Riding bikes with a friend!

All you Need is…a Friend?

This past weekend I went on a bike ride with a friend! Guess what? The secret to making a bike ride fun is bringing a friend along! I never really thought about the difference that biking with friends would make. I run with friends sometimes, and it’s fun. But I like running with friends as …

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Why Budgets ROCK!

As many of you know, Husband Saign and I are on a budget. Like many people, we are on a budget that is much stricter than our income necessitates. We choose to be on a strict budget for several reasons. Here are some of our reasons: To keep us out of debt. Budgeting now means …

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Ready for my first open swim!

My First Open Swim

On Friday, Husband Saign and I noticed that the pool at our gym was a bit cloudy. On Sunday, I planned to swim laps at the gym, but my plan was foiled because a sign announced that the pool was closed due to abnormal chemical levels. Awesome. It was pretty warm out on Sunday, so …

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IMG_4129

Ireland Trip 2013 Day 3.2: The Ring of Kerry

You know how a picture paints a thousand words? I’m counting on that with this post. The Ring of Kerry is amazing. You will see: What’s the most beautiful place that you’ve road-tripped through?

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If there are no Pictures, Did it Really Happen?

Remember back when we all had film cameras, and pictures were really special and rare because we were scared to “waste film” on anything that wasn’t going to be fantastic and beautiful? We are definitely not living in that day and age anymore. These days, we take pictures of everything because we don’t have to …

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All you Need is…a Friend?Why Budgets ROCK!My First Open SwimIreland Trip 2013 Day 3.2: The Ring of KerryIf there are no Pictures, Did it Really Happen?

May 20

All you Need is…a Friend?

Categories:

biking

by

This past weekend I went on a bike ride with a friend!

Guess what? The secret to making a bike ride fun is bringing a friend along!

I never really thought about the difference that biking with friends would make. I run with friends sometimes, and it’s fun. But I like running with friends as a once-in-awhile activity, not a common activity. While I love running, and love spending time with friends, it’s tough to maintain my goals when I’m with a group. The group may be going slower or faster than is ideal for my training. Or, maybe the group is going longer or shorter than my ideal distance for training. It just gets kind of messy trying to match my training goals with my friends’ training goals.

Yes, running with others is lovely as a 2x/month occurance.

Biking is a totally different story for me. I don’t really have any goals when it comes to biking. I do it because I’m training for a triathlon and because it’s good cross-training for running.

But, generally, I don’t really like riding bikes.

With a friend along, the entire experience changed! I got to chat with her, enjoy the views, and the experience was enjoyable!

Riding bikes with a friend!

Riding bikes with a friend!

How come no one told me that the secret to good biking is going with friends?

What active pursuits do you think are better with friends? What would you prefer to do solo? Do you want to go for a bike ride with me????

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3 comments

May 17

Why Budgets ROCK!

Categories:

Finances

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As many of you know, Husband Saign and I are on a budget. Like many people, we are on a budget that is much stricter than our income necessitates. We choose to be on a strict budget for several reasons. Here are some of our reasons:

  1. To keep us out of debt. Budgeting now means creating a cushion for ourselves so that when new expenses come along (such as cars or vacations), we’ve saved plenty for them, and don’t need to go into debt to pay for them. (If you have debt, budgeting can, of course, help you get out of debt as well, which is another great reason to budget).
  2. To keep our marriage happy. Money is a huge reason that couples fight. Husband Saign and I don’t argue much about money at all…because we agreed to a plan and we’re sticking to it. To be honest, I asked Husband Saign if we could establish a budget for this very reason. I didn’t want to ever be upset about the things that he chooses to spend money on. With a budget in place, I don’t have to worry about what he’s spending money on. It’s great!
  3. It’s fun! Okay, I’m probably just a dork, but I loooooove getting good deals. Being on a budget forces us to search for good deals. Then we brag about how much money we saved. It makes us so proud!
  4. To keep our priorities straight. How you spend your money certainly reveals a lot about who you are and what your priorities are. Being on a budget helps us keep our heads on straight and think about what our priorities are.
  5. To keep us grateful. This is certainly my favorite reason to be on a budget. When you’re on a self-imposed budget, you learn to reflect on what you’re spending money on, and be grateful for what you have. While my former non-budgeting self would think, “Hey! I should get this! It’s cute and it’s on sale!” My new, budgeting self thinks, “Hey! This is really cute. But, I think I have enough sundresses right now. It doesn’t really make sense for me to have so many. I need to learn to appreciate what I’ve got.” This may sound ridiculous, but I’ve found it to be totally true. When I move away from getting anything I want just because I want it, it allows me to stop and reflect on what I already have, and helps me be to be grateful.

