Andi's Movement Towards Change

The new training season has begun! My formal group run training, the Northville Priority Health Run Camp which managed and led by Gazelle Sports Northville  is now underway. We have had a few outdoor runs already, which is something that I had to get re-acclimated to (particularly because I hadn't run in the winter in a very long time). I had forgotten what it was like to run in the bitter cold, with snow and ice blanketing an otherwise drab colored ground. Our first run of the season was in 20-degree weather (with full sun, thankfully). Fortunately, I came prepared with enough layers along with my running spikes (I use Due North Everyday G3 Winter Traction Spikes, which have years and years). I've learned through past, not-so-graceful falls on my tail that slipping on unforeseen ice while running is not the most enjoyable experience. And if anyone would fall due to being a clutz, it would be me. We all began our run, a slow hour-long jog, and I quickly realized that...

Here we are, on a sunny yet bitter cold winter day. It's New Year's Day, 2018. I wanted to get those holiday cards out this year, but just never got to it. The intention is there, it is always there. Why does it seem like the older you get, the faster life passes you by? Looking back on this blog, for example, I posted on a regular basis, and then the posts abruptly ended in 2009. I haven't posted since -- I dropped the ball. Granted, that was a time of rebuilding for me. I had just gone through a painful divorce and wanted to re-focus on my family. Fast forward 9 years, and I can proudly say that I have accomplished my mission. I'm re-focused and blessed. My two beautiful children are growing up fast and make me proud every single day. I have a wonderful new husband who encourages me to be the best that I can be. I'm fortunate to have my health, and I have had the opportunity to participate in some wonderful activities (including regular running meet-ups with f...

Today signifies the first day of summer. At least for me. This was the first of a series of triathlons and run races that I have signed up for throughout the summer, and I couldn't have started this season on a better day. Today was the Motor City Triathlon, on Belle Isle in the great city of Detroit. I had signed up for the Olympic distance as opposed to the sprint distance, basically since I felt that I could pull it off even though I haven't trained a lick in three weeks. Other than still being somewhat in shape after having finished my half ironman in May, it's mind over matter, as far as I'm concerned. I awoke at four in the morning to a clear sky, a slight briskness in the air and singing birds; a good sign that this would be a great day for a race. I arrived on Belle Isle at around 5:30am and picked up my registration packet. The Motor City Triathlon had a set-up that I had not experienced before, a dual location transition area. I had to set up T2 first with onl...

Blink. Another Team in Training race season has come to an end. The phenomenon of how fast time flies has always intrigued me. We see this in our careers, in our children, in our pets, in ourselves. As I type this, I look over to my beautiful cat of 17 years, and feel like it was just yesterday that I brought her and her sister home. The past six months of training, fundraising, and preparing for this race didn't go at a snail's pace either. It's hard to believe that the half Ironman that the team and myself had been training for so hard all winter has now come and gone. This was a difficult season for me, and admitting that isn't easy either. At times, I felt almost defeated. There were even times that I actually wanted to quit. I'm really glad I didn't. In fact, this season taught a few things. It taught me that it's okay to lean on friends, to ask for help if I need it. It taught me the power of support, knowing that with that and God's love, anything...

"Update your blog!" I hear from Bananaman. It's a comment that isn't meant to harp or pester, but simply to nudge, as a good friend would do. I'll always appreciate those nudges, especially because these last six months have dealt me up with an extremely full plate as if I had just been served up a heaping dish from the all-you-can-eat buffet of life. Surely, with everything on my plate something is bound to drop on the floor. This blog is one, and my apologies to my dear friend Brian and anyone else who has checked this site so much more often than I have lately. Thanks for having patience in me, in holding me accountable. Moving forward, I can't guarantee that I'll keep my blog as updated as I once used to, but knowing that there is an occasional soul that checks in every once in a while does make a difference. Keep on me, and I'll keep on posting. At the very least, I'll do my best to try and squeeze this in between meals.

One nice thing about training for a big race is that you can incorporate a lot of little races in your training program to help you prepare for the big day. A short while ago, I took advantage of a local race to do just that. The race is called the Martian Marathon, and I had signed up for the half. I must admit that I just chucked out loud to myself. Only two years ago, this girl could barely run a mile and a half, and my pace was about as fast as my dad's after his hip surgery. And here I am, choosing to sign up for a half marathon as a "warm up" fun event? HAHA. Ok, it's more than a chuckle now. I digress... My goal for this event wasn't to just get the strange looking shirt and medal at the end of the event. It was a pulse-check to see how well I've been training for my half ironman in May. My fastest (what a subjective word) 13.1 distance run was around two and a half hours up until now, with a 3 hour half marathon time when I competed in last year's ...

Do you ever have times when you just need to get away? It's easy to get caught up in the moment, or should I say the thousands of moments that comprise a day. Staying focused is a requirement, yet a challenge. Juggling everything gives a sense of accomplishment, especially when you are successful at it. But then there are those times of feeling overwhelmed, totally stressed, having the need to just get away. Often, I can address this need by taking an hour out for myself and submersing myself in music, or perhaps a hot bath engulfed with bergamot-scented bubbles. A good bike ride or run does the trick too, or just cuddling up with my kids on the sofa and watching a good movie. Perhaps sympathy has come into play for me now that I have reached the tender young age of 40. "You need to get away, just for a couple of days," my dad said. His translation? A vacation for one. Wow, that sounds nice, but totally unrealistic. All those thoughts come flooding back into my head again...

