Steve's Saga

OK, where the heck have I been lately...

Life has been a roller coaster for the past few weeks.

Two Saturday's ago Steve hurt himself running. Initially we thought it was a bad calf strain or IT band problems. A Monday visit to the chiropractor and a few strength tests later, he was getting an MRI on Tuesday.

Wednesday we got the results. The results were not good. A herniated L4/L5 vertibrea pressing on the S1 nerve. He was in a lot of pain and basically was relegated to lying flat on the living room floor. Thursday was a visit to the spine doctor who confirmed the diagnosis and suggested a course of action to start with an epidural steroid injection. 5 days later, on Tuesday he got the injection.

Things really started looking up. He was far from fine but we were able to get out for a little bit and walk around Home Depot and Lowe's.

Sunday, all hell broke loose. He woke up with a lot more tightness and took a hot shower to loosen it up. I got in the shower shortly after and about 5 minutes later I heard him calling me to come now. He was completely laid out on the floor in more pain than he had even been in. I was thinking that I would have to call 911 as I did not think I could get him up into the car to go to the ER. I was able to get him into the car for the 7 mile trip to Baylor Grapevine.

Baylor ER shot him up with some heavy-duty narcotics and a strong NSAID and sent him home. Pain level went down but mostly he was able to rest.

This Monday we were back at the Spine Dr. Steve's pain level was so bad that by now he could not sit, stand or really walk. Just going from the living room floor to the bathroom was a horribly painful experience. At the Dr's office, he had to go into the PT area to lie down until we were called. Once the Dr. saw him and did some strength tests on his leg, his first response was "How do you feel about surgery?" No messing around with more shots or PT. He was concerned about his weakness, and if it was not addressed it could become a very big lifelong issue.

He went to confer with his partner (who is the chief of surgery at Spine Team texas), Dr. David Rothbart. After doing the same tests as Dr. Kibuule, he agreed and said he could do the surgery, a minimally invasive microdiscectomy, the next day (Tuesday).

Not a lot of time to process, but we knew we had to do something and felt comfortable with Dr. Rothbart. (he is a triathlete so that gave him some immediate credibility)!

Off to the hospital for pre-surgery tests and then just make him as comfortable as possible for the next 24 hours. Tuesday comes and we get to the hospital at noon. The normal activity of 1,000 questions, IV's and lots of people coming in to talk to us. They took him back at about 2:00 (only 30 minutes late).

About an hour later the Dr. comes out to talk to me. Said everything went great. There was a lot of material impinging on the nerve, but he got it all cleaned out and the prognosis is very good. About an hour later, I got to go back to see him and there he was, SITTING UP in the bed drinking some juice. This was the first time in over 2 weeks I have seen him sitting. But the best news was when he told me that he had no pain. Zero. None. From a 8-9 on a scale of 1-10 to a 0.

2 days later, he is still pain free. A little soreness around the incision site, and some tightness which we were told to expect, but pain-free! We are walking 4 times a day. Nothing big, around the block but he is up and moving and doing fine.

There does not need to be anything under the tree this year as I feel like I have gotten the best Christmas gift ever.

So, after all of that, where does that leave us? Obviously IMTX is out for him. I have to admit that I did waver a lot during this time. How could I go out and race when he can't. We were in this together. We talked a lot about it, and I know that I want to keep going with this. As for Steve, it is going to be a slow process back, but he will get there. PT starts on the 15th.

As for now, we are taking it day by day. So I am going to be back. Still planning on running White Rock Half Sunday. May be a big mistake as I am so competely undertrained but, I have no expectations but to go out, enjoy the day and finish when I finish. I figure by Sunday Steve will want to get rid of me for a few hours as we have been together 24/7 (with a few breaks for supermarket runs) for the past 19 days.So, onward and upward!

Little steps which for both of us will turn into big steps!

The monster living in my head - Marcy

Believe it or not, I am not the most confident person in the world. There are certain things I know I am good at:

• I make an awesome Tortilla Soup
• I am am a good friend
• I am good at my job
• I am a good wife, daughter, sister and doggie mom

Likewise, there are things I know I am not good at:

• I can perform only the simplest math
• I cannot sew
• I have no musical ability whatsoever (despite my secret desire to be in a Broadway musical one day)

It's those things in the middle that cause me angst. Things that I can do but am neither good or bad at. While my non-athletic friends probably don't see it this way, I know that I will never excel in any of the three disciplines of triathlon.

I am a decent swimmer, biker and runner, but for me, none of it is natural. I so envy those athletes who make it look so easy. For me, it is work, but fortunately, it is work I enjoy doing, at least most of the time.

But, is it enough? 27 weeks to go. That's a lifetime. Why am I doubting myself? Can I do this? Will my body hold up? Today I am beating myself up because I fell short of my plan for the week.

OMG - Shut up Marcy!

So you fell a little short this week. Big Freakin Deal! Suck it Up Buttercup!

I swam, biked or ran 8 hours this week. That is nothing to hang my head about.

I can and will do this, but be prepared, there will be meltdowns to come!

Well, I guess we'll start this thing in November!

Good morning everyone. This is Brandt. Remember me? I know, I know....it's been a while. I can proudly report that if the goal for this part of the journey was to spend October in a lazy slumber, and gain a few pounds in the process, I am PERFECTLY on schedule!

That's ok...it just gives me a carrot to chase in November. There's still plenty of time to get ready for this thing, but the clock is not moving backwards, so I need to start moving forward. This coming month, the main goal is to be consistent and have fun. Life doesn't get any less crazy in my world as the holidays approach, but I just need to adjust accordingly.

I have also decided that I really need a computrainer so that I can set up a training station in my garage for those early mornings when it is too dark/cold/miserable to get outside. In fact, I recently learned that the IMTX course video is in production and should be available soon for the computrainer....hmmmm. I don't really have a grand to spend on equipment right now, but maybe I can find a used one for a bargain. We'll see.

