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focused on the specifics

Feb 2nd, 2010
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I’ve gotten several races under my belt so far this season. It’s bizarre not running or racing for years and then coming back like nothing has happened.

In fact, I don’t even think the people watching me race even know that I was on my deathbed.  Racing has been fun. I cannot even explain the joy of being back.  I had a coach tell me I had “already won” and I laughed because even though I have, I told him the WR was for me. It’s a personal thing.

But right now my cardio is at 1:55 (no joke, it’s scary good) and my legs are at a 2:09…which means I’m focused now on getting my speed together so that I can make it happen at US Indoors at the end of this month.  My legs are honestly the only thing I can tell that is keeping me back and even so it’s still so early to be complaining. I can only progress as fast as my body allows (and since it’s been 5 years I have no idea how quickly that will be), so I do the work and I hope for the best.  But when I pray, it’s only to stay healthy. It’s not about winning because me being healthy will ultimately be winning.

The focus now is #1 staying healthy. #2 getting my legs back so that I can “switch gears” in races (which I used to be good at). #3 enjoying being back in it…even if that means getting my ass kicked at first.

I’m just very thankful. I feel like I’m winning the lotto… like everyday!

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Damn, I’m Pretty Rusty!

Jan 15th, 2010
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So I’m back racing again and the one thing I really noticed is that no matter what kind of shape you’re in, there is no substitute for racing.    THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE.  It’s hard for me to believe all the training and work I’ve done the past few months were sooooo good and then my racing is AVERAGE at best. I know I can change this around quickly.  One good thing about me is that I can make unnatural progression when I’m in the zone. I can shave off an enormous amount of time from one race to the next.  So I’ve decided to race and race and race until I get it right.  I’m old enough now not to get upset, although bothered by it, what on earth can I expect? I haven’t raced in 5 years! 

But running 2:06 for an 800m in November at 7300 feet, had me thinking I would come down and pick up where I left off.  So I’m thinking the only reason why it hasn’t, is because of the fact that I’m soooo RUSTY when it comes to crowds and racing ( I have a phobia to crowds, but I’ve never let it keep me from doing something I want to do..like going to a concert or sporting event). I actually don’t like people watching me run either.  Strange, right?  I better get over this quick…so far I have been.  Nothing racing can’t cure!

 

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Getting My “Tires” Rotated- Maintenace NEEDED

Jan 5th, 2010
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So this week after adding the 9th plate on my leg press, I came to the conclusion that I needed to back off and get some maintenance.   I see a chiropractor, but I’m was looking for a specific kind and found Dr. Mruz.  Hey, he’s George Hincappie’s chiropractor (you know the Tour De France cyclist from Greenville, SC) ! I lucked out. He’s the guy the cyclists go to and I thought this guy will know what to do with me.  He also does Applied Kinesiology so I’m sure he can turn on some of those muscles that sometimes get shut off due to spinal subluxations and what not.

I go to see him on Thursday and honestly my hips are slightly rotated from all the damn straining and training. I have to show myself some love and get this fixed up. I think my biomechanics are off; however, I ran 16 x 200m today with a 100 jog between at 29 seconds a piece in 34 degree weather…so I can’t be THAT OFF. In fact, I got colder as the workout went on, but just ran smoother and faster all the way up until the last one. It was so good I thought about doing 30 of them and then thought I might be crazy, so I backed off.  DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE IN SHAPE! Did I mention I maxed out on cleans (on my legs) yesterday?!

 Those 3 months in Colorado Springs turned me into a beast. So I must race soon and hopefully if things work out, I’ll be racing this weekend. After this Lyme Disease death-bed-ordeal, nothing hurts anymore.  :)   Yikes, talk about a calloused body!  Is this why Lance Armstrong did so well after cancer? Did I get lucky getting sick? I guess I’ll find out soon enough, but from what my workouts indicate, I think so.

