Otherwise known as parenting. I don't always make good decisions in life... like today at work I was so intent on what I was working on that I came to the sudden realization that the 20 oz. of water I chugged in the last hour had created an urgent situation... TWICE. Or that eating chocolate in angst to start the work day does wonders for a blood sugar crash late in the morning.
So when it comes to my kids one should note that while in my head I think it would be so cool to be SUPER MOM (hear the music and see the cape flap) I am alas only human and sometimes I don't make good decisions.
I am envious of a few of my friends who always seem to come across as being in a mommy bliss so full of love for their children that they always seem happy and unflappable. I am sure anyone that sees me with my kids thinks what does that woman take because she is like the energizer bunny... maybe she should slow down and actually finished getting dressed before she runs out the door. I love my kids, really I do, but sometimes I just need to catch my breath.
So this morning I get up with high expectations of a great day leading into a weekend filled with travel, family and what is sure to be a beautiful wedding. But oh it wasn't to be. What is it about six-year-olds that makes them so much harder to deal with than 18-month-olds. Give JJ a banana and a room with a cat and he is in bliss and can keep himself entertained for at least a few minutes while I fold a weeks worth of laundry. I know I can tackle him, get him dressed and groomed in under five minutes to leave the house on time.
His older sister Abigail is a whole 'nother story. She had brought some potato heads (read 7 or 8 not sure why we have so many) up to hear room last night. Mind you she hasn't played with these in months so maybe that was the fascination. But after dragging her out of bed she proceeded to sit down on the floor and start to play. I am thinking it is 6:30 and I still have to put the clothes away and really we don't need to leave the house until 7:20 so I ask her to get dressed and I leave the room. I come back in 10 or 15 minutes after finishing my chores and she is still sitting on the floor playing with the potato heads. Still not dressed or groomed. So I ask her nicely for the third time to please get dressed and groom herself or perhaps the potato heads will be no longer once I get out of the shower.
So I go shower and come back to her still sitting on the floor... dressed this time and looking mighty proud of herself. At this point it is 7:10 and I am thinking S$%^ no way we are going to make it out of the house on time if she doesn't get a move on. I am by now more than a little annoyed she is still sitting quietly in her room playing (why can't she do that when we want a few minutes of peace???) So I scoop up her brother and race downstairs all the while hollering at her to get her butt moving. So after two trips up the stairs she finally wanders down (with all the potato heads wrapped up in her blanket... she thinks I don't know) and I hustle her towards the bathroom.
She is in there while I am loading the car and getting her brother ready and I am thinking OK we are getting somewhere. I go in to the bathroom and I haven't a clue what she had been doing for five minutes but she hadn't brushed her hair or teeth. So I ask her what she was doing and she says 'mommy my tummy hurts so I can't brush my teeth'. This is Abby code for 'I am hungry so I refuse to function like a normal human'.
By then I am ready to strangle her because this will be the fourth day out of five that I am running late for work (at least two of these days were because of Abby getting stuck in neutral... one because we overslept and one because well it was Monday). So screechy bird mommy with flapping swirling motions comes out... I am pissed at this point and she is crying and JJ is standing there looking absolutely baffled. God help us please I am thinking... so she did brush her teeth 'just super fast mommy' and we get to the car where I toss her a brush, a breakfast bar and her lunch and we are off for another day with the episode soon to be forgotten.
How it makes my heart ache to start the day like this... usually happens once a week so I vow to change MY behavior, and to talk to Abby, AGAIN about HER behavior and how it makes us both feel, and we live to love another day.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Olympic Accomplishment...
I am sure I mentioned in one of my June blogs about the follies that started my season. Wind... Rain... and a bit of disappointment to be sure. I had three more races lined up for late August and early September with a month of rest in between. The first was Hickory Grove... I did this race last year and well... it sucked. I did part of the swim looking into the sun and then have to run up a huge hill to get to transition. The bike has a hilly 3-4 mile loop with a one mile out and back so basically no forward momentum allowed. The run covers every terrain possible, grassy path, asphalt road (very hot), more grassy trail, and then gravel road...
So you might ask why do that race again. First reason... great swag as they have the best workout shirts in the race packet and second because last year I had just had a baby and this year some training had actually taken place so I was off to see if I could improve my time. So I get there and hang out with my friend Jill (doing her second triathlon ever) and go through the motions. the swim was good... the bike was uneventful and the run was hot just like I remembered... YUCK! I only dropped five minutes off last years time so that was a bit of a let down especially after being so on fire at Hy-Vee in June. The plus to this race is Joe brought the kids so I actually had a cheering section which I love. The weather was beautiful (the skeeters were horrible.) I probably will only volunteer at this one next year since it is so close to home.
Then I was up to do CyMan in mid September which is a fundraiser/charity race put on by the ISU triathlon club. I was feeling a little blah but took the kids down to pick up my race packet anyway and scored a new running hat. Ok folks this kind of nice gear is expensive to buy so I get most of my workout clothes at the races I do so I apologize if I sound so material. I ended up not doing the race with my first Olympic looming as I would have had three races in five weeks time.
So then comes Peregrine Charities race in Waterloo. It was super fun to go back to my old hometown area. I stayed with some old family friends and had a delightful dinner with their Indian (the country) friends and was up early the next morning to head to the race. It was a beautiful morning with mist coming off the lake (64 degree water & 42 degree air temp). We hopped around in our wetsuits to stay warm for an hour while the opening ceremony and first six waves got off. I was excited and one of the race volunteers got a photo of me seconds before my start with a huge smile on my face (I will try to get it and post it.) I rocked the swim at just over 25 minutes and first in my wave to finish. They had pool noodles on ropes guiding us so it was almost like following a lane rope.
I took my time in T1 wiggling out of the wet suit, putting on my socks, shoes and jacket because I was soaking wet and it was chilly. I had a solid ride but know I can do some different training next year to do better. Then a quick T2 and out onto the run course... the first mile was pain as my feet were completely numb. I don't know if I mentioned this was my first Olympic race since Hy-Vee was cut short. It is a .9 mile swim, 25 mile bike and 10k run (6.2 miles). Running has been my nemesis over the years but I have been working hard with better form and more consistent training to make running easier for me. So I headed out for only my 3rd or 4th 10k run of the season. The last one I did was in early July and didn't have a triathlon attached to it... I did the same time on this 10k and came it at 3 hours and 1 minute at the finish line. The Peregrine folks organized a GREAT race with fun things like a unique race shirt and sock, and my race number actually had my name on it. And what a great charity to give money to... rare pediatric diseases. I love the Olympic distance so I will have to look for most races in the Midwest at that distance.
So I am already looking ahead to next year and the year after. I am thinking I might see if I can get on a team together and do the swim for a 1/2 ironman next year. I am also wanting to build up my run speed for next year from just under a 10 minute mile to something in the 9 minute pace. I'm hoping in two years barring any running issues I would like to do Dam to Dam with Joe or the Des Moines half marathon. Just thinking if I can conquer that there might be a 1/2 ironman in my future. I won't say never but I still think it highly unlikely that I will ever do a full ironman because a 15 hour race that ends with a marathon just seems a little bit crazy to me. I know a lot of you are thinking doing a triathlon at all seems a bit crazy, but I love competing against myself, having clear goals and working hard to maintain my fitness and set a good example for my kids. So until next year enough about the tri. :)
So you might ask why do that race again. First reason... great swag as they have the best workout shirts in the race packet and second because last year I had just had a baby and this year some training had actually taken place so I was off to see if I could improve my time. So I get there and hang out with my friend Jill (doing her second triathlon ever) and go through the motions. the swim was good... the bike was uneventful and the run was hot just like I remembered... YUCK! I only dropped five minutes off last years time so that was a bit of a let down especially after being so on fire at Hy-Vee in June. The plus to this race is Joe brought the kids so I actually had a cheering section which I love. The weather was beautiful (the skeeters were horrible.) I probably will only volunteer at this one next year since it is so close to home.