I suppose that being on a budget sounds like a drag to most people, but I’ve got to say, I take a lot of pride in having a budget that gives us the 5 gifts mentioned above! Budgets are not something to dread! They are wonderful things that set you up for the future!

What do you think? Do you have a budget that you follow? Are budgets cool or lame?

 

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2 comments

May 16

My First Open Swim

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Uncategorized

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On Friday, Husband Saign and I noticed that the pool at our gym was a bit cloudy.

On Sunday, I planned to swim laps at the gym, but my plan was foiled because a sign announced that the pool was closed due to abnormal chemical levels.

Awesome.

It was pretty warm out on Sunday, so I decided that rather than giving up on my plan to swim, I should try my first open water swim.

I chose a lake that was not too far from the house, and Ada the Dog and I set off on our adventure.

My biggest concern was that I would panic due to not being able to see anything or due to being able to see lots of creepy scary things.

Ready for my first open swim!

Ready for my first open swim!

I got to the lake and put on my wetsuit, swim cap, and goggles. When I stuck my face in the water, I was shocked by how not scary it was!

When I put my face in, I saw seaweed, rocks, and sand. You know, totally normal things to see in a lake.

Also, I was amazingly buoyant! Oh my goodness! Swimming with a wetsuit on is so much easier than swimming in a swim suit!

My wetsuit restricted my range of motion a tiny bit, but not so much that I was uncomfortable.

As I swam out deeper, I could no longer see rocks and sand and seaweed, and saw mostly black when my face was in the water…but that didn’t matter because when my face came out of the water, I could see everything clearly! My goggles fog super super badly at the pool, but the lake left me seeing clearly for miles…or at least yards.

I was surprised by how comfortable I felt!

Unfortunately, Ada the Dog was not as comfortable as me. She was very worried about what I was doing in the water, and barked and paced, and made me feel super badly. Soooo….my first open swim lasted only 15 minutes, because I had to tend to the dog. But, I’d say it was a relief to try it and realize how not scary it was!

Do open water swims terrify you? Have you ever tried swimming in a wetsuit?

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2 comments

May 14

Ireland Trip 2013 Day 3.2: The Ring of Kerry

Categories:

Adventure

by

IMG_7570 IMG_7571 IMG_7594 IMG_7604 IMG_7620 IMG_7655You know how a picture paints a thousand words? I’m counting on that with this post. The Ring of Kerry is amazing. You will see:

IMG_4129 IMG_4137 IMG_4139 IMG_4140 IMG_4141 IMG_4142

What’s the most beautiful place that you’ve road-tripped through?

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2 comments

May 12

If there are no Pictures, Did it Really Happen?

Categories:

happiness

by

Remember back when we all had film cameras, and pictures were really special and rare because we were scared to “waste film” on anything that wasn’t going to be fantastic and beautiful?

We are definitely not living in that day and age anymore. These days, we take pictures of everything because we don’t have to worry about wasting film anymore.

This past weekend, Ada the Dog and I engaged in our typical Saturday morning routine of going to Point Defiance Park to run some trails. I opted to leave my phone at home because it was running low on battery, and since we run these trails so often, I didn’t anticipate that any new exciting photo opportunities would be popping up.

Well, I only made it about 3 meters into our run before I decided to stop because my foot was hurting so badly.

Instead of running, Ada the Dog and I walked on the beach of the Puget Sound. We had a great time. Ada the Dog chased seagulls and sticks. I enjoyed the sights and sun. The walking surface changed from pebbles to clam shells to solid rock to sand. There were cliffs and trees and boats and lots of beautiful things.

