Margie Remmers

A Beautiful Day for a Crash

2009-03-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

Such strange events these last few days...

Monday night we checked the weather report and found it was supposed to be a nice, sunny 63 on Tuesday--but overnight it was supposed to get down to freezing. So what would it be like in the morning for my ride? Probably still freezing.

I mentioned this to my husband, and asked, "So when would be the ideal time to ride my bike?" He said, "Noon." Well, that's an inconvenient time for me generally, but I decided to make an exception and move around my schedule so I could take advantage of the beautiful day.

I got up the next morning without intending to go out until later and got a few things done. Then it was time to get the kids up and ready for school, and I discovered that my son--usually the first one up in the house--was still sleeping. I thought this was very strange and I tried to wake him up. He was very lethargic--getting out of bed, but then resting his head on the dresser as he stood there.

I went downstairs to make breakfast and then came back upstairs to check on him. He was back in bed, barely awake. Now I was really worried.

I sent my daughter to the bus stop and called the school to tell them my son wouldn't be in in the morning. Then I putzed around, checking on him every 20 minutes to make sure he was still breathing, and grateful I had already decided to delay my ride.

After about an hour, my son bounded down the stairs full of energy as if nothing had ever happened and, for some reason, was totally focussed on collecting all his video games and putting them in one spot. As I watched him, I immediately understood what had caused his strange behavior earlier--his seasonal allergies had arrived.

So, I gave him some benedryl and brought him into school.

The weather was still chilly--only in the high 40s--so I decided to wait a little longer for my ride...finally heading out the door at about 11:45am.

Immediately I could tell a difference from yesterday's ride--good food has a powerful effect on strength and energy!

As I approached the "100 count" hill, which is about halfway through my ride--about 5 miles out--I was feeling good. I did my best to get some good speed to help with the momentum on the way up. I started to change gears, and that's when it happened...I lost control.

I don't know if it was because of the location of the gears (I have to take my hand off the handlebar to shift) or whether I hit some gravel, but I could tell I was going to crash, and the only thing I thought of was, "What is the best way to fall?"

I ended up doing a somersault over the handlebar and onto a patch of grass next to the sidewalk--it probably would have been theatrical if it wasn't so scary.

I felt OK, but I was pretty shaken up and not sure what to do--I was, it seemed, very far away from home. My husband was an hour away at work. My only thought was to call someone from church to come pick me up, but I didn't have any phone numbers, so I called my husband to have him look up some numbers on the online member directory.

While we were talking a very nice man in a pickup trucked stopped by to make sure I was OK. If I wasn't so far away from home, I would have had him take me there--but I just felt 5 miles was too far to ask. So I thanked him, told him I was on the phone with my husband, reassured him I would be fine, and let him go on his way. I felt bad that I wasn't able to offer him an opportunity to serve and asked God to bless him as if he had.

Anyway, as all this was going on, I was starting to settle down. I don't think I was really panicked, but I definitely felt the adrenaline rush of an emergency.

Once I was reoriented, I realized that I was near a cross street that could cut down the middle of my loop and take me directly home.

So, I told my husband I was going to ride home and that I would call him when I got here.

Once I got home, I took 1000mg of ibuprofen and showered--I figured I was in for some massive pain within the next few hours.

By dinnertime I was achy, and by about bedtime I was starting to feel a sharp pain in my upper abdomen, near my sternum--it felt like a bruise, but there was no bruise to be seen. I don't remember doing it, but I must have fallen on the handlebars. Having watched too much television and seen too many horror stories of internal bleeding and people who thought they were just fine dropping dead, I called the nurse for some reassurance.

She suggested that I see a doctor within 3 hours, but it was nighttime, and I did not want to go to the emergency room.

So, I decided to go ahead and go to sleep and told my husband to check on me.

This morning the abdominal pain was worse, so I went to see the doctor. She initially said she would order an xray, but said that if I had broken or fractured a rib there is nothing that could be done about it.

I told her it didn't feel like my ribs and so she pushed on it again and said she would order an ultrasound instead.

So...I went to the ultrasound clinic and told the technician what was going on. She asked me to point to where the pain was and I lifted up my shirt and pointed to it.

"Oh, you mean right there where that bruise is?" It seems a bruise had appeared!

Anyway, she first did all her checking around looking at the internal organs and seeing if there was any extra fluid in there and everything seemed to be fine. Then she switched probes and looked at the muscle. Everything was fine.

When I wrote my book and told the story of my near heart attack, I said, "It's funny how your mind works in an emergency--obviously, you don't want any thing to be wrong, but then again, you hate to go through all that for nothing."

And that's exactly how I feel now.

So, here I sit--very achy, tired, and miserable, but with nothing seriously wrong with me. So tomorrow, if the weather cooperates, I'll be out in the saddle again, doing another 10 miler, and hoping I have all the wipe outs out of my system.

What a Mistake

2009-03-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have felt terrible all day--this weekend's food choices were DEFINITELY A BIG MISTAKE. Ugh... I tried to make up for it today. I plan to be even better as time goes on!