Then I was up to do CyMan in mid September which is a fundraiser/charity race put on by the ISU triathlon club. I was feeling a little blah but took the kids down to pick up my race packet anyway and scored a new running hat. Ok folks this kind of nice gear is expensive to buy so I get most of my workout clothes at the races I do so I apologize if I sound so material. I ended up not doing the race with my first Olympic looming as I would have had three races in five weeks time.
So then comes Peregrine Charities race in Waterloo. It was super fun to go back to my old hometown area. I stayed with some old family friends and had a delightful dinner with their Indian (the country) friends and was up early the next morning to head to the race. It was a beautiful morning with mist coming off the lake (64 degree water & 42 degree air temp). We hopped around in our wetsuits to stay warm for an hour while the opening ceremony and first six waves got off. I was excited and one of the race volunteers got a photo of me seconds before my start with a huge smile on my face (I will try to get it and post it.) I rocked the swim at just over 25 minutes and first in my wave to finish. They had pool noodles on ropes guiding us so it was almost like following a lane rope.
I took my time in T1 wiggling out of the wet suit, putting on my socks, shoes and jacket because I was soaking wet and it was chilly. I had a solid ride but know I can do some different training next year to do better. Then a quick T2 and out onto the run course... the first mile was pain as my feet were completely numb. I don't know if I mentioned this was my first Olympic race since Hy-Vee was cut short. It is a .9 mile swim, 25 mile bike and 10k run (6.2 miles). Running has been my nemesis over the years but I have been working hard with better form and more consistent training to make running easier for me. So I headed out for only my 3rd or 4th 10k run of the season. The last one I did was in early July and didn't have a triathlon attached to it... I did the same time on this 10k and came it at 3 hours and 1 minute at the finish line. The Peregrine folks organized a GREAT race with fun things like a unique race shirt and sock, and my race number actually had my name on it. And what a great charity to give money to... rare pediatric diseases. I love the Olympic distance so I will have to look for most races in the Midwest at that distance.
So I am already looking ahead to next year and the year after. I am thinking I might see if I can get on a team together and do the swim for a 1/2 ironman next year. I am also wanting to build up my run speed for next year from just under a 10 minute mile to something in the 9 minute pace. I'm hoping in two years barring any running issues I would like to do Dam to Dam with Joe or the Des Moines half marathon. Just thinking if I can conquer that there might be a 1/2 ironman in my future. I won't say never but I still think it highly unlikely that I will ever do a full ironman because a 15 hour race that ends with a marathon just seems a little bit crazy to me. I know a lot of you are thinking doing a triathlon at all seems a bit crazy, but I love competing against myself, having clear goals and working hard to maintain my fitness and set a good example for my kids. So until next year enough about the tri. :)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Ode to Little Humans - 2010
Last year I talked about my two beautiful intelligent little humans and what a blessing they are to have in my life. Generally they are a joy to have around and they help me remember how to love unconditionally, how to teach/mediate, and how to bring out my inner child to play and giggle and explore with them.
It is hard though when working full-time, with busy schedules, and personal goals for Joe and I not to struggle with how we interact with them when their behaviors are less than ideal. June was a very full month with traveling and racing and 1/2 birthday parties. Every weekend was busy and Joe was traveling some so it is easy to get worn down and for the kids to get off schedule and for us all to get cranky.
Needless to say rolling into July we had two more weekends away from home scheduled with visits and family. We were all wearing a little thin the last couple of weeks. Last night I sat down with Abigail who hadn't had a decent/smooth night of going to sleep in a couple of weeks and asked her what was going on. She said sometimes her room is hot (south facing), she's hungry, or afraid and that she worries that if she isn't sleeping that she is afraid of getting in trouble from mommy and daddy. It nearly broke my heart.
In my last ode to little humans I talked about how my kids help me smooth my rough edges, and little JJ is great at that with lots of hugs and silliness. Big sister Abby gets lost in the shuffle sometimes and she is such a good helper especially with her brother. She told me a couple of weeks ago that JJ is the peach and that she is the pit... I don't know where she got that but it makes me sad that she thinks that.
Anyway... I am learning... when she wanders into my room at 2:30am telling me she can't sleep, I don't always operate out of my rational brain... usually it is dino brain telling me to get this kid back to bed and resume much needed precious sleep and my rough edges are out. So Joe and I talked and both vowed to come to her level and talk things out with her before we end up with the whole house awake at 2:30.
So I talked with Abby and we came up with a plan to talk each day after dinner time and come up with a sleep plan. Last night she wanted to sleep on the couch in the basement with the dogs (pick your battles right... sleep is sleep). I told her it was ok if she decided she didn't want to stay down there, and sure enough about 30 minutes after I left her she was back up stairs. She asked nicely if she could sleep on the floor in our room and since it was 8:45pm I was still using my rational brain and said it was ok.... obviously not for the long-term, but it about building a relationship... even with your child and learning for both of us as we go. We all got a good night sleep last night and so we progress and see what another day brings.
I look forward to heading home at noon today and picking up my kids. We plan to work on our scrap-book from our vacation, play the WII and go to the library. Tomorrow Miss Abigail will get to spend 24 hours with just Daddy and they have a date planned. These days when they are little and look up to us are numbered so I keep working along on my quest for more smooth edges, hugs, giggles and wonderful memories with my kids.
It is hard though when working full-time, with busy schedules, and personal goals for Joe and I not to struggle with how we interact with them when their behaviors are less than ideal. June was a very full month with traveling and racing and 1/2 birthday parties. Every weekend was busy and Joe was traveling some so it is easy to get worn down and for the kids to get off schedule and for us all to get cranky.
Needless to say rolling into July we had two more weekends away from home scheduled with visits and family. We were all wearing a little thin the last couple of weeks. Last night I sat down with Abigail who hadn't had a decent/smooth night of going to sleep in a couple of weeks and asked her what was going on. She said sometimes her room is hot (south facing), she's hungry, or afraid and that she worries that if she isn't sleeping that she is afraid of getting in trouble from mommy and daddy. It nearly broke my heart.
In my last ode to little humans I talked about how my kids help me smooth my rough edges, and little JJ is great at that with lots of hugs and silliness. Big sister Abby gets lost in the shuffle sometimes and she is such a good helper especially with her brother. She told me a couple of weeks ago that JJ is the peach and that she is the pit... I don't know where she got that but it makes me sad that she thinks that.
Anyway... I am learning... when she wanders into my room at 2:30am telling me she can't sleep, I don't always operate out of my rational brain... usually it is dino brain telling me to get this kid back to bed and resume much needed precious sleep and my rough edges are out. So Joe and I talked and both vowed to come to her level and talk things out with her before we end up with the whole house awake at 2:30.
So I talked with Abby and we came up with a plan to talk each day after dinner time and come up with a sleep plan. Last night she wanted to sleep on the couch in the basement with the dogs (pick your battles right... sleep is sleep). I told her it was ok if she decided she didn't want to stay down there, and sure enough about 30 minutes after I left her she was back up stairs. She asked nicely if she could sleep on the floor in our room and since it was 8:45pm I was still using my rational brain and said it was ok.... obviously not for the long-term, but it about building a relationship... even with your child and learning for both of us as we go. We all got a good night sleep last night and so we progress and see what another day brings.
I look forward to heading home at noon today and picking up my kids. We plan to work on our scrap-book from our vacation, play the WII and go to the library. Tomorrow Miss Abigail will get to spend 24 hours with just Daddy and they have a date planned. These days when they are little and look up to us are numbered so I keep working along on my quest for more smooth edges, hugs, giggles and wonderful memories with my kids.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Life is short and precious...
After having a nice dinner last night with my folks and children, the kids and I were on the way home and upon entering I-80 eastbound I could see a huge billow of black smoke. By the time we got to the next exit I could see it was a vehicle on fire blocking four lanes of traffic. Turns out it was a semi burning and by the time we got to it about 20 minutes later there wasn't much left of the cab or trailer and I could not help be feel sorrow for any lives lost.
While I sit here the next day plowing through another set of data listening to my Ipod the song "Live like we're dying" by Kris Allen came on. The Lyrics go something like this...
