tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35151826155356444922024-03-05T07:41:11.463-08:00Stephanie's SoapboxStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-12652070285206279902014-06-09T10:07:00.001-07:002014-06-09T12:02:06.139-07:00Early Sunday Twin FallsAfter a late night of drinking with friends, I was up at 6am to meet Angela for a quick Sunday trek out to Twin Falls. Luckily this hike is only a few miles without much elevation gain since I was pretty dehydrated that morning.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/twin-falls-state-park">Twin Falls</a> - Snoqualmie Pass | North Bend Area</div>
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June 8, 2014</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The happiest of dogs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heart rock on the trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dog bridge<br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-60155153759362121232014-06-01T17:20:00.002-07:002014-06-09T11:49:35.960-07:00Sunny Saturday HikeJena's friend Angela is in town from San Diego and while I only met her 2 weeks ago, we already have clicked wonderfully.<br />
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She loves hiking also so I invited her on my weekly excursion with Lucy. She only had a couple hours so we kept it classic with a hike up Poo Poo Point on Tiger Mountain. This is such a fantastic hike because it is only 15 minutes away, a quick 8 miles roundtrip and has amazing views.<br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-37231428333520047762014-05-14T14:58:00.000-07:002014-06-09T11:49:44.818-07:00A Girl and Her DogAs I can no longer bring myself to spend 6-8 hours on my bicycle, I have started hiking even more in order to have a workout that Lucy can do with me. I think it would be fun to chronicle my adventures so here we go.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/oyster-dome">Oyster Dome</a> - Puget Sound and Islands | North Sound</div>
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May 11, 2014</div>
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<a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/rattle-snake-ledge">Rattlesnake Ledge</a> - Snoqualmie Pass | North Bend Area</div>
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May 1, 2014</div>
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<a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/squak-mountain">Squak Mountain</a> - Issaquah Alps</div>
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April 6, 2014</div>
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<a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/poo-poo-point">Poo Poo Point</a> - Issaquah Alps | Tiger Mountain</div>
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March 2, 2014</div>
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Spencer Butte - Eugene, Oregon</div>
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November 27, 2013</div>
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<a href="http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/poo-poo-point">Poo Poo Point</a> - Issaquah Alps | Tiger Mountain</div>
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November 3, 2013</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy's first hike!</td></tr>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-62958214195036645932013-07-16T21:22:00.000-07:002013-07-16T21:22:37.738-07:00Race Report: STP One Day<a href="https://shop.cascade.org/content/events/stp-details">2013 Group Health Seattle to Portland One Day Ride</a><br />
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<a href="http://app.strava.com/activities/67175012">Strava Part One</a><br />
<a href="http://app.strava.com/activities/66906041">Strava Part Two</a><br />
(my Garmin didn't start until ~3 miles in and then the battery died at mile 180 wherein I turned on the Strava app on my phone to capture the last 20 miles)<br />
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~206 miles<br />
~3,500 ft elevation<br />
12:42 time in the saddle<br />
3:45 taking breaks<br />
15.9 mph average<br />
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Random thoughts on the ride:<br />
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<li>The weather was perfect, I kept my layers on until the halfway mark in Centralia.</li>
<li>Jed was awesome, seriously such great support (see braid photo below). He kept morale up, great attitude and took care of us fabulously. So much appreciation.</li>
<li>I pulled the entire ride except for about 10 miles where Kim pulled or I picked up the back of a pace line. It was hard to find pace lines the second half of the ride and many times I had to slow down to go on a pace line just to give myself a wind break for a bit.</li>
<li>Terrible headwind. Especially on the highway portion (miles 130-190).</li>
<li>We left UW at 4:30am and arrived in Portland around 9pm.</li>
<li>Got passed by my friend <a href="http://zgraggen.name/racing/">Guido</a>, it was cool that amongst 10,000+ people, we were able to see each other on the course. He finished about 5 hours before we did.</li>
<li>Miles 130-175 were the longest miles ever.</li>
<li>Miles 150-175 = world of hurt.</li>
<li>Miles 180-200 = Garmin died, felt so lost and confused at not knowing speed and distance left.</li>
<li>1 mile out from Finish Line, Kim's back tire totally blew out. Put in another tube and hoped for the best.</li>
<li>1/2 mile out from Finish Line, Kim's back tire blew out again. Good samaritan that worked at local bike shop gave Kim his tire. Gave his tire. Meanwhile, Jed thinks we have died 1/2 mile from finish line and frantically calls/texts me. (He had a GPS tracking on my phone to know where we were all day).</li>
<li>Good bike samaritan saves my sanity and I tell him that we will bring a 6 pack of his favorite beer to his work the next day.</li>
<li>Finish Line, finally. </li>
<li>Hotel, where I had pre-packed a couple of Blue Moons in a cooler for much needed shower beers.</li>
<li>Overall, I had a really good time but for now, this is a one-and-done situation for me. I would happily do support for friends in future.</li>
<li>TMI: while at home on Sunday, inspecting 'damage' done to my body, I found two huge bruises on the bottom of my booty cheeks. No wonder they were hurting so badly during the ride.</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4:30am Start Line</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Around mile 150 - legs are hurtin'</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jed's sweet braiding skills at 100 miles in.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish Line action shot</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish line with 1 Day Rider patches</td></tr>
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<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-37472227431404057872013-04-30T10:23:00.000-07:002013-04-30T10:23:27.859-07:00Lake WA Loop Plus Some<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Saturday, Kim and I completed the our longest ride yet for this season, 60 miles. Our original plan was to do 80 miles with a group of Kim's friends but we quickly realized that their speed was much quicker than ours and that trying to keep up for 80 miles would be no fun.</div>
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So we ended up backtracking from Montlake to I-90 and back, watched some of the UW vs Cal races on the Montlake Bridge above the cut, went back and forth a bit in Kirkland, got caught in downpour rain for about 10 miles in Renton, but overall had a good, adventurous ride.</div>
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<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-12899117084444720882013-04-16T11:28:00.001-07:002013-04-17T10:42:02.793-07:00My Thoughts on BostonI still feel in shock when I think or read updated reports of the Boston Marathon yesterday. I feel more struck and more affected by this act of terrorism and hate than I have by other senseless and cowardly shootings and tragedies.<br />
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I feel connected to the athletes and spectators hurt by the bombings because I am an athlete. While I have never ran a marathon, I have ran a couple halfs and have done various other endurance events. We are athletes. We have the same goals, same lifestyles, same feelings of pushing our bodies to accomplish events.<br />
