Dedication

The northern team has been very dedicated this week. After a rather trying day on Wednesday we managed to suck it up and do some training. However, Mike took the training to the next level as is demonstrated in the picture below. Even though he was tired and frustrated he still was able to train!

Run Forest... Run!

Justin- I am very very sad that we will be losing you from the TIT team. Like Jen said, I am glad that you are not throwing in the towel completely. We are now down to 4 T.I.T's and that is a critical low. No more dropping. We are locked in at this point.

Two-uh-days up north have been going pretty well... except for this intense heat that is just exhausting to be running in. We (Kesia, Mike, and I) have been swimming in the e coli and I am glad to report that we are ecoli-free thus far! I will continue to monitor the team for health problems and will possibly be doing blood draws if the threat continues.

I was thinking along with my dear friend Kesia about something fun... I would like all of you to let me know of your two favorite songs to run/bike/ walk to. Something that you know you can put on and it will keep you going. We are going to compile the songs and make a CD for everyone to have! (more free stuff for Just)

Someone needs to put up the e coli article on here for record !

Welcome Aboard!

Justin, I think it is so important that you have come to this realization now, as I believe none of your team members would want you to drown! More imprtantly, I think it is great that you didn't throw in the towel all together, and will be passing out with me as we finish the dualathon!

I, too, was experiencing this moment of reality last week as I was running on the treadmill at the gym. I thought that maybe I was in over my head and should just stick to the 5K that I had initially set as my goal for this summer. I felt that I was just overcome by peer pressure and wanted to do what everyone else was doing without thinking about my ability. Thus, I was one email away from ending it all. But, with a caring, "you can do it, just train harder" from Jansen, I was overcomed by peer pressure again =). Luckily I have had a few pretty good training days over the last few, and have put my name back in the hat.

Have a great week training everyone!

Reality

There comes a time in each persons life when dreams do not match reality. I feel I had this time over the past few days. Due to various commitments in my life (school, school, school, etc.) I feel I need to withdraw my name from the triathlon. Because I have not had time to train for the swimming event I feel I cannot safely continue on this path. Kesia and I talked about this last night and I am more afraid of drowning than I have been in my life...and e.coli!

Do not be dismayed however, I am still in for the duathlon (mostly because I want the free shirt, post race food, and other freebies). So, Julie and Jenifer you now have a companion for this race. I just hope you will not be looking for a "running" partner as I will most likely be walking.

I hope I can be a part of this group; even though I am no longer a T.I.T. I still remain a D.I.T.

Have a great day!

If you can't play with the big dogs... then stay on the porch

This week has been full of learned lessons... some harder than others... but still lessons learned...


Monday night we (Mike, Kesia, Justin, Luwis, and I) celebrated Mike's birthday at Dime-A-Dog night at the Clippers game! Mike almost ate a whole 25 hotdogs... and we had lots of fun!

Kesia, Justin, and I got Mike a cake to celebrate after the game which already had "happy birthday" printed on it. We decided to get it a little more personalized so Kesia and I asked the two young gentlemen behind the counter to "personalize" it...

In case you can't see it clearly... it says T.I.T. Kesia was the brave one to ask and the man said "You want it to say what?" We said "we know what it spells but just do it." We may or may not have been judged but the lesson to be learned here is that it does not matter what others think when you are going to lengths for a teammate, you do it because we love each other.

I started my official job as a Y.P. this week and in doing so met a guy who is a hardcore triathlete. He was really excited to find out I was doing a triathlon with the best team in the world and gave me some awesome tips...
The biggest thing he recommended was overcoming the dreaded "brick." He explained that the hardest part of the triathlon is after you get off the bike and you begin your run... he explained something about the muscles basically going into shock and "bricking" and he said if you have never felt it before you do your triathlon then it will knock you down big time. So he said it is important to be biking... jumping off and then start running immediately. He said the first mile will be mighty painful but push through it. We need to practice the brick!

Lastly... the hardest lesson learned this week came tonight after a wonderful and difficult swim with Mike at Alum Creek. It was a hard swim with lots of waves and Mike's injured leg. I was pulling out of the park cruising at 35 miles per hour in a 20 mph zone (in just my swimsuit). I was unaware of the 20mph limit and the next thing I know i'm being pulled over by the park cop. In the 6 years I have been driving I have never once got caught speeding, which is something I do a lot. To make a long story short... I ended up with a $130 park citation for speeding. We need to pull together and do some fund raising to cover this cost. We will sell candy bars or something. Any ideas are welcome.

I thought some mean things about that park ranger... maybe shed a few tears... laughed about it... and realized that my new young professional pay check won't nearly be as enjoyable when I have to write a $130 check from it. I could have easily thrown in the towel and my tennis shoes and quit the triathlon all together but I came home... ate some chicken... and went out for a 2.5 mile run in honor of the officer that gave me my ticket. Two-a-days are IN.

In the words of Men at Work, "ain't nobody gonna break my stride... ain't nobody gonna slow me down... oh no... i got to keep on moving..."

I will see most of you tomorrow at the equator for some more training! Two a days here we come!

A Work in Progress

It seems like the communication between our team has come to a halt! No longer can I trust that every time I log on to my computer there will be words of encouragement awaiting for our team.

I would like to thank Magic Mike and his book, "Mike's Collection of Life Reminders, Quotations and Affirmations"..... I plan to read his book and report my findings each day in this blog. I can only hope that his life book will give our group what we need to continue on training with happiness and enthusiasm.

A team is an intimate place. To work
closely with others, especially thoes committed to the highest performance,
means revealing essential details about who we are, what we know and what we
believe. We put our ideas, values and passions on the line with our teammates - and we hold our teammates gently
as they do the same. In order to foster such intimacy and high performance, we
need to regular, open, honest, communication. When information flows freely, we
can pool our strengths and make progress toward out mutual
goals.

Whitney et. al., Diana

Everyone have a GREAT day!

Our supporters...

Jenifer's awesome post led me to think about posting about our supporters...

The northern team has needed some motivation this week so I thought I would share it with the entire team...

That picture of Shelia is awesome and motivating as well! I almost forgot I had that picture... I can't believe I have not brought it out before now!