Live Like We're Dying Lyrics
Sometimes we fall down, can't get back up
We're hiding behind skin that's too tough
How come we don't say I love you enough
Till it's to late, it's not too late ...
... Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying
And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye
Should be so careful who we live out our lives
So when we long for absolution,
There'll no one on the line, yeah
Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying...
... You never know a good thing till it's gone
You never see a crash till it's head on
Why do we think we're right when we're dead wrong
You never know a good thing till it's gone...
I think of things I have heard this week like the woman in such a hurry that she takes a chance running in front of a train only to be hit. Or the young woman whose last act was to attempt to send a text message while driving. I don't know what happen on the interstate last night, but someone made a mistake and it probably cost a life.
So to get to my point which really isn't all that morbid...
I will be the first to tell you that taking calculated risks is a good thing, and that putting yourself out there to experience life is a good thing. But when it comes to self preservation we all sometimes need to make better decisions. We need to focus more when we drive, wear helmets when be bike, get some sort of exercise and balanced diets to keep ourselves healthy.
We need to do a better job (we means me...) to yell less and play more with our kids, to tell the people we care about how much we love them, to try to live each day to the fullest... for me that meant quitting a job that stressed me out, moving across the country on a chance that a better option would present itself, and surrounding myself with people who love me unconditionally.
I try to reflect each day and remind my kids how good things are, how precious our time together is. I try to reach out to my friends and family as often as I can even if it is a silly ecard for some random holiday. I try to find activities that help fill me up so I can be a better person, a better mommy, daughter, and spouse.
Last year I listened to the book The Secret which is probably classified as self help... the premise of the book is that we bring about the things we fixate on... if we think negative thoughts than negative things happen, if we focus on our ailments than our ailments will consume us, but if we focus on the positive, set SMART goals and put a plan in action and follow it, we can make our lives what we want them to be even when faced with a horrible illness like cancer. We can choose to fight and to stay positive and help others see how precious life is like my wonderful Uncle Jim.
So I put forth this challenge to you... sit and reflect on what is important to you. What would devastate you if it were suddenly taken from your life... and vow to do a better job of growing as a person, of letting the people who are important in your life share in your thoughts and your love. Never stop growing as a person...
To my family and my friends I love you dearly and value having you in my life.
As always comments are welcome... thanks for listening to me my friends.
While I sit here the next day plowing through another set of data listening to my Ipod the song "Live like we're dying" by Kris Allen came on. The Lyrics go something like this...
Live Like We're Dying Lyrics
Sometimes we fall down, can't get back up
We're hiding behind skin that's too tough
How come we don't say I love you enough
Till it's to late, it's not too late ...
... Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying
And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye
Should be so careful who we live out our lives
So when we long for absolution,
There'll no one on the line, yeah
Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying...
... You never know a good thing till it's gone
You never see a crash till it's head on
Why do we think we're right when we're dead wrong
You never know a good thing till it's gone...
I think of things I have heard this week like the woman in such a hurry that she takes a chance running in front of a train only to be hit. Or the young woman whose last act was to attempt to send a text message while driving. I don't know what happen on the interstate last night, but someone made a mistake and it probably cost a life.
So to get to my point which really isn't all that morbid...
I will be the first to tell you that taking calculated risks is a good thing, and that putting yourself out there to experience life is a good thing. But when it comes to self preservation we all sometimes need to make better decisions. We need to focus more when we drive, wear helmets when be bike, get some sort of exercise and balanced diets to keep ourselves healthy.
We need to do a better job (we means me...) to yell less and play more with our kids, to tell the people we care about how much we love them, to try to live each day to the fullest... for me that meant quitting a job that stressed me out, moving across the country on a chance that a better option would present itself, and surrounding myself with people who love me unconditionally.
I try to reflect each day and remind my kids how good things are, how precious our time together is. I try to reach out to my friends and family as often as I can even if it is a silly ecard for some random holiday. I try to find activities that help fill me up so I can be a better person, a better mommy, daughter, and spouse.
Last year I listened to the book The Secret which is probably classified as self help... the premise of the book is that we bring about the things we fixate on... if we think negative thoughts than negative things happen, if we focus on our ailments than our ailments will consume us, but if we focus on the positive, set SMART goals and put a plan in action and follow it, we can make our lives what we want them to be even when faced with a horrible illness like cancer. We can choose to fight and to stay positive and help others see how precious life is like my wonderful Uncle Jim.
So I put forth this challenge to you... sit and reflect on what is important to you. What would devastate you if it were suddenly taken from your life... and vow to do a better job of growing as a person, of letting the people who are important in your life share in your thoughts and your love. Never stop growing as a person...
To my family and my friends I love you dearly and value having you in my life.
As always comments are welcome... thanks for listening to me my friends.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Starting off the season with ... WIND AND RAIN!!! (Part two)
Leading up to Hy-Vee I had a birthday... ever practical I asked for gifts to do upgrades to the house... ever normal Joe is and said what do you REALLY want for your birthday. I said 'aerobars (the goofy things that mount on your handle bars to make your more aerodynamic...see the photo at the bottom of the page) for my bike' so he said go get some installed. So I did... I got a short ride in with them on the Monday two weeks before Hy-Vee but that was it since the rains came down.
Iowa was planning to float down the Mississippi to the gulf again, or was sticky humid in the weeks leading up to Hy-Vee. The Hy-Vee Triathlon is becoming a pretty big deal in the world of Triathlons. It brings in the best athletes from around the world (to race after the 2000 age groups folks like me) and is run by professional race planners. Needless to say it was pretty exciting to be a part of all that.
Two days before the race the park where the race was to be held was having high water issues, but they said the race must go on so I went down to Des Moines that fine sticky hot Friday to pick up my packet. This race has a higher fee, but I am pretty sure I made most of that back in swag (a nice race jersey, a great running hat, a backpack, etc.)
Saturday I had to cram in activities like Abigail's super fun 6 and a half year birthday party with 10 kids running around Reiman Garden's in Ames looking for gnomes and chasing butterflies. Then I had to pick up my super cool TriRacers of Iowa team race outfit (a one piece thing that I wear for all three parts of the triathlon). Then back down to Des Moines to drop my bike off to transition and then over to my folks for my last meal.
The next morning I was up a little after 4am to head over to the mall and catch a shuttle to the race venue. It was overcast (well dark when I got on the bus) and as we walked in to transition the PA announcer was saying they had changed the race from an Olympic distance (1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) down to a sprint distance because a major storm was due to hit before we would have all been out of the water.
Obviously many of us were disappointed. People came in from all over the country to do this race and for a lot of us it was to be our first Olympic distance race. It was a bummer set back, but I was feeling really good so just had to go with the flow. The race was wet suit legal but the water temperature even with all the rain was still around 74 degrees so I decided to go with out. I had to wait on the beach for almost an hour for my turn at the start which they had changed from large group wave starts to a time trial start where you go in one at a time in a continuous stream every 4 seconds.
I had never done a time trial start so that was new to me and it turns out that did not play in my favor. When I do a wave start I usually have a good 3-5 minutes to get out in front of the pack before I hit the wave in front of me, and it gives earlier waves a chance to spread out so I can usually get through easily. This start had us all swimming over each other and I had to sight a lot more often so I wouldn't run into anyone.
I got through the swim knowing it wasn't as quick and smooth as it could have been and ran through the ankle deep water in transition to my bike and hit the road. The bike course is a pretty flat (a couple medium sized hills at the start) ride so I was able to get down into the aerobars and just grind away. All in all the bike felt good and the five brick workouts (bike with a transition to run) made all the difference when I started running.
I was able to get into a decent rhythm once I got my race number belt under control and plodded along comfortably for the first 1 2/3 miles... then it was up a big hill. the same hill I had uncomfortable dreams about leading up to the race, but alas we only had to run 2/3 of the way up the hill and back down to a flat home stretch. At this point I was pretty fired up and ramped up my speed. I ended up averaging just over a 9 minute mile for the run and finished in the middle of the pack for my age group... and then the skies opened up and I started looking for an arc because I was certain to need a boat to get out of there.
