Recent Happenings!

Happenings since my last post on July 31st

It seems like forever since I posted on my blog.  Summer has been some sporadic

entries but nothing regular - so I thought I would post a summary of what I

have been up to.

House related happenings:

Fireplace replaced

Gas Insert with big boulders!  So 70's

New gas fireplace with stacked stones

Side pockets for glass shelves behind the fireplace

New furniture delivered

Electrician installed accent lights and outlets for track lighting and

ceiling fan (yet to be picked out)

Walls painted - beige and light mossy green
Carpeted stairs replaced with oak hardwood stairs

Carpeted stairs replaced with . . . 

. . .   with hardwood

Carpet installed in family room

Carpet installed in the boys bedrooms

As of this past weekend, most things have been returned to their correct home.

Here are a couple of pictures

Biking happenings:

Biked in the MS 150 bike ride - biked 75 miles on the first day and it was

a wonderful day - average speed was 16.7 and I felt great.  Sunday we woke

to rain and thunder and had a delayed start.  Then ran into roads that had

recently been covered with asphalt aggregate material, we were warned the

wipe our tires down as soon as we got off those roads, but it didn't help

me - Flat tire - I was pulling shards of sharp material (glass and metal)

out of my tires!  Due to delays and flat tire issue I only biked 45 miles

on day 2 for a total of 120 over the two days.  It is such a well supported

ride and the people are all wonderful - even with the road issues I had a

great time.

Stopped for a beer on Saturday.

teammates at end of MS 150 bike ride (love that it looks like I am the tall one!)

Popped tubes from the crushed asphalt road.

Biked to New Glarus with husband and son again!  Got caught in a DOWNPOUR -

totally soaked - but we had brought other shirts in my bag and we were able

to change when we got to the brewery - after a couple of beers and a chocolate cow, all was

good.

Continue to bike to work 2 days a week.

Boating:

Went out on the boat last Tuesday with a co-worker of my husbands and his

family. Kids tubed and he wanted to water ski, but thought I should go

first.  I brought my thigh wrap, wrapped my leg tight and skied and did not

have any hamstring issues - yeah!

Me on the jet ski

Jet skied.

Yard work:

My son, with some help from me, installed stone border around my back

flower garden.

Working on the edging

completed edging along the side

edging along the back

Running:

Due to hamstring issues, my runs over the last 4 weeks have been pretty limited.  I haven't wanted to PUSH it too much - but wanted to give myself the confidence that I could do

the Madison Mini on Saturday.  So I have been doing 2 longish runs per week of

7 - 9 miles for the last 3 weeks.  Other than that, my running has been pretty limited to usually 1 other day of  3 or 4 miles with days off in-between.  Whenever I do run, I feel a twang in my

hamstring, but I get used to it by mile 2.   It also causes me to take a shorter stride.  

Last weekend I ran and was heading back into my neighborhood at 8 miles.  I felt really good and thought about running 2 more miles, but left it at 8.  I was confident that I could do 2 more and didn't think I needed to prove to myself that I could finish 13 miles.

This week I ran 4 miles on Tuesday and have been taking it easy ever since.  I know that I have not adequately "trained" for the 1/2 marathon like I would have liked - but I have done some serious biking and am hoping that the cross training will pull me through.

Goals for the race:  None - Last year I ran it in 2:08 and the year before 2:12.  I don't think those numbers are going to happen this year.  I know I MUST start slow otherwise I won't make it.  I am not very good about starting a race slow - I get very caught up in the excitement and want to prove that I can keep up with those around me - but not this race - I am absolutely committed to starting out slow on Saturday for the first 3 miles and then go from there.  I will start in my coral, but will be paying close attention to my garmin to make sure that I go slow.

Family Happenings:
Let me introduce you to our new kittie - Cleo

Oscar, our older cat tolerates her and Sophie our golden loves to chase her around.  She is a lot of fun, but she wakes up in the middle of the night and wants attention.  She comes up to your face and meows and meows and meows until you pay attention to her.   


Busy summer - Happy days - Fun with family - Fun with friends - New Pets - Biking - Running - LIVING!  


Enjoy the moment!

August Events

So this is a big month for me.  All of my summer training will be tested this month.  I had run the Inaugural Madison Mini Marathon last year and really liked the course and event - so I was committed to running that again on August 21.  Then I got the idea to join the team from work and train to bike in the MS 150 bike ride.  Two days of biking 75 miles each day, August 7 &  8 - two weeks before the 1/2 marathon.  The MS 150 is a fundraisier for the local MS Chapter.

Well this weekend is the MS 150 bike ride.  The weekend starts on Friday afternoon - when we take our bikes to the drop off site to get them loaded on to a semi to be transported to the start of the ride.  The team that I am on is called the MGE Power Peddlers and there are 28 members.  Because we are a top tier team, committing to raise at least $20,000 - we will have a 20 X 20 tent waiting for us in Whitewater,  the MS staff will be grilling food for all top tier teams and we will be eating in the tent instead of the cafeteria.  (I am not sure that is the best idea - burgers, brats, etc. vs.  spaghetti, salads, etc. in the cafeteria.)  As of this evening we have raised $16,900 - so we are almost at our goal.

On Saturday morning we need to be at the bus pick up site by 5:00 - which will mean getting up by 4:00.  We will then be bused from Madison to Pewaukee, which is the start of the ride.  Our bikes will be waiting for us there.  We are all allowed to bring two bags for the over night stay, a box fan counts as one of the pieces of luggage.  We will be biking from Pewaukee to Whitewater on Saturday and staying overnight in the dorms at UW- Whitewater, which are not air conditioned - so I think that a box fan might be a GREAT choice.  On Sunday - we get up and ride from Whitewater to Madison.  Knowing that the actual driving distance from Pewaukee to Whitewater is 36 miles and Whitewater to Madison is 44 miles . . . yet we will be taking the longgggggg route - which will be 75 miles both days.

