Fwimmim' Fwimmim' Fwimmim' Bikin' Bikin' Bikin' Runnin' Runnin' Racin' Runnin'

Mystery Solved

2009-01-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

Its really no surprise to me, I had my hunch.

Brian was able to snap this candid of two criminals in arms. I knew that there was some pilfering going on, but I had no idea they were in cahoots. Seems as though we have a little organized crime ring right in our own home. Rest assured, readers. These two were appropriately punished. They were instructed to drop the goods (which they complied with) and were promptly given giant Milk Bone treats as a reward for they're compliance.

Who Pooped in the Park?

2009-01-07T16:56:00.000-08:00

We ventured out to Montana over Christmas break.

It was so nice to get away from all the craziness and true to form work picked up as soon as we were on the airplane. I've spoken with others in the 'biz and it seems to be universally true. Work always speeds up when your on or TRYING to be on vacation. That said, it is always wonderful when something comes together for a client, and if it has to be on my vacation, so be it.

We really enjoyed Big Sky MT. Beautiful, beautiful place. Even this summer, beach, flip flop girl can admit that. We were joined by our friends, Esther, Jane, Mark and Mike. It was definitely wonderful to be able to vacation with them and share new experiences. Over the week I was lucky enough to showshoe, downhill ski, cross country ski, get a workout in (eliptical, etc) and go for a run. Great week.

If you're interested, Bri wrote up every detail on his blog.

Now back to the madness.

Oh, PS. We learned a really good way to get a 4 year old to eat baked beans. Just inform the whipper snapper that they'll make him fart!

57, 67 Chevys and ukelele's

2008-12-14T16:51:00.000-08:00

Cade is in love with a song he heard in the movie Bridge to Terbithia. Somehow we found the original version of "Someday" by Steve Earle. He loves this song. LOVES it.

Hes taken to surfing youtube for Steve Earle singing the song or someone else singing the song. His favorite verison of the moment is some guy who calls himself "the robba". This guys remixed the song and psuedo raps the lyrics. See below if your curious.

In route to watching for the umpteenth time a version of someday, Cade happened across this video below. Turns out there seems to be a subculture of ukelele playing people on youtube recording cover songs and originals. It's really pretty cool.

Turkeys N' the Hood

2008-12-14T16:31:00.001-08:00

Lately, Cade has taken to being an early riser. Too early in fact- especially since his favorite (and required) early AM play parent is yours truely. So, lately this means I too am an early riser.

Anyway, to the mini story: This morning Cade was up early playing and generally being a super guy. He walked over to our front window and said, "Hey! There go those chickens." Brian and I both responded with, "What?". Cade stood his ground, "Look at those Chickens!."

He wasn't far from the truth. Instead of chickens there were 3 large turkeys. Hood Turkeys. Strutin' down the sidewalk in front of our house. Bri and I have seen them a couple of times on the parkway near home. But this was definitely a drip in to the hood for them. So, we threw some clothes quickly and ventured out in the rain/sleet mess we have right now for weather to find those turkeys. Sure enough they were clustered around a neighbors bird feeder. Hey, that's what a bird feeder is for right?

Dora and Diego to the rescue

2007-10-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!.....?

2007-10-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

I swear Buddy the cat begged and begged and BEGGED for us to buy him this outfit. Then just like a kitty, when the big day came he didn't want to wear it. Said all of his kitty friends would make fun of him and that he was a "grown up" cat and costumes were for kittens. Whatever. He wore it that year and we got our $9.99 worth out of it.

The Monster Dash was this last weekend. I managed a decent enough run although I felt a bit tired, then at the 10 mile mark out of the blue another runner offers me some energy beans. What a difference! I powered through the last three finishing in 1:49:57, meeting my goal 1:50! Hurrah!

Afterward I was off to work showing houses. No rest for the weary!

Happy Halloween!

Seasons Stats 2007 Coming Soon...

2007-09-04T13:10:00.001-07:00

The season is not over until November 18th this year. YEEHHAAWWW!!!

