What better way to procrastinate than to update my 32 Things to do before I turn 33 list! Let's see what I've been up to!
1. Travel to a country I've never been to before. In September I visited Krakow, Poland.
2. Run (or walk) a half-marathon. I am officially signed up for the Princess Half Marathon in March. Where else but Disney World!
7. Start consistently doing a weight-training or strength-training program. I have been staying for the weight class after kickboxing.
17. Take a wine-tasting class. While this wasn't an actual class, I did go wine tasting at Ste Michelle and Columbia Winery.
18. Go to an acupuncturist. My appointment is next week!
19. Go to an outdoor movie. Diane, Nikki & I went to see Sex and the City at Redhook.
22. Treat myself to a facial. Sally & I went to get a facial a few weeks before her wedding.
24. Get a manicure every couple of months. Not very exciting, but I have gotten a couple of manicures.
27. Get the most out of my annual Walt Disney World pass. I went in May for my triathlon, in July just because, in October for the Tower of Terror Race and I will be going in March for the half marathon (#2 above).
28. Buy a new camera. I am now the proud owner of a Canon SD960.
31. Go to the podiatrist. Done - I went a few weeks ago.
32. And one I'll keep to myself for now. This was actually two different things and one is complete and the other is in progress.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tower of Terror
My poor, sorely neglected blog. I still haven't finished up my trip report from Krakow & Paris and now another trip to WDW is waiting in the wings to be chronicled.
But to whet your appetite, I ran the Tower of Terror 13K last Saturday!! It was a lot of fun. Despite falling apart on the last the mile, I managed (barely) to finish under my goal of 2 hours - 1:56.01! Yippee!! And with that under my belt, I am now officially signed up for the Princess Half Marathon in March.
And a joke for today:
Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get to your house
Knock, knock
Who's there?
The chicken!
But to whet your appetite, I ran the Tower of Terror 13K last Saturday!! It was a lot of fun. Despite falling apart on the last the mile, I managed (barely) to finish under my goal of 2 hours - 1:56.01! Yippee!! And with that under my belt, I am now officially signed up for the Princess Half Marathon in March.
And a joke for today:
Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get to your house
Knock, knock
Who's there?
The chicken!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Last Training Run
The Tower of Terror 13K is a week from today! Which means today was my last "big" run. The forecast for this weekend? Rain. Alrighty then, let's go. Ever wondered what goes through my mind during a run? Today you get to join me...
The alarm goes off. Snooze!
The alarm goes off again. Is that rain? Ugh.
Windshield wipers are on low, it shouldn't be that bad.
Made it to the park with the windshield wipers still on low, maybe I don't need the raincoat.
No, I need the raincoat. Stupid hood won't stay in place. Oh, I have a hat in the car. With the hat on top of the hood it is staying in place, but my head is getting warm. We'll see how long this lasts.
It lasts about one song. It isn't raining too hard. Hat and hood come off. Maybe I didn't need the jacket. (As an aside, I know running with an iPod isn't always recommended, so you can better hear your body and your surroundings but right now I don't have enough self discipline to run without it so it goes with me)
Stupid jacket. I am hot. Okay, I can think of it as simulating hot weather. After all the weather also did say Orlando would be 80+ degrees.
Wow, those girls ran past me as if I was walking. I need to get a jacket like hers with yellow. Which she is taking off and wrapping it around her waist. Well if she can take off her jacket, so can I! Except not as gracefully. She didn't even pause, while I am slowing down to walk.
Isn't it a walk song yet?
Woohoo, a walk song! (Another aside - my pattern lately is run 3 songs, walk 1)
Not much longer until the park and the bathroom.
Ooh, I like this song!
Made it to the park. And the bathroom.
And off we go again.
Why did it start raining again? Jacket back on. Hood back on.
Okay, its not raining too bad. No more hood.
Keep going. Just think, tomorrow you get to have gelato with Diane. Yum, gelato. Ge-la-to! Ge-la-to!
I hate this hill. At the top of the hill the jacket is coming off.
Top of the hill aaaaand jacket off!
Go left. If I were to go right it would lead back to my car and I could go home where it is warm. Except I still have to go to hot yoga after this.
Smile at the runner coming towards me. "Morning"
Did it get darker? Yup it sure did. That is one big dark ugly cloud. Please don't rain on me cloud.
And its raining. Pouring down rain.
Rain, rain go away.
Here comes the couple I saw last week, with their golden retriever. "Hello"
What's the point of putting on the jacket? I'm soaked, regardless.
If I can just make it through this straight-away, I'll be under the trees for awhile.
Yay! Tree cover.
Ugh, this is not my favorite song. I need to take it off my shuffle.
Ge-la-to! Ge-la-to! It is going to taste so good.
My shoes are so squishy.
Here comes a group of runners. They look as wet as I feel. Paste a smile on your face. "Morning"
Wow, even with the torrential rains people are still out and friendly.
A dad and his two girls are coming towards me. The dad tells me I'm hardcore for being out here. I don't know about hardcore. I have a race in a week!
Rain, rain, go away. Watch out for the puddle.
I pass the runner I passed earlier. She throws her hands up, "what is this?" I know. Stupid rain.
Okay, keep running just a little big longer. Then you can walk up the rest of the hill.
Aaaaand walk. Yes!
Here comes the group of runners again. Still smiling. One of them calls to me "its still raining".
Yup, still raining. Still pouring rain. Squish, squish. Top of the hill and I get to go right! Woohoo!!
Wow, how did so much water accumulate in such a short period of time? Go around the puddle.
There's my car. Whew. Off to hot yoga.
The alarm goes off. Snooze!
The alarm goes off again. Is that rain? Ugh.
Windshield wipers are on low, it shouldn't be that bad.