9:00am - Access shake
11:30am - paradise blend/banana protein shake
2:30pm - small, 100 calorie bag of pretzels
6:00pm - giant salad with thousand island dressing
7:30pm - macaroni and cheese
10:30pm - pineapple

Weighed in today at 170lbs. That's two pounds MORE than last week. But I'm not worried about it--with better food choices, that should turn around fairly quickly.

Tough, Windy Ride

2009-03-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

I got up later than I had hoped this morning--7am, which isn't bad, but not enough time to go for my ride and be back in time to get the kids off to school, which is my goal.

So I got some other things done in the morning, got the kids dressed and fed, and was SHOCKED when we walked out to the bus stop at how cold it was. 48 degrees--not much colder than it was over the weekend, but what a difference! It's very windy...perhaps that's what it is...

Anyway, I was glad I had had the opportunity to experience the cold before I went out, because I came back in and bundled up!

Today's ride was VERY difficult. I did the regular 10 mile loop around my neighborhood, but my legs and body were so tired, I often felt like giving up. At the bottom of my "100" count hill, I honestly considered walking. I really didn't think I would be able to make it!

But then I remembered a quote from Arnold Schwartzenegger that I read recently. He said, "The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That's what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they'll go through the pain no matter what happens."

I thought about how many times in my life I had quit or given up because I was too tired, and I found the determination to push forward.

It took me 78 counts, but I did it!

So what made today so difficult? Though it may have something to do with the wind (you work harder and don't go as fast when the wind keeps pushing you back!), I believe that the number one determining factor was my poor eating choices over the weekend.

I won't make that mistake again.

Now it's off to do my yoga...

A Day of Rest

2009-03-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

So, Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. Unfortunately for me, it is often jam packed with activities, and today was no exception. My food choices were not the best, which is especially bad since it followed ice cream on Friday, a "hot food" binge and party food on Saturday--and tomorrow is weigh in day. Ack!

The good news is that I can really tell a difference in my body when I don't eat right--if I can remember how bad it makes me feel, then I'll be less likely to make poor choices in the future.

Anyway...

8:30a - mango, pineapple, 1/2 banana, vitamins
12:30p - giant salad with spray on ranch, 2 bean burritos on whole wheat tortillas with lettuce and tomato
5:00p - a little bit of leftover holuski, 2 pierogie, bread and butter
10:10p - mozzarella stick, bruschetta, and fried zucchini; O'Doul's (went out after a show for a late night snack)

I'm noticing a trend that I tend to eat well in the morning and then blow it in the evening. Well, the first step to recovery is acknowledging you have a problem! ;o)

Back on the bike tomorrow...

My First Long Ride of the Season

2009-03-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

No rain....yea!!!!

I was excited to head out this morning for my first long distance ride. I had seen in the weather forecast that it was supposed to rain, but had planned to go out anyway. I was thrilled to learned that it wasn't actually supposed to rain until the afternoon. As it was, it was cool and misty--it reminded me of the Oregon Coast, which I love.

So it was a good ride.

It started out a little rocky, though...

My plan was to ride 15 miles along the Mt. Vernon Trail, starting at mile 1, riding to about 8 1/2 and heading back.

Unfortunately, when I was about halfway there, I realized I had forgotten a snot rag. I knew that with the weather the way it was, I would definitely need to blow my nose more than once, so my mind raced for a solution.

I remembered that there was a grocery store not far from mile 7, so I decided to stop there and pick something up.

I don't use tissue, because it just falls apart, so I was hoping to find a cleaning rag or something--even a small dishcloth. Anyway, I spent an inordinate amount of time looking around the store and finally saw a package of Kleenex brand Viva Towels. It said, "Soft and Strong Like a Cloth" on the outside. Perfect!

They lived up to their name and were excellent at the job. I've decided to keep them in my car in case I forget for future rides. :o)

But now I was at mile 7, so I had to either drive back to mile 1 or change my plans. I decided to start at 7 and ride up to 8 1/2, then back to mile 1, and back to mile 7. Actually, it turned quite well--so well, I think I might keep doing it. Heading backwards, there are some pretty steep hills...better to tackle them in the first half of the ride than the second! :o)

Speaking of hills, this route has one very steep hill that I had tried my "100 count" strategy on in the fall. It only took counting to 12, but it is VERY steep, and there is a hairpin turn leading up to it, so you can't get any momentum before tackling it.

Today when I approached it, I downshifted, headed up and--wow! I went up lickety split! Woo hoo! Again, more evidence that my fall training paid off! (Of course, there is the possibility that it was so easy because it was in the first part of my ride, rather than in the last part...)

Anyway, despite all the craziness, it was a good ride. I was suprised how tired my legs were when I first got on the bike (as a result of yesterday's ride), but as I warmed up, that went away. It was nice and cool--not too cold, and like I said it reminded me of the Oregon Coast. I saw a lot of nature riding along the river, and I was just so grateful that I have this ride to "force" me out. I think my natural inclination would be to just stay home.

When I was done with the ride, and the bike was back on the rack, it suddenly hit me--I was SOAKED AND FREEZING! I guess the exercise was keeping me warm and the scenery was keeping me distracted. When I got home, all I wanted to was hot food and a hot shower. After that, I plopped down on the bed and promptly fell asleep. I guess I hadn't realized how tired I was, either! But I know from experience that that recovery--how you feel after the ride--gets significantly better the more you work out.

