Saturday, October 30, 2010
Reppin' The Bikini For Bikini Island....
Friday, October 29, 2010
Candy Corns & Scary Movies...
Today is a day that if I was 5 (or 6) I'd be doing kart wheels up and down the beach, 'cause training is going that goooooood! Perhaps breathing a full breath makes that happen, or maybe making every session of the week and being able to finish it all the way without any major commotion, or maybe it's just that good to be back doing what I love with people I love. Yesterday's runs, (yes at sunrise and sunset), had me grinning like a girl on prom night, (not that I know, never been to prom), then waking up to the most challenging swim practice IN MONTHS and surviving has me pretty stoked too. Confession, the arms ACHE, they still are searching for distance, speed is on the horizon again though. The "challenge set" was a set of 50's on 35 and its been too long since I've swam that set, it hurt good, so good I needed to begin trick-or-treating early. " Knock, knock" on the neighbors door for breakfast refueling after that! That is the sweet part of Halloween week, forget the candy corns...TRAINING is SWEET.
In other news....no trick, just a treat, YOU can win a free bikini! Here is how it works, kinda funny, but it's for a good cause (think BIKINI ISLAND). Today is "wear your bikini day" in support of the Bikini Island disaster. 56 years ago marks the mess so we want 56 (more would be cool) to support the cause. All you have to do is wear your bikini and prove you were in it by sending us a photo. SIMPLE. You don't have to go out of your way, or wear it at the beach, in fact we want you to live your normal life but spread a little aloha to the Marshallese by reppin' the bikini. The above photo is one of the entrants, a college girl just doing what college girls do, study at the library... but in a bikini! ha ha, this is awesome!
So far only 9 women and 2 men have entered (the contest is open to EVERYONE). Just email me your photo, it goes in an album for votes tomorrow, the winner with the most "likes" gets a free bikini (Hawaiian style). If you are a guy you can choose surf trunks if you win or the bikini for your wife/girl friend.
Happy Halloween and send me those photos! breesy4@yahoo.com due by MIDNIGHT Hawaii time FRIDAY NIGHT, (that's tonight, Bikini Island Friday)
Bree
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Bikini Island....

Bikini Island, sort of sounds like a tropical little island full of island girls running around in little swim suits. To children Bikini Island is the home of Sponge Bob, (yeah that cartoon where the sponge lives in a pineapple under the sea, by the way, not that you asked, I'm Sponge Bob neon pink pants(not square pants) for Halloween). Bikini Island is actually an island in the Marshall Islands, nobody lives on it, it has the most beautiful fish in the world, you can't eat them... This my friends is Bikini Island (see above photo).

Bree
PS: Shoe boxes & your shoes can be sent to Bree Wee PO BOX 1033 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96745. MAHALO PLENTY!!!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Bustin' Out The Miles...
A little something I learned (the long way) is that you can't fake an Ironman. Yeah, a shorter race you can get away with a few missed miles here and there... but an Ironman, phewwwww, good luck with that one! Not exactly planned having a lot of time off on my rear pre-Kona, life happens. While the day wasn't a total loss, as I learned so much out there, and still enjoyed 140.6 miles under the Hawaiian sun. What was missed in miles, long swims, rides over 3 hours, and runs that were needed, sort of haunted me both mentally & physically. Yeah experience (as Ive done a good handful of Ironman's) does help A LOT, as you know what to expect, knowing the course does have an advantage too. However, there is nothing that compares to good ol' hard work-from start to finish of the Ironman block.
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It's the piece of the puzzle that fits perfect as you tread water on the start line. You know what I'm talking about, when you wonder, "Am I ready?" If you have done all the work you know you are ready, there is nothing more you can do and now it's race time to let the hard work "happen", the fun part. If you can't answer yes to all the hard work it more or less becomes a day of chance, leaving it in hopes that your body will somehow, someway, just do a good job, and sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't...
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I'm not really up for another Ironman by chance. I want to be on the start line of Cozumel knowing I did all I could in the weeks after Kona: recovering, building up, holding on, easing off, then tapering into race day...
This past weekend was "weekend #1" of my Ironman Cozumel FOCUSED training. The recovery from Kona part happened. Now its the part where I gotta focus on getting in all the miles that coach gives me in swimbikerun. No sitting out with a broken body this time around, as I officially can say I had my first weekend of pain free-full breath training! It was hard. Really hard. Sort of felt like starting all over again from scratch, endurance was missing, speed was hiding out, and mentally it was funky going longer than usual solo. As we all know...it gets easier, and it did as the weekend went on and rolled into this new week.
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Today felt like someone took the training wheels off my bike, my run was a run rather than "left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot". The distances are growing, the frequency is increasing, and sooner or later I'm hoping to see if I got some speed in me! These are the days that count, get them done, make them happen. Less than 5 weeks now and the head sweats, wrist bands, and all the other training stuff is on and in place as the side kick and me bust through the miles....
