Mad Monday 8/25

Super busy at work so we will keep to the basics!!

Monday 8/18 -6 mile run at lunch ~48 min (started track workout but was not feeling it so switched to ladders
Tuesday 8/19 8 mile run to Edgewater with CV
Wednesday 8/20 -5 mile run with LP, E
Thursday 8/21 -6 mile run (did most of track workout)
Friday 8/22 -evening -10 miles mtn biked at West Branch
Saturday 8/23 -20.5 miles ran ~8:50ish avg pace
Sunday 8/24 -21 miles mtn biked at Mohican (at least 4 hours of aerobic training up and down the hills)

Two days of mtn biking equals quite a few bruises!!!

Ran-45.5
Mtn Biked-31

Crazy Corn-Y Party!

Since a few of you have asked....

The Crazy Corn-Y party history is as such. I grew up out in the boonies (sort of). My grandparents had a farm out in Freedom Township and as the kids got older they each bought some land off my grandpa and consequently my parents and all my dad's siblings all live on the same road. As my sister and I got older and made friends that did not live so far out in the country, we always had fun inviting our city and suburbia friends out to our ole stomping grounds.

About 7 years ago my sister started had a big party for all her friends at my parents place. They grilled out and since it was corn season, they roasted a bunch of corn over the bonfire, and the name Corn Party was given. With every August party the invitation list got bigger. My folks started inviting their friends. I started inviting my friends and every year the fun grew too. Now we had our DJ friend Mark hooking the party up with tunes and karoke. After my husband and I bought our house we moved the corn party to our pad for the following 2 years, now accomodating a good 100 party-goers. Every year we got burgers and dogs and tons of corn. Then last year my sister bought a new house and it was her turn to host the last 2 corn parties.

Yet with 2005, 2006, and 2007 corn parties, the corn was becoming a gigantic pain in the butt. It seemed every corn party was at least 90+ degrees and there we are sweating over the fire with a fork moving corn around while everyone else was mingling. The husk and silk made a gigantic mess and after my husband drank a 12 pack last year while sweltering over the heat, we decided it was time for a break from corn!

What? No corn? But this is the corn party!!! So this year we introduced the corn hole tournament and re-named it the Corn-Y party because often times our guest end up being rather corn-y by the end of the night.

This year the party started and we swam in the pool. and drank beer



And we ate a bunch of food! and drank beer!


And we played some cornhole! and drank beer!


And we played Kan Jam! and drank beer!



And we got excited about the fire truck and ambulance showing up! (no, were not in trouble!!) and drank beer!





And we rocked out to some tunes and did some karoke! and drank beer!

And we hung out by the fire! and drank beer!

And we played flip cup! and yes, lots more beer!


And long past our bed time, we finally quit drinking beer!!

After a short night's sleep and a greasy heavy breakfast, Rockstar J & E still managed to get in our run about high noon....let's just say, it was not the easiest 6 miler!

Mad Monday Update 8/18/08

Wow, am I tired today! Crazy corn party tired me out! Not only that but I have a ton of work to do, so this will be brief!

Following GCT half last Sunday....

Monday 8/11--Lunch- Upper Body Workouyt
PM- Mountain Biking at West Branch~9 miles
Tuesday 8/12-5.5 Mile Run at lunch with CJ & Salty
Wednesday 8/13-off, not planned but just a busy day!
Thursday 8/14 - Twilight Trail run plus w/u~6.5 miles
Friday 8/15 - 6 Mile Run with E
Saturday 8/16 - 18 Mile Run with NA, T, AS, & E ~8:40ish avg pace
Sunday 8/17 - 6 mile run with E

Weekly Totals
Bike - 9 miles (mountain biked)
Ran - 42 miles
Core - 1 session

Twilight Trail Run & Getting Ready for the weekend!!

Happy Friday Folks!!!

I am not sure what I am more excited about, not having another crappy race (as so many have been this year) or the fact that it is almost the weekend and time for another blowout Corn Party!!!

