Last summer, on the Forth of July, Jeremiah won the Marathon National Championships. A few weeks later, he took his second national championship of the year with a victory in the short track event at Mt. Snow. Then he charged through the American Mountain Classic, winning most of the stages and the overall title. He was super fit, super fast and super light. (He is still all of these things, but this is a tale about last year. I digress.)
I’ve been lucky enough to accompany Jeremiah on many of his adventures; share in the victories and take pride in his accomplishments. You’ve probably seen us pre-riding the race courses together, and I’m often handing up bottles in the feed zones or cheering from some remote location on the course. The stories I could tell seem endless, full of great characters and usually bring a smile when I recollect them. Already my mind is wandering again. (I'll try to post them here more often)
The arrival of a long over-due package in this week’s deliveries brings up a fun story that I’ll tell today.
Last year, as Jeremiah was ramping up for what would become an amazing season, we looked ahead at the summer calendar. There were so many variables to piece together: Cape Epic, the UCI World Cup, the US National Series, National Championships, Worlds, not to mention the US Olympic Team qualification criteria on top of it all.
There’s a cliché about shooting for the stars; if you miss, at least you’ll hit the moon... Well, this held true, and though Jeremiah wouldn’t make the Olympic team, he would have a stellar season, nonetheless.
Anyhow, part of pulling together the fitness and form for a racing "peak" is dropping down to what Jeremiah calls "race weight." For someone as lean as he is, the last two or three pounds are the hardest to shed. Jeremiah's see-it-and-want-to-eat-it appetite makes delicious food hard to resist, and I don't think he'll mind me saying so.
So last spring and summer, we tried something new. Jeremiah decided to incentivize me for helping him achieve his race weight.
Just what could he use to tempt me? How about the sugar bowl matching my china?
I bit that hook.
In the following weeks, I would do my best to keep Jeremiah away from buffets, chocolate shops, bakeries and just plain old gluttony. I smacked his hand away from more cookies, muffins, scones and chocolate bars than I can remember. I was the party killer when beer was involved. It was all in good fun for me, and a great reminder of his goals for him.
So, this week (about a year overdue and spurred on by the imminent discontinuation of the pattern) I claimed my reward.
Victory is sweet.
Yet, I can't help but chuckle at the sugary irony of it all.
-ErinLabels: Jeremiah, Stories
To say I have been negligent in updating this blog would be a bit of an understatement. But rest assured, even when I'm not blogging about it, I've been having fun and staying busy.
Conrad and I flew to Salt Lake for a jam packed weekend at the MonaVie Super Regional Convention. It was amazing to say the least. Photos from the firework-filled expo are up in the Gallery. We had a great time and celebrated Jeremiah's first Father's Day with the MonaVie Cannondale team and the Gillespie family, including Conrad's first glimpse into the world of pretty pink girly girls. Eva and Stella doted on him all weekend long, and he loved it.
Next up was Park City where Cannondale was hosting the international sales meeting. It was a great time! What made this part of the trip most memorable were the incredible people. Imagine meeting a company's entire "corporate" staff... and feeling liked, welcomed and appreciated with genuine enthusiasm. That's truly what it is like at Cannondale. Absolutely refreshing. I think that's part of the "Good Fight!"
Okay, back home to the east coast. Been spending a lot of time with our family while Jeremiah's on the road. I haven't been in one place for very long and my voicemail and inbox are piling up. If you're in Harrisonburg and haven't seen me around, it's because I haven't been. I feel like throwing myself a welcome home party just to get to see my friends. And, despite the craziness of the coming and going, I'm already looking forward to taking Conrad to the beach to visit his Hokie Godmother, DR! Gimbel in her new MTV beach crib. (How's that for a you-called-me-out-on-my-lazy-blog shout out?)
Next week we'll be cheering on Jeremiah as he competes in the Intermontane Challenge in Kamloops, British Columbia. And I'll be assembling IKEA furniture until my fingers bleed. HAHA.
Now I'm just rambling.
Here are some photos from our most recent fun, many more are up in the Gallery...
I'm still on the planet, but gravity is the only thing keeping me from going off on a tangent.
- Erin
Labels: Just for Fun, Photos, Where in the World
Here at the Bishop house, we've been getting in trouble lately.
Don't tell the Baby Police, but Conrad is a rebel and spent the afternoon taking a nap on... his belly! He really liked the new perspective, cooing at his animal cards for some time before dozing off. (And don't worry, Mom was close by the entire time.)
Then there's my trouble making... I was very excited to go out for a trail run the other day. It was to be my first day back on the trails since a few weeks before baby's birth, and I was ready to go! With Jeremiah's advice, I made a plan to walk to the trails, then hold back with an easy 30-minute jog, and walk home. My brother Josh would join me to see the secret back-route from one park to the other, and keep an eye on me.
We walked briskly to the park, began jogging up a cinder path toward the trails, crossed through a game of frisbee golf as quick as we could (don't mess with those guys or they'll break out some creepy dungeons and dragons moves on you) and were about to step foot onto the beaten trail. I was elated! I think I held my head up higher, proud of my rebound from oh-so-pregnant to actually running again, and doing it in my skinny shorts too! Reality struck me down from this cloud in an instant - the instant I planted my first foot on the trail, the following foot found a string of barbed wire, hidden by some leaves, and I wrecked like I hadn't wrecked in years! Before I knew it, I was flying through the air. As Josh later put it, I hit the deck "like she was sliding for home plate!" The impact was spread out between my elbows, palms and knees, and as Josh recalled to Jeremiah, "it's amazing that she didn't bust her face up, too!"
It was amazing. And so, I was reminded yet again to appreciate each day that I'm able to go outside and enjoy the world in good health and great spirits!
I feel great to get out and really move again. Now I'm in the market for a jogging stroller so I can get out for a run even when Jeremiah is away. Any suggestions?
:) Erin
This is what happens when you gorge yourself on chocolate bunnies all morning...
Conrad was too sleepy to sit for a photo, or he's too smart and didn't want to look like he enjoyed being stuck with bunny ears!
There are more photos, including some shots from the 'Burg Roubaix, in the Gallery.
Happy Day!
ErinLabels: Family, Just for Fun, Photos
