SUCCESS

My children's principal emailed me today about helping with my shoedrive. He had this on his email. I liked it and thought I would share!

Success...To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent
people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest
critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty,
to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a
healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know
even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to
have succeeded! ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Shoe drive for Haiti Week 1

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I decided sometime last week, after watching the devastation in Haiti that I had to do my part to help. Last year when I raced in South Africa I had wanted to bring running shoes over to help the poor. The expense of shipping the shoes myself was just crazy and it was too big a project for me to handle. This year I saw that Soles4Souls had launched a Haiti relief effort where they commited sending 100 000 pairs of shoes to the victims of the earthquake. I felt compelled to do something as I know how many running shoes I have sitting in my garage that could definitely be of good use to another, and how many athletes I know in a similar situation.I also feel that offering your time to a good cause is a good lesson for parents to teach their children and after all the craziness of the holidays and the excess of gifts ,I want my children to acknowledge and understand the importance of helping those in need.

So last week at the annual Jersey Shore Triathlon Club party Kathy kindly let me announce my shoedrive.
I am happy to report that it has been a succesful week thanks to the help and support of alot of people. Miles Ahead and Brielle were my first two shoe drop off locations which makes perfect sense as I happen to love the owners and knew they would be on board helping. During the week I have made my rounds to all the places I like to go with most businesses being more than happy to help. So
Rejuice -A- nation, Green Planet(Point Pleasant), Devlin Gymnastics, The Atlantic Club and their swim team are in. I also stopped by Inlet Outlet Surf Shop in Manasquan and they were awesome! Art's Dr Liz put a box up in her office and Alicia from Smith Barney kindly printed up an email and has dropped off a bunch of shoes. Doug rice just called today to let me know that Jersey Shore Runner has about 100 pairs for me. So all is going great!!!! Keep them coming guys! AWESOME! The shoe drive will end at the Triathlon Sports Symposium on Feb 20th.

Training hard!

I have got a good solid 2 months of training in and I feel like I am getting some of my fitness back. The schedule is filled with lots of tough workouts that are really kicking my butt but I am trying to keep things consistent. I may not nail every workout but I am sure trying to.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of riding with a few friends out on the road in 38 degree wet conditions. I also got my first flat of the year and have come to realise that riding your bike on the trainer really reduces the lifespan of your tires. Smooth tires in wet conditions are always a little scary! So I shall make a trip to Brielle Cyclery to stock up on some new tire changing gear and tires! AHHHH!

Feeling a little tired after yesterday, and after a hard effort in the pool today, I have come to the gym to run on the treddie. What do you do when your stomach just does not cooperate though? I am taking a 20 minute break in the hopes that my poor choice of prerun food digests and I can focus on my run and not on stomach cramps and my ridiculous heart rate while running way too slow.

I shall go now to attempt this again in the hopes of treadmill running bliss.)no such thing!) Actually this will be good to simulate how I sometimes feel in a race and how I need to push through. So I need to toughen up and get it done! No more stalling for me!

Wow where did the time go!

I cannot believe it is January 21st, over a month since my last post!!!
Alot has been going on and my hiatis from blogging had alot to do with the craziness of the holidays, a lap top that went on the blink, a trip to Florida, and a busy life in general trying to fit all that goes into being the best triathlete and mom I can be which often involves being pulled in many different directions!

Every year before the New year starts I like to do a photo collage of the best memories of that year. I am totally dissapointed in myself for not getting that together so I shall do a shorter more simple version of that. So I can put that behind me and officially start my blogging for 2010!
So here goes...