Kind Of

I'm kind of training for the Iron Girl sprint tri that takes place in 3 weeks. I have been riding my bike the approximate distance once or twice a week but I haven't swam in 2 weeks and I haven't run in even longer.

My previous years bike times on the IronGirl course are:
2009 Danskin 44:42
2009 Trek       44.02
2010 Danskin 39.40
2011 Danskin 38.32

My fastest overall race time is 1:36:27.  My plan every time I race is to do it faster than the time before and I really hope I do this year because they have shortened the course this year. The first year the swim was 1/2 mile, now its only going to be 1/3, the bike is 1/2 shorter and the run is .1 shorter. Iron Girl might not care but they are ripping us off. Just because we're girls doesn't mean we can't go the distance.

This is my favorite course and I just found out that Seafair used this last week so next year I'm going to sign up for that one instead of IronGirl. It will have males and females and a stiffer competition, since IronGirl is geared toward couch to 5k couch potatoes.

Linda and I have a place to stay that's right near the race venue at Genessee Park; Julee Warner had told us her other friends, Julias parents, offered their house to her friends for the race since they will be gone. I jokingly said I wanted to do it & then 2 weeks ago got the word that we were in. AWESOME!

Linda and I will carpool in her van to IronGirl and Lan & Steve will carpool to Lake Stevens for their race. Poor Lan, he has to have Brayden with them but at least Lindas not bringing him with us to a houseful of women. Actually he should just stay home or go to a friends house, he should be hanging out with kids his own age instead of only adults.

I've requested race day off work and they better fucking give it to me. Then yesterday I realized I really should ask for the Saturday off too or else they will fucking give me a 2-midnight shift. I don't want to do that, it would fuck up EVERYTHING. I've offered to bring dinner for us ladies and I can't do that at midnight. I'll talk to my boss and let him know that a morning shift would be OK if need be, but I don't want to work later than like 5. Fuckers better listen to me, this is my big weekend of the WHOLE ENTIRE FUCKING SUMMER.  If they don't let me have it off then I'll be damned if I offer to do anything for them again for a really long time.

Fucking Gail decided to have her hip replacement surgery today so shes out of work and she knew, SHE KNEW, that it was important for me to have that day off. If I don't get it because they have problems covering her shift or someone else gets sick, I'll put a curse on her. I've done it with other people before and I can certainly do it to her too.

I'm being a BITCH here today.

I would have put more time, effort and energy into training if I had known I was going to get the time off for sure. I've already invested hundreds of dollars into signing up, training and equipment but not knowing if I'm going to get the day off for the race gives me nothing to work toward. When I sign up for Ironman Arizona 2015 I will KNOW that I'm going to get the time off and I will HAVE to do the workouts. Right now I can procrastinate and since its only a sprint I know I can fumble my way through it and be fine.

Day Off From Triathlon and Horses

 

Today I took the day off work, horses, triathlon and everything to go hang out with my friend from work, Tina. We worked together at Fauntleroy for a couple months and became good friends, every time I'd go through there I'd say hi. Last winter Tina had the graveyard shift at Vashon and since I worked a LOT of the Night Watch shifts I'd text back and forth with her to keep me awake. Probably her, too.

She was someone I could trust with my secrets and we could gossip and know no one else would hear about it.

 

So today we got together and went for a walk around Greenlake, in Seattle. Its a beautiful park and we had a good time. Even sat and soaked our feet for a while.

 

As we walked around I saw these rocks, had to get a picture.

 

And suddenly I saw this on a tree trunk:

 

To get this photo we had to sit and wait for some other people to stand around in front of it gabbing like old ladies (ok, 2 of the 3 were old ladies) for what seemed like hours.

It was actually a couple minutes.

 

My Oldest and Dearest Friend in the Whole Wide World, Tony, is known as Joker to his friends. I sent it to him via text but his old eyes couldn't figure it out.

Lans Race

Lan started his race at 7am but first Terry took a couple pictures of him, the 1st one she sent to me at work. How sweet of her!! 

Isn't he handsome?

Yes.

 

 

June, photo bombing!

