Girl Passing on Left (FULL) (Page 6)

Hi Everyone...I just spoke to my daughter who is driving up here from San Diego..she left at 3 am and is almost home...I will not be around today because of this...so, I wanted to wish everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS....and eat, drink and be MERRY!!!

this is a link to one of the funniest comedian ventroliquists.....Jeff Dunham, with my favorite one of his puppets...ACHMED the terifying terrorist...singing his rendition of Jingle Bells:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wskT6YfVB6E

Merry Christmas eve, all!

What race did you sign up for Kurls26?

back atcha Nalani...what are your plans? is your family all on the island?

I have a good chunk of family here, so we'll be gathering together and causing trouble for the next couple of days .

This is my first little homework assignment....

Please take some time to list your weakness...strenghts.....and what motivates you. I will be asking us to list these when we gather ourselves back together after Christmas. I truly hope everyone has the best day possible...be safe if you are traveling.  Merry Christmas Eve.

suweeeeet...glad you have family near by. We had 20 family members gather together in two beachhouses in Galveston Island for Thanksgiving...Christmas should be a little more tame tomorrow...around a dozen people will be coming over to my house...oh yeah... 5 dogs, too - and we arent talking chihauha's -  (two rotweillers, a lab, weimeriemer and a boston terrier)! I thrive on the craziness...and would have it no other way! MERRY MERRY! don't get into tooooooo much trouble. Hugs! I have to go wrap a ton of presents. Go swim for me will ya? what are the air/water temps now?

Holy Cow!!  I shut the computer off for a couple days and there are SIX pages of posts!  It just took me an hour to go through all of them, even if I did just skim a few of them.

 I didn't catch everyone's name, but here it goes - the nanny who lives in Boston: I grew up about 35 miles south of the city in a little town called Sharon. Small world! I have a bike trainer - it's a Blackburn Trackstand trainer that I picked up off Crangslist for $65.  I'm very happy with it.  I also picked up a cheap 10 road bike too for only $125.  I'm hoping it gets me through my first tri.  I'm signed up to do "My First Tri" on June 5th... and I'm probably the least athletic in this group.

 Nalani - Hey girl... I've been to Hawaii twice, we stayed in Waikiki this past spring, and we were also in Maui in 2001.  We're going back next year.  My husband travels alot for work and I try to tag along when he goes someplace awesome.  He's taking me to Switzerland in February. 

Okay, since I've been out of the loop for a few days, here is my update.  My husband's kids came down from Michigan for christams, so the last time I worked out was Monday.  I'm taking the rest of the week off and getting fired up again next week.

My strengths and weaknesses - well, let me just nip this in the bud. I have no strengths as of right now, except my determination.  You can just lump everything else into my weaknesses.  The extent of my bike riding experience brings me back to my teen years before I had a car.  I used to ride my bike everywhere.  I do a spin class once a week at my gym, and I have the bike trainer set up and have used it a couple times. 

I get on the treadmill at the gym a few times a week.  And the swimming?  I don't even want to go there right now.  lol

My problem (challenge) is my 3 year old twins.  When I'm at the gym, they stay in the daycare center at the gym, where I can leave them there for 2 hours per day.  I'm still trying to figure out swimming.  I'll probably end up joining one of the larger gym-chains that has a pool and use their daycare while I swim train.  I hope they have a masters class.  The last time I was in the pool was over the summer trying to stay afloat.

Well, enough hot wind out of me.  I hope ya'all have a great holiday, whichever one you may celebrate.  We're getting ready to bake sugar cookies for Santa. 

-Jennifer

Oh homework...... ok, I'm in !

My strength I suppose is my running (which kinda sucks but I can do it) and my swimming (only done laps, no open water though).  I only learned to swim around 10 weeks ago so, but I've had great advice from both here and at the pool and I am determined !  My 4 year old will stick her head under the water in the pool and the bathtub, 'cause she saw mommy do it".  So that makes me proud, 'cause a few weeks ago I could not put my face in the water !

