Thursday, June 28, 2012

OnlineShoes.com & Brooks Girl's Night Out!

I love weekends like this one!  So much fun stuff going on, so many friends, events, pictures, good food...really, who wouldn't love it?

A major highlight was going to OnlineShoes.com for a GIRL'S NIGHT OUT hosted by both, OnlineShoes.com and Brooks Shoes!  I knew it would be fun but had no idea all the special things these great companies would do for us.

OnlineShoes has a killer view of the Space Needle and Lake Union...BEAUTIFUL!  And after the crazy traffic and rain getting there (should've been a 7 minute ride, but ended up taking 45 minutes)...it was a relief to be welcomed by the wonderful ladies OnlineShoes.com and Brooks Shoes!  Plus goodies sitting at each of our seats and food ready to go...PERFECT!

It was a small group of 15 bloggers and we got the VIP treatment!  Great crew of ladies, might I add!


We were presented with some amazing Brooks information about the direction they are going with Marketing and an amazing presentation about their current shoes and the science behind them.  A highlight was seeing a sneak peak at some shoes that won't be out for a while! You will be thrilled with what's coming, keep an eye out!  




A few of the shoes we checked out:

The first two are part of the Pure Project!  I have owned Pure Cadence since November and they are my favorite shoes!  I loved my Brooks Adrenaline's (and still do) and didn't think I could ever wear a shoe like the Cadence, but was shocked to find them extremely comfortable, very supportive and now I never want to take them off! 



Experience a joy ride for the senses when lightweight design meets killer comfort in the PureFlow. For runners who love the feel of free feet but count on cushion to go the distance, this shoe strikes the perfect balance. Breathable on top, flexible underneath, and altogether awesome looking.



Light on materials doesn't mean light on technology with the PureCadence. Experience the liberating feel of lean, lightweight design with stability innovations like a reinforced heel that cradles the foot, and landing zone pod that encourages a midfoot strike. And for all you shoe geeks, introducing the Internal PDRB, a soft density ramp strategically placed in the midsole that guides the foot through a smooth and stable transition.

This twelfth iteration of our most popular shoe is all about taking what’s great and making it even better. Adrenaline junkies can expect the same revered fit and feel with added upgrades like more mesh for breathability, a friction-resistance heel, and a crash pad that encompasses more strides.

Go ahead, spoil your feet. Slip them into the perfectly plush, incredibly balanced, Glycerin 10. We’ve designed the forefoot with enhanced flexibility for an effortless toe-off in every step. An updated saddle hugs the unique shape of your foot, while a full-length Brooks® DNA midsole customizes cushion to your individual stride. A luxurious ride from heel to toe, your feet will feel like a million bucks.

The Ghost 5 is so supremely smooth and impeccably balanced, it’s scary. We took the best of the award-winning Ghost 3 and 4 designs, built in new innovations, and then merged it all with striking colors and patterns. This shoe hits the sweet spot for a wide range of Neutral runners with a finely crafted Caterpillar Crash Pad and anatomical Brooks DNA.




Here is the sneak peak of the SECRET SHOES...shhh, don't tell anyone I showed you, Ok!  





And they let us take home a few, SWEET, AMAZING things...We were shocked and totally STOKED to get 2-pairs of Brooks Shoes...I needed a new pair of Cadence and Adrenaline's...PERFECT!  Thank you Brooks Shoes and OnlineShoes.com.  Can't wait to WEAR THEM!

We also got a VIP Potty pass, which if you ahve been to RnR...you know how nice it is to have this pass!



To say we were happy would be an understatement...just look at us...or at least Zoe and Kerrie...and all the shoe box's!




Great night...Thanks, Mel for getting this going!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU...
OnlineShoes.com and Brooks Shoes for hosting this FUN night for us ladies!  

More to come about this wonderful weekend...Race Recap next!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Wordless Wednesday


Recap coming soon...

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Training Tip for Open Water

Clearly the Open Water Swim in a triathlon is something that a lot of people are uncomfortable with, but here is a great tip for how to better prepare!


I guess I haven't been training the right way? 
Have you?

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Happy 4th Birthday, Cole


Cole, you are an amazing little boy!  You love baseball, your dad and your brother...and maybe even in that order.  You make me smile and you are always making me laugh with the things you say.  You talk like an adult, but with a little voice.  You walk around saying "I the baby, I the baby". 



 You have strength that I didn't know a child your age could have...not many kids could stay in a hospital room for 3 days, confined to your room and still have a blast.  You are smart and learn quickly.  You have known your alphabet and sounds of all the letters for a year.  You know what you want and do you whatever it takes to get it.  You say things like, "I know everything" and "I'm the best"...I often tell you that you don't need just a piece of humble pie...but probably the entire pie.  But maybe that's what an Athelete needs...a lot of self confidence!


