Orange Pony Tri

Bella

2011-01-15T05:48:00.000-08:00

I waned a dog. Eric said no. We had a dog but I'm a runner and I really wanted a dog that I could run with. Beau was retired from pretty much everything except sunning himself and eating. Then Amy Johnson's beautiful lab had pups with an unknown daddy. All they knew was that he was huge. Eric's last words were, "it's up to you". His interpretation of that was, you should know by now that I don't want another dog. My interpretation was, definitely go and get a puppy. Funny how that works!

Bella was one of those "Marley and Me" kind of dogs. She was the sweetest, most mellow little puppy...for about two weeks. Then began the process of chewing, everything she could find. This landed Bella outside with Beau pretty quickly. She transitioned well into her new accommodations, finding plenty to chew outside, including the deck and the Intex pool which we owned for less than 24 hours. It's a good thing the girls were at Grandma's that day. I heard from Eric on several occasions, "that's your dog." And so, despite her chewing and horrible behavior, we started to bond. I tried to train her. If I every open a business, "Blue Fire Dog Training", don't hire me. I am not good. I basically gave up on the training.

Despite all of Bella's manners, she did have one great quality which made me believe, she was perhaps very smart. Bella was a great running partner. We began a few short runs when she was young and I learned she would stay at my side (mostly), and keep a very consistent pace. A few months ago, when she hit that magic 18 month number, I started running with her more. It was perfect timing because I really needed to be able to run at 430am. Bella didn't mind the hour and she helped me feel comfortable running in the deserted streets. Hill repeats and speedwork didn't always amuse her, but she stuck with me.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed Bella wasn't eating as much. I thought maybe she was running more and didn't quite feel like eating so much. Maybe she finally stopped growing and didn't need so much. I changed up her food a bit and she seemed more interested. So, we went out for a nice three mile run. She ran just like any other day, wagging her tail, totally happy to be out there. I didn't run as much over the past ten day because Eric was out of town. Then I noticed she had a limp which turned into a very bad limp the next day. By the evening of the next day, Bella could hardly move. I took her to the vet and we were pretty unsure of what was going on. Fortunately, I have great vets at Pilchuck. Dr McGregor was the best. She ran lab work which showed Bella's kidneys were in failure. She would require a hospital stay and weeks of medicine. Unfortunately, I didn't choose to get the medical insurance for Bella and the cost was more than I could put on my family. So, we said our goodbyes and I left her in the hands of wonderful people. They told me that her ashes would be scattered in an orchard in Eastern Washington. I kind of think she would like that. If she were still alive and lived there, she would have chewed all of those trees down!

I told the girls the next morning. They were ok with it. Payton is taking it pretty hard. Despite that fact that Bella ran over them every time they were near, Payton really loved Bella. If Payton would pet Bella, she would immediately calm down and sit there for as long as Payton could pet her.

Thank you to my husband for understand how sad I feel right now. Thanks Darlene and Mom for talking to me late at night as I drove back and for the to the vet. Thank you Darlene and Bri for the flowers. Thank you Dr McGregor and the ladies at Pilchuck vet than night. You totally helped me feel better and comfortable with my decision.

Bella helped me a ways I can't explain. I am so grateful for her loyalty, love and 430am runs!

Words from 2010

2010-12-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

Blessed is an understatement when I think about the wonderful people I have trained over the past year. I think I have one of the best jobs out there. I love watching my athletes work towards and achieve their goals. Whether it's pushing themselves through one more set, running their first mile, or crossing the finish line, each moment it fantastic to me!

We keep record of athletes progress and they write comments about their workouts. Here are a few great quotes from 2010....

Post Workout Reports
"wlk inside my bus :-) "....walking inside of a bus does not count for a run

"Timex Global Trainer
Stop Time: 00:00:00
Avg Ascent: 4 m/min
Avg Descent: 3 m/min
CAL/HR: 1030" - Someone's Timex watch

"MC & I .. easy jog together" - This is special to me...Mom and stepdad running together

Shoes...
"my shoes were still wet from the bike ride, so I did the circuit barefoot... "

"My roommate drove off with my running shoes"...barefoot ran instead

"Forgot my shoes"...a classic!

I also had someone show up to a workout in their slippers. Kudos for not letting your shoes slow you down~

Excuses...
"My dog ate my stretching worksheet"....what happened to your homework?

"Had dinner instead - a much better choice!!!" ....yes, that was a great dinner!

"This was to be done on Sunday but I fell asleep and did not complete the workout."

"please forgive me. I have no excuse except that I completely forgot. "

On Swimming..
"exhaling was by far the biggest challenge. I've got some work to do with my gills."

"Fish are friends, not food." - A common mantra...thanks Nemo

"Auntie, I can swim now so you have to ride your bike with clipless pedals" - Payton

"It was really fun to watch you manage the "old farts" "

On Cycling..
"All I could think about yesterday was how badly I want a bike. I am beginning to tire of the confines of the hot dark room and loud music that is spin class..."

On Running..
"Don't tell anyone but I'm starting to like this running thing."

"We did this run on hills. They always look easier when riding in the car. The hills were long grades and other than the very first part everything was up hill. I was more difficult but I did run the whole time." - MC ...on Hill work

"Hills are easier on the way down"

On Racing..
"cleaned up drove and cleaned again had a great weekend it was alot of fun" Husband...after Ocean Shores weekend. Thanks for all of the driving!

"I had an emotional high all day yesterday after having run a full 1/2 marathon - WOOHOO."

"Don't worry, you'll make up for it on the run." Sister Madonna Buder to me after my crank arm broke during a race. Having my bike break in the middle of the race was totally worth getting to chat with her after! She then told me, "You are a hero". From Sister Madonna...what a compliment!

"Mommy, I'm hungry" Marley to me just after I crossed the finish line at Lake Stevens 70.3.."Me too Marley!"

"I did 5 triathlons this year" 64 year old Margaret....to those who say...Oh, you've done a triathlon

Basic Complaints
"I think I'm going to throw up"

"I have to tell you, this isn't my favorite hour of the day."

"When does it get easier?"

"Can we do something different"... Coach: "Sure when you are done with this exercise."

"this was probably the most torturous workout I have ever endured. "

"I don't do push ups"

Inspiring Words from Coach...
"Set your alarm...get up, get up, get up...this will pay off! Remember your goals"

"You just have to get from the start of the swim to the end of the swim without drowning or breaking any rules. Otherwise, I don't care what it looks like."

"You must get out of bed today!!!"

"You don't have to believe it, just tell yourself over and over that you can do it."

Thanks again for an amazing year!!! Mary

Fudge, Cookies, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes....

2010-11-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

One of my athletes asked me to send out a few words on what to eat over the holidays. Here are my thoughts...

My favorite class in my nutrition program in college had to do with emotional aspects of eating. I loved this class because food is so greatly tied into emotion, celebration, family and holidays. I have wonderful memories of eating at the holidays. Thanksgiving always reminds me of eating with my Grandma and stuffing the turkey when I was a little girl. Christmas reminds me of the yummy Christmas cookies my Mom made. I have one particular memory of my my friend Lori and I making Christmas cookies when we were in junior high. Lori spilled a giant container of sugar all over my Dad's kitchen floor. I don't think that floor every recovered. Those sure were good cookies though! I have my own food favorites as an adult which includes; fudge, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and frosted Christmas cookies.

I could go on and tell you some magazine tips on, "How to not eat too much at Thanksgiving". But do you really want to hear that? Most people will read the article at the doctor's office and disregard or eat more when the day comes.

My thoughts on the holidays are simple. Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, enjoy the holidays and enjoy the the cranberry-laced food. When it comes to the food part just be a little sensible. If you go overboard at one party, it isn't going to kill your fitness program. If you go overboard at all of them it might set you back just a bit. Remember to be easy on yourself. Don't spend the whole party worrying about how many calories you have eaten. Food is fun and parties usually have fun food. Try some, just don't eat the whole table. You don't have to sample every Christmas cookie that comes into work, just have one of your favorites. Instead of four pies of pie at Thanksgiving, just have one. Get the picture?

As we go into this holiday season, enjoy this precious time you get to spend with your loved ones. Enjoy the wonderful food you get to eat! Most importantly, enjoy the people you spend the holidays with.