Made it to the park with the windshield wipers still on low, maybe I don't need the raincoat.
No, I need the raincoat. Stupid hood won't stay in place. Oh, I have a hat in the car. With the hat on top of the hood it is staying in place, but my head is getting warm. We'll see how long this lasts.
It lasts about one song. It isn't raining too hard. Hat and hood come off. Maybe I didn't need the jacket. (As an aside, I know running with an iPod isn't always recommended, so you can better hear your body and your surroundings but right now I don't have enough self discipline to run without it so it goes with me)
Stupid jacket. I am hot. Okay, I can think of it as simulating hot weather. After all the weather also did say Orlando would be 80+ degrees.
Wow, those girls ran past me as if I was walking. I need to get a jacket like hers with yellow. Which she is taking off and wrapping it around her waist. Well if she can take off her jacket, so can I! Except not as gracefully. She didn't even pause, while I am slowing down to walk.
Isn't it a walk song yet?
Woohoo, a walk song! (Another aside - my pattern lately is run 3 songs, walk 1)
Not much longer until the park and the bathroom.
Ooh, I like this song!
Made it to the park. And the bathroom.
And off we go again.
Why did it start raining again? Jacket back on. Hood back on.
Okay, its not raining too bad. No more hood.
Keep going. Just think, tomorrow you get to have gelato with Diane. Yum, gelato. Ge-la-to! Ge-la-to!
I hate this hill. At the top of the hill the jacket is coming off.
Top of the hill aaaaand jacket off!
Go left. If I were to go right it would lead back to my car and I could go home where it is warm. Except I still have to go to hot yoga after this.
Smile at the runner coming towards me. "Morning"
Did it get darker? Yup it sure did. That is one big dark ugly cloud. Please don't rain on me cloud.
And its raining. Pouring down rain.
Rain, rain go away.
Here comes the couple I saw last week, with their golden retriever. "Hello"
What's the point of putting on the jacket? I'm soaked, regardless.
If I can just make it through this straight-away, I'll be under the trees for awhile.
Yay! Tree cover.
Ugh, this is not my favorite song. I need to take it off my shuffle.
Ge-la-to! Ge-la-to! It is going to taste so good.
My shoes are so squishy.
Here comes a group of runners. They look as wet as I feel. Paste a smile on your face. "Morning"
Wow, even with the torrential rains people are still out and friendly.
A dad and his two girls are coming towards me. The dad tells me I'm hardcore for being out here. I don't know about hardcore. I have a race in a week!
Rain, rain, go away. Watch out for the puddle.
I pass the runner I passed earlier. She throws her hands up, "what is this?" I know. Stupid rain.
Okay, keep running just a little big longer. Then you can walk up the rest of the hill.
Aaaaand walk. Yes!
Here comes the group of runners again. Still smiling. One of them calls to me "its still raining".
Yup, still raining. Still pouring rain. Squish, squish. Top of the hill and I get to go right! Woohoo!!
Wow, how did so much water accumulate in such a short period of time? Go around the puddle.
There's my car. Whew. Off to hot yoga.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Random Thoughts
It has been a long few weeks between work and getting over my cold.
I should be doing a lot of things right now, my pictures, my trip report, at the gym - the list is endless. But I am vegging in front of TV. And thinking random thoughts...
Happy Birthday Kyle! Happy Birthday Bailey! I hope you both had good birthdays and I hope to come down and see you sometime soon.
Whenever we order pizza at work I usually have the thin crust, thinking it's not as bad as the regular kind. And then I slipped up and had the normal crust. Wow, it was really good! That was such a bad decision on my part! How am I going back to thin crust now?
I was following the Ironman Championships this past weekend. Wow, that is a crazy, insane race. While a little tiny part of me wondered if I could do that someday, it was quickly quashed. I never feel the need to do a marathon, especially after swimming and biking! However, a half Ironman isn't out of the question, or at least out of the question yet. And maybe the next progression will be an Olympic distance... But for now I'm sticking with sprint distances!
Fall is here. I love fall - football, the leaves changing, the crisp air. And don't forget pumpkin spice lattes!
Speaking of caffeine and things that I don't normally have, I had some Diet Coke and Diet Dr Pepper. I had forgotten how good they are! I gave up caffeinated sodas for Lent a few years back and don't normally drink them anymore, except on vacation - until last week when I gave in to temptation. And it was good. Now that things are normal again, I should be able to resist.
Note to self: it is a good idea to stagger your running / gym shoes. That way, when you need to get new ones you aren't breaking in two pairs at the same time.
I should be doing a lot of things right now, my pictures, my trip report, at the gym - the list is endless. But I am vegging in front of TV. And thinking random thoughts...
Happy Birthday Kyle! Happy Birthday Bailey! I hope you both had good birthdays and I hope to come down and see you sometime soon.
Whenever we order pizza at work I usually have the thin crust, thinking it's not as bad as the regular kind. And then I slipped up and had the normal crust. Wow, it was really good! That was such a bad decision on my part! How am I going back to thin crust now?
I was following the Ironman Championships this past weekend. Wow, that is a crazy, insane race. While a little tiny part of me wondered if I could do that someday, it was quickly quashed. I never feel the need to do a marathon, especially after swimming and biking! However, a half Ironman isn't out of the question, or at least out of the question yet. And maybe the next progression will be an Olympic distance... But for now I'm sticking with sprint distances!
Fall is here. I love fall - football, the leaves changing, the crisp air. And don't forget pumpkin spice lattes!
Speaking of caffeine and things that I don't normally have, I had some Diet Coke and Diet Dr Pepper. I had forgotten how good they are! I gave up caffeinated sodas for Lent a few years back and don't normally drink them anymore, except on vacation - until last week when I gave in to temptation. And it was good. Now that things are normal again, I should be able to resist.
