off.. instantly I get my foot entangled in swamp grass… EWE>>>>>>I passed the first buoy no problem.. sun glare couldn’t locate next buoy.. so I just followed the gals ahead of me.. the blind leading the blind… after the turn around… the swim went fairly smooth. Everyone was really great about not swimming over each other..this was a first… even the waves behind us. Only one man in the relay division tried to drown me, that’s good!

Had to stop and catch my breath a few times and sight, but all in all swim was doing well until I hit MORE swamp grass towards the end. Literarily got stuck in it.. to the point where when I lifted my hand out of the water for a stroke, gobs of grass were hanging off it… I probably lost about 2 minutes untangling myself and giggling.. dude are you kidding me... this is fun??? Finally made it to the shore and I jumped out flipping grass off me..EW.. EW>>> EWWWWWWWW

Ran up to my bike in transition, Joe had stated that when he got out of swim .. he WALKED to transition… (trust me this will make a difference at the end – the running up… just you wait)… transition time not bad, ran up small hill to start the bike, official had to remove MORE SWAMP GRASS that was attached to my back. um.. EW?!

Took me about 2 miles to actually get into my “bike gear”.. meaning that after about 2 miles I actually stopped PLAYING around and started to “drop the hammer”..lucky for me I have a HEAVY bike and the down hills.. well I maxed out going 40+ mph.. yes sir… LOVE SPEED.. but you know if the hill is long and steep enough to go 40 mph down.. and it's an out and back course.. WELLLL.. what goes down must come up…

The course is rolling hills, with two large climbs and I SOO need more hill practice…but I was passing hordes of people who beat me out of the swim.. and that boosted the confidence…
Joe will end up doing a GREAT bike split but will come to find out later (after race) that he did it with his back brake partially locked on.. DUDE!!!

The run is usually my strength but JEEZ US IT WAS HOT!!!!... I mean like just really REALLY HOT..
I sooo wanted to walk.. especially when I saw others doing soo.. but I knew I couldn’t allow that .. pace was way off my normal pace, but I was passing people.. It was the longest 3.4 miles ever!

The heat was definitely a factor. D-mn shoelace came untied at mile 3 and I was not stopping to tie it. I finished strong with a sprint and was NEVER so happy to be finished a race.

I need to work on my swim, as does Joe. The slow swim puts us too far back in the age group standings and is frustrating. But here are the specs:
Wendy Specs:
Swim: 58th out of 75 in age group.. THIS IS A VAST improvement from when I used to be like last or next to last in age group!
Bike: 14th out of 75 in age group
Run: 10th out of 75 age group.
Overall: 16th out of 75 age group

Joe Specs:
Swim: 94th out of 102 in age group
Bike: 39th out of 102 in age group
Run: 39th out of 102 age group.
Overall: 67th out of 102 age group

Celebration Sprint Tri in Columbia MD was great even with the seaweed, tough hills and 90 degree heat!

Wendy’s 2:13:28 to Joe's 2:15:55.. WHO’S YOUR BABY!!….the transitions will kill u...told him so :)

We did fairly good in the couple's listing too… 9th out of 20 couples.. next year we will be in the top three!!!..
http://www.tricolumbia.org/Sprint/

Eagleman 2010 Race Weekend

2010-06-18T15:15:00.012-04:00

So Eagleman Half Ironman Triathlon. 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run… 70.3 miles….. didnt go exactly as planned... however.. the weekend did start off great..

On Friday, June 11th...I with the bikes in tow.. drove to Indian River, Delaware to spend Friday night with mom and dad in the camper. A welcome surprise was that my brother, his wife, and my three darling nephews would be there too….sweet….

I got to admit, the sleeping accommodations needed some work.. my brother in his intimate wisdom pitched a tent for he and his beloved for their anniversary… yeah… and the three darling nephews had to stay in the camper with the parents and myself... of course the littlest one, the five year old, wanted the top bunk.. I got the bottom bunk.. the other two the pull out couch and table…sometimes you just KNOW when things are not a good idea..

SMACK… I promptly smashed my head on the too low clearance between the top and bottom bunk.. “SHIT!!”…. The quietness of the room and the little peering eyeballs … OOPS.. sorry little ones… I wonder what else I can teach my young impressionable nephews....

Knowing that two nights before a big race is important for sleep, I retired early as the little ones are being tucked in…lights off.. nighty night....and out of the darkness I hear in a faint little voice, “SHIT IT’S DARK”…. Sigh.. lovely appropriate use of a new word…

… As I start to fall into dreamland I am awaken by the sound of little five year old fingers playing a melody on the metal blinds… "..Andrew.. shhhh"… alls quiet .. then.. flip... flip… flip.."ANDREW..." quiet… then flip... flip.. flip.." ANDREW... FOR THE LOVE OF GOD… KNOCK IT OFF!!>".. silence…

Ahh… so proud of myself … the life learning’s I have just given my nephews…back to sleepy… and then WHOOSH… BANG..SMASH… WTF!!!?… the littlest troll just rolled off the top bunk, bouncing off my “at rest” body on the bottom bunk and catapulted to the floor...… I sit up , hit my head (on the too low clearance), say some explicative’s, find out he is ok.. (my brother happen to be walking by and grabbed him before he wailed…).. and I went back to bed… dude.. Drama has once again found me…

On Saturday, June 12th I drove over to Cambridge, Maryland to meet Joe for packet pick up and bike racking.
This would be Joe’s first Half Ironman Triathlon and I was so excited for him. This would be my third, and even then I was excited because I just LOVED the course, Cambridge was one of my favorite places to swim, bike and run…

The day went too fast, from getting our packets, to browsing the expo... and yeah I can buy something anywhere.... to racking our bikes and taking a warm up dip in the Choptank River. Life was in fact… good…I am blessed to be able to do these things and able to spend time with my loved ones.!!!

On race morning, Sunday, June 13th I was proud of the fact that Joe, even though he was really nervous looked really happy and excited. This was our day!!!

There are alot of things that can happen in a race.. the weather can be bad, tires can blow... nutrition can be off..just know you can count on just about anything in a race... I have raced in torrential rains for 15+ hours at the full Ironman, in snow for over 5+ hours in Vermont’s Half Marathon on Snowshoes, in the 93 degree/107 heat index for Eagleman 2008 Half Ironman, so I am mentally prepared for just about anything... but I wasn’t prepared to be told we couldn’t wear our wetsuits for the swim. WHAT!!?..It appears that the water was too "warm" and wetsuits were not permitted this year..

