Another friend claimed by a cancer that I am running to cure: Peter Warmerdam.

On November 7th, Peter passed away suddenly after a most courageous battle with Leukemia. He will be remembered as a man of faith, integrity, and spirit, who loved his family deeply. He is survived by: his son Matthew Warmerdam and Wife Amy; daughter Amy Warmerdam; grandson Eben Traywick; son Jonathan Warmerdam and wife Paige; daughter in spirit Katherine Sullivan and family; the mother of his children Sara Bardoni and her husband David. Brothers Leo Warmerdam And Wife Patricia; Ted Warmerdam and wife Joanne. Six sisters Ann Smorrenburg Thea Van de Mortel and Husband Joe; Connie Luiten; Betty Verger and husband Burt; Ada Van Ryn; Yvonne Van Lewen and Husband Jack; and 54 Nephews And Nieces.

I did not know Peter “personally” but only through the dancing community. Let’s cure this damned thing, and leave more wonderful men for us all to cut the rug with.

Yesterday, Moddie and Iron Mel and I drove together from Marin to Seattle – oh I mean Pleasanton :-) We had some pretty funny issues with Ms. Toyota (as Mel called the GPS in my van). “She” sent us a different direction than the written instructions – we wound up trusting the written instructions instead, and, at one point, they had us turning left into a parking garage in an industrial complex. We arrived about 5 minutes late to the workout, though 2 other teammates arrived after us…maybe they were tooling around the parking garage, trying to find the pool?

I was the “bottom of the alphabet” group, so had Run first with Coach Simon. He had us Warm Up doing 4 laps of the track. I tried to run as slowly as possible without just stopping altogether, but I still was hitting up in the 170s and once 180 on the Heart Rate Monitor. This is pretty scary. I really can’t believe I’m so out of shape. Maybe my new motto should be “Stroke or Get Stronger.” After the warmup, we did a number of “drills” including skipping on the track, “side running” (think: doing the hora while singing “Hava Nagila” – crossing one foot in front then the other), and then a “kick your butt in back while running” drill. The whole idea was to get us to really understand why we wanted to be doing forefoot running.

Then we did a 2 mile “marker” run. This was to basically get our “VDOT” – read more about VDOT here. My first mile was a 11:15, and my second one was an 11:28 for a combined total of 22:43, so my current VDOT is 25. This means my easy/long running pace is a bit over 14-1/2 minutes. Not so good. With a marathon pace of 13:39. That’s OK – it can only get better right? I did wind up “reeling in” 3 runners on my last lap – that old competitive streak busting out. Gave me something to “do” as well – otherwise you’re just trudging around the track. I had to figure out a strategy – “How do I catch up to those gals, without basically bonking and having to walk?” I was pretty sure I could catch 2 of them if I just increased my cadence (the cadence of my feet AND my panting), but I wasn’t sure about the last one. I think she let me catch her – she’s a veteran IronWoman. :-)

Then we did some stretching and strength training with these strap-things that Coach Doug uses. We did them on the pool deck. They really demonstrated to me how “rolled in” my shoulders have become – most of these strap exercises are to counter that “rolling in” issue. You get it more and more as you bike, and even swim (think of a freestyle, it’s all “rolling the shoulder forward”).

After that, we changed and got in the pool. Coaches Mike and Sedonia “seeded” the swimmers into categories – category 1 for newbies, up to category 3 for hard core swimmers. I seeded myself into category 1, because my cardio is just not allowing me to even finish 200 meters without getting winded. Coach Sedonia came up to me and told me to move into category 2 – YAY YAY, something I can DO!!!! I asked her to keep me in category 1 for a while, just because of the cardio issues. But she even had me demonstrate a few of the drills. I felt WONDERFUL. OK, I know, swimming is the LEAST important of all the sports. But thank you, thank you, THANK YOU great Goddess of the Ironman for throwing me ONE bone.

The thing that occurs to me is that swimming is the only one of these sports I have ever had “coaching in.” Though I did numerous triathlons “back in the day” (and even the Big Sur Marathon with H), I never had an actual coach for the Run or the Bike – it was all just reading articles and trying to mimic what they said. This was also before YouTube and the like – so nothing to “see and emulate” either. And even though I have had a swim coach before, Coaches Mike and Sedonia broke it down into even more “baby basics” than I have ever experienced. This gave me so many “A-HA” moments that my head (swim cap?) felt full! So I’m wondering, once I get my cardio back, if I will be able to be more efficient in the Running and Biking, like I know I am with the Swimming? Now that I will have a coach in all 3? I bet so! That was its own “A-HA” moment.

After we got dressed from the Swim, we did some stretching, and I was next to Coach Mike. One of the other coaches said there was a bike trainer on sale for $150, and Coach Mike commented to me that this was a “great deal.” I commented back (ok, definitely pouting) that this was just too rich for my blood. I can’t even afford bike shorts yet. Not having any excess income for the past 6 months has maxed out my credit cards, and makes it impossible for me to spend dinero on stuff like this. I feel super frustrated and upset about it. It also means I can’t really be “coached” on the bike, since the “coaching workouts” are done on the trainer, where groups set up at places like Sports Basement during the week. Coach Mike said to me, “Tell you what, I will loan you my trainer for the duration.” He has a cast on his foot – I’m pretty sure he’s just coaching this year, not coaching and doing a race. I was shocked and really awed and honored that he would do that. So now, I can be part of the “cadence drills” and “trainer workouts” for the Bike. I KNOW that this will help me with my “most feared part” of the tri – Biking. Coach Mike lives in Danville, so I have to figure out how to get it – but WOW, such Team Spirit! Seriously!

My two car-mates and I eschewed the group meal, in favor of getting back home. I was able to catch H (at the hardware store) and he met me at Crepevine, where I got a chicken Tuscan crepe and a big salad and coffee. I have no idea why my body was craving coffee, but so it goes. I told him all about the day’s exploits, and especially the running drills and the like. He said that he would like to see these, and that maybe he could figure out a way to “share” our calendars back and forth, so that we could work it in a way that he can run and bike with me when it’s not with the team. YAY!!  I told him the offer from Coach Mike, too, and he actually said, “If that doesn’t work out, I will buy you a trainer if it means that much to you.” I told him that actually, if he would buy me some bike pants, I would be eternally grateful, as would HE. (Happy cha-cha makes for Happy husband…OK I SO DID NOT SAY THAT)

Oh – nearly forgot – I also used the Alka-Blast, Super Greens and Prime pH drops as Stu Mittleman had recommended. It tasted a little like swamp water, but the theory is that this keeps your body pH more alkaline – and hence, you don’t have that much soreness after working out, and especially the next day. I have to admit, I feel COMPLETELY fine today – AND I did not crash later in the day yesterday, like I did after the Bike workout on Saturday. There might really be something to this. (Of course, Stu is one of the Biggies in Ultradistance running, so he knows his stuff!)

Today, it’s a swim workout – I got up late because I could (laugh) – H had a conference call so he took a later ferry, so I didn’t need to get him out of the house so fast. I also need to get the dog out – he’s happily lying under my feet, but we’ll get out as soon as I finish this. I’m excited to get in the pool and to try out the drills that we learned yesterday. Maybe I will try to see if I can do the “category 2″ drills! I also want to start podcasting some time this week. I know a lot of folks just listen to the podcasts, and I haven’t even done a podcast since I started this whole Journey. So most folks will have NO IDEA what the crazy lady is up to!! :-)

Continuing to eat the elephant…one bite at a time! Chomp Chomp Chomp. :-)

So, today was the 20 mile coached bike ride, with our Team In Training team. I had pretty much worked myself up into a lather about it, grumbling about the use of words like “easy” anywhere close to “rolling hills” and “20 miles.”

I got to Redwood High School early, and met the other folks. I must say this about Team in Training peeps – they are uniformly REALLY NICE. We had one little snafu – one of the gals had forgotten her helmet, so I drove back home and got H’s helmet and drove back – unfortunately missing the part I really wanted to see…how to change a flat. I really am going to have H walk me through this, because that whole thing scares me.

This is where I got to see a “Bento Box.” I have been listening to various triathlon podcasts, and Zen And The Art Of Triathlon happened to mention that he had a “Bento Box” on his bike, and how well it worked.

OK, so, remember, this is the gal who was trying to do drills that were designed to be done on a trainer on the road, because it didn’t say “this should be done on a trainer.” Well, I thought a bento box meant….a bento box. Like in a Japanese restaurant. You know, the black lacquer thing with little compartments. So the visuals I was coming up with listening to the Zen podcast about this “bento box” (not knowing it was Bento Box(TM)!) were just completely freakin’ hilarious. Where did he tie the box? Sounds like he has it right on the front of his bike. How does he keep things from flying out? Wouldn’t this be really un-aerodynamic? Yeah, Yeah, I know, what a bonehead, but that’s why I’m keeping this blog, to amuse the few of you who are reading.

A Bento Box(TM) is a little box that fits right behind your handlebars sitting on the top tube (it’s velcro’d to the upright and the top tube, so it’s very stable) and you can put like GU in it and the like. One of the gals on the ride had one. It said “BENTO BOX” right on the side and I nearly fell down laughing at myself. (Once I told her what I had thought when I had been listening to the Zen podcast, she thought it was pretty funny, too.)

OK back to the ride. We set off at about 9:20 from the Redwood back parking lot (totally takes me back to being 16 again – NO THANKS). I was in the middle of the people, and I realized that this was just NOT a good thing. I’m not confident enough. So at the first light I had everyone pass me. The route wound around and under the highway, then out and up Paradise going past Nordstrom’s (e.g., the fairly flat way).

Once we passed the Highway Patrol area and the shopping center back there (can’t remember the name) I was BY FAR the last. In fact, there was the pack, then Patty (the gal who was in front of me), then about a mile (well, not really but definitely far…I would see her if there were LONG straightaways), then me. I didn’t see the pack for most of the ride. I didn’t even see PATTY for at least the last 1/2.

I had some serious gremlins going. “Why am I doing this,” “I hate to be the worst one,” “I’m too old for this,” “I should really not be doing this,” you know, THOSE gremlins. I got down to Tiburon, where the rest of the gang were waiting, and just basically took a sip of water and we were off again. I didn’t feel tired – though at one point, again, my BPM was up at 180 which really is beyond too fast. I had to laugh because of course Stu Mittleman says on our coaching calls that you want to be pretty “easy” as you’re exercising, not really breathing hard, etc., and I think I was scaring wildlife with my steam locomotive panting. Ah well, no stroke yet.

