First Marathon-Seattle

My training for the marathon went better than I thought it would. Through the training I began to look forward to the longer runs each weekend. I had an awesome group of people to train with which helps so much! Everything was going so smooth until the night of Halloween, which was exactly four weeks before the marathon. I BROKE my freaking toe! How did I do that? Well let's just say I ran into my friend's sofa and the sofa won! I didn't run on it for exactly two weeks. So instead I did water jogging which sucked ass! I did do some swimming as well just to change it up a bit. I got up to 20 miles in training but missed the 21 mile training. I was a little worried but knew I had built up a great base. My body felt great and no other injuries to speak of.

Two weeks after my healing period I began to run "funny" on the treadmill. It didn't really hurt much but didn't want to push it. I was down to the last week and of course it was taper week which I didn't feel like I should be tapering due to me not running much at all. Taper week is when you begin to taper down the miles to give your body a rest.

Marathon day is here and I'm worried! My friend and i agreed to run the race together which we did. We supported one another and had a really good time. She had knee issues but we worked through it. I remember telling her " you know marathons are kind of hard!" She laughed and said "yeah, they are!" It was in the low 40's and I never got too hot or uncomfortable. We were near the last couple of miles and my legs began to feel sore. I pushed through and we ran through the finish line together with a time of 5:35. This is not the time I hoped for but was happy to finish and would not have changed it for the world. I teared up with such great feeling of accomplishment and congratulated all my running friends on their victory finish!

Marathon Training.....Odds & Ends

I've been pretty busy since the last time I wrote, it's now mid October. The training has been coming along nicely and I'm proud of the outcome thus far. I trained for the Honolulu marathon last year and couldn't get past 15 miles so I gave up! I thought running this far was just not in the cards for me. Well I have a goal, in two years I want to complete an Iron Man Triathlon. The Iron Man consists of a 2.1 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and finishing with a marathon of 26.2 miles. With this being said I wanted to complete a marathon by itself first to even know what that feels like.

I've been training for the Seattle Marathon since August. I have completed all my runs during the week and my long runs on Saturdays with the group. Last week was my biggest week and we ran 18 miles. I was worried how I would feel but pushed through it and actually felt really great once I finished. At mile 9 or so it began to rain and never stopped but hey, I live in Washington, enough said. This was good training because who knows what the weather will be like in November besides cold!

I've been on more hikes and have enjoyed the trails so much. The fall here is absolutely breath taking. The color change and the crisp cool air doesn't get any better than this.

I've made some great friends from my running and hiking group. They keep me going while Brian is away and I'm grateful for that. Not only are we active but food and cocktails following to celebrate our awesome accomplishments either summiting the top of a mountain or running our furthest runs.

Buddha

I've been so interested in Buddhism and have finally found a meet up group that teaches new beginners like myself and I have found it so fascinating thus far. I've been doing some reading and have attended my first meet up which meets every other Friday for lessons and mediation. I enjoy hearing and studying the philosophy of it all. I am a Christian but am always open to listen and understand other peoples way of thinking and believing.

I'm going to Thailand in December for 10 days and want to learn more about their culture and religion before I go. I don't know much yet but it definitely has my attention and I look forward to leaning much more.

Meditation! Wow, why haven't I been doing this a long time ago? I've been doing it but I guess I didn't realize it. Sometimes when I swim or run I lose myself and think of absolutely nothing! Now I know why I feel so refreshed and recharged afterwards! I know it has to do with the physical part but the mental is just as important as well. My first real sit down meditation was this past Friday with my new teacher and I did better than I thought. I did drift a few times but that is expected when learning how to meditate. If you have seen the movie or read the book "Eat, Pray, Love" then you will know what I'm talking about. The part where she is learning to meditate and her mind is all over the place, well I knew for sure that would be me. I never thought I could sit still for one much less think of nothing.

I had my meditation pillow and lit my candle this evening and did two sessions all on my own. The first session was 6 minutes long which I was shocked and the second was 5 minutes long. When I was done, I felt so relaxed, refreshed and very peaceful. This is a practice that will continue to grow with me along with my yoga practice. I encourage everyone to try and sit still for a few moments and try to think of absolutely nothing! Try it, quite challenging but so worth it! Oh and you don't need a special pillow either!

August 2010-September 2010

I can't believe it's almost two months since I have written. There have been many events in the past two months. I am still enjoying Washington very much and never thought I would see such beautiful trees. The trees here are huge and the mountains just leave me speechless. The weather in so nice and cool although coming from Hawaii after three years, 65 degrees is still chilly for me. I'm sure I will adjust!

Brian came home after a month long deployment August 15Th. He took some time off and we really enjoyed ourselves. We hiked Wallace Falls and saw some beautiful waterfalls that just took your breath away. We jumped on the ferry from Anacortes to Lopez island where we enjoyed an awesome bike ride of just over 30 miles. It was great riding with him again, it has been quite some time since our last ride which was in Hawaii, March to be exact. We really enjoyed our time being together because we new it would soon come to an end.



