Has it really been nearly three months since I last
blogged?I have a lot of excuses – but
the best one is that I needed a little distance to think about what I really
wanted my blog to be about.Did I really
only want it to be about my training – or could I actually consider adding
other things, personal things?
And, after attending a family Bar Mitzvah for my cousin,
Jake, in Los Angeles, reuniting with so many of my family members – and family
members I had never met – I was asked several times, “when will you be updating
your blog?”So, it’s overdue and time to
share.
Yep, I ran while in LA -- Universal Studios: biggest, hardest hill EVER!
Back in October 2013, I started dating a really great guy, a
guy who has become a bit of a fixture in my life.Interestingly, his name is also Matt, so to
avoid confusion, you’ll simply have to know that my riding-running buddy is one
Matt (Matt A) and my boyfriend is the other Matt.Cope.If
nothing else, it should make things easier, on some level .
Here we are on NYE '13 at Anne's
Since my last blog, I have continued training – but believe
it or not, my training has ramped up.I
hired a coach in November and she has really taught me what “endurance” means.My weekly runs and rides have been far longer
than I am accustomed to – sometimes, my workouts include 25 miles of riding and
2 hours of running, all before I ever leave for work.Yes, this has been a challenge for the new
man in my life, but we’re managing to work through the early rise/early to bed
schedule.One of the ways I save relationship-time
is to swim at his community pool, rather than my gym – this allows me to spend
less time traveling to and from the gym and also allows me an extra 20 minutes
of sleep time.(It’s the small things.)
If you look closely, you'll see the steam atop the water (5am, 40 degrees, EMPTY)
In fact, occasionally, I can even get him out for a short
ride on his road bike.He’s a mountain
biker and therefore somewhat disdainful of my propensity for long road rides on
a tri or road bike.I appreciate his
occasional willingness, though.
In Matt's garage, post 15 mile ride on New Year's Day!
Matt A. is still very much a staple of my workouts – we continued
training for the Tucson Marathon together (along with Anne, Hannah and
Christina).
Anne's last long run (rain - what a trooper!)
Even caught some video of her enduring the rain:
After a long run -- and ready for breakfast!
And because we also trained for a Metric Century road biking
event, we didn’t let off our cycling, either.Although, Matt A did comment (at
one point) that my insistence on post-ride/run pictures was becoming borderline
creepy – since I was only collecting them and not using them in the blog.So, here are a couple to keep him from
thinking I am a creeper.
A November ride, one dark morning.
Our last long run -- it rained and was uber humid, but we made it! (20 miles)
And about that marathon… well, I got a stomach bug about 36 hours before the Tucson Marathon, so
while I managed to finish the thing – I did so with 3 sips of water, 3 trips to
the side of the road to vomit, no electrolyte, very little food in my belly
(from the day prior) and a fever.Matt
and his daughter, Grace, were there to greet me at the finish line with a warm
blanket and friendly smiles.Matt A was
also there – worried that something had gone dreadfully wrong.I anticipated finishing around 4:15 (as I had
the year prior), but all in all – I’ll take my 5 hour race and go with it.Everyone’s entitled to their worst
marathon.Right?!I mean, I don’t look that bad do I?I should get some sort of additional medal
for now completing both a ½ and full marathon completely and utterly destroyed
from illness.
The gang - at the Marathon Expo in Tucson: Anne, Hannah, Christina, Mer and Matt A
And, post-marathon: Anne, Matt A and Mer
Then, the Metric Century a couple of weeks ago … it was literally
a wall of wind for the first 15 miles, but then we turned south and everything
improved – including my attitude about riding another 45 miles to the finish
line.Matt A. and our friend and
colleague, Johnny B, joined us on the ride, as well.He, like me – signed up for the 2014 Ironman
Arizona.So – watch out world – in another
10 months I should be able to complete a full Ironman … well, at least that’s
the plan.
Anne caught an awesome shot (of me) at the end of the ride!
Matt A, Mer and Johnny B
Matt took this nice shot of Matt A and me, as we got home from our Century.
To jump around a bit – Anne and I celebrated our 41st
birthday’s together (with our very amazing and longtime friend, Amy), at the
end of November.We also turned around
in January and added Loretta to the mix for Amy’s birthday.
Amy, Anne and Mer -- 41st Bdays
Celebrating Amy: Mer, Anne, Amy and Loretta
Then, this weekend, several of us decided to run the PF
Chang’s ½ marathon, again.Anne was
looking to improve her time by 7 minutes, and I offered to try to get her
there.While she worked super hard, the long,
drawn-out hills of the course got the best of her about mid-way through – but we
both know that she has it in her.Next
time…she’ll get it next time!The
weather and the winds were ideal – and lots of our friends were on the course:
Hannah, Ken, Christina, Mark, Amy L, Anne and me!
Anne's friend, JJ, Mer and Anne - pre-race
And, done!
Mer and Hannah
And, here are a couple of additional shots of Matt and Grace at dinner. This is a regular Tuesday occurrence. So stinkin' cute, those two!
