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Trimarni is place where athletes and fitness enthusiasts receive motivation, inspiration, education, counseling and coaching in the areas of nutrition, fitness, health, sport nutrition, training and life.
We emphasize a real food diet and our coaching philosophy is simple: Train hard, recover harder. No junk miles but instead, respect for your amazing body. Every time you move your body you do so with a purpose. Our services are designed with your goals in mind so that you can live an active and healthy, balanced lifestyle.
Some may view this age as just another year of life, but the number 42 has great symbolic significance.
The number 42 is believed to represent balance, positivity, harmony and adaptability. The number carries with it spiritual growth and personal development.
The number 42 is seen as a transformative number that can bring about significant changes in your life. It suggests that embracing change and letting go of the past can foster growth and lead to positive outcomes.
As I enter my 42nd year of life, I am mindful of the little reminders that have shaped me to be who I am today…. 🌟do the things you love 🌟find your tribe 🌟travel and immerse yourself in different cultures 🌟don’t be afraid to fail 🌟step out of your comfort zone 🌟laugh and smile, a lot 🌟be kind 🌟you are enough 🌟respect your body 🌟help those in need 🌟pizza is a balanced meal ☺️
And thank you Karel for getting me the most delicious carrot cake Bundt cake. 🍰
Memorable moments from the past 12 months....
June - BWR NC in Hendersonville, NC - my longest gravel ride (131 miles), longest time on a bike (12:21 hrs) and the most elevation gained on a gravel bike (14,692 feet)
July - XTRI Canadaman in Lac Megantic, Canada, my first XTRI event, first time starting a race at 4am, first time swimming in the dark.
July - High Cascades 100 in Bend, Oregon - Longest time on a mountain bike (9:53), most miles covered on a MTB (106 miles), most elevation gained on a MTB (9,848)
August - Breck Epic "traincation" - Karel completing the 6 stage MTB Breck Epic event at Breckenridge (~9,600 feet) and I completed several long rides (planned and mapped out), all by myself.
September - XTRI ICON in Livigno, Italy- Surviving the most difficult triathlon of my life. 32 degree air temperature at the race start (5am), water temp 53 degrees. 123 mile bike - 9:24:59 (9:12.12 riding time)15276 feet elevation gain, 5 mountain passes. 25.5 mile run - 5:36 (4311 feet). So grateful for Karel and his help (along with Honza).
September - Ironman Chattanooga - Karel going 8:59 in an Ironman, a day after he turned 47!
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.
Dear Campy, You have surpassed the life expectancy of the average dog and today we celebrate your 15 years of life.
I still remember the day we came across your picture on Petfinder.com. Your long-legs, floppy ears and innocent golden face stole our heart and we knew we needed you in our life. You were only a year old and we were in no position to "own" a dog. I was in school becoming a RD, your dad was the general manager of the Trek Store, we were a few weeks away from getting married and we were living on a very tight budget. We had recently moved to Jacksonville, Florida - living in a small apartment on the 3rd floor.
But little did I know how much I needed you in my life.
Since the day I brought you home, you have slept in our bed. You love to burry yourself under the covers and always make sure part of you is always touching me. You get excited for every new day, despite the routine being exactly the same as the day before. All you know is life with cats.
The best part of my day is seeing your energy when I get out your leash for your walks. You love being outside.
We've created so many amazing memories together. You've traveled a lot - from bike races and triathlons to visiting friends and family. You are the best travel companion as you never complain and always know how to calm us down in stressful situations.
From stressful and exhausting moves and life changes to the loss of family members, you've helped us get through so many emotionally challenging times. And no matter the day, you shower us with unconditional love without using any words. Even on the worst day of life, your joyous celebration of 'another day of life' becomes a gentle reminder to express gratitude and to always focus on the positive.
You love to destroy plush toys with squeakers. You always get your own Thanksgiving plate.
You show your loyalty through protection but when you learn to trust a stranger, you become extremely kind and affectionate.
Over the past few years, we've noticed the changes and signs that you are aging. You are much less golden. You are much more anxious. Your hearing is mostly gone and you sometimes get disoriented and confused. You can no longer jump like you used to so everytime you make it on the couch (after a few missed attempts), we celebrate your effort and say "you still got it!" You need help getting off the bed as you don't trust yourself jumping down. Your joints are stiff after sleeping and you sometimes struggle to lift your leg to pee. You prefer to stay downstairs as it takes a bit of work to go up the stairs. You can't hold your bladder as long as you used to but luckily you don't mind wearing a diaper (and you look so cute in it). You've been on seizure meds since 2013 and thankfully you haven't had one since.
You sleep a lot. With very few teeth left, your tongue often slips out of your mouth as you sleep so deeply. I love seeing how comfortable and happy you are snuggled in your bed, feeling warm in your fuzzy blanket or dog bed.
But you continue to impress the vet at your senior check-ups. You still have energy for long walks and you don't hesitate when there's an opportunity to chase a bird or squirrel. You still get excited for car rides. And you get so excited when it's time to eat - jumping and barking in excitement.
Although the aging process has been slow, there are constant reminders that you are getting older. But instead of worrying about how many years we have left with you, I celebrate every day by recognizing how much life you still have in you.
Whatever life throws at us, you are always there. You remind us every single day to be happy and most of all, to always be grateful for another day.
Today is a monumental day and every day forward is a blessing.
When I reflect on the past ten years, I can't believe how much happened in my life. I learned a lot. I made mistakes. I struggled a lot. I celebrated milestones and achievements. I did a lot of things for the first time. I cried. I worried. I stepped out of my comfort zone.
Life is hard. Life is short. Life is uncertain. Life is exciting. Life is fun. Life is amazing.
Age is just a state of mind. You are as old as you think you are.
I worked incredibly hard in my 30's.
Now that I am 40, I guess it's time to ask myself "what's next?"
40 things that happened in my 30's.
Started my business Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition.
Moved from Jacksonville, Florida to Greenville, SC.
Bought a house and two cars.
Paid off the house and two cars.
Traveled to Europe 4 times.
Raced in Europe 4 times.
Wrote three books.
Did a lot of public speaking.
Wrote articles/quoted in various magazines (Triathlete, USAT, Runner's World).
Traveled to Napa, San Diego, Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Florida and Laguna Beach as an Oakley Women Ambassador.
Lost my dad to cancer.
Dealt with the passing of our cat Smudla, my grandpa Joe, our friend Lukas and my best friend Laura.
