Loni's Life of Sport & Balance

Adventures continue thru winter...

2011-03-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back with more to share. We're in the middle of winter and we feel like hibernating, but I think this winter has been just the opposite for me. It's possible to mix a swim, run and/or cycling outside most days, with a sprinkling of yoga added. And you've got a recipe for good health during a cold snap.

A couple weeks ago, I got a chance to run from Bodega Bay to my house, which amounted to over 20 miles. I had to do a long training run to prep for the marathon I did, so there was a chance to run long in new territory, without getting bored from an old loop. I got a small glimpse to feel what Forrest Gump did when he ran across America! LOL...Anyways, it was like an adventure, and look forward to more of it.

Yesterday, I completed my second marathon in Napa. About 2400 people ran from Calistoga to Napa via Silverado Trail. The day started out with lots of rain as we drove up to the start. Then as the morning nervously progressed, the rain was letting up a bit, thank goodness. By the time the race started at 7:00 am, it was just a drizzle. Many of the runners had garbage bags on to keep somewhat dry before running 26 miles. Gun goes off and we head south to Napa on pavement in rain that's off and on. All in all, it was great weather to run in, wasn't too cold, like the 30' and 40's that have been in the past.

The first 18-19 miles were good, then after the 20th mile come and went, my quads started to rebel, every step, every knee lift required focus and determination to stamp out the pain that I was really feeling. Made it thru 21, 22, and barely 23rd mile. Then 24 came, and walking felt better but it would take longer! So I tried to run, then walk faster, made it thru that one, then 25 came, 2 more miles to go. Walk, run, walk faster thru 25, and same for 26, the last 1/2 mile, I tried to run as fast as I could, my grandmother probably could have beat me in the last 1/4 mile! It kept crossing my mind, what the heck am I doing out here?!! But did it, and proud of myself. What's really funny, is that the race headquarters is the site where my husband and I had our wedding reception, and the finish line was where I graduated from high school, Vintage HS. So Napa is where I grew up and it was fun to be back there for the weekend.

So after I happily crossed, kind of in a coma, I found my hubby, Steve and we slowly walked to the cafeteria to get some real food, soup, bread, fruit and water, to recover and talk about what I did (and didn't do!). The legs were very painful, sitting down and getting up were the hardest things to do, and the easiest things we take for granted. I know it will get better, but for now, I will complain all that I can and accept all the help that I can at home. Here's to more adventures and getting out. I look forward to cycling now and getting ready for the Wine Country Century in May, a 100 mile ride. Then we'll see what happens from there....in the mean time, keep active because I think spring is going to come and come quickly, so be ready!! Happy adventures....

On the run, on the go...

2011-02-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Okay, this great 80 degree weather is teasing us, February just started and we're still in winter! But I'll take it, that means I can get outside more during winter. Saturday was so beautiful, got to ride with the Red Peleton girls, we went up to Rockpile Road, never been there before and was told it was lots of climbing, and it didn't disappoint me, it was tought, but did it. I wanted to get stronger on the bike doing hill work in during the winter, and by golly, that's what I got. After a 60-mile ride and some sore quads, it felt great. The company was great as well. So couldn't waste the rest of the day, got a burrito and whoofed that down, then got a massage and that was my day, worked out and got worked on! Sunday continued with more warm weather, and did a 16-mile run, in preparation for a marathon I signed up for in March. Looking forward to that. Can't waste days like this, get the garden ready, clean the cobwebs off the bike, get a walk or hike in. Go for it. There's 7 days in the week, someday isn't one of them!

"Off Leash" for the New Year...

2011-01-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

That's my new motto for the year. I thought of it when I decided to let my dog, Sadie, off leash and see what she would do. I knew the results would be scary, but I was thinking about how I leash up my dog every time we go out, and she walks where I walk, goes where I go, what's the worst that could happen? Well should also say I live on about 8 acres, and she was safe, but as it turns out a rabbit was spooked out of the weeds and my dog took off after the rabbit! Well, I didn't bother to yell her name, because I knew she wouldn't come! So I walked in the direction that she was going, and I see my neighbor Frank. And he says, "Sadie's over here in the back!". So I get her leashed back up. Okay off leash time is over! It looked very cool from my viewpoint. She just ran without a care in the world, and I was envious! I want to be like her.

So now I look at life when I can, off leash. I got to feel that way the day after Christmas. My friend and I signed up for a 20 mile trail run at Muir Beach in the Marin headlands. I knew it would be long, but didn't have too many worries. I was looking forward to it. There was a break in the weather, we actually got some sun and the views were spectacular. We could see Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean all while we were running. Somewhere around mile 10, the both of us got a little lost. Two other guys were lost as well. We tried to help each other out, but we kept going the wrong way. So we finally got our way out of there and found the path back. This felt like an "off the leash" moment. A bit of thinking and survival mode was needed at this time. Since we missed an aid station, which had food and drinks, we only had left what we started. So between the both of us and a public restroom, we had enough to get through the last 10 miles. We wound up adding an almost extra 2 miles to the already long 20 miles = 22 miles. But it was so much fun, we laughed about our mistake and all was good. My quads and calves were on fire for the next 2 days, but life was good and wouldn't have changed it. So what will your "off leash" be like? Taking a hike on a frigid morning? Go places you never thought you could, do things you never thought you would, and be more than you ever thought you might...Happy New Year by the way, it's starting out to be pretty good so far!!

2010-12-16T18:12:00.000-08:00

For those who were inspired to watch and/or hear about my ironman experience, you can watch the experience through the "super bowl" of triathlons. The Ironman World Championships held in Kona, Hawaii, will be aired on tv this Saturday, Dec. 18th at 1:00 pm on NBC channel. There will be some awesome stories and inspirations to watch. You can see some truly amazing people who are just normal people like you and me. Enjoy!

Indoor spin at 24 hour.

2010-12-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

Did my first indoor spin class since last year. OMG, my quads hurt! But they hurt before I started. So it was good thing though. It's been great at my gym, the whole thing was reconstructed. It's not what someone referred to it as a "armpit"! We actually have towels in the locker room, woo hoo! My hubby and bro-in-law, Mike, were all in there joining me in pain. My hubby was a baby about it! I was focused on the new bikes that were in there. They had watt output numbers and heart rate feedback, which is always interesting. Well, I'm addicted, I'll be going back. Hopefully my quads won't hurt.

2010-12-14T12:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I feel much more recovered these days. I think it helped the week after the race, to eat my way back from Arizona to Calif.! I've been super motivated lately, and everyone around Tone has helped. See we do feed off each other! I've been so motivated that I signed up for a 20-mile trail run at Muir Beach! A bit over the edge? Probably...am I ready? Maybe, but hey it sounds like fun! I'll be incorporating hiking, so it's not all running.

The holidays feel different for me, these days. I'm a bit more relaxed and not too stressed about anything in general. However, I have not gone christmas shopping yet, so that might be a bit unfair to guage this right now. Anyways, find something that motivates you and have fun with it, we all need more of that as we get deeper into the holidays. Mine has been yoga, I've always loved doing yoga, so that's what I'll do. Hope to see you guys in the classes....what are you doing?

2010-12-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, sorry for not blogging before, had some computer difficulties, finally straightened it all out. Well this is going to be long, and I apologize. The short version is I did a 14 hour and 20 min. race. If you want to know how I felt and what I did, read on, it might inspire you to do something on your bucket list!

Well here it is, my report on the Ironman Arizona that I participated in on Nov. 21, 2010. Well, where do I start. To sum it up now before I get started, it was simply an amazing experience. I've been thinking about this event for the last 4 years. It started as "no way, I'll never do one of these" to "I guess I'll take a stab at it! So exactly a year ago, is when I signed up this Iroman distance triathlon. You have to be quick, because they sell how quickly, sometimes a couple days or a few hours, in this case. I was nervous then and I was nervous a year later.

My hubby Steve, my brother-in-law, Mike, my friend and training partner Debbie, all signed up to do this race. They knew what they were getting into, they all did the ironman distance. This was my first, I was scared to death! So here I go.....

We left on a Tuesday, Nov. 16 to drive down to Phoenix, AZ. The race is in Tempe, AZ. We left at 4:30 a.m. to miss the S.F. and L.A. traffic, it worked, but I wouldn't know, I slept most the way! We drove the trip in 11 hours, got down there around 5ish. We checked into the hotel and got something to eat. It's all becoming real now, I've got no excuse, but if lightning hit me, or got sick or something, I wouldn't have to do the race, no such luck. Wed., Thurs. Friday--all we did was eat, train, check out the swim, bike and run courses, take naps, eat, repeat. Thursday we check in and get registered, we get bib numbers, colored swim caps, goodie bag, and stickers to label our bikes, etc. So now I'm Loni, or aka #2628 for the week. We drive the bike course, it's desert, exposed, cactus, tumbleweed. It looked kind of cool, especially driving it, Sun. I'd be biking it!

Stats on this race, 2600 athletes signed up this race. 2400+ actually start the race. 73% are male, 27% are female. 1200 athletes are "first timers" of this distance. So there's a least 1/2 of the entrants were joining me on this first-time wild thrill ride!

Saturday comes, I'm really nervous, because this is the only day that athletes can practice the swim course. We have a 2 hour window to practice. Most people swim between 15 mins. or more. The water was 61 degrees! It's frickin' cold! But the adrenaline kicks to help you not totally collapse and not move in the water. I swim for about 15 mins. come back out, and I'm alot more relaxed now, the stress of swimming somewhere you haven't been before can be a bit nervous. But feel a bit better, I think I can do this now.

We go back to the motel and start getting our gear ready to bring back to the race venue. We put stickers on our bikes, helmet, put clothes in our bike and run bags. After we do that, back to the venue to put all these items in what's called a transition area. This is where there's racks for the bikes, a space for bike bags and run bags, and big huge white tents for men and women to change , separately of course, into their gear for each sport of the race. Later that night we eat a simple dinner of brown rice pasta with olive oil and baked chicken, and that's it. We check out the forecast, doesn't look good. Rain and wind are showing up on the radar. Please, just a bit of good weather, please? We settle in and turn in early around 8:30, we have to get up at 4:00 am.

Sunday comes around, darn it. It's 4:00 a.m., it's here, OMG! We eat a little something, peanut butter on toast and a banana for me, that's all I can get down right now. I sip on an electrolyte drink as we get ready. Got the swim suit on, heart rate monitor, a chip (which tells race officials where I am in case I get lost). We get in the car at 4:30 a.m., it's quiet in the car. It's dark outside, don't see any stars, that means its cloudy, oh great, that means rain. We get to the venue with all our stuff--more rain gear, more nutrition, in case we run out.

It's quiet at 5:00 a.m., the transition area is opening up, so we can get to our bags and put in the "extra" you may need for the rain. We pump up our tires, put liquid nutrition in out bottles on the bike, my Cervelo steed is ready to go. As time marches on, more athletes and their families start coming in, it's starting to get crowded and the porta-potty lines are getting long. That's stressful right there, can never be enough of those lovely things! The race starts at 7:00 a.m., it's 6:15 and we meet up with our friends and coaches. When I get stressed I start to get goofy, make jokes and laugh a bit more! It only works temporarily. Where others stay quiet and mentally go through their mind how they want their race to go. We start to glide ourselves (like a body grease that helps put your wetsuit on easier) and put the suits on. We say bye to our friends, they wish us luck and off we go to the swim start. There's music blaring, and the commentator is talking about how cold the water is. Shut up! Don't want to hear it! My hubby and his brother go up front to jockey for a spot in the water they want. We have to tread water for about 10 mins. before the gun goes off. My friend and I wait a bit to let the bulk of athletes get in, then we look around then jump in the water and position ourselves where we want to be. We say our goodbyes and say good luck. I look at the race clock, it says 6:59:58, holy crap. I start my heart rate monitor watch, (which will track my time and calories), the gun goes off! I gaze over the water for a moment, it looks like a Titanic swim! Everyone is off, so I get going. Arms and legs everywhere! This is a 2.4 mile swim. It's a rectangular shape. Swim down, make two turns and swim back to exit. It felt long, but the cold didn't bother me. Kind of waited for the groups to thin out, so I could get a straight shot. People were trying to climb on top of you, cross in front of you, it was something else. The long swim back was getting easier, though I started to get cold, so needed to kick a bit more to keep warm. I see the swim exit, start going for it. Swim a little harder, that's what coach would say. Get blood back into the legs before trying to stand on them.

