It will be written

In good trashy fashion, I prefer to write my race strategy on my arm before races.  Why not?  It gives me something to do and once I start running, I REALLY can’t do math, so if I have it written down where I can’t lose it, that is perfect.

The photo link above was the pacing it took to get to Boston.

Here is what Welle has teed up for Boston (goal time 3:30)

Miles 1-5: Pace 8:05

Miles 6-10: Pace 7:55

Miles 11-16: 7:45

Miles 17-21: 8:05 (we get to catch a break with Heartbreak Hill at mile 19)

Miles 22-26.2: 7:45

Let it be so!

One week to go

I have always loved “last of the last” sort of things.  Those are the what are you going to do the last day before school gets out or what are you going to do the last week of summer vacation, types of things.  It’s a strange way of eking every last second out of what is left.

This is my last week of training before Boston, which falls right in line with my “last of the last” thinking.  It is pretty unconventional with all the biking, but really, we are already behind on all that business (no need to worry about that until next Tuesday morning) so why not tie it into a taper?

Monday:

• 10-20 mile bike, mostly flat. Yes, you can do the greenway if you want to stay in your comfort zone.
• 30 minute clearance run afterwards

Tuesday:

• Track work. Likely about 10-15 x 120 on the turf with full recoveries and some dynamic stretching.
• Easy clearance swim.

Wednesday:

• 10-20 mile bike, mostly flat.
• Good day for yoga or a massage.

Thursday:

• 5 mile EASY Foundation run with 8 strides at the end. Also any form running drills you want. Stretch WELL.
• Easy clearance swim.

Friday:

• 30 minute clearance run. Optional strides at the end. No more than 4 strides.

Saturday:

• OFF. Drink a ton of water and keep your feet up, as much as possible.

Sunday:

• 20 minute clearance run, a few form running drills. Do strides until you feel loose and fast.

Monday:

• 26.2 miles. I’d like you to choose a fairly hill course, preferably somewhere in the northeast. I’ve heard Boston is nice this time of year.

American Idol Senior Division

Erika is not only extremely smart and amazingly good at her job, she is super talented AND she might just be one of the funniest people I know.

This is Erika’s very own “original” creation for her American Idol audition.

Go Surly Go

The Surly Bill moves forward!

Surly Brewers Succeed in Senate Hearing: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Urban Tri

If you live in the Minneapolis area and haven’t heard the news…there is a new tri store in town, URBAN TRI!

My buddy Todd Olson kicked open the doors last week and will be having a full fledged Grand Opening April 15-17th.

The store is located at 820 West 50th in Minneapolis, which is a perfect distance from the lakes to kick off any run or bike right from the store.  He even put in a shower and lockers for those of you who prefer to clean up after your workouts.

It doesn’t matter if you already know what the hell you’re doing or if you are just dipping your toes into triathlons for the first time, this is your store.  You can get personal attention and have your questions answered by people who really want to help you, even if you’re just buying Gu or goggles.

Anyway, it’s also loaded to the gills with some super cool stuff.

(Bike Porn)

I think I licked all the bikes one by one as I walked by and then rubbed the Zoot tri shoes across my cheeks and then I tried on the TYR carbon race suit that feels like paper and makes me look BAD ASS FAST, kinda like a shark!

Oh and then I thought about shoving the Giro bike shoes in my bag as I walked out, but decided I better not test out their theft system.

(T-odd and his store)

Congrats Todd!

Great job, the store is amazing.

Eleven

Dear CT,

Two ones, side by side, your age continuing to inch up the number line. With the turn of my head you grow older, get taller, wiser, your personality and being become richer and fuller as each day speeds by.

As I have had the luxury of watching you grow this past year, I’m struck by the duality that exists.  There are moments and glimpses of adulthood and then it’s as if you hop on the slide in a game of Chutes and Ladders and glide right back down to START.

Safely being able to toggle between the two worlds, I think, is what growing up is all about.

Finding your own path, in your own way.

Stretching yourself and finding your place.

Where that path will lead is every parents wonder.

How will you get there?

Will you be happy?

Will you be safe?

It’s at that point where fear slips in and, as your mom, I want nothing but to cuddle you up, hold you in my arms and make sure all will be well for you.

But, that’s just not how it works.

My boy, you are turning into an amazing person and it is a true treasure to be a part of your process.

In this next year, may you accomplish your goals, enjoy the simple things in life and be true to who you are and finding your own path.

Happy 11th Birthday!

I love you.

Mom

Perpetually crazy

My friend and co-worker Mike, who I met a handful of months back while working on the Loppet, happened to somehow stumble across my blog the other day…and then he told me about it.  What’s funny about this is that Mike only kinda knows me, only kinda knows a piece of me.