Just finishing up a sunset run, my absolute favorite. Got a group of boys to keep me company/honest on a semi-long ride tomorrow, then back in the pool! Yet to return to masters so it outta be interesting! Thursday will be the high-light of my week as it's "double run day", I LOVE THOSE MOST, then Friday through the weekend...bank building time! Lovin' this...
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Bree
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Easy Pumpkin.....
This entire week has been all about the pumpkin. We carved pumpkins, colored them, baked with them, and then spent the day up North at the Pumpkin Festival. After I write this we will then hang Christmas lights and Ill officially be known as the neighbor that everyone says, "Why did she do that, it's not even Thanksgiving yet". You know you have those neighbors that put them up super early, (or the ones that just leave them up all year long), I'm about to be one of those early birds...but we aren't skipping Halloween or Thanksgiving, we are just kind of going head first into the holidays, all of them at once. It's Kainoa's fault, he's begging for Christmas lights since he saw one of the shops in town put theirs up this week. The tree & stockings however will not happen till after Thanksgiving!!!
- 15 oz can of pumpkin (no other ingredients, just pumpkin in there)
- 2 bananas
- cinamon
- 10oz of dates (no pits)
- 1 cup mac nuts (pecans or walnuts taste good in there too)
- 1/4 cup agave syrup (or maple syrup)
- 1 cup oats (Coaches Oats work best, whatever you have is ok)
- coconut shreds or carob/chocolate chips optional
To do:
- In a food processor combine the mac nuts, a few shakes of cinnamon, and the dates. Process about 2 minutes, until it gets really soft and forms sort of a dough ball. That is the crust. Simple. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray, evenly flatten the crust mixture onto the pie pan. (above photo, in the black pie pan is my crust laid out).
- In a bowl combine 2 bananas mashed, the pumpkin, 2 shakes of cinamon, agave syrup, and the oats. Mix well then spread evenly over the crust.
- Bake on 350* for 20-25 minutes. (check it as your oven might be faster or slower than mine). Let cool then enjoy with a scoop of yogurt on top, if you are Kainoa, (he puts yogurt on everything).
- The optional ingredients: We sometimes add 1/2 cup of coconut shreds to our crust to make the mac nut and coconut Hawaiian crust flavor. The carob (or chocolate chips), 1/2 cup or so give the pumpkin pie a different twist for the holidays...
That's it. Simple. And in case you are one of those that don't let yourself indulge in holiday treats or feasts this one is pretty safe, (without the coconut shreds or carob/chocolate chips), each slice of this is roughly 180-200 calories. The traditional pumpkin pie is roughly 350-700 calories a slice. Its also vegan friendly for those that come to your holiday parties and annoy you because they wont eat the turkey, ham, or any pie with milk or dairy in it...tell them to eat this.
Friday, October 22, 2010
In And Out Of The Dumps...
I'm SO THANKFUL it's Aloha Friday, this week has been a big up n' down roller coaster and while I dont like to wish my days away, I'm sort of ready to get off this ride. My body feels like poop on a stick. Getting up the stairs with Kainoa's pumpkin this afternoon was more tiring then climbing up them the night of Ironman! Yesterdays swim I was hoping for the waves to wash me to shore! Today's swim, in the pool had me thankful there was a wall every 25 yards. I'm blaming the swimming on the fact yesterdays swim was 2.4 miles and I've only swam that far 2 other times since August - that includes the day of Ironman (maybe just a little lack of swim distance training). It's a little frustrating, of course I'm respecting the fact Ironman was only 2 weeks ago... but I want my old body back.
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Breathing still frustrates me and I think that explains why my muscles get so pooped, they just don't get the oxgyen they need. That and the fact my swim suit doesn't fit has me in the dumps a little...however, that horrible flu that was covering Kona with the thousands of people that came to town for Ironman has landed, gave me a day of fever, and has left the body! THANKFULLY!
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I keep having this wishful thinking that my body will be strong and healthy again in time for Ironman Cozumel. Yes, Ironman Kona was a blast and most the day I was enjoying it all, but I really want to race and it feels almost like getting robbed doing an Ironman without the "race suffering" when you do it at what feels like "training day pace" . It'll be my last race of the season, so even more so I want to get in a race. You know, something so totally not like me happened in the pool today...a thought came in that said, "maybe I should just call it a season and be done, let my ribs get 100% not 88% or whatever they are, get my breathing back good, get fitting back into my swim suit, and call it off season". Then I swam another lap and my thoughts were, "Push this lap Bree, see if you can go hard and get a breath and see if your legs will reach that burn feeling when you kick hard, just try..." . I actually ended up grabbing a kick board (which I never use) and made myself kick really hard, REALLY, REALLY HARD, in an attempt to "exercise my lungs and breathing". Breathing in my body feels like it grew lazy and doesnt like to grab a quick breath (is that possible??), I used the board so my face was out of the water and just made myself have to breathe heavy and hard..... dont ask, I just wanted to experiment because my body is frustrating me.
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Of course, the highs of this week, other than the collection of flowers Kainoa has picked all week long, is of course "Spreading Aloha To The Marshallese". That project has totally helped ease the focus from frustration to sheer joy. Each day has brought on so much hope and excitement that I can't even allow myself to feel sad about my body when all this good is pouring in from all over the world! Literally, hands have reached from near and far to help! Talk about people coming together for the good of others!! Let me give you some examples...
