Time is a Thief I would Rob

Can’t take credit for that title – it’s one of my favorite lines in Lady Antebellum’s “Heart of the World”. I’ve been listening to it on repeat since I bought the CD for my parents so they could properly prepare to rock out at their concert last Sunday. They were successful. Thanks to Daddy for sharing pictures!

The older I get, the sappier I get. Hard to believe since I was pretty emotional by the time I was 12. I love everything about family time at home. Reflecting on Thanksgiving, time is exactly something I could use more of – who couldn’t? Time with loved ones is priceless.

The holidays are always filled with lots of coffee drinking, movie watching, family walks with Bogey, biking and running, icecream eating and so on. There’s always the awkward conversation where the parents and grandparents harass us for our lack of weddings and babies – because who wouldn’t want to add more people to this wonderful clan?

Here is what I’m thankful for this holiday season (in no particular order with the exception of family first)

1.       Family - this includes you, (manfriend) Kelly

We missed you (sister) Kelli (she was off livin' it up in Cozumel, Mexico)

2.       Loved ones’ good health

3.       Friends  (Ashley, Austin, Claudia, Kim, Nichole, Hannah B. to name a few)

4.       My new little cottage…in the city

5.     Washington, D.C. trip in December with Kelly – Holiday Party at the White House. No joke, kids.

Insert us below.

6.       The little baby Basinger on the way – yah for the happy parents Hannah & Brantley

7.       Bogey

8.     Our military

Hi Daddy!

This is what a hero looks like.

9.     My Sport Factory family

He’s literally family. Hey triathlete cuz.

Coach man and my partner in crime at the gym, Tracy.

10.   Faith that 2012 is going to bring lots of love and happiness

Balancing Life is Like Balancing Clipped in at a Red Light

True story: During my first ever big girl triathlon (Yes, I raced IronKids. Silver medalist in Bakersville, Calif. No big deal…) I fell clipped in while coming to a stop outside of transition – here’s the kicker – during warm-up. Thankfully, Kelli was there to help pick me back up. And by pick me back up I mean giggle uncontrollably and offer zero assistance.

Don’t cry for me…triathlon friends. I think it worked in my favor so my fellow competitors didn’t take me seriously and then I laid the smack down on them.

This is when I learned that balancing clipped in on a tri bike is tricky. Thankfully, I’ve gotten better…I also think I’ve improved at balancing life. Earlier today I had a nice chat with the Coach Man. Coach Man likes for me to come to The Sport Factory gym so he can watch/critique my run form, push me outside of my comfort zone on the bike and help me get strong so I don’t lose our regular push-up contests (wishful thinking). While these things are all helpful to my “career” as a triathlete, I have to remember those very important quotes around “career”…cough cough. Ladies and gentlemen, maybe one day I’ll race professionally, but it won’t be paying any bills.

I LOVE racing, training, The Sport Factory, my teammates and Coach Man. But, I also really really love my family, Kelly, my career and my “me time”. It’s all about setting goals and having priorities. In my life my family and Kelly trump my training (within reason – the manfriend is very supportive of my long workouts, most likely because it allows him to go play golf guilt-free). And my career obligations take priority to sneaking in an extra hour on the bike. I love my job – I’m surrounded my talented people and I get to do something I love…WRITE.

I’m slowly figuring out this balance thing…but in the meantime I think my sport needs to change from Swim.Bike.Run. to Family.Swim.Boyfriend.Bike.Career.Run. I think with the perfect mix of it all I’ll be able to stay clipped in even at the longest red lights.

As I was writing this Coach Man emailed me my next block of workouts and said "more well-rounded athletes have longer 'legs' in this sport".

Cheers to being well-rounded!

The Boys Say I Run Like A Girl, I Say "Thanks"

“A woman is a warrior too. But she is meant to be a warrior in a uniquely feminine way."

 - an excerpt from Captivating

For as long as I can remember I have always faced some sort of criticism for working out too much. In highschool, friends would question my motives for heading home early from a football game in preparation for an early morning swim practice, and to this day I can still feel whispers around me implying that maybe I run a little too much. Swimming, biking and running is where I find strength. It's where I feel most "me".

Thanks to one of my closest friends I started re-reading Captivating by John Eldredge last night. It’s one of my favorites – and I highly recommend it to any woman who is looking to better understand why she is the way she is – and how God designed her to tick in a unique and very feminine manner.

Men – this is a public service announcement for you. Read Captivating. Read it for your wife, girlfriend, mother, sister. Read it for yourself because it will most definitely save you some stress later in life when you can apply the teachings to why the women in your life are reacting to something differently than you would.