Dropped

2010-10-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

Oh how the hills hurt today. I love getting out and riding with a fun group of people. I feel so blessed by the friends I have made in this sport. I always feel sports can be a great way to find out about the good and bad sides of people, usually it's the good. Today I rode with the shop group which is made up of some seriously great athletes. I'm always happy when I can keep up with the pace which I pretty much did until we turned up the monster of hills. I was at the back of the pack, and suddenly I was alone. I mean alone as in, the last thing I saw was their rear wheels. This was fine and I finally got to the point where I could at least see the last rider. Well, it happened to be Bruce who was waiting for me. Then I saw Barb who doubled back, followed by Bill, who also doubled back. Seriously, these are cool people. We were just a few miles from the shop and I was just fine. But it totally made my day to see a few friends patient enough to turn around and finish the ride with me. Some days you get dropped, the good days are when people come back to pick you up again!

A great year

2010-10-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

I can' believe it's been a year since I began "officially" my work as a triathlon coach. It's been an amazing season and I can't wait until next year! Thanks to my family for your amazing support and to my team. Everyone I work with is truly amazing!!

Lake Stevens Ironman 70.3 Photos

2010-09-05T20:59:00.001-07:00

Thank you so much to everyone who was supporting me out at Lake Stevens 70.3 this year, both in person and in spirit! Thank you Jess, Karie, Aaron, Sam, Hannah, Sheri, Darlene, Bri, Jim, Mom and John. Of course, a huge thanks to Eric and the girls for your everyday love and support! Thanks to John and Darlene for the photos :)

Jitterbugs

2010-08-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

As I swam yesterday, I noticed I was really getting nervous for my upcoming 70.3 race this weekend. I saw a couple of other swimmers in the water, obviously triathletes. My mind began to wander away from my positive excitement for the weekend. Am I ready? Did I train hard enough? Am I going to achieve my goals this weekend? The pre-race jitterbugs began to fly in my stomach and I could feel myself tense.

I began to ask myself why I was having a mental boxing match with my self esteem. Well, I was because it's natural and normal to get nervous and anxious for a race. I think to say you aren't nervous when you are really is a disservice. I think it's important to acknowledge the feelings, then work through them.

So, I told myself what I tell my athletes and used a few tools I have learned. My first tool was my faith. I went to what is really important to me and said, what is the most important thing? It isn't triathlon or how fast I go on Sunday or even if I finish on Sunday. I have to have my faith at the forefront of my thoughts before I can move through with the rest. Then I ask myself why I do triathlon. Why do I coach? Why do I compete? There are lots of answers to those questions which I seem to rediscover on a daily basis. Some are deep, some not so deep. After that, I got a grip on why I am competing and I look at the work I have put in this year. A week before your race is kind of like an hour before finals in college. You can't suddenly learn all there was to know in a quarter of school and you can't suddenly attain months of training and fitness one week before the race. What's done is done. Now it's time to relax and mentally focus. I looked at my training for this race and can see where I am stronger and more confident than I was at this point last year. The truth is, there will be some faster and some slower than me on race day. I wouldn't trade an hour of training for an hour less time with my family or coaching my athletes.

The best part about being a coach and an athlete is that I think I get more excited about my athletes accomplishments than my own. I love hearing about how they finish something they have always wanted to do and how they feel like "now they are swimming". I love when they tell me about their new goals of completing a longer distance and new race. I love it when my neighbor tells me she heard my junior team at the pool saying how excited they are for their upcoming race. My favorite is when they say, "don't tell anyone, but I actually like this!" Your secrets are safe!!

Cottage Lake June 2010

2010-06-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hannah..First First Place...such a fun moment!

Not drafting off Bri...just coaching. I think I should smile more. I was really having fun!

Gotta love trying to get that wetsuit off!

Hannah making her way to T1

Yeah, we're tough!

Good morning Hannah..it's race day and yes we are going to take lots of photos!

She's such a pro:)

Go Grandma C!!!

Marley of Team Blue Fire Super Jrs...I'm thinking she is going to be one tough competitor in a few years

Payton and "Brown Rar" of Team Blue Fire Super Jrs...I think she is going to put him on her bike at her first race.

You can't see her medal but she has another one! One of my favorite moments is when Mom is packing to leave and I get to tell her she can't leave yet, she won an award. The looks on her face are priceless!

See you in September Cottage Lake!!!

Moses Lake Pics

2010-06-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

It's good when we are smiling at swim start :)

Transition instructions

The lake is thataway...

The can is a very important place on race morning

Let's go!

The best part of the day is teaching my kids to swim after the race!

Three generations of Blue Fire!

Favorite finish photos

Here she comes...here she comes..

Papa G is so smart..."ok girls, pick as many flowers as you can"

Moses Lake 2010

2010-06-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

We always look forward to the Moses Lake Triathlon. This was my first triathlon four years ago. I decided to do it when I was pregnant with Marley. It was my pregnancy hope that I would return to a having a normal body again.

This year it was just Mom and I, and for the first year in doing this race, the sun was out. I was a bit apprehensive since it's been raining for the past two months in Seattle! This means little heat training. The forecast was temperatures in the 80s and Mom's race didn't start until 10am. It's nothing a little water and smart racing can't take care of.

Mom and I met for our pre race meeting which ended up in sentimental tears and prayers for a safe and fun day of racing. I have to say, I love each time I see my Mom race. Really, she is such an inspiration. Not only does she keep training and racing each year, she gets better and always has a positive attitude. Mom and I have this thing where we tell say certain days just feel like "God" days. I know, they all are but some we just savor a bit more. Today, I told her was a God day. It felt special, not in a winning prizes kind of way, but just special. After a few last minute instructions, we parted ways. I had to get my warm up finished and she had to finish her prep.

I was beyond excited about my warm up and mental preparation going into this race. I felt confident and calm. My race plan was solid in my head. I like to pick one thing to focus on for each part of the race. I just work on that. Today was; swim - good form, bike - steady pace and run - keep my miles at an 8:00 pace. My swim warm up felt great. Sighting seemed easy today and the water was a perfect temperature. They told us it was 68. Nerves set in slightly but I kept repeating positive thoughts and I only had to do a few major deep breaths when they announced 1 minute to start. I totally focused on my form for the swim, which made life much easier. My only major obstacle was the people who were off course, one of which I colided with head on. This was on the last 1/4 mile and totally threw me off. I had to do some serious mantras to get my head back into swimming. Form is so huge in swimming and this year it totally paid off. Although I had a slower time, I had a lot more energy out of the water than I have in the past. This in turn made my transition much easier.

And then came the bike... I recently purchased a TT bike (time trial/triathlon) which I have affectionately named, the Beast! I got that name from one of my jr team members. It's fast and I have pretty aggressive position which in turn makes cycling a whole new experience. I totally have to focus because it responds to every movement I make. It also comes in very handy on straight mostly flat courses. I do forget there are some decent hills at Moses Lake. I did manage to keep my pace up and consistent for most of the ride. I was excited, knowing I could keep my run pace high, I was pretty sure I had a chance at a decent age group top finish.

At about mile 19 of the 22 mile course, I had a strange sensation. My left foot suddenly felt very heavy and hmmm, didn't appear to be moving in a circle anymore. I looked down and saw the left crank arm was no longer attached to my bike. Looking back, I am so grateful I did not crash at this point in the course. I have to thank my balance and core training and I'm pretty sure God for this moment because really I should have been in a pile on the side of the road. I wish I could have seen myself dismount and then pull the crank arm off of my cycling shoe. I'm sure it would have been funny at some point in the future. I was still hopeful. I hadn't lost much time. I thought I could just shove it back on and limp in. Being that I'm not much of a bike mechanic, I put the crank arm back on but didn't check to see that it was offset from the other crank arm. This doesn't not make for effective cycling. Try it sometime. Put your bike together which both pedals in the same position. FYI - recipe for falling off! So, I set off walking. Clip clop, clip clop went my cycling shoes down the road. Thank you to the few racers who asked if everything was ok. After a mile and deciding was going to purchase new shoes now that I've likely worn my cycling shoes down to nothing, I took them off. Now walking barefoot, I pondered why on earth anyone would want to run barefoot. I've read a few articles on barefoot running recently and it's kind of interested me until I think of all they loose needles, glass and general nastiness on the ground. Ok, back to the "race" which is over for me at this point. I start thinking about my Mom. I have to get off this course before she starts because she will be really upset to see me walking my bike out here. I'm contemplating getting in the car with anyone. I figured if they tried to hurt me I could beat them down with my new weapon (crank arm). Then Sister Madonna passed me. If you don't know who Sister Madonna is, check out any Kona rerun and you will probably see her. Sister Madonna is an amazing woman who is in her 80s, yes 80s and competes in all kinds of triathlons including Kona. She has inspired me on several ocassions with her amazing racing attitude. Sister Madonna rides by and says, "don't worry, you'll make up for it on the bike!" Ok, so now I just love this woman. No, no not today but it's totally fine. So I say one quick prayer. "God, please send someone to pick me up". Literally, 5 seconds later a Moses Lake PD Officer pulls up (the only female officer in the county I might add) and says, "Do you need anything". I tell her I really need a ride and she says, "of course!". Ohhhh yeah, friends!!! Her rider gracefully gave up his front seat spot, actually, I think he was really excited to sit in the back. It was this funny moment because she told me I could sit up front which I just assumed I was going to do. Don't I have, "spent seven years as cop, probably was in training with you, still can pass background" written all over me? We had a great little chat and I am so beyond grateful for that moment and that ride! Thank you Moses Lake PD!!! The best part was, I made it back just in time to see Mom head out on her bike.