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Without saying a word a friend has offered 250 tooth brushes!!! On my "Hope to make happen list" was a tooth brush for EVERYONE in the village, and now its happening! In only 2 days since announcing the details we've raised over $1,000!! Shoe boxes and shoes have started to collect in Kainoas room, (he has offered to let his room become the storage center), friends have volunteered to help wrap all these boxes with me, we have a crew that is willing to travel down with us on actual Christmas day to spend with the Marshallese rather than their own families! WOW. A couple bakers/chefs in town are happy to prepare food for the feast, and get this... the WORD IS SPREADING LIKE FIRE! It has brought tears to my eyes! On FB alone 94 others have posted it as their status up date which then was shared with all their friends and from there their friends and you get the idea. People that have never even heard of Marshallese now know! That's only the start, a few girls have passed the word to their entire triathlon teams and each member is now packing a box! Its unreal...all this support is going to change a life, I just know it! Maybe even a few lives... when people feel loved like the kind of love that is rolling in it can't help but change things....
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Alright, I could chat for hours about this project, enough said.... mahalo plenty!! From tomorrow, 5 weeks till IM Cozumel, plenty of time :)
Bree
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Spreading Aloha To The Marshallese...
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250 shoe boxes, Piece of CAKE!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Pinata Breaking Time...
I'm officially between training sessions to bust a pinata (not really) but I do have news.... coach gave me the GREEN LIGHT to return to Ironman Cozumel! This mornings ride was filled with Mexican memories. My run is now lingering, I'll tackle it after I take a time out to tell you how excited I am, I'M SO EXCITED! Mambo number 5!! I mean Ironman number 5 this year, the reason Im so stoked on it, (other than the fact I love Mexico), is that it will mark my 10th Ironman hoooorah! Double digits, you know how happy that makes a kid feel to turn two full hands, I feel like that. Then a proper recovery session will be on the program and 2010 season will be in put in the scrap books, memories, and photo albums.
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This race fits so ideal for this momma too. It happens to fall on the week Kainoa is at his dads (Thanksgiving with his pops this year too), that leaves me able to work without worry. He will be safely scarfing down turkey while I'm chowing down gels and salts!
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This week is already smoother than last week. Training again, (still really minimal as it's more or less recovery style), having Kainoa home, and once again having a goal-I love goals. I've also taken on a Christmas project, more on that later. And we did our Halloween costume shopping! I LOVE this time of year, holidays are here! Everyone seems to be in a good mood, the air is cooling off a little (by Hawaii standards that is), and all the fun recipe books are out. This morning was pumpkin smoothies! After school Kainoa has begged to make pumpkin cookies (it's our tradition every Halloween time). Holidays are amazing with a child, they get so excited that it makes you so excited and they never forget traditions that you began just a year or 2 ago...Thankfully packing for Mexico will be easy. ha ha.... that beach cracked me up last year and sadly as the bike course zoomed past it there was not a person on the beach! I could use a laugh mid 112 miles. Alright, that run is calling my name...
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ADIOS!!
Bree
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The Biggest Pua I Could Find...
An over sized hat hung slightly above my eyes, long sleeves covered my arms, and slippers were on my feet, it was as if I was a little girl again riding my bike with no destination, no thoughts of sport, just cruising with my kaikaina (lil sister). We rolled through beautiful country side, up and over little hills, on trails, next to lava tubes, and under canopies of giant green trees. The breeze was cool, smells of farm land lingered in the air, and the sunshine radiated in our laughter.
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It's days like this that have me entirely too deep in thought, mostly about how much I value the fact I've always followed my heart, also pensive about trying to figure out and understand what next. I just never want to miss any single moment and up to this point in life I've done everything that ever entertained my heart and head and no regrets ever cross my mind... so I thought a little too much about who knows what...
Replacing my fancy Speed Play pedals with some $3 Walmart pedals on my road bike was certainly the best way to spend a Sunday morning, a morning where recovery is still on my plan, not training or race focus mode, just cruise and stay active mode. The little sister, Nick, and their baby kept me company, for sure we tried to race up and over little hills and dodge a dead cow that had our noses hurting, but it was all fun and games. We even took time out to smell the puas (flowers) and hide in lava tubes.
Just finished looking at all the Ironman Hawaii photos. Here is the moment just before climbing the Palani Hill, I was so excited to get up that hill and onto Queen K. Seeing this moment captured in a photo has me really wanting to relive another Ironman. At this moment I can't even put it into words the way I feel to be a triathlete. Simply put, I love it. Totally blessed that this is what happens everyday in my life, swimbikerun...
Okay, I better sleep on it. Tomorrow starts back some organization to this mess I've made of my routine post Ironman. Kainoa also returns from his dads house & Ill need all the energy I can muster up to tell him that his pet gecko is not sleeping (he had me rubbing it's belly), but its dead. Good thing geckos clutter the island...
Bree