Life Update

I am crazy busy these days, as I knew I would be. Lots to juggle with work, wedding planning, coaching GOTR (Girls on the Run), coaching COT and EFFD TNT (Team IN Training) triathlons and doing my own Ironman training for IMUSA.

I've wanted to do more reading and research on coaching athletes but I think that is going to have to wait until after the wedding and Ironman. I bought some really good books. Here's the two sitting on my desk:

• Scientific Training for Triathlates
• Advanced Sports Nutrition
  

I'm finally getting around to spending my Xmas giftcard. I'm thinking of getting this and this. The top is useful the dress is just fun. :)

I uploaded some of my wedding ideas/ favorite photos to a Picasa Web Photo Album. Here's a link...

Wedding Prep

Doggie Snow Time

Well all headed out to play in the snow this last week. What fun. The dogs wore their coats to stay warm and their booties to protect their feet from the ice, as the field was all ice. Total slip and slide! We've had snow and ice for over a week! It is finally starting to melt today.

 

 

 

 

Wedding Location Pictures

Briar Patch Bed and Breakfast
The location of our wedding.















Reception Hall
Brand new building for receptions. It is located right next to the main building and cottage.















Reception Room
This is the reception room I am thinking of using. There are actually three rooms, two of which are finished. Picture is from the bar area. Door on left goes into the kitchen.















Bar Area
This is the bar area between the two rooms. The wood and glass doors in the backgroup goes into the unfinished room.















Reception Room
Picture of our reception room from the ktichen area.















Other Reception Room
This is the unfinshed room. I was hoping it would be done and ready to use as it's gorgeous! There is still a chance it will be done by May but not sure if I want a last minute change if it is.















Arch for Ceremony
This is the arch I am thinking of using. I can decorate it however I'd like. These decorations are left from a previous wedding. I still need to pick the location of the ceremony outside. There are many options.

Life Update

Wedding count down: 94 days to go!

Life seems to have gotten busy! It feels so nice to finally be connected here in D.C. to some activities and people.

In December I accepted a second job for a non-profit (in addition to my Software Developer job) as a coach for Team In Training Triathlon program. It won't be a hugh time commitment once things get going. Just right now there is just much prep work in the evenings as we get everyone signed up and excited. So far we have 59 people on the team for two different Triathlon races. Our first practice is tomorrow morning at 5:30am in D.C. You know what that means? I have to get up at 4:15am. Ouch. But I'll be back home by 7:30am, 6:30am CST time and ready for the day.

I am also continuing to coach Girls on the Run. Luckily it doesn't start until the end of February. I just couldn't say no to all the girls last fall. They are so fun and really, really wanted to participate in the program this spring.

Ah, the wedding plans. I've put in some good time planning and have gotten some important details nailed down. Last Tuesday Geoff and I drove down to Richmond , VA and meet with our caterer. Fantastic meal! She is going to do all the food and our cakes. The big wedding pieces left are: rings, florist, rentals, and music. Plus working on the details in all the other areas. Whew. Wedding planning is sooo much work! Where's my mom and sister when I need them!

Well today I'm working only a few hours at the job and instead doing some wedding stuff...

Laura
p.s. Geoff got me a POWER METER!!! I'm going to try and set it up today :)

Wedding Website

We finally finished our wedding website and sent out most, but not all, of our Save the Date cards. We decided instead of sending out invitations, we would use a website. Our Save the Date cards referenced the website where everyone can get details about the wedding and RSVP.

www.geoffandlaura.com


Laura

National 1/2 or Full Marathon?

So this morning Geoff and I were looking at signing up for the National 1/2 Marathon. But before signing up we decided to look at the course for the 1/2 and full. Upon analyzing the marathon course Geoff, the same one that wasn't a fan of all this crazy marathon training stated:

"We need to do that"

Does anybody know what got into him? Has he really turned into a marathon runner?? I do have to say it looks like a really good course with a small amount of runners compared to Marine Corps marathon. Looks like we might be doing another marathon...

Triathlon Update

( Pic of our doggie loving life in Virgina Beach, Va with us. Boy was she happy! )

• Ironman training is hard. I'm doing way more training now that I have a coach. I'm around 14 hrs a week of training.



• I finished my USAT Level I Coaching certification. Now I just have to finish the exam then I'm official.



• I got a new side gig. I start coaching Team In Training in January. I'll be co-coaching around 75 or so athlete's on the bike and run portions of a triathlon.



• I threw my Girls on the Run banquet last Tuesday. It went really well. The girls are great... I couldn't resist, I decided to coach again in the spring.



• Geoff is getting really fast in the water and he's enjoying swimming. Any day now he's going to be passing me up.

MN Xmas Trip

I've made it to Minnesota for my Christmas vacation. Lots of traveling this last month. November I went to Oklahoma, last weekend I was in Flordia and now I'm in Minnesota. (All the time I'm spending at the airport is getting old.)

I however am very glad to have a week and a half here to visit with my family. I was up at my sister's all weekend. Here's my nephew at their children's Christmas show. He's one of those with the big red bow on.