A wetsuit helps keep a person more buoyant, so they “swim better” and definitely helps slower swimmers swim faster, and well I already knew from reviewing the tide chart that we would be fighting a current going out..and I know I am a slow swimmer.. I know my swim rate and it would take a near perfect swim for me to make the 1 hour and 10 min time cut off without a wetsuit... and I knew I could not let Joe know how close I would be to that… so I made sure to let him know I would be fine… this is cake I say!

I watched Joe head off in his wave.. I am soo proud of him. For someone to have gone from smoking a pack a day, just a few years ago to tackling his first Half Ironman Triathlon, WOW! I couldn’t have been prouder!!! He went into the water with gusto. He is just amazing… I watch his wave swim away... I say a prayer, that God look after him and I head to the start to line up for my wave.

I want no issues of being swam over, punched or kicked, so i line up in the back, and then we were off... I had absolutely no problem in the swim, no panic attacks, no problems putting face in water, no problems what so ever… swim .. swim… swim.. look up to sight buoy, swim …swim… swim … look up … um.. WTF.!?. not going anywhere?… I swear I was swimming in place.. then the swim waves behind me caught up.. ALL OF THEM… I was passed by orange caps, black caps, I think blue caps?

So after "playing with the dolphins" for a bit (joke) I return to shore.. 1 hour and 21 mins later!! (alas not knowing my time as I had forgotten to start my waterproof watch)… I wipe the river slime off my face, say a prayer of thanks, and run into transition.. I am heading on the bike!!!!..

I had a flawless transition.. and no problems on the bike.. although my bike split wasn’t the best.. I still finished well within the cut off needed for the bike and 3-1/2 hours later, a little beat up but happy, I returned to the transition area...ready to run… WOW.. only 13.1 miles to go!!!!!.. easy stuff… I can do this in my sleep!!!
I sit down and wipe off my feet and prepare to put my running shoes on and um.... what is that???? .. I peer closer.. and there is a giant piece of silver duct tape across my sneakers with the words “DQ DO NOT RUN” in black magic marker.. I look to my left, then my right, is this a joke? I stand up… there is another piece of silver duct tape with the same words on my name plate on the rack… HUH???!.. I scratch my head, look around and I see others who have similar duct tape…

I think for a moment… I do some calculations…. I know I made the bike cut off.. I think... think.. OMG I must of missed the swim cut off.. oh shit! UGH!!!!

I don’t cry, I am numb. I walk over to Joe’s bike in transition to see if I can grab our truck keys, I figure if I cant compete now ...I best get to the truck and get the camera out and take some pics of Joe coming in… I look for the truck keys and can't find them amongst his stuff.. hmph… I return to my bike, gather my stuff and turn in my chip… my race is over…

Now to watch Joe finish.. I am truly excited… I cannot wait to see him cross the finish line!!!… I think back on our training… it was fairly spotty (due to lots of reasons) but we still got some in and I was just so dang proud of him… he is doing it!!!!

Alas, I will come to find out that Joe too was DQ’d (disqualified) and was “hiding” from me when I came in from my bike, he didn’t realize I too was DQ’d… When I didn’t come out of transition to run, he went to look for me .. about a half hour later we accidentally ran into each other.. and we realized we both were DQ’d. ...Was kinda funny… Joe? ..Wendy?? We gathered our stuff up and left..

We come to find out that 200 people were disqualified like us off the swim but not until after the bike and had silver duct tape informing them of that.. but what was the pisser is that 50 people were allowed to continue on… and some of them had worse swim times then us. Whether these 50 people snuck through or were allowed, don’t know, but the fact is that they got the opportunity to finish and we did not.. well just say angry is an understatement.

The rumors over the next few days were that some of the buoys had drifted, the course was long, times were off, etc.. either case, doesn’t matter, we can't get the day back.

Joe was only over the time cut off by 4 mins, and considering this was his first 1.2 mile open water swim, he did great! HE passed many of his age group on the bike… and well we got to work on that swim…! I got to admit this is not how I pictured the day going but sometimes there are lessons to be learned..and well when I figure out the lesson I will learn it..

PS: I have started my training for Chessy Man… no one will tell me I cant swim 2.4 miles in the time cut off… and this is when it begins…

Pre-Eagleman Pics

2010-06-12T20:20:00.000-04:00

EAGLEMAN HALF IRONMAN TRIATHLON

2010-06-10T15:58:00.008-04:00

Hi… will be heading to cambridge this weekend to compete in the Eagleman Half Ironman Triathlon (1.2 swim, 56 bike, 13.1 run)…

This will be Joe’s first Triathlon and it’s a big one…our training has been less than optimal this year for various reasons, but I have to tell you, he looks good and I expect him to finish with no problems… but its such a big race that I have to warn you (as you all know what happen to me not making swim cut off at Columbia Tri), that things may not go as planned..

We both are competing… and its should take around 6-7 hours..
1.2 mile swim
56 mile bike
13.1 mile run
****Its suppose to be 90 degrees and humid
The swim is in the Choptank River, which is saltwater and can be very choppy at times, although I have lucked out last two years and its been fairly calm, there are jelly fish, and the bike course is very windy, and the run course NOT shaded. It’s a VERY tough course and Im proud that Joe is even attempting it… Race is this Sunday, June 13th… his wave starts at 7:28am, mine at 8:30am.. so here is approximately where we will be depending on of course a lot of variables, but will give you an idea

Joe
• 7:28am: Swim wave start (his wave has 352 men starting).. there are over 1,500 people in the race. (In previous races we have seen people turn back or need to have the kayaks or support vehicles pick them up, mass starts people get (accidently) kicked , punched, swam over and stuff…the swim start is tough.) Swim cut off is 1 hour and 10 minutes.. Joe should be well under an hour and be on his bike.

• 8:30am on bike: The bike portion should take about 3 hours to 3-1/2 hours so by 11:30-12 he will be starting run.

• 11:30am-12pm starting run: Now the run can take anywhere from 2 hours to 3 hours depending on the heat. So you figure best case he will be done race at 2pm and worse at 3pm .

