The End... of this Blog

I started this blog when I was on the road all-the-time. It was a great way to let you all know where I was, what adventures I was getting myself into, and when I'd be back in the US. I also had a lot more free time when I was traveling since the jetlag kept me awake at odd hours.

This year, I haven't traveled at all for work, so the posts have been about Ironman training and work... both pretty boring subjects if you ask me. And I definitely don't have as much free time.

So, this is the end of this blog. Thank you for being such great followers of my blog.

If you want to keep track of me, "friend" me on Facebook. mebeame@yahoo.com is my screen address or just give me a call!

A Fun Wednesday Evening with Ironteam

Last night, Ironteam did hill repeats at Mt. Eden. The hill isn't particularly long or steep, but our coaches added some difficulty to it. We started out the training with a short, 8-mile warm-up, then hit the hills. Here is the breakdown of the 7 climbs we did up Mt. Eden. Oh, and by the way, we were never allowed to use our lowest gear on our bikes.

1. Climb Comfortably, not in the lowest gear
2. Climb at level 7 (out of 10)
3. Standing climb the whole way up
4. Climb two gears harder than #1
5. Climb three gears harder than #1
6. One legged... 20 on right, recover, 20 on left, recover... repeat to the top.
7. Sprint to the top and 20 squats at the top

I was quite surprised on the one-legged drills because I always thought my right leg was stronger while cycling. And while the leg has more power, it doesn't pedal as smoothly, so I was consistently faster when only using my left leg.

I skipped the 15-minute run after the ride because my hip has been bothering me. And because I needed to be on a conference call too.

Moving 3-miles away

Well, our manufacturing facility in China has reached the end of the lease agreement. What does this mean? It means having to move everything from one facility into another facility and it all needs to be done by the end of the year.

This will not be easy since we have thousands of pieces of equipment (large and small) that will need to move and be validated. Oh, and all the plastics equipment, painting line, sub-assembly lines will need to be moved and qualified again too.

Sigh. Hopefully we have an endless lease on this new place. I'd hate to have to do this again.

Still not sleeping

I'm still not sleeping well and it is really wearing me down physically and emotionally. I've been supplementing with naps when possible and lots of caffeine. I'm sure neither of these are helping the situation resolve itself, but I need to be functional during non-sleep hours...

I haven't allowed myself any caffeine today and a nap really isn't possible, so I am down to what I consider "barely" functional. Hopefully this will resolve itself soon because I'm not sure how long I can keep this up for.

Countdown to Ironman

Only 100 days until I race at Ironman Canada!

This weekend is an 80-mile bike ride/20-minute transition run on Saturday and a 15-mile run on Sunday. We've been told that 10-miles of the 15-mile run will be uphill. I'm guessing I will experience "some level of discomfort" during this weekend... But that's all part of Ironman training.

Long Swim

Yesterday, our training calendar said 3500 yards for our team swim. When we showed up at the Gunderson HS pool, the lanes were set up in "long course"... so instead of lanes of 25 yards, they were set up in the 50 direction.

We jumped in the pool at 6:30 and started swimming. I warmed up, then the workout started. Drills, swimming at different levels, etc. I finally got out of the pool after 3900. Not sure if that is yards or meters. If it was yards, it was over 2.2 miles, if it was meters, it was over 2.4 miles. It's good to know I can swim close to the Ironman distance at this point in the season!

I'm surprised that I'm not sore today. Maybe I need to push harder in the pool?

Not One, Not Two, But Three Flats...

Yesterday, I had a frustrating day on the bike. I headed out from work on my usual 20-miler... up and over Sierra Road. Less than a mile from work, I had a flat in my rear tire. I pulled the wheel off and changed the tube. The rock that was stuck in my tire looked like a shark's tooth. I decided to keep going since the gash in the tire was relatively small.

Then, somewhere near the top of Sierra Road (yes, I made it to the top), I had another flat. This time, in my front tire. I couldn't find what caused the flat, but it was flat. I didn't notice it until I got to the top of Sierra though because it was really windy and I thought the difficulty in pedaling was from the wind and the hill.

I was concerned at this point because I only carry 2 tubes and 2 CO2 cartridges... and I had just used my last of both. I wasn't sure what I would do if I got another flat since there isn't a ton of cell phone service back there. Luckily, I made it down the hill ok.

The 3rd and last flat of the day was just as I pulled into the parking lot at work. Another flat on my front tire. I was very frustrated at this point and wanted to throw my bike... but I didn't.

I think it's time to get new tires for my bike and now I need to stock up again on tubes and CO2.

Thumb

You guys are probably sick of hearing about my thumb. First I got it caught in the car door, then the doctor drilled a small hole in the nail, then I was in a split because it was broken... One last post about my thumb...

The bruised part of the nail started lifting the other day, from the bottom of the nail. I trimmed it because it was getting caught on stuff. Then I trimmed it again because it was still getting caught on stuff.

Last night, I decided to make myself a new nail with superglue. I think I did a pretty good job considering I didn't have the right tools...



In case you are wondering what part of the nail is real and what part is "superglue", the picture below shows generally where the change happens... Superglue nail below the line, real nail above.

Computer Issues

We have a strict policy at work on what we can and can't install on our computers. A few of us have administrative authority on our computers (ability to install programs) and I am one of the lucky few!

Last week, I decided that it was silly to still be running Internet Explorer 6.0 when IE 8 was available. So, I downloaded it from the internet and installed it.

Unfortunately, it's made it so I can't get to my company's internal home page. And that home page is where all the links are for the programs I need to use to do my job.

If all else fails, I'll call our IT help desk. But they will ask how I got IE8 and I'm not ready to get in trouble for that yet.

Hot

This was a very hot weekend, but my workouts went ok.

Being on a bike in 90 degree weather is much better than running in it.

Welcome to Race Phase

Our Ironteam training has officially transitioned from Build Phase to Race Phase.

What does that mean for me?
It means weekends filled with swimming, cycling, and running. It means well over a thousand miles on the bike between now and race day. It means spending most of my free time training and it means lots less free time to do "fun" things.

Thank you (in advance) for your patience with me in the upcoming months... I know my schedule will be rough, I'll often have the emotional stability of a 2-year old, and I'll probably forget there is a world outside of Ironman training. Your understanding is very much appreciated.

Mondays will still be "rest" days, so schedule your Monday now!

Weekend

It's finally the weekend!!! WOOHOOO!!! I'm going into this weekend already tired and will likely come out even more tired. I'm running 15 miles with the run team tomorrow and then going to do a 50-mile bike ride on Sunday. Relatively short workouts in comparison to the rest of the Race Phase calendar!

1% vs. 0%

When I went to Safeway the other day, I had to buy 1% milk because the non-fat milk was expiring in less than 2 days. I have been drinking non-fat milk since I was 7 or 8 years old, but figured 1% couldn't be that different, so I bought it.

When I added the 1% milk to my cereal last night, it tasted like I was drinking cream. Ugh. How could 1% fat milk be THAT different than 0%?

Sierra Road, Revisited

It seems I write often about Sierra Road. That's because it has a reputation of being one of the most difficult climbs in the area for cyclists and I consider it my nemesis on the bike.

Here is a picture looking down Sierra Road as I was riding up. This is one of the flatter parts after just coming up one of the really steep sections of road.

I made it to the top and screamed "WOOHOOOOO!" but only the cows heard me. I was excited because I felt great the whole ride up and was glad I didn't have to turn around like I did last time.

So, the score is:

Sierra Road - 1, Amy - 3

No Sleep for You

I rarely have a difficult time sleeping. I've always been a pretty
good sleeper actually. Of course I had rough nights with jetlag, but
mostly I got through it because I could make myself sleep.

For some reason, I have had a hard time sleeping the past few days. I
tried to sleep at 10pm today, but tossed and turned for 90 minutes
before giving up. Now I'm wide awake.