My grandma Kitty and Karel's dad passed away from COVID.
Survived a pandemic.
Raced in 13 Ironman distance triathlons.
Finished my first Xtreme Triathlon (3-day event) and won the event, along with Karel.
Won my first Ironman as overall amateur female (IM Chattanooga '17).
Rescued our cats Ella, Sylvi and Asher.
Raced in 4 Ironman World Championship events.
Placed 5th at the Ironman World Championship (2022).
Celebrated 10 years of marriage.
Learned how to gravel bike (and crashed twice).
Learned how to mountain bike.
Participated in 3 trail running events.
Celebrated 30 years of being a vegetarian.
Became board certified in sport nutrition (twice).
Celebrated 10 years of being a Registered Dietitian.
Karel broke his hand.
Wrote a monthly column for Triathlete magazine.
Worked with over 300 athletes for nutrition.
Coached over 150 athletes for long distance triathlon.
Traveled to Arizona, Canada, New York, Tennessee, Florida, Wisconsin, Czech Republic, Austria, Utah, Virginia, Georgia, Hawaii and Alabama for races.
Karel became a US citizen.
The Trimarni coaching team placed in the top 5 Tri club for two years in a row.
Held over 15 group triathlon training camps.
Campy celebrated his 14th birthday with us (going on 15 in October).
Celebrated 30 years of competitive swimming.
Learned/learning how to look after my mental health.
Took up string art.
Got three tattoos and two more ear piercings. Bonus:
Ate a lot of pizza.
I had several people ask me if I was doing anything BIG for my BIG 40th birthday. To be honest, today will just be another day for me - with the addition of enjoying my birthday tradition of carrot cake.
However, that doesn't mean that I won't celebrate. Birthdays are not just an age celebration. They are life celebrations. I don't need a big celebration. I will celebrate the small things that are big things.
Since my dad's passing in 2014 (3 days before my 32nd birthday), I quickly learned how short life can be and how quickly life can change. I promised myself that I would never take a day for granted. This meant not waiting for the perfect time to start/do/finish something. Although we do have an exciting trip to Europe planned in August (a trip that was supposed to take place in August of 2020), I will continue to do things that make me happy and make me feel alive.
I am grateful for every day - and every year. I never want to take life for granted.
I will continue to celebrate the life I am creating for myself. Cheers to 40 years on this earth.
Today is my dad's birthday. He would have been 75 years old. I can't believe that I've lived the last 8 years without my dad in my life. I really don't know how I've made it this long as my dad was such an important person in my life. It also makes me sad that I don't have any pictures with my dad after the age of 31. It's just not fair.
I often wonder what he would think about my current lifestyle, my career and all the bikes we've accumulated over the past few years. I wonder what he would think about Greenville, SC. We had only been living here for a few weeks before he passed away after a 10-month fight with cancer. I wonder which one of our four cats would be his favorite :)
It's been a tough day today. I really miss him. I miss his advice, his stories and how proud he was of my accomplishments.
During my long run this morning, I couldn't help but think about my dad and what his passing taught me about life. I know that his death really changed how I wanted to live my life.
Take good care of yourself My dad was never sick, he was at a very healthy and lean body weight and he ran 3 miles every single day for decades. When my dad was diagnosed with stage IV cancer, he asked for my advice on how he could eat better. As a medical professional himself, he had knowledge of healthy eating but he didn't feel that it was needed to make changes in his diet as he was the epitome of good health. Although healthy eating doesn't guarantee a life free of disease, it can help with better quality of life. And the definition of healthy eating looks different for everyone. For many people, until there is a major health setback, it's normal to reset making meaningful changes for health. This doesn't include nutritious eating but also better sleep, stress management, reducing alcohol consumption, setting boundaries (learning to say no) and making "me" time. Don't wait until a major medical problem or a brush with death to take good care of yourself and to make changes to your lifestyle. If you are wanting to do something about your unhealthy habits or just desire to make a change, here are a few tips:
Write down what changes you'd like to make and then pick only 1-2 of them to focus on to start.
Consider the struggles/traps that you may experience and how you will overcome them.
Consider working with a professional for support.
Share your changes with your close friends and family - people who will encourage you instead of undermine you.
Recognize that change doesn't happen overnight. There will be setbacks and struggles.
Track your progress and continually address what's working and what needs tweaking.
Don't wait to live your life My mom and dad had a lot of exciting travel plans after he retired. Sadly, he never made it to that day. My dad loved his job. He worked for the VA as an optometrist for over 30 years. My dad taught me the value of getting a good education and working hard for it. I spent over 10 years pursuing three degrees - from undergrad to graduate school to becoming a registered dietitian. I love my "job(s)" but it was a lot of hard work, time, money and struggles to get to where I am today. I see a lot of people hating their job. They are miserable and stressed every day of the week, year after year. I'm not coming from a place that money is everything but don't let your one chance at life slip on by for a job that makes you unhappy (and perhaps unhealthy). Karel had to work incredibly hard to make it in the USA. He came here with a backpack and gave up cycling at the age of 20 to work 3 very hard working labor intensive jobs a day. He was not living. He was barely surviving. But it's what he had to do to "make it." Take an inventory of your life - how is your job affecting your physical and mental health, your sleep and your relationships? Like Karel, you may have to endure a stressful situation for a few years to become financially stable but there needs to be a finish line in sight. It's very difficult to enjoy life when you are under constant stress and pressure. I'm not saying that you need to quit your job and life will never be stress-free but the situation with my dad taught me to never waste a day. Maybe there's another job out there where you don't make as much money as you do now but you can spend more time with your family, your mental and physical health is better and you can spend more time doing things that make you happy. The point I'm trying to make is that you shouldn't wait until you are retired to enjoy life. Enjoy life now, you only get one chance at it. If you are feeling like life is slipping by and you are not enjoying life because of your job, here are a few suggestions:
Consider a different work environment. You may love what you do for a career but the corporate culture that you are in isn't beneficial for your mental and physical health.
Consider a different position within the same company.
Change your career. Go back to school, get a different job, start a small business. Like many things in life, sometimes your career may not be the right fit anymore.
Communicate with your boss. Learn to set boundaries so that you are not taken advantage of by others.
Use your vacation days. Everyone needs to reset the mind and body.
Save money and be wise when you spend. Working less or changing a job for less money may be more achievable than you think.
Consider moving to a more affordable city/state. You may be able to do the same job in a different location but the cost of living is much less (which means it's much easier to live without needing to work as hard).
