Commitment

Let me introduce you to Harold and Irene*. I see them every Sunday and Friday’s when I am at my mom place. They sit together and sometimes Harold greets us and talks about the day’s events of just life in general. Often on Sunday afternoons you find them both napping quietly. No one bothers them and everyone just lets them be together.


You see Irene lives in the nursing home and Harold comes to spend the day with her. Irene can’t see any longer and is unable to talk. I’m not sure Irene is really aware of her surroundings, but it doesn’t matter to Harold, for him it is about being with his wife, for better or worse. He misses her being at home with him and misses the conversations they used to have. He is lonely at home these days and goes to bed each night alone. He sits with Irene just to be with her, to try and give her a sense of belonging even though they are apart more than together.

I watch Harold and it is then that you begin to see what is meant in the marriage vows: “until death due you part.”

I think any couple considering marriage should go and find a “Harold and Irene” and understand what a commitment is.

Ecc 9:9

The Honor of Time

Yesterday was the 4th of July, a day when we celebrate the birth of the USA . The celebrations usually entail getting together with friends and family for BBQs and attending parades and other festivities.

I was part of a parade again, walking with a group supporting my brother-in-law that is an elected official. I love being in parades and ‘smoozing’ the crowd along the way. This year was a little different for me , I spent a good part of the parade holding back tears. Not tears of sadness but tears of thankfulness and honor. This year we were placed in the parade right behind a flat bed truck carrying approximately a dozen WWII veterans.

I would be walking along and all of a sudden you would hear the applause start, the people seated in chairs at the side of the road would stand and honor these men for all that they did for this country. You would see the Vietnam vet standing in salute with tears in their eyes.

I had a chance to chat briefly with these men all whom are well into their 90’s and all who you could see were blessed to be part of this great country.

If only we could take the time the other 364 days of the year to honor those men and women with our time, just time to have a cup of coffee or a brief visit. Find a Veteran and find out their name and give them the honor of some time.


Philippians 2:29

RACE DAY

By noon today, all the gear was put away, the body markings had been washed off, the wet clothes were in the washer and we were on our way to lunch. It was hard to think that all the work for the last 10 months was over. I don’t want this to be over this quickly, I even tucked my finishing medal in my pocket to take with me as assurance that today actually happened.


After months of training, I completed my 1st Sprint Triathlon today. I had started training hoping to finish, then it became a goal to finish in less than 2 hours. In the last few weeks I had set a personal goal to finish in 1:45. I was feeling good about what my body was able to do.

I held back tears as I made the final turn back into the park towards the finish line. I held it together and as I crossed the line there was a large digital clock showing my un-official time as 1:19, I could hardly believe my eyes. They hung a medal around the neck of everyone as they crossed the line. It was more about finishing then about winning. I gathered up my gear, packed it back into my bag and headed for the car. I stopped to read the official results that were being posted as people finished. I found my name and saw that I had finished 148th out of 300+ finishers. I was 4th in my age group with a time of 1:07:16. I almost fainted when I read that I have finished in just over 67minutes.

Over the last couple of weeks I have had more than one moment of panic when I thought about what I was planning on doing. But it would be for only a moment because I knew I am ready. I trained hard physically and mentally for this challenge. I have kept the triathlon in perspective and balanced my life around it. I have handled the disruptions in training and the setbacks from illness and injury.

I didn’t get to this point by saying what I couldn’t do. I didn’t get to this point by watching someone else do all the work. I didn’t get to this point by only talking about it. I had to set the goal, have the faith to reach the goal and put in the hours and sweat to get to this point.

When I started working out for the very 1st time I made the following notation in my journal: Hopefully this will work for me so that I 1) get in shape, 2) get my attitude in a better shape, 3) get motivated about other things.

I can honestly say that because of the last 20 months of working out I have achieved all of these. I have dropped 25 lbs and can maintain it, I look at life as an opportunity and not a challenge and I am motivated in many areas including one of my hearts desires to complete a triathlon.