Hello family, friends, and followers. For those who know me, you know that March is my favorite time of year -- it's not because of my birthday, and not because of St. Patrick's Day. It's MARCH MADNESS time! And this year, you have the opportunity to have a lot of fun and be a part of something special! I invite you to join in the Team in Training NCAA Basketball Bracket Challenge. Even if you really aren't too into college hoops or don't think you are built for predicting winners, now is the time to get involved and have some fun and know that you are helping fight cancer at the same time. What's in it for me? And where does the rest of the money go? Each bracket entry fee is $25, with a maximum of 3, and all of the proceeds, minus the prize pay-out will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Prizes will be 25% to the 1st place person, and 15% to the second place. The more people that participate, the higher the payout, so spread the word and tell all of ...

Below is the formal letter from the Michigan Chapter of Team in Training, on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The letter serves as proof that I am indeed raising money for a good cause, and not trying to scam you in any way. --------- March, 2009 This letter is to confirm that Andrea Duncan is serving as a volunteer for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Michigan Chapter, and is eligible to collect funds on our behalf. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is licensed with the state of Michigan as a 501 © (3) not-for-profit agency. Our mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Andrea Duncan is a member of our Team In Training program and has agreed to raise a minimum of $4400 for the Society and train to complete a long-course triathlon. Please support Andrea’s hard work and efforts, on our behalf. Andrea's fundraising page is http://pages.teamintraining.org/mi/gctri09/a...

Here I am, a mere 73 days away from the first event of the season, the Gulf Coast Half Ironman. That seems like a long way off, but like a shadow in the light of day, the time is quickly fading away. So am I on the right road of preparedness for this 70.3 mile challenge? I suppose it depends on who is asked. My coaches, mentors, teammates, friends, family, all think that I can pull it off. And if you catch me in the right moment, you'll see that I can drink that Kool-Aid too. I'm one of the lucky folks (I just knocked on wood) where I can head out with little preparation and get a good distance under my belt now, whether it's a swim, bike or run. The biggest challenge that weights heavily on my mind right now is the challenge of meeting my fundraising goal of $5,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through this Team in Training program. I'm admittedly slow out of the gate with this effort. Normally, I send out some letters and do an event or two and I am able to ...

Looking back on my life, I've learned that life has ebbs, and it has flows. There are great days, and there are crap days. And then there are days that are just there, where time passes by before we know it. Each day, each hour, offers an opportunity -- but I've learned that you have to know where to look for it. It's been almost two weeks since I've worked out becauser there is so much going on...it's one of those times where the tide is out, and I have a considerably higher amount of stress than normal. I have a lot going on in my life -- the joy and dedication to my awesome children, the emotionally draining process of a divorce, a demanding yet most enjoyable job, and yes, training and fundraising for this upcoming race. I am wondering if I can keep it all together. I woke up today more stressed out than I have been in a while. My mind has been racing for the last few days -- logistics, bills, taxes, practice, fundraising (which I am way behind on, certainly due...

In just a few weeks, I will be turning 40. Historically known as the mid-life of a human being, I did something crazy, or so some may say. No, I didn't go and buy a shiny new convertible that I can zip around town with. No, I didn't quit my job and decide to follow some dream of becoming an artist. No, I didn't jump in the sack with some hot Ken doll of a man. I bought a bike. A bike, you say? Yes. A beautiful, sleek, smooth fantabulous bike like no other I have ever had. It's a triathlon bike, and it rides like " buttah ." Traditional cyclists call it strange looking, but for me and my teammates, we call it beautiful. It's eye candy, this bike, and I don't regret one penny that I spent on it. However, I'm in a dilemma. You see, I'm one of the weird ones...I've always named the bikes I race on. (OK, I've only had one before now, and her name is Elly -- after my grandmother who fought multiple myeloma .) This bike was purchased for the ...

2009. A year of renewal, a year of growth. This video shows why I can't help but be active with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I'm thankful to be able to help this awesome cause once again. In 2009, one of my resolutions once again is to raise $5,000 for everyone who is fighting blood cancers. My intention is to reach this goal by my 40th birthday (March 5). Please join me in my quest by donating directly to LLS on my personalized web page -- it's a great way to start the new year right. On behalf of all of those who have fought blood cancers and for those who are just starting the battle, THANK YOU. Your help DOES make a difference!

When it comes to physical beauty, everyone has a unique attribute about them that sets them apart from the pack. Some people are blessed with beautiful hair. Others may boast about their great smile. And then you have the folks that rake in the dough as a foot model by having beautiful feet. I'm not one of those people. Those who know me have certainly heard me make a comment or two about my glorious feet. Ok, I'm blessed to have feet, not to mention the ability to actually use them. I accept that and am grateful. However, the genes don't work in my favor when it comes to these ole boats of mine. Here's a "run-down" on the history of my feet. At the age of 5 -- I already had a hard time finding shoes because my feet were so wide. At the age of 10 -- I had the feet of an old lady. My bunions were already forming and looked strikingly similar to those of my 80 year old grandmother. At the age of 15 -- I was fit with custom orthodics in my shoes. I had to endure ...