Note to self: it is a good idea to stagger your running / gym shoes. That way, when you need to get new ones you aren't breaking in two pairs at the same time.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Five Senses Friday #8
Seeing:
* I switched my High School Musical calendar to October and it is a Troy month!
Hearing:
* The incessant thump and whirring noise of the treadmill. As much as I love fall, the one part I don't is that by the time I leave work there isn't enough daylight left for me to run outside so I am relegated to the gym.
Smelling:
* Still not a lot, as I haven't quite shaken the cold. I think at this point there are just a lot of different strains of germs cycling around. Get rid of one and the next starts.
Tasting:
* Chocolate chip cookies that Jessica brought in to work. And peanut butter cookies that someone else brought in to work.
Feeling:
* Frustrated. Not with one thing in particular, but with a lot of things in general.
* I switched my High School Musical calendar to October and it is a Troy month!
Hearing:
* The incessant thump and whirring noise of the treadmill. As much as I love fall, the one part I don't is that by the time I leave work there isn't enough daylight left for me to run outside so I am relegated to the gym.
Smelling:
* Still not a lot, as I haven't quite shaken the cold. I think at this point there are just a lot of different strains of germs cycling around. Get rid of one and the next starts.
Tasting:
* Chocolate chip cookies that Jessica brought in to work. And peanut butter cookies that someone else brought in to work.
Feeling:
* Frustrated. Not with one thing in particular, but with a lot of things in general.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Five Sense Friday #7
Seeing:
* UW beating USC!!!!! GO DAWGS!! And since I actually dreamed we won the night before (except the score was 24 - 21), I got to celebrate twice - once in my dream and once in reality!
* A big gigantic bug on the hood of my car. Fortunately it was on the outside of my car while I was on the inside and the windshield was between us.
* Fall season premieres - I did really enjoy my summer of extremely reduced TV watching, but there is something about the start of the fall season shows that sucks me in. And if I hadn't already been intrigued and planning on watching FlashForward, the fact that the future day is April 29th (my birthday!!) would have put me over the edge.
Hearing:
* Wicked!! There is an argument that this should be in the seeing section but I'm going to put it in the hearing section. It is such a good show!
* A "good for you!" cheer and some clapping while I was out running. Once again, my definition of "running" is running interspersed with walking and I'm sure many people can walk faster than I can run. But still, I love the cheer - it kept me going up the hill when I wanted to quit running and start walking.
Smelling:
* Not much since I am still battling a cold. I am feeling a lot better though!
Tasting:
* So Jessica & I have been going to the grocery store at the beginning of the week and getting sandwich fixings for the week. It has worked pretty well because for whatever reason, I'll make my sandwich at work, but not at home. Anyway, we made our turkey sandwiches on Monday and later that day neither of our tummies was happy. So no more turkey sandwiches for this week and instead we've been having smoothies for lunch, except for today when we splurged and got Red Robin.
* Lots and lots of tea to help with the cold.
Feeling:
* Still a little run down from my cold, but a little more energized from hot yoga.
* UW beating USC!!!!! GO DAWGS!! And since I actually dreamed we won the night before (except the score was 24 - 21), I got to celebrate twice - once in my dream and once in reality!
* A big gigantic bug on the hood of my car. Fortunately it was on the outside of my car while I was on the inside and the windshield was between us.
* Fall season premieres - I did really enjoy my summer of extremely reduced TV watching, but there is something about the start of the fall season shows that sucks me in. And if I hadn't already been intrigued and planning on watching FlashForward, the fact that the future day is April 29th (my birthday!!) would have put me over the edge.
Hearing:
* Wicked!! There is an argument that this should be in the seeing section but I'm going to put it in the hearing section. It is such a good show!
* A "good for you!" cheer and some clapping while I was out running. Once again, my definition of "running" is running interspersed with walking and I'm sure many people can walk faster than I can run. But still, I love the cheer - it kept me going up the hill when I wanted to quit running and start walking.
Smelling:
* Not much since I am still battling a cold. I am feeling a lot better though!
Tasting:
* So Jessica & I have been going to the grocery store at the beginning of the week and getting sandwich fixings for the week. It has worked pretty well because for whatever reason, I'll make my sandwich at work, but not at home. Anyway, we made our turkey sandwiches on Monday and later that day neither of our tummies was happy. So no more turkey sandwiches for this week and instead we've been having smoothies for lunch, except for today when we splurged and got Red Robin.
* Lots and lots of tea to help with the cold.
Feeling:
* Still a little run down from my cold, but a little more energized from hot yoga.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Up and Down
This has been an up and down type of week. I flew home on Sunday (more to come on that) with either allergies or a cold. As the week progressed it became more and more evident that it was a cold. My routine became come home, drink tea and go to bed. Weighing in the back of my mind was the fact I had a triathlon coming up. Prior to my vacation I had decided this was going to be a fun race (not an "A" race). With the cold, I had to decide if it was worth doing even for fun. My decision changed pretty much hourly. Wednesday was a bad day and I officially decided against the race. But Thursday dawned and I was feeling much better. The race was back on!! And then came Friday. I had a coughing fit carrying boxes across the office. Even though I was feeling better, the cold had settled in my chest. The race was back to being off. Final answer? Yup. Oh well, there will be other races which was one of the deciding factors actually. The Tower of Terror 13K is in about a month and that is an "A" race for me. It is probably better if I sit this one out and get better.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Another Five Senses on Wednesday
Seeing:
* A great big beautiful moon in the sky the last couple days, along with less and less hours of daylight as fall is approaching.
* Several different families riding their bikes with no helmets. Seriously - make the kids wear helmets, especially riding on a somewhat busy road!!
Hearing:
* The rain as I lay snuggled, warm in bed, deep under the covers.
