So something must have been misaligned in the universe yesterday - both BJ and I were abnormally irritable.  For me, it wasn’t an overall bad mood, in fact, I was in a great mood yesterday it was just that a few things happened and they pissed me off more than normal.

So on my way home last night, the lady on KLove, yes the Christian Rock station..you know what?  I don’t care, I’m OUT becuase the more people I get to know the more people listen to KLove.  Anyway back to my story…the DJ in the evening was talking about if you’re feeling blah try something totally new the next day.  If you usually wear dull colors, wear bright colors, if you wear prints, wear solids….yada, yada, yada.

I thought to myself, well whatever the hell is misaligned in my world may just be fixed by doing something out of the ordinary.  So as I sit here in an outfit I’ve never worn before and a head band (which I usually hate but for some reason is working today) nothing is really bugging me today and my tolerance is back to where it needs to be.  So if you’re feeling blah, bitchy or sad try something totally new tomorrow - doesn’t have to be crazy just a little something different may be just what you need to refocus your focus.

Harrison turns 7 today!  He is such a sweetie and just keeps getting sweeter.  Unlike his sister; there is no attitude, no ego, no entitlement just a sweet face and lots of kisses.  It’s a great balance, kind of similar to another guy and girl I know….hmmmmm…..dogs really do take on their master’s personality.

There’s one thing we always say about Harry - he loves the love.  And we love giving it to him. Have a great day buddy - you’re such a good dog.

It’s a beautiful day in Boulder today, I’m off to North Boulder park for some x-country time in place of my long run.  I’m psyched to get a little more nordic in before the end of the year, I’ve only been once so far, it’s ridiculous.  This triathlon thing is all consuming, there are so many things I used to do that I don’t do anymore….  It reminds me just how difficult this sport is, it’s not the race, it’s the training that makes you tough.  I love it but I also love the days I get to do other things!

Tonight….oh boy, fiesta night at Chez Freisem - can’t wait!

I love my girl so much.  She’s 5 today and needs to stick around for many, many more years.  I’m sure that if she was human, we’d be the best of friends.  Put a voice to that attitude and those looks…you’d have one fabulous female.  Lhasa is my princess lady friend and I think this blizzard is a birthday gift for her from mother earth.

This storm is just wonderful and I’m hoping for a few feet when its all said and done.  I think we have about a foot already and it’s only 10am….bring it on, we need this so bad.  My mind was starting to dry up over here, I was about to jump on a plane, head east and dive in the ocean. What a difference a day makes.

Yesterday, I spent the day with Skirt filming video for their website, the Tiara Ditcher was there keeping the energy high and the lip gloss off my teeth.   We did all kinds of activities at several different locations.   It was so much fun, exhausting, freezing but so many belly laughs to feed off; the kind of people you want to spend the day with.   And the 09 line…oh my, this is the best line yet, it just keeps getting better.  I went to sleep last night with visions of the wondergirl dress dancing in my head.

Was supposed to run 9 miles today but since I’m a big wuss (see post ‘so not hard core’) I’ll be opting for yoga and nesting time.

Based on the way I’ve been eating I’m pretty sure this is what I would look like if I didn’t train.  Well, I guess after my hair reaches its goal length.

Now with that said, I continued my training today with a brick - 39 (kind of, like 12 miles short) to 6 (a little more like 6.4).  The Tiara Ditcher joined me for the run which was AWESOME!  I long for group workouts so I definitely need to do this more often.  All it takes is a little planning ahead, next week we already have a date in the pool for Sunday.

Been watching lots of March Madness games with the Beej - my grid is sucking it but I’m holding out hope for Louisville to take it all the way.  That is if Siena (who? exactly) doesn’t beat them which they are right now.  I do love all the crazy finishes, it gets my heart pumping.

Been longing for the ocean lately, I think it’s the warm weather, need to start planning my summer trip to the Cape.  I need my fix, I just hope I can hold out that long.