Psalm 71:7-8

Tri Minus One

I started this week with a plan, a plan of rest, nutrition and hydration. It turned out to be a week of improvising. I ended up with a minor medical problem that has forced more rest more then I planned and all but eliminated any of the training I was going to do. My taper turned into a halt. I did get in a workout on Monday and Tuesday but just couldn’t do one the rest of the week. My wings are clipped at least through the weekend and then we will play it by ear from there.

I still would like to get one more run in and at least one more swim in a lake with the wetsuit. Not sure if it will be possible. But what I do know is that I will compete in the triathlon in exactly one week and I will complete it. I know that all the training I have done to this point has made me ready. Now it is more about me being ready mentally than it is physical.

So as I rest and prepare all my gear and continue to work on nutrition and hydration, I will be flexible and improvise and attempt to get those last workouts in when and if I can.

Jeremiah 29:11

Tri Minus Two

Along this journey there have been some funniest moments but this afternoon was probably the strangest. We have new neighbors moving in and I wonder what they thought as I stood out in the rain in my wetsuit as Kyle hosed me down. I needed to practice taking a wet wetsuit off and transition to the bike and then to the run.


For our older neighbors this would just be another one of those “what are they doing now” moments. They have watched me hit golf balls in a bucket while in a leg cast, watched me weed the garden while on crutches and other various not your typical activities. So for them to watch me run around the house in a wetsuit, strip it off, put on shoes and helmet and take off on the bike in the ran only to return 15 minutes later, park the bike, remove my helmet and take off running just seem normal for me.

On Friday I had a moment where I realized that I was within reach of completing this journey. It made me pause for a moment of panic. Yes, I had a catch in my stomach when I realized how close this is. But it was only a moment because I know I am ready. I have training hard physically and mentally for this challenge. I have kept the triathlon in perspective and balanced my life around it. I have handled the disruptions in training and the setbacks from illness and injury. With less than 2 weeks left it is now time to focus on Rest, Nutrition and Hydration. It is the little things that will make the biggest impact now.

So as I do some significant taper and work on the last of the little details it will be an interesting week.

Exodus 23:20

Our Tenth Anniversary

Kyle:


Today is the first of the major milestone anniversaries we will celebrate. The 10th anniversary is signified by Tin or Aluminum because to the pliability that they symbolize. A successful marriage needs to be flexible and durable with the ability to be bent without breaking. This anniversary is about the durability of our commitment to one another for the past decade and the decades to come.

A Daffodil is also a symbol of the 10th anniversary, its trumpet-shaped flowers represents the joy, cheerfulness and happiness we bring to each other every day.

Thank you Kyle for being “the perfect husband”, I love you.

Tri Minus Three

I am taking advantage of the 3 day weekend to recharge emotionally and physically while celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. Even though we walked about 6 miles today, it is about sleeping in, taking naps and going to bed early.


It has been a very emotionally stressful week and with all that was going on I was only able to work out 3 nights and at that really only got a full workout in on Tuesday. I probably could have pushed myself to work out more, but it would have been non-productive and probably lead to an injury.

I had planned on starting my taper this week, but I will adjust my plans slightly to make up for last week. I did reach one of my goals when I ran 2.4 miles Tuesday night. This week I will only do 1.6 mile as I am starting to feel the effects of running in my bad knee and I need to make sure not to do any damage this close to the event.

I also hope to don my wet suit and do some swimming out in a lake and going on a 20 mile bike ride at least once this week on my road bike. Most of my riding has been on the stationary bike and I really need to get some saddle time in.

So as of now I am 20 days from this major goal that I have been training for since August of last year, I don’t want to blow it now.



Psalm 63:1

Tri Minus Four

Relaxed a bit this week, wanted to ward off an overuse injury. I am ready for one more week of intense workouts and then it will be a new challenge, the challenge of tapering off on my training. I will push every one of my goals this week and at this time I am exceeding all of the individual disciplines by at least 10 percent.

