themarymiller

go.and.do.and.be.cuz.dis.is...LIFE.

2012-01-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

thanku, quote. man. RIGHT?! i love the woman i am becoming. had a great evening with my good friend and college teammate, molly shea-- chatting about where we were in our lives and the awesome changes and surprises that have happened over the last 6 months. it's incredible to have two beautifully independent women (yes, i've included myself in that statement :) hehe)- talk about where they've been and where they're going and most importantly- never settling for ok but always pushing for the best. ...and be excited about ALL the possibilities. who would've thunk it- your 30s are the best.

and that folks- that right there is my blog for this week. enjoy.

ps- for those of you that may REGRET things that have happened in your life? don't. the lessons you've learned from that experience-- well, it's all part of the amazing person you are today. so LIVE. x

a picture a day keeps the ... doctor away?

2012-01-15T22:17:00.000-08:00

they say a picture is worth 1000 words. believe it?

well, we're all about to find out!! read on...

my friend and running mate, Jax and i were out running our second run last friday evening and began talking about all that we have to look forward to in 2012. personally, professionally, racing, etc-- we went through it all. we talked about our goals and what we hope to achieve, we laughed at where we were this time last year (we both had our gallbladders out winter 2012), and we recognized how far we've come since letting things go that were holding us back from being our best selves. looking forward to this year- it's all really exciting!! imagine what THIS year had in store for us? how could we capture that on a daily basis without having to blog in detail how we're growing and achieving the things we've set out to do?

idea and solution:

she, being a marketing guru and doing a 365-themed blog for the past year (http://run365daysnarow.tumblr.com/), and I, themarymiller, being absorbed with social media and starting conversations, put our minds together and decided to capture ourselves, for 365 days, changing and growing and achieving. one picture a day and a small description of ourselves (like a tweet) posted under each photo. every day. for 365 days. talk about commitment!!?! the good the bad the ugly (what? i never take a bad photo!! ).

the website:

http://themarymillerandjax.tumblr.com/

let the transformation begin...well, at least the journey...

peace.

alright alright ill write

2012-01-13T21:23:00.000-08:00

happy 2012! it's an olympic year! bring on the games this august. a lot of excitement around this summer. i really feel like this is a big year coming up. im not sure why but starting out this year on a relatively high note and a feeling like a lot will be accomplished this year. no expectations no anxiety no fear. no strings attached. freedom. and most importantly- i am happy. a smile from ear to ear on what's to come.

quick update on miss miller (muah)-

LIFE. is good
LOVE. is possible
WORK. is all about branding, events, and experiences**
TRAINING. is pushing beyond what i thought was possible and realizing i can

** THE FINE PRINT:
i know, i know- you want to know about everything!?! well, all in due time. but for now- i'll share what's going in more detail with the category of WORK. 1.) i've signed on with QT2 Systems, LLC (a triathlon and nutrition group out of Boston Area) as their Marketing and Sponsorship Director. this group of coaches and athletes are incredibly smart people and the growth possibility is astounding for this company. i look forward to helping them develop their brand and grow their support and partnerships. 2.) i've signed on with Rev3 Triathlon as their social media / pr gal- i'll be mostly all of their races this year with iPhone in hand snapping pics, tweeting updates, writing press releases and blogs, and hanging with the athletes asking them silly questions to keep y'all entertained. we gonna have us some fun this year. 3.) projects/contract work. i've been working with a talented and smart bizniz guy out here in boulder by the initials of dq (not that he reads my blog BUT i'll respect his privacy). he has put me in touch with some smart, creative people out here that need MY help (go figure) organizing thoughts, creating presentations, and developing brands. it's so much fun and it's building the experience that i oh, so desire. big things to come. 4.) some exciting new news that should keep me busy and involved in the social world-- when i am ready, i'll fill y'alls in.

2011-12-28T20:24:00.000-08:00

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”

2012. here i come...

thanku

2011-11-10T06:24:00.000-08:00

It's an awesomely busy time. Hopefully you guys follow me on twitter or on facebook so you'd know what I've been up to the last several weeks- all the shenanigans! This fall has been a quite an interesting time in my life-- personally, professionally, and athletically.

My sister sent me a quote the other day. Goes something like this: ‎"Sometimes old things need to go away. That way, we have room for the new things that come into our lives". Randy K. Milholland Hmmmmf. Right. Reading my blog over the last 18months, you guys especially know that there has been a lot of shifting and movement in my world. It came to a head, well, more like the bottom of the barrel mid-August. I've felt completely uncomfortable late summer/early fall. I spent some time out in Santa Cruz and then up in Maine with my family. The support from my family and friends (even acquaintances!) has been incredible. With a lot of honest work on the inside and trust that everything serves a purpose, I turned the corner. I am learning to let go of the old and by "old" I mean the stuff that wasn't going anywhere- the parts of me that I had been holding, gripping, clutching onto and just accepting that it was time to let them GO. When I finally did-- so many opportunities and surprises were presented to me. Way beyond what I thought was out there for me. The only place for me to go was UP and boy, thank you God! that's what I've done! Looking forward to the exciting updates I get to share with you guys.

The real purpose of this blog is to say THANK YOU. To you. You know who you are. You guys have been there for me, supporting me, encouraging me, and loving me. No matter where I was in my life- you've latched on and haven't let go. Here's to you! Cheers :)

x

Promise.

2011-10-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

SUPER MELLOW. ben howard. singer/songwriter. you have to watch this video- not only is it an amazing song- the video well produced. about 3:30 into the song- when he starts asking "who am i darling to ya, who am i darling for ya?", the dirt roads ends coming to a fork in the road-- and he chooses to go left...and is left w a promise. i like. thanks petemills for introducing.

Lyrics are beautiful and sad but beautiful.

PROMISE

And meet me there, bundles of flowers, we wait through the hours of cold

Winter shall howl at the walls, tearing down doors of time

Shelter as we go

And promise me this; you'll wait for me only, scared of the lonely arms

Surface, far below these words

Maybe, just maybe I'll come home

Who am I, darling to you?

Who am I?

Going to tell you stories of mine

Who am I?

Who am I, darling for you?

Who am I?

Could be a burden in time, lonely

Who am I, to you?

Who am I, darling for you?

Who am I?

Going to be a burden

Who am I, darling to you?

Who am I?

I come alone here

moments

2011-10-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

seconds pass. minutes tick off. time marches on. always moving forward. never staying too long in a moment- never grasping too hard to something because faster than you realize it-- it's gone. time. perspective reveals. character is developed. a couple steps back- eventually proves to be a giant step forward. time provides healing, growth, and expansion of yourself- if you allow it. ah, time.

loads of BIG moments recently. some that have left me feeling excited, courageous, and confident. some that have left me lonely, confused, and especially hurt. but i am encouraged. i have true glimmers of hope and brilliance. time. i just need time. xx

"It is not our circumstances that create our discontent or contentment. It is us."

- Vivian Greene

beyond your comfort zone

2011-08-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

if you look closely at my face- you'll see a grimace. i am struggling. a one mile race called, "The Pearl Street Mile" in boulder, colorado. 7pm and 90 degrees. hello altitude. ouch. it hurt. i was way beyond my comfort zone. but what a place to be, right? with every step, i realized i was in a new territory of hurt. i haven't been here in a long time.

"you only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone." - percy cerutty

i am back at it people. i know what you're thinking..."a long time coming, mary"- i know. i know! but i am open and change is happening. it's a nice feeling, being out of your comfort zone. in sport. in life. why? because you know that you're no longer stagnant- you're moving towards something greater for yourself. it may be painful- but change the way you look at that pain. be open to it cause, man, it feels good to know you got through it - you're reaching for that next level. bring on progression!

ps- i beat that girl in the picture! booot yeah!

rebirth of the blog.

2011-08-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

i've been away. thanks for sticking with me and checking in on me. ...my non-blogging blog. this blog WILL be a proper blog again. i needed some time away to straighten- well, strengthen "me" up.
the question is...am i ready to be back and writing blogs again? probably not as ready as i'd like to be- so i can give all this great and wonderful news about me and my life- training, racing, working, living and loving. but YOU may as well come along the journey with me - i think you'll find it interesting as much as i find myself interesting. this is kind where i am right now, come join me on my way up the mountain.

ehemmmmmm.

2011-08-20T16:02:00.001-07:00

hello?

are you there?

new musssssac

2011-02-09T15:07:00.000-08:00

every once in a while, i find myself tired of the music in my itunes library. i've listened to local natives, florence and the machine, jonsi, vampire weekend, black eyed peas, eminem, ministry of sound, etc over and over there is NO WAY i can listen to it again...ever (even though we all know that we just needed a break from our own little music devices). anyone know what i'm talking about?? :) plus it reminds me of last year when i was training and exhausted and yeah- all that bad stuff that happened to me... so yeah, NEVER listening to my old favorite music again (right).

DILEMMA: i'm tired of my music.

SOLUTION: what did i do? i totally binged in itunes. for literally 2 hours, i went through my favorite artists in the itunes store and looked at "listeners also bought" and "playlists" and bought over $50 worth of songs. NOT albums. songs from different artists. that's a lot of research people. a lot.

EMOTIONAL SITUATION AFTER BINGE: i feel amazing. i feel like i am a new person. NEW! :) the $50 was worth it- and i have no regrets.

now...the point of this blog is #1: to confirm binging in itunes feels amazing. do it do it. and #2: to introduce you to two bands i am in love with (there are plenty more that i love love and i am sure i'll blog about them but for now, i'll introduce you to two)...

BAND #1: Horse Feathers.

BAND #2: The xx. (ps i LOVE the dancing in this video!)

hope u like it as much as i do!

peace

yum.

2011-02-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

So now that I am free my gallbladder- I may as well be free of a couple of other things too, right? The biggest diet change that I have made is consistently practicing a gluten free diet. :) There are some definite highs to the changes (lots of fruit, veggies, proteins-- yum!!!). There are some lows as well- going easy on the nuts, chocolate, and no-no to high fat foods (french fries, fried fried no fry). That is ok- I can deal with the lows- it will keep me in tip-top shape! I have been loving up on my food processor- and so should you!!! It is the EASIEST way to get your veggie fix- it's FAST, easy to use, easy clean up, and totally healthy no matter what.

Here's one of my favorite recipes- THE SUPER SALAD. get to know it people- i LOVE it.

themarymiller's favorite BEET SALAD.

Slice the following in a food processor:

3 celery stalks

1/4 purple onion

1 red pepper

1/2 cucumber (optional)

Shred the following in your food processor:

2-3 radishes
2 carrots

1 large red beet
1 large yellow beet (optional)

Combine in bowl. mix through with fork.

Add:

1-2 tbsp olive oil or toasted sesame oil

2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar

sea salt to taste

pepper to taste

sprinkle of garlic (1 tsp) or to taste
add cilantro or fresh herbs to taste.

SERVE alone or on top of arugula salad mix or spinach. Add a dollop hummus. Add tofu or chicken.

enjoy!

worth catching you up on...

2011-01-31T22:43:00.000-08:00

there are some serious updating you guys need- so much has happened over the past 4 months that you know and don't know much about. this blog isn't an attempt to tell you, in detail, everything that's happened but to catch you up with where i am now and where i am headed (so i can get back to blogging on random stuff, training, racing, and recipes!). but be ready...this is a long one- worth reading.

kona. a-flippn-amazing. being with the gambles and meeting up with so many of my good friends and fellow athletes. i also got to hang with aaron schides, the tanner tennyson, and selwyn and elizabeth with E3 Nutrition. AND it was an awesome week. towards the end of the week, i got a call from my doc letting me know that i needed to take a significant amount of time off (no exercise, nada)- i had depleted my adrenal glands and had a hormonal imbalance that only time off would "cure".

time off. well, i blogged on that one. go ahead and reread some of those archived blogs. :)

costa rica. joe and i had an awesome trip. we met up with one of joe's best mates', clinton and his twin sister, tenille. i kept a written diary everyday on what we did, the experiences we had with dealing with the challenges of traveling in a country that was stunningly beautiful but came with an equal amount of barriers (language was huge barrier. joe knew little spanish and i had select memory of my 9th and 10th grade spanish class- uuummm...my crush on a 11th grader and the "itsy bitsy spider" song?- which you better believe i sang often to anyone who wanted to listen. joe just shook his head.) :) check out the costa rica album in my flickr account to the RIGHT.

san diego and back to training. i left the gambles in san diego after a CEP and GU photoshoot. he left for australia and i went back to colorado. time to get back training! 7 weeks entirely off left me weaker than i have ever been, rested, and ready to train.

christmas in maine. man, i was SO excited to go home to my family in maine! i haven't been home since my big 30th birthday with my sissy, kay. i landed in boston and a GLORIOUS weekend with my sister- running running running, hanging out, catching up- spending some time our dear friend, claire wood. it was awesomely relaxing and got some good training in with kay! sunday, i took the bus and headed north. the story below sweeps over christmas and new years - so i do have to say that i LOVED my time with my family on christmas eve, christmas day (our christmas lasts over 6+ hours- we take our time opening presents, listening to the christmas story, and of course, multiple servings of french press coffee), and the christmas week. new years was a bit tainted with the story below- BUT- i loved my time in boston with my sis, em, hodgey, and jb...and their boyfriends and friends. it was great to bring in the new year with them- it's like a gift. your friends. they are so so special and mean the world to me. it was wonderful to be able to create memories with them outside of college- FINALLY! so- back to "the story":

Proverbs 3:5-6 " Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

the events that happened in maine over the next 4 weeks were definitely orchestrated by God because everything happened so quickly and, as per usual, so smoothly (even though it was traumatic). backstory: since fall/winter 2007 i started having issues after eating certain foods- like, fatty foods- even good fatty foods (avocados, tuna, nuts, nut butters, fried foods, baked goods, and sometimes even coffee). it would cause so much pain in my upper right abdominal region- i thought i was either having a heart attack that was referring to my other side or my liver was failing me. but as any mid-20s gal would think- " i was invisible, i was healthy, i could bounce back and heal without ever seeing the doctor." the pain would last about 2-3 hours. the worst was during a race or hard training. it was extremely uncomfortable. when the "attacks" became so frequent (every month) - i went to a gastroenterologist in september 2010. after an ultrasound- it showed that i had large and multiple gallstones. the doctors recommended i have immediate surgery. of course, i thought i could cure my gallbladder without surgery and would seek another opinion. i found a natural path doctor (boulder has so so many of them!)- he believed and actually encouraged we give it a try and get this gallbladder working again. he wanted to find out WHY my gallbladder produced the stones in the first place. along the way, we found that i had a sensitivity to dairy, gluten, that i shouldn't drink coffee (or have no more than one glass a day), we found out that my hormones were all over the place (this was right before kona), especially my thyroid and my glucose levels (hypoglycemic), that i had adrenal fatigue (boo)-- all of which could have an effect on gallbladder function. i also found out both my grandmothers and my aunt had their gallbladders removed (none of which had them removed at my age though). so i began taking liver, bile, and pancreatic enzymes- the "np" said i should start to feel the good ol gallbladder functioning again properly...rrriiiiggghhht.

mid october through december were the worst months in terms of gallbladder attacks. i know i reached a new pain threshold. there were times where joe should have just brought me to the emergency room. i would be in pain for nearly 24 hours at a time- the kind of pain where it's jabbing and constant and relentless. i'd cry, keel over to the side, sweat, have a fever, throw up- i mean, looking back- WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING???! but i was still 110% believing that i was saving my gallbladder and i needed to go through "this" to get it functioning again. seriously, what was i on?? when i travelled to maine- i was particularly careful with my diet so not to upset the gallbladder but alas- it happened. a massive attack one afternoon after a treadmill session. yup. there i was, laying on the floor in the "saranac room" with my dog- tears streaming from my eyes. the worst part about it was the look in my mom and dad's face. "worry". yeah- me too. i was worried. it seemed that these attacks were becoming so frequent and wearing me down a little more each attack. dad recommended i see dr. anderson- a family friend, member of our church, and heart surgeon. i grew up with his daughters- and shiloh is still one of my good friends. :) so christmas eve service, i tapped dr. anderson on the shoulder and said that i'd like to meet with him about my gallbladder. he looked at me VERY seriously and said, "your father has mentioned what's been going on. mary, this is not something to take lightly. let's get you in right away." 2 days later i went in to the office and 45 minutes after that i was booked in for emergency surgery the following week. that night, i had another bad attack. i was now 110% on board with surgery. this was not the life i had imagined. this was not worth saving if i had to be able to withstand attacks like these. i had given my gallbladder a chance to function normally and unfortunately, it was an organ that could not be saved.