So last night many of my favorite ladies and I made the trek out to North Chagrin for Second Sole's Twilight Trail Run. I did this race last year and almost did not sign up this year, but thank goodness I did! I scored an awesome teammate at the last minute, CJ and we appropriately named ourselves Two Brisk Blonds.

As we warmed up, I was not feeling overly optimistic for a couple reasons. a) I have not had a good race all year. b) I had not done a short race since St. Malaci back in March, so I was not sure how long I could run faster!

The race was a staggered start by gender and age group so it is always fun to watch the older and younger folks head off. The race is an 8K, all bridle trails at North Chagrin with one big climb, a crik crossing and a lot of rollers. I lined up near the front of our wave and took off with the start. Quickly Elizabeth, Katy and Amie pulled ahead. I was running alongside Christina (and nearly tripped my own teammate around a corner...sorry CJ, I can be quite a clutz!) I splashed through the crik crossing taking no care to stay dry and started up the big hill. I powered up it as best I could and was so tired I did not realize I passed Amie until I heard her cheer for me. Yet tough Amie caught and passed me right away at the top and I decided I was going to try to hold on to her as best I could.

We hit the first mile marker and I could not believe I still had 4 more to go. Dang, I was wishing it was a 5K not an 8K but I fought on. We were passing people and I was staying a step or two behind. Some of the uphill rollers made me feel like I was working so hard and I was quite nervous I might just blow up but I knew if I let go I was just really going to slow down. I kept waiting and waiting for the downhill stretch that I knew was coming over my Squire's Castle. When we reached it we just flew down it like speeding bullets. I managed to pass Amie taking a corner tight but again at the bottom, she pulled ahead again.

The downhill had given me terrible cramps but I knew I was only a mile away now. I tried to stay in step with Amie but as we neared the finish, she started her kick and I was not ready to answer back. As we hit the grassy field I realized we had to make several turns still instead of heading right to the finish as I had hoped. I trying to make up some ground on her and thought I was closing some but it was too late.

I hit the finish line and here comes the best part....they handed me an ice cold beer!!! I told ya I liked this race! I moved to Amie to thank her for helping to push me the whole way. I really doubt I would have ran so strong without her there! No sooner did I move over to watch the finish (& of course drink my beer) I turned to see my teammate kicking some butt on her way into the finish! Team Two Brisk Blondes kicked butt.

Then the fun really started. It was a blast watching Salty rock the course with her lil peanut in her belly, Bridget out there with Steve, E and TM already done comparing notes, Dawn running Craig across the line and all the other friends out there just doing there thing! The race has a laid back feel which just sort of transforms into a lil party.

At the awards, Team Two Trail Freaks (Amie and Elizabeth) took first female team. And then they announced another team that got second which was not us. Now I am assuming this was incorrect (as I don't think there were other females between our two teams) but we will wait for the results. Nonetheless, E mentioned it to the RD and she said she would check it out and then as it turned out the team that won 2nd were out of towners and gave us the $25 dollar gift certificates that they had won. So all seemed right with the world, although it would have been funny to hear Team Two Brisk Blondes called up to collect our prize!

I finally met a few other people like Gina and TM who I had known by name but never had the opportunity to talk to! All in all, the whole evening was just great! Maybe I finally broke my 2008 jinx! (Still crossing my fingers!)

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This weekend is the crazy Corn Partay!!! The sis started it years ago at my parents house and invited some friends. Then my parents started inviting some friends. Then I started invited some friends. And then it was growing to more than 100 people and it moved to my house for a couple years. Then last year it was at my sister's new house and again this year we will be trashing her pad instead of mine!!! LESS CLEANING FOR ME--YEAH!!!

Yeah this party is a rocking good time- food, DJ and karoke, swimming, hillybilly games, lots o beer, and inevitably FLIP CUP!!! So if you happen to feel like making it out to the boonies and have not got your invite, drop me a line because all are welcome and you don't want to miss out on this!!!

Good thing I am meeting my buds for the 18 miler Saturday morning and not Sunday morning!!!! PARTY ON!!!!