I reach out to the swim platform where a volunteer helps me out quickly, but carefully. I say thank you and off I go. Run down a chute where I see me in-laws. They call my name, I run over and kiss them both, I'm excited now, just got done with that horrible swim! Wound up swimming an 1 hour and 27 minutes. I'll take it. Now I'm happy, my favorite part next is the bike. Another few volunteers help me get my wetsuit off, again quickly, but carefully, without ripping holes in the suit. Thank you again!

I run to get my bike bag, it has my helmet, clothes, glasses, wind vest and arm warmers. Into the white tent I go. It's filled with a sea of women changing their clothes getting ready for the bike. It looks cloudy outside, I take everything with me in case it rains, because you can't come back! Women are everywhere, chatter is high, excitement is high! So all dressed, the volunteers help you with anything, one helped me put my socks on, got me water and stuffed all my swim stuff into my bag for me to get later. We run like cattle down another chute into the bike area, where again, there's a sea of bikes, metal, wheels, bottles everywhere, 2500+bikes are in here. I get my bike, you have to trot out of transition and mount the bike is designated areas, as though not to harm anyone around you. Well I trot by the bulk of people starting to get on, so I can have open space to get on my bike. Some people are kind of loopy coming out from the swim and onto the bike, I've seen people fall over, you zig zag in front of you. I start to head out, hundreds of spectators are cheering everyone on! This is great (so far)!

This is my strongest and favorite part of a triathlon. It'd better be, have to do 112 miles of biking. I start out relaxed and get some nutrition, which will be a swig of liquid and a bite of clif bar. This is where the bike leg can either make you or break you. It seems logical, go hard on the bike, pay for it on the run! So coach said, go "stupid easy" for the first 40 miles, then build to a bit stronger effort in the next 40. A look in the sky tells it all and the wind is not nice. We wound up getting rained on, hailed on, 20 mph winds, with 30+ mph gusts! And a couple dust storms, and occasionally a tumbleweed would go by! There's about 5 aid stations on the 3-loop bike course. So 17 miles out to a turn-around, and 17 back. Going out was great, tail wind pushing you, and a not-so-great headwind pushing you. So a little more effort to come back. The volunteers were awesome, they were so upbeat for everyone, and they were there the whole entire day! There's about 5,000+ volunteers that help with this race production. Couldn't have done without them. First loop feels easy, 2nd loop gets a bit more challenging, the 3rd loop was challenging, the winds shifted. Had the head wind going out, and about a 20 min. tailwind on the turnaround. But the last 9 miles were hell. Strongest, gustiest head wind coming in, OMG, when's this going to end?

Finally see town and spectators. Thank goodness. But before I dismount, a thought trickled in my head, holy crap, I gotta run 26 miles! I dismount, a volunteer takes my bike. Thank you. And run down another chute, like cattle. Isn't this great? Another volunteer gets my run bag, where I'll transition in the white tent again, and change like superman into running clothes, where I'll attempt my first ever marathon! The change goes well, but my transition time of 10 mins. of a bit high, according to my hubby, which his T2 transition time was 1:36 minute. He sucks! I took my time, I believed there was going to be a banquet in the tent, no such luck! Isn't that what you think when you see a bit white tent? Or is that the circus, well anyways...

I start out on the run course, didn't no where to go, I yell out, "which way do I go?" A volunteer directs me. Thank you. The run course is another 3-looper, about an 8+mile for each lap. It was still light, but the sun was going down fast. I have my salt tablets, which I've been taking all along, 2 each hour, so I don't cramp up. I head out. The legs actually feel really good. Okay, I didn't waste myself away on the bike. I can actually do this! I started to believe I could finish this silly race! I kept a 10+ minute mile pace for the first loop. Things went well. Then the 2nd lap came, that was my low point of the day. It was drizzling off and on, but not enough to wear the pancho I packed. Darn it, was looking forward to wearing the sexy plastic! When you start your next loop, the run path takes a fork in the road, one way goes to the finish line, the other goes out for another loop. Unfortunately, I had to watch bunches of people run to the finish line, they were done, I was not . I had to run another loop, and then another. At the end of the 2nd loop, I saw my family and friends, there is where I dropped the "F-%#$" bombs! I wasn't looking pretty! But everyone was upbeat and excited, I only had one more loop to go. They knew I could do it, I didn't. My mind was there, but my legs were not wanting to cooperate. I was duking it out with my quads! What started as a run, became a jog, then became a power walk, then a drunk shuffle! But the funny thing was, and my coach told me this might happen. I must have passed about 60-70 people on the run! So the bikers that passed me, I was now passing them on the run. The plan was working. My mission impossible was about over. My mood started to lift. My coach, Jenny, started to walk with me on the last 5 miles. She asked how I'm doing? Really, do I need to answer! She knew...she said, "this is it, your last 5 miles, keep up on the nutrition, walk if you have to and now go kill it"! She slapped me in the butt, like football players do, oh, and that hurt...and off I went to go to finish off this crazy thing! I had passed the 20 mile marker, and was thrilled. You hear in marathons from runners that you can bonk, or hit the wall, at mile 18 or up to mile 20. I kept waiting for the bonk, was he coming behind me or in front of me? I don't think I ever bonked, I just slowed down.

Well, there it was, the 25-mile marker, it was dark, no more rain, no more wind, just the faint blare of fans, music and the commentator at the end. I wanted to be there, and I was about to be. I started to throw out any gel blocks, sports beans, cliff bars, etc. I had on me or in my sports bra. I wanted to look pretty for the pictures and the live camera at the end! Isn't that funny, I still had enough thought to look good for the end. I started to book it in! Oh, wait the quads are still rebelling, had to walk a bit. But then I saw my friends, Dave was first, he yelled me in! He goes "Go Loni, you're almost there!" I don't know where it came from, but I burst into a run, like running to your kids to save them from something! With every pound of the foot came pain, with every pound came the finish line closer! Saw my hubby and in-laws, they were screaming! I was almost done. I finally got to take the fork in the road, which I'll call the yellow brick road! 200 yds. to go! I saw this one gal who passed me so fast on the 2nd lap of the bike, that I had caught up to her and passed her into the last 100 yds! OMG, there's lights, screaming, music, fans with arms in the air! And there the commentator said the words that everyone waits for at the end, "Loni Behler, you are an Ironman!" I threw kisses out to the crowd left and right, the screams hightened even more, I did it, crossed the line with a big grin. And who was there at the end, was Chrissie Wellington, a women pro triathlete that hugged me at the end, and told me "Loni, you did it!" She only knew my name because my name was on the bib number I was wearing. Thank god, I'm done. My husband was next, we grabbed me, helped me to walk. Volunteers took my chip off, gave me a medal and a finisher's shirt and hat, and whisked away to the recovery tent where pizza and french fries, soda and hot chocolate were waiting. It all sounded good, but I couldn't eat a thing. I couldn't even sit down. Steve had to help me down, the legs wanted to stay straight.

So that was it, all the fear and anxiety was gone! I did what I came to do, 14 hours and 20 minutes later. Boy what a day. Thanks for reading this if you got this far! I'll blog the post-race events and the days that came after. That's a whole 'nother story! Thanks for your eyes and ears, and your support. You guys rock, and luv you all!! See you at Tone....Loni B.

Hot weather...

2010-08-19T14:15:00.001-07:00

Notice how the weather is very cold in the morning and very hot in the afternoon? It would happen when the kids go back to school! Oh well, I'll take it....time to bike for awhile.

Back to business in an extreme way...

2010-08-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile (about 1-1/2 yr. according to my boss, Al!) but I'm back! Lot's going on, had a boy graduate from high school and going to SRJC, and my youngest a senior in HS! Yet, I don't feel old, should I? No....that may be due in part to my puppy black lab, Sadie, that believes I'm the door man (or mat) to let her in and out as she pleases. I feel more like the cook, event coordinator, accountant, delivery person, and much more, of my house hold. But that's okay as long as I get to exercise, and boy did my wish come true. Last November my husband and I signed up for an Ironman race in Arizona, which will take play this November, yes 3 months yet. So even though I've been racing all year, this time of the year seems to have more meaning than any other.

I now workout 7 days a week, which I love. I feel like I'm in a boot camp, the only thing different from the military is I get to come home and do laundry, cook dinner, and walk the dog! So it's forced me to be organized, and disciplined, which I'm normally not. So I thought I would share my next 3 months of life with family, work and etc, of my journey from CA to AZ!

I need some kind of stress relief, and since I can't afford a psychiatrist (only a chiropractor), this will help me out, since my kids and hubby probably don't want to hear me of my highlights (or complaints) of the day.

So hear goes, my coach now has me working out 7 days a week, it was 6, with a day off! I enjoyed that day off, even though I work most that day. But like many other athletes doing IM AZ this is a must. It gets your body ready for volume--getting ready for the stresses of a long day of racing, which may take me 13-14 hours. Average athletes might be 10 to 12 hours, darn it!

On Monday I swam at Finley working on strength using paddles. I was a bit sore the next day, lats had a workout. Tuesday I rode with our trigroup around Windsor for a little over a hour, with a 20 minute transition run, that just about killed me. I've never run that fast before, and probably never will, unless I can avoid it! Wed. was running and swimming. I ran in Fountaingrove to help strengthen my legs, that was hell too, especially after my Tues. run of quad burn. Then Wed. evening swam at Johnson's beach in Guerneville with trigroup. I was really tired by this time. I was supposed to swim 50 mins, but shorten to 40 mins. because everything is catching up to me. I asked my teammates how long they were swimming, some said just past the bridge and back, which would make for a 30 min. swim. They asked me back how long I was swimming, I said I'm just going to "float" up river and back! But I managed to gut it out and swim a bit further than I thought. I figure as long as I'm dressed up in the wetsuit, better make good use of the time there.

So today I'm weight training a small bit, then off for a 1:20 hr. bike ride. So looking forward to this journey and see what happens the rest of the year. Just one day at a time. So if anyone has some thoughts on how life would be easier during a busy schedule, I would love to hear them. I think just having a good "sense of humor" will help tremendously. Thanks for listening and reading. Any one else out there going through this, would love to hear from you!

Oceanside report...

2009-04-08T22:34:00.000-07:00

Well here's the report for Oceanside race, the 70.3 race I've been training for since January. It was an awesome race. Kept hearing that the water was cold (it's in the Pacific Ocean, so I guess it would be), the bike course is hilly (it was), and the run was right along the ocean in a residential area. Well it was everything and more. All the training was worth it, long swims, pacing bike rides, and increased running. The water was a brisk 58 degrees, but you don't notice if much once you get started. The bike course was beautiful, it went through Camp Pendelton. The terrain was hill, exposed and windy. As the day progressed, the winds got worse, but luckily I didn't blow myself up, and paced great. I was ready for the run, had more than enough left for the run (not trying to say it was easy), but I felt good to have a good run, and everything went as planned. Just nice and steady throughout the run, taking time to look out at the ocean with the wind hitting your face. This is when you love the wind, hitting your face to cool you off. Wound up doing what Jenny and I hoped for, was a 6:30 time, and came in at 6:30:22! Love the race would love to do it again next year. Oh, and BTW, my hubby, Steve got another spot to Clearwater, FL, so I guess we're going again. I'll try for one from Vineman, hopefully it will be a good day as well. I'll definitely train for it and hope for luck on my side that day! My bro-in-law, Mike, and his girlfriend, Mady, all raced together, it was a fun and fast weekend.

