It was our annual reunion on Saturday. Unfortunately, no vampires showed up. In fact, except for a troop of lost golf carts, no one else came to crash the party either.
However, upon looking at the pictures from the Year of the Phlebotomists, I realized that this year's reunion was...
EXACTLY THE SAME.
Minus the vampires of course.
There was the sleeping station, and the snow cones, and the cotton candy. We all brought our own dinner--of which I pilfered some from other tables. We should just combine our side dishes so that we can taste each other's specialties. There were some rousing games of horseshoes and blankets spread out for impromptu naps. A water fight that ended up in a real fight.
That's a first, actually.
Someone--simultaneously both unexpectedly and expectedly--announced their pregnancy. Two potential new mates came to check out the fam. One didn't fare so well. The other one jumped right in. There were conversations and games. More food.
For the first time in 10 years, I didn't bring out my book to read.
This was actually one of the better reunions. Not that some are bad. Just that some seem to be very draining because of the ages and personalities of your kids. I'm in a pretty sweet spot right now in that J. is old enough to run around and play with cousins virtually unsupervised. A. is so independent that she found her own things to do for the entire day. I just had to make sure I could see her at all times.
Which wasn't that hard because of her shocking red hair.
And before I knew it, it was already 5:00, and I hadn't been pestered by either child for anything more taxing than a drink of rootbeer.
And NOW I get why everyone loves the reunion!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Book Review Sunday
Book: The Rebellion of Jane Clarke
Author: Sally Gunning
Pages: 320
I resisted reading this book until it was the last one left on my bedside table from the library. While I really enjoy history, I haven't delved much into the Revolutionary War and so I wasn't as anxious to read this one as I usually am when it's about World War II.
However, I found this to be a very interesting read that I learned a lot from. Jane lives on Cape Cod with her father, her step mother and a host of siblings that she helps tend for. Her father has arranged a marriage between "aging" Jane (22 years old) and his new business partner, but Jane is apprehensive about the set up. She refuses the proposal and is sent by her father to Boston, headquarters of the brewing Revolutionary War, to make her own way in life.
I only have my basic high school education in the Revolutionary War and I didn't know that there was such opposition among the colonists. Some were Loyalists to the British rule and others were anxious to make their own country. The picture that is painted in school is that everyone who came over to America wanted to leave the rule of the British empire and that isn't so true.
Weaved among this story is the underlying tensions that existed between the Torys and the Rebels. While I think Jane took a long time deciding which side she was on, it wasn't paramount to the story. She thinks everyone is human and deserves the same basic rights, regardless of what side they're on. In the end that's what prevails.
This book was a definite surprise and I'm glad I resisted the urge to return it to the library unopened.
Author: Sally Gunning
Pages: 320
I resisted reading this book until it was the last one left on my bedside table from the library. While I really enjoy history, I haven't delved much into the Revolutionary War and so I wasn't as anxious to read this one as I usually am when it's about World War II.
However, I found this to be a very interesting read that I learned a lot from. Jane lives on Cape Cod with her father, her step mother and a host of siblings that she helps tend for. Her father has arranged a marriage between "aging" Jane (22 years old) and his new business partner, but Jane is apprehensive about the set up. She refuses the proposal and is sent by her father to Boston, headquarters of the brewing Revolutionary War, to make her own way in life.
I only have my basic high school education in the Revolutionary War and I didn't know that there was such opposition among the colonists. Some were Loyalists to the British rule and others were anxious to make their own country. The picture that is painted in school is that everyone who came over to America wanted to leave the rule of the British empire and that isn't so true.
Weaved among this story is the underlying tensions that existed between the Torys and the Rebels. While I think Jane took a long time deciding which side she was on, it wasn't paramount to the story. She thinks everyone is human and deserves the same basic rights, regardless of what side they're on. In the end that's what prevails.
This book was a definite surprise and I'm glad I resisted the urge to return it to the library unopened.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Anniversary Trip/Lunatic Triathlon
This last weekend, Wade and I went on a little trip to central Utah for our anniversary. It seemed apres pro, since that is where we met and all.
The idea was to go mountain biking for the weekend. When I was looking on the internet for reservations for a hotel room, I noticed that there was a triathlon that weekend as well. Friday night to be exact, and who could resist that?
Not me.
So Friday afternoon we set off for the bustling metropolis of Price, Utah after my gracious parents arrived to watch the kids for the weekend. We ate dinner at Wingers, about the only change in town in the last decade, and then I got ready for the triathlon.
It was a reverse tri, so I ran first and swam last. We had driven the courses for both the bike and run, and I felt a little less nervous, but I was still a little apprehensive about biking in the dark. The run was pretty good. I ran it about as fast as I run most of my 5ks, around 27 minutes--which isn't bad considering it was 10:30 at night, I had just eaten, and it was unfamiliar course--and then, I hopped on my bike.
For starters, my chain kept dropping whenever I put it in the hardest crank, so I only had 7 gears to work with. Also, it was DARK. So unbelievably DARK. And the roads were small-town maintained. There were rocks and gravel and potholes.
I had to slow it down big time on the bike, which is a shame because that's really the discipline I shine in, and by the time I hit the pool, I was shot. I had no energy left and I didn't think I'd be able to swim the 300 yards, but I flubbed my way through it. I finished 40th overall, in women, men, and relay teams. I don't know exactly what this means. I know there were more than 41 people who did the triathlon, but I'm not sure how many. It was not the most organized event I've ever been to. I was more tired at the end of this race than I was after 100 miles on my bike and so I didn't really care where I finished.