Pics from the last week or so....

Tuesday we rode and carried our bikes around Pigeon Mountain while my husband's aunt and uncle rode their horses!





Upon arrival home, Friday I had some celebrating to do with my sis who turned the Big 3-0!!!



We ended the night up at Boneyard rocking out to some 80's big hair rock!!!


Then after a fun-filled Saturday at a crazy fun wedding reception, I rounded out the weekend with GCT's half iron!

Pumping Some Iron

So since my lower body was a little tired from the half, Monday I decided to do some weight training with E. I have been slacking some on getting in my weight training but perhaps now I will make an effort to fit it in at least 2 days a week.

Workout to the best of my memory to provide starting point.

Alternating Bicep Curls - 3 sets of 12. (15 lbs first set, 20 lbs 2nd & 3rd sets)
Hammer Curls -1 set of 12 (12 lbs)

10 pushups

Dips (using Chin & Dip Assist Weight Machine) 3 sets of 12 (used 5 assist)

Chin ups (using Chin & Dip Assist Weight Machine) 3 sets of 10 (used 8 assist) last set only got 8

10 pushups

Skull crushers on the stability ball 3 sets of 12 (1 -35 lb dumbell)

Lateral raises- 2 sets of 12 (12 lbs dumbbells) -last set stopped at 5 as it aggravated shoulder


Upright rows -1 sets of 12 (12 lb dumbbells)

10 pushups

Chest presses - 2 sets of 12 (20 lb dumbbells)

Dumbell Flys-1 set if 12 (20 lb dumbbells)

10 pikeups


50 situps with side rotation with 6 lb medicine ball
30 V leg lifts
20 crunches
25 left side crunches
25 right side crunches
30 bicycle (15 each leg)

About 40-45 minutes. Must have hit everything pretty good as I am pretty sore today all over but nothing too serious.

Mad Monday Update and More Excuses!!!!

Well picking up from last week down in AL....

Mon 8/4 - 6 miles ran (more hills)
Tues 8/5 - 10 miles mtn biked at Pigeon Mtn in northern GA...this is not really true as probably at least half was hiking carrying the bike--Holy frickin tiring!
Wed 8/6 -off (car again!)
Thurs 8/7 - 6 mile run with the CJ and Salty
Fri 8/8 - 5 miles with 1 min strides at 6:22 pace~40 min (felt great like I was holding back but was not going to go any harder with looming half Sunday), core
Sat 8/9 off (expo)
Sunday 8/10-half iron-sorta! 15.5 miles ran (1.3 mile w/u, 1.2 M run 1, 13.1 m run 2), 56 miles biked

Totals
Ran 32.5
Biked 66 Miles

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Moving on to the half iron....

Well the weekend was exhausting to say the least. Friday night hit I had put together a surprise 30th birthday party for the best sister a girl could ask for and crawled into bed after midnight. Saturday I got up, hit the GCT expo and had fun hanging at the Cleve Tri Club tent for a few hours chatting with other tri peeps. Then I headed home to get all my stuff ready which seemed to take forever. Gosh is packing for a run so much easier!!! I told my hubby I so wanted to have a good race as I was so sick of issues this year....maybe I jinxed myself right then!

Then I got dressed up to head out to a wedding reception about an hour away. The reception was one of the funnest I had been too and I was sad to drag my dancing husband out early but again by the time we made it home it was midnight and I knew the 4am wake-up alarm was going to feel early.

4AM--I dragged myself out of bed and was sooo tired. I loaded up the bike and I had parked my car opposite normal to load and when I left I was so tired I threw the car in reverse and nearly took out the car, bicycle and garage door right then and there. After smasking the gas and then the brakes I managed to stop in time to only give myself a small heart attack with a couple inches to spare. With that I was off to arrive at the race plenty early to get my premiere parking spot and rack position.

The morning was very cool for August so much so I was wishing I had pants on because I was cold. I headed to the restroom and was stressed wondering how rough the swim would be as it was so windy by the lake.