It was absolutely lovely.

But I was sad that I had left my camera behind.

And then I asked myself a question: Was the experience any less lovely or less meaningful just because I couldn’t take a photo of it? No, it wasn’t. Just because a moment is not captured on camera does not mean that the moment is not important. I really need to get this through my head! Even if I’m not showing off my great times to my instagram friends, the great times are still, well, great!

Here’s my pledge: I will try to embrace my unplugged moments, even when I’m sad to not be able to show them to you, my readers and friends.

Sometimes, it’s kinda nice to just enjoy the smell of saltwater, the warmth of the sun, and the joy of life, without trying to capture it electronically!

Here’s to lovely experiences both with and without photo proof! :)

Do you hate it when you forget to bring your camera along? Does leaving the camera behind make and experience less meaningful to you?

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4 comments

May 08

Fraility and Fear

Categories:

injuries, Uncategorized

by

When one thing gets better, the rest just falls apart!

My posterior tibial tendonitis has generally become just a minor irritation.

That is great news, right?

Well, yes, it is. But unfortunately, it appears to have been replaced by plantar fasciitis.

I just can’t seem to get a break!

It’s freaking me out when it comes to the big question of whether or not to sign up for the Twin Cities Marathon! I feel like I’ve come so far with my recovery, but I still am so…..frail.

I want to be strong…and the only way to become a strong runner is to, you know, run. But, if I run and injure myself, then I’m back at square 1.

I ran this past Saturday, and now I’m taking this week off. My plantar fasciitis is just a mere twinge right now, so I’m very hopeful that I’ll be running strong-ish again by this weekend.

My miles on DailyMile. Lookin good!

My miles on DailyMile. Lookin good!

But I still wonder: For how long? When will I be all better????

Do you live your training season in fear?

 

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10 comments

May 06

How do you Prefer your Medal?

Categories:

Uncategorized, volunteering

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Yesterday was the Tacoma City Marathon, and Robyn, Nicole, and I had the very important job of handing out half marathon medals.

Nicole and Robyn, ready to go!

Nicole and Robyn, ready to go!

Now, you might thing this is a pretty easy job…and I suppose that other than some tangling issues, it is pretty easy…IMG_5772

….except for the BIG question.

And here is the big question: What is the proper way to give a medal?

IMG_5787

Nicole giving Lindsay her medalRobyn and Nicole prefer to have the medal put over their heads for them.

I find that awkward and uncomfortable, and prefer to just have the medal handed to me.

We weren’t given any instructions on how to give our medals. I mostly handed people their medals, but if they looked really, particularly proud of their accomplishment, then I put it over their head for them.

So, here’s my first poll ever! Am I alone in not wanting a stranger to be putting a medal over my sweaty head? Surely I am not alone here!

What do you prefer?

 

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8 comments

May 03

Ireland Trip 2013 Day 3.1: The Gap of Dunloe

Categories:

Adventure

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Day 3 was my favorite day of all! We had an AMAZING time!

There are two drives on the west coast of Ireland that are famous for beautiful views: The Ring of Kerry, and the Dingle Peninsula. We debated which to do, and eventually, Husband Saign convinced me that we should drive both, and we did. In the end, I preferred the Ring of Kerry, and Husband Saign preferred the Dingle Peninsula.

Photo taken from the passenger's seat. Gorgeous!

Photo taken from the passenger’s seat. Gorgeous!

On Day 3, we left Kinsale for the Ring of Kerry. We drove along teeny, tiny country roads, got stuck behind tractors, and drove through charming little towns. It was just a few days before Saint Patrick’s Day, so all the little towns had decorations up.

Small Irish town all gussied up for St Patrick's Day!

Small Irish town all gussied up for St Patrick’s Day!

Pretty little building/bridge along a tiny country road.

Pretty little building/bridge along a tiny country road.

Eventually, we got to Killarney, which is typically where people begin their drive of the Ring of Kerry. Husband Saign really wanted to go to something called the “Gap of Dunloe.” I was agreeable to this until I realized how long it was taking to get to the Gap. I thought it would just be a mile or so away from the main road, but it was much farther than that. We were waved down by a local who wanted to sell us a horse-carriage ride into the gap, because cars are prohibited from driving in the gap. We turned him down and proceeded on.