Anyways, bear with me. Since athletics plays a huge role in my life I couldn’t help but somehow connect the two. Captivating also discusses the beauty of women, which brings me to one of my favorite quotes:

Let’s be clear. I’m not saying every woman should desire to run a marathon, complete an Ironman or be a professional tennis player. But haven’t we all felt that complete feeling of euphoria when you push your body to the limits? That feeling of finishing your first long run in a half-marathon training plan, enjoying a long walk with a friend or conquering your first yoga class. How about waking up in the morning sore after your first weight lifting workout? Women are capable of amazing things. God made us to have babies for goodness sake! Our bodies are truly unique, beautiful and strong. I believe that while God encourages us to enjoy all the yummy food that this world has to offer (Dear God, thank you for white chocolate covered Oreos), He also challenges us to enjoy the strength our bodies are capable of.

Strong and beautiful comes in all different shapes and sizes, with all different athletic goals. It’s taking the beautiful body you were given and allowing it to reach its highest potential. On the race course I’ve adopted this mantra,” When I stand before God at the end of my life, I hope I don’t have a single bit of talent left. I can look at Him and say, ‘I used EVERYTHING You gave me’.”

People always argue that women are universally accepted as having more beautiful bodies. Cue all the historic paintings of naked women. There is nothing more marvelous than a strong, fierce, uniquely beautiful woman. I hope all women realize the strength they are capable of and marvel in the beauty that comes with that vigor.

Haven't You Googled My Athletic Resume?

Oh, hello. You’re aging nicely. I think I’ll keep you.

It’s race weekend, but this time I’m not the one loading up my bag with GU and going over my race day checklist in my head for the hundredth time. That’s right, one of the biggest triathlons of the season is taking place right around the corner in Anderson, S.C. and I’m heading to Chicago, Ill.

I ended my season early to support the reason I can even stay sane between early morning swims, long weekend training sessions and the unnecessary pressure I put on myself – Mr. Kelly Basinger.

Kelly will be pulling out that old UGA track onesie (a girl can dream) and hitting the pavement this Sunday in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. When I first met Kelly, more than a year ago, he had just started training for the New York Marathon. I remember him saying, “This will be my first and last 26.2 mile race.” I bet him otherwise. I win!

I like to tell myself marathon training is near and dear to his heart because although I dodged invites to dinner and movies the first few months, I did lace up running shoes to keep him company on his long training days. Only later did I learn that he was slowing his pace by a solid minute so I could keep up. Love, true love.

Kelly will be joined by his older brother and six of their closest friends to tackle this athletic feat. Talk about a healthy high school reunion! I thought Kelly was the wild one of the two of us, but my last high school reunion took place in Vegas.

You win some, you lose some.

I won’t disclose Kelly’s goal – but let’s just say this boy will be moving! I can’t wait to watch his hard work pay off as he crosses the finish line and most likely heads straight to the beer tent. That will be a beer, or ten, well deserved!

PS – the title of this post references a comment Kelly made to me a couple months into our relationship when I questioned his athleticism. Curiosity got the best of me and when I finally Googled I found this gem, including a picture of Kelly looking like the Ken doll from the Barbie Queen of the Prom board game.

Sometimes I like to Riverdance through Transition

Confused by the title? That’s what I said to my big sis, Kelli, the first time we raced together. I discovered that bike shoes make great dancing shoes with that clip, clip sound of course. Making my sister giggle is one of my favorite things about being in this sport together.

Another triathlon season is in the bank and I feel like I’ve learned a few things worth sharing in the past two years.

1.       Running is not the easiest of the three sports, despite the fact that you start running around when you’re still in diapers. Unless you had an elite runner teaching you proper form in your 1^st grade P.E. class there’s a good chance you’re doing something wrong. I started this season with the coachman comparing my run to a baby elephant, hippo, etc. Basically anything that has horrible running form and makes a lot of noise pounding the pavement. I’m still miles away from where I need to be, but at least I have a lot to focus on in the offseason.

2.       Training with power on a bike takes things to a new level. At first it’s depressing to realize that all your previous workouts were more like joy rides. You start pushing yourself to hit your numbers (and those of your teammates that coachman likes to dangle in front of you as motivation) and realize “wow, so this is cycling”. I used to dread the bike during a race thinking it was my weak spot. Now – thanks partly to the realization that I run like a baby hippo – I feel most confident during a race as I exit T1.

3.       Cliff bars may be the worst pre-workout snack ever. It only took one very painful workout to realize the chocolate-chip bar sits like a brick in your stomach. Thanks to the most painful six mile run off a bike, and a good cry on the curb half-way through, I know to never eat this  snack again.

4.       You can clear most McDonald’s drive thru windows with a bike on your roof rack. I know this because I like to end a race with a huge cheeseburger. I do recommend proceeding with caution and sticking your head out the window to double and triple check. Nothing more embarrassing than losing your bike to the golden arches.

