Getting Ready for the 10 Miler...gulp!!

Well, here I go. On to my first 10 mile race. My oh my, what have I done? Yikes! Six, maybe eight, but ten? Yikes and double yikes!!

2012 Race Schedule...smile

This year I'm getting in shape. As a 53 year old woman it's never too late to start moving. In the last 6 months, this what I have done: Sept, 2011, sprint triathlon; November 5K; Jan, 2012 sprint triathlon; Feb, sprint triathlon; March, 10k.

I am signed up to do: March, sprint triathlon; 10 miler; April, sprint triathlon; May 5k; July, an Olympic distance triathlon.

Then I will take a break. I will make a tshirt quilt out of all these tshirts after that. I think I'll try to do the September triathlon, the one that began this journey...smile

Get out there and exercise people!!

My first 10k was awesome...the things I learned...Fartlek works!!

It was a beautiful spring morning, St. Patricks Day, Saturday, March 17th. It is my first 10k race. I always like to start my races from the back of the pack. I don't like crowds. This race had 7500 participants. It took 12 minutes to get to the starting line. You can tell this by looking at the difference of times between the clock time, which begins when the gun goes off and the chip time, which is the time my chip crossed the starting gate. That was one thing I learned.

The next thing I learned was about half way through the run my left hip and left foot began to hurt a lot. I realized I was running on the same side of the road. Roads are sloped and so I switched tot the left sides of the road for the rest of the run. I felt instant relief.

Note to self: run on both sides of the road, equally!!!

This was the first time I ran 4 minutes and walked 1 minute. Yeah!! I feel myself getting stronger and my recovery is really great. What a huge difference this Fartlek training/race running, for me, works extremely well...smile

Master's Degree in Geology and how to display your quilts in a home.

Well, our little girl has done it.  After 6 hard years of school, she has her Master's Degree in Geology.  And, all you parents can relate, she is gainfully employed!

We spent the last 6 days in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  We got to watch her defend her thesis to a packed room of professors and peers.  It had something to do about studying pre-solar system dust!  Don't ask, I can't tell you for certain, suffice it to say it was most impressive...smile.

Then, with proud grand parents in tow, we spent a day in Santa Fe.  We visited beautiful chapels, bought jewelry from Indian's selling their wares at the Governor's Palace and ate some pretty good food.  You will eat really well in New Mexico.  We ate at the Shed, the #5 on the menu was great!

Next my mom and dad went home and we moved Chelsea into her pink adobe house.  I like to decorate from the view of what do you see when you open the door.  How is your eye drawn into the space and how does it tie together.

These are 2 quilts I made for Chelsea.  You use the Command stickers to hang on a fireplace.  These are easily removable and don't ruin paint.  Plus, I didn't have a mortar drill bit to hang them.

We are proud, but most of all happy our daughter knows who she is and knows what she wants out of life.  She is carving quite a nice one out for her and her dog, Fawn.  That's one lucky dog!  For her graduation gift, she wanted cross country skis.  Fawn has a harness and they will travel off into the great beyond...smile...

Shelbyville Mini Triathlon, Series Race #2-I won trophy!!

 Here I am, happy to be at the start of the race.  I'm wearing my Sham Wow headband I made myself.

The wind was howling and we were supposed to get 2 to 4 inches of snow, but, thank goodness no snow.

Off I went on my 3.1 mile run, which was, for me, the fastest I had ran before.  I took too long on my transition from running to my bike and lost precious many minutes trying to get my Garmin 610 watch to switch to cycling mode.  Then I biked for 12 miles.  I didn't quite feel the strength I had last race.  It was a bit heavier for me breathing, I'm not sure why.  But, on I went and jumped in the pool for my fastest time in the water.  Life is good!

Triathlon training makes a difference in 6 months!

First triathlon was in September, 2011.  My second triathlon was on 1/29/12 in Shelbyville, Kentucky.  I am noticeably in better shape.  Life is good when you want to work for it...smile.

Polar Bear Triathlon, Shelbyville Series, Race #1

It was a beautiful cold below freezing morning.  I was in my 2nd triathlon I have ever done.  My first was in September, 2011.  

I must say I am hooked!  What a wonderful way to spend a day.  Outside running, biking then indoors, swimming.  My crew, Bob, drove me to the facility on the request 7:00am check in.  Then it seemed we waited forever for the 8:30 start.  We won't do that again.  I was excited.  So excited I forgot to stop my Garmin Forerunner 610 for a more accurate reading on the statistics for the race.  Oh well, I am not in the hunt to win.  I just really enjoy being in the mix, only as a participant.  Triathlons are a means for losing weight and getting healthy for me.  The other benefits are stress relieving, (which I really don't have any stress) toning and general better healthy attitude.  

I highly recommend them.