Things do not look good for my energy level tomorrow!

90K miles

My car hit 90,000 miles today on the drive down to my parents' house.
Nevermind how fast I was driving...

I've never had a car hit 90K miles before. But I love my 4Runner and
plan to keep it forever... Or until my next new car.

Ironing Sheets

I was told today that it's not normal to iron my sheets after washing and before putting them back onto my bed.  Really?  no one else irons their sheets?  What about all the wrinkles?  I guess my OCD is not as under-control as I had thought.  I didn't iron my sheets today but think I'll wake up unhappy because of all the wrinkles in my sheets.

Lunch n' Learn

We often have "Lunch n' Learn" sessions at work. Basically, you bring your lunch and listen to someone talk about certain subjects. I've never been to one so I wouldn't know what to expect.

Today, we are having a lunch n' learn about swine flu. I think I'll bring my bacon sandwich and eat it during the session...

Does anyone think that would be "insensitive" of me?

Wildflower Race, Take 2

On Saturday, I raced the Wildflower Long Course (Half Iron distance). The best thing I can say about the race is that I finished...

I started out the day feeling drained. I had a tough week at work and was still sick from the week before. I got suited up for the swim and figured I'd see what happened. Once the swim started, I knew I'd be in trouble that day. My head wasn't in the game and I couldn't concentrate on anything. I just kept swimming from buoy to buoy until I finished the swim. It felt like it took forever even though my time didn't reflect that.

In Transition 1 (T1), I wasn't sure I'd keep going. Some friends saw me and asked "are you ok?" with very concerned looks on their faces. After the race was over, they would tell me that I looked terrible and were very worried about me because of how dazed I looked.

I headed out on the bike and figured I could pull out if needed. By mile 20, I was ready to stop. I decided that I wouldn't make myself run if I didn't feel better by T2. I stopped to help a TNT racer from NY. I figured it was her race day. It was just another training day for me. I kept riding after that and stopped a few times to gather myself. I've never stopped before on that course during a race, so that's a good indication of how bad I felt. I also felt like I could fall asleep at any moment during the bike. Not good.

At T2, I changed and was still trying to decide if I would run or not. I made the bike cut-off time and figured I should just walk and see how it went. I met up with a teammate around mile 2 and we stared running/walking together. I started feeling better on the run because my sinuses cleared up and my ears finally unplugged from my cold.

Once at mile 4, I knew I would finish the race and 9.1 miles later, I finished. While I am glad I finished the race, I was as close as I have ever been to pulling myself out of a triathlon. The plan for this week is to recover and rest. I need to put some fuel back into my tank so I am ready for the rest of the training season to Ironman. Less than 4 months to go.

Mr Universe

I had the pleasure of meeting and hosting Mr Universe at our work
conference. He won the title in 2006 and now does inspirational
speaking engagements.

Nice guy! Loved this picture!

Out of Town

I am out of town the next few days for work. Where will I be, you ask? Milpitas. Yes, Milpitas. I know I live in Sunnyvale and that's only 15 minutes away... but I will be staying at the Embassy Suites in Milpitas.

Why? Because we are having a conference and I am one of the organizers so I am staying in Milpitas. Seems silly to stay 15 minutes away, but I think I'll be thankful for the extra 15 or 30 minutes of rest.

Sick

I have a cold. I think this explains why I've felt "off" this week. The extra aches, the tiredness, the bad workouts. Everyone at work is sick and it seems like everyone at track workout for the run team was sick also. I ignored being sick for as long as I could, but on Friday afternoon, I couldn't ignore it anymore.

I left work around 11 and took a 4 hour nap. Then I slept for 13 hours on Friday night. I didn't feel good enough for my 70-mile bike ride, so I stayed at home and rested. While I want to get back to working out, my main concern is to be better in time for Wildflower next weekend.

Sore

I am very sore today. This is thanks to yoga on Tuesday when our instructor decided she was going to make our arms stronger. It's also thanks to my (failed) attempt at climbing Sierra Road on Tuesday evening and my first swim since the broken thumb yesterday.

Today is yoga and a 9-mile run, tomorrow is a swim and spin, Saturday is a 70-mile ride, and Sunday is a swim and 15-mile run. I think I'll be sore until August.

Amy - 2, Sierra Road - 1

I had planned to climb Sierra Road on my bike yesterday, but I didn't expect it to be 90 degrees when I started. I wasn't hydrated enough for a climb in that temperature and I knew I didn't have enough to eat during the day. Of course, I put that aside and took my bike out anyway.

About 15 minutes into the climb, my heart-rate wouldn't settle down. I stopped to catch my breath and recover a bit before continuing. After this, I couldn't get my heart-rate under control. This ride was quickly falling apart.

When I reached the hairpin turn (1/2 way up Sierra), I wasn't convinced I could make it to the top, but going down Sierra road would be really scary because of how steep it is. I waited for a sign... nothing came. I decided to keep climbing. That's when my sign came. I started feeling sick to my stomach. I stopped for a minute to let everything settle down, turned my bike around, and slowly rode back to work.

Yesterday Sierra Road won, but I'll be back and won't take defeat again. Mostly because going DOWN Sierra Road is f-ing scary.

Bad food day

Yesterday, I had a lot of bad-for-me foods... Here is a list:

1 - Slice Peanut Butter Toast
1 - Egg McMuffin-like breakfast sandwich from the cafeteria
1/2 - large plate of pasta for lunch
1 - frozen yogurt
1 - Kara's Cupcake (thanks roomie, for making me have a cupcake)
1 - slice of Pizza

OK, I guess it wasn't that bad, but I probably shouldn't be having both frozen yogurt and cupcakes in the same day. Unfortunately, I think both are laced with crack and I'm addicted to them...

Welcome to 2006

Today, my work laptop was upgraded from Windows 2000 to XP. Finally. I have made it to 2006. Just 3 years behind now...

I spent my day away from work because it's pretty boring to sit at my desk without a computer. I went to lunch, had frozen yogurt, and still had plenty of time to make it back before my computer was returned. Now that it's back, I really should do some work. I'll get right on that...

Hot

It was 93 degrees today when we finished our workout in Santa Cruz. We went for a 45-mile ride and an hour run. The hot weather definitely makes things more difficult.

I'm sitting in my house with the air conditioning on. Now I'm a little cold but am too tired to go upstairs to turn it off...

I am NOT a Gardener

There are people out there that claim gardening is relaxing and fun. Maybe it could be if I had the right tools, gloves, and there wasn't any dirt involved. Oh, and a healing thumb.

I was working from home yesterday and decided to open the blinds in the house and let some natural light in. When I opened the blinds and got past the dirt on the windows, I noticed a GIANT weed in the front yard. GIANT. Like Jack and the Beanstalk giant. If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was a tree.

So, armed with the kitchen scissors (I don't have any gardening tools), I went to attack the GIANT weed. I tried to yank it out by it's roots, but couldn't because it was so big. I finally chopped it into little pieces and dug out the roots, all with kitchen scissors.

Then this started me on gardening frenzy in my overgrown yard (who knew the HOA wasn't taking care of my little patio area?). In the end, a bunch of plants, lots of weeds, and a bush were removed from my front yard... And I can promise you that I was not more relaxed afterwards...

Plants that got a haircut courtesy of my kitchen scissors

Bye Bye, Mr Splint

Dear Mr. Splint and Mrs. Antibiotics,
Thanks for protecting my thumb over the past 10 days. I appreciate all you have done for me in keeping me safe from bacteria and re-injury to my thumb, but it is time for you to go. Don't let the door hit you on the way out... because, take it from me, that hurts like heck.
Sincerely,
Amy

They are Multiplying

Today should be the last day of antibiotics for my thumb. I've taken them every day as prescribed and today should be day 10. But I just counted and there are 5 days worth of doses remaining.

I think they are multiplying.

