Puppy?

This is Benny.
Benny is 7 weeks old.
Benny's mom was rescued during her pregnancy and shortly thereafter gave birth to 6 healthy pups thanks to Pearl Lien.



This is Benny's sister Dora.
She does in fact, like to explore.



This is Daisy.
She is ferocious like a lion.
I'm sure you are quite scared!

Benny, Dora, Daisy and their other siblings are up for adoption starting this week. They are $500, have had their shots and come with a voucher for spaying or neutering.
If you are in the market for a cute little fur-ball, email me at sara@saragross.com

Read More

what to do if its raining, you are pregnant, and you just have to go for a ride

1. Make sure your front wheel is high enough that you have good clearance between your thighs and your unborn child. This is particularly important if you plan to do high-cadence work.

2. Tilt your saddle down to compensate for the slightly raised front end.

3. It is important to have the best equipment possible in order to maintain the feeling that you are a "real" athlete. For example, top-of-the-line road bike, dedicated trainer tire, carbon-soled bike shoes, to mention a few. Its like wearing nice underwear... it makes little difference but makes you feel good.

4. Wear a HR monitor to "control" your effort. If you are like me, this will maintain the illusion that you are somehow fit enough to go anaerobic for a length of time and are thus protecting your baby from oxygen depletion. Ha.



5. Always have good tunes and remember to laugh at yourself in situations such as these.

6. And never, under any circumstances, allow your husband to bring out the camera and make dumb jokes at your expense while you are enjoying your "session".

Read More

alien in my belly: part III

I just couldn't resist posting another 3D image of my little alien... why post ugly shots of me looking bloated, when we can have pictures from the inside?

So... picking up where i left off...since sometime around the end of May, my sickness has dissipated, my energy levels have improved and my relationship with food has almost gone back to normal.

I am still occasionally overcome by "hunger attacks" that come on strong and that genuinely feel like if i dont eat immediately, something terrible is going to happen. While i was in Calgary in July, i was driving home with Carrie after a little bike ride, when i casually said, "Sooo, what kind of food do you have at home?" Carrie had just moved house, so the answer could realistically have been, "nothing". She named a few items, none of which sounded appealing, all the while, the hunger was mounting... Trying to sound calm, I said, "Would it be ok if we stopped somewhere?" She agreed, but had obviously picked up on the mild panic in my tone saying, "We are 20mins away, do you want to stop sooner rather than later?" She followed that with, "There's a Subway, do you want me to turn in?" Without pause, i agreed and next thing you know i was happily gobbling down a foot-long steak and cheese.

Though amusing, these incidents are few and far between. Things have become almost normal. I can eat salad again. I "only" need 3 meals and a couple of snacks per day. Like a normal person.

In terms of exercise, i have been doing 1-1.5h per day, sometimes in one session, but often split into two. I have been ticking over nicely like this for many months, though i am quite slow at all three sports.

I have found that there are some advantages to being slow. For example, while running, i can actually take in quite a lot more of the world around me. During our open water swim sessions on Friday mornings, I have learned what its like to swim with a "less fast" group than i used to. This has helped me understand what things are like for some of my athletes, who will often find themselves in swim packs full of people with very few open water skills. Its a whole different ball game back there!!

Further, at the swimming pool, Canadian legend Rick Say (Multiple Olympian and Canadian record holder in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle)offered some stroke advice on a number of occasions. It has been many years since i have made any significant improvement to my stroke, and Rick noticed a couple key areas that needed tweaking. Having seen the new stroke on video, I am very happy with the changes and seem to have lost the mid-stroke "dead spot" that i have wondered about for years. So the advantage to being the slowest swimmer in the pool is that a nice guy like Rick took pity on me and helped out!

In early August, I took a trip to Ontario to visit family. Normally while i am there, I am either training or "maintaining" my fitness on some kind of schedule. But this time I was free to do what i wanted when i wanted and this pretty much amounted to mountain biking every morning for an hour or so and running for 20-40mins in the afternoon in the National Park right beside my dad's house. Love it. Now i know those trails inside out and loved the opportunity to be able to explore them daily.

Also, each time i leave the house to exercise, i do so without expectation. This really is quite different to my usual performance-oriented thinking, and has been quite refreshing on many levels. A welcome break.

