Mexico & my "aha!" moment

I wish I could write a happy/inspiring report on the 4 day trip/race to Ixtapa, but quite the opposite is true. However, everything everything happens for a reason and this trip made a delusion of mine clear and marked the right direction for me to take in this sport.

Thursday I got in and from then until Sunday, as a trip, I had a great time. I love Ixtapa- the people, the food, the town, the beach. I went by myself even though my dad drove out to watch me race but he stayed at some friend's house. It was enjoyable to cruise around town by myself, see the shops, try some great seafood, and appreciate the places triathlon takes me. Ixtapa has been a part of me from childhood- we used to go every Christmas and other holidays to our condo in Zihuatanejo.

The race- I was feeling great going in. I don't want to write a play by play as I'm really trying to just put the whole thing behind me as a blur of a solid training day for the season/for Galveston. The race basically ended for me on the swim as does any ITU if you don't come out of the water with the pack. Sad thing is I was with the pack until the second boey. Long story short, and stated as a lesson for all: if the person you are drafting cuts a boey, you don't gain anything by being ethical and going around it alone...cut the freakin buoey too!!

After that it was a solo HAMMERFEST on the bike and when I got to the run my legs were trashed. Like I said, great t-run in hot weather as training.

It was paramount that I do this ITU race at the beginning of the year and that it turn out bad, otherwise my stubborn self would've gone to another race in Mexico in May in Huatulco or in October in Cancun.

It was the exact replica of the outcome in 2008 when I also raced the draft legal pro race there. I actually biked faster that year despite all the miles and more fitness this time around- of course I had my super duper SLC SL :) haha....

Anyway, I wanted so bad to give ITU a try- to see it as a long term goal I could indeed with experience and more specific training get in the groove of performance wise especially for 2016. But it's just not my thing. Despite LOVING the raw racing, the intensity and finesse of it, for one I just can't connect with the Mexican athletes- as Mexican as I am, really I am not, ha. I've struggled with that my whole life- not being American, yet not fitting in at all with Mexicans, or in Mexico itself. I am a "gringa" by custom.

With that, I experience the "fish out of water" symptoms that foreigners do when they visit Mexico. I often get stomach problems with the trip, I don't understand the way they carry out/do some things, and on top of that my whole immigration situation makes me nervous to the point of being nauseous every time I go. Yet, I kept going back time after time, race after race. Each trip a little more difficult and a harder slap in the face.

Yesterday was the punch that knocked me out. If the universe throws us "signs" this was not a "sign" it was a detailed, in your face ORDER: "Stop it! Stay HOME!!!".

Despite all those, sadly, negative points, I love my country, appreciate the culture, and have to accept that I'm from there and that for personal/family reasons I was not born in the US, and can only be thankful to have been raised here.

I am proud to still race "for" Mexico in Ironman/70.3 racing, but I'm honestly fed up with trying to please others- and this is not toward my country, the federation, or specific people/friends in the US or there, it is in general. It's time to race for ME. To make MYSELF proud. I'll be honest since around December my self esteem/confidence has been in shambles, and this weekend took it to the gutter because I failed (not by not winning, let's not get stupid, but I knew I could swim that swim). It was just a sh*t race for me out of any Olympic distance ever, same as '08.

So, while my little idea of ITU sounded quite romantic, it will not be. 70.3 and all other DOMESTIC short course, and in future, Ironman races are my gig and clearly my forte.

After Galveston I look forward to putting all of this in a very distant past and just keep forward focus. I'm off to a training camp for over a month starting April 27 and returning after Hawaii 70.3 That will be my initial consistent, purposeful, smart (thanks to those guiding me) training block, for the rest of my season to unfold.

What can I say? I am stubborn, but relentlessly passionate and determined to achieve what I have always known I can achieve in the thing I love most.