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I am horrified at what happened, to hear about amputations and worse of the athletes and spectators. I can easily place myself in their shoes with my family and friends at the finish line. These cowardly attacks leave many questions in its place: why? who would do something like this? These questions have been asked before with no answer.<br />
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This one struck much too close to home. Pray for Boston. Pray for the athletes.<br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-58663394541339416192013-02-19T11:39:00.001-08:002013-04-30T10:23:54.881-07:00Attempting Seattle to Portland in One DayThis year, Ashley, Kim and I will be attempting to complete the <a href="https://shop.cascade.org/content/events/stp">Seattle to Portland</a> bike ride in one day. It is going to be a doozy.<br />
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Total distance: ~205 miles<br />
Total elevation gain: 4,828 feet<br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-40292277505893966702013-01-02T08:24:00.000-08:002013-01-02T08:28:10.760-08:00Post-Holidays Juicing UpdateI know I stopped posting about juicing a while ago, so as a wrap-up, I juiced for all meals for 7 days and lost a whopping total of 3lbs. Sigh.<br />
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However, the juicing is clearly not sustainable as I was miserable (did I mention cold?) and bored with my meals for the full week. The secondary week I switched to juicing for breakfast and/or lunch and although that was much more do-able, I wasn't enjoying it much. I am not sure how others have juiced for multiple months.<br />
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After a lovely holiday back home I am back to reality today. My juicer currently sits forlorn on the counter and I eyeball it once in a while, contemplating a return.<br />
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For the next two months I will be busy studying once again so while I may make a juice once in a while (a lot of the recipes were really tasty), I will not be regularly juicing again in the immediate future. Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-82180267385509659382012-12-10T10:22:00.000-08:002013-01-02T08:26:06.542-08:00Juicing Day 6 - Lots of PulpThere is so much pulp leftover after I make my juices. I felt bad just throwing it away (as I don't have a garden or compost) so I looked up some recipes to make with the pulp.<br />
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Once recipe was to make vegetable stock, which is great to use in making soups. The recipe is simple, add the pulp, water and spices and simmer for a couple hours. Strain the pulp from the liquid and you have your stock.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UR923InNdNJ8FdvzA21BrcT_04Z7hChhIT13ssnCJo9yhkw9SrIJTYTKhjm5gDYNL_YvjLTSmInOJiBGHPGMFvSHTkaadqIUBxwKTXzX7ET2t0cC2AQV6QJNlh4azT0903hy3-OeAiJK/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UR923InNdNJ8FdvzA21BrcT_04Z7hChhIT13ssnCJo9yhkw9SrIJTYTKhjm5gDYNL_YvjLTSmInOJiBGHPGMFvSHTkaadqIUBxwKTXzX7ET2t0cC2AQV6QJNlh4azT0903hy3-OeAiJK/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulp simmering</td></tr>
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If I had a strainer cloth this might have worked better, but overall it didn't make much stock.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lOqiWOui6Snyubxb3uRTwIRAsrYxkc4J9iydf_4JBHPiHDyd8SBMdcNMD9kBzlz3QAlOGfSUqUXymNCjRUUMj91eX1HusjvrXGDlbs_JYv7rYypCrHWkUI_VzaGgtzVSJU2Okw8FLsoG/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1lOqiWOui6Snyubxb3uRTwIRAsrYxkc4J9iydf_4JBHPiHDyd8SBMdcNMD9kBzlz3QAlOGfSUqUXymNCjRUUMj91eX1HusjvrXGDlbs_JYv7rYypCrHWkUI_VzaGgtzVSJU2Okw8FLsoG/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a lot of stock</td></tr>
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I did cheat a little bit this weekend, I had a glass of wine at a party and made butternut squash and apple soup. I know I am only supposed to do 'juices' but having warm soup helped the emotional side so much that I didn't care.</div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-51589794821863990402012-12-08T08:26:00.000-08:002013-01-02T08:28:59.576-08:00Jucing Day 3 - Warming UpI have realized that doing a juicing cleanse in fall/winter is not a good idea. While I crave hot tea, coffee and soups, I have to sip on refrigerated juices.<br />
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To help me keep myself from freezing and going crazy, I will be making puree soups out of veggies. I found a bunch of recipes and am planning on going to Costco tonight to pick up the produce needed.<br />
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I had back-to-back meetings 10am-4pm today so I only had a small juice in the morning and then a small juice again after my meetings. This definitely went against the juicing schedule, where they have you eat every 2-3 hours.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> I am so looking forward to warm soups</td></tr>
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I am going to brunch with a couple of friends tomorrow so it will be my first real challenge - to go out to eat and not actually eat. I will see if they have any vegetable soups and if not, then get some fruit to munch on. I am ok with doing what is needed for my lifestyle, ordering and eating (!) fruit and such at restaurants. Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-11585838931596743572012-12-07T10:21:00.001-08:002012-12-07T10:21:44.032-08:00Juicing Day 2 - Tired & ColdSuper tired. Had a really hard time waking up and felt half asleep through my morning meetings. Whether this is due to the juicing, the fact that I suck at sleeping or that I have low iron (just found out) and haven't purchased supplements yet, I don't know.<br />
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Still freezing at work, I think I will bring in a space heater to blast directly on me for the day.<br />
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Felt much better by the afternoon but I was so miserably cold that I didn't finish 1 1/2 of my last juices for the day.<br />
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By the time I got home I was so cold and tired that instead of my dinner juices I ate 2 avocados. I know I am not supposed to 'eat' anything but I was so sick of being cold that I couldn't stand it.<br />
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So, with my avocados, I curled up under a blanket on the couch, snuggled with the kitties and watched Harry Potter.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-29774231188976454702012-12-06T09:17:00.001-08:002012-12-06T09:17:11.162-08:00Juicing Day 1Day 1 of juicing completed and I think it went fine. I didn't drink nearly as much water as I should have but I was so cold (my office is freezing) that it was tough to. In the afternoon I finally starting drinking hot water plain and warmed up a bit.<br />
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I went to Target yesterday evening to pick up some more nalgenes, as this is what a full day's consumption looks like:<br />
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There are actually 6 juices here, the first nalgene contains two. Combined, here is what is in all 6:</div>
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13 apples</div>
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3 carrots</div>
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1 lemon</div>
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1 cup spinach</div>
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2 stalks celery</div>
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1 cucumber</div>
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1 pineapple</div>
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1 lime</div>
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1 cup kale</div>
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1/4 bunch of broccoli</div>
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1/2 red beet</div>
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1/2 zucchini</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40rYs_ie535pXrH_xHY5gNQGVPw3eWEsEgQSs2zosNG9k6zfbFzYJ7oTivp_ZnZ3nT3GpVpiq7Q8RCl8ts3kfq-IHfWQwOn2LcDl4l4QY1zYJBae0GVNjJX1zOpWz8TN_en9CQv-8BNsK/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40rYs_ie535pXrH_xHY5gNQGVPw3eWEsEgQSs2zosNG9k6zfbFzYJ7oTivp_ZnZ3nT3GpVpiq7Q8RCl8ts3kfq-IHfWQwOn2LcDl4l4QY1zYJBae0GVNjJX1zOpWz8TN_en9CQv-8BNsK/s400/2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 juices worth of fruit/veggies</td></tr>
