The best thank you.

We have lots of customers who do lots of great things. We LOVE to hear about the goals that people have and really love to watch them achieve those goals. We like the struggles, the challenges, the heart that it takes to see something through to the end. We find it particularly exciting when someone sets a goal that makes no sense to anyone but themselves.

One of our customers, Mike Rudolph, had a goal. He was on a weight loss journey and in 2010 decided he was going to complete an Ironman Triathlon. We met Mike in 2009, he came into our store. We knew that he was doing triathlons and that became a common bond. The quest for Ironman really put us on the same page. Mike had signed up for Coeur d'Alene in June. Our Ironman wasn't until August. We watched Mike closely in order to see how it was done!

At one point, Trevor posted some pictures of me from a triathlon we had done in 2009. Mike pointed out that he was in that picture. I didn't know him then, but there he was...right with me at the end of the Hagg Lake Olympic distance. It only seems fitting that we had been on this journey together and didn't even know it
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During his training, Mike turned to us for advice. We gave him all the encouragement, support and advice we could. We were invested in his success on both a personal and professional level. The time finally came for his Ironman and we were so anxious that you would have thought it was OUR Ironman. We tracked him all day long and were thrilled when he crossed the finish line. We were relieved because now that he had done it, it seemed within our grasp. We knew the struggles that he had gone through, what he had overcome and it gave us the inspiration to push through. We wanted to be just like him. We wanted to be Ironman too!

Our time came and when it did, Mike was tracking us all day long and cheering for us. The difference was that he knew what we were going through because he had been there. I thought of him many times during my long day in Canada and drew on his strength to get through the hardest moments. I knew he was watching and I didn't want to let him down!

Yesterday, Mike brought something to me and Trevor. It was a framed picture of him finishing the Ironman. There was also a picture of him at his heaviest weight and a note that said "thank you". Wow. I know how it felt to cross the finish line at Ironman. It blows me away to think that we played any part in someone else having that feeling. It also blows me away that Mike took the time and effort to do something like that to thank us.

This is what life should be about...making a difference in someone's life. Thanks Mike. You have sure made a difference in ours.

Fight night in pictures

I will post my favorites here. You can see all the pictures from the night at this link (Trevor's fight starts on page 5. Be warned...they are not for the faint of heart.)

click here for pictures

This is Trevor's corner man's wife Kristine. She sits with me during these things and tells me it is okay.

This is us before the fight.
Here we go...
I look at this picture and wonder who the hell that guy is!! He looks so mean...and he is not.
Done. Whew.
Trevor walked out of the ring and came right over to me. I couldn't wait to get my hands on him.
Ready to go again...
Our team...Chris, Kristine, us, Eric. These are the people who make it happen, who stick it out until the end, who helped prepare. Thank you guys. We love you.

Fight Recap.

It is hard to believe that we got ready for this fight in less than 2 months. Ironman was August 29th and less than four months later, Trevor stepped into the ring to fight. I had been kind of apprehensive about this for a while. Not really nervous, just uneasy. I felt okay on Saturday, until we got to fight venue. Then I wanted to vomit.

Trevor and his corner guys, Chris and Eric, were there early for the fighters' meeting. Chris' wife, Kristine, and I got there around 5:30. We said hi to the guys and then found our seats. We had the best seats. They were front row, kind of in a corner. I could stand up and not block anyone's view and I had a great view of the cage.

There were three fights before Trevor's and I just wanted them to be over as fast as possible so we could get to it. When the time came, Trevor walked into the ring and I was so nervous. It was the same feeling I get before we do an event - triathlons especially. I SO did not want him to do this. I could barely stand it. We made eye contact and he blew me a kiss. I smiled to make him believe that I wasn't actually feeling the way I was feeling!

His opponent came into the ring. He was 26, 11 years younger than Trevor. He was in good shape, about 10 pounds lighter and a few inches shorter. Trevor looked so calm and ready. He and Chris stood in the cage during introductions and I loved that they both looked so at ease. That helped me.

The bell rang and the fight started. I honestly don't remember what happened next. I know that Trevor punched the guy in the face several times. At one point, they were on the ground and the guy had Trevor in a choke hold. The crowd got quiet and I thought it was the end. Trevor and I have deal in events - you don't quit. This is really in relation to time limits...you don't stop, you make them physically remove you from the course. That is all I could think about - DON'T TAP OUT. He got out of it and the round was over.

As Trevor was standing in his corner between rounds, I could tell by the look his face that he was more tired than he expected he would be. He had to cut more weight for this fight than last and he was dehydrated. I figured that was having an effect on him that was surprising. We made eye contact again and I smiled to let him know it was okay.

