Must be doin' somethin' right...

I normally do my long runs on Sunday mornings, fresh and rested after my long Saturday rides. This week, because I'll be working the Austin Tri all weekend, my coach and I discussed and decided I would do my long run on Thursday evening.

After a week's worth of workouts and a long day at work, I headed out for a 20 mile run at 5:30 p.m. I started off slowly trying to get in a good, long warm up on a hot and humid afternoon. I kept my heart rate in check during the first loop and never felt over-exerted. Once on the second loop things started to fall apart. I just began to feel tired. Nothing in particular hurt, I just couldn't get my legs to turn over and I began to feel discouraged. I had such a good 20 miler two weeks ago, I couldn't understand.

At about mile 11 or so, my friend, Fred, ran into me and could see I was having a really hard time. I was near tears at this point, wondering why...why this time? why now? But he hung with me and eventually we ran into our friend, Michelle, who also joined us.

They stayed with me the rest of the run and although I only finished with 17.5 miles, I felt like I'd run a marathon and couldn't have done it without them!

I must be doing something right to have such good luck having them come along when they did!!

Thanks!!

An attempt at girliness...

This week I got tired of being stinky, sweat-crusted and just down right gross. When I looked down at realized that my two dogs were more "girl-y" than I, I decided to take matters into my own hands...literally.

Thursday I decided to go and have a manicure.

Once upon a time, in a life long, long ago, I used to be quite a "girl"...weekly manicures, haircuts every 6-8 weeks and monthly pedicures. Now I find myself struggling to get my monthly color treatments and my haircuts are more like 6-8 months!! Manicures and pedicures are a seldom seen treat. But this week would be different. I wanted to feel like a girl again. So not only did I get a manicure, I had my nails painted "Too Hot to Handle" red. Then I went and had my eyebrows waxed.

Now I'm considering laser hair removal...watch out, my girl-y side is making a comeback!!!

Doping and Air Pistol...really??

So did you hear about the Olympic athlete who tested positive for a banned substance...in AIR PISTOL??? Really...here's more:

Doping-N.Korean medallist fails dope test-IOC

Aug 15, 6:35 am EDT

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(Updates with Vietnam Olympic team chief quotes 9-11)

By Karolos Grohmann

BEIJING, Aug 15 (Reuters) - North Korean shooting double medallist Kim Jong-su has tested positive for a banned substance, been excluded from the Beijing Olympic Games and stripped of his medals, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday.

Kim won silver in the men’s 50m pistol and a bronze in the men’s 10m air pistol shooting.

Tan Zongliang of China now takes silver in the 50m, with Vladimir Isakov of Russia taking the bronze. In the 10m, Jason Turner of the United States inherits Kim’s bronze.

Kim tested positive for beta-blocker propranolol, IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said. Beta-blockers are misused to decrease the heart rate and stop possible trembling.

IOC Medical Commission chairman Arne Ljungqvist said Kim’s positive test showed it was an intentional act due to the substance’s ability to provide to the user precision characteristics necessary for sports like archery and shooting.

“I could not interpret that other than a deliberate intake,” Ljungqvist told reporters.

A female Vietnamese artistic gymnast, who finished out of the medals, also tested positive for a banned substance and has been excluded from the Games, the IOC said.

Thi Ngan Thuong Do tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic which can be used as a masking agent for other drugs.

State-run Sports and Culture newspaper quoted Hoang Vinh Giang, head of Vietnam’s Olympic team, as saying the 19-year-old athlete used a diuretic at her last training because she wanted to be slimmer, without checking with doctors of the team.

“It is regretful for Ngan Thuong because she is an athlete trained in China since her childhood and she has seized many achievements for Vietnam’s gymnastics,” the newspaper quoted Giang as saying.

“We do not know why Thuong has such a thought to have a slimmer body so she made that mistake,” he said.

Ljungqvist said the gymnast could be a victim of bad information as the drug was also used by women for pre-menstrual tension.

“My interpretation is that it is a problem resulting from poor information of the athlete, not enough knowledge what to take,” Ljungqvist said.

Davies said both athletes would now be referred to their federations for any possible further sanctions.

Why is it sooo hot??

I know it's summer...I know it's Texas...but, I also know you've thought the same thing as the summer has worn on...why is it sooo hot?? I am just exhausted from all the heat and so tired of just being sweaty and smelly all the time!

It feels like I can't shower enough these days!! I know working out a couple of times a day has something to do with it, but even so...I just long for the day to come where I can step outside and not immediately start sweating.

And if you've ever seen me sweat, you'd know what I mean!!!

Oh, that reminds me...I need to put another towel in my bag.