Smelling:
* Delicious smells wafting from Coldstone as I walked by.
Tasting:
* Wine at Chateau Ste Michelle & Columbia Winery before heading over to the Barking Frog for dinner where I had some yummy prawns and a very good beef tenderloin.
Feeling:
* Really awkward as I tried to breathe on the other side while swimming. I'm going to have to work on that.
* A great big beautiful moon in the sky the last couple days, along with less and less hours of daylight as fall is approaching.
* Several different families riding their bikes with no helmets. Seriously - make the kids wear helmets, especially riding on a somewhat busy road!!
Hearing:
* The rain as I lay snuggled, warm in bed, deep under the covers.
Smelling:
* Delicious smells wafting from Coldstone as I walked by.
Tasting:
* Wine at Chateau Ste Michelle & Columbia Winery before heading over to the Barking Frog for dinner where I had some yummy prawns and a very good beef tenderloin.
Feeling:
* Really awkward as I tried to breathe on the other side while swimming. I'm going to have to work on that.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Five Senses Friday #6
Seeing:
* My sister, looking beautiful, as she got married. And of course, me looking all dolled up for her wedding.
Hearing:
* About Michelle's first week of teaching juinor highers! Well technically reading her emails, rather than hearing. But I can just see Michelle telling the story, so that should count as hearing! :)
* "You go rockstar!" as I was riding my bike. This cheer was actually given to the girl ahead of me on the path, but I am taking it as mine because I'm a rockstar! :)
Smelling:
* Freshly baked bread as I walked by Great Harvest on my way to the grocery store.
Tasting:
* California burger & beer ice cream at Redhook Brewery - yum!! I had forgotten how good it was!
Feeling:
* The onset of an ear infection. Yuck!! I am trying to ward off with home remedies.
* Excitement for my upcoming trip to Krakow & Paris.
* My sister, looking beautiful, as she got married. And of course, me looking all dolled up for her wedding.
Hearing:
* About Michelle's first week of teaching juinor highers! Well technically reading her emails, rather than hearing. But I can just see Michelle telling the story, so that should count as hearing! :)
* "You go rockstar!" as I was riding my bike. This cheer was actually given to the girl ahead of me on the path, but I am taking it as mine because I'm a rockstar! :)
Smelling:
* Freshly baked bread as I walked by Great Harvest on my way to the grocery store.
Tasting:
* California burger & beer ice cream at Redhook Brewery - yum!! I had forgotten how good it was!
Feeling:
* The onset of an ear infection. Yuck!! I am trying to ward off with home remedies.
* Excitement for my upcoming trip to Krakow & Paris.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Five Senses Friday #5
Seeing:
* A white streak down my arm. How'd I manage to do that? And this is why I practiced several times before doing the spray tan for real, which will be this Saturday, before my sister's wedding on Sunday.
Hearing:
* What if dreams, as in what if we do win the lotto tonight? Mega Millions is up to some large number so a few of us pooled our resources. It is nice to dream! My what if dream? I would buy an around the world plane ticket and take a year to explore.
* Lots of geese honking as the geese police dog came and chased the geese away, and right in time too as I was about to jump in the lake for an early morning swim.
Smelling:
* I sit near the kitchen and the other day someone brought something in that did not smell very pleasant.
Tasting:
* Yummy cupcakes from NY Cupcakes for my sister's bridal shower. Yup, it's usually all about the sugar for me.
Feeling:
* Exhilarated after finishing my triathlon.
* Relief after picking up my dress for the wedding!
* A white streak down my arm. How'd I manage to do that? And this is why I practiced several times before doing the spray tan for real, which will be this Saturday, before my sister's wedding on Sunday.
Hearing:
* What if dreams, as in what if we do win the lotto tonight? Mega Millions is up to some large number so a few of us pooled our resources. It is nice to dream! My what if dream? I would buy an around the world plane ticket and take a year to explore.
* Lots of geese honking as the geese police dog came and chased the geese away, and right in time too as I was about to jump in the lake for an early morning swim.
Smelling:
* I sit near the kitchen and the other day someone brought something in that did not smell very pleasant.
Tasting:
* Yummy cupcakes from NY Cupcakes for my sister's bridal shower. Yup, it's usually all about the sugar for me.
Feeling:
* Exhilarated after finishing my triathlon.
* Relief after picking up my dress for the wedding!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Number 7
It's a little hard for me to fathom, but on Sunday I completed my 7th triathlon. Granted all of them have been super sprint or sprint distance, which are manageable distances, nothing crazy like the Ironman. I am feeling a bit proud of myself, especially considering how much I loathed gym all through school.
The hardest part might have been picking up my packet at the expo on Saturday. I arrived shortly before 10 a.m. and was greeted with a line down the block. I reached the end of the block and realized the line went down the next block. I reached the end of that block and realized the line kept going around the corner and up the next block! Finally I reached the end of the line! To amuse myself while waiting, I played games on my phone. I was feeling hopeful as I neared the building only to find a whole new set of lines inside the building. To quote my friend Nikki, it was as if the carpet of hope was ripped out from under me and I was left with the hardwoods of disappointment. Nikki & Diane were also helping to entertain me via posts on Facebook.
Finally I reached the end, of what turned out to be the first line, got my swim cap & timing chip. Then I decided to stand in another line (voluntarily) to sign up for next year's race. Why? Because this race sells out fast! And to have it done and not worry about getting up early the morning it opens to sign up was worth another line. Next line? The one to pick up my t-shirt. A couple of women in line were nice enough to hold my place while I went and stood in another line to get body marked so I was able to stand in two lines at the same time! Finally I was body marked, had all my goodies and my chip and signed up for next year. Then it was off to "rack" my bike. Considering all the people in front of me to check in, traffic wasn't too bad to go drop off my bike.