Happy Halloween everyone....I'm going to do my best to spend as little time as possible raiding my kids' candy bags tomorrow night, so that Monday morning will be a successful start to the remainder of this journey.

It's all about the numbers

Today something cool happened. Well, it was cool to me anyway.

I put on a pair of shorts right out of the dryer, and they were a bit loose on me. This is cool because in the past, these shorts right out of the dryer required a little bit of time to loosen up.

Last weekend, Steve and I had our RMR - Resting Metabolic rate tested.

From Wikipedia - Basal metabolic rate (BMR), and the closely related resting metabolic rate (RMR), is the amount of energy expended while at rest in a neutrally temperate environment, in the post-absorptive state (meaning that the digestive system is inactive, which requires about twelve hours of fasting in humans).
The release of energy in this state is sufficient only for the functioning of the vital organs, the heart, lungs and kidneys and the rest of the nervous system, intestine, liver, lungs, sex organs, muscles and skin.

So on Friday morning, we woke up and our friend Coach Aaron strapped this lovely mask to our faces and for about 15 minutes we just say on the couch and breathed. I like tests that are impossible to fail.

The results were for me about what I expected, for Steve, a total and complete shock that really explains a lot about some struggles he has had.

My RMR is 1512 which coincidentally is the street address of the house I grew up in in New Jersey. Not a surprise at all. Before the "real" test I did one on an on-line calculator and it said 1480 so pretty close.

Steve on the other hand was a big surprise. We figured him to be somewhere in the 2000 range. What Aaron said floored us both. Steve's RMR is 1224. 1224, are you serious? How in the world could his RMR be 288 calories a day less than me?

But, like I said, this is a test that is basically impossible to fail. You sit and you breathe. It does not get any simpler than that. But, this really explains why Steve has been struggling with weight loss. He has not really be gaining, but not losing. It's all about calories in versus calories out, but if you assume that the number of calories you can take in every day are about 800 more than you should...you see the issue here?

So, there have been sweeping changes in the Webster house. There has to be.

1. Start reading labels. When we really thought about the empty calories we were consuming on a daily basis, it is crazy. Little things. Like at the supermarket checkout, we would more often than not grab a Peppermint Patty for each of us. No real thought put into it. Did you know that there are 140 calories in a little Peppermint patty? That is about 10% of our DAILY calorie intake. And we never gave it a thought.


2. Pay attention to serving sizes. I know I was easily having at least 1.5 servings of cereal in the morning.


3. Measure and weigh. This is really not as big a PITA as you would think. Protein servings should be 4 oz. When I weighed out that amount on my new handy dandy digital scale I was amazed. While it is still a very healthy portion, I can only guess that we were eating twice that for dinner every night. Now, instead of just pouring cereal into the bowl, I pour it into a measuring cup and then into the bowl. Same with pasta, rice and really now everything except veggies. Those can be plentiful.


4. Log everything. We are now using Livestrong.com's food tracker to log everything we eat. And I mean everything. If you snack it...track it! Even those 15 calorie sugar-free Popsicles get tracked. Accountability is the key!


5. Eat to our RMR. For now, this will work for us. We are giving our bodies what they need. Now remember that RR does not take into account any normal movement you do in the course of your day, or any calories lost by working out. But for now, as we are about to enter the base phase of our IM training, that will work. As our activity level increases, our nutritional needs will change and we will adapt to that.

We are on track. We are motivated. We are committed. Look out world. Armed with a little knowledge we will be unstoppable!

30240 minutes until it's On Like Donky Kong - Marcy and Steve

October 26th. Circled in a big red block on the calendar glaring at me. Daring me to look at it.

October 26 = 30 weeks before Ironman Texas.

October 26 = The day we stop slacking, get our act in gear and follow a real training plan.

October 26 = Day 1

The plan is pretty simple.

10 weeks of base, 10 weeks of build, 10 weeks of peak.

We are going to be following a hybrid of the 30 week Be Iron Fit intermediate plan with some customization built in. (after all, I need to put my USAT coaching license to some good right?)

The thing I like about this plan is the consistency. For the two of us, that is the key. Tell us what to do, for how long, in what zones, and we will do it. Leave it up to the training Gods and while the workout may happen, it probably is not what we need to be doing. The plan goes something like this:

Monday - Off

Tuesday - Run and Swim

Wednesday - Brick

Thursday - Bike and Swim

Friday - Run

Saturday - Bike

Sunday - Run

Times and intensities will obviously increase as the weeks go by, but it is nice that we already know what we will be doing and when. We can plan out the week in advance and there should be no reason why we cannot complete the plan. I would like to say that our goal is 100%, but life does get in the way sometimes so we are just going into it with the hope to do 100% and deal with life when it interferes.

In the coming weeks, lots to do to get ready. Have our RMR (resting metabolic rate) test set up for this Friday morning. That one scares me a little especially seeing Haley's number. If she is in the 17's, I am afraid I will be somewhere in the 1400 to 1500 range given my age and weight. What that means is that I am already consuming way more calories than I should on a daily basis. But, that is why we are getting the test. We need to see what our baseline is so we can make better food choices. It is all the little things we need to start doing now that will get us to the finish line on May 21st.

Also on the schedule are run and bike LT tests. Yes, we will be training in heartrate zones. That may be frustrating as I know for me, i am going to have to go a lot slower to eventually get faster. Very counter-intuitive, but I know it works.

When we started designing the training plan back in the summer, it felt like October was so far away. And now, it's here. Just like right now May 21st seems so far away, but in the blink of an eye, it will be here too.

1714. It's just a number? -Haley

Well, shit. That didn't go as I expected, or had hoped. I had that same dreadful feeling like one does when they step on the scale. Or is that just a woman thing?