Then I heard to news the swim was cancelled by the coast guard. The swim was going to be replaced by a 1.2 mile run. Although I thought it was a bit of a bummer as I would not be able to compare last years time, I really did not care too much as now I may have a better shot at doing well....or so I thought!!!

As a precaution I hit my inhaler hoping to keep asthma issues at bay for the day. Then, Amie and I headed off for a warm-up run as we had about 20 minutes until 7:30 AM start. Yet after a jog and a pitstop we were face to face with a mob of runners heading at us. It did not take long to realize the race went off a few minutes early. That kind of stunk and I was wishing we would have got to the start a few minutes earlier but what can you do except get to the starting line and take out some frustration on the course.

Amie and I hit the start did a 180 and took off around 6:45 pace for the 1.2 mile first run and by the return were already passing some people who had probably a good 3-4 minute head start.

Into transition and with a quick change of shoes I was off running with my bike. I mounted and immediately the front tire seemed to be making a funny bump noise and 20 yards later I pulled over totally disappointed as I already knew what the problem was. Front flat tire. I started ripping into my tail pack to change the tire although as usual the more I hurry the slower I end up getting things done. Tire off, new tube on, inflate with CO2 cartridges. Then the tube looks like some deformed tube and now it is all streched out. Yeah, in my haste and stressed out state I forgot to put the tire on before inflating. Dumb move, as if I haven't had plenty of flat fixing practice already this year. Thankfully I had another tube but now I needed a pump as I was out of cartridges. A friend brought one over and could not get this pump to work as it was different than what I was used to. After a lot of struggling finally it was pumped up. I joked about wanting a do-over for this day already and seriously I was frustrated I just wanted to quit already. I was soooo far behind already.

Finally I was off on my bike to start the race. I was all by myself as the other riders had to have at least a 15-20 minute headstart. Not far down Heisley I heard the familiar holler of ESpeed driving the opposite way in her car and it made me smile to know that at least I had the support of my friends out there. I started hammering on the pedals for awhile and within 5 miles my lower back was killing me. I have no clue what that was about but I spent the remaining 50 having to stretch it out every now and then. I went through a lot of up and down spells where I would push for awhile trying to catch up and then some down times where I felt I was so far behind that there was no point. Pride kept me going and I did not want to be a quitter but I was just so darn frustrated. At one point I must have hit a bumpy stretch of road and I thought I had a flat rear tire and I pulled over to check. I think I subconciously wanted it to be flat as I was out of tubes and air and would have to quit. Yet it was fine and back on the road I went.

All the intersections had officers to let the bikes through. I came across one and thought a car was still coming and then I looked the other way and there was another car coming and noticed the officer just standing there like a deer caught in headlights. I looked at him trying to make sense of what was going on and he shouted at me like it like it was my fault, "I just can't make them stop" while at the same time it looked like a lackluster attempt on his behalf. Not sure why he was there then!!!! After a slowdown I made my way across. The steep hill felt nice and short and with the passing of every mile the thoughts of quitting slipped further away. At one point I grabbed a gatorade bottle to put in my cage by the downtube but it has been so long since I did that I forgot it did not fit. So there I am pedaling with a bottle half in, half out, hitting my right leg every pedal stroke. I could not pitch it by the rules but it was driving me insane. I was desperately hoping to find some spectators I could give it to and 5 miles later I tossed it to some volunteers. I can't tell ya how happy I was to get rid this bottle I never even drank from or really needed. 30 miles or so in I started to finally pass people. I was so glad not to be last anymore and it helped keep me in the game.

I was happy to get on to the last two short loops on Heisly road except for the road bumps which were killing my girlie parts if I forgot to stand up a bit. The balls of my feet were already feeling bruised from pushing on the pedals.

