This and That

To all my family members and close family friends who keep stopping in to see if I have posted the Baby Shower BLOG and Pictures yet - HAVE FAITH, that post will come. I have regretably been having problems with getting the pictures exported but I hope to have it resolved before the weeks end.
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So as I mentioned before, I have some events coming up in the next six weeks (LiveSTRONG Challenge 70 Mile BIKE and Maine 1/2 Marathon) whose distances demand that I get back "in the saddle" and "on the road". With my calf muscle healed, I headed out on Sunday and did my first 20 mile bike ride *since* Bike VA in late June.

I really didn't plan to be off the bike for that long ... it just happened that way between injuries, illness and other priorities.

I am happy to say that 20 miles felt great and I'm gunning for a solid 30-40 mile long ride this weekend along with a short 20 miler later this week.

On the running front, things are slow but steady. I have been walking as much as I can but last night was my first official RUN since the injury so I was feeling very anxious. I started out really slow with some run/walking and promised myself that this was a *2 mile* workout. No need to go and try to pack on the miles too quickly.

The running portions of the workout felt good! No pain and lots of sweat! Today my quads are a little sore, in a good way and I woke up with that familiar feeling that I hadn't realized I missed. I wish I could put the feeling into words but I don't have words for it... it just feel familiar and comforting, like I can finally breathe deeper again.

So today will be a rest day since Jim and I have a big trip to the commissary planned and tomorrow I will head out an do another 2 mile run. I am feeling encouraged enough to resurect the old "Weekly Workout" portion of the side bar.

Nancy was talking in her post today about how she get excited over Handle Bar tape instead of jewelry, clothes or makeup. I can definatley relate! I am waiting on a new pair of running shoes. They are Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6 ...they are SOOOOO cool and bright yellow! I can wait till they arrive on my doorstep!

Pretty New Shoes!!

I'm a triathlon gear geek and PROUD OF IT!

Life is Good! Live STRONG and enjoy your day!

Who's In Charge here?

This morning, Wallace, our beautiful brown spotted Bengal boy did something pretty darn sneaky.

BACKSTORY: Jim and I have two alarms. Jim gets up at 5:50 and I get up around 6:05. So Jim takes the first shift of feeding the cats in the morning.

Now over the last six weeks, Wallace and Grommette have come to learn that incessant meowing does not wake up Holly and Jim. At least not to the extent that they will get out of bed and feed the cats. They must wait for the alarm clock.

When the alarm goes off, Wallace goes off too! He will jump on the bed and meow and do his little Bengal "Yowl", chattering up a storm until somebody gets out of bed and feeds him. Grommette is a smart little Bengal girl. She just lets Wallace do all the work and reserves her high-pitched "Mews" for when she really want our attention.

Even with the routine, the cats can be very accommodating. I'd say that 4 out of 7 days a week, Wallace doesn't make a peep until he hears the alarm, even when we set it later on the weekends. 4 our of 7 days of predictable behavior is pretty good for a cat, let alone two of them. Ask any cat owner you know....

NOW BACK TO THIS MORNING:

Jim and I set one alarm for 6AM because there was no need for him to be up at his regular time of 5:50AM.

This was not to Wallace's liking so at 5:51AM, we heard a sound we had never heard before ....

SOMEBODY was shaking the bedroom blinds.

Jim and I looked at each other, raised our sleepy heads and look toward the window to see Wallace with one paw on the blinds, rattling away and looking at us. Of course as soon as he saw the whites of our eyes, the "Feed Me" chatter began in earnest and let go of the blind and hopped on the bed, bouncing from Jim to me to Grommette (who was also sleeping in) until all of us began to move.

So exactly who is training who?

Surprise, I'm BACK ....

Sorry that I have been slacking on the posting lately, I was busy organizing and coordinating a Baby Shower for one of my two sisters. It was a surprise shower held in Myrtle Beach, SC so you can imagine just how much work was involved. I'm happy to say that the shower was a big success and my sister, Heather, was indeed surprised.
Doesn't she look surprised? And ready to give birth any day?

She and the baby have 5 more weeks ...

I'll post more on the shower and pictures later as I promised to friends and family.
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My cough is history and my calf is healed so the time has come to get back on track and boy am I ever ready. I have about 4 weeks until the LiveSTRONG Challenge and roughly 6 weeks until the Maine 1/2 Marathon which my sister Cathy and I plan to run together. While my injury set me back a little, I am holding onto the fact that I have base miles and experience at these distances for both events.

Neither race is going to be a Personal Record (otherwise known as a PR) but I'm sure that I can cover the distances, have fun and use them to jump start my training. I have decided that I have two big *A* races for next season which were chosen with the hope that the workout volumes will lead me into my push to race an IRONMAN in Fall 2008.

My current "Raod to IRONMAN" plan is to do the following big events:

Myrtle Beach 1/2 Marathon - Feb 2007
EagleMan 1/2 Ironman - June 2007
Marine Corps Marathon - Oct 2007
IRONMAN Florida and/or Wisconson - Fall 2008

My guess is that I will end up doing IRONMAN Florida since I plan to head down there this fall and volunteer for the race and check out the venue. The ocean swim still scares the crap out of me but I vow to wait and see how Nancy rates the swim and then make my decisions.

Why do Myrtle Beach and Marine Corps again? Well why not? I have course records to smash AND my sister Heather wants to train for her first Marathon post-pregnancy. The two of us have such a good time running together that she decided she wanted Marine Corps to be her first marathon and ask me to run it with her. I would NEVER say no! I am honored to tag along and help her reach her goal!

Of course there will be some other races that will happen over the next 2 years for prep and practice but in the sense I am going to take Nancy's lead and try to keep my focus on "training for the Ironman" so the other races that I do will be "training days with lots of like-minded" friends.