On the flip side, attending races has been very difficult. Racing has always been what i enjoy most and my reason for training hard day in and day out. Its really difficult not to be able to do the things i love. Further, as a professional athlete, i haven't been able to go to work for 6 months now! That can become depressing after awhile. Imagine being a doctor or a teacher and not being able to go to work because you are pregnant? Especially with a healthy pregnancy!

With just 10 weeks to go, I am planning my triathlon comeback practically daily, nagging Clint to help me choose races while he helps me learn about patience.

And so *sigh* i pass the time with short swim, bike and run "sessions" while waiting for my little alien-girl to be ready for this world. I hope she doesn't wait too long... and for the most part, I am trying to enjoy the process.

And a little later... just wanted to add this photo... the look on my face pretty much sums up my current feelings about the fact that human gestation takes almost 10 months!!!

Read More

The Trailer for Clint's Movie!!

When I was in 2nd year university (the first time around!), one of the girls i was living with (Daria) had been cast as an extra in the 1995 film "To Die For" starring Nicole Kidman and Joaquin Phoenix. The film had been shot at her highschool just outside Toronto the year before. My best friend's brother was also in the film and I seem to recall he had a bigger role, maybe even a line... he was a good looking kid with amazing long sandy blond hair, just like his sister, Christy.

So, when the movie was released, we all trundled down to the cinema with great excitement, anticipating what our friends might look like on the big screen. I remember the scene that Daria was in; Nicole Kidman was exiting a car in slow motion, and there in the background, stood Daria. Of course, no regular movie-goer would have noticed her, it was Nicole who was the obvious subject of the shot, but we were transfixed, as if somehow this made our friend famous! What is it about the smallest shot of ourselves or someone we know on film that gives us such excitement, or makes us lose our heads?? Even in a case like this where literally, no one else would have noticed Daria's three seconds of fame!!

Later, when Christy's brother appeared, tossing his beautiful hair back, she could no longer contain herself. She jumped from her seat right there in the cinema and pointed to the screen shouting, "That's my brother!" Hilarious. I still chuckle to myself over that.

And so, the first time i watched the trailer to Clint's movie (which is his directorial debut) I found myself childishly thinking in much the same terms as my 19-year-old self back in those days. With giddy excitement, i thought: "I was right there when they shot that scene!" and "I know the director!!" And most embarrassingly, as the final line of the trailer was delivered, I exuberantly exclaimed to myself "Go Daniel Go!"

And so, with the same sentiment as my 18-year-old friend standing and shouting in a public cinema, i present to you, the trailer for Clint's movie;


Behind Your Eyes - Trailer
Uploaded by dreadcentral. - Full seasons and entire episodes online.

Read More

Video Tribute to Kerry

I have been meaning to post this for awhile. This is the video tribute that two of our Mercury Rising team members put together to remember Kerry. We played it at our Charity event on August 1st. Thanks to everyone who came to that event and made it special.

Here is the video for those who could not be with us that evening.

Read More

Alien Update and Charity Event Info

It's been an "eventful" couple of weeks to say the least, with the tragic death of one our Mercury Rising athletes, PHAT camp in Penticton and the various ups and downs of pregnancy. I still have a Part III for the Alien in my Belly series, but that will have to wait for another day. For now, a quick update.



Clint and I went to 3D baby for a "gender" assessment yesterday. (The social scientist in me cringes at the use of "gender" instead of the more appropriate term, "sex") So, start again. We went for a sex test...Oh, Now i see why they dont use that phrase...



Here are a few things i know so far about my alien;



1. It's a girl!! We both wanted a girl, so yay!

2. She is smart... ok, thats maybe a stretch, but at 23 weeks she has found her thumb already to suck on, a sure sign of a genius, right?

At first glance, she looks like she has a grandma chin, but thats her little hand in her little mouth!

3. She is very active. She seems to move around a lot. Not only do i feel it, but at every ultrasound and every time the doc takes the heartbeat we see or hear kicking and flailing of arms! During the first ultrasound she woke up and immediately put her feet and hands over her head!



My energy has been really good and at the camp i managed a little bit of "training" in the wonderful Penticton heat AND still had energy for the rest of the day! I lead a drills session on the track one afternoon. Imagine preggo doing ABC's!! I guess there was one drill where i looked particularly ridiculous and i wondered why the campers werent doing the drill properly. Then we got Rachel to demo the same drill and everyone went "oh!! thats what its supposed to look like!" Lesson learned. Thanks Rach.