Don't forget that your health, family and a low stress environment are all needed for a happy, quality filled life.
Karel and I have a unique marriage. We work together, train together, live together and travel together. Although we have a lot in common, we are also very different. But like any relationship, each person evolves overtime and you learn how to live with one another, and for one another.
Over the past 14 years, I continue to make a big deal of Karel’s birthday - he could care less about becoming one year older.
Although getting older can be rough (he reminds me every day how "old" he feels), it’s a beautiful thing when you can add another year to life and grow older with someone that you love.
Through every setback, tear, heartache and fear, Karel has a unique ability to turn my worries into laughter. If you ever get to spend a few minutes with Karel, you'll quickly realize that he has an extraordinary sense of humor. He is also never afraid to speak his mind. Athough Karel's personality makes him one of a kind, he will constantly go out of his way to help others.
Happy 44th Birthday to my caring, dedicated, supportive, speedy, whitty, hard working, open-minded, croissant loving, always in need of just one more bike, one-of-a-kind husband.
Here are a few fun facts that you may (or may not) know about Karel: (Karel had nothing to do with this list so this is my fun facts that I'd like to share about Karel ;)
He came to the US in 2000 with only a backpack and a goal to pursue the American dream.
As a lifelong competitive cyclist, Karel did not ride a bike from 2000-2004 so that he could work 3 jobs a day in order to make it in America.
We met on a group ride (on my birthday) in the Clearwater area. We were set up by mutual friends. Karel's English was not very good and I did most of the talking in the early months of our relationship.
He can get sucked into watching music videos for hours.
His Netflix is filled with gangster/mob shows and drama and action movies/shows.
He enjoys learning about history.
He has a brother (Jiri) who is 11 years older. Jiri has three young adult kids. Jiri loves off road running, bike touring and being adventurous. He is not competitive like Karel.
His dad rode a bike up until his mid 70's - and still raced!
His sister (10 years older than Karel) passed away from brain cancer in 2002.
He was the GM of two Trek bicycle concept stores from 2008-2014.
He raced as a cat 1 cyclist from 2007-2012.
He eats mostly plant-based but doesn't put a title on his dietary style of eating.
He loves croissants, bread, chocolate, ice cream and pastries (but nothing too sweet).
He likes to cook and enjoys trying new foods (he doesn't have any food allergies and will eat pretty much anything).
He loves gadgets and trying new things. He will quickly tell me/you if he doesn't like something.
He doesn't care of quinoa or sweet potatoes.
He loves animals - especially cats and kittens.
He has never chased a race weight.
He has a special compartment in his stomach that no matter how full he gets at a meal, there's always room for dessert.
He became a US citizen in 2018. We had a very difficult (and expensive) immigration process that lasted almost 10 years.
Czech is his first language. He taught himself to be fluent in English.
All of Karel's family lives in Czech.
He crashed on his bike when he was a teenager (doing a silly stunt in front of his friends) and had a major surgery around his eye.
He has never broken a bone
He started wearing glasses two years ago (his arms weren't long enough to read).
His hobbies include building bikes, working on bikes, anything electronic and fish (we have a 50 gallon fish tank with fresh water African cichlids.
He does not like to be late.
He is an amazing triathlon coach. He truly understands the sport and has the ability to know what an athlete needs to work on in order to improve (and what workouts will help).
He is very witty but also very compassionate and helpful.
He would choose pasta over pizza.
We both enjoy watching cycling, formula one, triathlon and sport documentaries.
Karel learned to swim in 2012 when he decided to become a triathlete.
I am the planner in our relationship and I keep us organized during our races and travels.
He has very strong morals and values.
He loves coffee. Not for the pick me up but for the taste. And he’s really particular on the type of bean and style. He always travels with his travel espresso machine.
And just like that. I am 38 years old. A birthday is much more than an occasion to receive gifts. It's a chance to celebrate and to give thanks. It's a special occasion to rethink life, to reflect on the past, evaluate the present and make plans for the future. A birthday is a transition from what was to what can be. It's a spiritual refresher.
"Life can be difficult, unfair and tough to understand. If I had to use a word to describe our 2019, it would be strength. We had to find strength to experience the highs and we had to find strength to get through the lows. Triathlon provides us with many life lessons but in 2019, life hit us hard. Throughout the year, there were several occassions when our hobby of triathlon was put to the aside in order to deal better with the hard times. As athletes, it can be difficult to stay positive, hopeful and focused during stressful, sad or difficult situations. Uncomfortable feelings can leave us with doubt, anger and anxiety. Struggle to balance stressors appropriately and health (mental or physical), joy for sport and motivation can quickly diminish. There were times throughout the year where it was difficult to start a workout. There were even times when we debated about not starting a few of our races. With each workout or race, our strength was tested. And life presented us with a lot of moments to see how strong we really are."
And here I am. 38 years old and experiencing a new normal of life that is sometimes filled with uncertainty, stress and worry. But yet I've lived another year and I have another opportunity to live life to its fullest. As I do every year on my birthday, I will take stock of my life, the people in my life and most importantly, express gratitude and thanks for the opportunities and experiences I've been given, the memories I've been able to make and my health and well-being. A birthday is not just a day but thousands and thousands of days put together.
As I celebrate the coming of age in another year of life, I'll share my answers to 38 "this or that" questions about my favorite things.
Almond butter or peanut butter? Peanut butter
Pop music or rock music? Pop music
Stuffed animals or dolls? Stuffed animals
Morning or evening? Morning
Breakfast or dinner? Breakfast
Summer or winter? Summer
Road trip or plane ride? Road trip
Snow or water? Water
True love or $10 million? True love
Book or movie? Movie
Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla
Free coffee or free Wifi? Free wifi
Comedy or drama? Comedy
Reading or writing? Writing
Singing or dancing? Dancing
Flowers or trees? Trees
Phone or computer? Computer
Gold or silver? Silver
Adventure or relax? Adventure
Blueberries or strawberries? Blueberries
Wing it or plan it? Plan it
Watch or play sports? Play sports
Pasta or pizza? Pizza
Ocean waves or rain sounds? Ocean waves
Babies or old people? Old people
Time machine or magic wand? Time machine
Shorts or pants? Shorts
Amusement park or nature park? Nature park
Crushed ice or cubed ice? Crushed ice
Serious or funny? Funny
Outside or inside? Outside
Pancakes or pastries? Pancakes
Pretzel or chips? Pretzels
Luxury hotel or Airbnb? Airbnb
City life or beach life? Beach life
Loud or quiet? Loud
Proactive or procrastinator? Proactive
Life is good or life could be better? Life is good
Bonus questions:
Dogs or cats? Dogs
Netflix or amazon prime? Netflix
Sensitive or tough? Sensitive
Open minded or close minded? Open minded
Indecisive or decisive? Decisive
Idealistic or realistic? Realistic
Hair up or hair down? Hair up
Dinner out or dinner in? Dinner in
Gifts or experiences? Experiences
Speak to animals or speak every language? Speak to animals
Happy Birthday! Wow - I can't believe you would be 73 years old today.