After about a week that Brian was home he reported back to the ship and Mom came into town for four days. She and I had a wonderful time together and crammed so many things into so little time. We drove to Leavenworth, German town 2 hours East of me and was such an awesome drive. The leaves were actually starting to change a bit and we drove along and through the mountains with a river running by. I too took her on the ferry from Anacortes but we went to San Juan instead. We had lunch first in Friday Harbor and then drove around the island seeing the lavender farm, sat and watched the ocean while the cool breeze blew in our face, stopped by a small little winery for some tastes and finally ended up back in Friday Harbor for dinner. We also went to Seattle and walked around Pike's Market, viewing all the beautiful flowers, fresh produce, fresh seafood and much much more. We also found a small park and sat there for a few moments and took in all the fresh air and the beautiful bright sunshine in our faces! All good things must come to an end and then she left back to Texas.






I signed up for a hot yoga, 10 sessions for 10 dollars. It wasn't a bad deal at all and has been a very interesting experience. The first day I went I had to sit down almost the entire time. The competitive self in me was not liking this at all but the yoga side of me said to just relax and stretch while I sat there. There is a good reason why it's called hot yoga, when entering the room it is 95 degrees in there. It feels like a sauna almost. Then you begin to do yoga poses, stretching and standing postures. It may sound easy but it really isn't unless you are really good in heat. My first visit was also at 9:30 in the morning so I was most likely a bit dehydrated. I've been back a total of five times and the last four I've gone to the evening class and have completed all the classes, well almost!

I've entered a few races such as the Cougar Mountain Half Marathon Trail Run and the Iron Girl 10K. The trail run was pretty tough but was a total blast. Yes, I'm sick that way. The harder it is the better I feel but to an extent. It took me 3.5 hours to complete it but the trail was challenging and fun the entire time well except for the up hill parts! The 10K was a nice run, it was around a nice lake near Seattle. It was overcast and we thought we were going to be soaked afterwards but not one drop! I was 42 seconds slower than my fasted 10K. That's okay because I like to run for fun and not to competitive as I am in triathlons.

High Hut Hike

I've been in WA for one month and six days. At one month and three days I did my first back packing trip after 10 plus years in the Hila National Forrest. I was a little rusty at my packing but the good thing about the trip is that we stayed in a hut rather than a tent. Staying in a tent means packing a stove, dishes, water purifier etc. This hut had many amenities such as: mats to sleep on (we packed our sleeping bags), shelter obviously, propane stove, a good source of water and many dishes and utensils for gourmet cooking.



I went with seven other women which I never had met before except one, Kari, I did one other hike with her. I met all these ladies through a meetup.com group called Outdoor Women 30's+. So far they have all been extremely kind and an awesome group of women.

We communicated through the website who was bring what so we didn't overlap food or bring to much. I brought homemade oatmeal bars, quinoa salad, tuna and of course, wine! Allot of discussions were mostly about coffee and wine so I knew I was in a good group. Buzz in the morning and buzz before bed! I packed my bag the night before and it felt really heavy but then again I hadn't done this in a very long time.

I pack up the truck and picked up three other women. We finally arrived to the trail head after about 3 hours of driving and a few stops. The trail head was near Mt. Rainier which our view from the hut looked right across it. We loaded our packs and began up the trail. The trail was about 4 miles and it was ALL UP HILL! There were no breaks of flatness and it was in the heat of the day which made it a bit hotter. I under estimated the hike and the load on my back (about 40-45 pounds) and right before the top I had to hydrate with electrolytes due to the weak feeling in my body. Once I had some fuel I was good to go and finished the hike in 2.5 hours. The total elevation gain was 2,500 feet in those 4 miles. Once I made it to the top the view was amazing and was all worth it. I was glad because I was wondering what in the heck I was doing while hiking up. We all made it and unloaded our gear. We had an awesome dinner that night which was tuna/chicken salad on a bed of lettuce, couscous, quinoa salad and of course wine! We sat around and chatted then hit the hay for more hiking the next day.



Day 2 we all woke to my phone alarm that I forgot to turn off from the day before. Some were already awake but others were not and didn't appreciate an alarm while camping but I was forgiven! It was a good thing because what we woke up to was absolutely amazing. There was a blanket of clouds below us and the sunrise was just breath taking. We all hurried out of our sacks and grabbed our cameras. It was going to be an awesome day.



One of the ladies even made fresh blueberry pancakes for breakfast and they were fabulous! Then around 9:15 three of us began our exploring and hiked about 8 miles. We hiked to a lake and then to another hut which was called the Snow Bowl but had burned down. The view from the Snow Bowl was nice but ours was so much better. He had a picnic at the Snow Bowl and hiked for about 3.5 hours with 4,250 elevation gain. We got back to our hut and I was pretty tired so I laid down and actually took a small cat nap. I woke up about 3:30 and asked if it was time to drink some wine. Everyone agreed that it was 5 o'clock somewhere and the pouring began. We had wraps for dinner which included: red beans and rice, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, olives, avocado, and broccoli salad. What a feast! To top it off we had brownies for dessert!