But not too loose focus, I have alot to do in the next 6 weeks to prep for the LiveSTRONG Challenge and the Maine 1/2 Marathon with my youngest sister Cathy. So off to the gym, I go!!

I have Baby Shower tales and much to share on the antic of Wallace and Grommet ... those blogs are coming soon!! Stay tuned ... It is going to be a busy Fall!

Keep Living STRONG!

Just Gotta Say It...

Grow up and put on your G-D sunscreen people!!!!

Oh that's right, "Cancer happens to other people, not me ..."

Triathletes Drink Beer, Raise Money for Cancer

Now this is a great little event, from the pages of Triathlete Magazine....

Alternative athletics: 30-plus triathletes mark first-annual beer mile for cancer research By Cameron Elford

I have been thinking about fundriasers and Melanoma awareness myself lately. I have some ideas brewing but nothing to "BLOG" about just yet.


In the meantime, Jim and I are still working on fundraising for the Live STRONG Challenge - Philadelphia Ride in September. While I have been able to raise over $2,180.00 - Jim has a ways to go to make his goal and only 4 weeks left to reach his minimum of $500.00 raised.

If you have not already made a donation, please consider supporting our effort!!

Jim's Donation Page

In other news, I am going to the gym tonight for my first workout since the calf muscle injury. I am going to try 20 minutes on the CrossTrainer (low impact) and some gentle stretching. You could not even *BEGIN* to understand how happy I am to be getting back to some kind of sweaty cardio.

HaHa . who am I kidding, 75% of you are cardio junkies just like me! You ALL get it! And I can't wait to "Get to IT!" Just 7 more hours of work to go...

THANKS & HAVE A GREAT DAY! Live STRONG!!

The most hated woman in the house....

For about 2 minutes every day this week, Wallace will *HATE* me.



He has a little kitten cold (which I am happy to say I did not give him!! The Vet said that is not possible) and the Vet prescribed him 1/4 of a dose of a pill, twice-a-day....

Have YOU ever tried to give a cat a pill? A pill that he is not allowed to chew?

Yesterday is was pretty easy to do, it was new and Wallace had no idea what we were doing and it was two against one, Humans Win! This morning it was one-on-one and proved to be tramatic for both of us. I figured if I gave it to him just before I fed him for the day, he would forget quickly. I even put some cat food juice on the "handy dandy pill popper stick" that the vet gave us. It took 3 attemps and much complaining, from both Wallace and myself AND I have to do it again tonight when I get home.

So I went on-line to see if I could find any better "suggestions" on how to give my kitten this pill twice a day and I found the following - I think I may have to wait until Jim get's home from his work travel do continue treatments .... ENJOY!

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1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as though holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to his cheeks. Cat will then close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Repeat the process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.

4. Remove second pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open, and push pill to back of throat with forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of 10, if you are able. Hold cat's mouth closed as well.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call for assistance.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, immobilizing front and rear paws. Ask assistant to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into cat's throat. Flick pill down ruler with forefinger, and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from living room curtain valance.

8. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and set aside for later gluing. Remove third pill from foil wrap.

9. Wrap cat in beach towel, and ask assistant to lie prone on cat with cat's head visible under assistant's armpit. Put pill in paper tube you've made for this purpose. Then, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow.

10. Check label to make sure pill is not lethal to humans. Sip water to take taste away. Apply bandage to assistant's forearm and remove blood from carpet with soap and cold water.

11. Retrieve cat from neighbor's roof. Remove fourth pill from foil. Place cat in cupboard, and close door on cat's neck and head outside cupboard. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with rubber band.

12. Fetch screwdriver from garage, and put cupboard door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek, and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw bloodied, ripped T-shirt away, and fetch another from bedroom.

13. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat.

Too FUNNY not to share...

My sister Heather is the funniest (& one of the funnest) people that I know and she just recently posted the following on her blog... She has just 8 weeks to go in her pregnancy.

My sister is defintely living STRONG!! ENJOY! (Last names altered to protect the unborn....)

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Eviction Notice

July 28, 2006

To: Rowen Joeseph T (a.k.a. little fetus)

Re: Eviction Notice

Dear Mr. T,

This letter is to inform you that you have sixty (60) days to vacate the premises of : Mommy's (Heather) uterus. While you have been a wonderful tenant in the past, we have recently recieved many complaints of your behavior. This behavior includes: kicks to the ribcage, using the bladder as a trampoline, squashing the lungs resulting in shortness of breath, insomnia, swelling, and being the cause of general overall discomfort.

Our utmost concern is your health. Therefore, we would like to stress that we are in no rush for you to vacate premises before those sixty days unless you are developmentally ready (a.k.a. "done baking"). Please take as much time as needed to fully develp: lungs, brain, heart, and all bodily functions necessary for survival on the outside.

In order to assist you in this transition, we have provided a team of people who are eagerly awaiting you on the outside. This includes your mommy and daddy, four aunts, but just one uncle, four very excited grandparents, and a handful of friends who already consider you family. All of these people will ensure that you find your stay on the "outside" very comfortable and full of love.

Again, we thank you for your timely attention to this matter. If not vacated by the 27th of September, physical action may be taken, including but not limited to: jumping on a trampoline, eating super hot chicken wings, or anything else of (desperate) mommy's discretion.

Once again, we hope you enjoyed your stay, but now it's time to get out.

Sincerely, Mommy (a.k.a. owner, Heather's Uterus)

HOT and Efficient

IT IS HOT OUT HERE!! Okay, so it was HOT out West and Central days before it came here to the East Coast but MY, MY, MY it sure is HOT! Code Red, Air quality HOT ... so if you are working out, stay in the gym!