(Sister Madonna Buder - above)

I later joined Mom for the end of her run and passed her off to Payton and Marley to run down the finish chute. Always a cute photo!! Mom looked amazing today. She swam a longer course, so I don't have an official course to compare her to but it was a big improvement this year. She had a ton of energy despite cycling and running in the heat and sun. Go mom!!! Plus she is doing another race next weekend.

I also had a chance to thank Sister Madonna who I think told me I was some hero or something. She is great! She told me a story about getting a flat and riding it to the finish of a ride. If I can race when I'm in my 80s and have her attitude all along the way, I will be pretty excited!

Today was definitely a "God" day. They are never what you expect!!

Thank you so much to my kids and wonderful husband. Gandma and Papa "G" who had Payton and Marley duty, Papa "C" photographer extrodinare, Karie for checking in on me, Sister Madonna, Moses Lake PD and of course Mom for ALWAYS listening!

A year

2010-05-16T15:27:00.001-07:00

What a difference a year can make. A year ago, Eric and I were working in jobs that weren't making us happy. We were grateful to have income to take care of our family but we weren't feeling joy in our work. We decided we needed to make some changes and find jobs we loved. Eric had been applying with fire departments and I wasn't really sure what I was going to do.

Today, Eric started his first shift at Boeing Fire. I am so happy for him. Every day he went to his volunteer shifts, he was so happy to put on his uniform. Seeing him do this job as a career is wonderful.

There have been times in the past year, we didn't think we were going to find things we loved to do. We had to have faith that God would guide us. Many times it's been hard and I've had troubles being patient. Now I'm just grateful to God. I'm grateful he continues to provide for us and look to how we can use our new careers to serve him well.

Elma, race report...don't blink, you are in Elma

2010-05-09T17:53:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Elma yesterday. Elma is super small but a beautiful place. I heard the lake was cold but was just fine when I got in. Of course a wetsuit is very helpful and I was amazed by the people out there without them. What I found funny was that this was probably the worst race I have been in as far as getting pummeled while swimming. Fortunately, I've done enough that I didn't care and just kept swimming. The great part was the length of the swim which was only 250 yards. It was over before I knew it. Cycling through the farmland on pretty much totally flat roads was great. The roads were chip-sealed so I'm not sure if my bike will ever be the same. Running felt great and I was able to gain at least one spot to finish forth place. Thanks Elma for a fun day and Eric for driving me around all day. I'm officially ready for this season!

Wenatchee Race Update

2010-05-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

An update on my last post: Karie had Sam on May 5th. He is beautiful and healthy and I can't wait to see him in person! Congratulations Karie and Aaron :) The 1/2 marathon went well. Kurt, who just began training with me had a great race. I was impressed after a physically rough week, he rallied and put in a great time. Howard completed his first 10k and also put in a very impressive time. When I saw him at the end of my race, he looked great! Congratulations Kurt and Howard. My race was a little rough. Apparently, my cold wasn't over and I learned the next week had turned in to a sinus infection. It's disappointing to get into a race and realize your racing isn't reflecting your training. I did have a good time and met some fun people. Wenatchee was fun and I time to meet up with my friend Heather who was my roommate at the police academy. I'm looking forward to some tri training with her this summer. The kids had a blast at the hotel pool and loved sleeping in a big hotel bed.

Today is dedicated to Karie and Sam

2010-04-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

It's 6:01. I've been up for awhile a little nervous for my first race since last season. I've been working through the positive mental thinking I tell my jr team to use. It's working and I'm starting to feel ready. I have a bit of a worried heart today because my sis-in-law today who is weeks away from having a baby boy, had to stay in the hospital last night. I don't think I've given her proper credit for introducing me to this blogging thing or being a huge part of my coaching inspiration. I had lost some of my triathlon fire last year when Eric and I went to Tucson to surprise Karie who was completing her first triathlon. It was so much fun to watch her race and she did great! Being in the Tucson mecca of triathlon and watching Karie really fueled my fire again which I know lead me to compete in the half-iron last year, become a coach and enjoy where I am in my life now. Karie introduced me to blogging and I now have a place to document and share what I'm doing. So a huge thanks to Karie who is going to be an amazing mom! Even though I'm just running today, I dedicate this race to she and Sam.

I also find it interesting that this morning I was reading in my bible study about Jesus healing in Capernaum. The Lord's healing powers are amazing. I'm praying for Karie and Sam to be healthy and strong!

Pool time...

2010-03-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

The kids I train are soooo wonderful. I always look forward to Thursdays at the pool. There is just something about the pool that brings out the kid in all of us, especially the kids. I think their favorite drill is making basketballs out of each other in the water. I think it's pretty fun too! Tonight we ran into one of Eric's cousins and I told her she could join our practice. My team didn't skip a beat and practiced with her as if she had been at every other practice. At the end I looked over to see legs sticking up out of the water. I told them they could do what they wanted as long as it was slow and easy. This was interpreted into underwater handstands. I LOVE IT!!!

This week

2010-03-17T05:52:00.000-07:00

It's been a great week so far, despite the hour of sleep that I seem to have lost. Getting up at 4am is a little nuts for me when I realize it is the old 3am. That for me is really the middle of the night. Eric and I had a weekend together at home. It was really nice to have nothing to do except figure out what movie we wanted to watch. We actually went for a great bike ride and Eric worked on the bathroom. We are keeping with the theme of "finishing" projects in the house this year. It's a close as we have come to a resolution for the year.

The girls have been swimming each week. After a not so good experience, she decided I need to teach her to swim. Ok, I can do that! I have mostly been having them just play and have fun, because that's what it's all about. Marley has been jumping in, putting her head under water and coming back up with a big smile. Payton is a little more hesitant. Last week I taught her how to float which was great. She tried it a few times with me and decided she would try on her own. Life jacket on of course, she went to another part of the shallow pool and before long was floating. It's fun and interesting to watch how my kids learn in completely different ways.

I've finally registered for my 1/2 marathon in April. I'm getting excited for this race and can feel my training taking shape. Only 4 weeks left! I'm looking forward to a weekend in Wenatchee, celebrating my mom's birthday, seeing an old friend and playing with my kids. Oh yes, and the race! I think I'm about in the same condition I was in 10 years ago, if not better.

The team is wonderful as usual. Inspiring me in new ways each week. I'm sending my 70.3 shoes off to Guatemala with John. Those shoes should have a pretty interesting story in the end! I'm loving watching the progress everyone is making. We are getting faster, stronger, more fit and most important, laughing a lot.

The Team

2010-03-04T20:34:00.000-08:00

When I started this blog, I had a dream of starting a Jr girls triathlon team. Tonight we had one of our first practices together. This Sunday, we have our first team meeting. It amazes me, this dream has come to reality so quickly. It has kind of taken a life of it's own. It's personality will reflect the members of the team. I am so excited to see what is in store for this triathlon season.

I don't think I could have ever imagined, when I thought of doing my first triathlon, it would lead me to this place in my life. I can only thank God for leading me here and know I must be doing something part of a greater plan.

More to come.....