My folks had come to watch once they got the very early message that the race was going to be heck of a lot shorter and I would be finished an 1 1/2 earlier than anticipated. Joe stayed home with the sleepy kids and stayed dry.
Some of the highlights for me on this second race of the year was the strong finish and personal best time for a sprint race. The kind woman giving out dry T-shirts under the shelter while the rain poured down for 30 minutes and we all waited. My folks for coming out and trying to stay dry through it all to cheer me on. My two training friends Laura and Jill who volunteered for the race, wandered through the flooded expo with me to get more free swag, and then gave me a ride with my bike back to my car....
Leaving me with these thoughts. The weekend warriors who try to squeeze in 4-8 hours a week in training and go out and do what they do on the weekends are awesome, and it was great to be wearing my team gear and be part of something bigger than myself for the Hy-Vee race and races to come this summer. I know now that I can be flexible, learn from my experiences, and still go out and have a great time no matter what mother nature throws at me because in the end it is all about showing up. I have a 10k run tomorrow and two more sprint races in August and September. Then I will wrap up my season with a charity Olympic distance race in my ol home town so until then... I need to figure out how to get motivated again and back on the training wagon.
Iowa was planning to float down the Mississippi to the gulf again, or was sticky humid in the weeks leading up to Hy-Vee. The Hy-Vee Triathlon is becoming a pretty big deal in the world of Triathlons. It brings in the best athletes from around the world (to race after the 2000 age groups folks like me) and is run by professional race planners. Needless to say it was pretty exciting to be a part of all that.
Two days before the race the park where the race was to be held was having high water issues, but they said the race must go on so I went down to Des Moines that fine sticky hot Friday to pick up my packet. This race has a higher fee, but I am pretty sure I made most of that back in swag (a nice race jersey, a great running hat, a backpack, etc.)
Saturday I had to cram in activities like Abigail's super fun 6 and a half year birthday party with 10 kids running around Reiman Garden's in Ames looking for gnomes and chasing butterflies. Then I had to pick up my super cool TriRacers of Iowa team race outfit (a one piece thing that I wear for all three parts of the triathlon). Then back down to Des Moines to drop my bike off to transition and then over to my folks for my last meal.
The next morning I was up a little after 4am to head over to the mall and catch a shuttle to the race venue. It was overcast (well dark when I got on the bus) and as we walked in to transition the PA announcer was saying they had changed the race from an Olympic distance (1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) down to a sprint distance because a major storm was due to hit before we would have all been out of the water.
Obviously many of us were disappointed. People came in from all over the country to do this race and for a lot of us it was to be our first Olympic distance race. It was a bummer set back, but I was feeling really good so just had to go with the flow. The race was wet suit legal but the water temperature even with all the rain was still around 74 degrees so I decided to go with out. I had to wait on the beach for almost an hour for my turn at the start which they had changed from large group wave starts to a time trial start where you go in one at a time in a continuous stream every 4 seconds.
I had never done a time trial start so that was new to me and it turns out that did not play in my favor. When I do a wave start I usually have a good 3-5 minutes to get out in front of the pack before I hit the wave in front of me, and it gives earlier waves a chance to spread out so I can usually get through easily. This start had us all swimming over each other and I had to sight a lot more often so I wouldn't run into anyone.
I got through the swim knowing it wasn't as quick and smooth as it could have been and ran through the ankle deep water in transition to my bike and hit the road. The bike course is a pretty flat (a couple medium sized hills at the start) ride so I was able to get down into the aerobars and just grind away. All in all the bike felt good and the five brick workouts (bike with a transition to run) made all the difference when I started running.
I was able to get into a decent rhythm once I got my race number belt under control and plodded along comfortably for the first 1 2/3 miles... then it was up a big hill. the same hill I had uncomfortable dreams about leading up to the race, but alas we only had to run 2/3 of the way up the hill and back down to a flat home stretch. At this point I was pretty fired up and ramped up my speed. I ended up averaging just over a 9 minute mile for the run and finished in the middle of the pack for my age group... and then the skies opened up and I started looking for an arc because I was certain to need a boat to get out of there.
My folks had come to watch once they got the very early message that the race was going to be heck of a lot shorter and I would be finished an 1 1/2 earlier than anticipated. Joe stayed home with the sleepy kids and stayed dry.
Some of the highlights for me on this second race of the year was the strong finish and personal best time for a sprint race. The kind woman giving out dry T-shirts under the shelter while the rain poured down for 30 minutes and we all waited. My folks for coming out and trying to stay dry through it all to cheer me on. My two training friends Laura and Jill who volunteered for the race, wandered through the flooded expo with me to get more free swag, and then gave me a ride with my bike back to my car....
Leaving me with these thoughts. The weekend warriors who try to squeeze in 4-8 hours a week in training and go out and do what they do on the weekends are awesome, and it was great to be wearing my team gear and be part of something bigger than myself for the Hy-Vee race and races to come this summer. I know now that I can be flexible, learn from my experiences, and still go out and have a great time no matter what mother nature throws at me because in the end it is all about showing up. I have a 10k run tomorrow and two more sprint races in August and September. Then I will wrap up my season with a charity Olympic distance race in my ol home town so until then... I need to figure out how to get motivated again and back on the training wagon.
Starting off the season with ... WIND AND RAIN!!! (Part one)
So in April I was feeling a bit under-trained but well on my way to my first triathlon of the year. I did an eight week training class through Late March into May to get ready for my first race. Nothing like a little incentive to keep up... as the coach said "A little peer pressure". I made connections with a great group of local triathlete 'weekend warriors' who have full-time jobs, kids and a love for the sports.
Anyway the two hours of training every Sunday along with the realization that I wasn't getting enough done got me on my way at the end of April and into May. I was finally getting a couple runs, a good long bike and a short bike or two, and at least one swim in each week.
I was still feeling a little short in the training department when the day came for my first race of the season (Bluff Creek Triathlon in Ogden Iowa), but of course I went anyway. The sprint distance race (400m swim, 25k bike, 5k run) was May 23rd and we lined up for the bus to the swim start on what began as an overcast morning. I finally made it to the beach and waded in with the wetsuit as it was May in Iowa... lake temp around 65 degrees. My swim with is normally my best leg got off to a rough start as I had a bit of anxiety for some reason and was 1/3 of the way through the swim before I calmed down.
I still managed to pull myself out of the lake around 5th in my start group. Then the fun really began. The bike was a gently rolling out and back on a N/S road... I knew something was wrong with my average speed on the N route was around 28 miles per hour... granted it was pretty flat but that was super fast and I was having trouble finding a gear to keep up with the wicked tail wind. I knew the ride S was going to be rough and adjusted my gears coming into the turn around to anticipate... It was hard to anticipate the feeling of going from 28 mph and barely breaking a sweat to 9 mph. UUUGH!!!
At the time I just said uugh, this is what I have to deal with and kept praying 'ok if I have to ride this out please let Hy-Vee be without a wind like this!' I survived the bike and managed to make it out on to the run course. The second transition from bike to run is usually a rough one but whew is all I got to say... happy to be off the bike, but knowing going into the run that speed was not an option.
It was a beautiful day so I just enjoyed the run, chatted with some old acquaintances on the run as we passed and re-passed each other. In the end I knew I could have probably pushed a little harder, and I it was in fact a personal worse on a course I have done two times previous, so humbling it was... but I learn and look forward to the next race which was Hy-Vee.
Anyway the two hours of training every Sunday along with the realization that I wasn't getting enough done got me on my way at the end of April and into May. I was finally getting a couple runs, a good long bike and a short bike or two, and at least one swim in each week.
I was still feeling a little short in the training department when the day came for my first race of the season (Bluff Creek Triathlon in Ogden Iowa), but of course I went anyway. The sprint distance race (400m swim, 25k bike, 5k run) was May 23rd and we lined up for the bus to the swim start on what began as an overcast morning. I finally made it to the beach and waded in with the wetsuit as it was May in Iowa... lake temp around 65 degrees. My swim with is normally my best leg got off to a rough start as I had a bit of anxiety for some reason and was 1/3 of the way through the swim before I calmed down.
