Yeah, I’m still here.  Not sure if anyone was wondering but I am here.  I’m not up to much, just quiet.  Thinking.  Deep inside my own head.

Workouts with new trainer are going well.  He is perfect for what I wanted in a trainer. I can’t say enough good things about him. Turns out he has a masters and I love “talking the science of working out” with him.  Generally, I ask a question and then he provides me with a fascinating and relevant discourse on the subject.  Of which I retain about 2 concepts.  And then I email him and ask for the information again.  He’s nice enough enough to take the time to write it all out so I can read it and understand it.  Yesterday, we talked about the different methods of fatigue and my goal is to work out to volitional fatigue this week.  Last week, we talked about how to increase my ability to workout at a high intensity level without hitting my lactate max. 

Of course, it’s not all lectures.  We also laugh a lot.  Last week, while I was working on a set of abs, he sat down on a stability ball that, unfortunately for him, was on top of a dumbbell.  He literally rolled straight backwards and fell off the ball, head over heels.  Since  he’s 6′3″ and all arms and legs, it was one of the funniest things I had seen in a long time.  AND, he got up and totally laughed at himself. 

I had my last physical therapy appointment today.  Yes- I’ve been released!  My knee is healed and my shoulder issues are improved to a point where I can work on the shoulder myself at home.  Fortunately, the physical therapist is willing to answer any questions over email and I can make an appointment with him at any time for a follow up to check on any soreness that may arise, if it does.

So, all that is good so far.  Other things are not going so well but I’m trying to deal.  Trying to remember that, just because I feel like the world is coming to an end, it’s not.  And if I just wait, the feeling will pass.

I wrote a post about someone who I didn’t know read my blog.  It was painful for them to read, although I think it was mostly about me.  It was about how I had changed, but the references to a particular person could not be denied.  I have learned my lesson and will be more discreet in the future.  It was not my intention to hurt them, it was written from a place pain in my own life.  It was written because I was in a lot of pain, it was about me.  I am sorry if it hurt the other person.  I will not make that mistake again.

Better late than never, sorry!  That seems to be the mantra of my life at the present moment.  However, we have randomly chosen a winner for each of the $25 gift certificates.  Drum Roll Please…….Danielle of A Little Left of Lost and Scout’s Honor from The United States of Motherhood. You can email me your address or just DM on Twitter and I’ll get them in the mail Monday.  Thanks everyone for participating.  Happy New Year.

My heart is breaking for everyone in Haiti. It puts life in perspective. I wish I could travel and help out, but I cannot. At least the United States is reacting to this catastrophe and not turning our cheek like when did in our own country, aka Hurricane Katrina. Watching an interview with the president of Haiti and he doesn’t know where he is going to sleep tonight. Think about the regular people, the people who don’t know if their relatives are alive or dead. The dead children and adults covered with cardboard on the street. Life is bigger than our own little world.

So I’ve met with my new trainer twice now and I am so much happier.   He’s whip smart, funny as hell and makes me laugh.  So, yes, these training sessions are going very well.

Unlike the last trainer, this one has mandated that we meet once a week.  I do the workout he designs for me once during the week and take his circuit training class once during the week as well.  I run a long marathon training run on the weekend and do a shorter run (7-8 miles) once during the week.  I do a 2nd circuit training class on the weekend.  That’s 6 days of working out.  The 7th day is supposed to be a rest day but the trainer (God, I need a name for him, let’s call him Sven (obv not his real name)) has finally come around to my way of thinking and has agreed to that I can do a swim workout on my “rest” day.  The swim workout is supposed to be light and not for training purposes so I’ve been swimming a 100 laps (2500 yards) but without pushing myself to do sprints.  I think of the first 1 mile open water swim on my 2010 schedule as I swim lap after lap after lap.  It helps pass the time.

So, my schedule looks like this right now:

M- strength program from Sven; T- circuit training with Sven; W- short run (7-8 miles); Th – workout with Sven; Fr- 2500 yard swim; Sat- circuit training; Sun- long run (12-20 miles)

That’s a lot of time for working out.  It’s a struggle to fit it all in but so far it’s working.  Unfortunately, I am now in physical therapy for my knee and shoulder injuries I suffered during my (embarrassing) fall during the Seattle Marathon.  My knee should be fine soon but my shoulder is a bit more problematic.  I have a strained supraspinatus and my shoulder joint is also impinged.  I went to physical therapy yesterday and the therapist did joint manipulation (ow!) and deep tissue massage (ow!) before setting me up on the ultrasound and electrical stimulation machine (weird and ow!).  Add in weekly appointments with the nutritionist to learn the best way to fuel for training and my weeks are full.  Before I add in my full time job and the fact that I have a husband and 3 busy kids to take care of.