After the race, we went back to our hotel and I laid in bed, starving because they had no food at the race and I didn't have the foresight to bring food with me. Finally, I fell asleep, but I didn't sleep nearly as well as I thought I would have considering how worn out I was.
Saturday, we slept in and then made our way to the mountain biking trail I had found online. It was billed as one of the best trails in Utah and I sort of ignored the whole "intermediate-advanced" rating it had in favor of experiencing it. We had to drive through Cleveland--which I only know exists because I have a very storied history with a guy from Cleveland that I may or may not share at some point--and ran into ANOTHER herd of cows. It seems like every trip we go on, we run into a herd of cows. The scenery isn't really anything to look at until you get to the parking spot. And then it hits you.
We biked 21 miles through some of the prettiest stuff I've ever seen and it was a lot of fun. However, some things should be noted:
(a) Up until about 3 months ago, I had been truly mountain biking zero times.
(b) Since three months ago, I have been truly mountain biking exactly three times
(c) None of these three times classify me as an "intermediate-advanced" mountain biker.
(d) Wade, as in most things he does, still out biked me.
(e) Four hours on a mountain bike is akin to about eight hours on a road bike.
(f) There are snakes (LARGE snakes) in the wilds of Utah that are not identifiable on the internet.
(g) I did not exactly fall off my bike, but I came close. A number of times.
(h) I may have had a minor melt down at mile 10. Apparently, I was a little tired and I was biking with Bionic Man, who needs no rests or food and after my upteenth run in with a tree that managed to jump out onto the trail, I sorta lost control and threw my bike down. I blame the fact that I had burned something like 1000 calories at 10:30 the night before and I was on my way to burning another 1000 calories and I only had a sausage mcmuffin for sustenance. I have a sensitive blood sugar level.
(i) This would also explain why after we were done, I thought that Wade was trying to starve me because he wasn't hungry and I thought I was going to start gnawing on the table leg in the hotel room at any minute.
Sunday, we slept in again and then made our way down to breakfast and headed home. It was exactly the trip we needed to recharge our batteries. However, next trip we go on, I'm requesting just a few days at the beach where we don't climb mountains or ride them. Just sit and read a book.
The idea was to go mountain biking for the weekend. When I was looking on the internet for reservations for a hotel room, I noticed that there was a triathlon that weekend as well. Friday night to be exact, and who could resist that?
Not me.
So Friday afternoon we set off for the bustling metropolis of Price, Utah after my gracious parents arrived to watch the kids for the weekend. We ate dinner at Wingers, about the only change in town in the last decade, and then I got ready for the triathlon.
It was a reverse tri, so I ran first and swam last. We had driven the courses for both the bike and run, and I felt a little less nervous, but I was still a little apprehensive about biking in the dark. The run was pretty good. I ran it about as fast as I run most of my 5ks, around 27 minutes--which isn't bad considering it was 10:30 at night, I had just eaten, and it was unfamiliar course--and then, I hopped on my bike.
For starters, my chain kept dropping whenever I put it in the hardest crank, so I only had 7 gears to work with. Also, it was DARK. So unbelievably DARK. And the roads were small-town maintained. There were rocks and gravel and potholes.
I had to slow it down big time on the bike, which is a shame because that's really the discipline I shine in, and by the time I hit the pool, I was shot. I had no energy left and I didn't think I'd be able to swim the 300 yards, but I flubbed my way through it. I finished 40th overall, in women, men, and relay teams. I don't know exactly what this means. I know there were more than 41 people who did the triathlon, but I'm not sure how many. It was not the most organized event I've ever been to. I was more tired at the end of this race than I was after 100 miles on my bike and so I didn't really care where I finished.
After the race, we went back to our hotel and I laid in bed, starving because they had no food at the race and I didn't have the foresight to bring food with me. Finally, I fell asleep, but I didn't sleep nearly as well as I thought I would have considering how worn out I was.
Saturday, we slept in and then made our way to the mountain biking trail I had found online. It was billed as one of the best trails in Utah and I sort of ignored the whole "intermediate-advanced" rating it had in favor of experiencing it. We had to drive through Cleveland--which I only know exists because I have a very storied history with a guy from Cleveland that I may or may not share at some point--and ran into ANOTHER herd of cows. It seems like every trip we go on, we run into a herd of cows. The scenery isn't really anything to look at until you get to the parking spot. And then it hits you.
We biked 21 miles through some of the prettiest stuff I've ever seen and it was a lot of fun. However, some things should be noted:
(a) Up until about 3 months ago, I had been truly mountain biking zero times.
(b) Since three months ago, I have been truly mountain biking exactly three times
(c) None of these three times classify me as an "intermediate-advanced" mountain biker.
(d) Wade, as in most things he does, still out biked me.
(e) Four hours on a mountain bike is akin to about eight hours on a road bike.
(f) There are snakes (LARGE snakes) in the wilds of Utah that are not identifiable on the internet.
(g) I did not exactly fall off my bike, but I came close. A number of times.
(h) I may have had a minor melt down at mile 10. Apparently, I was a little tired and I was biking with Bionic Man, who needs no rests or food and after my upteenth run in with a tree that managed to jump out onto the trail, I sorta lost control and threw my bike down. I blame the fact that I had burned something like 1000 calories at 10:30 the night before and I was on my way to burning another 1000 calories and I only had a sausage mcmuffin for sustenance. I have a sensitive blood sugar level.
(i) This would also explain why after we were done, I thought that Wade was trying to starve me because he wasn't hungry and I thought I was going to start gnawing on the table leg in the hotel room at any minute.