A kid at heart

2010-02-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

I am loving this sunshine we have been blessed with this year. It makes getting through the Washington winter slightly more tolerable! Everyone seems to just smile a little more and my kids an actually play outside. Yesterday, we skipped nap time for some much needed park time. It's funny, I was thinking of what a cool workout I could create at the park. I don't think the homeowners would appreciate it though. This morning, one of my athletes said he finds it funny that thirty years later he finds himself paying money for playground activities! Ah, it's good to be a kid at heart. I love to watch my girls play in the gym. They actually give me ideas for some great exercises.

My kid heart lightened a bit this week as I turned in my police gear. I know I've been mostly done with that job for a few months now. But getting the uniforms back made it seem really final. I have no hesitation this time. I know I have totally done the right thing. It's not easy but spending time with my girls in the best thing in the world. Nothing can take it's place. I think day by day, they are teaching me to enjoy little things and be a kid again myself.

Rest Day..sort of.

2010-02-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

Today is a rest day. I had great plans of sleeping in. Everything, including my dogs cooperated with this plan. My body clock and mental to do list however, did not. So, 5:30 it was. I did manage to cook breakfast for my hubby and get a few things done before the kiddos woke up at 7:30. The girls and I cleaned the play room and my office this morning. After a few melt downs from each of us, we have managed to find a balance in the day. It's almost nap time and I'm hoping to get the rest of my athlete's plans written for next week. We will see! If I try to set plans in stone, I end up upset when they change. I'm a better mom if I can remain flexible.

Yesterday was one of my longest coaching days. To add on to it, I have increased my training volume quite a bit. So my body is tired and I'm doing my best to stay completely attentive to my athletes. It was great ending the day with a swim session with one of my jr athletes. I was pretty tired and not sure I was going to be able to think. Fortunately, she is so great to work with and I ended up refreshed, knowing why I love this job. I especially love that she wanted to do this drill I taught a few weeks ago where they would roll up in a ball under water and bounce each other like basketballs. Sorry we couldn't do it yesterday!!! Next Thursday, we will be basketballs again:).

I always say the sport of triathlon is completely humbling. Humble is a good place to be. I am learning, coaching triathlon is even more humbling. I'm still learning each day as an athlete and feel although, I have the knowledge to train beginner and novice triathletes, I have so much more to learn. Coaching was a huge dream for me. Now that I'm a coach, I want to progress on to being a level 2 coach. Wow, I never imagined this but I love it. Most of all I love working from home, watching my little girls play (and sometimes cry!).

Exaustion

2010-02-09T20:50:00.001-08:00

It's only Tuesday and I'm so tired I skipped my weight training session. My day just couldn't hold what I had planned. We did have a great track workout today. I was so happy to see everyone. The Fartlek pyramid seemed to allow everyone to have a great workout. I got to have fun too doing some intervals with each athlete. It's fun to watch Patyon get out and run with the girls. She usually does a warm up lap with them. It's so cute to watch!

Not Sleeping..Should Be!

2010-02-08T22:41:00.000-08:00

I should be asleep but I never do when Eric is at the fire station. It's been a long day with ups and down. It started with a swim workout with Mom. I taught her some drills that I don't think she really needed to know. Seriously, she is a great swimmer and I thinks she swims slower that me to not make me feel bad. We had fun though. It's nice to actually train with people sometimes, although I usually prefer the solitude of my own training. I took Marley to the doctor and found out she had ear infections in both ears. She is one tough kid who has complained little considering the look on my doctors face after looking in her ear. We hit the pharmacy and for some odd reason I thought I could make a "quick" trip to Costco. I ended up being ten minutes late to pick up Payton at preschool. I felt so bad to give her that feeling of the "kids whose mom didn't show". Sorry baby! At home, we unloaded groceries and the kids went down for a nap they never actually took. Ahhhh! What will I do without my three hours of nap breaks? I did manage to squeeze in my own run and was off the gym to train a couple of clients there. Fortunately, they are people I completely look forward to training. I love to see people push though pain and get a little stronger each time we see them. Hold those planks people!!!!

Don't quit

2010-02-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

Today's run was long, rainy and slightly painful. I didn't want to start, someone or something stole/ate my gel packs and my brain was racing. Good thing my husband said, "get out there." Good thing I know how bad I would feel if I quit. Finally, at the end, I settled in and accepted the fact that I was NOT quitting today.

One thing I love about distance exercise is how the monotony gives me a chance to process whatever is going on in my life. Today was good for that. I tossed my music and let my brain process. I wish I could write while I was running. It would be great to actually remember some of the problems I solve out there. I won't write them here because they are just way too personal. I finished feeling exhausted. No major times today but I finished and I did NOT quit. That's just how some days are.

As it's Superbowl Sunday, I ended up only having two people at my group run. We had fun though, doing some form work and easy intervals. I love watching people improve their running. I love seeing someone finish their first run in a long time without quitting themselves! I know I don't know everything about being a coach but I do know I have the heart when I am more excited about my athlete's accomplishments than my own.

I do wish I know what happened to my Power Gels though!!

Hills

2010-02-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

I don't think you can truly appreciate a hill until you have seen it from the perspective of a bike or a pair of running shoes. I set out to meet some people for a ride today. I either missed them or they missed me. I rode on the flat trail and decided to divert UP my favorite hill to ride down during the Lake Stevens 70.3 last year. Ouch! It was much easier and faster on the way down. I then proceeded to find what seemed like every hill outside of Snohomish. The final was the worst, my legs screamed, "train more on hills!" Ok, I will listen to you legs!

There were so many cyclists out in Snohomish today. I was a little envious, thinking I would like to ride in a group but glad I had the time alone.

The Family Table

2009-12-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

It had been a long day. The kids were crazy. The excitement of the holidays is was getting to be too much. My husband was trying to help me in the kitchen and it wasn't working. I might have even snapped at him a little! Sorry honey! We sat down to a simple meal of "scramblewitches" with sauteed bell peppers, tomatoes, avocado and sweet potato fries. It wasn't anything special, but as we sat down, I realized how special it all was. All of the stresses of the day seemed to melt away. The girls entertained us with their mealtime antics and a wave of peace came over me. I became grateful to have this table and most importantly, the special people I share it with. Even when ten minutes in, like clockwork, Marley announced her need to visit the bathroom.

My mom and stepdad blessed us with this table when we got married. It has already been through a lot. The chairs are slightly crusted from the kids food. There are scratch marks and burn marks. Sometimes I feel bad we haven't taken care of it, but I know my Mom and John are happy we use it the way we do.

When I studied nutrition in college, the numbers and percentages didn't sick with me (that can be looked up in a book). What stuck with me were the emotional aspects of food, one of those being how important it is to share a meal with people you love. We embrace this in many ways in our lives. I personally have many memories of great food celebrations with friends, family and co-workers.

I appreciate my husband shares the value of a family meal with me. I look forward to many more meals with my wonderful little family!

Grateful

2009-11-26T06:44:00.001-08:00

A year ago, I wasn't dreaming of becoming a USA Triathlon coach. A year ago, I was knocking on doors, waiting to find which would open to a new career path. Oh, how grateful I am this door opened. (Since it's Thanksgiving I'm probably going to use the word grateful a lot!)

Today, I am filled with joy because not only has the door opened to a new career, it has also opened my life to spend more time with my children. I can't describe what a huge gift this is. I could ask for no more. I am extremely grateful to my husband, Eric who has pushed me to make this decision. Eric not only works more now to give us financial stability, he has worked to create a gym in our home. This gym will allow me to work from home and spend more time with our girls. I would understand if he thought this was just too much to do, but he has done the opposite. The garage was his final "man space" in our home. He has given this to me and is in the process of completely remodeling it. It even includes an orange wall!!!

I think when you make a life change, this is where you find out who your true friends are. I am so lucky to have many. My friends have supported and encouraged me. They have helped me through the days when I start hearing negative messages saying, "no I can't". When I thought for a moment I wasn't doing the 70.3 last year, I was quickly reminded of what I was doing this for. This wasn't for me, it was for the kids I'm hoping to coach one day. They would be watching!

What would I do without my family? I'm sure there is some universal rule saying you shouldn't coach our parents. I'm breaking this twice. I coach both my Mom and Dad. They are amazing and they work SO hard! Mom has endured some "almost puke" workouts lately and she keeps coming back for more. Coaching Mom through her first triathlon made me realize I could be a coach. Dad is working on his golf game and overall health. After a year of prostate cancer treatment, I feel so fortunate to meet with him a couple times a month. He works out and most importantly, we spend time together.

