One Year Without Campy

Today Is one year since Campy, my beloved "soul dog," passed away peacefully at home at 12:20pm, at the age of 17. After 16 years together, the hole in my heart has not fully healed. My heart continues to ache on a daily basis. Campy was more than just a pet; he was my "love and sunshine" and my best friend. He brought me much joy, laughter, happiness, companionship, and unconditional love.

Campy and I were inseparable. I adored his big personality, happy smile, golden hair (which eventually turned white) perfect nose, heart-melting face, and long legs. He went everywhere with me. He was a constant source of comfort and companionship, always making me feel wanted and needed.

Even as he aged, Campy remained a fighter, and we embraced every day we had with him. He was always loved and well taken care of. 

Life will never be the same without our sunshine. Campy taught us so much about life, and his presence is terribly missed. We are forever grateful for the memories he created, from chasing squirrels and going on walks to sunbathing and traveling. He was opinionated, spunky, and loyal, and his memory continues to bring a mix of sorrow and immense gratitude for the time we shared.

Dear Campy,
I can't believe it's been a year since you've passed. I can't believe you are gone. I miss everything about you. I miss holding you and kissing you. I miss your smile, I miss your curiosity and sense of adventure. I miss going to sleep with you deep under the covers and waking up to you, seeing you so excited for another day of life. I miss how much you loved being in the sunshine. I miss our walks and your big personality. It was always you and me. We did everything together. Living life without you has been so hard.

We have a new dog in our life. We adopted him in September. We knew we could never replace you but we missed our routine. You gave us structure and purpose. We named him Sunny in your honor. We know how much you loved the sunshine and we needed something to brighten our days after you passed. It's been challenging to love Sunny like I loved you. I thought I would never be able to connect to him - or love him - but Sunny has helped me through the past year. The love and connection with Sunny is different than what we shared during our 16 years together and I'm learning to realize that's okay. The love I had for you was incredibly special and it will only be for you.

I loved you so much and my love was even stronger as you got older. You were my constant shadow. As you struggled with your hearing and eyesight and started to show signs of dementia, I took my role as caregiver very seriously. Even though you couldn't do the things you used to do, we never lost our special bond. I made sure that you were always living life to the fullest. Even on your last day, you enjoyed your favorite things - chicken and a walk in the sunshine.

I created a memorial on top of our fireplace with all of your things. Your bed, your favorite squeaky toy, the last clean diaper that you wore, your blanket, your pictures, your ashes and your hair. I have your sweaters, leash and harness in a special place and I carry your collar with me in my purse. I still struggle to look at your pictures. My heart hurts too much to look at them. I've purchased several bracelets and necklaces with your name on it. This way you are always close to my heart. When I wear a necklace or bracelet with your name on it, I feel you with me.

Sunny, Ella, Mia, Sylvi and Asher have brought some light back into my life. They make me laugh and smile. But I continue to carry around a lot of emptiness without you. Although the grief and sadness is no longer overwhelming, I still feel lost without you.. I suspect this feeling will never go away.

Campy, thank you for all of the love you gave me. Thank you for giving me purpose. Thank you for all of the laughs, smiles, comfort, cuddles and companionship.

You took a piece of my heart with you and left a piece of your heart with me. I can't wait until we meet again. Until then, I miss you so much my love.

-Marni

Feeling empty

It's been 94 days since I said good bye to Campy. As my soul dog and constant companion for over 16 years, I continue to struggle with grief, loss and sadness. And on October 10th, we said good bye to our cat Madison, who had been the mediator of our house for the past 15 years. 

Since Campy's passing, I've had three incredible races. I placed 9th at Norseman XTRI and was the first American female. I was the first female at IM 70.3 Louisville and I was the first amateur female at IM Chattanooga. 

It's crazy to think that I could perform so well despite feeling so empty inside. The truth is that I was avoiding the process of grieving. I was so busy and focused that I didn't have time to fully feel or think about my loss. The warm weather, the races, the travel, the triathlon community  - these amazing distractions allowed me to avoid all of the unpleasant emotions and feelings associated with loss. 

Picture source

I came across this picture on Facebook and I instantly felt a connection to it. I showed Karel (who is also struggling with the loss of Campy and Madison) and told him that I wake up every morning and feel like this. There's a big piece of myself missing and I'm struggling to find it. 

I've experienced a lot of loss in my life. Losing my dad to cancer when I was 31 years old was extremely difficult. But losing Campy feels so much harder. However, I know that's not the case. It took me several years to work through the emotions with the loss of my dad. I know it will take time with Campy.

When I said good bye to Campy, I lost my soulmate. For over 16 years, we did everything together. And his last year of life required so much more love, attention and energy. I don't know who I am without him. Campy was apart of me. Loss is such a confusing and hard emotion to understand.

Coping with loss is a journey. Like training for an Ironman or extreme triathlon, it requires work. And although the emotions may be the same, no two people will experience grief in the exact same way. And like sport, grieving can be exhausting. 

I miss Campy so much. Learning how to live without his physical presence has been very difficult. 
Despite the heavy weight that I feel, I'm grateful for triathlon because it is a constant in my life. 

Since IM Chattanooga, I'm giving myself a lot of grace with my "exercise" routine since I don't have any more races this season. And because of the loss of some of my favorite mountain roads and trails due to Hurricane Helene, I'm finding it extremely difficult to plan races for 2025. And combine that with the loss of the summer heat and humidity (which I love), I'm also struggling with motivation to train. But I make myself exercise each day because I know I come back feeling better than when I started. Even if it's only a 30 minute run, I need to get myself outside and moving. I use my friends to keep me accountable to showing up to a swim or group ride. 

Grief hurts but it's an emotion that everyone experiences at some point in life. The only way to fully engage with grief is to open ourselves to it. I've been supressing my emotions for several months and my feelings neeed acknowledgment. That is why I wanted to write this blog. Despite the wins, the international travels and amazing adventures, life has been really hard over the past few months.

And if I only share positive content, I am not showing my true authentic self.

Without knowing that other people are going through (or have gone through) the same intensely painful experiences, irrational thoughts and exhausting emotions, we may never feel a sense of hope that we won't always feel this way. I'm learning that finding similarities between my own grief experiences and the experiences of others is important in the uniqueness of my grief journey. 

I hope this blog post helps anyone who is struggling with loss. 

In memory of Madison

9/19/2009 - 10/10/2024

Madison passed away peacefully with the help of Dr. Haueisen at the Pointsett Animal Hospital on October 10th, 2024 around 2:20pm. Madison will now join her best friend Campy, who passed away 87 days ago - exactly 12 weeks to the day. 

Madison battled Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) for the past 2.5 years. In Feb 2022, Madison received a double lung tap as a last resort to saving her life after a 5-day battle with her failing heart and lungs. Although she surived the procedure, the vet didn't think she would make it more than 6 months. 

With the help of medications, frequent vet visits and a lot of love, Madison proved everyone wrong and lived another 2 years and 8 months. She always had a strong will to live as her number one priority in life was to show us love and compassion. 

The story of Madison.
In the summer of 2009, Madison was found by Campy in the bushes of our apartment complex in Jacksonville Florida. After several months of seeing her outside, she followed me and Campy up three flights of stairs and we officially welcomed her to our family. We don't know the official age of Madison but we think she is between 16.5-17.5years old. Madison was always a lover, not a fighter. From the very first day in our house, she never wanted to be a bother. She was incredibly grateful that she had a home but most of all, a family to call her own. Smudla did not care for Madison but Madison never fought back to Smudlas hisses and "love" taps. Madison constantly tried to be friends with Smudla but instead, she got a best friend in Campy. For all of Madison's 15+ years with us, Campy and Madison had a very special bond. Wherever Campy went, Madison followed. They were inseparable. 

We believe that Madison held on over the past year to make sure that she could help us through the grieving process of losing Campy. Even if her heart was hurting from losing her best friend, we believe she knew that we needed her more than ever before. After Campy passed away on July 18th, it was only two months later when Madison's health started to decline. It was 12 weeks to the day when Campy passed away that we needed to say good bye to Madison. Madison was a fighter and she was so incredibly strong and stubborn. 

Whereas Campy was the glue to our family, Madison was the adhesive tape. She made sure there was also routine, order and no hostility. Madison's goal in life was to give Karel and me unconditional love on a daily basis. When Smudla started to decline due to her kidney failure, Madison was there to watch over Smudla. Madison was so happy to finally take on the roll of caregiver for Smudla. Madison did the same for Campy. 

Madison was our constant companion. Where there was a lap, there was a way on to it. She hated being held but she showed her love by being next to us or on us. As annoying as it was sometimes to have Madison on our lap while working on the computer, it was something that we never took for granted. Not every cat is a lap cat but Madison took her title very seriously. She was very stubborn and no matter how many times we politely scooted her away because we were working, she worked her way back on (or by) our lap. If you received an email from me over the past 10 years, there's a good change Madison was on my lap when I wrote that email. 

Madison wasn't a playful cat. She was very scared of people for most of her life. It wasn't until kitten Ella came along that Madison started to show her bravery around strangers. A few cats later, Madison had no fears. She took her role as "momma Maddy" very seriously. With each new cat, there was a strong hiss to show them who is the boss of the house. Very quickly, Madison was in charge. 

Madison was a creature of habit. She would only eat from her food bowl and would never try to steal food from anyone else. If another cat started to eat her food, Madison would look at us for help as she didn't like confrontation. Madison loved Rotisserie chicken (just like Campy) and she loved fish. For several years, Madison would sleep with us on the corner of our bed (on my side) on her favorite purple blanket (which used to be my dad's when he was battling cancer). When we woke up in the morning, she would be purring by our heads (on a pillow) as a way of guarding us to that the other cats wouldn't wake us up. She always looked after me and Karel. 

Madison loved to drink from the bathroom sink. She learned this from her predecessor Smudla. Every morning as Karel would walk to the downstairs bathroom, Madison would quickly follow him for supervision. She loved this routine - and so did Karel. 

Madison and I would have conversations every day. I would talk to Madison and she would answer in her meows. We would talk for several minutes. She had a strong purr to go along with her soft demeanor. Madison let us welcome in 4 new cats over the past five years.

Ella was the first to come into our family. Although Ella and Madison had a good friendship, as Ella entered her "teenage" year at the age of 2, she had a bit too much energy for senior Madison (~13-14 years old). Madison tolerated Ella and didn't mind the occassional cuddles. 