I can't help but remember all the times I used to forget your birthday (until mom would call me to remind me). I was quick to make you a last minute gift but I never rushed to find you the perfect birthday card to reflect your love of tools, cars, carpentry and electronics.
It's been nearly six years since you lost your 10-month fight with cancer and each year since, I've kept note of your birthday so that I will never forget it. Although a day doesn't go by that I don't think about you and wish you were still here, your birthday makes me miss you a lot more than usual.
Over the past six years, I've missed sharing my accomplishments with you. You were always my biggest fan and supporter. Can you believe I wrote three books! You always told me that I would be an author one day. You always believed in me. I still remember all the times in high school, college, graduate school and beyond - you were the best proofreader for my articles, homework assignments and papers.
While I know you would be so proud of my athletic, career, business and personal accomplishments (probably bragging to your veteran patients at the VA as you always did), I have really missed your guidance, words of wisdom, positivity and optimism and answers to all my questions. At times, it's been really hard to navigate life without you.
You were always a phone call away - and sometimes I'd call you two or three times a day just to say hi. Sometimes I'd have nothing to talk about but I always enjoyed hearing from you.
And now more than ever before, I wish you were here in my life to help me sort through all my thoughts and emotions. While I am doing just fine, life was always easier with you in it.
You were always there for me. You knew what I needed and could always make me laugh and smile. You always had a smile on your face and never complained. I don't think you ever had a bad day.
I remember you always telling me that it's not about how long you live but how you live your life. I am keeping with your motto and making the most of every day and seeing the best in every opportunity.
Like you, I love being outside, physical activity and animals and I try to see the good in every situation. Although some days are harder than others, I want to be like you - always waking up excited for another day of life. Every. Single. Day.
Thank you for the lessons you taught me and the memories you gave me. You were always the best storyteller.
Although you are no longer here with me, you are still a big part of my life. I think of you often and will often say "dad would love this."
Everytime I travel, you are there with me making sure I don't get lost and that I am safe. When I race, I can hear you cheering from above. And when I am sad, stressed, anxious or worried, you somehow help me find a way to get through even the toughest situations. Nothing has been as hard as losing you so in some ways, I feel like you have prepared me for the rest of my life.
Life is going on without you and I am committed to making the most of it. No matter what's going on in the world, I am constantly reminded of your zest for life.
You taught me the importance of being kind and patient, as well as the importance of giving back and helping others. You were such a great mentor, role model and leader - often called the nicest person ever. If I can live up to half of your incredible reputation, I'd consider myself lucky.
Like you, I'll keep smiling, laughing and loving life. You could always see the good in every situation.
I'll continue to take pictures wherever I go. Like you, I can't help but smile when I see a camera.
I was so lucky to have you as my father for almost 32 years. You gave me so much to remember in those 32 years.
Although your life was cut short from something out of your control, you showed tremendous strength, courage, optimism, humor and positivity.
I feel so lucky to call you my dad. You were always my biggest supporter, best friend and inspiration. I loved living life with you in it.
You always encouraged me to chase my dreams - no matter how crazy or big. I am thankful for all the things you prepared me for in life.
I can never thank you enough for being an amazing example of an amazing human being in my life.
Happy birthday dad. I am so proud to be your daughter. I hope you enjoy a bowl of pasta with meatballs and a big slice of chocolate cake (your favorite). Yes dad, even though I'm a dietitian - I approve of your birthday meal.
I went to a Montessori school through 3rd grade. I went to an arts school from 4th - 8th grade and "majored" in piano.
My mom grew up as an Orthodox Jew. I had a Bat Mitzvah when I turned 13. I don't practice Judaism but it's a big part of our family history. My dad converted to Judaism after he married my mom.
I played piano until I graduated from high school. I competed in many competitions and concerts and was a very accomplished pianist.
I was a very creative child/teenager. I loved to draw and express myself through my clothing and hair styles. I also enjoyed singing and dancing. When I was young, I had my hair professionally dyed blonde. I immediately hated it! Since then, I have never colored my hair.
I am a visual learner. I remember information better by seeing it versus reading it.
I have 11 ear piercings and I did 3 of them by myself in high school. I got my belly button pierced when I turned 16. I had my tongue pierced only during my freshman year of college (my parents were not happy about that one!).
I have one tattoo - the Ironman M dot. I got it done 2 weeks after I did my first Ironman in 2006. When the time comes for my beloved dog, Campy, to go to doggy heaven, I will change the tattoo to remind me of him and my other love of cycling (which is thanks to Karel).
I went away to college my freshman year to IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) for swimming (Division II). I felt like it was too much swimming and not enough learning so I transferred to my hometown university, Transylvania, for the rest of my college career. Transy provided me with a great liberal arts education and helped me discover my passions of speaking and writing. My favorite speaking events are live TV segments and group talks.
When I was young, I wanted to be a Marine Biologist when I grew up. Then I wanted to be a doctor. Then a Strength and Conditioning Coach. I went to Graduate school in FL at FAU (Davie campus) and earned my M.S. in Exercise Physiology. I then realized that I wanted to do something with triathlon and nutrition.
I was diagnosed with two extra cervical ribs in high school after having serious back issues while swimming.
I tried out for track, volleyball and diving when I was in high school. I never made it on to a team. My heart was always into swimming. I started swimming when I was 10 years old. My first swim meet event was the 50 yard butterfly. I swam competitively from age 10 until 22. I swam all four years of college. My specialty strokes were 200 fly, 100 breast and 200 IM. I placed 5th in the 100 breast stroke at Nationals my Sophomore year (NAIA). I got burnt out from swimming during my Junior year of college. I joined the cross country team in the fall (while still swimming on the team). I really enjoyed off-road running but I hated being away from my swimming teammates.