We wound up later that evening at a hamburger joint, where we had burgers and fries, and shared onion rings. Oh, and after we started to walk back to the hotel, we decided we felt like ice cream too, so we headed to Coldstone for a nice creamy desert! Nice way to end the day, slept like a big baby that night!

A new year and ready for it...

2009-01-09T09:10:00.001-08:00

As I was kind of "spring cleaning", I started to find money in spots I don't check regularly, found a few bucks in a sweater pocket, found $15 in my gym back, and another $10 in my purse after cleaning it out. I thought that was a cool enlight of what I'm seeing and hearing in the rest of the world whose trying to make ends meet. It seems very harsh out there right now, you open the newspaper and it's all in front of you. So you just throw a prayer out there every once in a while and hope that things will get better. And I know they will, just takes time.

So in the meantime, in my world I've discussed with my now 17-year old and 15 year old how important it is to save all that you can, you need a little money cushion in times like these. Maybe not going to the movies every weekend, not buying that cup of coffee or that cool shirt in the trendious store that you just got to have. Those things don't really mean too much, it's just something americans do. And we "do" too much of it. So we are sorta of downspending for the next year. Make coffee at home instead, rent movies and have a movie night, go with friends for a walk or hike instead of going to the mall to "hang out". Things get better when you feel better about yourself and what you are doing for yourself, locally, and globally. And what to do for the environment, that's a whole 'nother topic!! But I'm sure we all feel the same way, just be aware of your decisions.

Back to the new year. In the past month, I've been getting my body reenergized and as close to symetry as possible. I've been seeing a wonderful chiro. Ms. Potter, who has straightened out my feet, my pelvis and my head plates. Have been running a bit easy to make sure the ligaments and muscles keep all that mentioned in place and it seems to be working. Haven't had any pain running in Anadel (which I didn't before, just some nagging hip tightness, which turns out to be SI joing problems, which I knew I had). With her help of some maintenance exercises, I think this year is going to be great. Have a few races lined up for the year. A 1/2 ironman in April at Oceanside, a couple olympics in between, another 1/2 vineman in July in town, and hoping to end the year in October with a 1/2 or full marathon. So got some plans, so I know even the best laid plans can go haywire, but that's my intentions for the year. We'll take one day at a time and see how my body and my family does with my intentions! And also with the support of my coach, Jenny, the chiro. and my massage therapist, it should keep my in the best form possible.

Also, don't let the cold whether deter you from something you want to do. I was thinking of people in Chicago and living there and how cold it would be there. And then I didn't complain anymore, it's really cold there, so bless them in their terrain. We have it good here in Calif., so hop on the health train and get out an move or dance or both! In any event do something for yourself that you normally wouldn't do, out of the box, take the blinders off, it's so worth it!!! See you out there....god bless you and Happy New Year, it's going to be a good one!
Luv Loni B.

Race day in a triathlete's world

2008-11-18T19:40:00.000-08:00

I'm posting this because I know others from around the internet may see this and relate and chuckle a bit because they've been through it, or it may inspire others to do something like this. So enjoy, it's a bit lengthy, but you might get something out of it, who knows! Besides some of my friends wanted to know what happened in my Florida race. So here goes......

First let me start by saying that my husband, his brother and myself (well I got lucky) got spots through Vineman back in July to go to the World Championships in November. So the three of us would train more to get ready for this race.

Well, my family and I left for Clearwater, Florida on election day. The Ironman 70.3 Championships would happen on Sat. 11/8/08 in Clearwater. Traveling there was good, no problems, no lost luggage, that's always a plus. Athletes from all over the world would come and participate in this race. Athletes from 53 countries were participating in this race. I felt very honored to be doing this race and felt like a celebrity at the same time.

In the mean time, my husband looked up the weather before we boarded the plane on his lap top in Florida for race day, thunderstorms were in the forecast, great!!! We got there and it was sprinkling, it felt like Hawaii weather, wear shorts in the rain, how much fun is that. Temps would be in the 70-80's along with humidity to keep you wet! And as you know, Florida is all flat, no mountains whatsoever. Only bridges, causeways would be the only thing with some hilly stuff. I've been told that the flat terrain would make for a very fast bike race and that there would be lots of drafting going on (this is considered cheating!).

As the days went, the weather only got better. On Wednesday, we drop the kids off at a mall and guitar shop so they can shop their hearts out, while we checked in at athlete registration. This is where you receive you "athlete packet", which would hold you time chip, a race t-shirt, race numbers, sponsor handouts, race maps, etc.

On Thurs. we did a practice swim, which Gatorade was holding a tent where you bring your belongings to them, they bag it. You go swim the course, which was already marked with buoys. Come back they look at the number written on you hand, they hand your belongings and a gatorade to you. How sweet is that! Later on we checked out our bikes, which were driven by truck to Florida. We check them out and test ride them to make sure everything is in order, gears running smooth and brakes and tires are race ready. Okay, we run through our checklists to see what we need to do and prepare the equipment for race day. This day would end with a pre-race banquet dinner for the athletes and their families. Tables, chairs and lights were set up on a beach, Sand Key Beach. With Ironman boards and sponsor labeled decorations, the atmosphere was exciting. The food was delicious, from chicken, pasta, salads, fruit, breads and the highlight, was the desert--sugar cookies with the red Ironman symbol on each and every one of them! As we went back for seconds, family members would snag about 3-4 cookies to bring back to the motel. I think in all, we took about 15-20 cookies back, they were so yummy and there were alot leftover! Shhh, don't tell on us!

Friday, you rest, stretch, watch a funny movie and make sure all equipment is ready for the big day. On this day, we get our equipment ready to do a switcho-chango from one sport to the next and quick as you can. You get swim stuff ready, bike stuff and run stuff. Throughout the day, athletes go down to the transition area to be greeted by one of the 3,000 volunteers. They would escort you to your spot by the number you got. Mine happened to be #155. We had a Blue bag for Bike stuff, and a Red bag for Run stuff. See the connection?! Anyways, you hang the bags on marked pegs that were on isles of wood posts, like shopping in the grocery store. They showed us which way to run in after the swim and which way to go out on the bike and back and back out to run. Sounds easy, but it can be a bit confusing on race day, so you have to pay attention to these little things. So there's nothing laid out on the ground, like in a common tri race. Everything is clean, bags on pegs, bikes on racks, nothing to trip over, what a concept!

So that night, the whole family, the 12 of us, walk around looking at the transition area, it was a sea of bikes. Not a soul was in there, and guards would be walking around all night making sure nothing would happen to any of the bikes. Then you see the rows, and rows of bags waiting for the next day to be grabbed by their owner. The streets were quiet and you could tell that athletes turned in early to get a good night rest before the chaos would start the next day.

Moving now to race day. It's Saturday 11/8 morning at 4:30 am. Steve and I get up and try to eat something to top the carbo. stores for the day. Stomach is a little nervous, which is obvious, in light of what's about to happen in a couple hours. The pros start out at 6:45 am, and I go at 6:55 am in the F45+, with other age groupers going every 5 minutes after me. There's about 10 different age groups. So I'm in the first age grouper wave. Oh great, well at least there's not a lot of time to get nervous. At 5:00 we head down to the transition area, we get marked with big number stamps, then proceed in to transition to make last minute changes before the race starts. Athletes start coming in, there's a low hum, a light chatter between people, putting air into tires, putting their choice of sports drinks in their bottles on the bike, getting gears in place, and helmets, and nutrition in the form of solids or gel packs on the bikes. Our family is all up and we talk to them, take some pictures and try to quiet the nerves trying to come out of the body in a form of a scream! Everyone is getting excited. then 6:30 comes around, the sun isn't even up yet, another 30-40 mins, before light peaks over the horizon. I've got my wetsuit, swim caps, and goggles ready to go. Take a warm-up swim, it's a bit chilly, around 70 degrees, but you don't even notice it. You don't let it!

Athletes start to get corraled into portions of the fenced areas. The pros are right in front of me getting ready to go at the sound of the horn. The men go, then the women go. Then I go with all the other women 45 and over, to start in 10 mins. The swim will be 1.2 miles long. Steve and Mike won't go until 7:40 am. During the test swim, my mirrored goggles don't work well, I'll be swimming into the sun when it peaks, but nervously I switch to my dark goggles, and they wind up doing the job. Sweet! The announcer counts down to take off, OMG, here it goes. This is what the last few months have been preparing me for, am I prepared, we'll see?! 5-4-3-2-1, the horn goes off, we run from the white sandy beach into the water, I dive in and start to swim. I stroke and see others still running in along side me. Again, OMG, I'm in the water, the race is on, then I started to do my self talk that I do. Okay, "find the groove". It's the first race where I'm in the 45+ group, otherwise I'd be in the 40-44 group. The M50-60 (men group) will be bringing up the rear behind me. I'm glad it's not the M30-34 (the young-swim-over-everything-group!).

the swim goes well. The water is calm until you get out further past the 10th buoy marker, then it gets a bit wavier. Small swells going up and down, oh my, don't think about it! Ten more markers to go! I find the groove and all goes well, I wind up with the same swim time as Vineman, 40 mins. I know, I know, need to work on the swim! No change there, I'm fine with that. I run up the nice white beach with a crowd that's enormous and loud. After all, 53 other countries, with their families are here representing their space on earth. Oh, also there's helicopters everywhere, this will be televised on TV sometime in April. What a treat.

I run through the shower to get any sand off and meet the first volunteers of the day, 3 of them to help take off my wetsuit, about 7 seconds to pull it off! Right on. Run into to transition area to grab my bike bag and run into a white tent to get ready to ride. More volunteers are in the tent coming to me with a gatorade, water and waiting to put anything I don't need, from the bag I dumped on the ground, back into the bag where I'll find it hanging on the pegs nice and neat, when I get done with the race. I run out the tent, another volunteer sprays some sunscreen on me, with my approval, as I run by to get my bike. Got Lucy (my bike name) and head out around a couple of curves of the road and head up the first and only hill (a causeway). Feel great, the swim portion is done, and can't wait to get some pavement rolling under the bike wheels. This is my favorite part of the race, 56 miles of biking. The first probably 10-12 miles we meander through residential area, with people on the sidewalks cheering athletes on! And here's where the "draft fest" is about to take place. Not so much older guys, but I'm almost sure most the culprits were the younger guys. All of a sudden, swarms of guys (with a girl or two in the bunch) are flying by on their pricy tri bikes, disc wheels and aero helmets, just flying by! I've never seen anything like it. Just the day before, race officials were briefing and warning all athletes that bike officials would be out looking for the criminal drafters and making good use of the penalty tents if needed. Well indeed, the tents got used that day, saw about 3-4 guys in each of them, AS I WENT BY! There is some justice!! There were even lone bikers out there getting upset at these swarms going by, and yelling that they were all cheaters! But nothing you could do about it. The day was going great, the ride felt good, almost too good. I was able to stay aero the entire time on the bike, for which I would thank my chiropractor, Dr. Grund, for helping me through my previous neck issues. I felt great!!! The last part of the bike leg, maybe into the 5-6 miles, it was starting to get very windy, tough getting back. The causeway was in sight, that means the transition was near by and the run portion would be next. Can't wait.

I run into transition are again, and a volunteer takes your bike and racks it for you. Well if you were tracking me, which I know of some who were, you could see shortly that things start to go wrong in my run. As my coach, Jen, would later tell me, "well, it looked like you had a good time on the bike!" Even though I had my fastest bike split yet, for me, this would all bite me in the butt for the run! I run to get my run bag and back into the tent to change and be greeted by the friendly volunteers. I sit in the chair and start to change, my body was shaking at this point, then it crossed my mind--the run is going to be hell for me!! Now, I did drink on the bike, took the required salt tablets, ingested my gels, etc. Did everything I was suppossed to, but it would do no good. I was in trouble. Got the running shoes and hat on, brought around my race number in front of me. The volunteers gave me another sports drink and sent me on my way. My legs started to cramp up a bit, oh no, don't fail me now sisters! I saw the whole family cheering and yelling my name. I heard my mom-in-law say "the guys hadn't come in yet"! But I know they're not far behind.