 

Bike start

 

And coming in for his finish.

 

5:22:30

 

20 minutes faster that last year.

 

I still have no idea how he did against the competition nor how stiff that competition was but from the photos it seems most of the participants were people in our tri club.

 

The weather here at home on Puget Sound is sweltering, 88* degrees today but out on the coast it was only 62*, perfect for a triathlon. Of course, the people there were whining.

 

 

I got up this morning and ran, slowly, 2.59 miles in 31:40, 12 minute miles. its slow but I ran the whole way. Yay me!

It was 62* when I started and it was perfect.

 

 

In horsey news:

 

I am the proud owner of a new to me MANURE SPREADER!

 

I paid $200 for this the other day, been looking online & they are going for $995+ so its a good 

GREAT deal. Then the guy emailed me & said he had some horse bedding, free, so I got 6 bags of wood pellets. This is almost enough to last me all winter. Score.

Thanks, Mister.

My Husbands Tri

This weekend my husband is racing in the

Toughman Half Washington Ocean Shores* Triathlon

 

 

This event has been growing every year and this year I'm expecting it to be HUGE because they have teamed up with TOUGHMAN and this will be a WOLRD QUALIFIER.

LOL, wouldn't it be funny if Lan qualified for worlds? I'd make him go. Wherever it is.

 

In the past it wasn't always properly run, one year the half Iron distance runners had NO WATER for 9 miles and it was hot that year. I was pretty upset about that. Its irritating when stupid mistakes like that are made. Other years there have been no volunteers at crucial turns and one guy went 3 miles into town before he figured it out. The event coordinator said it was the athletes fault, he should have known his course.

 

That being said, I have a lot of friends participating.

Saturday, July 12th 2014:

• Half Iron Triathlon ~ 1.2 Mile Swim ~ 56 Mile Bike ~ 13.1 Mile Run
• Half Iron Duathlon ~ 3.1 Mile Run ~ 56 Mile Bike ~ 13.1 Mile Run
• Half Iron Aquabike ~ 1.2 Mile Swim ~ 56 Mile Bike
• Olympic Triathlon ~ .9 Mile Swim ~ 24.8 Mile Bike ~ 6.2 Mile Run
• Olympic Duathlon ~ 3.1 Mile Run ~ 24.8 Mile Bike ~ 6.2 Mile Run
• Olympic Aquabike ~ .9 Mile Swim ~ 24.8 Mile Bike
• Sprint Triathlon ~ .5 Mile Swim ~ 12.4 Mile Bike ~ 3.1 Mile Run

Sunday, July 13th 2014:

• Junior Tri For Kids ~ 50 Yard Swim* ~ 2 mile Bike ~ .25 Mile Run
  
• Half Marathon
• 10k Run
• 5k Run

 

Last year Lan got 13th overall in the  70.3, he was about 3rd off the bike but ran slow but he ran the whole way. This year its not his A race so he isn't going to go all out.

 

But maybe we should rethink this... He isn't going to qualify for anything at the Lake Stevens Triathlon, the competition there will be just too stiff. Here, he has a chance. He's been running well lately but his biking has sucked. We'll see where he ends up.

 

I get to work all weekend so won't get to enjoy any of his racing.

So over the over protective mothering BS

I went swimming with Linda this morning and she had her 15 yr old son with her. She's always been over protective with him but this morning she was a little over the top.

He had on a wetsuit and we were out in the lake and for once it was quite clear so we had pretty decent visibility in the water. I told him to swim to the bottom of the lake and she had a shit fit.

 

'NO, He's NOT swimming to the bottom of the lake.'

 

What? You're not going to let him attempt to dive down? Its only 20 feet deep, he's got a wetsuit on, WE CAN SEE HIM.  But because she's the mommy she won't let him.

Fuck, she needs to let him play with other kids and do this shit so he can grow up. He's not always going to have mommy and daddy RIGHT THERE to take care of him and make his decisions for him. But sadly, he might.

 

Its irritating as hell that she takes him EVERYWHERE she goes but I tolerate him and he is getting better. He is part of the package deal that is our friendship.

