It's Mother's Day today. I am sitting in bed with a cup of coffee, reading the newspaper online. I came across an article on women that have "turned into" their mothers.
At 47 years of age, I do not feel like I have done this. Could it be that I don't want to? I think so.
Being raised by my adopted Mom, I always struggled with my identity growing up. I definitely knew I wasn't my Mom's daughter or my brothers' sister. I was very loved by my adopted family, no doubt about it, but I always felt different.
Because if this, I searched for, and found, my birth mother when I was 21 years old. At first it was really cool. She was only 15 years older than me, half that of my adopted Mom. We became party buddies, going to bars on Friday nights and attracting so much attention. We became great friends and spent a lot of time together.
Soon after, I became a mother to a daughter myself. Less time was spent with my birth mother and I grew a much greater appreciation for my adopted Mom. I was raising one child and learned such respect for the woman who had raised me along with my three older brothers, all by herself. She did whatever she had to, to provide for us. She never let us down.
I watched my birth mother burn through more relationships in her life, have yet another child after I had my daughter and then years later abandon all her children and grandchildren once again.
So when I read the article on "turning into" your mother, I started thinking about the "nurture vs nature" thing.
In a lot of physical ways I am like my birth mother. When I begin to put on unwanted weight, I immediately see her in me. I walk just like her. Our hair color is the same, our smile almost identical. When it comes to traits my birth mother has, I'm happy to say I have been able to conquer a few of the very bad ones and refuse to take on some of the others.
Although I haven't "turned into" either of my mothers, I am thrilled to be able to reflect this morning and realize the nurturing from my Mom has helped me become the woman and mother I am today.
I am so blessed to have that woman in my life today.
Happy Mother's Day!
Until later.........
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Race ready?
I signed up for the Metro Triathlon at the end of last year.
January came around and I began my training, especially for the swim. Every week for the past 4+ months I have spent many hours in the water. I started off barely able to swim 50 yards without passing out. After a few weeks I had to learn all over again because I was breathing on one side only, every second stroke. It felt like I was a beginner swimmer. Finally I was able to swim 100 yards, then 200 and 500 yards. The day came when I swam 3 500's with just a 30 second break in between. I was on cloud 9.
A month ago I went into the lake with my wetsuit for the first time. It was 52 degrees. When I put my face in, I instantly got brain freeze. I don't think I swam with my face in the water that day. It took a couple of trips to the lake to swim with my face in the water. I remember the first day I was able to do it tho, I felt wonderful. Week after week, the water was getting warmer and warmer - 54, 56, 57, 58. I was getting very comfortable with my wetsuit and could go further and further each time, without stopping.
Last Monday I went to swim in the lake and had a horrible day! I could not get more than 100 yards without stopping. I could not get my breath under control. I was so frustrated. I had less than a week until my triathlon, where I need to swim 1500 yards and I can't even go 100 yards without stopping and treading water? This sucks! I went again on Wednesday and had a great swim. I was able to do the entire distance. I went again yesterday and when I was done swimming, I was very excited for my triathlon tomorrow. I told my friend that I no longer had anxiety about the swim. I felt very positive about it.
Then this morning came.
I woke up extra early so I can go to sleep early tonight for my 4:00 a.m. wake up call tomorrow morning. I checked my email and see that the swim portion of my triathlon has been canceled. No swim!!! The water conditions are unhealthy. I am beyond disappointed. I have trained SO hard for this swim and dedicated SO much time to it.
Now we will be doing a 1 mile run, 40k bike, and the 10k run. Not ideal, that's for sure but I will make the most of it and try to have a fun time doing it.
I have other triathlons in the works for the year but this was the one that I was training for, the one that would show me I am prepared for the rest. Oh well, at least my transition area will be a lot easier to set up and I get to ride my bike without a wet head.
Until later.............
January came around and I began my training, especially for the swim. Every week for the past 4+ months I have spent many hours in the water. I started off barely able to swim 50 yards without passing out. After a few weeks I had to learn all over again because I was breathing on one side only, every second stroke. It felt like I was a beginner swimmer. Finally I was able to swim 100 yards, then 200 and 500 yards. The day came when I swam 3 500's with just a 30 second break in between. I was on cloud 9.
A month ago I went into the lake with my wetsuit for the first time. It was 52 degrees. When I put my face in, I instantly got brain freeze. I don't think I swam with my face in the water that day. It took a couple of trips to the lake to swim with my face in the water. I remember the first day I was able to do it tho, I felt wonderful. Week after week, the water was getting warmer and warmer - 54, 56, 57, 58. I was getting very comfortable with my wetsuit and could go further and further each time, without stopping.
Last Monday I went to swim in the lake and had a horrible day! I could not get more than 100 yards without stopping. I could not get my breath under control. I was so frustrated. I had less than a week until my triathlon, where I need to swim 1500 yards and I can't even go 100 yards without stopping and treading water? This sucks! I went again on Wednesday and had a great swim. I was able to do the entire distance. I went again yesterday and when I was done swimming, I was very excited for my triathlon tomorrow. I told my friend that I no longer had anxiety about the swim. I felt very positive about it.
