Random People Keep Enabling My Decaf Addiction

I had a minor caffeine addiction when I was hit, but I kicked it in the hospital. I figured I didn't need it and what the hell? BUT coffee is so awesome and warm in the morning...so I started drinking decaf thinking I would be safe. WRONG! Come to find out, decaf has a small amount of caffeine in it so if I go for a period of 36 hours or so without drinking it I get a ferocious headache. Sheesh!

New Year's Day I was having a grumpy morning. I was headed to Anytime Fitness to do my long "run" on the conveyor belt, and I didn't want to go because it takes me so damn long to walk that far and even though it's the only place I have access to cable TV, treadmills are so Boring (but better for my gait because I can hold on to both sides). So I decided to get my usual at Starbucks - tall decaf skinny vanilla latte (basically, everything but coffee). I'm a little fond of one particular location on Johnston in front of the Barnes and Noble because they're quite friendly. But there was a big truck blocking my way, and I had to go around again to the red light, and then a car pulled in in front of me making me later to the date I had with the monotonous thing to walk on, UGH. I decided to give up on the day and go back home. THEN, that lady in front of me gave me a wave and when she drove off come to find out she paid for me! Yay! Happy day, I did the whole 3 hours! :)
Last week if you noticed, they wrote on my coffee cup since they saw me in the paper. I told them the story about the lady, and how I wanted to hang a newspaper clipping of me on their window, thanking her for encouraging me that day to train. TODAY, the same thing happened again! Another pay-it-forward from another (I guess another) awesome random stranger. This is seriously not helping with my decaf addiction. BUT THANK YOU RANDOM PEOPLE!!!!

So many awesome things happening the rest of the week! I'm gearing up for the Zydeco Half Marathon now. My goal of course is to go faster, but I don't know if that's possible since it's still slow to build my knee. I hope to do it without nearly collapsing at the end like for the NOLA R'n'R. I don't have to start early because it's a 2 loop course for the full marathoners. KATC has done what I'm sure is an amazing story on my journey to do Zydeco (Elizabeth Hill is a wonderful reporter) but I haven't watched it because no matter how much filming and how awesome photojournalist Justin Terro is, I cannot imagine that I look all that great working out so hard! Here it is in case YOU want to watch it: Local triathlete recovering from serious injuries continues to reach goals, set new ones Let me know if my trainer Damian smiles in it. He smiles a lot talking, but maybe not so much on camera!

The KATC video I'm hesitant to watch. There have been better pictures of me...

Elsewise, ever better this week. Making my triathlon club work hard - I want to make sure they're in a good place if I ever have to leave or anything! - getting stronger and my balance is rockin, better than the average person on my left leg. Meeting with some of my college peeps, and a friend I hadn't seen in over 20 years this weekend. Thinking about relays. Kid's doing awesome, boyfriend's doing awesome, ya'll have a great weekend!

Link to Rob and Leslie Mornings (an awesome radio show I was briefly on)

2014 Rock'n'Roll New Orleans 1/2 Marathon Race Report

It has been quite the week! Firstly, I must mention my awesome triathlon club that I'm now head of with Marcus Dudoit, the Tri-Cajuns Triathlon Club since we had our first meeting of the year on the Thursday before the race, and the first since administration changed hands. I have to give another shout out to John Hebert, who just stepped down as club administrator, he is an incredible person that continues to do great things for our community.Our guest speaker was 6x Ironman Champ and pro triathlete Chris "Big Sexy" McDonald and he gave a wonderful presentation, very down to earth, and answered so many questions. Overweight couch potato to world champion! Marcus actually races for him and I was very impressed with the guy. And I was also impressed with my club! So many great people willing to help and fabulous energy. It's going to be a great year for triathletes here!

Eating a banana talking to the press - no good pics really of the Tri-Cajuns kit. Hey I was hungry!

Photo credit to Peter G. Forest - nice man, hope I wasn't too hard on him!

Okay, okay moving on! First, Liam ran the ING Kids Rock "Last Mile of the Marathon" on Saturday, with Nic's accompaniment. Love that we got to cross the same finish line!