I still managed to pull myself out of the lake around 5th in my start group. Then the fun really began. The bike was a gently rolling out and back on a N/S road... I knew something was wrong with my average speed on the N route was around 28 miles per hour... granted it was pretty flat but that was super fast and I was having trouble finding a gear to keep up with the wicked tail wind. I knew the ride S was going to be rough and adjusted my gears coming into the turn around to anticipate... It was hard to anticipate the feeling of going from 28 mph and barely breaking a sweat to 9 mph. UUUGH!!!
At the time I just said uugh, this is what I have to deal with and kept praying 'ok if I have to ride this out please let Hy-Vee be without a wind like this!' I survived the bike and managed to make it out on to the run course. The second transition from bike to run is usually a rough one but whew is all I got to say... happy to be off the bike, but knowing going into the run that speed was not an option.
It was a beautiful day so I just enjoyed the run, chatted with some old acquaintances on the run as we passed and re-passed each other. In the end I knew I could have probably pushed a little harder, and I it was in fact a personal worse on a course I have done two times previous, so humbling it was... but I learn and look forward to the next race which was Hy-Vee.
Old Posts Like New...
So I have moved all my old posts over from my previous blog location and will soon be adding to the list now that it will be easier for me to access the blog. Stay tuned for more... if you have a topic you want me to ramble on about feel free to add a comment to this post.
On Happiness 12/10/09
The other day I was snuggling my youngest (who hates to be put down when I am in a hurry) while frantically tossing together my daily bag, herding my oldest (who hates to be rushed while I am in a hurry) and thinking about my marital milestone of 12 years this past October when a revelation hit me... I am truely happy with where I am in my place in this world.
Sure I wish I had more hours in the day, a live in nanny, a man den for my husband, money and time to travel and give to those in need...
I am not saying that baby snuggly bliss, or spending a week with friends & "family" in the tall trees and high terrain (as I wrote this blog on paper in October) didn't have an impact on this high that I am riding...
But I will say that past health issues, job dissatisfaction, anxiety of relationship issues with hubby, friends, family, budget issies... the weight of the issues of the world.. all used to have me wound up, stressed and sick in mind and body... but they don't have as much of an influence on my ability to be happy an more.
I think the quote "I reserve the right to get smarter" which I keep on desk at work next to the quote "be polite with yourself when learning something new"... has be learning to be more relaxed about the things I cannot control, and hopefully more organized and thoughful about the things I can.
I know I am truely blessed for my household to be in good health as I watch several friends and family struggle through cancer and diabetes. I am blessed to (finally) have a job that challanges me where I am surrounded by people who respect my experience and knowledge while there are so many without work. I am blessed to have a spouse that also enjoys his work and helps provide what our family needs while there are so many without food or shelter to take comfort in. I feel blessed to have a family and a few friends who love and appreciate me... and really that fills me up and makes me happy.
All the rest, beautiful sunny days, majestic mountains, the wind talking through the trees... it is all just the frosting on the cookies of lift...
Sure I wish I had more hours in the day, a live in nanny, a man den for my husband, money and time to travel and give to those in need...
I am not saying that baby snuggly bliss, or spending a week with friends & "family" in the tall trees and high terrain (as I wrote this blog on paper in October) didn't have an impact on this high that I am riding...
But I will say that past health issues, job dissatisfaction, anxiety of relationship issues with hubby, friends, family, budget issies... the weight of the issues of the world.. all used to have me wound up, stressed and sick in mind and body... but they don't have as much of an influence on my ability to be happy an more.
I think the quote "I reserve the right to get smarter" which I keep on desk at work next to the quote "be polite with yourself when learning something new"... has be learning to be more relaxed about the things I cannot control, and hopefully more organized and thoughful about the things I can.
I know I am truely blessed for my household to be in good health as I watch several friends and family struggle through cancer and diabetes. I am blessed to (finally) have a job that challanges me where I am surrounded by people who respect my experience and knowledge while there are so many without work. I am blessed to have a spouse that also enjoys his work and helps provide what our family needs while there are so many without food or shelter to take comfort in. I feel blessed to have a family and a few friends who love and appreciate me... and really that fills me up and makes me happy.
All the rest, beautiful sunny days, majestic mountains, the wind talking through the trees... it is all just the frosting on the cookies of lift...
On Fitness Goals Friday, April 2, 2010
I was just reading the blog of another triathlete in training and was inspired to finally log into my own blog and ramble a bit. My friend is looking to complete an item off her bucket list... Ironman Triathlon Arizona in November 2010. Sure she is a personal trainer and in generally kick ass shape as it is, but training for an IronMan is nothing to 'sneeze at'. It is a grueling race ... 2.4 mi. swim • 112 mi. bike • 26.2 mi. run... yeah that is right... it has a marathon strapped to the end of it. While I personally never aspire to even contemplate running a marathon let alone doing an Ironman I do have a more modest goal in mind.
My cousin Stephen and I have been batting around the idea of doing an Olympic distance Triathlon for the last year. He started racing sprint triathons last year... the average sprint race is 400-600 yards swim, 12-15 mile bike, and a 5k run on the end. Well this being my fourth season racing I have had only mixed success... I can say oh the first year I was the fittest until my adrenal glands shut down and forced me to do my first scheduled Olympic Distance race as a team (thanks honey for doing the run). The second year while training in the spring found me pregnant for both sprint races I entered. The third year was post baby and i didn't even start training until late May.
So that brings me to this year... Stephen and I talked about doing HyVee together, or as a team with Joe bring up the rear again. Then Stephen was sidelined with foot surgery so it was decision time. I have wanted to do the HyVee triathlon since I volunteered at it two year ago. It is a big deal in the area and the year I volunteered elite athletes that raced were trying to qualify for the summer olympics there. The race is 1.5k swim (a mile), 40k bike (25 miles) and 10k run (6 miles)... which is a lot for a non runner like me.
So what did I decide to do? I signed up to do it... solo! June 13th if you are in the Des Moines area come to see me finish my first Olympic Distance race.
Just to make sure I don't blow it... I have actually been working out pretty regularly. Up until last week I was getting in a couple swims a week (mind you swimming is my best sport), a run (I have been working on my technique to make running easier) and if lucky a few miles on my bike/wind trainer combo in the basement. I am in the process of ramping up to two workouts of each discipline a week. To meet my goal I signed up for an eight week triathlon clinic where I have meet other who are going to compete in HyVee so I have people to train with for two hours every Sunday plus a few coaches to look to for support. I also joined the Triracers Tri club out of Ankeny to find more folks like me.
So far I am feeling good about where I am at... I need more time on the bike, but I am getting 5k runs in twice a week. I did almost two miles in the pool this week... just need to get a core workout in an another roll on the bike and I am meeting my goals for the week. Follow along on my journey as I post more about fitness, nutrition, days with many ARGHS! as I muddle along to check this activity off my list.
Best to you all.
Shawn
My cousin Stephen and I have been batting around the idea of doing an Olympic distance Triathlon for the last year. He started racing sprint triathons last year... the average sprint race is 400-600 yards swim, 12-15 mile bike, and a 5k run on the end. Well this being my fourth season racing I have had only mixed success... I can say oh the first year I was the fittest until my adrenal glands shut down and forced me to do my first scheduled Olympic Distance race as a team (thanks honey for doing the run). The second year while training in the spring found me pregnant for both sprint races I entered. The third year was post baby and i didn't even start training until late May.
So that brings me to this year... Stephen and I talked about doing HyVee together, or as a team with Joe bring up the rear again. Then Stephen was sidelined with foot surgery so it was decision time. I have wanted to do the HyVee triathlon since I volunteered at it two year ago. It is a big deal in the area and the year I volunteered elite athletes that raced were trying to qualify for the summer olympics there. The race is 1.5k swim (a mile), 40k bike (25 miles) and 10k run (6 miles)... which is a lot for a non runner like me.
So what did I decide to do? I signed up to do it... solo! June 13th if you are in the Des Moines area come to see me finish my first Olympic Distance race.