Highs & Lows

I've developed more empathy toward menopausal women. The roller coaster of emotions and physical feelings I've experienced the last 2 months had me wondering whether a steady stream of training and confidence would ever make its way back to my life.

4 weeks ago I had one of the best weeks of training ever. I was cranking out swims and runs in PB paces and all the while upping my cycling from the "run block" that took over the start of the year. I was on FIRE. Then suddenly after that weekend going out on my longest brick/long run combo (4.5hr ride Sat, 2hr run Sun), I knew I was digging a big hole on that run Sunday but thought it's all good as long as I take a few easy days.

Enter stupidity: you get a text from a friend to run some intervals the following Tues- you're feeling tired but very fit and go for it.

BOOM interval one 2-3min and that was it the plug was pulled and from that moment it took me two weeks to get back to myself.

I've never had fatigue where I cannot complete a workout- where I am EMPTY. I struggled to find motivation, to get my heart rate up above 120 no matter the perceived effort, and everything resulted in heavy breathing.

Long story short, 2 weeks and I knew I had to do something about it- training in the real sense of the word was not an option. Thankfully I have some people around me that really care and I've surrendered my stubborness to follow their knowledge.

Everything worked out for the best and I am soooooo glad I experienced that "overtraining" because it landed me in the hands of a plan I trust and am excited about.

I didn't do Desert International, and recently Super Seal was a scratch due to the mini storm that hit SD.

So now a week out from Ixtapa I'm 2 weeks into consistent quality training and my body is coming around right when I need it to.

I have no idea what sort of fitness I have, or what performance I am capable of in an Olympic or the 70.3 the week after- primarily because this year has started off entirely different from the last 6 years of racing. It's a bit scary to think I have to be fit in April since in the past I've always focused everything on October and if I wasn't on top of my game in Spring it was totally ok- I'd still place well. But racing pro is a different story- no one wants to go and make an a** of themselves. I'm amazed at those that through the year are either fit, fitter, or fittest. I'm definitely not that type of athlete. My range is more like "30min gym cardio person" to "ATHLETE".

That said, for my goals, and for how I know my body reaches peak fitness, this year is going to play out perfectly so long as I continue just like the past 2 weeks :)

There's nothing to lose in Ixtapa or Galveston, and all the experience and fitness to gain. I've had my pro debut already, had a good race, and have no hype or expectations to live up to (except my own ;)). There's often so much noise surrounding some athletes before they even achieve anything- I'd hate to have to live up to that sort of thing. It feels good to have proven myself last year, and still have a decade before I reach the stereotypical prime age for endurance sports.

Come April- June I look forward to building up a peak for Honu and Lubbock, and from there on continue my season through October with a bunch of Olympics and some more 70.3s. The word season is kind of obsolete now with all the events year round all over the world- it is a long year and if anything I'll only be getting more and more fit.

Hopefully I'll have internet in Mexico and be able to post a race report and some pictures pre/post race.

Can't wait to just put out every ounce of effort both weekends and see a lot of my favorite peeps :)!!!!

Taking the driver's seat

Reading over my last post it seems like I'm reading about another person. It's funny how quickly we can distance ourselves from situations we're no longer in no matter how recently we experienced them and how intense they were. You know...like when you have the flu and you feel like a truck ran you over and you cannot even remember what it felt like to breathe normally and have energy. Then you get well and you can't relate to having the flu at all. I guess that's why women that have had a kid go on to have another...I don't know from experience but it's clear the pain is severe.

Well, it's almost a month later and I'm proud and happy to say that I've taken the driver's seat of my life like never before and fully done a 180 heath wise. The rash/itching hasn't come back, my energy level is better than ever, and the fire to achieve my goals (some "realistic" some that others would call "impossible") is BURNING!