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It takes me about an hour to cut up, create juice for a full day and clean up. I make all juices the night before. </div>
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I woke up with a bit of a headache today but I think that is due to dehydration. Day 2-3 are supposed to be the hardest, so we will see how the rest of this week goes. </div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-85257546038962439862012-12-05T09:20:00.002-08:002012-12-05T09:20:47.903-08:00Juicing Day 0 - GroceriesMy juicer arrived and I put together my shopping list for 2 days of meals. I already had some of the stuff on the list (apples, carrots, etc) so I purchased:<br />
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10 golden delicious apples<br />
10 gala apples<br />
2 avocados<br />
1 red beet<br />
1 bunch broccoli<br />
1 bunch celery<br />
2 cucumbers<br />
1 lemon<br />
3 limes<br />
5oz kale<br />
10oz spinach<br />
2 pineapples<br />
1 zucchini<br />
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At QFC this totaled to $49. Clearly, I will be hitting up Costco this weekend.<br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-80972165260390094892012-12-03T14:09:00.000-08:002012-12-05T09:18:29.647-08:00JuicingOn Saturday, I wasn't able to fall asleep so I spent more time that I care to admit browsing the interwebs. I landed on Pinterest which is something I rarely check out but there are always time-consuming 'pins' there. I ended up on a couple different blogs that talked about juicing which lead me to the <a href="http://fatsickandnearlydead.com/">Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead</a> documentary. At 1:30am I decided to watch it.<br />
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While the documentary itself wasn't that great, the message was clear. Liquified fruits and veggies = weight loss, increase in heath and energy and a great detox of your system.<br />
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As many of my friends can attest to, I am a pretty healthy eater. I primarily eat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pescetarianism">pescatarian</a> and have very limited amount of carbs, and I don't drink soda or fast food. I have been an athlete through college and still work out regularly, do endurance events and have a personal trainer. However, ever since high school I have struggled with my weight. I have gone to multiple doctors, have had everything tested and tried every diet. I even tried hypnosis.<br />
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Everytime, the doctors tell me I am perfectly healthy and my heart breaks a little.<br />
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So, to continue my trend of trying everything in hopes that one day something will work, I am going to go on a "juice fast" for the next two weeks at least.<br />
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I gathered info from a bunch of places and am going to do what works best for me and my lifestyle. I purchased a juicer, found a bunch of recipes and am excited to start. I know it will be hard but it won't be the most difficult thing I have ever done. I plan on documenting this cleanse as much as possible for the next couple of weeks.<br />
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The juicer arrives on Wednesday so will kick this off as soon as I figure out how to use it.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-22248796803084506062012-08-20T14:45:00.002-07:002012-08-22T09:06:36.629-07:00RSVP Race Report<a href="https://shop.cascade.org/content/events/rsvp">Ride from Seattle to Vancouver, BC and Party (RSVP)</a><br />
Total Distance: 189 miles<br />
Average Speed: 14.2 mph<br />
Total Elevation Gain: 7115 ft<br />
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This past weekend <a href="http://hover2pie.blogspot.com/">Heather</a>, Ashley, Josh and I biked from Seattle, WA to Vancouver, BC.<br />
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<strong><u>Day 1:</u></strong> <br />
Seattle to Bellingham<br />
105 miles<br />
Average Speed: 14.2 mph<br />
Elevation Gain: 4400 ft<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JAVxe8tHCGTo7HX8Ws_A9z7cZCAyG_lFFAWI2ixmVgJBGnp1-WOIBaeYnjv_cktWhh4L3wgo3SacmQnakrHLeh2U2jfQhX5q90e4dN0cQ1gNuxRqnbTkZF_C_-I1VnJgYJqXkkapYWNx/s1600/530129_10101416203124488_1780335554_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JAVxe8tHCGTo7HX8Ws_A9z7cZCAyG_lFFAWI2ixmVgJBGnp1-WOIBaeYnjv_cktWhh4L3wgo3SacmQnakrHLeh2U2jfQhX5q90e4dN0cQ1gNuxRqnbTkZF_C_-I1VnJgYJqXkkapYWNx/s400/530129_10101416203124488_1780335554_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start Line</td></tr>
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Friday was the hottest day yet in Seattle, with temperatures in the mid to upper 90's. This might not seem toasty to my CA and Texas peeps but keep in mind that Seattle homes and apartments do not have A/C. This also meant that we didn't just bring the sample size of sunscreen bottle, we brought the whole thing. I think I put on sunscreen 5 different times which caused a nice shiny layer for all of the following pictures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCXEPth8Zl4T2akZ_IIRek-gm_fB9LetYzCFRlsqHJicRD4U74MvqUkgr0OYmyv9LJ6glb4JVm71H2Dww_a9q2b20UCZZFH0haFbX7zt0jW_HuTT56pGY5JxenLJOEJq1Er8RVQ1QBT_M/s1600/ele1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCXEPth8Zl4T2akZ_IIRek-gm_fB9LetYzCFRlsqHJicRD4U74MvqUkgr0OYmyv9LJ6glb4JVm71H2Dww_a9q2b20UCZZFH0haFbX7zt0jW_HuTT56pGY5JxenLJOEJq1Er8RVQ1QBT_M/s400/ele1.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elevation profile from Seattle to Bellingham</td></tr>
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At the start line, one of the swag items we got were fanny packs. Ashley was in love. Since there were only 2 food stops per day (comparable to other rides which have stops every ~15 miles) we had to bring a lot of food as well as all our fuel with us. Ashley rocked hers both days, I wore mine just on the first day.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HX9yL_o-TzQU1ECqrivkWZmEJKUofcZZezPSm2ZiuB2SBHQMz0ETjP0n-MFrolFqpSC087dL96veBeKjmNn2lxtAaXcuAx4nenv-GSFe3V4VNlBW7f6Yn-spFu6EIAUyO-YgQ4Y1dNnE/s1600/2012-08-17_09-55-12_179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HX9yL_o-TzQU1ECqrivkWZmEJKUofcZZezPSm2ZiuB2SBHQMz0ETjP0n-MFrolFqpSC087dL96veBeKjmNn2lxtAaXcuAx4nenv-GSFe3V4VNlBW7f6Yn-spFu6EIAUyO-YgQ4Y1dNnE/s400/2012-08-17_09-55-12_179.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tall purple people</td></tr>
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There were some mechanical difficulties on day 1 for Josh. At mile 12 we went over a bump and his seat fell off. Fell off! He got picked up by a support vehicle and met us at the first rest stop (~35 miles). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiI09gqTyyzOPkQzKHPBlOU0spyXpaJu2SukO6MfkMt1J_6p-HA4h3eewpOVbiLlewCEEtZqmu2KS9bv_5zZCT_fpuTap41JMjn9cqJ0BDDK83Cmt4hfJFB3jeS_V4UWnSumYjMTuaPZI/s1600/2012-08-17_07-42-57_253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiI09gqTyyzOPkQzKHPBlOU0spyXpaJu2SukO6MfkMt1J_6p-HA4h3eewpOVbiLlewCEEtZqmu2KS9bv_5zZCT_fpuTap41JMjn9cqJ0BDDK83Cmt4hfJFB3jeS_V4UWnSumYjMTuaPZI/s400/2012-08-17_07-42-57_253.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sad face</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vbvzmZtO2I3Shlz1r0og_tGtGgXdsr_TilYNhSRIk7_BFQ-G44VxyJUkzMgMw6vJfnU95Oiwa4t5cFjP_0li28Zq0ZNH8zdvjS7zB15Fs7nklIh_u6ksL6GS0LBid68ZYmPTPo7Wf3JK/s1600/2012-08-17_07-43-28_632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vbvzmZtO2I3Shlz1r0og_tGtGgXdsr_TilYNhSRIk7_BFQ-G44VxyJUkzMgMw6vJfnU95Oiwa4t5cFjP_0li28Zq0ZNH8zdvjS7zB15Fs7nklIh_u6ksL6GS0LBid68ZYmPTPo7Wf3JK/s400/2012-08-17_07-43-28_632.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calling support</td></tr>