Here are a few belly shots from the camp:

On Tuesday, the gang did a long run (and they really champed it up, in my opinion). I, on the hand, ran 45mins forgetting to bring a post-run hoodie (it was overcast that day), so I ended up wearing baby Ryan's blanket for 2h15. Thanks for the loaner Ryry!



For some reason I love this photo of Carrie and I striding across the parking lot during our bike skills practice. Last year she was pregnant and I could wear little jean shorts!



And finally, here i am with some of the girls on the track. i was pleased to be able to do a "double run" that day, 30mins in the morning and drills and strides in the afternoon!



Tomorrow I am off to Calgary for the 70.3, to support my athletes and team members and also because we have our charity event on Sunday. If you are in Calgary this weekend, please consider coming to the event. Our speaker Laura has fetal alcohol syndrome and i hear she has put together a very inspiring talk about how sport and triathlon have changed her life. All money raised goes to the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Network in Calgary. We will also be doing a short memorial for Kerry Enick, so if you knew Kerry, please consider coming. Two of my athletes have put together dozens of photos of Kerry with some very nice music. I am very grateful for their contribution! Kerry's wife Sharon will also be attending.



Here are the details of the event:

The Inspiration Series: Event #1

From Humble Beginnings: How Ironman triathlon helped me overcome the challenges of living with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

With speaker Laura Dodds

A charity event in support of individuals and families living with

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Also including a tribute to the life of Kerry Enick

Sunday August 1^st 2010, 6pm-late

Location: Jr's Billiard

LOUNGE • BAR • BILLIARD

3181 32nd Street NE

Calgary, AB

T1Y 6Z7

Includes: 3-course dinner

Silent Auction

AND,

After-party for Calgary Ironman 70.3!!

Tickets only $50

All money raised will go to Calgary Fetal Alcohol Network “Empowerment Fund”

www.calgaryfasd.com

Join us for an inspirational evening of food, fun and learning!!

Email me at sara@saragross.ca for tickets!

Thanks for reading!!

S.

Read More

Kerry Left Early

For a number of days now I have been mulling over words in my head... what to say about Kerry, his life and the tragic way he left us. I have gone through disbelief and denial, deep sadness and anger as I struggle to understand what happened to my friend and athlete.

For 3 years Kerry attended every training camp I organized in Penticton, Tucson, Calgary and Victoria. It didnt matter where or when, Kerry would make it a priority and Kerry would be there. We spoke on the phone every week or two about his training mostly, but sometimes about how he was feeling, his worries about his job stability and how to deal with the negative voices that we all hear sometimes when we set our sights on big goals like Ironman.

In 2009, Kerry had a breakthrough year in which he PBed in almost every race. He improved his half ironman time and finished Ironman Canada in 16h17.

Here is Kerry on the run course in Penticton 2009. Neither of us ever doubted that he would finish that race, though it was very hard for him. He had 3 punctures and I know it was a mental battle to run (and not walk) the marathon.

Kerry was an inspiration to many in the triathon commmunity. During his journey, he lost over 150 lbs. He always worked extraodinarily hard in training, to the point that i had to slow him down sometimes to make sure he did his base training properly! Kerry laughed easily and heartily, and had that special quality of being able to laugh at himself. He also loved his wife Sharon deeply. I remember one time at a camp, I caught Kerry pouting a little bit by himself and asked him what was wrong; "I miss Sharon," he said. It was charming.

Kerry also had his struggles and we struggled in our relationship. Sometimes coaching him was like wrestling with a bear. At times, he would become so convinced that he was getting slower, not improving, doing it wrong etc... I would have to talk him back to a place where he saw himself as the rest of us did, successful, improving, not to mention constantly losing weight! Sometimes i could talk him back into a positive mindset and sometimes i could not.

Over the last year, Kerry and i had more and more of these moments. I felt like i was constantly having to tell him that his glass was half full, that a positive mindset is the only way to achieve your goals and to make the seemingly impossible, possible. Increasingly, however, Kerry did not believe me.



I recall one particular email conversation we had that keeps replaying in my mind now that he is gone. At our camp in Victoria, Kerry left abruptly from our final dinner and did not say goodbye. We were all perplexed by his actions and i emailed to ask him where he had gone. He told me that one of his friends had died in a cycling accident and he had just received the news;

"I felt so down about it Sara. I didn't know what else to do."

"But Kerry, sometimes its important to put your feelings to one side for a moment, just to be polite. And sometimes sharing your feelings can help you feel better."