With the pre-race activities done, all that was left to do was the race! My parents dropped me off bright and early Sunday morning and I got on to the bus. The butterflies in my stomach had started fighting each other. I laid out my transition area, did a few stretches, went to the bathroom one last time before making my way to the swim start. I took a dip in the practice area to get used to the water temp, which wasn't too cold. Standing with my yellow swim cap wave, cheering on the waves in front of us, the familiar excitement began to build.
The Swim
The crowd counted us down and we were off! I started off in the back but was soon passing a few people. Yay me! I was able to keep a good tempo, with only two moments of slight panic where I stopped for a moment to refocus myself, and continued on towards the finish. I was feeling pretty good as I exited the swim and made my way over to my bike.
Transition 1
Let's just call this the "what I need to work on for next time" section. When I got to my transition area, I was surprised to notice there were a lot of bikes still on the racks! Shirt, race belt and sunglasses all went on pretty quick. Socks and shoes I struggled with a bit but not too bad. And then I went to put on my helmet. For whatever reason I could not get the helmet to fit right. I took it off and tried putting it on again but when I buckled the strap it still didn't feel right. I knew I was wasting time at this point but I could not make myself go faster. Finally the helmet went on. I wrestled my bike off the rack and was on the course!
The Bike
I was feeling good on the bike, passing a number of people, and getting passed as well. During my training I tried to work more on hills and I think it helped. It's on the bike where I am reminded of how much I enjoy this race and why - the echo of the screams in the I-90 tunnel, the "on your left, you go girl" encouragement as you are getting passed, basically the camaraderie. You are not running this race alone.
Transition 2
Nothing out of the ordinary here. My rack was a little crowded so it was somewhat of a challenge to wedge my bike back onto the rack.
The Run
Almost there! I started off slow but finally got into a rhythm - run 15 cones, walk 5. Once I started running it got easier to say run 5 more cones. Not long after I passed the half-way point I heard my name - it was my friend Joni. My new goal became to beat Joni to the finish line knowing she would catch up to me - and sooner rather than later. I crossed the finish line and a few steps behind me was Joni!
And let me just say, if the weather for my first Seattle Danskin was too hot, and the weather for my second Seattle Danskin was too rainy, the weather for my third Seattle Danskin was just right! And yes, I do feel a little like Goldilocks at the moment.
I do have to admit, when I first looked at my times I was a little disappointed. My long-term goal is to finish in under 2 hours, my short term goal was to shave time off my Orlando time. I did finish 36 seconds better than Orlando, which is a start. And when I started comparing my times, I started to feel better about my time.
Seattle Swim: 24.31
Orlando Swim: 26.29
An improvement of almost 2 minutes!! Assuming the course lengths were the same.
Seattle T1: 6.54
Orlando T1: 4.58
Oops! Stupid helmet.
Seattle Bike: 51.52
Orlando Bike: 51.51
Basically the same
Seattle T2: 3.00
Orlando T2: 1.27
Not bad, considering the size of the transition area comparatively speaking
Seattle Run: 43.05
Orlando Run: 45.12
Wow - another 2 minute improvement!!
And there you have it. There is another triathlon coming up in a few weeks and as of right now I am going to go for it. This may change depending on what life throws my way.
The hardest part might have been picking up my packet at the expo on Saturday. I arrived shortly before 10 a.m. and was greeted with a line down the block. I reached the end of the block and realized the line went down the next block. I reached the end of that block and realized the line kept going around the corner and up the next block! Finally I reached the end of the line! To amuse myself while waiting, I played games on my phone. I was feeling hopeful as I neared the building only to find a whole new set of lines inside the building. To quote my friend Nikki, it was as if the carpet of hope was ripped out from under me and I was left with the hardwoods of disappointment. Nikki & Diane were also helping to entertain me via posts on Facebook.
Finally I reached the end, of what turned out to be the first line, got my swim cap & timing chip. Then I decided to stand in another line (voluntarily) to sign up for next year's race. Why? Because this race sells out fast! And to have it done and not worry about getting up early the morning it opens to sign up was worth another line. Next line? The one to pick up my t-shirt. A couple of women in line were nice enough to hold my place while I went and stood in another line to get body marked so I was able to stand in two lines at the same time! Finally I was body marked, had all my goodies and my chip and signed up for next year. Then it was off to "rack" my bike. Considering all the people in front of me to check in, traffic wasn't too bad to go drop off my bike.
With the pre-race activities done, all that was left to do was the race! My parents dropped me off bright and early Sunday morning and I got on to the bus. The butterflies in my stomach had started fighting each other. I laid out my transition area, did a few stretches, went to the bathroom one last time before making my way to the swim start. I took a dip in the practice area to get used to the water temp, which wasn't too cold. Standing with my yellow swim cap wave, cheering on the waves in front of us, the familiar excitement began to build.
The Swim
The crowd counted us down and we were off! I started off in the back but was soon passing a few people. Yay me! I was able to keep a good tempo, with only two moments of slight panic where I stopped for a moment to refocus myself, and continued on towards the finish. I was feeling pretty good as I exited the swim and made my way over to my bike.
Transition 1
Let's just call this the "what I need to work on for next time" section. When I got to my transition area, I was surprised to notice there were a lot of bikes still on the racks! Shirt, race belt and sunglasses all went on pretty quick. Socks and shoes I struggled with a bit but not too bad. And then I went to put on my helmet. For whatever reason I could not get the helmet to fit right. I took it off and tried putting it on again but when I buckled the strap it still didn't feel right. I knew I was wasting time at this point but I could not make myself go faster. Finally the helmet went on. I wrestled my bike off the rack and was on the course!