Just to make sure I don't blow it... I have actually been working out pretty regularly. Up until last week I was getting in a couple swims a week (mind you swimming is my best sport), a run (I have been working on my technique to make running easier) and if lucky a few miles on my bike/wind trainer combo in the basement. I am in the process of ramping up to two workouts of each discipline a week. To meet my goal I signed up for an eight week triathlon clinic where I have meet other who are going to compete in HyVee so I have people to train with for two hours every Sunday plus a few coaches to look to for support. I also joined the Triracers Tri club out of Ankeny to find more folks like me.
So far I am feeling good about where I am at... I need more time on the bike, but I am getting 5k runs in twice a week. I did almost two miles in the pool this week... just need to get a core workout in an another roll on the bike and I am meeting my goals for the week. Follow along on my journey as I post more about fitness, nutrition, days with many ARGHS! as I muddle along to check this activity off my list.
Best to you all.
Shawn
My Fans and Followers (Family) 12/10/09
So sorry for the long gap between postings. August - November have been a bit hectic in my life. August found me trying to travel unsuccessfully to Chicago for some Cubbie action when a stomach flu (Abby's not mine) left us in Muscatine for a weekend of visiting with my grandparents. It was a lovely time... but not really what we had in mind.
Then we got back to Ames and my mother-in-law had come to stay with us for two weeks. It was a help to have her here, but unfortunately JJ didn't take to her at that time. He was pretty attached to me and his nanny Kristen to that didn't go as planned either. While Mary was staying with us Abby started kindergarten and because I am routinely dropping the ball I didn't have Abby signed up for bus service so did some juggling of time while I finished up my time with the USDA and prepared to start a new job with the Iowa DOT.
Eventually we got Abby's school schedule straightened out and JJ settled in with a new daycare provider in our neighborhood. Mary went back home, and I started my new job (back doing GIS again yeah!!) Then Joe had to go to Spokane WA for two weeks of training for work. Remarkably the kids and I got by pretty well for the first week and a half (with the help of my folks) but by the last couple of days Abby and I were wearing on each others patience.
Joe got back and a couple of weeks later we headed to Olympia Washington for a wonderful week of vacation staying with the outstanding Eddi and Dale while visiting with our friends and taking in the sights... ah mountains and beautiful fall colors. We took the train to Portland Oregon where Joe and Abby headed home and JJ and I stayed for a couple more days to attend the Association for Women Geoscientists board meeting and take in some more beautiful scenery.
We got back and work was busier than ever for both Joe and I while the cold and flu season ravaged everyone we know and messed up schedules some more as we juggled for weeks to find backup child care and get everyone healthy. We spent a wonderful few days at my in-laws in Nebraska for Thanksgiving even though I had a migraine while we were there.
Now we are getting ready for the holidays (thank goodness my shopping is nearly done even if my holiday crafts, cookies and decorating are still falling short.) So that is while I have not been doing my duty of clearing my mind and sharing my stories with you. I do plan to do better. Best to you all.
Then we got back to Ames and my mother-in-law had come to stay with us for two weeks. It was a help to have her here, but unfortunately JJ didn't take to her at that time. He was pretty attached to me and his nanny Kristen to that didn't go as planned either. While Mary was staying with us Abby started kindergarten and because I am routinely dropping the ball I didn't have Abby signed up for bus service so did some juggling of time while I finished up my time with the USDA and prepared to start a new job with the Iowa DOT.
Eventually we got Abby's school schedule straightened out and JJ settled in with a new daycare provider in our neighborhood. Mary went back home, and I started my new job (back doing GIS again yeah!!) Then Joe had to go to Spokane WA for two weeks of training for work. Remarkably the kids and I got by pretty well for the first week and a half (with the help of my folks) but by the last couple of days Abby and I were wearing on each others patience.
Joe got back and a couple of weeks later we headed to Olympia Washington for a wonderful week of vacation staying with the outstanding Eddi and Dale while visiting with our friends and taking in the sights... ah mountains and beautiful fall colors. We took the train to Portland Oregon where Joe and Abby headed home and JJ and I stayed for a couple more days to attend the Association for Women Geoscientists board meeting and take in some more beautiful scenery.
We got back and work was busier than ever for both Joe and I while the cold and flu season ravaged everyone we know and messed up schedules some more as we juggled for weeks to find backup child care and get everyone healthy. We spent a wonderful few days at my in-laws in Nebraska for Thanksgiving even though I had a migraine while we were there.
Now we are getting ready for the holidays (thank goodness my shopping is nearly done even if my holiday crafts, cookies and decorating are still falling short.) So that is while I have not been doing my duty of clearing my mind and sharing my stories with you. I do plan to do better. Best to you all.
The Voices in My Head 12/10/09
Some say when you are driving from one place to another your autopilot brain drives the car so your conscious brain can meditate. While I have experienced this in the past with a certain level of bliss, the chaos in my life these last couple of months are affecting the full function of my autopilot brain.
First factor, my kids... I can be in my bliss meditation state, autopilot to my next destination fully engaged, and then the voices in my car (no not the voices in my head) my soon to be 6 year old spews dome random information like... "mommy that car is a FORD like Papa's" and if I try to block them out they get caught in a auto repeat until said "mommy" is forced to respond with a "yes dear" which immediately breaks the quiet zen.
Or in a more disconcerting instance of late, the voices in my head are getting louder and more vigorous. So instead of having zen transit, quiet car with no passengers, my autopilot is being drowned out by my processing mind taking me through the list of things I have put off but really need to finish, or some issue from work that I am trying to work through in my mind, which much to my frustration is dropping me in places I didn't intend to drive. I inevitably quiet the voices just as I drove past my turn and have to go a mile or two out of the way to get where I am going.
So for those of you who are wait for me to get there... give me a few more minutes as I try to manage all the voices in my life... :)
First factor, my kids... I can be in my bliss meditation state, autopilot to my next destination fully engaged, and then the voices in my car (no not the voices in my head) my soon to be 6 year old spews dome random information like... "mommy that car is a FORD like Papa's" and if I try to block them out they get caught in a auto repeat until said "mommy" is forced to respond with a "yes dear" which immediately breaks the quiet zen.
Or in a more disconcerting instance of late, the voices in my head are getting louder and more vigorous. So instead of having zen transit, quiet car with no passengers, my autopilot is being drowned out by my processing mind taking me through the list of things I have put off but really need to finish, or some issue from work that I am trying to work through in my mind, which much to my frustration is dropping me in places I didn't intend to drive. I inevitably quiet the voices just as I drove past my turn and have to go a mile or two out of the way to get where I am going.
So for those of you who are wait for me to get there... give me a few more minutes as I try to manage all the voices in my life... :)
The cars we drive... Tuesday, August 4, 2009
So with the newly posted CARS adventures in the US Joe and I were enticed to take a hard look at what we are driving and see if we can do better. Since 1991 I have been driving a truck [with exception of a short hiatus where we had no truck, or was driving a jeep instead].
One of our current wheels consists of a 1993 Nissan extended cab four-wheel drive pickup. We have had it for ten years and it have done well with it. We bought it when were were two geology/soils graduate students and needed reliable transportation into the unknown wilds of Montana, Washington, Idaho. It has been a great truck and while I don't love it as much as the Mazada B-2600i I drove in college, and more than the old dodge D-50 I drove in high school I really cannot complain. I have loved my trucks [even the old clunker Jeep Wagoneer named Homer - Doh!]
---Whew... just had to run upstairs to turn off the alarm clock that was ringing above the baby's head---
So now that you have the back story... I shall commence with my ode to truck...
lessons on spray paint and gravity
chipmunk passengers and bondo
rounds of song upon song
road trips thru - NE, CO, IL, IN, MI, OH, PN, WV, KY, MD, ID
To - MT, Canada, Utah, North Carolina, Minnesota, Washington
roadside naps and many a camp
skiing and hiking and photos and maps
the breeze in my hair
the wilds in my heart
the beauty of there
sharing and hauling and working the land
what would I do without my truck?
So life changes and transportation needs change...
I would not trade in my kids for a million trucks but alas the time has come ...
to reduce my family's footprint, increase my family's space...
secure some piece of mind... and scrap the old truck.