I have been working on efficiency these past few days. I decided it would be much more efficient use of my time to "get a cold now" rather than wait until early Fall when I have alot of things going on. Really, I planned it this way. Honest...

Yeah, so being sick gives me a reason to stay off my torn calf muscle without remorse. I only have one regret....

Wallace (one of our two kittens) was seen sneezing this morning, several times. It appears I may have given him my cold. Now that would be awful.

The Doctor gave me some killer cough medicine and antibiotics (to be filled only *IF* the cold is not gone by weeks end) and in the mean time, my right calf is causing me no pain so it looks like once I can get this "goop" out of my lungs, I am free to get back on the bike and out on the trails.

So I figure a cold NOW, in the middle of summer EQUALS No Colds all winter long!!! Fingers Crossed...

Keep Living STRONG!!

Happy Birthday!

It's my Birthday...It's my Birthday!!

I have begun the downward slide into my "late" 30s. Do I really care? NAH! I am happy to be here to slide down!! Bring it on!

Wallace and Grommette were more interested in my hat when it wasn't on my head. Apparently, having the hat on made me look different and upset them a little.

They would rather eat the hat anyways.





As you know Jim and I have signed up for the LiveSTRONG ride! If you have not already made a donation, please consider supporting our effort!! Our combined goal is $5,500.00.

You can think of it as a little Birthday present to me if you like!!! $5 or $10 would be great! Or maybe $36 .. not that that is my new age or anything .....Thanks!

HAVE A GREAT DAY! Live STRONG!!

Way to go Floyd!!

(photo by Graham Watson)

Yet another American has topped the podium and won the GC at the Tour de France ...

Congratulations to Floyd Landis!!

He did a remarkable ride, losing the yellow jersey in Stage 16 by over 8 minutes only to reclaim it two days later through a very early breakaway in Stage 17 during which he won that stage and gained over 7 minutes and 30 seconds ... THAT IS REMARKABLE!!

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From VeloNews:

Landis attacked on the first climb back up the same mountain range, the 201km stage to Morzine-Avoriaz, and didn't stop until he left his opponents out of breath and in denial. The gamble was so audacious, so hardheaded and risky that as word of Landis' plan rippled through a peloton worn out after a week in the Pyrenees and Alps, several riders pulled up alongside and begged him not to try it.

''I just told 'em,'' Landis would recall, '''Go drink some Coke, 
'cause we're leaving on the first climb if you want to come along.''' 
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The rest of the article is here ....VeloNews.com

*S*L*E*E*P*

Wallace and Grommet will sleep anywhere, on anything or anybody,
whenever the mood strikes them.
They do actually play alot but we are still working out the logistics of catching them in mid-air.
So until then, enjoy this bit a "kitten cuteness" ...

It's not like you actually WANT to get back to work? RIGHT?


In a bed ...


On packing paper ...


Up high ....


down low ...


On the couch together ...


By our human's side ....


Or safe in their arms ....

Happy Kittens ... Sweet Dreams!

An Early Birthday Present!

Look at what came for me in the mail today!!
MY OWN CHAMPION CHIP!



And I know just the person who sent it to me .....
my wonderful friend/running buddy/triathlete gal-pal/hair dressor extroidanaire ....

THANK YOU KERI !!!

Only 6 more days until my Birthday!! Live STRONG!

Antibiotics and a Cane

So my fears were laid to rest ... I have a typcial sinus infection and the doctor gave me some antibiotics and I am already feeling much better!

My calf is in fact torn. So I am supposed to be taking it easy and letting it heal. My Docs best guess was 4-6 weeks and then if I can gently stretch with no pain, I can start walking and work my way back to running.

So in review: It's not cancer but my thinking it "might be cancer" is a normal response based on the last 16 months AND I am going to have some visable triceps by the end of this 4-6 week period. Can't work the lower body .. I'll work the upper body.

LESSON FOR THE DAY: STRETCH GENTLY AND OFTEN after you runs ... and you won't rip your muscles.

Live STRONG!

Lick the pavement...

I suspect licking pavement would be more pleasant than going to two doctors in less than 24 hours but I don't want to be sick or injured any longer than necessary...My birthday is coming and I want to be *H*E*A*L*T*H*Y*!!!

Friday, I woke up with a sore throat and thought "Post Nasal Drip" ... something is blooming (probably mold) that my body does not like ...Took some Tylenol Sinus and "sucked it up ..." add to that some *feminine* issues and I am pretty uncomfortable but all these problems can be handle "over the counter" ... I thought my immune system was supposed to be SUPER-BOOSTED now?? What the heck ...

Saturday, still have the sore throat but I have a workout planned, must stick to the plan...

My intentions were good, aren't they always? The plan was to run/walk to Power Yoga/Pilates class. It's not very far, just over 2.5 miles from the house on a slightly hilly route. I have run this route before.

I got up and out of the house at 6:50am to make it to class by 7:20am. I strapped my yoga matt on my back, tucked my cell phone in my pocket and headed out the door.

The first mile went well, I took my time warming up to my pace and simply took the time to wake up. The day before, my right calf had been bothering me a little.. It was a little sore but I thought nothing of it. Two miles passed with no pains of any kind.

Just as I took a left, heading on the long down hill half mile to the Rec Center, my right calf seemed to cramp and tighten up. It was enough to make me stop and gently stretch and decide to take it easy on the downhill run. I resumed my run and got less than one block before I felt a sharp pain in my right calf that caused me to yelp (much like an animal) and hop onto my left foot. I gingerly put my right foot back down, already thinking, well I will just gently walk to class and modify my workout and get a ride home from my friend Liz. It was only after I put my right foot on the ground and tried to walk, that I realized that I couldn't.

