Two Girls, Two Bikes....and a lot of goose poop?

Let me start off by saying I have a core group of girls that I consider to be my closest friends. Really...they are more than just friends. They are extensions of my family. I've known one for over 30 years (We were five when we met and we were at a BAR). Some I've been friends with since junior high, a couple have just been in the last ten years and one I've only known for the last three years (oh...we met in a bar too...hmmmm). As any friendship goes, there have been ups and downs...we fight, we make up. Our lives get too busy to talk, yet when we get a minute, we can pick up right where we left off. Their roles in our family are god-parents, "other moms," the other half of my brain, and villagers (It takes a village to raise a child...and I have a BIG one) These ladies all have a special place in my heart!

I'm singling one out for this blog (Be scared you other friends....you could be next). Three years ago, I met Jen. Her fiance, who seems to be a good judge of character, knew from   the minute he met me that Jen and I would become good friends. Upon meeting one another, we discovered we have MANY things in common. We come from similar family structures, our personalities are much alike (almost scary at times....right Jen?), we love the same things...the list goes on. Long story short (because there is a point to this blog), she and I are very close! 

During the spring semester at UMD, I was in a Health and Wellness class talking about SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realist and Timely) goals. As a part of the course work, we identified a health goal we would aim for. It could be as simple as becoming more flexible or as complicated as running Grandma's Marathon. As the time, I was working out once or twice a week, but didn't have any particular goal in mind. When looking for something that I thought I could physically do, I tripped upon the Aflac Iron Girl Series website. They were holding a duathlon (run/bike) in Bloomington in September, which at the time, was nine months away. I could visualize this as an attainable goal for myself...but having a friend do it with would make it even better. My first person I thought of was Jen. She worked out often and was just starting to run for 'fun.' =)

I sent her the information on the race and approached the matter as we needed to set a personal goal to aim for. Sure...we both were aiming for weight loss...but we didn't get more specific than that. She contemplated for a few days (I signed up for it right away) and finally decided that she too could do it! After all, there was NINE months to prepare for the race. Easy enough, right?

Training started - I started by focusing on the running, as I knew my biking would not be an issue. Jen focused on the running and didn't have a bike. I got a nasty cold five weeks into my training that knocked me out of the training routine for over a month. Each time we'd train, we let each other know what we had accomplished. We would have the occasional workout together, but much of our training was on our own. 

Summer brought about the purchase of a new road bike for me. What a purchase! I LOVE my bike. It did take a bit to get used to the non-suspension that I was used to with my mountain bike...but it cruised! Jen, still focusing on the running, borrowed a road bike from a friend. There were times when Jen thought she was not meant to ride that bike. After a few short trial rides, she needed to bring it to the shop for some repairs and some other things. Through it all...she was concerned about being able to do the full 22 miles required for the duathlon. I didn't have any fears about her being able to do it. She is more physically fit than I am! 

Over the summer months, we biked together all of TWO times. =) Once from Carlton to Mahtowa and once from 21st Ave E to the end of Park Point. This is our most memorable trip. AGAIN...something happened to JEN'S bike. She got a flat tire...6.5 miles away from the truck...and neither of us had an air pump. OH...and it was getting dark! We (wait, I) walked through goose poop in the park (barefoot), the shrubs tried to eat my bike, I tripped over a pipe (thought I broke my toes) and this was just in the first three miles of our walk back to the truck. WHAT A NIGHT! We giggled a lot that night!

Our training came to an end last Sunday (9/26). We fulfilled our goal! We competed in the Aflac Iron Girl Duathlon in Bloomington. Talk about an AMAZING experience! It is a day we will not forget. The day started early (4:45 AM). It was cold and a fog laid over the lake

Picture from Gretchen's hotel room overlooking Normandale Lake

we would run around. We prepared our bikes in the transition area. We prepared our bodies and minds for what lie ahead...and we jumped a lot to keep our bodies warm (Temp was 47). Before I knew it, it was race time. Jen and I, because of an age difference, started in different heats. My heat started at 7:55 and she didn't start until 8:15. It was hard to leave my duathlonUnless you've been in that starting chute, one cannot fully understand the power of being surrounded by women, much like yourself, who are trying something for the first time or even a second time. The mood is upbeat and positive! People who don't even know one another are cheering for each other (and don't forget those spectators along the roads). This continued onto the course as well. It was not unusual to hear, "Keep it up," "You're doing great," "You can do it," while people passed you. It was a challenging bike course. The run was mostly flat and rather enjoyable.

