Here's to the new year!

Merry, Merry holidays to anybody that just happens to be reading this!

My husband and I had a wonderful Christmas with our family this year. I hope you did too!

Have you ever heard the phrase, "God, please let me be the person my dog things I am?" I haven't done much since the Ironman... But if I could be anybody at all... I'd say, "God, please let me be the athlete that my coworkers think I am." Ha! I haven't done much working out since Ironman the first of November, but boy do some of my coworkers love to have fun making up workouts that I supposedly do in my free time these days... "She probably goes home everyday and runs 9 miles on the treadmill since it's snowing out. Then she probably runs 3 more miles backwards. Yeah, and then...." Boy, do I wish I was the person they think I am... ha!

Thing is... I'm not going to be that person that they think I am... I'm instead going to be "THAT" person. Y'know... The ones that you've never seen at the gym, and then suddenly on Jan. 1 you can't get a treadmill because "those" people are hogging up the machines. Yep. that's going to be me this year. I've done a few workouts here and there recently, but not much. I've eaten a whole lot of cookies, and gotten a whole lotta extra sleep though! I'm going to get back on the horse at the new year. I normally detest THAT person. But this year... I own it. I'm going to be one of the reasons the treadmills are busy when you go in on Jan. 1.

Thanks to Chris because he now has me all signed up for my first race of 2008. The Colfax half-marathon! Can't wait Chris!!!!! Chris and I are pretty even paced, too. Could be interesting!!!

Happy New Year everybody!!! May your 2008 be happy and healthy!!!!

I send sincere love to all my friends and family. I am a very blessed person.

Turtle Updates

First update) I'm still living. I'm still glowing with the new found pride of all that I know I have the ability to do--which is now anything!!!! I'm an Ironman!!!! And it's the best feeling ever!!!!

Second update) My coach told me not to think about running for a month after Ironman. I didn't. Oh happy day. He told me swimming and biking would be fine... But I didn't think about those either...

My race was on Nov. 3. On November 30, it hit me. Up until that time, I'd think "I should probably work out tomorrow." And then tomorrow, I'd think the exact same thought. On Nov. 30, I really, really, really felt like running. So I got up the courage to go to the rec center and I went for a run!!! Whoo-hoo! And the next morning? I felt like running again!!!! Can you believe that? And I enjoyed it. Tonight, my body is all but screaming "Put that bike on the trainer!!! PLEASE!!!!" So that's what I'm going to do. I'm glad I gave my body the break. It's now ready to get back on the horse.

Third Update) I'm definitely struggling with some issues. I LOVE the shape I'm in right now. I'm also loving that I don't have to fit 2 workouts in a day. I don't have to fit in any workouts if I don't want to. But I need to stay in shape. ESPECIALLY during the holidays!

I need a goal. I'm just that kind of person. I need the fear and drive for my motivation. No goal = no motivation. So.... Triple Bypass next summer. Done it before, but I want to do better. It's a stellar goal. OF COURSE I want to do another Ironman. My husband and I have had many, many discussions on the merits of this race vs. that race. We also now know the cost of an Ironman (both physically and financially--Ouch! Not a bad thing to save a little cash before the next one!) I'd also love to do a marathon without the prerequisite 2.4/112 warm up!

Here's my dilemma: I'm a 35 year old woman that has been wanting to get pregnant for almost 3 years. Okay, so the last year was worth throwing my body into mass chaos just to take my mind off of things. And really, it didn't actually throw my body into any sort of chaos. I just got a little more fit in the process. It was fantastic and I don't regret it for a second. I keep thinking that Susan Williams had baby Sydney while she was training for the Sydney Olympics. Doctors really don't know why some people get pregnant just thinking about sex, and others... Well... Who knows why they can't get pregnant? (If you don't know me, I have plenty of body fat--that's not the issue.)

That said, can I really put my heart into the Triple, a marathon, or another Ironman if I really want to get pregnant?

This blog was meant to be very tri specific. I'm comfortable posting to the world about training and racing. I'm not as comfortable using it as an online personal diary. I still have every intention of doing my ol' favorites in the Boulder 5430 series this summer... But I just can't decide what else to put on my calendar right now.

If you don't hear from me for awhile, don't worry. I'm in a good place. I think I just have to sit back and let life dictate to me how things need to go. That's a little hard when I've spent the last year of my life dictating to my body THIS is what you're going to do. At the very minimum, I'll be back soon as the Spring race season takes off again. Because our year of ultimate endurance has peaked, my husband swears that this next year is the year of speed. Watch out friends and family! Greg is on a mission! The rumor at our house is that a certain Mr. Leidel will be left in the dust at next years Bolder Boulder!!!!