I am a sensitive person and care a lot about the feelings of other people. I don't like it when people are upset and I don't like mean people. I've always been told I am "too nice" and I never stop smiling. I am a very passionate person and when I like something, I don't second guess my decisions and I always give 100% to whatever I do.
After finishing up a season on the cross country team and enjoying my new sport of running, I decided to do a sprint triathlon in the summer of 2003 before my senior year of college. My dad went with me to cheer me on. I received a hybrid Giant bike a week before the triathlon for my birthday. I won my age group (but I was the only one in it). The next summer, I did an Olympic distance triathlon and during graduate school, after training for my first marathon, I got into triathlon training more seriously in 2005.
I have never broken a bone or had a stress fracture. The last time I was sick was in 2007. I have never worn glasses or braces.
I wrote in a journal, every night, for over 10 years.
I collected Grover items (from Sesame Street) while growing up. I was more into stuffed animals than dolls.
I became a vegetarian when I was 10 for animal reasons. I am not sure exactly what made me decide to give up meat one day at school. I have always loved animals. We have a dog, two cats (Madison is 9 and Smudla is 14) and a tank full of African Cichlid fish. If we didn't travel so much, I would have lots more rescue animals.
I met Karel on a blind date - which was a group ride in the Palm Harbor, Fl area. I stood him up for a few weeks before I met him because I was afraid to do the group ride. We met on my birthday in 2006. A few months later, we traveled to Lake Tahoe for a training trip and I realized that he was the one for me. At IMFL in November 2006, I told him I loved him for the first time as I was running the last few miles of the IM. We got engaged on Karel's birthday (2007) and married in October 2008.
Karel and I got engaged at a Kobe Japanese Steakhouse in Clearwater, Florida in front of a small group of our cycling friends. The entire restaurant clapped for us after I said yes. Although we moved to Jacksonville, FL in 2008, we got married in October in the Dunedin area (Honeymoon island on the beach - morning wedding) because all of our friends lived in Clearwater.
My dad passed away 3 years ago on May 28th, 2014 from stage IV spine cancer. He passed away 10 months after he was diagnosed. My dad was never sick and he ran 3 miles every day for over 15 years. We were very close. He was a very successful optometrist.
I was a lifeguard in high school and then pool manager. I have been CPR certified since 1994. I taught spin classes, aerobic classes and water aerobics when I was in high school.
I moved in with my parents when I finished graduate school in Dec 2005 because I had no money. They had just moved to New Port Richey, FL for my dad's new job as the chief optometrist of a VA clinic.
I don't like to wear make-up. I feel most comfortable when I am working out. I get my hair cut at Great Clips.
My brother (2 years younger than me) Aaron Rakes, was the 2007 NCAA High Bar Champion. He had a full ride scholarship to the University of Michigan. He and his wife Dana are expecting their second child (a boy) in a few weeks. Baby Jack is 1.5 years old. They live in Pittsburgh, PA. My brother works for Ernst and Young. He has his Masters in Business from Carnegie Mellon.
I went to Japan for a student exchange program in 8th grade. I went to the Philippines during the last 2 weeks of my Senior year of college for a work service project. I had no electricity or running water during my trip to the Philippines and I took bucket showers and went to the bathroom in a hole in the ground. This trip changed my life.
I found/rescued a small Chihuahua behind our apartment complex in Jacksonville, FL in 2006. A few days later, we found his owner. A week later, we adopted Campy (previously named Sparky) from a foster family in Amelia Island, FL. We got Campy just a few weeks before we got married. Campy follows me around wherever I go, he has slept in bed with us since the first day we brought him home (under the covers) and he is very protective of me. Campy started to get seizures in the summer of 2015. He is now controlled with Phenobarbital (morning and night).
I like to live every day to the fullest. Anytime I feel like life is rushing by, I try to slow it down.
My mom lives 1 mile away from us. Her favorite hobby/activity is hiking. My mom and my dad were married for almost 37 years. My dad was 9 years older than my mom - they met at Indiana University. He was a teacher (optics and pharmacology) and she was there as a student.
My favorite color is pink. But during my grunge phase in middle school, my favorite color was black.
I had long hair throughout middle school - it was down to my butt. My hair is thick and wavy so it would take me over 15 minutes to dry!
I played t-ball on an all boys team when I was 7/8 years old. I was a tomboy for much of my childhood and I wanted to always prove that girls could do anything that boys can do.
I spent a lot of my extra time in school (4-8th grade) helping out with the special needs students.
I love my sleep. I get ~8 hours of sleep every night. I thank my body every day. I also love to laugh and smile.
I started my own business in Jan 2012 after receiving my RD credential. This was a long time dream of mine that required a lot of hard work, energy, time and money but it was all worth it! My dad would be so proud. I now get to work with Karel and we have the most rewarding job of helping athletes reach personal health, athletic and nutrition goals. And, Karel and I get to spend every day training, working and living together.
It was an interesting summer in 2006 as I was very much into my routine of working and training and I didn't want anything to get into my way of training for my first Ironman. I was living with my parents but I was only there to sleep as my life revolved around training, working and training.
I resisted the invitation to meet a "talented cyclist, from Europe with a sexy accent" as a training partner of mine described, as she wanted to set me up with a nice single guy. A few weeks went by and I finally accepted the opportunity to meet him.
It was 10.5 years ago when Karel and I were set-up on a blind date on a group ride.
We met on my birthday, May 31st, 2006.
The next few months were rocky because as I mentioned, all of my energy went into training. The thought of balancing a boyfriend while training for a 140.6 mile event was overwhelming so I entertained the idea of getting to know Karel as a training partner and possibly we would become good friends.
At the age of 24, it was very hard for me to see my relationship "future" as my life revolved around triathlon. I was afraid to let Karel get to know the real me and more than anything, I didn't want to change how I was living my life.
I continued to get to know Karel throughout the summer, through email, AOL messenger, the occasional date (when I choose to make the time) and by training together.
I would go to his cycling races but only if I could train before hand and he came to my triathlon races, when he didn't have a cycling race.
We were two young athletes who were sport focused but I knew I wasn't giving as much to Karel in our "relationship" as he was giving to me.
Over the next few months, I found myself slowly falling for Karel but a relationship still scared me. In all honesty, I could feel that Karel was the right one for me to spend my life with as he had every quality I wanted in a husband (despite never getting that far in a relationship before to even think about those deep questions) but I didn't want to give up my routine just to be with him.
I was only a matter of time when I came to terms with my silly thoughts and that a relationship doesn't have to change you for the worst but it can actually make you a better person.