Sweet Sylvi came into our life in 2020 and he was a great addition to our family. Found by us on the Swamp Rabbit Trail around the age of 12-16 weeks old, Ella finally had a playmate. But Sylvi has a sensitive and loving personality, which was perfect for Madison. 

And then came Asher in 2021. Found on the side of the highway at 2 weeks old, Asher grew into a strong, confident cat with little gratitude for being "rescued." In his mind, he was born in this house and every cat has it this good. Asher's best quality was cleaning Madison. She loved it. Until Asher decided that cleaning time needed to turn into playing time - and Madison had none of it. Despite Asher getting most of the hisses and whacks in the house, Asher created a very strong bond with Madison over the past few months. We can tell he is grieving the loss of Madison as he is hiding, sleeping on her favorite patio blanket and not acting like himself. 

In April 2025, Mia was the last to be rescued. Madison taught Mia the rules of the house very quickly and although it wasn't the smoothest introduction, Madison tolerated Mia for the six months, since she came into our family. Most of all, Madison looked after Campy and Ella to make sure that Mia didn't mess with either of them. I guess Madison assumed Slyvi and Asher could take care of themselves. 

Madison was a great cat. She had the best "aero tuck" and loved folding herself into the most perfect cinnamon roll when she slept. She never tried to escape from our house or try to run away. She lived in 3 different homes with us prior to spending her last nine years in our current home. She loved napping in the patio, especially on a warm day. We let her chew on the grass outside every now and then as it was one of her favorite things to do. Madison loved blankets and loved to be warm. She loved the sun and the fireplace.  

Most of all, Madison loved me and Karel and we loved her so much. 
Losing our two seniors so close to one another is tremendously difficult. Because we are still grieving the loss of Campy, we feel even more empty without Madison. 

Madison was such a strong and resilient cat. She fought so hard to stay with us for as long as she could. Madison beat the odds. From surviving months outside of our apartment as a young cat to fighting her heart/lung/kidney condition as a senior. 

It hurts knowing that we are closing the chapter of our life with Smudla, Campy and Madison. Our first three furry kids. There's no one to remind us of our six years in Jacksonville, Florida and the past nine years in Greenville, SC. 

We will never forget her love and the memories we made over the past 15+ years.  I'm struggling to find the words to accurately describe how special Madison was to us as she was an incredibly loyal, loving and special cat. It also hurts knowing that Madison was our remaining reminder of Campy and now she is gone. Putting together this tribute for Madison was very difficult as it was the first time I looked at pictures of Campy since he passed away in July. Campy was my soul dog and I'm still struggling with his loss and companionship. 

To help ease our pain, we hope that Madison and Campy are restored to good health, are reunited with one another and can finally be together again. 

In loving memory of Campy

Campy “my love, buddy, sunshine” Sumbal
April 2007 – July 18^th, 2024

Campy, our soul dog, passed away peacefully at his home on July 18^th at 12:20pm. Prior to his passing, Campy had the perfect last day. The night before, we slept with Campy on the floor and he had one of his best sleeps in a very long time. When he woke up, Campy took a peaceful walk with Karel while the birds were chirping. He had a homemade breakfast of eggs, cheese and bread. A few hours later, he had his first ever Starbucks Pup Cup and then walked around Furman – enjoying the sunshine and smells. His last meal was his favorite – warm rotisserie chicken. With the compassionate care of Faithful Hearts Vet, Campy had his final breaths in my arms, while receiving kisses and words of love and gratitude from me and Karel.

Campy was found as a stray around 1.5 years of age. A series of events in early October 2008 led us to Petfinder.com in search for a rescue dog. We came across “Sparky” who was being fostered in Amelia Island, Florida and it was an instant connection. The foster parent told me that this was a very special dog, and she was right. It was a few weeks before we got married and we had adopted our first (and only) dog Campy. We bonded instantly with him. He quickly became our life and our new favorite responsibility. We had little money and no experience caring for a dog but Campy quickly showed us that all he needed was love – and an abundance of squeaky plush dog toys.  

I created a very special bond with Campy as I spent a lot of time alone at home, pursuing a dietetic degree while Karel was managing two Trek concept stores. Campy and I spent a tremendous amount of time together. I couldn’t get enough of his big personality, cute smile, golden hair, perfect nose, heart-melting face and long legs. Throughout his lifetime, Campy went with me everywhere. He was a constant source of comfort and companionship. It may sound cliché but he was my best friend. He helped me feel wanted and needed.

Campy showed us unconditional love and always greeted us with the same level of joy - always standing on his hind legs with a wagging tail, always overly excited to see us. He gave us purpose, structure and routine to every day. Every morning, we uncovered Campy from deep within the bed sheets and told him “good morning sunshine, it’s another lottery winning day.” Quickly we learned that we were the ones who won the lottery.

During his 16 years with us, Campy lived in two states – Jacksonville, Florida and Greenville, South Carolina. He lived in 3 different homes before spending his final nine years of life in his dream home – with plenty of windows to provide the perfect sunbeams for napping. We always promised Campy a fenced yard so he could pursue his favorite activities – chasing squirrels, barking at birds, running and sunbathing. In 2015 we finally made that wish come true.

Campy was opinionated and protective of his mommy. But a select few passed his smell test. For those who were let into his tribe he showed his incredibly loving, sweet, happy and funny personality. Campy instantly fell in love with his grandparents and Joey “the cheese lady.” And if you had the talent of a good butt rub or a real-food treat like ham or cheese, there was a better chance of forming a possible friendship with Campy. For those who didn’t make the cut, they got a big bark and sometimes a “love” bite. Campy thought he was an Alpha dog, often showing his confidence and assertiveness around big dogs, but he was a momma's boy and loved being held. For B-man, Ruby, Lady, Milo, Reagan and Pinto, Campy was proud to call these dogs his best friends.  Campy loved cats and truly enjoyed it when we brought in a new kitten or cat. Madison loved Campy because he found her in a bush outside in 2008 and Ella formed a close bond with Campy in his later years, giving her comfort, snuggles and warmth.  

A lover of couches, pillow and blankets, Campy rested hard so he could play hard. Campy collected hundreds of walking miles throughout his life. He absolutely loved going for walks. This grew into a strong love of being outside. He greatly enjoyed marking on every pole, mailbox and tree just to make sure everyone knew that “campy was here.” Campy loved to run, which became a tradition I called “Campy miles” – finishing every workout with at least a mile run with Campy. As soon as he heard the beep of my running watch, he would sprint in excitement until he ran out of energy. He also took part in group runs in Jacksonville, FL. He was stubborn and persistent, always wanting to lead the way, knowing that I would be there to carry him when he got tired. Overtime ‘Campy miles’ turned into jogs and then slow walks, but we continued this tradition throughout his entire life. Campy had an adventurous spirit and enjoyed traveling and discovering new places. Campy loved everything life had to offer – except being in water. The only water he enjoyed was a warm bath, followed by zoomies.   

Campy had a competitive spirit - just like his mom and dad. Campy was first paws across the line at Challenge Knoxville Half Distance in 2015. Currently, Campy continues to hold the record for fastest squeaker removal of a plush dog toy. Many dogs have attempted to break that record but it’s unlikely that record will ever be broken.

If you knew us, you knew Campy. Our bond was strongest when we were at sporting events. Campy traveled with us to many cycling and triathlon events.  He visited 16 states and his most frequently visited places include Panama City Beach and Haines City, Florida, Chattanooga, TN and Lake Placid, NY. If we couldn’t travel with Campy, he was spoiled at home by his grandmas or pet sitters. 

Campy’s favorite holiday was Thanksgiving, he didn’t mind dressing up for Halloween and his favorite season was summer. He loved being warm. Winter was sweater weather. He would spend hours in front of the fireplace. He had a wardrobe of sweaters and a collection of bow ties for special occasions.

Campy and I shared an indescribable bond. He was a constant for me through many ups and downs and through many different chapters of life. He was by my side during my most life-changing moments – when I got married, became a Registered Dietitian, wrote three books and grew my business. He was a great listener and somehow, I felt like he understood how to support me during my most stressful times in life. He was there for us during our greatest struggles, like the passing of our dad’s, Karel's broken hand and the difficult process of Karel obtaining his citizenship. Campy always knew how to make us laugh, smile or stop to appreciate the present moment. Karel loved his little buddy. Campy was the best at unconditional love. Navigating life’s challenges seemed doable because we always had Campy there as our proverbial handrail.

Campy showed us that rescue animals offer the most compassionate and caring type of love. He is the reason why we now have five rescue cats. Over the past few years, we have donated money to various animal shelters and organizations, and we will continue this tradition in honor of Campy.  

Campy excelled at sleeping. It was his absolute favorite hobby. 

Campy had great health for much of his life. He suffered from seizures in 2015 but it was controlled with medication. Campy survived one dog attack which resulted in several stitches, but he was incredibly brave throughout that process. Over the past three years, Campy lost his sight and hearing but that didn’t slow him down. Over the past two years, he braved a hard battle with canine cognitive decline which affected his brain, often making him confused, wobbly and anxious. His brain was slowing him down but his body remained strong. He simply loved living life with us. He thrived with a routine of eating, going on walks and being kissed and held. We are grateful for our vet, Dr. Haueisen for understanding Campy’s quirks and for helping to make his vet appointments as low stress as possible. She took such great care of Campy throughout much of his life, specifically in his senior years when the vet visits became more frequent. We were honored to care for Campy in his golden years. Although he required a lot of attention and energy for his aging needs and struggles, it was our greatest gift to make sure he was comfortable for his entire life.

Campy was preceded in death by Smudla and Felix. He is survived by his beloved furry siblings – Madison, Ella, Sylvi, Asher and Mia - all of whom, truly loved Campy. 

We packed a lot into his 17 years of life, and we never wasted a day. Campy taught us how to live a full life and in the moment. The passing of Campy left us with a broken heart which will never be fully repaired. We didn’t lose a dog, we lost our soul mate – an irreplaceable relationship and our constant source of security, structure, companionship, love, joy and comfort. Our whole world has suddenly changed and we now have to learn how to navigate it without our best friend. 

We are reassured knowing that Campy is now free from his discomfort and he can once again see, hear, bark and run as fast as his little legs can go.  

"Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them and filling an emptiness we didn’t ever know we had."
 – Thom Jones, short story writer

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A post shared by Marni Sumbal, MS, RD, CSSD (@trimarni)

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A post shared by Marni Sumbal, MS, RD, CSSD (@trimarni)

Campy Update - the final chapter

 

If you know me, you probably know Campy. 
Campy has been my loyal best friend for almost 16 years. We do everything together.

For me and Karel, our life has included Campy in almost everything that we have done.    

In April, Campy turned 17 (I didn't realize this as I had his birthday wrong for all these years and just learned that when we adopted him, he was 18 months old and not a year old). We recently had a belated birthday bash with dog-friendly muffins (I used this recipe).

At Campy's recent vet visit (end of May), Campy got a clean bill of health. His body is working well. It's his brain that is declining. 

Campy gradually went blind and deaf over the last two years. He has also been suffering from Canine Cognitive Decline (CCD = dog dementia). It has been so hard to see him change into a different dog. We miss our spunky, energetic, opinionated dog. He requires a lot of care but we are honored to be there for him however he needs us. 

Ella loves Campy so much. 

Karel cut a hole in a shoebox for his water bowl so that he doesn't step into his water. You can also see the many pillows that we have lined around his large "enclosure" in our main room so he doesn't hurt himself or get stuck anywhere. 

Campy has a very specific routine of going on short walks, being held, eating and sleeping (not necessarily in that order). When he is not doing any of these, he is confused, bumping into things, circling or staring in space. We've questioned his quality of life many times over the past few months and earlier this week, we thought it was the end. This was the hardest week of our life with Campy. We cried so much it was hard to focus. We booked "the appointment" and 24 hours later, Campy told us it was not the end. We recently started him on a new medication, Selegiline (Anipryl) a few weeks ago because I heard great things about it for dogs with CCD but we don't think it was working well for Campy as it made him very wobbly (almost drunk-like), weak, tired and out of it. We weaned him off and he seems to be much better. He is also on Phenobarbital twice a day for seizures (since 2015) and we give him a Senilife pill in the evening (which we feel has been helping for the past year). 

 

It's been a bumpy road over the past few months and we know the end is coming soon. But for now, we are making sure that his final few days, weeks or months are the best for him. We are constantly taking note of what brings him joy and right now, he is still eating great, drinking great and peeing and pooping regularly. Although sometimes it takes him a little bit to fall asleep in the evening, he is sleeping great and he loves his naps. He also continues to enjoy his short walks (he walks up to a mile a day total) and he will smell the grass and mailbox posts (which we feel means he is still interested in his walks). He enjoys being held and sometimes he will give us kisses. And when he sees his friend Ruby on a walk, his tail will wag. He still recognizes his favorite people when he gives them a sniff. Although he is sometimes wobbly, he is still moving around great and doesn't appear to be in any pain or discomfort. 

 

In case you missed it, this is our newest addition Mia (~2.5-3 years old). She was in our neighborhood for several months this winter and I couldn't take it anymore. Now she has a home.
I'll blog about her story soon. 

We are also managing the health of our senior cat Madison who has been battling Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy since Feb 2022. After a last ditch effort by our vet to do a double lung tap on Madison, he didn't think she would make it a few more months. But here she is, still going strong over 2 years later. However, around two weeks ago, she gave us a scare when she stopped eating and we noticed she was breathing heavy again. We rushed her to our local vet and after labs and Xrays they told us she had fluid around her lungs and heart (not inside like last time) so we have new medication for her. She is a very strong cat but we do worry about her condition worsening as she is beating the odds right now. 

Campy has been with us through the good times and bad. He has given us unconditional love for almost 16 years. He has been my therapy, my support, my everything. It's going to be incredibly difficult to say good bye. Campy enjoys us for being us. Every day of his life has been a lottery winning day. No one loves us like Campy loves us. Campy makes us believe that every day we are the most wonderful thing that ever happened to him but it's actually the other way around. Adopting him in October of 2008 was the best thing that ever happened for us. 

I came across this post on a website and it was too good not to share....

"Dogs offer us companionship if not actual friendship. This may be because our furry friends are not capable of understanding the complexities of being a human being, but that really doesn’t come to mind when, after a long day of getting caught up in thoughts of how horrible we are, we come home to them so happily running to meet us by the door. Through the trials and tribulations of life, there’s a certain comfort in knowing that there are creatures who always see us in the best light, as their affection for us remains unconditional and their gaze non-judgemental, even considering all of our shortcomings.

Dogs exemplify loyalty. Beyond companionship, dogs are also fiercely loyal to their humans. It’s almost as if, not only do we humans take on the labels of fur parents, but dogs treat us as family as well. They stay by our side and, in their own way, care about us. It’s a bond that gives us a sense of belonging and ground us when we feel out of place, out of our comfort zone, or out of our depth.

Dogs protect us. Building on the loyalty they exhibit, it comes as no surprise that, once the bond is forged, they usually also become protective of us. And it just so happens that, thanks to their sharp senses, they are extremely good at it. They do so in a variety of ways, from the dogs that help keep our homes safe by warning us of danger through barking and growling, especially at night, to highly-trained canines that perform crucial roles in search-and-rescue operations and in sniffing out the bad guys.

Dogs support us in keeping track of and maintaining our well-being. As creatures that rely on routine, dogs are perfect pets to nudge us into doing things that are good for us more often, be it walking them and in the process getting some exercise in and taking in some fresh air to going to the park and engaging in some social interaction with other dog-owners gathered there."

Some pictures of Campy's amazing life.......

Campy update

The past year has been challenging. The past few months have been emotionally draining. Campy is 16 and 3 months old and he is living with canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) - or dog alzheimers. 

In September of 2021, Campy had an infected tooth which needed to be removed. He has always had issues with his teeth (requiring a lot of deep cleainings) and as a result, many teeth have been removed over the years. We knew we were taking some chances with him being anaethesized at his older age but I trust his vet and he had a successful teeth cleaning (and several teeth removed). 

The next year, in October 2022, we noticed that he wasn't acting normally. He wasn't hearing as well and he started to exhibit some strange behaviors. He would often stop and freeze in one spot (similar to the beginning of a seizure). 

Campy suffered from seizures in the summer of 2015 after we had someone spray our lawns for weeds. That was the last time we ever had anything on our lawn. Campy has been on phenobarbital twice a day ever since.

Throughout 2022-2023, Campy started to pee indoors, without knowing it. He would be walking and peeing or would stop and pee as if he was outside. He started to become more anxious and barky throughout the day. 

A year went by and in 2023, at the age of 15, Campy started to show more signs of aging. His eyes were getting cloudy, he lost most of his hearing and he was urinating a lot. This required us to invest in diapers for dogs - which he doesn't mind. I mean, who wants to go outside in the cold to pee??

Campy started drinking excessively and I worried about his kidneys. He was also coughing every now and then. His legs were becoming more wobbly. It just seemed like one thing after another and I kept taking him to the vet. Our wonderful vet at Poinsett Animal Hospital did some blood work and other tests and all looked ok. Overall, Campy is in good health. Even at his latest checkup two weeks ago, his body is strong. His bones, muscles and organs are healthy. But his brain is not. 

Over the past year, Campy checks all the boxes for CDD. His symptoms got progressively worse (or more noticeable) over the summer and fall and right now we are in a "stable" place with his condition.

He gets lost in familiar places and he gets stuck in corners and around furniture.

He's much more clingy and wants to be held a lot. I assume a lot of this is due to his cataracts and not having much vision (only a little in his right eye). 

He sleeps a lot (as he should in his retirement years) but sometimes he gets his nights and days confused and he is more "awake" during the evening.

He pees a lot inside. Even after we take him outside, he comes back in and will pee. He will also pool inside. He requires a lot of diaper changes and a lot of rushing him outside anytime he gets up from a nap. 

Campy stopped playing with his squeeky plush toys around two years ago. He will pace around the house, often walking in circles.

He is very wobbly at times and will slip on the floor or will fall or trip over his own feet. Some of this may be due to his age and that his joints get stiff. 

He will bark at nothing (often the wall or a piece of furniture) and he prefers being hand fed. 

Campy doesn't love car rides like he used to. He typically falls fast asleep as soon as the car starts moving.

He can't climb stairs or jump and will often stumble on any uneven pavement. 



Seeing our spunky, energetic, happy boy lose his spark for life and to see him struggle has been emotionally challenging. 

However, the good days still outweigh the bad. 

Campy still recognizes us. He still gives us kisses. He wants to be held and he enjoys our company. We bought a sling to carry him when we are in the kitchen or when we need our hands free as this is the place where Campy becomes very needy. 



Campy still enjoys his walks. Although he can't walk as far or as long as they used to be, he really enjoys being outside. Campy has a few furry friends in our neighborhood and we love seeing his little grey tail wag when he greets his friends. This tells us that he is still enjoying life. 

Campy loves to eat. And he gets to eat whatever he wants. He has become very picky with food so we have learned to only buy a few cans of his current favorite before he decides that he hates it and wants something different. His favorite wet food topping is parmesean cheese.

Campy is still sleeping through the night. Sadly, he is no longer sleeping in our bed upstairs but he sleeps downstairs on one of his 4 dog beds - each of which is lined with a comfy fluffy blanket. Sometimes he misses all the beds and ends up on the carpet. 

Sometimes one bed isn't enough and Campy manages to find a little of several beds. 

Sometimes Campy will end up between beds or sometimes even on a cat. Thankfully, all of our cats have been extremely patient with Campy. Even when he walks one of them while they sleep.

 

Ella is so happy that Campy is finally letting her sleep with him. I don't think he knows that she is there but rather just a warm fluffy blanket by him.

They also don't mind all the food that falls out of Campy's mouth when he tries to eat by himself. 

Life lately with Campy requires a lot of work. We give him Senilife in the morning and a calming chew in the evening. There's a lot of diaper changes, a lot of holding him, a lot of washing sweaters (from a diaper that has been overflowed throughout the night), a lot of helping him get unstuck and help him through the house when he is confused. We need to keep the house the same way all the time so he doesn't get confused and he can find his beds and bowls. I'm always analyzing the house to make sure Campy can't get himself hurt when we are gone. Eventually we may need to confin him into a smaller place in the house so he doesn't get stuck when we are not around but for right now he is doing OK.  I suppose it's similar to life with a newborn. Campy requires a lot of patience but it's our honor to take care of him in his final stage of life. 