As many people know, I pride myself on my strength, ability to push through some pretty stupid stuff because of that strength and was expecting a much higher number on my Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) test. This test tells one how much, or in my case how little, they should eat. With my bulk (weight) and muscle, I was hoping for well over 2,000 kcal a day. Apparently, giving yourself a borderline eating disorder and not working out for over 6 months due to injury, your RMR goes down the toilet.

Let me explain the 'eating disorder' comment. For someone that is supposed to be an 'athlete' (I use that term loosely now, really, I know this), I have mentally shunned food for fear of gaining weight since my injury. Well, it backfired. It caused my RMR to decrease, working against me, and I have gained weight anyway. I'm not surprised. To go from running regularly, the gym and/or CrossFit every day (in Iraq) to nothing for over 6 months and eating only once a day, is a shock to the system. Back to food...with my huge life changes right now, I am almost the opposite of an emotional or stress eater.

I can't look at food.

I can't eat it.

It makes me nauseous in a horrible way. I'm lucky if I eat once a day. Or not at all, save for coffee and some ice cream at dinner. Really, that's it. :(

Right now, to look at 1714, while I'm disappointed it's so low, is still a lot of food for me at this point. Yesterday was the first day I tried to eat that many calories and...I wanted to vomit. Well, mostly emotional reasons, but it is a lot of food for me right now. I'm not used to it. I made myself eat to get close to that number. I got to about 1630kcal for the day. Close, but not enough.

I'm not even really working out right now, in "Ironman" world that is. When I start doing more, I need to eat more. I need to replace those calories, stay above 1714 if I even want to think about losing weight and improving my athletic performance...that I know can be awesome...if I just get some energy! I want to still be successful at CrossFit, which I'm told I can still do while IM training (yay!) and I need to do all I can to move myself towards that finish line since I can't run.

I encourage my fellow Village Idiots to get their RMR tested. It's eye-opening and gives you some hard numbers to work with. If you say it's not necessary, or too early in our training, well, you're all doing more than me and I am still finding it useful!

So some goals I can work on, while I can't do real training, are:

- eat 1714 kcal a day

-log it at on a calorie tracker website

-start losing this 15lbs I gained in one year

(having a major life event, like going to Iraq, is good for remembering what awesome shape your body was in...I was 15lbs lighter when I left and when I broke my leg)

-log on BT. It keeps us accountable. I have issues with this as I don't want to write personal stuff about leaving the military, but I can just log and not write anything else.

Time for breakfast! (ugh...not even hungry!)

My Morning in McKinney

Today I completed the Stonebridge Sprint. It was a sprint for goodness sake. In my triathlon career I have done many many sprints. Too many to count. Why was this one different?

This was only the third race I have done this year, and really the first that I don't mind talking about.

Race #1 was the half Ironman at LoneStar in Galveston. Really, the only highlight of my day on that HOT, CLOUDLESS Sunday was finishing without puking. 1:06 in the water....for a half Ironman...are you freakin kidding me? OK bike, and the death march run. There was not enough aloe cream in all of Galveston to help the sunburn pain go away. Never before in the 5+ years I have been racing, have I so questioned why I do this. The race itself could not have been run better, it was my personal demons that reared their ugly heads.

Then, Memorial Day comes and the "incident" at the Honey Tour. Be careful of what you wish for because for someone who questioned whether they wanted to continue to race, I was sure pissed that I couldn't. For the first time ever, I watched a triathlon from the sidelines while Steve raced at Metroplex. I crutched from the swim to the bike to the run wishing I could be out there.

Once I got the clearance to "run", I immediately signed up for the Take on the Heat tri. My big comeback! Standing in line at the swim start, I really felt like I had never done this before. Swim was OK. Although I had not spent a lot of time in the water, I was not nervous about a pool swim. The bike was OK until I popped a spoke at mile 4 and spent the rest of the ride convinced that at any time my rear wheel was going to implode. The run was more of a stroll through the neighborhoods of The Colony.

So I decided to register for Stonebridge. A 750 meter open water swim, 12 mile bike and 5K run. I am well removed from the broken leg. I have been running pretty consistently. biking occasionally and well. I know where the pool is :)

I finally feel like I have a performance worthy of a race report!

Swim -
750 meter swim - 21:05
Really did not feel this long in the water but I am not sure where the timing mat was. The thing about the venue is that the run from swim out to the transition area was LONG. Like for a second I though that a triathlon was swim/run/T1/bike...etc. Getting in to the water was actually great since the water was warmer than the air. The gun went off and I swam. Not fast, but comfortable. Sighting was spot on. (I may not be fast, but I am accurate). Didn't really get a chance to draft, but when some chick started to swim into me I did not do my normal ease up and let them go. Instead I kept my line and swam straight over her! I am such a rebel ;). Only issue was coming out of the water, when I stood up, I cut my big toe on a rock or something. I knew it hurt, but what are you going to do?

T1-
3:52. Up the boat ramp, down a rather large grassy hill, over the river and through the woods...you get the picture!. The hill, BTW, was very wet, very muddy and very slippery. Then around and through the tennis courts until I FINALLY made it into the transition area. The problem was, this was a completely different way into transition and I was totally lost. Had to have a volunteer point me to my rack. Classic rookie mistake. Helmet, shoes and glasses on, it's time to ride!

Bike
12 miles - 43:27
I like to ride! I was happy with a 16.6 average, especially with the winds blowing from the North at about 20. It was a 2-loop square course. The good thing about the winds were that they helped up Ridge which is about 3 miles slightly uphill and although I had it in my face on the 3 mile stretch on Stonebridge, it is mostly slightly downhill so it dd not totally suck. Bike preformed great and overall just had a good ride. Passed a TON of people. Got out of my shoes and executed a fairly decent flying dismount. It was then I realized my toe had bleed into my bike shoe.

T2-
1:43. I may not be the fastest at any of the 3 "real" disciplines, but I have the 4th mastered. Bike racked, helmet off, socks (yes socks), shoes on. Grab hat and race belt and hit it. No screwing around in transition.