Then this morning came.
I woke up extra early so I can go to sleep early tonight for my 4:00 a.m. wake up call tomorrow morning. I checked my email and see that the swim portion of my triathlon has been canceled. No swim!!! The water conditions are unhealthy. I am beyond disappointed. I have trained SO hard for this swim and dedicated SO much time to it.
Now we will be doing a 1 mile run, 40k bike, and the 10k run. Not ideal, that's for sure but I will make the most of it and try to have a fun time doing it.
I have other triathlons in the works for the year but this was the one that I was training for, the one that would show me I am prepared for the rest. Oh well, at least my transition area will be a lot easier to set up and I get to ride my bike without a wet head.
Until later.............
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Celebrating!!!!
Two years ago yesterday, I was lying in a hospital bed while my husband and daughter waited for me to wake up from an alcohol induced "outage".
From February 28th through March 5th of 2010, I was at the ER twice due to a relapse of my disease that is called alcoholism. The last time, March 5th, my blood alcohol level was .422 and the doctor told my husband, "she may not come out of this." My husband found me that morning, hiding behind a cylinder block wall, literally drinking myself to death. How he found me was truly a divine intervention by God. He made the right turn at the right time and caught a glimpse of Boomer on his extended leash. Yes, I said I was 'going for a walk' and never came back.
I drive by that cylinder block wall often and I still have to look away. I still get feelings of guilt. How could I have done that? I almost died because I wanted just one more drink.
Since then, of course, I have been able to see my beautiful daughter get married and now get to celebrate her becoming a mom herself. To think I would have missed this and to know that she wouldn't have had me there during these special events in her life, it makes me so sad sometimes.
I have to remember March 5, 2010. Once I forget, it could easily happen again. If it does, I may not be found. I may try to hide even better. With a progressive disease such as this, I would more than likely end up dead for sure.
So, today I celebrate. I celebrate being alive and everything that goes along with that.
From February 28th through March 5th of 2010, I was at the ER twice due to a relapse of my disease that is called alcoholism. The last time, March 5th, my blood alcohol level was .422 and the doctor told my husband, "she may not come out of this." My husband found me that morning, hiding behind a cylinder block wall, literally drinking myself to death. How he found me was truly a divine intervention by God. He made the right turn at the right time and caught a glimpse of Boomer on his extended leash. Yes, I said I was 'going for a walk' and never came back.
I drive by that cylinder block wall often and I still have to look away. I still get feelings of guilt. How could I have done that? I almost died because I wanted just one more drink.
Since then, of course, I have been able to see my beautiful daughter get married and now get to celebrate her becoming a mom herself. To think I would have missed this and to know that she wouldn't have had me there during these special events in her life, it makes me so sad sometimes.
I have to remember March 5, 2010. Once I forget, it could easily happen again. If it does, I may not be found. I may try to hide even better. With a progressive disease such as this, I would more than likely end up dead for sure.
So, today I celebrate. I celebrate being alive and everything that goes along with that.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Open water swimming. Help!!
I was very happy to get two nice trail runs in this past week. My beloved Garin is turning green (finally). Look at this beautiful single track trail. Aaaaah - heavenly!
And Boomer was having a great time on the soft ground, shortly after one of the light rains we received.
Last week's Cinderella training went remarkably well. There were 11 of us on the ride and we completed 50 miles with a little over 1,200 feet of elevation gain. There weren't a lot of hills but the ones we did have were pretty serious. Each week the rides either get longer or have more climbing. This coming Saturday we have less miles (45) BUT twice as much climbing (over 2,400 feet).
I've been starting some double workout days. So far they consist of swimming in the morning and a spin class at night. I've done this twice now and then throw in a "rest" day the next day. Yesterday was one of those days. I swam 2,850 yards in the morning, mostly 200's. I used my buoy and I used my paddles. I really worked on pulling a lot. I love that feeling! I am working up to (as I said before) 100 lengths without stopping. A couple of weeks ago I was feeling good about completing 8. Yesterday I could do 20!!! That's 500 yards folks. Little by little, I'm improving.
A very special someone GAVE me her full body wetsuit (she's upgrading). She GAVE it to me. I am so blessed to have such great friends in my life. I don't know how I got so lucky. Now I just need to get into the open water. I was looking at doing a sprint triathlon (in the bay) at the end of this month. I am just too scared of the open water. I thought if I had a wetsuit it would be easier to think of getting in. I'm still so scared. I have two friends that are willing to take me out, it's just a matter of timing right now.
Does anyone have any advice or hints on how to get over the fear of open water? Please share with me, even if it's something small.
On the baby front (as of last Friday): At 14 weeks, Sara is now in her second trimester. Her baby can now squint, frown, grimace, and possibly suck his or her thumb! Baby is 3-1/2 inches, about the size of a lemon. Sara is actually starting to show a little bit. :)
Until later.............