The Bike
I was feeling good on the bike, passing a number of people, and getting passed as well. During my training I tried to work more on hills and I think it helped. It's on the bike where I am reminded of how much I enjoy this race and why - the echo of the screams in the I-90 tunnel, the "on your left, you go girl" encouragement as you are getting passed, basically the camaraderie. You are not running this race alone.
Transition 2
Nothing out of the ordinary here. My rack was a little crowded so it was somewhat of a challenge to wedge my bike back onto the rack.
The Run
Almost there! I started off slow but finally got into a rhythm - run 15 cones, walk 5. Once I started running it got easier to say run 5 more cones. Not long after I passed the half-way point I heard my name - it was my friend Joni. My new goal became to beat Joni to the finish line knowing she would catch up to me - and sooner rather than later. I crossed the finish line and a few steps behind me was Joni!
And let me just say, if the weather for my first Seattle Danskin was too hot, and the weather for my second Seattle Danskin was too rainy, the weather for my third Seattle Danskin was just right! And yes, I do feel a little like Goldilocks at the moment.
I do have to admit, when I first looked at my times I was a little disappointed. My long-term goal is to finish in under 2 hours, my short term goal was to shave time off my Orlando time. I did finish 36 seconds better than Orlando, which is a start. And when I started comparing my times, I started to feel better about my time.
Seattle Swim: 24.31
Orlando Swim: 26.29
An improvement of almost 2 minutes!! Assuming the course lengths were the same.
Seattle T1: 6.54
Orlando T1: 4.58
Oops! Stupid helmet.
Seattle Bike: 51.52
Orlando Bike: 51.51
Basically the same
Seattle T2: 3.00
Orlando T2: 1.27
Not bad, considering the size of the transition area comparatively speaking
Seattle Run: 43.05
Orlando Run: 45.12
Wow - another 2 minute improvement!!
And there you have it. There is another triathlon coming up in a few weeks and as of right now I am going to go for it. This may change depending on what life throws my way.
Getting dropped off
Crossing the finish line
Another medal!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Seattle Danskin = 2:09:24
The race went well, if not quite what I was hoping time-wise. But it was still a good finish time, for me anyway. More to come later!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Rain or Shine
In my last post, I made the foolish declaration of Thursday being a brick day come rain or come shine. Guess what it ended up being? It was pouring as I began to shut down at work so I talked myself into going to the gym for another "modified brick" but by the time I got out of the parking garage the rain had subsided so I made my way over to my new park of choice. I had forgotten how hilly that area was! I didn't end up going to far on my bike but enough to get that "my legs feel like a ton of bricks" feeling as I switched over to the run which ended up being mainly a walk/run instead of the run/walk that I have worked up to. Partly because the rain and slip factor, but mostly because I didn't feel like it - it was not my best workout. I made it to where I had planned to turn around but since I had started to feel good I decided to keep going, until I saw the two raccoons up ahead. They looked at me, and I looked at them, they looked at me and I let them win the staring contest. Raccoons can be mean so I decided it was a great time to turn around!
And that concludes the training portion of this race. I don't feel super ready, but when do I ever? Ha!
And that concludes the training portion of this race. I don't feel super ready, but when do I ever? Ha!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
All I can do is laugh
So here we are, less than a week to race day and boy is it shaping up to be an interesting week! I haven't been posting a lot of training posts, but I have been training. Sunday I was all set to do one last big brick (can you feel the foreshadowing?). I pulled my bike out of my car and was putting on my helmet when I heard "POP! Hisssssssssssssssssssss" and just like that my back tire was deflated. I debated briefly still running but instead threw my bike into my car and left as I had a gazillion errands to run (What, me exaggerate? I would never in a million years exaggerate!). While I was disappointed I didn't get my brick in, I was very thankful if my tire had to pop it did so before the race. And then when it was getting fixed the technician noticed I had a broken spoke. Whew! Sometimes a flat tire is a blessing in disguise!
Monday was fairly uneventful, with the exception of the rain that started pouring while I was out running. I usually don't mind running in the rain - I just don't want to catch a cold this close to the race.
Tuesday I woke up early, as I had an early morning chiropractic appointment. The rain was still falling steadily so I decide against taking my bike, which had been my plan. I arrive at the chiropractor right on time for my appointment. The receptionist looks at me as I walk in and tells me my appointment is on Thursday. I just start laughing. Dang it!! I am such a creature of habit - I knew I had an appointment this week and since my appointments are usually on Tuesday I assumed this appointment was also on Tuesday. Whoops! This is so unlike me. By the time I get to work the rain has pretty much subsided but my bike is at home so instead I go to the gym after work where I discover I have left my shirt at home. Fortunately I have a backup gym shirt! Woohoo!! I do a modified brick in that I do the stationary bike and then the treadmill. Which means I will be doing a real brick on Thursday, come rain or come shine. Hey, isn't that a song?
Considering the direction this week has taken, I am thinking I probably won't participate in the kickball tournament at tomorrow's work picnic, just to be on the safe side.
Okay so I re-read my post and it was a lot funnier in my mind when I was composing it. But hopefully you see the humor!
Monday was fairly uneventful, with the exception of the rain that started pouring while I was out running. I usually don't mind running in the rain - I just don't want to catch a cold this close to the race.
Tuesday I woke up early, as I had an early morning chiropractic appointment. The rain was still falling steadily so I decide against taking my bike, which had been my plan. I arrive at the chiropractor right on time for my appointment. The receptionist looks at me as I walk in and tells me my appointment is on Thursday. I just start laughing. Dang it!! I am such a creature of habit - I knew I had an appointment this week and since my appointments are usually on Tuesday I assumed this appointment was also on Tuesday. Whoops! This is so unlike me. By the time I get to work the rain has pretty much subsided but my bike is at home so instead I go to the gym after work where I discover I have left my shirt at home. Fortunately I have a backup gym shirt! Woohoo!! I do a modified brick in that I do the stationary bike and then the treadmill. Which means I will be doing a real brick on Thursday, come rain or come shine. Hey, isn't that a song?