Day 3 we all got up around 6:30 and began to pack up and clean the hut. We all ate left over pancakes and had our morning java. It was sad to leave this beautiful place but were blessed to have gone there and enjoy the time spent. It took about 1.5 hours to hike down which was really easy because it was all down hill. We were then greeted by a cute brown bunny by our vehicles so we fed him our left over lettuce and fresh spinach. He was a happy bunny that day...I'm assuming!



All and all it was a wonderful trip with some amazing women. By the time we got close to home Nancy and I stopped for some Mexican food and enjoyed a nice cold margarita! That was a great way to end the trip.

The beginning of the Seattle Marathon

I sighed up for training today! The Seattle Amica Insurance Marathon Sunday, Nov.28th
Training $200
New Shoes $100
Race Fee $95.00
Me finishing.....Priceless! (I hope!)

San Juan Island Bike Ride

It's July 26TH and I have been painting my new house like a crazy woman and shopping to find the perfect item to decorate. I have finally come to a point where I can rest now and put a hold on the house until a later date. I had ordered a book called "Biking Puget Sound", while reading and looking for my first ride I decide to hit the San Juan Islands. There are four: San Juan, Orcas, Lopez and Shaw. San Juan looked most appealing to me and the book description said this:
Difficulty: Moderate (didn't know hilly meant moderate)
Total Time: allow 3 hours (I finished 2:50, yeah!)
Total Distance: 32.6 (felt more like 50 when I was done)
Total Elevation Gain: 1,860 feet (guess I didn't pay much attention to this one, duh!)
I had to drive an hour to Anacortes, WA to catch the 10:15 am ferry which I missed. Well I thought that is okay because I have no job, no time schedule and a cat waiting for me at home. The next ferry was at 11:55 am. I began talking to this very nice family from Oregon which helped the time go by. Finally we aboard the ferry and I thumb through some brochures to see what to expect. I find a local bike shop so when I got off the ferry I headed right over. I inquired about the island and what to expect. The guy at the store said it nice but there are some "good" hills. I'm thinking okay I'm good at hills no problem. Good thing I ate a good breakfast because it was 1:30 and I was just starting my journey with a good breakfast and a cliff bar on the ferry.


I "gear" up and I'm a little anxious because one I'm by myself, not familiar with the teretority and jittery because I was drinking coffee all morning. Oh did I fail to mention it was 56 degrees while we were waiting for the ferry? Well it was and I had shorts, short-sleeve cycling jersey and a light hoodie on. I need to remind everyone I just moved from Hawaii and visitng Texas. I was cold!!!!

Anyway I head out and I'm not even a half mile out and I noticed that my heart rate monitor was not reading on my watch. For those of you that use one, this is a must! So I'm moving along and I decide to go up this driveway and into the parking lot to fix this technical difficulty so I can continue. I didn't even make it up the driveway and noticed I had fallen over on my right side still clipped in (clipped in is where my feet are still attached to my pedals! OMG how embarrising. To top it off I'm still in the town and I hear a woman yell across the street "Are you okay"? I wanted to cry deep inside but just laughed and said "yes, I'm okay", her reply was "I've done that before". I thinking yes we all have but it's still embarrassing and my left side really hurts.

I scrape myself off the pavement and get my stupid heart rate monitor to work and of course my heart rate is quite excelled at this point. I begin to pedal away and don't look back. I'm riding along and at 6.5 miles I come up over a hill and see this fabulous Lavendar Farm. It was so beautiful and even the port-a-potty has lavendar in it. I wanted to roll in it and sooth my left side of my body but didn't think it was appropirate.


At 10.5 miles I am up high over looking some cliffs and the ocean below me. I even noticed the Orca whales swimming around. That was pretty cool. I must mention that this island has no bike lanes nor shoulders. Bikers, mopeds, scooters, go-cart looking things, vehicles and cyclist all share the road. At first this made me very nervous because there were curves and nothing but forest on either side. Once I noticed the lack of cars and the many bikes then I began to feel more at ease. I was told by mile 18 there was the one killer hill. Shit, I had been doing hills all day so far! Any of you that know about heart break hill in Hawaii, well there were several! I decide to stop at San Juan County Park and carb up with the little yummy power bar "candies" filled with fruity gel in the middle. I'm ready for anything at this point! LOL I make it to the "hill" and not too bad!


By now I can still feel some soreness in my left leg as I crank down on the hills but still going somewhat strong. I arrive at mile 22 and it's a small town called Roche Harbor. It was nice but I didn't stop and headed towards the San Juan Vineyard at mile 28.6. Now here is where I should of stopped but did not and continued on and arrived safe and sound back at Friday Harbor where I began. I put up all my gear, changed clothes and hit the nearest bar! I found a nice little bar and restaurant over looking the harbor where the ferries pull in. I ordered fish tacos and two beers, but drank one at a time. For those of you who do long work-outs it doesn't take much for that buzz to hit right after. I had my beers and dinner and by 6:50 I was back on the ferry and arrived home at 9:00. I was pooped but it was an awesome day and wished my honey was with me the whole time. I had to go home and rest for my 8 mile trail run the next day!