Last week's Cinderella training went remarkably well. There were 11 of us on the ride and we completed 50 miles with a little over 1,200 feet of elevation gain. There weren't a lot of hills but the ones we did have were pretty serious. Each week the rides either get longer or have more climbing. This coming Saturday we have less miles (45) BUT twice as much climbing (over 2,400 feet).
I've been starting some double workout days. So far they consist of swimming in the morning and a spin class at night. I've done this twice now and then throw in a "rest" day the next day. Yesterday was one of those days. I swam 2,850 yards in the morning, mostly 200's. I used my buoy and I used my paddles. I really worked on pulling a lot. I love that feeling! I am working up to (as I said before) 100 lengths without stopping. A couple of weeks ago I was feeling good about completing 8. Yesterday I could do 20!!! That's 500 yards folks. Little by little, I'm improving.
A very special someone GAVE me her full body wetsuit (she's upgrading). She GAVE it to me. I am so blessed to have such great friends in my life. I don't know how I got so lucky. Now I just need to get into the open water. I was looking at doing a sprint triathlon (in the bay) at the end of this month. I am just too scared of the open water. I thought if I had a wetsuit it would be easier to think of getting in. I'm still so scared. I have two friends that are willing to take me out, it's just a matter of timing right now.
Does anyone have any advice or hints on how to get over the fear of open water? Please share with me, even if it's something small.
On the baby front (as of last Friday): At 14 weeks, Sara is now in her second trimester. Her baby can now squint, frown, grimace, and possibly suck his or her thumb! Baby is 3-1/2 inches, about the size of a lemon. Sara is actually starting to show a little bit. :)
Until later.............
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Cinderella training - Palomares ride
Speaking of Palomares...
Our Cinderella training ride this week was 45 miles and included Palomares. This is only the third training ride and I was a little concerned for my girls. But I am quite proud to say, all 18 girls made it up just fine. We took it slow and chatted a lot of the way up the front, which is a 5-mile climb. Ewa was one of the first ones up. When I got up to the summit she was telling me what a "bitch of a hill" that was. Please!
 |
| Ewa, Leanne and me |
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| Me and Leanne |
Going down the other side of Palomares is FUN, no doubt about it. What we told the girls is, take note of how fast you get down the next 5 miles. Notice how steep it is. The steepest part coming back up is at a 17% grade and you feel every single inch of that! There was no chatting on the return trip. Just a lot of slow pedaling and heavy breathing. I pulled over half way up and gave encouragement to the ones that came by. I waited a few minutes and finally made the final part of the climb myself. I was greeted at the summit by everyone else that was already there and did the same for each and every girl that came up after me. It was awesome!
One of the other ride leaders came up the hill quickly and said one of the riders was "stuck" about 1/4 mile down and needed some encouragement. Leanne, Ewa, and I went down the 17% grade hill and found this girl off of her bike on the side of the road. She was scared to start up again, on the steep hill, with her clip-in pedals. With a little encouragement from the four of us, she was up and rolling again. We rode beside her and talked to her as she pushed as hard as she could. Three of us were a little bit ahead of her and reached the summit first. I watched as the girl finally peaked the summit and you should have heard the roar or the group. We were all yelling great things to her and clapping for her. She came over to the group and a bunch of women gathered around her and hugged her. She was so appreciative and emotional at that time.
That right there is what this training is all about!!!! There was a bond made that day that will never be broken.
After that it was downhill for 5 miles and then off to our much deserved coffee stop. I led the final 10 miles back to our cars after coffee and was very impressed with our entire group staying in a tight line. Spirits were pretty high when our ride ended. I felt like a proud momma!
My triathlon training is continuing. This week I swam 3 days (1750, 2450, 2000 yards), went to one spin class, rode 2 days and ran 2 days - with this guy:
Baby news this week - At 13 weeks now, fingerprints have formed on the baby's tiny fingertips. Baby is almost 3 inches long, the size of a medium shrimp, and weighs nearly an ounce. <3
Until later.............
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Riding, running and swimming. Oh my!
The Bay Area has had a very unusual dry spell this winter. We have had perfectly beautiful weather for months. So beautiful that I still have a tan line on my legs from wearing shorts on my rides and runs!
This nice weather came to a complete halt, however, once my Cinderella training began yesterday. We had very gloomy skies when we started out at 8:00. The sun threatened to come out but never really made an appearance. It was cold and windy but not unbearable. Just a drastic change from what we've been having.
There were 12 girls and 3 ride leaders for our ride. We began at Club Sport and rode out to Alum Rock Park in San Jose. We had a couple of very good hills to climb and I am happy to report all my girls did awesome! I love their spirits. On one hill that I was afraid they would have trouble, Ewa was the first one up. I was thoroughly impressed with her. One girl had to stop half way up but I think that's because she was in a very low gear, spinning too fast, before she even started climbing. I talked to her about it on the return trip and I think she will be better next week. One girl ended up dropping from our group, saying it was too fast for her and she didn't want to hold us up. Unfortunately, we were almost half way through the ride so one of the other ride leaders stayed with her while the rest of us went ahead.