Although Karel and I feel great sadness for what Campy is going through, the hardest part is the anticipatory grief that comes with his chapter of life. We haven't lost Campy but we feel so much sadness and loss preparing for our hardest good-bye. 

These heavy emotions are challenging.

Every evening before I go to bed, I flood Campy's face with kisses. Every morning when I wake up, I feel a tightness in my chest that he may not be alive. And when I see his little tummy moving up and down on one of his beds, I feel relief. Starting a workout is hard because it means I have to be away from Campy. I find it easier to workout when I know Karel is at home. The only thing I want to do when I workout is be home with Campy but I also know that the temporary distraction of exercise is a time when I feel a sense of numbness to the situation that we are experiencing. Traveling is hard. I stress, worry and feel anxious. Campy (and the cats) are always looked after with the best care when we travl as we always hire someone to stay at our house so that Campy can keep his normal routine. I take so many pictures of Campy. I shower him with love. Sometimes I carry him for his entire walk just so that he can feel the warm sun on his face and not have to use any of his precious energy. 

Karel and I have leaned on each other a lot over the past few months. It's hard. Really really hard. Campy has been with us for our entire marriage and we have gone through so much together. 

I know life will be hard without Campy so I am trying to make the most of every day right now while I have him in my life. 

Happy 16th Birthday Campy!

Cheers to Living Life!

On October 7th we celebrated a big milestone in Campy's incredible life. He turned 16 years old.  As we enter the final chapter of his life, our daily routine revolves around caring for him - and we wouldn't want it any other way. Campy has given us so much unconditional love, laughter and joy and it is our pleasure to make sure he is living comfortably in his golden years. Throughout Campy's life, we always told him that "today is another lottery winning day." We always felt like Campy loved life and we wanted to make sure he was living every day to the fullest. During his younger years, he had a lot of energy. We took him everywhere. He loved new adventures, new places and new experiences. Campy was living his best life from a very early age. We took advantage of his love for travel, nature and being with us.  Campy doesnt have the energy that he used to have. His eyes are cloudy, he doesn't hear well and he is always in a diaper. His golden fur has turned white. Outside adventures in new places are scary because he doesn't see or hear his surroundings. He has become extremely picky with food and he struggles with symptoms of dementia on a daily basis. He used to be so spunky, energetic and opinionated but now he sleeps a lot. It's been really hard to see him slow down but I'm so thankful that he still loves to go on walks around our neighborhood. Now that Campy is in his "retirement" life, he can rest as much as he needs. I'd like to think that he has lots of memories of a life well-lived.  For most humans, retirment is viewed as the time to start enjoying life. It's the time when you can finally check things off your bucket list, take the vacations you always dreamed of and focus more on self-care, friends, family and hobbies. It's the time in your life that you can finally do the things you have always wanted to do and start enjoying life.  Unfortunantely, it doesn't always work out that way. We all know someone who waited too long to start enjoying life and due to an accident/cancer/health issue, they didn't see tomorrow. Tomorrow is never promised. All we can guarantee is today.  Since the day we adopted Campy, he taught us to live in the present moment. Even though I'm still trying to fill up Campy's memory book of life, I'm so thankful that we didn't wait to "live." I look back at all the trips, adventures and memories that we had together when he was younger. We never took a day for granted.  I encourage you to do the same. Don't wait to live a more fulfilled and meaningful life.

“Today is the tomorrow you were promised yesterday.”  — Shaun Tan If you are interested in a delicious Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili, check out this recipe from Joey HERE.

Bootlegger 100 - DNS

This morning Karel and I were supposed to race in the Bootlegger 100 gravel event - 107 miles with over 10,000 feet of elevation. I recently announced our race schedule on my Instagram account and we were really looking forward to this event. I had booked a hotel, planned the restaurant for pre-race pizza and even found a Chipotle (yum) for after the event. The best part was that I was going to enjoy the event with a few friends. Well, we didn't do the event. 

Four weeks ago, Karel had a really bad crash at the Whole Enchilada MTB event at the Whitewater center. His bike slipped on a wet wooden bridge and that resulted in a direct fall to his right hip. Karel was able to continue to train for two weeks even though he still had a fluid-filled bump on his hip. But last week, the bump turned solid and started to cause him a lot of pain. Karel did some research and came across a similar injury that Jan Frodeno had and we instantly knew that this is what Karel had - A Morel-Lavallee Lesion. With the bump not getting any better after three weeks, we booked an apt with his general physician and he had a syringe full of fluid drained from the bump. This happened on Monday. He was also given a heavy duty 7-day antibiotic in the case of an infection. After a few days, the bump wasn't any better so we consulted with a friend who is in the medical field as well as our Orthopedic doctor and Karel started wearing tight compression around his hip 24/7. This helped a lot and the bump has finally gone down in size. It's not fully gone but it's a lot better. Karel may have damaged some nerves so he is still dealing with a bit of pain but thankfully no broken bones. The antibiotic made Karel feel super lousy on Wed and Thursday and then he had to see the dentist for a broken tooth on Friday. After all of that, Karel decided that it wouldn't be smart to do the ride and with a big schedule of races, he needed to put his health first. 

As for myself, I was still interested in racing but I wasn't comfortable going to a gravel race 2.5 hours away without Karel (seeing that my history of gravel races hasn't been the best). Additionally, the weather wasn't looking great in the morning and mentally, I haven't been in the best place and I knew this race would require a tremendous amount of physical and mental energy. 

On Thursday I took Campy to the vet as he hadn't been eating for 2 days. Campy has been showing a lot of aging signs over the past few months (ex. confusion, not hearing well, not seeing well, needing to wear diapers, sleeping a lot) but lately he just hasn't been himself. His urination issues have gotten worse, he vomited after eating one night and he has been drinking a lot of water. Our vet is wonderful and after taking some blood, she told me that his kidneys are declining. Although he is "only" in stage 2 of kidney disease per his labs, he is showing signs that he is in stage 3. Campy is now on nausea medication which has helped his appetite but we have had to change his diet so that it is not hurting his kidneys (which is hard when you have a picky eater senior dog with only 8 teeth left).

Although we have been sad about the signs and symptoms that Campy is showing in his 15th year of life, this news really broke my heart. To hear that Campy is nearing the end of his life has been really really hard for me. Knowing that we could have three months left or if we are lucky, over a year, has really crushed me. I can't focus, I feel like I have a huge weight on my chest, I am feeling anxious and I am really really sad. 

On Friday, all I wanted to do was to be with Campy. I know that now is not the end but mentally, I just couldn't gather the strength to leave Campy for this race and to ride for 7+ hours on gravel without Karel. 

Knowing that Campy is living out his final months is causing a lot of anticipatory grief, which is bringing me a lot of pain and heartache. With so much uncertainty about the next few months, our responsibility of caring for Campy has changed a bit but we won't stop us from making the most of every day. 

I debated about writing this post but I've always viewed my blog as my journal and I want to share all parts of my life - the good and the sad. 

Happy 14th Birthday Campy!

                                     

It's a special day. It's Campy's 14th birthday. I cherish every extra year that we have with him and I never take a day for granted. 

We adopted Campy in 2008. We were in no position to become dog owners but a series of events brought Campy into our life. Since day one, Campy has given me unconditional love, support, meaning and joy to my life. Although he can be overly judgmental and mistrustful of strangers, he's incredibly loyal. Even though he is fully dependent on us, I depend on him. On our worst days, he is always there to give support, to lick off falling tears and to cuddle through sadness and heartache. 

Campy is not moving as fast as he used to. His golden fur has turned white. He recently lost his hearing and he enjoys sleeping much more than he did during his younger years. But he hasn't lost his spark. He is still overly protective of me, he is always up for a long walk, road trip or adventure and he loves to show off his "big-dog" attitude. Like his mom and dad, Campy loves to be outside in nature. 

Dogs are the ultimate example of unconditional love and Campy has taught me so many important life lessons. I look forward to making many more memories together to ensure a long life well lived. 

Happy 13th Birthday Campy!!

 

I can't believe that my lovey, my buddy, my snickerdoodle, my golden nugget, my chihuahy, my Campy camp is turning 13 today. 

For the past 12 years, I've been spoiled with unconditional love from my furry best friend. To celebrate another year added to his lottery-winning life, I thought I'd share 13 fun facts about Campy: 

1. Campy loves to sleep under blankets and he loves pillows. 

2. Campy loves road trips. 

3. Campy does not mind being carried around like a baby. 

4. Campy is very gentle around cats, puppies and kittens. Strangers (humans), not so much. 

5. Campy suffered from seizures in the summer of 2015. He was put on phenobarbital and takes 1/2 pill in the morning and in the evening. He has been seizure free ever since. 

6. Campy was attacked by a dog off the leash in December 2018. He handled it like a champ. 

7. Campy is not a big eater. He doesn't care for dry dog food but loves dry cat food. 

8. Campy loves being warm. He loves to sit outside in the summer and by the indoor fire in the winter. Campy despises the snow and does not like to be wet. 

9. Campy loves to be active (and outside). He used to run with me but now we go on long walks and hikes. 

10. Campy has traveled to many cycling and triathlon events all along the East Coast. 

11. We found Campy online at Petfinder.com. His original name was Sparky. 

12. Campy is my therapy. We have been through so much together. 

13. Campy loves toys ("bears") with squeakers. The process of taking out the squeaker is his favorite hobby. 

Since I have a bazillion pictures of Campy (around a million of him sleeping), I thought I'd share a few of my favorites. For more pics, you can check out #campyslife on Instagram. 

Adventures with Campy

It's no surprise how much I love Campy. For the past 10+ years, Campy has been living the best life ever as I've made sure that no day is ever wasted for my furry little pooch. Because a dog's life is so short compared to us humans, I always make the effort to make memories together.

Campy and I love being outside and exploring nature. The hotter the weather the better as we both love the heat. Campy loves being in the car and he's always up for a road trip. He loves smelling/exploring new places.

As part of our week-break from triathlon training (more on this in a future blog), Karel and I decided to do a different outdoor activity - Kayaking! Of course, I couldn't imagine being outside, making memories and enjoying the sun without Campy.