 

So I am making reservations for me & her to go to NW Trek in a couple weeks to go on their woodland ropes challenge course. I looked at a couple different sites and this one is in a location I know how to get to, its a beautiful place, there is other stuff you can do after the ropes course is finished and its  practice for us going on The Amazing Race.

Its only about $80 each and has 6 zip lines, rope bridges, climbing obsticles and other stuff. We have chosen a date and I'll be buying the tickets/reservations this week.

 

And HE is not going.

Been Busy

I've been working out a lot more and just working more, for most of May & June I was getting full time & even a little OT. Not so great since I prefer part time but I do what I have to do.

I have ridden my bike quite a bit more this week than I had in the whole previous month or even 2 months. 15 with Sharon, 32 with Linda, Sharon, Erik, Steve & Lan & today Amanda and I rode the mtn bikes for 2 hours at Banner Forest.

 

This is the steepest hill in the whole park and we both have a hard time going down it. Today it only took me 3 tries, it took Amanda about 10. But we had all day and she finally did it. Both of us did it last week too, she only the bottom half but she's getting better at it.

 

The trails in the park are getting so well worn that they are like sidewalks almost. Pretty soon we're going to have to go to new ones to challenge her more.

 

Today it was just us and I was able to ride at my pace and not feel guilty for making Lan wait for me. He is great finding the way and taking us to good trails but he doesn't understand that's its not just about getting down the trail as fast as your bike can go every ride.

 

I've been out to the lake a once or twice each week, going to the buckets and back each time

(.97 mile R/T) and approximately 42-45 minutes.

 

Today Rich & Alisa hosted a swim & BBQ but I only ate good food and chatted with a lot of friends. I love my triathlete friends.

 

In horse news:

We tried to get Wifi into another Dressage show, Bridle Trails in Bellevue but they were full. That made me sad because we don't know of any more shows for a while. I can't be asking for days off every week and their next show is August 10th, 1 week before Iron Girl Triathlon.

 

We had a new horse come into the barn, a big gray TB gelding. Thomas is at least 16hh and actually quite nice looking but he has terrible feet. He came off the trailer limping and he limped as he ran around the arena and he can barely move in his stall. When he does move he's got to throw his head up to take the weight off his feet.

 

This is his right front, the horizontal line along the coronet band is a blown abcess and the hoof wall below it has cracked off. The entire area is soft and extremely painful for Thomas, there is hoof wall separation and it was terribly overgrown and cracked. The first night Lan trimmed off 3 big chunks of toe. He is walking on the sole of his hoof.

 

All of these photos were taken after he had been trimmed by Gary.

 

This is the other front hoof, its got cracks all up it and it had a shoe on that had been on for at least 6 months if not longer.

 

This is the rear left hoof, the crack is worse than it looks because its full of shavings.

 

I had Gary come look at them and he didn't have much good to say for them. He wouldn't put shoes on the horse. He did suggest a vet but at least soak 2 times daily, antibiotics and Bute. He was willing to come back Sunday to attempt to shoe the horse but he also said there was no hoof wall to hold a shoe on that front hoof.

But the owner said the limp is caused by bone chips and his hooves are FINE. She didn't want to give him any Bute, not even when I offered it for him. She disregarded everything Gary told her.

 

So today shes back, with a Mexican farrier that would have just slapped shoes on him no matter what. I told Lan to go down & stop them and I told her no way will I allow her to torture a horse on my property and she would have to remove him before she can do anything like that. The farrier was nice and understood where I am coming from but she made arrangements to move him tomorrow.

 

 

Last night she gave him a little Bute but I gave him 3 more this morning and it did nothing to stop his pain. Tonight I gave him 3 more and if I didn't have to work in the morning I'd give him more. Shes going to move him to the back pasture of the farrier, with no shelter of any kind.

Stupid bitch, she has owned this horse since he came off the track and she hasn't done shit to actually care for him. I hate people like her.

 

I'm giving her a partial refund, charging $30 for the 3 days she was here. I actually did all his stall cleaning, bedding, turn out & in, held him for the farrier and gave him my Bute. Shes lucky shes getting a penny back.