We went down through Tiburon and then onto the bike path and back to Paradise. That one hill coming up Trestle Glen from the light was a total killer. My lord. I was in my easiest gear (I think that means “lowest”), blowing like a freight train, and just baaaaarely moving up the grade. And, my friends, this is NOT a steep grade. Seriously. It was nice though because the ride leader, Les, actually waited at about 2/3 of the way up the grade (there’s a stop sign), and was there to cheer me on, which felt a little bad (man, I really hate making people wait) and a lot good (thank goodness he’s here I don’t have to have Flat Anxiety any more). He actually rode with Patty and me on the way back, and we were pretty much a 3some so I’m pretty sure they just slowed WAY WAY DOWN so that I wasn’t left in the dust. Again, I felt bad (man, I really REALLY hate making people wait), but a lot good, and a little helpful (I did play a good “tail” and get drivers to let us into traffic so we could turn left, stuff like that. I remember that from triathlon training back when dinosaurs walked the Earth).

We got back somewhere around 11:20, so the ride took about 2 hours. And yeah, I am SERIOUSLY sore. My hands also (especially my left) went completely numb – it’s got to be the way you hold the handlebars closes off the flow in the carpal tunnel area.

I was REALLY glad that I finished, and really REALLY glad to be part of a mini-pack on the ride back. Everyone else probably did the ride in about an hour – if you take the time they had to wait for me in Tiburon, and then the time differential between when we got done and when they had gotten done at the end. Everyone was super nice to me, especially Patty, who I think really slowed down to at least keep something of an eye on me.

So, that’s done! Tomorrow – a swimming and running day, with coaches. At 0-dark-00, far, far away! I am carpooling a couple gals though, so I feel at least that I’m not taking the big van over for just me.

Bento Box. Who knew?

Today is a “Down Day” on the triathlon schedule. And it’s a down day for me, too.

Last night H “sat me down” (after I was complaining how exhausted I was – went to bed in the very early evening in fact), and said that he had been “thinking about it” and this “Ironman thing” was a VERY bad idea, and that if he had known more about it or thought more, he would never have said it would be Okay. As he said last night, he believes that I should have started, for example, with a Century bike ride as my “goal” (part of the Ironman, and something I can’t do yet, either), because he would have done it TOO, it would have been something we could have trained for together (like our hike down the Alps, the Big Sur marathon, etc.), and then I could “still” do the Ironman next year . . . and make my self-imposed “before I’m 50″ deadline.

The thing is – I’m already IN. I’m sure there are “ways out” – but I don’t really WANT to be out. But he’s really very upset about things, like the fact that every day of the weekend (both days) there are “trainings” that I need to go to. Not like, generally, we would be doing anything significant from 9-12 on a Saturday or Sunday. But the deal is, that I will be GONE, and that I will likely come home and be tired. This weekend is the first trial of this – I have a 20 mile (oy!) bike ride Saturday morning, then a swim/run brick (in San Remote – oh I mean Ramone – no less) on Sunday. I am going to see if he will at least meet me/us on Saturday after the ride if we get something to eat, but my guess is, he won’t. And so probably staying after to have lunch or whatever they will do is a nonstarter for me. Because adding a whole social layer of friends that don’t have anything to do with him will be just Bad.

I actually get where he is coming from. If he suddenly “announced” he was going to get competition-level in Ballroom and so it would mean he would be doing a training similar to what I’m doing, I am not sure I would be happy about it. In fact, I’d probably be pissed off. And the fact that the time would just increase as training got tougher would piss me off even more. So I “get it.”

Who knows, maybe this was a big fat mistake. I haven’t said the fateful words, “Do you really want me to quit, I will find out how” yet, because I do not WANT to quit. It would be ONLY because he wants me to. But if the shoe were on the other foot, well…I would probably be feeling the same way he is. He’d be out, meeting other folks, socializing, etc. and it wouldn’t have anything to do with me or forwarding our relationship. It wouldn’t be something that “we” had chosen with our precious off time. Dunno. Maybe I was really way, way too fast at jumping into this.

Hence my getting up at 3 a.m. this morning and being unable to get back to sleep…

OK, THAT, and the fact that the more this goes on, the more it looks like a Richy Rich sport. I am SERIOUS. First, it’s just “anticipated” that everyone’s going to get a bike trainer. A used one is $100. (A bike trainer is a little contraption you put your bike on that spins the wheel and allows you to ride inside, if you didn’t know that.) THEN we’re told that we have to get bike pants – no, TWO pair of bike pants – where “the good ones, which are all you are going to want” start at $60. SIXTY BUCKS! For now, no trainer for me, and I’m going to have to make do with my 15 year old bike shorts, which have a small pad of chamois (leather) on the inside. OK, and underwear, and a pad (to be graphic). The idea of being “told” to shell out $ for this, that and the other is freaking me out. It’s assumed. YES, I will admit, that the short ride I took a few days ago I am STILL sore from. But the biking portion (which is always the one I like the least) is getting more, and more, and MORE expensive as it goes on. I guess it’s the one section with “Gear.” But holy cow. I had to break the bank to get my bike tuned up ($85, something like that) . MAYBE in a while I will get clipless pedals (seems unlikely), but that means you have to buy pedals AND shoes. Oh, and pants. And a trainer. And…

I did, however, get to realize why bikers wear those dorky bike shirts with the pockets in the back. I wore a jacket and put my stuff in the pockets, but when you’re riding, the weight of the stuff in your pockets pulls the pockets down and around, so that they’re right in front of your crotch. Not so comfy. However, not quite sure how the “back pockets” really work, as they are open. Seems like not the smartest place for a wallet and a blackberry, which is what I had. I guess I will learn….(I was given a bike shirt on the first day, because the bike guy asked if anyone did NOT have a bike jersey and I was one of about 1/2 dozen that raised my hand. Then I couldn’t wear it when I went out, because I felt like such a dork in it. I guess I will get over it – not sure I will wear it on this group ride on Saturday, I guess I should…)

Yeah, I’m down on the Down day. I’m really feeling like this was a huge fat mistake. The biking $$ piling up gets me so down that it makes my eyes tear up and my nose itch. The fact that H is not behind me on this – not that he should be, I think this was a pretty doggone selfish choice on my part, and probably not thought through, especially when I haven’t had any income for nearly 1/2 a year – is sort of the crushing blow.

Time to get outside and go grocery shopping – where are those coupons…mac and cheese, anyone…?

Tunes for today’s run:
Scar That Never Heals, Jeremy Fisher
My Sharona, The Knack
Pony, Far
She’s Got The Who-Hoo, Sugar Ray
Jerk It, Thunderheist
Single Ladies, Beyonce
Daniella, John Butler Trio
Get The Party Started, Pink
Mony Mony, Billy Idol
Fuego, Pitbull
HipHip ChinChin, Club des Belugas
In These Shoes?, Kirsty MacColl
U Can’t Touch This, MC Hammer
I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas
Let’s Get Loud, Jennifer Lopez

So today, the training calendar blithely says that what I had to do “should be” 5 miles. I did a 10 minute warmup that took me from my house to California Street (0.61 miles), then did the prescribed 4 min run, 1 min walk 8 times – I got to A Street (so that’s a total, from my house, of 1.87 miles) and turned around and came back – at the end of the 8th 4min/1min session I was at the foot of River Oaks where River Oaks meets 5th Avenue, so as a total I did 3.44 miles (not 5). Makes me a little insane that I’m so far behind the curve. This is the VERY beginning workouts and the “presumption” is that I should be able to do 5 miles in the time. Oy.

Took me an extra 6 minutes to get from 5th up River Oaks and home. When on the way home, I glanced at my heart rate monitor – I was WALKING and my bpm were 180. Sheesh at that rate I’m going to have a STROKE. My “average” during the 4/1 phase was 155 into the high 160s which is really, really not good. My average is supposed to be 142. I couldn’t run any slower – I’m already trudging along like Frankenstein. I guess the only way to make my heart rate come down would be to walk for longer – but of course, that’s not the “game plan.” Hmmmm.

Strength Training:
Single Leg Squat: Did this on my stairs in the hallway. I could just barely do it to squat to the lower stair and up. Had to hold the wall.
Push Ups: Nope. Not even on my knees. Just too exhausted
Split Squat: Again, had to hold onto the wall. Could bend my knee “a little.” A LOT of knee popping and cracking.
Standing Horizontal Cable Row: Did this with the ‘bungees’ that you use for workouts (the ones with the handles?) – red bungee – tied to doorknob
Overhead Squat: This sucked. Could bend knees maybe a micron. Did not feel very safe.
Single Leg Row: Did this again with the bungee tied to the doorknob.
Single Leg Rotations with Touch: Had to hold on with my opposite hand – couldn’t even get CLOSE to touching the ground, did get to the calf on one side, and nearly to ankle bone the 2nd set, on the other side. Was holding on though.
Hamstring Bridge: This is no big deal. Not sure what’s up with that. Probably doing it wrong! Had feet together, hips up, hands palms together above chest
Side Plank: 15 secs each side, x 2. WOW, totally shakey, etc. Did it on my knees. A bit afraid for my shoulder.
Plank: Did this on my knees, 30 seconds. Really really wiped.

Now I gotta take a shower – and get to pole dancing! Man, not sure that I’m going to be able to do anything there – been off for 2 weeks, first because couldn’t get there, 2nd because had to do a presentation for potential business (that came to nothing). Will do the 1st hour (strength/core) and not sure how I’m going to do on tricks and training. Just feel super wiped out. HOWEVER, this was the first time in 2 weeks (since I started “testing out running”) that I have run and my calves have not gone numb! I have no idea where that was coming from – but it didn’t happen today. YAY!

So, today the workout was as follows:

Warm-up 10 minutes in middle-middle chainrings. Repeat the following drill set TWICE. Stay in big ring up front the entire workout, Shift to 3rd from largest ring in back. Alternate removing one foot from the pedals for one minute at a time, returning to two footed pedaling for one minute @ 90 rpm between single leg efforts. Repeat 4 times per leg.(12 minutes total). Shift to 4th from smallest gear in back. Pedal at 85 rpm. Focus all mental energy on the 1:00 to 3:00 position of the pedal stroke for 2 minutes. Focus all mental energy on the 4:00 to 6:00 position of the pedal stroke for 2 minutes. Focus all mental energy on the 6:00 to 9:00 position of the pedal stroke for 2 minutes. Focus all mental energy on the 9:00 to 12:00 position of the pedal stroke for 2 minutes. After second time throught the drills, shift to middle middle and cool down at 90 rpm for 10 minutes.