Run -
3.1 miles - 36.05
I know, not speedy but for me, this was a huge confidence booster. This was the first time since Memorial Day that I ran an entire 5K. All my runs up to this point were a run/walk combo. OK, I did walk the aid station but only because running while I try to drink makes me choke. Plus I wanted to get a GU gel down. So, other than that, I ran and was very happy with my final 11:34 a mile pace. Mostly, I was happy that I had no leg pain (although the toe was not happy). At the end, I actually felt like I had some left in the tank. For the first time EVER, I sprinted past some guy in the finishing chute! I never do that! I didn't place as they grouped all Athena's together and there were some stupid fast "larger statured" ladies out there. But if they did separate it out, I was the second fastest "old fat chick out there!

(the guy in the black just got "chicked" by yours truly)

Look, I know I will never be fast. Shit, I'm 46, 15 pounds heavier than I want to be, and really, just want to enjoy the experience of being out there with my friends and doing my best. What more could I ask of a chilly, windy Sunday in McKinney, Texas?

(trying to keep warm pre-race with Andy and Shannon Watson)

"Yeah, life throws you curves, but you've learned to swerve..."

Time: Workouts, Work, and Personal.

How much do I have? I don't know, let's take a look at the list.

From this moment, I have:

29 days until terminal leave (vacation until discharge).

58 days until Honorable Discharge.

104 days until end of 2010.

245 days until Ironman Texas.

In the next 29 or so days, I have to pack up my life for the 3rd time in less than a year and go somewhere...the unknown. Again. It would be great for my mental status if I had a job lined up before the end of these 29 days. It would also help if I knew what city I wanted to live in. That might be important. Up until now, my only requirement was "back to Texas." I can find a good school in any of the big cities, unfortunately even El Paso. I am focusing on one or two cities and hoping for the best. Imagine a dart board, and me shooting blind. Why the heck not? I do know where I'm leaning towards and am finding opportunities there (so not really shooting blind, but I wanted to type that anyway), so that is keeping me somewhat at peace right now.

If I don't have a city, school or job lined up, I essentially have 58 days to decide. I don't like giving myself this cushion as it can breed laziness, but I think I'm just too freaking scared to let that happen. Financially I'd be OK until at least the end of the year if not longer, but mentally I am not OK with that. I need to hit the ground running a couple weeks after I leave DC or I'll be lost in a post-military & deployment rabbit hole that isn't good for returning Veterans. Must. Be. Productive. Can't. Get. Lost.

Why is the end of 2010 important? Well, it's a silly personal thing to do at least one marathon each year. I've done it since my first in 2004 and am amazed I kept it up each year while I was in the Army. This year I was supposed to run the Boston & Colorado marathons in Iraq (official shadow races) in April & May, but my femur fracture took me out of those. So now, I have 104 days to be able to walk 26.2 miles. I don't care what my time is, as I did the Goofy Challenge in 2006 injured. I had only run 3 miles in Dec. and 10 in Nov. prior to the race and my knees wouldn't bend by the halfway mark of the marathon! I couldn't do a race right now, but I am up to walking over a solid hour with the dog, so I'm optimistic I can continue my streak for this year. I'm shooting for a mid-late Nov. race. If it doesn't happen, that leaves me a cushion to find a December race. It will hurt, my feet will hate me, no one likes walking a marathon in 6-7 hours, but I *need* to do this for me. Marathon #15 here I come!

Bad knees!

245 days.

Ironman Texas: Oh boy, where do I start? How about my injury? That sounds good.

I had one of my final Ortho appointments yesterday. It didn't go well, but it wasn't terrible either. It boils down to: time. I need more of it. I was told in the spring that it can take 9-12 months to feel fully "healed." I'll be dealing with musculoskeletal issues for about a year. My fracture has been healed for a while now, but my ilioposoas muscle, bursa and other connective tissues are "really jacked up". That's a technical term, look it up (anatomy lesson below). Any normal person without athletic goals wouldn't have much of a problem with the point I am at right now. I can get through most days now without needing a nap due to exhaustion from the pain. This is a HUGE step forward. So is being able to walk the dog for an hour around the neighborhood and go about daily activities like errands. Unfortunately, this doesn't leave me hopeful for any kind of strong training for IM TX. I *know* (telling myself as I'm beating my head against a wall) that I can get through the race with minimal training. I can bike until the point of flare-ups, swim my heart out (easy since I'm pretty decent at it with no training) and not run. My CrossFit plan is probably out the window since I still can't do lower body exercises. So...my adjusted plan will be to ride the hell out of my bike, swim a lot, and when I can "run" do a couple of runs a week, probably under 5 miles. Obviously that can change in the spring if I get better, but I'm not going to risk any flare-ups that will hinder bike training. If I can bike strong, I can walk the marathon. I'm not upset by this, as there is nothing I can do at this point. I have done everything to promote healing and have been monitored by my team of professionals.

Both sides of this graphic will be helpful to explain where I am having issues at this point. My fracture originated in the lesser trochanter area of the femoral neck (left side of the picture). It is officially diagnosed as a "femoral neck compression fracture." Had it been a tension fracture on the upper, outer part of the femur, I would have required immediate surgery. Thankfully, I caught it before it spread. Anyway, back to now. I am having pain and mobility issues in the area psoas major muscle with pain shooting up almost to my stomach at some points. My range of motion is severely hindered due to the muscular damage and some issues that we can't pinpoint exactly, with the iliopectineal bursa and iliofemoral ligament of the joint (see right side).

So what does this mean? Well, it means that it is sometimes just about impossible to lift my left leg first to go up stairs, sit for long periods of time, stand for long periods of time and I can't move my leg "out" for adduction exercises.