Weakness, that is for sure the bike ! i've not been on one at all, and I think hte one i have is miserable ! But dh wants me to get through one race before we think about buying one.  I have also had graves disease and the bulging eyes that go with it since 2004.  I am tired alot but I still make myself "go". I plan to do an indoor tri in March which will be my first tri ever, then my first outdoor will be in April in carmel Indiana (if I have my way about it) !

Inspiration" that would be you gals (and guys), my dad who faces chronic kidney disease but has held off dialysis for years because he is on a strict diet and he exercises three times a day at 73 years old.  Also my mom who measures his food and prepares it in a special way so he is doing well because of her too.  My 4 year old daughter with her boundless energy and beautiful personality.  Also my good friend In california who follows my blog and encourages me almost daily.  My blog is www.jdhalter.blogspot.com  I've kept track of my learning all along

I want to come and do the littleton appleman one with you...sounds fun. Look forward to seeing which one you pick...hopefully you will do a few tri's, along with some fun runs, and find some bike events in your area...such as 25K, half centuries.

make sure to spread them out. I am excited for you!!

which tri are you doing in June..is it a sprint?

you are doing the right things...spin classes are great! maybe two a week! and get on that trainer more...you are going to thank yourself when it comes to race day. and you definitely want to get to the pool....as many will tell you the swim will not win or lose you a race, but it is the first leg and it can wear you out. I used to think I am not going to make it to the other end....now, I feel like the ever ready bunny....who can keep going and going and going...and a masters team is very key! most pools offer a masters swim class...there is a link to them...I forget it is msm.com or something...and it gives you a list of all masters swim classes listed in your area...hoping this helps...You have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS...and can I have a cookie!??

Hi Nicole...WELCOME...I believe we will shut the team now....there is another who has some interest and has emailed me questions.

MERRY CHRISTMAS...we have officially become a team...do we want to name ourselves now that we have formed and finally closed??

Just returned from taking my dd to dinner...went to our favorite Chinese restaraunt and had some good eats and Saki and beer....It took me a while to figure out what you meant...about changing your picture alot, cuz I was seeing your old one. I did not see your new avatar til I hit refresh button...so, if you other t-mates are the same hit the refresh button and you will see Amy's new avatar. Is that your new daughter. Amy you look great! MERRY CHRISTMASi....gotta go wrap my last gifts....HO HO HO!!!!!!

I'm glad I got in before the door closed!

I've already listed my weakness as running. Biking is where I started and is definitely my strength. My swimming has come a long way since my first tri's last year where I could barely do the distance and had trouble maintaining my composure.

Happy holidays!

Merry Christmas everyone!  It is actually Dec 26 here in Japan - we are 14 hours ahead of EST, 15 hours ahead of CST, 17 hours ahead of those of you on the west coast and 19 hours ahead of Nalani in Hawaii.

My strength is actually running.  Although I'm still struggling to get back into it, I did do the Honolulu Marathon back in 2001.  My biggest weakness right now is my knees.  They have been giving me grief for years and were even more troublesome after the marathon.   I have started trying to work on the trigger points in my quads and that does seem to be helping some.    Another weakness is swimming.  I am still only able to do about 150 meters before getting winded, but I was regularly doing 4000-5000 meters per week last year, i.e., lots of stopping, but also lots of time focused on improving my technique which was terrible.    I know that it is a matter of technique and I think a breakthrough is on the horizon early next year.

Inspiration?  My Dad and genetics: he had his first heart attack at age 53 (after a 3 mile run - doc said that  the fact that he had been running for 5 years enabled him to survive).  He kept on exercising and trying new things (cycling, cross-country skiing) for the next 24 years and finally passed away last year.   So, I figure IM by age 53 is one of my goals.   

Watching any marathon or triathlon is also inspiring for me.  It is always great to see the elites (they make it look so easy), but also to see the rest of the pack (if they can do it, then I can too).

Dan