What I did isn't science, but it something that for the past 5 years I've been in the sport just didn't feel right to me- namely backing off the volume and the idea of Ironman. Ironman is why I got into this sport- reading about it in a magazine and seeing that documentary "What It Takes" back in 2006. So every December I'd rest but come January I'd be all about long bike rides and big base building in an effort to become strong, durable, and fit for long distance. Oh how I was so so so wrong! But it had to come to me naturally- like that whirlwind of hell I experienced last month. So this January my priority was nutrition, sleep, and finesse.

Finesse meant this: rehab in chiro, ART, and massage....core work (lots!)...yoga, sport specific weights...and working on the thing I love most about triathlon and what isn't really my "strength" per se, but definitely the one that comes more naturally to me= running!

So onto the running...To say I've developed an obsession about it is an understatement. In one month I've become quite the history buff on the sport, and the fan of some amazing athletes in track and distance running. By the time the marathon trials came last weekend, I had a new plan and desire to do whatever it takes (and it will take years!) to get the most of an elite runner that I have in me (whether that be a little or a lot- I'm going to go to the depths of discovering it).

I have never ever been so inspired watching a sporting event as I did seeing Shalane, Desi, and Kara perform in Houston. Knowing their individual backgrounds in the sport and what it took for them to get to punch that ticket to London over the years blew me away.

Primarily it made me realize that I have so much more work that I can do. As Kara said in her pre race interview when she spoke about complacency, I think every athlete at one point whether they have a conscious realization of it or not, reaches complacency. Well now I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid to work like a true professional. Over the years I've let myself fall victim to the fear of certain training that simply people with a family, an overwhelming full time job, or who are just past their prime cannot do. Well I can. I have the time, the desire, and the ability.

That said, this month has been about becoming a runner. A mere dot on the spectrum that is years of miles ahead of me. It will allow me to push my triathlon performance to the next level. Quickly it has already fixed a lot of my bike issues that came with useless long rides. I've also found that just riding 3-4x/wk for less than 2.5hrs and all at a good clip, coupled with my increased fitness from all the running, has led to much better bike fitness (surprise!).

As 2012 kicks off I am so excited to put in writing what I am training for:

To have an FUN and SOLID pro debut year racing Galveston, Honu, Vineman....2 others I don't know yet...and hopefully/maybe Vegas Worlds

To run the Rock n Roll half as a KEY race in end of November in San Antonio ....or the Vegas Half in December as a RUNNER

While still dabbling in 70.3s in the coming years, after some non drafting sprints and Olympic distance events this year, and once my new visa comes in and I can travel internationally as I please, my long term goal is to make the 2016 Olympic team for Mexico.

About that- you might ask, well wouldn't it have been better to give that a try before the eight Ironmans? Well I'll be frank- I never ever thought I could get my swimming, or my running to ITU level. But despite what Ironman takes out of you, it gave me a lot more in return! It gave me incredible mental strength, it gave me years of long rides, plenty by myself, plenty of long runs, and a lot of swimming that in a sense was my base for the speed I will now add. The opposite way to approach it by normal standards but for me I needed to believe. I now believe that I can get my swim and run there, because (whether I have any of it or not) I believe talent is overrated. I know that I love swimming, and I adore running, and I will rack up 30,000m+ swim weeks, I am thrilled to reach 70+mi run weeks, and I am willing to put in this work with the vision of a long term plan. I am now at the maturity in this sport and have the confidence to give it my best shot. There are no more doubts, it's quite simple- put in the miles.

If I fail, I don't care as long as come 2016 I know I gave it all I had. In the end, the training will still do wonders for my long course racing and since I love it I will have an incredible time in my late 20's.

You live once, JUST DO IT.

Sacrificing Health for Sport

Athletes are supposed to be the epitomy of health right?...Of balance, strength, stamina, speed, agility, and power. But that’s hardly the case. To be an elite athlete, to compete at world class level, and to even go on doing so for years- decades- requires some sacrifice of health.