In summary, I cannot describe how stressed I've been with worrying about where to move, where to finish school, and trying to just make progress with my leg to allow me to start some kind of training. I feel lost without my outlet, my love, of running. It is unbelievably difficult to separate from the military (endless meetings, paperwork, appointments) and mentally exhausting. To the point of making myself sick and not eating. Thankfully, as hard as it is to admit and lean on them, I have a great support system of people who will see me just to listen to me cry over breakfast or the phone since I can't figure it all out.

In the meantime, walking it is! Head up Solider.

August/September: Haley

I've put off a new blog entry because I feel there isn't much to write about. My recovery is slow going at best and I just try to fill my days with things to do, while getting enough rest.

Throughout August and now through September, my main job & responsibility is to go to Physical Therapy 3x/wk at Bethesda Naval hospital. Most days are very frustrating and painful, but every day I look back to where I was in April-June when I couldn't walk at all. I've come a long way since the initial injury in March, and I can walk casually (not speed walking) for over an hour now. I distinctly remember the day where I wanted to cry walking 250 meters. I was at my favorite park and couldn't make it to my mental distance marker, the bridge.

In the meantime, I have acquired yet another bike (really guys, this is getting out of hand). I bought a cyclocross bike with the idea of doing a long distance bike touring trip or two this fall. The first one was supposed to be over Labor Day weekend, but the Perfect Storm of events prevented that from happening. Instead, I've been using it to reacquaint myself to two wheels. My handling has improved, I'm not nervous anymore like I was at the beginning of August and I'm really enjoying it! I can't wait to start riding my tri bike when my hip allows me. Right now it's a flexibility and positioning issue as the aero position of a tri bike isn't really possible at this moment. That's ok, I'll get there.

CrossFit is back into my normal routine. I usually hit 3-4 classes a week where they customize workouts to my ability. All the upper body focus has torn up my hands, arms and shoulders, but it's better than nothing and it's very fun. All the wounds are worth it!

I made more of an effort to swim as well. Not as often as I like (probably because of all the CrossFit), but I've also been taking this time to do fun 'life' things. A camping trip, a trip to visit friends and waterski...oh yeah...should I be waterskiing?...and miscellany.

There aren't many "goals" I can list for September. I want to continue what I'm doing to get back to being a person that can go outside and walk or ride a bike. I'd have to say I'd like to walk 5 miles with minimal discomfort, but that might not be possible yet. I'm getting there. Slowly.

August Progress Report for Marcy and Steve

So, this started out as a poor Marcy self pity-party blog but after some thought and kicking myself in the ass I deleted what I wrote.

Instead, let's talk about the progress. Where we are. I can talk about Steve and I, but hopefully my other Idiot teammates will chime in. Because all of us have some positive things to talk about. For Steve and I , it is slow but steady progress. We are eating much better (other than an occasional Fuzzy's Taco addiction issue we are working on). Seriously though, 90% of the time we are doing the right things. Our biggest win is eating out a lot less and making smart decision. Big spinach salads for dinner every night have become the norm. Steve has brought lunch to work every day for the past 2 months. Not only better from a nutrition perspective, but saves a ton of money. I just don't keep any junk in the house so I am not tempted to snack during the day. Frustrating at times but in the long run, it's what's best.

We have both been good with workouts and are finding it easier every day to get up when it is still dark and run. I have to admit that I had hoped my speed would come back a bit more by now, and that was actually the theme of the self-pity blog I started. But, I am running. We have found the pool again, but need to make that more of a priority. Same with the bike.

Still, I feel we are both moving in the right direction, and that is a good thing.

What about my fellow idiots...time for an update!

Sweating at Sunrise

I started "running" a week ago.

When I went to the orthopedic doctor the Tuesday after I broke my leg, he talked about in about 8 weeks I could probably start on the elliptical for a few minutes a day and gradually work towards running in about 12. Imagine my surprise when he told me that I could run. He did tell me to start gradually and slowly work my way back, and that is what I have been doing.

So I devised my own rehab plan starting with a conservative 3 minute walk and 1 minute run.

But, since I know misery loves company, I asked fellow Idiot Brandt if we wanted to join me for some sunrise sweating. Brandt, being the great friend that he is decided that he would make the sacrifice of an hour sleep to meet me at the park at 6.

Monday morning comes, and we start at it. It was weird. Physically the leg felt OK, but mentally I kept thinking that each time my foot hit the path, it was going to snap. One interval, two, then three and my leg is still in one piece. Wow, I can do this. I can run. I think we averaged in the high 14's a mile but that was OK. Brandt did great. I was so proud of him!

We ran Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri together. Seeing the same early risers at about the same place on the trail each morning. There is older woman walking golden retriever, young Asian man who runs alone in one direction and then we cross paths again while he is walking with about 5 ladies. And the young guy with 6 foot legs who makes it look easy.

Brandt and I keep trucking along. This week we start a 2:30 walk and 1:30 run. Small steps still get to the same destination.

Getting It Any Way You Can

-Haley

Many months ago I had seen a segment on the Today show about more Americans being fat and lazy (of course) and one man's idea to do something about it. He made a treadmill desk for people to walk on while at work. Brilliant! While not a quick-fix to lose weight, it gets people off their bottoms and doing what we were made to do: walk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbMTrboKbwU

I loved this idea, but did not love the price tag. First, I didn't have a treadmill and then I didn't want to spend $400-500 on the desk part! You're looking at 2-3 Ironman race entries for the price of both of those! Or many car payments...whatever.

Now that I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel regarding my injury, I decided I was bored enough to start looking at Craigslist for used treadmills. Inspired by my friend Jess who made her own with a new treadmill, cardboard and old wood flooring, I knew I could do something similar. I came across a gem of a treadmill for $120 being sold by a militar

y family moving from Ft. Belvoir to whoknowswhere. I went to look at it and found it was clean, free of dust, yet surprisingly unused! SCORE!