Saturday night we met at New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Company, sharing stories and catching up with old friends and colleagues. Look at this group. Amazing! It includes so much awesomeness! Someone from the top 5 fastest women (Laura Zaunbrecher) and the bottom 5 (me ;) in the 1/2 are represented here. Let me stress that Laura Loo was in the TOP 5 WOMEN, over 10000 runners, and this is with a strained Achilles! Nic planned on racing then threw his back out and thought he couldn't do it. At the last minute he went ahead and did it anyway, in under 2 hours! Charles made the best support group - he's the fastest of everyone here but is content just to help everyone else. I'm just now noticing he's giving Loo bunny ears in this pic. Hilary and her friend Jennifer, both vets in South Carolina, flew down just for this race. Stephanie is another colleague of mine, lost over 10 pounds and trained for an entire year Just for this race - this was her first ever! How man people do you know make a 1/2 their first  race? It was also James and Jane's first half. Alanna, vet tech extraordinaire, lost over 100# and has races scheduled at least every month through the summer. Charlotte ran more miles than she ever had before. Val flew down here not knowing anyone, melded right in, and did it! Her awesome husband with her. Dan made this his 15th 1/2 marathon. So YEAH, I'm awesome, but damn look at what I'm surrounded by!

SO: it was a dark and stormy night. Er, morning. 5AM was dark and so foggy it was rainy. The great amazing Pilates master Alyce bought trekking sticks (made for hiking) specifically so she could loan them to me so that I wouldn't have to lean just to one side with my cane the whole time. Malain was there to give me a proper start. Dan "Tidy Bowl" Man of the Voodoo Hash House Harriers was there with me luckily, because I couldn't see anything and the course wasn't entirely closed off yet, and there were cars - I was planning on following the map on the app but Malain and Tidy discussed where to go, he kept me on track, fended the cars off for me... saved me at least 30 minutes from not having to dodge cars or keep getting the phone out to check my course (New Orleans can be so confusing!) which means I would have had to stop, put down my trekking sticks, dodge a car, wait for wifi signal...anyway you get the idea. The first 3 miles are the hardest for me, my muscles don't work together and it takes them a while to get in groove. It was on St. Charles when it finally started getting light, and it was the perfect place to be to watch the runners start from the other side! The racing wheelchairs - so fast! - the elites, everyone everyone. Sooo many people calling out or thumbs up, but I really have to stay focused to keep my groove so Dan's job was now not only protecting me and everyone else from me, but answering back for me. I started making better time then, but slowed down about mile 10 or so. I was worried this would happen because my longest training had only been 9 miles due to the crazy ice from the cold front we recently had (My NOLA RnR 2014 Training Log). Mile 10ish on I was zombified - so tired and hard to walk! But it was part of what I bargained for. The red dress crew hashers were there manning a water (and beer) station. Cesar Torres of Q50 Ultras was incredibly encouraging. Gatorade around this time saved my life - it is Amazing what your body does when it goes hypoglycemic! I knew I could get up to a 20 min/mi pace, but  as slow as a 33 or slower min/mi depending on weather - I'm a reptile; the colder the slower I am! So I estimated a 30 min/mi pace. Luckily it was warmer that day! I guess because of how early we started and all I'll never know Exactly how long it took me, but it looks like it was about a 27 min/mi pace. In all truth, I may never get to be faster than that. The injury is leaving residual co-contraction of my right knee, and I simply can't force it to bend it faster than I do now. I'm determined of course to find a way...just telling you what I'm up against. I loved watching my friends pass, and some stayed to talk and went on again. At the very end most caught up or came back for me and we went in together. Awesomeness.

Credit to James Brown

At the finish line there were of course cameras and reporters but every time I stopped I almost fell down. Liam ran out and met me. I was supposed to meet my people at the "M" but I had to go straight to the VIP tent to just sit. Then literally swamped with reporters, it just didn't work out that I could get over there. Dang. Never enough time. BUT it was fun! Good to know I can still be sarcastic and joke with strangers even that tired! ;) R'n'R was so so great, drove me to my ride even, had nothing but good to say. SO great. This is my race ya'll, now and forevermore.