Sunday, we slept in again and then made our way down to breakfast and headed home. It was exactly the trip we needed to recharge our batteries. However, next trip we go on, I'm requesting just a few days at the beach where we don't climb mountains or ride them. Just sit and read a book.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Best Decision Ever
I came home one day to a note on the table:
"He called!"
With a phone number.
And I had a choice to make. Do I call back or don't I?
I took a chance and called back. What did I have to lose? Besides, I had already told my mom how I had fallen in love.
With someone I had just met. And would probably never see again. And knew next to nothing about except for that he had the worse driver's license picture ever!
It was awkward and I felt a little uneasy after the phone call. So the next day, I called again and I said:
"I'm really sorry about our conversation yesterday and I don't know if you have a girlfriend or not, but if you wanted to go out next time you're in town, I would really like that."
Of course, I said this all to an answering machine. Because that's how I roll. And then I promptly put him out of my mind because I figured he had a girlfriend.
Which he did.
And because I had one of those sorta boyfriends.
So when he called two days later--Friday night--and we decided to go play miniature golf, I had no idea what would happen.
Or that I was the revenge date when he found out his "girlfriend" had a date with someone else.
And I'll admit I was a little miffed when he didn't call on Saturday because I really liked him. I liked him more than I liked my sorta boyfriend. And I thought we hit it off. But when he didn't call, I figured he didn't feel the same. So to console my broken heart, I took a nap Sunday afternoon so that time would go faster until I could go back to my sorta boyfriend and my evening job that sucked all the joy out of the summer between my freshman and sophmore years of college.
(And because those were the days when I took Sunday naps.)
(I miss Sunday naps.)
My spirits were lifted--considerably--when he called Sunday afternoon because it was too hot to drive back to his job in a mine in central Utah in his tin can of a car. We talked for close to two hours. And decided to go out again the next weekend.
Because evidently, he broke up with his girlfriend on Saturday night.
Hence the no-phone call.
Five months later, I said yes when he asked, his hands shaking while he looked up at me from one knee.
Six months after that, I said I do.
Even after I met the whole family.
And even after he whispered to me that he thought he was going to throw up and I thought "Please, not on the dress!" I might have even giggled at the thought of showing up to my wedding in a dress covered in the groom's breakfast.
And even when it meant that I wasn't going to go to Hawaii to school or I wasn't going to be a firefighter or about 100 other things I had dreamt I would do before I took the big plunge.
It was the best decision I ever made.
Happy 10th wedding anniversary Wadeomonkey! I love you more today than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow.
"He called!"
With a phone number.
And I had a choice to make. Do I call back or don't I?
I took a chance and called back. What did I have to lose? Besides, I had already told my mom how I had fallen in love.
With someone I had just met. And would probably never see again. And knew next to nothing about except for that he had the worse driver's license picture ever!
It was awkward and I felt a little uneasy after the phone call. So the next day, I called again and I said:
"I'm really sorry about our conversation yesterday and I don't know if you have a girlfriend or not, but if you wanted to go out next time you're in town, I would really like that."
Of course, I said this all to an answering machine. Because that's how I roll. And then I promptly put him out of my mind because I figured he had a girlfriend.
Which he did.
And because I had one of those sorta boyfriends.
So when he called two days later--Friday night--and we decided to go play miniature golf, I had no idea what would happen.
Or that I was the revenge date when he found out his "girlfriend" had a date with someone else.
And I'll admit I was a little miffed when he didn't call on Saturday because I really liked him. I liked him more than I liked my sorta boyfriend. And I thought we hit it off. But when he didn't call, I figured he didn't feel the same. So to console my broken heart, I took a nap Sunday afternoon so that time would go faster until I could go back to my sorta boyfriend and my evening job that sucked all the joy out of the summer between my freshman and sophmore years of college.
(And because those were the days when I took Sunday naps.)
(I miss Sunday naps.)
My spirits were lifted--considerably--when he called Sunday afternoon because it was too hot to drive back to his job in a mine in central Utah in his tin can of a car. We talked for close to two hours. And decided to go out again the next weekend.
Because evidently, he broke up with his girlfriend on Saturday night.
Hence the no-phone call.
Five months later, I said yes when he asked, his hands shaking while he looked up at me from one knee.
Six months after that, I said I do.
Even after I met the whole family.
And even after he whispered to me that he thought he was going to throw up and I thought "Please, not on the dress!" I might have even giggled at the thought of showing up to my wedding in a dress covered in the groom's breakfast.
And even when it meant that I wasn't going to go to Hawaii to school or I wasn't going to be a firefighter or about 100 other things I had dreamt I would do before I took the big plunge.
It was the best decision I ever made.
Happy 10th wedding anniversary Wadeomonkey! I love you more today than yesterday but not as much as tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
What's for Dinner Wednesday--Joy Bundles and Rice
Source: Taste of Home Magazine
Difficulty Level: Easy
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
4 green onions
1 tsp minced fresh tarragon or 1/4 tsp dried tarragon
8 turkey bacon strips
1/4 c butter, melted, divided
2 c uncooked long grain rice
2 1/4 c chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c lemon juice
3 T snipped fresh dill or 1 T dill weed
2 tsp grated lemon peel
* Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally (seriously? I have no idea what that means. I just sliced them the long way so that they looked fileted). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
*In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese (I used neufchatel cheese, which is the same only with 1/3 the fat), onions, and tarragon; spread over chicken. Roll up from a short side (jelly roll style); wrap each with a piece of bacon; place seam side down in a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Drizzle with 1 T butter.
*Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
*Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring rice, chicken brother and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in the lemon juice, dill, lemon peel, and remaining butter.
*Serve chicken over rice; drizzle with pan juices.
