Semiannual update

Well, I seem to have stopped writing in the blog that I have started... that only a very few number of people even know exists! I have updated my races and times and that seems to be the only thing that I have found important to write about until this point. 2011 has been a very busy and eventful year! I have made it to Hawaii twice, Florida multiple times, will be heading to Pittsburgh a couple of times in the near future, so most of my travel this year will be domestic. Guess I will be saving an international trip for 2012. I am keeping busy with work and duathlons and training for a half marathon in October. The personal life has finally seemed to have sorted itself out and things seem to be moving in the right direction :) That's good. It was my turn ;) Next up.... duathlon #3 for 2011 in 2 days!!

2011 activities and races

1/1/11 - midnight - First Run of the Year - 5K downtown Portland. 31:31
1/1/11 - 10 am - Resolution Run - 5K downtown Portland 32:54 (tired and frozen) :)
2/13/11 - Fanconi Anemia 5k
2/13/11 - Worst day of the year ride! 18 miles, overcast... but not a drop of rain!
3/26/11 - Spring classic duathlon 5k run (32:27), 15 mile ride (1:02:06), 5k run (31:57) = 2:11:12
6/11/11 - Blue Lake duathlon 5k run (31:47), 12 mile ride (42:52), 5k run (31:57) = 1:54:21
6/25/11 - Summer soltice 6 mile run 1:06 with Robin!

The year in reflection...

Well.... all things being considered, I would say that 2010 was a better year than 2009. I am much happier with my jobs and feel like I have a great balance between clinic, the hospital and teaching residents. I am happy to have the flexibility in my schedule and the ability to take as many 5 day weekends as I can afford! :) I accomplished my financial goals and the only debt I am left with is my school debt (which barely counts anyway, right?) ;) I completed urban adventure races and other obstacle type races and was happy with my performance. I set out to do a duathlon and accomplished my goal of finishing in less than 3 hours! I have started a new work out regimen that not only improves my physical strength, but my mental strength as well. There was some love and some loss... this is an area that could use some work. Hopefully 2011 will be good to me in this department. In the meantime, some goals for 2011 will be:
1. Listen more. Talk less. (this seems familiar....) :)
2. 3+ duathlons
3. 5K in less than 30 minutes
4. pull ups!
5. continue to try to improve the things about myself that need work.
6. Big trip! Thoughts: Ireland, Croatia, Budapest, Prague, Thailand....
7. Be more patient. This would be a really good thing to learn.
8. Longer, steeper bike rides.
9. Smile and laugh a lot. :)
10. Be more loving to all my friends and family.
11. Try to figure out this whole S.O. business :)
12. Eat out less often.

Birthday countdown!

23 days until Mexican birthday vacation! It will be nice to have a tan at Christmas :) Hasta la vista rainy Portland (for a week anyway....) ;)

Fight gone bad!!

1 min each:
row (reps = calories burned)
wall balls
sumo dead lift high pulls
box jumps
push press
then 1 minute rest for 3 rounds....

Total reps 285!! :) a respectable number, I think!
Barely escaped a heart explosion.
;)

Muddy Buddy!!

Today was the date of the Portland Muddy Buddy. My buddy and I woke up at the crack of dawn (5:30am!) and made the trip down to Estacada. When we got there it was a toasty 38 degrees. Yeah. The mud pit had frost on it. Exactly. Brrrrrr!!! We waited patiently for our wave to start and then we were off! I started on the bike. I biked a mile to the first obstacle, which was the "high wall". We had to use rock gym hand and feet grips to climb up and over a wall and then climb down the cargo net on the other side. I left the bike there for my buddy to pick up and took off jogging through the woods. I little over a mile later I reached the low crawl and army crawled my way along the ground. I picked up the bike from my buddy and biked another mile to the next obstacle, which was a 30 foot long balance beam. I hated that one :) The next leg was the toughest, and it was my turn to jog again. In a mile and a half we had to climb about 250 feet... which would have been one thing if it was gradual... totally doable, but instead it was flat with crazy steep sections. I manage to jog up it and got to pass a bunch of people who were walking. I even passed a bunch of girls who were walking their bikes up the hill! The favorite obstacle of the day was a 20 foot inflatable wall which we climbed up with a cargo net. The slide on the other side was crazy steep, but super fun. Rode the last leg and pulled in to the home stretch where my buddy and I crawled on our hands and knees through 50 feet of mud. It was gross and awesome all at the same time. I have never been so dirty in my life. Super fun :) Better put this one on my calendar for next year! We got 15th out of 60... and neither of us have been running much lately. We'll take it! :)

my new bike!!

I am in love with my new bike. It is soooooo awesome. I particularly love the fenders. Amazing. I can't wait to cruise around without getting water up my back ;)