100 Things

2007-09-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

So, I have seen this on a couple of blogs and thought it was fun to read. However, I have written my own and do not think the same. Here ya go:

1.I died of carbon monoxide poisoning on a boat in Puget Sound at age 4. An Uncle resuscitated me.
2. I won a ribbon in a horse show at age 7. I was the only kid in the event. It was an egg race here one rides a horse around and arena as fast as possible while balancing an egg on a spoon. I finished third. I also drank 7 Sunkist sodas in celebration the rest of the day.
3. At age 9, I rode 26 miles on my bike for St. Jude’s research in order to win a bike. Each mile loop they had snacks and I ate a Snickers bar every mile. And I won the bike, 12 speed, metallic blue. HOT wheels.
4. At age 12, I spent my summer breaking horses as my job. I broke three that summer. I also made chocolate malts for my 12 year old boyfriend who would ride his 4 wheeler over.
5. My older sisters secretly had eating bets to see how much I’d eat for breakfast (my largest meal). Something like 12 pieces of French toast was the winner.
6. I am an animal lover. Nut. Nutty animal lover.
7. I am the youngest of 4 girls. They are 7,9, and 10 years older than I.
8. I am married to Brian. I met him in 1999 and married him in 2001.
9. I have one son. He was born in 2004.
10. I was/am a tom boy.
11. I was an all state basketball player.
12. I am 5’11”, 146 lbs, 34.
13. I played basketball for a bit in college.
14. I was valedictorian in high school. My speech was terrible.
15. I was/am never IN. Not sure if that was good then…but now it is totally GOOD. Really, I just don’t care now.
16. I grew up on a horse, sheep, goat farm. They were all pets to me.
17. I read the bible at age 12. My Mom paid me to do it. I did not comprehend much though.
18. As a kid, I would read enough books each month so my family could each get a personal pan pizza from the Book It reading program.
19. I struggled with eating for many years after growing really tall really young.
20. My sisters could not have cars in high school, so my parents said I could not either. I went out and bought one privately with money from my job…and drove it home.
21. I am extremely black and white. Too much so probably.
22. As a freshman in high school, I had a waitressing job at a resort called Bay West. It required that I have a liquor license. I got the job, got the license (the mgr got it for me)…and I made between 100-200 per night in tips. See #11. Sure beat what my pals made at McD’s.
23. I was in 4-H.
24. I have two dogs, Calhoun and Etta.
25. I have a cat, Buddy.
26. I got arrested and put on probation in high school for having a wet bar set up in my car.
27. I got put on probation with NCAA in college. (reason shall remain nameless).
28. I drove a ski boat one summer for two professional skiers.
29. I can make a meal out of anything. My hubby calls it strathe-o-tized.
30. I had a lawn service and housecleaning business in high school.
31. I was accosted by the Tulsa County Lieutenant Sheriff…one of my clients from #30.
32. Loser in #31 later went on to hold his wife at gunpoint for 3 days because she wanted to divorce him. She and I are friends.
33. I modeled a couple of times. It was not my gig.
34. In 4th grade, I had a permanent tooth kicked out on the playground the same day my first niece was born. 4/17/84
35. I was an auntie at age 10.
36. I turned vegetarian at age 16. See #16, #19, and #6. And I wanted nothing more than turkey when I was pregnant.
37. I have had a tongue stud. I still have a navel ring.
38. I am tattooed.
39. I have self medicated. Basically, I can never even think of running for office.
40. I have ran 5 marathons and am on 7 by the end of 2007. One was international in Rome…the others were in different states.
41. I used to be a gym rat. Now, I cannot stand the gym. Gotta be outside…ALL year, even in MN winters.
42. In 4th grade, I wore nothing but cowboy boots.
43. I bought my husband a VW Karmann Ghia on Ebay for making a marathon goal.
44. I worked in IT out of college and for 7 years. I was about a year late on the boom years…meaning stock boom.
45. I have worked in real estate since 2002. I also missed the big boom by about a year.
46. I own a horse. He is a retired thoroughbred named Mr Merritt Deck.
47. I usually win at the horse race track. Ask my husband.
48. I love to travel. The more exotic, the better. If McDonald’s is there, I don’t want to go.
49. Chain restaurants ruin traveling experiences.
50. My Myers Briggs personality is INFJ. 10 years ago, it was ENTJ.
51. I am an introvert.
52. I loath call waiting.
53. I love coffee. Coffee shops. Coffee talk. I have to restrain myself.
54. I am an insomniac and think it follows the moon cycle.
55. I have a natural knack for interior design…or so I am told over and over by my clientele.
56. I made the All Conference basketball team for varsity when I was in 8th grade.
57. I pretty much pick up on every hole in golf. I am terrible.
58. I typically have one to three books going at a time. I love to read.
59. I read magazines cover to cover immediately when I get them and never look at them again.
60. I obsessively make lists AND really work to get each thing done…daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, 5 years, etc. It keeps me on track.
61. Deep down, I have never really felt like I was good at anything.
62. I did not know how to do much more than tread water when I started triathlons. Certainly no freestyle in a dark lake.
63. I am claustrophobic. See #62.
64. I love honey. Really love it.
65. I love chocolate. 2nd to #64…but the craving is stronger.
66. Putting laundry away is my most difficult task to make myself do in the house.
67. I love to paint. More décor than art.
68. I have been married since 2001.
69. We went to Fiji for our honeymoon.
70. By the time I finished high school, everything I had purchased for over $50 was stolen and my car had been broken into 4 times.
71. If my college grades were better, I’d be a veterinarian.
72. I love Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Jazz makes me feel creative.
73. I was in a Jeep rollover and fractured 4 vertebrae.
74. My goal is to do an Ironman by 40.
75. I want to run at least 10 marathons…getting close.
76. This year I got 2nd place at a 5k…got a medal.
77. I also got 2nd place at an Olympic length triathlon. I got a medal.
78. I really like draft cider..not bottled.
79. I like to change my hair color.
80. I really dislike Christmas. The weather. The shopping. The stress. The darkness.
81. I love NY’s Eve. Even though I just stay home.
82. I have voices for each of my pets. I have nicknames for them too. Kinda nutty, I know.
83. I have ugly feet.
84. I am hot tempered.
85. As a kid, my friends would often need to rest because we would ride bikes, swim, build forts, ride horses, swing, do gymnastics…they would ask to stop. I usually was not even close to being tired.
86. I lived with a friend with AIDS. I cared for him. He and I had so much fun. He was a dancer and we danced all the time.
87. I can salsa dance like I am Latin.
88. I love to dance. Swing, waltz, salsa, foxtrot, merengue, cha cha, cumbia, two step, and some free style, although not as much.
89. Breakfast is my favorite meal out.
90. I live by and believe that familiarity breeds contempt.
91. I question everything. Media, politics, religion, authority, rules, etc.
92 I tend to believe in conspiracy theory.
93. I fantasize about singing on stage…and playing a guitar. Think Lisa Bonet in High Fidelity playing Eric Frampton’s song.
94. I am a morning person.
95. I am a saver.
96. I like to floss and brush…almost obsessively.
97. I don’t understand the hubbub around football…at the pro level. I hate football season. All 6 months of it.
98. I won the state spelling bee in 8th grade. Winning words: gesundheit, sphygmomanometer, septuagenarian.
99. I shoot pool left handed but I am right handed in everything else.
100. My list of 100 things makes me think I’s boring.