Denny Creek, Washington

I was told about a website called meetup.com, it's to meet people in your area with whatever interest you log in. I typed in Hiking, go figure, and found this fabulous group named Outdoor Women 30+. Yes, I know it's shocking, I am in my thirties for those of you that didn't know any better. LOL Anyway I met them on Saturday, July 17Th for a wonderful hike. It only took about an hour to arrive at the trail head.

The total hike was roughly nine miles round-trip and took us around 6-7 hours plus we had lunch at the lake, which was our destination. Along the way were amazing waterfalls over the rocks and some parts still had some snow.

It was amazing to know I was living here and have such beautiful country to view and enjoy. The women were great and we had lots to talk about along the way. I look forward to many more hikes in Washington State.

Catching up...June-July 2010

After my big race it was time to play, play and more play. A few weeks after the race I went to Virgina to visit Brian and my friend Cori and her family. Virgina was hot but very fun. We went to a baseball game, the flying squirrels! Good time and very low key. We also did a 7 hour canoe trip down the Rappahannock river. It was fun and the "girls" boat never tipped over, can't say much for the fellas but it was all in good fun. After seeing two snakes in the river I didn't really want to "fall" over. Cori and I ran a 5K in downtown Fredericksburg. We both hadn't ran in awhile but that was our second (1st was in Hawaii) run together. It was more about running with her than trying to beat any personal records. We also attended a crab boil and that was allot of fun until Cori decided to chase Brian down the hill on a long board. She went to fast and tried to "hop" off, didn't quite happen that way. She jumped off, hit the pavement and did a face plant into the street. She look hot as ever with her later we found out broken wrist and knot on the forehead. Long story short she had to have surgery the following week.



The night before we left Virgina, Brian and I had no idea where we were headed to next. So while at the crab boil someone suggested the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Brian and I agreed and said let's go. We stayed there for two nights and had a wonderful and relaxing time. I got to do runs on the beach, we had nice seafood dinners and made it to a comedy show. The comedians were okay and we chuckled a few times. It must be hard to get in front of a live audience and keep them entertained with comedy. I do envy them for getting up there. The last day we were there we took our time and left around 9am to catch the ferries. We didn't know what we were about to face but really weren't on a time schedule and eventually wanted to get to Florida. It was North Carolina, it shouldn't take that long to get to Florida, right? Wrong! We caught the first ferry and it took us 30 min to get across to the next ferry. We got to the second ferry and had to wait over an hour but again, this was okay because we had beers on the water and some hot steamy clams! We aboard the ferry and it was a two hour ferry ride. By the time we got on the main highway it was going on 7pm. So we went less than a 100 miles in 10 hours. Wow, we thought so we kept driving and got to Dade city the next day at 8am. We were in the car for 22 hours and again this was from NC to FL.



We stayed a week with Brian's Dad and hung out with him going to dinners, movies, the bars and even Disney! We stayed two nights in Orlando and hit Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Magic Kingdom. It was fun but I'm glad I got it out of my system. I couldn't do that place year after year if I had kids! Like I said it was fun and "magical" but once was good for me.



After about a week in Dade City with Brian's Dad we went to Jacksonville. I got to see and visit some friends. It was great seeing them and getting to visit. Brian went back to Virgina to finish his last school and I just hung out in Jacksonville for a few days. Once I was done visiting, I flew back to Texas and waited for my honey to pick me up so we could head to our new home, Washington State.






Brian finally got to Houston after two weeks and we hit the road. We were in my jeep with many suitcases, crap and sweet little Moe for 3.5 days. We did stop at night to rest and sleep. We drove through many states which included: Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Oregon and finally Washington. It was a long 3.5 days and saw some pretty scenery but not until Wyoming. We also heard on the radio while driving through Kansas that they were passing a seat belt law and if you got caught without it then you were fined $5 and next year it would double. You are thinking wow, but have you ever driven through that state? Country roads! It amused us coming from the city and all.



We arrive in Washington and check into the Navy Lodge on July 1st. We found the house we are currently living in on the 2ND. We looked around some more but none of them could compare to what we had already seen. So on the 8Th we signed the lease and the very next day, the 9Th, the movers brought our house hold goods. Brian and I busily unpacked all weekend. We got all our utilities hooked up, Internet and cable running, bought furniture and had delivered etc. Brian then leaves for a short deployment on the 15Th. It is now the 28Th of July and I have painted my guest bathroom, kitchen and dining room.



Yes, I was on the move for quite some time. I'm done working on the house for now and now it is time to explore Washington...........

Race Day!

Saturday morning arrives which was the day before the race. Mom and I got up early packed the car and off to Dallas we went. After about five hours we finally arrive to Plano Cycling to retrieve my race packet which included my bib number, race number for bike, a nice T-shirt, cycling socks and of course fliers for all sorts of advertisements. Normally you get the race number, T-shirt and fliers but when you pay over a $100 for a race I guess socks are included! I also received another shirt after the race! Anyway I was speaking to a volunteer and we were discussing the Lake water and how cold it may be due to all the rain it had gotten. She asked if i had a wet suit and I said "No". I was racing in Dallas, TX and it didn't even occur to me that a wet suit may be needed. Not only was I stressed about the race but now I was worried about getting too cold in the lake. Another volunteer over heard our conversation and asked if i wanted to change my race from the half iron to the Olympic distance. I politely said no thanks but in my head I was saying "hell no, I've been training for months and I don't want water temp to stop me from doing the half". They were both very nice and very helpful, in fact, they sent me to Richardson Bike Mart where they rent and sell wetsuits. Okay, I'm calming down at this point!