Again, I don't remember what happened next. It was the second round. I believe this was when the other guy really started showing some wear and tear. His face was bleeding. Trevor had lots of blood on him and I couldn't tell who's it was. Then Trevor took a punch right in the face. I could tell it jarred him and I thought "oh no". He put his hands up to guard his face and he recovered. He seemed to be dictating the pace. This guy he was fighting was tough. Trevor kicked him in the head, had him in a triangle hold, an arm bar...you name it, they did it. It was a good fight, lots of action.

The round ended and I could tell, again, that Trevor was feeling a bit more tired than he had planned. We have been to so many of these fights. None of them go into the third round. Out of the 12-17 fights per night, maybe two will go that long. I couldn't believe Trevor's was going into three rounds.

I was still nervous. When I do an event, the nervous feeling goes away as soon as I start. With this, I don't get to start...I just get to watch and so the nervousness never stops. I didn't like all the blood. I didn't like how the other guy looked. Most of all, I was worried that Trevor would get caught and end up losing, when I really believed that he was winning.

The third round passed quickly and the last minute of the fight Trevor was on top of his opponent, dropping punches. I could see the ref watching closely and honestly I couldn't figure out why he wasn't stopping the fight. I was watching the clock and finally it was over. I found out later that the ref was telling the guy he was going to stop it unless he started defending himself and the guy said "NO YOU AREN'T'. Sounds like someone I know.

It went to a decision. I hate that because anything can happen when it goes to the judges. I was confident that Trevor had won, but you just never know. Finally, they read the decisions and all three judges agreed that Trevor was the winner. Thank goodness. I mean, its not all about winning, but its much better to be 1-1 than 0-2. I just wanted him to win.

Trevor left the ring and walked over to give me a kiss before he went back to clean up. I was so relieved.

I gave him a few minutes and then went to check on him. Trevor was literally covered in blood. We got him cleaned up and into some warm clothes, with a protein shake to help him recover. We had a lot of friends and customers there to watch. Many of those people came back to visit with Trevor. It was such a great sight. I was so proud of him.

Meanwhile, Trevor's opponent was laying on the floor in the corner. After a bit he started throwing up. It was awful. His parents were there with him, I went over to talk with them and suggested he go to the hospital and get checked out. Multiple blows to the head, followed by vomiting spells concussion to me. I felt bad for him, mostly because we've been there. Its fun and exciting and you know it is risky and could result in injury. Then it does and it really kind of sucks. He was a tough kid, fought a great fight...but he needed a doctor.

We hung around for a while, chatted with all our friends and supporters. Then we came home and were in bed by 10:30. I was so relieved. That is what I had hoped for the last time he fought....but it didn't happen that way. Last time, we spent hours in the emergency room and got to bed around 3 am. I like it better this way.

Everyone asks how I can stand to watch. The truth is...I can't. This time was a little easier. I felt like there was less pressure, it wasn't the first time, so it wasn't SUCH a big deal. I felt more part of it this time. I trained with him and was more involved in the fight prep. Last time, I was just along for the ride and really didn't know what we had gotten ourselves into.

Watching someone you love put themselves in harms way is really difficult. I think watching someone you love live with regret and unachieved dreams is even more difficult. This is something that Trevor LOVES. While I may not understand that, I respect it. And so I support it. I support it whole heartedly. That means, I go with him to the gym at 8 o'clock at night and walk on the stair machine for 30 minutes, I put together a weight routine and do it with him, I cook his food, let him sleep in if he needs it, cover things for him so that he can go train, eating cookies in the pantry so he isn't tempted to eat cookies (ahem...not that I did that, I'm just saying....). Supporting someone doesn't mean not telling them they can't do it. It means standing with them while they move through it. He is my best friend and I will always stand with him.

My favorite part of anything we do is the recap. I love to talk with Trevor and see what he thinks. We have talked a lot about the fight, what went well, what he'd do differently for next time. There will be a next time. I know that. Trevor was very happy with how things went on Saturday night. He will learn from it and move on. That is how life should be - taking chances, making mistakes, failing, learning, adapting, succeeding.

Its been a hell of a year. Trevor's last fight really changed us. It made our lives less scary. It showed us that we can do anything we want to do. Sometimes I look at us and wonder who we are. Trevor is not the man I married and I am surely not the woman he married, we've changed. Together. I know that we will continue to change and I don't worry about that anymore...I embrace it.

I feel like I always say this..I don't know what's next, but I can't wait to find out. And that's the truth. I. can't. wait.

Tonight is Fight Night!

Trevor fights tonight. Ever since his last fight, in March of 2009, he has been looking forward to his next fight. The time is finally here. We've spent two years focusing on triathlons. You can't really train for fighting AND triathlons at the same time. While training for Ironman, he kept saying that when it was over, he was going to focus on fighting.

The last two months, we have switched from endurance workouts to much higher intensity workouts. We have added some strength training into the mix. Trevor hates lifting weights. So he made me his strength and conditioning coach. We've been lifting a few times a week and hitting the stairmachine at the gym, sometimes two times per day.

