Ho Hum, Pig's Bum.

This is a mish-mash post:

We've been busy-busy lately, doing all the usual summertime activities.  However, this week I find myself a little bit bored.  I hate to admit this, because of course there are a zillion people that would love to have a teacher's summer schedule.  Additionally, I could probably better spend my time being productive instead of writing a blog post about being bored.  It's my time though, so I'll whine if I want to ;).

I think I'm bored for two reasons: 1) I'm on a training taper this week, and 2) my daughter is spending the summer in Portland.  Summers past we have always spent tons of time together.  I've only seen Lyara twice since June, and I miss her!  I visited with her today, but I missed her before she even left the car to go.  Oh, I do hope my sweet girl comes back to stay so soon!

Last weekend Greg and I got to participate at a triathlon in Coeur d' Alene.  Many of our teammates also competed at the race, making it a blast!  I only had one goal for the tri...to be faster than last year on the same course, and I was.  I'm not sure Greg had a goal, since he hadn't done this race previously.  Nonetheless, he raced fast and strong!  This season he's been more laid-back about his training than ever, yet he seems to garner terrific results and remain just as speedy as always.  My teammies raced very well too and sure added loads of excitement to the race!

Since last October, two darling friends of mine and I have been doing a weekly "Dinna Club."  Tiffany, Jessi and I take turns making dinner for each other one night each week.  When it's my night, I prepare the food with all its fixings and then deliver it in time for dinner.  Tiff and Jessi do the exact same.  And we make enough for at least two meals.  Meaning, I only really cook dinner three nights/week!  It's genius and has certainly simplified nightly meals for us all. The three of our families are athletic and health-conscience, so we make sure to provide meals of high-quality lean meats, whole-grains, fresh veggies, low-fat and low-cal food.  Participating in the club has caused me to become more creative and knowledgeable in the kitchen.  Greg and I definitely look forward to the dinner deliveries, because we know that Tiff and Jessi are fantastic cooks!

One meal that was a "Dinna Club" crowd pleaser is fish tacos.  I'm not a big fan of fishy tasting food, and it took me making my own tacos to like the idea.  So, please give this healthy, fresh dish a try!

Fish Tacos

Ingredients:
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1 cup red wine vinegar

1 pound of white flaky fish (cod or mahi-mahi)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon of ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 cup of cilantro, finely chopped
salt
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup shredded colby-jack cheese or crumbled feta
16 oz. bag of fresh coleslaw salad, undressed
1 lime, cut in wedges
8-10 corn tortillas
1/2 cup Mexican crema (homemade)

Preparation:

Marinate the Onion:  Put the onion in a small bowl and pour in enough red wine vinegar to cover well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. 

Marinate the Fish:  Pour the olive oil into a small bowl and add the ancho chile powder, paprika, cumin, chopped cilantro, and a bit of salt. Mix well. Place the fish in a tupperware container and pour the marinade over it, making sure to coat the fish well on both sides. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes, I marinate mine for an hour or more. 

Cook the Fish:  Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove the fish from the marinade and place in the hot pan (I lightly spray the pan with olive oil). Cook the fish for 4 minutes undisturbed, then turn over, and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and flake the fish in the pan with a fork, making sure to mix in all the marinade that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Check for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Set aside. 

Heat the Tortillas:  Place four of the tortillas on a plate and sandwich them between two slightly dampened sheets of paper towel. Microwave on high for 45 seconds.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Assemble the Tacos:  Place a corn tortilla on a plate, add 1-2 ounces of fish, drizzle lime juice on the fish, top with cheese, marinated onion, coleslaw and avocado slices, then drizzle mexican crema over the top.  Bueno!

I may be "bored" this week, but I DO have a long list of things I'd like to accomplish around my home this summer.  And I'm not sure I've done any of them yet!

Humility.

I apologize.