Since I can't really walk still, I wasn't in a rush to get this thing set up. I had time so I was browsing Craigslist for several days looking in the "free" section for some kind of base to absorb the vibration and an old shelf or piece of furniture someone was leaving on the curb. It wasn't happening, so I decided to hit Home Depot. I found a very cheap shelf and a piece of insulation foam. Total: about $7.

Got home so excited about my fiscally responsible purchases (well, in the athlete world I guess) I got to work. I had the treadmill opened (it is a fold-up one) and without measuring cut the foam perfectly and I guessed the right size with the shelf!

I can't remember the last time I've been so proud of myself. (Yeah, forget keeping a good attitude about being injured, getting sent home from Iraq, or even joining the military...pashaw! This is way better.)

So, while I can barely walk 250-400meters, it's better than where I was a month ago when I couldn't even do that much. Progress...it's slow, but coming. I did walk 5min. on the treadmill last night (sssshhhh, don't tell my Dr!) and while it was uncomfortable, I did it without falling or doubling over in pain. One step at a time...one step at a time.

While I don't expect this to be "exercise" it is something healthier than sitting at my desk when I goof off on the internet. In the spring and next year, this is where I will do schoolwork. In fact, I'm standing on it while typing this post and having my morning coffee and perusing the new Pottery Barn catalog.

With CrossFit, walking and some biking...I will be an Ironman.

I'm Bored

I miss running. There, I said it. I never thought I would. What is happening to me?

On May 22nd, I ran 6.22 miles from my house to the Sports Park and back. That was the last time I ran. The next Saturday, the "incident" which has sidelined me. I use to HATE running. I mean really hate it. It hurt. I am not built to be a runner. I don't have long thin legs that move smoothly. I plod along.

But something happened. I actually started to enjoy running. I looked forward to the long runs on Saturday mornings. I still plodded, but a little faster. It didn't hurt as much.

The saying that you don't know what you've got til it's gone rings true. Yes, I will run again. Hope that in a week I can start on the elliptical, but I miss it.

I'm bored on the trainer. Swimming...meh!

I want to run. DO YOU HEAR THAT WORLD...I WANT TO RUN!

You have to know where you are to know how to get where you want to be.

Fail to plan, plan to fail. Yes its cliche, but oh so true. Especially as it relates to Ironman.
I've needed goals in triathlon for the last 2 years. I've got one now. Actually I've a bunch of little ones that when executed will add up to the big one.

Goal #1 met. Its been a good consistent training week for me. Nothing to speak of in the way of volume, but reliable, and consistent activity. I've been taking inventory so to speak for the last few weeks. I've run a little, I've ridden a little, but still haven't swam. Might today.

I've also been taking the "real" inventory.......the scale inventory. Much to my surprise, I am 26lbs heavier than when I toed the line at IMAZ. Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy about it, but in reality, 26 is better than I had expected. Enter goal #2. I used to always look at a day of eating as a series of decisions. 6 to be specific. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and the 3 times after each. No single decision can really wreck your day. Make more good decisions, than bad over the course of the day, and you are golden. Goal #2 was also been achieved for the last 2 weeks. Packing lunches for work, and lots of snacks to graze on during the day, has kept my visits to the bad place limited to coffee only.

My goals every week are to consistently train, and to eat well. Consistently means at least 6 days of training a week. Eating well means eating good quality foods, and being happy with my eating decisions daily.

When I put the next 45 or so weeks of goals in the win column, I win. I'll be lighter, stronger, and healthier than I was in April08 at IMAZ.

I know where I am, I know where I want to be, and now I know what its going to take to get there.

I can do this, I will do this. Get your popcorn folks. This is gonna be good.

Trying to do the right thing

I like watching documentaries. I also know that you have to take them with a grain of salt. Like most things, they are skewed to the side of the person making the film. Michael Moore is a hero or villain depending on which side of the aisle you are on. But regardless, I like watching documentaries. And whether I agree with the point of view of the filmmaker or not, I usually learn something.

Thanks to my new found obsession known as Netflix, I have watched several during my trainer rides. The one that really struck me was "Food Inc.". If you have not had the opportunity to see it, I highly recommend it. Here is a link to the trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0

It really got us thinking. Thinking about what we eat. We don't eat too bad. We used to live on processed food. Frozen everything. We have gotten much better, but we could still improve.

The thing that got me most about the movie was the way animals are "farmed" for our consumption. Cows, which are herbivores are fed corn, steroids and antibiotics to fatten them up fast so they can end up in the supermarket. So we started looking around for some local farms to buy some meat.

Tomorrow I am going to have my first steak from a grass-fed cow. One of our local farmers market carries it from a farm in Decateur. If it's good, we may be making a trip up there to stock up.

Also bought some beautiful melons and berries from the farmers market. Support the local guys.

CrossFit training plan begins

So I, Haley, will be starting my 'training' today with my CrossFit plan. I'll be joining a new CrossFit gym about a mile from my house (hopefully one day I can ride my bike or *gasp* run there) today. I'm going in for my assessment to see what I am able to do. The coach is one that I worked with before at my old gym, who started her own gym while I was in Iraq. Thankfully, she has military experiencee and is excited to help me in any way she can. So, she will design some workouts that I can do with my gimp leg. I'll be doing modified workouts and mostly upper body exercises until I'm cleared for full workouts.

Also this week I will be starting physical therapy. It'll be an aggressive regimen of 2-3 times a week for about a month, then tapering off as I show strength gains. Right now the concern is muscle imbalance due to 3 months of being on crutches. I also have some painful spasms in my groin from the muscles being "upset" with the femur break (per the Dr.).

I've been swimming still; not as much as I like as I was busy and sick for part of the weekend. I also am finding joy in harassing Marcy to get to the pool or ride her bike. I don't know why she's putting this off. My teammates need to get to that starting line, we're in this together!

I am excited to get back to it!

