Tri Girl Tri

A few weeks ago, I headed to CA to take part in the Tri Girl Tri with my sister Teri.  We had been planning this great event for quite some time, so we were both very excited.    (Ummm... if you happen to run into Teri and she tries to tell you I cheated by doing a tri the month before, do not believe her.  We had an agreement that we were both going to do a tri before our tri together, though she did her's in the form of a relay, as the runner; their team placed first in their age division in Ukiah..congrats).  Anyway, I digress.

Thursday when I arrived, Teri took me to our brother Steve's house, where I spent the first night and got in hours of wonderful visiting with Steve and his wife, Diana.  When I got up the next morning, Steve informed me that I couldn't speak to him until after he'd had his coffee and worked his Sudoku puzzles...apparently, Friday is Diabolical Day and he times himself. (Somethings in life just do not change, such as the way big brothers treat little sisters :)) .

Anyway, Teri came to pick me up sometime later and we headed off to the bike store so I could pick up my rental bike.   This was some bike, let me tell you.  At home, I have a great Touring bike, but this was a true Road Bike....can we say "F-A-S-T", like the wind!!!  We also bought matching, must have, cycling jerseys.  Then we ran a few errands, and fretted over the windy day and the lower than expected temperatures.  In the evening, we enjoyed cheering Ryan's JV football team to victory, and met up with Haley and the rest of the local family for a pre-race dinner.  

Back at Tom and Teri's, we embarked on final race preparations, and later I headed to our room for a few moments of quiet time.  

The following morning, I arose earlier than early to get ready.  Word from the been there...if your razor breaks at 4:30 in the morning on the day of your big race, don't try to shave with just the razor head...it will result in bandaids in your arm pit, which can be very uncomfortable, and more unsightly than a couple of days growth.

Under the still cover of darkness, off we went to meet up with a few of Teri's friends and caravan to Lake Berryessa, the site of the race.  As we drove, we kept an eye on the temperature (in the 40's), and the windy (very windy).  We arrived and after bundling up in all the extra warm gear we had and convincing ourselves it would get warmer when the sun came up, we headed off to the transition area. About half way there, we were met by Teri's friend Jen, who informed us that they had cancelled the swim due to unsafe conditions.  At this level of competition, there is generally a large percentage who have never swam in open water, and likely are only able to swim the distance in a swimming pool, therefore, safety being of primary consideration, I thought this was wise.

Instead, we would run an extra 1/2 mile leg at the start.  Teri was obviously disappointed as she had trained long and hard for this moment.  I was disappointed, because swimming is my strongest leg, and running my weakest, and my feet were already bothering me.

In honor of the cancelled swim, several of us opted to wear our caps and goggles for the substituted run leg.  Off we went in waves of about 75...ankles twisting in the sand, adrenaline carrying us like wings.

Despite the wind and chilly weather, it was  a good race.  Teri placed 10th in her age group, and I bettered my Tri Turtle time (my goal for this race, in addition to finishing and having a good time) oh and, beating JLo's time (HA!).  

Throughout much of the race, Haley, Tom and Rachael sat bundled in a shared blanket near the transition area, cheering us as we passed through, and in general enjoying some good bonding time.  They did, however, make their way to the start of the race, and also up to the main road where they cheered us on as we came in on our bikes.

One of my favorite compliments of the day was at the finish line, when Tom told Teri and I that we weren't even breathing hard, and needed to do twice the distance next time.

Afterward, the group headed to a delicious lunch in Calistoga.  I believe a good time was had by all!  That evening, Tom prepared a wonderful post-race dinner for Teri and I (earlier in the day, he and Haley had planned the menu).  Thanks guys!

A few statistics - Number of participants ~ 600-700, all women, 1/2 Mile Run, 11.2 Bike, 3.2 Run.  Time: 1:45:03.   Purchases on the wish list for 2009---Road Bike!!!!  Next seasons goals--More Sprint Tris, relays, and an Olympic Tri.

Tri Turtle Tri meets Tri Girl Tri

On September 7th, I embarked on my first triathlon adventure. After months and months of preparation and training, I felt ready to go. Many asked me what my goals were. Well, for my first Tri..the Tri Turtle Tri..it was to have a great time, and to finish. 

I set off in the wee early hours with Bill driving me to meet my friend Deb. Deb had a few technical challenges, which we were able to work out relatively easily and be on our way. The race went really well. I had a great swim (my strongest area), a good bike ride, and a manageable run/walk. I have been dealing with a foot condition, which has made it difficult to work on my running. 

While on the bike leg, I passed Bill, who had gotten a bit lost while trying to find the lake.  He told me later, he knew he was on the right track when he started passing a lot of cyclists.  I was happy to see him waiting for me as I went through the transition area from my bike to run. I can't tell you what it meant to me to see him, and his wonderfully supportive smile. At the finish line, after a hug, congratulations, photo ops, etc., Bill informed me that he thought he'd like to do a tri sometime too.  Which leads me to my third goal...to encourage others to stretch themselves to "tri" something they aspire to do. 

We stayed for the award ceremony, and then said our goodbyes to Deb and her family, and headed off for a yummy Mexican lunch and then home for a nap. 

I honestly felt quite good in the days to follow, a little burned out on all the training, but excited about my next triathlon...the Tri Girl Tri, which I did in CA with my sister Teri a few weekends ago.