On my way to the next bike shop I phoned Brian to give him the heads up on my situation. The situation was I may be renting a suit for $55 or buying one for $300-$400. Yeah, guess which one he wanted to support! I walk in and talk to Cara which was very helpful and i explained my situation. First, I needed a suit for the race and I would eventually need one in Washington State but wasn't sure which one would work in the long run. I thought there might be two suits to choose from but NO, there were about 3-4 different types and I was so confused. I then decided to just rent one for the race which was sleeveless and fit perfect (the scary thing here was I have never trained in a wetsuit). I asked if I could mail it back so I didn't have to drive all the way back to the store and she said that would be fine. Great, got me a suit and I knew I would be fine in the water!

All dilemmas solved and Mom and I drive to our hotel which was a La Quinta. It was nice and clean but in a not so good area. My cousin Bobby told me about it and he was staying there as well. We met up with him and his friend, Jeff. We all four went to the Olive Garden for dinner. We all car bed up on pasta, salad and bread sticks! By the time we got back to our hotel it was going on 8:00. I was getting a bit tired and had to lay out all my gear in preparation for the race. I was a little worried I didn't have enough fuel (gels, snacks etc.) but I felt what I had would get me through. After packing everything up and laying out my clothes I hit the sack and was out in no time. This was a good thing since I thought I may not be able to go to sleep feeling the way I was.

The alarm buzzes and it's 4:00 a.m. race day morning! My stomach is a ball of nerves and I'm not that hungry. There is something defiantly wrong if I'm not hungry. I got dressed, iced my water bottles and forced a bagel with peanut butter, fruit, a hard boiled egg and some coffee down my throat. I new I had to eat so I forced as much as I could without making myself sick. Mom was ready and we packed the car and drove to the park where the race was being held. It was about a 20-30 minute drive from the hotel. It was still dark when we arrived and I had a few moments to gather my thoughts.


I enter the transition area with all my gear and I began to set up next to Bobby and Jeff. We were all there about an hour before the race to prepare and get set up. It was getting near 7:00 so we began to suit up in our wetsuits and head to the water. Mom was great and had the camera ready! The gun went off and we hit the water and i felt great throughout the entire swim. I never had to switch to another stroke and didn't stop. I got to the shore and gave Mom a big smile and began to unzip my suit. I ran to T1 (transition 1) where I stripped off the wetsuit and got my biking mode on.


I jumped on the bike and felt really strong. The weather could not have been better at this time. It was very overcast with a very few sprinkles. At one point my feet were getting cold. I had my motor tab (drink with salts) in one bottle and a mixture of Gatorade and water in the other. I had two gels, energy jelly beans and bars chopped up in a baggie in the front pouch of my bike. I ready for anything, well almost anything! The bike course was a two loop of 24 miles each loop. The road was a bit rough and there were some rolling hills. As I was finishing the first loop, I began to feel a bit tired so I remained with my snacks and gels. I was worried at this point because I new I had 24 more miles to go plus the half marathon. I kept on trucking and I began to feel my second wind. By the last 10-12 miles I was ready to get off the bike and those rough roads. I had no flats and dropped my water bottle only once which I did stop to get because I knew I would need it.


It was nice to see the transition area again. I jumped off the bike and now was ready to run! Towards the end of the bike the sun began coming out and the clouds disappearing. The beginning of the run was a nice shady area through the park and then it took you on the road and then some on the highway. The run was also two loops and the road and highway part were awful due to the sun beating down on you. I was nice and strong for the first six miles but after that I began to fade a bit. I was putting ice under my hat and shooting gel from my bottle and staying hydrated. There were a few people along the way falling out and receiving medical attention. My goal now was to finish without any medical attention! Jeff caught up with me the last 4-5 miles and we kept motivating each other to finish the run. We soon heard the crowd and new the end was near. Before I crossed the finish line tears were rolling down my face and I was waving to Mom. I was so happy to see her and as I crossed the finish line we both hugged and cried. I was proud of myself for my accomplishment and so was she.


I finished 6:42 and 4th place out of my age group. I ranked 2nd in my swim, 3rd on the bike and 4th in the run out of the 5 women in my age group. It was an awesome experience and yes, I will do more in the future!

Trying to Stay on Track

After leaving Yosemite, CA, Brian and I headed to Las Cruces, NM. We drove straight through from California to New Mexico with a total of 16 hours. It was a long drive but we made it through and we were glad to see the Oregon Mountains (Small mountain range in Las Cruces). We stayed three nights and got to visit old friends and familiar places. We went to WSMR (White Sands Missle Range) where Brian and I first met (2004) and the bartender is STILL there. He has worked there for 35 years! Yes, 35 years as a bertender on a Army/Navy base. He is a hoot and so interesting to talk to. When I lived here we would bartend together and I really enjoyed working with him. A few other familiar faces were still there and it was great to see them after 3years, that was the last time we were there visiting. I spent some time with my friend Cindy by enjoying a 6 mile walk along the Rio Grande and then of course had lunch afterwards.