january 3rd at 2:30pm. an in and out procedure if everything went ok. i had to fast for the surgery- no food no water and let me just tell you-- 2:30pm is HARD. i was so stinking dehydrated - not so much hungry but thirsty. my parents and i arrived at the hospital one hour early to "prep" for surgery-- my nurse, wendy (i loved her!) had a hard time finding veins in my hands (the most veiniest hands- but i was dehydrated and they all shrunk up!)- the iv was a little painful. grrr. dr. anderson came into the room with the anesthesiologist- and we all stood in a circle and prayed. i was crying. i seriously am a baby. i had the worst thoughts going through my mind- like i was never going to wake up- i even wrote good bye notes?!! when they got me on the stretcher and rolled me towards the operating room, i squeezed my dad and mom's hand and looked into their eyes- there was so much love between us at that moment. they were worried- their first born going into surgery. man, i tried to be brave. the next couple of moments were a bit foggy- i was telling the nurse my "triathlon story" and i drifted off...and then --- i woke up.

i was alive. i looked at the clock- it was 5:30pm. hmm- did i have surgery?? and then, as the nurse predicted, i cried. i didn't even mean to cry but i guess that's what happens sometimes after surgery. when i parents came in they looked worried- i knew something was up. i was told that while gallbladder surgery was a success, i needed to stay a few days in the hospital and undergo another surgery as there were 2 LARGE stones caught in my common bile duct that another specialist had to do. i started crying. my mom was crying. my dad was the only brave one but his eyes looked glossy. what??? i thought this was an in and out procedure?! and then the drugs combined with the pain and discomfort i felt from the surgery settled in and i fell back to sleep. when i woke up- my sister was there (she had taken the bus up from boston right after work)- of course, she looked as if she had been crying...man- this was traumatic people. the four of us hung out for a while- they ate some dinner - i wasn't allowed to eat anything but jello and drink tea, juice, or broth. dr. anderson came in to check on me (i found out later from his wife, mrs. anderson that he told her- he was worried about me and thought of me as one of his own daughters- how awesome and what a blessing!!). again, he reiterated that the surgery was successful- my gallbladder needed to come out as it was almost septic, and the surgery on wednesday should be fine. once my parents left, kay and i hung out and talked- we walked around the floor- i clutched onto her like i was a 90 year old walking with a cane. kay kept me upright. we had some moments that evening where i laughed so hard it physically hurt (because i was burping so much and so loudly). i was in pain but it didn't matter- i was laughing. ashley, my night nurse was super cool and checked on me often that night. kay left around 11:30pm and headed back to boston, to work, the next morning. thank you, my wombmate for sticking by me in my lowest hour. you made me laugh and remember how beautiful sisterhood is. tuesday and wednesday morning were LONG days. not just my parents came to see me and sit by my side- i had amazing friends- some that i hadn't seem in AGES come sit by my bed and catch up with me.

wednesday's surgery was booked at 1:30pm (AGAIN???!)- no food no water. this time around the iv was in so i didn't need to worry about that BUT it was extremely hard for me as my body wants to heal and was hungry!! the tv was not a distraction. all i could do and wanted to do was get the surgery over with. my dad spent most of the morning with me- reading about prince william and kate's engagement special (whole magazine dedicated to them)- he loved reading that to me. :) as the time drew near, i was escorted in a wheelchair from my room and down to the operating area. the surgeon- my parent's next door neighbor and good friend (SMALL WORLD, RIGHT?!), dr. flavin. my dad and dr. flavin recently became running partners-- they run 1 mile together. :) who would have know it?! dr. flavin gave me "the talk" about the risks involved. i cried (typical- but i was fearing the worst). but the nurse, who was my good friend's mom (again- small world!) assured me it was no big deal. on the table, the anesthesiologist made me laugh and i was out. again--- i woke up. the surgery went well- although they were not able to remove the stones but make incisions in my common bile duct so it would become larger and the stones would "drop". i cried. again. of course. they wheeled me back upstairs and i met up with my mom and dad and relaxed the rest of the afternoon. man. i was wiped. and in PAIN. and by pain, i mean gas pain. seriously. worst pain i have ever experienced. i guess it's more than usual as in surgery, they blow CO2 in my body to separate organs and create more space- some of that gas stays in you and eventually is released. yeah. painful. wednesday night in the hospital was probably my least favorite night. my new and only roommate snored. the night nurse was different and shined a flashlight in my face throughout the night (which of course, i'd wake up), and thought it necessary to change my iv- only to have 2 failed-attempts and had to call the head nurse to start an iv. it was 11:30pm. i cried. again. those needles hurt, man. thursday- i woke up and did 3 loops of my floor- tried to get that gas out ;). i took a shower- that felt amazing! and awaited my blood test to come back to see if it was ok if i was released home. my parents and i sat around for what felt like FOREVER when the nurse came in and said i was released!! hooray! i was going home! it was a very slow walk to the car- and i think i said goodbye to nearly everyone i passed on my way out (i made some friends!). and mom, dad, and oliver (our golden retriever) drove me home.

it's been extremely slow going since then- today marks the 4th week since surgery! the first couple of days out of the hospital- i just laid on the couch just as i did in the hospital. by the end of the weekend- i was walking. first, around the property with my mom. we walked so slow and it was so cold! and then with my dad- the 2-mile walk around jenny lane. i love you mom and dad. thank you for that. i returned to boulder 2.5 weeks after surgery. it's tough being back and being so out of shape. i was glad that i had been home for the time i was and plan to get back training slowly. i have some pretty big goals for 2011- i have work to do- but HEALTH is most important!

i do think everything happened the way it was supposed to happen. even if i was in the hospital for so long- i couldn't imagine being home with the way i felt after the first surgery- it felt like a mac truck had run over me. the iv's and liquid antibiotics? those really helped keep me stay hydrated and healthy.

you know, what got me was my mom and dad. their love for each other, for God, and for their children is amazing. it didn't matter that it was a work week, what time it was, that it may have been an inconvenience for them - because basically they'd sit there and either read to me, talk about the weather, run through play lines, tell me stories of when they were young or ideas they had for their business, etc. It didn't matter to them because they were with their daughter. their first born. supporting and loving her through this time.

*something else happened to me over the last month. something special i want to share with you guys- i have recently shared this with some good friends as well but: this whole experience has impacted my view of this life and what I am doing with it. while I love triathlon and pushing myself to the limits to see if success in sport (whether that be long distance or going for the olympics) is in my future, i also have new wisdom that triathlon is only a small part of who MARY MILLER is- my values and morals, interests, passions, knowledge, and expertise(es). :) i am athlete but God has blessed me with so so much more. when i came-to from surgery, i thought for sure i'd never be able to do sport again. this has taken too much out of me- no way would i be able to get back to an elite level. seriously. i wasn't sure if my body would respond. but I woke up early one morning about a week after surgery with a nagging thought in my head- WHAT IF i did everything i needed to do to be the very best athlete I could be starting now, get the support I need to do just that, and give the next 2 years a good go. but not forgetting what i am good at outside of sport- marketing, idea creation, people person, and especially inspiring and encouraging people of all ages. using those two passions to BE my very best and to touch many many lives with my voice, my personality, my athleticism; i may not be #1 athlete ever to step foot on this earth BUT i am trying to be the best version of myself and use who Mary Miller is to CHANGE lives and get people to BELIEVE in themselves and all that they can achieve just by doing.*

THANK YOU: YORK HOSPITAL docs and staff! dad, mom, kay, pete, joe, dr anderson and family!!, poison, kathleen donatello, kiersten (i think i am spelling that wrong) and mike masi, nathan rockafellow, pastor stan, the whalens, the nurses, my roommate the last couple days; the people that called and supported me from afar- dibens, the mike, vince, holly, nikki, amanda, annie, joe fal, jare, bruce, carol, kel, molly, my extended fam (barbs, gram and pops, michael, aunt sally, uncle jim, uncle bob), gunz, sare, morgan, ramon!, and everyone on facebook for the lovely messages and well wishes. a special thank you to amanda stevens and kelly williamson (my gallbladder surgery mentors!). :)

Most especially: to HE who created me and my spirit. You always have your eyes on me- you got my back!! THANK YOU...let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear...

Moments of 2010

2011-01-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

My yearbook of 2010. Where did the year go, people? WHERE???? I am looking forward to this new 2011 year, although my new year starts next week as I have a nagging, 2010-type of thing I need to take care of...

These are my favorite (and not so favorite) moments of 2010. There are a lot more photos that you can look at on my FLICKR account but these were my favorites. Enjoy looking through them and reading my comments. :)

Tasmania. January 2010. This is what ya get when you go there- it is absolute in its natural beauty. Rolling hills, blue skies, mountains, water- it's a little bit Australia and a little bit of New Zealand.

Oh the vastness of Tassie trees. I snapped this shot in a park in Hobart. The grand Eucalyptus trees stand strong throughout time. I love climbing trees- there was no way I'd climb one of these though!

oouch! This happened about 5 minutes into a second run. I had just woken up from a nap and felt t-i-r-e-d. Lesson? Don't run trails straight after a nap and for a second run when the legs just aren't up for dynamic movements.

One Saturday, Gambles and I drove out west and spent the day hiking Cradle Mountain. BEAUTIFUL.

We're still in Tasmania, people. I love this photo- love love love. Joe, Kate (his sister), Tim (his brother) and I were on the east coast of Tassie road-tripping for the weekend. We "babysat" two wonderful gals, Hannah and Ebony. After lunch, we took our leftovers and fed the birds- I seemed to have captured "a moment". :) FINALLY.

I had been fighting a massive infection in my tooth since February (yeah...when I was in Australia). I lost that battle and had to go in for tooth surgery at the end of June. They removed the tooth and rebuilt my palate. I had 9 stitches in the top of my mouth. Ouch. One major lesson learned: don't try to race on antibiotics. Seriously.

3 weeks after tooth surgery- I decided to race 70.3 Rhode Island. I love this picture. This is actually fits into "not so great memories" category for 2 reasons. 1: I had a lot of problems with my bike in 2010. The new, 'aero-braking system' was giving me so much trouble- my bike was in the shop almost every other week. 2: Racing season of 2010 was not all that great to be honest. I struggled throughout the year with health issues. So much so- I had mandatory time off October, November, and another surgery in December.

30th Birthday Party in MAINE. Joe, Jarrod Vos (one of Joe's mates from Tassie), and I came out for Timberman 70.3 Triathlon. We had a Miller Campfire- a bunch of friends and family came up and we celebrated Kay and my birthday, Miller-style. Needless to say, there was whole lot of singing, eating, talent-nighting, drinking good vino and some Miller High Life's (haha- just kidding)- lasting until 3am. One of my favorite memories.

I turned 30 this year. 'nough said.

Vampire Weekend Concert at RedRocks. Probably THE best concert I've been to date.

Vampire Weekend pre-concert. We got to Red Rocks before sunset, had a perfect seat, three- Whole Foods dinners, and good laughs before we got the night rollin! The day couldn't get any better.

Kona 2010. I wish I had more pictures from Kona. I had a blast. It was great to get out there and train and be with nearly all my friends in the sport, see the race (yay Vincent for winning and Dibens for having an a-freakn-amazing debut), hang out with sponsors, and train. The last day was a bit bittersweet when I got a call from my doctor in Boulder telling me I had hormonal exhaustion and needed 5-8 weeks mandatory rest. That's not that fun. :( Still memories from Kona remain nothing but positive. Can't wait to go back 2011.

Montezuma Waterfall with Clinton, (me), Gambles, Tenille, Eddie. What a great trip we had!!

Costa Rica. Rainbow Rock. I made some serious wishes here.

Hiking with my man.

I jumped off a waterfall- nearly 40 feet. My thought- well, if it's my time- it's my time! I've got nothing to lose!!! Here. We. Go.......... !!!

The beaches of Costa Rica. Gambles and I hung around and watched the sun setting- this was our last night. I think photograph is post card quality!

There were so so many photos of Costa Rica- I love this one because I catch myself starting at the sunlight- the way I'd watch the sunset in real life-- it just feels almost real to me.

Merry Christmas Millers. This is the first family photo we've had ever during Christmas time. Maybe we should have it on our 2011 Christmas Card??

I got into Boston on the 16th of December. I flew into Boston and hung out with my wombmate, Kay. This picture was taken that Saturday when we had slept in until 10am and had a lazy morning, drinking coffee and catching up on, you know...sister stuff. Finally, at 2pm, we mosied on out of her apartment and went on a nice, long run. :) i love you kaybay.

HAPPY NEW YEAR- got to spend this new years eve with my umaine soccer gals and company. I met awesome people and got to hang out in Boston! Happy 2011!!

2010-11-20T18:37:00.000-08:00

costa rica baby. can't wait to fill you ALL in on each day. i've been keeping a journal about all the adventures i've been on the last week!! so stay tuned into my blog...it'll be a goodie.

MOvember and Clearwater World Champs

2010-11-14T20:52:00.000-08:00

This isn't a race report nor is it really even about the race (except for how Joe Gambles and Julie Dibens, my favs did in the race)- it's just an update for y'all. It has been a while though, hasn't it. I have been pretty busy doing...ehem...not too much over the last few weeks. But like I said in an earlier post, time goes fast no matter what one is doing- working, training, relaxing, sitting at coffee shops, visiting with friends, etc. it just seems to tick-tock by!

I am feeling heaps better. I have done JUST what the doctor ordered- no physical exercise (no hiking even!), 10-12 hours of sleep every night, and a healthy diet of no caffeine, no sugar, and no fruit (yeah! no fruit people. those of you who know me, know I am a fruit-a-holic). The reason for the "diet" is to get my hormones and blood sugar in a more balanced state. Of course, I've had moments when I broke down and had some sugar (raisins or dark chocolate) but I've kept it pretty clean. I got over the worst part- getting off of caffeine so I'm good now. I am not even craving it. At some point, I'll post some recipes from "a typical day in MM's world". There is one last thing I need to get sorted though- and that's my gallbladder. She's not been happy with me the last year and occasionally I have major discomfort. She may have to go on and leave this body-- we're trying to get 'er working properly but I am starting to lose hope.

Anyway...back to Clearwater 70.3 Champs. In Boulder, Joe and Julie (and everyone else for that matter) have been training pretty hard. November 13th was race day and I think a lot of people have been looking forward to this race as it meant the long 2010 season was over. The 5528 Household left on the Wednesday before the race- a quick direct flight to Tampa and we found ourselves in our Clearwater accommodation in no time at all. My friend, Monica Byrn and I went to yoga (for all of you people wondering which yoga center to go to in Clearwater area, we would NOT be able to recommend a studio to you. The places we went to weren't very good, the instructor was spacey and chatted with her friends during the class, and the classes were made up of moms who wanted to socialize more than get a good workout in), I got to spend some time with Wattie (http://www.wattieink.com/), and with Morgan Clark at All3Sports (she's a good friend of mine)- days leading into the race so I could leave Joe to his pre-race prep.

Race day came and I've never, I repeat, NEVER seen Joe as nervous as he was. He was quiet and serious- totally focused but not in a "Joe Gambles way". I loved every minute of the race- I spent the day with Nick and Mark at Trek, the crew at K-Swiss, Wattie, Mike Dibens, Melissa Sherman, and a few others. What a great race it was- Joe came in the second group out of the swim, 1:30 behind the leaders. He quickly caught up to the lead group of 6 guys and with 20k to go, went for it. He got the bike premium ($2.5k!!) and created a leading gap of 1:45!!! Go Joe!! Onto the run, Gambles gave it all he could and managed to stay in the lead up to the 5-mile mark!! Most athletes, going that hard on the bike, usually blow up on the run and finish slowly. Joe held his ground, running a 74minute half marathon and finishing 4th!!! His best result yet at 70.3 World Champs! I am so so proud of him, the risk he took on the bike, and his determination to stick with it and finish strong. You can read his race report (when he posts it!): http://www.joe-gambles.com. Julie Dibens finished 8th (this was her 3rd World Championship race in 6 weeks this 2010 season. Julie has had an outstanding year!! You can read her hilarious race report at: http://juliedibens.com/.