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At mile 50 he got 3 (three!) flat tires while trying to leave a water stop. Luckily there was a mechanic there and he was able to buy more tubes and a new tire.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ip2qodeQzf8VnMe8U8f7P7UlH12eUnpfjuqo7xvhpPyDIBCzI5r3KG0fxuJYmNb2H5RChgtwouypVvzQOoYiWdp8jn2Ma0kZM0hF5BLHlO0ZTvgTxkXw8H99nDc3ZwTEOlwKXf8BMOjF/s1600/2012-08-17_11-25-36_851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ip2qodeQzf8VnMe8U8f7P7UlH12eUnpfjuqo7xvhpPyDIBCzI5r3KG0fxuJYmNb2H5RChgtwouypVvzQOoYiWdp8jn2Ma0kZM0hF5BLHlO0ZTvgTxkXw8H99nDc3ZwTEOlwKXf8BMOjF/s400/2012-08-17_11-25-36_851.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flat tire 1</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32IkniCn_1y98eAHpzM33_dQOG9t7YgS4yQMikOP0H2SOhJIDjZ63JFIi0GPm365nrxpc4U211iBC2FsILU5N167ohnYA1xlXPha-tnAjjhFs9KLvpzZtyqvqfbOGwKsugQEvlmqaoItA/s1600/2012-08-17_11-26-11_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32IkniCn_1y98eAHpzM33_dQOG9t7YgS4yQMikOP0H2SOhJIDjZ63JFIi0GPm365nrxpc4U211iBC2FsILU5N167ohnYA1xlXPha-tnAjjhFs9KLvpzZtyqvqfbOGwKsugQEvlmqaoItA/s400/2012-08-17_11-26-11_21.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tube from flat tire</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zjO1B5lYTpD5xFwUlvDH-_v7YLazmPsQya427pQ8hk-OWCvI8g97YdSRWvTfPGQ00Xu7uH5xdEDpg1-kS1p_k9Yj_kEF0edms6JtbARO0-SnXQG4Bec5yKhOD8rt4QM5asBj3QZ9JPJo/s1600/2012-08-17_13-02-18_934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zjO1B5lYTpD5xFwUlvDH-_v7YLazmPsQya427pQ8hk-OWCvI8g97YdSRWvTfPGQ00Xu7uH5xdEDpg1-kS1p_k9Yj_kEF0edms6JtbARO0-SnXQG4Bec5yKhOD8rt4QM5asBj3QZ9JPJo/s400/2012-08-17_13-02-18_934.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">side of road waiting</td></tr>
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Mile 90 is where the 9 mile climb started. This was Chuckanut and took us into Bellingham and was the longest hill ever. But had some great viewpoints. We were staying at the dorms at WWU which worked out perfectly! We took the bus into downtown, ate lots of food, drank a few beers and were in bed by 9pm.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHAsbcmqoDUwj8IdpGznmx1DptBAJhZk0ljzbcWbLZetcgHqJV9rfA555ZvvUXvV3U6wyCJ_ZRxBBwn4Z3z2HvlUhaG8PuP-x1Eb4PGWFU0nfup11P4-yt53Q48_8aqLfWBe7LS3Vf7sJ/s1600/2012-08-17_16-01-40_770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHAsbcmqoDUwj8IdpGznmx1DptBAJhZk0ljzbcWbLZetcgHqJV9rfA555ZvvUXvV3U6wyCJ_ZRxBBwn4Z3z2HvlUhaG8PuP-x1Eb4PGWFU0nfup11P4-yt53Q48_8aqLfWBe7LS3Vf7sJ/s400/2012-08-17_16-01-40_770.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from Chuckanut</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNE3AjQh5rp1ls0njW9W3exLcZhzb2Qysl-ntFOoAHq4oSuGt8ymmDz3VrUiN8QuVBCYR3lfSY7fx-cJGhqAz9LyD1kgE7ZRf4FEIE1rLMqCVt5SklYMflO65uIEAC8g9FOOT1fHRkZDNt/s1600/2012-08-17_09-54-47_872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNE3AjQh5rp1ls0njW9W3exLcZhzb2Qysl-ntFOoAHq4oSuGt8ymmDz3VrUiN8QuVBCYR3lfSY7fx-cJGhqAz9LyD1kgE7ZRf4FEIE1rLMqCVt5SklYMflO65uIEAC8g9FOOT1fHRkZDNt/s400/2012-08-17_09-54-47_872.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xcj1TXpSiovwqKH88qbAzMb7YrEpHfRQDY7axQKSBJMLYtjwBJxM8QRJ45nrM6CcT4ORgNpGIjw1KOeV_Rl7sSFijqgieGCzhpluifq-OWaoKXHNhLLMkQgb6-46D6QiF0P86Ov5FXbS/s1600/2012-08-17_13-02-30_108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xcj1TXpSiovwqKH88qbAzMb7YrEpHfRQDY7axQKSBJMLYtjwBJxM8QRJ45nrM6CcT4ORgNpGIjw1KOeV_Rl7sSFijqgieGCzhpluifq-OWaoKXHNhLLMkQgb6-46D6QiF0P86Ov5FXbS/s400/2012-08-17_13-02-30_108.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong><u>Day 2:</u></strong><br />
Bellingham to Vancouver<br />
85 miles<br />
Average Speed: 14.1 mph<br />
Elevation Gain: 2500 ft<br />
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We woke up at 6am on Saturday and were ready to go by 6:30am. Layers of sunscreen on again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCc4ClvKERFOZXHu97QQGfxcDn6WMKtKnj1u3xeQurAMG4Sceh1iEhERK-7CaNAgX1jtht-rzDJQd0233DD18SvWMB4oB7vQQhHXvoxlPnrsdBHMejZdwaopH_-HhsBKOXM2zRoRMfYp7U/s1600/542348_10101417905707498_1772907045_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCc4ClvKERFOZXHu97QQGfxcDn6WMKtKnj1u3xeQurAMG4Sceh1iEhERK-7CaNAgX1jtht-rzDJQd0233DD18SvWMB4oB7vQQhHXvoxlPnrsdBHMejZdwaopH_-HhsBKOXM2zRoRMfYp7U/s400/542348_10101417905707498_1772907045_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tired eyes</td></tr>
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We grabbed some breakfast and food at Starbucks and prepared ourselves for the day. We evaulated the course map, noticed that there was a hill called "The Wall" (see mile 30 below) and figured out where the 2 rest stops were so we could plan water accordingly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbTRS8Lg8SggSvn0Wq_3qaUrfZn7B0K3KMem9Rr4SgHpr-fpquEZtkUd7cgo8YTmS_c-WWtXA93pCdRTV2-CsbSH2HPlM2IByXJefvP9AyWHpvoyVQ9_QeLjyQCC49dF_iGsTBfG3tOrh/s1600/ele2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbTRS8Lg8SggSvn0Wq_3qaUrfZn7B0K3KMem9Rr4SgHpr-fpquEZtkUd7cgo8YTmS_c-WWtXA93pCdRTV2-CsbSH2HPlM2IByXJefvP9AyWHpvoyVQ9_QeLjyQCC49dF_iGsTBfG3tOrh/s400/ele2.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bellingham to Vancouver elevation profile</td></tr>
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Majority of the roads we were on both days were long country farm roads. Lots of flats, which was great, but also a lot and a lot of headwind (not so great). It was really pretty and I only missed course turn-offs twice.<br />
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One of the higlights was passing through the Canadian border around mile 26. They opened up a car lane for just bikes and barely glanced at our passports and race numbers, we didn't even have to take off our helmets or sunglasses.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-N-dnOqrxWR8MYYui_9HM8mjxChxqEtcJWd3GMhjPWAwycyYomZgCq1mxlkzCPSmhh978auEyt1ueuxaOEqVLhqHxOEEn6fq84fIp4F33E8PfmSkJ6wQTRc3AJLqCKy7sT3z-wXL3LQz/s1600/579842_10101418953876958_927547709_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-N-dnOqrxWR8MYYui_9HM8mjxChxqEtcJWd3GMhjPWAwycyYomZgCq1mxlkzCPSmhh978auEyt1ueuxaOEqVLhqHxOEEn6fq84fIp4F33E8PfmSkJ6wQTRc3AJLqCKy7sT3z-wXL3LQz/s400/579842_10101418953876958_927547709_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">border crossing</td></tr>
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I also learned that British Columbia is "The Best Place on Earth" which I thought was a pretty bold statement. Saturday was in the 80s which was much much cooler than the ride on Friday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJl47FO4pZivcb_s1B4Ybirpm0sGKnuzxeQMyJ9YvZXkMKE_ABsr9Avp5hW6FUsltvFwALBlUtit7BJ6lE1wWef45WIDrOKMaJjKdOsjm5otQc8UBw6wxxGXQfqm93jEV6KdDlnuFkgJDt/s1600/216089_10101418965693278_585247231_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJl47FO4pZivcb_s1B4Ybirpm0sGKnuzxeQMyJ9YvZXkMKE_ABsr9Avp5hW6FUsltvFwALBlUtit7BJ6lE1wWef45WIDrOKMaJjKdOsjm5otQc8UBw6wxxGXQfqm93jEV6KdDlnuFkgJDt/s400/216089_10101418965693278_585247231_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">action shot</td></tr>
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And lucky for Josh and us, Saturday there were no major mechanical problems. The day went by pretty quickly and there was less climbing overall, but still had a couple intense climbs.<br />
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The finish was at the Coast Plaza Hotel in downtown Vancouver and it was a little anticlimatic. I am used to the Seattle to Portland finish which ends in a large park where for the final mile, there are people lining the streets, giving high-fives, loud music and lots of finish line vendors. Granted, there are also about 10,000 people that do the STP where for the RSVP, there were about 1500. For the RSVP, we turned onto the street and were immediately directed to go down into the underground parking tunnel. Dodging cars down there, we stored our bikes in the secured section and headed back up the ramp (didn't know where the elevator was) and wandered around to the front of the hotel. We asked some people where we should go and they pointed inside where there was the finish line party. We received a coupon for free food OR beer and had to buy tickets for anything else. A burger cost $7.75 and beer $6.75. We used the ticket for food and bought beer which was the Canadian equilavent of Bud Light (not tasty). Plus, it was less than a pint so I wasn't too happy about paying nearly $7 for a tiny amount of cheap beer. The outside seating was beyond packed so we found a table inside but the DJ had the music blasting way too loudly that we could barely hear each other while sitting beside each other. Needless to say, we didn't stay for a second beer.<br />
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Our fantastic friend Danielle drove my car up from Seattle and picked us up from the hotel (which was booked) and drove us to the other hotel we stayed in. We showered and went to a brewery in Gastown for second dinner. Heather and Josh went to bed after dinner and Danielle, Ashley and I wandered around for another couple of drinks before walking back to the hotel.<br />