I’m going to see my Chinese medicine doctor tomorrow.  She’s amazing.  She knows everything about me before I even say a word and sometimes she makes me cry. She’ll say things like, “Perry you have tightness in your throat don’t you? You need to let go of what you’re trying to hold on to and I just want you to be aware of this issue so that you can let it go”….and she is always right each time!  And the she sticks me with a lot of needles and it hurts….but it works.  I’ll be exhausted from it like I got hit by a bus and then two days later I’m better than I ever was.  I wish she would travel to races with me.  She might be my secret weapon…my own zen master!

Honestly the beginning of this week has been an emotional drain. I was looking over my editor’s notes on my new book, The Tick Slayer, and it’s very hard to read what I wrote because I want so badly to close that chapter in my life.  I can’t edit it without getting upset all over again.  My best friend from high school shot himself the same year I got sick and the only time I regressed during treatment was when I found out.  But his death changed my own feelings about life in a positive way.  So it’s interesting to read, but for me, it’s really tough reading my own words about it.

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Terrorized by Billy Bob “Police” in Manzanola

Dec 21st, 2009
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Being a young woman is difficult when traveling. Let’s take me driving back from Colorado this past weekend. I have lots of examples here.

I was driving through Manzanola, Colorado going back to South Carolina.  There is HWY 50 that is VERY rural and a few small towns dot this stretch. I was driving south a little to avoid the weather (snow and rain to the north).  I’m very aware of the Billy Bob cops catching speeders through these towns so I made a point to drive slower.

I pass Manzanola and I look in my rear view and I’m being chased by a guy with a Hilter mustache in a burgandy Ford Tauras (with a cracked windshield) and a blue light that looks like he purchased it at Spencer’s in the mall. Like I’m really going to stop for this joker! He has nothing else to indicate he’s the law. In fact, he pursues me down the road for 15 miles (or more) as I wouldn’t stop because I’m own a very rural road with hardly any passing cars!  He has no siren, no nothing. So I’m totally terrorized because I was paying attention to my speed and I know I wasn’t doing anything wrong (except driving down through this town)!

 I have heard about people faking to be cops to stop people and I started to feel like I was in a scene from the remake of Chainsaw Massacre with the crazy cop. I had to call 911 and report it. They ran a check on his tag and told me he was a Constable! Really?! Some of these fake cops are worse than actual criminals. They need very little (if any) training and they can run around with a gun stopping people.

I still wouldn’t stop and I drove to the next town (miles away) with him chasing me. I get to the police station at the next town and I go from being scared to being very angry. The worst part is that I can’t detox adrenaline well ( I had this tested-my liver enzymes were tested) so I basically become The Hulk when I’m scared or really angry.  Had I had a gun, it would of been in my lap ready to blast this fool. I was lightly armed however and VERY dangerous (unbenounced to this idiot).

He was so embarrased that he scared me (because I was standing outside my car as he pulled up and yelled at him, “You scared the shit out of me!” ) that he was going to just “give me a warning” and thought he was being nice by telling me there were plently of cops on the road (which he wasn’t actually one) so I should be careful..yeah I didn’t have any other problems the rest of the way (1400 miles of NO PROBLEMS). I asked him what I did. He was embarassed to tell me. “42 in a 35 coming into town” which means I wasn’t even IN town which was 35…which means he didn’t give me  chance to slow down. 

I should say not only did he not have a uniform, but I couldn’t even see a radar gun in his beat up car. He had some toy store looking badge on and these country western work boots. REALLY!???? You stopped me in this outfit?

Hey I know what really happened. Hot girl in a VW with out of state plates = opportunity to “hollar” at her and perhaps meet her. Let’s face it I didn’t see any truckers getting pulled over and I certainly don’t look like a criminial. He even asked me all these personal questions like “where I was going” and “what I was doing”…which is NONE of his business…but you could probably infere that perhaps I was DRIVING to SC for Christmas, STUPID.

He stilled asked me for my ID, probably so he could see if I was legal wedding age.

What a loser. One day he’s going to pull over someone and get blasted. This goes to all the guys who terrorize young women, one day your path will cross with someone like me and that will be the end of you.

This fake cop wasted time and resources.  IT took me 4 hours to calm down after the incident. I probably aged two years.