Finally, my girls. Every day I look at them and still can't believe I am a mom. I never dreamed my life would be what it is today. I am so grateful for their health and amazing little personalities. They make me grow and learn every day. They seem to know when I'm having a rough day and say, "I love you Mommy". I love that their lives are now immersed in fitness. Not a fitness forced upon them but a fitness they see in their role models. I love to see them play in my gym, trying to lift weights and play, "triathlon". I don't expect them to be triathletes, but I want to give them the tools to have long and healthy lives.

I have spent much of my past year in prayer, asking God to give me new direction. Apparently, I'm not so good at receiving his messages because he has made this career change one of the loudest messages in my life. I have tried so hard to see how being a triathlon coach could be a profession God would want me to do. I always understood the meaning in police work. Then I realized, exercise gives confidence and health. Triathlon helps people realize "I CAN". And so I remember this for myself to repeat on the days I am struggling, "I can do all things through him who gives me strength" Philippians 4:13

NYC Marathon

2009-11-01T05:35:00.000-08:00

They New York City Marathon starts in just a few minutes. I have amazing memories of the race I ran in New York six years ago. Where do I begin? First of all, it was wonderful to have friends and family there to support me. My Dad and Deborah flew out with me and one of my best girls, Tara came from Boston. We had fun touring the city, visiting the Twin Towers memorial, NYPD museum and touring in the double-decker red bus. I think my favorite and of course the most emotional was the Twin Towers. They still had a small area commemorating the fallen Police Officers and Firefighters. I don't show my badge often but this was worth it. The security guard let us in to get a closer look. I hope we don't ever forget these amazing people who risked their lives to save others.

After some delicious pasta meals, it was time to race. I will tell you now this race wasn't about the time. I actually had an awful race. This race was about the people. Somehow, I met up with a Firefighter from Colorado and a Prosecutor from, I don't remember where. We chatted a few times along the way. About half-way through, we lost the Prosecutor and started running the race together. I don't remember what we talked about, I don't remember the boroughs we visited. I do remember keeping each other going. As we got to the upper teens, we both began struggling and talking ceased. There were miles he pulled me along and miles I pulled him. When we got the the 20s it became a, "put one food in front of the other" kind of race. I kept thinking, just stay with this guy. Finally, we saw Central Park and I think I saw Tara getting yelled at somewhere along the way! The finish line was right there. We crossed it and gave each other a huge hug, agreeing we couldn't have made it without the other person.

I have no idea what the name of the runner was. It doesn't really matter. What mattered was on this day we found one of the great things about racing. Sometimes you have a bad race, but you have traveled all the way to New York. You are going to finish! You meet a great person along the way and become best running buddies, even if only for a few hours!

Good luck to everyone running in New York today!

Pumpkins in the rain

2009-10-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

The Transition Area

2009-10-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

Ahh...the transition area. That wonderful space during a triathlon where you quickly as possible switch from one sport to the next. Prior to starting the race, you have painstakingly laid out all of your clothes, food, water, number, etc. in order to make it a seamless portion of your race. In actuality, it's the place where you are completely jolting your body from one event to the next. Swim to bike or bike to run. Some of us are fast in transition and others will never live down their first transitions!! (sorry mom, I couldn't resist) Bottom line, we try to blast through faster than an Indy car in the pit stop of the 500. Truly we should treat transition as important as any other part of the race.

That all being said sounds nice until I find myself in the middle of a transition of sorts in life. It's a good transition.. no.. a great transition to be going through. I have been waiting for this time for the past year and a half. Dreaming of the day when certain stress and anxiety would leave my life. But I didn't really lay out my transition area ahead of time. I just kind of showed up and found myself here, in the transition area.

May 2008, I was on vacation with my husband and good friends, the Witherows. Eric and I were so excited to be in Mexico for a week of sunshine and sleep. While there, I started to realize, I needed to do something else for work. I wasn't happy as a police officer. But I had no idea what I was going to do. Being the not-so-patient person I am, I of course wanted to figure it out right then and there. But life doesn't work that way and I was going to have to wait. That summer, I started in a Masters program for counseling. The first class in, I knew this was the wrong direction. So, I quit. No shame there. I went through some major emotional moments the following fall working cases that were painfully sad for me. I was again reminded, I needed to find a new direction. I couldn't image spending 18 more years wondering when I was going to that profoundly saddened again. Eric suggested I look back into becoming a teacher. He knew how much I loved teaching DARE at the elementary schools. I thought about it once before. This time, it just seemed to fit for me. It took some research and decision making to determine where and when I wanted to go. It seemed it would be FOREVER before I actually was going to start.

I began to sleep on a regular basis again when I told my chief I was quitting. The 50lb weights I was carrying on my shoulders rolled right off. I'm entering the transition area, looking for my space on the bike rack.

Paralleling my decision to go back to school was my dream of starting a youth girls triathlon team. USAT coaching clinics fill up in a matter of minutes. I had searched for a clinic in Santa Monica and one day learned they opened an additional class on the dates I was hoping to attend. I signed up and somehow(God) was able to get into the class. Just prior to my last weeks of full-time work at the police department, I attended the USAT level 1 coaching clinic. Wow!!! I was completely blown away by the instructors. I have always loved the Olympics and secretly wished my parents had started me in gymnastics when I was two years old. Our instructors were the coaches of Olympic and world class elite triathletes. I was overcome by the amount of information and tried to absorb every last drop. I have found my space in the transition area!

This past week, I came to the space in transition where you take just a moment to regroup. I didn't chooses this space. The H1N1 strain of the flu did that for me. My whole family has been blown over by this flu, requiring me to be pretty much at home for two weeks. The sliver lining is, I have been given more than just a moment to take a breath and relish in the moment of the race I am now in. I have had time to complete my USAT test and just mailed if off today. I have spent some great days with my girls. Days where we just sat and read and spent time. This is the point in transition where I fuel up. Yes, I have eaten my fair share this past week, I have also fueled up on good family time.

And now, I'm getting my running gear on. I've started school, which I love. I completely feel I am in the right place. I'm ready to train and coach and can't wait to help people become their best. Most importantly I feel I am running a race that is now the best for my family. No more will I have to run out on our plans or tell the girls I will be gone all night.

It's good to slow down sometimes, in transition. Even for just a moment. Whether in life or in a race. Relish the moment and how hard you have worked and fuel up for race ahead!

Lake Stevens 70.3

2009-08-22T00:19:00.000-07:00

I know my sister-in-law, Karie has been expecting I write this much sooner. Sorry, it's taken a week to process the Lake Stevens 70.3 Ironman!

Years ago, I told myself I was going to do an Ironman before I turned 40. It happened to be and still is, the craziest endurance event I can find. So, of course I want to finish one. I have learned to be VERY careful about what I dream of doing. Usually it happens.

When I woke up on August 16th, I thought of a great video a friend sent to me at work on a particularly difficult day. A day I didn't think I could handle. It helped me remember who helps me through all of my days, especially the tough ones. I had a good cry and remembered the message. I prayed, God would help me through this day too, and he did....

Last Sunday morning at about 5:00, Eric drove me to the start of my first half-ironman. As my body shook from sheer nervous energy, I told him I could still recall the moment I decided to do this. At that point I was wondering what I had been thinking. To help me, Eric drove part of the run course, which I hadn't really bothered to check out. Finally, I had to stop procrastinating and get to the transition area. I got my body marking taken care of and entered transition, which I would do a few more times that day. I arranged my stuff about six times before I could assure myself it was right. As I always do, I met the first of the great people I was to meet that day. We had a nice little chat about how worried our moms were about this event. My next step was to pick up my timing chip and make the first of many trip to the porta-poti. I returned to my bike and checked my stuff just one more time. That was it, I couldn't change anything...I was as ready as I could possibly be!