5.       Sometimes you have to suck it up and just take a penalty. Smaller races don’t have elite waves. As a young athlete you often get stuck with your age group going off last in the swim. This means a battlefield for an open water swim and a game of frogger on the bike course. Sorry officials – you might not like this one – but I’d rather take a penalty or two for crossing the double yellow line than sit behind a slow poke on a mountain bike who doesn’t know what “on your left” means.

6.       Blisters don’t hurt until after the race. And then you look down and you’re bleeding right through those running shoes. This is the only reason I’ve ever visited a medical tent at a race and I count that as a WIN.

7.       Wet suit strippers are the best things ever. I refuse to wear my wet suit in a race unless I know there will be a group of complete strangers waiting for me outside of transition to rip that puppy off. I can’t do it by myself – it’s like adding a 4^th event. My heart rate goes into zone 4 trying to get it off.

8.       Never pay for a manicure the day before you change your back wheel out for those pretty race day Zipps. You will have grease everywhere. I prefer to pay someone to do this for me if Daddy isn’t it around. I also like the nice man from Roswell Bikes to bless my bike outside of transition before the race starts. Yes, I’ve come to think that he doesn’t even really look at it – but if something goes wrong, at least I can blame it on him.

9.       I love volunteers. But I don’t always trust that when they yell “water” at an aid station, its water and not Gatorade. All it takes is one time of pouring sticky red Gatorade down your head to always take a little peeky boo for yourself.

10.   Always remember your contact lenses. Because if you forget them for a group ride, that is the day it will start to downpour and you might see your life flash before your eyes.

What are your favorite race/training lessons?

If all else fails on race day, at least pose for the paparazzi.
Kelli has mastered this...she even smiles while riding.

Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone

The race bib doesn't lie!

It’s safe to assume a majority of people think endurance athletes are crazy. Why spend so much time devoted to a sport where even on your best day you might rank 300^th out of 700 athletes? Why wake up at 5 a.m. and spend two hours on a stationary trainer and then rush home from work to log a 10 mile run? You might have friends and peers that find your constant training talk annoying and sometimes obsessive. Triathlons are addicting, motivating, inspiring. But if I’m going to be addicted to something, you better believe I’m thrilled that it’s waking up with the sunrise on a morning run.  The multisport lifestyle in a lot of ways defines who I am even off my bike. I’m strong, dedicated and hungry for life.

I don’t think triathlon is for everyone, but I strongly believe that living a healthy life is fueled by fitness.

“You rarely regret the runs you do; you almost always regret the runs you skip”

I think a lot of people get intimidated by fitness – taking that first step to tackle running around the block is challenging. In high school I refused to run with my older sister and Mom. I couldn’t keep up with their pace, shoot I could barely make it around the block without walking. I’d walk home defeated and upset. Overtime though I was able to build up, one mile to three, three miles to six and so on. I ran my first marathon in 2009, I qualified for 70.3 Ironman World Championships in 2010. Forgive me if I don’t buy the excuse, “I’m not a natural runner.” I’m not saying you need to get crazy with it, but no matter how fast or slow you run, you’re always lapping the person sitting at home on the couch.

My favorite Facebook messages, emails, tweets and texts to receive are from friends sharing their interest in tackling their first half-marathon or triathlon and reaching out for advice. I think I always respond with, “do one and you’ll be hooked.” The endurance sport community is one of the most supportive and inspiring networks out there. Compete in one race and I know you’ll agree. You make friends with your fellow competitors; you follow their successes and support them during their defeats.

There are races when I question my own sanity when the pain seems too much and days that I don’t feel like a pool workout after a long day at work – but I know at the end of the day I’m successful in my career, relationships and finding ultimate happiness because I swim, bike and run through life.

“I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.”

"Look Mom, I can run more than 1/2 mile without stopping!"

"Dreams really do come true." - Cinderella

I'm a damsel, I'm in distress, I can handle this. Have a nice day.

One of my besties, Ashley, shared this quote with me after she read my first post. I couldn’t agree more.

"Belle taught me to read, and be kind. Pocahontas taught me to see past skin, and differences. Ariel taught me to chase my dreams to the very end. Jasmine taught me to marvel at my self-worth. Mulan taught me the meaning and value of honor. Hercules taught me to be a hero, in my own way. And Simba taught me that death isn't as terrifying as you may guess, and we're never alone.”

I worry for the generation that grows up devoid of these movies. The title of this blog was inspired by Meg from Hercules. In my opinion - she was the beginning of the downfall...too much attitude, Meg!

Ladies, why the attitude nowadays?