Here we are, 10 years later and I'm a better person because of Karel. I've changed a lot in 10 years, not because Karel told me to, but every relationship has give and take.
Our situation is unique because we now (as of 2014) live together, train together, work together, travel together and well, spend about every hour of every day together, almost 365 days per year.
You'd think that I would save this post for our anniversary as it is more about our relationship together, than his birthday, but I'm extremely lucky that Karel was brought into this world and I imagine that anyone who knows Karel, feels the same way.
He is an incredible human being.
Just a few months after meeting, I wanted to do something special for Karel's birthday. His 30th birthday was approaching on September 22nd and I came up with the idea to give him a surprise birthday party with his close cycling friends (of which, a few were our match makers).
I coordinated the meal (pasta party - I think the State Championships were that weekend), the guest list and the secret plan to surprise him.
All went as planned and after the SURPRISE, Karel was shocked.
He had never been to or had a surprise birthday before and he was speechless.
It was a special way to celebrate his 30th birthday so I figured, why not repeat that surprise again, 10 years later.
A lot has changed with us in 10 years but all for the better. I'm glad I gave up my stubborn mindset of how I wanted to live my life to make sure my life included Karel. Although we are both competitive athletes, much of our life happiness s made from experiences. Although sports (triathlon) make for great memories, it's more about doing things we both love, together, as our life is triathlon....and so much more.
Lucky for us, we live in a place that has a great triathlon community and we feel connected to so many kind, funny, nice and giving athletes. Although we don't have a designated triathlon racing or club team here in Greenville, I'd say that every Greenville triathlete feels welcomed, accepted and supported. Well that is until a thread on the Greenville Area Triathlon Training Facebook page gets hijacked by....well, I won't name names :)
We have formed close friendships with several triathletes and I knew Karel's birthday celebration wouldn't be complete without these important people in our lives.
(Including my mom, grandpa - who is in town and Karel's very close long-time friend from Jacksonville, James Sweeney).
It's hard to believe at one time in my life, I was worried about letting Karel into my life.
Now, I couldn't imagine my life without him.
Happy Birthday Karel!
Cheers to getting one year older, moving into a new triathlon age group, getting faster and being fitter than ever before.
And continue your healthy diet of IPA beer, croissants, frozen recovery bars, coffee and chocolate. It's working for you!
It's hard to believe that I have been alive for 34 years!!!
To celebrate 34 years of life, I thought it would be fun to share with you 34 things that you may or may not know about me.
1. I was born and raised in Lexington, KY. I moved to Davie, Florida for graduate school (FAU) in 2004 and graduated in Dec of 2005. I then moved in with my parents (who moved to New Port Richey for my dad's new job as the chief Optometrist of the VA clinic) for a year and then moved in with Karel (after we had been dating for a year) in Dunedin, FL. We then moved to Jacksonville, FL in 2008 and Greenville, SC in 2014.
2. I swam competitively in HS and college and my specialty strokes were 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly and 200 IM. I was a lifeguard all through HS (in the summer), taught swimming lessons, taught water aerobics and have always loved being in the water.
3. My brother was a gymnast from a very young age. He went to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado to train a few times and went to University of Michigan on a full ride as a gymnast. He finished 4 years of Division I gymnastics as the 2007 Big Ten High Bar champion. We think his next calling is to be a Ninja Warrior.
4. I have 11 ear piercings and my belly button pierced. I had my tongue pierced my freshman year of college (sorry mom, I know you hated it). I got a Mdot tattoo (on my right ankle) after my first Ironman in 2006 (I was 23 years old).
5. I became a lacto-ovo vegetarian when I was 10 years old for animal reasons. I love all animals and I rescue anything "alive" in our house (bugs/insects). Please don't talk about killing animals, hunting animals or the death of an animal around me as it makes me very sad and uncomfortable. It's ok if you eat meat in front of me. I will never lecture anyone about meat or not eating meat.
6. I suffered from hip/back injuries throughout my competitive swimming years and then from 2007-2013. I had my start of hip/back injuries as a triathlete 30 days before my first IM World Championship. I haven't had an injury since May 2013.
7. I haven't been sick since 2007. No cold, no flu, no antibiotics, no medications. Thank you body.
8. I've never broken a bone or had a stress fracture. But my muscles are not always the happiest with my active lifestyle. I do 70%+ of my running on the treadmill which works well for my swimmer turned runner turned triathlete body.
9. I don't have any food allergies or intolerances. But if a bug bites me, I will swell-up right where I was bit/stung. No perfumes or smelly lotions for me in the summer!
10. I love cinnamon!
11. I haven't chewed a piece of gum since September 2014. I gave it up cold turkey because I didn't like eating sugar alcohols every day and found myself "addicted" to chewing gum for many years prior.
12. Karel and I met on a group ride outside of Clearwater, when we were set up on a blind date, on my birthday in 2006. I was a horrible cyclist - but Karel took me under his wings and believe in me (or he knew that our relationship would be a lot more fun if I knew how to ride my bike better).
13. Karel and I got engaged on his birthday in 2007 and married in 2008. Karel asked me to marry him at a restaurant in front of a group of friends (and much of the restaurant watching). I decided that he was the one for me after we traveled to Reno, NV and rode our bikes around the lake. During IMFL (6 months after we met) I told Karel I loved him while I was racing, after he told me "you are going to Kona!"
14. We rescued Campy from a foster family (found on Petfinder.com) in 2008 just a few weeks before our wedding, when he was almost 1 year old (although we were told he was 18 months).
His original name was "Sparky". HERE is the story about how we rescued him. Campy was found behind a building from a foster family before he came to his forever home. Now he is living the GOOD life.
With a little attitude and always protecting his mommy!
15. We have two cats. Smudla is Karel's cat who is 13. He rescued her when she was just a few months old. Campy found Madison (who is named after cow's in Wisconsin - although she is white with black spots) in a bush outside of our apartment in Jacksonville just a few months after we rescued Cmpy. After a few months of seeing her outside, we welcomed her to our home to stay. Smudla (pronounced SHMUD-LA but we often call her Shmud-lee) runs our house - drinks only from the sink, eats when she wants to eat and loves sleeping and hiding in boxes. She always has a new sleeping spot in our house. Madison (or Maddy) is obsessed with Campy. We also have two fish tanks (55 and 70 gallon).