Leaving Las Cruces, NM, Texas/Houston was our next destination which took us only 13 hours. Yes, Mo is still with us and is still a great little traveler. By now we have been traveling for 10 days. The only exercise I have really been focusing on is running because you can do that anywhere. As you have read prior, running in new places is such an awesome feeling. There was one pool but was so short that I began to get dizzy swimming back and forth. As far as the bike, well I didn't have mine, no spinning classes available and not even a stationery bike. Out of the three legs, running is the best NOT to be slacking on!

We finally arrive in Houston April 30th! Brian and I put my bike together the very next day and off I went for a short 15 mile ride to test the bike. I shipped it from Hawaii to Houston (my Sister's) so I would have it for my race. It was so awesome to be able to ride again, the free feeling and the wind in my face. Two days later I got a 24 Hour Fitness memebership so I could have full access of the gym, group classes i.e. spinning and the pool! I did a swim and it felt better than I thought. I thought it would be much tougher due to the lack of swimming over the last couple of weeks. I was happy that my body still felt strong in the water and didn't want to just SINK!

I have one week and two days until my first half iron man and I'm pretty nervous! My goal is to finish!

Yosemite National Park

Wow, it was great to be back in the park after fourteen years! The winding road to the park takes about an hour to get to the valley. As you drive along this road you see miles and miles of pine trees and snow on the mountain tops. The air is crisp and clean as it passes through your lungs. Once you drive through the tunnel, there is a fabulous view of the valley, which was created by glaciers. That is amazing in itself once you see the depth of the valley.


Saturday we hiked Bridalveil Falls and Vernal Falls and it was quite crowded. We didn't realize it was National Park week (entrance is free) and many from all around were doing the same thing we were doing....enjoying Mother Nature at its finest! After the two hikes we were pretty pooped and enjoyed a hot pizza and cold beer at Curry Village. Curry Village is where I used to work many years ago and the memories were flowing. We were very relaxed and had a wonderful day.



Sunday we went back to the park and enjoyed another hike, Upper Yosemite Falls. We hiked about 4 hours and the views from above the pine trees were amazing. There were many switchbacks and the elevation gain was rather steep but challenging. Yosemite Falls is beautiful and breath taking all at once. The feeling you get from Yosemite is so peaceful and the spiritual feeling I feel here is like no other place!


Our hotel was very cozy and "in the woods" kind of feel. It was definitely a new place to run and enjoy the crisp clean air. I ran about 10 miles and enjoyed every mile looking at the mountain tops with snow and the smell of the pines. The picture enclosed is one of the streets I ran along. It doesn't get much better than this!

Back on the Mainland

We boarded our flight Wed. April 21, and the five hour flight went smoothly. Mo was settled in and did awesome for a cat on a plane. A few meows here and there but once he realized he wasn't getting out of his carrier he slept. They had movies available so we watched Avatar. It was a pretty good movie and glad I finally got to see it. The drive from LA to Delano was quite nice. We saw snow on top of a few mountains and the temp dropped to 41 degrees. Mo was content and slept well in the jeep. The picture proves it! :) Once we arrived in LA we waited patiently for our luggage. We hopped on the shuttle and headed to our room at the La Quinta Inn.


We woke up bright and early the next day so Brian could pick up the jeep from the LA port. The jeep is in great condition with no scratches or dings. Brian was sad because his Tom Tom (GPS) broke so he found a Target and bought a new one, a Garmin this time. I said we had a map but he insisted we would "need" the GPS. I have to admit they are pretty useful! Finally we arrive at The Best Western in Delano, CA. Once we settled in Brian and I went for a run, well we didn't run together because he ran 1.5 miles and I ran 4. After the run we hit the pool and I swam a few laps, yes laps which the pool was 25 feet long which made it about 7 yards. Yeah try and get some decent swimming in that. Then we jumped into the hot tub and relaxed for a few and finally got showered and had some dinner at the local diner which reminded me of a "fancy" Denny's! Here we planned to stay two nights and explore Sequoia Nat Park but called and the road conditions up there are not looking good due to snow. We have decided to stay only one night and head to Yosemite today which is Friday. We will stay there for three nights and see as much as we can and hopefully hike around if not too much snow.

Next post will be about Yosemite hopefully with beautiful pictures!

First Stop Navy Lodge

The movers came last Thursday to start packing us out. They finished by Friday and Brian and I are now homeless with no street address. We are currently staying at the Navy Lodge on Ford Island in Hawaii of course and have 4 more days left. Wow, can't believe it is coming to an end so soon.