Putting aside health consequences of drug use- like steroids in baseball, to name one- I want to talk about sacrificing our health by pushing through injury, ignoring it until it becomes chronic pain that we just keep shutting up; or pushing through states of fatigue until we blur the line between tired and having our entire hormonal/adrenal system in turmoil; or simply too much of whatever it is that we do.

Reading Andre Agassi’s “Open” is one example. Growing up watching Andre play, I never would’ve guessed behind those ridiculous shots he nailed, the superhuman way he moved along the court, and all the victories, that here was a guy in his 30’s lying down on a hard floor before matches because his back was in excruciating pain.

Well I’m not here to write a book, nor am I claiming to be crippled or with chronic fatigue- it even makes me feel bad going into detail about my issues when all in all I’m a healthy 24 year old and (knock on wood) have never suffered a major illness or life threatening accident.

I do, however, want to provide an insight on what racing and training for 8 Ironmans from age 19 to age 24, along with multiple Half IM’s and dozens of other shorter races, has done to my body so that other teenagers out there wanting to go down this path think twice.
(emphasis on the Ironmans, not the other stuff that I do believe is healthy, Ironman I do not believe to be healthy AT ALL….but I still love it, I guess that makes me crazy).

First of all, I have no regrets, and I was warned that I was too young to keep doing this year after year. But in pursuit of my goal to conquer Kona, meaning achieve what I deemed to be “special” in that race, I kept plugging along, ignoring what would inevitably come back to haunt me.

When I came home from Cozumel to San Antonio, I expected 4-5 days of napping, being constantly hungry, and heavy legged. I did not expect to feel like a complete zombie, have constant migraine like headaches, random stomach issues, and bouts of dizziness for 10 days. I also did not expect to break out in hives 8 days after the race because of a soap from the gym. Looking back at the allergic reaction, after speaking with my homeopath and being on a med since Dec 9 after landing at Urgent Care because my entire body (I’m talking even my butt) was covered in hives- was more than just an allergy. Hives are also brought about by stress or by a detox in your system. The honmeopath made me look back and think if this really was the first flare up. No, it wasn’t. After Kona, in a week training for Coz that had me exhausted, I was in the middle of a long run and had the same reaction- think exercise urticaria.

Perhaps that whole nightmare was a blessing because it forced me to really question how quick I want to get back in to training. My plan now is not until mid January. I tried doing a duathlon with Daniel last Sunday and while I “won” that doesn’t tell the truth. When I crossed the line barely being able to hold sub 7:15 for 5ks(!!) my brother looked like he’d seen a ghost- I was puffed up….I mean like you could squeeze my fingers, my face was all swollen and cankles are an understatement. My entire body did something scary and I don’t know what the hell it was but I did not like it.

It’s been 3 weeks and today I sort of felt like half myself. I felt ok a few days before the allergy ever started but I guess it showed up to stop me because I would’ve been training again by now for sure. The day before flying back to San Diego I had this weird episode at the gym after riding 20min on the spin bike and doing some abs- I got very nauseous and lightheaded and suddenly fell- luckily didn’t flat out faint, just snapped back as quick as I fell.

Ok that’s part 1. Part 2 came today

I went to yoga. I’ve always sucked at Yoga so it was no surprise that I couldn’t touch my toes. What was a surprise was looking at the 50 yr olds in envy. It seemed reverse….like I should be middle aged seeing them be my age and thinking “oh to be young again”.

I look in the mirror and see the slant in my hip and the dip in my back from my bike accident in 2008. It’s been the cause of my constant struggle to be comfortable on a bike, but I’m used to stopping numerous times to adjust cleat bolts even in 2hr rides…I’m used to my left hip and knee, or my right knee from compensating, hurting and swelling during every ride. So it was only normal to see my legs trembling because I had no balance, and my left knee not able to stand that leg on its own without hurting really bad.

Last year when I did yoga it was not so bad, but this year was my last chance for my goal in Kona (which I still didn’t reach by 2min), and so I trained harder, ignored absolutely everything from my bike pains, and told myself I don’t care if I can’t function after Hawaii I just want to blow that race away.