• 2:00-3:00pm JOE DONE

• My wave starts a half hour behind him.. so I wont be done until 2:30-3:30pm

You may be able to access info about the race at the following:
Eagleman Triathlon
** NEW ** CTA TRI-Lights – LIVE-WIRE: CTA and ASI Photography will bring you REAL-TIME, LIVE blogging and photos throughout the race. Friends, fans and family can visit
http://www.tricolumbia.org/Eagleman/
for up to the minute exciting race information.

I will try and post pics on the blog and on facebook so you can see us prior to and after!

Mastripolito Picnic Pics

2010-06-10T11:21:00.009-04:00

The Mastripolito Annual Theme Picnic Extravaganza was a smashing success. Lots of food and family fun... here are some pics…

Voting for Queen & King of Picnic.. AND BEST COSTUME.. was done by secret ballot

WINNER FOR QUEEN... TADA... WENDY

WINNER FOR KING.....DRUM ROLL... CHUCK.. THE BROTHER!

BEST COSTUME... THE DUFFY FAMILY (dude they were good)

Awards Table... awards were also given for the games and events...

Daughter & future Son in law...

...um is this any way to treat your future mother-in-law!?

The Parents...

Hmm.. I wonder what theme for next year....

The DiamondGirl Delaware Triathlon

2010-06-07T14:32:00.006-04:00

June 6, 2010 – Bear, DE
1/4 Mile Swim~10 Mile Bike~2 Mile Run
http://www.piranha-sports.com/Race86.aspx

4am is just WAY too early.. for A LOT of things.. especially on a day off....but nope, me no learn, “Oh look Wendy, lets sign up for a race at the crack of dawn... on your day off… and make sure it's far enough away that you have to get up extra early to get there!!!

I must have frontal lobe damage, because I actually pay$$ to do this... because.. I can?

This will be the second year that I am doing the DiamondGirl Triathlon in Delaware, in which I sweetly called a “Baby Tri” (Please note, this is not to make fun of anyone doing this particular tri or any tri, as I have the highest respect and admiration for anyone who attempts a tri), but I call it a baby tri because once you swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles.. to swim only a quarter mile, bike 10, and run 2.. well you get the point..

So my wave is set to go off at 7:50am….its 78 degrees with 8 mph winds… by the time I will finish it will be 84 degrees with 10 mph winds.. Denise is also racing and we were hoping to gauge our fitness and to get a good opportunity to test out the equipment.... I was fairly confident in my training.. that it was fairly nonexistent.. and so I was hoping for a calm swim, favorable winds on the bike, and a jet pack on my ass in the run.

I had a mix of emotions about my new founded age group… I was hurdled out of the 40-44 year group by the triathlon race rules that stated whatever age you are at the END of the year is your race age.. HONEST official I am only 44… won’t be 45 until December… don’t you dare put that 45 on my leg!!!!!... yeah well that puts me now in the 45-49 age bracket..SIGH.. WHAT!!..

So I take the 45 on my leg with a wince (they body mark you with your age.. aint that great!) and hope that Denise my running buddy who is still “young” and in the 40-44 age group can recognize me.. in my new age and all.. so body marked and bike in transition and now to wait. ....I watch all the newbies worry about what to do and how to do it and I smile.. because I was there just three years ago...

Suffocating in our wetsuits... Denise and I head to the water.. … and then off we go. ....I am not a particularly fast swimmer.. so it's no news to Joe, who is watching, that I am dead ass last in our wave..... Even the 75 year old woman is ahead of me.... Sigh...... But don’t lose heart. I have done this plenty of times before, I relax, get my bearings and get about the business… I start to pass some gals (who where hanging on to the buoys) and then get tangled up with backstrokers.. kicked in the face will always make a swim more fun.... By the time I round the last buoy I am in a good position, I am excited.... first time in three years I am not near the end!... I almost drown smiling!

So up to transition I go.. GOOD GRIEF.. this new age group is exhausting...I am sure breathing extra heavy...(I mean the lack of training.. had nothing to do with it…) ..on to the bike… “Sure the wetsuit is easy to get off, I have never had a problem”… this was me in my great wisdom telling Denise before the race.. yeah, stupid pet tricks.. thats what I looked like as I contorted left and right trying to remove the neoprene from my body....

Joe had informed me that Denise was about 2 minutes ahead...hmm... 2 minutes.. on the bike I go..... It took about a mile, and my breath caught me... and I started to pick off people… Left.. Left.. Left… I was feeling fairly confident in my ability to catch Denise and looked forward to when I passed her.. two minutes.. is nothing…

Then the fat chick passes me.. WTF!!!!… I look down at my bike meter.. I am going 19 mph.. and the chick with the LARGE ass, passes me… and the age on her leg.. 49… OMG she is my NEW age group!!! .. now not only am I now "OLD".. I am being beaten by an OLD FAT CHICK! .... It takes me a bit but I catch back up to her.. and I pass her and smile.. which was fairly short lived when she repasses me a few minutes later..... HMPH!!!

The last mile, I spread terror into my legs and tore past her and TOOK my victory.. YES!!!!!..NO FAT CHICKS FOR ME!!!!.. of course I am gasping as I run into transition.. to find my running shoes.. "Boy, this new age group is just SO competitive!"

I takes me only 58 secs in transition.. and I start my run.. and WHO IS IN FRONT OF ME..??????.... YES.. THE FAT CHICK!!! WTF!!! I started to contemplate the teasing and ribbing Denise would give me if I let this “old” fat chick beat me..and how the hell did she make it out of transition faster than me!?... SO I sprint past her.. I run like they are dangling $100's in front of me... I'm in oxygen debt for 2 miles! JEEZ US!

Denise beat me overall ...but she's a “young buck”.. and that’s what I’m sticking with…and I BEAT THE FAT CHICK!!! .......YAHOOO!!!....LIFE IS GOOD.. damn endorphins so confuse the body.

.....Eagleman Half Ironman Triathlon… 6 days and counting…

Dover Air Force Base Heritage Half Marathon

2010-05-05T10:32:00.005-04:00

Joe and I are doing this on Saturday...can only pray for NO DRAMA!!!.. I mean what could POSSIBLY happen on an air force base??!
*************************************************

4/14/2010 - DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- The 436th Force Support Squadron is teaming with the Air Mobility Command Museum to host a half-marathon, 5k run and childrens' 100 yard dash May 8 at 8 a.m.