My appetite is still missing. There are Peanut Butter cups in my house and I haven't felt like eating them. I think the peanut butter cups are as confused about that as I am.

I'm now supplementing calories by drinking CarboPro (carbohydrate loaded powder mixed into water, typically used when working out) and forcing myself to eat every couple of hours. I haven't cut back on my workouts yet, but that might be next.

Exhausted

As our trainings get longer and my weekends get more and more packed, I'm starting the work week really tired. The past two weekends have been non-stop fun and training and I'm starting to feel the effects of it. Today, I am exhausted.

The scary part of that is Ironman isn't until the end of August and it's only the middle of April. That's a long time to be exhausted...

No Kona

I didn't get into the Ironman Hawaii lottery this year. This is probably a good thing since racing 2 Iron distance races in 5 weeks is kind of crazy. But I was going to give it a shot if I got in. Oh well, some other year!

Ride to the Coast (and back)

Today was a ride with Ironteam and short run after. I wasn't feeling great in the morning, but decided to go anyway. I have lost 7 pounds this week because of the antibiotics and was worried how bad I would feel while in the bike.

I started off the ride cautiously. I told the coaches that I might have to turn back early. We climbed Kings Mountain first and that felt OK, so I pushed on. Then I realized that I was actually riding pretty fast and well up the hills. I say fast in comparison to my usual speed...

There was strong headwind and it wasn't as fun on the downhills or flats. I kept seeing teammates at the waterstops that I typically don't see (they are usually faster than me).

Then came the climb up Tunitas Creek. It was hard, but not horrible. Having 7 less pounds to lug up the hill definitely helped! The 63 mile ride came to an end when I got back to my car. Then a quick 20 minute jog.

I am tired now, but so happy to have had a great ride today!

No Appetite

I have no appetite these days. I think it is because of the antibiotics that my doctor insists I take even though my thumb doesn't look or feel infected. And now that I've started, I need to keep taking them so I don't create the next super-bug. Funny they won't give me ABs when I am sick, but when my thumb "might" be infected, that's a different story.

I'm trying to keep my calorie intake up until I'm off these ABs. Then hopefully all will be back to normal and I'll be stuffing my face with food again.

Splint

Days without injury - 2

I've had to reset my "Injury counter". On Sunday night, I managed to shut my thumb into the car door. I wanted to scream because it hurt so badly, but I didn't. It was throbbing and there was a bruise forming underneath my nail. I got home and put some ice on it and tried to sleep.

The next day, I woke up and it was swollen and purple. I also couldn't really bend it. When I got to work, I decided to build myself a splint out of electrical tape and two sticks. It felt much better to be immobilized. About 2 hours into my work day, it was hurting so much that I felt sick to my stomach. I finally decided to call the doctor around noon and managed to get an appointment for late in the day.

The xray showed a small hairline fracture in the tip of my thumb, but the worst part of the whole doctor's appointment was when the doctor dug a small hole in my thumb nail to drain the blood out from underneath. Since my thumb was totally inflamed and I had a slight fever, the doctor prescribed antibiotics and a pain killer for me.

He said it shouldn't limit my mobility much, but to wear a splint for a few weeks. I asked about training (swimming, biking, running) and he said to go by pain level. I, of course, interpreted that as an ok to train as much as I want.

San Francisco

Colleen was visiting from Boston this weekend and I got to spend most of Sunday with her and Chris.

We started out at Union Square to grab a snack. We ate a slice of pizza then wandered around the area. We stopped in a few shops and found ourselves in Chinatown a little while later. Once we reached North Beach, we stopped in a coffee shop to rest and chat. Colleen was getting tired and her feet hurt after being dragged around the city by two Ironteamers.

It was only a few blocks more to Fisherman's Wharf, so we wandered down that way. We had dinner a little while later and then rode the cable car back to Union Square. Chris had never been on a cable car even though he's lived in the area for his entire life. Here's a picture.

As with all visits, this one with Colleen was too short. We took her to the airport shortly after and she headed back to Boston.

Busy Recovery Weekend

On Saturday, I was up early (in spite of my hangover) for a run team 14-miler in Half Moon Bay. I ran 9-miles since we were only supposed to exercise for 90 minutes (I love recovery week). I felt great while running and the conditions were perfect. I even managed to keep up with one of the fast runners on the team for a mile!

After the run, I headed home to clean up before heading to the SF for a haircut. After the cut, I picked up a friend at the airport and we spent the rest of the day hanging out. It was another late night for me and I was supposed to be up early the next morning for a swim.

In the middle of the night, I had a calf cramp. One of those that hurts so much and you want to curl up into the fetal position, but can't because that would hurt even more. It finally released, but was very sore. I decided I would not swim on Sunday morning as I had planned. I didn't want be 45 minutes into the swim, have a cramp, then drown. That would be bad.

Instead, I had a leisurely morning at home. I rode my new computrainer for 90-minutes and my workout for the day was done (I love recovery week). I managed to do a couple of loads of laundry too. Then, I headed to the city with Chris because our friend Colleen was visiting from Boston. More about that in a later blog.

It was a fun, jam-packed weekend! Did I mention that I love recovery week?

Yoga

I did a handstand in yoga yesterday. I'm not sure I've ever done a handstand before in my life and if I have, it was at least 20 years ago. Crazy. Today, my shoulders are sore.

This weekend is recovery for our training. 90 minutes each day of whatever sport we choose. I shall run for 90 minutes tomorrow and swim for 90 minutes on Sunday.

I love recovery weeks!

Cycling

Yesterday's workout consisted of a short warm up on the bike, then hill repeats up Mt. Eden. Mt. Eden isn't particularly steep or long, but is a great place to get in repeats and built some strength and speed for climbing.

My friend and her husband rode with me. He is a coach on the cycle team, so I wanted him to take a look at my cycling and tell me if there was anything wrong with my pedal stroke or set-up. Secretly, I was hoping he would tell me the secret of cycling faster or show up with a magic pill.

The good news is he didn't see anything wrong with my cycling and I wasn't mashing the pedals or anything. I was riding up Mt. Eden faster yesterday than I ever have before, so maybe that was why.

Now for the bad news. There is no magic pill or secret to cycling faster. Just takes hard work and strength. Darn.

More Cruise Photos

Our cruise ship, the Sapphire Princess

Sunset - the first evening on the ship


Traffic jam just outside Cabo.
Apparently cows cross the road often.

Cabo doesn't have docks big enough for the ship,
so we anchored off shore and rode lifeboats to get to the shore.

BMW

This picture is WAY too cute not to post...

Don't worry. The BMW M6 toy car belongs to a neighbor of my parents.

But it's so cute and she's so happy that I may need to buy her one for her birthday.

I wonder if they have one in pink...

Wildflower Weekend

On Friday afternoon, I made the drive down to Lake San Antonio with a teammate from Ironteam. We arrived with plenty of time to set up our tents and get settled before the joint Triathlon and Ironteam potluck dinner. After reviewing a few logistical details, I organized my transition bags and tried to sleep. I slept pretty well except for the 3 times I had to get out of my tent and walk to the bathroom.

My alarm went off at 5:30 AM. Luckily, I was already awake. I started my race morning preparations and had some breakfast too. We headed down to the transition area and checked in, got body marked, and put on our wetsuits.

At 7AM, the starting gun went off (actually, it was Coach Steve saying "Ok... Go!"). We swam until we passed 6 buoys and headed back to the dock. The water was gross as usual and the sun was blinding me on the way back. I could barely see the buoys anyway and the sun made it even harder. I think new goggles will help... After the swim we climbed through knee deep mud to get out of the water. Yuck.