So, my eating wasn't that great--in fact, it was pretty awful. I was just so cold when I got home!!!! I definitely was not in the mood for a fruit and protein shake...

10:30a - Access shake
12:15p - Access bar
2:00p - multibean soup, piergie, holuski
6:30p - went to a party and ate a variety of snacks into the evening: chips and bean dip (with lettuce and tomato), artichoke bites, fresh vegetables with dip, hummus and pita, chips and spinach/artichoke dip, strawberries & grapes; drank lots of sparking lemonade and sparkling apple cider.

Today's Eats

2009-03-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

9:30a - Access (I've been getting a late start--this has to stop!)
11:30a - Dreamsicle protein shake, vitamins
2:00p - giant salad with spray on ranch dressing (getting tired of thousand island!), two slices of bread with butter, a little bit of leftover pasta from yesterday
6:00p - Long story here, but I scrapped my original dinner plans and went to get some Ukranian food from a local church--perogie (potato & cheese, encased in dough, served with butter and onions), holuski (pasta with cabbage and onions), and two different kinds of soup (multibean and sauerkraut/mushroom). Not very healthy, but oh so yummy!
10:30p - Speaking of not very healthy, I indulged in some Cold Stone after seeing a show with my friend. I got the Cookie Doughn't You Want Some™.
12:00a - vitamins

I Rode Outside!!!

2009-03-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo!!!!

It was around 50 degrees and beautiful. I wore my hat and bundled up, but found I didn't need to--I got a little overheated and took off my sweatshirt about halfway through. I did wear my bike gloves instead of my regular gloves and at first wished that I had picked the warmer ones. Later, though, as I got warmed up, I was happy with my choice. Still, I'm going to add the warm ones to my list. It may be chilly in the mornings and maybe I'll want to have them and then switch.

I followed the 10 mile course I had used during my fall training, and found that it was somewhat easier than it was 6 months ago. That means that my indoor training was helpful!

I was curious to see how well I would do on the "100" hill. When I was in the triathlon, there was this big hill, and I really didn't think I would be able to make it. I told myself to count to 100 and that after that, if I wanted to get off the bike, I could. So I counted to 100, and when I was done, the hill had leveled out and I was able to stay on. It was a triumphant moment!

Anyway, when I mapped out the 10 mile course by my house, I discovered that there is also a big hill, and when I first encountered it, I decided to use the same strategy--count to 100 before you give yourself permission to get off the bike. I found that I got to the top of the hill around 65.

As I was working out in the fall, I kept hoping to lower that number, but I never could get under 60.

Well, this morning, I made it to the top by 54! Woo hoo!!!!! Yes, the indoor training really did help.

So now that I'm outside, my plan is to ride 10 miles Monday-Friday and then do a long ride on Saturdays...starting at 15 miles and then increasing 10% until I am riding 50 miles consistently. I will probably increase the daily ride, too--maybe to 12, 15, and eventually 20, but I'll stick with 10 for now.

I really need to get to the bike shop and get an odometer...that will make my route planning much easier. And when I go to the shop, I'm going to ask what to do about my hands/wrists. They hurt more than any other place on my body.

And I REALLY need a new bike. This old thing is on its last leg...

Another Day Indoors

2009-03-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

Indoor again today. It was a little warmer--43 degrees--but pouring down rain. Sigh... Saturday is supposed to be in the 60s, but a 40% chance of rain. At this point I'm thinking that I'm going out no matter how bad the weather is. I have GOT to start getting in some distance rides!

Anyway, this morning I did 40 minutes of cardio, followed by yoga/stretching.

Here's what I ate:

9:00a - Access shake
11:00a - pineapple/banana protein shake, vitamins
1:00p - giant salad with thousand island dressing, toast with butter, top ramen
6:30p - baby carrots, Bow Ties with Lemon, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach
10:00p - apple, vitamins

I have to say that having to write what I eat in this blog is having a MAJOR positive affect on my food choices. Whenever I think I might want to binge, I think about how I would have to write it here for the world to see! Ack! That's powerful motivation to make the right choice... :o)

The Benefits of Stationary

2009-03-26T07:41:00.001-07:00

One thing I DO like about the stationary bike is that I can multi-task...read, prepare for my day, go over my goal cards... I am going to miss that time on the bike when I head outside.

Also, I meant to say that when I DID head out on Saturday, I noticed that my legs were quite strong. I guess biking all winter on setting 7 was helpful after all...

More Indoor Training

2009-03-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this morning it was even colder--30 degrees! So...back to the basement for more indoor training. I am so itching to get outside! Ack!

Anyway, usual winter routine: 40 minutes cardio, followed by yoga/stretching.