Some statistics:  Number of Participants ~ 300, Co-ed, Swim 1/2 mile, Bike 15.2 miles, Run 3.2 (5k).  Time:  2.28.41

A sense of community

Today, Bill and I went to Bainbridge Gardens to celebrate their 50 year anniversary. We had the opportunity to talk with a number of people, as well as view pictures and articles related to the history of the gardens.  Junkoh and Chris Harui opened Town and Country Florist in 1958.  Later, they opened what is now known as Bainbridge Gardens.  It was an amazing testimony to two wonderful people, and the heritage and culture that makes Bainbridge Island what it is today.  

I wrote the above a couple of months ago, and just realized today (October 22nd) that I didn't ever publish it.

Sadly, Junkoh died this last week after a brief battle with cancer.  While we only met him a few times,  he touched our lives.  In a way that was quiet and respectful, in his presence, one felt a sense of peace that transcended the moment, and spoke of generations past, present, and future.

When you come to visit us, we will take you to this special place...show you the grounds and buy you a cookie.

SIlver Medal for a Bainbridge Islander

Emily Silver who qualified to swim the Women's Medley Relay last night, was one of two swimmers replaced by Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin. Because she qualified in the preliminaries, she will also receive a silver medal. According to the newspaper article, she has yet to receive her medal, but Dara let her hold hers.

Goin' Green and Dirty Dishes

As many of you know, Bill and I have an ongoing desire to be as "green" as possible. The other night, we took an online quiz related to this. We scored 9/10 (only because one was definitely a trick question, and neither of the choices was obviously correct. Alas, we chose the lesser of two evils, after which the question admitted it was a trick one, and showed the correct answer as ours..HA!).

Anyway, one particular question had to do with whether a dishwasher uses less water than washing by hand. We chose correctly--the dishwasher uses less water. The helpful hint to this was that it is unnecessary to rinse off your dishes, as the newer models do this for you. Bill said (to the air around him ) "Hmmmm....you'll have to take that one up with my wife." Okay I admit I use a dishwasher more for sterilizing than cleaning, as my dishes are pretty darn clean going in. So, as I stretch and learn on my journey toward "greenhood," I decided to put the suggestion to the test. That very evening, I put all those nasty, dirty dishes into the dishwasher, let them sit overnight, added some more the next day, let that baby do its magic, and WA-LA! I do believe they glistened in their cleanliness. Simply Amazing!

We are here we are here we are HEREEEEE!

Does this sound familiar? I believe it's from Horton Hears a Who. I haven't seen the latest version, but this is stuck in my head from when I was a wee one (yes folks, I too was once wee).

Anyway, I have plans to post someday soon. Our lives are blessed, and at the moment and for the past many moments, busy busy busy. We have begun demolition on our house. This is pretty exciting to us, because it means that in about 6-8 months, we will be moving back into our lovely house in its new form.

Meanwhile, we are living in a condo. I have never lived in an apt/condo, so it's a new experience for me. The windchimes that greet us, are not ours...the dogs that bark, are not ours...the voices outside our window, are not familiar. It is all new.

This morning, I went to feed the dogs at our house, and out from the brush flew a ring-necked pheasant. Then, I stood on the bank enjoying the movement of the water and the birds (crows and seagulls mostly) enjoying their morning hunt. I heard a familiar sound, and turned to see a hummingbird also in search of breakfast (guess I need to fill their feeder). All beautiful sights and sounds to behold.

This weekend, we celebrated Alani's 2nd birthday. Two weekends before that, we celebrated Haley's college graduation. These grander moments are wonderful reminders that God blesses us each and every moment of our lives. We strive to appreciate the grand and small in all that He has given us.

Bainbridge Island a Bicycle Friendly Community

Bainbridge A Bicycle Friendly Community

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, May 1, 2008 – Bainbridge Island is one of eleven communities across the country recognized today as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The competitive award process recognizes communities that have made “impressive, measurable efforts to integrate bicyclists into the community.”

“I have to say this is a huge accomplishment. The designation is one with real meaning – it is a very competitive process,” said Don Willott, chair of the City’s Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Committee. Communities are judged on their support of cycling in five key areas: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation/planning .

“This is a great opportunity to celebrate our Island’s commitment to alternative transportation,” said Mayor Darlene Kordonowy, noting that adding and maintaining bike lanes and walking paths along major roads received high priority in the City’s recently completed Community Priorities Survey.

“We’re fortunate to have a cycling community which is committed not only to riding their own bikes, but to educating the rest of us about the needs of bicyclists and the benefits of alternative transportation,” the Mayor added. “Completion of the application was truly a grassroots effort. Cyclist Joel Levin deserves special appreciation for his leadership on this project.”

The new winners bring the number of Bicycle Friendly Communities nationwide to 84, spread across 31 states. There are four levels — Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Bainbridge received recognition at the Bronze level, as did Port Townsend, WA. "This is some really good news, it is something we can build on as we work for continued improvements, and for now, it is an acknowledgment of our efforts and our potential," said Levin.

“The Bicycle Friendly Community program is revolutionizing the way communities evaluate their quality of life and transportation network,” said League President Andy Clark. “Today’s awards bring into focus both the geographic and demographic diversity of communities that are realizing the potential of bicycling to address the challenges of climate change, traffic congestion, rising obesity rates, and soaring fuel prices.”

Other communities receiving recognition included, at the Silver level, Colorado Springs and Durango, CO and Minneapolis, MN, and at the Bronze level, Arcata, CA, Charlotte, N.C., Charlottesville, VA, Coeur d'Alene, ID, Oxford, MI, and Sitka, AK.