The event will be open to the general public and begin at the AMC Museum."This is the first time we've allowed the public on base for an event like this," said John Murray, 436th Force Support Squadron fitness program manager. "This is an opportunity for the public to run on the base and see what the base is about."The half-marathon will span the length of the base and back for a total of 13.1 miles."

"The event will be held to honor the C-133 Cargomaster crews, which will be holding a reunion at the AMC Museum.

Click on Here for Website info: Dover Half Marathon

To market to market to buy a fat pig - My Marathons

2010-05-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

So sometimes you have to step back.. and look at stuff... and well I stepped back and realized that in the last three years I have done 12 marathons and 2 Ultra runs....completing 5 states out of 50.........SWEET!!!!!

Ocala Marathon: 01/31/10 - Ocala, FL
4:25:30
It was cold, 45 degrees but optimal running weather, a bit of wind, a bit of stomach distress, Oh yeah there are hills in Florida, wasnt pretty, but got it done

Rehoboth Beach Marathon 11/21/09 - Rehoboth Beach, DE

4:02:50
WOW... some race! best time to date.. almost broke 4 hours.. would have not my legs been a bit tired... ran at a 3.50 marathon pace until about mile 16... by mile 22 I was at a snail pace but still moving forward. Great course, a couple slight inclines, but all in all great weather (bit chilly at start). LOVE this course!

Tussey Mountainback 50 Miler 10/03/09 - Boalsburg, PA
10:03:46
This was my first 50 miler. What an awesome experience. Shocked myself at how fast I did it considering the hills were HORRIBLE and that this was the longest I had ever run in my entire life. The terrain reminded me a bit of Vermont but I was in PA. Relatively little cramping, and no blisters! Nutrition was perfect, all Hammer products, liquid nutrition only. Weather was perfect, foggy and cold at start 46 degrees but then mid 50's, and finally low 60's. Mix of rail trail and road, rail trail felt wonderful on feet, any road encountered after mile 40 hurt. Each mile was marked and course is certified. Relay runners were also on course. Only problem was the relay runners aid cars would pass us on the rail trail near the aid stations and it was tight and the runners would get pushed to the side of the road where the larger rocks were, so this was kinda not cool, but the support from the people at the aid stations was great.

Lehigh Valley Marathon: 09/13/09 Allentown, PA
5:01:28
Tough day for me... spent 18 weeks training to qualify for Boston and something like Anemia stood in way. Was out for the count by mile 4, walking and jogging rest. Bit humid but course was mostly shaded, temps mid 70's. Course was not completely flat as stated, there def were some inclines and a couple steep descents. The rocks around mile 19/20 were brutal, tore up my feet. Some of the aid stations ran out of power aid, and I didnt see any aid station with any kind of food, nor treats, not that its expected but its always nice late in a marathon to grab an orange or twizzler. A little disappointed that once I crossed line that most of the food vendors and such had packed it up and left. Didnt get any food. Another runner from NY had stated he was a bit disappointed in that. Didn't seem like they took into account people who would finish after 5 hours... Didn't care much for having to wait for the shuttle to get driven back to where my car was. All in all the marathon was scenic and nice and I am sure I could have run it faster if I was not as ill.

Bob Potts Memorial Marathon: 05/31/09 York,PA

4:08:55
Signed up for the race for two reasons, 1) it being a memorial race to a great local man who passed away and 2) I needed to get in a "long" run of 16 miles... so I ran the first 16 hard and walked jogged the last 10... INCREDIBLE course.. flat (except last hill onto track), rail trail so the running surface was more giving for the legs, mid 50's at start of race with low humidity, got warmer and sunny but was a nice early start of 6:30am... Support was fantastic, they put on a class A marathon, this IS A MARATHON you can PR at.. I PR'd and used it as a training run! Next year I am coming back to blast it and try to win one of the cool awards.. they were train track rail spikes(if that is what you call them)on a plaque.. VERY COOL!

Ocala Marathon: 02/01/09 Ocala, FL
4:26:30
FREEZING at start (32 degrees), warmed up to 60...Very nice course, rolling hills, friendly volunteers, glad I did it!

Rehoboth Marathon: 11/22/08 Rehoboth Beach, DE
4:39:35
VERY COLD, windy...but great course.. flat and would have been fast .. if I didnt have total left leg failure.. oh well.. back to drawing board... great race, scenic... hope to try again... very nice medal.

C&D Marathon: 11/02/08 St. Georges, DE

4:37:42
OMG.. legs died at mile 7!!.... WAY too early for that stuff... was keeping a nice Boston Q time until then... then legs left.. went away.. still looking for them.. course was different than last year, some hills, lots of gravel. When I find the legs will be back.

Chesapeake Man Ultra Triathlon (Ironman Distance):09/27/08 Cambridge, MD
5:46:13
Ironman Distance Triathlon.. 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run.. Rain...Dead fish, Chop, and Jelly fish...Rain...25 min Flat tire and chain issue...Rain.....Road flooding..with Fish...Rain...Bugs....Rain...DARK.. DARK.. DARK.. Did I mention Rain?

50K Hat Race: 03/29/08 Havre de Grace, MD
6:44:08
My first ultra.. WOW.. it was great. Hilly course in Susquehanna State Park, Maryland. Day was perfect.. 40's temp., sunny, amazing!

Tybee Marathon: 02/02/08 Tybee Island, GA

4:10:06
AWESOME!!!! Perfect Weather 40 degrees at start, 50 during race, little headwind, flat double loop course, EXCITED I smashed my previous PR... !

Philadelphia Marathon: 11/18/07 Philadelphia, PA
4:31:43
Cold and rainy this day. They changed the course a bit. A bit more rolling hills. Was my second in three weeks, hamstring issue. Felt great at finish.. knew I was a confirmed Maniac now!

C&D Marathon: 11/04/07 Delaware City, DE
4:21:27
Scenic course, mostly flat with only the St. George Bridge hill to contend with. Friendly volunteers, well organized. Low key home town feel! Didnt have to walk except at drink stations! SO THIS IS WHAT ITS LIKE TO ACTUALLY RUN A FULL MARATHON! NICE!!! LOVE IT!!!!
Frederick Marathon: 05/06/07 Frederick,MD
5:01:23
1st marathon.. WOW.. humbling.. I had only done one 16 mile training run prior to marathon.. so this is why you should do long runs!.. My legs seized up.. had to do a walk shuffle from 18 on.. Suffered but LOVED IT.