Well now I’ve turned pro, and now I see the signs of a breaking tired self. It’s like these last 3 weeks all 8 Ironmans came down on me at once. I feel so weird and unlike myself it troubles me. I have no choice but to step back, really far back and address all of these things because I will not make the gains I want if I don’t fix my body inside out.

At this point I’m still sorting out the bike I’ll be riding next season, so for the next couple of days I’ll enjoy spinning a road bike around the coast. Then will be fix #1 going back to Studio DNA with a bike that fits my size and get retuled from ground zero.

In the meantime I’ll be a Yogi, and doing some work at Rehab United to work on what I can’t work on once I’m really training. I’m running and swimming as I wish and eating cleaner than ever before.
Lastly getting constant work chiro work by Rob, and ART from Dan, and getting blood work next week. This is what will really let me know if something is of deeper concern. I know my hormones are not in balance at all…I know for various reasons which I don’t want to go into.

So that’s my price for my sport. It’s not every ones price for triathlon, but we all have our own issues- some have bike accidents, some get a gnarly injury like plantar, some unfortunately get hit by illness, others mentally burn out…..some go through sport rather smoothly. I’m not the worst case, or even a terrible one, but this month I’m experiencing things I never thought I’d go through this young. It has made me value my health even more and forced me to take a much later start to the season, and address things not only for continued success and improvement in triathlon, but for my well being as a person.

I hope reading this at least makes you assess your own state of being.

Steppin it up in Cozumel

I spent the week down in Cozumel before the race, meeting new people, relaxing by the pool, and eating some darn good ceviche!

I wasn’t nervous at all going into this race. After all, it’s just another Ironman. Excited though- very much so!

A few of the pros I knew going into this race, were super friendly, and lining up right before the swim I got nothing but smiles….and I’m pretty sure they weren’t the “haha little girl we’re gonna school ya”.

We got into the beautiful warm waters of Chakanab with enough time for a little warm up and then we were off.

Therein lies the first amazingly beautiful thing about racing pro: the swim was not a cagefight the whole way! It’s like there’s a mutual understanding that we’re all going to swim hard, end up on feet or next to each other and if you can’t cut it you’ll be off the back…no need to elbow you or sink you down.

I found a good pack right away and it seems I stayed there the whole time, coming in with the top girls- minus like two that swam 40s high.

Honestly the swim felt super super comfortable- cruise effort the whole way.

Into T1 all was good and off to the bike I went.

On the bike I was going to put out the same effort as in Hawaii and just ignore the girls as they went by, because I had to be realistic with my bike strength and any catching up/moving up spots was really going to come down to the run for me.

Before this race I was told numerous times that in your first times as pro, especially if the bike is your weak point you’ll be alone. This was said as a warning. I, however, adore riding alone. I train alone almost all of the time, and in age group for some reason I ended up in noman’s land all the time as it is.

This held true until half way through the 2nd loop, then I caught 2 other pro women, and some of the age groupers. I was also getting caught by the lead ag men, so really I saw about the same people as I do in other races. Certainly I was glad I was not near the age group packs that form in a flat race like this, because that is extremely sketchy! One wrong move in that one lane road and there goes your day.

Anyway, as to how I felt- I just didn’t have that spark in my legs like I did in Kona. Maybe I overshot some of my training leading in, maybe I still had some deep Hawaii fatigue, maybe it was mental, I don’t know.

I felt ok but just not on fire like I did a month prior. Also, the first 1hr my back and hips were really sore- it was weird!
That said, I am entirely happy with my effort and the result. I could not have ridden faster on the day, and to me that’s all that counts: how much you give. Plus, 2 min faster than last year, on a much windier day- I’ll take it!

T2…..oh this was a nightmare. Please don’t laugh.