Into the first mile, Steve slaps me on the butt, and said better get going! Then Mike passed me and I said, "I'm going to be out here awhile, I don't feel good!" He said don't worry... So I'm alternating jog/walking at this point, making use of every aid station, sipping sports drinks and putting sponges on my shoulders and squeezing water on my head. About mile 5, I start to cramp up really bad, had to walk. Had 1 mile to go before turning around and doing a whole another loop again toward the end. My hamstrings are starting to lock up, my quads are trying to join them. After turning the loop in front of the crowd, I'm able to jog past them all, before returning to the walk mode. I'm almost there, another 6 miles to go, OMG, I'm going to make it no matter what! After hitting every aid station, and enjoying the scenery and eventually coming to the last mile, I see Beau, my youngest 15 year-old son, coming to say "come on mom, you're almost there. Don't talk, just save your energy to walk or run or whatever, just take your time". That's when I almost lost it. My family all knew that something went wrong and that I would be emotional about it. He brings me in and people start to cheer. I see pop-in-law first, he's taking pictures, don't forget to smile!! Then I get closer to the finish line, I take out the sponges, gotta look good for the pictures! I then hear my name, I see Steve holding his arms in the air, can't wait to get to him. I try to sprint, I have absolutely nothing left. I just pray I have enough to pick up these heavy thighs and not to trip on anything like empty gu packets or my own feet! I cross with a smile (for the pictures of course) and Steve greets me, with my emotions choking me, I'm soooo glad it's done. I start to hyperventilate, trying not to cry. If you could read me, you could see it was a type of annoying emotion that said "damn-it-my-run-sucked-and-was-glad-to-finish-that! But Steve said "it's okay, you did it, let's go take pictures!"

So I smiled for the camera, hugged the family, they were all proud of me, and so was I. I got my big heavy medal and at that moment I thought, yep, I did it dang it! The family headed back to the hotel to rest and eat, while Steve and I headed back in the ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, to cool off the legs. It felt so good, and that's were everything started, just about 6 hours and 17 minutes ago. Yep, that was my time 6:17. I was looking to get way under 6 hours, but not today, and that's okay. Steve and I talked about the race and woulda-shoulda-coulda stuff. You know how that goes. But all I know was I was really thrilled inside to be part of such a big production of this World Championship, it was truly an experience that I'll cherish forever. I'm definitely hooked on this race distance, and want to do more. After the ocean cool down, we went to the food area, where we ate cheese pizza, more gatorade (yuck, no more), brownies, fruit, cookies, chilli, baked potatoes, soda, and so much more! After we filled our selves silly, we limped to the transition area for the last time, got our bags and bikes. We checked our bikes back into Tribike Transport, so they haul our bikes back by truck to San Francisco. They were awesome, and we'd use them again. Then Steve and Mike went up to the motel to change, shower and clean up, while I went to the massage area to get a 10 min. rub down of the overworked legs, and start the healing process of my body. It was pure bliss...as I lay there on the table, with the ocean in eye shot of where it all started just a few hours earlier. I was so glad to be there, I was an ironman 70.3 finisher (barely)!

Well there's my day. I hope you enjoyed the journey, some can laugh, some can cry, and some will think I'm crazy, maybe I am, but I'm hooked now!!! Can't wait to see what the next year brings.....

I thank you in advance for reading this book on line, I appreciate it and hope that you may get something from this, what that may be? That's up do you!

Okay, time to turn in.
Luv and good thoughts to all, sleep well.
Loni

Life in the "Tri" lane

2008-11-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

Well, here I sit in front of my laptop and thinking about what this year has been like. It's been a heck of a ride. When it comes to this new tri life I've adapted to, I think of the friends I've made this year and how I couldn't have done most this stuff without them. I've managed to do my first 1/2 marathon earlier this year in February, a few 10K's, a couple century bike rides, did 5 triathlons, 2 of them 1/2 ironman distances (one Vineman here in town, the other a slot in the Florida World Championships). Lots of miles, sweat, eating, and resting. All while trying to raise a couple of teenage boys and maintain a house that looks semi clean! Oh, and walk the dog every day. I wouldn't have changed a thing, I love it all. The sense of accomplishment hangs on for days and you feel this glow that makes you just feel plain good. I've met many people along the way, and watched some challenged athletes make their way to the finish line that gives me chills at the same time, wanting to give them a big hug, knowing and not knowing what they have gone through to get there. Can't complain about too much....
I sit here this morning sore as can be, ran a trail run yesterday that was brutal. A 12.7 mile run on Mt. Tamalpais from Stinson Beach. My quads have never felt a burn like this before, but I'm still smiling (along with complaints that I can't lift my leg up on this one step in the house!). Don't tell my coach, she wouldn't like that! I ran with my brother-in-law, Mike, who's my hero in tri. He's done some amazing things, like completed about 4 ironmans this year. He makes it look so easy (I know that it's not!). Back to the run, it was about 2,400 feet of climbing and back down again. But the scenery was amazing, warm beautiful day with glimpses of the Pacific Ocean and wooded terrain, like running through the amazon, not! Through steep hikes up, including a brief climb of a wood ladder, don't think there was flat land anywhere, it was either upwards, downwards, with a lot of cut backs, u-turns, zig-zags, you name it, it was there. But would do it again. Oh yeah, nothing a Drumstick ice cream couldn't fix after a run like that.
I'm happy with my life and where it's going, my boys' are getting a sense of the importance of exercise in their lives from watching their dad and I. You have to balance life out, and exercise is a big part of that. Without it, you can get stressed pretty easily, with all the economic and global issues all around us. So if you say you can't do something, it's just an excuse, just do it as Nike would say, what ever it is. You'll feel better about yourself. I do.
Happy trails and get out and move. Luv all, Loni

Daylight savings off to a bang....

2008-03-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

Here I am writing on Sunday 3/9, it's 7:15 and just becoming dusk outside! This is awesome. The sun has been out all weekend and enjoying the benefits of it. Had another first in my biking world. I did my first "century"--100-mile bike ride. The Santa Rosa Bike Club put out, on it's monthly listing, a "flat century". Of course, I had my doubts, but just said to myself, just go for it--if all I do is 80, or 90 or anything below or between, I would still be happy with that. The day started at 8:00 am at Helen Putnam park in Cotati. The ride for the "B" riders (beginner/intermediate) started first, then the "C" riders (more experienced or "hammer fest" group-as I call it!) would go after us. My husband was in that group. This was his first one too, but I knew that he would come out of this with a big bang, and he did.

Anyways, it was cold at first. I figured it would take about 6-7 hours to complete this ride, with all the stops in between. I tried to remember to just find a groove that would work for me and stay in that. A couple times I tried to keep up with the "big boys", but would soon be dropped. We traveled through back roads on Petaluma Valley Road towards Freestone, to Occidental, and to Duncan Mills, where that was the first stop. I did good. I even managed to keep eyeshot of the "big boys" right until the mild climb up into Occidental. The "B" group stopped at the Wildflour bakery. I didn't, I kept going and I'm glad I did. The ride leader of the "C" group, M. Leach, must of thought I was in the "C" group, because he was bringing up the rear to regroup in Duncan mills. Well, he was surprised when I told him I was in the "B" group. I saw my hubby and some others I knew at Duncan mills at mile 36, so I decided to test my waters and rode with them through the rest of the ride. So we traveled River Road through Guerneville, to Sunset Road where we turned off to climb the back roads to Westside Road, and to West Dry Creek road, to Healdsburg, where the second stop was at Oakville Grocery on the square, that was somewhere around mile 71. Doing farely well at this point, the weather was so beautiful, the sun was out and temp. reached a grateful 75 degrees. Stopped for about 20 minutes, then the group of 6-7 that I was with, were itching to get going again. So we started up and continued thru Windsor to wind around the Skylane Blvd. to NW Santa Rosa on Fulton Road. Where highway 12 and Fulton meet, was about 90 miles. Ten more to GO! Couldn't stop now. Our small pack was thinning out, when I dropped off the back to go 10 more, there were 2 guys left and heading back to Cotati where we started. The winds were picking up at this time around 2:45 pm. I headed to Sebastopol via Radota Trail to Analy HS and pickup High School Road to Occidental Road towards Willowside Road to HOME! Home sweet home, I didn't get out of the saddle until 100 miles appeared on my cyclometer (I know there's another term!). And by golly, miss molly, it came. I had to go up and down the driveway 2 times to find the 100. But did it. Got off the bike, sore in the butt and smiling across my face. Two good things in my book! Wound up with 6 hours, 45 minutes, total ride. I know that's alot for some people, and nearly not enough for others, but for me, it was awesome!!

This morning, didn't feel too bad. A bit sore in the quads. So I proceeded to coach my Human Race girls, then went for a small run up at Annadel Park, where every one else who lived in Santa Rosa, seemed to be! Ran a short run of 40 minutes. Couldn't muster anything else up. After that not feeling too bad, even as I sit down here. The real test will be when I have to stand up, and turn to walk. Maybe have to put a little fire under the tush to get it moving! But right now, I'll take how I feel, after all, it let's you know your alive, right?!!! Right on.....

Good day everyone and good night.....Loni

A new year, a new chance...

2008-02-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

Well, here I sit, the day after I did my first 1/2 marathon, 13.1 miles. I participated in the Kaiser Permanente run for 10K's and 1/2 marathon on Sunday, 2/3. There was rumor that 9,000 plus people preregistered for this event. Very impressive. The day was very windy and very rainy. With showers taunting us all day, it seemed awful, but at the point, what's the worse that could happen?! Nothing really, (well maybe like the wind was so windy in the last 3 miles, I could barely lift my legs or did I have any). If anything it was (here I go again) another great experience, another race under my belt.

Knowing that 9,000 others were out there doing the same thing I was didn't seem so hard (maybe just a little), but then I go to come home to watch and cheer on the Super Bowl teams and eat a little crazy! The run was through the Golden Gate Park and then back out toward the Great Highway, highway 1 along the coast. Got to see crashing waves, just another reminder how windy and rainy things really got.

My husband, brother-in-law and his girlfriend were running it as well. They did awesome as usual. Saw a couple other friends along the way. Just knowing that my family would be at the other end waiting for me to cheer me on was motiviation enough to get me to the finish. And finish I did, my PR of 2 hrs, 9 mins. For the first one, I'm pretty proud of myself.

Had a bonus, my hubby took me to The Cheesecake Factory (didn't have any cheesecake), and had a breakfast burrito (go figure). It was yummy. Then the extra bonus was watching the Super Bowl with my boys'. We all sat on the couch and continued to cheer and scream for whoever played the best to the end! We also had a Superbowl pool bet going on, which I happened to win all 4 quarters (without money mind you, just more chores for the losers!), which sits well with me and my sore body right now! Well, here's to another fine memory and story to tell of this weekend. Found out that all the training up to the race really panned out and prepped me for the run. Can't wait for the next one! Happy training until next time. Loni

My baby is growing up!

2008-01-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

I always wondered, since being a young mother, what it would be like when the baby in my arms would start to drive. Well, I got that opportunity a few days ago. The first time I drove with my oldest son, who is 16, was rather terrifying. I broke in a minor cold sweat when Tony rounded the corner from our long street where he'd been practicing on for a few months. When we actually hit the street and started to mingle with the other cars, the imaginary gas pedal on the passengers side was there! I was pleasantly surprised by his driving. It was much better than I thought, although he had a tendancy to hug the right side of the road, because I think he was scared to get to close to passing cars on the country roads. However, he's getting better and so have I. It's really exciting for me and him. He gets to take me to do errands and I get to look around (just a little bit) while he drives. It's like having a private driver in the family and not paying for it (I know, we are paying for it!). He's also changed a bit, his attitude is more relaxed and he's more receptive to daily life. I'm excited that we've made it this far, him as a teenager and me as mother, without getting on each other's nerves. He's actually a very pleasant teenager to be around and am quite proud of him. As they say, "Life's Good", well for right now. So I'm going to sit back and bathe in the enjoyment a bit longer. So gotta go and bathe! Enjoy life, play hard and work healthy! Loni

Happy New Year....And all that comes with it!