It actually made me wonder what comes across when people happen to fall onto these pages.  What do they see? How do I and my blog posts actually differ from each other or don’t they?

So I went back to take a look and reread some of the stuff I have scrawled down over the past six years.

Realization #1:  Good lord I have been jotting down my inane daily escapes for a while.

Realization #2:  I am so glad I have a chronicle of my kids “little-hood”, my dad’s death and life in general as it has ebbed and flowed and changed through the years.

Realization #3:  I thought I had just recently taken on an overly competitive athletic bent, I honestly did not think I had been this crazy for so long.  No seriously, I read this blog post and was totally taken aback at the fact that I had Boston marathon aspirations in 06.

And just in case you are wondering, I am totally going to smoke the 2006 Mary at the 2011 Boston Marathon.

If I Were The President…

I love the Chinese school conferences, there is always something funny that boils over from them.   This last conference, PJ had a creative writing assignment…yes, all in Chinese.

If I Were The President by PJ-age 8

If I were the President, but I don’t want to be the President, but if I had to be the President I would…

Tell people they should not litter.

I would go to China every week.

I would take care of the animals.

I would tell people you could keep a tiger for a pet.

I would be in my own movie.

I would want a robot to wait on me.

I would ride a lion.

I would play sports everyday.

Family -1

This is a photo from my dad’s Death Party.  All my dad’s nieces and nephews came in from Ohio to be with us for his funeral, say goodbye and celebrate his life.  It meant more than they will ever know to have them there with us.

Last night, their dad Joe passed away.

I don’t even know where to start with what a crazy character Joe “Spider” Ryan was.  He had a story for everything.  He taught me how to shoot a gun.  He placed a $100 bet with me when I was 7.  He was a plumber, a teacher, a Navy sailer, a lover of the Titanic, a lover of his wife and family, and a restless traveler.

His big personality and spirit will be missed.

Love to you Ryans!

If you pierced something, what would it be?

Yesterday afternoon, I picked up Erika and we headed to St. Sabrina’s to pick out her belated birthday present, a new nose ring (actually a ball).  The previous year we spent time in there getting it re-pierced after years of it being closed.

Since the tiny piece of jewelry had fallen out a few weeks ago and she didn’t want me trying to shove it back in her nose, we got to sit and enjoy the people watching at St. Sabrina’s for quite some time before we were escorted to the back room to get it reinserted.  And let me tell you…you would NEVER imagine who gets what pierced where.

We heard it all and I really should have taken photos of everyone, posted them and created a sort of match the photo to the piercing game.  That would have been fun.  Instead, I’ll give you a quick and dirty run down and you can try to guess.

Here are your choices: eyebrow, labia, nose, penis, tongue, nipple, belly button, ankle or ear.

Answers are on the bottom.

1.  Blond 16 year old, not old enough to be there alone.   She is in with her mom and older sister and describing the piercings her friends on dance-line have all the while signing, “Mom, IT IS JUST SOOOOOOO CUUUUUUTE!”.  She was clearly the “cute” sister and the other older sister was either thinking her younger sibling was really stupid for doing this or wishing she had the balls to pull it off.

2.  The 62 year old male who looks like your old math teacher.  He has gray hair, glasses, khakis and a Mr. Roger’s cardigan on.  It looks like you could really trust him with Algebraic equations.

3.  The mid 40’s couple.  We couldn’t really tell if the woman was undergoing a sex change or not, but she was all dolled up in over the knee fuck me boots, sheer floral tights, a very short black knit dress and a leather jacket.  Her man was just a regular looking salt and peppered guy in workout pants.  She knew these people by name and was looking for her new piercing to match her pre existing ones.  They were either going to have a lot of fun tonight or they were going to be in a lot of pain.

4.  Late 30 year old gal, dressed head to toe in black (not goth, just urban) with grey striped tights and a cane that supported the limp in her gate.  I couldn’t tell if she was going to mess someone up with that cane or not.  Although, she was also in getting a fix on a botched finger tattoo and hopefully PEACE written on her other hand.

5.  The EMT, dressed in her uniform straight from work.  She must have been about 25, pink cheeked and ready to save the next guy who was going to have a stroke.  She looked too fresh to be part of this group and when I looked at her the song from Sesame Street (One of these things is not like the other) started playing in my head.

ok

time

to

guess

Answers:

1.  dangling bedazzled belly button piercing.  2.  left nipple-he made it VERY clear the barbell needed to match the right.  3.  Lots of conferencing went on with this couple:  woman-2 additional labia piercings, man-starts with a P.  4.  eyebrow  5.  nose

How many did you get right?