What you wish for

WARNING: Extremely self indulgent, self pity filled ramblings follow. But it seems like an important moment for me so I'm writing it down.

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Back when I started this fitness journey, my friends and I made fun of the fitness freaks who were always limping or sore. Always recovering from or on the verge of some type of injury. Why did they put up with that? Why not just scale it back, have a few more margaritas, and live pain free?

Back then I also believed that 12 minute miles were beyond my grasp, I'd never place in my age group and NEVER be so crazy as to enter an Ironman.

It's my own fault. Aerobics class in a cute outfit has never been my thing. Nor working out on the Nautilus machines in air conditioned comfort. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But it's certainly not my style.

So I set sail on a strange voyage that has brought me here. I did win my age group in a 5K. Twice. Not the Athena division. 30-34 and 35-39 womens age groups. Finished an Ironman. Have the potential to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Funny how things change. I've spent years building a new body, a new relationship with food, and new expectations. Goals have expanded beyond finishing to pushing the limits. But, you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs. Maybe I do understand those fitness freaks who accept a certain level of discomfort in order to boldly go...

But there is discomfort and there is true injury. True injury SUCKS and I have spent the last year training diligently AND doing CrossFit so I would never have to walk that road again.

Only, I do. And I'm mad about it. Feel betrayed in fact. Lots of time and money, wasted, IMO. Nothing so terrible as the Orange Blossom Half marathon fiasco but it's back. Similar hip muscle issues, other side. Tried to work through it. So much for HTFU....could take months. I have so much planned for this summer. Big dreams. I've worked SO HARD. It's not fair. Not fair.

And so my long journey has brought me to this crossroads. I can quit and leave all this behind me. So many people wonder why I put up with all this work. Why not just scale it back, have a few more margaritas, and live pain free?

Why indeed. Because I took the red pill. There's no stopping me now.

I will miss you, Wendy

I still can't believe it. Wendy Buckner passed away June 19. Apparently she suffered cardiac arrest after completing the Flowers Sea Swim in Grand Cayman. She was such a great lady who touched so many lives. She was always encouraging me to swim more. Always asking about my pets. Always posting about the latest pair of shoes or slippers she had found. Rest in peace, Wendy.

It's that time of year again!

ABNT20 KNHC 010507
TWOAT
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
200 AM EDT TUE JUN 1 2010

FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO...

TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

TODAY MARKS THE FIRST DAY OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON...WHICH
WILL RUN UNTIL NOVEMBER 30. LONG-TERM AVERAGES FOR THE NUMBER OF
NAMED STORMS...HURRICANES...AND MAJOR HURRICANES ARE 11...6...AND
2...RESPECTIVELY.

THE LIST OF NAMES FOR 2010 IS AS FOLLOWS:

NAME PRONUNCIATION NAME PRONUNCIATION
-------------------------------------------------------------
ALEX LISA LEE- SA
BONNIE MATTHEW
COLIN NICOLE NI COLE-
DANIELLE DAN YELL- OTTO
EARL PAULA
FIONA RICHARD RICH- ERD
GASTON SHARY SHA- REE
HERMINE HER MEEN- TOMAS TO MAS-
IGOR E GOR- VIRGINIE VIR JIN- EE
JULIA WALTER
KARL

THIS PRODUCT...THE TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK...BRIEFLY DESCRIBES
SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF DISTURBED WEATHER AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR
TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. THE ISSUANCE
TIMES OF THIS PRODUCT ARE 2 AM...8 AM...2 PM...AND 8 PM EDT. AFTER
THE CHANGE TO STANDARD TIME IN NOVEMBER...THE ISSUANCE TIMES ARE 1
AM...7 AM...1 PM...AND 7 PM EST.

PRIOR TO 2009...THE SPECIAL TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENT COULD BE
ISSUED AT ANY TIME TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT DISTURBANCES IN BETWEEN
ISSUANCES OF THE TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK. THE SPECIAL TROPICAL
DISTURBANCE STATEMENT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED AND WILL NO LONGER BE
ISSUED. INSTEAD...A SPECIAL TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE
ISSUED TO PROVIDE UPDATES...AS NECESSARY...IN BETWEEN THE REGULARLY
SCHEDULED ISSUANCES OF THE TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK. SPECIAL
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOKS WILL BE ISSUED UNDER THE SAME WMO AND
AWIPS HEADERS AS THE REGULAR TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOKS.

A STANDARD PACKAGE OF PRODUCTS...CONSISTING OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE
PUBLIC ADVISORY...THE FORECAST/ADVISORY...THE CYCLONE DISCUSSION...
AND A WIND SPEED PROBABILITY PRODUCT...IS ISSUED EVERY SIX HOURS
FOR ALL ONGOING TROPICAL CYCLONES. IN ADDITION...A SPECIAL
ADVISORY PACKAGE MAY BE ISSUED AT ANY TIME TO ADVISE OF SIGNIFICANT
UNEXPECTED CHANGES OR TO MODIFY WATCHES OR WARNINGS.

THE TROPICAL CYCLONE UPDATE IS A BRIEF STATEMENT TO INFORM OF
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN A TROPICAL CYCLONE OR TO POST OR CANCEL
WATCHES OR WARNINGS. IT IS USED IN LIEU OF OR TO PRECEDE THE
ISSUANCE OF A SPECIAL ADVISORY PACKAGE. TROPICAL CYCLONE
UPDATES...WHICH CAN BE ISSUED AT ANY TIME...CAN BE FOUND UNDER WMO
HEADER WTNT61-65 KNHC...AND UNDER AWIPS HEADER MIATCUAT1-5.

ALL NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER TEXT AND GRAPHICAL PRODUCTS ARE
AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT WWW.NHC.NOAA.GOV

$$
FORECASTER BRENNAN