You are like your father and are good at all sports.  You got a couple HOLE in ONE's when we went miniature golfing on Fathers Day...you amaze me. You can throw the baseball way better than me and I'm looking forward to what you do in the future with your many talents.  One my favorite things to do this past year is going to the baseball fields as a family and play ball.  Your dad and I often look at each other in ahhhh with how you HIT and THROW!  When we were in Osoyoos last year strangers couldn't get over how good you were for a 3 year old.  We hope your love for baseball will continue.
 

You talk about having Jesus in your heart and love to pray, that warms my heart. You love playing with your brother and you both miss each other when your apart. You enjoy talking to Uncle Garth, Noni, Grandpa and Auntie. You could care less about going along with the crowd and would rather sleep if you're tired!


Finally, this April you will get to play Tee-Ball!  After painful fits at your brothers games the last 3-years...you are now 4 and that means...we are finally registering you for Tee-ball in the spring...BEST day for YOU and ME!  You will actually be playing many more sports, I'm sure!  We are thrilled to celebrate you!  I hope you have a wonderful 4th year. 
One more year of preschool and then its Kindergarten...where has the time gone? 

I Love you, COLE!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

RnR Seattle, Hmmm...

It's that time again...2012 Rock-n-Roll Seattle!  I have ran this every year...

1st Half Marathon


1st Full Marathon


4th Half Marathon
Race Recap HERE (Never did a recap, bad blogger)


Last year I got smart and registered at the expo for $55, lowest price of the year.  This year it is $65 which I think is LAME!  $10 seems a little high to me!?!?!  Either way I will most likely register for 2013...WHY, because...it's the race to do here in Seattle.  It's the best EXPO, tons for BLOGGERS come to run it and it's an amazing few days of meeting new friends, catching up with old friends...and just having a fabulous time.

This year Tall-Mom has organized a Blogger meet up, Friday at 3pm...we are even on the Expo schedule...SWEET!  So please come!  I'm hoping to make it, but it's my son's last day of school...we will see!  We have official events starting Thursday and won't end until Saturday!  Busy few days and I'm looking forward to every moment. 

Well...almost every moment.  I have to be honest, I'm not totally looking forward to the RUNNING, but everything else should be awesome.  When I registered last year, I had no idea I would be in full blown Tri mode.  How do you ever know where you will be in a year?  Last year I PR'd...it won't be anything close to a PR this year...more like a PW.  My running isn't up to par and I haven't been running as much as I would like, I did a 10-miler 2-weeks ago...so I should be fine, but not fast.  I'm also not looking forward to the new, more hills, course!  Should be interesting!  Less running, more hills, new course...we will see!?!?!

Julie and I running our 1st 10k together, September 2011!
Either way, I'm excited because I'm running it with my friend, Julie and it will be her first Half-marathon...even though she has ran over 13-miles a hand full of times...it will be her first official HALF-MARATHON.  This will be very bitter-sweet...Julie and her family are leaving, July 6th for 2-years for an incredible opportunity.  I helped Julie get into running 2-years ago and she has become an amazing runner and could out run me any day.  I will miss her and her friendship and the friend who would be up for a RUN at anytime, any distance...I could always count on her to run with me.  Our youngest son's are BEST FRIENDS and I know Cole will miss Holden a BUNCH!  Julie and her family are super excited and I'm thrilled for them, but sad to be losing a friend for a couple years.  It will be great to run RNR with her...looking forward to 2-hours of reflecting and  reminiscing and looking forward to what's ahead!

Do you like the RnR series?

Have you ran RnR Seattle?

Monday, June 18, 2012

Dilettante Sprint TRI RECAP!

Harmony, Stephanie, Jessie, Me, Maggie and Vangie!
Getting everything ready for RACE DAY!
Awesome, FUN, I want to do more...that's how I feel!  I love mornings like this...friends, race...hang out and chat about how great it was!

This was a great race and everything went better than expected...that's always great. 

********
A few weeks before the race I had asked the race director, Porter if he needed help setting-up!  I was sure my amazing friends would love to help...he did indeed need the help and my very COOL friends were there to do it!  It was very nice to get to meet some of the other participants and get a feel for the land.  I highly recommend helping out at races if you can!  We also went for a swim to get a feel for the root beer like water...creepy, but it was great getting a feel for the water!  THANK YOU friends for helping out! 
Blue Wave Aquatics (My masters swim team) Representing! 
Sue, Stephanie and me!
The water was great...especially if
you kept your eyes closed underwater!
********
Race morning was easy going.  Harmony and I got everything ready the night before and packed up so we wouldn't be so rushed in the morning.  Didn't sleep much which is unusual for me, but it worked out ok, I was ready to get up before my alarm clock...and there was no rain...WIN!  Had banana and peanut butter toast and drank some water.  I can barely eat anything on race morning, strange...but I force myself to eat something because I know I need it. 