A phone call to Jim, brought him and the car to my rescue. I hopped into the car and once home we immediately wrapped my calf and began "Ice and Elevation". I tried to stay off my calf all day except when absolutely necessary. The cat's seemed to love knowing their was a warm lap to return to all day.

Sunday, my leg was already much less sore and I am "hobbling" well ... My nickname could be "Gimp" ... I did some reading on line and Jim and I think that I have a calf strain - as opposed to the alternative which is a ruptured Achilles tendon (Calf Strains (which are essentially muscles tears) are a whole lot less severe than a torn Achilles but the symptoms are exactly the same. ) - Only the Doctor will be able to say for sure and I will be seeing him first thing Tuesday.

Sunday was also "Book Club" day and I was the hostess! We had a wonderful time and my home-made gazpacho soup was a hit! The girls surprised me with a cheese cake and flowers for my upcoming birthday and the house was FULL of estrogen! It was wonderful.

Sunday night the sinus infection has moved to my ears, my lymph nodes are swollen and I have a cough!! ARG!!

So I see my GP (general practitioner) today and the Orthopedic doc tomorrow. The hope is for some antibiotics to kill the sinus infection and stop the cough AND news that I just have a sprained calf and I should take it easy for 7-10 days.

So here is the catch.... this is the first time that I have been "sick" since I was diagnosed with Melanoma. This is the first time that I have had symptoms that I could not *blame* in the Interferon, Celexa, Celebrex, Birth Control or any other of the numerous drugs that I was on and it is *freaking me out* just a smidge.

My thoughts were random and panic-driven: Oh my gosh, my immune system is in overload ... Is this really just bad timing to have a sinus infection and another "FEMININE" issue OR is this masking something? What if this isn't a muscle tear but a stress fracture? Do I have BONE METS?......

Don't worry, I am managing my anxiety well ...I know it is totally silly and so that is why I am not taking any of my "anxiety" seriously but I want to be honest about how I am feeling because I would guess that other survivors have felt this way at some point and now I do too.

It is in this time that this quote that I read from "There is No Place Like Hope" comes in so handy...

"I always think Brain Tumor, until the Tylenol kicks in."

Still I would rather Lick the pavement than go any Doctors .....DAMN!

I'm Living STRONG!

Added Note:

I forgot to mention this but this is the one thing, when I think about all the things .. that give me the biggest anxiety.

For the last 4 day I have been having "night sweats" ... to the point where several times I have woken up and put a large bath town under me so that I wouldn't have to wake up Jim (who wakes up to check on me anyways) and change the bed sheets in the middle of the night .... Night Sweats freak me out ....

Still living STRONG!

Texas in October....

I got a little email yesterday that I had been hoping for:
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Dear Holly,

Thank you for your application to participate in the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG Summit. We are pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted, and we would like to invite you to join us as a delegate at the inaugural LIVESTRONG Summit.
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So it is official, I am going to Austin, Texas in October for a long weekend (Friday-Sunday). What is the LiveSTRONG Summit?

The Lance Armstrong Foundation's inaugural LIVESTRONG Summit is a three-day event to organize, inspire and direct the efforts of cancer survivors from across the country to change the face of cancer survivorship.

The LIVESTRONG Summit is a call to action - LIVESTRONG Summit participants will develop goals and action plans to raise awareness and effect change around the needs of cancer survivors. After the LIVESTRONG Summit, participants will apply the action plans in their own communities and nationwide.

Maybe inbetween session, I can meet up with some of my fellow tri bloggers for a short run or coffee... Flatman are you near Austin?? I know Texas is pretty big (zat least that is what my friend Melanie has always told me ...) but somebody who blogs and tri's MUST live in Austin ....

MelBel, I am coming to Texas!!!!!! (Honey, We gotta talk!) ((PS.. Happy Two-Day Belated Birthday !!!!!!!!!!!)

Where are you?

I don't know but if you find me, can you tell me that I am looking for myself?

Life has gotten away with me .... between the kittens (still adorable and so full of mischief); helping to plan a baby shower (custom designed invitations .... lots of work but they came out GREAT!), trying to keep up with my workouts and working 40 hours a week, I seem to have lost touch with my blog.

Things are good, if not a bit hectic.

• My longest workout has been a 5 mile run/walk with a few 3 miler in between for good measure. I started a Power Yoga/Pilates class once a week, this past Saturday, that left my abs so sore that I found muscles I didn't know I had! Sunshine has been on bike vacation this week and will return to the regular schedule next week....

• Did you know that sugar ants (the tiny little black ones) *LOVE* Iam's Kitten food? We are working on a solution to this problem...We want to feed the cats, not the ants...

• I may have some cool "LiveSTRONG" news to share ... I need to confirm my October calander first....In the meantime, I have pass the $2000.00 raised!! Only $3000.00 to goal!!

• My weight is going NO WHERE fast **WAAAAHHH** so I am attempting to buckle down and shake things up ALOT! I want to wear my cool RED retro pants this fall ...

• A king size bed is *NOT BIG ENOUGH* for two adults and two rambuncious kittens who play, then PURRRR, then wrestle and then walk all over you, making little "happy" MOW sounds.....It's a good think they are so darn cute!

• My 4 month DERM appointment came and went without much trouble. Dr. Peck took a picture of one mole that seems left over from a previous doctor's removal and we are going to *watch* it. Sometimes Moles grow back (who knew??) but not very often so if this mole has grown when I go back in November, we'll slice it off again. I'm not too concerned since this same mole was benign the first time they took it off.