Now, time to find the family. I met up with Eric, the girls, Mom and John. Now it was time for Mom to make the first of her many trips to the porta-potti. Like I said, she was nervous! We started to walk toward the starting area of the park. It was now time. My friend, Pam sang the National Anthem and she was amazing. I decided I should find my wave and went off to find the other ladies wearing yellow caps. We began to saunter towards the dock as waves began taking off. As I walked onto the dock, I saw Kyle and Heather, two friends from church. What a blessing! To get a big huge hug right before you get in the water. I made it to the final dock and the announcer started telling us to get in the water, we were going in seconds. Another blessing...I only had time to jump in the water before the start. The water was surprisingly warm as I began my swim. I was thrilled to find I wasn't sucking air or panicking. I found the "white cable" some of the ladies told me about before the race and just kept repeating, steady relaxed strokes. Before I knew it, I was to the first buoy. 1/4 mile down and again before I knew it 1/2 mile down. I actually began to really relax and was able to focus on my stroke. I rounded the end and finished the last 1/2 mile. I was elated at this point. My day could have ended there and I would have been happy. But it didn't...

Transition was pretty smooth, other than knocking my neighbors helmet, food and asthma medication off her bike (I put it back). I took off on my bike and surprised myself again to see I was clipping along at a pretty good pace. The first hills were fairly easy and before I knew it there were Darlene and Bri! How great...to see your friends while your completing an Ironman. I did miss Bri's great signs. "Train like a racehorse", "Sting like a bee" and "Go bikers!" I did see the last sign telling me I "rock" shortly after seeing Jim at the next intersection. Then right after that I saw Eric, the girls, Mom and John. Wow! The first loop flew by. I couldn't believe how many places I saw my friends and family. Eric was amazing, he was able to get to so many spots on the course. I really think I have the best husband!!! The second loop was a little more of a challenge. But I pulled through and even kept an average speed which was faster than what I predicted.

Finally, I was at the run. I kept telling myself, the hard work is done. I've run for so many years, it's second nature and there wasn't anything to fall off of! My legs felt great for the first half but were ready to be done about an hour before they needed to be. I formulated a plan to run to each water station, and walk through the water station, while I cooled down, ate and drank. This seemed to work. My body was on fire, but I was done! As I rounded the corner toward the finish, I saw my friend Julie who gave me a huge high five. I crossed the finish line, completing the Lake Stevens 70.3 in 6:43:50. The first of many and one more step closer to my Ironman goal.

I have more memories than I can write from that day. I loved how my girls told me they wanted to eat as soon as I was done. I love being their mom! I loved that my Mom and stepdad could be there with us. They have been dedicated supporters for a long time. I loved that my husband found me so many times on the course and has supported me in everything I have done since the day we met. I loved seeing the Gibsons who have totally supported and encouraged me. I can't wait to train Bri!!!

I met my goals; to finish and have a great time!

It's almost time....

2009-08-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

I just looked at the ticker on my blog, "3 days, 17 minutes" until the Lake Stevens Ironman. I didn't imagine how I would feel when I saw such a small number on the countdown ticker. Surprisingly, I have been sleeping well the past few night and I feel great. In fact I have been sleeping better than ever. Maybe it's the week of summer rain that has decided to show up.

I can't wait to get out on the course and see what it's like to complete a half-ironman. I have in my mind two goals; finish and have a great time. I'm confident both of those will happen. I'm looking forward to seeing my good friends out on the course. You know your friends are great when they tell you they are getting cardboard to make signs for you. I've found out some of my police friends are going to be out there as well. I'm most excited to see Eric, Payton, Marley, Mom and John. I'm sure Marley will be driving everyone crazy as she already says, "go biker" every time she sees a cyclist. Will she do this 1500 times on Sunday...oh, I hope!

It's been a great journey training for this event. I have some amazing training days and some really tough training days. I have taken a lot of time from my family. My hope is this time away is an example to my kids of how important it is to stay healthy. My husband's support is unwavering. He's endured many of my early mornings to which I find breakfast ready for me when I return. I am also very appreciative of my mom, sis-in-law Karie and friends; Darlene, Andrea and Tracy who have encouraged me along the way. Thanks ladies!!!

I know Sunday is going to be a great day. I'm determined to enjoy the whole process, coming away with experience I can pass along to other future triathletes.

Fear

2009-07-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

I just spent the past week in Eniat and Winthrop with my wonderful little family. We first visited our friends, the Gibsons at their property. They generously shared their holiday with us, which included a 4th of July parade, swimming, bouncy house, water slide, picnic and fireworks. The kids had a great time with Bri (their new nanny). I'm all about having my kids look up to a superstar runner and most importantly a great person. After filling our bellies with ice cream, doughnuts, and slushies for two days, we traveled with Winthrop. We camped at Pearrygin Lake which is now my favorite place to camp. The campground was right on the lake and included a boat launch and swimming area. Views of the outlying hills were perfect and we had a family of deer which we visited every day. The girls became expert "deer-spotters". They pretty much blew our ear drums with each sighting.

I was also happy to get in some training time while camping. It helped that our new puppy was up at 6am each day, ready to greet the world. I swam with Bri at the pool in Sun Cove. I forgot how much fun it is to swim in the sun in an outdoor pool. Bri did great and taught me a new stroke which is going to take me some time to master.

In Winthrop, I found some wonderful training grounds. Although beautiful, these grounds taught me a lot about conquering fear. I used to take off into the woods and run by myself. One day, while running at Snoqualmie pass, I felt the hairs on my neck standing up. I was sure someone or something was watching or following me. I did an immediate 180 and returned to my car. I don't think I have run on trails alone since that day. I was pretty excited to see the roads in Winthrop looked great for biking and the swim area was long enough to get in some good open water swim training.

My problems began when I set out to run the first morning. As I ascended the hill out of the park fear crept into my brain. I started to worry about predatory animals just waiting for a nice "jogger snack". So, I gave in and returned to the park and completed my run in the relative safety of the park. I really had to laugh at myself later in the morning as we set out for town in our truck. There on the road were runners and cyclists. None appeared to have bite marks!

We ventured down to the swimming area later in the day. Eric swam for a few minutes and then I got in. The water was comfortable and clean. As soon as I began my crawl stroke, those fears and worries about swimming in open water began to creep into my mind. Did they have to make so many Jaws movies??? Now, I know Jaws doesn't exist in Pearrygin lake but the fact that I couldn't see too far in front of my face was unsettling. I got out after a few laps and told myself I would return each day of our trip until I conquered this fear.

The second day, I went for an afternoon bike ride. I now felt ready for these unknown roads. I had an amazing ride through the Winthrop valley toward Twisp. There are tons of little horse farms, any of which I could have immediately moved into. Later that day, I swam again and made it farther in the green waters.

On our third day, I made the waters of Pearrygin lake my friend. After reading about how much energy stress takes from our bodies, I decided I was going to calm down and get to swimming. As I began to swim, I could feel my fears begin to set in. With each breath, I pushed them out and felt my shoulders and back relax. My body straightened out and I began to swim the stroke I comfortably swim at the pool. I actually started to enjoy the waters, even the green murkiness I was swimming through!

Finally, on our last morning (my 35th birthday), I went out for a run, as I love to do on my birthday. I ran from the west park through a trail to the east park. The morning was crisp, skies were blue and the scenery was amazing. I ventured out to the road and worked my way towards Winthrop. I passed a couple out for a walk and noted they did not have any animal bite marks! I then turned around and completed the hill back into our campground. I had to laugh at myself when something in the grass next to the road moved. I jumped and so did that deer!!! I finished my run and was greeted by my girls. We shared some giant cinnamon rolls. I celebrated a perfect way to spend my birthday!

On an ending note....I met my mom for a swim this morning at the local pool. As I started in the water, I was struck by the taste and smell of chlorine! I would have been great to be back in the lake again.

Rock N Roll Seattle

2009-06-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I began the Seattle Rock N Roll half marathon with over thirty thousand other people. It was an entertaining two hours of people watching, filled with memorable moments. They began with the two ladies waiting in line for the porta potties, wearing shorts, t-shirts and plastic garbage bags over the top. It was a bright sunny day and I'm still hoping they took those off before they started running. Next came my favorite person. The Police Officer at mile one who said, "You guys are doing great...the finish line is just around the corner." The true to form cynicism of a Police Officer! This kept me laughing for the next mile! There were great costumes too. I just keep wondering how comfortable they can be about an hour into the race. Especially the sequins, lays and wigs!! Mostly this race was filled with great enthusiasm and I always love seeing so many people in one place doing something healthy. I'm hoping everyone is feeling good today.