Considering the direction this week has taken, I am thinking I probably won't participate in the kickball tournament at tomorrow's work picnic, just to be on the safe side.
Okay so I re-read my post and it was a lot funnier in my mind when I was composing it. But hopefully you see the humor!
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Weekend Magic
Hi-ho! Hi-ho! It's off to Disneyworld we go! Way back in May, it seemed a good idea, since I was planning to go back in October, to buy a annual pass to Disneyworld. And because I had an annual pass, any excuse to go would do! The excuse this time? I have an annual pass, there was a sale on hotels, and I would need to make a trip by the end of the year to ensure I keep my silver elite status on Continental. It didn't take much rationalization on my part!
Jana & I met up at the Orlando airport and were soon off to our hotel. This time we were staying
at Pop Century. We arrived at the hotel, dodged the rain drops and checked in. Before heading to our room we made our first purchase, a Mickey poncho which turned out to be the best $6.10 I spent this trip! :) We got to our hotel, changed and were off to Hollywood Studios to catch Fantasmic, as this was the only night it was showing while we were there. We were greeted at Hollywood with the news the 9 p.m. show of Fantasmic was cancelled. As the rain had pretty much stopped, we decided to chance it and stay, assuming the 10:30 p.m. show would not be cancelled. We had dinner and did a bit of shopping and before we knew it, it was time for Fantasmic, which was as usual, Fanstasmic!! It is probably one of my absolute favorite things to watch at Disney.
Hollywood had extra early magic hours so we set the alarm and managed to make it there to enjoy some time before the park opened. We didn't manage to make it on Rockin' Rollercoaster as we decided to use our fast pass on Toy Story Midway and the regular line was just
a little too long for our liking. But it helped knowing we would be back in October (so we can run in the Tower of Terror race). We finished up at Hollywood and set off for Magic Kingdom!! We arrived at Magic Kingdom in time for it to start raining - perfect time for lunch! We had lunch at Tony's restaurant (Italian - are you surprised?) and lingered over dessert as it was still pouring. Finally we finished, put on our ponchos and headed out into the rain. The scariest ride of the day turned out to be the Jungle Cruise - it was dark when we went on it and a little frog jumped into the boat and onto Jana. It probably wouldn't have been such a surprise had it not been so dark. The best ride of the day turned out to be Dumbo - we got on just as they were doing the fireworks and so we were flying while watching the fireworks go off - it was really spectacular! Magic Kingdom had extra evening magic hours and while we didn't make it until 2 a.m. we did get close.
Extra magic hours in the morning
and evening makes for an extremely long day! It seemed as if my head had just touched the pillow when it was time to wake up. Off to Animal Kingdom! There were a ton of giraffes and rhinos on the safari ride!! After hitting the highlights (for us), we headed over to Epcot to visit Nemo, hang glide in Soarin' and tour the world. The previous day was catching up to us, along with the heat, so we decided to make it an early night.
We finished up the trip by exploring Downtown Disney until it was time to go home. See ya real soon!
Jana & I met up at the Orlando airport and were soon off to our hotel. This time we were staying
at Pop Century. We arrived at the hotel, dodged the rain drops and checked in. Before heading to our room we made our first purchase, a Mickey poncho which turned out to be the best $6.10 I spent this trip! :) We got to our hotel, changed and were off to Hollywood Studios to catch Fantasmic, as this was the only night it was showing while we were there. We were greeted at Hollywood with the news the 9 p.m. show of Fantasmic was cancelled. As the rain had pretty much stopped, we decided to chance it and stay, assuming the 10:30 p.m. show would not be cancelled. We had dinner and did a bit of shopping and before we knew it, it was time for Fantasmic, which was as usual, Fanstasmic!! It is probably one of my absolute favorite things to watch at Disney.Hollywood had extra early magic hours so we set the alarm and managed to make it there to enjoy some time before the park opened. We didn't manage to make it on Rockin' Rollercoaster as we decided to use our fast pass on Toy Story Midway and the regular line was just
a little too long for our liking. But it helped knowing we would be back in October (so we can run in the Tower of Terror race). We finished up at Hollywood and set off for Magic Kingdom!! We arrived at Magic Kingdom in time for it to start raining - perfect time for lunch! We had lunch at Tony's restaurant (Italian - are you surprised?) and lingered over dessert as it was still pouring. Finally we finished, put on our ponchos and headed out into the rain. The scariest ride of the day turned out to be the Jungle Cruise - it was dark when we went on it and a little frog jumped into the boat and onto Jana. It probably wouldn't have been such a surprise had it not been so dark. The best ride of the day turned out to be Dumbo - we got on just as they were doing the fireworks and so we were flying while watching the fireworks go off - it was really spectacular! Magic Kingdom had extra evening magic hours and while we didn't make it until 2 a.m. we did get close.Extra magic hours in the morning
and evening makes for an extremely long day! It seemed as if my head had just touched the pillow when it was time to wake up. Off to Animal Kingdom! There were a ton of giraffes and rhinos on the safari ride!! After hitting the highlights (for us), we headed over to Epcot to visit Nemo, hang glide in Soarin' and tour the world. The previous day was catching up to us, along with the heat, so we decided to make it an early night.We finished up the trip by exploring Downtown Disney until it was time to go home. See ya real soon!
Friday, August 07, 2009
Five Senses Friday
I think we're up to #4!
Seeing:
* A brand new stoplight at the intersection near my house. I can now go this way to work and not worry about whether or not I will ever be able to turn left!