My parents told me just recently their waitress ( a very attractive tall blonde girl) was pulled over by a cop and was asked all these questions for no reason. The cop said her light was out and she went back to check it and it wasn’t out. When she proceeded to tell him it wasn’t out, he got upset and kept making her wait with him and then when she got upset, he arrested her (which cost her 600 bucks and a court date).  This happenend in some podunk town in South Carolina called Wahalla.  

Later on in Oklahoma I stopped to eat. My male waiter took the opportunity to hit on me. He sat down across me to take my order and then asked me who I was, where I was going and other personal questions.  Not only that, he had to tell me about the fact that his divorce was finalized and she had custody of his kids…like I was asking him!  It was beyond strange. It was creepy and gross.  I had to take my phone out and text like I was super enthralled with something else. I didn’t even enjoy my meal and I was starving and exhausted.

I’m not even going to tell you about the pedophile  looking old guy getting a sexual favor in his car in Armarillo…driving 5 under the speed limit in the SPEEDING LANE.  It reminds me of when I was 19 (driving back to college and passing this guy on the interstate in North Carolina mountains). It involved a creepy old man, a steering wheel and sex toy…that’s all I’m saying.

I’m getting a new gun this week.

**I’m writing this purely for entertainment reasons and obviously the fact that young women should be very careful. Sometimes it would just be easier to be a dude and that’s the truth.

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Going Back To SC

Dec 14th, 2009
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I’m getting ready to go back to SC this week.  I probably need to do some serious resting for a little bit. I’m at the point where I don’t think I can really do much else up here. The weather is getting progressively worse and last week I was running in the snow.

Track workouts are stellar and yesterday I did a workout Coach Luiz Oliveria always had us do (back in 2004ish). I ran 4 x 400 with these plyos between each 400, so you’re resting a little..but not really. Unfortunately I had to barf after the last 400m. It’s hard doing these types of workouts at 7300 feet because REST isn’t REST at all when the air is thin. It takes oxygen to recover.   I was pleased with my times as they were VERY fast and it was VERY relaxed, until the acid built up in my legs and I couldn’t get rid of it. 

I just can’t believe sometimes how strong I am right now. I’m not saying I’m in race shape, but I’m healthy and if I can come down with nothing HURT or BROKEN and I’m not ILL, then I am really expecting some HUGE performances this year (HUGE by anyone’s standard).

I will come back to Colorado Springs once Worlds is over and keep training high for several more months and I’m honestly thinking about making this my residence. I’ve been a lot of places and I get bored easily…but I’m still not bored here (so that is REALLY suprising).

Ah back to the South where the boys wear pink polos, boat shoes, and croakies (so they can look “sporty” even though they aren’t)!  Fishing isn’t really a sport- FYI.  Neither is armchair Football.   Neither is pool or darts. Neither is GOLF (I will debate you anyday of the week about GOLF).  

Perry Fields POST workout- (notice how I'm not smiling)

Perry Fields POST workout- (notice how I'm not smiling)

While I was here in Colorado I was able to visit my cousins I haven’t seen in about 10 years. Thanksgiving was great. It’s always nice to have family around.

My Cousins

My Cousins

 

Collard Greens- I DID THESE RIGHT! :)

Collard Greens- I DID THESE RIGHT! :)

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MMA in Denver This Past Weekend

Dec 6th, 2009
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I always knew I was a player and not a spectator, but I never really realized how much until I went  to the Ring of Fire, MMA fight in Denver this past weekend. I don’t even fight (unless I’m provoked of course) and I was wanting to get in the cage. This is no joke. I always had a feeling I might be a fighter and honestly if I weren’t running, I think I probably would be.   I hope my mother doesn’t read this, I might not hear the end of it.  * MOM, I’m kidding, really..don’t read the rest of this post.

 

So the fighting thing is interesting. I think it’s a lot like racing. You really have to have heart to get into that cage, but you really have to have heart to step on that line and KNOW you’re getting ready to HURT. If I became a fighter, I’m SURE I’d be the most physically fit opponent.  Having a background in the 800m is probably the most hardcore “cardio” one can come from.  But do I really want to wrestle all of those manly girls? Do you have to be manly to fight? It was looking like softball up in there! The girls I saw fight …well the cornrows (if you’re white) isn’t looking real ladylike (not to say I look  or even act very ladylike when I’m training).  The cornrows reminds me of Axl Rose (of Guns and Roses) when he was trying to make his music comeback and he rocked out some cornrows….actually he lost all of his cool points with that.  He’s still trying to get those back, even till this very day. Sorry Axl, no worries, any guy who can make white leather pants cool (anytime in his lifetime) has a place in my heart.