Happy 4th of July

Today, while you are enjoying time spent with friends and family, think about those both overseas and right here who are working to protect your freedom.

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty." John F. Kennedy.

Thank you all.

It's All About the Worm

Before I get side-tracked, does anyone happen to have the protein/fat/carb ratios for worms? No? Seriously? Well, fine then...I'll move on to the point of the post.

As Marcy indicated when this blog was set up, I am the village idiot who is best described as a busy family man. When you get right down to the nuts and bolts of things, my family comes first...sometimes to a fault. Last night was a very clear reminder of this, and it also provided somewhat of an epiphany for me.

It is time for me to start focusing on the worms...figuratively speaking, anyway.

We've all heard it a thousand times in our lives. "The early bird catches the worm." This rings especially true if you are a 40-year-old husband, and father of three very active kiddos. From the 2-year-old who raced into the garage the minute I pulled in last night, desperate to get some seat time in the Camaro (this kid obviously "gets it" when it comes to cars) , to the wife who had a very healthy and delicious dinner on the table and ready to go (love you my dear), to the ten year old who had cheer practice from seven until nine (5, 6, 7, 8...), to the young teen who absolutely HAD to see Eclipse for the second time in three nights (why is there such a fascination with vampires and werewolves, anyway?). They are all very dear to me, and they are all essentially competing for my time and attention. This is something I cannot ever forget.

By the time the family circus was all sorted out, my plans to go for a slog last night were shot...it was 10 p.m. and I was exhausted. I should have woken up early yesterday morning and done the workout before everyone was awake.

The early bird catches the worm

The bottom line is this...ironman training takes balance. My dear friends and ironman veterans Tom and Tobin manage to balance busy families, careers, and ironman training with near perfection, and without going insane. I can do this too, it just means a little earlier bedtime, and a little bit of pre-dawn motivation.

If you see me early one morning, on my hands and knees and tugging with my teeth at a long stringy object that seems to be firmly anchored in the soil beneath me, do not fear. I have found my balance. -Brandt

DUDE!

To steal a bit from some obscure and hence-forgotten comedian I saw on T.V. a long time ago, there are different ways to say the word "Dude", and have it mean lots of different things. Few words in the English language allow you to express such a wide array of sentiments just by how you say them, and "Dude" is one of them. I'm sure most of you understand what I'm talking about, but for those of you who are unfamiliar with the multifaceted expression of the word "Dude", it's delivered by voice inflection and octive, enlongation of vowels, and facial expression; and expresses emotions ranging from disgust, to satisfaction, to abject fear.

Being one of few words, I like the word "Dude". It's efficient. I like efficiency. Therefore, the word "Dude" is a common word in my vocabulary. Just do something stupid and see. If you cut me off in traffic I can express my utter contempt for you with just one word, while saving the oxygen I would otherwise expend with further verbal thrashing (and, of course, the energy expended by wild digital gesticulation). It's a lot more polite, too. Might even keep you out of jail. Or the hospital. You should try it sometime.

This being a written media, however, I find myself a little short on words to explain why I'm doing this, why I signed up for this particular race, how I've arrived at my paltry level of fitness and expanded form (not so much from chicken fried steak as from Chinese take-out, pizza, and beer), and just how, exactly, do I find the motivation to prepare for such an epic event. Needless to say, my entries into this blog will probably be short, sweet, and most likely tinged with a good dose of curmudgeonly smarm.

I've finished one full Ironman (Coeur d'Alene, 2008), a few half Ironman races, and several shorter distance races, so I know the whats, hows, and wherefores of training for the big race. Those are pretty easy. Knowing the "why", however, is a critical part of training, yet sometimes that knowlege is so elusive. Maybe knowing the "why" is so critical because it's so elusive and buried deep enough that it appears only as a shadow of something you once knew. As the days progress toward Ironman Texas, my "whys" will take many forms, possibly change dramatically, and definitely grow in number. For the most part, I plan to keep them to myself. Well, the deepest, shadiest ones anyway.

An Ironman triathlon is a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run. Digest that for a second or two. Now, is there any better word to describe that than, "DUDE!"?

It's the Doughboy!

Good evening fellow idiots, idiot wannabe's and gawkers.

My story is a pretty simple one. I grew up as a very coordinated kid, so I was always good at whatever sport I tried. I never swam as a kid, I never ran as a kid, unless it was a punishment. Of course I rode my orange bike with the big banana seat....because I was a kid.
6 years ago, Marcy gets the triathlon bug. I got it quickly too, but I was far too out of shape to even consider it. 4 years ago we moved to Texas, and that started my desire to really participate. After losing weight and training, and training, I did my first race. I was hooked. I trained my way into a decent level of fitness, and started to really enjoy swimming biking and running. After an unfulfilled attempt at IMAZ 08, due to too many flats before special needs, where I had more tubes!!!, i've had a hard time staying focused on the long term goals.

IMTX gives me a very visible, very challenging yet attainable goal to focus on.

I can do this again!

I will do this again!

I look forward to the journey!

I crave the structure that Ironman training presents. Sleep, eat, work, train. Rinse, repeat.

This group of idiots and great friends, some broken, some round, some rusty, will lean on each other to get there, and get thru the lows, and enjoy the highs along the way.

Join us.....Its almost guaranteed you'll laugh at some point. If you don't, you're obviously taking this a lot more seriously than we are.

What would my Dad think of all this?

I think a lot about my dad today. It was 5 years ago today that I got a call that no daughter or son ever thinks they will get. The call telling me that my dad was involved in a car accident and was killed.

My dad and I were a lot alike in a lot of ways, except for the curly hair that I got from my mom, I looked just like him. We have the same sense of humor and personality. Throught my life, we had, as most dad's and daughters do, our ups and downs. My dad was no saint, and made some dumb decisions in his life. For awhile, I had a hard time seeing past that and held a pretty major grudge. But as I got older, while I still believed he made some bad choices, I was able to put that aside and love him for who he was, warts and all.