Lately, it has occurred to me that I spend  entirely too much time talking about myself.  This blog included.  Ya, I know it's MY blog and that's what people do.  BUT.  My original intent for this space was to talk about my loved ones and what every one is up to, how THEY'RE doing, even how WE are all doing together perhaps.  Then, it became this thing where I posted all my triathlon training highlights and race results with an occasional, but heartfelt post regarding someone else in my life. 

That is NOT who I want to be.

Recently I've been around some amazing people, that do ridiculous things with their lives and they don't spend forever updating their status with their latest race stats, or blog about that superfluous info. either.  They use their time to BE.  With the people they like and love.  I respect that, a lot, because it's respectable.

Please understand that I am NOT in any way judging, outing, demeaning or condemning folks that do enjoy updating their status with their stats, or blogging about their accomplishments.  No. Not doing that.  Nor am I stating that I won't ever update on FB or write a new blog post.  I just won't be focusing on my exact training or racing statistics or newest accomplishments. 

I was chatting with a friend the other day and sort of jokingly said, "I still want to make my momma proud."  I wasn't really kidding though.  When I look at life and I think about what my purpose really is, I know that God's plan for me is to just care deeply for people, to be a positive presence wherever I am.  Not to go around showcasing my so-called "accomplishments."  Yes, doing triathlons and hitting new athletic milestones is part of my life, and of course I want to improve as long as I can.  But do you REALLY need to read or hear all the extraneous details about me?  Do I really expect you to care?  I'm sorry that I spent so much of your time writing about myself before. 

There are so many genuinely important events to talk about.  Like when my daughter came to town last week, after being away for three weeks to Portland, and we got to spend some glorious hours together.  Just chatting, catching up, loving on each other.  My daughter is an amazing young lady, with artistic talent and charisma galore.  She's beautiful inside and darling too.  She's nothing like me, but so much like me.  No one else makes my heart jump and start like her.  She's a tremendous gift.  I dropped everything to see her that day, I always will.  Lyara REALLY matters.

And when my mom went to Seattle with me for the weekend.  We live in the same city, twenty minutes apart.  She is always telling me how busy I am and she hates to call and interrupt me.  One day I realized she meant it.  So, we planned a trip together.  Drove to Seattle, shopped, visited her brother, talked endlessly and focused on each other.  We're planning a trip to New York for next summer.  My mom's a tough lady and someone I admire and adore.  Her life hasn't been an easy one, but she is vibrant, funny and lovely.  Oh, my mom, she matters.

As for my uncle, I hadn't seen him in a year and he just lives on the other side of the state.  He lives alone and my mom and our family are his only surviving relatives.   He has a memory so poignant that it shocks me sometimes.  He loves to reminisce about the past and can recall great stories about all of us.  His laugh is hysterical and infectious.  Uncle Eric matters.

My brother, Ernest.  I rarely talk about him.  He died over four years ago, so it's fairly painful to mention him.  I miss him terribly, he was my only brother.  We used to build forts and ride bikes together.  My dad would take us fishing at Seven Mile and then we'd enjoy donuts and hot chocolate at the Spud Nut.  He was an inventor and had patented and sold three different inventions before he left.  He loved cats, just like my mom.  He mattered to us all, he still does.

A list like that could go on and on.  I've got a husband, sisters, a step-father and endless others that matter in my life.  The point is, I spend an extraordinary amount of time DOING what I mean to be doing.  I don't need to go around and display it for you all.  I want to get this blog back to what it was intended to be.  About my people, not my self. 

For him.

Today is our anniversary of many years together and also Father's Day!  These two holidays happen on the exact same day every so often, and we really never get to celebrate properly.  Twice I think our anniversary has actually landed on IM Cd'A as well, when Greg was competing.  This time, it was a day beginning at 7 am to volunteer for our triathlon club's kids' triathlon until noon, and then preparing our home and a dinner for our fathers to celebrate their special day.  But, I still want to be a little mushy and just share a bit about my amazing husband, and the real dad of my daughter, Lyara...