Trevor is fighting at 185 tonight. He was around 200 when we did Ironman. The diet has been a little different for this! While training for Ironman, we ate whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted it. The last few weeks, Trevor has really been sticking to a clean diet. He's done a great job. He weighed in this morning and is all set to go.

This is his second fight. I was so nervous before his first fight. This time is different. I mean, I am nervous. That's what I do and who I am. But I am like this before any event. I worry about him when we are doing a marathon or a triathlon. Its especially tough for me when we do an event with no out and backs, when I don't get to see him until I cross the finish line. I always wonder how he is doing. At least tonight I can sit in the front row and be with him.

He's a hard worker. He worked hard to get ready for this fight and I am incredibly proud of him. While fighting isn't my favorite thing, watching Trevor accomplish a goal and achieve a dream is one of my favorite things. And that is what it is all about.

This was the year...

On my run this morning, I was thinking back over the last year. We had one main goal for 2010. It was Ironman Canada. We signed up for it in August of 2009. Everything we did in 2010 was to set us up for August 29th. All our plans, all our efforts, were focused around this one thing. It has been a long time since I have put this much of myself into one thing. It was awesome to do it with Trevor. It gave us a common purpose. Our friend Doug was there every step of the way. We were a team.

This has been the year of "come on...it will be FUN". It was the year of "hey, I'm thinking of doing (fill in the blank). Want to do it too?". The answer was always "YES". No matter who asked and no matter what filled in the blank.

I was going over the months in my mind and here is how I remember this year...

January - Trevor and I decided to get our USAT coaches certification. There was a weekend class in Colorado Springs. We asked Doug if he was interested in going and he said "YES". We flew to Denver, drove to Colorado Springs and spent three days learning as much as we could about triathlon and coaching. We got up at 5 am and went for runs in the dark and the cold. It was a BLAST. Trevor and I also got to spend some time in Denver with my family. We met our newest nephew, Landon.
When we got home from this trip, we learned that our dog Wookie had lymphoma. This was sad news. We spent a lot of time loving on him, talking to him, helping him through this disease that took away his strength.

February - Trevor and I organized the Max Muscle Vancouver Half Marathon. We decided to do this in December and really worked hard over a short period of time to pull this thing together. It was a success and we are well into the planning for this year's race.
For Wookie, this month was full of ups and downs. As his disease progressed, we spent many hours petting him and talking to him about what came next, for all of us. These moments with him are among the best of my life. I was so blessed to have the time to spend with him. It was good for both of us.

March - My memory from March is our 21 mile run in downtown, the last long training run for the Whidbey Island Marathon in April. Our friend Trish joined us. It was rainy, like always. We were dressed the same, like always.
Wookie passed away in March. He left us quickly and quietly. We have missed him every second since then and still can't believe he is gone. A week after Wookie left us, we found out that our cat Gus has an inoperable tumor and was given 6-9 months to live.


April - Whidbey Island Marathon - the best and the worst. This was a tough day for all of us. It was kind of the beginning of the training season and really gave us a wake-up call. I remember thinking to myself "how the hell will I run this far after swimming and biking during Ironman".

May - We organized a Parade Run around the Hazel Dell Parade of Bands. This was a 2.5 mile run. It was a beautiful day - sunny and warm. It was just perfect.

That night, we drove to Olympia. The Capital City Marathon was the next day. This was my favorite marathon this year. I really felt like I hit my stride. As I crossed the finish line I high fived Trevor and Doug. Standard for this year - it happened at every event!!

The best thing that happened in May was that Buster came to live with us.

June - This is where things started to get crazy. We did the Newport Marathon at the beginning of the month with all our running friends. It was great to have the whole crew together. I love these people. At the end of June we did the Pac Crest Half Iron distance. We all stayed in the same house in Sunriver and after the event we got to have the BEST dinner at Doug's Aunt and Uncle's house. This was such a great weekend. Tough event for all of us, but still so fun! We stopped to see my friend Diane in Bend. She's my best friend and had just moved away. It was SO good to see her and know she was happy.

July - This month was the highest volume training - lots of LONG rides, lots of LONG runs and lots of LONG swims at the pond. We also started our training group for the triathlon we put on in September. Doug showed up every Saturday morning to help with this. We rode Mt St Helens. Twice. These were 8 hour days on the bike. Our first trip up the mountain was one of the hardest days of my life and one of the most rewarding.