It has been an amazing journey so far. If you would of told me a year ago that I would be able to do what I can now do physically I would have laughed at you. I would have told you that you were nuts if you would have told me that I was on track to run 2.5 miles this week. Run any length yet alone more than 2 miles.

I didn’t get to this point by saying what I couldn’t do. I didn’t get to this point by watching someone else do all the work. I didn’t get to this point by only talking about it. I had to set the goal, have the faith to reach the goal and put in the hours and sweat to get to this point.

1 Peter 1:8-10

Tri Minus Five

I am resting on the couch this afternoon feeling the effects of an amazing week of workouts. I exceeded all of my training goals this week. I was able to swim 500 yds for the 1st time; I ran 3 different times and actually did 1.5 miles on Saturday after a 6 mile bike ride.


One thing about doing a triathlon is that it is a great ice breaker or conversation starter. I spent time this past week talking with a number of people that are either doing their 1st or have done a number of triathlons and it is great to have that connection. It is something that not everyone can understand, but is definitely is something that I will never forget.

Yesterday afternoon as I was limping around when I had someone ask me why I was doing a triathlon. That is a good question. All I know is that I remember watching the “Wild Word of Sports” when they would air the Iron Man Triathlon and wondering what that would be like? It has been a thought that has never left. When I found out that there were such things as Sprint Triathlons and I needed another goal for this year, I found myself saying why not.

As I tell everyone, I am not old, just more experienced.



2 Thessalonians 1:11

Tri Minus 6

It was a better week this week, of course it would be.

I went on my first official run in the new shoes and it felt pretty good and then on Saturday I did my first official “brick” (a bike ride immediately followed by a run) workout.

I am feeling much better both physically and mentally this weekend than I did last weekend. I hurt less and accomplished more.

This weekend we celebrated family. On Saturday we celebrated my husband’s Grandmother’s 100th birthday and then today, I spent most of the day with my mom doing what she wanted to do.

My husband’s side of the family is pretty active; there are a few runners in the mix so they were all pretty encouraging when I told them about my goal to do a Sprint Triathlon. Who knows maybe I will get Garrett to do the STP next year.

I’m still thinking that my next goal will be knitting, but things are much better this week, especially knowing that next month this will all be over.

2 Timothy 2:19

Tri Minus 7

Whose idea was this?

After resting for the last two weeks I was feeling great. Until I worked out Monday night I didn’t realize just how great. One night of working out (at about 75% intensity by the way), and I was really sore on Tuesday. What was I thinking that I could complete a triathlon? “Whose idea was this?” A very close friend of mine was quick to point out that it was my own!

Just like the frog who was placed in a pan of cold water and the heat was added slowly, the frog got so used to the warmth that it didn’t realize that it was slowly being cooked. I have been working out for that last two years and slowly increasing the intensity and the pain has just become a part of my life.

No don’t panic, I am too stinking close to the end to not complete this endeavor, but I also know that because of the work I have done for the last two years I can live without pain as long as I exercise moderately. You see, before I started working out I was in more pain then I am currently, I just didn’t know that I would ever live without it.

So, seven more weeks of training and I will complete one of my life dreams and then, who knows, I just may learn to knit.

Revelation 21:4

Tri Minus 8

Rested and ready!!!!

I took this past week off to recover from a head cold and to let my body recover from the months of training I have been doing. I started feeling better on Tuesday but made myself take the full week off. I’m really glad I did. It has been a good week.

I will now work back up to the performance level I was at and probably be fresher during the actual event then I would have been before. I will go back into the gym with not only my body rested but my mind refreshed as well. Working out will be something I want to do and not just something I have to do.

I’m excited for what this week will bring.