I met Greg a really long time ago, when I was living an entirely different, sad life.  I had recently left a very physically abusive man, I was putting myself through college and raising my 4 year old daughter.  Greg was the brother-in-law of one of my closest friends, and attending the same college I was tutoring at.  Long story short, I eventually ended up working with Greg at college and one day he asked Lyara and I out to watch a kids' movie with him.  We went, and we never stopped seeing Greg after that first date.

 Dating me wasn't easy.  I came with relationship wounds; a small child; high expectations for a completely different, better life; tough skin and, well; lots of clothes.  Greg did not disappoint us.  He let me heal, tried to help and left me alone to do what I needed to do, when I needed that.  He fought hundreds of hard fights with my ex and ended up wounded himself sometimes.  He never. once. gave. up.  Never said he couldn't take any more and that we just weren't worth it.  Ya, he's THAT kinda man.

After 3 years of dating, loving on me and Lyara, Greg asked me to marry him.  Of course, you know I said yes :).   We had a spectacular wedding and then he wisked me off to an outrageous honeymoon in London. 

Twelve years later, I have more respect and love for Greg than ever.  He's a helluva husband and the best damn dad my daughter could have. We're nearly "empty-nesters" and enjoying the newlywed kinda life we didn't exactly have in the beginning, and having a blast!  Happy Anniversary and Happy Father's Day, my love.

The biggest little race.

Yesterday was the 27th annual Trailblazer Triathlon in Medical Lake.  I have raced there at least a dozen times, since it is basically the same race venue for three local sprint races each season.  Trailblazer is a unique race in many ways...it's part of a weekend of celebrations for Founder's Day in "downtown" M.L. where they also hold a three on three b-ball tourney, a parade, softball tournaments and probably an oiled pig contest as well ;).  The race begins at 2 PM, (which totally explains where Boise 70.3 got the idea ;).  The swim begins across the lake from the transition area, so you can either ride over in the back of a pick-up truck or swim the 400 yards across for your warm-up.  After the race, you can find your results posted on a two by four, then once you've figured out your placing, and if you made the podium, you go to the tent and ask for your awards medal and t-shirt.  It seems to host a very large participant turnout for a local sprint.  Even though it's quirky, it is also hugely popular and competitive, the biggest little race.

Our weather has been disgusting lately, providing us with a crap ratio of 1 warm, sunny day for about every 5 rainy, cold days.  We were lucky to feel our first 80 degree day in two full months for the race, which is totally awesome when your race begins at 2 in the afternoon and you haven't trained in any heat yet!  No reason to dwell on the details though.  A race is a race is a race and we're all in it together.

The 400 yard swim warm-up across the lake was fun to do with all our teammates, but we underestimated the time it would take us to get there.  We ended up wading in seaweed for about 15 minutes while we waited for the bullhorn to sound, signaling the race start.  It's a mass start and a straight line (if you can swim straight) to the exit ramp on the other side.  I swam in the middle of the mass, exiting the water with five other people at the same time, on a ramp built for one in about 7:45.

T1 was...eventful!  Although I feel my racing is progressing so far this season, I think my transitions are taking a landslide backwards.  I forgot to get my wetsuit pulled beneath my buns before I sat down to pull it off, then put my aero helmet on sideways with a side strap caught under the ear guard, making it nearly impossible to put on my sunglasses and then I knocked over the bike rack as I exited!  All of this in front of several friends, video cameras and spectators, no less. 

Despite having ridden this course many times, I still remember it as a "flat" course.  But, it is not flat, it's rather windy, rolling hilly, and like the wind changed directions, AGAINST us every time we changed our riding direction.  Anyway, I felt like I was sucking on the bike the whole time, but I think I was just working hard instead.  12.1 miles in 38 minutes even.

T2 was luckily less eventful, even though I did sorta forget which way to head out on the run.  Lucky for me, my BFF Dave told me which way was which and off I went.  Since I am such a lousy swimmer, I usually do the passing on the bike and the run, and very seldom get passed, but not today.  I really felt like crap for the first 2 miles of 3, and unfortunately got passed by some gazelle in my age group.  Big bummer.   However, after rounding the turn at the east end of the lake, I started to feel like I could breathe again and was able to hold my own.  2.9 miles in 22:10. 

