Preston Biathlon

Last year at the rodeo, we saw lots of runners and bikers. Dustin and I discovered it was a biathlon. We decided it would be lots of fun to run it together this year. Jamie, Levi, Ben, Tyson, Ashley, Dustin, Connie, Bailey, Stetson and I all participated. Paulette bought us all matching shirts to wear in Grandma's memory. I wasn't really worried about training too hard for this race. I had been riding my bike a little bit here and there and thought that the course was going to be flat so it wouldn't be that big of a deal. I ran my 5k in 29:38 and set out on my 14 mile bike ride. Much to my surprise, the course was ANYTHING but flat. I'm talking some BIG hills. I struggled. A lot. I really think I could have gotten off my bike and walked up the hill faster than I was riding. However, my pride wouldn't allow me to do that. At one point, I started feeling nauseous and thought I was going to die in the bushes. I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to breathe through it, and almost went off the road. I quickly decided that wasn't a great idea and focused on just getting through the race. Once again, Ashley came to my rescue. She caught up to me kept me company for the rest of the ride. It was a lot easier to finish with a friend! I ended up finishing in 1:45. Not too impressive. I was hoping for under 2 hours, but the winner finished in just under an hour. An HOUR!!! Regardless of my results, it was a fun experience participating with such an awesome bunch of people. I now know what I need to train for next year. And maybe a new bike wouldn't hurt. My $30 mountain bike just didn't cut it ;/ 

 Here we are, all ready to go!

Me and my running buddy, Connie



Post race photo.  Feeling a little disappointed at this point.

Dustin, Connie, Stetson, Ben, Levi, Jamie, Tyson, Ashley, Bailey and Steff

My favorite part of the race? The fans, of course. We ran by grandma's house twice and rode by it once. I was so excited to have the family cheering all of us on and adored the signs they had made. It was great to feel loved! 

I can officially say that I accomplished something hard.

Where've I been?

I have sooo much to blog. The only problem is that my computer's memory is full. I have 20,000 pictures on my hard drive that I am desperately trying to get backed up and off my computer. I cannot download any more pictures because every ounce of memory is used up. I decided that I'd better start blogging, even without the pictures, before I forget what it was that I supposed to be blogging. I will just add pictures when I get my computer problem worked out :)

Time for lunch

I had to blog this one before I forgot :)

I called Gavin in to eat lunch. Here's the conversation we had:

Mom: "Gavin, it's time to come in and eat lunch."

Gavin: "Well, Mom, I had like 8 muffins for breakfast (he had 2). Half of the muffins I ate were for breakfast and the other half were for my lunch."

I love the logic of a 5 year old :)

Breakfast

I made hash browns, scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast this morning. I tried to dish Kate a plate and here's the conversation that took place:

Kate: "I don't want this. I want muffins."

Steff: "I didn't make muffins this morning."

Kate: "FINE. I'll take waffles."

I love my sweet girl :)

1/2 Marathon

I ran my first 1/2 marathon last October, and to be honest, it wasn't the most pleasant experience that I have had with running. I decided to give it one more shot to see if it got any better. If it was anywhere near to my previous experience, I had vowed to stick to 5 and 10k's.

Looking back, I made plenty of mistakes with the first run. I had gotten sick a few weeks before the race, so I didn't feel like I was properly trained. There were only four aid stations on the course, and I opted only to stop at one of them along the way. I also started out running WAY too fast. I was aware that I was running too fast, but it's hard not to try to keep up with others that are passing you. I hit a wall, HARD, at mile 12. My muscles started cramping up and I thought I was going to die!

I trained smarter and harder this time around, and it made a world of difference. I decided to stop at more aid stations. Hydration for me made a huge difference. I also decided to focus only on myself and not try to keep up with others. I talked to plenty of experienced runners, and they offered me some great tips.

The day was absolutely perfect. The weather was wonderful and the course was beautiful. It was so peaceful and I thoroughly enjoyed taking in the scenery. At about mile 14 the course took me past my grandma's old house. It was a little emotional for me. It's hard to explain, but it gave me the extra boost I needed to finish strong.

I had set a goal to finish in 2:10, and I crossed the finish line at 2:10:19. I was so proud of myself and am pleased to say that I plan to continue running 1/2 marathons. Is there a full marathon in my future? Hmmm. Possibly.

Next up: Preston Biathlon in July :)

Soccer Season

All of the kids had fun and successful soccer seasons this year. 

GAVIN:

Gavin played for Syracuse City twice a week. He did a great job and even though his team never scored a goal, he loved every minute of it.

EMILY:

Emily is a very talented player. She scored several goals during each game and absolutely adored her coach.

TYLER:

I coached Tyler's team and loved doing it. I have such a passion for the game and coaching was so much fun for me. He is a great little defender and had a great season. He decided to try out for the new comp team in Syracuse and made it! I am so excited for him and can't wait for his adventure to begin :)

Tyler's Birthday

Tyler was born on May 5, 2000. I have looked forward to the day that he would want to celebrate with a Cinco De Mayo birthday party. This was the year, and it was so much fun!

He invited just a few friends over for a little fiesta! He just wanted to have some Mexican snacks and play night games. We served mini tacos, Taquitos, chips and salsa, seven layer dip, and queso dips. The boys had a great time and it was, by far, the easiest party I've ever thrown :)

He got all the supplies that he will need for boy scout camp.

Grandma and Grandpa Shorty got him a sleeping bag.

Ty and Jess gave him money to spend on their shopping spree.

Grandma and Grandpa Paul gave him the Harry Potter series. He rarely shows emotion, so I love this picture. He was so excited!

Cari and Guy gave him a game for his DS.

I am so proud of the young man Tyler is becoming. He is a very obedient and responsible kid. He is a huge help to me and is usually very willing to do whatever is asked of him. He is very thoughtful and kind and is a friend to all. He continues to excel at school and sets a good example for his brother and sisters to follow. We are so proud of you Tyler and love you very much!