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Oddly enough, I am not sore from the ride. The first day I had some achy joints and I was a little stiff after the car ride back but that has gone away already and I feel fine. I loved being about to spend such great quality time with my friends!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-31167911693946568792012-08-20T12:19:00.003-07:002012-08-20T12:20:13.746-07:00Swim for Life Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Medina Beach Park to Madison Park</div>
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2.5 miles open water</div>
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Completed in 1 hour 22 minutes</div>
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Kim, Emily, Amanda (our kayaker) and I did the <a href="http://swimforlife.2012.dojiggy.com/index.cfm?455721500D750B0405717105031324452459440F7C7E7006007B01">Puget Sound Blood Center Swim for Life</a>. It is a 2.5 mile swim across Lake Washington.</div>
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The official picture(s) haven't been posted yet but here are some that Kim took before the race. This is my third year doing the event and it was the best weather yet. I have only swam a handful of times this year but I knew that I could make the distance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0z8b_7vAZzzy5T1TAaJQ5J-BUWJSJJLa5E2CkmXJXcnoq37yz1tIcEG70v1yFxsGHBOvD3G3I4awFKi0_G6qaRoUaEn33JEbA_gVpLrd8oYsTEgWstfJDfqanURj9S3PF6jbapgzZ3bLC/s1600/123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0z8b_7vAZzzy5T1TAaJQ5J-BUWJSJJLa5E2CkmXJXcnoq37yz1tIcEG70v1yFxsGHBOvD3G3I4awFKi0_G6qaRoUaEn33JEbA_gVpLrd8oYsTEgWstfJDfqanURj9S3PF6jbapgzZ3bLC/s400/123.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Race start</span></div>
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We got interviewed by Q13 News but I am not able to find the report. Here is another report done by KOMO News:</div>
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It was a fun swim and not a bad way to spend a Wednesday morning. After we swam we grabbed some breakfast, showered and went to work.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim & I</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Race start<br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-83510220099837145132012-07-30T11:30:00.004-07:002012-07-30T11:36:04.915-07:00Seattle Century Race ReportKim, Ashley and I did the <a href="http://seattlecentury.com/2011/09/the-century/">Seattle Century</a> ride hosted by Portland Bike Club. They have a 50 mile, 85 mile and 100 mile option. Some quick details of the 100 mile option.<br />
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Distance: 99 miles<br />
Elevation: + 5189 / – 5496 ft<br />
Climbing Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult*<br />
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Our stats based on my bike computer:<br />
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Distance: 99.35 miles<br />
Time: 7:35:50<br />
Max Speed: 39 mph (not my PR)<br />
Average Speed: 13.3 mph<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1gUPkk3A2KQNeTczH0CNZ_D7qFNtNgz8wV-LBJOEhT-shVWKYukvJkkVfhizLig7eGu65VB_iy2H1c7uu3dK1_xgSzM-EXbLeavRLBwweRWHMk0mlQzorxZF23Eo2yMkMhqv_IeoIZiW/s1600/map.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1gUPkk3A2KQNeTczH0CNZ_D7qFNtNgz8wV-LBJOEhT-shVWKYukvJkkVfhizLig7eGu65VB_iy2H1c7uu3dK1_xgSzM-EXbLeavRLBwweRWHMk0mlQzorxZF23Eo2yMkMhqv_IeoIZiW/s400/map.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Race map and elevation profile</span></div>
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The race start was at Magnuson Park where we met at 6am. The race was a fully catered race which started with breakfast at the start line, then deli sandwiches on Dave’s Killer bread (yum!), pie from Remlinger Farms, strawberry shortcake, and ended with chicken and salmon dinner and unlimited free beer (more on this later).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJvXjKPbhJrph9Ez2Olrv-aY8uE9pF9fVnQgmpOrs46XCRSWeV6Cd3oVmDJIebzWeTebQF3NrGaK6eIMOc4W6v9RC6UqWmTAlwGYFdcUC-tnH_Xaoi7vxLlwJ3wVjCyPC2b4Kndc3Jt8j/s1600/559249_10101380732013878_1588012273_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJvXjKPbhJrph9Ez2Olrv-aY8uE9pF9fVnQgmpOrs46XCRSWeV6Cd3oVmDJIebzWeTebQF3NrGaK6eIMOc4W6v9RC6UqWmTAlwGYFdcUC-tnH_Xaoi7vxLlwJ3wVjCyPC2b4Kndc3Jt8j/s400/559249_10101380732013878_1588012273_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Race start</span></div>
At the first rest stop another ride asked us if our matching outfits were intentional. They were. Thanks to UW crew free gear. <br />
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At the second rest stop (~30 miles in) Kim realized that she busted a spoke on her back wheel. While there was support at each stop, Kim was so overdue for a tune-up (and new brakes!) that one of the volunteers just took a pair of pliers and tucked the loose end to try to alleviate some of the noise making. This of course caused a significant wiggle in Kim's wheel and he suggested that we do the 85 miler and not do the optional 15 mile add-on. We said we would think about it.<br />
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When riding, I always get a song stuck in my head and it just loops over and over. To most, this would probably drive you nuts, but oddly enough, it doesn't really bother me, unless the song is not something I want circling in my mind for hours. About a 1/3 of the way into the ride, there was a break in the clouds as the sun attempted to come out (and it did later, turning into a beautiful day). This break in the clouds and seeing my shadow on the road beside me prompted me to think of Annie, <em>The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow</em>. So, for the next few hours, that song played on repeat in my head.<br />
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I told the girls about this habit of mine, of which Kim particularly enjoyed and decided to give me a new song, <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/pterodactyl_video"><em>The Motherf___g Pterodactyl</em></a>. This is a comic written by a local comedian/artist who is super funny, <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/">The Oatmeal</a>. Well, lets just say as soon as she mentioned this song, it was stuck in my head.<br />
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Within a few minutes, I was asking Ashley to provide me a new song (because you can only sing about a pterodactyl ripping you a new one so long), an easy gospel song to sing along with. For those who do not know, Ashley is an amazing singer (currently recording in a studio actually!) and whenever we hang out she (oh so nicely) obliges our repeated requests to sing something. At this time we had picked up another rider who was unaware of the private concert he was about to witness. On a back road on the way back from Snoqualmie Falls, Ashley starts belting out <em>He's Got the Whole World In His Hands</em> and <em>Ain't No Mountain High Enough</em>. <br />
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Loved it!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Snoqualmie Falls (61 miles)</span></div>
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As soon as we dropped from the falls, we climbed into Issaquah up a monster hill that has a fake descent in the middle that tricks you into believing the climb is over, but its not. During this hill, I kept alternating our names (Steph & Ash, Ash & Kim, Kim & Steph) and sang <em>He's Got the Whole World In His Hands</em> in my head on repeat. I think it helped.</div>
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At this point we knew the biggest climbs were behind us and we were back in familiar territory and on familiar roads.</div>
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At mile 95, Kim was leading the way (usually I lead in biking and she leads in hiking) and I was about to slingshot up a hill and as I came up on her I challenged her to the top. I won by a hair, but it was more fun to be able to still have that type of energy at 95 miles.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Finish line!</span></div>