I didn't cover the chicken, nor did I broil it. That step seemed to completely leave my brain. I was trying to do three things plus keep tabs on the kids and so I missed it. Otherwise, I thought it was an amazing dish. It tasted a little like Chicken Cordon Bleu. Very tasty and simple to make and Wade, who was not home for the meal, enjoyed the leftovers for lunch.
Difficulty Level: Easy
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
4 green onions
1 tsp minced fresh tarragon or 1/4 tsp dried tarragon
8 turkey bacon strips
1/4 c butter, melted, divided
2 c uncooked long grain rice
2 1/4 c chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c lemon juice
3 T snipped fresh dill or 1 T dill weed
2 tsp grated lemon peel
* Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally (seriously? I have no idea what that means. I just sliced them the long way so that they looked fileted). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
*In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese (I used neufchatel cheese, which is the same only with 1/3 the fat), onions, and tarragon; spread over chicken. Roll up from a short side (jelly roll style); wrap each with a piece of bacon; place seam side down in a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Drizzle with 1 T butter.
*Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
*Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring rice, chicken brother and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in the lemon juice, dill, lemon peel, and remaining butter.
*Serve chicken over rice; drizzle with pan juices.
I didn't cover the chicken, nor did I broil it. That step seemed to completely leave my brain. I was trying to do three things plus keep tabs on the kids and so I missed it. Otherwise, I thought it was an amazing dish. It tasted a little like Chicken Cordon Bleu. Very tasty and simple to make and Wade, who was not home for the meal, enjoyed the leftovers for lunch.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
#91 Do a Century Ride
The following is more, or less, what I sent in as my "race" report for the 100 Miles of Nowhere event I participated in yesterday.
You just won the Stansbury Park, Utah I Can't Believe I Thought This Was a Good Idea division of the 100 Miles of Nowhere Bike Event. Tell us about it.
It was single-handedly the craziest, most absurd thing I have ever done.
Really? Riding your bike 100 miles in circles has been the craziest thing you've EVER done?
I have a degree in mathematics. I do crossword puzzles for fun. I love the Discovery Channel. THIS is about as crazy as I get.
You had me with the math degree. Okay, so tell us about the course.
It's roughly four miles around the outer edge of Stansbury Park and that seemed like a good number. 25 laps around seemed pretty manageable. There wasn't a whole lot to look at. A few soccer fields. Glimpses of the lake between houses. A yard sale that didn't have anything promising to buy, though I checked it out about 15 times. Um...that's about it.
It's been an usually cool and wet spring this year. How did you train for it?
Ha. Funny you should ask. I didn't.
You didn't?
Well, I did a 25 mile training ride about a month ago. But that was the last time I was actually on my bike.
What's the longest you've ever been on your bike?
Funny you should ask that too. 25 miles. A month before the race.
Well, I lie. Last year, I did 29 miles, but it was 17 in the morning and 12 in the evening, so it wasn't all at one time.
So you went out and rode 100 miles with no training and no rides over 25 miles, ever?
Yes, it would appear so.
You must be Super Woman.
I wish. I was motivated and I'm sure, pushed along by angels. I have three amazing friends who each took turns riding with me, and I only ended up doing two laps by myself.
You have some good friends. Spectators say that you rode each lap for someone who had been affected by cancer. Tell us about that.
The Sunday before the event, I realized that I had zero training behind me and my enthusiasm for the event was starting to wane. I brainstormed ways to motivate myself to do this. I wrote down the people I personally knew who had been affected by cancer and then went on Facebook and solicited the names of people from friends who had also been affected. By Monday afternoon, I had 42 people and so I made up signs to wear for each lap, dedicating each lap to one or two people. I put Celebrating for those in remission, Supporting for those still fighting, and Remembering for those who had passed away. It was a good reminder as to why I was out there and probably the reason I could keep going, despite my lackluster training.
What's your personal connection to cancer?
My mom was diagnosed with Melanoma last October, and it was a relatively easy treatment plan of surgery. It hadn't spread or anything and I feel silly counting her as a "cancer survivor" when others have months and months, sometimes years, of treatments. But cancer is cancer, and I wanted to dedicate this ride to her because it was a scary time. There were infections and complications and she spent two weeks in the hospital. She's one of my closest friends and I can't imagine life without her. Lap 25 was for her.
My sister-in-law survived childhood leukemia twice. She was the second person in Utah to get a bone marrow transplant. She was diagnosed in 2004 with thyroid cancer most likely as a result of treatments from her leukemia 15 years prior. She's the mom of a special needs daughter and is amazing. Lap 24 was hers.
My grandma had breast cancer when she was 80 and will be turning 91 this year. This woman is the epitome of strength and endurance. I rode Lap 23 for her.
I rode a lap for my best friend's mom, who was diagnosed with Non-hodgkins last year. I rode one for a family friend, the first one I remember having cancer, who died at 45 from lung cancer, having never smoked a cigarette in his life. I rode a lap for a friend who had died at 40 from colon cancer, leaving three small boys behind. I rode for my running buddy's mom and brother, who both died from cancer. I rode for a friend's friend, who has only been given months to live.
Wow. Pretty powerful. What was the response of your family and friends when you told them what you were doing.
My mom, who I was dedicating the entire ride to, tried to talk me out of doing the whole thing. My husband told me that I was insane, though he supported me by staying home with the kids and cheering me on when I'd stop in for a break. My friends, though, they encouraged me and supported me and knew I could do it, even if I didn't. I'm always the friend that gets called to do the crazy things with them. The "hey, I found this race I want to do, will you do it with me" kinds of things. I did a mountain bike triathlon, having never mountain biked before. I've trained with someone hoping to make it to Boston. I did a half marathon on a whim. I'm signed up for a duathlon in September. I'm always up for a good adventure. And to pay me back, they came out and supported me in this crazy stunt.