• I am not on any meds of any kind and have been *med-free* for 6 weeks now! I think my body is still in shock at having to do everything itself! :)

In general, life is crazy ...I'll try to be more consistant over the next few days. Until then, I wish you all the best and hope you are Living STRONG!

Getting back to it....

While I had a fantastic time at Bike VA, I have to confess that getting back to a regular workout schedule and gearing up for the Maine 1/2 Marathon has been a little harder than I expected. I think that is because "getting back to normal" has been happening slower than I thought it would. I have been told that sometimes this is the case after Chemo. Life settles into a new normal with out all of the "sense of urgency" that a cancer diagnosis can bring.

I imagine it would be like working in the ER for a year and then switching to your own "Personal Practice"... suddenly thing are a little quiet and your not quite sure what to do next.

So this week I have been focusing on getting back to running. I am still doing RUN/Walk intervals but I am trying to focus on my running form. Yesterday's workout went well. I finished my rolling 5K route in just under 40 minutes. I really didn't want to go on the workout but I just let my inner coach tell me "Just F**ing Run" and I did it.

Felt good at the end of the workout...just like I usually do. And of course then I was happy that I got out there. And my reward for my workout? Being greeted by Wallace and Grommet. It seems that Grommet has a thing for my running shoes. She kept laying up against mine and decided that I was good enough to nap on, even if I was trying to stretch.

Find a shoe, lay on it!

Here, let me help you stretch...

Whatcha doing?

Nap time!!

Love Enough for Two ...

THE KITTENS ARE HOME!!!!!!

We picked up Wallace and Grommet on Saturday morning and have been spending the last 4 days getting to know them and adjusting to "Life with Kittens". There are certainly adjustments ... but we are all doing well!

The kitty litter is in the basement and the kittens are finding it on their own. (THANK GOSH!) They already roam the house freely but are quick to "call" when they feel lost and find each other or one of us, whomever responds first.

They have very distinct personalities so far.

Grommet, the silver girl is petite and is the oldest by a week and is far less skittish than Wallace. When there is a big noise or something new she gets very still still, sits and watches. She didn't even leave the room when the vaccume cleaner came on. She just waited until I was done and then came over to check the machine out once it was done making the big noises. She talks a little less than Wallace but purrs up a storm!

Wallace, on the other hand, is a such a baby! He is almost twice as big as Grommet but very quick to hide and talks constantly. Meow, Meow .. Feed Me. Meow, Meow ... Where are you? Meow, Meow ... Let's Play!

Wallace is a total lap cat and was right from the start. Grommet prefers to lay near you and only comes to you lap on her terms.

Jim and I are already both so smitten!! We don't even need alarm clocks any more. At 5:45 on the dot, those kittens are on the bed "Meow, Meow" .. We think it is a sunrise thing and hope they will sleep in on occasion when the winter comes but somehow, I doubt that.

I managed to get two runs in over the Holiday Weekend and enjoyed a great Pre-4th of July picnic with good friends. Life is Good!

Here are some pictures of the kittens from this weekend. They are just 14 weeks old and still in their "fuzzy stage" so their markings are not very clear yet but they are going to be "STUNNING" as they get older. Wallace is already showing "glitter" and when you see him in person, he looks like velvet. Grommet has spots all over her belly and great tail stripes that are going to really POP when she loses her kitten coat. I can't wait to watch them change!

Bike VA - Tour of Love

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N !!!!! It is a wonderful thing and our trip was beautiful and we hardly had any rain compared to everybody here at home in the Metro DC area. Here is a brief synopsis with pictures and mileage!

SATURDAY:

Bike Miles: Holly & Jim - 60 miles

Number of Dogs: 10 dogs, 9 of them chilling in the humidity ...

Summary of Ride: Gentle Rolling thru SouthHill, VA's famous Tobacco fields. The pit stops were EXCELLENT!

Funniest Moment: Dog #10; a white, yappy poodle mix was barking up a storm and chasing some cyclists up the street...until she tried to slide into her front yard and FORGOT that their was a drainage ditch before the yard started. That is the first time I have ever seen a dog do a full front somersault and from the dog's reaction, it was his first time doing one. He immediately STOPPED running and simply stood where he landed and barked at us from afar.

Best Rest Stop: Rest Stop #2 (see picture below)



SUNDAY:

Bike Miles: Holly - 62 miles Jim - 105 miles

Number of Dogs: 5 dogs, all of them mellow

Summary of Ride: Rolling Downhill toward Emporia, VA and Hot, Hot, Hot!! Tobacco fields everywhere! Lots of GOOD Watermelon and COLD Water!



MONDAY:

Bike Miles: Holly & Jim - 40 miles

Number of Dogs: 3 dogs, one was a 3-legged beagle who ran up and down the fields, wagging his tail and howling his "WELCOME" as we entered a REST STOP at his farm....

Coolest thing on the side of the road: A Boy Scout house make entirely of natural things from the area (think wood, nuts, rock, shells). This dragon was the COOLEST!


Summary of Ride: BLUE SKY .... SPRINKLES ... BLUE SKY ... DOWNPOUR...BLUE SKY ...REPEAT... More Rolling Downhill toward Roanoake Rapids, NC ....Wet, Tired and Happy. Still smiling at lunch at the end of the ride!



TUESDAY:

Bike Miles: Holly & Jim - NONE

Number of Dogs: 2 dogs who lived near the Interstate Inn where we stayed ..