My back was so happy to get off the bike and onto the run. My heavy legs kept turning over and about a mile up the road I was happy to see my girls E and MT!!!! I was plugging along steady but still being so far behind I was not concerned with kicking it in to overdrive as I figured there was not much of a point. So I happily bantered with them for awhile. Let me tell ya when you are exhauseted, it is the little things like the people that mean everything to you, even if you are too tired to truly acknowledge them! I started walking water stops to give my feet a break and because I was sooo thirsty. I was running off the road as much as possible to give my feet so cushion but the pads on the balls of my feet were killing me!

I had a huge laugh as this crowd of spectatators must have said something to one racer which brought out a full moon for several steps. They must have said soemthing to the guy ahead of me too because I could see him shaking his head. As I approached I put up my had and with a smile said, "Don't even ask!" which brought out a good laugh. The aide stations were all full of awesome volunteers. The cool down guy at the Fleet Feet Station always made me smile and I was so happy to be nearing the finish. I just kept the pace pretty comfortable, content to finish!

I should also mention the wind was friggin brutal. The wind on several stretches of the bike course was incredibly grueling and on the run when you were on the path near the lake the wind was blowing the sand so hard it was flying all around in your face. Craziness!

Finally I reached the finish in 5:35:17 and sooo glad I stuck with it. The bummer is that really the only comparable time to last year would be the run as every other leg has an *. Clearly I am totally disappointed with the day. I guess at the end of the day I am glad it was just stupid things like missing the start and a flat rather than an injury or something wrong with me like my asthma which could be an issue that may impact future stuff, but I am sooo sick of the excuses and not performing up to potential. Oh well, no sense dwelling on it, just learn from it and move on. I am still perplexed as to when the tire actually went flat.

Maybe next race we can put it all together. I really had not put a lot of focused half iron training together for this event and at least I managed to pull it off without much difficulty.

Thanks so much to sooo many people yesterday. Mickey the RD for the countless hours in putting this race on, my girls for all their support (YOU ARE ALL THE BEST!!!), the spectators like BB that came out, my Team ER boys and the fantastic volunteers!!!

Mad Mountain Training!!!

Reporting live en route towards home from the south!!!

First the quick prior week rap up...

Following Sunday's 101.5 mile Sweet Corn Ride.

Mon 7/28-10 miles mountain biking at West Branch (my quads were not at all ready for this after Sunday!)
Tues 7/29-6 miles with Salty and E (hit the track for some 200's and 400)
Wed 7/30 --never got the workout in but did some heavy lifting moving a couch!!!
Thurs 7/31 -10 miles road bike with allanjel--work put the kabash on my planned long brick!
Fri 8/1 -off (in car!)
Sat 8/2 -20 miles mountain biked at Raccoon Mountain in Chattanooga TN
Sun 8/3 - 7 miles ran (HILLS!), ~1200 yd open water swim
Mon 8/4 - 6 miles ran (more hills)
Tues 8/5 - 10 miles mtn biked at Pigeon Mtn in northern GA...this is not really true as probably at least half was hiking carrying the bike--Holy frickin tiring!
Wed 8/6 -off (car again!)

So the quads have definitely been getting a workout. There are some crazy mountains and hills everywhere I was down south!

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After the long drive south we got in late Friday to my hubby's family in northern AL. After a good night's sleep we met some folks off the SORBA website for a group mtn bike ride at Raccoon Mtn. It was soooo awesome to have our own little guides and see just how wonderful these trails were! It was hot and humid but we had a blast!!!




Sunday and Monday were filled with trail running, swimming and lounging on my raft in the lake! We also snuck away for a dinner & a movie!

Tuesday we went to Pigeon Mtn with his aunt and uncle. They rode horses while we mountain biked the trails there. They had warned us they were some of the roughest trails in northern Georgia and they were right. They also were not lying that the first 3.5 miles were all uphill. I was not sure why I brought my bike instead of my hiking shoes! To top it all off, a bee stung me in the right butt cheek and again my skin is hot and swollen....and yes I have to sit on it all day today! I really should not complain as I was lucky not to see the long fat rattlesnake that scared the horses and my hubby's aunt and uncle. I think I might just have had a heart attack right then!

Now back to the real world and work tomorrow!!!!