(Try calling bullshit on my workouts! Sorry, bad joke.  Email me if you don’t know what I’m referring to.)

So, this is the plan for now. Of course, life does happen and I’ll be out of town for a week and am not too sure how I’m going to manage everything.  I won’t be able to workout every day but I do plan to take my workout gear and do what I can, when I can.  I’d love to hear from all of you as to your workouts, your time management strategies, etc.

Can I just say compared to Chris’ 2010 goals, I am a slug. I big fat, giant sucker. I need help with my sluggish ass, but I’ll never be at her level. The girl is a rockstar! By the way, I have no goals for 2010.

Back in September, I started working out with a personal trainer.  I wrote about that trainer and my feelings about it.  As time went on, I knew she was working to protect my best interests and health but I wanted more.  I wanted to work out harder and longer and not take so many rest days. I actually hid from her one day when she had made me swear (including shaking hands) to take a rest day and I wanted to run instead. I kid you not. I snuck into the gym, went through the aqua center to the dark cardio theater and took a treadmill far from either entrance to avoid being caught.  That day I realized there was something wrong if I was lying to my trainer so that I could work out MORE.

I switched to a different trainer and had my first workout with him yesterday.  I. Am. So. Sore. today! Yes!  Mybody hurts from my neck all the way down through to my calves.  I love it.  This is what I was after- to work my body to a new level and push it to its limits.

I’m a little reluctant to put my 2010 goals on here but I’m going to do it.  If I don’t put them out there, where is my accountability, right?

1.     Marathons #5, 6, and 7: Yakima (March), Seattle Rock N Roll (June) and St Georges (October)

2.    At least two 1 mile open water swim races : Green Lake (June) and Seward Park (August)

3.    Better my time and placement in the 2 sprint triathlons from 2009: Sammamish (August) and Kirkland (September)

4.    An Olympic distance triathlon: not yet decided but summer 2010

5.    This is the big one: qualify for the 2011 Boston Marathon.  I need to run a 3:50 marathon in 2010 to qualify.

6.    This is the pipe dream: get into the 2010 NYC Marathon by lottery.  I entered in November and will find out in March if my lottery number was chosen.  Very slim chance.

A while back, Kim and I were invited by the incredible Mona to go to an event at QFC .  The QFC at University Village held a special event for bloggers where QFC demonstrated their incredible prepared food and had a complete dinner for the bloggers.  Unfortunately, I was ill that evening but Kim went and had a very nice time. 

QFC sent home each blogger with a $25 QFC gift card for themselves and a $25 QFC gift card to give away on their blog.  Because Kim was busy (see previous posts as to all that she has been busy with!), we didn’t quite manage to get the give away up on our blog.  To assuage some of this guilt, we are giving away BOTH $25 QFC gift cards!  So, please leave a comment and we will use a random number generator to pick TWO winners.

We’ll leave comments open until midnight Saturday, January 9th (Pacific time).  The winners will be annouced Sunday on 3giraffes.

Just so you all know these gift cards are good at all Kroger owned stores. Here is a list of some of the places they are good: Kroger, Ralph’s King Soopers, City Market, Dillion’s Smith’s, Owens, Jay C, Baker’s, Hilander, Gerbes, PayLess, Scott’s, Fred Meyer and Foods & Co.

Remember when I told you all about the neat event we got to go to with our kids?  Well, it gets even better….

I came home from work last night and saw a package from Brand About Town on our table.  We opened it up and inside was a Wii, Wii Sports and Super Mario Brothers. No Way!  What a lovely surprise and it totally made our New Year’s Eve.  The kids opened it, my 11 yr old was able to set it up and get the controller working and everything.  It is fantastic!  I can’t thank Justine and the people at Brand About Town and Nintendo enough.  My kids (and I, to be honest) are totally into it.  In fact, I twittered all night about the fun times we were having.  LOVE IT!

We went out today and bought another Wii Motion Plus controller, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games and SimAnimals.   As soon as we came home, the games were out and I can see it will be another Wii marathon night at our house!

I am so excited to be a Brand Enthusiasist for Nintendo!  I’m not sure what fun times may be ahead but I am 100% certain it is going to be nothing short of fantastic!