The best part of all this press is that This is the story that Nic and I wanted you to get. We could be ourselves, have our own accomplishments, act silly and say what we want. Be who we are. It got reported that I'm a vet and I want to work again, and that we're normal, and I'm scared sometimes that I won't get everything back still...everything I wanted and that's really really me. (It's funny, I can walk but I still can't drive that far - it's sitting still that kills me!) But this was an accomplishment, not just a silly picture like last year's where we didn't really DO anything.
But maybe you already knew that from last year's picture. Maybe that foreshadowed something that I wasn't sure I could pull off, but you got it. It is entirely possible I was too hard on myself...
So okay, okay, it's cool if you use me as inspiration. I get it. I understand now. If me doing this is that extra UMPH that gets you to realize the things you want to do are worth it then Awesome! Go do things because it feeels good; whether you know it or not just reaching to the sky feels good and I wish I could do it. Feeling your body work naturally feels good. Go do it. Run a lot, or tri, or climb a huge mountain, or whatever floats your boat. Just promise me that you'll sometime down the line remember that YOU did it, yourself. Realize how awesome YOU are. WE are.

Even the Starbucks baristas are awesome. I'm surrounded by awesomeness.

As an aside, I only drink decaf, I have too much energy already, ha!

Credits - and I am sure I forgot some - Malain McCormick and the Competitor Group for letting me start 2 hours early and making this happen. Nic for being so awesome, along with his family. National triathlete Charles Garabedian, sponsored by Gatorade, provided the entry to last year's race and paved the way for this year to happen as well as helping this year work so smoothly. If you don't know anything else about them know that Gatorade sponsors incredible people that get great pleasure in going out of their way to help people succeed. Mari and Connie and Wulf and Simonne and all my therapists and docs and nurses - I was so incredibly fortunate to have so many good people. BikeLafayette for giving me focus. Alyce Wise Morgan and everyone at Camelia House. Damian and everyone at Anytime Fitness. Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Mizzou and all vets - I love my profession and my colleagues and they are always going to be a major part of my life. ALL of my friends, I would NOT have wanted to do this if it weren't for your support. ALL of the people racing with me - countless runners and their shouts of encouragement, thumbs up, amazing stories of their own, their own will and determination. Incredible. Everyone in and around and the city of New Orleans itself - you are always a big part of who I am. South Louisiana is incredible, it is This community that got me this far.

Up next? Corner Bar Youngsville with the hash kennel I co-started. I'm the guest of honor for Q50 Ultras USA 2014, for ultra marathoner trail races. In other words, crazy people ;) Love it. Also Lafayette's first marathon and half, Zydeco Marathon. Stoked. I want to do tris again, just maybe not quite fast enough on the run yet. We'll see. Have a fabulous week!

Press so far:
Pre-Race
Rock'n'Roll Competitor
Times Picayune
Post-Race
Huffington Post
Times Picayune
The Advocate

My awesome family

Yeah I'm A Badass. Now, What To Wear?

This blog hiatus has been fabulous for me. I've had some time to get my mind peaced out and back in the game. Since I last wrote, I've been horseback riding, camping, hung out a few times at a boxing gym, gained mad muscle, and have done a hell of a lot of training for the awesome New Orleans Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon coming up February 2nd. Well-trained? Maybe not so much, it's hard to find time to walk the long distances because it takes me so dang long and frankly I get bored. But heck I'm working hard and cross training a lot, walking as much as time allows, plus I'm a STUD. So it's going to ROCK. I plan a 30 min/mi pace so we'll see.

Totally stoked - the Competitor Group has been really great about letting me start early and they're incredibly supportive. They really have been crazy amazing, no lie. People flying in and helping each other out. Plus the Rebirth Brass Band is playing - loved those guys since college! - and Marc Broussard. I'm so in love with this race!

The thing is, THIS is mine. Last year was awesome, and it's fantastic that we have inspired so many people, but this is the beginning of my comeback. This race. Last year I could barely walk. I didn't know that I'd ever get better. This year I'm doing it. And though I can't run yet it's just the beginning. I'm coming back.

"Comeback" is such a misnomer. You never get what you had back, the past is the past. All any of us have is what we're creating. All I can say is I'm fortunate. Now that I've accepted how long it's going to  take those little tiny improvements mean something to me. I don't just blow them off anymore.
I wouldn't be attempting this if it wasn't for you. It's boring and frustrating because I'm slow. But your inspiration is what drives me, and all the training I've been doing for this has made a difference that I can see and feel. If I didn't have this race as motivation I really may never had put the necessary time into my full recovery. It's that little bit that kept me going even though I didn't want to.
The collective "YOU" has a lot to do with a certain Dr. Julia Bates, vet school colleague, that set up this crazy thing that has people coming together to do this with me. Cross the Finish Line With Monique. Love you, I can never thank you enough. I need ribbons, or something, for my team! Colors? Paint? I'm pure scientist, should never be in charge of this artsy stuff ha! ;)

Because you need a picture of me on a horse.
This is my Pilates instructor.
Close your eyes, focus on the movement...

PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT NIC! It would be a lie to say this year has been easy on us and we're the perfect couple; it hasn't and we're not. He's a nice guy, it's true, but also smart and fun and talented. He did last year's race with no training. He's running it this year - cheer him on!

SO I got my hair cut, and packing muscle back on...now what to wear? I suck at girly things. Help me out!

This is my weaker arm. I couldn't even tie my shoes. Definition could have been out the window for me. But I've got it.

Tediocity

I enjoy the plasticity of words ;)

Recently my therapist said that he thinks my progress is beginning to slow down. He said it's to be expected, and it doesn't mean it's going to stop. and not to worry. My first thoughts were shock and anger and disbelieving - I mean, what is he basing this off anyway? Then I started thinking about this blog and how there's not too much to add every week, and I got sad. BUT my Pilates instructor made it all make sense to me. She said progress in anything is like building a house, at first it seems to go faster because you're putting up the major structures such as walls, windows, doors. But when you start having to do the cabinets, or the crown molding, or all the little details, that's still progress, it just takes longer to complete. It's the final details, the finishing touches, that take the most time. That makes TONS of sense to me and everything is alright in my world again. And I guess not everyone needs crown molding, but it''s my house and I'm going to make it as awesome as possible no matter how long it takes.

SO
Swim: The program I swim with is off for 2 weeks, so back at it the week after next.

Bike: 2 miles and a fall. The first road rash since getting hit, ha! My right ankle tires quickly, and it's hard to hold it in place after a while. It hit the chain and I went over. That pedal's pretty worn, too, so I'm going to try new pedals before I blame my ankle just yet. Yeah, yeah, I got back on.

Run: Well, walk. 5 miles on the treadmill, both a distance and speed PIPR of 28:34 min/mi. Got a month before my goal of 18 min/mi, hmmmm. Treadmills I know are easier than the road, but since I can hold on to the front or either side, it offers better form. I hate the elliptical. It's tedious, and doesn't do much for me for strength or proper movement. But it's good for cardio, and works faster than the bike. Sigh. One of those things I don't want to do and is boring, but guess I'll keep it in my regimen for now. Rowing - I'm going to try this for cardio too.

Hands: The most tedious of all. So many little tiny muscles and takes so much to make a little change. Easy to give up on. Just started strength training with a vengeance so we'll see what happens. I got paddles for swimming so that should help my extensors. Also pushing putty out with each finger, sliding a card across a table with each finger, and wearing hair or rubber bands on my wrist and constantly stretching it out with my fingers - all extensor work. My grip needs work too, especially for weight lifting. And my wrists. So, tedious! But doable.

New road rash, old road  rash, and finger exercising with putty.

First Post-Injury Off-The-Trainer No-Hands Bicycle Ride

I've been down. I didn't even blog on Friday because I've been down. Sometimes reality sets in and it's just too much. I lost so much! My profession and my brand new obsession with racing, and even just being an attractive girl. I went from being larger than life to BROKEN. There's no guarantee I'll get it all back. Of course I'll keep trying, and with the gym and Pilates I'm getting noticeably stronger every day, but anyway sometimes things are overwhelming. I know, I know, I can still accomplish great things and yadayadayada, and I know so many people are worse off than me - I get "survivor guilt" fairly often - but none of that means I don't get sad.

BUT yesterday, my friend Jen Steele hooked me up with a bike small and light enough that I could try to ride it. AND I have an awesome boyfriend (you already knew that). So today (just now) I did it. I needed help getting on and off, and Nic jogged by me holding on. I was nervous because I often can't get my right ankle to stay in place and I didn't know if I could pedal fast enough, and then of course balancing... I was shaking and crying and sick to my stomach. But I finally asked him to let go - I mean what the fuck sometimes you gotta live. And I lived. And there's a lot more to go but it's one more milestone.