TheKnot

2010-02-17T15:25:00.001-05:00

Heather's Wedding Website... TheKnot

WHY DOES NO ONE RELAX AROUND ME!!!>????

2010-02-17T12:52:00.008-05:00

So not sure if the over two feet of snow.... being up for over 35 hours TWICE in one week... or the actual driving for 40+ hours made us brain dead.. but yup brain dead ..so will be adding the stories.. from a few weeks ago.. bit by bit..

Florida Trip
Thursday, January 28th
Time to head to Florida.. for our annual.. lets driving as far south as we can in as short of time as possible.. on no sleep, run a marathon and then drive back.. yeah..

So we start our yearly trip around 11pm, Thursday night.… oh yeah.. after already working a full day and sitting through 3 hours of night school… by the time we hit the road, we had already been up for 17 hours… but the goal was to make it to Savannah, GA (12 hours away)… and then relax….I am sorry but Joe should severely question the word “Relax” when I am around..

Well I think we handled it quite well…the mindless driving for hours and hours in the dark with NOTHING to look at but endless, flat roads… "Oh look Joe".. "There's something".. "Oh, no, sorry.. hallucination"….yeah right no open space… just like no global warming.. what sick twisted hell do I subject myself too.. ! ...I am not sure how many people can say that they still have plenty to talk about 22 years later.. but yeah.. we still do…

Savannah arrived around noon…. Strange how that works... but I convinced Joe that it would be a good idea to go to the waterfront and walk around, stretch the legs a bit.. I mean the fact that we have now been physically awake for 30 hours, smelling quite ripe… and looking like that brown stuff that gets stuck on your shoes…I told him it could be worse.. at least this is good training for 100 milers…

We checked into the hotel around 2…realized that we were now unable to sleep and went to pool, quite possibly funny that we did not drown, and then went to dinner… I found it almost hard to chew I was THAT tired.. up now 36 hours… dinner is a plate of fantastic chicken n dumplings from cracker barrel… carb heaven…

"Sure Joe".. "I will be ok walking back to hotel"..stomach bloated with expanding flour (note: there are about 10 hotels in walking distance of dinner).. "Not a problem… go ahead.. you go get your beer"… I head back to hotel.. …I am not worried... I mean someone snatches me.. good luck… god bless them and all that..

.. whew.. weather is soo much nicer here then home.. I get to hotel.. walk inside ... go to walk up lobby steps.. QUESTION??????... Steps are in a different place.. ????????...now how did they do that.. hmph.. I glance over to the lady at counter.. hmph.. Ohhhh…. SHEEEEEZZZZA

I am a complete moron.. I am in the wrong hotel.. ok.. need to act really cool...turn and look at pamphlets.. feel my face get really really hot... I know I am a few shades of stupid… I slink to the door.. and bolt.. whew.. what an a-hole… what a freaking cracker... I make it back to the CORRECT hotel.. been up now 37 hours… … hope joe makes it back..

Saturday, January 30th
Time to head to Ocala… Florida.. yes that’s the next stop on the Mastripolito road adventure.. because we need to run a marathon.. I mean ok.. so the ride should only be a good 4 or 5 hours tops… easy stuff…

Stop at Florida Welcome Center… they have free welcome OJ.. and popcorn… yum... this is turning out to be a good ,good day.. still a bit tired from not catching up on sleep... but good…. Look over and.. WTF is Joe doing!???

Look of stun on my face.. … Joe has a big ole smile.. like "special bus smile".. and he is feeding the birds!.. the popcorn!.. what is wrong with him!!!… now Joe has big ole eyeballs… as the birds attack him.. serves him right.. stupid idiot... I hope they shit on him.. what an a-hole.. now Joe runs to truck… and to think I am the sane one.. shaking head.. sigh….

A little bit tired of driving.. thanks… but we arrive in Ocala by 3pm. SWEET… time to pick up the race packet, check in and …..R-E-L-A-X??? YEAH…

Sunday, January 31st
Ocala Marathon.. 7am will be the start time… it’s a bit cold.. 44 degrees..its Florida????.. just checking.. we are bundled up from head to toe heading to the race… we run into another runner who was from Ocala… she asked us if we were from Miami… should we lie to save face.. shouldn’t northerners be hard core ?

Ok… when is running 26.2 for fun.. fun???? JUST CHECKING... … a bit of stomach distress.. a couple "pot-o- lets" (it's what they call them)... and I'm completing my 10th marathon in three years.. not counting my 2 ultras… nice…

Thankfully Joe came back (after he finished) and ran me in the last half mile.. because I was a miserable SOB.. and needed SOMETHING to make me not walk..having him to bitch at .. helped TREMENDOUSLY... just saying...

Joe smashed his previous marathon time and broke 4 hours.. coming in at 3:57 something.. after the race we looked at his specs and he had dropped a minute off his time each mile after mile 22… how do you get FASTER after running for 3-1/2 hours!!!! Joe will end up taking 2nd in his age group.. and win a great trophy… and for those who know me.. and my love for hardware.. YES I'M GREEN WITH ENVY!!! I'm just assuming beer does the body good!

Congrats Joe!!!!.. K.. so now time to jump in car and drive the 4 hours to Joe's parents house near Fort Myers, Florida.. … OH YEAH…. that leg will not get stuck on the accelerator.. ?!

Monday, February 1st
Welcome Florida... first day in paradise.. um.. Where DA SUN??? It's cloudy with rain.. Improvise... We don on the wetsuits.. and jump in the pool… life is good..

Tuesday, February 2nd
Cloudy and rain.. did someone say SUNNY??? FLORIDA?? Homework.. catch up on work emails… stuff.. maneuvering on the leggies.. is a bit of work...backwards down steps...

Wednesday, February 3rd
Going to take our first run since the marathon.. get the legs shook out… NICE.. sun is out… .. IT'S F-CKING HOT… Pool time…

Thursday, February 4th
Watching the weather channel again.. big snowstorm heading to the northeast.. what to do??.. what to do…?? BIKE… GO TO THE POOL… NICE… this is the life… "Joe, you realize we have to leave tonight after dinner to make it back home before this mother of all storms strands us in 95 hell?!".. yeah...