For myself...it was a fun race. I'm a bit of a loaner when it comes to racing. I know tons of my friends were out there running but I didn't manage to see anyone. Fortunately there was an enormous amount of traffic, so I didn't make it to the start on time. I started with the thirteenth wave, rather than the third wave. This probably came as an advantage, slowing me down and helping me stick to my target pace. It took awhile to weave though the crowd and I finally found my stride. I was completely happy I signed up for the half marathon at mile eleven, when I was ready to be DONE! I rounded the corner to the finish and heard Eric and Karie yelling at me. Yeah, they found me! I crossed the finish in 1:53:25. Not too bad for a season of triathlon training, not really paying attention to my running pace. I finished just in time to see the male winner of the MARATHON! Amazing!

I'm usually not to worried about what I wear, or even if it matches. Last weekend, I went with Darlene to see some clothes by Oiselle. Darlene has told me how amazing these running clothes are, so I finally decided to give them a try. Oiselle's clothes are designed for women runners.... and they are COMFORTABLE. I tried a pair of orange (of course) shorts and actually ran in one of their cotton t-shirts. I'm now sold on Oiselle's clothes. I recommend them to all women runners. They are completely comfortable and light. I even was great on a warm day in a cotton tee. (Thanks Darlene!) http://www.oisellerunning.com

The best part of the race came at the end (of course) when I met up with my cheering squad; Eric, Payton, Marley, Payton and Bella. Payton tackled me on the ground! A greeting like this, makes Rock N Roll Seattle my best marathon race! Next report.....Lake Stevens Half TRIATHLON!!!

Moses Lake 09

2009-06-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

After a night of zero sleep, I wasn't feeling too ready for this race. I finally had to admit to myself, I was scared to swim a mile in open water. But I signed up, so I was getting in. When I saw my Mom, just before the start, I almost started crying! Fortunately I met an amazing woman while warming up. We had some good laughs which helped to ease the nerves. This is one of my reasons for loving triathlons. There is always some hilarious person at the start to help ease the nerves and remind me...this is fun!!!!

When the race started, I began my usual stroke and found myself...out of air!! I had a fleeting thought of just bagging the whole thing and then I remembered how stubborn I am and that I had no plans of quitting. So I decided to revert to plan B and change strokes until I could calm down and catch my air. After the first quarter mile, I was able to get into a rhythm and started the crawl again. Before I knew it, the swim was over and I was in the transition area. I remember Eric saying, "can't you smile". I though, oh you just wait honey!

I was off on my bike. I knew Papa G clicked of photo of me with a mouthful of food in my mouth. I later learned he thought this was quite funny. I actually love this part about cycling, how easy it is to eat and ride!!! The bike went really well. I enjoying the fact that I did lots simulated hill training this winter and loved the giant hill even more on the way down. I was going faster than I planned and didn't push it too much, ending up completing my bike portion in about 1:15.

I began my run, feeling pretty good. I actually thought I was running faster than I was, kind of like the way kids think they are jumping high in the air, only getting about 1/4" off the ground. I ended up averaging about a ten minute mile but was happy to feel strong the whole time and pass a few people in the process. I ended up across the finish line in 2:44:19, 8th in my age group (out of 11).

The best part of my day came next when Eric and my Mom finished their races. This was Eric's first triathlon and I was hoping he was out enjoying his experience. Since his race started a couple hours after mine, I was able to see his final transition and finish. I was delighted to see how strong he looked, coming in off his bike. He set off on his run and returned in about 30 minutes. This was fabulous as he recently worked up to running three consecutive miles in the past few weeks. It was adorable to see him cross the finish line with Payton who I'm sure thought she just finished a race herself!! Eric's goal was to finish the race in under two hours. His official time was 1:28:18. Very well done!! My mom had a great race too. She improved her transitions and finished a half hour faster than last years race. Way to go mom! You continually amaze me. Her finish photo made it to the front of the photo display. It's pretty darn cute when you are accompanied across the finish by two four-year olds and a two-year old.

We had an amazing weekend in Moses Lake. Even though our spare caught on fire on the truck on the way over and the awning to the trailer broke! Budu racing put on another fabulous event. We met some new friends who we hope to see at future races and had a great weekend of health!

And don't worry, I already have another race picked out for Eric. I mean, Eric is excited to enter another race!!

Race eve!

2009-06-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

My kids are crazy tonight. We just watched Marley mush her first smore into her mouth. It's really one of my favorite firsts. I took a thousand photos. I have the same photos of Payton. Gooey marshmallows everywhere. Chocolate and graham cracker massaged around her mouth. She is probably stuck to her pillow as she now sleeps. Precise Payton has the eating of a smore down to a science and pretty much can eat the whole thing without making a mess. This is my perfect way to spend an evening. And perfect way to relax the night before my first race in a couple of years. I still don't know why I didn't race last season. I guess I just wasn't in the mood. So to make up for it, I'm starting off this season with my first Olympic distance race. It didn't seem to daunting until I finally realized, today I think, that I am going to swim a mile, A MILE, tomorrow morning. Thank goodness I bought that wetsuit so I can be slightly buoyant!

Jokes aside, this is going to be a fun day. There is a lot of family here, spending time together. Today, we took the kids to the pool for a few hours. Payton is getting better at trusting the water. Marley is hanging on to her floaty and jumping off the steps. She really wants nothing to do with us holding her. Payton so badly wanted to go down the "kids" water slide and is close to finding her courage to do so! Maybe tomorrow Payte! She did sit in the slide for just a moment today, which was a big deal.

I'm really excited for my husband, Eric to experience his first sprint triathlon tomorrow. It's interesting trying to manage how we will juggle the kids and the two of us in the race. Thanks Aunties, Uncles, Grandmas and Papas! I'm really proud of Eric for all of his hard work. It's a lot for one person to train in a family. It's been even more work finding the extra time for both of us to train. We do our best to keep the workout time away from the kids time, which means lots of training when we should be sleeping. Sometimes, I think it good for the kids to see us training too, it's a great example of goal achievement and fitness. I'd rather them see us working out then loafin' in front of the TV.

I'm excited for a great day tomorrow in Moses Lake. I love you Eric...enjoy the swim, ride and run!!!

Mom

2009-05-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

I have the most supportive mom in the world!!! That is how all kids should feel and it is how I truly feel. This comes in every aspect of my life, and has always been there. Yes, even in those wonderful years when I'm quite sure she wanted to strangle me. I specifically recall struggling though an eating disorder. Other people in my life wanted to take "action" from the "professionals". My mom told me she had complete confidence in me, she knew I would be ok and she supported me. Now, I know had I not improved from there, she would have taken drastic measures. She isn't stupid. But she knew and said exactly what I needed to hear. Those words helped me to have the courage within myself to turn the corner.

Part of turning the corner included finding some healthy ways to view myself and live my life. This included my continued love of running which eventually turned into triathlon training. During my marathon training, Mom and John where my support team. The spent endless Saturday mornings driving around Lake Sammamish, giving me water and gu. I'm sure mom was making sure I didn't get run over or abducted as well. I specifically remember a race mom came to down in Olympia. She took her entire day to truck me down to Myllersylvinia State park and wait for me to complete my thirteen mile run. I can imagine watching marathon running has got to be the most boring thing in the world. You wait and wait and wait for them to return. At least in triathlons you get to watch people transition. I won that race, the only win I've ever had. I remember winning, because it felt great. Most importantly, I remember her being there.

I called my mom on Friday and asked if I could come to her house on Saturday morning, drop of the girls and go for a long run. Of course I could! They were going to work on their yard so the kids to help. Well, I don't think they got much of their yard worked on! But the girls had a great time. Mom accompanied us to the Mountlake Terrace pool where we took the girls swimming. I love that she comes to the pool with us and I love watching her swim with her granddaughters. It is truly a thing of beauty. I am so grateful that she works so hard to keep herself healthy so I can watch these moments.

Mom, you are the best. You are the mom I hope to be for Payton and Marley!

Signed Up

2009-05-03T13:54:00.000-07:00

I'm officially signed up for the Ironman 70.3. It's probably best that I signed up yesterday while still on a high from my long workout than today. Because today I am TIRED!!! I might have missed signing up if Karie hadn't let me know there were only 45 slots left. Thanks Karie :)

I'm excited and really nervous. Can I get myself ready in time? Can I finish? As long as I have fun trying, and don't drive my husband crazy, I should be good! My bike is in the shop, I'm making my new training plan and ready to go!!!