We stopped for coffee in Milpitas and had to make it short because as we were all standing around I could feel myself getting too cold. I was concerned for the other girls so made a 15-minute limit and gave them a warning when we had 5 minutes left. The way back was into a horrible headwind. We tried to stay as tight as we could though and everyone was pretty quiet as we just tried to hold on to the wheel in front of us. At one point, mile 26 of 35, the rain came. A hard, cold rain. We were getting pelted. We pulled off onto a side street under a tree and let the cloud pass over. After a few minutes we took off and finished our ride. It was slow going into the bad headwind though.
We all finished strong and I could tell they all felt good about themselves.
I am beginning to get into the triathlon training even more now. I make sure to do one of the three disciplines every single day. This past week I was able to complete 3 runs, 2 bike rides and 1 swim day. And to my credit, I tried to get a 2nd swim day in but one pool was closed for maintenance and the other one had a bad accident near it that closed the road in and out. So, that day I just ended up with a long walk with Boomer.
I'm mainly concerned about the swim for my upcoming triathlon. And actually, it's not "the swim" I'm concerned about. It's the open water part of it. So, my focus for training is really getting my confidence in the swim.
My swim work out consisted of 16 50's, 8 100's, and 4 200's. I rested 20 seconds between each set and did not let myself "push" off walls. My goal is to be able to swim 100 lenghts without stopping by March 1st. Swimming 3 days a week is what I'm shooting for. Since the pool I go to is indoor and available nearly 24 hours a day, I have no excuses.
One of my runs was a trail run with Kristi which was FUN! The other two were flat, on the road. It's nice to know I only have to "work up" to 6.2 miles on the run. I'm not going to train for anything more than that, what I am going to do is work on getting faster for the 6.2 miles.
On the baby front - now at 12 weeks, the baby is 2 inches long, about the size of a lime, and weighs half an ounce. I went to Sara's sonogram appointment Friday and saw the heart beating again and this time we were actually able to hear it. :)
Until later.............
This nice weather came to a complete halt, however, once my Cinderella training began yesterday. We had very gloomy skies when we started out at 8:00. The sun threatened to come out but never really made an appearance. It was cold and windy but not unbearable. Just a drastic change from what we've been having.
There were 12 girls and 3 ride leaders for our ride. We began at Club Sport and rode out to Alum Rock Park in San Jose. We had a couple of very good hills to climb and I am happy to report all my girls did awesome! I love their spirits. On one hill that I was afraid they would have trouble, Ewa was the first one up. I was thoroughly impressed with her. One girl had to stop half way up but I think that's because she was in a very low gear, spinning too fast, before she even started climbing. I talked to her about it on the return trip and I think she will be better next week. One girl ended up dropping from our group, saying it was too fast for her and she didn't want to hold us up. Unfortunately, we were almost half way through the ride so one of the other ride leaders stayed with her while the rest of us went ahead.
We stopped for coffee in Milpitas and had to make it short because as we were all standing around I could feel myself getting too cold. I was concerned for the other girls so made a 15-minute limit and gave them a warning when we had 5 minutes left. The way back was into a horrible headwind. We tried to stay as tight as we could though and everyone was pretty quiet as we just tried to hold on to the wheel in front of us. At one point, mile 26 of 35, the rain came. A hard, cold rain. We were getting pelted. We pulled off onto a side street under a tree and let the cloud pass over. After a few minutes we took off and finished our ride. It was slow going into the bad headwind though.
We all finished strong and I could tell they all felt good about themselves.
I am beginning to get into the triathlon training even more now. I make sure to do one of the three disciplines every single day. This past week I was able to complete 3 runs, 2 bike rides and 1 swim day. And to my credit, I tried to get a 2nd swim day in but one pool was closed for maintenance and the other one had a bad accident near it that closed the road in and out. So, that day I just ended up with a long walk with Boomer.
I'm mainly concerned about the swim for my upcoming triathlon. And actually, it's not "the swim" I'm concerned about. It's the open water part of it. So, my focus for training is really getting my confidence in the swim.
My swim work out consisted of 16 50's, 8 100's, and 4 200's. I rested 20 seconds between each set and did not let myself "push" off walls. My goal is to be able to swim 100 lenghts without stopping by March 1st. Swimming 3 days a week is what I'm shooting for. Since the pool I go to is indoor and available nearly 24 hours a day, I have no excuses.
One of my runs was a trail run with Kristi which was FUN! The other two were flat, on the road. It's nice to know I only have to "work up" to 6.2 miles on the run. I'm not going to train for anything more than that, what I am going to do is work on getting faster for the 6.2 miles.
On the baby front - now at 12 weeks, the baby is 2 inches long, about the size of a lime, and weighs half an ounce. I went to Sara's sonogram appointment Friday and saw the heart beating again and this time we were actually able to hear it. :)
Until later.............
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Someone new, some things old....
How often do you say to someone, "Let's get together soon, okay?" And how long does it take, IF you ever get together? I seem to do it all the time. What happens when I do this is, I lose out on either meeting someone new or spending time with someone I enjoy. Not this time though! I wished Ewa a happy new year and said those exact words to her on Facebook. And I actually followed through with it and made plans to meet her for a hike less than a week later.