I told Husband Saign to pull over and park when I saw a sign indicating that we were not supposed to drive into the Gap. We parked and walked…and saw nothing very exciting. We went back to look at the sign, and realized…it was a suggestion! They SUGGEST that you not drive on the road! It’s not illegal.

Of course, that meant we were right back in the car and driving into the Gap.IMG_7522

It was breathtaking.IMG_7517

We drove a winding road right through a valley. It was pretty scene, followed by pretty scene, followed by sheep.IMG_4059 IMG_7536 IMG_7539

I was worried about how much time we were taking, and encouraged Husband Saign to turn around.

Of course, he was completely uninterested in that idea.

He drove forward until we got into this sort of mini-town. It was mostly farm houses and a church. However, the road split and we didn’t know which way to go.

Eventually, we stopped at a farm house to ask for directions, and soon enough, we had made it out the other side!

Here’s what I want to tell the world: 1) Go to the Gap of Dunloe. 2) You are allowed to drive in the Gap of Dunloe 3) If you would like to, you can even drive right through the Gap of Dunloe!

Have you ever been tricked by a local while you were traveling?

 

 

 

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3 comments

May 01

Gulp…Marathon?

Categories:

races, Uncategorized

by

When I set my goals for 2013, I was too scared to even think about completing a marathon. At the time, my running consisted of short run-walk intervals, because I was suffering from Posterior Tibial Tendonitis. I was terrified that trying to complete a marathon would mean injury and pain.

I kept telling myself that I wouldn’t even think about a full-marathon until I had either a half marathon PR or a sub-2 hour half marathon. (I was hoping for the former, but thought I could settle for the latter).

Well, I achieved a sub-two hour half marathon two weekends ago, and now I’ve got marathon on my mind. I’m feeling so much more confident in my recovery, and so much less afraid of getting injured. I still have tendonitis (though the pain is far less frequent and less severe). I’d love it if my tendonitis completely went away, but even if it sticks around, I’m now confident in my ability to make good training choices as I train with tendonitis.

I’m still scared, but I think that 2013 might just be the year of the marathon for me!

The most ideal time to complete a marathon would be in October or November. A fall marathon would give me plenty of time to train, and shouldn’t interfere too much with snowboarding season.

I’d really like to complete the Twin Cities Marathon, which takes place on October 6th this year. I’m from Minneapolis, and have a lot of home-town pride. The Twin Cities Marathon is known to be a great race, with a beautiful course, lots of crowd support, and good organization.

The last time I was home...2010. This is my lovely city!!!

The last time I was home…2010. This is my lovely city!!!

Plus, my mommy could cheer me on!

The only problem is that the marathon takes place 4 days after my fellowship (e.g. my current job) ends. As of right now, I don’t know where I’ll be working next…

In other words, the timing could be perfect: maybe take a few weeks off between jobs, visit my family, and run a marathon…. OR it could be atrocious: I might be in the middle of packing up our house to move across the country (or possibly the world), have a new job starting the next day, or possibly be unemployed.

Ack! What’s a girl to do?

My fear is that if I wait too long to make a decision, the race will fill up.

But, if I sign up with so many unknowns surrounding the situation, I will regret it if life circumstances prevent me from getting to MPLS for the race.

I’m going crazy here!

Sooo. Go ahead. Tell me what to do!

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11 comments

May 01

A Winner!

Categories:

Upcoming Races

by

We have a winner for the Dilettante giveaway!

So, I think I stink at giveaways, because this one had me TERRIFIED! I was so nervous pressing the button to see who the winner would be…

So scared to have Rafflecopter pick a winner!

So scared to have Rafflecopter pick a winner!

And then it turned out to be Julie!

I’ve never met Julie in real life, but I’m sure she’s nice, and I know that this will be her first triathlon, which is super exciting!!!

Congratulations, Julie!

If you did not win, please don’t fret or frown. You can get a $10 discount on a race entry by using code RUNFUNDONEDWT13. It’s going to be so much fun!

 

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3 comments

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