My most favorite day of the week - my rest day; second only to those days that I feel invincible when training.  Yesterday was extra special as we closed on our re-fi and locked ourselves into a lovely 30-year fixed mortgage at 5%  - oh yeah, we’re gonna own this house someday.  I’m not in the business of doing anything these days except moving towards debt free living.  It’s realistic and I look forward to getting there.

Monday I took it easy with a 3.5 mile run, weights and yoga….nice active recovery as I moved into Tuesday with my long ride.  Right now Craig has me up to 56 miles for my long ride already….so since I only have to ride that once in August I feel that I have room to wiggle should time and life get in the way.  I rode 42 with a short run off the bike then finished the day treating clients.  Today is a busy one, looking forward to my 90-minute session tomorrow - I love when it’s my turn!

I miss this guy so much.  Can’t wait to see you this summer buddy!

Rode 45 today - started early, the wind picked up pretty good while I was out there but not the worst I’ve experienced.  Came home and started in on the spring yard clean up.  Got one section almost done.  Baby steps, just a little at a time.

Just finished a lovely self care session -  between the ride and the yard work, I think I’d be a little creeky tomorrow so I figured I’d give myself some love.  It’s so easy just to skip it; not stretch or work out tight areas…but when I get started, it feels so good I don’t want to stop.  I think the key to stretching/self care is to really get into your body and sense what is going on.  Once you connect with this it’s hard to stop.  It’s very therapeutic for the mind too.  It helps to have tools - my new favorite is the Trigger Point Ball - I may even love this more than my theracane….yep, I do. It’s awesome for working out hips and the it’s heaven for my upper back.

Good week ahead, gonna tackle it!

I think living in Colorado gives you a certain reputation as being an outdoorsy tough guy, I think being a triathlete living in Boulder gives you an additional reputation as being extra tough and then being an Ironman on top of this gives you that heightened aire of being hard core……or at least this is what I’ve read in magazines and heard from my northeast peeps.  Well, I’m officially dispelling all notions that Mrs. Gumkowski is hard core because not only am I not hard core but I’m also a big spoiled wimp.

I had plans to do my long run yesterday morning before I started seeing clients.  Well, when I woke up to a quarter inch of snow on the ground and chillier than normal (or actually quite normal for winter) temperatures I quickly changed my plan to a 3 mile treadmill run followed by a swim.  There was no way I was running outside when it was kind of slippery, sort of chilly and a teeny bit windy - no freaking way!  Why?  Because this ridiculous 300+ sunny days a year with mostly mild temperatures has turned me into a complete and utter wimp girl.

So today, Wednesday, with the sun shining strong and no snow on the ground, I’m off for my long run…in another hour or so, I need it to warm up a bit more first.

I love change and variety.  My brain is programmed this way - I love trying new things on a menu, rearranging the furniture, changing up my training plan, not getting stuck with the same ole’ same ole’.  I need variety and I’m not scared of change - in fact I crave both on a regular basis.  BJ - not so much, he’s the two egg white guy at the Walnut and the bamboo steamer guy at the Sunflower.  He finds an outfit and wears it until it wears him.  We are a nice complement to one another in this way, one of many actually.

So today I thought since I was doing the grocery shopping by myself I’d try the new Sunflower market.  I heard some good reviews and also some money saving chatter.  We’re Whole Foods people through and through, it’s expensive but to us, we don’t care, it’s our health and we’re not putting a price on that.  I know, we could get some things at Safeway, some at Target and others at Whole Foods but you know what, I hate that plan.  For us, time is money and our time is valuable plus I loathe both Target and Safeway.  I actually have a physical reaction when I walk into either, I get sick to my stomach.  So no, that plan doesn’t work for us.

I headed out to Sunflower with my Whole Foods bags and a deep feeling of betrayal and guilt.  I was turning on my Whole Foods community, I had this gut feeling that this wasn’t a good idea.  I had read some reviews on Yelp which may not have been the best idea for me….although the produce received rave reviews there was talk of needing to read labels becuase there was items with crap in them.  A warning to be careful but that in the end it would save you money and all would be well in the world again.