I have something to say that I found out LATER ON (thank you Sedonia I am still laughing…), but my thought on reading this was “How the HECK can they imagine I can do this? I can’t even barely balance to shift my gears.” So I was all pouty and feeling really upset (biking always has been my least favorite leg anyway), and so instead of doing the one-foot on, one-foot off, shake-it-all-about, Do the Hokey Pokey workout, I rode to McNear’s Brickyard and back. This is a steep hill down from our house, then flat to rolling hills with a moderate amount of traffic and broken tarmac (my wrists and hands are sore from the bouncing and jostling), out and back. I stopped at the bottom of the hill back home and walked the bike up. Actually – I was able to pedal up to the “no parking” sign – I have to remember that, so that slowly, slowly, as I get better at hills and maybe can some day reach my actual ROAD (much less my HOUSE), I have some way to gauge where I started.

Saturday, we’re supposedly doing a 20 mile “easy ride” that’s supposed to take an hour and 20 minutes. I decided I would go out for an hour on this ride, to see where I got, working fairly hard. I got 12 miles, and was VERY done at the end, thank you. Not feeling very confident about the whole “20 mile thing” that is for doggone sure. Was nice to be out though. And got better with shifting and all that jazz as the time went on.

So, here’s the route! And be sure to note below to see “what happened next”…

SO, I put a post on Twitter, starting with my daily quote. This is how it went…

Me (on Twitter/Facebook): My new mantra re Team In Training/the Ironman: “Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better.” ~ Jim Rohn

Me: @sedonia OOooooooh!!! (Laughing so hard I just scared the cat.) No I did NOT know that. OMG. O….M…..G…..

Yeah…so I was “Unclear On The Concept.” Pretty funny, eh?

So, is this the most gorgeous family you’ve ever seen, or what?

This is my brother Jeff’s brother, David. Yeah, that sounds weird. Let me explain.

Jeff and I met at the Kindergarten bus stop when we were like 5 years old. We hit it off and perhaps more importantly, our moms hit it off. It started a 40 year bff through-thick-or-thin relationship. If I couldn’t get a hold of my mom to tell her something, I would call Mrs. Rosenthal, because she was my “Other Mom.” One time, when I called her pretty doggone recently when something happened and my mom was away from home (got the machine – per usual), she said to me “Now Sandy, I want to be sure that you are JUST as excited when you tell this to your Mom when you get her.” Pause. “HOWEVER, I really like the fact that I’m usually the first one!” We had a good smile about that – I used to send her birthday cards to Mrs. O.M. Rosenthal on the envelope, standing (of course) for “Other Mom.” I met her at that point in my life when she would always be “Mrs. Rosenthal,” never Joan. But when I wrote, she could at least be “Mrs. O.M.R.”

But back to my brother’s brother. Jeff and I have said back and forth for years that we were really brother and sister. I remember one time in high school coming back from something or another together, he driving his parents’ big boat of a green car. (Impala, maybe?) He wasn’t going out with anyone, and I wasn’t either. We were just coming around a curve in the road (by Blackie’s Pasture, if you know Tiburon, where the road goes from 2 to one lane). We were talking about how our folks would probably really like us to date, since our mothers practically saw each other every day. There was a slight pause, then we said nearly at the same time, “I wouldn’t have to like KISS you or anything, right?” We cracked up and that was the end of that. TOTALLY Sister/Brother.

Well Jeff’s younger brother is David. David and I didn’t know each other that well, just because he was 4 years younger, and that’s kinda how it goes. Now about 15 years ago, David actually was diagnosed with Lymphoma. My mom called me – Everyone was very freaked out. David went in for aggressive chemo; he was a Public Defender at the time, and his workmates chipped in their vacation time so that he could have enough time and still be paid, to work through the treatment. The best part? He’s cancer-free.

I asked David if he would let me add him to my “Why We Do This” wall, and he graciously assented, and sent me a picture of his GORGEOUS FAMILY (aren’t they gorgeous?) I have seen them a few times recently, and I just love them to death. (That’s Mary, his wife, Molly and Jack, his kids.)

Without the sort of treatments that David was able to get, there would BE no Molly and Jack. That kinda freaks me out. And THAT is why I am doing this.

If you have someone in your life that has fought and won, or lost, their battle with Leukemia, Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, or other blood cancer, would you send me their picture and their story? The more I can see, the more committed I am to raising all that doggone money.

…couch potato time!!!

This is HOW I got on my “Ironman quest.”

Back in the summer, I went to Tony Robbins “Unleash The Power Within” (the “firewalk thing”) with my bff Maria. I was pretty depressed about the economy, my sorry state of health and fitness (haven’t really committed to working out since 2006), and the like. In doing some of the hypnosis-esque exercises (which are crazy powerful, whether you like Tony Robbins or not), I was concentrating on the “health and fitness” portion of what I wanted to accomplish, and something happened that I’d like to share today.

You do each area of your life – relationships, $, health/fitness, etc. Near the end of what is basically a guided meditation when concentrating on Health, the vision that came to me wasn’t just me getting my butt out of bed and getting to the gym or walking the dog. Ho, no. It was a full-on vision of being on the bike in the Kona Ironman. I know the course, because Maria’s condo literally looks down on the course. Obviously, I fought that. I struggled with this “stupid vision” until I had a real “a-ha moment.” I remembered that “way back when” I was doing triathlons and such, I had as a goal to do “The” Ironman before I was 50. (Back then, there weren’t a plethora of Ironmans – Ironmen? – this was 20 years ago -  it was really just Kona.) Back when I had this vision, “Olympic-distance” triathlons were all considered hardbody still – and so an Ironman was just completely out in the stratosphere insane.

One of the things Tony Robbins really talks about and gets back to your forebrain is what you have “given up on” in your life. It’s upsetting, breath-taking, sob-inducing…powerful. This was a big one that I had given up as “impossible.”

As I tried to dismiss it and concentrate on something actually “attainable,” my vision was poking me in the forehead, reminding me that “before 50″ meant NOW. I’m way on the end of the 40s, and if I had as a completely crazy dream of “doing” Kona, I would have to do an Ironman “qualifying race” beforehand, AND get in in qualifying time, AND win the Kona raffle. Hmmmmmm, that means – getting my butt of the couch bigtime! I kept trying to get my mind to re-focus on, oh, say, going to the gym (even the gym PARKING LOT) 3 times a week. It kept delivering up me on the bike in the lava fields. Off the couch. In the lava fields. Off the couch. In the lava fields. Poke, Poke, Poke. It wouldn’t let go.

I remember getting back to the room that night, and telling Maria that my “get fit” goal had somehow morphed into doing the Kona Ironman and that meant I had to get going NOW. She is such a good bff. Her response? Not “oh my GOD how are you going to do that Ms. Trufflebuns?” No, it was “oh, that’s perfect! I will have cocktails for you at the end, at the apartment!” (Who loves her? ME!)

So after UPW, I was still musing on how to get this vision OUT of my head. But it kept poking me. I knew about Team In Training from various folks who had done it before, looked it up, and saw there was an IronTeam. I signed up to go to the Mill Valley introduction right after UPW so I wouldn’t chicken out. I was still not really sure I was going to do it (I mean, COME ON, I am so out of shape that small children pass me…). Until I got there.

One of the head coaches was there, Couch Doug. He was a total hard body scary hottie guy, but super patient talking to me about it, and really kind. He made me feel it was actually, possibly, “do-able.” I had another meeting in Mill Valley about 2 hours later, so I sat in the atrium of the place we met, and read through ALL the paperwork. (As a lawyer, I guess that’s part of my curse.) It included the crazy amount of $ that I would need to raise. While I was still sitting there, contemplating, Coach Doug came over again (I didn’t realize he was still there) and chatted with me about it, again. Then I called my husband, and we went through the cons (a lot of them) and the pros (me doing something I had wanted to do since way before we got together). He said that thought he wasn’t really sure it was the smartest idea – and that it would take a LOT of time away from “us” which he guards jealously, that he knew that both of us always do better with some sort of “goal.” We did the Big Sur Marathon together in 2002, and hiked the length of the French Alps together in 2004. (And stopped exercising totally together in 2006, concentrating instead on our passion for cooking and wine – bad!) So anyway, he bought in, though as I have blogged, I kept saying “Ironman” and he kept hearing “triathlon.”

When we were at Unleash the Power Within, I got a necklace, one that Tony himself wears. It is a Chinese “protection” coin and has great juju. When I went to the T Harv Eker Millionaire Mind Intensive, at the “penny exercise” (I am not giving anything up here, but if you’ve been to MMI you know what I mean), I got my penny – and actually superglued it on the back of my Chinese coin to remind me of MMI. Then, on my first run training for the Ironman (I still can’t believe I just typed that), I was out running on an old railroad track here in San Rafael, and I came across ANOTHER penny. One of the things you learn in MMI is that you want to pick up ANY $ that comes across your path – because the Universe doesn’t work in “denominations,” so if it sees that you will “stop to pick up $” it will give you more if you celebrate it. I picked up that beat-to-crap penny and did the whole “MMI happy dance thing” with it (kiss kiss kiss) – and then glued THAT to the back of my coin, too. It represents starting out on this journey of Ironman – and also following up on MMI AND UPW, both of which are combined in that one coin to me.

I’m kinda procrastinating here (gotta actually get the dog out – it’s a “free” day on the IronTeam calendar so I will hike Jake up the hill). But the last thing I have to say is to remind anyone who has been to UPW what we all promised (and if you haven’t, just stand up and repeat after me):

NOW I AM THE VOICE!

I will lead, not follow

I will believe, not doubt

I will create, not destroy

I am a force for good

I am a Leader

DEFY THE ODDS

SET A NEW STANDARD

STEP UP!!!!

Arrrrgh – just had a computer hiss-fit and it pulled down what I had already written here. Grrrrr…OK, “hit Save hit Save hit Save.” There now I might remember it…

SO, yesterday was Kickoff day for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. I had a couple of “familiar faces” there – Lizzie Duemig who I knew from S Factor and have kept up with on Facebook (she is doing the 1/2 Marathon to be more prepared for the running portion of her police fitness test), and Maria Afan, whom I have mentioned earlier. It was odd getting to Berkeley at a fairly early hour (about 8:45 a.m.). The streets were de-ser-ted. There was a Cal game later in the day (and church services), so finding a parking lot that wasn’t “reserved” for one of those two things was a little tricky (and pricey!), but that all worked out fine. I did get turned around though, and was coming up Channing trying to figure out where “campus was” – and I saw a couple folks holding TNT signs waaaaay down the street. That bright purple and green works every time! Again – super odd to be walking down a street that about 10 hours later I would return to, and weave my way between street vendors, musicians, strolling folks, etc. I would not have been surprised to see a tumbleweed rolling slowly down the tarmac.