The funniest part was trying to explain to people WHY I was doing 100 miles like this. Why not ride 50 miles in one direction and turn around? It was hard explaining to people how this mimics the trials of a cancer patient. That 100 miles in a circle is infinitely harder than just riding 50 miles and turning around.
Tell us about your bike and gear
My bike is the number one reason why I didn't go and do the event with Fatty's Posse. I'm pretty sure they would have laughed me home. I ride a Wal-mart Schwinn Varsity, a present from my husband from the money he won in Vegas on 50 cents at the slot machines. It's served me well in the few triathlons I do every year. It's a definite step up from the mountain bike I showed up on the first triathlon I ever did, but it's cheap. I've since put on clipless pedals and have ordered tribars, and my accessories will soon out cost the bike. One day, I'll upgrade, but I want to REALLY upgrade, not just get a marginally better bike with a better brand name. So, that's in the distant future. Last year, I placed sixth overall out of 53 women in the biking portion of the triathlon I do every year out here in Stansbury Park, so the bike has been good to me. I'm not exactly jumping up and down to show it off to a bunch of cycling enthusiasts that do 100 mile training rides all the time though.
With that being said, these low-end bikes get a bum rap from bike snobs and the reality is that not everyone can afford to drop $1000+ on a hobby. These bikes give those of us that aren't willing or able to part with that kind of money a way into the sport and I sort of wish I felt comfortable enough to show up to a cycling event with my Schwinn. But it is what it is, and I'll just ogle your awesome rides from here.
My gear was my cell phone. I figured I could call home if I ran into trouble. Luckily, though, I rode 100 miles with no problems what so ever.
How did you feel at mile 100?
I felt GREAT! I popped 800 mg of Advil at 75 miles and when that kicked in, I could have gone forever. When my Garmin clicked over to 100 miles, I sort of expected balloons and confetti and choirs of angels, and it was sort of anticlimatic. About 30 minutes after I finished I started feeling the first twinges of pain. Six hours laters, I felt like I had given birth and then gone and run a marathon. Now, 24 hours later, though, I'm a little sore, but nothing too serious.
Overall, what were you feelings about how you did in the race?
It was a lot more fun than I anticipated. I'm a runner first most, and I have to have a dozen routes to choose from because if I do the same route over and over again, I go crazy. I can't do the high school track because after two times around I can't stand the repetition. I was a little worried about doing the same loop 25 times. However, with a friend by my side, and relatively low traffic, it was like a seven hour gab fest the entire way. No distractions. Just pedaling along and swapping stories. There were times that I actually forgot I was on my bike.
I've run a host of half marathons and two full marathons. This, though, was my biggest accomplishment. I don't know a single woman that has ever ridden their bike 100 miles and I only know two men. This puts me in a class above most everyone I know, and I'm sorta a celebrity in the neighborhood.
Do you think you'll ever do this again?
I vow to do the 100 Miles of Nowhere every year that someone close to me is diagnosed with cancer. So far, 2011 has been a good year, and I'm hoping it stays that way. It was fun, but it was hard. And I don't know if I could get my friends to come out again.
The raw stats (which I didn't send in)
Time I started: 6 am
Time I finished: 3:40 pm
Total Riding Time: 7 hours 23 minutes
I broke the 100 miles into four chunks of 25 miles and took increasingly longer breaks as the day wore on, but I think that's what saved me. I don't know if I could have finished if I would have gone with my original plan of riding until I felt like dropping, taking a break, and then doing it again. I KNOW that my success is completely hinged on the fact that three awesome, awesome friends came out and joined me. Much thanks and gratitude goes to them. Mary, who rode the first 25 miles with me 8! weeks after giving birth. Christina, who rode the next 15 miles with me. She lost both her mom and brother to cancer. And Nicole, who rode the last 50 miles with me. She's my "newest" friend and we had a host of stories to swap over our nearly 4 hour ride. I averaged 12.8 mph on the first 50 and 14.4 mph on the second 50, so we were keeping a fairly good clip for our lack of training.
You just won the Stansbury Park, Utah I Can't Believe I Thought This Was a Good Idea division of the 100 Miles of Nowhere Bike Event. Tell us about it.
It was single-handedly the craziest, most absurd thing I have ever done.
Really? Riding your bike 100 miles in circles has been the craziest thing you've EVER done?
I have a degree in mathematics. I do crossword puzzles for fun. I love the Discovery Channel. THIS is about as crazy as I get.
You had me with the math degree. Okay, so tell us about the course.
It's roughly four miles around the outer edge of Stansbury Park and that seemed like a good number. 25 laps around seemed pretty manageable. There wasn't a whole lot to look at. A few soccer fields. Glimpses of the lake between houses. A yard sale that didn't have anything promising to buy, though I checked it out about 15 times. Um...that's about it.
It's been an usually cool and wet spring this year. How did you train for it?
Ha. Funny you should ask. I didn't.
You didn't?
Well, I did a 25 mile training ride about a month ago. But that was the last time I was actually on my bike.
What's the longest you've ever been on your bike?
Funny you should ask that too. 25 miles. A month before the race.
Well, I lie. Last year, I did 29 miles, but it was 17 in the morning and 12 in the evening, so it wasn't all at one time.
So you went out and rode 100 miles with no training and no rides over 25 miles, ever?
Yes, it would appear so.
You must be Super Woman.