The afterparty- well, it was nothing short of greatness. I think I danced me head off and had a blast. JUST what the doctor ordered. I LOVE DANCING. Especially with friends!! :)

Off to Costa Rica- a last-minute trip to an incredible place! Oh the adventures to come!!

sometimes a simple quote changes your perspective of your "situation".

2010-10-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

This is such a great quote from a show that I L-O-V-E, "Brothers&Sisters"- on ABC on Sunday Nights- it comes on at 9pm (mountain time). Truth be told, I actually pulled this quote from my sister's blog (www.twelveohsixam.blogspot.com) but it hits ME hard when I apply it to my life. If it affected my sister in HER life, me in MY life- it's gotta hit a spot in YOUR life. So read it. I promise- it's long- but it's stinking good.

"You're grieving not only for what you lost, but for the life you had envisioned. You're grieving the future; for all of the plans and dreams you had in your head. Now that's all gone. There is this wonderful saying, "You have to give up the life you've planned to find the life that's waiting for you." All our lives we grow by giving up things. By loss, by moving on. Big Things, little ones. How we handle those losses really defines who we are.

All you need is a place where you can talk out loud; where you can hear what you really think. What YOU think. What you want to do and what you don't want to do. And you'll know when it's time to move on.

If you don't acknowledge and feel it, it will never get out of your way. Unacknowledged feelings are like a drunken cousin at a family reunion; they never shut up so you can hear anyone else and you have to be able to hear what's next in your life, what path you might want to travel down. You have to be able to see what's there, what's right there, right in front of your eyes."

SO....you changed your thinking yet?? Go ahead, read it again.

Anyone have any thoughts on the quote you want to share?? I know I'm working on a response to that quote. Whether I share that with y'all remains to be seen on this blog...I have a good feeling it may.

Joe Gambles- 2010 Ironman Wisconsin Champion

2010-10-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I can't upload this youtube video onto my blog, so just click on the link below...maybe tomorrow I'll have another go at it. Enjoy- Joe produced this himself (I think he did an amazing job!)- it's 6minutes but really encapsulates the whole race day experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwOEubY154o

Oh wratz. ...wait...is it a blessing in disguise?

2010-10-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

At one point in each of our lives, we've heard it-- “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” So what do you do when life's been giving you lemons and you've ignored it and continued using limes...until the limes run out and you have to face the lemons. What happens then? ...I'm at that point now and I've been struggling with coming to that reality. And wham! No more limes. Time to face the lemons.

Am I being cryptic? Absolutely. But rather than sparing you the details I'll give you the short version- I need to take some time off from training to get my hormone levels and iron levels back up to normal. I've been banging my head against a brick wall and I close to breaking- and we don't want THAT to happen!

I've been seeing an awesome doctor here in Boulder- who's taking a 360 look at my health and getting me back to the original Mary Miller, which I haven't really been the spunky, energetic all.the.time. self that I used to know and love. I can target it to the end of 2008 when I started to feel this way- and of course, I would talk myself out of feeling the way I feel. I was a professional- I should be tired. I was training 6 hours of the day. Right? No. There was always a little voice in my head reminding me every day, every month, and every season- that there was something not right with the way I was feeling (at the start, middle, and end of workouts). FINALLY, after an organ malfunctioning, that was my "last lime", and I had to face the lemons.

So now I'm making lemonade. I am looking beyond what I was confined to-- the training walls of Boulder and mentality of going going going- going on inside my own head. I am taking 5 weeks to hang out with me myself and I- getting healthy, recovering, reminding myself of my brain and using it on new projects that are super cool. WOW- hello world! Is that YOU out there?? I'm discovering something MORE than just triathlon. I am discovering different parts of me that I've forgotten about and I like me!

There are blessing disguised as disasters or disappointments. Does that make me WISER? I don't know. But what I do know is that I am relaxed about this down time. I need it. And I don't want to be here next year complaining that something is still wrong.

Thank you God for challenging me and making ME wake up and smell the roses. Thank you for reminding me that I am NOT in control and I am not superhuman.

Now - go drink that lemonade I poured for you. It's delish. x

A mix of randomness. what's new with you?

2010-10-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

This blog originally started as an email to my sister...somehow starting blogs are much easier when I feel I am writing to someone because I know they'll respond. And you never do. Totally ok- you're not supposed to- but it is easier to initially start out as a letter TO someone; it gets me writing. Enjoy- it's pretty random:

I'm going to see social network tonight! I am going with Vincent (code name for one of my besties here in Boulder. HINT: she won IM Kona this year. So proud of her too.) There is a group of us but- I'm quite happy to be social this evening. Today- I had 2, yep, TWO gluten free, massive brownies that were, like, half-baked with gooey centers. I bought it from vitamin cottage. WHY AM I HAVING THIS? you may ask yourself, well, I don't know. I have no reason too. I have not done any workouts that say "go ahead and eat what you want" but I thought- yep, today is the day I will indulge...and that I did. Now I have a tummy ache. oh boo.

Pandora channel of today: ADEM RADIO. I am listening to it as I am writing this to you. It's easy, bluegrassy-type music. I love the song on right now. Hold on, let me check who it is. Oh. Kite Flying Society titled: "Groundflower"- have you heard of them? They're pretty good.

I am in Barnes&Noble- I've been here for a couple of hours now- while the Gambles is swimming and gyming. I am banned from the gym (I can't trust myself NOT to workout). So I've gone to a bookstore. The books sitting on my table, that I am thinking about buying, are: THRIVE (Brendan Braizier); The New Rules of Marketing & PR (David Meerman Scott); Lit (Mary Karr). Anyone read those books? Should I buy them? I figure it's a good mix of reads- one pertaining to my life as an athlete (Thrive), one pertaining to keeping up with the new age of marketing, and one for a good read on growing up (Lit).

Man, I love this Pandora Station. It's the mood I'm in right now- super CHILL. I like. No- I love it. I wish time would slow down.

I am looking at flights to come home to Maine. Mid-December? I want to spend time in Boston and do fun things like: go ice skating on the Boston Common, I want to get together with Claire (ppppPoison) and you- maybe do a Yoga Weekend and go on some crazy runs- let's make some memories. I want to see my old friends from Arnold. I miss them. I look back to 2002-2006 with a lot of great memories. Can we plan something when I stay in Boston?

Book I am reading now? My cousins, Ali and Molly (LOVE you guys) gave me "The Help" (Kathryn Stockett) for my 30th (am I REALLY 30? REALLY???).

What to do...well, I bought the books. All THREE of them. I never do that. Is that a splurge or what. What is going with me today? I need to find something to do with my time. A job. I am looking for a job. Fill up these next 5 weeks and beyond. Distraction control. Figure it out, Miller.

Enough of the randomness. Off to Forresst Yoga with my friend, miss viggy2 (she doesn't know this but I've logged her in my phone as Viggy2 because she is the younger of the Viger twins). ...Random. Again.

Goodbye- enjoy this day people. Make the most of it- like it was your last!

John and Kristin Supsic's Wedding.

2010-09-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

September 18, 2010. What a gorgeous wedding and I am SO SO happy for both John and Kristin!! Have a look at the pics- I wish I could put all of them up here but alas- you'd be overwhelmed (AND the sizing is all off...). The wedding took place in Chautauqua Park in Boulder; the reception was at the Rembrandt Yard- downtown Boulder right off of Pearl Street (the "place to be" here in Boulder). We had SO much fun- dancing the night away with good friends and, of course, John and Kristin. THE Kay Miller was here to celebrate- and man, that was awesome because I wasn't embarrassed when I had the urge to dance as soon as the music came on...

Enjoy the pics- have an awesome day!

Vampire Weekend! What a concert!!

2010-09-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer, Gambles and I were looking through the Red Rocks Summer Concert List and found two of our favorite artists playing the same week: Ray LaMontagne (along with David Gray) and Vampire Weekend (along with the Dum Dum Girls and Beach House). "Joy! Let's get em!" and without thinking- we made the purchase. It was going to be awesome as it was my birthday week- ehem, my 30th BIRTHDAY WEEK, and Joe's friend from Tassie, Jarrod, was here that week too. Well wow. That week was exhausting! Red Rocks was jam packed Monday night for the Ray LaMontagne concert- we were out until 12:30am and that was mostly traffic driving to and from the concert. Friday was the Vampire Weekend and we made plans to get there SUPER early. People- I am talking AMAZING. The best seats (about 20 rows back and center)- the place was nearly empty when we arrived. Primo parking, great seats, a Whole Foods dinner while we waited, and late summer weather. And we were home by 11pm. A perfect night.

Vampire Weekend was as good- if not better- than their sound on their albums. If you EVER have an opportunity to go- GO! The group is fantastic and you will be entertained and on your feet the whole time (even if you don't know their songs!!). Talk about a breath of fresh air.

Thank you Joe Gamles- I had the best night. xx

And Vossssey- so so glad you are in town. It wouldn't have been the same with you too.

What a birthday treat!

Here are some photos and a video of the concert.

Giving up the Gun (Vampire Weekend)- just a tidbit of it!! Enjoy!

Round 1: The Faceoff. Dibens vs Carfrae

2010-09-02T16:55:00.000-07:00

Well folks- it was a race of all races today! Julie Dibens (the Dibens) challenged Mirinda Carfrae (Rinny/Rinsta/Vince) to a swim race at Flatirons Athletic Club. 100 meter challenge. The Dibens had to do the backstroke (her stroke in college at LSU) and Rinsta had to swim freestyle (with a non-swimming background, this basketball player is the fastest at the freestyle). No speedsuits. A dive start. Thursday, September 2nd. 10am. Boulder, CO. Game on.

Enjoy the video- it was an awesome race! The Rinsta fired it up and had the Dibens by a stroke. (good thing we caught it on camera!!) NEXT RACE: TBD. 4-5 days before World Champs. Kona, HI. Time and Place: TBD.

the big 3-0. am i now in my dirty 30's? a look back on my 20s.

2010-08-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

What the heck people?! I can't believe I am almost 30. 30?! I pictured my life WAY different than what it is- which isn't a bad thing-- it's just, wow- I never thought I'd be where I am...and I love that about my life. Even though it is nothing close to where/what I had imagined I would be doing...I am so so happy.

I decided to GOOGLE "things to do before you are 30" just to see if I am anywhere close to what the internet considers, living your life, and I am surprised to see that all of the to-do's in the 20's have been checked. I guess I am one, cool, chick. :) Here is the link to the article: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/advice/19990531a.asp. My comments/memories are below each "requirement". Enjoy.

The things to accomplish during your 20s fulfill a few requirements:

Doing your youth when you're young. There's nothing more embarrassing than some 50-year-old with his thinning gray hair pulled into a ponytail trying to re-live his youth. Get it out of your system now.

No regrets. If you do the silly stuff when you are young, then later you won't regret what you might have missed.

Good stories. Have some good times now, so you can regale your children with tales of your crazy youth.

Growing up. The point of your 20s is to reach your 30s -- and by then, people will really be expecting you to act like a grown-up....yeah right. 30 is SO the new 20. BUt in part, it's true...so, you will need some experiences to teach you how to get there.

Don't panic: You can be hip when you're older -- it's just a different kind of hip. You'll understand when you get there.

1. Drive a wickedly cool car, even if you have to rent it. "Wickedly cool" is defined as any car that turns heads on the streets. They say life is a journey and you should enjoy the ride. CHECK. I’ve been in some COOL cars in my 20s- my dad’s 2000 Spider Fiat (which I drive every time I am home at my parents); a navy blue Jaguar convertible in London- down to Portabella Market one Saturday morning (I thought I was SO cool); a Bentley in West Hollywood, CA; and numerous other cars that I thought were wickedly cool...R32s, BMW convertible, Porsche-- I’ve driven some awesome rides!!!

2. Date against type. Better yet, date somebody "dangerous." Waking up tied to a bed with a person who has more tattoos than brains will give you stories to regale other members of the old-age home in your dotage. Also, dating "dangerous" types will make you realize what jerks they are -- and make you less likely to pass up a lifelong love affair with someone you're really compatible with. Ummm...Check. Yup- I have gone on dates with some interesting and different characters- all of whom helped me land a pretty awesome Australian...none other than the Gambles. ;)

3. See the world. It's much easier to do when you're 22 and footloose than 35 with two bawling babies in your backpack. Seeing the world will broaden your horizons and make you a more interesting person. Plus interesting and funny things happen when you travel -- and remember, your 20s are your time to live the stories that you'll be telling for the rest of your life. CHECK PLUS. I have been all over the world and all over the states- I studied in London for a semester in 2001 and traveled much of Europe and parts of Africa. Now, with triathlon, I travel all over the United States and Australia and even in Europe. I haven’t been to Asia- but hey, I’d enjoy that much more when I am in my 30s, right?? :)

4. Live in a cool place. Maybe a loft in a trendy neighborhood "in transition," maybe just camped out on the beach in your van. I'm fond of the six months I lived on a sailboat when I was 25. Just think: no air conditioning, a lousy bathroom, mildew and lack of privacy. Yet everyone thought I was living some glamorous life. CHECK. I’ve lived in South Kensington (London) in a small flat; I’ve lived in Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA for 3 years- in the best neighborhoods (Beacon Hill, North End, Newbury Street); Maine (well, there’s no place like Maine- especially my parents house!); Boulder, CO for the last 5 yrs; Gold Coast, Australia; Noosa, Australia; Launceston, Tasmania; Santa Monica, CA-- you’d think I was a bag-a-bon but truly- with the sport I do- training camps are long and there are always different places to travel/live for a period of time. My favorite place to live though...BOULDER, CO. I can’t get enough of this place.

5. If you're going to drink a lot, do it when you're young. Getting sick on cheap white wine after 30 is pretty pathetic. Young drunks sometimes get away with being "cute," though you may still have a lot of apologizing to do. Get this experimentation out of your system and you'll appreciate finer spirits when you get older. CHECK. Definitely in my early 20s. I am not much of a drinker/party gal... but I have had a handful of pretty awesome nights where I’ve apologized for how silly I was the night before...

6. Take risks with your job. I've noticed that most people end up changing direction in their careers after their 20s anyway, so, take the time to figure out what you want to do. There will be time enough to be a cubicle drone later. CHECK PLUS. At 25, I left my job in Boston- in advertising to pursue a dream...something I had no idea if I would even competitive at-- move to Boulder and become a triathlete- full time- and have a shot at the Olympics and the World Championships. Risky. Yes. Absolutely. I am still living the dream and steps closer to making it a reality. Looking back 5 years ago...yup. I've made a HUGE career change.

7. Do something physically adventurous. And do it OUTSIDE! No one will ever be remembered for playing Nintendo or watching every single episode of "Friends." Enjoy your body while you're young, push it to its limits -– soon enough, you'll watch your muscles turn to flab and your rear end inflate like a rubber raft. I'll say YES to this one- my whole life. I have been blessed to grow up with a family who is physically adventurous. We grew up hiking, exploring, camping, sailing, canoeing, running, climbing, rafting-- you name it, our fam has done it. Now, in Boulder. It's hard to be lazy. With the job I have now (triathlon) and living in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains...it's hard to not be physically adventurous.

8. Take your parents to dinner. You'll probably have to struggle with your dad about paying the check, but this is one of those grown-up things to do. It gives you a chance to show your parents that you are an equal and that you are responsible. It's also a chance to show your appreciation for all those dinners they bought over the years. One of my FAVORITE things is treating my parents. I love them so so much. It may not be a full, blown out dinner (though I have done that once)- it is taking them to coffee, or to lunch, or spending time with them when I am home, or even- taking time during the day to call and find out what they are up to during the day. I've found that it's the relationships that we create and nurture in our lives that mean the most.