Almost Autumn

2006-09-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

So, the season is over. AGAIN. Maybe I need to live somewhere warmer so triathlon season is longer than two weeks like in MN. Yes, we have 10000 lakes, but we can only swim in them when the ice is melted from July 10th to July 25th. OK. I am exaggerating, but not too much.

I am a list maker. A goal maker. Dream maker. Love taker. Don't you mess around with me. Uh, ok. I have ADD too. That song was just too shiny to not be distracting. Back to the goals. Short term. 1 year. 2 year. 5 year. 10 year. lifetime. Well, on a few of the goal lists, I have triathlon specific goals. And marathon goals. And other life stuff. On my tri goal list is to do sprints in a time, Olympic time, and a half Ironman time. I have not gotten to an Ironman time. Just that I want to do one by the time I am 40. Or when I am 40. Not sure. It is on both lists for now. The lists are always on the chopping block.

This year, I had 5 triathlons to do. And two marathons and a duathlon. I have no interest in the du...and no idea why. With regard to the tri's...I had three sprints and two Olympic distances.

And the results are:

Manitou Triathlon 13th in Age Group out of 38.
Lifetime Fitness Triathlon 9th in Age Group out of 89.
Brewhouse Triathlon 5th in Age Group out of 34. Athena was not an option here.
Square Lake Triathlon 2nd of 25 as Athena.
Championship of the Amateur Triathletes DIDN'T Go due to weather...mostly due to not wanting two year old to be sick because his mom was selfish enough to think he could sit out in the rain for 4 hours while she did a tri.

The average swim was SLOW. I avg'd 18 minutes for 1/2 mile.
The average bike is 19.0. The low was 18.5 and the high was 19.9.
The average run is 8. The fastest was 7:31 and the slowest was 9:08 (in 98 degrees at noon at Lifetime Fitness).

When can we do this again? Oh yeah, in 8 months.

