Nice to meet you..

I read a few blogs (okay, more than a few) pretty regularly. Some people, I know....some I don't. Some are triathletes, some family, some friends...it's a mix.

The people that I know and that are family, it is a great way to keep up...see pictures of them, their kids, whatever they're up to...

The ones that I don't know, it feels like I know them. So, same thing. Nice to keep up.

It's funny. And nice. You like someone (or not) based on how they write, if they're funny, or honest, or you can relate to them in some way. And worry about them, and hope they do well, and hope their kids are okay, etc., etc...I especially like that I have found this whole community of mom/triathletes. Seriously, that is not that common a combination.

I recently got to meet two of my favorite reads...Angela Kidd and Joe Reger.

And I didn't introduce myself to them on mile 2 of the run in a sprint tri, like I did to Dani. Or Mile 6 of a 10K, like I did to Lauren's husband, Matt. My apologies to both of you. I don't know what is wrong with me...NO ONE wants to talk, let alone make introductions when they feel like puking. My bad, guys. (I see someone that I know, or feel like I know, and like verbal diarrhea, it just spills out of me...."hey, are you so and so....I am Kate...I read your blog, blah, blah." They rightfully look at me like what-the-@#$* are you talking about...this is a race, not a cocktail party, weirdo.)

So, I am glad to get my introductions to Joe and Angela out of the way, in a non racing, normal human being introductions kind of way.

And they were both awesome. Just like I knew they would be.

Angela and I met up today at the park for a short run and some playground time with the kids while she's visiting ATL for Thanksgiving. She's funny, down to earth and sarcastic, just like her blog. I am also happy to report that Angela not only looks like she's flying in the pictures of her running while racing, she also does so in person. While pushing a baby jogger. And chatting.

It was in sharp contrast to the gnome next to her hunched over the double jogger with 3 flat tires on the (obviously not recently used) double jogger panting like a golden retriever. No graceful gazelle here, people. :)

Alice and the seriously cute Zach at the park.


Angela and Zach, who is giving Alice's belly a run for its money.



So, Joe.

Joe of joereger.com fame. Joe was the first blog that I ever read. I really didn't know what a blog was...knew nothing about triathlon (even after doing a half IM. I still don't know much) but, Joe talked about triathlon, his family, his job, everything. I was totally hooked.

Anyway, I've been reading his blog since 2006. And Joe recently won the big social media prize from my recent contest. HUGE prize. :) I've never met him before. He graciously offered to let me and my mom pick his brain about social media. So nice, so helpful and really, really cool. And so smart. Super impressive.

So....nice to meet you guys. :)

Franksgiving

We will be in Boston with Mike's family next week for the real deal. THANKSgiving. So today, we decided to celebrate FRANKSgiving with mine. (My Dad's name? Frank.) Yeah, I made it up. And yeah, I think it's funny. And, yes, I probably have said it way too many times to my family that they're sick of it now. But, you guys are a totally new audience.

Franksgiving is kind of like Thanksgiving....but also, kind of not like it. At all.

On Franksgiving, ART is created. And you must pose "without moving ANYTHING! Okay, you can move your eyes. But only to blink, Aunt Meg."
/>

Wrestling is mandatory.


Champagne toasts kick off the festivities. (I LOVE Franksgiving! Champagne is my most favoritest.)


And sunglasses are required apparel. Unless you have a princess hat on...then, you're exempt.


My "off season" could not end at a better time. I couldn't be happier for some an actual schedule on Training Peaks tomorrow. I think I might actually have something called a "swim" on my schedule. Oh my, this is going to be ugly...

In non Thanksgiving, Franksgiving, triathlon news....Alice is walking! Not much and not often, but she is doing it. Go Alice!

Another week?

Wow. I am not sure I can handle this.

Training Peaks taunts me every morning with the following emails.

"Your lazy ass has no workouts to do today. You chose this. 'Cause you "needed a break". Say goodbye to all the fitness you had. It probably won't come back. Your pants are only still fitting because of all the muscle you have lost in the past few weeks."

Okay, TP is not that harsh. That's just me.

And me? I can be a bit harsh.