Transition 1 was quick and I was onto my new bike for the 55-mile ride. The first hill was really tough and I was already concerned about the rest of the day. Once at the top, I fueled as much as possible to get some energy back. The rest of the ride went pretty smoothly. The new bike felt good, but needs a few "tweaks" to make it a bit more comfortable. I got to the top of Nasty grade without too many issues and then turned onto the hill known as "Soul Crusher". I took my time and climbed it. The rest of the ride was good and I made it back to transition in a decent amount of time. I was very happy to be off the bike at this point.

Transition 2 was quite a bit slower than T1 because I was taking my time and not looking forward to the run at all. I finally headed out on the run and could feel every mile of the bike in my legs. They were heavy and didn't want to move. It was getting hot also and I knew what to expect on the run course. I started my run/walk timing and that worked for a bit. I was not a happy camper as I rounded the very hot trail area around the lake. I walked more than I ran and wasn't sure I would finish the day because my feet were very unhappy.

I kept moving forward and somewhere just after mile 6, my legs started feeling better. And the trail was smoother so my feet felt better too. I ran most of the way between miles 7-9 and even managed to keep running into and out of "the pit". The jog to the finish was easy and I was very happy to be done.

We stayed in the transition/finish area until everyone on the team finished, then headed back up to camp. After a well deserved shower and some food, the party started. I headed to bed around 11:30 because I was exhausted.

Sunday morning the birds started chirping around 5:45 AM. I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't. At 6:15, I declared "nature sucks" and got out of bed. I don't actually think nature sucks, but it does when you are trying to sleep in. I started packing up my stuff and shoving it into the car. We had breakfast as a team, had a waterstop for the Tri teamers who were doing their run on Sunday, then headed home.

It was a fun and exhausting weekend. And we get to do it all over again in April, when we are scheduled to do the Wildflower race!

Friday's Schedule

I am working a 1/2 day today.  This is what it looks like:

 

7:30 AM - Arrive at work

7:30-7:45 - boot up computer, get coffee, etc

7:45-9:00 - Work, read e-mails, write report

9:00-9:30 - Breakfast

9:30-10:00 - Surf the internet, update blog

10:00-10:30 - go get gas for the car and check tire pressure

10:30-11:30 - Work if required, otherwise surf internet

11:30 - Leave work and head to Lake San Antonio

Wildflower Practice Weekend

I'll be down at Lake San Antonio with the rest of Ironteam this weekend. It's our Halfway to Iron-event. Basically that means Ironteam is putting on a 1/2 Ironman race for us on Saturday on the Wildflower long course. I'll update you on how it goes when I get back next week. For now, I need to organize and pack up my car since we have to camp at Lake San Antonio.

Have a good weekend!

Weight Loss

I've decided today that Easter has ruined my weight loss plan... Why you ask?

Because it is almost impossible to resist the Easter candy they have in the stores. With all the cute pastel colors - pink, baby blue, yellow, and orange wrappers. This week it's mini peanut butter cups. Next week, who knows. Maybe Cabury Mini Eggs.

This is not helping me increase my power-to-weight ratio for Ironman. Sigh.

Technical Difficulties

I am having technical difficulties. My computer at work is acting up and I'm too annoyed with it to try to fix it. Plus, we are still running Windows 2000 (YES, 2000!). We are slated to upgrade to XP later this year since Microsoft has decided to stop supporting Windows 2000. Yes, we are THAT behind.

When I first started my job, we were running Windows 97. I didn't know we had all of these internal rules about computer software, so I decided to take an illegal copy of Windows 98 and install it on my laptop. It worked great after that, but then one day our IT department came and asked how I got Windows 98. Hmmn...

Anyhow, I'm hoping the upgrade to XP will fix all my computer's issues. Until then, I will deal with it. It's not as if I have a choice.

Nervous Talkers

I was on a conference call this morning and there was a "nervous talker" on the phone. Meaning, every time there was a second of silence, this person felt the need to say something that didn't need to be shared during this meeting. She also felt the need to talk over my director a few times too. So annoying!

All Right

There is something wrong with my left hand. I am having a hard time doing simple things like pulling plugs from the wall and changing gears on my bike.

While it is no big deal, it made a bike ride outside a bad idea. I tried, but after a few miles, I decided it was best to go home and do my ride on the trainer. Good news is that my trainer and bike didn't throw me into the bookshelf this time! Progress!

My hand is weak from the "death grip" I had on my brakes when descending the back of Sierra Road on Friday.

I have to take it easy this week so my hand is back to normal for next weekend, our team's Wildflower weekend!

The Top

A picture from the top of Sierra Road. It doesn't look that difficult until you realize I started from the same elevation as the wetlands way out in the distance... and made that climb in less than 4 miles.

I did the ride again yesterday. That probably made today's 12-mile run in the hills of Portola Valley more difficult since my legs were a bit tired...

Back to the grind

This week has been rough for various reasons. Returning from vacation is always tough and throwing myself back into Ironteam training has been a rough transition. Work has been increasingly annoying too, so that doesn't help. Maybe my annoyance at work has something to do with my tiredness. For those that I work with, I'm thinking I'll be really unpleasant around July, so mark that in your calendar.

Even though I'm tired, I'm looking forward to my weekend of workouts. Saturday, I'm planning to run 12 miles or so with the run team in Portola Valley. Then on Sunday, I'm riding my bike 60 miles (route TBD).

Monday is a rest day and I'm looking forward to that the most!

Sierra Road

Above is the elevation chart for Sierra Road. It climbs 1800 feet in 3.6-miles and is a "Category 1" climb for road racing. And lucky for me, it's just a few miles from work.

On Tuesday, I planned out a 20-mile loop that included this (somewhat insane) 3.6-mile climb. I set off on my new bike and was very worried because I wasn't sure I could climb a road THAT steep.

After a few minutes on the hill, it felt as if I was climbing up a wall. A man was running up the hill and he was going faster than I was. Cars passed me as they were headed downhill and I could smell their brakes burning.

Sometimes my bike computer said 2.5 MPH and I was confused as to how my bike was still upright at that slow speed. The not-so-steep parts felt great even though they were still steep. I stopped once because it felt like my heart would explode if I didn't. And I figured the cows would laugh at me if I fell over.

I was SO proud of myself for making it to the top and was rewarded with the most beautiful views. I headed onto the downhill section and finished off my 20-mile ride shortly after.

I'm planning to do that ride at least once a week while I'm training so I can be a better (and faster) rider.

Oh, and my new bike has a name now... Sierra.

Your Cooperation is Appreciated

My niece was not cooperative with the photographer... but I thought it was cute even though she's sticking out her tongue.

Family Foto

Here is the family photo from the cruise.

From Left to Right, here is everyone's relation to me...

Back: Dad, Niece, Brother, Sister-in-law

Center: Cousin, Grandpa, Me

Front: Mom, Aunt

Zip lining in Cabo

On Thursday, my cousin, sister-in-law, and I went zip lining in Cabo. It was a ton of fun. We climbed rocks, rappelled, zip lined. Here is a picture of me on the zip line.

Spring Break!

Today is our 2nd day on the ship and we are still at sea. The sun came out today and so did all the spring break partiers. Everyone seems to be on the pool deck tanning and partying. I, of course, am not. I spent some time in the sun, then got tired from chasing my niece around in the pool, and would like to take a nap now. I tried to run on the treadmill, but I felt sick from the rocking of the boat.

I am currently watching episodes of “The Love Boat”. They are showing on one of the ship’s channel. These episodes are so cheesy and I love it!

Cruise

Hello from sea. We are on the Sapphire Princess headed for Puerto Vallarta. The first 2 days are at sea, so we are cruising along the coast of Mexico. So far, I have eaten a lot, seen a few whales, run a few miles, and "swam" in the pool with my niece for 2 hours. I finally had to bribe her out of the pool with a cookie...

We have our first formal night tonight and we are celebrating my grandpa's 90th birthday tonight! I better go get a snack before dinner time. Ha ha. Just kidding. I haven't quite gotten my sea legs yet, so my stomach still feels a bit queasy with all this rocking.