Summary of Day: RELAX and dodge the Rain Showers ... Went to the Matinee Movies ($2.00!!!!) and saw "CARS"

WEDNESDAY:

Bike Miles: Holly & Jim - 60 miles

Number of Dogs: 2 dogs (same one from Monday)

Photo Op: Valentine Post Office in Valentine, VA



Summary of Ride: Gentle Uphill, mostly rolling back to SouthHill, VA. No Rain but HOT by ride end! I had a little trouble with my lower back being sore and my kidneys were not keeping up with my water intake so my pace was SLOW ... so slow that Jim had time to get to camp, get our car and luggage AND still be waiting for me at the finish with a smile, hug and dry clothes! Man do I LOVE that part of being slower than him on the bike!

BIKE VA MILEAGE SUMMARY:

Holly: 220 miles over 5 days
Jim: 265 miles over 5 days

BIKE VA Vacation Summary: WONDERFUL TIME on the BIKE! Lots of open rolling farm roads, a lot of sunscreen, a little rain and no flats!!! Life on a BIKE is GOOD!

Good Luck and Have a Good Week!

First of all GOOD LUCK to the the folks who are racing this weekend; especially folks like Shelley who are tackling IRONMAN CANADA!!

GO, GO, GO and Live STRONG!


I'm OUTA here for a few days. Jim and I are off for our little vacation with Bike VA!!

I'll be back with milage, stories and pictures later next weekend!

Keep Living STRONG!

Oopps!! HeHeHeHe

So Wednesdays are bike commuter day. It is a good way to get some bike miles in and still have the evening to do other stuff. The ride itself is not very difficult or long. It is 13 miles to and from work (26 mile round trip) and follows the Potomac River with no big hills to speak of just some moments of effort.

The course is predominately bike trail and so the hazards are the occasional recreational biker and the flocks of runners but trail manners in this area are better than most. We have more dedicated users during the week and everybody makes room for everybody else by staying to the right, calling out when passing and being fairly predictable in behavior.

I tell you the course nature so that you can appreciate what happen to me today.

I know this route to work and home very well. I have been on these trails for about 5 years. After 5 years, you know which little climbs need a little jump out of the saddle, which require a nice easy spin and when you can coast and chill.

So yesterday's trip home was HOT and WINDY! I don't mind either but both together makes you feel like you are riding in an oven with the fans on. I'd rather have a cool headwind than a hot headwind any day. So here I was on the trail, heading home at a moderate pace. My only goal - HOME - no extra miles, no extra effort, just a good base mileage ride. I had a lot on my mind, I am working on plans for a Baby Shower, I have to pack for Bike VA, the kittens are coming home in less than 10 days and I still have decided where the kitty litter will be .... On and on my brain went.

So you an imagine my SHOCK when I looked up to navigate a detour in the trail and realized .... I MISSED A CLIMB!

No I didn't go off course and I hadn't gone a different route, I was simply so distracted by what was going on in my head that I did the climb with no effort at all! It was so easy that I didn't even remember doing it!

Now I have to laugh because I don't know if I should be THRILLED that my fitness is coming back enough to make that small climb a non-issue or WORRIED that my "coming off of Interferon" brain is able to loose a full mile worth a riding!

HEHEHEHE ... I will choose to be THRILLED! Bike VA is going to be a trip folks!! I might even feel *FIT* by the time I get back!

But for now, back to packing and list of things to do!

Keep Living STRONG!

Somebody who inspires me..

This is Rosey (top) and Elly (bottom) and they live in Upstate New York with my Aunt Pat and Uncle Jim.

They may look like simple barn cats but they are more than that ....

They are "Anti-Depressants" that purr ...

My Uncle Jim is one of my "LiveSTRONG" Heros. About a year before my own diagnosis, I found out that he was diagnosed with colon cancer. The Doctors prognosis was grim... less than a year. Early on, when I heard about his cancer, I sent him and my Aunt a set of Live STRONG bracelets and told him about Lance Armstrong. My Aunt then went on-line and bought 20 bracelets to hand out of fellow patients at Uncle Jim's chemo center. That is the kind of woman my Aunt is! Strong and full of Positive Energy.

My Uncle, Jim Bowdish has been fighting hard and strong for over 2 years now. That shows how much Doctors know about strength and will especially from a real tough Yankee.

He is currently on the last kind of chemo they can give him and Each round of chemo has worked at keeping the cancer at bay which is what we want. His next step is to look for clinical trials. He and Aunt Pat work hard with his Doctors to keep on top of new chemo drugs because you never know when another will be approved in the next weeks or months. He will be 72 in Sept and Aunt Pat and Uncle Jim will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in the same month!

His fight continues daily and he is the epitome of what it means to "Live STRONG". Whenever I felt sorry for myself over this past year, I would think of him and know that I was not the only one fighting. And he is one of the reason that I am planning to ride the LiveSTRONG ride in Philly in September!!

$1440.00 raised ... only 3660.00 to go! Thanks to everybody who has contributed so far!



Keep Living STRONG Y'all!

On the Go & 15 seconds of Fame ...

In an effort to break my "Diet Coke" habit and cut down on my general sodium intake, I have started drinking water at lunch with raspberry Lemonade - Crystal Light -On the Go! ...

I just don't have the heart to simply squeeze lemon in my water so it is worth the 5 calories to have some taste and 28 grams less sodium. I want to reduce my Diet Coke habit to 1-2 bottles (20 oz.) a week instead of 1-2 per day.

This weekend was VERY PRODUCTIVE indeed! I did a 3 mile run/walk on Saturday which left me convinced that it is time for new running shoes. While I didn't "feel" like I was going very slowly, the chrono on my watch indicated otherwise. I think it might have something to do with the temperature at the time of my run (75 F) and the long sleeve running shirt that I ran in IN ADDITION to the shoes. When I took a look at them after the run, I notice that I have no tread left ... Shame on me ...Bad Runner Girl ... So I bought some new shoes this weekend!