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We finished and quickly loaded our bikes on our bike racks, changed into flip flops and headed for food. We quickly inhaled chicken teriyaki, salmon, salad and veggies. There was a live band and table/chairs set up which was a great way to end the race in the sunshine. Unfortunately, as Kim and I searched for the beer section (Ashley doesn't like beer) we realized that they set up the beer garden inside of the building, rather than making a separate section outside in the sunshine, with the live band. After eating we walked inside to get our (unlimited) free beer. They told us they were out of Co2 for the kegs and they told us to wait a few minutes as they got "more." We assumed, "more" was more Co2 for the tasty beer. However, we saw someone walk in with cases of PBR and Rolling Rock. Their solution to running out of Co2 was to buy crappy beer. Disappointed, we strolled over to the merchandise to see if there was anything fun to buy. Ashley got a cute shirt and all three of us got cute biking pint glasses. As I was waiting to buy my pint glass, I was chatting with a volunteer and expressed my disappointment at the crappy beer. He turned out to be someone who ran the race and gave me the pint glass for free, which was very nice and unneccessary. We grabbed some beers, sat down inside and drank them quickly so we could head home and shower.<br />
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Overall, the race was really fun and I liked doing a race course that I haven't done before. Outside of the beer at the end I really liked it and loved experiencing it with some great friends.</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Climbing difficulty is a sliding scale is based on the following criteria: Easy: Gently rolling terrain with few short hills. Moderate: Has rolling short steep hills or moderate, sustained climbs. Difficult: Has longer, steeper hills or extreme terrain with frequent steep hills and long sustained climbs.</span></em>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-15922092642130326112012-07-24T16:22:00.000-07:002012-07-24T16:22:19.577-07:00Seafair Sprint (but we thought it was Olympic) Relay Triathlon Race Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.5 mile swim (Steph) - 13.30</div>
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12 mile bike (Heather) - 36.12</div>
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5k run (Aarthy) - 24.36</div>
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Going on 2.5 hours of sleep, I woke up Sunday morning at 4:30am for the Seafair Triathlon. As my knee is in pretty bad shape these days, I was only doing the swim leg of a relay. <a href="http://hover2pie.blogspot.com/">Heather</a> would be doing the bike and Aarthy the run.</div>
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I showed up at the park around 5:15am with plenty of time for a warm-up before the anticipated 6am start time. Well, as we were a relay group and Heather kindly picked up all our packets the day before, I was not able to get into the transition area until she showed up. I don't think Josh enjoyed my 5:30am call to see if she was on her way as Heather's phone was dead.</div>
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Waiting outside of the transition entrance I was able to gawk at all of fancy bikes and gear many people had. I ran into <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rusty.pruden">Rusty Pruden</a> who was assisting a legally blind triathlete and chatted with them for a bit. Amazing.</div>
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Aaron and Rusty at the finish</div>
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Heather and Aarthy joined me and we set up in the relay section of transition. As we were chatting with others, we soon learned a few things.</div>
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<li>The relay triathlon was only a sprint distance, not olympic distance</li>
<li>The relay start wasn't until 8am (currently around 6am)</li>
<li>Try to stay warm for the next 2 hours</li>
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So we watched all of the olympic waves start, waited 23 minutes, then the sprint waves started. I got a tiny warm-up, just enough to get wet and get moving. They grouped us with the men 40-49 age group. </div>
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As I am a decent swimmer, I am used to getting a jump start and having some space in the swim leg of triathlons. As we rounded the first buoy and I was still fighting my way through, I remembered that this was a relay and that all the swimmers out there are good swimmers, hence their reason for doing that leg of the relay. </div>
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Since I have started regularly doing triathlons, I have trained my body to put a lot more effort in my pulling, rather than kicking as you need your legs for the bike and run. I quickly had to focus my efforts in reminding myself to kick, and kick hard as this was .5 mile sprint. I originally had hoped (when we thought we were doing the olympic distance) to break a 25 minute mile so I knew that this was a good chance to see how fast I could go. However, with the lack of warm-up and the not warm weather/water, my breathing and stroke were not as smooth as I would have liked.</div>
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To transition where Heather totally kicked butt on the bike and tried out aerobars for nearly the first time. It was pretty windy and she felt it on the ride. It was interesting to watch all of the relay legs come in as everyone was actually sprinting on the legs. I am so used to seeing endurance races that I really enjoyed watching people putting their everything into one part of the race.</div>
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Aarthy took off in her cute lululemon top and Heather I wandered over to the finish line to get some food. I had to convince a volunteer that I really was in the triathlon in order to grab some noms. (I did a deck change right after the swim to get warm).</div>
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Aarthy came in quickly and we cheered and took this sweet photo where I look like a giant.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEA-Oa9fwNWcgGhsmZWMRGmgllOSYUnfJvYmhrTj1t6c7FS1UIaFNqVFcvMzjde3rqFCd-MLOnY1Iwnpc23rdEcCM497FPPtJysUprd9APBEpepzz9j8AC1xGWIumGFaVdmITnThyphenhyphen8hsxy/s1600/526590_10101370122315798_261494412_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEA-Oa9fwNWcgGhsmZWMRGmgllOSYUnfJvYmhrTj1t6c7FS1UIaFNqVFcvMzjde3rqFCd-MLOnY1Iwnpc23rdEcCM497FPPtJysUprd9APBEpepzz9j8AC1xGWIumGFaVdmITnThyphenhyphen8hsxy/s320/526590_10101370122315798_261494412_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Winner winner, chicken dinner.</div>
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This is our official winner's photo as we were too cold to stick around for the awards ceremony. If we did stick around, we would have gotten an award as </div>
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We won the all-female relay!</h3>
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Maybe next time I will swim more than once in the 6 months before the race. Well done ladies, I can't wait for the next one!</div>
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<br /></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-24525991992798460672011-08-11T11:02:00.000-07:002012-08-10T16:03:01.238-07:00I Have Amazing Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBUIhM58fcrpb6UCZuY7WlSNKkxVgTFNBmeSXdKEw78-KAWtjdV6N3E1RPUf-CjOW85dCN-as81wfIVdGaDRRQ8CddMZ7ILggrq0ky9Tk1nlItleO3vGQgQs2qQoggTFWH1lmi1nG_FBV/s1600/IM.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBUIhM58fcrpb6UCZuY7WlSNKkxVgTFNBmeSXdKEw78-KAWtjdV6N3E1RPUf-CjOW85dCN-as81wfIVdGaDRRQ8CddMZ7ILggrq0ky9Tk1nlItleO3vGQgQs2qQoggTFWH1lmi1nG_FBV/s640/IM.PNG" width="486" /></a></div>
<br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-84783403550004284552011-07-25T13:20:00.000-07:002011-07-25T13:38:20.416-07:00Seafair Olympic Triathlon - Race ReportYesterday was the <a href="http://www.seafair.com/AnEvent.aspx?ID=5&SecID=958">Seafair Triathlon</a> and the weather couldn't be more perfect. Summer finally reached Seattle, the sky was bright blue without a cloud and the day's high was low 80s.<br />
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I was doing the Olympic distance (1 mile swim, 20 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) and met up with some friends from college that I rowed with. As my alarm went off at 4:15am and picked up the girls at 5:00am, I semi-jokingly asked them why we chose a hobby that starts even earlier than crew practice did.<br />