 

Well I guess I have to take care of my running business first. I hate the fact that I’m actually considering MMA. This is so ridiculous. I hope this is a just a phase.  Maybe I’m just rearing to race and I had a hard time just sitting there being a spectator…I CAN’T DO IT! I was sitting there with a black/phython corset on and I was still ready to compete. :)

 

Speaking of running. Training is great..still. The snow is getting to be a problem the last few days. It was so cold here I had to run with a ski mask on and sunglasses. I was running through 4 inches of snow (which is a lot like running in sand) and since I was running in downtown Colorado Springs I happened to catch a few shoppers coming out of  stores. I thought they were going to wet themselves. I didn’t realize that I looked like a burglar (or a member of the IRA), but I had to keep my face from freezing.

 

****Lastly I want to give a shout out to Cameron Dollar (he trains here in Colorado Springs). I went to watch him fight this weekend and I have to admit  this dude has a lot of heart and I wish him the very best.  The first time I met him, he gave me a hug.  How many people do that?  I was expecting a handshake and some kind of dap (because I’m formal and yet slighty ghetto).  He’s either really sweet or he was checking to see how big my boobs were (I’m kidding!). 
 

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Lost on Falcon Trail at Air Force

Nov 30th, 2009
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For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to do a long run with my marathoner friend on the Falcon Trail (13 miles) at the Air Force Academy.  This is the day after my race simulation 800m at the track the prior day (which left me on the track with my face down and people asking me if I was okay).  I figured running back to back days will be good for the rounds at major races, so I have been doing a lot of this since I’ve been up here in Colorado Springs.

The Falcon Trail IS really pretty; however, because it’s so cold here the snow in many places is slick due to the traffic on the trail and because it’ can’t fully melt. I had to run like a granny in many places as it just wasn’t worth the slip.

My only real concern while running were the enormous FRESH cougar tracks on the side of the trail…they obviously use the trail as well and while running, we would go for miles without seeing anyone. And of course my marathon friend was hammering away ahead of me, dragging my ass like a piece of dead drift wood in her wake so I was running alone in many places…with all of these enormous FRESH cougar tracks all around me.

There was really no reason for me to run 13 miles. It doesn’t serve any purpose.  Once we hit this paved road I knew I could take a short cut and run about 7 miles ( and I would be happy with that), but I kept going for some stupid reason.

Long story short: After 9-10 miles I decided to short cut across campus and ended up running about 15 miles! Might as well just run 11 more miles and have a marathon right?! It was awful. It was getting dark, my face was frozen, everything hurt and I had just enough clothes on to run 8 miles comfortably without freezing…so I ended up freezing (and cussing).

That will be the last time I ever run that far, unless I’m being chased or I’m getting paid six figures….

…. at least the cougars didn’t get me.

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in my email this week…

Nov 28th, 2009
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Oh fleet of foot and rose colored,
Ivory skinned and vanilla fragranced lady
Will your blue eyes every fall upon me again.
 
I think not for my days are numbered
and you, not an end in sight
except the finish line of your next competition.
 
The days we can count of our meeting
are few and soon to end without requite
mine in the dark and yours in the light
 
My thoughts of you are pleasing vignettes
of moments spent in contemplation
about revelations beyond my station
 
You will go on to greater heights
to wonderful and passionate nights
while I take lessons from Fred Astaire
 
Do this for me my voluptuous beauty
it is not a requirement or a duty
thing well of my admiration.
 
I dream of you as a butterfly
diaphanous wings slender and lithe
strawberry feet and flittering guile
 
The wisdom of years have tutored me
in all the things that I can be
I would I had a future of thee
 
Well, I close this little ditty
about my affection for you my pretty
into the protection of the emerald city
 
In an inflated balloon I came
to a deflated balloon I declaim
all between was insane
 
No fear, I will be a long time going
from now to then I will be blue
that a long time ago I did not meet you.
 -DF
*Thanks for the words. I’m usually not speechless, but you got me.