I will be trying to take a few pictures and post an update on Saturday evening from Whitewater.

My other event this month happens on August 21 - two weeks after the MS 150 bike ride.  The Madison Mini-Marathon.  Since the MS 150 bike ride is this weekend - I won't be running at all (two weeks before my 1/2 marathon and I am not running !!!!!!)  I have actually had thoughts of bringing my running shoes and trying to get some kind of run in on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning . . . but then I snapped back into the real world and decided that would be just plain stupid (for me).  So no running this weekend.  I am trying to get some good solid runs in this week - today (6 miles) - tomorrow (8 miles) and Thursday (8 miles).

Plans are in place - More to come about the bike ride . . .

IT is POURING in Madison WI

I am planning on running 10 miles tomorrow morning.  I have been attempting to run 10 miles for the last 2 weekends . . . but just couldn't seem to pull it off . . . I did 8 miles and 9 miles . . .  tomorrow is the day . . . I can feel it.  I swear I will run the 10 miles or ????????  The only problem with my plan is that we have had rain (down pours) for the last several hours.  People are reporting 4 inches of rain in less than an hour.  It is suppose to stay muggy over night - so that means that it will not be a cool run tomorrow morning.  But I am committed to running the 10 miles - I HAVE to do it.  I WILL do it.

All this rain reminds me of the following picture.  In 2000 we had a ton of rain.  One evening the kids and neighbors blew up tubes and floated on the water (river) between the yards.

BIKING:
We had a training bike ride last night - 20 miles over a new route.  We road from Madison to DeForest and back - lots of country - barns and cows.  We were passed by a combine and tractor and lots of trucks.  Instead of warning the other riders of "car back" - the chances were that it was a "truck back"   ;-)

This weekend I am participating in two training rides.  On Saturday, a local MS 150 team is holding a fun ride in Pardeeville, a small community just north of Madison.  There are 4 different distances - a co-worker and I are going to bike either the 40 or 60 mile ride.  Then on Sunday about 10 of us from our MS 150 team (The Power Peddlers)  are going to bike on the Military Ridge trail - biking from just outside of Madison to Dodgeville - 40 miles.  FYI - Dodgeville is my home town.  Military Ridge is a trail made from crushed stone - built over an old railroad bed - so the grade is a gentle 2-5%.  But that also means that there are no downhills - you are pretty much peddling the whole way.  It should be fun.

I will report on my 10 miler tomorrow morning.  Up early - run - go to work for a little while (I am suppose to be on vacation - but have a few things to finish up).

Peace and stay dry out there.

Run and Bike

I had a 10 mile run planned for this weekend.  When I woke up I checked the weather and went Oh My.  While the temp was 73 - the humidity was something like 95% with a dew point of 70.  Arggggggggg

I shouldn't have checked the weather- I was pretty much defeated before I started.  I ran 8 instead of the planned 10.  Although I am happy with the 8 - it just means I will be doing 10 again next weekend.

I just could not convince myself to run the last 2 miles.  Came home and stretched and then watched some of the Tour.  Wow they can bike. 

I then convinced my son to bike with me.  I took advantage of having a good pacer with me and we did a 35 miler.  It was hot and humid and I swear the wind was ALWAYS in our face.  That always seems to happen - I am always heading into the wind.  ?????

I am using my hybrid bike.  Maybe I am crazy.  I am going to go try out a road bike tomorrow????  I have been trying to figure out if a road bike will make that much difference.  We will see what I think.  Any opinions from other bikers?  Am I crazy to try and ride a hybrid that is pretty heavy for 150 miles - especially when I am the oldest person on the team????

Tomorrow I am biking with a friend.  We will either do 15 or add another 12 to make 27.  She hasn't biked this year - so I am thinking that the 15 will be plenty for her.  But we will have to see. 

I will let you know how my ride went and how I liked the road bike.

PEACE - stay cool out there and make sure to drink lots of water. 

Komen Race for the Cure # 6 and 32 mile Bike Ride

Every year the Race for the Cure gets bigger . . . that makes me sad.  It would be so nice if there was no reason to race - no reason to make people aware of breast cancer - no more pink shirts, ribbons or signs. . . maybe in my lifetime . . .  maybe in my children's lifetime a cure will be found.    

This was my 6th Race for the Cure.  My time was 29:48 - slower than last year . . . but under 30.
     I had two goals -

1. to beat last years time 
2. to finish under 30

I didn't beat last years time - but I did finish under 30 and I am OK with it - honestly I wasn't able to do much running before hand because of the stress fracture.  But the good news is that my foot felt fine and I am feeling good.  I hope to publish a picture - I will be checking the website and try to swipe one.  ;-)  My son finished in 20:22, 10th in his age group and 30th overall.  Oh to have young legs. 

Since I am going to be biking in the MS 150 in August I also wanted to bike today - so as soon as we got back from the Komen Race - we loaded the bikes and headed out to Cottage Grove.  My training schedule called for a 30 mile bike ride today.  So we rode from Cottage Grove to Lake Mills and back.  Kept a pretty consistent pace of 14.5 miles per hour, slowed down coming back - the wind picked up and the storm was coming it.  We got a little wet - but the heavy rain held off until we were home.  I am glad that I started to train now - 32 miles was tough - but I know hope that with training - I will be able to do 75 two days in a row.

Tomorrow I have a 5 mile run on the schedule.  I also might head downtown to the Ride the Drive . . . portions of the downtown will be closed off to vehicles and only open to bikes.  There will be a 6 mile loop with vendors, etc.  This is the kick off to Bike to Work week.

Peace and have a great weekend.
;-)