Moe, the cat has adjusted pretty well. He had a vet appointment yesterday morning and his health certificate reads a clean bit of health! After his appointment I had to kill several hours before hotel check-in. I had lunch with a friend, picked up my race packet for my sprint triathlon on Sunday, and then finally tried to check in the hotel a bit early. No can do said the receptionist! So Moe and I sat in the truck with a nice breeze blowing through overlooking Pearl Harbor for an hour. It was kind of nice to just sit and relax for once. I did talk to my Mom for almost that full hour as well. I'm looking forward to seeing her and my family!

We finally get checking in, taking almost 35 minutes just to get my room. I had four huge suitcases one being a sea bag weighing sixty something pounds. As I wheel my cart past the front desk I ask where is my elevator to my room, her response was "oh there is no elevator for your room"! I then begin lugging the suitcases and not too long after Brian shows up to the hotel and helps me out! NO elevator! What kind of crap was that!

We unloaded and got organized and Moe finally got to check out the room. Cats are very curious creatures and must seek out all ends of the room. The hotel has nice big window sills for him to view the outdoors. He now sleeps soundly knowing one, he is not going anywhere and two he is safe with his mama and papa!


Our first night here I went out with my girlfriends for dinner and some dancing. I haven't been to a club in a long while and it was more fun people watching than it was to dance. I am so happy that I have Brian and don't have to date anymore. It seems really scary these days! Brian went out with his friend and played some darts and had a few beers. We slept in a bit and had some coffee this morning and now on day 2 here at the Navy Lodge!

Transferring

The last time I posted a blog was almost a month ago. Here it is April 1st and I have exactly 20 days left on the island. The weeks and months have flown by this year and I knew it would. We are in preparation of moving off island. Brian has sold some items that we will no longer need such as my surf board! :( We have planned our road trip from California to Houston and have even shipped my Jeep. Things are happening so fast and the worst part of it all is I am sad to leave my very close friends behind. It's great to move around, explore new cities, have new adventures but meeting great people and leaving them behind sucks! Yes, there is email and the phone but what about the coffee and lunch dates? Those are gone unless you visit that person once you have left. Good friends and good people are hard to come by these days which is sad but so true.

I have one more week of work and then it's vacation time for the Rieger's. Brian will be on leave from April 8th until we leave the island which will be April 21st. We are flying to Los Angeles, picking up our car, and staying one night there. Our first stop will be Sequoia National Park for two days and then Yosemite for three days. I'm so excited about taking Brian to Yosemite. We will then drive towards Las Cruces, NM to visit a friend of mine and then finally head to Houston.

We will enjoy the time we have left here and spend as much time with our friends that we can. They will be missed dearly and thank goodness for skype!

Oahu Island Ride

What would be a more beautiful ride then around the island of Oahu? When I was thinking about this I had just over two months left here on Oahu. I thought of some friends that would be interested and loved the bike. I had a meeting at my house regarding this ride with my friends and we all came up with a weekend that worked for everyone. Saturday, March 6th was the day!


During this time while waiting for the big day, a friend calls and wants to know if everyone would like to wear a Spam jersey. Yes, Spam in the can. A little info here; Hawaiians are big on Spam and you can order it in many restaurants around the island including McDonald's. So Spam is a huge thing here!


The day finally arrived and me, Brian and five of my other friends all met at my house at 7:30 am ready to ride. We started out heading East and cycled through Ewa Beach, Waipahu, Pearl City, by the airport, Honolulu, Waikiki, Hawaii Kai (where we stopped for lunch; Greek food), Makapu'u, Waimanalo and finally finished at Bellows Air Force Base. This ride was 52 miles long with a couple big hills to climb. I felt really good after the ride and wanted to go for a jog but the Miller Lite was staring me down so down the hatch it went with four more to follow. I don't normally drink but we rented a cabin on the beach and the setting was perfect for a few beers after an awesome ride. They went down pretty good and knew I must stop after the 5th one because I knew I had seventy something miles ahead of me the next day.

That night we had BBQ and all the fixins (yes I said fixins, that is what Texans say)along with cookies and smores melted by our camp fire. It was a beautiful night and we all got to relax and enjoy the beach, sunset and camp fire!


Sunday arrived and we woke bright and early to finish the ride. We headed out and not even off base yet, it begins to rain. We pull over under a bus stop and wait it out. It finally stops and we begin once again. About 12-15 miles later we stopped at a McDonald's for a breakfast snack. When you are biking this many miles, you are entitled a McDonald's snack! Once again it began to pour cats and dogs so we waiting and took more pictures! Once the rain had settled it was still a bit dark and grey the way we were headed, but we knew we would probably get wet anyway so we got on our bikes and began once again. Sure enough not even five minutes into the ride it begins to rain and it was coming down pretty good that it was beginning to sting my face but we pedaled through and finally it stopped! We were good and wet and so were the roads which is not a good thing for small road bike tires. Then it started, out of seven of us we had five flats. Two people had one flat and my poor girlfriend had three in a row. At this time we were not making good time with all the stops but we kept on pushing through the Windward side of the island.


Finally making a bit more progress we stopped near sunset beach for lunch at Ted's. It was a great place to stop and we were all starving. I haven't eaten this much in one time in a long time but it was so good and so worth it! After lunch the three flat tire friend was not feeling well so her husband came to pick her up. We were all sad to see her go and not finish with us!