Sure, I am exaggerating a bit. I am really not going that crazy in this offseason. (I must admit that triathlon is almost as big a time suck as Facebook, or Bravo reality shows.)

But, I am working on week 3 of no real swimbikerun, no intervals, no swim....at all, no times to hit....and it is all starting to wear on me.

Exhausting, I tell ya.

Another week. I can make it. I think....

I am just not so good at doing easy runs. (Booo-ring.) Or easy bikes on the trainer (Yawn.) And I will not swim unless I am told to.

Someone please tell me to. :)

Hi-Ya Baby

If nothing else, my girls crack me up.

Like laughing until I cry kind of funny. Which, lucky for me, is one of my favorite things to do.

Hi-Ya Baby is the latest comedy routine out of the Parker girls.

I have no idea where she got it from, or how she made it up, but Ella now calls Alice (instead of her other nicknames, The Boss, Chicken, and Allie Mallie Chicken Rally) "Hi-Ya Baby".

As in, Hi-Ya, like before you do a karate chop. As in "her not Alice, mommy. Her name is Hi-Ya Baby".

According to E, "Hi-Ya Babies" are "sneaky like tigers", "naked", and "like to hit people's tummies".

Um, okay.

All I know is Hi-Ya Babies like to do this....on purpose.

Not too funny.

And the winner is.....

...JOE REGER!

I posted last week calling out to everyone for any and all advice on how to help my mom's company take advantage of social media.

Congrats and a huge thank you to Joe for his amazing advice. Like seriously, seriously amazing advice.

Advice that is printed out, ready to followed to a "T". (I was secretly hoping he'd chime in on this one.) See....Joe is a social media expert, super fast Ironman athlete, dad, entrepreneur, ultrarunner, and I am sure about 20 more things I don't even know. Let me know which print you want, and it's yours, Joe. Thanks again!

Also, thanks also to everyone who commented and left some great advice. We're working on getting a functional site on etsy, got our facebook fan page set up (thanks to anyone who became a fan) and are overflowing with promotional ideas.

You guys rock! Thanks again everyone!

Uncle

This week was supposed to be completely off.

Well, actually, it wasn't supposed to be off. I was supposed to race a half marathon today. A half marathon that was pushed from last week to this week. Why? 'Cause I didn't feel like running a half last week.

And guess what? Didn't feel like running it this week either.

And by "didn't feel like" I really mean, "I would rather get a paper cut IN MY EYE than run this damn race". And it was not because I wasn't ready or undertrained or anything like that. I just had zero motivation to run. Hard. For over 13 miles. Not this week. (or last, apparently.) I was utterly lacking any desire to run.

The subject line of my email to Jen on Wednesday detailing my (very clear) feelings about racing this weekend was one word.

Uncle.

I was just done. Done. Done. And done.

Jen understood and gave me my two weeks off. Nothing this week and just easy runs next week.

Exhale.

I mostly followed my training plan of doing nothing this week. A sinus infection that has long overstayed its welcome, a sick Alice (butt strep has now be re-diagnosed to butt strep AND a staph infection. My poor little girl!) and my inherent off season laziness made it easy.

Well, except for that one run...it was just so gorgeous out...and the company was good...and the girls were both in school...and I do start to get a little cuckoo after a few days of not sweating...

Oh, and today. Again, gorgeous, sunny late fall day. Local 5k. South Forsyth County Special Olympics 5k. A good cause. Two of my girlfriends are running it. Kids Run that Ella is dying to do.....heck, yeah....I'll run. But, not hard, Just take it easy, enjoy myself.

Who am I kidding?

Who do I think I am?

Long story short. I did NOT take it easy. But, I didn't throw up or dry heave (so I didn't go that hard.). I did win overall though. (Yay!) When I got out to the front from the start of the race, there was no way I was "taking it easy" or "enjoying myself" out there. I did slow down when I realized that (1) there was no way I was going under 20 on this hilly course and (2) the girl behind me was not going to catch me before the finish. 20:35 total.

E and my mom were at the finish. Which was awesome.

Congrats to Meghan on a PR and Amanda on 1st in her AG!