Post 9/11...yes, it is 9/12

2006-09-12T02:31:00.000-07:00

This was a good week. Had a nice birthday and am now officially the USAT age for 2006. For those readers who don't know, and I know there are a lot of readers, the USAT rounds up the age to the end of the year age, so as an age grouper you compete as though you are older for the entire year. My hubby surprised me with a night out for eats on my day. I figured we would not have a sitter, so I was really pleasantly surprised. We went to the spot where we met 7 years ago and had two belts and I schooled him in pool, twice. And then we headed to the oh so written about spot, Town Talk Diner. It was good. The idea is cool. Diner with gourmet fried goodies and cocktails. So, we enter and they greet us and happily have us sit at the diner bar. Very friendly, introduced themselves, shook hands, the whole bit. We totally felt welcome. And we had fried pickles (frickles), cheese curds with some herb in them, garlic fries, and a sandwich. My hubster had a pulled pork sammie and I a tempeh sandwich. It was good. They will make it if not for the fried food, the atmosphere and friendliness. The rest of the week is a blur. We were at a 5k run on Friday night. My hubby, CadesDad was going to run it. And we found that they had a kids run prior to it for a 1k dash. I had asked Cade during the day if he wanted to run it. And the rest of the afternoon, he ran around saying 'runnin' racin', so I knew we had to go. It was cold out and windy. He was a great sport and certainly was the youngest dude out there running. He managed to be a good competitor meanwhile he was very environmentally friendly by hugging two trees and checking out two trash cans to make sure they worked while running the 1k. He was also astonished by the crowd clapping as he ran back in and he stopped to clap with them, not knowing they were clapping for him. Smile.

On Saturday a.m., my lovely sis offered to stay home with Cade, so Brian and I could do the tri thing together...meaning, I was competing and my spousal unit was supporting me on this particular day. So, off we went. I estimated our drive to be 40 minutes and it was closer to an hour. Needless to say, I was frazzled by the time I got there. Bri ran to fill up my foot washing tub and I got my tires aired up and got all ready....too fast for me. I like to figure out the transitions etc. and take a big breather and go from there. The weather was still cold like on Friday night. The water was 12 degrees warmer than the air. I think the water was 70. So, neither were warm. The swim was brutal. I am not sure why. I felt like I kept pulling and just going along, but I was fatigued and my time was slow. I entered the race as an Athena (women who weigh over 145lbs) and in the results, I was 8 minutes behind the first gal in my division. I had some ground to make up. So, I rock and rolled out of the transition, determined to have a better ride. It was really cold on the bike though. And in typical fashion, I didn't have any other clothing to put on, so I rode in my tri suit without sleeves. I was determined to just give it my all but to still try and go easy enough to have some legs left for the run. I have managed to get better throughout my four years of racing in triathlon and as I have, more and more, I am only in the company of men on the course. And this day was no different. However, there were some really fast men on the course and I continuously was passed causing me to think I was really putzing along so I worked harder. I got off the bike at 19.8. Again, not in the 20.x+ that I long for. Perhaps, I should train, like CadesDad says. So, maybe that is what he is not aware of my doing at 4 and 5 am. :) I was happy with my pace. I got off the bike and had totally numb feet. I got out of T2 right behind the same two guys that I followed into T2, so I knew we were fast (about a minute) and I was just determined to give it my all and be able to hold it. We rounded the corner out of the park and onto a gravel road and a long long hill. I just kept plugging away. It was not my best run either, but in my own defense, I have not been running any distances to speak of. Mostly, I have been doing more speed work. So, I just went out and managed what I could. I was 45 seconds per mile slower than on a sprint length. It is ok though. So, without having trained for an Olympic distance, I am happy overall. It was a tough race for me mentally, but partly due to the distance being a tad longer and partly because fall is upon us and I feel like laying under a blanket with a bowl of macaroni and cheese. Very much a bear.

Results rolled in and I was 1 minute behind my counter Athena. It said I was second. Or really it said 2/3. So, I was the first loser of three as I see it. Ok, not really, I was trying to be funny, but that never works online. But when the end was totally in, there were 16 of us, or at least 16 that were able to admit they are over 145lbs. So, I left with some bling. And naturally, I lorded this over my hubby all weekend, oh wait, I am still wearing it. Or maybe he is. I dunno.

Spent the rest of the time with Sis and Cade and CadesDad. It was wonderful just hanging out.

Onto next weekend and the Championship Sprint Tri...Best of the Amateurs. I am very excited. That is the name of the race. I am not one of them....yet.

Me Again

2006-09-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe it. I enjoyed blogging so much the other day and felt like Carrie Bradshaw. I wear more comfortable shoes than she, however. I cannot say my fashion sense is any better though.
The tri season is over. And I am trying to figure out what I can train for. MUST train. MUST have something to strive toward. Just being is not enough to occupy my mind. In fact, I already feel like I am in syrup or molasses or something that is really slowing me down. A good new goal will give that some lift.
I still need to blog on the last tri 10 days ago. It was an Olympic distance in Stillwater MN.