It saddens my heart to know that someday soon I will be without truck. What does it mean to my person (the one in my head) once the truck is gone?
Well, while I come to terms with the upcoming 'loss' and say my 'good-byes' I will keep you posted on where the new vehicle adventures take us... until then... love thy truck.
One of our current wheels consists of a 1993 Nissan extended cab four-wheel drive pickup. We have had it for ten years and it have done well with it. We bought it when were were two geology/soils graduate students and needed reliable transportation into the unknown wilds of Montana, Washington, Idaho. It has been a great truck and while I don't love it as much as the Mazada B-2600i I drove in college, and more than the old dodge D-50 I drove in high school I really cannot complain. I have loved my trucks [even the old clunker Jeep Wagoneer named Homer - Doh!]
---Whew... just had to run upstairs to turn off the alarm clock that was ringing above the baby's head---
So now that you have the back story... I shall commence with my ode to truck...
lessons on spray paint and gravity
chipmunk passengers and bondo
rounds of song upon song
road trips thru - NE, CO, IL, IN, MI, OH, PN, WV, KY, MD, ID
To - MT, Canada, Utah, North Carolina, Minnesota, Washington
roadside naps and many a camp
skiing and hiking and photos and maps
the breeze in my hair
the wilds in my heart
the beauty of there
sharing and hauling and working the land
what would I do without my truck?
So life changes and transportation needs change...
I would not trade in my kids for a million trucks but alas the time has come ...
to reduce my family's footprint, increase my family's space...
secure some piece of mind... and scrap the old truck.
It saddens my heart to know that someday soon I will be without truck. What does it mean to my person (the one in my head) once the truck is gone?
Well, while I come to terms with the upcoming 'loss' and say my 'good-byes' I will keep you posted on where the new vehicle adventures take us... until then... love thy truck.
Thoughts on Fitness Monday, July 13, 2009
Yet another Monday has arrived.... this one follows a very full weekend. I spent most of the day Saturday herding 3 1/2 to five-year-olds in and out of the house as Abigail had her first (1/2) birthday party with friends. Needless to say I was exhausted at the end of the day... where do they get their energy anyway? I wish there was some sort of stamina training one could do to keep up with little humans.
On Sunday, as some of you saw on FB, I did my first triathlon of the season. For those of you unsure what a triathlon is it is Swim, Bike, Run. There are four kinds of triathlons (sprint distance, olympic distance, 1/2 ironman, and ironman). I have only completed sprint distance ones so far with one team effort on an Olympic distance race the first year I competed (2007).
I am 3 months and 3 weeks out from baby and started working out about seven weeks out. I did a little strength training, some running, got on my road bike once, and did about one day a week in the pool. So my expectations weren't real high for this race.
I did the same triathlon last year after shortly after moving. I had been ill most of 2007 and worked with a trainer and physical therapist starting in Feb of 2008 to try and put myself back together. I was in much better shape than I am now, but had just moved and hadn't done much training the month leading up to the race. Of course last year I had my best sprint triathlon time of 1:28. This year my race was on the high end of 1:36 so not a horrible change in time but so much more to improve on.
I have found I only have an advantage in triathlons during the swim portion. I haven't had enough time in the pool to get my speed on yet so was trying to just focus on my main goal yesterday of a finish in under 1 hour and 40 minutes. Still it was a little disappointing when I came out of the water behind at least 9 others (usually I am first or second in my wave.) The swim distances in a sprint are usually between 400 and 800 yards of swimming.
then came the bike... since I had only put in nine miles on my bike (and that was last weekend) I didn't have high expectations. Usually I pass as many people as pass me... yesterday... pretty sure I didn't pass anyone and the whole world passed me. the bike is usually 12 - 15 miles... yesterday it was 13.
Finally... came my MOST DREADED part of the triathlon... the run. I don't know what it is about running. There was a window of time right before I got sick where I was running a 25 minute 5k... that seems like many moons ago. Yesterday I ran a 37 minute 5k... I had to walk a little bit to keep my heart rate down to that could be part of the problem. Thank goodness for two or three people who chatted with me while we plodded along that kept me entertained and less focused on how it was sucking.
So onward I go... in an attempt to get back into some sort of conditioning... I know those of you who see me regularly think if me as being fit, but by my standards of previous fitness levels I have a ways to go... so with this I will wander off for today.
On Sunday, as some of you saw on FB, I did my first triathlon of the season. For those of you unsure what a triathlon is it is Swim, Bike, Run. There are four kinds of triathlons (sprint distance, olympic distance, 1/2 ironman, and ironman). I have only completed sprint distance ones so far with one team effort on an Olympic distance race the first year I competed (2007).
I am 3 months and 3 weeks out from baby and started working out about seven weeks out. I did a little strength training, some running, got on my road bike once, and did about one day a week in the pool. So my expectations weren't real high for this race.
I did the same triathlon last year after shortly after moving. I had been ill most of 2007 and worked with a trainer and physical therapist starting in Feb of 2008 to try and put myself back together. I was in much better shape than I am now, but had just moved and hadn't done much training the month leading up to the race. Of course last year I had my best sprint triathlon time of 1:28. This year my race was on the high end of 1:36 so not a horrible change in time but so much more to improve on.
I have found I only have an advantage in triathlons during the swim portion. I haven't had enough time in the pool to get my speed on yet so was trying to just focus on my main goal yesterday of a finish in under 1 hour and 40 minutes. Still it was a little disappointing when I came out of the water behind at least 9 others (usually I am first or second in my wave.) The swim distances in a sprint are usually between 400 and 800 yards of swimming.
then came the bike... since I had only put in nine miles on my bike (and that was last weekend) I didn't have high expectations. Usually I pass as many people as pass me... yesterday... pretty sure I didn't pass anyone and the whole world passed me. the bike is usually 12 - 15 miles... yesterday it was 13.
Finally... came my MOST DREADED part of the triathlon... the run. I don't know what it is about running. There was a window of time right before I got sick where I was running a 25 minute 5k... that seems like many moons ago. Yesterday I ran a 37 minute 5k... I had to walk a little bit to keep my heart rate down to that could be part of the problem. Thank goodness for two or three people who chatted with me while we plodded along that kept me entertained and less focused on how it was sucking.
So onward I go... in an attempt to get back into some sort of conditioning... I know those of you who see me regularly think if me as being fit, but by my standards of previous fitness levels I have a ways to go... so with this I will wander off for today.
Ode to little humans Tuesday, July 7, 2009
You came into the world through grunts and some screaming
Your sweet soft skin was all a gleaming
My heart so swelled and Daddy was beaming
We love you both so and watch closely as you grow
For you are our little humans
Obviously I am a terrible poet, but there is not a good way to express how having each of my children softened my sharp edges. It is easy to lose sight of that as they grow and start to drive you nuts. I am ever so grateful for a second chance to try and keep my soft edges as I watch them both grow and change together. I try to watch and listen to how my friends and family love their children as they are a role model in patience and compassion. I am also grateful for a second chance to love my children as a team with my husband who is a wonderful daddy.
Your sweet soft skin was all a gleaming
My heart so swelled and Daddy was beaming
We love you both so and watch closely as you grow
For you are our little humans
Obviously I am a terrible poet, but there is not a good way to express how having each of my children softened my sharp edges. It is easy to lose sight of that as they grow and start to drive you nuts. I am ever so grateful for a second chance to try and keep my soft edges as I watch them both grow and change together. I try to watch and listen to how my friends and family love their children as they are a role model in patience and compassion. I am also grateful for a second chance to love my children as a team with my husband who is a wonderful daddy.
Baby Adventures... 7/07/2009
The last week or so has been my favorite so far with little baby JJ. He is going on 17 weeks old now and full of smiles. He overcame some baby obstacles last week... he learned how to use his hands... but struggled to get them to work together and he had a long talk with the toys on the exersaucer because they wouldn't just jump into his mouth if he had one hand on them. By the end of the weekend he had both hands working together and got the soft flag triumphantly into his mouth!!