"I think i see what you are saying Sara, but in this case, I don't feel i had that choice. I was too upset, i had to go."

And so this conversation and so many more like it replay in my head since i found out he decided to leave us for good.

"But Kerry, you dont have to go this way. There are other options, we all care for you, we can help you.."

But one thing i know is that when Kerry gets a plan in his head he follows it through, just like he did when he lost 150lbs and just like he did when he trained and completed the Ironman. And so, in the end, whatever his final reason may be, Kerry decided to leave early. I will never know what went through his mind in those final days, and i will probably always wonder. I know that if we could talk one final time, the converstation would be the same. He would tell me that this was his only choice, and I would try desperately to convince him otherwise. As usual, I may or may not have succeeded in convincing him that things were better than they appeared.

Kerry left early and I will remember him always as the hard-working triathlete who got things done, laughed easily and charmed us with his ability to love freely.

I will miss you Kerry.


We will be holding a memorial for Kerry in Calgary in tangent with our triathlon team's charity event August 1st 2010 at 6pm. Details below:

From Humble Beginnings: How Ironman triathlon helped speaker Laura Dodds overcome the challenges of living with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

A charity event in support of individuals and families living with
...Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Includes: 3-course dinner, Silent Auction & After-party for Calgary Ironman 70.3!!

WILL ALSO INCLUDE A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF KERRY ENICK.

Tickets only $50

All money raised will go to Calgary Fetal Alcohol Network “Empowerment Fund”

www.calgaryfasd.com

For tickets, volunteer opportunities, or to donate items, please email: saragross@yahoo.com or michellemilot@hotmail.com, or contact via FB.

Read More

There are no words

Kerry Update

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/07/15/calgary-missing-kerry-enick-inglewood-truck.html#socialcomments

Read More

Police Seeking Assistance in Search for Kerry

Kerry running at Shawnigan Lake Sprint, May 2010.

UPDATE

Kerry's big red truck was found this morning in Calgary at the Bird Sanctuary. The police are now calling for assistance in this matter, see link here:

http://newsroom.calgary.ca/pr/calgary/seeking-public-assistance-163831.aspx

I have also been asked for a "plain clothes" photo of Kerry, since all i have are swim/bike/run shots. If you have a plain clothes shot of him, please send it to me at sara@saragross.ca. I would really appreciate that.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the search so far by passing the information far and wide. Please continue to do this and contact the police directly if you see or hear anything.

Thanks!!!
Sara

Kerry concentrating hard at the November swim camp.

Read More

triathlete missing- please read!

Triathlete and Mercury Rising team member Kerry Enick has been missing since Wednesday. Kerry is 50 years old, 5.9", 180lbs and lives in Calgary, Alberta. His wife Sharon and family in Saskatchewan and Ontario are both extremely worried and exploring all available avenues to help discover his whereabouts.

I have been coaching Kerry for almost 3 years and recently he has not been himself. If you see him he may seem sleepy or confused. If you are reading this and have seen Kerry since Wednesday, please call me immediately on 250.896.1026.

Thank you for reading.
Sara

Kerry (2nd from left) at our recent camp in Victoria.

Read More

alien in my belly: part II

Yay! Finally found time to write a new blog!

Two people have actually told me that they are waiting for part II of the pregnancy story... so i must keep my myriad of fans happy! :)

I just opened my training log from my first trimester to make sure that i remember accurately how i felt and how bad it was! I remember that i felt nauseous ALL the time, but never puked. I remember reading that many women get some respite from feeling ill, but i didnt. I also know that it gets a lot worse for some women, i have a friend who was hospitalized because she couldnt eat or drink. I also know that many women "get away with it", like my sister who actually started an exercise program when she found out she was pregnant, and said quote, "i was a little tired in the 1st trimester". A LITTLE TIRED!! Some days i could barely get up to walk the dog or write a program for an athlete.

So, here are some numbers from April and May. My weekly training volumes were as follows:
2h55, 3h, 55mins (lol), 4h40, 5h10, 2h30, 4h10, 3h20, 5h.

Some quotes from my training diary:
"2 long naps, feel worse than after Ironman"
next day; "worst run ever"
2 days later: "well, at least i swam"

And a week or so later: "worst run ever, had to walk home", followed but 6 days completely off.