Cruise

Well, we are on the ship and are about to set sail. I've eaten once already. Fun!

Ready for Vacation

Why is it that when you are about to go on vacation, you get hundreds of requests to do things the day before you leave?  This happened to me today.  People somehow heard I was going to be out for the next week and decided that they needed everything done instantly.  Too bad for them though, there just isn't enough time in my day today.  Actually, there is time, but emotionally, I'm ALREADY on vacation...

 

I did plenty of work today and have decided that I am finished until after I return from vacation.  I need to set my Out of Office message and then I'll be finished.

 

I started organizing everything I will need to pack for this trip.  So far, I have put aside just about everything in my closet.  I'm pretty sure all of this will not fit into my suitcase...  I somehow fit clothes for a 17-day cruise to Europe into the same suitcase.  Not sure why I am bringing so much extra onto this 7-day cruise to Mexico...

TIMBER

Yesterday I was on my bike trainer in my bonus room. About 45 minutes into my 60 minute workout, my bike decided to come loose from the trainer and fall over. This is the first time my bike has come out of the trainer in over 8 years. I think it might be angry that I bought a new bike last week...

Anyhow, as the bike came free from the trainer, I tipped over (in what seemed like very slow motion) into the bookshelf in my bonus room then onto the ground. I managed to gash my hand and scrape up my arm, but I felt ok otherwise.

So, as any normal person would, I tied a cloth around my bleeding hand, put my bike back into the trainer and finished the last 15 minutes of my workout...

Today I am bruised and quite sore. I'm just not sure how much of the soreness is from falling vs. the 3 workouts I did yesterday (yoga, spin, track practice).

Neglected

In the past week, I have been told by 2 different people that they feel "neglected" by me.  Before I respond, I decided to look up the definition of neglected. 

 

1 - to give little attention or respect to: disregard 

2 - to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness

 

OK, I would hope that no one actually believes I give them little respect, especially my friends.  And I find it difficult to accept that I do anything through carelessness.  So, my own definition will be that these people feel that I have given little attention to them and they feel unattended to.

 

My response to anyone that feels they are being neglected by me is: GET IN LINE! 

 

Line A - Leads to us scheduling something fun (some sort of eating works best these days)

or

Line B - Get in line behind all the other people I have neglected when training for Ironman

 

You can choose which line is for you!

 

Open Water Swimming

Whenever I swim in open water, I always wonder if I swim straight or crooked. Usually, I assume everyone else is swimming straight and I'm swerving back and forth. I sometimes think I swim further than everyone else because of my zig-zag swimming.

Today I was told by IronTeam staff that I swim straight! I first thought they were joking with me, but this came from people in a kayak, so they would know if we were swimming straight. And they told the team to use my swim cap to sight off of.

The only issue with that is that I'm not a fast swimmer so everyone would need to start 30 mins after me to sight off of my swim cap...

I am very excited to know I swim straight!

Ride

I took my bike for a short ride after work yesterday. It was very different riding a tri bike versus a road bike, so I spent most of the ride getting used to the new bike and new gears. I also decided to go up the very steep Sierra Road to make sure I could still climb hills. I did relatively well, but didn't go very far because it was getting dark.

Today, I took the bike for a 2 hour ride to Portola Valley and back. It was a good ride and I made it 34 miles in those 2 hours. After was a quick 30 minute jog.

Tomorrow is a coached recovery workout. A 45-minute open water swim and 10-mile run. I feel more recovered just thinking about tomorrow's workout...

Countdown to Vacation

One week from today, I'll be on vacation for 1o days. I'm looking forward to spending time with my niece and family. And I can't wait for some extended downtime because I've been very tired.

My family is going on a cruise to celebrate my grandpa's 90th birthday. We (grandpa, mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, niece, aunt, cousin and I) will be headed from LA down the coast of Mexico. I'm hoping for nice weather and lots of rest (in between keeping up with Ironteam workouts of course...).

The countdown is on. 7 days until vacation!

Spending Bill

I did my budget today and have put an end to my spending spree (aka. Amy's 2009 Spending Bill). Just like the government.

Now I just need the State of California to give me my tax refund. Then I can get back to spending...

Tired

I slept a long time last night. Almost 10 hours. I went to sleep early and woke up late. That's ok because I didn't have anything on my work calendar for this morning. I got out of bed 1 hour later than I had planned. And I was still tired. I felt like I could have slept for another 4 or 5 hours if I had the option.

This is a recovery week for Ironteam. Hallelujah!

Tooth Brusher?

After another long swim, then spin/run/strength training day, I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to lift my arms for long enough to brush my teeth tonight.

Does anyone know a good tooth brusher?

Iron Saturday...

Today started with an Ironteam workout. A scheduled 1.2-mile open water swim and 7-mile run. Not too big of a deal except I gave blood the other day and have had a scratchy throat since then.

We jumped in Redwood Shores lagoon and hit the really cold water. Thank goodness for wetsuits! We started our swim and I kept swimming for what seemed like a LONG time. Turns out we swam 1.5-miles. I had a hard time climbing out of the water (the deck was too high) so a coach and teammate dragged me out of the water. I'm sure I looked like a beached whale.

After a quick change, we went for a 7-mile run... Which was more like 9.5-miles. I was having a hard time keeping my heart rate down towards the end, so I took a few walk breaks.

I made it, but was exhausted when I got home. I cleaned my stuff and packed my things for tomorrow's workout.

Tomorrow starts with an endurance swim set. Then 30 mins spin, 15 mins run, and strength exercises X 3. Somewhere around 4.5 hours of working out.

I'm tired just thinking about it!

Perty bike!

This is my new bike. It is a triathlon specific bike and I have no idea if I'll be able to ride it or change gears without falling off of it. But it sure looks fast! I can't wait to take it out for a ride!

SPAM

I got this notice yesterday from J&J Spam control:

Dear Amy Chang [LFS]: You have 951 NEW spam messages since February 17, 2009 12:45 AM

Seriously? 951 SPAM messages in two days? And another 15 or so that still make it to my inbox every day! That is just crazy. Do people really not have anything better to do than send SPAM?

I blame the fact that I used to use my work e-mail address for everything and when I finally switched, I was already linked to some SPAMers. And I'm convinced my Out of Office Auto Reply caused even more SPAM to arrive because they had notification that my e-mail address was "live".

Our e-mail addresses have changed, but we still get e-mail from our old addresses forwarded to us. This will continue for another year or so. Hopefully after they shut off our old addresses, the quantity of SPAM will reduce.

Until then, I wish they would hire the people that handle SPAM at Gmail because that spam blocker is the BEST!!!

Google Search

OK, my cousin brought this to my attention... Here is what you need to do. Go to the www.google.com (main search page) and type in "I am extremely". Don't hit enter, just wait to see what it brings up. And read the bottom entry.

WTF? Seriously?

Rain, rain go away...

I know we need the rain. I know it's only been a few days of heavy rain. But, this is California and we are spoiled. Because of that, I'm going to complain about the rain!

I wish it would only rain at night while we are sleeping. And I wouldn't mind rain in the middle of the work day. But rain all holiday weekend was frustrating. I bailed on my run tonight because it was raining.

I'd really be happy if I could see the sun. Hopefully tomorrow.

Rain, rain go away, come back another day!

Run, Take Two

This morning, I woke up at 4:45 so I could get a run in before the Team in Training 5K. I arrived at Stanford and got ready to run.

With a headlamp and reflective vest, I headed out in the rain for a 10-mile run. The only issue was I didn't FEEL like running in the rain. I made it around the corner (about 400 yards) and decided running in the rain while it was dark was a bad idea. There was no reason to torture myself. So, I went back to my car.

I ended up taking a nap in the car before the TNT run, then went for a run after. This run was much better. It wasn't raining and I felt better. It was a good run.

