ACL. 2008. Done.

I know my regular readers are waiting for my ACL review. Three days of FUN. I need some time to rest and recover for sure. Stay tuned.

ACL- 2008 Here WE COME!!!

Oh friends...it's that time again. Yes it is. Got to see a Private show of Blues Traveler last night....I want...you to want me! Good stuff. Alida is in town. Stephanie arrives very soon!! Girl time. Good music. Great beer...(I promise Bill I will watch Stepanie's intake since she is in serious Half Ironman training...I promise)

On the schedule for today?

Vampire Weekend
Freddy Jones Band
PATTY GRIFFIN
Jenny Lewis
G Love and Special Sauce
Manu Chao

Stay tuned for some reviews of all things ACL.

Great weekend...ACL here I come!!!

I had a great end of the week into the weekend.....happy days folks, happy days...

Finished up at my week at the LAF where there is a lot of excitement and buzz over "going global." Check out this video at this LINK if you get the chance. It is an 8 minute video on Stigma and Silence: Global Perceptions on Cancer. Research that was done and now put on video...watch for Lance at the Clinton Global Initiative on Wednesday...it is exciting times as we all have the opportunity to globally change this disease forever. I am also fundraising for the LIVESTRONG Challenge...if you would like, go to THIS LINK AND DONATE!! Every amount helps in the fight against cancer! I am going to do a 90 mile ride in honor of a colleague here at the Foundation that is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Saturday was a bike ride with my co-worker, Kim..we took on the Dam Loop and well...let's just say running the hills does NOT mean you can still ride them. Dripping Springs and 90 miles should be VERY interesting. Saturday night was a yummy dinner with Sam and relaxing time together.

Sunday...got up for a nice swim with T3. That made my total for the week just short of 9000 m....I feel good and strong in the water. After that, met up with a co-worker to walk the dogs at Town Lake. Then Sammy and I went to church, ran many many errands (as I had a car for the weekend) and after grocery shopping, we spent some more time relaxing together. It is rare that Sammy has off a Sunday...so we took full advantage of that! He is off to Italy tomorrow...I know, world travelers we are!! He will wrench for the Duathlon Worlds this coming weekend...I will miss him but it falls on a good weekend as Stephanie and Alida are flying to Austin for a great weekend of music....just go here for the ACL lineup. And then be jealous...cause for 3 days, it will be girl time and good stinkin' music!!! How I would love for the 80 degree weather to stick around! I blogged quite a bit last year on the ACL experience...so stay tuned!! I'm so excited...and I just can't hide it!!

Swim, Monday, T3

Disclaimer: Carrie don't read this. You might have a worse crush.

Got back in the pool with T3 after ALL the crazy travel in the last month. I DID stay up with the swim in Portland and London folks...so it was not my FIRST time back in, in one month. It felt great as Chrissie took us through a really good workout.

Got through the warm-up and then it was 3 x 200, timed with each one descending.

First 200- 3:45 (crap, went out too fast, will I get faster on the next one?)
Second 200- 3:41 (wow?!! Can I go under 3:40 for #3??!!)
Third 300- 3:36 (yes...I did and felt as though both my lungs and heart would burst through my chest.)

Then it was 6 x 100 after a small recovery set. The goal being that 1&2, 3&4, 5&6 would have consistent times, taking off around 5 seconds after each double. (80%, 85% and 90%)

1 & 2- 1:55 I felt great and my pacing felt even...and I was happy with the consistent time!!

3rd- 1:52
4th- 1:50 at least I got there, right?

5th- 1:45 and then coach Pain through down the gauntlet, "can you go under 1:45 she asks??"
6th- 1:42 .....the answer is yes Coach.

After 2900 in the pool, it felt great to be back in. I have decided to do the aqua bike at the upcoming Longhorn which would consist of a 1.2 mile swim and a 56 mile bike. No 13.1 mile run at the end...I am not ready for the Decker terrain and well, I want to be done early and drinking my beers as I watch the agony of my friends out on the run course! October 5th....here I come!!

I got in an awesome 6 mile run yesterday, I am still bike commuting as I am trying to put off buying a new car and a car payment as long as possible, and tonight I will head back to the pool with T3.

Life is good.

My life according to Tom

My good friend Tom sent me this when he heard of my upcoming trip to London...

"Seriously. Sneak me in your bag. I'll affect a glorious English accent and no one will be the wiser. Are you going to be there for three weeks?? No wait, let me guess...you'll be in London for four days, then whisked away to the south of France for tea with the Prime Minister. Then, you're off to Shanghai to present the medals at the end of the men's marathon event. From China you'll hop down to New Zealand, where you'll talk with Peter Jackson about an upcoming movie based on Lance Armstrong, in which -- if things fall into place -- you'll play the new love interest. While in New Zealand, you'll do a bike across the country event, raising awareness for both the LAF and the new movie, and at the end of that, you'll head to Tibet for a one-on-one with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, where you'll advise him on upcoming human rights work to be done with China. From there, a quick stopover in Sao Paolo for some much-deserved surfing, after which you'll return home."