Today's eats:

9:00a - Access shake
11:00a - Paradise Blend/banana protein shake, vitamins
1:00p - giant salad with thousand island dressing, leftover tatertot casserole
4:30p - healthy samples at Whole Foods Market: grapes, chips, salsa, bread with bruschetta
6:30p - salad with thousand island dressing, veggie burger with tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, and relish on a soft bun, baby carros, and a chocolate QB for dessert--we saw them at Whole Foods and they're vegetarian! Woo hoo! Very tasy...
11:00p - apple, vitamins

Strength Training

2009-03-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

Still too cold to bike outside (30 degrees this morning!), so I'm still following my winter training plan. Winter Tuesdays were strength training days--I did 20 minutes of cardio on the stationary, followed by a body weight strength training plan I found on the Turbulence Training blog some time ago. It's well rounded and challenging. I do:

5 Bodyweight Inverted Rows
10 Bodyweight Sumo Squats
15 bodyweight squats
15 Pushups (doing as many regular pushups, followed by kneeling)
50 jumping jacks
10 spiderman climbs
20 reverse lunges
25 bicycle crunches

That was followed by my YogaBody stretches. Focus: Hips.

Here's what I ate today:

8:30a: Access shake
10:00a: 1/4 apple, Dreamsicle protein shake, vitamins
2:00p: leftover rice pilaf, cooked spinach w/rice vinegar, carrot sticks
6:30p: giant salad with thousand island dressing, tater tot casserole (tater tots, steamed broccoli, cream of celery soup)
10:30p: apple, vitamins

Indoor Training

2009-03-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Still too cold to ride outside. 34 degrees when I woke up...yikes! Also I noticed that it's still dark at 6. But that part is OK, I LOVE to ride when the sun is rising--sooo beautiful! :o)

Anyway, I did my indoor training instead like I have all winter--40 minutes of stationary followed by yoga/stretching (will write more about what I do here later).

Also took my measurements to I can track them on this blog. I'm planning on using this ride to help me shed some extra pounds and inches. That will ONLY happen if I eat right. I learned that from a PBS Special I happened to watch while I was training for my triathlon. I had been frustrated as to why I was training so hard and not losing any weight, and then I learned why!

I'll be weighing in every Monday and taking measurements the first Monday of the month. The format is:
weight(in pounds)-chest(not bust, in inches)-waist-hips-left thigh-left arm

Current measurements are:
168-34-32-41-26-13.5

My goal before the ride in September is:
139-33-26-33.5-24-12

I'll write in another post about my eating plan, but here's what I ate today:

6am - Access shake (never start a workout without it! more on this later...)
8am - pineapple/orange/banana protein shake
10am - fruit salad made with cantaloupe, grapes, and banana; vitamins
1pm - lettuce with thousand island dressing, leftover roasted potatoes & vegetable gratin
6:30pm - cooked spinach with seasoned rice vinegar, rice pilaf, carrot sticks
11:00pm - apple; vitamins

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

2009-03-21T07:26:00.001-07:00

Well, I headed out this morning for my first distance ride, and I was SHOCKED to look at the thermostat and discover it was only 32 degrees! I thought it was spring!

Last fall, when the weather was getting colder, I decided that I would only ride when it was 50 degrees or higher. But, you know, 50 degrees in the fall (when you're used to it being warmer) seems colder than 50 degrees in the spring (when you're used to it being colder), so when I went out yesterday it was pretty nice--I thought it would be around the same the morning.

I was wrong!

When I saw how cold it was, I bundled up and headed out anyway, but I forgot one critical thing--a hat.

If you look at pictures of me, you'll see that I don't have very much hair on my head. And those bike helmets are full of big holes! In the fall, I wore a stocking cap, but I didn't think about it today. What a mistake. After just one mile, I had such a headache. I went a little further and then turned around.

Unfortunately, I driven several miles to the trail, so I couldn't easily run home and get it.

Sigh. Oh, well. I'll see if I can squeeze in a long ride on Monday--maybe it will be warmer then.

And I'm going to add a stocking cap to my list of things to bring. Who know what the weather will be like up north in September?

Stuff to Bring

2009-03-20T21:52:00.001-07:00

I'm starting my list of stuff to be sure and bring with me. Please add your suggestions to the comments!

Snot rags (I would call them handkerchiefs--probably more P.C.--but I use so many different types of rags...)
Lip balm
Camelbak
Cell phone and charger
Stocking cap & other cold weather clothing--including gloves
Gloves & helmet (obviously!)

Dusting Off The Cobwebs

2009-03-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

Spring is here. Officially.

That means no more excuses. If I am going to do this ride, I must get out my bike, dust off the cobwebs, and hit the pavement.

That's exactly what I did today--my first ride of the season.

I started slowly--only about 8 miles. It took me longer than I expected...about 50 minutes. I'm going to have to start going a lot faster!

But I'm not worried about it. My legs were in pretty good shape from the indoor stationary I've been riding during the winter. The hardest hit, actually, were my hands and wrists that got really tired and achy. I sure hope our new bikes come with aerobars.

Oh, and I forgot to bring a snot rag! Ack! My nose was running so much I think it got more exercise than I did! I am going to start a list of things to remember for the ride. That is going to be top of the list!

Anyway, it was nice, though, breathing the cool clean air and smelling the blossoms that are starting to bloom. I rode on the trail along the Potomac river. It was lovely, if still a bit chilly.

We haven't received an official training plan, so I'm just going to make one up. I'm going to start with 10 miles a day, Monday through Friday, with a long ride on Saturdays. I'll start with 15 miles tomorrow and then increase 10% each week, until I am riding 50 miles every Saturday. At some point I'll have to increase the daily rides, too. Probably up to 20 miles. But first things first. I will also post my eating plan.