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I only have one picture of me right now, but more pictures will be added to the facebook later this week. :)<br />
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Here are my times for the event:<br />
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Swim: 25:58<br />
T1: 3:28<br />
Bike: 1:06:40<br />
T2: 3:33<br />
Run: 1:23:11<br />
Total: 3:02:50<br />
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Before I get into the breakdown of the events, I just have to say how awesome my friends are. Not only the ones that did the event but those who came out at the crack of dawn on a Saturday to see us for a few minutes during transistion. My good friend Jed, fresh off of his brother's wedding the night before, showed up at 6:30am to wish us well before we dove into the lake. He took pictures the entire time and even ran with me for a bit during my second loop to encourage me and tell me I was doing great. He also emailed status updates with pictures to another friend who was out of town and otherwise would have stood along him to cheer us on.<br />
<br />
<strong>Swim:</strong> 25:58<br />
The swim was in Andrews Bay in Lake Washington. As you can see from the handy-dandy map below, there was a double loop that took you out and then almost all the way back in to the start for the second loop and actually went around the south end of the swim dock. This caused an issue because as you went for your second loop, the sprint waves (starting about 20 minutes after the Olympic waves) were starting. So, after you had just battled your own wave, either swam over others or was swam over or both, you got to do it again through the second loop.<br />
<br />
For me, I battled most of the swim. I was at the front of the pack for our wave with a friend of mine whose swim pace is similar to mine. At the first buoy turn I was stroke for stroke with someone from my wave (you can tell by the color of the swim cap) and it later turned out to by my friend. During the swim I caught up and passed some from the wave(s) ahead of me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_1DzB-P3UPo7W5Ii3eer6NKi0tzY0IhDQO6Kg-SMbbSPsFRtC2G_EG8LjTLGMa7tBEvCmRAIsPnTyXBBsLlsbpU1vxoq8k677E4Zd5wg3hSnX1QOHI6AH2HKGZpqiAgJ331i19K8wzwp/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_1DzB-P3UPo7W5Ii3eer6NKi0tzY0IhDQO6Kg-SMbbSPsFRtC2G_EG8LjTLGMa7tBEvCmRAIsPnTyXBBsLlsbpU1vxoq8k677E4Zd5wg3hSnX1QOHI6AH2HKGZpqiAgJ331i19K8wzwp/s1600/Capture.PNG" t$="true" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Transition 1:</strong> 3:28</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Uhh, 3.5 minutes? Not good. I knew I didnt want to rush through transitions as this was my first Olympic triathlon (and my first triathlon this season) but I didnt realize I was moving that slow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4ZM_-kzyb_YN5Wlboz4lPP1Eh0V8CvcSN5wO8S8T-300DVFhg1c5dz4U0Ol6OwZ-ojMjQDOrelzm998DH2wDR7kGCF7MM_vgQmwu1To4t6fKcFOc-_9LNeDr7RmFEuqCEtz2jjmSqo2e/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4ZM_-kzyb_YN5Wlboz4lPP1Eh0V8CvcSN5wO8S8T-300DVFhg1c5dz4U0Ol6OwZ-ojMjQDOrelzm998DH2wDR7kGCF7MM_vgQmwu1To4t6fKcFOc-_9LNeDr7RmFEuqCEtz2jjmSqo2e/s400/image.jpeg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Bike:</strong> 1:06:40</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The bike course was beautiful and super cool, I averaged about 17.5mph. We went up Lake Washington Blvd and it took me about 3-4 miles to get my bike legs going. Lady (my bike) rode like a champ and it was so great to have her back after nearly a month. The express lanes on I-90 were closed for the race and they sent us East to Mercer Island first. The sun was just rising and the view was amazing and gorgeous. The ride was great as there was plenty of space for all riders and no intense climbs. It was fun to be able to shout to my friends as we passed each other on the bikes. Orange cones and a police car with flashing lights was the signal for the turnaround and they sent us West, all the way to downtown Seattle. I have never been on this stretch of road before and it was super cool to be able to ride all the way to the football and baseball stadiums in the city. More cones and flashing lights signalled the turnaround that sent us back.</div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G3klKW-9z2eRHKyksPDGk21X3mvM53x2K0VSIZCSGSwUZzWzJydEz1RMm1o5qEByEkjyXHx0yrgiC67AMPSazLGg7Ft7Ed6f3RR7d4mSboCcq3ZX-JPci9gBCgSq6vvxeZQVvWBWbJzg/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G3klKW-9z2eRHKyksPDGk21X3mvM53x2K0VSIZCSGSwUZzWzJydEz1RMm1o5qEByEkjyXHx0yrgiC67AMPSazLGg7Ft7Ed6f3RR7d4mSboCcq3ZX-JPci9gBCgSq6vvxeZQVvWBWbJzg/s400/Capture.PNG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bike course in red</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">True to form, triathletes during a race are some of the nicest and most encouraging people I have ever encountered. No less than 5 people (men and women) encouraged and congratulated me during the ride.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Transition 2:</strong> 3:33</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yeah, about 3.5 minutes again. I did realize that after putting on my shoes I still needed to put on my knee brace, thought I could fit it over my shoe, then realized I needed to take my shoe off again to put it on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Run:</strong> 1:23:11</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see above, not good. I am a terrible runner. The first loop I didn't walk at all and felt pretty good. The second loop was definitely worse. I felt thirsty and dehydrated and although I went reallllly slow, I didnt feel like I was going to die. Which, for me, is a plus. This part is where I always lose ground. I passed 2 people during the entire time and it was because they were walking. But again, triathletes show their awesomeness. During the run, I had about 5 men holler encouragement to me as they went loping by. I was called sweetheart, honey and girl. I laughed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the 6 mile marker I was passing a 68 year old man (and I know this because they mark your age on the back of your calves) who was walking and looking like he was struggling a lot. Feeling good, I told him lets go and that we can do it and he took up trotting with me to the finish. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZV30Z3YWM-ufuAX5c6Y60f5SHZDFpY0i20n0QumsgmBs73dKayBoDpytmZI5i-qnx7qBxlgvp_6hSJR1Wphmnw34MIKEwEhkynWEIxjdRmfZ0tFLn0ysfRBJpWABSNUDkT8HA0b1SFTj9/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZV30Z3YWM-ufuAX5c6Y60f5SHZDFpY0i20n0QumsgmBs73dKayBoDpytmZI5i-qnx7qBxlgvp_6hSJR1Wphmnw34MIKEwEhkynWEIxjdRmfZ0tFLn0ysfRBJpWABSNUDkT8HA0b1SFTj9/s320/Capture.PNG" t$="true" width="179" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Finish:</strong> 3:02:50</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was good to finish. My first Olympic triathlon on 3:02. I really wanted to do it in under 3 hours, but with my slow transition and struggle on my run I came close. Next time baby.</div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-91710095031301201792011-06-20T10:28:00.000-07:002011-06-20T10:30:03.310-07:00Poker FaceMy physical therapist consistently tells me I have an impressive poker face. This usually happens during the deep tissue massages where I grip the sides of the table and try to ignore the searing pain through my body. While I don't think my poker face would be useful in an actual game of poker (I get too excited when winning), it works well for being an athlete. After spending the last two decades in sports, I have encrued various injuries. Due to that and phrases from coaches that include "Dig or Die" and "Sacrifice your body for the ball" I have learned how to hide the pain that I am in. Luckily, Costco sells <a href="http://www.costco.com/Browse/ProductSet.aspx?Prodid=11630217&search=ibprofen&Ne=4000000&Mo=5&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&in_dym=1&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&whse=BC&D=ibuprofen&Ntt=ibuprofen&No=3&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1">monster-sized bottles</a> of Ibuprofen.<br />
<br />
Alas, here is a laundry list of all the major injuries that I have encountered in the past 20 years:<br />
<ul><li>tendonitis </li>
<li>juvenile rhematory arthritis (JRA) </li>
<li>torn miniscus </li>
<li>torn cartilage</li>
<li>blown ACL</li>
<li>sprained ankles</li>