The “group” kickoff was as you would expect – moving videos, stories, and the like. The whole “remember why you are here/when you are wearing your jerseys you are ambassadors; Be Courteous stuff. Then we broke into our “sports groups.”

(NOW, I am hitting “SAVE DRAFT” – this is about how far I got before)

We got upstairs to our sports group – IronTeam. I was definitely ill at ease: the only person I knew was Maria, and she just finished a marathon a couple days ago! I had met one of the coaches, Margaret from Napa, and she made me feel GREAT.  She was somewhere around my same age, and was super nice and cool. And not a super hardbody – just “normal.” I also “knew” Doug Li, the Strength Coach, only because he was the guy who sat with me after going to the original Intro Session, to answer a lot of my questions. He saw me and recognized me, and I actually KNEW that he really thought I could do this, “No worries.” That bucked me up.

Then the paperwork started. Not the “If you die it’s not our fault” paperwork (“those damn lawyers” tee hee hee) – the “training paperwork.” Oh my lord. They even passed out one of those big clear folders with sides and a “string lock” on it to keep everything in. It became obvious how important that was going to be, as we approached an inch of handouts!

There was an “uber-coach” – Dave (he was also the Bike guy), a Swim coach (Sedonia), a Run coach (Simon, who is the total image of my brother Jeff, it was totally odd), and Doug Li was the strength coach. I thought they were all great, though the whole bike thing really got me freaked out. I mean, the $$$ were piling and I mean PILING on. “Oh, subscribe to this training/coaching site, it’s ‘only’ $100/month.” And “oh, here are all the clothes – a good pair of bike chamois is somewhere around $100.” And then “Well, of course you have to have a bike trainer.” (I didn’t even hear the price on that. I didn’t want to know.) The Run coach, Simon, actually did make a little fun of all the “gear” that the bike guy had in the box. He split everyone up into folks who “Hated Running,” and those who “Loved Running,” and then those “in the middle” (I was in the middle). The bike/uber coach, Dave, was in the middle, as was Doug Li the Strength guy. So Simon (Run Guy) was talking about the “good things” about running, including the freedom, getting outside, and also that you just needed some shoes, socks, and shorts and could get out there (motioning to the huge box of bike gear). He asked if anyone in the middle was more or less inclined to move (after the discussion of the good – and bad – points) to either the Hate or Love group. The bike guy moved way closer to the hate group and joked, “You’ve reminded me – just not enough GEAR in running!” I had to laugh at that!

We did some Strength training out in the hallways, learned about bike Etiquette, lots of other stuff. I left still feeling pretty scared at what a stupid goal I had carried around for so many years. I mean – why couldn’t I be like my husband – who’s big goal is to eat at all the Michelin 4 Star restaurants before he’s 55? (smile) The one coach, Margaret, really made me feel good though. And actually the Strength training guy Doug Li with the whole “I know you can do this” attitude. I still have some issues about the bike – I’m going to be riding my old one (as per my previous posts), and I really am NOT sold that I have to get clipless pedals, though the bike/head coach guy was not at all friendly on the subject, not even an “hey, don’t worry, you can start the way you are.” The attitude I got from him was basically “man up, just do it.” That’s the sort of attitude that makes me Quit.

I called H on my way home from the meeting, and we met for martinis and appetizers at Il Davide. I brought in all the paperwork, and he was not very happy, giving me heck about how “we were never going to have any more weekends.” It pushed me down into a lower feeling, and made me think that maybe I really SHOULD quit, that I SHOULD give up on this “before 50 goal” that I had harbored for quite some time. In the end, though, he started talking about how he would have to go “get his clunker of a road bike tuned up, too,” and that “well, if the Coach says you need the clipless pedals, I will help you and we can practice,” and even (when I told him about the 3 “training groups” for swimming) “Well, if they had a Zero group, maybe I would train with you, since I can’t swim.” I think that after he started complaining and could see that it got me upset, he “husbanded up” (is that a new phrase for “man up”?) and started being supportive.

His big deal was of course that we would not be able to travel because of weekend workouts. I reminded him that when I was in training for the Nike Triathlon, we were in Austria and Italy for a month. I’d just had to find pools, and we’d even rented bikes together, and I had stayed on the schedule as best I could. I have photos in our photo album of me in various pools all over Austria. It was pretty funny. The thing here is that I would miss the “team” or “coached” workouts, which would not be so good. We’ll see how it goes. I really want to try to stay on the schedule as much as humanly possible – but I can’t leave H a “widow”…well, YET. :-)  I imagine as the training progresses, it’s going to get worse!

This morning, I did get up and do the training we were supposed to do – 10 minutes warmup, then 8 times doing a 4 minute run/1 minute walk repeat. It’s similar to when we were using the Gallway method to train for the Big Sur Marathon. Need to find my training watch…now all the folks have freakin’ GPS watches that can tell you where you are and how far you’ve gone – holy cow. I got up early, & got the training done with Jake by my side. It makes me sad that when we did the marathon, Jake was our “support team” – he wore a doggie pack and carried all our water, GU, etc. on the longer runs. Now that he’s 13, he really liked this training (I think I went 2 miles total), but I know as it gets longer he’s not going to be able to make it as far. He’s such a trooper, though. And always so HAPPY! He’s my hero :-) Anyway – got the workout done, got home, took a shower, and then made coffee and brought it up to Hizzoner in bed. That’s our Sunday “tradition” and his biggest issues surrounded us losing “relationship traditions” in favor of my training. I refuse to let that happen, as much as is possible (there are a lot of coached workouts on Sundays – which is not so good). I just have to get up and out earlier.

I have Jake as my energy and happiness Mentor for that – he just LOVES getting up, coming down stairs, and greeting the day. His “downward dogs” are increasingly stiff, but his attitude is such a marvel.

I was emailing my friends Caron and Judy on Facebook this morning (and yesterday after the meeting), and said that this whole Ironman thing reminds me of the old joke: “How do you eat an elephant?” “One bite at a time.” As Caron said, “The hard part is trying to figure out where to take the first bite.” Well, this morning, I was out there with my happy dog Jake, and I think I took the first bite. Not too bitter, not too sweet. Not bad.

Thanks to Kelownagurl, here is a link to an article on Forefoot Running. I am posting it here because I will be able to find it again. Hey, a cluttered brain is next to godliness…because the devil would get STUCK in there sortin’ stuff out.

S

Saturday is “D Day” – the first day with Team In Training where they get to see my face and hand me a training schedule. Yikes. I’m getting more and more “wary” about the whole thing as time progresses, but I am also listening to more triathlon-related podcasts and starting to feel a bit more “in the groove” with the whole thing. It’s like 20 years hasn’t passed .  . . I was listening to one podcast (Triathlete’s Coffee Shop) and they were talking about Scott Tinley, Dave Scott, Mark Allen, etc. – the “old guys” of the sport. They were running when I was running. Is this a word to the wise, or what? I’m not that wise…

How did it all start for me? Back in 1988, my girlfriend Leslie and I took a “challenge” published in the Washington Post for anyone who wanted to do a triathlon. It was published by a guy named Remar Sutton. The “challenge” started on New Year’s Day with “find your way off the couch” and ended with the Bahamas Triathlon over Thanksgiving.

The Bahamas Tri was sprint-distance – and a LOT of folks wound up taking the Challenge.  It actually freaked Remar out. It was funny. (He had offered to buy “anyone who took him up on the Challenge” dinner the night before the Tri – and he got letters from thousands of folks – and 10os of us actually did it. The Bahamanian authorities weren’t prepared, all that good stuff. I came in 6th Woman overall, but I think that was just a fluke.)

After the Bahamas Tri, I decided to do the Chicago Sun-Times Triathlon. I remember when “Olympic distance” triathlon was still what Ironman is today – “only crazy people” did it. I liked that feeling. In preparation, Leslie and I actually volunteered at the Baltimore Tri – where Mike Pigg was running. He was a total newbie as far as I can remember. The pictures at the left are Leslie and me – the bottom photo is us at Mike Pigg’s staging area. Someone actually TOLD Pigg we had done this – and the top photo is us with his 1st place roses, which he gave to us, and his towel, which we cut in 1/2 (and, yeah, believe it or not, I still have my 1/2). He was THE nicest guy EVER. We were so embarrassed someone had ratted us out. Heck, I think HE was embarrassed. Back then, “triathlon” was one of those “fringe sports” and I think that the fact he had “fans” was a complete shock to him.

I have always basically been a couch potato, though it’s gotten worse recently, with the whole hormonal “thing” going on. I used to be able to work out a little, eat a little better, and get back to my target weight. I am now 30 pounds higher than that, and it really happened almost “overnight.” Dang Hormones, Curses!! (shaking fist at sky). I knew that I needed to get a set program to get back “on the wagon,” and I also had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to do an Ironman. Sure, I probably should have started back with a tri…but I “know I can do” a tri. So – Team In Training.

I remember the feeling, when this photo was taken over TWENTY years ago, of really not knowing if I COULD do a triathlon (Olympic-distance). Man, things were so different, too. Lots of spaghetti dinners, little hydration, oh lord. I’m lucky I didn’t die. I remember when tribars first came out (and nearly killing myself trying to use them). Pre-GU. Pre-Power Bars, really. I owned the first pair of Oakley sunglasses. Yeah, I am OLD!

So now I’m back…I don’t doubt I can do it (well, MUCH); I feel like I did 20 years ago, with that “it’s not possible now, but I am SURE it CAN be possible…RIGHT?” feeling.

I’m rambling…OH, so, the bike story. I took my bike out of the cellar late last week, and brought it to the local bike place to get it tuned up, tubes changed, whatever it would take. This bike is easily 15 years old – though it was “top of the line” back then. (Well, not pro-top, but “as top as I could afford without thinking I was spending money like an idiot” top.) I went and picked it up, and the guy who brought it out was in his 20s – he was probably like 8 when the bike was new. He went on and on about how “great” it was to work on ‘such a classic.’ I voiced some concerns about the bike and the race, and he was just the cutest thing ever. He told me that “yeah,” it was an “old warhorse” (!!! like me? !!!) but that it would “definitely do its best” and would “take me where I needed to go” and such. He patted the bike in the sort of way that someone would pat a horse that’s going to be trained back up for racing…an “Atta BOY, you can DO it” kinda pat. I know that it’s going to get me a lot of looks when I show up with it…no doubt. (At least it’s not a mountain bike…) I also can’t do clipless pedals now – maybe forever – so I have the big cages on the pedals. (The only really BAD accidents I have ever had were with clipless pedals – so I am feeling allergic.)