We all had our first experience Kayaking at Lake Jocassee and we had a great time. Not only is this lake absolutely beautiful but it's also pet friendly. Kayaking gave us a great workout and it was a nice change from our normal Saturday routine of triathlon training. The water was refreshingly cool and the views were incredible. I'm not sure exactly how Campy felt about his life jacket and being on (and in) the water but he was really chill throughout the adventure and he slept like a champ for the rest of the day. Most of all, Campy loved spending time with us as we enjoyed this adventure together.

I love adding memories to Campy's book of life. At 11.5 years of age, I'd say he's got a rather filled book so far but there's still plenty of years to keep the memories coming. What should we do next?

Here are a few pics from our recent adventure with campy:

A Greenville Thanksgiving

I have a lot of great memories of Thanksgiving with my family. Being with my dad, mom and brother (and often extended family) was a special time for it wasn't that often that we would all be together at the table. Since my dad passed away in May 2014, I find myself thinking of all the laughs, good food and memories that we made together as a family on Thanksgiving.

This year was low key for me and Karel. With my mom out of town, we joined the family of my friend (and swimming partner) Kristen for delicious food, stories and laughs. Kristen use to race as a professional Ironman triathlete back in the late 90's so I had a lot of fun scrolling through her scrap books as she reminisced about her past Ironman/triathlon days. 

I yummed over my Thanksgiving plate - it was filled with color and just enough (but not too much) food to leave me satisfied and feeling good in my belly. Pictured above is mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, a wild rice mix with cranberries and my pomegranate kale mango salad. This is my 26th Thanksgiving as a vegetarian. 

Per tradition, Campy had his Thanksgiving plate. He scarfed it down in a minute and then asked for seconds. 

On Friday morning, I was itching to get outside on my road bike. With the temps barely over 30 degrees, Karel was not keen on this idea. However, he agreed to join me for nearly 3 hours. I don't think the temps got over 32 degrees but luckily we live in a very hilly area so we had plenty of punchy hills to increase our body temp. We managed ~3000 feet elevation gain in 2:46 (43 miles). Karel was grumpy about the cold weather so I made us some homemade teff banana bread when we got home. The roads were empty so it was a perfect morning to be outside - even though it was super cold. 

On Saturday morning, Kristen joined us for a 4000 yard swim at Furman. Anytime we swim with Kristen we know we will have a tough workout as she is super speedy in the water. This was the first time in a while that I felt good in the water so I was really happy with my start to the day. Karel also swam really well and was keeping up with me for the 100's (1:20 down to 1:16).

In the early afternoon, Karel and I headed out for our "long" run. We didn't run together but left around the same time. I went out on my favorite route that starts on rolling hills in the country and finishes on the Swamp Rabbit Trail through Traveler's Rest. I included a few 10 minute steady efforts after my warm-up and finished with smooth, form focused running. Surprisingly, I felt good and found a good rhythm as I listened to triathlon podcasts. 

As I was finishing my run through Traveler's Rest, I noticed that there were a lot of tents set up for Small Business Saturday. I wanted to check them out so as soon as I got home, I had a recovery shake, grabbed Campy (and Karel) and we drove a few miles down the road to check out the local small business vendors. We picked up a few items to give away as holiday gifts. Campy enjoyed a lot of butt rubs and two bags of dog biscuits. 

Since moving to Greenville in May 2014, we have tried to make it a habit to take advantage of all the outdoor activities that Greenville has to offer us in the fall. However, we seem to fail at this habit every year....until this year. We are finally sticking to our plan to hike more in the fall and to enjoy more non-triathlon activities in the fall/winter. While we are still dedicated to our triathlon training, we are making room for those extra activities to keep us outside, enjoying nature. And of course, we can't pass up an opportunity to make memories with Campy. 

Around 9am, we left our house (with our friends/neighbors Tim and Joey) to head to Jones Gap State Park to hike Rainbow Falls. 

It was a perfect day for hiking as it was sunny and in the upper 40's to low 50's. The only downside was the mud/rain that collected on the ground after a downpour on Friday evening. Thankfully, this was only a problem for the first 1/2 mile and then the route cleared up. 

This is a very technical hike that works the quads and the calves with lots of traversing over trees, stairs, rocks and debris. 

In total, this 4.85 mile hike took us 2 hours and 35 minutes. The hike goes uphill to the waterfall and then downhill back to the parking lot. We accumulated 3750 feet of elevation gain according to Karel's Garmin. 

The time passed by as we chatted our way up the hike and marveled over the beautiful sights as we hiked up the mountain. 

Campy was a true sport as he hiked the entire way up and down, jumping over rocks, trees and wooden stairs. I only carried him through a few water sections where he didn't quite understand how to jump on the rocks. His approach was to walk through the cold water. At the age of 11 years, Campy continues to impress us with his endurance, strength and tenacity. 

Because of the recent rain, the waterfall was rushing. It was a beautiful sight and well worth the technical climb up the mountain.  

Thankful for nature, our good health, friends and family, a roof over our head, access to healthy food and clean safe drinking water and Campy. 

Campy is thankful for a bed, blanket and a warm fire. 

Weekend recap: Training

It's hard to believe that we will be racing in about 8 weeks at the conclusion of our Clermont training camp. We have been putting in some good work training indoors over the past few weeks due to the cooler temps and rainy days but with the weekend forecast looking good, we gathered up the crew for a Saturday long ride. Exploring Greenville on two wheels was on the training agenda and we took full advantage of our nicer weather! 

But first, a Friday swim workout for me and Karel to leave the arms heavy all day. 

MS: 30 x 100's at 85% on 1:28 cycle. 

Whew...that was a long swim requiring a lot of focus and energy! 

Karel swam with his buoyancy shorts (which have helped him out a lot with his swimming development) and paddles so he was much faster than me. He did his 100's on a 1:26 cycle! 

As for the rest of Friday, after working all day, I had my teeth cleaned at the dentist (yay for healthy teeth and gums!), stopped at the grocery to stock up the pantry and fridge for a weekend full of cooking and baking (recipes and food pics to come in the next blog!) and then took Campy for a long 1+ hour walk as I was tired of sitting all day. 

The weather was absolutely beautiful (70's and sunny) and it was just a perfect evening to be outside. Around 5pm, Campy and I walked to my mom's house and then we walked around her neighborhood before returning home. Karel had a RETUL fit on Friday afternoon + a private bike skills session to follow so he was rather tired from being on his feet and riding all afternoon so he had an early dinner and then relaxed in the evening while finishing up some work on the computer. Campy and I returned home from our walk and then I ate dinner before getting started with some cooking and baking (yum) for the next hour, before going to bed around 10pm. 

Thankfully, my no-rain dance worked and the rain that was planned for Saturday morning didn't happen so we had dry roads and cloudy skies instead for our 8:30am roll out. After spending the last two weekends inside for long trainer rides, it felt so good to be on the tri bike outside (and in great company with Trimarnis Bryan, Karel, Thomas and Al). 

Our plan was to ride to and up/down Caesar's head mountain, which was a great idea until the fog became too unsafe for us to continue riding to the top. Karel was leading the way and made the call that we needed to stop for safety reasons (even with lights on bikes). We stopped about 2 miles from the top, which was still 20 minutes of climbing and a fun descend to the bottom. 

The fog made for some pretty neat scenery while climbing and all around, it was just a great morning to be on my bike. 

After 3 hours and 45 minutes of riding (a little over 5000 feet of climbing), we made it back to Trimarni HQ's for a quick gear change to get ready for our brick run. Once again, the brick runs have been on the treadmill for the past two weekends so it was nice to pound the pavement with the guys for 25 minutes. 

After the brick, it was time to refuel with a recovery drink and some of my yummy treats that I made on Friday evening. Campy didn't want to miss out on the eating fun so he joined us in the garage, just in case anything tasty "accidentally" dropped on the ground. 

After resting for an hour on the couch, it was time to get some work done on the computer and then get to more cooking. We invited my mom over for dinner so she brought the main dish (stuffed shells with tofu) and I made the side dish which was a Moroccan lentil dish. And for dessert, chocolate cookies! Don't worry, I'll share the recipes and food pics tomorrow but to make your mouth water, you can head over to my Facebook page to check out the pictures. 

Karel and I were pretty tired on Saturday evening so we made it until about 9:30pm and then it was time to get ready for bed. No surprise, Campy was pooped from his exhausting day. 

Sunday was absolutely great for running. Just like Saturday, not too hot, not too cold. It felt so nice to be outside for 1 hour and 48 minutes of running. My run workout started off with a little hip/glute activation in our home-gym and then some outside dynamic stretching and then a 5 minute power walk to get the blood flowing. As for the rest of the run, it was a conversational pace run, where I incorporated 30 sec walk breaks every mile to reduce the overall training stress and included a stronger effort up any hills. Of course, where I live there are no shortage of hills so I had about 1000+ feet of stronger efforts. Surprisingly, my legs felt rather good throughout the entire run and I was able to keep good form. I stayed well hydrated with my Nathan hydration belt and refilled as needed throughout my run at water fountains. It was great to see so many people outside enjoying the nice weather!

Campy happily joined me for a post run walk as Karel was still out running (he warmed up with a 30 minute trainer bike before his 90 minute run). Karel rested for a little bit (and refueled) before an afternoon RETUL fit and I had some work to do on the computer before getting in one last swim workout (2250 yards) in the late afternoon to wrap up another great week of training. 

It was a successful, busy, yummy and active weekend of training and I could not be more thankful to my body for keeping me in good health so that I can live such an active lifestyle. 

4th of July adventures

On Saturday morning, Karel and I headed out for a perfectly planned ride up to Flat Rock, into NC and back to our home. 

First off - we just love our new bike stands from Feedback Sports - even though Karel installed a rack on our garage wall to hang our bikes, I can't believe we went so long without these affordable, easy to use floor stands!. Also, I just LOVE my new bar tape from Lizard Skins which matches our "Kona edition" Canari kits (we received a prototype product which Karel put on each of our bike handlebars). 

The ride started out great and I was feeling strong staying behind Karel (for the most part) until we got to the watershed area and then up to Flat Rock. I was doing great switching my gears, primarily in the small chain ring to maintain a nice cadence when I came to a descending segment and I tried to change my gears into the big ring and well, no shifting was happening.
Hmmmm. 

When I finally linked up with Karel at the top of the climb, I told him that I wasn't able to change my gears into the big ring and he let me know that my battery was dying in my Di2. Well there is a first time for everything!