<li>sprained wrists</li>
<li>jammed fingers</li>
<li>pinched sciatic nerve</li>
<li>separated bone from tendon</li>
<li>stress fractures</li>
<li>bone spurs</li>
<li>joint injury (apparently only resolved by exploratory surgery - no thanks)</li>
</ul>Majority of these issues still bother me today, even if they are quite old. I am pretty sure I am keeping my physical therapist, multiple specialist doctors and Costco afloat.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-32175794460059525302011-06-14T10:55:00.000-07:002011-06-14T10:55:53.687-07:0060 DaysToday marks officially 1 week since I have been allowed to start training again and exactly <span style="font-size: large;">60 days to Lake Stevens</span>. In the past week, to start getting my endurance back, I have had my butt kicked in just about each thing I did:<br />
<ul><li><strong>Spinning classes</strong> - these can and will kick your butt no matter what shape you are in</li>
<li><strong>100 mile bike ride</strong> - definitely challenging when you have not worked out for 2 months</li>
<li><strong>7 mile hike</strong> - the morning after the century ride</li>
<li><strong>Masters swim</strong> - was planning to be a recovery workout, but instead turned into a 3000 meter swim in 60 minutes</li>
</ul>It still hurts to run, even to eliptical, so my new strategy is to race the swim and bike as fast as possible in order to not be kicked off the course during the run, even if I have to walk most of the way - which is very likely.<br />
<br />
I also just signed up for the first Olympic distance <a href="http://www.seafair.com/AnEvent.aspx?ID=5&SecID=958">Seafair Triathlon</a> (they have only had sprint distances in the past). This will be a good indictor on how painful and tough the run for the 70.3 will be.<br />
<br />
With only 2 months to go, I am already getting butterflies and second guessing myself. What if I don't make it? What if they kick me off the course? Not only will my group of friends (aka my team) be racing or cheering but my parents are planning on driving up from California to watch me as well. Which is great! I love having my parents be there and support me and I know just how lucky I am to have that, but it definitely adds another level of nervousness to the race. <br />
<br />
As an athlete, my biggest competitor is myself and I definitely don't want to let me down.Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-55587925487387825642011-06-06T15:30:00.000-07:002011-06-06T15:30:13.523-07:00Many Things, Here Are A Select FewIt has been forever since I have posted, and there is lots to catch up on. Here are some highlights:<br />
<ul><li>Finally done with my project management program! So happy to have my evenings back. School is way different as an adult, without student loans (and out of my pocket instead), and working full-time</li>
<li>I am (unofficially for now) the new VP of the Board of Directors of Candlelighters Children's Cancer Foundation of Western Washington</li>
<li>Injuries from training. Lots of injuries. Was banned from running for a couple months, which caused me to cancel my Seattle Rock n Roll half marathon and also the 1-day Seattle to Portland ride. Sadface.</li>
<li>I now have a little over 2 months to train for Lake Stevens 70.3, lets hope my body doesnt break down again</li>
<li>It still hurts to walk, yet I am now allowed to start training again</li>
<li>Changes in friendships have made me realize how amazing my true friends are</li>
<li>Taking a vacation in Florida made me remember what life was like living outside of the PNW</li>
<li>Fun spring/summer weekends have started, I am so stoked for what the rest of this summer brings.</li>
</ul>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-51468660224134534922011-04-22T15:50:00.000-07:002011-04-22T15:52:01.702-07:00Candlelighters in Wonderland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxCHpI11ID-FLuEFkn-P453ptVLrAwZANV9nf03qqjCej9MpVxuTAFfZdEwgQNguBUkl1UT6yHM7AwN2aaRAqAj_Ca4RnIgp9BCSzNKPuouwc8MmhcfBfaEx9tzxkrNYStLeTGl5NAwbH/s1600/CandlelightersAuction_Invite.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxCHpI11ID-FLuEFkn-P453ptVLrAwZANV9nf03qqjCej9MpVxuTAFfZdEwgQNguBUkl1UT6yHM7AwN2aaRAqAj_Ca4RnIgp9BCSzNKPuouwc8MmhcfBfaEx9tzxkrNYStLeTGl5NAwbH/s640/CandlelightersAuction_Invite.gif" width="338" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.candlelighterswa.org/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">www.candlelighterswa.org</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/cccfww"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">www.twitter.com/cccfww</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/candlelighterswa"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">www.facebook.com/candlelighterswa</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3515182615535644492.post-14703750609147458852011-03-14T12:53:00.000-07:002011-03-14T12:53:49.346-07:00Pure AwarenessI have always sensed that there is a deeper connection of body, mind and spirit, separate from divinity, especially in athletics. Athletes have to be in tune with their own body, able to push themselves to far limits, while knowing where to stop to abstain from injuries. I first became aware of this inherent connection during my years of swimming. Swimming has always had a calming affect, and after an hour or so swimming laps, my mind would be clear and my problems resolved. This was strengthened even more as I practiced bikram yoga. I was able to connect with myself on a deeper, calmer level, something I would never be able to accomplish if I was not actively engaging myself in some sort of activity.<br />
<br />
In the midst of my realizations, a <a href="http://www.groupon.com/seattle/deals/fern-life-center-1">Groupon</a> (oh Groupon, how we love you) for an Effortless Mind Meditation Course at <a href="http://www.fernlifecenter.com/">Fern Life Center</a> came through. Taught by yogi <a href="http://www.ajayan.com/about-ajayan/">Ajayan</a>, I honestly went in (alone) with some hesitations. Come on, meditation? An 8 hour meditation seminar? Expecting some extreme yogis, I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into the yurt (oh yes, there is a yurt set up in his backyard) and realized everyone else there was also a Groupon-er and "normal." (I say this in quotes, because although no one was completely off the ranch, there were definitely some fun and interesting characters there. But I think thats just Seattle). <br />
<br />
Shoes off, in comfy sweats, incense burning, fireplace roaring (it was a pretty sweet yurt), everyone cozied up on the blankets and pillows on the ground. Ajayan took us through the basic steps of meditation, the goals and different ways to practice meditation. I have never even tried meditation before, so the basic foundation was perfect for what I was looking for. We practiced meditating once before lunch and twice after. On the second meditation, I stopped trying to meditate (counter-intuitive to me) and I actually started to get it. Of course, once I realized I was doing it correctly and had stopped trying, it backfired and brought me back out. But at least I know what it feels like now.<br />
<br />
During the practice of meditation, you aim to reach <strong>pure awareness</strong>. <a href="http://www.ajayan.com/faq-long-term-meditators/">Ajayan</a> describes pure awareness as, "<em>transcending the gross layers of thought that comprise ordinary mind, and experiencing the molecular and atomic nature of consciousness that lies hidden within. The rigid boundaries of the gross mind can melt into pure energy and then finally into pure, unbounded consciousness, into the Truth of our own Being, which is universal and infinite</em>..."<br />
<br />
In training for endurance events, you end up spending a lot of time with yourself. Especially on the bike and swim, you don't have music to help distract you, you end up spending a lot of time in your own head. My goal was to take advantage and help myself in my connection to myself and the world around me. <br />
<br />
Today marks 5 months exactly from Lake Stevens 70.3 (but who is counting?) and as I am building the foundation for my event physically, I am now starting to build the foundation mentally as well.<br />
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Let me know if you have any specific questions, and I am sure I will have a story or two to share about the seminar. You know I love telling stories :)Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01422623019559380261noreply@blogger.com0