I wish. I was motivated and I'm sure, pushed along by angels. I have three amazing friends who each took turns riding with me, and I only ended up doing two laps by myself.
You have some good friends. Spectators say that you rode each lap for someone who had been affected by cancer. Tell us about that.
The Sunday before the event, I realized that I had zero training behind me and my enthusiasm for the event was starting to wane. I brainstormed ways to motivate myself to do this. I wrote down the people I personally knew who had been affected by cancer and then went on Facebook and solicited the names of people from friends who had also been affected. By Monday afternoon, I had 42 people and so I made up signs to wear for each lap, dedicating each lap to one or two people. I put Celebrating for those in remission, Supporting for those still fighting, and Remembering for those who had passed away. It was a good reminder as to why I was out there and probably the reason I could keep going, despite my lackluster training.
What's your personal connection to cancer?
My mom was diagnosed with Melanoma last October, and it was a relatively easy treatment plan of surgery. It hadn't spread or anything and I feel silly counting her as a "cancer survivor" when others have months and months, sometimes years, of treatments. But cancer is cancer, and I wanted to dedicate this ride to her because it was a scary time. There were infections and complications and she spent two weeks in the hospital. She's one of my closest friends and I can't imagine life without her. Lap 25 was for her.
My sister-in-law survived childhood leukemia twice. She was the second person in Utah to get a bone marrow transplant. She was diagnosed in 2004 with thyroid cancer most likely as a result of treatments from her leukemia 15 years prior. She's the mom of a special needs daughter and is amazing. Lap 24 was hers.
My grandma had breast cancer when she was 80 and will be turning 91 this year. This woman is the epitome of strength and endurance. I rode Lap 23 for her.
I rode a lap for my best friend's mom, who was diagnosed with Non-hodgkins last year. I rode one for a family friend, the first one I remember having cancer, who died at 45 from lung cancer, having never smoked a cigarette in his life. I rode a lap for a friend who had died at 40 from colon cancer, leaving three small boys behind. I rode for my running buddy's mom and brother, who both died from cancer. I rode for a friend's friend, who has only been given months to live.
Wow. Pretty powerful. What was the response of your family and friends when you told them what you were doing.
My mom, who I was dedicating the entire ride to, tried to talk me out of doing the whole thing. My husband told me that I was insane, though he supported me by staying home with the kids and cheering me on when I'd stop in for a break. My friends, though, they encouraged me and supported me and knew I could do it, even if I didn't. I'm always the friend that gets called to do the crazy things with them. The "hey, I found this race I want to do, will you do it with me" kinds of things. I did a mountain bike triathlon, having never mountain biked before. I've trained with someone hoping to make it to Boston. I did a half marathon on a whim. I'm signed up for a duathlon in September. I'm always up for a good adventure. And to pay me back, they came out and supported me in this crazy stunt.
The funniest part was trying to explain to people WHY I was doing 100 miles like this. Why not ride 50 miles in one direction and turn around? It was hard explaining to people how this mimics the trials of a cancer patient. That 100 miles in a circle is infinitely harder than just riding 50 miles and turning around.
Tell us about your bike and gear
My bike is the number one reason why I didn't go and do the event with Fatty's Posse. I'm pretty sure they would have laughed me home. I ride a Wal-mart Schwinn Varsity, a present from my husband from the money he won in Vegas on 50 cents at the slot machines. It's served me well in the few triathlons I do every year. It's a definite step up from the mountain bike I showed up on the first triathlon I ever did, but it's cheap. I've since put on clipless pedals and have ordered tribars, and my accessories will soon out cost the bike. One day, I'll upgrade, but I want to REALLY upgrade, not just get a marginally better bike with a better brand name. So, that's in the distant future. Last year, I placed sixth overall out of 53 women in the biking portion of the triathlon I do every year out here in Stansbury Park, so the bike has been good to me. I'm not exactly jumping up and down to show it off to a bunch of cycling enthusiasts that do 100 mile training rides all the time though.
With that being said, these low-end bikes get a bum rap from bike snobs and the reality is that not everyone can afford to drop $1000+ on a hobby. These bikes give those of us that aren't willing or able to part with that kind of money a way into the sport and I sort of wish I felt comfortable enough to show up to a cycling event with my Schwinn. But it is what it is, and I'll just ogle your awesome rides from here.
My gear was my cell phone. I figured I could call home if I ran into trouble. Luckily, though, I rode 100 miles with no problems what so ever.
How did you feel at mile 100?
I felt GREAT! I popped 800 mg of Advil at 75 miles and when that kicked in, I could have gone forever. When my Garmin clicked over to 100 miles, I sort of expected balloons and confetti and choirs of angels, and it was sort of anticlimatic. About 30 minutes after I finished I started feeling the first twinges of pain. Six hours laters, I felt like I had given birth and then gone and run a marathon. Now, 24 hours later, though, I'm a little sore, but nothing too serious.
Overall, what were you feelings about how you did in the race?
It was a lot more fun than I anticipated. I'm a runner first most, and I have to have a dozen routes to choose from because if I do the same route over and over again, I go crazy. I can't do the high school track because after two times around I can't stand the repetition. I was a little worried about doing the same loop 25 times. However, with a friend by my side, and relatively low traffic, it was like a seven hour gab fest the entire way. No distractions. Just pedaling along and swapping stories. There were times that I actually forgot I was on my bike.
I've run a host of half marathons and two full marathons. This, though, was my biggest accomplishment. I don't know a single woman that has ever ridden their bike 100 miles and I only know two men. This puts me in a class above most everyone I know, and I'm sorta a celebrity in the neighborhood.
Do you think you'll ever do this again?