E's fun run directly followed my "not so fun" run. She was great. So excited to run, ready to beat everyone out there. Super competitive (hmm...where in the world is this coming from?;) She ran, off and on, the whole mile. A pretty impressive feat for a 4 year old. Sprinted to the finish. Atta girl! Proud of you, E.



E and her ribbon. "I win-ed this"

Free Stuff!!!

Okay, I need some help.

And I am picking your collective brains.

If you don't mind.

And in exchange, I have a bribe, ahem, I mean a prize. A give away for the best idea/advice.

So here it is...

My mom is a super great and talented artist. See?

She does folk art, lots of prints to hang on your walls, on your kid's walls, on your parent's walls, on your dog's walls. Rich dogs have art on their dog house walls. Right? (As a dog owner, parent and grandparent she paints, draws what is closest to her heart. Although I now have her working on some tri stuff. She doesn't think that people would hang tri art on their walls. I beg to differ. I totally would. Nice art. I would.)

Well, the problem is that my mom is a great artist, but not so great at the new media thing. (Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc.) I keep telling her how she needs to utilize this resource, create a FB page, get a twitter account....just get her name and work out there in the social media world. IT'S FREE! And totally untapped for her. Well, after me telling her for the seventhousandth time, she just told me basically to eff off and do it myself. (Okay, she didn't really say that, but I am sure she was thinking it.;)

So, this is me. Doing it myself. I want any and all ideas you all have to help me help her become the Oprah of the folk art world. :) Social media, website, FB, twitter, contests....etc. Just ideas like how best to use social media to her advantage, what to do, etc.

Her art sells itself...my job is, now, to get it in front of more people to see it, then buy it, then we can all retire to our gold boat and burn hundred dollar bills for warmth.

The best idea gets a free print of hers. Pick from the ones below! I will send it to you. Winner will be announced on Monday.

Everyone put your thinking caps on! Thanks!! Post 'em to comments or just email me directly.

Choice #1 -- You Are My Sunshine. Her best seller ever.


Choice #2 -- I Love You to the Moon and Back --- E has this in her room.


Choice #3 -- Play with Me.

But, strep?

Sorry.

Make that Butt Strep.

Yes, there is something called "Butt Strep" (or in fancy doctor-talk "rectal strep") and sweet Alice has it.

All over her red, little fanny.

And it looks like it hurts. Like really #$%ing hurts. I can't even imagine.

Strep THROAT makes me want to crawl in a corner and hide under blankets while popping amoxicillin until it goes away. And that's just your throat. How badly must it hurt...down there? Poor kid. Poor fanny.

So, we're quarantined. Until 24 hours on the meds.

It was a butt strep diagnosis, Alice crawling through fresh dog puke (that was this afternoon), kind of day today.

I Lost 10 Miles...

...and gained a really enjoyable afternoon and evening.

And a real 5k PR.

(My last 5k, while super fast, for me, was too short to call a PR. Damn you and your accuracy, Garmin. I would have loved to live in blissful ignorance that I could actually run a 19:15.) New, real PR is 20:09. So close to under 20. Yet, so stinkin' far.

Alternate post title, "I just didn't feel like running a half marathon this weekend for a lot of reasons, none of them really compelling and most of them bordering on the whiny-baby variety, so I ran a fun 5k instead and wasn't completely trashed for the cul-de-sac Halloween party we co-hosted".

While definitely a far more thorough title, it was a run on sentence. I hate run on sentences more than half marathons on Halloween. (Not true.)

Silver Comet half mary was traded in for the Zooma one next weekend.

No biggie.

And I got to run the (way more fun) Big Pumpkin 5k with my brother in law and sister in law and have legs not too tired to tear up the dance (okay, garage) floor with my sis-in-law after the UPS man and her package went to bed. After chasing her around the neighborhood while she burned 4 year old rubber to be the first one at each house. The first kid gets to ring the bell. Better than candy to her.

Could not have handled that with half marathon legs. 5k legs said "BRING IT".

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Post 5k. We had way cooler costumes for the actual race, but they got drenched.


The UPS man and her package.


The UPS man and Ernie (me).


We could not catch E to get her in here with us.