2008-01-02T22:30:00.000-08:00

Well, welcome 2008, you couldn't look any better. But 2007 wasn't bad either. A trip down memory lane brings me to think of people I've met, new places I've never been and the accomplishments I've made. When I think of these things, it makes me smile. I've made some new friends, and have learned some things about myself from these people. The places I've been to have been wonderful, it's like going out on an adventure that's in my own backyard and beyond. The first of 2007 brought a wonderful trip with the family to the Hawaiian islands, with stops at four of the islands, including the Big Kahuna. And then it just kept going from there. I found I could ride a bike with people to Cloverdale, Petaluma and all over without getting in the car to do it! And accomplishments of 3 sprint triathlons have boosted confidence into 2008 to try out an Olympic and 1/2-ironman distance. So we'll see how things go. Right now, I'm enjoying time with the family, going to the coast to play around in the water, go to Pier 39 and shop, and play cards and eat whatever I wanted (for a short time though)! So Happy New Year, and have you made those resolutions yet?! CU soon. Loni

Made it through Christmas...

2007-12-26T22:00:00.000-08:00

Well, like everyone else, I can breathe again without waking up thinking about what I have to do to chisle away another day before the big day arrives. No, instead I was awake to the tune of "can we go shopping with our gift cards?!", from my boys. That was a new one. And then what do I see on the news is that the gift card is the new holiday "gift giver". I'll have to agree in that it was easier to get those cards then the gift that's fully described-way-out-of-the-way-out-of-stock-popular present! It worked, and the Safeways' around town were great for that. They had the gift card mall for everything from Blockbuster to The Cheesecake Factory. And all within a few inches of each other, not much walking! Besides I have better things to do, like running the dog, swimming at the gym and riding my bike with the bike club. And after that, I'll make cookies, mail cards, wrap presents, eat everything that the wind blows my way and then when it's all over an done, I'll make resolutions like everyone else! Get more organized, not buy so much food (thanks to my Italian dad), not spend much money and lose weight. Sounds doable! Well, it's really going to be this year about the globe and the environment. How helpfully green can I get! So resolutions will be more along the lines of recycle more, use reusable bags instead of plastic or paper, take shorter showers (that's already in affect), buy items that don't have a lot of wrapping, and only buy what you need, ride more to get to work and groceries, maybe invest in a commuter bike and get a green car. We'll see what the year brings and what I can do for the year! Until then, smile more, give more, and relax when you need to. Loni

Happy Holidays...

2007-12-04T21:34:00.000-08:00

As we all get ready for the holidays, we still have to get gifts, attend parties, donate to good causes, be with family and friends. All of which I love during this wonderful season. But before you can actually enjoy it, really truly enjoy it. You have to take care of you first. You have to do something you like to make the holidays enjoyable. So, make a promise to yourself to take a new class, dance at home, take a walk or a hike with a friend. Spring lake is beautiful and as is Anadel park this time of year. When at the mall, park farther and be proud to get some strides in before shopping. You'll be able to cope with all the demands that come. I think I'll swim tomorrow and then go for a run after. Then I'm going to get my Christmas tree and decorate the house. I can't wait.....sweet dreams, Loni Can you say sugar cookies!

Rainy sunday...

2007-12-02T22:05:00.000-08:00

At least its not freezing today! I like the rain, it made me feel very lazy today. Went to the crafts faire at Finley Park. Saw many cute things for Christmas. Read the paper and saw the article about cyclists sharing the road with automobiles. It was very interesting to read the article and the comments that were posted on the website at Press Democrat. It was very alarming to read about some people who really don't like cyclists and would rather run them off the road into a ditch. These are the same people that have problems with other drivers as well. They are impatient and think they own the road, and think that none of the cyclists pay taxes since they are on a bike. Well, another prejudgment by people that are clueless. Cyclists ride to get exercise, use less gas (make a small carbon print on earth-who wants to pay $3.35 a gallon?), commute, socialize and get fresh air and scenery. I ride and drive and do pay taxes. I'm considerate to cyclists, drivers, pedestrians, people in line at the store, and the DMV (that's another story!). Those impatient people are just inconsiderate and disrespectful. I bet if their mom, dad, children, niece, nephew or close friend took up cycling, they'd rethink about the issues they have. Would they whiz by their aunt or uncle on a bike and push them into a ditch? Well you can see I'm passionate about this. People just need to get along and relax, no reason to stress yourself out and others, it's a waste of energy! Would you push me out of the way in line at a grocery store and say get out of the way, because you're in a hurry. If you answered yes, you have issues! It just seems that once one is behind the wheel of a 4,000 pound car, they all of a sudden own the rode. Think about that.....

Well, my day was all good later in the day, got to swim for an hour with the triclub and feel very sleepy all of a sudden. The passion (and caffiene) are wearing off! Time for shut eye! Sweet dreams....Loni

Brisk Saturday...

2007-12-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

Went for a bike ride today, waited until this afternoon to get "warmer", and out of the 40 degree range. It made it to 54 degrees while I was out, wasn't bad. My tummy and hands were cold, so I pedaled faster to keep warm. Very pretty scenery around Sebastopol and vineyard areas. Went out to Cotati and back and then thru Sebastopol, making it a 35 mile ride. Couldn't go any faster! Cut it short. I hope it gets warmer. Yesterday ran 6 miles from home, to Willowside Creek and back. Felt good to get some stress relief. After going thru visa receipts and bank account statements, needed some R&R thru running, believe it or not. It makes for a restful sleep and some peace of mind. Tomorrow will be time to get the Christmas tree and decorate the house, I'm already getting grief from the boy's and hubby, but I know deep down inside they love it! And if not, bah hum bug to them! It's been a great weekend so far, looking forward to tomorrow's crisp morning. Is that coffee I smell brewing? Gotta go...coffee is great to get the day started and chocolate makes the day worth while! So enjoy that cup of java and that small piece of dark chocolate. Enjoy the 1st of December, it get's going fast from here! ....Loni

Bermuda triangle

2007-11-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

This is how my tridiva coach would put it, the holdiays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve, when there around the body supposedly looses to the dark bermuda triangle of food. But I don't see things that way. Since being in the Tridiva club, I've found that anything is possible. Thru motivation and discpline, you can just about do anything you want. And it feels very empowering when you do. I'm not saying jump off a bridge with a jumpy cord attached to you (unless you're into that sort of thing), but just saying yes, I can exercise outside when it's in the 50 degree temps, or yes I can swim at night in an outdoor pool with lights, or run on a high school track with other ladies in the dark (by the way, that tests all your senses!). And then, yes, I can paint a painting, make an exotic food dish (to me exotic if pork tenderloins with apricot chutney roasted), and help my boys' do their homework. And still rest and read a book if I want to satisfy my soul. It's getting in a positive mindset and saying, "yes I can do that and I will" and feel good about yourself. I've recently loved the new excitement over the Zumba classes at Tone and the attendance to the Weight Watchers club. It makes me want to go to the classes as well. These ladies are having fun meeting, granted, it's in the honeymoon stage, but I can see this going on for quite awhile and the ladies being successful at it. It takes movitation thru "sisterhood" and I think it comes from each other just being together and doing the same things. Everyone supports one another and that's the key right there to doing the possible. So Bermuda triangle, bring it on. We're ready for whatever the holidays bring us, and I think we'll all be pleasantly surprised. In other words, you won't melt or die, get out and move, walk with your friend, hike with buddies, play ping pong with family. Whatever it is that gets you going, that's it! And we overdo it at the appetizer table, don't knock yourself. Just bounce back and say I'm good, it won't be like this tomorrow. Happy Holidays and breathe....Luv ya Loni.

Back from Florida 70.3 Ironman

2007-11-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

Well I'm finally back. It's been a very hectic past couple of weeks. Preparing to go on a trip without the family is even more stressful than taking them with you. All the preparation for others to watch my boys' was trying, to say the least. Getting, bills paid, banking done, paperwork in order, yatta-yatta--it goes on and on, but very much worth it. Just got back last night from my husband's triathlon in Clearwater, Florida. He completed his first ever (and probably not last) out-of-state triathlon. He qualified for it from the Vineman he did back in July. That means he did very well at the Vineman here, that he got to race against the best in the World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Florida. No pressure there...and World Championship it was! There were 52 countries represented by athletes from all over the world. From Europe, South Africa, China, South America, Australia, you name it, there was probably someone there racing. Another highlight was that there were all, but 5 states, that were participating in the race as well. Where were the other 5?! Watching and meeting other people was awesome. And met up with 5 other people that were from California, 3 from the bay area! The weather was awesome as well. Everyday reached around 72-75. We arrived in Florida on Wed., 11/7 and as the days passed by, so did the wind. It was cranked up on Thurs., making the ocean practice swims seem like, as one athlete said, a "washing machine" out there! Friday was windy, but not bad. By the time race day came on Saturday, the winds were just enough to cool off the atheletes during there trek, which they would want. And, of course, by Sunday, there was no wind anywhere, just like no athletes anywhere on the streets. It was a quiet morning after. As the days lead up to the race, there were athletes all over the place, very noticable was when they were out warming up on their bikes, working out any querks after piecing it back together from the shipped box. Everyone that came, had brought there own bike, strapped in and boxed up, and flew with them to the race. Everywhere it seemed like there were these big oversized, very oversized bike boxes. There were a total of 1,561 athletes, many with their families, loved ones, grandparents, etc. About 100 of them were men and women pros competing for a prize purse. Top notch got $18,000 buckaroos. I got to meet a couple pros. One I had met earlier in May at Wildflower, was Kate Major. Wonderful smile and laid back personality, she was great to talk to. Others that were there, were challenged athletes, who had prosthetics on one or both of their legs. Heart warming--it was, tear jerker-- it was, inspiring--all the way! Everyone together in one place from all over the globe. It inspired me to up my game now and go for the next level. So that's what I'm going to aim for now. Because of all of them, it made many smile and cheer for them as they cross the finish line. I may not of known them, but in some odd way, you felt you could just go up to anybody and start a great conversation with anyone, because you could almost relate to how they got there, through discpline, hard work, motiviation--that alone, makes you one big happy triathlon family!! Everyone cheered for everyone and patted each other on the back. There were engineers, moms, students, doctors, teachers, dads, grandparents, fire fighters, scientists, you name it, they were there. Just like you and me. Well, I'm very excited now, can you tell?! So back to what I always say, move today and be healthy and happy tomorrow and the next, and the next! Happy trails to all who tri to tri and try to move,until next time have a good night. Over and out, luv always, Loni.

Day 4 with the Tridiva club

2007-10-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the fourth time we have met as a club, the tridiva club. A club for women who train for triathlons. Love the name! We swam a couple of times and ran two times in the last 2 weeks. The girls are great. Everyone is getting to know one another. I've learned alot in the last 4 meetings. Never thought I could last an hour in swimming (I said that before, huh?!) But I did and it's not bad. Well, that's why I joined, because I wanted to meet others who "tri" and learn what to do better for myself. I've learned that the water outdoors is not so bad, and I don't have to woose out, and can't complain about anything. I found out that I can run on a track, and I'm not terrible! I've also found out that I can ride in cold weather and I won't freeze to death. It's all pushing me out of my zone, my comfort zone, that is. I could make an excuse and say well I don't really want to, it's too cold or too late, or too---what!! No more, life's too short. I've got things to do. Knowing there's other people doing the same thing I am, I just do it. (Isn't that a saying?! Oh yeah, just do it) What have you done today?! Besides the laundry or vaccuming. I mean fun wise....it's time. The weather is prime and you couldn't ask for anything better. Now it's time to sleep and repair. Until next time, adios chaquitas! (sp?) Loni

Swimming for life...