A Real Life Hero Tucked Me In Every Night

It would be impossible for me not to reflect on the 10^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. My recent career path led me to an organization that played an active role in commemorating the milestone anniversary  and honoring all the lives lost through acts of service – and so for the last few months it has been a part of my everyday life. You could argue that it’s been a part of all of our everyday lives since the moment the first plane struck the North Tower.

While my main focus on this blog will be to talk about my life as a triathlete, that life is fueled by the love of my family. The way our country responded after Sept. 11 defined who we are as Americans – we united, we grew stronger and we persevered. When I reflect back to that fateful day and the months that followed, I also remember my family – and how it defined us.

Like so many, my family was directly impacted by Sept. 11, but not in the sense that those in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania were. We watched the towers collapse from the safety of our living room, while my Dad was half way around the world serving as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron.  Like so many we spent the days following the attacks glued to the television, praying for the lives lost, but we also looked to the future wondering what role our Dad would play in history.

My Dad was two days outside of Singapore en-route to the Persian Gulf to support Operation Southern Watch when he learned our country was under attack. He returned from a night flight and was met planeside by a fellow officer who shared the news. I remember asking my Dad later what his initial thoughts were. He said he was angry that he was a million miles away from the ones he loved with the goal of protecting us, and we had been attacked in our backyard. He felt disconnected, knowing no matter how many times he saw the footage – he couldn’t imagine what we were feeling at home.

I would be lying if I denied wishing and praying that my Dad could come home immediately – I was old enough to realize he was going to be actively involved in the aftermath. He felt for us left behind and how vulnerable we must have been, while they were as he describes “sitting on 90,000 tons of U.S. sovereign territory on the preverbal tip of the sword.”

Without going into too much detail – there’s a good chance my Dad will be written into the history books.  My Dad is my hero not only in the sense that a father is when he has a loving relationship with his children, but a hero for our entire country. He led men and women of our armed forces overseas in response to the attack we suffered on U.S. soil. He stood up for all those who lost their lives on that day, for the children who lost parents and for our country during a time of fear and uncertainty.

One of my favorite sayings is, “behind every strong man is an even stronger woman.” I would argue this until I’m blue in the face when speaking about military spouses, which is where my Mom comes into play. I was 14 years old on Sept. 11. My older sister was 16 and my younger sister was only nine years old. I shared the same fear and uncertainty that the rest of the country experienced during this unknown time, but I don’t remember living in fear of my Dad’s involvement. I owe that peace of mind to the strength my Mom displayed; not only for us girls at home, but for the strength she gave my Dad, letting him know we were well taken care of. I hope that if I am one day tested to that magnitude that the strength my Mom taught me will shine through for my future husband and children.

This past Sunday I spent my day much like I did on Sept. 11, 2001 – in front of a television, glued to the emotional coverage, stories of loss and heroic acts. I realize how blessed I am to be able to call my hero on the phone and tell him I love him – a luxury that more than 3,000 lost 10 years ago and more continue to lose as they fight for our freedom today. It’s a luxury I refuse to take for granted.

I’m not the only one that recognizes my Dad as a hero. If you think I’m biased I hope you’ll take a minute to read an article written shortly after Sept. 11 by Sports Illustrated’s Rick Reilly: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1024036/index.htm

And yes, if you read through to the bottom I’m the princess. Told you so!

Flippin' your fins you don't get too far...legs are required for biking and running.

Ariel was my favorite princess. Maybe because I was a swimmer, maybe because my older sister already claimed Princess Auroa from Sleeping Beauty. I’d spend hours at the pool swimming around with my imaginary green mermaid tail and purple sea shells bra, imagining underwater adventures. And so like many girls I grew up thinking Prince Eric was going to walk down the beach towards me at any moment and shower me with gifts like dinglehoppers. Avid Disney princess fans  - you’ll understand, and for anyone that doesn’t try Urbandictionary.com.

I’m close to the quarter century mark and while I can't say that a genie granted me three wishes and so everything in my life has fallen magically into place, I’d say it’s pretty darn close. I have an amazing family and a wonderful boyfriend, Kelly. Granted when I met him he was sitting on a couch watching football and drinking beer, but as time goes by I’m sure we can add some fluff to the story to resemble Ariel watching Eric from a distant rock and singing “Part of Your World”. Kelly is my prince, my family has made wonderful things happen in my life without the help of a fairy godmother and I get around via a Felt B16 and not a magic carpet. Modern day fairytales really do exist and I’ll argue with anyone that attempts to tell me otherwise.

So if you’re interested in the world of triathlons, nutrition, a little mushy love talk, life in Atlanta and can stomach a Disney reference or three in every post – join me as I swim, bike and run towards my happily ever after.

If you're confused by the title of this post let me enlighten you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBa9QlzEWA4