9. Do volunteer work. You may be broke, but you can give your sweat and earnestness to a cause in which you believe. In addition to improving your world, you can allow yourself to be exposed to others in the world. I love that the author of this list included volunteer work. In my 20s (especially mid 20s when I worked with VW and events) we did a lot a volunteer work. Not only did I work occasionally at the soup kitchens in Boston (thank you cousin Ali and Scotty), the VW Force of Good Tour in 2005 did a ton of volunteer work across the country. We worked with Habitat for Humanity, The Ronald McDonald House in different cities, cleaning up public parks, helping schools out and cleaning up schools and neighborhoods. We did a TON of work for 3 months. It was humbling and eye-opening- and I learned so much about how to truly love others and to GIVE.

10. Use this decade to go to extremes. Climb the tallest mountain you can find. Picnic at midnight. Learn to sail. Talk to strangers. Road trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Take a midnight drive to the beach -– then stick around for dawn. CHECK CHECK CHECK!!! Those of you who know me...know that I am good at this. I love doing spontaneous, adventurous, crazy, romantic, exciting, thrilling things. The list would be long- but I will save that for my own diary and share that with you over a coffee. :)

People, the 20s were pretty fun. But in NO WAY do I think this means the rest of my life will be a drag. In reality...my life is just beginning!!! My aim now is to take advantage of what you have: energy, idealism, enthusiasm, a willingness to experiment, a lack of encumbrances, a desire to learn and grow. I'm looking forward to my 30s...holy smokes- imagine what's in store!?! I am so excited to see the hard work of my 20s, begin to pay off for me in my 30s.

Happy Birthday ... to ME!! (well...I still have 24 hours til my bday...I better live it up!!)

TIMBERMAN 70.3 RACE NUTRITION

2010-08-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gents....listen up. I am telling you- whether you are a triathlete or a runner or just a recreational athlete (whatever you are)...hydration and nutrition is SO important. The following blog is about my Timberman Race Nutrition. This is something that I have been trying to really focus on and figure out as my training days get longer AND my races get longer. 4+ hours is a lot different than a 2 hour race!!

Timberman 70.3 Triathlon

My “First Endurance” race day nutrition report:

4:05 am WAKE UP

4:15 am Breakfast (Race start time was 6:32 for the pro women):

Bagel- gf

light cream cheese (smeared)

1 glass water

1 water bottle first endurance - fruit punch

10′ before swim start: gu chomps blueberry

Bike: 1 32 oz bottle with 2 scoops of First Endurance EFS fruit punch drink, 6 hits of First Endurance Vanilla Liquid Shot every 20min. At mile 25 and 45 I grabbed a bottle of water and refilled my aero drink bottle. The weather was overcast- a bit humid. I wanted to make sure I got in as much fluid as possible as I have a tendency to sweat no matter what the weather conditions are like race day.

Run: The weather was still overcast and started spitting rain as I started the run course. By the end of the first lap, it was pouring. On the first lap- every other aid station I grabbed water. I didn’t take in any liquid shot as I felt pretty good for the first 10k- I was focused and running well. I did start to feel mentally low on the 2nd lap, the final lap. I took a hit of the First Endurance Vanilla Liquid Shot just before an aid station and followed it up with water. I immediately felt better and was able to refocus and felt the energy come back. The final 5k, I took a swig of flat coke and water and finished strong.

This was my best run of the year so far (averaging 7min miles) for 1/2 ironman. I was thrilled that I had no cramping or GI distress. I do feel as though I can hone in on my nutrition and hydration a bit more- and really nail it. What I loved about First Endurance is that it is simple. I know, without a doubt, that my race nutrition is 100% covered in the products (the EFS Drink and the Liquid Shot) I use in a race (all the amino acids, electrolytes, and minerals)-- all I need to do is remember to use them!

Thank you First Endurance- your stuff works!

TImberman...making it there on time.

2010-08-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

Jarrod Vos (videographer skillz)- Kay Miller, Mike Dibens, Kate Miller-- "drafting" to Timberman race start. You'll see my dad behind trying to make the "lead pack" (sprinting). Hysterical. I just get a kick outta this video!

east coast...here i come!

2010-08-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

There is so much to look forward to this week. Tomorrow, I fly back east to race Ironman 70.3 Timberman on Sunday, August 22nd. It's going to be a busy day, tomorrow; but by 5pm, I will be sitting on the plane at DIA and jet-setting over to Beantown only to be picked up by my younger sis...my twin, Kay Miller, who will be zipcar-ing it up ...hopefully driving in style (a BMW? hint hint). Someone else is coming back with me too...the Gambles. Yup! First time. Joe is coming home with me to see Maine, my family, and to also race this weekend. His best mate from Tasmania, Jarrod, will be joining us as well. I haven't seen Jarrod since February and this is his first time being in the USA during the summer months. Especially Maine, Boston, and Boulder- my top 3 places in the US for sure. There will be so much to do and see and explore! I am also looking forward to spending time with not only my sister, Kay, but also my parents and my brother. I can't seem to get enough of them- they are the best. It's gonna be MILLER TIME! Wahoooo! People- beware. Seriously. Friday, Kay and I will be having a BBQ and CANDLES celebration- a small get together to celebrate our birthdays- turning 30. I can not wait to have a group of my close friends and people which have known my sister and I for a long time- whom I haven't seen in a long time- it's going to be like a massive reunion! ...this also reminds me- I have blog I will be posting about turning 30 and the checklist for the 20s were fulfilled, etc. So- in other words- my schedule is massively busy the next few days and now...my eyes are fading...I'll write more later! MAINE MAINE....HERE I COME! ps- can't WAIT to see you KayBay. xoxoxo

you gotta read my sister's blog titled: Faith is born in the dark.

2010-07-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

This ecxerpt from my sister, Kay Miller's blog just spoke to my heart...thanks for helping me keep believing, Kay!! Have a read through the whole article- it'll bring up emotions you may have forgotten were there...it did for me!

"To believe in something that is not seen, but that could be. To lower yourself into the canyon, to do something you never thought you could do, to move in a direction you never thought you could go, to know that no matter what, you didn’t just sit down. Find a way. That takes courage. It's faith. Sometimes you’ve got to just grab your rope, and decide to move. Because you know what? You just never know:)" -kay miller

Cha Cha Cha CHIA!

2010-07-02T11:58:00.001-07:00

Check out this article on Chia Seeds- seriously people. Chia is an easy and FAST way to get you healthy and living life the way it's meant to be lived...

http://www.integratedhealth.com/hpdspec/chia.html

You can buy Chia Seeds in bulk for super cheap at Vitamin Cottage. If you aren't close to a Vitamin Cottage, you can order them online at http://www.vitamincottage.com/ and type in "chia" on the advanced search.

Let me know what y'all think!!

Mary's Green Tip of the Month: SECONDHAND is the way to go?

2010-07-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

SECONDHAND is the way to go? by: Mary Miller

Posted by Bruce in Uncategorized |Edit

In my advertising days, I wanted new stuff all the time– I’d turn my nose up to “used stuff”– I’d spend the extra money on something brand-spanking new, use it/wear it for MAYBE a year and be onto the next new thing. My old stuff…well, I’d throw it out or store it away (packrat anyone??). When I moved to Boulder in 2006 and since then, I’ve been more conservative with my money- understanding where it went and how it was spent. The new, new, newness of items seemed almost foolish. When I became more aware of the environmental costs of making products…buying new ALL the time wastes so much energy. If knowledge combined with action equals wisdom…I am a wiser consumer…SECONDHAND is the way to go.

Next time you’re in the market for something new, consider secondhand stuff! Remember- if it is new to you, it’s still new! And by buying used merchandise, you are helping reduce the environmental costs associated with the manufacturing and distribution of new products.

Check out your local consignment, thrift, and secondhand retailers to find all kinds of treasures: furniture, housewares, clothing, artwork, jewelry. For those of you into triathlon– THE PROs CLOSET (theproscloset.com) is an awesome resource for used triathlon gear (and it’s quality stuff people).

Make the rounds at community tag sales, or find used items for sale online at places like eBay and craigslist. Better yet- register online at Freecycle and items for free!!

Enjoy your day!! Have fun shopping!!

Valium. Vicodin. Clindamycin. Peredex. 800mg Ibuprofen.

2010-06-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

Yup. Those are the drugs I've been on this week. I had surgery on my mouth on Tuesday and have been pretty out of it all this week. I had surgery on one of my top molars- there was a golf ball size infection above my 2nd from the back, top molar. Five years ago it, I had a root canal done and it was done improperly...causing my fighter cells (white blood cells/antibodies) have been fighting the "foreign object" in my bone (the post from the root canal that was improperly placed) for about 5 years. Last year, I had a crown placed on it- knowing that the tooth wasn't healthy but we (my awesome, new dentist) were going to try and save it. No luck. In March, I had an abscess that started out small and I won't gore you with the details. When I came back from Australia and went to the dentist's office, they took an xray and it showed that I had severe bone loss around that tooth and an infection was in it's place. Apparently, I had a high tolerance for pain!!?! I immediately went on antibiotics and the abscess went away. In April- the abscess came back 2x bigger and had a heartbeat!! It was painful to try and train, race, train, train, train. I was put on the antibiotics again-- and tried to race and train and be normal with the antibiotics. Everything suffered. It wasn't until 2 weeks ago that I went into the dentist (after 4 weeks of medication- and it wasn't working) and we decided the tooth needed to come out. ASAP. I cried. I thought it was my fault. I mean, man, what the heck- I have had so much trouble with this tooth and have spent MANY hours in the dentist's chair trying to get on top of caring for my teeth. Dr Perry assured me that there was nothing I could have done to prevent my body fighting the "foreign object" up above the root of my tooth. I cried more. I called my dad (who has been there, done that)- he reassured me that it was going to be fine and I'd be a lot better than what I was going through right now!! "Think about it, Mooozers," he said. "The infection above your tooth is hurting your body and your body is your job (triathlon- the training and the racing). Right now- that infection is in your blood, your white blood cells are focused on maintaining that rather than getting you ready for your next session and your next race." FINALLY, I smiled. Yep. The tooth had to come out.

Dr Perry referred me to Dr Gomez- one of the nicest oral surgeons I've ever met (and I've met a few dentists, etc in my past). I trusted Dr Perry- if HE trusted Dr Gomez, so did I.

Monday night, Joe and I went to Lark Burger (pretty good burger joint) and went to the movies. On our way home, I started my drugs...Valium. I've never had ANY of these drugs- even when I had my wisdom teeth out- I refused to have the drugs- I knew I could suffer through it.... well, this surgery was a little more serious...and I was going to be AWAKE for it so I wanted to make sure I was relaxed and ready for the surgery ahead. The valium knocked me out- I was WOOOOZY. :) It was funny- I slept like a baby that night. The next day, I began another round of antibiotics and more valium. uuughh.. I was super relaxed going into surgery on Tuesday. Whew. The gals at the front desk of Dental Health of Boulder and Dr Perry gave me a huge hug before I went into the surgery and assured me I was going to be fine. The surgery went smoothly- I had Bose headphone and I brought my iPod- I wanted to listen to my brother's CD- to hear a comforting voice. I listened to his CD twice and the surgery was done. I was all stitched up, the infection was out AND my tooth- and now- recovery and drugs. I thanked Dr Gomez- he said I was his nicest client. :) I smiled (I probably looked so silly). He also said the infection was worse than he thought- and he needed to rebuild part of my palate and my bone- with bone grafts...yikes. WOW- I had no idea. He said I'd feel MUCH better once everything healed. I don't remember much of anything else-- Joe's been great- he drove me to and from the dentist's office. He's taken care of me as well as the Dibens' and especially Lucky. The week flew by with a lot of swelling, pain, eating jello, trying not to spit blood, and, of course- drugs. I'm off the Valium and the Vicodin. ugh- they made me feel so much LESS alive.

It's Sunday (Happy Father's Day! I LOVE YOU DAD!) and today is the first day I actually FEEL better. The swelling has gone down- no more chipmunk face. THANK YOU LORD! Here's some pictures of the day before the surgery, the day after the surgery, and yesterday-- actually- I look quite normal now-- still a little loopy and some pressure inside the mouth... but at least I look normal.

All3Sports

2010-06-16T12:39:00.001-07:00

PEOPLE. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. Don't forget to get all your triathlon needs at all3sports.com and use MILLERREF to get a 15% off any and all purchases!!! Thanks to all3sports and Morgan Clark!!

The EXPAND Duck Race.

2010-05-31T17:45:00.000-07:00

Every year on Memorial Day, Boulder is bumpin with things to do. It's the Boulder Creek Festival weekend- one of Boulder's biggest events! It's kind of "our" unofficial way of saying, BRING ON SUMMER! (I say "our" because I am now a Boulder local...well, for the most part. :)). Three days of festivities including events, activities, food and entertainment- mostly local artisans and shops sharing and giving to the community- it's an awesome weekend to be a part of. I met up with my dear, dear friend, Joe Fallon at Saxys (one of he best coffee shops here in Boulder), accompanied by my favorite dog in Boulder, Lucky. For a while we walked up the boulder creek path and chatted about my previous race, BolderBoulder 10k race, exciting things going on, and plans for the big weekend ahead. I kept throwing the frisbee for Lucky and realized she is a great dog to have in crowded places because ALL she cared about was the frisbee and me. On our way back down in to the festival area, Joe Fal told me about this duck race that the city of Boulder has done for over 20 years- how they dump thousands of rubber duckies into the Boulder Creek from the bridge on 9th street and the finish line was right next to the Boulder Library (just about 200 meters). The EXPAND Duck Race is a benefit for the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation's EXPAND program. The Exciting Programs Adventures and New Dimensions (EXPAND) program helps people who have disabilities improve and gain new recreation and leisure skills that will enhance participants' overall well being and their quality of life. What a great cause!!! Joe Fallon and I purchased a couple rubber duckies (with numbers on it). How exciting. 4pm on Memorial Day. Awesomeness.

Awesomeness did not happen on this day for me. As you can see from the photo above, I think my duckie was up at the top of the net- by the time it got down to the water, the first duck crossed the line. WHATEVER (hehe- that's my competitiveness coming out for ya).

All in all- a great race and a great cause. Happy Memorial Day!!

Memphis in May

2010-05-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

Who would have thunk it'd be steaming hot in tennessee? i mean, seriously. I knew I was in the deep south, the bible-belt of the usa, the hot and humid section of states but, come on, it was May, it's springtime. It couldn't be THAT hot, could it? It can. And it was. Record high temperatures were logged in the books last weekend. I flew into Nashville on Friday afternoon - the race was in Memphis but looking at the airfare differences and the bike charges, etc. surprisingly, it was actually cheaper to fly into Nashville, rent a car, and drive down 3 hours to Memphis. The drive was beautiful- I got to see the countryside during sunset- big rolling hills, full green trees, and that warm air. Ahhh, so nice. It reminded me of summer nights when I was a kid.

Getting into Memphis and getting to bed was my main goal as the clock ticked 9:30pm... the drive was a lot easier than I thought. Local Natives, Florence and the Machine, Jonsi, and my brother- PETE MILLER were my choices of music and made the drive so easy and so fast. When I arrived at my homestay's house in Overton Park (just on the outskirts of downtown Memphis)- Larry (aka Wolfman) and Barbara had chocolate chips cookies ready for me and my bed prepared for me to fall into and sleep. And boy, did I sleep.

Saturday went pretty smoothly, some pre-race stuff and the pro meeting. The race actually took place in Millington, TN. Since I traveled alone, it was nice to be on my own schedule- to be able to do things on my own time and have a quiet afternoon/evening to prepare for the race. Hydration was key. It was about 90 degrees most of the day and I was sweating like a pig. Boulder has had a chilly spring- I think most of my runs have been with a jacket and 3/4 pants, arm warmers, knee warmers, and a full winter kit on most of my rides and runs. Yeah...not ready for the heat that Sunday would bring but...it's coming to all of us that were racing- we each would have to deal with the heat.

Sunday morning was a weird morning. My race didn't start until 10:30am. The age groupers race started at 6:45am- the idea behind that was to have all the age groupers done so they all could all watch the pros race. I woke up at 7am, went for my pre-race warmup in the neighborhood I was staying, checked my bike, packed it up in the car, ate a leisurely breakfast, and headed out at 8:45am for a 45min drive to the race. I felt pretty calm- excited to race, looking forward to see how I'd go. Yeah- it was HOT but man, I was excited to give my best effort and see where I surface! Pre-race went smoothly (I had rehearsed pre-race to the end of the race in my mind over and over and felt confident) and before I knew it, it was 10:15am. Karen Smyers and I were joking about how people were going to get a kick out of watching us all suffer out there on the course...at that time, I just wanted to start the race!!