Our triathlon club, Tri Fusion, showed up and enjoyed this race!  We had two mixed, fast teams racing each other (for funsies :) that placed 1st and 2nd, and several individual participants that placed in the top 10 overall, along with many supporting, photo and video taking teammies too.  Although I don't feel I performed my best (although I did try), I sure had a ton of fun before and after the race, getting to spend time with some of my favorite people doing something we all love to do.

One of my very talented teammates has been treating us like celebrities lately.  Dave has created a three part video of the Trailblazer Triathlon, featuring us!  I think I made the links to each of his videos work, try them out!  Thanks, Dave. Videos: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Tri Fusion's Radiant Lake Triathlon

Quick and dirty...

Our multi-sport club, Tri Fusion sponsored the inaugural Radiant Lake Triathlon that was held on Sunday.  Amidst such a fun atmosphere, eccentric race venue, fabulous teammates competing and supporting, alongside some serious competition made this triathlon easy to enjoy!

Merissa and I pre-swim. Breathe in, breathe out.

1/2 mile swim = 20 minutes.  Good?  Eh, no idea!  I don't know the last time I raced an 1/2 mile swim.  Nothing to be proud of for sure, but I didn't drown either ;).

 Coming in from the bike.

13.9 mile bike = 42:36  Good?  Ya, I'll take it.  I pedaled hard enough to keep my HR in zones high 5 to low 6.  Right where I belonged.

Adjusting my number as I approach the finish.
 

3.1 mile run = 23:30  Good?  Sure.  Possibly the exact same time I ran last week at Iron Eagle tri.  Cheers for consistency, I guess.  Although I'd love to run faster.

Debriefing with my husband and sister-in-law.

Race Results = 1st in my AG and 4th OA woman.  Good?  Not bad.

No, I was not at a ski resort.  I just look like it :).  Podium.

Congratulations to all my Tri Fusion teammates: Greg (my man), Craig, Rene, Dave, Kurt, Eric(s), Cameron, Merissa and Jessi for workin' it at the race and making us look so GOOOOOOD!

A Lesson Learned.

Last Thursday I rode my bike to Deer Park and back, which is a routine route that I ride.  Usually, I have the pleasure of riding with my speedy friend, Tiffany.  However, she had a prior engagement and wasn't able to ride along.  So off I went, happy to be out in the beautiful evening sunshine.  About 15 minutes into my ride, I stopped at an intersection to wait for traffic to pass.  I unclipped both shoes, took a drink of water and set off again.  Stupidly, I didn't get my left shoe re-clipped on the pedal, lost my balance and took a spill.  My right shoe stayed clipped in, my bike fell on top of me, I got a bit scratched up, swore a little and moved on to finish a 2 hour ride.  When I got home, I  cleaned up and noticed some light bruises were appearing on both sides of my right knee, along with the scratches I already knew about.  Finally, although I didn't locate a bruise on my hip until Saturday, my right hip was stinging like crazy.  Fortunately, no serious injuries to worry about.

Fast forward to Sunday's Radiant Lake triathlon.  I hadn't really been on my bike since Thursday, but I did continue to ride 1:45 after I wrecked it that night.  So it seemed good to go for the race, especially since Greg (thank you, sweetheart) had changed my wheels and generally looked it over for me.  HOWEVER, at the race, about mile #2 of 14 of the bike leg, I heard an odd clicking noise and then my right bike shoe shot forward off my pedal!  With trepidation, I regained my composure and was able to "click" back into the pedal.  But when I did, it felt all floaty and not properly clicked in.  Kept riding albeit a tad gingerly.  About once a mile, my shoe would unclip and shoot out in front of me, I'd reclip and carry on.  I literally prayed every single time my shoe unclipped, "Please God, let me finish this ride before my shoe breaks completely."  At around mile 10, as my shoe floated out to the right, I saw that my cleat was all but disconnected from the shoe and out shot my shoe again!  So I made a plan...I convinced myself if my cleat broke off, I'd simply take off my shoe, pocket it and ride with my foot on my Speedplay pedal.  Why not, I only had less than 4 miles to go?  Luckily, the cleat held and I made it safely into T2.  As I rolled my bike into transition, a race volunteer asked me how the ride went.  I told him about my shoe.  While I was changing into my racing flats, he inspected the shoe.  We found that three of the four screws that SHOULD hold my cleat on my shoe, were actually missing!!!  My cleat was holding on by one screw.  This explained the floaty feeling, the disconnection of my shoe to pedal, the clicking sound I heard a few times while riding and the reason I kept coming unclipped.