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Cream Rises To The Top

Nov 19th, 2009
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Yeah I love this saying, “Cream rises to the top”…I had someone tell me that when they found out I had Lyme. I guess it was like a “don’t worry, you’ll be back.” Yeah, I didn’t know it was going to take 5 years!

Today I was slipping around in the snow so my long run became quite annoying after 5 minutes. Yesterday I went to the Air Force track and ran this 800m race simulation (basically a 600, then a 200 very quickly after). I’ll be ready to run 2:06ish at 7400 feet the next time I go to the track. That will be that track’s record by 2 seconds I believe…yep that’s right, I haven’t raced in how many years? Don’t remind me! I don’t think it matters! Everytime I go and do these workouts my confidence grows. It’s just 100% validation of who I am and what I can really do.

After my workout I went and lifted weights. I lifted my max for cleans an then added 10 more lbs and did three reps with this new weight.  I’m pretty pumped because I no longer think I’m a “featherweight”…I think I can honestly be classified as “lightweight”…and some of those 800m girls look like ”heavyweights” for some strange reason. That’s okay, I’ll still make them my bitch (that’s a joke).

But my appetite is ferocious so I know I’m healthy and I’m training so hard and am STILL managing to gain weight! A sign of health….really, really good health (for a skinny girl). My goal here is to train HARD and not lose a single pound.

The most exciting part is the fact that I’m so calm.

No doubts.

No fears.

No hate (ok perhaps just a small bit, and you know who you are, but it’s more like Fodder for the FIRE). 

No injuries.

No uncertainty (even though sports are nothing but uncertain).

No past traumas to deal with (even though Lyme is very traumatic, emotionally I’m so over it)…and better yet, physically I’m so over it.

Oh yeah, this cream is starting to rise.

(Here’s a picture of me  last week with my cousin (Sarah). I was able to visit my cousins in Boulder finally. I haven’t seen them since they were in middle school!)

DSCF0550

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…still going

Nov 11th, 2009
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Good news. The US Indoor Nationals will be in Albuquerque in February of next year. This is fantastic.  It’s around 5,000 feet there which means everyone running the 800m is going to notice the altitude…and many will be affected by it.

So I’m pretty pumped that I’ve been training at 6,400 feet for since early October. I will come down in December and give myself a few weeks before racing.

This is a pretty good advantage. I’ve actually been thinking about breaking the American Indoor Record early next year, but I don’t know if it’s going to happen at 5,000 feet. Usually altitude can throw a race like the 800m off a few seconds…we can say PRECIOUS seconds. But I do think it will happen this indoor season. I would be suprised if it didn’t.  It’s actually just a matter of time before it is mine.

But I’m still elated about Albuquerque and feel sorry for anyone who runs the 800m and up who isn’t training HIGH.  Even TITO, the UFC fighter gets his train on up at Big Bear in California (which a lot of runners do as well). I think it’s hilarious when other athletes call it “cardio”….I don’t know, it just cracks me up! It reminds me of the meat heads in the gym who always talk about doing cardio. I guess my sport IS cardio and that’s why it’s so funny.

Speaking of the gym here. I love this Hanz and Franz duo. These two middle aged guys in the shortest man shorts I’ve ever seen. They are workout buddies but perhaps more….?  Both wear these lovely booty spandex short shorts (the kind only girls should wear) and tank tops. IT reminds me of a really bad SNL skit…actually it reminds me of the cartoon…Ambiguously Gay Duo.  Did I mention they were orange, not white…self tanner?  Ah, it takes all kinds and I do appreciate the entertainment! I like watching all the military guys in the gym stare as this duo spotting each other  doing squats!

This week I need to back off a little with training.  I’ve been trying back to back hard days and then a rest day for a week to change things up. Going back to back is hard, but it preps you for running the rounds at major battles.  Still I’m pretty amazed at the training I’ve done so far.

Time to eat….a lot.

Perry

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