2007-10-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a weekend in Chico with my Dad. My kids and I headed up to "Paradise" the town right above Chico. A very nice mountainous, sleepy, retiring community. It's a 4-hour trip to get there. The drive was very enjoyable with my chatty sons, Tony and Beau. So I'm back home now and I'm a bit sore and tight. Got back from Paradise around 2:00 pm and rested for a bit before going to my swim session with the Tridivas at 5:00 pm at Ridgway pool. I love this. It's so cool. We swim for about 1 hour and do drills, work on technique and pace. I never thought I could swim for an hour! But I do and I love it. The women are very supportive and very kind. I get to work on many things and by the time we get done, it doesn't even feel like an hour. It goes by very quickly. There's one girl there that's a boxer and she has to kids, her youngest is 2 years old. We hit it off real quick. She's having to get used to the "kindness" of others. She's been used to coaches telling her to "push harder" and do one more push-up or sit up. She's liking this different way of working out, it's much nicer! So we talked last Wednesday during the run/track workout. It's been a great experience meeting all these girls. There's probably between 20-28 girls doing this. Well, my arms and eyes are tired and I'm ready to hit the pillow hard! So have a great evening everyone and get ready for a lovely, sunny week, can't wait! Sweet dreams. ...Loni

Got a bike?

2007-10-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

Forgot to mention, I'll be leading a bike ride from Tone on Friday, 10/12 at 9:00 am. Anyone that wants to join, feel free. All types and levels. Come one, come all. It's a blast!

Here's a little clip on some biking around the world starting in Rwanda:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPReMcBTF2M&feature=dir

Bike riding vs. cars....

2007-10-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

I forgot last week, my hubbie got shot in the ass (sorry right off for the frenchie), but he did! I guess some teenagers were riding by and decided to see if they could target a biker (which happened to be Steve). Well, they got lucky and struck his silly, diaper-looking biking shorts that has thick padding, because that's where it hit him, square in the butt!! Thank goodness for those silly shorts. That saved his little hinney. Do we need to wear butt of steel shorts?! Those kids must have had a high-powered air-soft gun or a strong BB gun, from the look of the broken skin and welt around it. It looked pretty bad. Why do people do this? Is there really not that much to do, that our teenagers have to resort to this? At this point I wonder about the parents of these kids, think they'd be proud of him? So I guess what I'm thinking is, everyone, take care of your own. Talk to our kids, hug them, listen to them every day, as much as you can. I try all the time. You just might learn something from them.

Just now, Anthony, my oldest son, came in the door from school, and said "guess what!". So there begins my listening skill. He resumed to tell me that in his circle of friends, two of them got into a fist fight over a girl. (Go figure!) I'm so thankful that my boys are able to talk to me about anything. I'm sure there's some things they don't tell me, but for the most part, I'm pretty happy with things right now, hopefully I can be that way until they make it to college!!!

Has anyone seen the movie, "Into the Wild" about a young man that decides to go live in the wilderness after not being able to make it in the "real life", and decides to go find "life", and somehow doesn't make it ultimately. Let me know, I'll like to hear about it.

Happy trails, luv Loni

Tri, Girl, Tri...

2007-10-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

That's the name of the triathlon I did today in Napa (Lake Berryessa). And oh boy were there girls, ladies, moms, you name it, 700+ female athletes meeting in the same place to swim, bike, and run and eat. That's my favorite part! So, I have to say, this is also the first time I slept pleasantly well before any kind of an event, like soccer or tri's. I got 8 hours sleep, which was my goal and wake up energized for the race. Well, it worked, with maybe a little setback on the windy road up to the lake. Got a little car sick. But after we got there, got excited about the race and the sight of people being busy around the transition areas setting up their little spots on towels next to their bikes. My hubby, Steve and Jeanne, mom-in-law were there to partake in the events. They helped me set up transitions and watch me exercise to the best of my ability for the next 1 hour and 44 minutes. That's how long it took me to do a 1/2-mile swim, 15-mile bike and a 4.1 mile run. It was breezy at first, but after you get warmed up, the lake looks better and better to jump back in when you get heated up on the bike and run courses. The social aspect of the whole event was awesome. Met some more great people, plus saw a girl I graduated with in high school in 1981. Okay that's dating me a bit. But we got to chat for a few moments before the race started. It was great to see a familiar face from Napa. Also met a girl from Santa Rosa that's interested in joining TriDivas, a company that helps out female athletes in each of the sports and helps you train to prepare for races of all kinds and levels. So that will be fun to meet up with her again and discuss all the tri stuff.

Now that this race is over, I can ease up a bit on all my training and change gears and do some dancing and maybe more biking, which is my first love. So far the year for training has been the best. Can't wait to see what next year brings up. The weekend isn't over yet, so get out and walk, hike or sip coffee outside and enjoy what's left of our indian summer. Take care, until next time.

Loni

Fall time...

2007-10-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

This week for my training is very light right before the race on Saturday. I'm looking forward to it. I'm feeling better, finally losing the head cold I got last week. I swam and biked on Monday, the legs feel good. I biked 23 miles on Sunday and about 10 on Monday. Played about 20 minutes of soccer and nothing going wrong, knock on wood! The swim still feels iffy, but just have to flow with it. I'm going to try and get some training thru TriDivas, a group of girls that get together and train together. Sounds like fun. I ran yesterday with my lab, Bosco. He's so funny. He loves to run, but on a consistent run like what I had to do, he'd rather stop for a pee then move on. It does make him tired and we all sleep well. Around this time, October, I love this month. Probably because my birthday is this month and the pumpkineeey stuff everywhere. It's probably the only time I don't mind the color orange! Plus, I get motivated to cook, bake and slow-cook. I love trying new things and revisiting some past favorites. I'll have to say the thing about tri training is that it makes me more discplined, more organized and motivated. It's all a good thing. Okay, I smell pumpkin pie, oh good, it's in my kitchen. Gotta go. Luv Loni

Another fantastic weekend...

2007-09-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend. I traveled with my husband, and brother-in-law, Mike to Tahoe this weekend so they could participate in the XTerra Nationals Race. It's an off-road, adventure triathlon. We got there Friday afternoon around 1:00 pm and it was very windy and cold. The sun was out and clouds were coming in. The guys had to register for their event and then around 3:00 pm there was a briefing for all athletes about details and changes of the race. There was also a swimming workshop with a couple elite athletes talking with the crowd. It was fun and I learned a few tips to use in my own training. They informed all that a weather front was coming into the night and there may be 3 inches of snow. You hear it, but never think it's going to happen. After the workshop we walk to the shore to scan the swim course and there's waves, which seemed, about 10 feet tall and 5 seconds between them. In other words it was very ROUGH! We decide to head out to our hotel and check-in. We find a great room and then go to dinner to carbo-load up!! We eat at a great local Italian restaurant. We have bread, pasta alfredo with chicken and a huge salad. The guys eat up as do I (well I am doing a 5K as well, better carb up!!) We head back to the room and turn in around 9:30 pm.

We wake the next morning around 5:40 am and Mike looks out the window and exclaims "Oh my *#&^^ gosh, there's snow!" I was cracking up (only because I was relieved I wasn't doing this race), but then my heart went out to them, because it was going to be miserable at first thought. We get ready and head to the race course. We stop at a 7-eleven to get garbage bags, so they can set gear on top and put some in bags if need be. It's 23 degrees outside, as we travel to the course, the number dips down to 18 degrees! OMG...! As we park, no one wants to get out of the car! It's to dang cold! We get out, my ears are soo cold, I can't feel them. We have to walk carefully due to black ice in spots. I'm glad I brought my gloves and a funky knit hat, but doesn't keep my ears cold. All I'm thinking about is getting to the course, I know there were knit caps there for sale, I'm buying one. While the guys are getting body marked, I sneak off to buy a hat to cover my frozen ears. I find one, it's the last one-it's mine!!

They then set up all their gear for transitioning, that was fun and another personal story!! Then we go to the closest hotel and sit inside on one of the many couches placed everywhere in the lobby. It's so warm, we thaw out and talk and meet people. Race time nears, after an hour we head back out so they can get wetsuits on. The sun finally peaks over the white-capped mountain and everyone is thanking goodness, there's a sun and no clouds anywhere. The race starts at 9:00 am and everything goes smoothly. The lake is cold, everyone's feet and hands are cold, but everyone is racing. It was so much fun to watch athlete's and give words of encouragement along the way. It inspired me to want to do the race, but I knew better. A very adventurous race, a hard bike course. Well, the guys do well. My husband comes in fourth, 7 minutes behind the 3rd, and Mike does well, with a 1st place in his clydesdale division. He gets a medal. And as for me I ran the 5K and got 1st place in my age group as well, got a nice running hat and a medal. On the way home we all talk about the race and people. It was just the best, sitting out in the grass area having an athlete BBQ lunch with the sun warming you up and nice people all around. Another memorable time. Makes me want to train now...until next time, have a great week and get out there and move.
Luv Loni

Daily duties....

2007-09-17T21:18:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've been here. A sign of too much going on as usual. I'm going over my agenda for tomorrow in my head. And just realized that I need to fit in a swim and a bike training along with my other life daily duties. All of a sudden, I'm part homemaker, pilates instructor, triathlete and payroll secretary and back to being a mom. So this is what I have to do. Swim in the morning around 6:00 am, come back home and get the boys' off to school. Walk Bosco (my white lab) so he can get exercise too. Go to work by 9:00-1:00 pm. Go to my husband's office and do payroll and other misc., because their secretary is gone for the week. Then teach a pilates class at 4:00 at The Lakes. Come home get some dinner going and go to Analy HS to go to open house at 7:00 to 8:00 pm. That sounds like a marathon in itself. I just hope I can adhere to that schedule, I'd be happy and tired at the same time. The one thing I learned from training for triathlons is that there's always time and you have to be organized and patient. So the moment the alarm goes off, I'll be on my way to the finish line at 8:00 pm that night. Finish line will be my bed! And I can't wait! Not to complain mind you, it's just another lesson that things can be done with some type of organization (and maybe some heavy coffee!). Just kidding. Have a great week and be back soon to see how the life marathon tuesday went! Happy days everyone, fall is just around the corner. Did you hear the forecast with rain on Thursday already! Love all....

Triathlon today...

2007-09-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Just got home from a beautiful morning in Ukiah. Got up at 4:30 am and left for Ukiah at 5:00. We get to Mendocino college at 6:15 to register and set up our second transition from bike to run. Then we head to the dam at Lake Mendocino. There's fog on the lake, looks very pretty. We make the car from parking to edge of lake, we (includes hubby Steve and brother-in-law Mike) set up transition one from swim to bike. This is a hoot. I see many ladies I know doing the same thing. We're all babbling and rushing to get in the poddy line to the wonderful outhouses. We then make our way to the water, we're in our wetsuits. Feel like a small whale, but feel and look good! We hear the speech about the swim. It took me 21 minutes to swim 1/2 mile, then get on the bike. I see many are gone, but I forget that I was second to the last wave of many starting, so I started 20 minutes behind other age groups. I get out of the blubber quickly and get on my bike, I'm excited, because this is my favorite part. I do well, takes 1 hour and 14 minutes to ride 22-miles. Nice ride, no big hills, just some rollers and some bumpy asphalt. Get to transition two and quickly get everything off-helmet, shoes and gloves, switch to running shoes and run 3.1 miles for 27 minutes. I get done and I feel pretty good about it all. Don't feel to tight. My total time was 2 hours and 3 minutes. It's funny when you look at 2 hours, this time frame you could to in a gym or outside biking. But I choose to do 3 sports and meet more people. Overall, a great day and I feel good. Time to go watch the boys' soccer game. Have a good rest of the weekend everyone. Love Loni

Finally getting IT...