The little guy also learned how to giggle. His uncle Bryan had him started at his baptism a week ago, and then Grammy Gail had him giggling away over the weekend at the lake. That is THE BEST SOUND in all the world to hear a baby giggle. I feel so fortunate to have gotten it on video tape... and even more fortunate to have my two beautiful fun children to bring smiles and warm fuzzy to my heart... (we try not to think about the tension headaches, aggravation, and sleep deprivation that they also bring along...)
Other baby conquests... JJ learned how to roll from his tummy to his back, and push up with his arms. His daddy finally got to see him roll from his back to his tummy. JJ spent a lot of time on the floor at the lake with no big doggies trying to lay on him and was pretty happy trying to get his feet into his mouth.
The only down side to report... that after three nights in a row of him sleeping from 10 - 6 or so... we are now back to eating twice between 3 and 6am. I am unfortunately starting to get used to the constant 'tired' headache and Tylenol has become my close friend.
He has also decided that riding in the car seat after high noon is not his favorite activity, and the three of us forced to be trapped in a car with him are learning to tune out the fussy screaming baby. I can just see Abby's eyes start to glaze over as he gets going... sometimes she blocks it out and sometimes she tries to sing to him... I am going to need some earplug while traveling with these two. Not looking forward to the six hour trip to Chicago in August.
Alas... I must run. The nanny called and JJ beckons for his lunch. Best wishes to all.
The little guy also learned how to giggle. His uncle Bryan had him started at his baptism a week ago, and then Grammy Gail had him giggling away over the weekend at the lake. That is THE BEST SOUND in all the world to hear a baby giggle. I feel so fortunate to have gotten it on video tape... and even more fortunate to have my two beautiful fun children to bring smiles and warm fuzzy to my heart... (we try not to think about the tension headaches, aggravation, and sleep deprivation that they also bring along...)
Other baby conquests... JJ learned how to roll from his tummy to his back, and push up with his arms. His daddy finally got to see him roll from his back to his tummy. JJ spent a lot of time on the floor at the lake with no big doggies trying to lay on him and was pretty happy trying to get his feet into his mouth.
The only down side to report... that after three nights in a row of him sleeping from 10 - 6 or so... we are now back to eating twice between 3 and 6am. I am unfortunately starting to get used to the constant 'tired' headache and Tylenol has become my close friend.
He has also decided that riding in the car seat after high noon is not his favorite activity, and the three of us forced to be trapped in a car with him are learning to tune out the fussy screaming baby. I can just see Abby's eyes start to glaze over as he gets going... sometimes she blocks it out and sometimes she tries to sing to him... I am going to need some earplug while traveling with these two. Not looking forward to the six hour trip to Chicago in August.
Alas... I must run. The nanny called and JJ beckons for his lunch. Best wishes to all.
Yard time Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Do you ever feel like there is not enough time in the day? We moved into our current residence last August and there was much to do. The yard is a mostly blank slate (with crazy thistles running wild everywhere), the basement is unfinished and I don't even want to talk about the awful carpet...
As we were trying to wrap things up with the basement summer was rapidly encroaching on us. My husband was getting ready to leave for three week in Oklahoma and the garden was still not in with both of us agreeing that we definitely wanted one.
So here comes Memorial day weekend and I am scrambling to get supplies because I can't just make a normal garden. We have bunnies and ground squirrels not to mention two dogs over 50#s in the house. I fought with those dogs the last few years to convince them to leave the ripe veggies for us and to stop using the garden as a drag race track. So this year I decided to build garden boxes like I had at the last house, only twice as high (20 inches). I knew it wouldn't be a problem because we have an enormous pile of dirt under the deck from installing the dog kennel which was also incomplete come summer time.
The guys at lowes know me by sight with the basement supplies we bought, and how many women shop at lowes on a week day with a one month old strapped to their chest. So I finally get there and enlist the help of a strong young man to pull 12 2x10x12 planks for me and haul them over to the lumber cutting station (better them then me with my history of run ins with sharp objects.)
I finally got the boxes assembled while the baby napped inside and then it took me several days of wheeling carts of soil across the back yard to get each box filled to the top of the bottom board. I planted the garden the first weekend in June with a rain storm eminent and the baby fussing in his bouncer next to the garden box. In the meantime the grass in the back yard is up over my ankles (but more on that in my installment on yard equipment).
I even have the rain barrel hooked up. It may take longer to water because you are forced to use gravity but the system is in place, plants are growing, still more work to do... the tomato plants are growing sideways across the boxes as I have yet to get cages and the peas are all vining onto each other. So I am still feeling the pressure for success, but noting the little tomatoes and foot high corn stalks so feeling good about thing.
Then last weekend my neighbor comes over and says get your shovel and wagon... the neighbor around the corner is tearing out her perennial garden and I think ok, cool... I am all about free plants and I have empty planters running down both sides of my house as well as the back yard. As always I bite off more that I have time to chew.
So last night I have the baby out in gale force winds but comfortable temps because the 90 degree 85% humidity weather has finally gone away and I am installing my weed barriers. I forgot to buy enough pegs to tack it down as it wraps itself around my body, but happen to have a great rock pile in the back yard to help out with that, so while talking to the same neighbor that convinced me it was a good idea to fill my yard wagon up with perennials in the first place I got one bed planted.
Then I am standing there looking at the wagon, that still seems full to the brim as the sun sets on another day and the baby is telling me it is time to eat and I realize what I will be doing with the next two evenings before I head to the lake for some R&R. But it is all worth it, because I saved the life of some plants, and will have nice planters to show for my efforts so long as I don't collapse in the side yard in the process.
As we were trying to wrap things up with the basement summer was rapidly encroaching on us. My husband was getting ready to leave for three week in Oklahoma and the garden was still not in with both of us agreeing that we definitely wanted one.
So here comes Memorial day weekend and I am scrambling to get supplies because I can't just make a normal garden. We have bunnies and ground squirrels not to mention two dogs over 50#s in the house. I fought with those dogs the last few years to convince them to leave the ripe veggies for us and to stop using the garden as a drag race track. So this year I decided to build garden boxes like I had at the last house, only twice as high (20 inches). I knew it wouldn't be a problem because we have an enormous pile of dirt under the deck from installing the dog kennel which was also incomplete come summer time.
The guys at lowes know me by sight with the basement supplies we bought, and how many women shop at lowes on a week day with a one month old strapped to their chest. So I finally get there and enlist the help of a strong young man to pull 12 2x10x12 planks for me and haul them over to the lumber cutting station (better them then me with my history of run ins with sharp objects.)
I finally got the boxes assembled while the baby napped inside and then it took me several days of wheeling carts of soil across the back yard to get each box filled to the top of the bottom board. I planted the garden the first weekend in June with a rain storm eminent and the baby fussing in his bouncer next to the garden box. In the meantime the grass in the back yard is up over my ankles (but more on that in my installment on yard equipment).
I even have the rain barrel hooked up. It may take longer to water because you are forced to use gravity but the system is in place, plants are growing, still more work to do... the tomato plants are growing sideways across the boxes as I have yet to get cages and the peas are all vining onto each other. So I am still feeling the pressure for success, but noting the little tomatoes and foot high corn stalks so feeling good about thing.
Then last weekend my neighbor comes over and says get your shovel and wagon... the neighbor around the corner is tearing out her perennial garden and I think ok, cool... I am all about free plants and I have empty planters running down both sides of my house as well as the back yard. As always I bite off more that I have time to chew.
So last night I have the baby out in gale force winds but comfortable temps because the 90 degree 85% humidity weather has finally gone away and I am installing my weed barriers. I forgot to buy enough pegs to tack it down as it wraps itself around my body, but happen to have a great rock pile in the back yard to help out with that, so while talking to the same neighbor that convinced me it was a good idea to fill my yard wagon up with perennials in the first place I got one bed planted.
Then I am standing there looking at the wagon, that still seems full to the brim as the sun sets on another day and the baby is telling me it is time to eat and I realize what I will be doing with the next two evenings before I head to the lake for some R&R. But it is all worth it, because I saved the life of some plants, and will have nice planters to show for my efforts so long as I don't collapse in the side yard in the process.
Ok folks...
Take care.
Shawn