We look so rested...
Maggie, Jessie, Diana and I
Lets Do This!
The race had ZERO parking spots left in the main parking lot so we had to drop everything and then go park in the overflow lot.  The transition area was a first come basis so I was glad there was still room up front by my friends and the exit to the bike and run.  I took forever tying to figure out the best way to lay everything out...I'm weird like that.  I way over think things, over prepare and bring things I don't need...it's not good!  I was getting my wetsuit on and a nice TRI gal who has done way more than me told me not to wear my neoprene swim cap or booties...that WAS great advice because the less you have to deal with when you get out of the water, the better!  The water was warmer than I had heard so there really was no need for them.
Transition Area!  My friends and I built the racks..we ROCK!
We headed down to the beach for our meeting and I got in the water and swam a little...adjusted to the water, got warmed up...I'm so glad I did this.  Then it was time to start!  All morning I was feeling good and not nervous, until my wave was about to start!


THE SWIM
1st Wave
I was competing as an Athena so I was in the last wave which I was bummed about, but it ended up being good...for the most part.  I was CALMER than I thought in the water which was a great feeling.  I started in the RIGHT, FRONT!  It was PERFECT!  We counted down and it was GO-TIME...I started swimming and felt great!  Made sure to use my sighting skills (here) which helped out a ton.  I was never in the pack at all and got in front of my wave quickly...first BUOY came and  went and I was feeling good!  I was breathing normally, keeping my eyes closed underwater and felt like I was moving!  I ran into a couple of the slower swimmers from other waves before the 2nd buoy but swam around them.  Came around the 2nd buoy and was almost done.  Ran into a few more packs and just went in the middle of them and had to stop for one group...darn'it!  But before I knew it I was done!  I felt like I had a killer swim.  Masters SWIMMING has helped me A LOT! 

Swim Stats
.25 mile
6:56 (2.16 mph)
Overall Rank: 11
Division Rank: 2

Transition #1 went well.  Got the wetsuit off, stood on my bath mat, got socks and bike shoes on, helmet and gloves and was off! 

Transition #1
2:32

I love my bike!  I want you to know...I'm not fast, I never pass anyone (well very rarely) and ALWAYS get PASSED...UNTIL I started doing this triathlon.  I passed tons of bikers, I was moving fast and LOVING IT!  I was feeling good and loved having the intersections cleared so I didn't have to stop!  I was curious to see how my legs would feel for the run, but didn't worry to much about it because this is my training day and I needed to push myself and see how I would feel on the run.  There was one big hill and a few minor ones.  I realized I hadn't put my glasses on that were on my helmet and felt for them, but they were gone...shoot!  Either I lost them on the course or they had fallen off at T1.

Then came mile 4. I saw a gal walking and realized quickly that it was my friend, Jessie (who had borrowed my hybrid a few months ago for this race), as I came from behind and yelled out her name, she turned and told me she had a flat...I looked and it was flatter than flat!  I felt awful!  The bike had been tuned up recently, but flat tires happen all the time.  I debated on stopping, but didn't and I felt so bad, but there was nothing I could do.  I didn't have a pump or a tube for that bike.  Ugh...hated just leaving her there, but I knew she would be ok.  This race was important to me because I really needed to see how I would do and feel so I can be prepared for REV3 Portland and I knew she would understand.  Made me realize I have to get a pump on my bike and also practice replacing a tire.
 
I turned onto the main road that would take us back to start our second loop.  I ran into Harmony who was doing great, but had her sunglasses sticking out of the top of her helmet and told her, but she must not of heard me.  Next up I saw my other friend, Vangie who was doing AMAZING.  It was so great seeing them on the bike course!  Now it was hill time, I lowered the gears and just kept pedaling and I did great.  HILLS are HARD!  I need to work on those...I go about half my average speed on hills.  Not sure if that is normal, but it's really slow and I can improve...I know it.  Got over the hill and finally passed a gal and I said..."We only have to do that one more time"  her reply was "I was trying not think about that"...woops...sorry!  This gal (blue shirt lady), and I been passing each other up until this point but after that hill...I never saw her again.  The second loop flew by and I was warmed up and kept passing people.  Throughout the race I was watching for higher numbers, because those were the people in my division and I never saw any!  I was only passed by 2-people during the whole 14-miles and was ok with it because they had TRI-bikes and TRI-suits...so clearly they were experienced (well that's what I tell myself)!  I was feeling great and was proud of what I did.  Now it was time to get off and finish the last leg...the RUN!
Bike Stats
14-miles
47:49 (17.8 mph)
Overall Rank: 44
Division Rank: 2

