The Week After The Feast

If this image makes you go "UGH", you are not alone. I have eaten myself silly. What is it about this crazy holiday that makes us consume a ridiculous amount of calories? It sure was fun but enough is enough. Tomorrow is Monday and the normal eating habits begin once more.
I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. My husband and I hosted 36 of his family members this year. Everyone contributed to the dinner and this will be a tough year to beat. Truly, everyone pulled out all the stops and prepared some creative things. My favorite was my husband's onion casserole and a close second was my sister-in-laws artichoke stuffing. Turkey? Who cares about turkey. I'm all about the sides.
But I digress; this is about getting back on the beam. But not until tomorrow. Tonight there is still one more piece of pumpkin pie with my name on it.

Giving Thanks

At this particular time of year it is important to give thanks. I have so much to be grateful for and I want to take a minute to give you my "short" list.

• My health, which was almost taken from me due to ovarian cancer.
• My husband, who has been my friend for almost 30 years.
• My mother, who is my biggest fan and backs my every decision.
• My friends, who lift me up, when I can barely lift myself.
• My home, that provides me with a haven to recover and recharge for another day.
• My sport, which has become my lifestyle.

This list is by no means exhaustive. I am sure as soon as I post it, I will think of at least a dozen more things to add. In the meantime... be safe this holiday and enjoy your loved ones. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Good Fight

Yesterday I heard that a good friend's mother passed away from ovarian cancer.  Her name was Gisela.  It is with great sadness that I make this post as her passing has really hit a nerve for me.  Gisela was diagnosed about two years ago and bravely battled this disease.  But like so many other women, the battle was too much and took her too soon.  When I learned the news in 2009, I dedicated a race to her.  I often thought of her and "carried" her with me while I raced.  Although I never met her, she is familiar to me.  Her story is like so many others.  Subtle symptoms, late stage diagnosis, treatment to no avail and ultimately, no cure.  This is why I race.  A method of early detection is what we need.  If Gisela had been diagnosed in Stage II, instead of Stage IV, there would be no need for OCRF or for my campaign. In the meantime, I can't bring Gisela back but I can race to raise money for a method of early detection.

My Guys

The end of the season means a serious tuneup for my bicycle. I have to treat her right if I expect her to be dismantled, shipped, assembled and perform well weekend after weekend months on end. These are the guys who take care of her. Meet the bike techs of Carl Hart Bicycles.

I like going to the same bike store because they "know" me, they are aware of my campaign and can often see things that we (my bicycle and I) need that I am unaware of. It is about an hour away from my house but well worth the drive. A special perk though is that Darren (part owner, on the right) lives close to my home. He often transports my bike back and forth so I don't have to make the trip. Now that's customer service.

So a big shout out to Darren and all the gang at Carl Hart for taking care of me and my very special piece of equipment.

Baby It's Cold Outside

So is anyone else bummed about the fast approaching winter? I am liking the thought of it less and less. Autumn has traditionally been my favorite time of year but I must be getting old or something. This year autumn represents the season before winter, which means colder weather and dark, morning runs. Ugh... kinda hard to get out of a warm bed in the dark to go for a 5 mile run. Well luckily it is officially the off season and I don't pressure myself. There are no "have to" statements this time of year. If my body wakes up and feels like stepping out in 30 degree temps in the pitch black, I do. If not, I don't. It's that simple. So while this lap of luxury is upon me, I will soak it up. It is short lived and by Thanksgiving, I will be back into training and preparing for spring. For now, I will wrap my hands around a cup of tea and maybe.... just one more cookie.