August - This was Ironman month. We had made it through the toughest training. One last ride....that's when I crashed my bike and ended up in the ER. These following three weeks were probably the most difficult time of my life. I hurt so badly. My confidence was shot. I was working SO hard to convince myself it was okay and I really struggled with believing it. I have some good friends who really held me up during this time. Trevor, of course, completely believed that I would get through it. He says he never doubted it, because I am not a quitter. I was really surprised how much other people believed in me. This was perhaps the best lesson I learned this year...I am stronger than I know. Everyone believes it. I should believe it too. The entire trip to Canada was amazing, full of memories. Every moment was a lifetime. I changed during that trip, I became more of myself than I have ever been before. It was humbling. I know I will never forget that trip and I hope I never forget how I felt about myself then.


September - Home. It felt good to be home. We organized a triathlon for two weeks after Ironman. Not very good planning. The event was great, but I was EXHAUSTED. I don't think I have even been so tired in all my life!!! I was ready for a break when this was done. Gus grew more ill as the days passed. He would have good days and bad days and I spent as much time by his side as I could. I knew he didn't have much time left and I wanted to soak up as much of him as I could.

October - Gus died this month. It broke my heart. I miss him terribly and can't stand the idea that I have to live the rest of my life without him. At the end of the month we did the Gorge Marathon and it was a disaster. Certainly not the experience I was hoping for. But we did it and it was fun in its own way. Next year, I'll do it again and the sun better be shining!!!

November - The off season. Trevor switched gears and started to get ready for a Mixed Martial Arts fight in December. We started doing higher intensity workouts. I decided I wanted to run faster, so I worked on that. We did a 10k Turkey Trot on Thankgiving and I ran faster than I can ever remember running. We had a great holiday with the family. We also took a quick trip to Denver for our nephew's first birthday. It was great to be all together again.

December - here we are...the end of another year. Trevor fights again tomorrow night, holiday parties are in full swing. Its time to reflect upon the past year and look ahead to next year. I like this time of year. I like to take stock.

When we signed up for Ironman, we knew Doug. We ran with him on the weekends and had been to a few social events with him. He gave us advice and helped us through our first half Ironman the year before. So, we knew him casually. By the end of 2010, Doug knows us better than just about anyone else. As I was thinking about the year, I realized that Doug was a part of everything we did this year. He was always there with us and really is now a part of our family.

Doug saw us at our best and at our worst this year and he still seems to like us. I am not a person who really lets people in, I usually keep them at arm's length. I don't totally open up to people because I am afraid they won't like what they see. Doug has seen it all and I feel that he likes me more because of it. That is a true friend.

This has been the most rewarding year of my life. I am better today than I was at this time one year ago. I hope to say the same thing next year. And every year after that.

This has been the saddest year of my life. I have cried more this year over loss than any other before. I hate that. I understand that the good comes with the bad, but that doesn't make the bad any less bad. Through it all, Trevor has been at my side. That makes all things more bearable, all things more fun. As Bon Jovi says "Everyone needs just one someone to tell them the truth". I am blessed to have that...and so much more. Thank you 2010. It was a great ride.

Rev3 comes to Portland!!!

I have been thinking about 2011 and what races I want to put on the calendar. I knew that I wanted to do at least two 70.3 half-iron distance triathlons. There are a couple that are within driving distance, but they are several hours away. That means overnight stays and that means extra costs. Today, I saw that Rev3 is coming to Portland.

YEEHAW! This is right in our own backyard. This requires no overnight stay and it is at the perfect time. I am SUPER excited about this. Except for swimming in the Willamette which is equivalent of a rest stop toilet. Other than that - super excited!!!

Its the little things in life that make me happy! I also just got my first GPS watch. I've had a heartrate monitor for years and use it in my training. I finally got a heart rate monitor/watch that has a GPS. This will totally change my training and I am SO excited about it. Again...the little things.

Happy Birthday Trevor

Today is my husband's 37th Birthday. It is a special day to me because it was the day that my best friend was born. The man who would become my husband began his life on earth 37 years ago today. It took him 25 years to find me. I plan to spend every birthday with him for the rest of our lives.

There are a million things I love about my husband. At least once a day I think about how lucky I am to have him in my life. I have no bigger fan, no stronger supporter, no one more honest with me than him.

We have so much in common, yet are so different in many ways. We fill gaps. That's a line from a Rocky movie - Paulie asked Rocky why he liked Adrienne and he said "we fill gaps. I have gaps, she has gaps - together, we fill gaps". That is how I feel about me and Trevor. He is good at the things I am not and vice versa. We work well together, we play well together.

I can look at Trevor and know what he's thinking, know what he's feeling. He told me once that I should know he loves me because he wants to spend all his time with me. And its true. No matter what it is, I want to do with Trevor by my side.

Trevor is a very kind person. He is even-tempered, calm under pressure, a problem solver, a dreamer, a believer. And he loves the animals. Man, does he love the animals. He has the biggest heart and would help anyone who needed it. Unless you have crossed him and then you might as well be dead.

These are the things I love about my Trevor. Happy Birthday my love. Happy Birthday to you.