Triathlon for My Birthday

2008-12-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

I celebrated my 40th birthday last month by completing an Olympic distance triathlon--the only endurance race of any kind I have ever attempted! Here's my story:

I did not fear it or avoid it. In fact, in some ways I looked forward to it!

There is something legitimate about turning 40. Like now I was a real adult. People would take me seriously now. My opinions mattered. I was a real person.

I never would have dreamed, however--not in a million years!--that I would celebrate my birthday by completing a triathlon. Me--of all people! This girl who hates exercise--who has struggled with her weight her whole life--who gets winded going up one flight of stairs--who didn't even OWN a bicycle...how does THIS girl end up in an Olympic distance triathlon, swimming .93 miles, biking 25 miles, and running 6.2 miles--on her 40th birthday no less? Well, here's how it happened...

It all started with Beyond Freedom.

Beyond Freedom is a 90-day personal development home study course. It's a journey of self discovery--audio lessons, journalling, and a workbook of exercises to uncover what has brought us to this point in our lives and how we can create the rest of our story.

One of the exercises is to write a list of 101 things you want to experience before you die. The lesson says, "This is the way we should all be living our lives. With specific intent. With a happy ending in mind, so that when you turn the last page of the book, you break into a warm knowing smile, maybe dry a small tear of heartfelt emotion and know it was a life well lived. A life of accomplishment. A legacy of purpose."

As I began my "bucket list," as people now call them now (the movie of that name wasn't out when I did mine!), I struggled to come up with 19 things I wanted to do. It was amazing to realize just how small my dreams had shrunk.

When I got to item 10, I started to write down "finish a marathon." I have always admired people who run marathons, and I thought, "Boy, if I could do that, that would really be something!"

But as I began to write it down, I thought, "What am I doing? I HATE running!"

I had a friend who was training for a triathlon at the time, and I thought, "Well, I like to bike and swim...," so I wrote down triathlon instead. But writing it down did not mean I was actually going to do it. It was just a pipe dream--something I thought maybe I would do sometime before I die.

I could not have imagined that I would turn that dream into reality in just over a year!

A few months after I began my Beyond Freedom study program, my family and I took a trip out out Oregon and Washington to visit family. While we were at my dad's house, I happened to look through his bookshelves and pick up a copy of The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz.

I remembered seeing the authors on Oprah years ago. Their philosophy is that managing energy is more important than managing time. After all, you can have all the time in the world, but it is worthless if you don't have the energy to use it.

I started reading and fell in love with the book instantly. I read page after page about why my energy levels were the way they were and what I could do about it. I was excited! I told my dad how much I was loving the book, and he said I could have it if I wanted it. He had read it some time ago and didn't care much about it. "Yes! Thank you!," I said.

I continued to read it for the rest of our vacation and couldn't wait to get home and apply the techniques that they recommend.

In the book, the authors discuss our energy as being in four categories, each building upon the other. First you have your physical energy, next your emotional energy, then your intellectual energy, and finally, your spiritual energy. They say that in each area we must alternate between periods of activity and rest--just like training your body.

Your physical energy is your foundation. You must increase the quality of your physical energy first--exercise, get adequate sleep, eat healthy food, drink plenty of water, etc.--before you can work on the other three.

They repeatedly stress how important exercise is and recommend a type of exercise called High Intensity Interval Training. Their experience led them to believe that this was the most effective type of exercise--huge results with a minimum amount of time.

Well, I have never been one to exercise--it took too much time, and I struggled to see results--but I was excited to get home, find an HIIT exercise program, and try it out.

I found exactly what I was looking for in an online article titled HIIT and Run: This Aerobics Alternative Will Help Take You Out of the Fat Lane by Shawn Phillips on MuscleMedia.com.

The article gave an exact program for using HIIT with running. It starts at just four minutes and works up to only fifteen minutes. "Now that's my kind of exercise!," I thought. I couldn't wait to get started.

The way the program works is you sprint for 30 seconds, then jog for 30 seconds, and repeat. You start with four cycles, then add one cycle every other work out. No problem!

I had planned to work out Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, so the next Tuesday morning, I went out in front of my house and proceeded to run on the street as hard as I could for 30 seconds. Then I rested for 30 seconds. Then I ran as hard as I could...but I could only last 20 seconds. I rested for 30 seconds. Then I ran as hard as I could...but this time I only lasted 10 seconds. Again I rested. My fourth run, I again ran as hard as I could, but again only lasted 10 seconds.

I walked into my house and collapsed. Literally, I fell to the floor--completely wiped out. Useless. I could not believe how much four minutes of exercise took out of me. I called my husband (from the floor), and said, "They said it would only take 4 minutes--they failed to mention that I would be wiped out the entire rest of the day!" Truly, for 24 hours I could barely move. I think we ordered pizza for dinner that night!

On Thursday, I tried again. Again, I was able to run the same amount: 30-20-10-10. But THIS time, I was only out of commission about 2 hours. Hmm. Improvement.