The way the Memphis in May Triathlon works is a time trial start so rather than the pros all going off together, we start 10 seconds apart. The men and the women were staggered off of each other- numbering from 1 to 40. I was number 19. 3min after the official start, it was my turn- 10 9 8 7 6 5...GO! And I was off! I had practiced my start- being aggressive to the first buoy, sighting properly and catching the guy in front of me-- well, at least trying. I had a good swim, catching the guy behind me's feet and swimming a 19:55!! 19:55!!!?! That's the best swim I've had to date!! All I was thinking towards the end of the swim was “nail the transition, miller. do it. do it.” My transition was lightening fast- I was 2nd fastest with a 1:01. On the bike- I had practiced with Dibens on going as hard as I could and enjoying "the hurt...which only means I’m going FAST...” I constantly tried to stay in that moment as long as possible. I definitely didn’t ri

de to what I am capable of riding but it’s all part of the process and it makes me hungry for the next race. The heat of the day was upon us towards the final 5k of the bike- it was warmmmm.

My aero helmet isn’t the most ventilated piece of equipment and I began to realize this when water...sweat was dripping down the front of my helmet and onto my sunnies. I tried to finish both of my water bottles before the end of the bike- but the one with electrolyte in it was hard to get down as I started having throw-up burps and felt a bit wooosie after each sip. I should have know then that I’d have a long run in front of me! Getting into transition, I had practiced over and over getting off my bike and having another fast transition onto the run. And just as I had practiced and imagined-- it happened. Man, the mind is a powerful tool, isn’t it? On to the run- ok, it’s hot. I know this. It’s also middle of the day, no wind, and no shade. I immediately tried to take a self-evaluation of myself to see how I was doing physically and surprisingly, I felt ok (straight out of transition...). As I got out onto the main road- I saw first place just about 400 meters up the road. I had a shot at winning- I just gotta get my run on! Come on legs, come on!!! And then, the director (my body) says “cut!” and the show is over. No matter how much I tried to get going, it felt as if I was backwards. The gal in front of me seemed so far away- I wasn’t putting any time into her. What was happening to my body?? It was so hot- all I wanted was water, ice, something to cool down my feet and my head. My fast run out of transition now turned into something a little more than a shuffle. I was in survival mode. It was at least 96 out- I was hot- too hot. “Just finish, Mare.” I thought to myself. I was relieved to see the turn around at 5k but man, I think I was running slower than 8min miles (which is GREAT for some but for me...not so good). I attempted to push a bit more on the way back, just to negative split if possible and I was getting along a bit better than on the way out. I saw the girls in front of me- I was now securing 5th place. And with 200 meters left, I tried to sprint through the finish line but again, only a shuffle came out of it. DONE! I did it. Somehow, the medical staff came straight over to me and directed me towards the med tent...uh oh. I can only imagine what I looked like- I guess I came through the finish line pale, not sweating, and unbalanced. Yikes! I was forced to try and drink some gatorade and some water. I did. Five minutes later- I was throwing everything in my stomach up- I was not feeling good. I started shaking and had goosebumps. IV time!! 2 bags later and a rectal temp check, I was feeling violated and much better all at the same time. Whew!

What a race. You know what, though- I was satisfied. I finished- this was one of the hardest races for me- the heat, a mid morning start, a timetrial-type race start...it was a great experience and I came away with a lot of positives!! I had done the best I could given the circumstances and it just wasn’t my day to win....BUT my day is coming, people! I just know it. Back to the training!! Gotta keep focused and positive!

A special thanks to First Endurance (keeping me hydrated as best as I could be for this race!!), all3sports (I love my QR!), LG (for my aero aero helmet!), Brooks Running, AquaSphere (speedy fast swim in the speed suit!), Smith (keeping me shaded), and A Fit Planet, BBCH (your support means the world...well, the green world. :)).

a 1st place finish in the women open relay and 4th place overall!

2010-05-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

I know- you are sitting at the edge of your seats wondering what happened on Sunday...at the Colfax Marathon in Denver, CO. Just from the title, you now know we WON our category (women's open category) but we also were 4th relay team overall. 3 men's groups finished ahead of us but only beating us by a mere 10 minutes over a 26.2 mile course- that's pretty good I'd say! We had a great race- Andrea Vigor, Kristin Carpenter, Noelle Green, muah, and Bevin Thompson- we all pushed it the best we could and at altitude- we ran quite well! A special thanks to Steve Jones, Team BX, and Boulder Running Company for supporting us out there!!

Here are our official results:

http://www.coloradocolfaxmarathon.org/

OPENWME Boulder Express Ladies 4 1/66 2:48:30 6:26

Colfax Tomorrow!

2010-05-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

Good luck to all you racers doing the Colfax Marathon in Denver tomorrow morning! I will be running in the relay with my running gals representing the Boulder Express- so excited. It's going to be an early morning for sure- the race starts at 6am!! WOAH! That means a 4:30am wake up call for us Boulderites who are commuting to the race start early tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll have to cheat on my non-coffee days to get some caffeine in the system bright and early!

Off to bed- I'll report how Team BX does tomorrow afternoon. :)

what i'm loving NOW.

2010-05-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

i love my coaches and my teammates i train with day in and day out. they believe in me- who i am, what i am capable of and aren't afraid to push me and challenge me to be better than the day before.

i love my family, my friends and my life here in Boulder. i have met and have developed great friendships with others here- athletes, every-dayers, creative people, and old friends made new.

i love the challenges life is throwing at me- but my relationship with Christ keeps me grounded, focused, and confident that He who began a good work in me will perfect it. and man, i can't wait for that day!

i am loving my gear- Louis Garneau has fully geared me on my bike- i am happy and warm on these cool, spring days Boulder is dishn' out to us; my styling Smith glasses- yeah, i feel pretty most days. wink wink; my all3sports gear (the QR CD.01 tt is awesome); i heart my brooks T6's and RunnerST's- they make me fast and light; i am luvvving first endurance nutrition and cycling kit- so comfy. thank you thank you.

i LOVE that summer is right around the corner. i can't wait for long rides up in the mountains, early morning runs, scott carpenter pool- 50m opening, icing my legs in boulder creek, summer nights- laying under the big sky, pearl street, saxy's when it's hot and all i want is an iced chai/tea (you thought i'd say coffee...gotcha!), summer concerts, good friends, bbqs--- there's nothing not to love here in Boulder in the summer. for realz.

i love my Uggs on cold mornings and evenings here in Boulder. my feet feel cozy. i like.

so here's my "love list" for the month of MAY. :) enjoy people.

WORKOUT: Long run with tempo thrown into the mix. Learning how to pick up the pace in a longer run makes a HUGE difference in run fitness. I am loving this workout because it's hard and challenges me to focus and get after it! :)

MUSIC: i am loving Local Natives' new album, Gorilla Manor. it is awesome.

FOOD: Kale and Chia Seeds. Kale is a super food (check it: http://health.learninginfo.org/nutrition-facts/kale.htm). Chia seeds, well, friends! Chia seeds are fan-freakn-tastic for not only growing beautiful creatures (remember the 90s fad- Chia Pets?!) but good for you nutritionally (check it: http://www.thechiaseed.com/).

RECIPE:

Wilted Spinach Salad

ingredients: 6c of baby spinach; 10 kalamata olives, chopped; 4T mint, finely chopped; 1/4c red onion, finely chopped; feta cheese, crumbled; 2T apple cider vinegar; 6T olive oil, gently warmed on stovetop.

directions: spinach in a sald bowl. add all ingredients except olive oil and vinegar. toss thoroughly. add apple cider vinegar and toss again. gently heat the oil on the stove. if oil heats to a smoking temp- throw away and start again (you want to just ever so slightly heat it without changing the oil). drizzle oil over the salad and serve.

YUM!!!!

i gave up coffee.

2010-04-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

so...I have started working with my new sponsor, First Bite Kitchen and Dr Eloise Nelson (www.thepowerofchow.com) and one of the first things they had me do was to take a ph test of my salvia...to measure the acidity levels in my mouth. Awesome, right? So for one week, I'd wake up and immediately spit onto this little piece of colored paper that turned either dark green (which meant alkaline- good) or light green/yellow (which mean acidic- bad) and then I'd have 3 other tests during the day, after workouts, and before I'd go to bed. After the week, I think only ONCE I was alkaline and the majority of the time I was acidic. I won't bore you with all the details, etc (unless you want me to- because it's pretty cool)... but basically I went back to Eloise and shared this information with her and we went through my diet, etc. After 90 minutes of me staring wide-eyed, listening intently, and scribbling a ton of notes on a piece of paper... I walked away with a plan that I feel SO good about (mostly).

The good news? Not a lot of changes- I have pretty good nutrition- only minor adjustments (details, details, details!).

The bad news: get ready for it...........

I had to give up coffee. WHATTTTTT?! Forever ever? I'm not totally sure I could do it for life. What about my Dry, Skinny Cappuccino with a lot of foam??! Hellllo- that's like the love of my life. There is something about a big wide mug, that delish smell of coffee, tipping it back and getting a bit of foam on my nose and tasting that roasted, yummy taste of expresso...WHATTTT??

But. People. I did it. I am one week and 2 days into no coffee. Last week was TOUGH to get into hard workouts without that sweet life of caffeine in my blood...but I've come around!! AND I've expanded my knowledge of tea- buying in bulk and mixing a bunch of different tea leaves together...with caffeine too. :) So far so good...but man, do I miss my coffee... we'll see how long this'll last!

just another day...just another week melting in to another week...

2010-04-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

Getting back to Boulder was a pretty smooth and seamless effort. I did face the jetlag (waking up a 3am WIDE AWAKE and hitting an all time LOW at 10am was not that fun) and the altitude shock and fatigue when trying to go HARD but after a week of aerobic training, I was back into the groove again. I'm telling you though- it was especially tough coming from summer to late winter/spring. All winter, I was mostly in the least amount of clothes possible, I scoffed at the thought of wearing Uggs- "ridiculous". When my Air New Zealand flight landed in San Francisco and I called Julie Dibens to let her know I was on time and on my way to Denver- she warned me that it was snowing heavily and the roads were pretty bad, but she'd be there to pick me up. WAHAT? For realz? s-n-o-w? That word was so foreign to me...especially...where was I going to train? Do I have to get used to that kind of moisture again? noooooo way. I contemplated jumping on the return flight to Australia. But- as Boulder is- the snow didn't last long and the sun kissed my body in the pool and on the run in no time at all. And, of course, on an off-chance that I was outside at a coffee shop or after a workout, I had I soaked up as much sun as I could-- in as many clothes as possible-- perpetually cold. Seriously.

I have to admit it, I love where I live. I love Boulder- the town, the mountains, the trails, the roads, the respect for the lifestyle I choose to live, the organic grocery stores, the farmers markets, I love my running group, I love my coaches, I love my roomies-- I love my little car... do I need to say any more to convince you that I love it here? I do.

First week back I cautiously got back in training- it was my first true week of running again (after my 5 week no running due to a trail running fall in Australia...). Training just fit like a glove and I snapped straight into a routine. And when routine finds me, I zone out and just train, eat, nap, train, meet up with friends, sleep- and do it all over again the next day. Days become weeks and wow! it's already been a month since I've been back?! It's been good, you guys. I've been training pretty hard. There have certainly been days when I have woken up out of bed and wanted to just stay there. There have been moments where I have hurt so much, tears were coming out of my eyes. There have been sessions where I am so quiet beforehand because I am SO nervous for the workout. But you know what? I have proved to myself that facing fear is not at all as scary as I thought it was-- it's like a door, right? Fear may be written all over the door BUT all you have to do is open it and walk on through...and it's not as bad as you thought! So over the past few weeks I've upped the intensity and started preparing for St Anthony's... and right now my body is tired which means I've done some good work. Now a week before my first race and I am finding myself ready and looking forward to seeing where I am at in April 2010. :) It's gonna be fun!!

I'll keep you guys posted on how the race goes and I'll keep blogging away!! :)

April Fool's Day

2010-04-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

Growing up in a house where my father was the king of practical jokes, I was normally on the end of receiving the joke rather than playing the joke BUT I did learn a lot of great tricks and I've been keeping them up my sleeve for a rainy day...or April Fool's Day. I figured I needed to do something to SOMEONE- play a joke or make up something and fool someone... I spoke to my sister, Kay about what to do and who to do it to on this glorious, practical joke day. We went through different people and how they would respond to the lie or the joke (ehem- the Gambles, Jonesy, etc) and, yep, you guessed it- those jokes were too outrageous and too big of a lie that it'd be mean and not "Mary Miller"-like.

In the end... I came up with an awesome joke to play on my housemates, Mike and Julie Dibens. Check it: when we were all watching tv after dinner, I snuck into their room and short-sheeted their bedding!!! It was SO funny to hear the confusion from Julie when she tried to snuggle into bed and couldn't...and then: "MILLER, your dead meat!" was all I heard before a lot of laughing and threatening. ha! It was hysterical!! So far- she hasn't played any jokes on me...but I am still sleeping with one eye open. :) Happy April Fool's Day. Jokey Jokey.

a look back at the last 4 weeks.

2010-03-11T01:52:00.000-08:00

Noosa. 2010.

Some great things happened out here- it's been about 4 weeks- and I will leave Noosa stronger, faster, and fitter. No, I am probably not tanner (it has rained for several weeks now- like a lot. a lot) but I am ready to return to Boulder for another 5 weeks to focus on race-specific fitness so I can start my season at the end of April with confidence. But, it's been here in Noosa that I've met some fantastic people- nearly everyone (locals and athletes) are so nice and so helpful. I've become great friends with my european acquaintances-Mathias and Nicole (and Marc, Lukas, Valentina, Javier, Ricci, Omar, Rob, Jacqui, Lisbeth, AJ); closer with my aussies- Rinny (I mean, vince. i love ya like a sista), Belinda, Justin, Amanda, Luke, Neil, Johnny...man, am I forgetting someone?? (don't worry, GB- you're coming up); closer with my boulder friends, Greg and Laura- who knew? who knew how alike we are?!; and eb. bud- we're like brother and sister, aren't we? :) and miss Fletcher!! hello!?! long lost older sister. cerealy. It's been a fit, fast, and energistic training group to say the least... In Noosa, I've built up my swim k's so I'm no longer intimidated by 5+k swim sets and swimming with the band- the secret. On the bike- I've learned that Tassie hills have made me strong- and I need to believe in my strength and speed- and here I've been able to put myself in situations where I had to go as hard as I can go and just hang in there. And there have been a couple of times where I've completely blown and fallen off the pace- and times where I've hung in there- regardless I've stretched myself as an athlete and have learned much about ME. I came to Noosa unable to run...well, I've run with a limp and a lot of pain. I have to say a HUGE thank you to Mark Deal, chiro, dry needler, massage- he does and did it all...and now. I am leaving Noosa able to run and back on the right track. geeeeez. I've been living at JG and BG's abode for a couple of weeks now and I must say- I miss them- but I couldn't of felt more at home anywhere else. Thank you, you guys. I love it here. Hmmmm.... fresh fruit and veggies there...A-mazingly delish. Passion Fruit. WHY.DON'T.WE.HAVE.THIS.IN.THE.USA? I know we have passion fruit- but only at specialty shops and it's expensive. It is so common here- I'd probably find one on the side of the street. :) I'll miss Stacy's Fish Shop- the fish chips, and salads. Prob the best I've ever had. Thanks for the introduction BG. I'll miss Neil's and the Bennett's Barbies (BBQs)- good food, good company, hilarious conversations. Natural Thai. yum. Need more thai in my life. The 1 1/2 hour massages is standard (they do it right over here). The pool. Max. The secret. The beach. ...man, I'll miss it here. I'm coming back next year, Noosa! Thank you for weeks you gave me. I'm mad at you for not showing the sun too often (it is wet season so... expected)- but my skin will thank you, I think?! :)

Alrighty! Time to get ready for tomorrow- swimming early, running, and riding, and gyming, and packing, and baking, and cleaning. Can I do it all?? Yes. Yes I can. :) Night!

in 2 weeks...