On that Triathlete Cafe podcast, there was a recent episode where they were talking about what part of the triathlon is the most important – and one thing that came up (and I now agree with) is that cycling is really the most important leg. I was interested to hear each athlete stand up for his or her “sport” – but the arguments from the cyclists actually made the most sense to me. I never was really an athlete in any of these 3 disciplines – I lettered in Fencing at UC, and then also did karate. I never really particularly liked any of the 3 sports that make up triathlon. I am a fairly good swimmer, so I think I was and am lucky as a newbie in that I’m not “scared” of swim workouts. Sure, I still have the “is there a shark underneath me” issue that anyone who saw Jaws as a child has (my mom was SO RIGHT, WHY did I sneak out and see that movie?), but otherwise, I am not a bad swimmer. The one sport that I never really trained at – and spent the LEAST amount of time at – has always been the bike.

My mind actually always sort of said, “Hey, anyone can bike, right?” I didn’t really realize I was thinking this until listening to the Tri-Cafe folks. In my last triathlons before quitting (so, that’s now about 8-10 years ago), I really SUCKED on the bike, and it made the whole experience unpleasant for me. I always skimped on the bike training, because I liked to swim (so would do that more) and don’t like to run (so would do that more, to try to LIKE it more). And I thought: “Anyone can ride a bike.” I now realize this is a fairly stupid thing to think. So I am really going to concentrate on the cycling portion, which will be TOTALLY new to me. I think I’m also going to sign up for some Spinning classes at the gym.

That’s my update for now. I’m having fun blogging again. It’s far from my old blogs, fEmpowerment, and the like – but maybe not. I’m starting from pretty much zero – which my book discusses, though not from an athletic context. I’m so curious to see how this all goes. And I’m making friends online in the triathlon “world,” and feeling great about it. This happened when I trained for the Big Sur Marathon – folks out there who were marathoners on various websites got to be “buddies” in a way. Now, it’s the Ironcrew. And I like it.

Before I signed up for the Louisville Ironman Triathlon in August 2010, I actually called and discussed it with my husband. We were on the phone for quite some time, discussing time commitment, work versus workout, and lots of things like that. I was actually trying to convince him to do it with me – he said no, but said he’d like to bike more, so he’d love to be part of the rides I need to do on my own, blah blah. Cool. Signed. A little scared, but signed.

I took my old tri bike (15 years “young”) to our local bike shop, and they worked it over. It was finished today, so I went to pick it up. Did like it when the little cutie-that-could-be-my-son (laugh) gushed about what a “classic” it was, and how he felt (I had actually voiced a concern) that he thought it could “totally tough it out” for an ironman. (As I have no dinero for another bike, that was good to hear.)

So I brought the bike home, and Hizzoner and I were talking about the training. I said something to him about wondering whether I would need to get broader handlebars (something I had considered a decade ago when I stopped doing tris, because my shoulders would get sore). The conversation went like this:

He: “Why are you worried? You’re not going to be on the bike all that long.”

Me: “Um, 100 miles is pretty doggone long.”

He: “What are you TALKING about? I mean all at once.”

Me: “Honey the race itself is over 100 miles, then you have to add training and stuff.”

He: “You’re doing a triathlon!”

Me: “Honey, I told you I was doing an IRONMAN triathlon. We went over this when I called you before I signed up.”

He: “WHAT? I thought you were just exaggerating!”

Me: “I’ve been talking about this and freaked out nonstop since I signed – I said I-ron-Man are you telling me you did not hear that?”

He: “Of course I did. But I thought you were just exchanging the word for triathlon. Or exaggerating. What the heck did you sign up for??”

Me: “You did, however, hear me and AGREE that I could do the I-ron-Man Tri-A-thlon in August next year, right? You heard that, right?”

He: “Well, yes, but I just thought you were mistaken.”

Me: “I’m signed up, you know. There isn’t any backing out now. I told you I wanted to do an Ironman before I turned 50. This is an Ironman. I’m approaching 50. I’m puzzled about what you were thinking…?”

He: “Well, yes, you’ve said that for the past 4 years. But I didn’t think you were really signing UP for it…”

Yeah. Really. He’s now a little spazzed out. Though I think he understands a bit more why ~I~ have been spazzed out. Funny though. Husbands hear weird.

I received the following note from a long-time friend of mine. We recently hooked back up via Facebook (isn’t Facebook great?) She saw that I was training for the Ironman through Team In Training, and shared the following:

My dad was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 1994. After receiving his initial treatment, he suffered a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair. For the next 13 years, he fought a brave battle against his disease, at the same time learning to live with his new disability. He rarely complained and faced his chemos and obstacles with humor and optimism. My mother tirelessly cared for him, allowing him to spend his final years at home with the assistance of CNAs who visited every morning for two hours. She bathed him, toileted him and gave him the best quality of life she could. When his body started to fail in June of 2007, we made the decision to withdraw treatment and helped my dad enter eternity with the assistance of the wonderful people of hospice. He had a peaceful and loving death, surrounded by his family and knowing he would always be loved and missed.

This is who I’m doing this for. Stories like this will help me as I train during this winter. Please let me know if you have any stories to share, so that I can have your loved ones’ spirits in the wind at my back.

I got out and swam today – and the fire is LIT! I haven’t been in a pool, really swimming, for about 3 years. Wow. I forgot how much I like it. OK, so I only did 10 lengths kicking, 16 lengths freestyle (one beat kick), 10 lengths kicking, and then 2 lengths going as fast as I could. It was actually kinda cold and windy. So what made it great?

My honey bought me a waterproof case and earplugs for my iPod . . . sadly, this was a YEAR ago, because I asked for it for my birthday/anniversary present in 2008. I hadn’t even USED IT. I thought it would be a great motivator, to really get into the pool again. Great plans, but no motivation.

Today, I swam to Elton John. Started with “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Dreaming,” then it went to “Go Ask Alice,” and rounded up with “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting.” I could see that some of the folks in the chaises at the end of the lane were curious about my head “contraption” – but no one actually asked. One of the guys seemed to really dig that my kicking was obviously timed to what I was listening to (this was when I was kicking in the end to “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” – you can imagine it, right? “SaturDAY, SaturDAY, SATurday…SaturDAY, SaturDAY, SATurday…” :-) ) And I have to say, I worked out a LOT harder than I otherwise would have done, especially in the kicking phase. It was actually a bit odd though, too, because the pool doesn’t use chlorine, it’s all saline-filtered somehow. So when I’d drink a little water in, it was lightly salted – and NOT itchy chlorinated. NICE.

I’m really pumped that the doggone case actually WORKED – it did take a bit to figure out where to “clip it” – armband slipped and didn’t work; band around the NECK wasn’t so great either, and finally I wound up clipping the case itself (sans band) to the front of my suit.

I wonder if they make little solar something-or-anothers so that your iPod charges when you’re on the bike or running – or even maybe a gizmo that charges it that’s tied somehow to the wheel of your bike? Anyone have any intel?

The new gym has a Steam Room – I actually had a Functional Fitness training session with the trainer, THEN swam, THEN took a steam. Okay so HOW great is that? Great, that’s how great. I texted H to tell him how wonderful he was for having bought me the waterproof case…and for having insisted we pool our “gym bucks” and go to this nicer gym.

HALLELUJAH!

I’m so excited. I can’t even believe it. I received my first donation towards the IRONMAN.

One of my teammates, Maria Afan, is an “old hand” at doing Team In Training. She has done two marathons through them – one in Rome (GO GRRL!) and one recently in San Francisco. Maria is actually a “real” acquaintance – her mom and I worked together at Robert Half International, and she and I met and really hit it off at a wedding a few years ago. Little did I know that Maria would inspire me to insanity!

I have been following Maria’s training on Facebook – and also another friend, Lizzie Duemig. Lizzie actually just joined Team In Training (she’s going to do the Half Marathon) – Lizzie is a Beachbody gal and also is in training for the police academy – these are serious grrls!

Anyway – Maria really inspired me to do Team In Training. I didn’t realize she had switched to the IRONMAN team – until I signed up, and sent her a “poke” through Facebook to tell her. Now, we are teammates! I am so jazzed!

She helped me to get my donation “button” up on the left side of my Facebook page, and then I switched my home page here on BeABondGirl.com to also have a link. (I’m sure there is a way to put one on the sidebar, but that’s too much for this grrl right now).

This morning – I had a DONATION! I am so excited I can barely contain myself! Yay! Only $7950 to go! :-)

I’ve decided to do a greeting card through SendOutCards for anyone who sends a donation. It will have (oh lordie lordie) photographs of me inside as I look now. It’s scary as Heck. Seriously. I had H take some photographs of me so I would have “before” pictures and we BOTH looked at them and said – “Yeah, that’s just not good.” But once I get the donors into the SOC Contact Manager system, I will be able to do updates, and hopefully everyone will share with my success!

I am SO EXCITED to have the donation. Thank you, Donna! You rocked my world this morning!

The Ironman is:

2.4 miles swimming: That’s like swimming from My House, down River Oaks, down 5th Avenue, all the way to Whole Foods. I guess I get to stop and stretch there. OR (thanks for this one, Maria A!), it’s 154 lengths (77 laps) in an Olympic-sized pool – and as most of us have 1/2 Olympic pools at our disposal unless we’re doggone lucky, that’s somewhere over 300 lengths in a regular “high school sized” pool. Or way more, if we’re talking condo pool here. Just keep swimming. Forever.

Get out of the water, shake the shark off your heel, then get on your iron warrior. 112 miles on the bike is like riding from San Francisco to Rocklin (thanks again to Maria A. I am HOPELESS with figuring this stuff out!) Yup, that’s waaaay past Sacramento:

And, once you’re NICE and warmed up, off the bike, calmly lace up your sneaks, and you have a marathon, or 26.2 miles running, next. That’s like running from San Francisco to Redwood City:

Way way WAY past the airport. OK. Yeah. No worries.

I think I’ll take a wee nap now…

Yup – I’ m at it again!

So. I’ve been complaining (b*tching and moaning basically) since 2006 about being out of shape – and doing nothing about it. Oh sure, I would rally for a while around swimsuit season (or if $ was on the line . . . we did a “Biggest Loser contest about a year ago), and then WHUMP, I would be back on the couch. Not that unhappy about it, either. So Sue Me.