Transition #2 we had to run further than I had thought...my legs were wobbly, but I kept running to get my bike racked.  I ran into Jessie who had gotten the flat and she asked if I had a pump, which I didn't...I felt so bad.  As I was racking my bike I saw that #4, my friend MAGGIE was already running...That was a great feeling, I was so proud of her!  She was doing great, I just knew it.  Found my glasses by my stuff...perfect!  Took my bike shoes off, running shoes on, helmet off, took my garmin off my bike, hat and garmin in hand and was off.  Almost ran the wrong way, but was corrected...THANK YOU volunteers.

Transition #2
1:23

Ok, the part I had been dreading...my least favorite!  I just had to keep moving for 3 miles, I could do this, I have done many times before.  Was trying to get my hat on and was having problems and almost stopped...but decided it really wasn't worth it, got the garmin on and finally got my hat on...all without stopping.  My legs were tired, but I knew soon they would find their rhythm and we would finish the race.  I was running by 2 gals with trisuits and one of them was wearing a trisuit from a Tri Club I am looking into and chatted with her and the other gal.  I passed them and then it was time for the hilly part of the run.  The hills weren't too bad and I was thankful for that.  Running hills after the bike is always hard!  2 gals passed me and were keeping a great pace.  I kept going and had a mile to go when one of the tri-suit ladies, Sonya came from behind and encouraged me and told me to "keep the pace, keep going, we have a mile left".  We ran the rest of the way together!  Made all the difference.  We chatted and I found out she is doing REV3 Portland HALF IRONMAN!  What...small world, I love it.  She had done a Half Ironman 2-weeks ago and these are all training for a IM at the end of the summer.  Ahh...I loved talking to her.  We talked about how we got into Tri's, she told me I was a strong runner, I told her not really, but thanks!  But I guess, maybe I don't give myself enough credit...I was doing ok!  Her friend had finished and came back to us and ran us in, which helped a TON!  I thought we were taking a left into the finish but we had to run all the way around, ugh...I hate finish lines like that...you think your almost done but no...further to go.  Her friend, Stacie (I think) kept pushing me and it totally helped!  It seems at the end I always die...like in the last few seconds when I should be pushing it!  But I pushed and finished and the clock said 1:35...I knew I had beat my goal because we started 9-minutes after the clock started!  I was stoked with my time! 

Run Stats
3.1 Miles
27:46 (8:57)
Overall Rank: 64
Division Rank: 3

I crossed the finish got my medal and ran into Stephanie and Maggie who had both done a killer job. Maggie placed 3rd in her age group...1st triathlon and she places...that's awesome! Stephanie killed the swim and LOVED the TRI like I knew she would! I'm trying to get her to do REV3 with Harmony and I...but her IT band needs to cool it so she can run the 10k! Praying it gets better so she can join us...it would be a blast! 

See...I was getting worried!
I was waiting for the results which kept coming out, but I was not on them!  I was starting to get worried that my timing chip didn't work?  Shoot...that would be awful because I would have none of my splits or swim info.  I asked the race director, Porter if Athena's were not part of the results and he said they weren't and asked if I would like to see that list...HECK YA!  They pulled them up and the gal asked...do you see your name?  Are you #3, but I wasn't...not #2 either...I had come in 1st in my division!  WHAT...I have never placed in anything before!  I was totally stoked and I had come in 3-minutes before the 2nd place. 

Final Time
1:26:26
Overall Rank: 39/187
Division Rank: 1/14

Thanks Harmony for taking a picture of me
cheesing it up when I got my 1st place award!

WINNERS!  Woohoo! 
Clearly I have found it...I found something I really love and might be kind of good at it. It will be great to train more and improve. I'm excited and scared for REV3 Portland...mostly because it will be so much bigger and way more people, I think? Either way it's going to be a great RACE!


Sue and I (Masters Swim Friend)

Me, Diana, Harmony
Packing up...

You must wear your medal all day long...Well that's our rule!
 Looking forward to more Sprint Tri's and seeing how I like the Olympic Distance...still hoping for a Half & Full Ironman in the future!  For now....I will take it one SPRINT at a time!  Thanks for reading!
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