2010-03-08T02:39:00.000-08:00

I'll be back in Boulder! I can't believe it?! I know I haven't written much lately- the fact is- there isn't much to report on and EVERYTHING to fill you in on...does that make any sense? Training has stepped up a notch here in Noosa- been swimming a lot of SOLID swim sets in a 50m pool and building my strength in the water (which is one of the goals I had set for myself this winter), I've been logging in the miles on the bike- and doing some good speed work. I've been running more and more- and back on track (had a setback earlier this winter from a trail running fall- i took a big spill and landed mostly on my hip. awesome). Most of the day, when I'm not training- I am napping, I am eating, I am getting cracked, I am hanging out with some friends, or I am on my computer- tweeting and writing emails. But not blogging?! "whattt??" that's what you're thinking, isn't it. :) I'll try to be better at keeping y'all in the loop- I know you love my adventures and my insights, right? RIGHT?? right. I will also get my camera and snap some shots of Noosa- it's gorgeous here (when it's not raining out- well, pouring. That's what it has been doing lately anyway).

Stay warm and think SPRING. :) It's around the corner!!

Mary's Green Tip of the Month: Waste not. Want not.

2010-03-01T11:53:00.000-08:00

Your Kitchen. Probably my favorite place- even if it’s your kitchen?! If you have me over- that’s probably where we’d congregate and, at some point during the conversation, we’d probably talk about food and recipes.

Think about it- the kitchen is a highly trafficked place in your house, isn’t it? Not only is it a place to hang out but it also provides sustenance and supports our daily need…to feed our bodies…and fulfill our cravings for chocolate, right? Have you ever thought about your kitchen as “eco-friendly”? Eating green, energy-efficient food prep, cleaning habits, using equipment made from sustainable materials, avoiding harmful chemicals in the products you use? I love this topic so I am sure you’ll see it pop up every now and again… and this particular blog is all about wasting not and wanting not…

Waste Not, Want Not

I grew up listening to my mom reminding me to “know what I want when I go to the fridge”, “turn the lights out when you are done using the kitchen”, “eat everything on your plate or else you will not get dessert”. My poor mom- I’d just roll my eyes, let out a huff and…do what I was told… but- she was right and is right, isn’t she? The thing is- “wasting” starts outside of the kitchen- in the supermarkets. Have you ever stopped to notice the excessive packaging supermarket shelves? Unbelievable. What can we do?

Tip 1: When grocery shopping, take your own, cloth bags (or even used plastic bags)- most grocery stores these days have cloth bags for purchase.

Tip 2: If you aren’t shopping at a farmers market- which, ps, it is great to support local farmers- and find yourself in a large warehouse (know as a grocery store)- buy fresh, unwrapped produce.

Tip 3. Buy in bulk- but not too much! If you are regularly throwing food away then you are buying and cooking and it’s rotting…ween yourself off of buying too much food.

Tip 4: Reuse. Reuse. Reuse. …what you can, that is. Like old glass jars or bottles, grocery bags, and packaging you can’t avoid.

Tip 5. Compost any uncooked organic waste (including cardboard and paper), and don’t fret if you don’t have a garden on which to spread your yummy compost. Even in big cities, many local farmers markets and organizations will gladly accept your compost.

Tip 6. And finally- if there’s anything left over, be sure to swing by the recycle bin before tossing anything in the trash.

Have a GREEN month, people! Start thinking about your time in the kitchen and what you do with it. More on this topic– I like know more myself so expect some great tips, yummy recipes, and thoughts to ponder in the months to come!

a boo-boo (is that even a word?)

2010-02-27T15:53:00.000-08:00

so it's not a big deal at all- but i crashed on my bike yesterday in the rain and at the tail end of a time trial effort with quite a large group of guys and a handful of women. the morning started out raining (of course)- but it cleared up once we got to the start of the time trial effort... or so we thought. about 20min into the tt, it began to pour again. but no matter to me- i was close to the front of the group and feeling fast and strong. when we got to the hills, i couldn't hold on to the front of the surge but hung on for dear life at the end of the main pack and managed to hold it together. the rain was a nice relief to the heat my body was producing. BUT as it started to rain harder, the roads became pretty slick and dangerous. the last roundabout before the end of the tt, i was on this guy's wheel... and maybe took the wrong "line" a bit too fast or someone from behind hit my wheel or hit oil on the road- and instantly went down. i skidded for close to 20meters and another guy road over me and fell off his bike too. shocker no big injuries- just hit my bad hip (the hip that's been an issue the last couple of weeks for me running). i have slight whiplash this morning and a nasty bruise forming on my hip. but it looks like that's it!

The East Coast of Tassie. St Helens/Goshen.

2010-02-23T01:42:00.000-08:00

(preface: unfortunately, I am still trying to recap my time in Tas. I am in Noosa now...but I have been writing blogs furiously to recap ALL the adventures Joe and I had in Tasmania.)

A last minute idea spurred another fantastic road trip around Tasmania. This time- we conquered the east coast. We included a few other travelers as well- the lovely, Kate and the "tweenie", Tim (Joe's younger sister and brother)- pictured below:

We started out the day with a SOLID swim. ugh- 20k already this week...getting that hard session in on tired arms felt good...feels like I'm building up...it's all about a base at the moment. After the swim and, of course, eggs on toast, Joe hopped on his bike to get started on his 150k+ ride towards St Helens and I set out for my "easy, cruisy ride". When I returned from my ride, I loaded up the car, put my bike on the roof, and packed us some snacks and Kate, Tim, and I set off towards Joe, towards St Helens. And then the weather took a turn for the worse. High winds and rain. Joe called me on my mobile and said he had pulled over and was at a cafe waiting for it to calm down outside...and it barely did. We ended up picking Joe up at the top of a climb and driving to Robin's house (where we were staying near St Helens)- the weather was ridiculous and for Joe to descend in that stuff would have been really dangerous.

Robin's house was in Goshen (just 5k outside of St Helens). She lives down a 3k dirt road in the middle of nowhere...well, as the ozzie's call it- in the bush. She and her husband, Albert built it with their own hands. Literally. I've included pictures but to see this place below, but to give you an idea, this house is completely sustainable. Built up by hand cut bricks (ehem- Albert), their own plumbing system and water tank, veggie gardens, flower gardens, chickens, a goat, fruit trees, and lots of acres of land. Beautiful and quiet. We had a lovely stay- it was raining most of the time (so much for a "beach day" but we still made the best of it.

The night we arrived, Thursday night, we went to Binalong Bay (pics below) and ate at Angassi (rated one the best places to eat in the whole of Australia). Joe's mate, Luke Perry (a surfer, songwriter, performer, and waiter) served us. I had the local fish and the veg-heads (Joe, Kate, and Tim) had some veg dishes- yummy yummy. Friday, it was raining again. This was my full day off day and it was supposed to be a beach day... we had Robin and Albert's kids, Hannah and Ebony... what to do??? It was a perfect morning for reading a book...but that's anti-social, isn't it? :) So what did we do? We played Monopoly! Yup- we played it for 3 hours. Seriously. And those of you who know me, I am a competitive player in any game I play. And I lost. Humbly. Kate won. Time second. Me third (boo). Hannah fourth. and Ebony fifth. Geez. The rest of the afternoon, we actually did go to the beach and played cricket, boogie boarded, and drank hot drinks. Our lunch, well- it was raining so no picnic-- we ate in our two cars...parked close together and shared food. Look at the seagulls in the pics below- look how close they came to the car!!! The afternoon soon winded down and Joe and I headed southeast towards Coles Bay and then on towards Hobart.

All in all- it was a memorable couple of days- we had a wonderful time.

another great tidbit of information...

2010-02-21T14:36:00.001-08:00

This is NIKE's latest commercial titled, "The Human Chain" (it aired during Tiger's press conference last Friday). It gave me goosebumps. I love it and I think I've watched it 20 times...I also downloaded the song "ali in the jungle" by The Hours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPO354_ugF8

What do YOU think?

2010-02-21T05:08:00.000-08:00

in the mood for new music- check out my sister's latest blog titled, "To you, with Love". i likey: http://twelveohsixam.blogspot.com/

A day off and the west coast of Tassie.

2010-02-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

A day off...a full day?! What to do? What to do? ;)

Last Saturaday, Gambles and I took a one day road trip up the west side of Tasmania. I haven't seen the western side of Tassie yet and I don't think Joe had been up there for over 10 years. No better day to do it than a day off, right?!

We started our day with a piping hot cup of Jasper coffee (probably the best coffee in the area) and set off driving towards Cradle Mountain. Joe's good friend, Mark Padgett, was racing the Wildside Mountain Bike Race (a 3-day mountain bike race. pretty hard core people racing), right near Cradle Mountain so we decided to stop off and watch the opening day- stage 1. Here is a pic of Padge (nickname) coming through the finish...how cool.

After we chatted with Padge and his expecting wife, Lou- we made our way to the base of Cradle Mountain National Park. Getting onto the premises of the park, we stopped for a coffee, to pay for a day pass into the park, and began to plan our hike. It was a cloudy and chilly (freezing! i thought...but that's just MY opinion) morning- I kept thinking, "are we going to do this 3 hour hike and not be able to see anything??" Joe was thinking the same and (btw- I think he was as cold as me) asked the park ranger if there was a way we could just drive in and see if we could see the mountain from the car because, and I quote, "we don't really want to walk". She kinda looked at us with a disgusted looked as if to say- "you two are athletic and you're telling you're too tired to walk??" I giggled. We ended up getting a day pass, jumped on the shuttle, and began our hike up to Cradle Mountain. Luckily, the weather cleared up and the clouds moved away from the mountain exposing a beautiful site. :) Enjoy the pictures below- just a little snapshot of our day. A great road trip- driving and seeing the Tassie roads, a 2.5 hour hike, good coffee and good snacks. Thanks Gambles for the great afternoon! And...what a day to spend a day off!

A new discovery...Jonsi.

2010-02-10T16:54:00.000-08:00

People. Let me introduce you to an artist who is truly unique (a bit quirky is a better way to describe him and the album). His name: Jonsi. Originally from Iceland and previously in a band called: Jonsi & Alex (www.jonsiandalex.com), Jonsi is releasing his debut solo album titled: "Go" on April 9th.

Here is a link to his video for "Go Do"- love the instrumentals... flippn cool. Check it out: http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9289064&server=vimeo.com&autoplay=1

My sister is usually the one that discovers new music- the off the beaten track artists that have a cool beat, interesting voice, and different than mainstream. Well...this time, I was able to introduce something new to her (kind of)!! And now...I introduce Jonsi to you. Enjoy!!

His website: www.jonsi.com

He begins touring North America late winter/spring 2010.

my blog on A Fit Planet website: Greening the environment...one step at a time.

2010-02-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

Greening the environment...one step at a time.

Hello world and Happy New Year!!!

It's a brand new year and brand new chance to start making healthier decisions.

2009 was my first year with A Fit Planet and (truthfully) my first year thinking on a daily basis about being more aware of the environment and how I can reduce my carbon footprint. I started blogging about "our" part and simple steps to being more Green. I've learned so much and I am excited to keep learning and growing in knowledge and wisdom in this area...and hopefully YOU can too!

I have to admit when it came to travel- all I think about is my carbon footprint in regards to my mileage. But the act of actually "traveling green" are the actions we take as individuals moment by moment- while getting from point A to point B.

Recently, I made the BIG flight over to Australia. A 40+ hours of day of driving, waiting, flying, waiting, flying, scrambling, flying, etc. -- 5 plane changes, and long layovers suddenly created a perfect opportunity to watch and notice how "green" or how wasteful we humans are while traveling. It also provided a great challenge to see how "green" I could be while I traveled.

Mary's Green Tip of the Week: Traveling Green:

- Book flights with airlines that recycle the waste created when serving food and beverages to passengers. I traveled with Air New Zealand and upon entering the airplane, they gave us plastic cups to reuse while on the aircraft. They also announced that they recycle as much as possible. British Airways, has a very strong environmental agenda. Southwest Airlines recycles all cabin waste, and was the first to offer electronic ticketing systemwide.

- Packing. I tend to over pack. I always do! BUT the one thing I've started to do is to pack everything I think I need, once that's complete- I repack the necessities and limit the "frilly" and the "I wants". A rule of thumb- pack then half it and pack again.

- Most airports have recycling bins- USE THEM! Even if you are in a rush- it doesn't take much time nor effort to separate what's trash and what's recyclable.

- Pack snacks, lunch/dinner ahead of time! That saves YOU a bit of dosh to spend on that thing you've always wanted. And chances are- you'll like what you've packed over what any chain restaurant/Hudson's Book Shop could sell you.

- Everyone loves to buy things at the airport. Well, if you do...I challenge you to read the labels and investigate their environmental claims. Select products with genuine eco-friendly features, such as:

Non-toxic and natural contents

Made from recycled materials

Minimum packaging

Produced locally

Energy- or water-efficient

- Sigg it up. It's good for you AND for the planet!! http://www.sigg.com

- Public Transportation. Get to know it and support it. Wherever you are.

There you have. My tips on Traveling Green. Have a wonderful day and Happy 2010!!

Healthy Banana Bread...yummy yummy!

2010-01-21T00:04:00.000-08:00

A must-share with all you health-nuts out there (it tastes too good to be true!?!). A delish recipe I made for the swim squad here in Launceston, Tasmania on Joe's Birthday. It was so good- they asked me to make it again this for after this morning's session! It can be GLUTEN FREE // WHOLE WHEAT // REG FLOUR (whatever your fancy).

Ingredients and Directions

Combine in a large bowl:

2 c whole spelt flour (or whole wheat or barley - or a mix of flours)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp baking powder

Combine separately:

3 lg very ripe bananas (about 1&1/2c) - mashed

2 eggs

*1/2 c brown sugar or sucanat

1/2 c milk or substitute

zest of a lemon or orange (optional)

2 tsp vanilla or 1 Tbsp dark rum

Mix wet and dry until just incorporated.

Optional: Fold in approximately:

1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 c dark chocolate pieces

1/2 c chopped dates

Directions

- Pour into a generously greased and dusted loaf pan.

- Bake at 350 for about 50 min- just dab a tootpick in the center of the loaf- if it comes out clean- it’s done!

- Wait 10 minutes before removing from pan and placing on a rack to cool.

* For sugar-free or a lower-sugar banana bread, replace the sugar with 1/3c of unsweetened fruit juice concentrate (apple, orange, white grape), agave syrup, maple syrup or honey. Again- whatever you fancy.

anthem of the week! how precious these moments are...

2010-01-18T01:25:00.000-08:00

...because we can! You better believe I can!

2010-01-17T15:15:00.000-08:00

My awesome sister, Kay, sent me an article a couple of days ago from Ad Age (a online resource for marketing and media news). It was titled: "Gen Y, Stop Doubting Yourself and Start Taking Action." It is an honest article about a smart, talented gal who found herself at an all-time low over the summer because couldn't land a job in her field of study. She questioned herself, she doubted herself, she thought- "man, my career is over". When she realized that it was just her insecurities speaking to her, that she had spent a good portion of 2009 doubting herself and her ability...and her future, her resolution for 2010 was to stop doubting and take action!

She continues on and writes on three reminders/mantras to push through any insecurities, etc.

My favorite quote that hit a cord in my own life was this: "...but I find that the best thing you can do for your overall self-confidence is work hard. When you do something to the best of your ability, you know that it's good."

WOW. Well yes, I can relate! I experienced some massive lows and significant periods of self doubt in my future in triathlon during the 2009 year. I held so tightly to where I was supposed to be, how I was to perform, where I wanted to be 3 years. I built up pressure, feared my own self, my performer self-- I felt that I was trying so hard to succeed and failing RIGHT in front of my eyes! Fear + Doubt = low confidence/poor performance. I was in reactive mode... YIKES! Towards the end of 2009, I began to have moments of ME taking action, having confidence, being positive, loving what I do and believing that I was headed in the right direction.