It was just over a month when we last charged the battery on my bike (which is typical - about a month per charge depending on miles ridden) so I ended up turning around as Karel carried on with his ride as I was limited to less than 150 shifts before I was stuck in whatever gear I was left in when my battery completely died. 

Needless to say - it was a very interesting ride home just wondering when my battery would die. Thankfully, I made it home (over 20 miles) just fine on the rolling terrain in my small chain ring and was still able to change my gears for the steeper climbs. 

As I was finishing my 4-mile run off the bike, Karel came home from his ride and told me about his exciting ride. Although both of us experienced a bit of a rain shower on the bike (for me in SC and Karel in NC), Karel was riding along when George Hincapie and two other guys rode right by Karel as Karel was doing a higher effort interval to finish his ride. Karel stayed draft legal behind George but it was certainly not an "easy" effort. At least we both had exciting stories to tell after our ride! 

After some recovery food and a little resting while watching the TDF, we were off to Landrum to spend the late afternoon/evening with our friend Katie Malone and her hubby Brad and adorable baby Keene. 

Katie is not only a triathlon coach and experienced triathlete but she is also a huge dog lover. She rescues Weimaraner's (she has 5 of them) but recently she rescued an adorable puppy named Claudette. What a sweetie!!! 

It was nice to hang out, talk triathlons and snack on food but it's hard for a group of triathletes to stay still (and their furry children) so we all went out on the water. 

The guys went kayaking and Katie and I went stand-up paddle boarding (SUP).  

Katie had a small doggy life jacket that we put on Campy as this was his first time in open water. Although he can swim (by default when Karel wants to prove to me that Campy can swim in a pool), Campy is not a natural swimmer like his momma. 

We decided to put Campy in the kayak so that he didn't have to be close to the water but after a few minutes of kayaking, Campy decided that he wanted to be out of the kayak. 

So he jumped out!!!

I was so concerned about my little one swimming in the lake but Campy did not seem too concerned. Campy actually made his way to my paddleboard and I picked him up on his life jacket strap and Campy bravely stood on my paddleboard for the rest of our exploration around the lake. 

Unlike Keene and Claudette, Campy was not so still on the board. He actually jumped off my board (on his own) twice. Karel says he was enjoying swimming and that's why he jumped off. I think he was trying to swim to shore to get the heck away from the water but nonetheless, Campy gave us quite an exciting thrill of a ride on the SUP. 

Much better...back on land. 

After our trip on the lake, it was time to eat!

Brad made burgers and I chopped up some sweet honeydew. We also snacked on chips. 

 Katie put mushrooms on the grill topped with pesto and fresh cut mozzarella cheese, topped with a thick slice of tomato - YUM!!!

I made a refreshing broccoli summer slaw: 

2 bags broccoli slaw tossed with 6 ounce light Daisy sour cream. Add in 2 chopped pink lady apples, a handful of raisins and salt to taste. Refrigerate (if possible) for at least 4-8 hours before serving.

4th of July 2015 was filled with excitement and adventure.

 Oh the fun we have while being out in nature!!

No surprise, Campy slept ALL day on Sunday. He was SOOOOO exhausted from his SUP workout. 

Jacksonville trip - recap

We spent 6 years living in Jacksonville, FL, prior to moving to Greenville, SC in May. Karel and I met in Clearwater where we lived for about 2 years before moving to Jax.
Karel was the general manager of the Trek Bicycle store in Jax (reason we moved there) and we have lots of friends/training partners/athletes in Jax so we still consider it a "home" for us. 

Karel owns the RETUL fitting system and is a professional bike fitter so almost every month since we moved, he has traveled back to Jax to do RETUL bike fits at Open Road Bicycles (Beach location). 

Every now and then, Campy let's us know that he needs a road trip so last week, I joined Karel for 4 packed days of RETUL fits. 

Before our trip, I gave a presentation on to a group of doctors and residents at Greenville Health System Memorial hospital. I then went to the Y for a strength/run workout and then it was time to hit the road for our 6 hour drive down south. 

I had a few "Campy approved" meals and snacks for our trip. 

Fruit and chocolate- yummmmm. This may be my new favorite sea salt chocolate. 

My little hot Italian and I make sure Karel is well-fed as he is on his feet, performing fit after fit for up to 10 hours a day...for 4 days straight!

Exercise does a body good so although we don't typical adhere to a "training" schedule when we travel for work purposes, it was still nice to get out and swim, bike, run in familiar places. Although we certainly did not expect cold weather but thankfully we brought our winter riding gear just in case. Brrrrrr (but happy to see palm trees again!)

Campy supervised the fits and protected us all from intruders (aka the UPS guy). 

Campy also helped me answer emails. 

You will never find me without snacks as a hungry belly is not a happy belly....especially for an athlete. 

Karel fit Veronica with Veronica's Health Crunch and we received a big box of my FAVORITE crunch. Seriously, it is so good!!!

Campy is NUTS for this crunch! (Just kidding - he'd rather eat chicken). 

On Saturday evening, a group of our friends joined us at Black Finn Ameripub. The food was delish but then again, I ended up with a morning brick and an afternoon swim with my friends so I was ready for some good satisfying food! A salad and flat bread pizza hit the spot. 

And cupcakes from Sweet by Holly hit the spot (Thanks Tricia for the sweet surprise!) PB&J for me, espresso for Karel and a chocolate mega cupcake to share. 

I enjoyed making some Trimarni creations at my friends house...

And yumming over the waffles that Tricia (where we were staying) made for us. Loved dressing the waffle up with syrup, nuts and fruit.
 

 I got to see my friend Susan who stole Campy from me for a selfie ;) 

And on Monday, it was back to Greenville for another RETUL fit on Wed for our athlete Ginger who was driving through town on vacation. 

As Karel was doing some mechanic work on Ginger's bike, I stole her for a swim at the aquatic center. 

And now it's back to the routine - loving the mountains but missing the palm trees. 

Yep, back to the routine....dreaming of his next road trip. 

Trimarni Thanksgiving eats - YUM!

We hope that you had a lovely Thanksgiving and filled your body with love, laughs and lots of yummy food. 

Karel, Campy and I celebrated Thnksgiving with my mom (in her new home just 10 minutes away from me - yay!) and my aunt, uncle and cousin. The Thanksgiving day was not the same without my dad but we made sure to share to not forget the impact he had made on all of our lives. 

For Karel and me, our Thanksgiving started with the TreesGreenville Turkey Day 8K which happened to be our very first event to participate in since moving to Greenville in May.
The event was in downtown Greenville so we woke up at 6am and after our pre-race snack we did a little foam rolling and dynamic warming up and then around 7:20am we ran to the start/finish which was around 1.3 miles away. My morning pre race snack was nothing out of the ordinary as I consume the same ingredients before training. A rice cake, smear of PB, cinnamon, raisins and banana slices. I didn't add any honey this morning. I sipped on a cup of coffee and glass of water and brought a flask of water (5 ounces) with me to carry for the race.
I will be sharing our race recap in another blog but it was a lot of fun to start our morning with other Greenvillians!

The morning started off chilly but then we got warm during the race and then we got cold again. We ran a total of around 7.5 miles or so and when we got home we were both ready for a recovery drink and Epson Salt bath.
My smoothie consisted of:
1 cup milk  + a little water to help mixing
1 chopped celery stick
A few pineapple chunks

1/2 cup frozen berries
Handful kale

Cinnamon/Ginger
1 heaping scoop Whey to Go protein powder (I add my powder last so it mixes smoothly)
Ice

After warming up, I started my cooking/baking for our late afternoon meal. For lunch I had leftover egg salad.

Egg chickpea salad
6 eggs (4 whole, 2 just whites)
Dallop or two greek yogurt
A little horseradish
A spoonful spicy mustard and spoonful olive oil Mayo
3 stalks chopped celery
1 carrot chopped (large)
1/2 can chickpeas
Pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate.

Now on to the baking!

My contribution to the Thanksgiving meal was a dessert and veggie dish.
I couldn't help myself as I was feeling extra happy in the kitchen so I made two desserts. I'm not as passionate about baking as I am cooking (although I AM passionate about eating desserts!) since I love to be creative in the kitchen and not be tied to following recipes. But this was a special day and I made full use of my time in the Trimaarni kitchen. 

Oatmeal apple and walnut crisp
2 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup walnuts (chopped)
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
2 sweet baking apples (ex. honey crisp) chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with non stick spray (or use butter).
2. In medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, 1/2 of the nuts, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix well. 

3. In another bowl, whisk eggs and then add the milk and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. 

4. Add milk mixture to oat mixture along with melted butter. 

5. Place apples on bottom of the baking dish. Pour oatmeal/milk mixture over the apples and spread evenly. 

6. Sprinkle remaining nuts on top.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the oats are set and top is golden. 

Kale, onion and corn salad
Kale
Frozen corn
Onions
Garlic
Olive oil
Garlic balsamic

1. In medium skillet, on medium heat, cover bottom with corn (defrosted and soft) and 1 tbsp or so of olive oil. 

2. Add 1/2 onion (chopped or sliced). 

3. Add fresh or jarred garlic to your liking. 

4. Cook corn and onion mixture until onions begin to turn a little brown. 

5. While corn is cooking, use a wok for Kale (or large skillet). Cook kale on low-medium heat in a little olive (I recommend to toss in bowl ahead of time for even coating) and cook until soft. 

6. When kale is soft, add corn mixture in wok and toss with a little balsamic and let cook for a few more minutes. Kale should remain soft, it should not brown. 

Garlic balsamic tempeh
Tempeh

Garlic balsamic

Olive oil
Salt

1. In skillet on medium heat, chopped tempeh.
2. Cook in a little olive oil until slightly brown. 

3. Add balsamic and toss. Tempeh should get a little soft. 

4. Add a pinch of salt. 

Yummm...pomegranate seeds and chocolate. 

Pomegranate Brownie bites
(Without compromising taste or texture, I tried to make these as "healthy" as possible but still be real brownies)

1 4 ounce package baking chocolate
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 pomegranate, seeded (my trick for seeding the pomegranate is to cut it in half and then place each half, seed side down, in a bowl of water. This will help the seeds come out a little easier. Then quarter each half and break with hands. Be careful to not stain your clothes)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a non stick baking pan (8 or 9 inch) with cooking spray. 

2. Melt together butter an chocolate in microwave (or double boiler) for 2 minutes (butter will melt first and may start to crackle after 1 minute but chocolate needs longer). Set aside and let cool. 

3. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. 

4. Add cooled melted chocolate/butter mixture to egg mixture, whisk together. 

5. Stir in flour, mix until combined. Then stir in most of the seeds (save about 1/4 of the seeds for the top). 

6. Pour batter into pan. Sprinkle rest of the seeds on top and lightly press into batter but not too much that you can't see them. 

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Top of brownies should be firm but middle should be very moist. 

8. Cut into small chunks for brownie bites. 

Trimarni tip:
Always drink water with meals. If you like sparkling water, you can sip on sparkling water during your meal to help with digestion and indigestion. A calorie-free, carbonated beverage with no sugar sweeteners or alcohols is also a safe and healthy way to promote fullness while eating.

Make sure your fresh snacks are always handy. If healthy snacks aren't available then you can't eat them. 

This is Karel's cabbage recipe, inspired by his mom. Karel doesn't follow a recipe so he says it turns out a little differently every time. 

Here's a recipe I found that uses the same ingredients (minus the stock, Karel uses water and adds a few pinches of seasoning) as Karel's Czech-inspired recipe. 
Braised cabbage with apple and caraway seeds

We also had stuffing outside the bird. But my mom accidentally added a little seasoning that wasn't vegetarian and she didn't realize it until she checked the package. Oh well, bummer for the vegetarian at the dinner but more for everyone else to enjoy! 

I love my mom's sweet potato dish! This is the only time of the year I will yum over Marshmallows. Did you know there are vegan marshmallows that don't use gelatin?
My mom just cooks the sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling water until soft and the removes the skin. She mashes and then adds a little butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then she puts it in the oven for 20 minutes (220 degrees) and then boils the marshmallows for a few minutes (you must watch the marshmallows and keep the oven door cracked open so you can see them. If you leave it in 10 sec too long you will burn them).

And guess who else got a delicious plate for Thanksgiving? 

Yep, Mr. Campy got his own plate of real food. Lucky doggy!! This is a tradition since we got Campy and this year I captured it all on video. You can check it out on my Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition Facebook page. 

Poor Campy, he didn't even make it up passed 8pm. 

22 years as a lacto-ovo vegetarian and I still love this holiday. I just love creating a meal that taste great when I eat it and makes me feel even better after it is is consumed. 

Karel's plate with turkey, potatoes and roast.

Hopefully you have lots to be thankful for this year and you didn't forget to thank your awesome body on Thanksgiving!

Happy 7th B-day Campy!!!

Today we celebrate Campy's birthday!! Since Campy is a rescue dog, we aren't sure of his exact date of birth but we got him around the age of one. So every year, for the past 6 years, we have celebrated the day when Campy came into our life.

Here are a few fun facts about Campy. 

Campy loves to travel! We find pet-friendly hotels and he never stays in the room alone. What a lucky doggy!

Campy loves the outdoors. He has endless energy....

Until he wears himself out. 

Campy loves nature. Any new place is an exciting place. Any old place is also exciting too. He never seems to get bored from walking the same routes on our morning walks but in the case that there is a new smell, Campy is always the early bird to find it! 

Campy is a Chihuahua Italian greyhound mix. He has a strong personality and he is really, really fast. He was 11 lbs when we got him and now he is 13 lbs. I'm pretty sure he gained two lbs of muscle. Campy is an athlete!

Campy was found behind a building in Amelia Island. He was being fostered by a nice family for two weeks until we found "Sparky" at Petfinder.com. Here is the story about how we found Campy. 
Campy is named after Campagnolo. Only a high-end lifestyle for this rescue animal.



We got Campy just a few weeks before we got married at Honeymoon Island in Dunedin, Florida. Little did we know that Campy would change our life in so many ways. All for the better. 

We could not have asked for a better furry child in our active lifestyle. 

Campy is not the best eater. He is not the type of dog who will steal food from a plate or start eating from his bowl as you are putting food in it. He won't eat dry food, only wet food. And his favorite food is chicken, rice and veggies (homecooked). 

Campy loves going to races although he has never watched me race. Campy has cheered on Karel and many cycling races and a few triathlons. Campy even spectated at IMFL last year and watched the last hour of the finishers...what a trooper! We will be at IMFL again this year to spectate and cheer on our athletes. 

Campy sleeps more than he is awake. He is an excellent sleeper and a master at cuddling. 

Campy loves to smile. He is a really happy doggy. But just be sure to ask me if you can pet him if you ever see him because he is super protective of his mommy and often brings a big attitude wherever he goes in public. 

I have more pictures of Campy than I can count. I will not regret this one day, many many years from now.

Campy has slept in our king size bed since the day we got him. Even though he has his own doggy bed, there has never been a night in his life that he hasn't slept in a bed. 

Campy loves pillows....

And blankets. Campy loves to sleep under blankets. 

This is called roaching. Campy assumes this position when he is exhausted. 

Campy is not built for distance but he is a great sprinter. He has one speed and it is fast. He loves to be in the lead or be chased. He makes for a great run partner off the bike as he never complains. Campy's longest run was 4 miles although a quality run for this 4-legged friend is around 10 minutes. 

Campy loves his sweaters. Although he didn't have to wear them much in Jacksonville, FL, we may be shopping for new sweaters here in Greenville, SC for our first winter. 

Campy loves to de-stuff toys. Every toy is called his "bear." This is Campy's mission in life, to destroy every bear that is given to him. Or, as this picture shows, if he is visiting someone who has a dog, be sure to hide all toys or Campy will find them!
"Campy, did you do that?"

Every year, Campy gets a Thanksgiving plate of real food. Ok, I take that back. Campy is a GREAT eater on Thanksgiving.



Campy was a great Thanksgiving left-over turkey helper to my dad. 

Campy has helped me train for 7 Ironman's. He gets stronger and stronger every year!

Campy loves road trips! He will typically sleep (in my lap of course, despite his bed starting in the back seat) unless we slow down or stop. Then he has to check to make sure we are on the right route. Campy's collar (and leash) are from Cycledog

Since we got Campy, he has never been in a crate and has never slept alone overnight. Campy has the best pet-sitters when we travel and has a few great home away from home. 

Madison loves Campy. She was found outside (by Campy) in a bush, not too long after we got Campy.



Madison always wants to be by Campy.



As close as possible, always trying to be just like Campy. 

Campy uses his "bears" as pillows.



We find him in these positions all the time. A bear as a chin-rest. 

Campy gives unconditional love all the time. He shows us every day how lucky he is to be in our family. 

But we are the lucky ones!

Campy can sleep in any position. As long as there is a pillow or blanket, he will find a way to get comfortable. He is not a floor sleeper. 

Campy loves to recover from workouts with us. 

And watch cycling/triathlons on TV.

We are true dog lovers. If something is dog friendly, we get super excited that Campy can join us. 

Happy 7th birthday Campy!!
To the 4-legged furry little guy in our life.....
You make every day a fun, happy day. You never have a bad day. 
Every trip is more fun with you. 
Although you have a strong personality, you know how to give a lot of love.
You love to be active and you love the outdoors - just like your mommy and daddy.
You make it so easy to take pictures of you and thank goodness we have so many photos to capture all the great moments in our life together.
You spent the first year of your life on the streets and we feel so lucky that we found you!
Campy, I promise to always give you the best life ever because you have made our life so amazing since we all became a family.

Keep on smiling and loving every day of your lottery-winning life! We love you!

A Campy and bike-happy weekend!

We love to travel. Traveling is great because it give you a chance to see how other people live and it also helps you appreciate what you have at home. Traveling introduces you to new sights, smells and tastes and also helps to create memories that will never go away. 

Although Karel and I love to make memories together, we really love to make memories with Campy. Campy treats every day as a lottery winning day. He never complains, he is always in a good mood and he is always excited to go somewhere he has never been before. 

We are so lucky to have Campy in our life and our goal is to make sure he is filled with memories and exciting adventures for the rest of his life with us.

Karel has a great reputation in Jacksonville for being an expert bike mechanic and RETUL fitter.

When Karel was working at Trek as the GM, he had a group of friendly customers from Waycross GA (2 hours away) who would come to Jacksonville just so Karel could work his magic on their bikes.
Karel recently went to Waycross for a RETUL fit appointment and he knew that I would love the home of one of his past customers.

He was right!! Look at all that nature!!!

When Karel had the opportunity to go back to Waycross to work on two bikes (husband and wife), me and Campy were super excited to make the trip for a quick overnight trip.

The cabin was on the same land as the main house and it was so nice to just enjoy the wide open spaces without busy roads or TV.

Campy, like usual, made himself at home. He LOVED being without a leash and with so many new smells and sights, it was total freedom for Campy. This made me happy because Campy loves the outdoors just as much as me!

Just chillin with my furry BFF while Karel works on bikes.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner outside as the sky began to turn dark and kept ourselves warm by the outdoor fire.

Homemade Lentil and black rice tomato soup with hummus and spinach stuffed pita bread and homemade coleslaw. Thanks to our homestay for keeping our bellies happy during our trip!

The next morning (Sat) we all (Campy, Karel and me) slept in and got up around 7am due to the chilly temps that morning (low 40's - no rush getting on the bike). We thought about not setting an alarm but glad we did for we slept SO well.. I think that was the sleep that we needed to reset our system to finally adjusting to the spring-forward time change. 

After our pre workout snacks (WASA + nut butter + banana/strawberry + maple syrup) we got dressed and drove a few miles to the local YMCA in Waycross to park and get ready for our ride.

The ride was so beautiful! Exactly what bike riding should be like...no cars honking at us or busy roads but instead, country roads and lots of wildlife (Which I made sure to say hello to as I always do).

Karel and I were joined by our homestay friends for most of the ride so it was a nice steady endurance 3-hour (60mile ride) at Karel's upper Z3 zone.

After the ride, it was time for a run. It was getting a bit warm and I noticed a track outside by the Y (not a certified track) of 1/4 mile per loop and decided to do a little interval run off the bike so that I could also stay fueled with my INFINIT customized drink (which I created) during my run.

Run (5 miles):
2 miles (7:14 min/mile, 6:49 min/mile)
90 sec walk/recovery/fuel
1 mile (6:39 min/mile)
90 sec walk/recoveryfuel
2 x 1/2 miles w/ 30 sec in between (6:10-6:12 min/mile)
1 mile cool down with Karel

After our workout, we headed back to the cabin to relax and refuel. 