So a while back, I did Tony Robbins Unleash The Power Within (UPW). During this experience, you look at things that are holding you back, things you would like to do before you die – before another year has passed, even.

I’ve never, ever been an athlete. When I was a kid, my dad (a doctor) could sometimes be cajoled into writing doctor’s notes to keep me out of whatever athletic endeavor they were trying to put me in. I would do extra music classes, extra cleaning of classrooms – nearly anything – to get out of gym. Not quite sure why. I was never, ever, the “fresh air and working out” type (which my parents, though both brainiacs, actually always have been).

Come college, I actually found out I was fairly coordinated (who knew?) and made varsity Fencing my Freshman year (we even made it to the NCAA Finals). I also took Shotokan Karate. I was never that good with “quick” stuff (tried Jazzercise – oy, I was a disaster), but very good at things like ballroom dancing, karate, fencing, etc. Sadly, of course, I had never had a “ball put in my hands” until college – so though 6’2″ and left-handed, any basketball/volleyball/etc. type game was really kinda “out.” (I still have very short gals who are VERY good at volleyball try to chat me up to join pickup volleyball games. ‘I must be good, I’m so tall,’ they always say. In eviler times, I would say ‘how’s your horsemanship?’ to the very short ones…I try to be better now…)

So. Anyway. After college I fell in with a fairly “fit-ish” crowd, and started doing triathlons when they were JUST getting started. Scott Tinley, then later Mike Pigg, folks like that (“dinosaurs” if you do tris now). I actually did quite a few of them – never did that well (came in 6th woman overall in the Bahamas Triathlon, but I think that’s because most of the participants had been drinking rum all night) – but did ok.

My husband and I did the Big Sur Marathon now back in…oh, something like 2002 or so – then we walked the length of the French Alps about 2 years later. I always need a ‘goal’ to work towards – and those were good ones.

So, at UPW, I walked in with a desire to “get fit.” I knew I really had to get something going – huffing and puffing and creaking was getting me down. I walked OUT of UPW with a completely insane goal – Ironman before I was 50. Yeah. From she who can’t run 30 minutes.

Then, I got a Team In Training email. So, I went. And talked to the very nice young hardbody who coaches part of the TNT training team (a little unclear how it works – I was late, no parking). Thought about it, called H, got a categorical “you cannot afford to do this, you’re going to have to make this work with your 10 year old bike, and how exactly did you say you were going to pay for this?” Yup – signed up.

So, November 7th is “kickoff.” I know one gal who is on the Ironman team – and she’s just finished a couple of marathons. I think starting with ONE discipline you know you can do might be smarter…but so it goes.

I actually bought my ticket today. Something like $550. That’s about 1/3 of my current monthly income. That really IS insane. Then I went to Kaiser (doctor’s appointment for an issue) and the nurse a propos of nothing started talking about her new $2000+ bike she had built for her by “this great guy in San Rafael” – when “bikes usually run about $7000 and up for a good one.” I think my clunker is going to have to make it.

So, am I insane? Yeah, likely. But as T Harv Eker once said, How you do one thing, is you how you do Everything. And this is pretty much me – jump in, feet first.

Hi-YAH!

This episode is “Just the Facts, Ma’am”! In the penultimate (second-to-last) podcast in the “Sex and Sensuality” series, we’ll discuss lubrication, ben wa balls, vibrators (yes, really!), some sex tips for those of you who just don’t think that sex is “that important”…and finally, a game to play to excite both you and your James!

To listen to the podcast, click here:

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Here she is – Ms. Sheila Stewart!

You’ve all heard me talking on a couple of podcasts about our upcoming event in October with Empower180.com in their “What Women Want” Series. Sheila and my working subtitle for our part in the series is, Recession proof your relationship: How the economy is affecting you in the bedroom.

As a few of you have asked what the seminar will be about, let me give you a bit more information. Sheila and I will be addressing American’s health, relationship and financial woes with practical, realistic advice.

In today’s volatile economy, it’s not just businesses’ bank accounts that are suffering; entrepreneurs’ intimate lives are detrimentally influenced by the stresses of keeping a small business afloat. It’s all about the she-conomy and how women must balance being everything for everyone with trying to find time and space for their passions.

As you know, I’m passionate about helping women weave sensual femininity into their daily lives. My part of the evening will include a lot of rousing “body chemistry enhancing” moments – don’t be scared! If you come you will have a BLAST.

Balancepreneur Sheila Stewart, a serial entrepreneur & author of Backwards in High Heels: A Woman’s Guide to Succeeding in Business, is an expert in teaching harmony between the five life accounts (Money, Relationships, Spirituality, Health and Network). She says that a work/life balance is more crucial now than ever, given how the unexpected changes on Wall Street have affected the small business on Main Street.

Our clients have seen dramatic changes in their lives, including better health (weight loss), increased happiness (more vibrant sex life & increased energy and drive) and improved financial security (additional money flowing into their businesses).  Statistics show a direct correlation between the stresses of work and the detrimental effect it has on a couple’s relationship and intimacy level.

We hope on October 7th to give you a little taste of Sheila’s Balancepreneur program and my fEmpowerment Finishing School & Training Academy, to provide you with a no-nonsense approach to solving your – and America’s! – relationship and health issues.

Click below to get to the interview – you’ll love it!

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Yeah, ok, so FINE. I “admitted it.”

When we were on the 2nd 1/2 of our trip in Peru (you can see the photos at www.facebook.com/fempowerment), we were travelling with a group. In the group was a guy who works out constantly. He couldn’t BELIEVE that there just wasn’t SOMETHING that I LOVED to do with my body. Now, granted, this was a yoga-related retreat. Unfortunately as H got very very sick, I wound up doing yoga 4 times – out of about the 16 I “should have.” (Hard to get up at 6:00 in the morning when you’ve been kept awake all night by coughing and worrying about your husband.)

So, I tried to ‘splain (Lucy) that when I was a kid, working out or being outside or “playing” was pretty low on my priority list. No one seems to believe this. I remember being at another “women’s retreat” in Mexico, where we were all supposed to “release our inner child” – and to be true to my “inner child,” when all the gals were leaping and throwing water on each other and giggling and playing on swings, I read a book. They thought I was odd, and not “getting into the spirit,” and all sorts of negative things.

But see, this IS what I was like as a kid. Once I reached college, there was a wonderful gal in my dorm. Her name was Susan Lundin. Everyone loved her, and she was a wonderful, genuine gal. She played beach volleyball, a sunny disposition, and I adored her. So I decided to “become” her.

That sounds a bit odd – but I had NO IDEA really how to “be” a person like that. So I did what Susan did. It was a turning point in my life. If you “know me now,” then you really know Sandy-as-Susan. Because Sandy-as-Sandy – the girl who would rather lie in bed and read books than interact, go outside, “play games” – was put to bed my freshman year at UCSD.

But she’s still in there. Here I am, quite SERIOUSLY overweight for me. I’m nearly 180. That’s a huge freak-out, because my “comfortable weight” is 145. That sounds like nothing when you know how tall I am – but I am VERY “slight” of build. My wrist isn’t even 4″ around (that’s how they “tell”). And I have really packed the pounds on, let me tell you – it’s definitely not “water weight.”

So, I’m on the Beach Body plan (and have signed up to be a coach – heck, I need one, why not BE one)? I got out this morning to walk the dog…and YES, I really DO like to walk the dog in the morning. Not one of these ‘fast walks’ like H does when we walk – where I’m out of breath and cross to be outside. No, a dog-sniffing-the-flowers saunter for an hour. OK, so, fine, it’s not a “workout.” But see, that’s the problem here.

When I was a kid, I would do ANYTHING – and I mean ANY-THING – to get out of gym. I wound up getting very good at music, because IF you were very good at music in grade school you could ultimately play (and tour) with the grammar school/high school “band.” (If you can call recorders, handbells, etc. a “band” – hey, what can I say, this was the Dominicans.) I kissed up to teachers who I knew would have other things for me to do when, say, GYM was on. I’m lucky I learned to swim at all, frankly…and when I “had to” go to gym class, I was always picked last – because I didn’t have a lot of friends who would “call me over,” but also because people were so shocked to see me there, they weren’t “used to” me being on ANY team.

My stalking-of-Susan-Lundin changed all that. I actually took up fencing and karate as a freshman, because they were the only sports that someone like me (tall, left handed, coordinated but with NO history of gym) could even feel comfortable trying. Interestingly, I made Varsity my first year in fencing – and we even made it to the NCAA finals. I didn’t really like working out that much – though I did feel better not being out of breath – but heck, if that’s what Susan did, that’s what I was going to do, too.

So here I am, a girl-who-doesn’t-like-to-workout-and-who-used-to-have-a-roaring-metabolism, in a body 35 pounds too heavy. It feels weird. I’m upset that I can’t keep my mouth shut when ANYTHING I happen to like rolls around – a remnant from a voracious metabolism. My metabolism started slowing when I was in my 30s, but “back then” I was doing crazy things like marathons, triathlons (even training folks for triathlons)…HOW did I get my mind around doing that?? I really have no idea.

But here I am. I hate working out – and I know I “gotta.” But being a BeachBody Coach, I have read a number of the other Coaches’ bios, etc. – and they are all so RA RA RA we LOVE working out we are SO FIT come and JOIN us! And I just wanted to have a little, private rant here that NO, I am not like them. But I am a coach anyway. And I’m going to coach me, and if you want me to coach you (it’s free – www.BestLifestyleNow.com) I can do that. Maybe some of you are like me – lived a bit too much of the “good life,” KNOW that you need to get your groove on, but would really rather just read a book or, oh, have some more champagne :-) I would say I would be the coach for you, if so.

I’m gearing myself up to do a workout now – probably around noon. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.

So, I have had a few “pokes” and emails wondering where I have been! First of all, we just returned from a month in Peru – yes, practicing all those Chapter 1 Bond Girl packing skills! The plan is to post the photos on my facebook page which is www.facebook.com/fempowerment – I have sorted them out, now just figuring out how to get them off H’s laptop and onto Facebook. I’ve never been the most technical of grrls!

And why so little blogging? Twitter. I admit it. I have started Tweeting, and it’s so easy, that I have become a slacker here. Mea maxima culpa. I’m fempowerment on Twitter – so if you’re there, say HEY, I’d love to hear from you!

Lots of stuff going on since I last posted (besides the Peru trip). I’ve finally reached the highest total weight I have ever been in my LIFE – by pounds and pounds. How’d it happen? Stress, mainly. I’m a stress eater (and wine drinker). Money stress, trip stress, time stress, managing 3 businesses AND trying to do the work at the same time…you know the drill. I wish I was a stress RUNNER, but even as a kid, I was never much for exercise. We were raised that studying/books/reading/etc. were GOOD, and exercise was just something that you did in between. My folks are both VERY active – so what happens when you have a kid that isn’t attracted to exercise naturally??