LOVE IT!!!

The slowest paid runner in the world....

I have a couple of exciting weeks coming up! I have been saying that it has been hard getting back into running as the Ironman burnt me out BUT as you will see, in the next few weeks I will be forced to lace up those Asics.

Yes, that right...I am headed to Portland tomorrow for the 197 mile Hood to Coast relay. What is funny about this is I was supposed to and take a team of 12 to do this event with Team LIVESTRONG. Notice I said take...not run. Well, one week ago I had a runner come down with pneumonia and she cannot make it, so who is the alternate? Yup...me. I am now the 12th member of this team and will be running 3 legs of this race....totaling 18 miles. I guess that is one way to get thrown back into running. At least the scenery will be pretty...and the finish is on none other than the Goonies beach....what could be more perfect?


I arrive back next Monday, have a few days to do laundry, unpack and then re-pack. On Thursday, August 28th...I board a plane for....


That's right. I am headed to London to represent the LAF at the Human Race. I will spend 4 days with the Nike folks and in getting the LIVESTRONG word out internationally. It is really exciting to be a part of this event on a global level! I will run the 10k on August 31st in London...spend a few extra days sightseeing, and then return back to Austin!!

So two weeks, exciting places and I will be running 'for the LAF'.

And there you have it....I am the slowest paid runner in the world.

Good Will Hunting....

What a strange/tough/full-of-life-lessons week I have had.

Monday started off pretty normal, getting things ready for an event in Oregon next week. Went home that night and went to bed as normal.

Get up on Tuesday and head to an LAF Team Meeting at Dart Bowl up on 2222. (Yes, we mix business with a bit of fun at times!) On the way to this meeting, I was not all quite there as my head was racing in many different directions, for many different reasons. And then I saw the red lights in front of me, that were the red lights of a Ford Explorer and BAM! I hit the car full on and 24 hours later found out my car was totaled. Done. My 1999 paid-off Toyota Camry was not going to come back alive...Kirk Camry was quite good to me since 2001 and I will miss this car dearly. Knowing that I cannot afford a car payment right now, I was pushed 100% into bike commuting. So Wednesday I get up and ride the 3 miles to work, take a shower and get on with my week.

Now, those of you that know me....the transition wasn't quite that easy. I cried pretty heavily on the phone to my Dad that I was so proud of how I had paid off that car and since I only have liability on that car, I have no money coming to me to help towards the down payment of something else.

As the week went on, friends were helping me get here and there, I was finding the safer paths via bike and a co-worker going out of town for the weekend, offered me her wheels until Sunday night. (which was certainly a HUGE help for me so I could run errands to really get myself into the work of bike commuting.)

As Saturday afternoon came my way, I had lunch with a friend that couldn't imagine me riding my bike everywhere. I said to her, "well, after the Ironman I said I really wanted to get stronger on the bike! Now, I don't have a choice!!"

This seemingly 'negative' thing has turned to be a positive thing in my life right now for many reasons.....

*I am learning to ask for help (which isn't my thing)
*I am learning all the safe commuter routes...which is fun!
*I am learning to live life a bit simpler, which is another thing that was on my list.
*I am learning that things could ALWAYS be much worse...and here is why

I found out yesterday that an old friend/acquaintance of mine from when I sang at Disney lost his 4 year battle with brain cancer. Yes, when he was diagnosed 4 years ago, it was stage 4 and was told they would try surgery and then chemo, but of course, no guarantees. Dave fought hard and always with a smile on his face...at the time of diagnosis his daughter was only 6 months old....fast forward 4 years and the cancer came back, and it came back harder. He was given 6-12 weeks and so he, his wife and daughter spent his last days together. I talked to an old friend today that was very close with Dave and he said how precious and amazing that he was given those four years with family. My friend continued on telling me that when the cancer came back and contracts were up for renewal at Disney....Disney gave him his contract even though they knew Dave would not return back to work. They wanted him and his family to have the paycheck so they could have the time together and not worry about finances. Disney also gave his entire cast of singers off this coming Tuesday for his Memorial service....

Then I went to church this morning and the pastor talked about thanking God for the good stuff....do I really do this? ouch. Do I focus on the discontent and wanting more? I think so. So this week (and hopefully beyond) I want to focus on all the things I take for granted yet are SO SO precious to me.

So with that my new week and my life of bike commuting begins. (if anyone is going to T3 swims and can help me out, I will help pay for gas!!!) Of course, eventually I will need to purchase another vehicle but I know in time, that will come. I have to trust that I will be provided for.....which is also hard for me.

What I do know..
I came out of the accident ok, not hurt.
I have a place to sleep and eat at.
I have a few bikes to choose from for commuting.
I have a great family that supported me through the phone calls.
I have good friends that offer rides and help.