My thoughts for the first 2 mile run...."gotta get to my bike!" That's my strong point. I even had some encouragement from friends along the route. Once I got back to my bike...I was ready to GOOOOOOO! Had a great ride! Got back to the transition area and prepared for the last two mile run! I just couldn't run....I power walked the whole thing! I WALKED across the finish line with my kids cheering me on!!! Talk about ahh...mazing! Then I had to wait for Jen to cross. This was torture! I didn't have any idea on how she was doing, where she was in the race or worst of all, if she'd been hurt. Time dragged on...and then, there she was! She crossed the finish line (running, unlike me) with style and grace! It was so good to see her and to marvel at what we had just accomplished. With no specific overall time goal in mind, we both finished the race in under three hours! Our overall goals included: having fun, stepping outside the comfort zone of our workout routines, and crossing the finish line! All of which were successfully accomplished!

Jen and myself at the finish line!

In one monumental moment, we went from two girls with two bikes to the

QUACK-TASTIC 

IRON GIRL DUO!

Thank you Jen for coming on this adventure with me. It was an honor to stand by you at the finish line and congratulate one another on a job well done! It has been life changing experience. I look forward to the next adventure we find to challenge our bodies and minds. 

To those that are considering trying the Aflac Iron Girl Series, I strongly suggest you sign up. It is an experience you will never forget or regret. Remember, you control your destiny and you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. The following quote from James A. Worsham was included in an after event email from Aflac. "One of the biggest factors in success is the courage to undertake something." What will you undertake today?

Walking Down Destiny's Path

Think back....can you pinpoint one specific event that changed your perception of the world around you, challenged you to think outside the box or pointed you in a direction you never would have thought to go? Ever thought an event happened for a reason? 

My life has been filled with plenty of life changing events. My parents divorced when I was quite young. I moved around a lot. I got new "bonus" parents. There was high school, new friends, those changes girls go through, boys...but the ones that have had the greatest impact on my life are these:

• At 17, I became a mom.
• At 19, I became a wife.
• At 21, I became fatherless (my dad committed suicide).
• At 23, I became a mom to a second child.
• At 26, I became a member of a volunteer fire department.
• At 27, I became a widow.

Some of these events filled me with great joy. There is nothing like welcoming beautiful little girls into the world and watching them grow up, marrying the 'boy' you knew you wanted to spend the rest of your life with or dedicating your time to your community as a volunteer.

On the flip side, there's nothing worse than watching your father, who was nicknamed "Mighty Mouse", battle depression and multiple health issues, wishing you could do something for him. In the end, he did what he felt was best for him. The important part was that he loved us deeply, regardless of what was going on in our lives and being at peace with the knowledge that there was nothing we could say or do that would have changed the outcome.

Losing a parent, at any age, is difficult. Losing a spouse....especially at such a young age seems unbelievable. Possibly making it more unbelievable is the fact that the accident that claimed the life of my husband happened while we were at the scene of a car fire on Interstate 35. A chain reaction accident that claimed the life of one, severely injured four, and left all that were there that day emotional scarred is something no one should witness.

Yet, I did. I am living today to share a story and to teach a lesson. In future blogs, I will be sharing more about my story and why the Ted Foss Move Over Law is so important to me. I encourage people to ask questions about the subject matter. Don't be afraid to make comments or worry about hurting my emotional state. I have been through it all and I will GLADLY share my story. It's part of my healing process. Sharing my story and teaching about this matter is my destiny! =)

China Bound!

It's official! My youngest will be visiting China in the summer of 2011 as a People to People Student Ambassador. Her delegation leader left a phone message for her while we were out last night. Talk about one excited young lady!!!!

Now....the nerves have kicked in for the mom! :-) Tonight I started looking at the things she needs to have to be issued a passport. Two forms filled out...so far! Now....to find all the other paperwork to bring in. Birth certificate, SSN, driver's license and yes, a death certificate. Let the adventure begin!

Seventeen days in a foreign country....away from mom....exploring Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, and Hong Kong...experiencing the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Beijing Zoo (to see pandas), Terracotta warriors, a home stay, a service project...I'm tired just thinking about ALL the things they will do.

Will she even have time to miss us? Probably.........

Autumn has arrived

SIGNS THAT AUTUMN HAS ARRIVED:

• The air is crisp. 
• The leaves are changing. 
• The temps are dropping. 
• The heat is on in the house.