…….simple things for simple folks.. we leave at 8pm to head home.. PA here we come. 6 hours out of Florida, 2 hours out of Georgia, 4 hours out of South Carolina.. the storm is chasing us… 3-1/2 hours out of North Carolina..

Friday, February 5th
STILL IN THE F-ING TRUCK.. 4 hours through VA, 1 hour through MD, 1 hours through DE, Not that I believe in violence but the whole Washington DC area just need to be… sucked into a vortex and dispelled… snow has started.. traffic is I-N-S-A-N-E… almost home.. 20+ hours of driving… awake for 35 hours.. we are home… THANK GOD... truck unpacked.. sleepy time.. 6:30pm…
********************************************************************************
One week… 41 hours of driving, twice being up for 35 hours straight, 30 hours of running, (marathon plus training run), 4 hours of school work (Wendy) and work emails (Joe), 4 hours of sun, 1 hour of biking.. and XX amount of relaxing ...WHY DOES NO ONE RELAX AROUND ME!!!>????

Lets go out into the Lobby and GET SOME

2010-01-27T15:11:00.002-05:00

I know you all have been anxiously waiting for a story…

... but alas not much interesting going on.. or perhaps maybe TOO MUCH interesting going on.. Either case.. HAD TO WRITE about almost burning down the house last night… and to think I almost have a college education…

Perhaps I can blame it on .. not reading thoroughly or a lack of proper comprehension skills……or too much M-U-L-T-I tasking... whatever it is, I took something relatively simple.. and turned it into something complex….

...I thought what a great idea to have some pop-corn.. simple... easy to cook… tasty… yum…

So tearing myself away from my Facebook peeps… I hurried to the microwave …bag of unpopped corn in hand…. read the instructions.. ok.. 4 minutes on high… plop it in microwave… skip back to room and on Facebook..
.. the jolt of the fire alarm.. and the spewing mounds of grey smoke emanating from the kitchen should have been an indication that something was seriously wrong…

Gasping on the smell of black, charred kernels, I made my way through the dense cloud of smoke and unlatched the kitchen windows.. coughing... and taking in a LONG breath of fresh air…JEEZ US... the utter look of amazement as i watch smoke continue to billow out of the microwave... at least NOW I have something to write about....UGH

Playing too much

2009-11-11T10:02:00.016-05:00

Perhaps I have been playing too much.. or just too damn lazy but either case.. here are the last couple of updates.. LATE AGAIN

10/28/09
Hello my little peeps.. this getting older stuff is rough.. sigh... so I dress in a normal sweater and pants to come to work.. you know .. normal clothes... and well I guess I have a heat flash?.... I instantly become 1000 degrees, like someone was holding a blow torch to my body.. like I was being boiled alive in my own clothes.. so now I'm screaming to get out of my sweater …. and pleading with my co worker to give me the shirt off their back.. and thankfully they have an extra shirt - go figure - in their desk.. (brand new)…whew....so I bring up this dilemma to my two "buddies" here and work… and this is what is said,

“You are insane. Maybe if you left a tiny bit of room for air to pass between your clothes and your skin you wouldn't overheat? "

Just call me the human torch..

10/31/09 - Saturday
It is time to play.. this is the time of year that I don’t take any of my racing too seriously and just sign up for a whole bunch of crap and run it… with no direction or rhyme or reason… so like I said.. its play time..

So on Halloween I signed up for the Hatboro Skeleton Skurry 5K.. I debated that morning on if I wanted to run it in costume or not.. and thought it would be sacrilegious if I DIDN’T wear a costume since it was actually ON Halloween.. So I hemmed and hawed about what to wear since I had been too busy to actually make anything .. then I remember I did make the underdog costume last year that I had used at the McGuires Mud run.. so up in the attic I go.. sifting through boxes and viola.. find it and on it goes..

It was another wet, damp, dreary morning.. quite typical for Northeastern weather for the end of October ..

I was kinda proud of myself that I didn’t pick a costume that was hot with all fur and stuff like last years Viking costume.. you know since I was having heat issues... so I got my picture taken with Elvis… got to run next to the corn again....got to beat a cave girl.. and clocked one of my best 5K times 23:37.. alas didn’t place… too many crazy old people running.. but did win a costume award!!!... VICTORY!!

11/7/09 - Saturday
See its really not me… not always.. Joe.. took his friend Jim mountain biking up at Marsh Creek on Saturday… and well to make a long story short.. Joe writes this posting on facebook….

“We are back at the ambulance...er I mean truck; time to go evacuate a broken Standish (his friend)…. damn trees; hate when they jump in front of you like that. I'm not a very good story teller, but I can tell you this: I heard a thump, and then the most blood curdling scream ever outside a movie. When I turned around and ran back up the hill Standish was on his back down the slope; his bike was a twisted mess up the slope, and there was a tree in between the two. I'm going to say because he feels like he's going to puke every time he moves his arm, that he broke his collar bone.”

Later communication provided that his friend is only bent not broken… and will be out of commission for a couple of weeks so then Joe can drag him back out through the woods again…

SO even with all this drama we still made it to the family Halloween birthday party …although the costume contest was fixed.. and my family is completely evil.. handing me the costume award.. me getting all excited.. then snatching it away saying NOPE YOU DIDN’T WIN… whatever…

11/8/09 - Sunday
BECAUSE we do NOT know how to relax… on Sunday, Joe and I headed to Bear Creek to run the 10K trail race (6.2 miles)…this time we were hoping to not have the subsequent circus act and ambulance ride...I mean the bees are all sleeping now... right?

Yeah.. except when there is an unexpected “heat wave”… I swear I almost made him get back in the truck and head home prior to the race when just standing outside our vehicle we were accosted by a bee.. WTF!

But oh no Joe said he had to do this.. and so off we go.. I can only say that Joe is a truly gifted trail runner.. we were together for what, the first half mile, then he just leapt like a mountain goat up those hills and away from me… the day was not without incident… there was a couple falls with some blood.. and ankle twists..and I almost kissed a tree.. but other than that.. fun was had… and he completed the race on his own accord!... Joe actually placed fairly high up in the field.. placing 34 out of 142 runners… very nice.

... so clean up .. head to Mom’s birthday dinner... and then back home to collapse..no wonder I dont have time to write..

