Another cycle complete means RECOVERY WEEK!!!  these past two weeks of training have been going great.  I'm rolling in workouts feeling confident, and my mileage is high.  So combo-ing the two together and having them both going well, things are looking good.  But lets just be honest, Saturday was the last workout in the cycle and it COOKED me.  And I'm not over-exaggerating.  I think everyone in the group felt the same way.  After laying on the track for 10min, I crawled through my cool down.  Getting home, I shower-bathed.  You've all done the shower bath...it's when you're so damn tired and smell so bad that you lie down in the shower unable to move as the water hits you.  I was so tired that "East Coast" turned the water to cold and I laid there debating whether to just take it or not.  ha ha ha.  The rest of the day I was in the fetal position too sore to sleep but so tired I couldn't move.

It's great though.  I'm about 3 weeks to our opener, so the mileage is getting cut back and the intensity will continue to go up.

I love it though.  I love that sting, I love that inability to move....this shit is awesome!!!!

P.S.  Here's what I run in.....

 

AND THIS IS WHEN I WENT HOME....ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!!?

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: POKER

WHAT A FREAKIN TURNOUT!!!  Saturday night had to have been one of the coolest nights I've ever experienced.  Yes, it was awesome to be the centre of attention.  Anyone who knows me, understands that I strive for that, ha ha ha.  But this was way more than that.  I've never been so touched in all my life.

 Saturday night brought poker to a new level for me.  A group of closer people in my life set up a poker fundraiser for me to help raise money for this Olympic dream you've been following me with.  And what a fundraiser it was.  Payouts were for the top 5 places with the winner taking home $720. Friends, family, and just poker lovers came out to support.  

Yes, I sat and played. Partly, I was hoping to walk away with some of the pot winnings, but mostly to talk with the people that are supporting me.  I caught up with friends at the table and also got a chance to meet others and exchange stories.  But did I ever have the shakes playing.  I got hot/cold flashes, my nerves were all over the place, my heart rate elevated.....I felt like I was going through........... menopause?!?!!!  All my sports have helped me with the ability amp myself up to explode out in a race.  But poker is like the Tour de France-tactical and calm waiting for the perfect moment to strike.  Man oh man was there some solid poker players.  One in particular that stands out in my mind was a woman dressed in a hoody and shades.  No smiles, barely any talk, just business.  And did she take care of business picking off players one by one.  Players were dropping hundreds of dollars in re-buyin, and she just took it right back from them.  Finishing 2nd, she was one of the bests to watch.

Something that has to take note is my "Lovely Ladies".  What a perfect set-up these women had.  The poker guys didn't stand a chance.  My fit club ladies, and hockey/track moms did an amazing job of selling....tickets.  50/50 tickets, raffle for Leafs tickets, and raffle for a Texas mickey of Grey Goose were all up for grabs.    No one stood a chance against them... Imagine hot women selling booze, women selling buy-ins, women giving food, women selling tickets, I LOVED IT.  One notable woman had a great talent of selling arm-length of tickets.  She gave a great deal when you bought the both arms....lets just say it was chest-ac-ular!!!!  

During the draw prizes winners who won truly deserved it.  The Goose went to a poker guy who when first arrived took one look at the bottle and said "I'm winning that", and was determined to do so.  The 50/50 draw went to a family who did something amazing and donated it right back to me.  Which is why, somehow by the gods of Karma she won the Gold Seats Leaf tickets (face value $200/ticket).   Thank you Kelly and George.

But I knew this poker night would be a success when I received a card from a family with two kids, one in grade 6 the other in grade 2 that participated in my cross country program this fall.  Within the letter there were two other personal notes from the kids saying thank you and good luck to me, each having placed money from there own pockets in there.  Ya, I broke down with that one.  

Thank you to everyone who came out.  Thank you to my planners: Margaret, Jeanine, George, and Ann.  

Thank you to my helpers: Lissa, Alanna, Marlene, Will, Kelly, Sunny, and Rocky.  

Thank you to my donators, Karen B, Karen S, Sharon, Rod and Sherri, Anna, Pat and Peter, Bill, Mike, Dermot and Katie, Evonne, Amanda and Zac, Nancy, Grant, Naomi, Carrie, Marry, Melissa and Paul, Kim and Brian, Andrew and Liam, Dad and mom, Bobbo, mAnne-train, Megs, Ann and Paul, Jeanine and Sam, Margaret,  Dave, Jan and Alana, Kelly and George, Julia  James  Will and Maddie, Tara, Tammy,  my Mom and Dad, all the poker people,

Thanks again to the poker players, who came out to support me. 

I hope I didn't forget anyone.  If I did it wasn't my intention.  Thank you, thank you all.  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!   I can't express how grateful I am to this.  To have this much support and people behind me, I feel untouchable.  I don't feel pressure, but rather recharged with confidence and excitement.  

I'm rocking out this year.  I'm going faster than I ever have.  Watch, read, and follow me along this path, because you've all helped me get here and I owe you all eternal gratitude.

HELLS YA BABY!!!!

i'm sitting in the airport a out to fly home andni just looked at the toronto weather and saw ners in the negative!!  i'm leaving 15-20 degree celcius for this??!! t i'm heading back for a funraiser for me that a  group of people have helped put together.  They're rounding everyone they knosw and ngetting them out. Its actually looking pretty damn good. there's a pot that continue to grow for the winners (~$2000) right now, free food, gold seat leaf tickets, and plenty of booze.....all to come out and play. A pretty solid fundraiser. haha

As I sit here waiting for this flight it got me on a train of thoughts starting with starbucks and ending with friend and family that made me want to thank everyone for their support. I mean I have this little group of people that believe in me enough to get this fundraiser going, I've got friends that are just as poor as me coming out to play, people sending me wishes and donations,, a dad who sends me quotes each day to remind me and motivate each day as to what and why I'm doing this and family that's been with me since day one believing in me. I LOVE IT!!!!! I don't feel pressure with this either, rather a desire to push. I've got a community of support rooting for me. Pushing with me on my journey. HELLS YA BABY!!! Bring on the cold, bring on the snow, with everyone behind me, nothing can break me.


pokerhttp://www.meetup.com/YorkRegionPokerLeague/events/47799182/

If you're interested in playing there are still a few tickets available for the event