16. My grandpa is 94 years old and is sharp as a whistle.
17. My dad passed away from cancer 3 days before my birthday in 2014. My dad was liked by everyone and never had a bad day. I talked to my dad every day on the phone and he was always there when I needed him, especially for a good laugh. I got my positive attitude and constant need to smile from my dad. He is now resting peacefully here in Greenville.
Every time Karel and I travel or go somewhere to make memories, we bring back a rock or shell (from nature) for my dad.
18. I am 5 feet "tall".
19. For seven years I watched Karel race crits (his favorite), road races and circuits as a Cat 1 cyclist. Karel has been racing bikes for all his life.
I have always loved being on the sidelines for Karel. I get such a rush when I watch him race.
Karel's first season of triathlon racing included a sprint, olympic and then half ironman (all within 4 months). His first half was Branson 70.3 which was then ranked with the hardest US bike course. Go figure Karel would pick that race as his first long distance triathlon. And he finished 5th AG! It was a special experience to share that race together as it was also my first overall amateur win in a triathlon.
20. All of Karel's family lives in Czech. We have visited them twice (and in 3 weeks we will be traveling to Europe for the third time). Karel went 12 years before he went back to Czech for the first time, since coming to the US.
Karel loves being back in his hometown and seeing his family....and drinking some good beer.
Did I mention that Karel loves his Czech beer?
21. My mom lives 1 mile from us. Campy loves going to grandmas. We love having her close by too. She is always super busy with activities (she has more friends than we do!) and she goes hiking with her "hiking class" at Furman (Olli program) once or twice a week. She's always been supportive of my/our active lifestyle and loves watching us race.
22. I went to graduate school to become a strength and conditioning coach but after receiving my MS in Exercise Physiology, I wanted a career in sport nutrition.
23. After graduate school, I did a 6-month internship with Ironman (back when Dr. Gills owned the company and there was only a handful of employees) and met the fabulous Judy with Iron Girl who was a great mentor for me as I was finding my way in the field of endurance sports. I then worked at a YMCA as the wellness coordinator for 1 year and then went back to school to earn my RD credential. I love writing and public speaking. My most memorable speaking event was at the CIA where I helped with a cooking demo and talked about nutrition at an Oakley Women event. I nearly cried (ok, maybe a little) as I was overjoyed with the experience.
24. I worked as a clinical RD (PRN) for 3 years before moving to Greenville. I never wanted to be a clinical dietitian when I was a dietetic intern but when the opportunity came about, I thought it would be a great challenge to learn something new and balance it with sport nutrition.
25. Karel and I moved to Jacksonville, FL (from Clearwater) in 2008 after he got a job as the GM of the Trek Bicycle Store of Jacksonville. Karel had an amazing boss and we are grateful for his opportunity to work with Trek and to be the general manager of two concept stores as he gained a lot of knowledge and experience about running a business. I started Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition in 2012 and Karel started to work with me full-time in May 2014 when we moved to Greenville. We spend almost every minute of every day together as we are training partners, business partners and life partners.
26. I traveled to Japan in 8th grade for an exchange program and to the Philippines in 2004 for a work service project.
27. I went to IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) for my freshman year of college and swam competitively. I transferred to Transylvania University in 2001 and continued to swim competitively for the next three years.
28. I majored in Chemistry in undergrad for my freshman year and then moved majors to Exercise Science. I minored in Psychology. Transylvania University is a liberal arts school which focused heavily on writing and public speaking.
29. I have been strength training since I was 10 years old (when I started swimming).
30. I never take naps but I'm a great sleeper at night.
31. I love to travel but do not like to fly. I think I would be more relaxed on an airplane if it was filled with doggies.
32. I read textbooks and research articles before bed each night. But I am not a book/novel reader. I'm also not the best at watching movies as it is hard for me to sit still and not multi-task.
33. I qualified for the Boston Marathon after my first marathon and the Ironman World Championship after my first Ironman. My parents thought I was crazy for training for an Ironman and Karel thought I would be one-and-done after IMFL.
Ten Ironman's later, I still love this sport and feel so lucky that I get to share it with Karel.
We love coaching all levels of triathletes but absolutely love helping athletes train (and understand fueling) and complete their first Ironman distance triathlon.
34. I went to Montessori school and then an arts school before High School. I was very creative and loved drawing (and making things) growing up and played in piano competitions throughout middle and high school. I'm a very visual learner and learn best when I can see and apply information as oppose to just reading things in a book.
And for a bonus for next year.... 35. I am incredibly thankful for the amazing coaching and nutrition athletes that have come into my life over the past 4+ years. I learn so much from every athlete that I work with and I feel very lucky to have a job which allows me to make a difference in the lives of others, as it relates to performance, health and nutrition.
I remember celebrating Karel's 30th birthday with him 9 years ago. We were newly dating and I threw him a surprise party with our Gearlink friends. He was shocked and speechless.
It seems like every year since then, we have been super busy with life, celebrating our birthdays between or at races. We don't do anything extravagant on our birthdays or give each other fancy gifts but it does give us a great excuse to get dressed up in "normal" clothes and to go out to a nice restaurant for dinner and dessert.
No matter how busy we are in life, I find it important to take a little time to remember the past and to get excited for the future.
With Karel....no day is boring in my life.
Cheers to many more races (spectating and racing) together.
Cheers to many more trips to Europe together and visiting your family.
Cheers to many more years of loving and spoiling Campy. (lots of years - like at least 50 more years)
Cheers to many more years of making decisions together. Like moving to Greenville, SC in May 2014!
Cheers to many more years of enjoying nature together.
Cheers to many more years of staying active together.
Cheers to many more years of grocery shopping and eating yummy food together.
Cheers to many more years of loving life and never wasting a day.
I've never been one to get excited for the New Year like I do for my birthday.
When it comes to birthdays, we celebrate our life. Another year of growing older, wiser, smarter and healthier and another year to add to the list from when we were brought into this world to live our one and only life.
I find myself doing a lot of reflecting around my birthday as well as goal setting. I am not one for New Year Resolutions or using January 1st as the marker of when in the year I am going to begin to change my life.
Birthdays are exciting. As Karel wrote in my birthday card yesterday
Birthdays are good for you. Research shows that the people who have the most live the longest!"
My 33rd birthday celebration started on Friday when our friends/athletes Peggy and Anthony drove down from the DC area (with their adorable silver lab Brutus) for two RETUL fits from Karel. Of course, no weekend with us would be complete without local food and some training/physical activity.