Sharing the Passion

We finally got our basement wall done. We made it a wall of race memories we've done together. We hung a picture stating 'Sharing the Passion' and plan to hang all our race numbers around it. It wonderful to be passionate about the same thing. (Thanks Yndestad's! We got the idea from you.)

Urban Cross Mud Fest

Cycle cross race number 2 of the season. Who would drive 2 1/2 hours in the pouring rain to race? Yep, that's right Geoff and I. Talk about mud. Geoff really wanted to race so we decided to go even in the rain. When we got there I still wasn't sure about racing. I decided to just warm-up and see how I felt and how my IT band was doing. I was really nervous about racing, but how could I go all the way to Charlotsville, VA, be dressed and ready and not race?

Here's me on the race course. Tons of mud!








Here's me after the race. My bike and I were covered in mud but excited as ever as I had won my first race!







Here's Geoff during his race. He had taken a good wipe-out in the mud right before this.

Marine Corps Marathon

Geoff completed his first marathon two weeks ago! Here he is at the start looking all nervous. He did a great job and ran a 3:52. He was shooting for a 3:30 but didn't get any running in the three weeks prior due to a bike crash and also made the typical rookie mistake and went out too fast. He's already talking about what he would do differently, which is a great sign for me since I love running marathons :)



While Geoff ran, I biked around on my Cycle cross bike. I still wasn't up for running due to my IT band injury. Here I am cheering him at mile 23. He headed right for me when he saw me! I also got a chance to help out for an hour at the Clif Shot aid station with friends at 13. Who new giving Shots could be so much fun? I then caught up with him at 22 and followed him all the way to the end.

I really had a fun time given I was suppose to out there racing too. Actually ever since the marathon passed I haven't been as fustrated with being injury, which is nice. Now I really just have Ironman USA to look to.

October News

The news of the last month is I injuried my IT band. Decided since it's now a re-occuring injury I need to not just fix the pain in the knee, but also the source. So I've ben heading to a Chiropractic Sports Physician three times a week and a Kinesiotherapist to look at muscle imbalances in my hips and legs It's been fun learning all about my bodies movement but fustrating to be less active then I would like. I can run and missed my Marine Corps Marathon this last weekend. But I can bike still and swim so that's great.

Cyclocross #1

Biking + sharp turns + hurdles + running + hills + rain = cyclocross racing

Had my first cyclocross race of the season this morning. What a heart burning all out thrill. It was my second one ever. We had done a hilly 60 mile ride the day before so I was feeling pretty worn out but it went great.

RACE REPORT
We left at 6:45am. Suddenly on our trip up to Baltimore, MD the freeway closed. We got there with enough time to register, but sadly not to preview the whole course. Yikes, I'd have to start without knowing what to expect.

At the start 20 girls lined up. I was in the second row. The gun went off I got into 7th position going into the trail. Given my lack of mountain bike type handling skills and no course preview, I was cautious the first two laps while figuring out all the technical sections. Racers were slidding out left and right. By the second lap I started taking the sharp turns faster and began thinking about catching those in front of me. I pasted two girls that lap and held my place for the last two.

Whew, felt great to be done. Talk about tough. I ended up getting fifth place and took home some good swag. Got socks, container of energy drink, training undershirt, and a gift certificate for road id! Pretty sweet for my first race!

September Update

I've been back from Minnesota for about 2 1/2 weeks. And it's already been busy as fall activities start up. Here's a few of the more exciting things.

• Did a 3 hour run on the C&O Canal trail. Wow did that hurt the last 15 minutes.


• I am still meeting with Yumi, my Japanese friend to work on her English. First time out on the town together. We headed to the Farmer's Market. It's amazing how many words there are to learn for a foreigner.


• Applied for the USAT Level I Coaching Certification training. I find out if I'm in next week. It would be 3 days in Florida on the Dec 9-11 weekend.


• Raced in a relay team at the Nation's Triathlon this last weekend. Did a 3k run at 7:13 min/mile pace. Not great, but good for no speed training. We took second overall for relays and first for co-ed relays. Geoff raced the whole thing. He did good. Here are the Results.


• Geoff is out of town for most of the week.


• Took and passed CPR training last night.


• Ran 9.5 miles in 80 minutes yesterday. 8:25 min/mile pace. A good training day for my marathon coming up.

Well I better get back to work. Next week brings lots of fun new stuff. It's the start of my Cyclocross racing, coaching GOTR and my trip to Kiawah Island with Geoff's family!

Dad's Double Surprise 60th B-Day Party

While I was in Minnesota we had a double surprise birthday party for my dad. The first surprise came when my relatives from California and Chicago were hiding in the house. We came home from the cabin and they all surprised him. He had no idea! We all congratulated my mom for pulling off such a great surprise, of course knowing that more was to come. Here's a family photo.

Then around 6:30pm someone rang the doorbell. It was for my Dad. So he got up, opened the door and surpise! There were 80 or so people standing in the front yard!! He was completely surprised. People started streaming into the house one after another. It was cool and a great time.