I vow to do the 100 Miles of Nowhere every year that someone close to me is diagnosed with cancer. So far, 2011 has been a good year, and I'm hoping it stays that way. It was fun, but it was hard. And I don't know if I could get my friends to come out again.
The raw stats (which I didn't send in)
Time I started: 6 am
Time I finished: 3:40 pm
Total Riding Time: 7 hours 23 minutes
I broke the 100 miles into four chunks of 25 miles and took increasingly longer breaks as the day wore on, but I think that's what saved me. I don't know if I could have finished if I would have gone with my original plan of riding until I felt like dropping, taking a break, and then doing it again. I KNOW that my success is completely hinged on the fact that three awesome, awesome friends came out and joined me. Much thanks and gratitude goes to them. Mary, who rode the first 25 miles with me 8! weeks after giving birth. Christina, who rode the next 15 miles with me. She lost both her mom and brother to cancer. And Nicole, who rode the last 50 miles with me. She's my "newest" friend and we had a host of stories to swap over our nearly 4 hour ride. I averaged 12.8 mph on the first 50 and 14.4 mph on the second 50, so we were keeping a fairly good clip for our lack of training.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Deep Breaths
You know the mom in Walmart who starts freaking out on her kid and you silently wonder what is her deal?
Well, her deal is this:
She begs and pleads and cajoles her two (lovely) children into the car at 10 am to make a trip to the grocery store. It's been ages since she took her oldest (lovely) child--schoolage and out for the summer--to the grocery store, particularly Walmart, and she thinks that this time it will be different.
Why does she think this? No one knows. It's not like it's been any different since he was three. But maybe this time.
At 10:10 she arrives at Walmart. Things are looking pretty good. The (lovely) kids are in good moods. Everyone walks in together holding hands. It's like a freakin' Norman Rockwell painting.
The (lovely) two year old scouts out her favorite cart, which is coincidently the LARGEST, most AWKWARD cart in the entire store with the turning radius of a water buffalo in a china shop. But it makes her happy. And if she's happy then mom is happy.
The two (lovely) children climb into the cart, each getting their own seat and mom proceeds to begin her shopping. She is no more than 100 feet from the door when (lovely) kid #1 begs to go look at the Legos.
Why not? Maybe if he just looks at them for a few minutes we will be able to finish our shopping in peace.
You're smarter than this. You know what is about to happen, but you can't stop the inevitable. You watch from a distace as mom puts a smile on her face and heads in the general direction of the Legos, reminding (lovely) kid #1 that he will not be getting any new Legos today.
Both children begin looking at the Legos while mom scouts out some paper for a project that she has hopes of doing but will never actually be able to do because it will be hampered by the efforts of a two year old who wants to draw on everything. But she looks and dreams anyways.
Meanwhile, in the Lego aisle (plotting) kid #1 is trying to pick which Lego he thinks he deserves. As mom goes to collect her children to actually begin shopping, (conniving) kid #1 picks up a Lego box and asks if he can have it.
No, replies mom.
Why? replies (conniving) kid #1.
Because I said so. answers mom.
Cue semi-melt down.
(Oblivious) kid #2 has picked up a random box of Legos she has no intention or ability to build and has sat down in the cart, ready to begin shopping. This only intensifies the ongoing battle with (unrelentless) kid #1.
Why does she get Legos and I don't? he yells to mom.
Mom casually says not to worry about it. That (happy) kid #2 is not going to get the Legos. She is just holding on to the box.
But whyyyy? asks (pestering) kid #1
Does it matter? mom replies. Mom might be losing patience because it has now been THIRTY minutes since she entered the store.
Mom turns the enormous cart and begins pushing it down the aisle towards the food section. (Unhappy) kid #1 climbs on board and then proceeds to pull faces at his younger sister until she hits him. Then he cries and hits back. And then (unhappy) kid #2 cries. Mom says things like "leave each other alone" and "stop hitting your brother" and "stop looking at her" all the meantime conjuring up memories from her own childhood and those exact same statements being uttered to her by her own mom in similar circumstances.
These moments are also peppered with having to chase down rogue children who are making their way back to the Lego aisle at an alarmingly fast pace in which Mom and her ENORMOUS cart cannot catch.
Cue deep sigh.
She wonders if anyone will notice if she just walks out and gets in the car and leaves.
She realizes, fortunately before it's too late, she doesn't want to be smeared all over the news, portrayed as this monster, when no one else saw the proceeding FORTY FIVE minutes.
Mom pushes forward. Each stop brings on a new round of "Can I please get a Lego. Pleeeeasssse?" while the two year keeps squealing because she can get herself into the harness, but she can't get herself out of the harness and is in the process of strangling herself with the straps.
Mom thinks back to her week. How her plans were thwarted on Tuesday because of a stray cat who had peed on the windshield and rendered the car intolerable to drive because of the smell that emanated from the air vents. How the house that she's been trying to clean for four days is still in a state of disaster because each time she moves to a new room to clean, the two (not-so-lovely) children manage to tear everything apart again. How she keeps stepping on Legos every.freaking.place she steps and yet this kid is unrelentless in his pursuit for more Legos. How it's still too cold, on June 3rd, to play outside for any length of time. How the word "mooooooom" makes her blood pressure immediately soar. How she will have to add "grocery shopping" to the ever increasing list of things she can't do with the children, which means that she will have to go either early in the morning or late at night, when everyone is asleep, and how that seems really unfair.
And on her third time back to the Lego aisle to capture rogue children, something snaps. She dials her husband's office and leaves a message akin to "You should probably be home early tonight if you care at all that your children live to see tomorrow", but which he probably interpreted as "I'm at the grocery store and the kids are being a little rowdy. Oh these kids. hahahaha."