Oh, by the way, someone got one of our mentors to serenade me in front of the entire team this morning... I enjoyed the song and he has a great voice, so it was fun. But this friend of mine will have to pay for the embarrassment factor. And payback is a b*tch!

I think someone took pictures, so I'll post one when I track one down.

Hello Left Arm, How are you?

I was told this week that I have a "lazy left side" while swimming. In other words, I'd drag it through the water the easiest way possible and mimic the motion of a swimming stoke, but not actually push much water. To fix this, my friend told me to pay attention to the placement of my hand when starting my stroke. She said "pretend you are putting mail in a slot".

Last night at swim practice, I tried this. I focused on my left arm only and recited "Put mail in a slot" over and over again in my head. And guess what!?!?! I'm faster now. I was keeping up with and swimming faster than the people in my lane! That hasn't happened all season. And, when I looked one lane over (to the slightly faster lane), I was able to keep up with them too!

Today, my left arm and side are sore. Probably from having to work in the pool for the first time... I still have a ways to go, but I'm feeling better about my swimming for the first time in a REALLY long time!

Bonus

Every year as part of our pay, we get a bonus. And every year, the bonus is multiplied by a "bonus multiplier". That number depends on company performance, etc.

A few years ago, we had an 88% bonus multiplier because we missed our business targets by 1%. We all thought that was a bit harsh, but there wasn't much we could do about it. Two years ago, we had a GREAT year and met all of our goals. Our bonus multiplier was 104% that year.

Last year, we had a bad year. We missed many of our targets and barely delivered our bottom line to the mothership. In fact, we had layoffs in order to make our bottom line obligations. What is our bonus multiplier this year? 102%.

While I am happy that I still have a job AND am getting a bonus, I think it sends the wrong message to lay off almost 100 people at the company and then give everyone a 102% bonus.

Couldn't we have a 95% bonus and kept some of those people?

Still on the ground

I have not been on an airplane so far this year. In fact, I haven't been on an airplane in a REALLY long time. I wonder if the United flight crew to Hong Kong misses me.

At first, I missed the travel. I missed living out of my suitcase and going in and out of immigration. I felt important sitting in Business class and sometimes first class. I earned SUPER status on airlines frequent flyer programs and hotel frequent stay programs, so I was upgraded often for no reason in particular. But after I was home and able to get in a routine with life, I stopped missing the travel.

Yesterday, I had to make a decision about my next business trip. See, I am supposed to be in Asia next week and the week following, but I didn't really feel like going. So, I cancelled.

What was the deciding factor? The thought of having to do my training on the treadmill!

New Wheel

I have ordered a new wheel off of Ebay. Just the front one for now. No use spending a ton of money on a bike I may not keep for long. Although I've done 2 Ironmans on this bike and I'm kind of attached to it. I'll let the wheel arrive and then go from there.

One day at a time and one decision at a time.

Money

After our ride today, I went to the bike shop to find out how much new wheels will cost. Apparently, they are going to be at least $900 to get ones that are of the same quality as mine.

Now, the wheels are turning in my head (pardon the pun) and I'm thinking if I get cheap wheels and sell the bike, I can afford a new bike. It is 7 years old now and I've been told a few times the frame is too big for me.

Decisions, decisions!

Broke

This is a picture of the broken front wheel of my bike. The hub cracked and a spoke is loose. And it means I need a replacement wheel.

When I was loading my bike into my car for tomorrow's ride, the front wheel wouldn't roll. I tested the spokes and found this. Sigh.

I have been saved by friends who have offered to let me borrow their wheel, so I'll be able to do the ride tomorrow.

Then it's time to spend more money on a new wheel. Part of me wants a new bike now, but I know that's not logical. Like getting a new car because of a flat tire. But I worry that other things will start breaking.

Yoga, Run, Lunges

I'm sore today. It could be because I did yoga at lunch yesterday. Or because I ran 4 miles after work. But most likely, it is because I did a BUNCH of lunges yesterday during our first track workout for the Spring run team season.

As a coach, it's my favorite exercise to have participants do, so I had them do 10 per leg. I did lots and lots of lunges, first to demonstrate, then to join in on the fun. I think I did at least 60 lunges, maybe more (I wasn't counting).

Today, I shall swim to try to get some of the soreness out. And tonight, I have a massage scheduled. I can't wait. I have been looking forward to this massage for a while now!

Lottery

Today, I submitted my name for a lottery slot to the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Wish me luck! I'll find out in April sometime, so I'll let you all know the outcome. I'm not sure if I want to get in or not... But it would be really cool to race in Kona!

TAXES

I filed my taxes yesterday. I used TurboTax and e-filed my Federal and State taxes. I'm looking forward to getting an I.O.U. from the state since we still don't have a budget for the year and our credit rating is now in the toilet.

I vote to suspend the paychecks of California legislators and the Governor until a budget is passed. Let's freeze their bank accounts too so they have a small idea of how much pain they are causing the people of this state by not passing a budget.

This great State of California better get it's act together!

GPS

I spent most of the day searching for ways to "avoid" the cost of a new Navigation DVD for my car (it's 6 years old and many roads are no longer correct). I searched high and low and found many ways to get the data, but only one way to get it for free. This path was, of course, not legal, so I ended up bailing on it tonight and ordering a real Toyota Navigation DVD.

It was $280 from a Toyota dealer and I could have gotten it cheaper, but didn't trust that I'd get a genuine Toyota DVD. So, when it arrives next week, I will go from Version 2.1 to version 8.1! I suppose that's worth $280.

During my search, I learned of how to override the "safety" on the Toyota Navigation systems (Toyota Nav systems lock you out of functions while the car is going more than 5MPH). For 2003-2006 Nav systems, you can find a service menu by pressing imaginary buttons on a certain screen. I finally found mine tonight and was very happy.

And yes, I know I had way too much time to surf the internet today. I'm still amazed at what you can find!

25 Random Things

Ok, I know this is on Facebook, but thought I'd post it here too incase you aren't linked to Facebook...

These are 25 random things about me:

1. I have OCD. Not a surprise to anyone who knows me. I do my best to keep it under control now.

2. I used to know the first 50 digits of pi. Now I think I'm down to 25 or so. I memorized this in 7th grade because our teacher was offering us a Hostess pie if we did. I was a fat kid and really wanted the pie.

3. I wore a back brace for scoliosis from 8th grade to jr. year in HS. It was a full, neck to waist brace that I was supposed to wear 23 hours a day. I hated every minute I had to wear the back brace and I still think it damaged me emotionally in those very formative years.

4. I got my drivers license on the morning of my 16th birthday. I scored 100% on the driving test.

5. For those of you who think I drive fast now, the fact is that I've slowed down, a lot. I once took a rented car up to 135 mph on the freeway to Vegas. Thinking back, that is one of the dumbest things I've ever done.

6. I have my motorcycle license and used to own a motorcycle. I sold it because I didn't like being so close to the ground when driving so fast. And yes, I drive fast, see #5.

7. I grew up in Surf City, USA (Huntington Beach, CA), but didn't like the ocean. I loved the beach, but the cold water and waves crashing you to the ocean bottom weren't fun to me.

8. I have a list of 30 things I want to do in my life and have completed 25 of them. Maybe it's time for a new list.

9. Finishing an Ironman was #19 on my list. It is something I never thought I'd do in my lifetime and now I'm working on Ironman #3.

10. I like repetition. If I like a meal, I can eat it over and over again without getting sick of it. I can run the same marathon over and over again (CIM) and not get bored with it. I can watch the same movie, TV episode, and listen to the same music and not get bored. This is how I survive long plane rides.

11. I'm going on a family cruise this March to celebrate my Grandpa's 90th birthday. He is my last surviving grandparent and the one I am closest to.

12. I have a fortune from a fortune cookie taped to my monitor at work. It says "Start believing in your dreams and others will catch the fever".

