Escape Update

Well, if you have been reading my blog, you know that my bucket has been full. I've been in GREAT need of a vacation. Unfortunately, I can't just take off work for a few months, so I have to take the little weekends I get.

Last weekend Wes and I did the 5k Run for Love in Monterey. It was a good way to incorporate my training and some beautiful beach time. It was an absolutely beautiful weekend. Warm and sunny and just gorgeous. I wish we could have spent some more time. Here is a beautiful pic of Wes showing off the scenery for you.

No pics from the run though...cause we were busy running!

This weekend, we traded our sun gear for some snow gear! Due to some last minute schedule changes I had a free long weekend. I thought about staying home and enjoying not having plans, but knowing my tendencies to schedule things to death, I decided to get away. So Wes and I (VERY last minute) booked a cabin with some friends from church near Yosemite. I had been there once before, but it was another world in the snow.

On the way out, we stopped at the outlets cause none of us had any decent snow boots. Here we are all modeling them for the camera.

Here are some other great shots. I don't think they need any narration.

Isn't the world so amazing? Seeing the size of those rocks and how beautiful they can be reminded me of the hugeness of God. He is so big he could create such a mass, and then...and then make it beautiful. Beautiful and ever changing. Sometimes dry, wet, cold, warm, and sometimes covered in the miracle of snow. It was a very refreshing trip. Short but sweet. And I feel much better.

And here is one last pic of us after our new boots have been thoroughly used in the snow.

If you want to see more pics, send me an email, and I'll send you the link :)

Escape!

I am about to escape! I can hardly stand it. I can almost taste the freedom of the weekend! Stay tuned for the escape update after I am reeled back into captivity.

Why Tri?

I got this email from the people at Wildflower Triathlon. They are putting together the program and asking for background about the participants. You know to find some jewels and inspirational stories. I don't think mine is as amazing as people who have recovered from some terminal disease and then continue to do triathlons, but I thought maybe some of my friends who think I'm crazy for doing it might want to hear my answers. So hear you go :)

Why I took up the sport of Triathlon:
A friend of mine had been doing triathlons, and she didn't seem to be the uber athlete I thought you had to be to do this kind of an event. (Don't get me wrong, she is an awesome athlete as I have come to know.) So one day I thought to myself, if she can do it, I can do it! So we signed up for a sprint and she taught me the ropes of training.

Why I chose Wildflower to race:
In training for my first tri, I was taking swim lessons, and I met a woman who was learning to swim because she hurt herself running. She was transitioning to multisport. We met up again later and I found out the first tri she ever did was Wildflower. That blew me out of the water since it is such a challenging course. But again I thought...maybe I can do it. So I signed up with the faith that God can get my body through it.

Why I keep training through the pain each day:
I have set this goal ahead of me. God has shown me that the body He created can do much more than we can imagine. So I train in faith.

Why I got inspired to do what I do:
Watching women of all shapes and sizes do triathlons has been a huge inspiration to me. It is not a sport for only the elite. The body's God has given us is capable of so much, it is almost a shame not to use it.

Why I chose to live the life I have:
I do triathlons to use my body to glorify God. I also do this to stay healthy, reduce stress, and enjoy being outside in the world God has created for us to swim, bike, and run through :).

Check Your Bucket

So I haven't posted in a while, and I was trying to think of what to post. I generally post fun, happy things, but I haven't had any of those lately. In fact, I've been somewhat of a stress bucket. That is the term I have for myself. Over the years, I seem to have filled up my bucket with stress, and as many of you know...stress is cumulative. It doesn't just go away. All the years of stress are still in my bucket. And I'm only 25!! So my bucket is quite full...mostly because I put stress in my bucket instead of throwing it somewhere else. Anyway I'm learning.

But...so I was thinking what should I post? I'm a stress bucket? I have workout schedules in my head, trips to visit Grandpa to plan, a 5k run with Wes this weekend, and now I'm late to work cause when Wes left last night and took my keys with him. Anyway, I'm fine really, just looking at the irony of the situation.

So I like to put pictures on my blog. So as I said...what am I? A stress bucket? How do you get a visual of that? So I googled it and this is what a found. Some logo for a restaurant in Louisiana...probably wiped out in the Hurricane or something, which is quite unfortunate because they have an awesome logo! What do I have to do? Check my bucket? I don't know if this is exactly a depiction of a stress bucket...but maybe its a reminder that if you check it more often, you will have music surrounding your life. Hahaha. Have you checked your bucket lately?