Santa's Note

2009-11-06T14:32:00.004-05:00

I sent Santa a note:
Dear Santa Claus, My name is Wendy. I am a girl and I am already 43 years old!! I live in the great city of Glenmoore. Of course, that's in Pennsylvania, United States, but I'll bet you knew that!! This year I've been so good that my halo is just a teensy weensy bit crooked!

Santa Claus, some things I might like for Christmas this year are: - HOT TUB; - CASH; and, - SWIMMING POOL.

Santa Claus, I almost forgot to say... Please santa I have been a really good girl and deserve a hot tub and cash this year.

Love, Wendy
*******************
AND HE WROTE BACK:
#1, Rudolph Way
North Pole, Canada
HO HO HO

Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
United States Friday, November 06, 2009

Merrrryyyy Christmas Wendy!!

Thank you for sending me your email all the way from Glenmoore! The Net sure is wonderful because now I can get emails from Glenmoore and around the world in the blink of an eye. Even Rudolph gets emails... from pets! Why, here's Rudolph right now! HO!! Ho!! ho!! He just asked me to say 'Hi!' to you!

Jumping Jingle Bells, Wendy! Are you fibbing to ol' Santa Claus?!? You can't possibly be 43 years old already! Why it seems like only yesterday that I was leaving presents for a certain little girl and here you are now, practically one of Santa's elves! (*grin*)

Sorry the presents the last little while probably haven't been quite as exciting as they were when you were a little girl but, well, you know how these things go (*wink*). Anyway, Santa's glad to see some of the 'older kids' (not to mention anyone in particular!) still take the time to write. I also hear you've been a really good girl. (Of course, you won't mind if I do a little checking, will you? HO!! Ho!! ho!!).

Let's see what you put in your letter for Christmas wishes: 1. hot tub; 2. cash and; 3. swimming pool. HO!! Ho!! ho!! Those ARE good presents Wendy! We've been so very busy this year that I hope you won't be too upset with me if you don't get everything you want for Christmas.

Oh yes, before I forget Wendy, the elves really want you to visit my new blog! It is called Santa Claus' Christmas Blog. My blog is all about Christmas, life at the North Pole, and me, Santa Claus ! You can even write messages to me and see what others have written. I can hardly wait to see what you write!

Oops! I guess I shouldn't have had that last cookie because a button just popped right off my suit. I better go see if Mrs. Claus has any thread left! ho!! Ho!! HO!!

Take care Wendy and don't forget to come back and visit me here at EmailSanta.com on Christmas Eve!! And remember... only 49 more sleeps until Christmas!!

BFF (Best Friends Forever :),

SANTA

****************
Here is a great, fun website for Christmas... http://www.emailsanta.com/
.. Can't wait.. 49 days until Christmas! Oh and by the way I didnt write this.. amazingly enough.. but it was soo funny I just HAD to post it... you can actually create one of your own letters online too... and track Santa...

...............Santa better leave me some good loot..!

Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon

2009-10-30T15:13:00.015-04:00

Last weekend, Joe and I traveled the 4-1/2 hours to New York to run a race called the Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon.. that would be 13.1 miles on hills and trails, oh and yeah LOTS OF MUD.

The finisher medal would be a small stuffed gorilla...just remove the fact that we would be driving almost 5 hours up and then back to run.. you have to think of the WHOLE package.. the fun ride up in the torrential rain, the bumper to bumper traffic, booking a hotel right next to the Albany airport..(hey, to my credit it was NOT even close to the tarmac!), and the 5 hour drive home after running for 2 hrs without showering… yeah.. it’s the WHOLE PACKAGE!

We made it to our hotel by late afternoon on Saturday and got checked in and did our usual.. Joe hooks up the computer, curses that he cant get online, spends 10 minutes figuring it out.. I change and go to hot tub and pool and so on.. it’s a ritual by now.. and we love it.

Joe actually did manage to slink down to the hot tub and pool and make an appearance.. although they didnt need to try and boil us alive, we did relax and then changed and went to dinner.... I love actually getting away.. its just really nice to be in a different environment and to actually get to sleep. (away from the dog and cat)… shame we actually have to PAY to get sleep...but sleep we did.. although we still woke up at 3:30 am.. oh well.. least we could go BACK to sleep.

On Sunday, the rain had stopped, and the temperature had dropped, A LOT... It was actually cold enough to probably snow but since there was NO possibility of any moisture being left after the almost 2 inches of rain the day before, we awoke to just a really COLD but clear morning.

The ride to Thacher State park only took about 20 minutes and it was beautiful. The leaves were brilliant in vibrant colors of orange, red, yellow and gold. As we trucked up the mountain in our big old gas guzzling vehicle… we kinda look out the windows at the elevation.. and made a little crazy snicker... “Gee hope we don’t have to RUN UP THAT..” (stupid PA folk)
Joe’s goal for the day was to actually FINISH this race and avoid the circus act and subsequent ambulance ride from the last trail half marathon (Bear Creek.. you know.. bee death sting and all).... I did try to ease his apprehension a bit (about possible bees) stating that its too cold for them.. I mean they die or something in the winter.. right? (I have really no clue but it sounded good, have you ever seen a bee in the winter, NO… ).. but least we had his EPI pen just in case….

Upon exiting our vehicle, we noticed right away it was VERY COLD up on this “mountain” and windy… so we would have to rethink our gear. We went with long pants, hats and gloves... Glad we did.. because although we were a bit warm say in the first 2 miles .. by mile 5 or so we had cooled down and we were downright comfy by late in the race...

The course was great it was a single loop that brought us back to the start at mile 6 (for the squirrel runners).. this first loop had a one mile up hill, a small stream crossing, and a few chain saw loving ghouls that jumped out at us.... and then for those who were doing the full half marathon.. there was another loop that was a bit more technical and a lot more muddy..

I started to question why do I always, well almost ....always pick the LONGER runs when there is an available shorter run???!... SIGH.. something definitely missing in the brain pan.

Joe and I had stuck together for only the first mile or so.. and then he ran ahead..which we knew he would.. he would end up beating me by 17 minutes.

We did see each other at one point during the race at a slight out and back section around mile 7/8 .. I had to round a corner to head down the section and he was coming out of it.. we passed each other right at the intersection.. that’s probably like one in a thousand chance…makes you kinda wonder how come we cant win the lottery.. .