I was lucky to have a great metabolism when I was younger (growing to be over 6′ probably helped!) Then when an adult, I found out I was fairly coordinated for a gal who never really had gym as a kid (thanks, private school), so I became part of the UC varsity fencing and karate teams. I luckily kept working out, finding usually karate dojos to join as I moved around the country, and then for a time my friend Leslie and I decided to do triathlons – which we did. I guess that once you get the rock rolling, it keeps rolling.

I was in the greatest shape of my LIFE for our wedding back in 2006. I was HOT HOT HOT! Unfortunately, we went on a 6 week honeymoon that incorporated a lot of driving, riding on barges, and eating, drinking, eating and drinking! Then I moved into a completely sedentary, high-stress job for nearly a year…rescued by my publisher telling me I HAD TO GET THE BOOK FINISHED (and H agreeing to pay me to stay home and do it – how’s THAT for a great husband?)

I just never really got back in the workout “groove.” My life had been completely taken over by working out to get into that tiny tiny wedding dress (I wore my mom’s – I’m 6’2″ she’s 5’7″ – don’t even ask!) I am now 35 lbs heavier than I was back then – and it’s some SERIOUS weight, the nasty kind – the kind that makes you look at clothes in your closet and say “WHAT? Who’s closet IS This?”

I don’t like being fat (no one does, I know). But it’s tough to get the rock “rolling” again. I have recently signed up to be a BeachBody coach (you can check it out at www.BestLifeStyleNow.com if you want) – and hope that this will help me get back in the groove. BeachBody has some great workout stuff – I already had a number of the DVDs – and this gives me a “Community” to report back into.

Interestingly, I came back from Peru and got an intestinal bug…I hope it’s not a “real” bug as in creepy crawly (my dad brought this possibility up – uck). Even with that, I am serious fat-packed at that 30+ extra pounds. I’m trying not to hate myself for being so “weak” – and I want it all to fall off like TOMORROW. Yeah yeah, where’s that magic wand???

Before we left for Peru, one of my best grrls Tweeted me – I was saying something about not fitting into the clothes that I wanted to bring (small wonder, last time we travelled I was at least 12 lbs less booty), and she wrote back basically “Yeah you’re fat but you’re happy, you have a great life and a man who loves you” blah blah. Of course what do I read? the “yeah you’re fat” part. (She didn’t really say that, but I think it was something like “Yeah, well, you have some to lose” or “Yeah, well, sure you’ve put on some pounds” or something.) This is a gal where we used to be mistaken for twins all the time – no issue now. And she just had a baby.

So, I’m here blogging, because I feel bad that I haven’t – and I thought I’d let ya’ll know that when you’re in the depths of whatever-it-is, we all get there. My publisher wants me to do a workbook based on my book – which I want to do, but right now, I can’t concentrate on that. Then again, my thought is to work THROUGH my book just like a newbie reader would – maybe that would help me with the workbook!

I’m off to a Tony Robbins 4-day “thang” end of this month, then the Dallas eWomenNetwork convention for 4, and all that jazz. I am meeting a friend in Dallas who has become my BeachBody coach – and I need to look hot by then! At least – hotter than THIS. So I’m working out…I’m on Day 2, but at least I got up this morning.

Peace, out!

Hi everyone, it’s Bond Girl Feisty again (aka: Julie). This time I’ve got an important question for you: Do you know what will make you happy? I bet you think you do. How many times have you said, “I’ll be happy when I get a new job?” Or, “All I need to be happy is a new car to replace this old clunker.” Or, “It would be so fantastic if I won the lottery.”

Pop quiz: which will make you more unhappy, a baseball through your window or a loose handle on your bathroom door? Did you guess the broken window? Dan Gilbert, who’s been studying happiness for decades, wants us to think again.

According to him, most people have a horrible time predicting what will make them happy and unhappy. You can check out a recent article he wrote in the New York Times to find out more. The bad news is that even knowing about how the brain distorts our thinking, it’s very hard to correct for it. The good news is that at least you can be on guard!

For those who like moving pictures instead of static text, you can also check out DanGilbert’s TED talk, which I quite enjoyed.

Good luck, and happy hunting!

Was out walking the dog today, and a neighbor stopped me – I’m featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, Datebook section, today. Let’s keep the Chron in biz – everyone go get a copy! :-) Go! Go! Shoo! :-)

OK, yes, I am taking this seriously. But I got these and…they really made me laugh.

Where did Swine Flu Come From??? This might ‘splain it…

 And…how’s about a little Winnie The Pooh for ya?

How to Survive – And Thrive! – during the Holiday Season! In this first of the Emergency Holiday Podcasts, we return to Scott Smith, my Motivational Guru from MotivationToMove.com. Scott is one of my Secret Weapons, and I’m sharing him with YOU.

Are you having an issue with Will Power? Are you stressed out? Have you just tiptoed up to the precipice and looked over…into the abyss of Holiday Feasting Madness? Scott’s here to give you a lift – and a plan.

Here are the links that Scott mentions in the interview:

The MotivationToMove.com Holiday Survival Guide

Free Premium MotivationToMove.com Membership

 Enjoy and… Step AWAY from the marshmallow yams!!!

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Who’s considering coming to San Francisco?

I just found this website – and it’s great fun.  It has about 500+ photos on it, info on biking across the Golden Gate Bridge, etc.

Best – it has a FREE 43 page document titled Bike the Bay in 1/2 a Day, Your Way. It’s an itinerary that takes you from Downtown San Francisco to the Ferry Building, along the Embarcadero, past Fisherman’s Wharf, through the Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge, down the hill into Sausalito and ferry back to The City. There’s more – 15 sites in all, and 75 photos. It’s all fun and free. 

Want to see where I live? Check this out :-)

1. Go to the link: http://www.QuirkySanFrancisco.com

2. Fill in your name and email address; then click on the button: Bike the Bay in 1/2 a Day, and you’ll be enrolled (no obligation - I checked).

Even if coming to “Cali” isn’t on your priority list (or budget) soon, the photos might change your mind!!!

Here is a great list from ZenHabits.net – if you don’t subscribe, I would recommend it.  This link compiles some of the best archived articles from the website on getting in shape. They run from Motivation, to Weight Loss, to How to Start (or how to get BACK on the Exercise “Wagon”), etc.

I would strongly suggest clicking on the link above – because that’s what I’m going to be doing for the next little while. I sure need some help in the Motivation/Get Back Started department!

This podcast is a recording of the new Thursday Night Fempowerment Lifestyle Training group’s Second Session. These Grrls have agreed to have their first meetings taped and made public, to instruct those of you who are curious about the process.

The second teleconference in each month is not based upon Curriculum. It is based upon what came up for each Bond Grrl during the previous 2 weeks, as a follow on from the first session of the month and the Weekly Update. If you are following along, you have heard Session One (based on the curriculum), then read the Weekly Update (and the Testimonials), and now we are to Session Two. It deals with setting Goals and Steps for accomplishment – because the Thursday group had some issues with respect to how exactly to do just that.

Each member uses her “Bond Grrl Name,” which I have found helps women really be truthful, honest, and forthright in what she discusses with the group.

My Bond Grrls were asked to post their weekly information and questions here in Comments to share their process, but it’s been a wee bit too private for that! So as you can see, most of the information on the Blog is just from Yours Truly. I am sure that you understand. But you can certainly hear their processes during the Teleconferences.

If you have comments or questions, please call my private line at +1 (206) 350-3537, or e-mail me at doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com. You can also leave a Comment below.

Enjoy… click on the button below to Play. It has about six seconds of silence at the beginning, so just wait a few counts, it will come on.

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This Coffee Chat podcast is with Minna Yoo, CEO and Founder of LoveBottle.Net.  LoveBottle.net sells reusable glass water bottles with single-hand-opening pop tops that you can write on. The idea is based on the studies of Masaru Emoto (which you can find at www.hado.net), that show that whatever you write on a glass can actually effect the water crystals inside of the glass. So Love Bottles change your water with the energy of the words that you write on them. And when you consider that 70% of your body is water, you get to infuse that energy into your own being. (NOTE: I don’t get any “kickbacks” from any of these interviews—these really are my experts, and I want to share them with you… no strings attached!) Here is MY Love Bottle, the “Rocker” Black and Pink Star model (ain’t she sweet?): 

I hope you enjoy this podcast, and please let me know if there are other experts you might like to hear interviewed on our Coffee Chats.

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail sandy [at] beabondgirl [dot] com or leave a comment below.

Click the red button below to listen.

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I have received many emails and queries from Bond-Girls-To-Be regarding what fEmpowerment Lifestyle Training “is like.” This podcast is a recording of the first meeting of a new Thursday Night group. These Grrls have agreed to have their first two meetings taped and made public, to instruct those of you who are curious about the process.

Each of these women completed a Fast Start document that discussed her life, the energy she is putting towards her goals (or towards things that she ranks as actually unimportant)… it covers financial issues, relationship issues… the works. She filled it out as completely or as quickly as she found time for. Nothing is ever mandatory. Each woman also completed two items of Curricula. The first discussed how to turn Adversity to Opportunity; the second deals with changing languaging skills by uncovering ”Psycho-Euphoric and Psycho-Phobic” words used in your business or your daily life.

Each member uses her “Bond Grrl Name,” which I have found helps women really be truthful, honest, and forthright in what she discusses with the group.

For the next two weeks, I will be posting here the information that I would normally have in a private, password-encoded file for the group. I have also asked them to post Comments here instead of sharing their process in a private forum, so that any readers who are interested can see what a typical first two weeks entails.

The first meeting of a group is always a little different than the subsequent ones. Each meeting uses a breathing exercise as an opener, then usually discusses the Curriculum for the week, then moves on to the Mastermind sessions for 1-2 of the participants. As the ‘homework’ behind the first meeting includes not only the Fast Start documentation but also 2 items of Curricula, it is always a bit more general and less focussed than the subsequent meetings.

If you have comments or questions, please call my private line at +1 (206) 350-3537, or e-mail me at doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com. You can also leave a Comment below.

Enjoy… click on the button below to Play. It has a second or two of silence at the beginning, so just wait a few counts, it will come on.

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Today’s entry in San Francisco IdealBite goes like this:

Ever seen da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”?