On Friday, a friend and I took our kids to the lake, and as we were sitting on the beach watching them, I told her what I was doing. I said, "Tomorrow I'm supposed to add another cycle--but I don't think I should add one until I can at least do two full cycles!"

She said, no, to go ahead and add the cycle anyway, "Your body will catch up." When I remembered that she used to be a competitive body builder, I decided to take her advice, so the next day I added my fifth cycle.

That day, I still had the same results--30-20-10-10 and now another 10 second sprint. BUT my recovery was only 10 minutes! In 3 workouts I had gone from completely exhausted and unable to function after a workout, to being raring to go after only a 10 minute rest. Amazing!

Day after day I pressed on, and day after day I got better. Alison was right--my body did catch up. After I got up to about 8 cycles, I hardly felt it anymore, and at around 10 cycles, I felt like I could go forever as long as I had that 30 second rest.

I began to think--gosh, maybe I COULD do a triathlon. Maybe I could do one not just before I die, but before I'm 50!

Of course, at the time, I didn't know anything about triathlons. I knew that they consisted of a swim, a bike, and a run, but how long was each leg? Did you have to run a whole marathon at the end?

I did some research and found that there are basically four standard lengths: The Sprint, the Olympic, the Half-Ironman, and the Ironman. Only the Ironman requires a full marathon. Whew!

I decided that I would shoot for the Sprint triathlon: 750 m (0.5 mi) swim, 20 km (12.4 mi) bike, and 5 km (3.1 mi) run. As I gained confidence, I began to think, "Maybe I don't have to wait until I'm 50--maybe I could do it before I'm 40!"

As I continued to train, lots of miraculous things happened. I found an incredible training program that exactly fit my skill level and personality. A friend was participating in the Avon Walk and asked me to join her. While I didn't want to walk, I helped out by working the crew--biking nearly 60 miles over the course of two days...great preparation for my race ahead! I ended up swimming in the lane next to a swimming coach who gave me lots of pointers. I found that the bike I had bought was inadequate, and a friend went out of his way to find me a better one. I interviewed a woman for my Look What They Did! article series who had discovered an injury free running program.

All the pieces were falling together in an amazing way.

During this time, I met a woman at the gym who was a triathlete, and we talked about various things. She highly recommended the Sprint triathlon at Dewey Beach. She said it was a great course, and since it was on Saturday, you could get it out of the way and then just relax on Sunday.

So the Dewey triathlon became the plan. It was in September--after my birthday--but that was OK. It would still be my 40th year.

Then one day I went looking online for the exact dates of the triathlon. But I forgot that Dewey Beach is in Delaware, and I was looking in the list of Virginia triathlons. There, to my shock and amazement, I found a triathlon that was ON MY BIRTHDAY in one of my favorite places in the world--Luray, Virginia. It wasn't a Sprint triathlon, though--it was an Olympic! 1.5 k (0.93 mi) swim, 40 km (24.8 mi) bike ride, and 10 km (6.2 mi) run.

It was twice the length of the triathlon I had mentally prepared for, but it was just too perfect. A triathlon on my 40th birthday! I couldn't resist. The game was on.

Over the course of the next few months, training got long, but I revelled in how far I had come. Just a year ago, I couldn't even run 4 minutes! And now, here I was, facing a 5 hour endurance event.

As I trained and learned more and more about triathlons and what to expect, I came up with my personal goal times. My number one goal, of course, was just to finish. And that was what I had written in my Beyond Freedom--to finish a triathlon.

I looked up the finish times from last year and came up with my overall goals:
For the swim, I wanted to finish in 45 minutes.
For the bike, I wanted to finish in 2 hours.
Running was always hardest for me, so I didn't set a goal there, but I wanted to finish the entire race in under 5 hours--which meant that if I hit the other goals, I would have 2 hours and 10 minutes to run, walk, or crawl if I had to.
And finally, I didn't want to be last.
A few weeks before race day, as it all started to become "real," I suddenly had a sense of panic--several "oh my gosh, what the heck have I gotten myself into!?" moments. I found myself wishing I would get sick or injured so that I would have an excuse not to finish. But I pressed on.

Eventually I settled into the mindset of "it is, what it is." I no longer had time to improve my stroke or pick up my running pace. If I wasn't sitting right in my seat or changing gears when I needed to be, then too bad. It wasn't going to get fixed now.

The night before the race we packed up our gear and headed out to Luray. Our first stop was downtown to pick up my race packet. I walked into a sports store, was surrounded by athletes, and was struck by the fact that I actually felt like I was one of them. For so long I had felt incredibly inadequate compared to other "real" athletes. I wasn't one of them--what the heck was I doing? But I didn't feel that way in the store. Mentally, I had come a long way, too.

After a bite to eat, we headed to our hotel in New Market, a town not too far away (all the hotels in Luray were booked).

It was still dark when we got up in the morning to pack and head to the park. The race started at 8am, but we planned to be there at 6:30 or so to get checked in, marked up, and settled.

The morning was chilly (in the low 60s) and very foggy. Because of the fog we got to the park a little late, but not too bad. There was plenty of time.

First we had to park the car and carry all the gear up to the transition area--that's where you store your bike and stuff. We not only had all my triathlon gear, but blankets, a picnic basket, and toys for the kids. It was going to be a long day for everyone.