This 2010- I am in a set frame of mind believing and knowing that I will be successful in this sport! I am different than the typical triathlete- I have a unique background- I have work ethic- I have passion- I have belief- and I LOVE people. I love sport. And I love challenges! I am Mary Miller and I bring something new and different to the sport. If I give myself to the sport and do the right thing every day-- be my best every day-- then surely, no matter what I do- I will succeed.

So long 2009- it was a rough year! But I, too, have high hopes that if I continue to work hard and keep my confidence up, I will have a strong 2010. Happy New Year!

Thanks for the article, Kay! It lifted me up and reminded me of how big our futures will be...if we just believe!

It's a great read-- enjoy: http://adage.com/gennext/post?article_id=141326

Last day of meds!

2010-01-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

Back in the swing of things here in Tasmania. I am absolutely on Cloud 9... nothing to do but train. TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN. Having that sinus infection was probably a good thing- I caught up on all of my sleep that I so desperately needed from the big travel and lack of sleep over the Christmas holiday (holidays are always exciting with too many things to do) and the no-training, while at the time, I was bumming because the weather was gorgeous, was definitely a good thing as well. I eased back into training and listened to my body for the first couple of days but now...back on the plan and love the way my body feels- tired and sore. I LOVE that feeling!! Let's get fit and strong. Wahooo!

2010! wahoo!

2010-01-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

From Boston to Houston to LA to Auckland to Melbourne to Hobart...5 plane rides, 2 missed flights, and 42 hours later... I made it to Hobart, Tasmania! I am wrecked. I am so thrown off in regards to what day and what time it is- it's incredible. Started traveling on Tuesday morning and ended on Thursday night, losing 16 hours somewhere.
I tried to stay up for New Years- promising that I'd make it to see 2010. By 10:30pm I was looking at the clock wishing I was tucked in and sleeping. How would I make it another hour and a half? Somehow I did with a sparkler and a glass of champagne in hand, I toasted the new year with Joe and friends and ten minutes later I was brushing my teeth and falling into dream land.

(hobart- new years)

Waking up the next morning, I knew something wasn't right- the sockets of my eyes hurt and I had a lot of nasties in my throat I kept coughing up. I was quiet, a bit sluggish, and definitely not myself...I knew I was coming down with something. I was so eager to get into training and pick up right where I left off from my training in Maine- and it was beautiful here in Hobart! Joe and I headed out for a run, gym, swim session- it was so nice out! The run went well- it was HOT (compared to the Maine weather I was used to training in the past couple of weeks- 15F and windy) and my face was flushed during the gym session but I thought nothing of it- travel- that'd do to ya- wipe you out. When I dove into the pool I knew something wasn't right. Every stroke was achy and my ears hurt. After 1k of swimming, I got out of the pool, took a HOT shower and took a nap. The rest of the day- well, the next 24 hours was a blur. I know I had a fever- night sweats and shivers, coughing, and achy body is a clear indication of the flu. AWESOME. The next morning, I woke up feeling slighting better- thinking ok, I'll start training tomorrow- give it one more day...and get into it. Later in the day- I took a downturn- what the heck? Something is up. I'm usually a quick healer?! I felt smashed- the only sane part of my day was when my eyes were closed and I was laying on my bed. And the other thing was - I had no appetite. Now- those of you who know me- know I always have an appetite and a love for food. I couldn't even be around food at the moment, let alone try and eat food. I began to worry. Swine Flu? I bet I had it. The following day with no sign of improvement, I decided to go to the Tasmanian doctors and see what their diognosis would be on my condition. Let's get some answers! Guess what I have?? Not swine... but a severe sinus infection. For realz? Now on meds and starting to mend.

(the trusty tissue in hand- trying to "be normal")

Today is the 5th and my 6th day here- I am starting to turn the corner- and never more ready to turn a corner than now. I have been lazy and not "me" the past couple of days- I caught a glimpse of my regular self last night when I actually initiated conversation and made someone laugh. :)

..all part of the process...

I can't wait to blog about some of the runs and rides out here in Hobart- we are here for the week to do some training! Here are some pics of the Tim and Aloka's (Joe's good mates) new home and their view of Hobart!! So pretty.

(photo1: very mod house- just built! photo2: view of Hobart from the upper deck. photo3: view from my computer... hehe)

(photo1: Joe and Aloka at "Machine" a breakie place. I had a dry cappuccino:) photo2: photo of Hobart from Salamanca (neighborhood in Hobart) Steps. photo3: Battery Point. Historic Hobart- old, old houses- gorgeous, isn't it?)

Happy New Year People!

almost there...New Zealand!

2009-12-31T15:20:00.000-08:00

Made it across the world to... New Zealand! The flight was ok- I traveled with Air New Zealand (so we have to stop in Auckland before we get to Melbourne)- I was in economy class (the small seats) but I managed to buy a "twin seat" and had two seats to myself. 12 hours of flying time and about 6 hours of sleep. We had about 25 minutes to go in our flight from LA to Auckland, New Zealand. They had served us breakie, I was reading my book, and I decided- now would be a perfect time to peak out the window. What I saw astounded me. I now know what people mean when they say "I felt pulled " - I, too, felt that pull... to this countryside! Flying over the south island and seeing the coast line and the country side and the rolling hills and the different greens- I fell in love. We landed and everyone who greeted me in the Auckland International Airport were very friendly. Now I sit with a skinny cappuccino in hand (I heart the ozzie/kiwi coffee), right by a wall of windows, and stare out at the 5 different shades of green- the mountains just a few miles away and man, I can't take my eyes off the land- if only I could rent a car and explore- just for the day!? Please?

I thought of my brother- he had studied over in Wellington, New Zealand about 4 years ago- being here in Auckland and just at the airport made me think of him. This island- this country had his name all over it.

In about 2 hours, I head off to Melbourne and then my final flight to Tasmania! Wahoo!!! The Gambles is meant to pick me up close to 5pm. That'd make it a wopping 40+ hours of travel. Geez- I can't believe I've been maintaining my sanity this long... the view right now helps. :)

see ya!

And...GO!

2009-12-29T21:55:00.000-08:00

OK Guys! Today is the big day-- HOW did this day come so quickly? Someone needs to explain this to me. I have had a great time being home with family and friends and the familiarity of HOME. But especially. My family. They were and are amazing. Never ceasing to amaze me how much my dad loves my mom- how he loves his family; how my sister can't wait to get up and spend every waking moment with her best friend (ME!!); and how my brother drives up for the week just to hang with the fam and practice music/ask for ideas or for our input on his songs?! We all seem to be perfectly content in our "Miller" world and time just passes. And then....WHAM...time to go! OK! go go go! pack pack pack! What?! HELP!

I have figured out something about me- I am OVERLY organized when it comes to me packing, leaving a place better than the way it was left for me. Meticulous. That's a better word, I think. I also have a tendency to overpack. Umm...hello- I am going to Australia, for pete's sake?! I need ALL of my clothes and ALL of my shoes and ALL of my belongings because what if it's cold/hot/too hot/windy? :) Joe Gambles just shakes his head at me and says- "pack everything you think you need and then take HALF of it out and put it back." AS IF. :) He's right though. I really overpacked last year and had to lug it around where ever we went. I complained about that a lot last year- so I was very good packing for my Australian Winter this time around. At least, I thought I was.

My dad and I drove out to Boston Logan Airport early this morning. I love my dad. Our conversations are always so interesting and full of idea creation and flushing out those ideas. He dropped me, I checked in- and the woman goes: "Maam- this bag weighs over the limit. You need to rearrange or pay the extra fees." WHAT???? I thought I was doing so well!!! But shook it off and repacked my carry-on.. All good- NOTHING was going to bother me today! Finished up there- headed over to the security line with plenty of time to spare-- and there was my dad. :) He had parked, ran in, called out my name, and asked: "say, ya wanna get a cuoffeee?" A HUGE smile crossed my face- "why yes, I'd love to, Dad." We spent about 15 min together sipping on poorly made dry-cappuccinos with extra froth. How bout THAT for a send off? Thanks Dad!

The rest of the day went as scheduled- long long flights (4 hours from Boston to Houston and 3:45 hours from Houston to LA). I got into LA around 4pm and walked over to the international terminal to check in for my flight. I had 5 hours to spare. Awe yeah. Plenty of time. What to do, what to do?

If I could insert the color of my emotion after I got the news and the [blank] hit the fan (as the saying goes)- I would insert bright red colors for frustration, bright purple for lack of oxygen, orange for hunger, and blue for tears. My flight was delayed until 10:45pm (2 hour delay) WHICH means I'd miss my connecting flights. SO I needed to cancel my flights from New Zealand to Melbourne, Melbourne to Tasmania (and try to save the $$ I spent on them), confirm new flights (assuming I knew how late I'd be getting in), call Joe and let him know not to pick me up, get out cash, field family and friend calls saying good bye, eat, etc. I mean - this was ridiculous. Like a bad bad joke. For real.

After many tears, 5 phone calls home, Kay calming me, Joe calming me, my dad (half asleep) saving the day. BUT I AM OFF! And I will blog when I get there!!

Coffee, Surfing, and Muusssac.

2009-12-20T18:49:00.000-08:00

Good Morning people! It’s 7am- I have coffee in hand and I am looking over the ocean- the calm before the big snow storm makes it way up east coast and graces us with her presence. I am up in Portland, Maine staying with my brother, Peter, for a couple of days-- you know, brother-sister time. It’s important. Pete lives on Higgins Beach. I just woke up and caught the sunrise outside of the living room- overlooking looking the ocean- the small waves crashing against the shore. It’s so peaceful here. When I first walked inside- the smell of the old wood brought me back to my young days-- my family’s summer house in Damariscotta, Maine. I’ve a picture for you to look at because I l-o-v-e it. :) It looks like a log cabin inside and it’s so so warm inside. I could sit here forever and just watch the ocean, read a book, play a game, do a puzzle, or sit and talk to the people around. Pete’s roommates are awesome. Will Thomas (a character and a smartie wrapped up into one, cool guy) and the married couple (umm- flippn awesome couple) Andrew and Lindsey. Lindsey’s friend from college, Ellen, was up visiting- so plenty of good conversation, yummy food, and a competitive Scrabble game (the game never ended...so there wasn’t a winner...but for the record, I would have won). It was a great night. Fantastic I should say!!

But most importantly, I was there to spend time with my brother, Pete. Just be there with him, to hang out and see him in “his” world- speak his language, meet some of his friends, workout with him, cook with him, meet up for coffee with him, listen to music and hear some of Peter’s new songs and just. be. there. If you’ve never tried that with someone that’s close to you, that you don’t get to see as often as you’d like... and life is CRAZY and busy and going... it’s a pretty amazing thing to take a pause and just “be”. These are the times that I am going to cherish 20 years from now- moments that are so special.

Hey- check out his music site and have a listen: http://www.myspace.com/petemillermusic

Thank you Peter for everything- you are a gem. Now get home for Christmas now!!!

back in maine!!

2009-12-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

I am back up here in Maine- safe and sound. YAY!!! Kay and Pete picked me up and I AM SO SO happy to be home!!!

Flying

2009-12-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

Time is flying! Today is the first day of Hanukkah (not that I am Jewish but I some of my friends are so Happy Hanukkah!) and it is 13 days before Christmas, 19 days left in 2009 before we jump UP to another decade, 17 days before I leave for Australia, and ZERO days before I leave Boulder for Maine! Yep- I AM ON MY WAY HOME TODAY! Wahoo! I am so excited to see my family and catch up with friends- to go to coffee shops and drink dry cappuccinos (yummm!). I love the holidays in Maine!!!!

I am looking forward to getting some good training with my gal Kathleen and miss Jackson and Shawn Crotto and my sister! I heart my trips home to Maine.

So... JETBLUE... let’s get up in the air and get me back to Boston!

a quick trip to sunny SanD

2009-12-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Joe and I set off to San DIego for a photoshoot (I'll post some pics as soon as I get the final shots back) and gave us some time to meet up with our manager- Sean Watkins, some of my 2010 sponsors and, of course, good friends- Big Freakn Papa, Kimmie, Vince (Rinny). It was a 20 hour visit for me- Joe was staying back in Cali until Wednesday and then he'll be flying back to Australia for the winter. What a whirlwind of a trip but all-in-all it was great to see everyone, to have a lovely dinner with old and new friends, and train with Joe and Rinny (and a helpful swim lesson from Al!) a little bit while we were there. I made it back to Boulder a.ok. and now-- I am just surviving with all this snow and cold, COLD weather.

Here are some pics from our Friday/Sat extravaganza:

4:10am wake up call- 7am flight. Pics of our flight over- it was a c-l-e-a-r morning. I had a window seat and was able to take some great shots of the Grand Canyon...I had a little too much fun with my camera- and laughed a lot when Joe was sleeping, twitching, and slung over in his "economy-plus" seat- while I was snorting/laughing hysterically at him. hehe...

I didn't get a chance to take photos during the shoot and no pics of our dinner at Encinitas Ale House (which reminded me of Father's Office in LA...great hamburgers!)- but it was a pretty fantastic experience.

Pics of our pre-hour run in San Diego...right near Mission Beach. So nice!

And finally- pics of my plane ride home...loving the gateway to the Rockies...and of course, the snowy welcome home from Boulder!!

Thanks - Giving.

2009-11-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

This year (and I think I do this every year)- I wanted to take a pause and say THANKS. Things I am thankful for:

I am thankful for my LIFE. Each breath. God has blessed me with 29 years of wonder. Each new day is filled with hope and new adventures. And oh! the adventures I’ve been able to experience. So far- it’s been quite a ride!

I am thankful for my FAMILY. I know I have said this before- but without them, I would not be who I am today and I would not be where I am without their love and encouragement. In regards to triathlon- they knew very little of the sport, where to train, who to train with, where to race, how far one could go...And they especially didn’t know where I got the idea that I’d be good at this triathlon thing. BUT, when I shared my dream with them- and said that I planned on leaving the east coast, my job, etc to see how far I could go in triathlon- they were behind me and supported my decision. From that day, they have been at the big races over seas, they have kept track of where and what and how I am doing, and they have encouraged me when I’ve had low moments and discouragement. Most importantly, they each LIVE each day as a new day, full of opportunities and delight. They are my definition of love.

I am thankful for my FRIENDS and the people who have come around me and provided a safety net- always ready to catch me if I slip and fall. Equally, they are eager to see me succeed and believe in my ability and my work ethic. They see the big picture- this windy road of life- never stuck at one spot but always moving forward. No obsessions or fixations- just living each day to the fullest. It goes both ways though- I love my friends as much my little heart can fit love in there. :)

I am thankful for the LITTLE THINGS. The look from the cashier at WF when I wished her a good day; for the hike with my friend Jenna; for the game of Bananagrams with my friend Joe Fallon at Whole Foods; for the movie night with the Dibens/Ricketts and the Gambles...and Joe- the little things he does that make me smile and appreciate him. It’s the early morning drive to the run session, when the sun is just rising and the bright redness of the morning casts a beautiful glow on the Flatirons; I am so so thankful for Steve Jones’ running group and I am especially thankful for that creaking noise (the sound of Jonesy’s bicycle as he rides next to us on our hard runs)- he has no idea how he and the group has helped me; Fee Docherty- thank you for being a good friend and your belief in my run and your recommendation to join the group... and for Petr- well, wow! I am learning a lot from him in the gym and in my head, mentally. I am thankful for routines. Without them, I’d be lost and lazy. I am thankful for the love I get from Lucky...this little dog is more like a wise human being- she knows just what each person needs at the moment and she’ll cuddle right up next to you and she’ll just give. I am thankful for coffee in the morning and “my time” I love in the morning (sip on coffee and get on my computer/read the paper). So many details of my day-to-day life that I love love love.

I am thankful for Boulder- I love it here- it’s home to me. I am thankful for Maine- it holds a special place in my heart and its people are good people.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FRIENDS AND BLOGGERS!

And I'm back in Boulder. And it's WINTER.

2009-11-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

It was so nice to board the plane in Tampa and know that I had a straight shot home to Boulder. I was SO looking forward to getting back home, running the beautiful, hilly roads and trails in Boulder- swimming masters, and even getting out for a couple of rides. I missed training! I missed my routine!! I missed Boulder!!!