I took her to Garin and she even got to meet Boomer. Boomer loved her and so did I. What a great women she is. We hiked for a couple of hours and got to know each other well. We talked about her signing up for the Cinderella Challenge training and she ended up doing that and we started our training today.
I went on quite a few bike rides this week. Most of them around 20 miles. Of course, Soraya took me up Palomares one day. It was 34 degrees when we started. Luckily it's just a long climb for the first 5 miles so we warmed up rather quickly. Other than it being cold, I can't complain about how beautiful it is here right now.
Keith and I went on a couple of rides together. He's getting so good on hills. Well, he's complaining less and letting me take him on rides that have a lot of hills. That must mean he's liking them more, right? ;)
Two days ago we were on a ride and he had a "tip over". Of course he fell from an almost complete stand still but ended up hurting himself pretty badly. Yesterday he had no use of his left arm. Today he has a little mobility. He thinks he pulled a muscle and is hoping it will work itself out in a day or two. I hope so too.
I guess you could say I started my triathlon training this week. Let's just say it. I started my triathlon training this week. I went swimming!! Soraya got me a 5-day pass for Club Sport and I met her on Wednesday to swim. She presented me with my Christmas gift - a pair of Zoomers and took me out to the pool with a swim plan in hand. We spent a full hour doing 25's, 50's, and drills with buoys, my flippers and paddles. At first I thought I was going to lose a lung after each 25 yard lap I swam. By the end of the session, I was able to do a couple of 100's. Afterward, I was actually excited about our next swim session.
Today we started our Cinderella training rides through Fremont Freewheelers Bicycle Club. I am a leader for the Challenge 1 riders which is the 90-mile ride. Challenge 1 means we go at a slower pace to begin (14-18 mph). We have some awesome ladies in our group. They all seem like they are experienced on the road and not new to riding. I led the majority of the ride and kept it at 15 mph and didn't lose anybody so that was good. It was a 26.65 mile ride through Fremont. We had one 14% grade hill that everyone made their way up nicely. I'm very excited about this training series. I get to spend the next 12 Saturdays with these great ladies. After our ride, Ewa and I walked over to Starbuck's and had a drink while we talked about the ride. She certainly sounded like she had a great time.
On the baby front: At 11 weeks now, baby is just over 1-1/2 inches long and is about the size of a fig.
Until later.............
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Knock, knock.......
Still there?
Great!!! So am I.
Do you want the good news, or the bad news? I will let you off the hook and let you know right up front - there is no bad news!!! I have only great news.
Ready?
First off, I'm not in rehab now, nor have I been during these past few months that I have been MIA in Blogger-land. Things are great in that department. Thank God!
Beginning tomorrow, I will be carrying my camera again and doing posts on a regular basis. I have still been working out like a maniac and moving every single day (2 years straight now)! I love my new bike. My husband has started cycling and really likes it so we have been riding a lot together. I've been walking a lot more than running since my last good run on Thanksgiving morning. My other foot (the one that still has a bunion on it) is giving me some trouble but I'm thinking a stiffer running shoe might straighten that out. I have faith. I have, however, been hiking a fair amount which still gives me much enjoyment.
Do you remember last year when I participated in Cinderella Challenge training with the Fremont Freewheelers? Well, I'm participating again but in a different role. I will be a ride leader this year for the Challenge 1 group, which is the group I was in last year. Our training starts Saturday and the official training starts on January 14th. Every Saturday until the actual Cinderella ride on March 31st. If any of you local ladies are interested in signing up and don't know how, contact me.
I am signed up for the San Jose Metro Olympic Distance Triathlon in April. A cyclist friend of mine who does triathlons (and is an ANIMAL) has promised to help me with the open water swimming training part of it. I'm super excited about it. Nervous, but excited. I will definitely be depending on you guys for encouragement here.
And finally.................
Sara is pregnant!!! I found out the night before Thanksgiving but didn't announce it on Facebook until she had a sonogram and I was able to see the little heartbeat. She is due in August and everyone is so incredibly excited!
Happy 2012 everybody!
Great!!! So am I.
Do you want the good news, or the bad news? I will let you off the hook and let you know right up front - there is no bad news!!! I have only great news.
Ready?
First off, I'm not in rehab now, nor have I been during these past few months that I have been MIA in Blogger-land. Things are great in that department. Thank God!
Beginning tomorrow, I will be carrying my camera again and doing posts on a regular basis. I have still been working out like a maniac and moving every single day (2 years straight now)! I love my new bike. My husband has started cycling and really likes it so we have been riding a lot together. I've been walking a lot more than running since my last good run on Thanksgiving morning. My other foot (the one that still has a bunion on it) is giving me some trouble but I'm thinking a stiffer running shoe might straighten that out. I have faith. I have, however, been hiking a fair amount which still gives me much enjoyment.