2007-09-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

Having a good day so far. I finally got my swim down, after all these months of training, I discovered (with the help of my hubby, Steve) that I had been stroking wrong all this time. So we corrected it and IT'S made all the difference in the world. Another milestone down, 20 more to go. Just kidding! I'm all happy now. I swam at the lagoon by Spring Lake and it was great, everyone out there was either running, walking or biking and I had the lagoon all to myself. It was beautiful.

Then the ride was awesome. Met this guy Jim that passed me out on the top end of Chalk Hill road. We chatted for about 15 minutes before parting. He remembered who I was. I said, "hey do you remember me?, I was the girl struggling up the last part of Chalk Hill on my way home from to end my 61-miles and you just flew by as if it was nothing...!" And he said, "oh, yeah, I do remember you and then we struck up a conversation while he was cooling down and I was warming up. Another stranger I just met! Life is good.....

Then I arrive in Sebastopol and while waiting at a stoplight a young mother with her 2 young children in the backseat, she yells, "Hey, you go girl, I'm jealous!" I said, "hey get on your bike, and you can do it too!", she replied, "I can't I got young kids!" She sped off, I caught her at the next stoplight and said to her, "Your day will come, mine did, I have a 15 and 14 year old kids, and when hers get up there, she too can ride!" She said, "thank you very much, you're awesome, I can't wait. " She made me smile as I probably did for her. Another soul touched by the simple art of biking outside, meeting another person and having good conversation is wonderful and makes everything you're doing worth it.....WORTH IT!! Talk to someone today....

Love Loni

Summer End

2007-08-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last confe......, no that's not it. Wrong website! Just kidding. It's been awhile and glad to be back. Done alot since my last writing. On Sat. 8/18, I did my first triathlon. I did pretty well. Better than I thought. The course, being a sprint and first-timer course, was fun and flat. A 1/4-mile swim, 11-mile bike and 3.1 mile run. The swim, just got thru it, the bike was fabulous. Passed many on the course, and the run was average. But in all, it was totally fun and willing to do it again. Then I did a SRCC club ride, on Sat. 8/25, through West County up thru Healdsburg, Geyserville, and back thru Chalk Hill for a 61-miler. Didn't feel as hard this time (though I complained alot going up the last bit of Chalk Hill, lordie!). Was work, but not quite as sore. That's always a good thing.

This all sums up to the summer coming to an end. All this outdoor physical movement is great, getting fresh air, sun and fun with friends. It's just like being a kid in the summer, do some swimming, some biking and some running. Maybe one sport a day or all three at once, trying to be faster than your friends! Remember riding with friends down your street and trying to beat them home or beat them to the ice cream truck! It's the same thing, now it's just I'll beat you to Starbuck's or the local coffee for a filler up!

Also today, had our first test trial of a Tone group ride to Sebastopol. Had 3 people come, Lynn, Katie, and John. It was a beautiful day, started out cool foggy morning. Headed out on Joe Radota Trail to Sebastopol to Coffee Catz for some java and conversation. Was great talk there and back. When we were ready to come back, the sun came out to warm us up. A little breeze to go thru. We did about 14+ miles and will do it again, maybe finding another coffee spot to find. Like Lynn said, need a goal, a destination, to get to, making the ride a reward for getting from point A to point B. Thanks everyone for coming out. Hopefully we'll get more people to join in. I'm looking at doing Friday morning at 9:00 am. We'll see if that works out. Looking forward to doing this again.

Bottom line, get outdoors and walk, jog, run, swim, paddle, bike before late fall sets in time runs out. There's nothing like getting out for some physical exertion and sleeping well that night! That's it for now. I'll post tomorrow what I'll be doing on Friday, I'm up for anything. It's like a treasure hunt, hmmmm, let's see which way will I go today....... Have a great week everyone. Love Loni

2007-08-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

I had the experience of meeting someone who helped me in the area of swimming, who doesn't even know it or whom I've never met before. His name is Glen, he was swimming in the pool at 24 hour fitness next to me in the swim lane. I had gotten there around 9:45 am and there was an aqua class in session that ended at 10:00 am. After the class was done, and the lane lines were in place it was just me and this man, Glen, who were in 2 of the lanes out of four. I started to warm up for my 25 min. swim training. He started to warm-up as well. I took note that he took the aqua class and then started swimming laps. He had an spirtual presence that quited me down so I could relax before swimming. He was very smooth in his strokes, not worried about anybody else and just swam, not breathing hard, not struggling. Then I realized after all these months of swimming, I was approaching this movement all wrong. I never felt this before and thought how odd I could feel this after a few months of swimming. I didn't have to panic, didn't have to compete with others, just had to swam. Sounds simple, but it was more basic than I ever thought. Once I was able to relax and not think so much, I could get my groove in the lane and never panic while swimming. While I never thought I would be where I am now, training for triathlons, no less even getting in the pool and swimming in races. But while Glen was in the next lane, he was very calming and I felt I had to thank him for giving me this calming experience. So I introduced myself and we struck up a conversation about how and why the water has brought us here. He was very nice man and interesting to talk to. I could have stayed there another hour and talked with him, but unfortunately had to go to work. I told him I'd see him again. The next day I swam again and I tried to retain the same feeling I did the day before. It worked. I thought how it was to just swim and let the technique just happen and it did. I felt more comfortable in the water than ever before and I think this will stay with me. Thanks Glen for helping my training and my love for the water even more. Happy outdoors, get out there and enjoy the sun on your face, you're body will thank you. Luv Loni

Pine Flat Ride with Santa Rosa Cycling Club

2007-08-07T21:31:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, 8/4/07, I had the chance to ride to the infamous Pine Flat and finishing up around Healdsburg. It was going to be a 55 mile bike ride, starting from Healdsburg City Hall and proceeding up to my biggest fear. I know other veteran bikers go up this PF all the time, but for me it was a bit nerve-racking, with all the talk about it, it got built up pretty big and mighty in my mind as a newbie cyclist. So the day started at okay. First off, I should begin with I got up around 4:30 am to get ready to volunteer at the Vineman Ironman and other races that day. I marked athletes' bodies with their race number and sent them on their way. I love the conversations I have with these athletes. They are just like you and me. Grounded, happy, nervous and ready to get the race started. I stopped writing numbers around 8:15 am in Guerneville and headed to Healdsburg to meet the cycle group. I got there and my husband Steve, and brother-in-law, Mike were there with about 15 others. Didn't see many women there. Saw 2 to start and that was it. There wound up being 4 women out of the 20 or so men heading for PF.

It was a beautiful morning at City Hall. You could tell that it was going to get warm by the afternoon. We get to PF bottom and start going up the hill. On the way to PF, Steve was in the very back with me and I kept telling him to take off with Mike, his brother, as though I wasn't here. He kept saying, "I'm fine, I'm in no hurry!". I knew better! As we approached PF, some guys started to take off. Steve then said, "Okay honey, I'm going to take off now, I'll see you later". See, I knew it. I was happier, just because I could do a pace of my own and not worry about him or him worry about me. I hung out with a tandem bike couple and five other folks. It was great conversation on the way. Then I met up with my Trek buddy. I call him this, because he has a Trek bike like mine, almost identical. He's also in his 60's or 70's. Power to him. I've seen him on other rides, we always meet up somehow.

Pine Flat didn't seem so big after all. My mind had the image of being like Mt. Everest! There's zig-zagging on the way up and got a bit steeper as you get higher. I didn't think I could make 2 miles, Steve thought I could do 5 miles, I wound up doing 10 miles and started to get the shakes just before the last 2 steep hills. I guess it's about an 11-mile ride up, I was just short a mile, darn it! But I couldn't go any further. I needed to save something for the last 15-20 miles of the club ride. So I stop to reflect and feel pretty proud of what I accomplished that day. I start to head down the hill, because I knew the boys' would start to come back down and fast. I wanted to get a head start, so I wouldn't get in the way. The plan worked out well, I was almost back down the bottom of PF and Steve came up behind me, and the others as well. Steve was surprised at my ride.

We stop at the Jimtown store and talk all about PF as we watch the Vineman Ironman riders going in the other direction. It was a wonderful day so far, watching athletes go by on a glorious day. Then we start to head out to Geyserville and head up Canyon road to go back to Healdsburg through the country back roads. The fast boys' group started to head out. I was the only girl. I knew what was going to happen. The testosterone boys' would take off at a fast pace and I would be left behind. But I was okay with that, I knew where I was going and I completed PF the best I could. Nothing could ruin my day!

Like I said, the boys' dropped me, Steve held back. I told him to take off, but he said he wasn't in a hurry. He then asked me if I wanted to draft, but I didn't want to, I was pretty tired. He still wanted me to try, but I just don't like it. So he got a little irritated with me when I repeated again that I didn't want to draft. So up hill we started to go up the steep Canyon Road. No one else in sight, except one older gentleman. I was catching up to him. Just as we start to crest the hill, we see the group ahead. One of the guys gets a flat. I started to feel shakey again and then started to feel some cramping coming on. I thought oh, no, can't happen now, or I'll never make it back. We stop for a few minutes, I get to catch my breath. I start off again, and the boys' pass me up again. The cramping was coming on stronger in my left thigh and my feet. I couldn't feel my toes. This is what happens when you go on PF and try to put more miles on with it, I should have known better. But I thought the Starbucks coffee would keep me going?!! Just kidding there. I had water, energy gels and an oatmeal cookie back at Jimtown.

The last 10 miles were the most brutal. Steve stayed with me trying to keep me happy. All I could do was cuss! Everytime the slightest hill came up, I cursed it. In a funny way, but it was my way of dealing with the cramping, it was a distraction. It was kind of fun to see what I could verbally say! Steve laughed a few times, saying it's the last hill, then we're almost there! I knew better again. We finally made it back. It seemed like hours to the finish. I was done, I was toast, with lactic acid jam in my body! Steve asked if I wanted to stop while he got the car and came back for me. But my pride wanted to complete this day and bitch about it later! That was the Italian way!

We got to the parking lot and I got off the bike, and Mike was there talking with the others about the ride and what they were feeling. I couldn't say much, I felt like throwing up. I wish I could have so I could have shown everyone how I felt about the infamous Pine Flat, instead of talking about it. They probably would of thought it was cool to have a girl throw up. That means that you worked hard, right?! So I catch my breath instead and gulp down a red Accelerade drink and burp a few times. I felt much better!

Steve decides to ride back home, another 15 miles. He's a crazy man. He winds up cranking out 80 miles of cycling. I'm happy with my 55 miles. It felt like I did a marathon. I stay behind to talk with Mike about my fustrations with Steve on his pace and how I'm so unlike that pace. I'm glad my husband thinks I can ride like a man, but he married a girl! How easy they forget. Mike said the same thing. He said that's one of the reasons that he doesn't ride with Steve either is because he just wants to go at everything fast and intense. Mike doesn't like to ride that way and neither do I. I was glad to hear someone else had the same fustrations. I didn't feel alone anymore, but I was still disappointed. Anyways, we parted and I headed to the Safeway to get dinner for the evening. I wound up getting tons of food. You know what they say about shopping when you're hungry, and boy was I ever!! That's my glorious Pine Flat story and I'm sticking to it. I'd love to hear others' Pine Flat first timers. I'll be back there again. Don't know if I can make it to the top, but I know I will try. I'll also not do it on a day where I had to get up at 4:30 am in the morning. But I'll be back again definitely Pine Flat, I'll see you another day!! Good night bright stars....

Summer Days....

2007-07-27T22:34:00.000-07:00

I think this summer in my family is a bit similar to when I was a kid. You'd have nothing to do at times, read a book, maybe fall a sleep for a short nap to reenergize you for the rest of the day, and later go out and play. The great part about being an adult, you can do all this and still have the heart of a kid.