13. I just finished my 10th year of Team in Training. I will forever be grateful to TNT for many things, but mostly for bringing the best people into my life.

14. I have the greatest friends. Each of them has at least one quality that I'd like to have so I try to learn from them. They accept that I'm crazy/OCD and sometimes even join in. I don't get to talk to many of them enough but hope they know I think of them often.

15. I keep a blog, but only sent the link to ~20 people and made it unsearchable. Sometimes I wonder why anyone would want to read anything I write and other times I wonder why only 10 people have visited my blog on that day.

16. When I was in 6th grade, my friend's mom would travel all over the world for business. I thought it was so cool and always wanted to live the jet-set lifestyle until I lived it. It is cool to see new places, but it sucks to be away from home so much. I spent more time in a plane last year than I ever have in my life and it was not fun.

17. My niece is the cutest little girl in the world... maybe I'm biased?

18. I was born in the year of the TIGER and was born a LEO. I'm hoping that explains a lot.

19. I don't like movies with unhappy endings. Of course, some movie endings are open to interpretation and I assume they end happily.

20. QUIT is a nasty 4-letter word to me. I hate having to quit even when I know it's the right thing to do (throwing up during a marathon, etc). My head knows it's the right thing to do, but it doesn't stop me from feeling like a failure.

21. It's a good thing I am as smart as I am brave... Meaning I sometimes start projects that are considered difficult even though I have never done anything like that before. For example, cutting into my walls with a Swiss Army knife saw to mount speakers when I had never before cut into drywall. It turned out fine thanks to copious amounts of measuring and re-measuring.

22. I don't handle caffiene well. One cup of coffee in the morning and I am WIRED and if I have it after 2PM, I have a hard time sleeping.

23. My parents never hugged us when we were little (that I can remember) because that's how they were brought up. About 6 years ago I decided I was going to hug my parents and grandpa from then on. It was strange at first, but now it's fine.

24. I have had my car for over 6 years now. This is the longest I have ever had a car. The shortest was 11 months.

25. I had Panda Express for lunch today. I like Panda Express and sometimes crave it when I am in China eating "real" Chinese food. And my friend used to date a guy who lived across the street from the Panda Express Family's compound.

Mis-Calculation

I made a minor miscalculation today when figuring out the route for my 3 hour bike ride. It was supposed to be 40-miles, but turned into 50-miles. Oops.

I spent almost 4 hours on my bike and was very tired by the time I made it home. I was a bit short of food, but luckily had plenty of water.

The good news is my leg didn't hurt! And even though it took a long time, I made it to the top of Old La Honda without stopping. Now I just need to get faster.

Bum leg

I woke up early this morning so I could get in my run before TNT kickoff for Spring Season. As I was getting dressed, my right leg felt "funny", but I went for my run anyway.

3 miles into my 9 mile run, my right leg started bothering me. It didn't hurt, it just didn't feel right, so I turned around.

After the 6 mile run, I went to kickoff and then lunch with the staff. I spent some time stretching and on the foam roller to figure out how what was wrong with my leg.

The foam roller caused me some pain, but nothing seems majorly wrong. Tomorrow is a 3 hour bike ride, so I guess I'll find out.

Somewhere Warm

I've decided I need to go somewhere warm. Yes, warmer than Northern California. It's winter now and I seem to have lost all tolerance for "cold" weather. I know 50 degrees out is warm relative to below freezing for many of you readers, but it's not warm in compared to the 70 degree weather I'm used to.

I'm not sure where my cold weather tolerance went. I used to go to school in shorts and a t-shirt all year round, even in the dead of winter (ok, ok, I know there is no "dead of winter" in Southern California, but I wanted to make a point!). Now, if I don't leave the house with a jacket on, I'm freezing.

I have 100K frequent flyer miles that will expire in June if I don't use them... Maybe I should make a trip to somewhere warm.

Racing Around

This has been a quiet week thus far at work. It's Chinese New Year holiday time, so the companies are shut down for 2 weeks in China. Because of this, there isn't much to do. On top of this, it's extra quiet because my project was cancelled.

Luckily, I have filled my time with surfing the internet, yoga, spinning, and playing games on my iPhone. Today, I decided to leave around 9:30AM and run some errands. I also played Mario Kart and ate lunch with a friend before heading back to work.

When I got back to work (4 hours later) I ran into my co-worker and director. They asked me how my day was, so I responded "I've been racing around." What they didn't realize is that I meant I had been playing Mario Kart...

Happy Chinese New Year

Yesterday was Chinese new year. We are starting the year of the Ox.

I didn't do much for Chinese new year. I was planning to get Chinese food and load the fridge with supplies on new years eve, but honestly, I forgot Chinese new year was Monday. I THOUGHT it was Tuesday, the 27th. Yes, I know, I'm a bad Chinese person. Luckily, I had done my laundry and cleaned the house because that's what I try to do on Sunday afternoon.

I didn't even eat Chinese food on Chinese new year. I thought about going to Panda Express, but know that's not real Chinese food. Oh well. I'm starting this year off one-day-behind, so maybe I'll get Chinese food tonight.

Since this is the year of the Ox and I was born in the year of the Tiger (next year), it's supposed to be a tough year for me. According to Yahoo! Horoscope, this year is supposed to be 27% good for Tigers. WTF? Only 27% of the year will be good? I hope that means the other 73% of the year will be GREAT!

Hope you had a great Chinese New Year!

Louie Tri

Today was Ironteam's Olympic distance triathlon in honor of Louie Bonpua. Louie was on my very first Ironteam and passed away that season from blood cancer. Every year since then, Ironteam has honored Louie with this triathlon held on Treasure Island. As you can see, it was a beautiful day.

At 9 AM, we jumped into the frigid bay to start the race. We swam 3 laps which was approximately 0.9 miles. It took me 38 minutes as predicted.

Next we headed out on our bikes for 6 loops of the course. It was very windy in one direction, but other than that it was a good ride for me. About 90 mins later, I finished the 25-mile bike ride.

Then was on to the 6.2 mile run. It took my legs over 3 miles to start feeling good. The bike is always hard on my back and the first few miles running can be painful until everything loosens up. Finally I was able to pick up the pace and feel like a runner again.

I finished the race after 3 hrs 22 mins and that includes two long transitions. I was pretty happy with the race overall and know there are a few things I need to work on to get faster. That's my goal this Ironman season... Go faster than last time.

I hope you all got out to enjoy the weather on this beautiful Sunday!

Pinkberry

Finally, we have a Pinkberry in the bay area!!

Project

A decision was made at work yesterday to stop a product launch. A product we were planning to launch in March. This is because some negative information was found about this new product platform.

I have worked hard on this project from the beginning, 2 years now. It was supposed to be a project that helped demonstrate my leadership skills to management and lead to a promotion.

It is a project that I spent 80% of my time traveling for the last 2 years. It is the project that I completely disrupted my life for. I missed events in friend's lives, postponed vacations, missed TNT events, missed seeing my family, missed spending time with my niece, cancelled races I had planned to do. All for a project that has been cancelled, 2 months before launch. And all the work for it (on my part) is done.

Part of me feels like crying and the other part of me says I need a drink. A big drink.

Endurance Workouts

On Tuesday, my yoga instructor said we were going to do "endurance yoga". No one had any idea what that meant, but we soon found out. Basically, you hold all the poses for a long time until everything starts to hurt, you start sweating profusely, and your body starts to shake... sounds like fun, right? I was quite sore after, but still had a spin workout to keep up with my Ironteam training. I did my hour of spinning after work.

Yesterday, our calendar for Ironteam said "4-mile track workout". It's a taper week because we have our Louie Tri (olympic distance triathlon in honor of Louie Bonpua) this Sunday. We weren't even close to done after 4 miles although my legs were about finished. In the end it turned out to be 7.5 miles and a bunch of pushups, crunches, squats, and running drills.