Do you remember last year when I participated in Cinderella Challenge training with the Fremont Freewheelers? Well, I'm participating again but in a different role. I will be a ride leader this year for the Challenge 1 group, which is the group I was in last year. Our training starts Saturday and the official training starts on January 14th. Every Saturday until the actual Cinderella ride on March 31st. If any of you local ladies are interested in signing up and don't know how, contact me.
I am signed up for the San Jose Metro Olympic Distance Triathlon in April. A cyclist friend of mine who does triathlons (and is an ANIMAL) has promised to help me with the open water swimming training part of it. I'm super excited about it. Nervous, but excited. I will definitely be depending on you guys for encouragement here.
And finally.................
Sara is pregnant!!! I found out the night before Thanksgiving but didn't announce it on Facebook until she had a sonogram and I was able to see the little heartbeat. She is due in August and everyone is so incredibly excited!
Happy 2012 everybody!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Mendocino Anniversary Ride & Run
Keith and I went to Mendocino for three days to celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary. Here is a bunch of pictures with a few words to share with you, what a great time we had.
We drove up Hwy 101 and cut across to Hwy 1 on Hwy 128. Hwy 128 was a windy, two lane road with tons of these:
We stayed at this place:
Which is a "farm house" in Little River, across Hwy 1 from here:
Two miles up Hwy 1 is actually where Mendocino is. We drove up and took a long walk along the coast.
Watched the sun set.
We had dinner at a little pub and went back to our room where we burned a log in our little fireplace.
Pretty much called it an early night (in our HUGE comfy bed!)
The next morning was our anniversary, we went for a bike ride.
How appropriate that we found this bench. <3
We rode along the coastline for a lot of the ride.
We rode out to Point Cabrillo Lighthouse.
That night we went out for a wonderful dinner where we got all dressed up. I have no pictures of that though. You'll just have to believe me.
The final morning, I woke up extra early so I could go for a trail run. There was a forest right outside our window, I saw a trail, and I wanted to know what it looked like. Off I went!
Fifteen minutes later, I was looking at this.
I took a turn and ran along the coastline for a while.
45 minutes later, I was back on the trail to our room. I literally could have ran out there all day long. It was just beautiful. Breath taking. The sun had just come up and there was a chill in the air. Perfect conditions for a run.
We went to breakfast, packed up and took the long way home - driving down Hwy 1 all the way to Petaluma. That part of the coast is just gorgeous. We stopped a lot to take pictures. Most of them look like this.
It was a wonderful get away for the two of us. Another year of marriage celebrated. 20 years next year - Jamaica!
Until later.............
We drove up Hwy 101 and cut across to Hwy 1 on Hwy 128. Hwy 128 was a windy, two lane road with tons of these:
We rode out to Point Cabrillo Lighthouse.
The final morning, I woke up extra early so I could go for a trail run. There was a forest right outside our window, I saw a trail, and I wanted to know what it looked like. Off I went!
It was a wonderful get away for the two of us. Another year of marriage celebrated. 20 years next year - Jamaica!
Until later.............
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Goodbye Ellen.....
You and I had some great times together. This day in particular, was the first "event" we trained for and did together - The Cinderella Challenge.
You brought me back to life after my bunion surgery took me away from running for longer than I had anticipated. You took me up mountains in the Bay Area that I had only seen while driving by on a freeway far, far below. You and I completed my first full century (100-mile) ride. Because of you I met a lot of friends that I enjoy riding with, still to this day. I brought you out in freezing temperatures and some scorchers too. You taught me how to climb hills efficiently, because you have so many gears to use. I tipped over more than a few times on you but you never cracked and you always wiped yourself off and kept on rolling, even though it probably hurt a little bit. You were more than patient with me when I learned to change your tire - two in one day, one time. You held strong while I took you down roads FAST, one time at 55 mph. Yeah, I never did that again. Although, I knew with you, I could. I loved buying clothes to match you and everyone recognized me, mainly because of you.
Today I sold you to a very good friend of mine. She's mainly a trail runner/hiker and world traveler but she wants to use you for commuting to work. I watched her ride you around my neighborhood one day and I must say, she knows how to ride. Please be good to her and show her theropes roads. Make her fall in love with you as much as I did.
So, why did I get rid of a bike that I loved so much? It was just time, that's all.
Meet Candee, my new full carbon 2012 Cannondale Synapse.
With all the riding I'm doing these days, I felt it was time for an upgrade. So far, I like her a lot. I have the Shimano 105, which is the same as I had on Ellen so I didn't have to learn a new way to shift. It is a compact double which is a little scary. I have gone on two rides in the past week and I can tell, I'm going to like her a lot!
I hope to have plenty of stories to tell that include her.
Until later.............
You brought me back to life after my bunion surgery took me away from running for longer than I had anticipated. You took me up mountains in the Bay Area that I had only seen while driving by on a freeway far, far below. You and I completed my first full century (100-mile) ride. Because of you I met a lot of friends that I enjoy riding with, still to this day. I brought you out in freezing temperatures and some scorchers too. You taught me how to climb hills efficiently, because you have so many gears to use. I tipped over more than a few times on you but you never cracked and you always wiped yourself off and kept on rolling, even though it probably hurt a little bit. You were more than patient with me when I learned to change your tire - two in one day, one time. You held strong while I took you down roads FAST, one time at 55 mph. Yeah, I never did that again. Although, I knew with you, I could. I loved buying clothes to match you and everyone recognized me, mainly because of you.