And then she sits the two (devil) children down on their seats and gets in their face and instead of hissing--like she would any other time--she tells them, quite loudly, that they have been in the store for AN HOUR AND A HALF and don't have even half of what is on their TWENTY item list and that if (bugging) kid #1 does not STOP annoying his little sister, mom is going to FREAK.
Which is coincidently the time you came uponus them and gave me her that look. The look that says "if you're like this in public, what are you like at home?" and you looked as though you were about to call DCFS on me her.
And you know what? You weren't there for the whole 2 hour shopping trip, were you? So stop looking at me like that, okay?
Well, her deal is this:
She begs and pleads and cajoles her two (lovely) children into the car at 10 am to make a trip to the grocery store. It's been ages since she took her oldest (lovely) child--schoolage and out for the summer--to the grocery store, particularly Walmart, and she thinks that this time it will be different.
Why does she think this? No one knows. It's not like it's been any different since he was three. But maybe this time.
At 10:10 she arrives at Walmart. Things are looking pretty good. The (lovely) kids are in good moods. Everyone walks in together holding hands. It's like a freakin' Norman Rockwell painting.
The (lovely) two year old scouts out her favorite cart, which is coincidently the LARGEST, most AWKWARD cart in the entire store with the turning radius of a water buffalo in a china shop. But it makes her happy. And if she's happy then mom is happy.
The two (lovely) children climb into the cart, each getting their own seat and mom proceeds to begin her shopping. She is no more than 100 feet from the door when (lovely) kid #1 begs to go look at the Legos.
Why not? Maybe if he just looks at them for a few minutes we will be able to finish our shopping in peace.
You're smarter than this. You know what is about to happen, but you can't stop the inevitable. You watch from a distace as mom puts a smile on her face and heads in the general direction of the Legos, reminding (lovely) kid #1 that he will not be getting any new Legos today.
Both children begin looking at the Legos while mom scouts out some paper for a project that she has hopes of doing but will never actually be able to do because it will be hampered by the efforts of a two year old who wants to draw on everything. But she looks and dreams anyways.
Meanwhile, in the Lego aisle (plotting) kid #1 is trying to pick which Lego he thinks he deserves. As mom goes to collect her children to actually begin shopping, (conniving) kid #1 picks up a Lego box and asks if he can have it.
No, replies mom.
Why? replies (conniving) kid #1.
Because I said so. answers mom.
Cue semi-melt down.
(Oblivious) kid #2 has picked up a random box of Legos she has no intention or ability to build and has sat down in the cart, ready to begin shopping. This only intensifies the ongoing battle with (unrelentless) kid #1.
Why does she get Legos and I don't? he yells to mom.
Mom casually says not to worry about it. That (happy) kid #2 is not going to get the Legos. She is just holding on to the box.
But whyyyy? asks (pestering) kid #1
Does it matter? mom replies. Mom might be losing patience because it has now been THIRTY minutes since she entered the store.
Mom turns the enormous cart and begins pushing it down the aisle towards the food section. (Unhappy) kid #1 climbs on board and then proceeds to pull faces at his younger sister until she hits him. Then he cries and hits back. And then (unhappy) kid #2 cries. Mom says things like "leave each other alone" and "stop hitting your brother" and "stop looking at her" all the meantime conjuring up memories from her own childhood and those exact same statements being uttered to her by her own mom in similar circumstances.
These moments are also peppered with having to chase down rogue children who are making their way back to the Lego aisle at an alarmingly fast pace in which Mom and her ENORMOUS cart cannot catch.
Cue deep sigh.
She wonders if anyone will notice if she just walks out and gets in the car and leaves.
She realizes, fortunately before it's too late, she doesn't want to be smeared all over the news, portrayed as this monster, when no one else saw the proceeding FORTY FIVE minutes.
Mom pushes forward. Each stop brings on a new round of "Can I please get a Lego. Pleeeeasssse?" while the two year keeps squealing because she can get herself into the harness, but she can't get herself out of the harness and is in the process of strangling herself with the straps.
Mom thinks back to her week. How her plans were thwarted on Tuesday because of a stray cat who had peed on the windshield and rendered the car intolerable to drive because of the smell that emanated from the air vents. How the house that she's been trying to clean for four days is still in a state of disaster because each time she moves to a new room to clean, the two (not-so-lovely) children manage to tear everything apart again. How she keeps stepping on Legos every.freaking.place she steps and yet this kid is unrelentless in his pursuit for more Legos. How it's still too cold, on June 3rd, to play outside for any length of time. How the word "mooooooom" makes her blood pressure immediately soar. How she will have to add "grocery shopping" to the ever increasing list of things she can't do with the children, which means that she will have to go either early in the morning or late at night, when everyone is asleep, and how that seems really unfair.
And on her third time back to the Lego aisle to capture rogue children, something snaps. She dials her husband's office and leaves a message akin to "You should probably be home early tonight if you care at all that your children live to see tomorrow", but which he probably interpreted as "I'm at the grocery store and the kids are being a little rowdy. Oh these kids. hahahaha."
And then she sits the two (devil) children down on their seats and gets in their face and instead of hissing--like she would any other time--she tells them, quite loudly, that they have been in the store for AN HOUR AND A HALF and don't have even half of what is on their TWENTY item list and that if (bugging) kid #1 does not STOP annoying his little sister, mom is going to FREAK.
Which is coincidently the time you came upon
And you know what? You weren't there for the whole 2 hour shopping trip, were you? So stop looking at me like that, okay?
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