Besides the nausea and fatigue, my blood pressure was up and down. One Sunday morning, Clint, Zoey and I went on a 10k run that took us almost an hour!! Half way through my blood pressure plummeted and i didnt know if i would make it back to the car. I remember swimming for an hour one morning and then requiring a 4h recovery nap while my mother-in-law was busy cleaning our house, vacuuming and all, i slept though it!

And, i just have to make a comment about so-called cravings... Cravings? I wish! A craving is almost a nice feeling, you desire a certain food and when you have it, its so satisfying! What i had was anti-cravings. The complete opposite to cravings. In the first trimester i was STARVING but could not imagine eating. I would stand in the kitchen and look through the fridge and every cupboard until i could find something i could actually imagine getting down my gob. Often, i failed and would end up in the supermarket, going isle to isle, trying to find something, anything to squelch my raging hunger. Frequently, the answer would be citrus fruit, oranges, grapefruit, or even lemon. If that failed it was oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. On a number of occasions during this time i bought food that went bad before i could handle eating it. We ate out a lot, since dealing with a menu was often the best option, sometimes i ordered a burger and and fries and could only eat the burger, or only the fries, depending on the day. I could only handle vegetables sometimes, so when i could handle them, that was my opportunity to get some good nutrition to my little alien!

During this time, it was not difficult to not be training since i felt so sick, i was just surviving day to day. Its much more difficult now that i am feeling better, not really with regards to training as i can now do enough exercise to keep me happy, but to not be RACING! With each race that i go to watch and cheer, it gets harder and harder... but thats another story, part III i guess!!

Here are some recent photos:

Clint and I at dinner after IM Couer D'Alene.

Here I am watching the bike during IM Couer D'Alene. I wish i had some better photos of the alien bump, but in every photo, i seem to just look chubby!!

That's all for now!

Happy training!
S.

Read More

a pregnant woman, a dog and a family of mice

Warning: This story does not end well for the mice.

Despite its tragic ending, this story has some comic potential, so i will do my best to do it justice.

I was out running with Zoey McCrazy this afternoon, as we do most afternoons these days. We were on our way home when Zoey decided she was going to go elsewhere. I can't even really explain what happened, I wasnt paying attention and she just ran away, leash and all. She took off so fast, i barely saw where she went. A woman pointed and said "that way." So i searched and called, and let her know i had treats.

After 10mins or so of this, i gave up and started walking home, i was quite upset at this point and there were tears. I kept looking back to see if she was coming, and then, there she was. The minute i made eye contact, she turned and ran in the opposite direction. I knew she wanted me to follow her, so I ran after her. Every once and awhile, she would look back to make sure i was following. A bit like Lassie saving Sally from the well but much more morbid.

I followed until i lost sight of her in the bushes, and just then out comes the somewhat-crazy old European woman who we always see on our runs. She calls Zoey "Blue Eyes." She looks at me and says, "She's in there, where the rabbits are, thats where she is." And walks away.

I look over and see there is indeed some movement in a nearby bush. A wave of relief comes over me as i see a familiar blond tail sticky up. She seems to be very interested in one spot in particular. Then i hear it, the squeals. Sure enough, my crazy dog has her nose in a nest of what i later learn, are mice. She removes one, i hear one tiny squeal and then watch as she swallows it whole.

If you happened to be walking by the nearby path at this moment (and there were people walking by), this is what you would see; a pregnant woman wearing running gear, standing in the bushes shouting "What's this?" (That's my code for "I have a treat", as if any dog is ever going to choose a milkbone over the prey she has recently seized). The dog, at this point, is not visible and the only other noise is the tiny squealing voices of tortured rodents.

After effectively watching her eat 3 babies while trying various manoeuvres to get her to either come or to grab her collar, i sneak up on her from behind, grab the trailing leash and pull her ass out of there. GEEEEZ.

On the way home, she is so tired i can barely get her to run, and she keeps stopping and belching, each time I imagine that a mouse carcass is going to drop out, but none does. I am only grateful that it was mice she found and not bunnies, which probably would have scarred me for life.

As for Zoey McCrazy, she's lucky she's cute, otherwise i might not be so understanding about her misadventures.

Read More

Alien in my Belly: Part I

So, they tell me I am pregnant. The signs are adding up... i was "sick" for 2 months, i am tired all the time, my boobs are ridiculously big (for me!) and growing and i havent had a period in months! And despite all this it is still kinda hard to get my head around the fact there is a mini-person in there... weird.