I look at my kitchen counter and there's summer harvest all over the place from my garden and my grandmother's garden. Strawberries, lemon cucumbers, watermelon, grapes, and blueberries. I love the wide variety and colors that summer can bring. Can't have enough fruit and veggies, huh?!

Even while driving around doing errands and such, I count kayaks on top of cars or in trucks, and how I wish I was on the river. Well, that will change tomorrow. Since I can't ride or run due to my eye, and there's so much swimming you can do. I'm going to go to the river and kayak maybe a couple of hours. Take my time and enjoy some more of summer's beauty. What are you going to do tomorrow? Come on, you have to do something, make it good!! LB

How about that Tour de France?

2007-07-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile, but since I've had nothing to do since my eye injury, except sit on the couch. No exercise, no nothing, I've been watching the TDF everyday and keeping up with the buzz of the cycling world. It's quite fascinating. The strategies by teams, the steep 10% grade mountains (that's very, very steep in layman's terms). They actually seem to claw their way up the Pyrenee mountains in France. I've just been in awe of watching this level of athleticsm (sp?) and humanism of just what these endurance athletes can do. However, in the same breath, I've seen 2 individuals be pulled out of the race and a team (due to one individual) also be yanked from the tour, due to doping issues. I can't believe that some would ruin their chance to be in such an extraordinary race as the TDF and have it all blown away by the results of a blood and/or urine test. It happens rather quickly. But I keep on watching, because our hometown boy Levi L. is sneaking into a possible podium position in Paris. It's exciting, well to me anyways. And I love saying the names of riders, such as Fabian Canncellara, Alberto Contador and Alajandro Valverde. Say that with gusto and a deep voice and you can be a commentator! And my favortie saying by the wonderful Phil Liggitt is "...and the man is riding as though he's possessed." He probably says it once every day during the stages. I wish I had a quarter for each time he said that....

Anyways, my eye is getting better. It's dialated still and it feels like it's as big as a baseball in my head (doesn't hurt, just some imagery at work!). I was finally, after 6 days, able to get back in the pool and swim a few laps and got on the precor, not the treadmill or pounding pavement, the precor and move my legs a bit. It felt wonderful, the blood flow, the sweating, the breathing, the movement, uh, oh, sounds like I'm addicted. Until next time, do something for yourself, dance, walk, groove, sing, it will do your heart good. Luv ya all, Loni Behler

2007-07-19T22:13:00.000-07:00

Good evening to all, I sit here with a patch on my right eye due to a soccer injury last night. I took a soccer ball in the right temple/eye and my eye was bleeding in the center compartment. So now I must rest completely for the next 5-10 days, or else suffer further consequences. If I follow doctor's orders, everything should be resolved. And so I resolve. At first I thought this would be hard to do nothing but rest, but I try to look at situations like this in a positive. It was either meant for me to rest and take a break, and take a look from the resting side of things, and it won't be so bad. Well, I might lie at first, but I could catch up on alot of reading, which is all I can do anyways. No physical activity, not even walking the dog. After I left the Eye Institute Center, I was in the car watching 3 little asian ladies walking across the street and smiled at how cute they were on there way to somewhere together happily. No worries, just enjoying the scenery quietly walking. I thought that's what it's all about, enjoy the scenery as you go. So I've decided that soccer shall now be history and enjoy the scenery when I run or bike. I've been enjoying these activities much more. So off I go to sleep in our recliner (head has to be 30 degrees or higher) resting my mind, resting my body, I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Good night all, sweet dreams...Loni

2007-07-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile, busy weekend aside it's time to reflect. It started Friday with a nice easy ride at Annadel park. My training asked for 70 minutes. So of course, I try to make the most out of that 70. So I make it a strength workout. The whole time I just climb, climb, climb up hill for about 45 minutes and come down with an easy 15, and then finish with some rollers for the last 10 minutes. Nice sunny day. Time to go home and stretch. I love my life.....

Saturday comes and I decide to go for a club ride. There's one set for 55 miles, but I don't want to do the whole thing, maybe just a couple hours of riding. It starts at Willowside school at 9:00 am. Just enough time to walk Bosco (my beastie yellow lab) in the morning so he gets his workout, then I can get mine. He drives everyone crazy if he's not exercised first! It's all about him, you know! I get ready to go to ride to the school. As I come upon the group sitting in the parking lot, I notice there are not alot of women, I'm the third and last to show up out of about 25 people. Oh, well, I'm only doing about 30-40 miles. Then I hear a "Loni, Loni...". I turn to see my brother-in-law on his cervelo tri-bike. He stands out of the crowd. I thought oh boy, he's going for the long ride, but after chatting with him, he's deciding to a short route as well, he has to run after he rides and just wants an easy ride! OMG! I'm tired already. The club takes off towards Occidental, working it's way to Tomales and back. We get just out of Sebastopol and one of the ladies gets a flat, half the group stops and helps her. How many people does it take to change a flat?! It took 10 of us to watch two of them change the tire. We return to riding, into Occidental for a quick "natural stop"...that would be the same as "nature calls" in my book. I take them up on it of course, then off we go. Down Joy road to Hwy.1, what a ride. Then towards Tomales on Valley Ford Road, that's where Mike and I part ways from the club riders and head back. I'm doing my best to stay with Mike. I draft behind him, it must feel like pulling a sled behind him. But don't forget, this man is like a horse and he can afford to work hard, oops did I say that. I can't feel my legs for a moment. I look down, they're still there! Thank goodness. I let Mike know (a copout) that he can take off if he wants and not wait for me, but he does until we hit Guerneville Road and off he goes, free like a bird as I watch him get smaller and smaller and smaller! He waits for me at Willowside, he kicked my ass and he doesn't even know it! It was like riding with my local hero, trying to keep up with the big dogs (Mike's 6'4" and 205 lbs), it was fun. I get home and feel like I'm going to throw up. It was the quickest 2-1/2 hours/ 35 miles I ever spent with alot of climbing. So much for an easy ride. And today was suppossed to be my OFF DAY on the training schedule. Ha, ha...

Sunday comes and I get to sleep in until 7:30 am, thanks for that recovery sleep. I have to run today for 32 minutes. Not 30 and not 35, but 32 minutes. I chuckle. So I get ready to run for my 32 minutes. I have to time it right, so I can watch the triathlon episode on TV at 11:00 am. And then the Tour de France at 5:00pm, and in between I take the boys' swimming to Grandma Dorothy's house. That's my schedule, don't you love it. Everything goes as planned, except while running in the first 5 minutes, my ipod shuts down. So I keep running with the earphones in my ears so it looks like I'm listening to music, psych people out. Who's the pysched one here....So I find I'm singing to myself. I recently got a tune my son put on my ipod, it's called Low Rider. It's a good warm-up song. "All my friends have a low rider..." Okay, I'll stop singing. Not that I have a low ride, but it's a good song! Are you yawning yet? I am...bless you for staying with me on this, I'm almost done. I did everything I needed to do, the boys' swam and wore themselves out, they're taken care of. See the pattern here...dog exercised, boys' exercised, Steve got exercise (he rode 3 hours to Healdsburg and back), I got my workout and we all sleep well. Life is good. The highlight of my day was watching the Tour de France from 5:00-8:00 pm. I get to do my stretches on the mat while watching these awesome athletes climb a part of the Alps mountains in France. I have to say I love listening to the commentators, Liggett, Roll and others. They make you feel like you are there, they are constantly talking the entire time about the riders, the weather conditions, the strategies and much more. These world of cyclists is remarkable. They ride for 100+ miles everyday, climbing mountains and descending them. They crash and they get right back up and keep going. One rider, Alexander Vinakourov, crashes, has a nasty raspberry on his hip, knees and elbows, and gets back on the bike and keeps going. That evening he was in the hospital getting stitches on both knees and his elbow. I saw him on the next day cycling stage with bandages on both knees and one arm. He's not giving up on this TDF, he's not abandoning it at all. He's having to dig deeper to find the effort to ride another 100+ miles with his team and strategize and keep good time, and he manages to do so with flying colors and my respect. Bless him and the others for all they do and what they inspire in us. For me, I get very excited to watch them. If they can do what they do, I can do what I do, Life is definitely good, wouldn't change it for anything, well maybe eat more pizza, but that's not going to happen! Have a great week everyone and do something outside that pleases you! Luv LB

2007-07-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday evening and it's been a good of couple of days. I worked at the Wednesday Night Market downtown. I like being there, people watching has always been a fun thing to do. I love watching the teenagers walking by, and how the girls seem to be not eating anything and how some of the boys are eating turkey legs on a stick, while carrying the kettle popcorn! They're probably just holding it for the girls so they can eat it later when they go home! All kidding aside, I know that teenagers want to impress. I know because I was there at one time. Then I started to wonder when did I not worry about curling my hair or putting eye shadow on or wearing the brand name clothes. Was it after having kids? Was it after being married? No, I think the thought of impressing others turned differently, like how could I impress myself to feel better, how can I impress my friends to make them feel better about themselves. It started to be more about myself first, then thinking about how to impress this world to make it a better place. That's when things became more real, more impressed at what we could do locally, globally and locally again. I love this life! Okay I'm tired now, a good tired that will put me to sleep like a big baby. It's the swim I did for 35 minutes in a pool. It may seem like a long time or it may not. But I did it and I feel better about myself, I just impressed myself that I could last that long in water and not swallow some along the way! Thanks life for letting me move today, I hope others moved today....over and out 'till tomorrow. Luv you all, LB

2007-07-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

Today feels like a good day, probably because I don't have much on my agenda today. It's a "rest day" from training. It's a day you don't have to do anything and not feel guilty about it! It's a funny thing how we feel guilty when we don't to something we feel we should. I was talking with a client today and she said she felt guilty missing her cardio workout when she was slightly hurt. So she did it anyway and trudged through it. She hurt a little more after that session. If she had let that day go and just did the workout a day later, her body probably would of thanked her for the rest. So listen to your body, then listen to your heart and not your mind, they'll all thank you later for the best intuitive decision you make.... sleep well another chance comes up tomorrow for a new day!

2007-07-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Well today has gone quite smoothly considering how much I had to do today. The morning was spent with my boys' selling items on ebay, kind of a part time job for them. Learning to use the computer, communicate, calculate, photography skills, marketing, all this to sell things. It was very interesting to watch them work their magic. Then I got on with myself, first rode for 42-minutes (that's what the training called for) around the countryside what I call the Willowside/Olivet/River Road/Piner Road loop. Very different ride from the last 33 and 66 mile rides I've been doing. Then I swam for 21 minutes (again what my training called for). Afterwards I sat in the sauna for a few minutes and assessed my day, I noticed how comfortable I felt in the water and it felt like I was gliding instead of desperately treading water! Then I asked myself if I could run after all that and I said "yes" to myself. The most interesting thing since doing all this training is the people I meet--in the gyms, on club rides, at 10K's and triathlons. I spend more time chatting away about kids, work and summer stuff, just about anything. I love it, luv it all!! Oooohh, I smell some brownies..... gotta go....
Good night all, sleep well...Looney Loni

2007-07-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

Lucky 7/7/07...how lucky are we?
How lucky do you feel today? I feel very. I rode with the Santa Rosa Cycling Club today on a volunteer appreciation ride. With 33 miles of riding and a catered lunch at the end of the ride, what could be luckier than that! Simply beautiful. To feel the warmth of the sun on your arms, to feel your lungs breathing heavy from the work of the hills and the legs feeling good to bring you from point A to point B, all in the company of great people. We have this wonderful source of recreation all around us. Hiking at the coast, biking anywhere in Sonoma County, taking a nice walk right out your front door, tennis courts everywhere or just going to a park with your coffee in hand and watch the birds and tall trees sway in the wind. It's yours for the day, that's lucky.