Drivin n Cryin

2006-09-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

I have some time today to read as Cade is sleeping and CadesDad is with the hounds at the dog park, actually, he is running at the off leash dog park with them. That way, he can run and not pop his knees (or shoulders) out of their sockets being pulled by two 85lb dogs.

Back to reading...I was reading Triathlete magazine and there is an article about the Tour de France (obviously, I am also behind in my reading as well as my writing). And the article spoke of not liking Floyd Landis' coach, Ventura, due to his being too prep school happy and sugar coatish about Floyd's being driven as the reason he was able to come back from a terrible prior stage to win the next day's stage. So, the article continues on to talk about Lance's upbringing and perhaps the subsequent influence on developing drive in a young person when faced with difficulty at a young age.

And I wonder if this is the way it is. Do coddled individuals ever become athletes? Or at least great ones? I suppose it is true, but we just do not hear of their upbringing as a contributing factor. Who knows? What drives the athlete?

I question this because in my profile, I write that I am driven but to what or from what or why, I do not know. It has always just been this way. In school, had to be first, had to be all A's, had to prove over and over. To whom? Me, I guess. At the Brewhouse Tri in Duluth, a group from UMD was taking a survey about a triathlete's drive and compiling the results to try and determine some basis of analyzing the athlete who competes. What makes an individual want to compete as opposed to just 'stay fit'? I know this is different as we age. With that in mind, what is the basis in a personality that makes, and I am going to say a woman for the sake of this blog, want to continue to compete and not simply go to the class at the gym to stave off cellulite? Where is that coming from? I, for one, would never so much as break a sweat if only for the 'diet' or 'fat control' aspect of it. I say women because as a whole, fewer women tend to stay competitive or even active as they age. More men have team hockey or some other sport than women. More women will fade from competition and games and go toward exercise for 'being fit'. I am the odd woman out in this aspect. There are a few of us, but we are not the majority.

As a reader of the classics, I have often found characters that have similar personalites....in one of my favs, Travels with Charley (John Steinbeck), there is this passage right at the beginning where he says “… For I have always lived violently, drunk hugely, eaten too much or not at all, slept around the clock or missed two nights of sleeping, worked too hard and too long in glory, or slobbed for a time in utter laziness. I’ve lifted, pulled, chopped, climbed, made love with joy and taken my hangovers as a consequence, not as punishment. I did not want to surrender fierceness for a small gain in yardage.”

This sums up my own personal take on my drive. Nothing is middle of the road. Perhaps, things would be more stable and more secure if that were the case. And there would be a small gain in yardage. But what else would be lost?

Gotta go...I hear Cade.

August? What?

2006-09-01T05:39:00.000-07:00

Hmmm, well, I blog as well as I kept a diary as a kid. I had friends that always said they 'diaried' each night. I was probably out running around until I dropped into bed...and my choice was to bury inside a good story and read, not write. So, here I am...gung ho in May with 4 updates...one in June....one in July. So, I settled on once a month for a blog update. And I look down today at the calendar and realize it is September. How does that happen?

August was a busy month. A good month, a good busy. Weather was hot hot hot, until the last week. We did the Brewhouse Tri in Duluth on the 6th, and also did a series of 5k's due to a comment among friends at a 'fun run' in July about wanting to increase the 5k time. So, we signed up for a race each Saturday. I am really much more of a triathlete. The swim is just OK. I was better last year. A toddler has made swimming laps difficult. So, we end up playing on the edge of the pool, lake, whatever more than swimming. And the bike is always the same, whether I bike a lot or a little, I stay between 19.0 and 19.9 mph. Not sure how to get over that threshold. How do people get faster when they have to abide by traffic laws? I just get on a good pace and am really starting to work and I have to slow for a stop light/sign/car. Maybe, I have to drive to the boonies to ride on a highway with tractors? But, there again is the time constraint. I typically ride at 5-5:30 and am home by 6:30, so CadesDad can get a sticker for being the first to arrive at work all week. OK, I know he is my main reader, so I am only kidding. Sort of. :) That is one of my questions about training effectively for tri's. I used to have difficulty with transitioning from the bike to the run. Now, I push a smaller gear and up the rpm and get off on totally fresh legs, not tired at all. It works for me. So, do you train in a big gear? I am reading/hearing that fixed gear riding is such great training due to the amt of work the legs do in a shorter time frame. That seems to make sense, but is it practical for a brick?