Today's yoga class was easier. I actually felt stronger in class, which is the first time that's happened since I started yoga last year. We didn't do "endurance yoga" today because there were too many new people in class. I'm thankful for that because I'm running 4 miles this evening.

All this training is wearing me out.

Working Late

I've had some really long working days recently. I start conference calls by 7AM every morning and have been working until at least 8:30PM. On Thursdays, the calls start at 6AM.

There is downtime mid-day because the emails from the morning are answered and I'm pretty efficient at getting my work done. But since everyone else appears to be working ALL day, I feel the need to be at my desk during normal work hours even though I have nothing to do. Then in the afternoon, around 3PM, the calls start again and go until 10 PM on some nights.

I'm trying to get my workouts in during the day, but most people wonder why I am at the gym for 2 hours in the middle of the day and look at me funny when I am walking with my gym bag. Sometimes I want to take naps in my car, but I haven't done that yet. Maybe my boss will let me work from home one day a week.

Any suggestions to help me claim back time from the "work-monster"?

New President

I spent much of this morning wishing I was in Washington, DC for the Inaugural events. After taking two conference calls from home, I made my way into work. I listened to NPR on the commute and decided I would watch the Inauguration on the TVs in our cafeteria.

I was surprised to see so many people in the cafeteria watching the live coverage from CNN. About 100 people ranging from me to the president of our company were watching the event. At moments, the crowd erupted in cheers and occasional laughter (when Chief Justice Roberts changed the order of the words in the oath). I even noticed a few people in tears.

I am impressed by the emotion this inauguration has brought out of the American people. And I am inspired that our country is united by hope. That's a rare thing here in America. That's what makes today historic for me.

New Helmet

This is a (stock) picture of my new Giro Ionos bike helmet. Isn't it pretty? It was expensive, but I figure money shouldn't be an object when it comes to protecting my head. Plus, I'll feel better knowing my head is as safe as possible when riding down hills at 45 MPH. And if nothing else, I'll look fast when riding my bike.

I guess the rule of thumb is to get a new helmet after 5 years. My old helmet is more than 7 years old, so it was time. Since old helmets shouldn't be worn, they recommend destroying it so no one will be able to wear it. I am trying to schedule a "helmet destroying party" with some friends who also got new helmets recently. I'll post pictures when it happens.

Weekend

I spent the weekend catching up on things I've needed to do, but haven't had time for. Since I had to cancel my trip to DC, I wanted to try to make it a productive weekend.

Saturday started with a hilly 10-mile run through Huddart Park, followed by breakfast after. I had planned to run errands, but was too tired from the run. I'm also still recovering from food poisoning earlier in the week, so I was wiped out. I managed to do one errand and cook dinner before going to sleep at 8:00!

Today started with a 37-mile bike ride with friends followed by lunch. Then I bought a new bike helmet (my old helmet was WAY past the "expiration date" - 5 years). After I decided to give my bike a bath. I was covered in grease when I finished and am still shocked at how much gunk came off the chain!

While I would rather be visiting friends and having fun in DC, it was a productive weekend and my to-do list is shorter.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Tickets

I booked tickets for my next business trip. I think the travel industry is suffering in this economy because I was able to book tickets on Singapore Airlines for relatively "cheap".

For those who have never flown on Singapore Airlines, I highly recommend it if the opportunity arises. They are widely known as the best airline!

I'll be away for 2 weeks in mid-February. I'm headed to Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China... My "usual" trip except I'm not sure the beach resort will fit into the budget this year.

With so many cuts at work, I wouldn't be surprised if this is my only business trip this year!

Flying

I fly a lot. Not in the past few months, but I have flown more than my share of miles. And when I see news reports of plane crashes, I have to do my best to put them out of my mind.

So, I'm sure you all saw news reports of the US Air crash landing into the Hudson River. What was amazing to me is that everyone survived and there were minimal injuries. This was largely in part to the pilot, Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III.

While I don't fly US Air very often, I would like this pilot to be in charge of all of my flights. He managed to "float" a plane into the Hudson river, when there had been no previous emergency water landing where everyone survived. Amazing.

And, also, how do I make sure I get on a plane that floats?

One Year Anniversary

After 288 posts, we have reached this blog's 1 year anniversary.

Thanks to all of you for continuing to read it and check in on what's going on in my life!

Sick Day

I worked from home today. I'm very glad I went home early yesterday because I spent most of the afternoon napping or throwing up. Yes, I know, gross. I managed to get some soup in last night before I went to bed and that stayed down.

I woke up this morning and was feeling very tired, but wasn't feeling sick anymore. I've eaten lots of jello and some bread so far today. I'm thinking about eating some real food, but am not sure if I am ready to risk it yet.

Whatever this is, I just hope it passes soon.

4 hour nap

I just woke up from a 4-hour nap. I left work early today because I wasn't feeling well, my stomach was very unhappy.

At first I thought feeling tired was related to Ironteam training, but now I'm thinking it might be related to something I ate or a stomach bug.

Ugh.

No DC for me

Well, it turns out that I have to cancel my trip to DC for the inaguration. There are a couple of work conflicts that I can't get out of (one conflicts with my flight home), so the decision has been made for me. I don't like that work is getting in the way of my fun, but with all the layoffs recently, I suppose I shouldn't complain.

Weekend of workouts

This was another Iron training weekend. I'm very tired now, but it feels good too.

On Saturday, I went on a run with friends in Huddart Park. 8+ miles of hills and beautiful trails later, we were finished.

Today (Sunday), we had an Ironteam workout that consisted of a 90 minute swim and 41-mile bike. We got to swim in the Stanford pool (50 meter lanes) today, so that was pretty nice.

Our bike ride was up and down the hills of Portola Valley, Woodside, and Los Altos hills. It was a beautiful day (70 degrees out), but the ride was tough.

I guess I'm pretty worn out from all the training because I feel like going to bed and it's only 5 pm. I'll try to stay up until 7, but there are no guarantees I'll make it!

Swim

Here is my swim video, courtesy of Jerald (IronTeam Web Captain).



I can't seem to get any faster in the pool these days. I'm waiting for feedback from the coaches and hope they will tell me something to help me get faster. But this may just be a case of needing more time in the pool...

CRAMP!!!!

Last night, I got a cramp in my calf while helping pull the pool cover after our swim workout. I didn't think it was bad last night since my muscle released soon after the cramp, but it was still sore this morning when I woke up.

I have a few theories on why the calf cramp happened:

1) Dehydration
2) Fatigued muscles
3) Not enough stretching
4) Pulling pool covers is evil and definitely the most difficult part of the workout!

Probably a combination of all of the above actually. I'm hoping I won't get too many more calf cramps. Seriously, when they happen in the pool, I always feel like I'm going to drown...

2009

Today is Day 7 of 2009 and I am still in the country. That is a good thing since last year at this time, I was in Asia.

I have one trip approved and that should start just after Chinese New Years (End of Jan). This may be a very quiet travel year. I think I may need to rename this blog...

IronTeam

For those of you who don't know, I signed up for Ironman Canada and joined Ironteam again. This weekend, I went to my first Ironteam workouts...

On Saturday we had an 80-minute spin workout sprinkled with 40-minutes of running and strength (torture) exercises thrown in for fun. I was pretty tired after the workout and knew I would be sore the next day.

On Sunday, we got in the pool when it was only 29 degrees out. We swam for at least 1.5 hours and I think I did somewhere around 2800 meters. Then we went for a 90-minute bike ride in the cold. It wasn't bad on the way out because we were climbing, but on the way back, it was freezing.

I was totally pooped from this weekend's workout (I also ran on Friday), but am very glad to be back to working out regulary!

Ask me if I'm still glad in June... =)

Cold

It's 29 degrees out and I'm about to get in the pool for a swim, then
a bike ride. Brrrrrrrrrrr!