Hearing:
* "it's a small world after all" which is still stuck in my head after being back from WDW a few days now, also stuck in my head "The Monkey's Uncle", another Disney song
Smelling:
* I'm trying a new lotion - plum. It has an interesting scent, but I think I like it.
Tasting:
* Hot chocolate - the air conditioning at work finally caught up with the weather only for the weather to turn cool.
Feeling:
* The heat wave was good for at least one thing - Lake Washington wasn't quite as cold this morning when I went for a swim!
* I will be feeling relaxed after my massage tomorrow!!
Seeing:
* A brand new stoplight at the intersection near my house. I can now go this way to work and not worry about whether or not I will ever be able to turn left!
Hearing:
* "it's a small world after all" which is still stuck in my head after being back from WDW a few days now, also stuck in my head "The Monkey's Uncle", another Disney song
Smelling:
* I'm trying a new lotion - plum. It has an interesting scent, but I think I like it.
Tasting:
* Hot chocolate - the air conditioning at work finally caught up with the weather only for the weather to turn cool.
Feeling:
* The heat wave was good for at least one thing - Lake Washington wasn't quite as cold this morning when I went for a swim!
* I will be feeling relaxed after my massage tomorrow!!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Five Senses Wednesday
The theme for this week is, wait for it, "heat wave". I'm early this week as I'm leaving tomorrow for Disneyworld!! Have I mentioned how much I heart Disney? :)
Seeing:
* You know, I had a good one for this all picked out and now I got nothing. I blame the heat.
Hearing:
* The soothing sounds of a multitude of fans, every where I go, except when I'm at the store wanting to buy another fan and then they are nowhere to be found.
Smelling:
* Stale, muggy air
Tasting:
* My new favorite restaurant - Tutta Bella. The pizza was yummy and the gelato was so good. I tried the blueberry and lemon - the blueberry was super, the lemon was good as well, if a little on the tart side.
Feeling:
* Very hot - my cube at work is right near the window and the shades do not offer much protection from the heat. And then I get home and my house is hot as well.
* Anticipation for my weekend jaunt to Disneyworld!
* The impact of the first jet of cold at my very first spray tan - my sister is getting married in a few weeks and I thought what better occasion for me to try out a spray tan!
Seeing:
* You know, I had a good one for this all picked out and now I got nothing. I blame the heat.
Hearing:
* The soothing sounds of a multitude of fans, every where I go, except when I'm at the store wanting to buy another fan and then they are nowhere to be found.
Smelling:
* Stale, muggy air
Tasting:
* My new favorite restaurant - Tutta Bella. The pizza was yummy and the gelato was so good. I tried the blueberry and lemon - the blueberry was super, the lemon was good as well, if a little on the tart side.
Feeling:
* Very hot - my cube at work is right near the window and the shades do not offer much protection from the heat. And then I get home and my house is hot as well.
* Anticipation for my weekend jaunt to Disneyworld!
* The impact of the first jet of cold at my very first spray tan - my sister is getting married in a few weeks and I thought what better occasion for me to try out a spray tan!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Five Senses Friday No. 2
Let's see how long I can keep up with this! I like it because it's a creative way of thinking about your week. Although this one will have a lot of references to training as my race is in three weeks!! Yikes!
Seeing:
* The sun slowly setting as I race to get through my first brick of this training session. I make it and then I am treated to a fantastic sunset on my way home.
* Fishes!! This was a week of firsts - first brick and first lake swim.
Hearing:
* Chatter everywhere about the coming "heat wave". It is supposed to be 95+ in Seattle starting on Sunday. It is a favorite topic of discussion at the moment.
Smelling:
* Hm, nothing really comes to mind for smelling.
Tasting:
* Ice cream sandwiches!! It was ice cream treat day at work and boy was it yummy!
* Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza from CPK - I gave in to temptation.
Feeling:
* The cold water as I tiptoe into Lake Washington for my first lake swim, along with the slight ebb and flow of the waves.
Seeing:
* The sun slowly setting as I race to get through my first brick of this training session. I make it and then I am treated to a fantastic sunset on my way home.
* Fishes!! This was a week of firsts - first brick and first lake swim.
Hearing:
* Chatter everywhere about the coming "heat wave". It is supposed to be 95+ in Seattle starting on Sunday. It is a favorite topic of discussion at the moment.
Smelling:
* Hm, nothing really comes to mind for smelling.
Tasting:
* Ice cream sandwiches!! It was ice cream treat day at work and boy was it yummy!
* Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza from CPK - I gave in to temptation.
Feeling:
* The cold water as I tiptoe into Lake Washington for my first lake swim, along with the slight ebb and flow of the waves.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Five Senses Friday (on Sunday)
I saw this on Mandi's blog and it looked like fun, but as usual I'm a little late.
Seeing:
* lots and lots of cameras as I'm trying to narrow down the many choices out there
* fluffy white clouds against a beautiful blue sky
Hearing:
* not a lot - it is summer time so the office is really quiet as people are using their vacation
Smelling:
* ew! skunk cabbage or something like it on my bike ride this morning
Tasting:
* smoothies
Feeling:
* the cool side of the pillow as it has been on the "hot" side (for Seattle anyway)
* the air from my new fan (also to help combat the temperature)
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Today's Date
So today is July 8, 2009 or 7/8/09 as in why was 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 ate 9!! That has amused me all day, especially when I've written out the date, which I've had to do a bit today.
Here's a new joke (or new to me):
What did the grape say when he got stepped on by the pig?
Nothing, he just let out a little wine!
It doesn't take much to amuse me! :)
Here's a new joke (or new to me):
What did the grape say when he got stepped on by the pig?
Nothing, he just let out a little wine!
It doesn't take much to amuse me! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)