Monday morning came too quickly in Naples. I got up and went on a run with the Gambles on the beach- it was warm and humid. By the end of my run, I was soaked with sweat...I could wring out my shorts and my tank. Joe and I got into our rental car midmorning and drove up to Fort Myers to meet up with my good friend, Peter Metcalf (went to college with him- he was a hockey player) for lunch. I haven't seen Peter since his wedding back in ... 2004? Had it really been that long? wow. He brought his little one, Blake. So SO cute! After lunch, Joe and I went on our way up to Tampa. We had 3 hours to get there, drop off the car, and check in for our flight. We barely made it- traffic and we were a little lost...I don't know how we managed that...but we made it!

Ah, ok. Back to Boulder. I loved our stay- loved it. But, if I may vent... here is where I get a little miffed at Florida. Here is my issue with Florida (and this is a generalization): 1. Traffic Lights are WAY too long. 2. Florida drivers have no idea how to actually drive (driving below the speed limit in the passing lane, passing at incredible speeds on the right, truck drivers getting too close to cars). 3. Florida is F-L-A-T unless you decide to hit up the bridges... But truly people- I had a great time in Naples.

We got back into Boulder close to 9pm. I tucked myself into bed immediately- I had a hard run in the morning on Marshall Road with the group. 5:45am I was up and dressed and ready to go to run! I couldn't wait to get back into the swing of things... But when I went to the kitchen to get myself some water and some hot tea, I glanced at the temperature outside and nearly dropped to my knees. 17 degrees. 17 d-e-g-r-e-e-s. WHAT Marshall Road in Boulder is also known as the coldest road in Boulder...so it was even colder there.

Needless to say- and I won't bore you with silly details that explains HOW cold it was and how hard it was to run HARD in cold like that- I realized that I was NOT in Florida any more and that winter was HERE to stay. For real.

Burrrr! From HOT to COLD, from HUMID to DRY (2 different extremes) in a matter of 10 hours. Geez.

Naples!

2009-11-24T20:31:00.000-08:00

After the Clearwater 70.3 World Championship extravaganza, we all deserved a much needed vacation from the everyday grind of waking up, training, sleeping, eating, training, etc. Even me! Straight after my season was done (back in October), I was straight back into training. In Boulder, everyone was still training- hard. There was no way I could sit back and sleep in, lounge around, dilly-dally- I was just as motivated to get back training and begin thinking about 2010.

A group of us...which included my great friend, Rinny, the Gambles, and another good friend, TO...planned to spend an extra week in Florida. Where? Well, no other place than Naples, FL!

We stayed at the Edgewater Hotel- the sister to the Naples Grand Spa and Resort. We couldn’t have asked for a better place to r-e-l-a-x, we couldn’t have asked for better weather (mid 80s all week with just a smidge of humidity), and I, for one, couldn’t have asked for better company!

For the next 7 days, we spent our time on the beach, lounging by the pool catching the rays, chillaxn’ in the hot tub, water/pool volleyball, walking the beach, throwing the frisbee, playing tennis, spending time at the driving range-- everything that had nothing to do with triathlon (well, I did do a lot of running while I was down there...).

Some of the highlights were:

$1000 Karoke Contest on Wednesday night- a $70 taxi out and back to this dive bar (that was part of a shopping center), I sang Alanis Morisette’s “You outta know” and was called up to sing it basically as SOON as I sat down...ummm embarassing! And there is a video of this experience floating about in TO and Joe’s phone...yikes!

Taxi ride home from Karoke Bar- we witnessed a COPS version of a motorcyclist being followed and surrounded by 5 cop cars and an undercover cop- only to be stopped at a stop light with this “scene” going on right next to the cab-- the guy tried to get away, the cops clothes-lined the guy off his bike and tackled him to the ground- with guns pointed at him!! As they were handcuffing him, one cop noticed that we were all pressed against the window staring- the cab driver included. The cop looked at us and said: “what are you looking at? GO!!” so so funny.

Fan Boat Ride in the Everglades. We saw 3 crocs!!!

Dinner and Movie Night (all in one) with AMAZING, big, leather, reclining seats. We saw: Michael Jackson’s “This is it.”

Dancing the night away to classic, old school music at an outdoor restaurant/bar in Old Naples. I think we were the youngest people there AND definitely not the best dancers.

Delicious food and yummy wine which always lead to good conversation between our group.

These are just the highlights- but there were many more moments, little moments, that will stay with me... Filled with laughter and smiles. What a fantastic week we had- a well-deserved mental break from the everyday grind (even though I love my everyday grind)- it was much needed! Pics to come as soon as I get them from my friend, Rinny (my camera is in the shop being fixed!).

70.3 World Champs- the weekend roundup

2009-11-24T20:00:00.000-08:00

Clearwater, Florida. November 14, 2009. Ironman 70.3 World Championships.

I know what you are thinking- did I race? Nope. Didn’t race. But I was a BIG supporter. Joe Gambles (the boyfriend) was racing as well as a slew of other boulder-ites so I went as support crew.

Two weeks before Clearwater, I came down with a horrible cold. I mean, man, it was bad bad bad. It started in my throat and went up into my head and went down into my lungs. Supposedly- this “type” of cold that was going around ended in bronchitis. What if that happened to me? Bronchitis? I steered clear of Joe, other athletes that were racing, and especially- the pool (a breading place for colds/any type of sickness). My friend, Ali, recommended a liquid supplement called: “KICK ASS IMMUNE” yep- they swore on the cover of the bottle?! But it works and it helped me a whole bunch and by the time my flight to Florida took off...I was feeling better.

So we were off! We arrived in Clearwater on a direct flight and Joe quickly settled himself in our condo with a group of other athletes and I went straight for grocery store to stock up on the necessary items for the tummy. Gluten-free and low fiber for Joe and lots of fruits and veg for me! yum. I was going to have a healthy stay!

One of my dearest friends, miss Mirinda Carfrae (aka: Vincent) was in town to be “support crew” for her man, Tim Odonnell (a rival and a good friend of Joe’s) and a couple of my newest friends, Morgan Clark and Heather Gollnick were also in town... and again- it was like a Boulder Reunion- which ALWAYS means a good time is ahead.

Race weekend went smoothly. Joe was amazing- placing 5th in the world for the professional men's category! I am so so so proud of him and all the hard work he did to prepare for this race. A job well done! And to my roomie (ok fine- landlord- but good friend!), Julie Dibens. Ironman 70.3 World Champion- I know the work she did to prepare herself for the race! She was ready and totally deserved it! A huge congrats to everyone at the race and those of you who supported someone in the race (that’s just as much work as anyone else!)!!! It’s very inspiring!

Here are some photos from the night- awards ceremony and the after party. It got a little crazy that night- lots and lots of dancing! All in all- A GREAT WEEKEND WITH LOTS OF MEMORIES!

Sorry- been away!

2009-11-21T18:05:00.001-08:00

Hellllo world. I know it's been about 2 weeks since my last post. I am in Naples, FL with literally no internet connection and little cell phone reception. Yep- talk about a serious vacation...from everything and everyone! I promise- you will have FULL updates on the past 2 weeks when I get back (this coming week!)-- full of pictures and fun things I did leading up to 70.3 Champs in Clearwater and of course, my trip in Naples (which include boat trips, karoke, a police chase, and lazy at the beach). Night Night!!

Lessons from the backseat & before we melt away.

2009-11-01T21:10:00.000-08:00

BY: KAY MILLER (my twin)

I travelled to Boulder for my semi-annual trip out west to visit my sister, and as I packed my Kay-in-a-Bag (I fit myself into a ski bag and got it for 80% off. true story), I debated on whether i should bring my boots. I mean, anyone who knows Boulder knows it can be hailing one minute and sun-tan weather the next. Against my better judgment, I left the boots at home. Seven days into my trip, Mother Nature pulls a white rabbit out of her hat and down cometh the snow. All 15 inches of it.

Boulder’s October Snowstorm of 2009 unleashed the kind of snow that blankets everything so completely that for at least a day, the stark difference between road and curb remains the blackest black and the whitest white. The kind of snowstorm whose swirls and spirals are a calm facade to the fact that it was positively DUMPING outside.

In the heart of this snow globe, our 1986 VW Golf made its way across the Diagonal Highway towards home. I sat in the backseat, uncomfortably stuffed from an all-you-can-eat-sushi dinner with friends (which seemed like a good idea at the time) praying that the brakes would not betray us. As we drove the night miles towards Gunbarrel, I was mesmerized by the seriously GIANT snowflakes that flew into the glass, painting large wet lines down the window pane.

I watched as one giant flake hit the window and slid down the glass pinball-style, hitting one wet drop after another until it slowly made its way down the glass. Then again as another wet drop landed just behind it, only instead of pin-balling, it found the path the first drop had made and with its route already carved, zoomed effortlessly down the glass and merged with the first, building a momentum that would carry both drops to the bottom. And when I say carry, I mean SO fast it could have been God’s snowflake version of Usain Bolt. This happened over and over again: Slow pin-ball drop carving a route, fast Usain Bolt drop finding that route and breaking records down the glass....

I was beginning to see a pattern. I got all deep and shiz (perhaps it was the sushi) and found the same was true in life. Have you ever had a super hard time moving forward? One thing stops you so you go the other way and it happens again and nothing ever comes easy and no one ever budges and life doesn’t seem fair. But then suddenly momentum changes and you start moving towards your goal despite the gazillion obstacles in your way and you have no idea how it happened or what giant boulder stepped aside to let you pass until you realize that something or someone came underneath you to lift you up or push you forward to bring you closer to whatever it is that you needed to get to. And then having gotten there, you realize there is still so much farther to go so you go and you start only this time, you find yourself on a chute and life is kinder and things seem easier and you move and you race down this grooved chute that someone carved out just like you did once and you know how hard it is to do alone, so you chase them down and lift them up and tell them that they can that life does this thing and that there are pin-ball days and there are chute days and as long as you respect the process; you respect the potential and all that is, really, is just a smooth pane of glass in the middle of a snowstorm.

Ten minutes later we were home safe. The brakes behaved, the snow continued to punish us for another day and thankfully, my converse shoes would enjoy a few days of warm sun before they hit the tarmac to Boston. In that one wintry October night, I was given a great gift in the form of a metaphor; a lesson I am far from mastering but am excited to learn from. I am thankful for no boots, for snow, for sun, for barriers, for big breaks. For Boulder and the people in it, for choices and the ones we decide turn down or take. I have come away with a greater sense of what it means to land and in that momentum, to give hope, to find hope, to keep going.

Here 'she comes!

2009-10-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

A winter storm warning has been officially announced over ALL radio and tv stations... it's a coming for us! I'm kinda looking forward to the cold weather, the snow and all the conditions that come with a "Winter Storm".

My sis is here- we've got games, tv, Rock Band on wii, Mario Cart, a crock pot-- I'd say we're all set!! :)

some fun ideas for the fall

2009-10-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

A great site to check out (handmade, vintage, supplies- it is an AWESOME- site to explore and buy...good gift ideas!): http://www.etsy.com/

A delicious recipe for the fall-- "souper soup!": Savoury Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup http://vegetarian.about.com/od/soupssalads/r/savorysquash.htm

A fantastic new song to download... if you like Postal Service then you will love: FIREFLIES, Owl City.

The twin is coming to town!

2009-10-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! My sister is coming in tomorrow from Maine! wahooooo!!! She's out here in Boulder until the beginning of November. I can't wait- so much Fall Fun to come!

a little lesson on hanging tough with yourself

2009-10-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks, I've gone through some funky moments that really challenged who I was as a person and who I was as an athlete. I have to be honest with you and say that this year was definitely a tough, character-building year. Of course, each year has its ups and downs. At the end of each season, I've blogged about each racing season- the goods and the really goods and the experiences I've gone through. Starting the sport in 2006 and learning to swim, bike, and run (off the bike)- from scratch- the first 3 years of triathlon as an amateur- I saw a whole bunch of success! 2008 was a fantastic year as an elite amateur and finishing top of my age group at the end of the season. The decision to go pro (because that was a goal of mine) was a no-brainer. But going from a top amateur to a pro...a WHOLE different ball game, people. :) In a good way, I was humbled EVERY race. I finished this season at the end of September- missing my last race (LA) because of the flu. GREAT. ;) It's taken all of October to dig through emotions, thoughts on the season, figuring out WHERE I am headed in this sport, and what defines Mary Miller.

The most important thing I learned-- is that I was called for a special reason to triathlon. I am different and unique and TOTALLY awesome when I am ME! Not anyone else-- but Mary Miller. I am meant for this sport- the challenges, the swim, the bike, the run-- and especially the mental aspect...the digging, the searching, the pushing. Becoming the best I can be- means loving the journey from beginning to end. And WHAT a journey I am on! So rather than bore you with a long reason to why this year was so hard, why I didn't do as well as I anticipated, etc. I am just going to say that man, watch out world! Because the more I learn the sport, the more I believe in myself, and the more experiences I gather during this journey-- the outcome will be pretty sweet...a secret yet to be determined! And I can promise you this: I will always give my very best to everything I do...and GO FOR IT!

Mary's Green Tip of the Week: Take Shorter Showers!

2009-10-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

Those of you who knew me before triathlon...know I didn't take a lot of showers-- only when I needed to... yuck! Now- being a triathlete and training multiple times a day-- showers are important to me- I'd turn into a smelly, dread-lock woman- who's really athletic (I'm thinking along the lines of cave woman-ish). And now- I love showers. There's nothing like that nice, hot, patter on your back while you stare down at your feet. Ahh...showers. But come on, people. Think bigger than yourselves and see the purpose of taking showers-to clean your self up- and see that it doesn't take that long! We had a private well growing up and when it was low- my dad ordered us all to take 2 minute showers. It wasn't that bad either!

Reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower can save you money while conserving water. So here is the action phrase: Shower with a purpose!! Shower to get clean!! Don't meditate or sing in the shower while gallons of hot water flow down the drain. Just wash up and get out!

Mary's Green Tip of the Week: Scrape Your Plates!

2009-09-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you DON'T have to pre-rinse your dirty dishes before loading them into the dishwasher?! As one of three kids, one of our chores was to clean up after dinner. My brother, Peter, would clear the table. I would clean the dishes (before I handed them over to my sister, Kay). Talk about wasting water!

You can save hundreds of gallons of water each week by simply scraping your plates. Deposit any food scraps into the garbage or compost, and load your dirty dishes as they are. Your dishwasher will take it from there and use less water in the process! Easy-Peasy!!! :)

For items that must be washed by hand, such as fine china, pots, pans (OR if you don't have a dishwasher like I don't at the moment)- plug the sink and reuse rinse water where possible to allow dirty dishes to soak.

Listen people- it's in these little, simple steps that we make giant strides in saving our planet!

back in boulder and things are heating up!

2009-09-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

haha- the only way that's true is after 20min of warmup... it's cold here in boulder!! Supposedly, it's going to warm up starting tomorrow (I hope so!). It's been like this since I got back on Monday afternoon. This is November weather- and it's only September. Getting back to Boulder, I was anxious to resuming my routine... or at least I've tried to... Poor Joe. He has the flu at the moment and I feel as if I am getting it as well. Yesterday, I started the morning off early with the Dibens, Chrissie, and Thomo- at North Boulder Rec (indoor pool). 4k swim. Done. Got home right around 9am and by 10am- I was out the door to do my hard run at the Reservoir. It took me a while to get warm (my hands and feet went numb as soon as I began my run!)- and getting into my session, I knew I was feeling a little off. When I got home, I took a HOT shower, made a warm meal, and snuggled down into my bed for about 3 hours of off and on sleep. I got up for dinner, a game of Wii with dibens, one of our house's fav tv shows: Top Chef, and went back down to bed. hmmm...what was up?

This morning, I got up, ate breakie, and ... back down in bed. I'm not sure what my body is telling me but the best I can do is sleep. SO no training for me today- yuck. We'll see if I can fight off whatever is knocking at my door...

Some pics from Maine- with the fam!

2009-09-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

The best Sunday morning ever: The Miller-Bradley Brunch at the Oar House.

Pete, me, and Kay Bradley. Brunch at Oar House.

Ride in the Fiat with Dad and Pete! A beautiful Maine afternoon.

Happy 25th Birthday, Pete!!