Now that this is my big blog day, I will be totally ADD in my subject matter and cover anything that I have thought of in the last 45 days. The flurry of 5K's was good. Each of us improved. There were 5 runners to start. And 4 by the second race, 3 + a new person by the fourth, and 3 by the last. So, with the core three, there was definitely an increase in time. I am not sure if the actual racing was the contributing factor or if it was the weather (the last race was flat and cool) so I know that is why I was faster. I started in the back of the pack with the joggers on the last one and finished as the 5th woman...granted the 5k was a small one. There were more than 5 woman though. I think there were 6. CadesDad didn't finish faster in this one, but he still had a good time (fun and clock) as he was pushing Cade in the jogger. Hence, that is why I started with the jogger strollers.

Now, we are back into September and I am usually depressed and anxiety ridden of the impending darkness of winter. The cold is not that great either, but the darkness really takes its' toll on me. HOWEVER, I have found two more triathlons to do and keep the dream alive that summer is still here. So, I am signed up to do the Square Lake tri in Stillwater on the 9th. It is the shorter of two courses, but it is still just shy of an Olympic length course, so not really short, per se. And yesterday, I got an email for a Champs of the Amateur Triathlete triathlon in Excelsior on the 16th. It is a .5 swim, 15 mi bike, and 3mi run. Gotta do it. I love that distance. YAHOO!

One last thought then I better go as the tot is yelling and the muffins are almost done this morning...so, I have two odd things that have often happened throughout my life. One is that a series of numbers keep appearing. That is another subject for another day. But, secondly, have you ever had a 'run in' with an individual over and over but they don't know you and you them. For instance, I know a certain triathlete only because she beats me by about 30 seconds in each race she is in...and subsequently, I had to know what this person looks like, so if I see her on the course, I am going to get her. Well, I am typically ahead of her in the swim, transition1, bike, transition2, and then she cruises on the run and beats me. I am not slow, but I am not swift either. This girl will get out of the t2 and hit the road running 6:30 miles....she can get 3-4 minutes on me by the time we are done, and I lose my lead. So, I have obviously obsessed about this and wished I was able to cruise at 6:30's for a few miles. And so, I was inquiring with another friend, non triathlete, for a doctor referral, and sure enough, she emails me this woman's name. I asked her if she was tall and thin and in her early 30's. She is. I told her she is my secret archnemesis, but probably does not know it. I know that I typically do not know the names of the folks who finish behind me in a tri, but only those ahead of me. So, if she does the same, she does not know me. BUT, I know her. Perhaps, I will end up going to her and have a Dr. that I also am out to get....only on the course. Of course.

Phew. September. It is hear. Are we supposed to be thrilled to wear sweaters and pick apples? And take Sunday drives to see the leaves? Sounds fine for a few hours, but then I want the green back and short sleeves and racing season.

My monthly post

2006-07-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

So, here we are on July 17th....I did the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon on Saturday. They had all kinds of weather warnings for heat exhaustion and dehydration and family members were asking that we not do the race. Well, I figured I am of some sound mind even if doing a tri in 100 degrees and if need be, I would just quit....simply because I am not in the running for the 150k. Well, that said, the seed of concern and preparation was planted, but the seed of not doing the race lies dormant still...and off we went. I had ice packs, ice water bottles, and a frozen tshirt and frozen hand towel to throw around my neck and cool the carotid artery and supposedly trick the body into thinking it is cooler than it is. I loved the frozen item around my neck and its' melting and splashing water on me. It was great. I would highly recommend it. I also decided to take it easy on the transitions and just rehydrate etc. I ended up 9th in my age group. It is ok. I wanted top 10, so I got it. I have been number 13 for a couple of years in various tri's and am not sure why...so I upped the anty to top 10. But now, somehow, I have it in my pea brain that I am only as good as my last race and therefore certainly should have beat at least the four ahead of me who were all in the same minute's time. Well, now it is on to the Brewhouse Tri on 8/5...as well as another 5k through downtown Minneapolis. Why is it that I cannot look forward to a Fun Run as much as one that has a chip on my shoe?? Hmmm....

Til next month's tri...

Triathlons and Babies

2006-06-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

Triathlons and Babies

So, it has been awhile since my last post. June is a busy month for tri's as well as selling houses. Yesterday, I received an email that I qualified for 'Nationals' for age groupers based on a qualifying sprint that I did on June 11th. Awesome. How fun is that? I didn't even know there was a national competition....or at least at my level. Very cool. BUT, the down side is that I cannot do it. I have too much work and too many other time commitments that to travel there for the national competition in Kansas City is not feasible.