Happy Training

Isaiah 38:15-17

Tri Minus 9

Go Go Speed Racer

What a week, started out on Monday morning feeling like I was going to change the world and by Monday night I thought I was going to have to crawl out to my car when I finished my workout. I just had no energy and it was hard to finish. I woke up on Tuesday night feeling like I had been beat up. Then it all made since on Wednesday morning when I woke up with a full blown Head Cold!!!. I can’t remember the last time I felt as bad as I did on Wednesday and Thursday. Since I recently started a new job I had to go to work in spite of feeling like I was about to die and afraid I wouldn’t. I made it through each day, but needless to say I didn’t work out the rest of the week.

Saturday morning the Tri-a-Tri Reach Team had our monthly meeting and this weeks focus was the Run. The plan was to meet at Lake Tye and take a run/walk around the lake. Feeling not the best I wasn’t sure I wanted to go, but that is the value of having a group to work with. I wanted to be there to encourage the others. I dress and show up and boy am I glad I did. Saturday is probably the 1st time since 1978 that I purposely went for a “run”. I actually made it about ½ way around running. I ran the 1st ¼ then walked a ¼ , ran a ¼ and walked that last ¼. I know that had I wanted to push it, I could have made the entire trip at a slow run, but the idea here is to not blow out my knee doing this.

This morning I woke up and my knee is feeling good and the muscles in my thighs and hips know that they did something new on Saturday. That is a good feeling. Knowing that all the time I have been spending to get my knee as strong as it can is working.

Now as for the cold, it is still hanging in there and I am going to use it to my advantage and with 9 weeks left, I am going to take this week off to get over the cold and let my body have a much deserved break. I will then get back to the routine so that with 8 weeks left I will peak at the time of the event and not need to worry about being over trained.

Ephesians 5:15-17

Tri Minus 10

I am feeling extremely strong right now. As I was telling my husband on Saturday, the challenge I have right now is to keep fit and not have any weird or unforeseen things come up that would derail me being in the event on the 19th of June.


I recently started a new job and on Thursday it was suggested that I should go on a 2 week business trip in June. Really? What dates? Guess what, I would be returning home on the 18th, the day before the triathlon. Oh and did I mention that the trip would be to India? Can anyone say jet lag?

Now the trip is still being considered and nothing is firm yet but I am so excited for the opportunity to travel to India. Like I always say, I will travel anywhere once. I’m torn about the timing and won’t know for a couple of weeks if I will be going and what exactly the dates are.

In the meantime I will keep working hard and expecting the best.



Philippians 3:11-13

Tri Minus 11

Last Thursday I was doing my workout and as I was walking on the treadmill I looked over to where this woman was running. I was trying to see what speed she had the treadmill set at. I have never ‘run’ on a treadmill and as I approach the time when I will start to actually run, I am trying to figure out what the settings should be for me to run at. Anyways, as I was looking over at her machine she pulled the earbuds from her ears and asked me what I was doing. Now the good thing is that this is a woman that I have had chats with over the last two years as I spend time working out and I have told her of my knee issues and what I am attempting to do this summer so when I explained she was quite helpful and we talked about running and knee issues. She asked me when had been the last time I had run as part of my training. I thought for a minute and then told her it had been back when I was in college and would run as part of pre-season conditioning or as part of practice. Are you ready for this: 1978!!!!


Really, I have not ‘ran’ as part of training or just for the sake of running in 32 years. What do I think I am doing planning on running my 1st triathlon NOW? I would have never believed it myself even a year ago, but to tell you the truth, I am confident that I will complete a triathlon this year.

Joshua 14:9-11

Tri Minus 12

Spring is officially here and of course with the spring comes the rains. Here in the Northwest , rain is usually just a continuation of the winter rains, but this year we had an exceptionally dry winter and now that it is raining it seems so out of place. The rains are good and it is helping to bring out all the new growth and preparing the ground for the summer. It is the rains that soften up the hard ground to enable the new growth or new fruit to come out of the ground. I’m really not a fan of spring, but I endure for the pleasure of the summer and fall. Working out is the same as the spring rains. Sometimes you have to endure the tough workouts, the schedule interruptions and the sore body parts to be able to succeed and enjoy your goals. The workouts loosen up some of the old tight muscles to allow new agility and ability.