Campy makes the best recovery partner!

A little later that afternoon, Karel decided to go for a swim in their private lake since he has an Olympic distance race next weekend and hasn't worn his wetsuit in a while. 

Campy enjoyed a little play time barking at his daddy and also chasing the birds in the sky.

Oh and a bit more relaxing for Campy.

So beautiful!!!

We headed back home later on Saturday evening and we couldn't stop talking about how beautiful it was at our homestay. Campy, as to be expected, was exhausted (and in need of a bath) so I guess that means we did a good job as doggy parents for giving Campy a great trip to make lots of wonderful memories. 

The workout today was another brick: 

4 hour ride (85 miles) w/ a TT loop as our main set (around 35-38 minutes for Karel and me). It was crazy windy out which made the workout super challenging but Karel held a solid pace the entire workout and despite wanting to quit and complain at least 10 times, I stayed focused on his wheel and finished the workout a bit stronger than when I started. Gotta love those challenging workouts!

After the bike, I ran two miles (7:49 min mile, 7:02 min mile) w/ 30 sec walk in between. 

Karel ran a 5K (with 30 sec walk after the first mile) in 19:59 - speedy legs after riding so strong for 4 hours to pull me around Penny Farms!

And to cap off the weekend...yummy delicious food!!!

This creation came to mind after our hot workout for I wanted flavor in an evening meal.

Tempeh (grilled on skillet in a little olive oil)

Mango (1 chopped)

Cheese

Avocado (1 chopped)

Stir fry of mushrooms, red and green pepper, chives, black beans, garlic tossed in olive oil
(1 large package sliced prewashed mushrooms, 1 can low sodium black beans rinsed and drained, 1 large red and green pepper, 2 cloves garlic chopped)

Jasmine rice (1 cup dry w/ 2 cups water, cooked for 15-17 minutes)

Romaine lettuce (2 large heads, chopped)

Fage 0% greek yogurt

Salsa

Chips

Happy tummies to conclude a great memory-filled weekend with lots of smiles from me, Karel and Campy

And one tired doggy.......

For a few videos of our trip, check out my Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition facebook page

Workouts fueled by patience and Trimarni blueberry coconut muffins

I knew it was going to be a tough weekend, mentally and physically. 

But through our "train smart" plan, I knew that the timing was right and that I was ready for this weekend's workouts (after a challenging week of training).

 I had worked really hard for several weeks in order to execute this weekend.

With our "train smart" approach to training, one of the most important characteristics that is required is patience.

With a masters degree in exercise physiology, I feel I have a good understanding of how to develop a practical and effective training plan. However, with so many variables to consider with training - intensity, frequency, duration, recovery - the athlete that wants to succeed must be patient with a well-formulated plan. 

This is also true for any individual who works hard for results. 

Karel and myself, along with our athletes, love to work hard. We are all very disciplined, we manage our time well to keep life balanced as age group triathletes/runners and we also are committed to our task in order to achieve our goals. However, the athlete who is patient through all phases in training will enjoy the journey from start the finish. And because there are always challenges within a journey, you do not only need to be patient but also very mindful of progress (which is not always told by a pace or speed).

As athletes, we all have goals. Typically, a long term goal is the driving force to maintain motivation to train hard for a specific amount of weeks/months. But even for the most hard working athlete, if he/she is hindered by impatience, that daily hard work ethic may not pay off. This may seem impossible because we have always been taught that hard work always pays off but progress requires a step by step process. And because we often thrive off instant gratification, it's very easy to fall short of your potential if you are not patient enough to wait for results to happen when they are suppose to happen. This means not getting frustrated if things are not happening right now, not setting too many goals at once that you feel overwhelmed by focusing on too much too soon and not constantly searching for a better, faster or easier way.

Training, exercising, racing or working toward a personal health, nutrition, fitness or life goal. 

Celebrate the milestones as you maintain patience throughout your journey.
-Is there something you can do now that you couldn't do before?
-Is there something that comes easier to you now than before?
-Is there something that you enjoy doing now that felt like a chore before? 
-Do you feel better than before? 
-Are you enjoying certain parts of your life more than before?

WEEKEND TRAINING

Saturday:

4 mile Run + 2 hr Bike + 1 hr T-RUN (7 miles)

(did the bike on the trainer to control my watts for the Z4/Z3 with our resistance controlled Cyclops fluid trainer)

4 miles (or 30 min) run up front. Just a comfy form focused run

Bike: 15-20 min steady then MS:

4 x 5 min @ FT (functional threshold) w/ 3 min EZ spin in between

10 min steady easy pace

MS2:

8 min @ Z4 + 12 min @ low Z3, 2 min EZ,

10 min @ Z4 + 10 min @ low Z3, 2 min EZ,

12 min @ Z4 + 8 min @ low Z3, 2 min EZ 

10 - 15 min SESP (steady effort still pushing) and then T-RUN.

15 min steady run. Walk a few minutes to stretch out.

Then 30 min of alternating: 5 min Strong/5 min steady

Stop and stretch. 

CD: EZ run to finish the workout.

Sunday

4:00hr Bike (84 miles) + 30 min T-Run (3.75 miles)

(biked with Karel. We rode out to Penny Farms in Florida and did 2 loops in Penny Farms on gently rolling hills for our main set)

Bike: 1st hr just ride 

MS: 8 min @ low Z4, 2 min EZ

12 min @ low Z4, 2 min EZ

16 min @ high Z3, 2 min EZ

24 min @ mid Z3, 2 min EZ

30 min SESP 

2 x 15 min @ high Z3/low Z4 w/ 4 min EZ in between

 Then SESP for the rest

T-RUN: 10 min EZ run, 3 x 5 min (descend 1-3) w/ 60 sec walk in between

5 min EZ CD.
(did the EZ run with Campy - who made me run a bit faster than I wanted! 7:44 min/mile pace for 1.44 miles with Campy. Then descend - 7:50 min/mile, 7:28 min/mile, 6:58 min/mile for the 5 minutes)

Blueberry coconut muffins

1 cup flour (I used Bobs Redmill gluten-free all purpose flour)

1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup blueberries (I used frozen)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk (I used organic skim milk)
Unsweetened coconut shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray non stick muffin pan with cooking spray (you will use 7 muffins tins)
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a bowl.
3. Lightly beat egg in small bowl then whisk in milk.
4. Stir in egg mixture into flour mixture. Then fold in blueberries.
5. Divide batter among 7 muffin tins (about 1/4 cup). Sprinkle with coconut shreds (about a tsp or two per muffin)
6. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until muffins are light brown on top or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Nutrition facts: (without added coconut)

Servings: 7 muffins
Serving size: 1 muffin

Calories: 114
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 23g carbohydrates
Sugar: 9g sugar
Fiber: 1.4g
Protein: 3g
Sodium: 136 mg

I feel ya Campy!!

Tomorrow is NO ALARM (no morning workout) Monday to give my body a huge thank you for the last few weeks of consistent "train smart" training!

Hello from Greenville, SC!

On Thursday, we (Campy, Karel and I) took a quick trip to Greenville South Carolina. We have heard so many great things about this beautiful city and bike-friendly community that we decided it was a great time to go and take a little 6 hour road trip and stay until Sat.

And if you know us - we LOVE traveling!

After our morning workout (treadmill run for me and strength and trainer bike + run for Karel), we packed up for our trip.

Yummy Trail mix! I never travel without it!
Cheerios, raisins, pecans, peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts. 

Sadly, we left our bikes at home due to the high chance of rain during our trip and it was a good thing that we listened to the weather channel. Two full days of rain...but that didn't stop us from enjoying beautiful Greenville!

Grocery store salad - mixed greens in a container topped with hardboiled eggs, nutritional yeast, swiss cheese, cashews and olive oil/balsamic dressing. A simple and delicious Trimarni "fast food" creation for the road from the Grocery Store. 

When we arrived to Greenville we were anxious to stretch our legs and Campy really needed to let the downtown know that "I WAS HERE." 

We stayed with a friend of mine, Trisha, so we waited til she got off work and she gave us a little tour of this cute town. 

While we waited, Campy spotted one of the Mice on Main!

After spending time in downtown Greenville we finally arrived at our "home" for the next 2 days. It was great to enjoy a home cooked meal.
Steamed veggies and salad and tofu on top salsa, topped with jalepeno cheese.
Karel, Trish and her hubby had baked chicken (instead of tofu) and Trisha cubed tofu for me and drizzled with olive oil and tossed with herbs/spices and we put the tofu in tinfoil and then wrapped it up like a baked potato and baked in oven with the chicken for 15 minutes. 

On Friday morning, we woke up around 6am and had a pre workout snack (Trisha knows me well - WASA crackers and natural PB were waiting for me downstairs!) before our swim and strength workout at the YMCA.

After our workout, it was time to enjoy the local eats and what better than at a bakery!

Traditional European breads and pastries...to say Karel was in heaven is an understatement!! The croissants, apple strudel and Chef baguette were amazing!!! 

We had a busy day so we were out and about and ended up with a stop out at The Point Shopping Center at Zoes Kitchen for a late lunch. 

Greek salad and pita veggie pizza. YUM!!
(I had 1/2 pizza with salad along with an apple that I brought with me and saved the other 1/2 for lunch the next day)

We couldn't wait to get back to downtown and check out the local bike shops (we heard there are over 10 in Greenville!)...especially Pedal Chic -  which caters to women who are empowered through healthy movement.

Pedal Chic is the first women-specific bike shop and athletic boutique in the country, offering an unparalleled selection for the female athlete, cyclist, urban commuter, and yogi, as well as lifestyle/comfort wear in an upscale, boutique environment. The shop is a full-service bicycle shop and athletic boutique.

We are the proud dealer of Bianchi, Jamis, Nirve, and  Linus.

 I bought this cute long sleeve shirt. Now this is the sign that you want to see in the changing room!

Campy made a friend!! 

We were so excited for a dinner in downtown and we picked the perfect place! 

Chicora Alley

I had the vegan burrito which was packed with flavor! It was so delicious!!!

Well it was one exciting weekend and now we have one tired Camper. 

If you get a chance to visit Greenville, I highly recommend checking out this awesome city......be sure to bring your active wear and hopefully you will have great weather and can bike to Paris Mountain and run on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Thanks Greenville for the great memories....until next time........

A few more pics...