Since people generally choose, as we did, not to tell anyone until 12 or 13 weeks (we actually waited until 14 weeks) because of the risk of miscarriage, often pregnant women start blogging in their second trimester, when everything is hunky dorey. I would like to tell the story from the beginning, maybe over a few posts. So here is part 1 of what it was like for me, professional Ironman athlete, to have an alien conceived and implanted in my belly:

In retrospect, we must have conceived just before we left for a training camp in Australia in early March. We arrived in Noosa on a Sunday and on Tuesday noon hit the track in 34-degree heat. We were to do 20x 400m w 60s rest. I was concerned about the heat and had to overcome a bit of a mental battle just to get myself going. I felt that having been there less than 48h was too soon to be training that hard in the midday heat. But, I gave myself a pep talk and got going. The first 400 was ok, a lot of effort for a slow time, but we were on a grass track, so whatever. After that, each 400 got slower by 1 second... what the? was it the heat? On the 6th rep (so barely cracking the surface of the planned workout) my body just completely shut down. I could barely run. I shuffled through a 15min cool down. Weird, we both thought.

Two days later, i was doing some overgear hill reps on "the hill", 9 of them actually. During the 7th rep I had REALLY BRUTAL menstrual cramps, but kept riding and finished the session feeling pretty tired. In retrospect, it was probably the little bugger implanting itself into my uterus. I figure this means we are going to have a stubborn little one on our hands, with a good dose of determination.

Throughout the rest of the week, similiar things occurred (remember, I was less than 1 week preggers at this point). I got dropped on bike rides... everytime. I was swimming ok, but only had one pace. The next week, we did our hard run on a soft surface trail and a similar thing happened. Then i said to Clint, "I think i'm pregnant". I left the run early, went home and took a test, negative. It was still too early to test, but by then i "knew". I even told Rachel and Julie who were on the camp with us, i think i am pregnant. I was supposed to do a splash n' dash with the rest of the camp crew that weekend, but opted out. The next morning I tested, twice, and this time, both were positive. Clint said "Are you sure its mine?" Funny boy. (I did notice his eyes were wet though... shhh... don't tell anyone.)

For the first 2 weeks, besides being unable to go anaerobic, i felt really good. I was even hungrier than usual, which is hard to imagine, but its true.

After those first 2 honeymoon weeks though, things got really bad, really fast... i'll save that fun story for another post. So in sum, I did 27h of aerobic training in my 1st week, 23h the 2nd week (when i suspected but wasnt sure) and 14h the 3rd week (when i knew and decided to do a little less).

In real time I am actually 16 weeks today! Only 24 to go! I dont really have any good belly shots yet or anything, but i am looking "thick" through the middle and of course, there's the give-it-away boobs that I can no longer hide or even contain for that matter!

Here are some shots that i found, they are all from our recent camp by photographer Kaz Matsumoto (www.kazmatsumoto.com):

Here I am with fellow Mercury Rising coach and BFF Carrie and her daughter Ryan. The wetsuit i am wearing was WAY too big when i got it, and now, fits perfectly! I did the math and I am 16 lbs heavier than my race weight (gasp!), but only 7 lbs heavier than my normal "off season" weight. AND i put on an extra 3 lbs this winter since we were "trying," so am only 4 lbs heavier than that weight. You can just see the beginnings of a baby bump...


Here, Clint and I are giving a talk on race equipment. Notice how i can now hold up a board between my breasts!

And here we are again with 3 of our athletes who raced at Shawnigan Lake Half. These are the biggest pair of jeans i have in my wardrobe and they now only fit me really low so when i bend over, everyone gets to see some nice bum cleavage (apologies to those who got an unwanted eyeful!). I have since upgraded to some borrowed maternity pants and shorts which are the best invention ever, by the way. Those elastic waistbands are genuis!!

I guess that's enough about me and my girlie bits for one post!

I am planning on doing some relays this summer as the swimmer, so watch out!!

More soon,
S.

Read More

Mercury Rising website is live!

It's here!

The new website for Mercury Rising Triathlon went live just moments ago!

See the new site at www.mercuryrisingtriathlon.com

Thanks to Carlos and everyone who made this happen!

Visit often.

Read More

triple training days with z-dawg

Since we got Zoey we've been walking her in the morning and then either running or walking again in the afternoon (depending on my training schedule). But i noticed that she gets a little restless and bored mid-afternoon, most likely because she is still young, so we've added a lunchtime session to help keep her relaxed and happy. Here she is showing off her new skill:



What you can't see is that i was able to do some sunbathing while she was finishing her workout.