So I get in, change into my comfy running shorts- best move ever in Kona (I feel like a runner, they’re dry and free-ing). Into the porta poty I go and leave my flask with salt tabs and 3 gels on my chair and tell the volunteers I’m just going to the bathroom.

I run in, and then spent 30-45secs fumbling with the safety pin for my bib number that came off. Easy to do when you’re just at home….in T2 with shaky hands and in a hurry, not so much.

I come out and my salt flask and gels are gone! They had taken them…like to return to me in my bags at the end of the race. WTF?!?!??!?!?! I don’t appreciate ignorance with initiative- that is by far the biggest flaw in humans. If you don’t know, don’t take initiative!

So the girl says “oh you needed it, it’s gone….wait can you hold on?” Uhhm no! I’m racing! I stand their dumfounded hoping maybe they will just run right in with my flask- the most important thing but no.

I sped out pissed. Actually worried more than anything because if it stayed hot the whole run like it did last year, I would’ve been screwed.

Luckily, cloud cover popped up and after the first loop, for loops two and three, the heavens came down.

I felt ok on the run. It got progressively better which is rarely the case, for me at least, in Ironman. The first lap I didn’t think I was going to be able to keep going I was in a daze. At one point I was seeing blurry, and my stomach hurt bad. I just prayed this was an ache and not the beginning of runs on the run again! But I knew I had to finish this race and I had to finish running not in shambles like last year.

Again, my legs didn’t have the spring they did a month ago. But at least I was running decent. I started eating bananas with coke in loop 2 and that saved me! I had never tried bananas and it was awesome.

In loop two I climbed back into 10th, played cat and mouse with another girl, and eventually held 9th.

I am thrilled at conquering this feeling of hell and it’s a lesson that things can always get better! I ran as strong as I could and the best definition for what I did this day was GUT IT OUT.

When it started raining and we were literally traversing a knee deep “river” of flooded streets, I just had to chuckle. It made for an epic day.

So I end the season, proud of what I’ve accomplished and sure beyond a doubt that I made the right move at the right time to start racing pro. I am also sure beyond any miniscule doubt that Ironman is out of my life for about 5 years. I cannot wait to have the spring, speed, and feeling of real racing that comes with sprints/Olympics/70.3

For now, it’s time to relax, keep moving with some other activities, and enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

Thanks to my support team:

Nytro Women- I had a ball this year racing along side you girls, and to Kristin- thank you for all you did for us! I can’t wait to see what next year holds for ya’ll.

Nytro- thanks Skip and all the guys at Nytro for being there for me, and simply being the best bike shop!

Beaker Concepts- Few people are behind me like you. I appreciate all the advice, and help.

Newton- Best running shoes in the world. I had my best year of running and no gnarly blisters or injuries.

TYR- ya’ll are swimming. Thanks for the new 54min swim PR!

Reynolds Wheels- Best out there! I knew that if my legs didn’t show up to ride, at least I had the wheels to keep me going forward fast.

Lifesport – Thank you coach Paul for an amazing season!

Nuttzo- No nut butter compares. Glad I could get others hooked on this too!

Cozumel, here we go!

A LOT has happened since Kona and lucky for me, it's all been great! I enjoyed some down time, indulged in some sinful, but oh-so-delicious, *healthy* junk :) and jumped right back into some quality training for Cozumel.

Right after I ran the Irongirl 10k in Del Mar two weeks ago off a heavy 7-10 days of real workouts, I was smashed...and I mean burried 100ft below ground. So much so that I struggled moving from my bed to the couch and fridge. I even started to wonder if I could race at all and concluded that if this continued into the end of that week I'd pull the plug.

It wasn't only the training, I also moved in 24hrs to my own condo in Carlsbad- which I'm super stoked about...but going from boxes to literally "home" in that time period has its heavy price. It was worth it though- I'd rather work as if on speed and give myself a perfect living environment than dance around it and not be completely comfortable.