On Friday evening we went to Sidewall Pizza in downtown Traveler's Rest. I highly recommend this pizza joint as the service was great (despite being incredibly busy on a Friday night), the atmosphere was wonderful, they are dog friendly (outside) and the family style seating outside was very inviting. Oh, and the food is amazing!!!
I made my own pizza with fresh mozzarella slices, spinach, mushrooms and pineapple and Karel, Anthony and Peggy got their own pizzas as well.
We started our meal with the strawberry walnut and blue cheese salad special. One bowl big enough for us all to share.
Campy and Brutus enjoyed their treats as a few pieces of meat from Karel and Anthony's pizza just accidentally happened to land right in front of their faces.
By 9pm, we were back home and Brutus and Campy were exhausted from all their fun.
On Saturday morning, Karel took Peggy, Anthony and me on a 80 minute ride and it was fun to show off our country roads. Our ride certainly woke up our legs!!
After the ride, Karel continued on riding for two more hours and Peggy, Anthony and me went for a run. Peggy recently ran a marathon so she only joined us for the first 20 minutes as a shake-out run. My workout called for 1:20-1:45 of EZ running with walk breaks so Anthony joined me for the rest of my run (Peggy took the doggies for a long walk after her run).
It was great to chat for 12 miles and despite a very hilly course (which is my favorite route where I live), we both felt comfortable and maintained good form throughout. It was a bit hotter than normal here so we refueled our flasks in our hydration belt (Nathan) twice and we made sure to keep up with calories. Despite the slow pace that we wanted to hold, the calories were needed to help the body stay strong and healthy.
We averaged around 8:25-8:30 for the entire run until the last mile. You know you paced a run well if you can pick it up on the last 1-2 miles. I kicked it up for 1.3 miles and Anthony was a great pacer and we finished our last mile on gentle rolling hills at 7:43 min/mile.
After we all finished our workout, we had our recovery drinks (Clif Shot Recovery Powder mixed with 1% Organic milk) and then we all cleaned up and had breakfast (which consisted of leftover pizza :)
Karel fit Anthony in the afternoon (Peggy was fit on Friday) and then around 5pm we headed downtown for dinner.
We ate at Wild Wing Cafe. Although not a local Greenville restaurant, the food is good and it is in a good location just off Main Street so the doggies could relax while we ate. A few rounds of IPAs were consumed by Anthony, Peggy and Karel as well as some winds. When it was time for our entrees, I yummed over this delicious meal from the fiesta menu - veggies, tomato, cheese and smashed avocado. I started my meal with a garden salad.
After our delicious dinner, we walked all over downtown. We headed toward Falls Park and then made our way to the Westend to Karel's favorite ice cream shop - Blueberry Frog.
Peggy spoiled the doggies with their own ice cream treat, complete with a doggy bone inside. Campy and Brutus both shared their dessert.
On Sunday morning, we said good bye to Anthony, Peggy and Brutus and then the rain came.
My planned birthday ride with Karel was postponed until 11am so we spent the morning watching the Giro cycling tour (last stage) on TV and I studied sport nutrition for my upcoming board certification exam.
Although we were a bit off our normal schedule, the ride was exactly what we needed as it was so great to be out in nature for 2.5 hours. After the ride, I had enough motivation/energy to head to the Furman Pool for a swim but sadly, I made it 3 minutes until I was asked to get out due to lightening.
And two turtles were saved during our ride.
Around 6pm, my mom came over and we enjoyed a delicious veggie-packed meal (plus tempeh for me and chicken for my mom and Karel) on the grill.
This was our first time using our new grill, which use to be my dad's. This was Karel's first time using the grill and he did a great job - minus a few burnt veggies. My dad would have been so proud to see Karel in action.
After dinner we enjoyed a slice of carrot cake and finished off the night with a very appropriate gift from my mom.
Cheers to many more years, letting the good times roll!
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!
Sending a big Trimarni birthday shout-out to my amazing hubby Karel!!!
Here are a few fun facts about Karel:
-Karel's first language is Czech (and he has a nice accent to prove it)
-Karel eats bread and chocolate.....daily.
-Karel has an espresso in the morning as he waits for the coffee to brew. Karel loves (good) coffee.
-Karel has a cat that understands Czech because she was the women in Karel's life before he met me.
-Karel and I were set-up on a bike ride in May 2006. I stood him up for 3 weeks because I was afraid to do the group ride.
-Karel loves beer....IPA to be specific.
-Karel eats meat but rarely red meat (on occasion). He is a great eater and Trimarni creation tester...he will eat anything, even tofu. He loves wings.
-Did I mention Karel loves beer, coffee, chocolate and bread?
-Karel is a cat 1 cyclist (loved crit races) and has raced bikes all his life, especially while growing up in Czech. He has finished the Pro race for the Athens Twilight twice (which is part of USA Crit Speed Week) and is a 2006 Tour de Gila finisher and 2010, 2011 Pro 1,2 Florida Cup Series Champion. You can see all of his cycling and running results on our website Trimarnicoach.com about Karel
-Karel loves to ride his bike fast...especially down mountains...like really, really fast.
-Karel just learned to swim 2 years ago in the late spring of 2012.
-Karel's first triathlon season started in June 2012, a sprint, followed by an Olympic, followed by a half IM (Branson 70.3 in 2012). His first IM was in 2013 (Placid)
-Karel has never ran an open marathon and doesn't intend to do one anytime soon. His marathon PR is 3:11:17 (after a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike).
-Karel was the general manager of the Trek Bicycle Store of Jacksonville from 2008-2014 (the reason we moved from Dunedin FL to Jax).
-Karel has completed 3 Ironmans, PR of 9:22 in IM Austria and is a recent IM Kona qualifier (2015)
-Karel knows everything about bikes...seriously, everything.
-Karel's family lives in Czech.
-My dad loved Karel since the day they met. Karel impressed my dad with his knowledge of cars and electronics. My dad loved Karel's work ethic (and that he knew Karel would always take care of me). Karel learned a lot from my dad and he was the first person he would reach out to when he had a money, life, electronic, fish or car question.
-Karel's dad and brother visited the US for the first time to come to our wedding in October 2008. Karel mom came for the 2nd time. We had the Sumbal and Rakes family together at our wedding.
-Karel's other hobby (aside from tri training) is fish tanks. We have 2 fish tanks - a 55 gallon and 75 gallon (fresh water).
-Karel and I work together, live together and train together. We pretty much spend every minute together most days during the week. To say Karel is just my husband is an understatement. He is my best friend, business partner, coach, training/racing partner and biggest supporter.
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