Last Saturday I sustained a minor knee injury and thought I could just “work it out”. I didn’t back down on my intensity or length of my workouts last week and I found myself this Saturday limping quite badly. I’m sure that would be a clue that “working it out” didn’t happen. With that said, I will plan on taking it easier this week and working more on the core and less on the cardio and giving my knee a rest.

The injury is just something that happened, but how long it hinders will be up to me. I can continue to put too much stress on it or I can change my workouts and allow this old body to heal before putting high demands on it.


Matthew 9:16-18

Tri Minus 13

Sometimes you just need to take a day off. Last week was an intense week for me, I have been looking for a new job since January 5th when I was laid off and it all caught up to me last week. I have been going about my new routine will trying to maintain my old workout routine.


On Tuesday I had a grueling all day interview, I met with 6 people that day. When it was all said and done, I felt like I had nailed it and found the perfect job opportunity. I came home fixed dinner, cleaned the kitchen and sat on the couch for a few moments before heading out for a workout. Once I sat for a few minutes I was on the verge of falling asleep. I was done in both physically and emotionally. My body was telling me to take a break, and you know what? I did. I went upstairs and filled the Jacuzzi tub, grabbed a book and blew off my workout.

I know I could have pushed myself and did my workout, but would it really have helped? I don’t think so. I know from experience you can push too much and actually over train. I have no guilt about the rest and in fact I felt fantastic on Wednesday and Thursday night when I worked out.

So, remember, listen and treat your body to a day off once and awhile.

Hebrews 4:3-5

Tri minus 14

A very good week of training this week, I met all my goals and came out of it feeling better then when I went into it. As I was telling a couple of my friends on Thursday night my body is feeling better than it has in years. Now that is a very good thing considering I am working out hard for at least 90 minutes four days a week.


One of the things to remember when you are training is that you need to have some fun along the way as well. This week I was given the opportunity to attend a performance of Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. It was being staged by the 4th and 6th grades at Bear Creek School. It was great; the kids all were amazing with the Shakespearian dialog. There facial expressions were just perfect. At times I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes.

It was a great way to unwind and let my body recover from all the hard work. Laughter and good friends, tic doesn’t get any better than that.

Remember it is not too late to start training; there are many 9 week training plans out there.

Psalm 126:1-3

Tri Minus 15

Boy, did I miss the Olympics this week while working out.  During the two weeks the Olympics were on it felt pretty good to be on the cardio machines in the gym and watching skater, skiers and snowboarders put everything into the events.  This week I found myself watching Biggest Loser, now if that isn’t a dichotomy I don’t know what is, pushing at 85rpm at level 7 on the bike for 60 minutes and watching a weight lose show.  Just not the same motivation it was watching world class athletes.

I had a great week of workouts, did everything I set out to.  I’m looking forward to what this week has for me.

Psalm 71:6-8

Tri Minus 16

I have a new best friend after this week, my Ice Pack.  I’m not sure what happened but Sunday I woke up with a pain in my lower back.  The good news is it didn’t hurt when I was standing up or bent over.  I have fallen asleep once in my life standing up while riding a bus out to a plane on the tarmac in Frankfurt (jet lag is an amazing phenomena) but it really isn’t a good way to get quality sleep. 

I tried to work out on Monday night, trust me if I let pain stop me from doing anything I wouldn’t get much of anything done, but I had to give up after only 15 minutes on the elliptical.  I spent the next 2 nights on the couch with my new friend.  On Thursday things were feeling better so I went and was able to get a full workout in and then I swam on Saturday afternoon and things are starting to get back to normal.

I know that even though I my have some set backs along the way, I have to trust in my training, my resolve and my discipline to be able to complete this journey. 

Proverbs 1:1-3