Documented by Snakebyte ;)

The Better Late Than Never Post

Well, I almost forgot to post today! Ashley, owner of Smoothie Factory, had told me how when she found out I was hit and heard I didn't have family in the area, she called all the hospitals looking for me even though we had never met. She just hated the thought of me being alone. And when she finally found out where I was they wouldn't let her in to see me because she wasn't family, and she nearly had a meltdown until an unknown lady approached her out of the blue and said God wanted her to know everything was going to be okay. Her life changed for the better after that, and she told me I should always know that something positive came out of that awful experience. I was pretty out of it, I know she and a few other triathletes had come to visit but everything's kind of fuzzy. This incident also prompted John Hebert, head of my triathlon club the Tri-Cajuns, to push for the "Share The Road" signs that were finally placed. And while I will never say this is good what had happened to me, John Hebert has decided to resign, giving me the opportunity to take over leadership of the club that has done so much for me, and keep them going in their already positive direction. I wouldn't have had the time to dedicate to it otherwise. Luckily for me, John isn't going anywhere and is a huge help, and Marcus Dudoit, a fabulous athlete in his own right, is co-administrating and helping me tremendously. Check out the website: Tri-Cajuns Triathlon Club

So that's the big news of the week that's taking all my time! I didn't accomplish much aside from that, unless you count muscle soreness and bonking! I'm doing heavy weightlifting right now, 2-3x/week, 6-8 reps max. I need to get my nutrition more in-line and eat more carbs. I'm slowly upping distance and endurance and hopefully speed, so it's one of those forces gathering weeks for me.

That's all I got, have a fantastic week!

Calvary Baptist Turkey Trot - I can totally say I raced this because I won a prize!

This has been a fantastic awesome amazing two weeks. We did the "Rawson Family Tradition" of participating in the annual Turkey Trot, and it was definitely memorable! It's my second time racing it. I had PR'd the first time, and it became my PIPR (Post-Injury Personal Record) 5K.. The day started off in the 20's, being the coldest Thanksgiving Day on record in the area. I planned to get there early and do the thing myself but Aunt Kelly and Uncle Mike decided to join me and I'm entirely grateful for their company! We started 45 minutes early, and I really was slower than I had hoped because of the cold weather. I was hoping for a 1:30, wanted to beat my old PIPR from this year of 2:05, and came in at 1:45. I was awarded a cooked turkey for coming in last, woohoo! ;) Nic's sister Laura Zaunbrecher had a "slow" day and came in 2nd OA, and Nic was 5th OA whilst still recovering from an illness. Then we ate a lot of food and passed out. It was great!

Great company the whole way!

I *might* have cried here, overcome by emotion of all the people cheering etc, and had to bury my head in Mike's shoulder to hide.

Our awards!

This week I started training with Damian Living with Anytime Fitness Upper Lafayette. It was a great surprise to me to find someone as knowledgeable as he is about strength training, including muscle groups and concentric vs eccentric training, and basically how to train muscles to remember what they're supposed to do. I've been incredibly impressed with Anytime Fitness and their support; as a company with web support from work outs to nutrition and a knowledgeable personal trainer, to the specific experiences I had with the people at this particular location. Also BIG thanks to Aileen Bennett for the hook up! She's here: Creating Clever. I already see this becoming a vital part of my recovery. Totally excited to see how much this is going to change things!

It's been a week of PIPRs, starting with the Turkey Trot. I'm up to 3000 yards swimming (Swim Log) with a 4s/100y PIPR on Tuesday, breaking it by another 7s on Thursday. Wednesday I had a 27:59 min/mi walking PIPR (the cleaner and improved Training Log). It's been great to be able to get back on a bike trainer again! Pilates has been awesome too, Alyce (my instructor) has really been a major influence on me mentally and physically. She told me about "Groove Church" which is a freestyle dance session once a week, and I attended it. It's so much a different scene for me, but I really like her thought process that I have to work out in all planes, not just linear such as running and biking, and especially swimming. Also, to do something not structured since the rest of my workouts are very structured. I have officially started training for the 1/2 Marathon (I was unofficially training for this 5K up until now) and honestly I'm not sure I can do it in the time limit. Wulf had said this would be the case, but I only have 2 months to go and would need to increase my speed by about 1/3. Meh, I'll figure it out. AND the Competitor Group said they'll work with me, so no worries!

To end with two Nelson Mandela quotes:
"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."
"Does anybody really think they didn't get what they had because they didn't have the talent or the strength or the endurance or the commitment?"