At last we made it to the North Shore and was mentally preparing ourselves for pineapple hill! This hill begins by the North Shore and goes up steadily for five miles to the Dole Plantation. We huffed and puffed and all made it to the top. It was quite the hill and would almost like to try it again for training purposes. We were now 20-22 miles from the house and the last 15 miles were some rolling hills and we were cruising at about 25-28 mph. At last we were back at my house and it was six o'clock and we started at nine o'clock that morning. We had completed seventy-six miles and had been off and on the bike for eight hours. It was a great ride and we all had a blast!

Yes, we got the Spam jersey!

Big Island.....Day 2

Today started out great! We filled our bellies with an awesome breakfast and then headed out for our 5 mile hike around a small crater and onto the volcano floor. We had awesome views and traveled through lush rain forest and hard black lava. Steam seeped from the rock and you could feel the heat. This is an awesome hike and we both really enjoyed it. After the hike we walked through a lava tube which was really cool.



After the hike we got cleaned up and headed to Hilo for some lunch. We stopped at Coconuts Grill and had a wonderful lunch with a wonderful view of the ocean. While on the Big Island you tend to forget about "everything" and are truly relaxed. After lunch we drove to see Akaka Falls which is a 420 foot drop from the top. It's off the main road and through this small town. Once you get to the park it's a small circular hike along a paved path with some stairs. It's a very small hike for such a beautiful view.



We left the falls and drove to Laupahoehoe Point. To many on the Big Island, this park is associated with tragedy. In April, 1946, twenty-one children and three adults were swept away to their death by a tsunami. There is a memorial and many articles from this tragic day. The beach here is rugged and can get a bit rough. The town has moved further up the hill. The lives lost here will not be forgotten.




Our last sight seeing stop for the day was Mauna Kea, which means White Mountain. The summit reaches 13,796 feet and the visitor center sits at 9,000 feet. We drove to the visitor center and watched the sun disappear behind the mountain and you could see a blanket of clouds below you. You truly feel like you are on top of the world. There were many telescopes to view many things such as the moon! It was about 49 degrees and I was very cold! My uncle had a wonderful time and got to ask many questions.

Big Island....Day 1

My uncle Greg flew to Hawaii,from Houston, TX Saturday afternoon for his second visit to Oahu. I thought a trip to the Big Island would interest him, especially to see the active volcano.Waking up bright and early we arrived to the Big Island Sunday morning around 9:15. We flew on a very small plane which is always exciting when flying over large amounts of water ie the Pacific Ocean! I also love how you walk to the plane and use the stairs. I told Uncle Greg I would snap a photo of him on the stairs and he could wave and act like the President. We both chuckled!

We arrived, got the luggage and rent car and off we drove seeking out breakfast. We ate at Ken's in Hilo which is a favorite for the local people. Breakfast was fantastic and our bellies were now happy. We forgot rain jackets back home so I was happy to hit a Ross where he found his jacket and Wal-Mart where I found mine. He needed a new jacket and hey I could use more than one moving to Seattle area.

We finally made it to Volcano National Park and checked into the cozy little cabin. The temp here is awesome. In the sixties during the day and low fifties at night. We went to the visitor center, Jagger museum and checked out all the amenities that the cabin had to offer. The cabins are operated by the army. They have a general store, post office, bowling lanes, lounge, fitness center, activity center with video games, pool tables and air hockey. Quite the hook-up for being in a National Park!

We had lunch and then headed down Crater Dr which much lava was visible and could be hiked on. Further down the road were spectacular views of the ocean. We were at three thousand feet and drove all the way down to the ocean. Its a feeling of being on the moon at times, the way the lava looks and the mass quantity of it. He hiked about six hundred yards to wherwe the lava covered the road back in 2003. It was amazing! We headed back to the cabin and was near dinner time. I went to the gym for a bit and he went to the lounge for a couple cold ones. Later we met and went to the cafe and enjoyed a nice hot meal. It was getting late so we watched a little TV and then off to bed!

Swimming

Triathlons consist of swimming, biking and running. I love the bike and have gotten quite good at it, especially the hills. Running I can do and working on my speed. Swimming is also an enjoyment and I'm getting better at it as well. It's like this meditation state; in which you glide through the water and the sound is only the water, your own breath and your very own thoughts. I feel very traquil at times while doing my laps.

I can remember back in college when I first started to swim, for racing, that is was rather difficult. I could only swim a few hundred yards and had to stop. One of my professors that trained "Super Man" for an iron man taught me how to swim whithout getting so tired so quickly. Ever since then I have enjoyed swimming. I have had several people along the way coach me in how to get better and faster. I want to get faster but the tranquil emotions take over at times and I just swim back and forth.



Some people don't swim for several reasons: scared of the water, can't swim, can't swim with their head under water etc. I highly recommend swimming because it's low impact on the joints, great exercise and can put you in pure relaxation. Swimming in open water (ocean) is also enjoyable. The marine life is such a pleasure to view while swimming. Especially if you are swimming in waters you can see through, unlike Galveston where it is brown!