Maybe tomorrow we'll do some intervals.

Read More

dog days

And i'm not talking about the jet lag... although its been pretty bad, certainly my worst return from Oz. I feel awful!!

Anyway.

Clint and I have been shopping for a dog. We knew we wanted a rescue dog that was a decent size, but those were our only requirements. We looked at a pitbull called Casha with 3 legs (i am a sucker for pitbulls) but she didnt get along with cats. There was the bear-dog (part Mastiff) Jasper who was full of energy, but perhaps a bit too large for us. There was also Deuce, the 12-year-old ex-sled dog who was gorgeous but clearly would rather run free than on a leash.

And then came Zoey. Cross-eyed and just out of surgery, Zoey is an adorable husky-retriever who lay depressed in her pen with one of those ridiculous cones on her head. When we took the cone off and took her out for a walk, she perked right up and we knew she was the dog for us!
She looks cross-eyed, but really its just a little discolouration in her eyes (her eye isnt red, that was the camera, i just wanted a shot of her goofy look!). What a sweetheart!



The story continues.

As we arrived home with Zoey, Clint's mom pulled up with 2 foster dogs! Their mother is sick so they needed to be away from her to avoid illness themselves. So in one day we went from zero dogs to three.

Anyone want to adopt a puppy? They can be adopted together or separately. They are Bijon/Poodles and are sooo tiny and cute. Jackson and Prince. They are $400 each which covers all their medical costs. They were rescued from an overcrowded reservation.




This is what Prince looks like when he wants to be on your lap while you are trying to write a blog.
Let me know if you are looking for a puppy!

Happy days.
S.

Read More

noosa blogging

here i am in noosa, australia!
2 weeks gone, 1 to go.
its been great so far, with highlights including, the laughter i have shared with rachel and julie and some of the solid sessions i have managed to put together.
my fave was 9 hill reps on noosa hill in the big ring, descending 1-3.
rachel, julie and clinton have all blogged about our adventures, so here are some fun links:

Julie's Blog

Rachel's Blog

Clint's Blog

Read More

a random day in february

Clinton and I got married this morning.

We tried our best to remain composed while exchanging vows.

His parents, Pearl and Thorbjorn were our only guests.

After the ceremony we had a very nice lunch.

Then i went swimming.

It was a very very good day.

Perhaps the best i have ever had.

Read More

This is my Gramma. She is 100.

My paternal grandmother turned 100 on Valentines Day.
She is amazing.
She lives by herself in an apartment.
She shops, cooks and cleans.
She makes friends easily.
And has a great sense of humor.

I love my Gramma.
(since childhood, i have called her Gramma instead of Grandma)
Her name is Rose.

Happy Birthday Gramma.

Read More

a what horse?!?!

Today is our last day in LA, and I have to say, I am ready to go home. Just thought i would post a few photos of my fave director (i am quite proud) and of his invention (i am quite perplexed), which has made many simultaneously laugh, cringe and scratch their heads.

Director, Sir.

planning the next scene.

this tree is actually in the movie... lets hope they don't edit it out.

and presenting... the sodomy horse! enough said.

That's a wrap.
S.

Read More

feeling healthy in LA

The fun continues here in LA. While Clinton is preparing for the next block of filming, I personally feel like i am on holiday. For example, yesterday i went out for breakfast, went for a long run along Venice Beach, loaded up for the rest of the day at the local salad bar, did 30mins of swim cords and core and watched not 1, not 3, but 4 movies! In LA, you watch movies... (when in Rome and all that).

Venice Beach, the scene of today's training

the boardwalk where i ran

the market along the beach, also on my little run route

In general, the last couple weeks have been very, ummm... healing for me. Using the word healing means there must be something i am healing from. What that is i couldn't tell you exactly. Sometime last year between a difficult break up, a move to a new city and a batch of disappointing and unsuccessful races, i needed some recovery time. These last few weeks, I have refocused on my own health, AND am starting to feel really quite good.

I want to tell you what i did. And i also want to tell you what i didnt do.

I didnt decide to change anything. I didnt make any resolutions. There was no beginning and no decision made that "I am going to feel better".