The Bite

Then you know food can be art. And that’s what the founders of Slow Food International – a nonprofit devoted to bringing back whole foods that are cooked and savored slowly – are all about. If you’re into food prepared the old-fashioned way (and with sustainability in mind), add slow foods to your daily menu for a more vibrant…er, palate.

The Benefits

• Eating becomes art. Getting to know ingredients, producers, and the cultural history behind our foods makes for more soul-satisfying meals.
• An easel way to avoid empty calories. Many additives in processed and fast foods are chemicals that lack nutritional value and sometimes wreak havoc on your health.
• Painting a greener landscape. The slow food movement promotes biodiversity of crops, organic farming, and the preservation of family (not factory) farms.
• An energy-saving Renaissance. Example: The production of a 1-pound box of cereal requires almost seven times as many kilocalories of energy as it provides in nourishment.

OK, you know, it’s the last one that gets me. I keep harping on posts like The Story of Stuff (long, but worth watching), but those are the things that astonish me.

When I posted my comment today on IdealBite, I was reminded of my Podcast 8 about Life-Affirming Rituals, including Saying Grace (start at 25:00 for this portion). As you may remember from that one, a student of mine wound up losing weight, literally just through the act of thanking the “folks” that had gotten the food to her. She used to eat in the car, standing up, junk-food-on-the run. When I suggested she and her husband start saying Grace over everything they ate, they originally balked because they “don’t do that God thing.” I explained that wasn’t what this was about — this was Giving Thanks to the farmers, truckers, plants, animals, etc. that got that food TO them. The actual physical energetic “beingness” that went into what they were putting in their mouth.

Once she started doing that, first, she found it ‘disrespectful’ to eat standing up. And in the car. She and her husband felt weird saying grace over take-out boxes, so they put the food on plates. Which made them stay at the table longer, and the Grace started them talking about something besides Their Hard Days. Ultimately they started cooking.  And she started losing weight.

If you have my book, check out page 127 for a reminder about Mindfulness versus “Guilt-Ridden Scarfing” — and a discussion about “sensory awareness” when eating. It also talks about Living CAMP (check out the “eating a banana” link).  If you don’t have my book, it’s not pretty, but I have a PDF copy of the page for you here as I originally sent it in to my publisher: guilty-pleasures-sidebar-page-127

How’s about starting a quickie Thankfulness Practice, today?  You’re GOING TO EAT IT ANYWAY, my dear, so…why not?

In this podcast I am extremely honored to offer you another full induction from Master Hypnotherapist Susan Bird. The final of three full inductions, this session builds from the clearing and cleansing you did in the first induction, and the growing of your Manifestation Tree from the second induction. In this culmination of the three episode set, you examine, prune, and nurture your Tree and your Lake into the heathiest, best, most energetic manifestation of your Goal to live your Best Life in the Now! 

If you have comments on this episode, please call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail sandy [at] beabondgirl [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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In Episode 4 we discussed Feng Shui as a method for ordering your life and how your life can be diagnosed as being out of balance using Feng Shui techniques. In this Episode Sandy runs through the mechanics for doing a Feng Shui clearing and energy realignment on your home. These two podcasts expand upon the topic of decluttering that she discussed in her first View From The Bay (ABC) episode last month, and the topic of using Feng Shui as an ordering method for your physical surroundings, to be discussed in View From The Bay (ABC) on May 5th. (The San Francisco Bay Area lead-in show to Oprah.)

Click here for a printable Bagua map (from www.wsfs.com).

I know it’s difficult to “imagine” the bagua square just from my talking about it, so this should help.

If you have comments on this episode, please call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail sandy [at] beabondgirl[dot] com or leave a comment below.

Click the red button below to listen:

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In this podcast I am extremely honored to offer you another full induction from Master Hypnotherapist Susan Bird. The second of three full inductions, this session expands on the mythological reference of a Woman as a Lake. It builds from the clearing and cleansing you did in the first induction and utilizes your past as a springboard for your future, ultimately giving birth to your Manifestation Tree. 

If you have comments on this episode, please do call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

Click the red button below to listen.

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In this podcast I am extremely honored to offer you a full induction from Master Hypnotherapist Susan Bird. The first of three full inductions, this session uses the mythological reference of a Woman as a Lake to help you clear and cleanse your life to become fully present and ready to accept your best life going forward.

Hypnotherapist Susan Bird:

If you have comments on this episode, please do call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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This podcast has some tricks to help you save Energy which is really what Earth Day is all about. These include green tips for around the house that are easy to implement. The beginning of the podcast also introduces you to a real fishing family in Sonoma County that are being devastated by the impacts of our current global situation.

The video podcast that I refer to in this podcast is The Story Of Stuff by Annie Leonard. You can go back and find where I blogged about it a few weeks ago, or just click the link here. It’s a bit long, but it definitely explains the whole manufacturing process and Planned Obsolescence — I think this would be great to show kids.

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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This Coffee Chat podcast is with Dr. Monte of Fitness Rocks. I like to call Dr. Monte the Dr. Oz of the Internet. He brings medical information and education to lay people like Dr. Mehmet Oz does on Oprah — but in perhaps even a more amazing way… because he’s doing it for free! Dr. Monte has given up medicine to follow his empassioned path of helping get the word out on the amazing medical research being done every single day in the area of Health & Lifestyle.

 In their practices, doctors have very pretty (or handsome) drug reps appearing at their offices weekly, to sell them the best new pill or potion (and to take them out on expensive golfing trips and luncheons — hey, my dad’s a doctor, this is the truth). Dr. Monte offers the other side to anyone who will listen — perhaps I should call him an “un-drug” rep. As you can imagine, there isn’t someone out there paid by any deep-pocket company to flog exercise, vegetables, and meditation to combat the pharmaceuticals — so I sincerely thank Dr. Monte for taking on this somewhat daunting job with all the passion and energy that this information deserves. You can change your life, and a great first step is listening to Dr. Monte’s podcast!

I hope you enjoy this podcast, and please let me know if there are other experts you might like to hear interviewed on our Coffee Chats.

And since some of you asked… next podcast will be a “regular” one — I promise!

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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We have a show here in San Francisco called View From The Bay.  I love it — it comes on after Oprah, and it’s a great, local, can-do show that gives you all sorts of great little tricks, cooking tips, and the like.  Spencer and Janelle  (I get to call them by their first names because they are in MY living room, right? :-) ) are really super hosts. I love Janelle especially — she will pretty much do anything, and always has a smile on her face.

 I’m a little behind in episodes, but this past weekend, I tried to catch up on VFTB and Oprah. VFTB had an episode on cleaning out your makeup brushes. Their makeup/fashion host, Audrey Mansfield, shows you how to clean your makeup brushes — and to Janelle’s horror, has grabbed a few of Janelle’s makeup brushes, and has Janelle clean them on camera.  Janelle asserts that she cleans them “every week,” but Audrey asserts that everyone should really do this every DAY.

 HELL-OO……I had NO IDEA that I should be cleaning out my makeup brushes.  And I’m a “bacteria fanatic” (I’m constantly throwing my sponges, etc. into the dishwasher, using and washing tons of towels to keep things clean, etc.) — and it NEVER occurred to me to clean my makeup brushes.  As I watched Janelle’s water turn a not-so-pretty shade of brown, I slinked off to the bathroom, sudsed up a bowl, and started cleaning MY brushes.  (As you can see from the clip, they actually have a very easy method that you can use — just put a little shampoo into a bowl and swish them around and spread the brush out with your fingers to get the makeup out). Oh…my…LORD!  Ick ick ick! I turned the water TOTALLY dark brown, started over, brown again…started over…

 Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh!!!!  So I’m sharin’ this with you, Bond Grrls — maybe ya’ll all knew this already and it was just me, but if not, CLEAN your MAKEUP brushes!  They are full of dead skin, bacteria, and just i-i-ick.  I have a new routine now — thanks to View From The Bay.

But… I kinda wish I hadn’t known.  GEE, and I was wondering why I get clogged pores?!

I guess I’ve been an ostrich for the past few months, because I just found out about this CD, and in Googling the gal who did the CD, she’s been on Martha Stewart, Oprah, etc.

 So maybe you already know about this, but if NOT, check out the Skinny Songs CD– click here, it will take you right to it!!

The gal who did this was a business woman turning 50, who realized that 25 or so pounds had “crept onto” her body since she turned 30.  So she set out to write some songs (and have them professionally produced) that would motivate her to lose this weight.  They are FUN!

I just ordered this shirt off her site.  It was WAY too expensive, but it made me laugh so hard I couldn’t help it.  As you can see, it’s a black tank, and across the bootyback, it says “Does This Shirt Make My Butt Look Too Small?”  HADTA have it!

This Saturday, I attended the “Health, Etc.” conference where Dr Mehmet Oz was the featured speaker.

(the photos aren’t up yet)

What a fantastic event. I had imagined that Dr Oz would be “just as great” as he is on TV—but he definitely was. In fact, he stayed late to answer questions from the hall, and was just super. I have been to seminars and seen (and met) folks from TV/etc., and often they are not what they “seem” to be on TV. If anything, he seemed NICER than on Oprah.

One of the things that I also did was wait in the (very VERY LONG, but fast moving) line to have my Glucose, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol tested.

My Glucose was 102 non-fasting—which is normal (Less than 140). YAY!
My total cholesterol was 178—which is normal (less than 200). YAY!
My blood pressure was 139/93—which is WAY BAD and ABNORMAL. Yikes!!!!

As in, they said to see my doctor immediately. Then I talked with the doc who was there, who said that this had to be monitored and had to go down “like now,” b/c it was stroke-level (the bottom number is the “baddie” tho they are both bad).

115/75 is good
120-129 on top and 80-89 on the bottom is “pre-hypertension”
130-159 on top and 90-99 is “Stage 1 Hypertension” — the bottom number being the more important and “worse” one.
Then you are basically just about to die if you are over that.

SO ANYWAY, she said that I had to get back on exercising, b/c also my fat percentage was high. This does not surprise me, since after my wedding (oh, now 1.5 years ago!) my James and I have been the foie gras and wine and lolling King and Queen. But this freaked me out bigtime. No more red meat, blah blah, and NOW.

I heard once that it’s when you get a “wake-up call” that you really get serious. I never really thought that was going to apply to me. I know, what a dummy. But I’m definitely still slim, etc.—I didn’t know I had a time bomb ticking away.

So that’s my post for today—after I get the podcasts done that I’m working on on “Inner Game,” I’m going to be doing a few interviews with some doctors about health (Dr. Monte included—YAY!), and also a hypnotherapy induction for free. Hey—and I will use it!

Soli