MONICA
37 years old
freelance photographer
running coach
Sunny Southern Cali, US of A

NO AUTOGRAPHS, PLEASE.
JUST TAKE THE BUTTON...





CHI RUNNING
by Danny Dreyer

GOING LONG
by Joe Friel
& Gordon Byrn

THE PALEO DIET FOR ATHLETES
by Loren Cordain and Joe Friel

KILLING YOURSELF TO LIVE:
85% OF TRUE STORY

by Chuck Klosterman

WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING
by Haruki Murakami

HAVEN'T HAD CABLE SINCE THE MOVE SIX MONTHS AGO. NOW I HAVE THAT DIGITAL BOX THAT I GOT FREE WITH THE GOVERNMENT VOUCHER. I'M HOOKED ON THE FREE USN CHANNEL (NBC) THAT PLAYS OLD KONA SPECIALS FROM YEARS PAST!!!

THEN OF COURSE FOR THE HOURS I SPEND ON THE TRAINER...


MY O.G. IPOD SHUFFLE



2009
2/1/09 Surf City Run HALF MARATHON
2/8/09 Chinatown Firecracker Run 5k and 10k
2/14/09 Tour de Palm Springs 55 MILE RIDE
3/14/09 Pasadena Triathlon REVERSE POOL SPRINT
4/4/09 Oceanside 70.3 HALF IRONMAN
5/3/09 Cinco de Mayo Run for the Cure HALF MARATHON
8/1/09 Vineman Full FULL IRONMAN
11/1/09 New York Marathon MARATHON
2008
2/3/08 Surf City Run HALF MARATHON
2/9/08 Tour de Palm Springs CENTURY RIDE
2/10/08 Chinatown Firecracker Run 5k and 10k
3/08/08 Pasadena Triathlon REVERSE POOL SPRINT
4/19/08 Rage in the Sage HALF IRONMAN
5/25/08 IM Brasil FULL IRONMAN
140.6 BABY!!!
7/20/08 Strawberry Fields Triathlon OLYMPIC
2007
2/4/07 Pacific Shoreline HALF MARATHON
3/31/07 Oceanside 70.3 HALF IRONMAN
6/3/07 Danskin All Ladies Tri SPRINT
6/24/07 Breath of Life Tri OLYMPIC
7/12/07 Playa Del Run #2 AQUATHLON
7/22/07 Vineman 70.3 HALF IRONMAN
8/9/07 Playa Del Run #3 AQUATHLON
8/19/07 Hansen Dam Tri SPRINT
10/7/07 People Powered Ride METRIC CENTURY FUN RIDE
11/4/07 New York Marathon MARATHON

ALLEZ
BOLDER
DC RAINMAKER
DECAF PLEASE
DYING WATER BUFFALO
FE-Lady
GREYHOUND
IM ABLE
IRON DEAN
IRON JASON
IRON MOM JENNY
IRON POL
IRON WIL
KONA SHELLEY
Lance NotStrong
LITTLE MISS RUNNERS PANTS
LOCKED AND LOADED...
NEOPRENE WEDGIE
NEWBIE TRIATHLETE 2007
OBRATS
SPANDEX KING
SPOKANE AL
Steve in a Speedo?! Gross!!
TEA
TriFAThlete
TRI GEEK KAHUNA
triSARAtops


www.flickr.com
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Friday, March 14, 2008

LEARNING TO SAY NO

this morning i had to make a difficult call. this came after two nights in a row on the trainer 'til midnight. two nights ago it was 2 hours, and last night i had to knock out 3 hours and 20 minutes. my neighbors must look at me through my window and think i'm insane. no wait, they can't see me through the window, CUZ THEY'RE ALL ASLEEP!!! is this really what it's come to?? even with daylight savings and all, there i was on the trainer at midnight, and all the while the anxiety was building...

how the hell am i gonna get it all done??
why did i over extend myself like this??
why am i so eager to jump to attention and please everyone??
didn't they hear me??
why won't they listen??
I'M TRAINING FOR A FRIGGIN' IRONMAN!!!

and that's when i had the epiphany. right there on the trainer at about 2 hours in, as the wheel was spinning, the FIRE CROTCH in full effect and the Tivo in overdrive as i caught up on weeks of past due episodes, i finally broke down and had to admit to myself....

I CAN'T BE IN 3 PLACES AT ONCE.

now this Ironman training has certainly taken my endurance to another level. i'm, stronger, i'm even a little faster, and sometimes it feels like i can be in 2 places at once, but 3 is pushing it, people.

so i made the call, and i had to say NO.

it was the hardest call i've had to make in a long while. i said NO to a really amazing opportunity that hopefully hasn't passed me up for good, but if i can't fully commit and do it the right way, i don't wanna do it the half-ass way, and that's what i was looking at. i said NO, and i may have disappointed some people, even myself a little, but mostly for not being realistic about my time in the first place and setting some boundaries. you just have no idea how this Ironman will consume your life. sure they try to warn you in the books, at the lectures. "training for an Ironman is like having a second job." but you still just have no idea until you're in it...

i said NO. and it's ok.

5 Comments:

Blogger CVSURF said...

I totally understand. No is not easy to say but at times it has to be said. Did it myself last night and actually felt comfortable about it later.

March 15, 2008 at 7:51 AM

 
Blogger CoachLiz said...

WOW,

I know how hard that was for you to do, because I had to do the same thing last fall. Stay strong! You did the right thing. More opportunities will come your way and they will be just as good or better.

You Rock!!!

March 15, 2008 at 7:21 PM

 
Blogger Tea said...

Look at-choo! You are more determined and driven than ever. I'd say your priorities are in the right place.

good for you :)

March 16, 2008 at 3:51 PM

 
Blogger Rainmaker said...

I hear ya... unfortauntely, one just can't be in 12 places at once. At least not without being dismantled...which isn't a good solution. I'm sure the opportunities will swing by again - they usually do.

Good luck!

March 16, 2008 at 6:13 PM

 
Blogger Bolder said...

it takes about 450 hours to learn a second language.

it takes about 450 hours to make up 11 working weeks...

.
.
.

it takes about 450 hours to learn what we've learned -- this is why they call it the ironmman... it's not about what happens on race day.

again, my favorite quotation:

the fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road; long before I dance under those lights.

-- Muhammad Ali

March 17, 2008 at 8:37 PM

 

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