MY FIRST REPEAT

Yep, that's me... starting my first repeat triathlon. This same race was my very first triathlon, this same weekend last year.... can you believe that now it is my SEVENTH!! Crazy town!

Mom, Wint and Brittney came to cheer me on... I always love having a support crew. It makes it fun during the bike to wonder where they will pop up along the course.

The bike portion was SUPER HILLY. Crazy hills, and lots of them. I conquered two hills standing up, which has always been a struggle for me, so I felt like I had a big accomplishment there. Overall I feel like I did well on the bike course, I am interested to see my time.... it should be a good one.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!! Now onto the 5k....

I survived the pouring rain, lightining, thunder, another SUPER HILLY run course.... We ran through the State Mental Hospital  grounds with are always beautiful, but a little creepy as you run past the razor-wire yard. Too bad none of the crazies were out, I probably would have ran a little faster. haha.

The people that take off your chip at the finish line are some of my favorite volunteers, because as I am standing there with my legs shaking and my whole body tingling they bend over to take off my chip, so I don't have to.

Yep, crazy weather, but we survived.... and the brand new shoes got their introduction to mud

Yep, that's me feeling good.... Cool, rainy weather, a great conquering bike course, a fun successful run, no swim (due to lightening), but a successful seventh race if I do say so myself! It's always a good day when this smile busts out at the finish line!!

Hand over my heart, tugging on heart strings.

Seven years, can you believe it has been that long? Seven years since I lost an athlete on the ice, during a game, and it changed my life forever.

 

I was thinking of him last Saturday and Sunday, during the national anthem at our collegiate soccer games. I always think of him during the national anthem, because for three years after his death, every time I heard that National Anthem this was my view. 



 

We hung his retired number right next to the American flag, and as I looked at the flag and banner side by side the sting of that horrid night came back.

 

Now every time I cover my heart and listen to this powerful anthem, I think of him. I'll admit, the memory isn't quite as stinging anymore, but it still comes.... and I hope it always does.

 

His death changed my life. It made me question this career, it made me question my life. It changed the way I choose to live.

 

I am grateful for his memory, I am grateful for the love and friendship of his family. I am grateful for how my life has changed to follow his lead to never pass up an opportunity to do something great.

 

So, Jax, yes.... I think of you often, especially as I stand with my hand over my heart. Old habits die hard.

 

To read more about this great man, see www.rockonjaxon.com

Grilling Solo

I was talking to my Lil' Sis yesterday and told her that I wished she lived closer so we could BBQ out back and drink chai tea on the porch... that is just isn't the same doing those things for yourself and no one to share it with.

Well, after a suprise cancellation of soccer practice I found myself at home three hours early. I decided that it's crap that I don't BBQ for myself... I should pamper myself more often.

So, I grabbed those steaks that were thawing for food prep and threw them on the grill, started some mashed potatoes. Then grabbed some peaches and threw those on the grill as well.

I grabbed one of my salads from food-prep that morning and whipped up a lemonade/berry/orange rum cocktail.... I was going all out.

By this time the steaks were ready for a flip and quickly finished. I made up my plate and sat on my back patio to enjoy my feast.

I will admit, best steak I have cooked in awhile, too bad no one else could enjoy it as well....

The peaches were great, the mashed pots hit the spot....

The pups and I enjoyed the warm back yard with it's perfect cool breeze. I sat and made lazy mental checklists of everything I wanted to do in the back yard.... hang the shade canopy, dead-head the roses, next year put the tomatoes at the back of the garden beds, roses along the north fence, blah blah blah....

Things were progressing nicely, almost too nicely.

It was then that I stood up to go in the house and realized, that cocktail? Yeah, I was drunk. Wayyy drunk. I didn't realize how big it was when I made it.... but it caught up with me, fast. No wonder I had such a lovely meal alone. LOL 

A COLORFUL LIFE

When I bought my house I knew I wanted to do something to the front yard and this wonderful porch, but I couldn't quite figure out what.  I went back and forth, even contemplating fencing the whole thing for a courtyard... but then I realized it would look like a compound and no one would be able to see the porch!! 

Well, I've been in my house for five months now (can you believe it?!?!) and I decided that it was finally time to do something. It needed some curb appeal....

So, here is the before.... 

And after a sweaty Saturday and Sunday this is what I came up with.

I knew I wanted color... so here it is!! I think that some of the eves will be purple in the near future... but I didn't get it done this weekend.

You can't really see it, but the address plaque is this gorgeous glass tile.... that same tile is also on the table top. That was a super fun project, I have been looking forward to it for awhile now.

I love it. At first I was a bit scared when I did that first stroke of the teal paint... but now that it has settled on me for a few days I am really liking it.

So, there ya have it. My grey and white house has a little pizazz now. Quite perfect for a girl like me, if I do say so myself....

Porter's Great Adventure

I got the call you never want to get, my neighbor calling to say that my little one is out and is heading towards a busy intersection. I'm at work.

So I immediately call in backups and run to my car, speed all the way home and call my helpful neighbor on the way. He says, "there is a lady out on her run... she is trailing him. He's running from her though."