So yes I power walked most of the steep uphills.. learned that LONG ago.. makes the race much more enjoyable, and I didn’t trip anyone.. swear.. she fell on her own and I was no where near her…and I did ask her if she was ok… and she was…

I will make this statement again.. I have made it before.. who ever said trail running is better for you.. sure… minus the broken bones, sprains, face plants, poison ivy, bees, thorns and smelling like horse shit.. sure I guess trail running is better…

So with about two miles to go.. just wanting to get this over with… I pick up the pace… and I notice this guy starts to trail me.. which of course makes me run faster… so now its me trying to shake off the moose.

No matter what I do.. I can NOT shake him… I jump logs he jumps.. I go into the woods off the main path he does too… (I only went off the path slightly seemed the better option than going over the wooden bridge, which the bridges were like sheets of ice…)

.... I run straight through the mud bogs and he does too…not that he is NOT suppose to be following the same path but I can sense he is following my exact route…

As I round a corner I come upon a couple who were tiptoeing around the mud… like.. HELLO>> HERE I COME… and so I go CRASHING through the mud bog.. spewing mud and slime all over them.. they were NOT happy …of course I am covered too.. but what could I do??!!.. stop and get out a hanky and wipe them down?..... I guess I should have said I was sorry... but I was out of breath.. and the freaking moose was still behind me and I WANTED to drop him like a bad habit…….

As I hit a steep turn, I completely lost my footing on the mud and went sliding to the left… screaming… I felt like a marshmallow being shot out of an air gun.. somehow I came out of the turn in tact with no blood or bruising…

With a mile left I entered a clearing and a nice FLAT section.. and then I die... my legs don’t want to move.. BUT ITS FLAT I tell them.. and they want no more part of this… and then the moose passes me… and then the couple I soiled PASSES ME.. I saw them smile... and the smile on my face got wiped right off!!!

… and then the fun ended.. 2 hours and 15 minutes …I cross the finish line... I see Joe and got my gorilla finisher medal. ...
Joe had finished in a phenomenal time of one hour and 58 minutes…SWEET!

Now to drive home… smelling like horse shit.. life is good!

PS: I thought so highly of the organization that put on this race and the fact that I love running races up North, I joined the Albany Running Exchange .. it's a group who has members of all ages and abilities, some local, some from other states. I had always wanted to join a running group that was just right, one that was perfect for me… and they are it!......oh and yeah they have a sweet looking jacket too…

Although it was pointed out to me (by one of my beloved friends)… that I was a little nutty and the only reason I wanted to join a running club that was 4 hours away in the next state was because I don't like people….hmmm...oh really…

PSS: look at this... I found this race that my new running group is putting on in July in NY… I like this part:
PASTURES..... You will go through CATTLE GRAZING PASTURES. All gates must be secured behind you. We will have rope loops to place over the post. We cannot let the cows out under any circumstances. And please do not step on any red newts!

How can you say that I don’t belong to this group!!!

Tanning

2009-10-23T12:04:00.006-04:00

So I know... tanning.. tanning beds... BAD.. but sometimes a gal needs a little sunshine..

So on Wednesday, I thought I could use a bit of rays and stopped to tan....my tanning place has the beds you lay in… like a coffin...so I am in my coffin, looking forward to 10 minutes of peace and quiet.. and I feel something on the back of my leg.. I think to myself.. must be sweat… (you know when you start to sweat it sometimes turns to water and runs down the leg)…

Well then I feel something near my back.. hmmm.. I must be sweating lots... then something moves on my arm.. WTF! ....I jump up out of the coffin (mind you I am butt a-s naked).. thankfully in my own room.. and it’s a fly.. of course now I am swatting at the fly, my eye protection has fallen off and the ultra violet light is now piercing a hole through my skull.. freaking stupid... I finally lay back down..get myself comfy again ... and...

..the M-F-er comes back!!!... Now he is mad.. and he is trapped in the coffin with me .. oohhhh ugh.... i flip off the coffin lid and grab a towel and start swatting everything in sight, banging the tanning bed and wall.. I am sure the lady who is working downstairs at the front desk is wondering what the H-ll is going on... this is SOO ruining my peaceful alone time.. !!!

UGH!!.. finally thinking I rid myself of the demon I lay back down, heart rate calms, I start to enter my place of peace, deep breathing.. relax.. and then the buzzer goes off.. cooked.. time up..

SIGH.. I get out and there the fly is... all smashed up under my a-s….

Great Stuff

2009-10-21T12:04:00.019-04:00

Been soo busy that I forgot to write..here are some bullets:

Womans 5K for Breast Cancer was on Saturday, October 17th – 40 degrees and pouring rain.... 5,000 woman had signed up but only 2,200 actually came out that day. It was soo cold that it took 10 minutes after the race to thaw out the toes. Great cause and thankfully I picked the actual run and didn’t have to walk in the stuff.. I mean get done quick and change...something to be said about speed! http://www.womens5kclassic.org/
results: https://www.lin-mark.us/results_files/reswomen09.htm

Truck is smelling like death again.. I guess something crawled up inside and died.....now WHY does it feel the need to die INSIDE my truck!!? I am sure it's a sight ...me gasping for breath... head out of window.... heading to work.

Last time Joe and I could not find the carcass.. the smell appeared to emanate from the vents.. we checked every inch of the truck, inside and out.. NADA.. thankfully in the summer the heat mummified it within a month.. this one may take a bit longer.

So not to have a dull moment.... on Monday I come home to a vulture, a headless carcass, and a dead bird… somehow I don’t think I need to go into any more details.. I have concluded that since we all know there are no coyotes in PA that there must be a chupacabra out there...........

(Chupacabra: describes a strange breed of wild dog. This form is mostly hairless and has a pronounced spinal ridge, unusually pronounced eye sockets, fangs, and claws. It is claimed that this breed might be an example of a dog-like reptile. Unlike conventional predators, the chupacabra is said to drain all of the animal's blood (and sometimes organs) through a single hole or two holes.)

I am soo locking myself inside and NOT going out.. EVER… I am seriously thinking I need an exorcist... Amity has nothing on this!

Whew.....well, Joe and I are heading up to Albany, New York this weekend to do the Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon on trails.. should be a blast.. this time he better NOT freaking end up in the hospital! ...and he better not get lost!

Of course the whole reason we are going is because ...I want to get a gorilla finisher medal.. yeah.. so there is a sane reason to drive 4-1/2 hours to NY, rent a hotel, run in the woods, and then drive the 4-1/2 hours back…