So, tomorrow we are off to OK to visit my parents for a week. They are on 100 acres in OK with about 40 horses and a donkey. It will be so relaxing...I hope to get some good swim run bricks in since I will not have a bike along. Bri and I signed up for a 5k on the morning of the 4th in Tulsa. Having been from there, I figured, what the hell! My mom insisted we take 2 of the days we are there and have dates so she can bond with Cade. So, on the 4th is one of the dates. I did look up the prior year results for the 5k because I have a goal for that particular race too. It is a sub 22 minute time. I am about 23:30 now. Must improve that. However, that said, I am on target for the top three in my age group based on average times for the last few 5k's down there. So, perhaps, I will medal. Now, wouldn't that be fun! I miss occasionally being a big fish in a little pond because I would not have a shot at top three in Minneapolis with that time. NO CHANCE. But outside of the occasional ego boost, the big pond is way way better.

Lifetime Fitness Tri is just around the bend.

Off to OK for a week! YEE HAW!

Triathlons and Babies

2006-06-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

Triathlons and Babies
OK, so more than a week has gone by....and here I am finally blogging. So, the last week has entailed several showings of houses with clients, one closing, and many tenant showings for rentals, 5am risings with Cade of 23 mos. and serious runner who is all legs and no arms, picking up poop, cleaning diapers, cleaning litter boxes, trying to get some sort of grass or weed in my yard rather than the mud pie that Cade and the huge 80lb puppies, Calhoun and Harriet, specialize in creating, and somehow get some kind of workout in. The marathon in Fargo left me with a terrible bout of sciatica, which I only had when pregnant. Went to a chiropractor and was adjusted or was I broken? She informed me that I am really tight in the right hip and looser in the left but my pain is in the left, so perhaps my left side is overcompensating for the right side. I told her that could not be right because if it were, I would only be able to run in a circle...but after thinking over the last 10 days, I have only been running in a circle. She may be on to something.

Brian, my spouse, wants to do another long run on Saturday...but my friend, Jane, wants to do her long run on Sunday, and we have all three been training together this winter...and I do not want to do a long run for a marathon. I want to do a brick for the first tri of the season next weekend. So, we are each going our own ways this weekend. And somewhere in there we will also be social, I am sure. Or at least, I hope.

Rode 20 miles today on the trip to a park to meet other mommies and tots for a play date. I am not sure why I bother because Cade The Runner does just that...RUNS. He runs to the street, to the basketball court where the 5th graders are playing and not looking for a tot, to the street and my only perk is that I biked 20 miles. There certainly was not any socializing with other mothers. In fact, that may be ok too as I heard WAY too many times how BIG my child is. UGH. OK OK already. I get it. Everyone else is dwarfed.

What else? Cade is gettting a bath from Dad right now and Dad is tired. I decided to veg out. I poured a double at about 4pm and just tried to hang in there as we were on high speed today. And now I just get to reclean the house from the mud pie backyard. It is a daily task. Not sure what to do. We took on two 50lb dogs, or so we thought and we have two 80 lb dogs. They are 8 months old. We lost a tree last year, so one side of our postage stamp yard is mud from the tree loss and one side is mud from two huge hounds. Hmmm. Well, I am bored of writing and I have nothing else to say...so the assumption is that my writing is boring now as well.

Til next time.

Triathlons and Babies

2006-05-23T19:11:00.001-07:00

Triathlons and Babies New PR for me in Fargo. Pretty nice weather too, just a gusty straight line wind from the north at 15-20 mph. Like I say, pretty nice for Fargo.

It was a tough weekend...driving with a crabby toddler, stopping ever so briefly for a bite with my parents who were also on the road to sell a stallion...and on to Fargo to pick up our race packets. Then another hour's drive to my sister's in Enderlin ND. We made it, set up camp, and ate some lasagna. Did a makeshift crib with a pack n play and his mesh tent over the top. Said Child can jump anything and climb anything, so we have an ever so humane mesh tent over his crib and anything else he sleeps in. For his safety and our sanity.

We crawled into bed about 9. My sister is known to stay up late and sleep til noon was too in bed at 9, preparing for her own marathon with Child. Crawled out of bed by 5 and off and running by 8. The weather turned dark and grey at the starting line and it started to rain with some big cold drops....and then it stopped. It never really warmed but 55 is nice to run in, except for the wind. It was at our backs for 13 miles and we headed into it the last 13 miles. Ugh.

The fans were great. Or is that GrAte? And they were handing out GAY TOR AAADE...that is my attempt at the very Nord Dakota A sound.

All in all, my hubby and friend and I had a goal and we did it. Cool as a cucumber.