The new shoes are Men's ASICS® GEL -Kayano® XII (I have big feet so I feel more comfortable in Men's running shoes) and they are so pretty and comfy ... I feel like I am wearing slippers! I can't wait to break them in this week!

On Sunday I did leisurely 40 mile BIKE ride on my own on the trails here in the area. I rode up to my old neighborhood in Falls Church, VA and then back home. Again, a slow pace but I don't really care right now ... I am just happy to get out and ride my bike. I am really looking forward to Bike VA 2006 this coming weekend! 5 days of me and Jim and our bikes! Doesn't get much better!!

Finally, I have almost used up my 15 minutes of Fame .... I was recently interviewed and had a small quote in an article here in U.S. News & World Report ... it is on newstands today.

My quote is at the very end of the article and it one of many pieces that was written by by Katherine Hobson. Included in the issue is a piece on time management (here) in which Nancy Toby was interview and quoted too!

Now ...on with a new week! Did I mention that my new kittens Wallace and Grommet are coming HOME on July 1st?

Bike Vacation followed by Kittens AND an article in U.S. News?

Life is good! Keep Living STRONG!

Finding Some Balance .. (warning long post)

I read the comments that all of you are so kind to post but sometimes, quite frankly, they don't sink in. If they had, perhaps this week would have started a little better.

You see Peter, in response to my "Cancer Free" post, had said:

"Absolutely fabulous! I am so pleased for you. Just don't overdo it until you really build up again."

And so what happened? I completely "Overdid" the rest of my week.

Early in the week, Jim and I had lots of very welcome COMPANY in the form of family and friends. My workouts were non-existent from Friday to Wednesday but we were busy and it was worth it to spend time with the people I love.

Thursday was the bike commute to work which, as I said before, was probably 10 extra miles too many. I did 34 miles for the day when the entire commute trip is actually 24 miles roundtrip.

Friday, in prep for a Hike on Saturday, I did my normal 5K route from the house. I didn't worry about my pace and just jogged when I felt good and walked when I needed a break. I was out for about 45 minutes.

On Saturday Jim and I met up with friends to hike "Old Rag" out near Lurray, VA. It is a 7 mile hike that starts with about 2.5 miles of woods hiking and rock scrambles to the summit followed by 4.5 miles of wood hiking and long wide fire roads and takes up the morning, usually about 3-4 hours of moving with a stop at the top for a hearty snack.

I had expressed to Jim that even though I did this hike last fall, while on Interferon treatment, I wasn't so sure about how well I would keep up with the group. I have put on 30 pound since that hike last October '05 and even though I was on chemo, I was just a week out from the Marine Corps Marathon and in much better shape. Jim reassured me that I would be able to finish and that some of the folks we were hiking with were coming back from injuries themselves.

"This would be a fun hike, not a timed ascent."

I kept that in my head as we began the hike. I did my best to keep moving but found myself needing more rest breaks than in previous hikes. Even though our hiking partners were recovering from injuries, these folks were still keeping a good pace and chatting away, while I hung onto the back of the group, head down, breathing deep.

We got to the first major marker, where the hike become a series of rock scrambles, and I thought about stopping for the day and letting Jim go on with the rest of the group. I few sips of Gatorade and a moment to rest soon changed my mind.....

for about 5 minutes, until the real rock scrambling began and my legs started "screaming" and shooting "lactic acid" all through my muscles....

I stopped, in place, looked at Jim and said: "Two hours of hiking is enough for me today. I'll take my snacks and a bottle of Gatorade and meet you guys at the trail head. Go on and catch up." I reached into the fanny pack that Jim was carrying and took my ham-n-cheese on wheat, my trail mix and was grabbing for the Gatorade bottle when it hit me...

I don't QUIT!

I looked at Jim, who had said nothing except, "Okay, if you need to do that, I understand" and said "Damnit!" and I stuffed my food back in the fanny pack, handed him back the Gatorade bottle and started moving up the trail, at my own pace.

We finished the hike after nearly 5 hours on the trail. Both tired but content to have had the chance to enjoy a beautiful day in the woods.

Sunday I took off from exercise and simply ran around the house all day doing errands and little projects. Seemed like a good day of recovery.

BUT THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM...

Which is why on Monday, I was the most miserable person you have ever met. I was high strung, cranky and snacking out of control. And for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why I was having such a HARD TIME. It wasn't like I got up and did a workout or had a stressful work day ahead of me. Why did I feel like I was going insane?

I kid you not, it took me all day to figure out where this funk was coming from ...for the last week I have either been ON or completely OFF. There has been no balance. It was like I go that "Cancer Free" diagnosis and decided: "Okay, get back to life as you knew it last spring ... as FAST AS YOU CAN!"

Funny thing is that my body and soul don't work like that. There is no "getting back" at this point. Sure the fitness will return over time and the weight will drop back to normal but that doesn't happen by "going back".

It happens by moving forward.

And it helps if you take a little time to make sure you are "steady and balanced" and know the general direction you are headed in. It is a simple rule but so easy to forget. I forgot but now I am beginning to remember.

And as Peter, so kindly recommended, I am going to take it a little slow and not "overdo it until you really build up again."

Live STRONG Everybody!

CONGRATULATIONS NANCY!!!

Nancy finished Eagleman 70.3 in 7:30:32!!!!!!!!!

THAT IS AN 1 hour and 20 minutes faster than last year!

WAAAHOOO!!!!

SWIM - 55:30
Bike - 3:44:38
RUN - 2:42:02

OVERALL - 7:30:32 / RANKED - 1368

WAY TO ROCK IT NANCY!