Wetsuits

2009-04-23T20:53:00.001-07:00

I guess mom and I are official triathletes. Well, at least we might look the part...or partly the part! I found a screamin deal on XTerra wetsuits and figured I would give it a shot. My Sergeant is a major deal finder and think he is starting to wear off on me! As soon as I ordered our suits and received the notice that they were on back order, I became a little nervous. The cop, who lectures people on bad internet fraud moves became concerned when the backorder email which said my bank card wouldn't be charged until they were shipped. My card was immediately charged. So I called and spoke with a very nice man who told me, no the email was sent out by mistake. After a check of my bank account to see we hadn't been drained of funds, I became excited again at the prospect of being one of those cool-wetsuit wearers. Then I realized I better get moving in the pool so I can actually swim the mile I've committed myself to! The suits arrived yesterday and mine, so far, fits just right. Mom gets hers tomorrow. I can't wait to give it a try, but will probably have to wait for a bit warmer temperatures. Finally, I thought about a few years from now, when I get the team going and some amazing kid is going to get to use this suit and realize they can do great things!!!

Happy Birthday Margador!!!

2009-04-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

I woke up early this morning, as I do many mornings, and REALLY didn't want to get out of bed. But I did, because I told my mom I would meet her for a swim. As I told my husband I was leaving, he rolled over and said in a slurred tired voice, "Tell your mom I said happy birthday". How does he remember these things when he can't remeber to put down the toilet seat?

I set off for the pool trying to wake up and excite myselft about the day. It didn't happen until I saw my mom getting out of her car, ready for the swim. She had no idea I was going to give her sprints as a workout for her birthday, but took it on with joy and vigor as she does all of her workouts.

This is her second season of triathlons. At 62 years old, my amazing mother completed her first triathlon. Alghough she will never live down the world record time she set in "slowness" for her transition, she did fabulous! I am constatnly amazed by how fast she can swim. I actually try not to leave the wall when she does so I don't have to realize she beats me all the time! Her first race of the season will be the Moses Lake Triathlon in June. I loved watching her race last year but am even more excited to be in the same race with her.

I posted the photos of the horses "rears", because about thirty years ago my mom and dad bough me my first "Orange Pony". My mom was really into raising and showing horses, a passion she passed along to me. Peaches was my pony and she taught me how to ride, fall off, and the joy of laying on your soft fluffy pony on a warm summer afternoon. My mom and I rode, showed, cleaned stalls, gave shots, carried water, threw hay bales, spent nights in pick-up trucks, and had some amazing years enjoying our four legged friends.

We both went our separate ways from the horses and I think really missed those lazy rides and days of hard work. Now that we train for triathlons together, I have found myself comparing triathlons to horse shows. Although expensive, they certainly fit into the budget better than the horses and our bikes don't bite as often as Mr Todd did. Most importantly, we have found a passion both can share and experience again together. We have learned, it isn't the ultimate events that we love, but the mornings together in the water or day on the trail, spending time, laughing and loving.

Happy Birthday Margador! You are beautiful and amazing. You inspire me and make me aspire to be like you each day...Geeze :)

The Season Begins

2009-04-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last season was a season of watching my Mom, who was 62 years old, complete her first triathlon. It was a completely fulfilling experience as she let me be her coach. I think personal training and coaching in kind of like counseling and you really shouldn't coach or train your family. Well, we certainly broke those rules! I have loved the races I have completed, but last year, it was an even better feeling watching Mom finish her first race. The best part is, she wants to do more. She is now training for the Moses Lake Triathlon which looks to be an entire family event. Of course, I am breaking the rules again and training my husband.

This year's season began with watching again, which I completely loved. My sister-in-law, Karie, completed her first triathlon in Tucson last weekend. Eric and I flew down and suprised her two days before her race. I wans't sure what would stress her out more, knowing we were coming or being suprised with the fact that we were there. I knew if she knew we were coming, she would spend time worrying about whether or not her house was clean. Seeing as we don't care too much about clean houses, we chose the suprise route. I really enjoyed spending the two days prior to the race with Karie and Aaron. I think I gained a few pounds pre and post-race eating for her! Of course, I was completely teary eyed as she started, transistioned and finished her race. And she ROCKED!!!!!

Now that observing is over, I'm ready to begin a new season of triathlons. I'm looking forward to trying out the Olympic distance at Moses Lake this year. Mom and I ordered new wetsuits...we will see how that goes. I'm mostly looking forward to racing with my husband, mom and two sister-in-laws!

Storage Space!

2009-03-07T14:34:00.001-08:00

Yeah! I didn't think I would actually start accumulating items for Orange Pony Tri, but when they present themselves, I purchase! I especially love garage sales of my friends. We now have one bike, one wetsuit, and one bike jersey. I really want to find a way to provide equipment for girls on our team, so there are as few roadblocks to their success as possible. Thanks Gibsons, and I love the healthy lifestyle your family leads :)

Video

2009-02-11T20:48:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite "GodTube" video of all time. It was sent to me by a friend on a particularly difficult day in my life.

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cfo8faca5dd9ea45513

Triathamom

2009-02-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have always said I would not push my kids to do my sports. I will have to admit, I was a little excited when my four year old asked to go for a run after we finished a bike ride the other day. Naturally, I said "Absolutely!" We quickly transition, ate a snack, removed the helmet, and gathered little sister. It was an amazing transition, faster that that of Grandma "C" a the 5-mile Lake Triathlon.

We were off for our run, which turned into a nature hike, looking out for "scary monsters" in the woods, walking on bridges and wondering why people litter.

Just to keep me in check, Payton was not to excited to swim at Great Wolf Lodge this weekend. I can settle for duathlons!!

February Biking

2009-02-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

Brrrrr.....I made it out for the first outside bike ride of the year. I figured "pre-superbowl" would be a safe time to brave the roads. It seemed to be a good choice as I was not honked at or run off the road even once! It did feel great to have the wind in my face. I was pondering the state of my tires as I went down the first steep hill. I found myself thinking, a 20 mph crash won't hurt as bad as a 25 mph crash so I will keep my brakes on. I seemed to find all the uphill roads in Marysville and was proud of myself when I didn't have to walk! The best part was seeing my tiny fans jumping up and down in the living room as I returned to our driveway.

Running is....

2009-01-23T20:55:00.001-08:00

The brief space in the day when the only person yelling at me is myself to make it up the next hill!

I had one of those uniquely great days where I felt as thought I was able to run again. It's the first time in months, where I have completed a run without stopping or walking. It's all downhill now...ok, maybe a few uphills!

The start

2009-01-19T06:54:00.000-08:00

I decided to put together this blog because I believe if you put a goal or dream down on paper (or screen), your odds of making it happen significantly increase. God has blessed me with good health and an obsession to pass it along to everyone around me.

I ran my first marathon about ten years ago in Dublin, Ireland. I was then hooked on running. I have finished two more since then; Olympia, WA and New York. While I was pregnant with my second daughter, Marley, I told myself I was going to finish a sprint triathlon. It was mostly a way to make myself feel better about my upcoming weight gain. After finishing the Moses Lake Triathlon, I was again hooked!

I noticed something different about triathlons though. People were really out there having a great time. There were some serious competitors, of course, but the majority of the people smiled and encouraged me not to drown!

Somewhere in there I decided to became a personal trainer and had the pleasure of coaching my mom through her first triathlon. She will be completing her second this spring. (she is now hooked too!) She has inspired me to get my triathlon training certification, which I will do once they offer it in the northwest.

My dream is to put my experiences to work, helping young women and girls in my community. In my journeys as a police officer, I have seen so many kids who have made poor decisions or who are headed in the wrong direction. My favorite line is, "there is nothing to do in this town".

Look out girls...I'm about to give you something to do! I am going to put together a triathlon team for girls in Snohomish/Lake Stevens. It's going to take me a few years to make this happen but I'm passionate about making a positive difference. I believe triathlons can empower girls and give them tools they need to live a clean life and make good decisions.

This can be an expensive sport, so I will be out there looking for sponsors in a couple of years. I welcome any ideas. To be sponsored, the girls will have to prove good grades, stay out of trouble and show a commitment to themselves, the team and their training.

This blog will be a lot about my family and training for awhile but will lead up to the formation of the girls triathlon team.

What is "Orange Pony Tri"???? Orange just happens to be my favorite color. Pony represents the girls (ponytail), although a ponytail is not a requirement. All hairstyles are accepted! Tri - triathlon.

I hope you enjoy reading.....