As I get within a few blocks I call again, I get vectored into their location and I park at the curb. As I get onto the sidewalk I can see our helpful-runner coming my direction... as I look in front of her I see it. A little black speck, running his guts out and barely cresting the small hill.

I yell, "Porter! Come here!" He stops, utter confusion... "What is Mom doing out here in this wierd place? And why is this crazy lady chasing me?"

After I called him again he came and jumped into my arms, gave me a few kisses and then continued to pant his guts out. He had one hell of a run!!

I thanked my neighbors profusely and gave out a few hugs.

My helpful runner-neighbor said that he gave her a good workout! Took her on a new route, hit a hill she wasn't used to, she had to use her arms as she blocked traffic for him to cross the street, etc... and 30 minutes went by so quickly already!

Maybe Porter has a new career ahead of him, Personal Trainer! Not if I have any say... his cute little butt is only leaving the house when I'm attached to it from now on.

I got home, he ran for water, I found the warped part of my new fence that he got out through and blocked it with a huge rock.

I loved on Ike a bit... obviously confused as to what was going on. When I opened the door he was waiting for me, swollen with the expression of, "MOM, PORTER IS GONE. I don't know where he is, and I think that guy next door with the crazy dogs is chasing him."

I got them all tucked in, left out lots of treats and puzzles to keep them occupied and left... hoping that everything will be ok when I return from work.

It does make me feel a bit guilty though, he wouldn't be trying to get out if he didn't feel like he was missing something where he was. I need to be home more. Here come all the "guilty-mom" feelings.....

I snapped this picture before I left... I can't tell if he's longing for another adventure or grateful to have survived the first one.

The bigger the key chain the more important you are

 My keychain used to look like this...

Now it looks like this,

and I couldn't be happier about it.

After four years of being "part-time" (yet working full-time hours) at Westminster College, we finally got word that this year budget was approved for me to be full-time staff/faculty.

So, this year I am moving over into the newer training room. For the past week I have been cleaning and rearranging. I can't take clutter and disorganization very well, so that was the first thing that needed to be fixed.

This year I will be responsible for Men's Soccer, Snowboarding (Men's and women's) and Cross Country/Track (Men's and Women's).

Men's soccer started yesterday. It's going to be a long, crazy season... but I am ready for the challenge and to prove that I can knock this out of the park.

I also took over the snowboard team, and I really mean took it over. My technical job title is "Head Coach", but it should really be Director of Operations or General Manager. I won't do much coaching, but I am in charge of everything else. So right now I am at my desk and taking a break from responding to recruits. Luckily I have watched my parents do this dance for years. I have watched them build teams and manage them awesomely, so while I know that this will be a huge job, I know that I can do a good job.

I am also taking over a new class to teach. I will be teaching Intro to Athletic Training, on top of my other three classes I teach in the health and wellness department. I will have a full schedule, but I am excited about it. Two days a week I will have three full hours of teaching. I love teaching, it makes me feel like I am doing some good in the world... so I am excited to get some good classroom time and tell some fun stories. This should be a great class for sharing stories, pictures, x-rays, videos, etc.... sound like a great time. :)

So, yes, it's only the beginning of July... and yes, I am already busy busy back at work. I didn't really get a summer this year, but then again, who does?

I have been working for this for a long time, and to be here at 31-years-old is an honor.

Who needs Magic Mike when.....????

  Poppa and Owen got hired to work the Spartan Race in Midway, UT yesterday... and they roped me into it. The good news was I was able to tag along with this guy all day!! Yep, that's my stud of a bro Owen, and YES, we are covered in dust/mud... and I do mean COVERED!!

Owen was a roving medic for Phase 2 of the 13-mile course and I was assigned as his sidekick. We had at least half a dozen "obstacles" in our section including cargo nets, sandbag carries, mud crawls, barbed wire crawls, carrying buckets filled with rocks, eight-foot walls to climb over... not to mention trail running, and lots of it.

As we were driving around in our UTV (utility-terrain-vehicle) I quickly realized three things...

1. This was going to a long, hot day for everyone involved.... runners and staff alike.

2. We were going to get REALLY dirty.

3. There was A LOT of eye candy.

I didn't realize that mud runs = little clothing. Makes sense... but I wasn't expecting it!!

I quickly realized that muscles + mud + sweat = FUN!!

So... I got a front row roving seat for this all day....

Crawling under barbed-wire....

and rolling under barbed wire...

and crawling through mud....

and wading through mud...

chopping and throwing...

carrying sandbags...

climbing walls...

and climbing nets...

looking manly...

and finishing...

luckily, lots of finishing.

We had a great time. Quite a unique race that was very impressive to watch. We handed out lots of water, electrolytes and encouragement. Honestly, we didn't see anything too fun (fun = gorey).... but any day with these two is a great day.

Oh, and we found these crazies along the way as well!! They volunteered in registration and the bucket brigade. Dirt and sweat for everyone!!

(Jake, Abby, Pops, Owen, Me)

Our 12-hour day is done... give me some pulled-pork nachos (YUMM!!) and send me home for a shower!