NANCY-UPDATE: Run Nancy Run

Just a quick update ...Nancy is off the bike and onto the RUN...

RUN NANCY RUN!!

Swim: 59:45
Bike: 3:44:38
Run: in progress...

Following NANCY's Day

For those of you who are following Nancy ... I am happy to report that she is out of the swim and on the bike with a combined SWIM/T1 time of 59:45

She must have missed the mat coming out of the water ...

A SUB-1 HOUR SWIM! Already a HUGE PR from last year's swim time of 1:28.... BOOOYAAA!

GO NANCY GO!

You can track her race here ...

She is bib #1859

The results are back ......

and the CT Scans were NEGATIVE!!!

I am now officially "CANCER FREE" ....

YES! YES! YES!

----MY RACE CALENDAR IS FILLING----

Yesterday I commuted into work on my bike and the weather was darn near perfect. I covered 34 miles for the day (with an extra 10 miles on the ride home for good measure. As I rode home, I ran through my list of "things to do" and realized that this weeks marks 20 weeks until the Maine 1/2 Marathon with my youngest sister Cathy so I will be pulling out my running books this weekend and settling into a training plan.

A few weeks ago, while Jim and I were visiting, my friend Rochelle (Hey Roche!!) mentioned that she was planning to run the Stonewall Jackson Ambulance Run which falls the weekend after my half-marathon. Since have had a "DNF" (did not finish) in the innagural running of that race (it turned out to be a stress fracture in my foot) - I think that might be a great race to do. The training milage will give me a strong base for the 1/2 Marathon and it's a great course with a wonderful friend ... How can THAT be bad?

In just 2 weeks, Jim and I will be taking a week off of work to ride Bike Virginia. SInce we are at completely different paces this year, I will be spending much of the daily rides alone, unless you count the other 1,998 riders who are registered. I am looking forward to the trip and to the days of riding. I am also looking forward to buy one of this years jerseys. They are so cute!!!

Did you know that this weekend, Nancy will be tackling the Eagleman 70.3 Triathlon. It is her second time racing this distance AND a big milestone on her way to IRONMAN FLORIDA in November! GO NANCY GO!!!!!

So to recap: I'm CANCER-FREE, my race calendar is filling up and Nancy is going to ROCK the Eagleman Course!

Live STRONG and have a GREAT WEEKEND!

Ellie too!

I nearly forgot to mention that Ellie is running the Hatfield-McCoy Marathon is Saturday!

May the wind be at your back Ellie! ROCK THAT RUN!

Waiting for the "ALL CLEAR"

We interrupt this very busy week of work, company and life in general to share that I had my first round of "follow-up" CT scans (brain, thorax, abdomen & pelvis) yesterday and I think it is safe to assume that my digestive system can't handle the "iodine & apple juice" mix. UGH!! I did *not* feel too good after two large glasses of that mix.

I don't recall getting sick on the chalky milkshakes they made me drink last time so I guess I will request those instead next time around.

Waiting for the official "all clear" and enjoying the fact that I only take a One-A-Day and Vitamin C every morning now!

Back to work ... more to share on the weekend later!!

Live STRONG!

A week OFF of Interferon!

So it has been a full week (actually 9 days!) since my last shot of Interferon and already I can tell the difference:

1. I am sleeping well, no lucid, crazy, "Did we talk about this already, Jim?" dreams

2. I am waking up rested and happy. None of the "is it time to get up already?" groans...

3. I have not had a headache in 9 days!

4. My right knee and hip are not sore!!!

5. I am much more pleasant to be around in work!!
(A great thing considering that graduation is next week and everything is RUSH - I NEEDED THIS YESTERDAY at NDU)

6. After 12 hours at work (overtime BABY!) I am actually able to make complete sentences and stay awake.

7. While my weight has not changed, my body fat percentages have dropped 5% points.

The workouts are not showing any big improvement yet but it has only been 9 days and I expect it to be a month or so before I start seeing significant improvement there. So in general, all is good!
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RE: My LiveSTRONG Challenge

WOW!! Thank you so much to everybody for your love and support!! I never expected to raise $675.00 in less than 24 hours. You guys are wonderful!!!! I will be getting together my "snail mail" lists to mail to family and friends who don't get on-line much later this weekend! Only $4325.00 to reach my goal!!
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Jim and I are expected a full house this weekend with Family and Friends so I don't expect to have time to post. Have a fantastic weekend and I will catch up with all of you on Monday!

Keep Living STRONG!

2006 LIVESTRONG Challenge Philadelphia

It's official ... I'm registered to ride 70 miles on September 10, 2006, in Philadelphia with a team representing Cyclists Combating Cancer.

My fundraising goal is $5,000.

It’s been just 14 months since I got the diagnosis that changed my life. When I found out I had cancer, I was scared, angry, hurt and worried for my family and myself. As I experienced all of the treatments, the side effects, the ups and downs, more and more I wanted to fight. I did not want to let cancer take away my health, my hope, my life.

I am not alone. More than 10 million Americans are currently living with cancer. More than 1.3 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone.

In honor of my battle with cancer, and for all of those millions of people in the same fight, I’m participating in the LIVESTRONG® Challenge Philadelphia in September.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation believes that in the battle with cancer, unity is strength, knowledge is power and attitude is everything. Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist, Lance Armstrong, the LAF provides the practical information and tools people living with cancer need to live life on their own terms. Their mission is to inspire and empower people affected by cancer and they serve this mission through advocacy, public health and research programs.

Step up and Live STRONG out of your wallet this time, if you can ....

Click the button below to donate online or to print a donation form to mail.



For donations by mail and employer matching gifts, my participant ID to include on the form is 11040911.

Thanks so much!! Live STRONG!!!