Today I sold you to a very good friend of mine. She's mainly a trail runner/hiker and world traveler but she wants to use you for commuting to work. I watched her ride you around my neighborhood one day and I must say, she knows how to ride. Please be good to her and show her the
So, why did I get rid of a bike that I loved so much? It was just time, that's all.
Meet Candee, my new full carbon 2012 Cannondale Synapse.
With all the riding I'm doing these days, I felt it was time for an upgrade. So far, I like her a lot. I have the Shimano 105, which is the same as I had on Ellen so I didn't have to learn a new way to shift. It is a compact double which is a little scary. I have gone on two rides in the past week and I can tell, I'm going to like her a lot!
I hope to have plenty of stories to tell that include her.
Until later.............
Friday, September 30, 2011
Same time last year
A year ago today
Then this, two days later
Do I feel blessed every day that I get to do what I am doing, without that horrible pain that was in my foot?
You betcha!!
I can't believe it's been a year already.
Then this, two days later
Do I feel blessed every day that I get to do what I am doing, without that horrible pain that was in my foot?
You betcha!!
I can't believe it's been a year already.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Mt. Diablo Half Marathon, 09/17/2011
A.K.A. My 2nd Runniversary with Theresa.
And since this was the 3rd Runniversary with Theresa and Toni, I made cupcakes!
We had them for breakfast. :)
Then it was off to tackle Mt. Diablo for 13.1 miles. We were able to run the first 2 miles, because right at the 2 mile mark the trail becomes steeper and does not flatten out until the summit. So, I took the opportunity to stop for a breather every chance I could take plenty of pictures to share.
And I encouraged Theresa to perfect her high-side-kicking skills.
After the one and only aid station, the final climb to the summit begins and more beauty is seen.
We made it to the top and were happy to know all we had to do now was run 6.65 miles down.
We were so happy in fact, Theresa was doing cartwheels in the parking lot!
We were making great time running down. My goal was to finish under 4 hours. We were on a great pace to do that. Suddenly, with 3.5-4 miles to go, the arthritis in my right knee made itself known. I immediately had to slow down and within a very short time I was walking more than running. It was kind of a bummer but at least I was able to walk. I can definitely walk pretty fast. But I wasn't fast enough to meet my 4 hour goal. We crossed the finish line in 4:14. Oh well. That mountain always wins. Every time!
After a little chit chat at the start/finish area, Theresa and I went into town and shared a pizza and caught up on our lives even more.
My love/hate relationship with Mt. Diablo continues.
Until later.............
And since this was the 3rd Runniversary with Theresa and Toni, I made cupcakes!
We had them for breakfast. :)
 |
| Theresa, Me, Toni |
And I encouraged Theresa to perfect her high-side-kicking skills.
After the one and only aid station, the final climb to the summit begins and more beauty is seen.
We made it to the top and were happy to know all we had to do now was run 6.65 miles down.
We were so happy in fact, Theresa was doing cartwheels in the parking lot!
After a little chit chat at the start/finish area, Theresa and I went into town and shared a pizza and caught up on our lives even more.
My love/hate relationship with Mt. Diablo continues.
Until later.............
Thursday, September 15, 2011
8000 Meter Challenge - Mt. Baldy (11 miles)
After a pretty good night's sleep, we woke up at 4:00 a.m. and immediately began breaking down our tents. I had someone heat up some water for me so I could have a cup of coffee. I don't often have to function without a cup of coffee and I figured today wasn't the day to give it a try. Two packets of instant coffee in a cup and a little hot water. It wasn't great but it did the trick. I brushed my teeth and was ready to roll. I actually slept in the clothes I wanted to hike in, to save precious time in the morning. We were less than 1/2 a mile from the start but had to drive so our car would be ready for us when we made it back down the first mountain.
At exactly 4:38, the campground literally cleared out!
We got to the start with our headlamps on and I noticed how quiet it was. I'm not sure if it's because it was so stinking early or if everyone was as scared as I was. I was petrified! I told my team mate I thought I was going to throw up.
5:00 comes and we're off! We're not moving fast but we're moving quick for this early in the morning. Did you read my previous post and that I thought this hike was going to be up a fire road for 5.5 miles and back? I found out early this morning that we were cutting off the fire road, just less than a mile in and would be climbing up some single track. While the single track was exciting to me, the climbing was a lot different than my hike the day before.
As we turned off to the single track trail I was trying hard to stay in the front part of my team. I wanted to be in the first car to the second mountain so it would give me more time for the longer hike. I got stuck behind a slow group and didn't ask to pass for about 10 minutes. Nobody was talking. Everybody was just breathing hard and trekking as best as they could. When it flattened out a bit, I passed. It was too late though. I could not see the faster hikers from my team. There were three of them. I was alone now, there were three hikers from my team behind me somewhere.