My dad had a HUGE heart. He was the kind of person, that if you commented that you liked his tie, he would take it off and give it to you, and that is not an exaggeration. He would also tell it like it is. That got me to thinking what he would think about my lifestyle choices and this IM journey.

His first response would be "Are you F---ING crazy?" and yes, it would have been said exactly like that. Although my dad fancied himself as "athletic" and in his younger days he was quite a tennis player, once he got older, and moved to Boca Raton (as all good Jews do!) golf was his game of choice. I think he liked golf so much because in between holes he could smoke, drink diet coke and eat Entenman's chocolate donuts.

He would not have understood this, but he would have been my biggest supporter. He would have asked a lot of questions, and after I answered he would have said "You are F---ING crazy". But he would be happy for me, and that makes me smile.

Miss you Dad.

Haley's campaign for idiot of the year

For years I've campaigned that Texas, especially the Galveston/Houston area should have an iron distance triathlon and when they got one, I'd do it. I just didn't expect it would be now in the midst of major life changes and one of the biggest injuries I've had in my life.

I have a little less than 5 months left on my military contract and see the light at the end of the tunnel: getting my life back. I returned back from my deployment in Iraq at the end of April with a small compression fracture in my femoral neck (upper big leg bone for the non-medical types). I have been on crutches since the last week of March/end of April (3 full months and counting) and hope to be off them soon. When I do get off them, I will progress to using a cane, physical therapy, then walking and running! So the last 2 months I've learned to love the pool again. Until I'm cleared to train, I shall swim. And swim. And swim until I get sick of the pool (getting pretty close).

I'm in the running for idiot of the year as I have no idea how long my healing will take and my progression into training again will be slow to say the least, yet, I still dropped the money to register for this race. How I will manage to be comfortable enough on the bike for 112 miles is beyond me. I am confident I can walk a marathon if I have to.

Since my triathlon career has been on hold due to my erratic military life, I started CrossFit after I moved to DC, about a year and a half ago. Once I heal and am cleared to train again, I will be following a controversial training "plan" that is based on CrossFit principles and not hours and hours on end of riding and running. Probably not the smartest decision as I'm horribly out of shape, but it'll be an interesting experiment.

This year will see me healing from my physical injuries, accepting "normal" life post-deployment, separating from the Army and trying to integrate back into the civilian world this fall, moving across the country and trying to pull off an Ironman. Read: enough on your plate to make you crazy.

I couldn't ask for better friends to share this journey with and am terribly excited to be coming back to Texas. I've missed my friends and being closer to family. They all have supported me in ways I could not imagine during my 4 years in the Army. I never thought we'd still be this good of friends, as life often takes you in crazy directions. It moves me to tears to think of all the phone calls, packages and genuine concern they've shown, especially while I was in Iraq and when I got injured. (side note: since when did I become such a crybaby?)

So, I shall use this to document me trying to train with limited abilities and overwhelming life hurdles that are coming at me fast.
Hang on!

Gig 'em,

Haley

Not even a broken leg can keep me down

First off, I need to thank Ms. Haley Siggers for coming up with our team name!

At this point in my life, today, June 29, 2010, the thought of being able to complete an Ironman is insane. You see, 4 weeks ago, during the Honey Tour as I was going around a corner, my bike hit a patch of gravel and down I went. While the bike was just fine, my fibula did not fare as well. It was, at least, a clean break so no surgery needed, just a slower than I want recovery process.

So, 4 weeks later I am still sporting a very attractive orthopedic boot. I have, at least, been cleared to swim and ride (on a trainer), so that is where I will start. Hopefully in about a month I can start with the elliptical trainer and then slowly build back up to running.

Deciding to sign up for this race was not a slam dunk for me. I have been down the IM road before and DNF'd before even seeing the inside of the change tent. The thing about IMTX though, is that the course works with my weaknesses, so I owe it to myself to try again.

The thing I am looking forward to most though is completing this journey with 3 of my closest friends and the worlds greatest husband.

Train on!

Marcy

My First Idiotic Post - The Slogger is a Blogger

Good morning all. This is Brandt. I don't think we have any specific "idiot monikers" just yet, so for now, I'll introduce myself as....well, myself.

I am excited about the journey ahead. I couldn't ask for a better group of dysfunctional misfits to share the IMTX road with. :) In fact, come to think of it, three of us are already Fighting Texas Aggies...I think we may need to declare Steve & Marcy as honorary Aggies. What could be a more appropriate Aggie joke than the five of us marching forth towards an Ironman?

To be fair, we are all triathletes already, and between us we have covered all distances from mini-sprints to full ironman. The problem is, each of us is currently at some level of chaos/disturbia at this point in our triathlon "careers." There are those of us who are nursing legitimate debilitating injuries (cue the ladies) and there are others of us who have been nursing too much chicken fried steak and cheetos as of late (sheepishly raises his own hand).

Nonetheless, we are all passionate about the sport, and especially about an Ironman finally coming to our own backyard. It's going to be a wild ride.

For my first "successes" post, I will share that I finally started running again last night, although I use the term loosely. It was actually more like "slogging." The good news is, sloggers become joggers, and joggers become runners. One step at a time.....

June 2010

Well, we all did it. The 5 of us. Beaten, broken and out of shape but, we all paid our money. On May 21, 2011 we will all compete in the inaugural Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas.

Who are we?

Haley Siggers, Army nurse and chief crutch wielder
Marcy Webster, Corporate trainer and orthopedic boot aficionado
Steve Webster, Buyer and nervous first timer
John Clayton, Architect and bad knee man
Brandt Johnson, Attorney and busy family man

Individually we are scared, but together we are Team Village Idiots.

Through this blog, we will talk about our successes, and maybe those things that are not as successful.

Follow us as we embark on this wonderful journey!