But, never underestimate the power of hibernation! After two days of playing "bear" I bounced right back and now am into my first day of taper having polished off some of my best-feeling rides and runs so far this season :)

I tried hard to keep the same weight I had for Kona- 110 race morning, but something about doing back to back Ironmans has me much hungrier during and after training. So while I didn't stray completely off track, I did sturdy myself with 4lbs extra weight for this race. In all I'm ok with this because I'm not feeling on any cusp, I'm healthy, strong, and I'm still at what I consider (for me) race weight.

So now it's Friday and all that's left is a few workouts this weekend, lots of packing, and off to Me-hee-co!!

No matter what the result of my first pro race, I will only ever get one "first pro race" just like my first Ironman, and that is special itself. I'm fit, healthy, happy, and grateful. I will give it my absolute best, and will toe that line with the confidence of knowing I belong. I have no expecations (really for the first time ever haha) except of myself to not let up one bit and stay mentally strong. I will say this though, the Ironman slogan got it right: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

Can we please move on

This is the last thing I'll post on my blog related to my immigration issue. But as I was recently given a glimpse of hope at a full time job here in San Diego, a new conversation with my attorney arose, and I stumbled upon an obstacle that I never knew existed.

As far as I knew, all that was needed for me to get a job here was the willingness of company X to hire me and pay for the legal fees required for the visa. Brundage, whom I currently work for, hired me right when my visa expired and since the process moved along without issue, these requirements that I recently found out about went without my attention.

Let this be a final "shut up" and middle finger raised at anyone who's ever hinted, explicitly, or implicitly, about my unwillingness to "just get a job". A) I have one that, yes, I can do from the comfort of my couch. Sorry to those who have to be in a cubicle all day. B) to please the jealous/judgmental/whatever your title should be who obviously would like everyone else including me to be 9-5ing like them, here's a last little peak at what I face:

Today, while researching PR/Marketing firms in San Diego and the surrounding areas, as I have done numerous times before in hopes that I'll luck out, I happened across Mindgruve. They are in Carlsbad which would be perfect for me, and they are hiring for a part time admin coordinator. If I was American, and they liked what they saw on my resume, it'd be as simple as "you're hired, when can you start?" and boom, I'd be on payroll in a jiffy.

But, here's what must happen in my case: Said company has to
1) offer a job that corresponds to what I majored in- marketing, ok cool check!
2) pay legal fees...does the company want me that bad over a free American employee? I don't know
3) *NEW TO ME* offer a job that is not a "sales" job...the government does not consider that "professional"
4) *NEW TO ME* offer a job that requires a Bachelor's degree...uhhhm from the looks of the job description, nope! It's part time, and while there's a lot of computer literacy, etc skills required, there's no mention of a degree needed.

Those are the basics, it then gets more complicated with other criteria such as number of employees in the company...etc

FYI I sent them an email...I am an extremely optimistic person, but I'll likely prove my point further with their response.

In conclusion (this isn't a high school paper so forgive the retarded ending phrase, but from the constant nagging I get about this issue, it appears people either refuse to believe me, or are just plain stupid), it is not that I don't want even a part time job, at the very least (if I were such a lazy a**) to build my resume/work experience, or God-forbid I suffer an injury and can't be an athlete anymore- it's that I have a dozen more hurdles than an American applicant; and from the standpoint of the company, I'm a process, while others are a quick fix.

Yes I swim, bike, run AAANNNDDDD work from home (I am well aware how AWESOME this is). I don't talk about what I do because few do talk about their work especially in social media, unless THAT IS their job. Yes I have a great life and a loving family. Yes a lot of what I have I haven't had to earn myself and with that I've stumbled upon many envious remarks/attitudes. But my family has also gone through very hard periods, as we all do in this volatile life.

Here's the moral of this post, if there ever was one...if you can look at yourself in the mirror and like, no love, what you see and are thankful for the life you have, that is happiness. Do not look for it in the success or failure of others.