The terrain was very rocky and a lot of loose gravel. As I was hiking up, I knew it was not going to be easy to run down. Part of my plan was to run down so I could make up some time that way. The further up I went, the worse the trail got.
About 90 minutes into the hike, the sun started to come up and the views were spectacular. I had to take some pictures.
Kazu caught up with me and was cheering me along. I was definitely moving much slower than I thought I would. Since I passed those hikers earlier, there really wasn't any more flat sections. My heart rate was staying between 146 and 150 but it FELT like it was about 180. I was having trouble breathing and my head began to pound. Roughly a mile before the summit, I got tunnel vision. I've never had that before and it was pretty scary for me.
Kazu and I made it to the top in 2.5 hours. 20 minutes after the first three hikers on our team. I had no time to waste. I grabbed a Clif bar out of my pack and ate it as I made my way down the mountain. Kazu seemed to have no trouble bouncing around the rocks but I was not comfortable on my feet at all. This was probably due to the fact that I rolled my ankle on Mission Peak the Saturday before this hike. I was running down with Theresa and heard it pop as it rolled. I was even on the fence about attempting this hike. When I figured out I couldn't run down, I knew I might be in trouble. I had a lot of miles to cover by 5:00 a.m. Friday morning.
We took one wrong turn on the way down that led us down into some big rocks. I had to climb out of it to get back onto the trail. This just about killed me. We lost time here and it completely took the wind out of my sails. Once we got back to the fire road though, I was able to run the rest of the way down to the car and feel like I made up some good time there.
We were back to the car at 9:00. FOUR hours after starting. I was really hoping to be back before 8:30. The first car was gone so Kazu and I hopped in his car and Haddie and Leanne were right behind us in Leanne's car. I changed my socks and shoes and tried to eat something. Nothing sounded good at all. I had completely drained my 2 liter bladder on the first hike and I felt bloated. I grabbed some mini powdered donuts and a few chocolate ones. They tasted good at the time but a few minutes later, while Kazu was quickly trying to drive us to San Gorgonio through windy one-lane roads, I was starting to feel sick to my stomach. Four separate times, I considered having him pull over so I could throw up. I talked myself out of it. Somehow.
We pulled into the San Gorgonio parking lot at 10:20. It was 91 degrees. We had 18 miles to hike.
That hike will be my next post.
Until later.............
At exactly 4:38, the campground literally cleared out!
 |
| All the cars heading out |
 |
| Me and Joshua |
 |
| Kazu, Ryan, Haddie, Leanne |
5:00 comes and we're off! We're not moving fast but we're moving quick for this early in the morning. Did you read my previous post and that I thought this hike was going to be up a fire road for 5.5 miles and back? I found out early this morning that we were cutting off the fire road, just less than a mile in and would be climbing up some single track. While the single track was exciting to me, the climbing was a lot different than my hike the day before.
As we turned off to the single track trail I was trying hard to stay in the front part of my team. I wanted to be in the first car to the second mountain so it would give me more time for the longer hike. I got stuck behind a slow group and didn't ask to pass for about 10 minutes. Nobody was talking. Everybody was just breathing hard and trekking as best as they could. When it flattened out a bit, I passed. It was too late though. I could not see the faster hikers from my team. There were three of them. I was alone now, there were three hikers from my team behind me somewhere.
The terrain was very rocky and a lot of loose gravel. As I was hiking up, I knew it was not going to be easy to run down. Part of my plan was to run down so I could make up some time that way. The further up I went, the worse the trail got.
About 90 minutes into the hike, the sun started to come up and the views were spectacular. I had to take some pictures.
Kazu caught up with me and was cheering me along. I was definitely moving much slower than I thought I would. Since I passed those hikers earlier, there really wasn't any more flat sections. My heart rate was staying between 146 and 150 but it FELT like it was about 180. I was having trouble breathing and my head began to pound. Roughly a mile before the summit, I got tunnel vision. I've never had that before and it was pretty scary for me.
 |
| Pretty darn steep, eh? |
 |
| Please tell me I'm almost there! |
 |
| Atop Mt. Baldy. Does it look like I want to die? I do! |
 |
| Kazu, my "fearless" leader |
We were back to the car at 9:00. FOUR hours after starting. I was really hoping to be back before 8:30. The first car was gone so Kazu and I hopped in his car and Haddie and Leanne were right behind us in Leanne's car. I changed my socks and shoes and tried to eat something. Nothing sounded good at all. I had completely drained my 2 liter bladder on the first hike and I felt bloated. I grabbed some mini powdered donuts and a few chocolate ones. They tasted good at the time but a few minutes later, while Kazu was quickly trying to drive us to San Gorgonio through windy one-lane roads, I was starting to feel sick to my stomach. Four separate times, I considered having him pull over so I could throw up. I talked myself out of it. Somehow.
We pulled into the San Gorgonio parking lot at 10:20. It was 91 degrees. We had 18 miles to hike.
That hike will be my next post.
Until later.............
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