I went in and took one aisle at a time.  Nothing looked much less expensive than Whole Foods and yes there was some crap on the shelves and the only organic OJ they had was $6!  It’s ok I thought, just get through this and see the difference it will make in your pocketbook then decide.  The eggs….ahhh, they weren’t all cage free!   The organic avocados were more expensive than Whole Foods. Where was the Earthbound organic spinach?  Ground beef….there wasn’t any at the meat counter.  I was getting a really bad feeling but my cart was filling with brands we don’t usually buy, I was in too deep at this point.

‘Am I missing the ground beef?’, I asked the guy at the meat counter.

‘It’s all pre-packaged around the corner’

Pre-packaged?  No, not pre-packaged….  ‘Great, I”ll take a look, do you have grass fed?’

‘No, we don’t buy grass fed, but it’s natural’.

Oh no, if I know anything about food items being touted as natural, it means squat.  I rounded the corner to take a look….no grass fed, no 96% lean, no freshly packaged in recyclable material and handed to me with a smile.  Where was Jimmy  - the salt of the earth guy with the thick New England accent stocking the shelves.  Where’s the check out lady from Brooklyn who loves to shoot the shit with me?

That was it, I couldn’t do it - I hit reverse, returned everything from my cart and hit the road for Whole Foods.  I walked in and there was Jimmy, greeting me with a big smile….my check out lady, the hot ticket from Brooklyn….it was good to be home again.

We are forever grateful that we are able to shop at Whole Foods but we’ve said before there are many things in life we would give up before we gave up this.

The celebration of my 37th birthday was nothing less than just my style - you see, my husband is perfect for me and knows exactly how I would ideally celebrate my life in any given year.  March 4th started out with a much needed sleep in with the kids (which is 7am in our house).  BJ hit masters and then home to take me out for a run at Teller Farms.  Unbelievable weather, no wind just sun and warmth.

A trip to Moe’s for bagel sandwiches followed and a visit to Boulder Running Company to spend the $37 my parents sent me. I hit a C2 class at Core Power Yoga then home for showers and a picnic in Chataqua Park, complete with cheese, poetry and nap. Dropped off the beej and then headed down to Pearl to see my girl Eileen at Pompadours.  Home with new streaks and off for a glass of wine at SOBO then NY style ZA from Abo’s.

Hmmmm, anything missing?  Oh yes work…that’s just something we try never to do on our birthdays. A great day, thanks babe.

Thursday was a work day, stuck close to home, hard ride in the wind and weights.  Tried to hit both as hard as I could because I knew Friday was coming and I had 2 massage scheduled.  Yes, it was a 2 massage day.  An hour in the morning for my upper body and an hour + in the afternoon for my leggers.  I could see a 2 a day once a week could work nicely.  My body loves me this morning, I’m ready to get back into the thick of training but man do I need stabilizers.  I need them for my mind, body and spirit.

Getting on the trainer now for a short tempo ride, a few clients this afternoon then off to the Ole’ Louisville Inn to meet up with the ladies.

Yes - stabilizer week, still feeling a bit sluggish and weighted but ready to recover this week.  Had a great workout on Saturday - 33 mile bike to a 5 mile run.  I ran strong off the bike and could have gone longer.  Still working with perceived effort for all my workouts and after some cadence testing with Craig on Friday, it shows that I’m right on the mark with reading my body.

Yesterday I had my long ride which I did on the trainer, took it easy since I was feeling some hamstring pain on bike Saturday.  Just spun it all out then headed down to Pearl St with my sister for a pre-birthday celebration.  We hit the Boulder Cafe for a glass of wine and some aps but after the guy across the bar picked his nose then ate it we promptly left for The Med, always a happy hour saving grace.   I indulged in a glass of their white sangria and lots of food samplings.  It was delicious and very nice of my sis to make the big trip from the city to Boulder to take me out.

BJ and I made our delicious buffalo tempe pizza then both passed out in the t.v. room for a lazy evening.  This morning the coffee is tasting better than normal.  I’ve decided to take today off as my body is still feeling beat, but beat in a good way.  Just need this week to recover and recharge.