My number came with my race packet--401. They gave me a sticker for my bike, a sticker for my helmet, and a number I was supposed to pin on the front of my jersey. I still had to pick up my timing chip, though--a little device they attached to my ankle to keep track of my starting and ending times for each section. They also had to mark my body with numbers to keep track of me--401 on my arm, and my age, 40, on my leg. I was official!

With the help of one of the other athletes, I got my bike set up on my assigned section of the racks. Then I set out my towel, my shoes, and my helmet, and I was all set. I was as ready as I ever would be!

The race started at precisely 8:00am, but they sent everyone in in waves two minutes apart. Each wave was determined by age and gender and was designated by the color of your cap. I was in the fourth wave and started at 8:06am.

Despite the fact that it was a chilly morning, the water was perfect--not cold at all. With my heart racing and my head spinning, I entered the water and awaited the starting pistol.

I had trained well for the swim, and though I wasn't fast, I was steady and confident. The hardest part was the fact that I couldn't see. I had swum a test lap in the lake a month or two before, so I was prepared for murky water. What I wasn't prepared for was the sunrise that was directly in my eyes each time I came up for air. So I couldn't see below me and I couldn't see above me--all I could do was follow the other swimmers and hope they were going in the right direction.

The swim took me 44 minutes, and I was relieved to look back and see that I was not the last one out of the water. Woo hoo! First goal accomplished.

Next, I headed out on the bike. At the first pedal, I groaned to discover how tired my legs were! Though I had trained on the transition from bike to run, I hadn't trained from swim to bike. What a surprise! It seems that when you swim a mile, your legs get a little worn out!

One of my main fears as I began the race was that I had spent so much time training for the event that I hadn't spent enough time learning the rules. Consequently I was terrified that I was going to do something wrong and receive a penalty or be disqualified. So as I began to leave the park on my bike, my heart stopped when I heard the announcer call my name.

There were two lanes to choose from, and I wasn't quite sure which one I should take. My name was called just as I was heading out on what I thought was the bike lane, so I stopped--thinking I was off course. The announcer said, "No, no, Margie keep going!" Turns out he was just making a joke about my bike--I think he said something about me winning the contest for the oldest bike in the race.

"You should have seen the bike I had before this one!," I thought. I was so grateful for my friend Paul, who had gotten the "new" bike for me and helped me train. It was a tough ride on that bike, but I would not have been able to finish at all on the one I had before.

Like all the other legs, the bike was a two loop course. As I was heading out on my first loop, everyone else was going around for the second time. Almost every single person that passed me made a comment about my bike. Things like, "Wow, you are brave to come out here on that bike," "I really admire you on that bike," and "You have the toughest ride of anyone here!" Geez. My bike was such an improvement over the one I had before that I didn't realize it sucked!

The bike ride was hard--MUCH harder than I thought it would be. Part of it was due to my tired legs after the swim. Part of it was due to the very hilly course--much hillier than I had remembered from checking it out a couple months before the race, and definitely more hilly than the path I had trained on.

For many many miles I was all alone with hardly any indication that I was in a race. It was tough--much tougher than I thought it would be--and I had to keep telling myself that I was just on a ride with Paul and he was just up ahead. Only during the bike ride did the thought of giving up enter my mind. It was so hard! What was I doing?

At every hill I said to myself, "Stay on the bike...stay on the bike." It was so tempting to get off and walk, but I knew that if I did, it would be harder to get back on.

On one particularly difficult hill, I wondered if I would make it. I decided to count to 100 and then reassess. I counted and counted and counted and pushed and pushed and pushed and by the time I got to 100, it had leveled out a bit. "See?" I said to myself, "No need to get off--it's getting better already."

Finally I got near the end and faced the final hill, which had a huge, steep incline. I knew from before that it was coming. I was on my highest gear. I went fast to get some momentum, and then I started counting. Around 30, however, I just couldn't take it anymore, and so I got off the bike and walked the rest of the way up. At the top, I got back on--it was downhill from there to the park.

I got into the park with no idea of what time it was or whether I was last or not. It seemed I had been on the road for hours and hours. I unloaded my bike and helmet, changed my shoes and headed out on the run.

I had always planned on walking that last stretch if I had to, and I definitely had to. It was all I could do to just keep moving forward. As I headed out, my 8 year-old daughter said to me, "Mom, how come you're not running?" Ha ha ha! I told her I was a little tired.

As I left, I heard my husband say, "You're doing great--you're right on schedule." Really? I couldn't believe it. I felt I had been out there FOREVER on the bike! Those words were the best thing anyone could have said to me at that moment. It bolstered my confidence, and I went out with a smile.

As it turned out, I did the bike leg in 2 hours 20 minutes -- 20 minutes longer than I had hoped. But still, everyone was impressed at how well I was able to estimate my time on each leg of the race.

The 10K run was, like the other legs, two loops. We headed out about a mile and a half, turned around and came back to the park, then did it again.

I thought perhaps I could walk the first round and then run the second.