This is not a post to make excuses of why I could have ridden faster or any other kind of excuse.  This is to say that I really, really should have checked all of my equipment before I raced on Sunday.  After falling over on my bike, while remaining clipped in, I might have suspected all was not well.  This was an important lesson to learn.  One I hope I don't have to keep re-learning through my own stupid mistakes!

Iron Eagle Sprint Tri

Sunday I competed in the Iron Eagle sprint triathlon in Cheney, WA.  This race was my very first triathlon back in 1998, when I took the "triathlon training" course at EWU and then raced at the Iron Eagle for the final exam.  I have fond memories of the race and the race director is an old friend of ours.  Since 1998, I have raced there at least 4 times and always enjoy it. Afterward anyway :).  I was fortunate this year to race with my husband, some teammates, Rene, Merissa and Dave and watch my brother-in-law finish his first triathlon eva.  Yay, Gary!

 Thank you to Trish & John for taking the great pictures at the race & counting my laps!

The swim is 500 meters and is in a pool.  Not my favorite choice to race in, but I thought it would at least allow me to measure my swim progress by comparing it with the 500 yards I timed myself doing a month ago.  Because of course, I didn't remember that EWU's is a meter pool, instead of Whitworth's yard pool.  Whitworth is where I swim Monday through Friday, and also where I timed my 500 at the end of April.  Needless to say, I shouldn't have asked my friends Trish and John during the run, what my swim time was.  Carry on though, right?  Later I would find out my swim was an 1:10 improvement over the 500 pool swim I raced last year and a mere two seconds faster than a month ago. 

 After making it safely into the field house, I put on my new (to me) aero helmet (Thanks Greggy!!!), race belt and shoes.  I managed to screw around in T1 trying to put gloves on wet fingers, to eventually give up the cause.  Unlucky for me, this was captured on film and can be viewed on Dave's blog.

I know I need a more aggressive fit.

Iron Eagle's bike portion is an out and back, relatively flat course that takes you headlong into the wind and provides a pretty solid tailwind back.  I pushed myself hard on this bike ride, never worried about the effect pedaling my legs off might have on the forthcoming run.  I ended up completing the 10 miles ride in 32 minutes.

T2 went much more smoothly, as I just had to take off my helmet, change my shoes and grab my visor to put on while running upwards.

The run starts out going straight up a dirt hill and out the main road from the college.  This year, the wind was at my back going out and eventually downhill, and forcefully and unfortunately inmyface running back uphill and the down to the finish.  Whatever the elements were, I ran as fast as my legs would carry me for 3.1 miles and finished the run in about 23 minutes.

The scenery wasn't too shabby, especially if you like farmland.

After doing the sprint entirely on feel, because my Polar is dead ...we didn't get any results when the race ended!  The Iron Eagle is raced in waves and I was in wave #3.  The director and his crew don't take splits and provide a somewhat shaky approximate finish time.  There is one gal sitting on a rock at the finish line, who asked me for my race number a short time after I crossed the finish line.  Yes, this race is VERY low key!  I know that no one in my wave passed me and that all the women were behind me during the race.  However, I don't know my "official" overall time or placement.  The only reason I know my splits is because I have fantastic friends that timed my swim and run, and I caught my bike time on my computer. 

Finally though, despite not having a lot of precise data I am fine with my performance.  And I know that I have many other "tests" of fitness in store for me throughout the season.