That's all folks. It has been a heckuva week getting back into the groove even though only gone for 48 hours. That baby gets out of sync and it takes time to get back into a normal shift again.

Triathlons and Babies

2006-05-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

Triathlons and Babies
We are packed and off for FARGO. I am dog tired. Ugh. Well, it will be a grin and bear it kind of trip and weekend, but I am so looking forward to it. YAHOO!!

Amino acids are stocked, vitamin levels are high, well hydrated....just tired.

lefse may be the key.

Triathlons and Babies

2006-05-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Well, it is noon and so far, I have picked up a bag of dog poop so child will not step into it. And he walks around and yells POOP at every pile so that I am sure to see it. He also carries a bag so he feels helpful too. And a bit later, we were working in the basement cleaning and I decided to move the dog kennels and vacuum under them and wash their beds and that turned into vacuuming the whole lower level....meanwhile, said child, is on top of the litter table (yes, it is up high since there are two big hounds who would gladly clean the box for us) and he is hands deep in the litter box container (it is an automated box with a catch bin at the end and he was in the catch bin) and that was the next item on the task cleaning list. I race him upstairs explaining YUCK YUCK YUCK and it is Buddy's poop don't touch it. We wash and wash and wash and wash and wash. Then I get a whiff and see he needs to be changed too. See a theme? The only non poop related item today was handing a purchase agreement to another agent. That is it. Otherwise, the day's theme is SHIT. It is beautiful outside though, so that helps. And all I really wanted to do was work on the yard and pack our belongings for Fargo this weekend. Oh yeah, and go for a bike or run. That may still happen. Yikes.

Triathlons and Babies

2006-05-16T04:24:00.000-07:00

Well, it is Tuesday morning and I am aching. My feet are killing me. We used to run marathons together and then Babes came along in '04 and I stopped because Bri likes marathoning and I like tris....so he can marathon while I take care of the Child and I can tri while he 'babysits' (as I my mother says). Well, this year, he signed us up together for Grandma's marathon in Duluth. And we got our niece to babysit every Saturday a.m. at 7. She is 20 and I cannot believe she is willing to do that, but she is always here on the nose. Our friend, Jane, also comes over with her little girl to train with us and share childcare. Well, as we are out on a long run, one of us clearly was insane and convinced the others that we need to throw the Fargo (2nd annual) marathon into the 'training' plan as a 'training' run for Grandma's. Oh yeah, and what's not to love, there is lefse and beer the whole time. So we are going this weekend to run Fargo's 2nd marathon. My friend, Jane, also pointed out that it is going to be fun, plus there is a hot tub at mile 19. I asked her if that was for us? I do not think that will add to the fun for us. Anyway, signing off with my aching feet and all....Happy Tuesday!

Oh one more thing....got this from the Fargo Marathon Director yesterday. I think he/she has had too much beer and lefse. I mean, we have nothing to worry about. Can you figure this out?

May 15, 2006Greetings Runners –The 2nd Annual Fargo Marathon is just days away! We have over 5,700 people registered for all of the events, and it looks like our target of 6,000 will be a reality.The purpose of this letter is to provide you with some VERY IMPORTANT updates for your event, so without any additional delay, here goes:1) Marathon & ½ Marathon Directional Splits:For those of you running in the full and the ½ Marathons, you will want to take note of three very critical locations along your courses. At these locations, the ½ and Full Marathon participants will split from each other. We will have signage and volunteers at these locations, but please take note of these locations so that you do not go down the wrong course.
#1: 5th Street and 19th Avenue South – Fargo: (½ Marathon Turnaround Point)At this location, ½ Marathon Runners will make a u-turn, while Full Marathon Runners will continue to go straight.
#2: 4th Street and 2nd Avenue South – Moorhead(1/2 Marathon Split)At this location, the ½ Marathon Runners will go right (west) into Woodlawn Park, while the Full Marathon runners will continue to go straight.
#3: Elm Street and 18th Avenue North – Fargo(1/2 Marathon Split)At this location, the ½ Marathon Runners will go left (west) on 18th Avenue North, while the Full Marathon Runners will continue to go straight.

Mom's Birthday

2006-05-15T02:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom, Happy Birthday! I just noticed the date. Hmmmm, this is a decade turning date isn't it? I will have to call you later as it is very early and I know you would not enjoy a call quite yet. BUT, I would beat my sisters to the call. That is always a good thing. That's it. I have to sign off and go pet Buddy, the cat, because he is crying and cannot get into this part of the house or he will run up and bang his paws on the baby's door and wake him up.

Just getting started

2006-05-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

Well, reading is a great past time but now is the time to write too.