Here's what happened:

1. After a 3-week break from training, I really wanted to be out there doing some real excercise again. Training, by definition, is the process of breaking down and building up. A lot of the time, its hard. Lately, I've been training for health and fitness, a completely different reason. Dont get me wrong, I've been doing 15-20 hours of training/week, some of it hard. But, given my sports background, I can do a solid 20h week and still recover from each session, and feel great waking up every morning.

2. The second thing i've done to improve my health is to stop drinking coffee. (crazy. I know). I was inspired by my friend Anna's detox blog (see Vitality for Life on the right, its a good read, she's a childhood friend and a naturopathic doctor). By drinking green tea instead of coffee i no longer have the slumps in my energy levels that i used to experienced daily.

3. Lastly, I have been eating fairly "cleanly", having almost no sugar, reduced wheat and have been eating my fill of quality grains, like brown rice and quinoa. Also, veggies and fruit (I always ate lots of these), beans, pulses and some chicken and fish. My diet was always fairly healthy by normal standards, but i know from past experience (I ate gluten-free for all of 2008) that i feel better without refined wheat and sugar, my bloodsugar levels are even and my body says "Yay!"

I have found (surprise surprise) that by watching what i put in my body, I get more out of every day, every moment. Its been amazing to be able to depend on my energy levels and really enjoy the little things. I have always felt that enjoying the little things, the ordinary things of everyday life is really the best we can ask for.

I want to reiterate that I never thought "I am going to start a new diet" or "i am going to make some changes", just slowly but surely, I kinda thought, "i'll try this", or "i feel better eating that" etc... basically, there was no "resolution" involved. My process has been entirely organic. So with no rules, I also have no worries. If i am at a friend's house for dinner, i will eat what is on offer and be thankful, dessert and all. Saturday night I went to the pub and had a burger and salad and a beer, for no other reason than thats what i wanted. There is a lot of freedom in not deciding.

On that note, I am not trying to give anyone advice. Just acknowleging that the most permanent changes come from the inside out. Another childhood friend, Alyson, wrote an honest and insightful blog recently about New Years Resolutions, some of the themes are simillar to my musings here. Link here. Enjoy.

S.

Read More

Sweating on Sunset

So I find myself in LA, Hollywood actually, where Clinton is directing a little horror film (its called Behind Your Eyes for all the inquiring minds out there) . After filming for 10 days in the snowy San Bernardino mountains, they are moving production to the city for the final 3 days. So here we are. We started the morning with a nice little breakfast at the Sunset Grill, made famous by Don Henley:

Let's go down to the Sunset Grill
We can watch the working girls go by
Watch the "basket people" walk around and mumble
And stare out at the auburn sky
There's an old man there from the Old World
To him, it's all the same
Calls all his customers by name
Down at the Sunset Grill

We both had the sunset omelet (with chicken, avocado and swiss cheese, yum!) and then i decided to go to the gym.

Clint waiting for his breakie.

Now I have to say, I was a little intimidated by the idea of going to a gym on Sunset Boulevard. I had an image of all these perfect people lined up on treadmills and ellipticals, and of me rocking up, looking dishevelled and makeup-less, wearing real workout clothes rather than anything that could be considered fashionable.

I am relieved to say that i was wrong. The gym was no more filled with beautiful people than any other gym i have been to. Though, for noon on a Saturday, the place was packed. The treadmills were all lined up with their individual TV screens (you had to bring your own headphones), as were the ellipticals. I decided on a nice tempo workout of 10x 500m @ 5k pace. I made the mistake of thinking i could do this with 20s rest... ouch. It was a lot harder than i bargained for and it was extremely hot in there. As per usual, I was sweating and gasping for air more than anyone else around me, which in the end, was the only thing i felt self conscious about. I finished off with 15mins easy on the elliptical and 10mins of core. Phew.

Afterward, I sat in the sun at Starbucks (some things are the same no matter where you are, like a Starbucks chai latte with soy milk, par example) while my loverboy made a shot list (see i am learning the movie-making lingo!) with his cinematographer. After that we took a drive around to see all the places Clint used to hang out, including a cool house in the hills off Mulholland Drive with an amazing view!

Finally we pulled up to his friend's place where we will be staying for the next week or so. I took some photos on my phone to share:

the view

the house

the pool and view

the view at a different angle

Now its time to do swim cords and a maybe hop in the pool for a little water run. The pool is freezing, but water running works up a sweat so here goes!

More adventures to come.
Sara

Read More