On my way out, I passed a few stragglers--everyone cheering each other on. After I made the first turnaround, however, I ran into another racer, who I assumed was making her second loop. When she asked me how far it was to the turnaround, I realized it was her first. We got to talking, and it turned out that she had had bike troubles and came in AFTER me. So I had reached my goal of not being last after all! Woo hoo!

As I started my second loop, I thought perhaps I could run a little bit--maybe I could count like I had on the bike and run 100 steps, walk 100 steps, etc. Well, I ran my 100 steps, but then I just couldn't start again. I ended up walking almost the entire way--just until I was about to enter the park and approach the finish line. The other girl passed me, and I was indeed the last one to finish the race.

As I reached the park, with my fans cheering me on and the race officials directing me to the finish line, all I could focus on was--what time is it? I wanted to know if I had made my 5 hour goal.

Unfortunately, by the time I came in, they had taken all the equipment down, so I did not receive an official end time. But by everyone's estimation, I had done it. My husband even took a picture of the time on the cell phone to prove it.

After I turned in my chip, workers fell over backwards to get me food and drink. My cheerleaders hugged me, and I was just TIRED. I thought that I would be weepy, but I wasn't so much at the end. All along the race, though, I would start to get choked up about how I couldn't believe I was actually doing this and how far I had come. I would start to cry--embarrassed that the other athletes might think I was hurt or something!--and then that would make me have a hard time breathing. So I would shake it off, focus, and get back to what I was doing.

After the race, several people asked if I would be doing another one. I initally replied, "Oh, I don't think so!," but I have decided that doing a triathlon is like having a baby. Don't ask a woman right away if she is going to have another--she needs time to forget how painful it was!

During my training, I definitely loved the bike riding the best. I had not ridden a bike in 20 years, and I had forgotten how much fun it is! I thought that perhaps I would like to do a "Century Ride"--a 100 mile "marathon" for bikers.

Shortly after the triathlon, though, as I reflected on my experience, I got a little upset at myself that I didn't push through and run more. I thought maybe I would focus just on running for awhile--do some 10K runs and overcome my weakness. After that, maybe I would do another triathlon just to prove to myself that I really could do all three legs.

But then an amazing opportunity fell in my lap--something completely unexpected and yet giddiously exciting.

I happened to be on craigslist (I am NEVER on craigslist!) and saw an ad for bike riders to participate in an 800 mile ride from Chicago to New York (over a period of two weeks) to raise awareness for child abuse and domestic violence.

It piqued my curiousity, so I wrote to the woman who had placed the ad. Turns out they are filming a documentary that will be shown in shelters around the country, and they are sponsoring this bike ride to generate media buzz.

Barbara Brower, the woman who is putting this together, and I emailed back and forth and then spoke on the phone and really connected. It seems the message of this project is the same as the message I have felt called to preach as well: that you don't have to put up with your current circumstances and can change your life!

I am thrilled to be participating in this event, and though it will be a lot of work to get my body in shape enough to do it, I am up for the challenge.

After all, if I can do a triathlon, I can do anything!

Some Links To Get To Know Margie Better

2008-12-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

www.StressFreeLikeMe.com

www.ASimpleSolution.info/dontstress

www.ParableOfTheClothes.com

http://www.facebook.com/srch.php?nm=margie+remmers

www.twitter.com/margieremmers

2008-12-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

It was Sunday, October 2, 2005

For several days previous, I had been experiencing a strange sensation in my chest. It wasn’t exactly pain, more like pressure--like someone was stepping on me or squeezing my heart. And it was random--nothing in particular seemed to bring it on. It began happening frequently enough, though, that on Saturday I told my husband that the next time I felt it, I was going to call the nurse.
The next morning we said good-bye, and I proceeded to get myself ready for the day. I showered, got dressed, and made breakfast for the kids--you know, the normal stuff. And then, without warning, I felt it again. “Well,” I sighed, “I did say I was going to call if it happened again.” So I called the nurse and began to describe my symptoms. She asked me a few questions and then said scariest words I had ever heard in my life: “Margie, I want you to hang up the phone and call 911.” It was like a bullet tearing through me. I started to cry. I knew what she was saying. She thought I was having a heart attack. “Margie--” I heard her say, “Will you do it?”
I had to compose myself. “Yes--” I said, “As soon as I find someone to watch my kids...” My mind was racing. How could this be happening? I was young--only 37! I was a vegetarian--aren’t we supposed to be immune? What followed was a whirlwind of EMTs, doctors, and tests. My final diagnosis? Stress.
Yes, STRESS had landed me in the hospital. In my journey to transform my own life, I have found that stress has become so commonplace,expected and, unfortunately, even admired, that it is like a dull ache. It’s there--it’s there all the time--but it hasn’t gotten so bad yet that we are motivated to do anything about it. And that’s unfortunate, because now that I am on the other side, I can see how amazingly wonderful and miraculous it is to live stress-free. My hope for this ride to have the opportunity to teach and demonstrate to others that they do not have to put up with pain--from stress, from abuse, from anything at all--for one more second.
EVERYONE deserves to live a life that is joyous and fulfilling and beautiful and abundant.
NO ONE is required to sacrifice these things for anyone or anything.
NO ONE is required to delay their happiness for any reason. Whatever the circumstances, there is a way out and a way UP.

Margie