I'm a stickler when it comes to the heat in our house. I try quite hard to make sure the heat doesn't come on until October (so much for that idea) and that it is set at a reasonable temp (no higher than 68). I always think we can throw on an extra shirt instead of spending the extra money on heat. My kids don't seem to mind too much. Sixty-eight degrees in our house can feel different depending on which floor you are on. My room is in the basement. It often feels colder than 68 down there. This is also my homework space and general TV area for the kids. I have a small space heater that I use on occasion to just take the chill out. 

I am aware that this is warmer than some houses are kept. I have friends who keep their house at 64. Whenever we go there, we know to wear a sweatshirt with multiple layers. =) Often times, it doesn't matter what the temp is...it's about the company we are with!

Autumn also means packing up all the summer fun. I still need to head to the cabin to winterize it. I need to get the boat moved around in the garage so that we can park two vehicles in there again. I REALLY need to move my lawn at least ONE more time. The saddest part for me is putting away my deck furniture. I enjoy spending time on the deck, whether it is reading, enjoying a good dinner off the grill or play with the dogs.

http://www.irongirl.com/Events/Bloomington.htm#axzz10525EHTv

I will officially end summer next Sunday (9/26). I am competing in the Aflac Iron Girl Duathlon in Bloomington, MN. It is a 2 mile run/22 mile bike ride/2 mile run. I spent many hours on my bike this summer. I'm ready for the bike part. The running.....that's is where I struggle. I'm not a runner. I dragged along my friend Jen on this journey, although we have been unable to train together. She's the runner. I'm the biker. If it was a relay, we'd do AWESOME! =) I'm not going for time. I'm going to simply push myself to do something I've never done before. The scary part is not knowing what to expect or what exactly will happen as this is my first race EVER! Adrenaline will kick in and I'll be excited once the race starts. The goal is to have fun!

Sitting, Waiting, Creating destiny

My youngest is waiting for a phone call. It is a phone call that could result in her going down an adventuresome pathway. This past summer, Aly received a letter from People to People inviting her to spend 17 days exploring China in the summer of 2011. When I first told Aly about the opportunity, I figured she would be noncommittal, but she shocked me by stating that she REALLY wanted to go.

Aly at Enger Tower

I don't know if any of you have had any experiences with People to People (if you did, I'd love to hear your story), but I do know that it is an honor to be invited. A teacher or former People to People traveler has to recommend you for participation as a Student Ambassador. Someone out there thought highly enough of Aly's personality and talents to recommend her for global travel. To who ever you are....thank you!

Even though you get invited, there are steps that must be taken before you can be officially called a Student Ambassador. First, we attended the informational meeting prior to the start of school, during which time we learned what types of things they would be doing on their trip and the cost of the entire trip. Next, Aly had to get three letters of recommendation. She picked two teachers and her swim coach. Lastly, she had to interview with the Delegation Leader, who has the final say in whether Aly goes or not. Aly's interview was this past Wednesday night. She was told she would find out sometime Friday or over the weekend.

Hence....here she sits and waits and waits....

Yes, the trip is expensive...but a price cannot be put on the fact that she will be creating memories and friendships that will last her entire life. She'll view the world differently than her peers. She'll be experiencing human diversity at it's finest.

Even if she is not chosen to become a Student Ambassador, the experiences she has had to get to this point will help her to create her destiny. 

Starting off on the right foot...or left?

Here it is...the first day of school. As a mom...I am sending my oldest off to her last year of high school. This should be a great year for her. She's already been checking out colleges and is deciding which path she will travel down in the future. At one point she thought she'd be applying for UMD....but that's changed yet again (so I hear). Nothing much stands in her way...except when she procrastinates. I hope she got her summer reading done and actually hands it in. =) Sure would be great to start the year off with something other than an F in English. 

While one kid works on finishing high school, the other will be finishing elementary school. Sixth grade sure came quick. Aly is always excited for the adventure of school....friends, homework, challenges. Only one more week off and then she will get back into the swim routine too. Three nights a week back to UMD I will travel. The kid really is an otter. She LOVES the water.

Today...starts my second semester at UMD. Tackling another 17 credits. Should be interesting...although I'm up for the challenge of it all. The important thing is to always see the positive side. I challenge you this day to choose the thoughts that you permit to enter and reside in your mind. Ultimately they will create your destiny.