There comes a time in one's life when there is no sense in trying to hide the obvious. As hard as I've tried to suppress my feelings, I cannot go on without shouting this news from the rooftops. I'm having an affair. You should have known it by all of the signs. I've left the house as early as 6am; I venture out to various locations, enjoying the variety of each scene; I enjoy dips in an nearly secluded body of water; I regularly buy new clothing to look good; I watch what I eat to help increase my performance; I enjoy the fact that I have built up endurance; I complain of being sore after a long ride; I take a shower soon after I get home... Somebody stop me. I must give in, I must confess. I am in a full-fledged love affair with the sport of triathlons. I tried to cut ties with this relationship when I trained for a marathon, but all throughout the time I was running for the Dublin Marathon, I couldn't wait to go back to my true love. Triathlons are my drug, my ad...

It was October 27, 2008. The day had come, the day of the 2008 Dublin Marathon. It was 6am when my iPhone sang Little Less Conversation to me, a song my roomie and I had chosen the night before to get us out of bed and get the blood pumping. I had mentally tricked myself into thinking that I had slept in. (After all, it was only 2am in Michigan, and I hadn't quite adjusted to the time change.) I came off a rather solid night of sleep, despite the drunken songs by local Irishman that were flooding through my window from the pub just outside my hotel window. Slowly, methodically, Katie and I started our pre-race rituals. For me, my highest priority was turning on the tunes. Nothing can lead me away from a case of the nerves better than music. There were a lot of things I needed to bring with me on this day. I went through my checklist to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything. 7 strawberry-sanana PowerBar gels. Check. 1 peanut butter Clif bar. Check . 1 hydration running belt. C...

Hi everyone, I am working hard to get my blog updated so that I can provide you a full race report. I got many of my pictures uploaded. Instead of spending a ton of time uploading them here, I invite you to view them on my Flickr account. I even assigned photos to where I was when I was actually IN the marathon, so that you can visually follow along. Here's a link to the map with pics. I suggest you either view the map either by Hybrid or Satellite view. Then it will be easier to visualize. http://www.flickr.com/photos/82955866@N00/map?&fLat=53.32&fLon=-6.2434&zl=6&order_by=recent If you'd rather just see a slide show of what I have uploaded so far, then click below. Make sure to have the "info on" option selected so that you can see the photo descriptions. The photos in this batch are from the ENTIRE trip, not just the marathon. http://www.flickr.com/photos/82955866@N00/sets/72157608555679072/show/ Please check back soon -- I hope to have all of my re...

Hey everyone! I finally was able to find a place to hop online and give you an update. (Be forewarned, this may be the only post until I return.) Our team made it to Dublin safe and sound, after a long, long journey from Michigan. It took us almost 12 hours to reach Dublin from Detroit (we had to go through Chicago first). I barely slept on the plane, though the ride wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I was happy to know the weather forecast for Dublin ahead of time, because our approach in was BUMPY. We had to land in 45 mph winds (I didn't know planes could do that). We did circle around Dublin for a while before landing, just to "wait for the winds to die down a bit". I'm glad I like rollercoasters, because I felt like I was on New York, New York's coaster in Las Vegas (hands down the bumpiest ride I've ever been on). For once, I felt that the applause was well deserved when the passengers clapped after our safe landing. Despite the fact that I only ...

Fact #1) I'm so blessed to have my good health, my supportive family and friends, and a great place to work to be able to pull off training for -- not to mention participating in -- this special event on behalf of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Fact #2) I don't like running any more than I did when I started training for this marathon. Fact #3) My feet are a mess. And I haven't been running half as much as I should be. Open toed shoes are NOT an option for me right now, thanks to toe nails that have either fallen off, are falling off, or are just black. That's just nasty. Fact #4) Blame it on work, life, or laziness, but I'm just not as good about keeping this blog updated as I used to be!! Thanks to all of you for staying on me to keep this up to date! Fact #5) I'm in denial that my marathon event in Dublin, Ireland is coming up FAST! (I leave on October 24 and the event is October 27!) Fact #6) I have strayed far, far away when it comes to following my...

Five weeks from now, I will be in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I'll be surrounded by smiling faces, the greenest of grasses, and beer galore. No, I won't be visiting Michigan State University's campus. I'll be in Dublin, Ireland competing in my first ever marathon. (It all sounds great up to the marathon part with exception of running past the Guinness Brewery.) The Dublin Marathon will be the third event that I have done with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program. I am getting excited for this trip, but I'm even more excited to know that I am nearing another goal that is near and dear to my heart. Since I started with the Team in Training program in May of 2007, I've finished two Olympic distance triathlons with the team. When this event is over, I will have raised over $15,000 for this incredible cause. Think about that for just a moment. To side track for a moment, here are some examples of where this money is i...