Mary Mary Why Ya' Buggin'

My birthday was fabulous! I am embracing turning 40. Age is just a number, a mark of time of how many times I've been around the sun. Age does not defy me. Yes, I have wrinkles around my eyes, stretch marks and a grey hair or two. I am also am the healthiest I've ever been in my entire life. I know that I can get faster and stronger. This is just the begining!  Mr. W can't keep a secret to save his life. He orchestrated a small gathering of my nearby friends and their families. It was informal and fun. Mr. W went above and beyond my wildest dreams in gifting me a new Garmin watch that does pretty much everything but talk to me and make dinner. The girls together made my favorite cake, red velvet. Olivia did the baking and Vivian did a beautiful job decorating my cake in true Vivian flair and style. It was delicious.  I am excited to try out my new Lifeproof arm and bike mounts for my iPhone. I train mostly solo so even with my new Garmin watch I still want to have my phone

Best of the West Triathlon Festival, September 13, 2015 in Sweet Home, Oregon was my first olympic triathlon. This race, an olymipc distance triathlon was one of my big scary goals for 2016. It almost didn't happen after I got bit by a river otter three weeks earlier. My doctor warned me if I did this race I might run the risk of not being able to run my first half marathon two weeks later. I am so thankful that everything worked out. The Best of the West Triatlon Festival was a fun weekend making new friends and getting know current friends better. The weather was beautiful and we got to spend a few nights in the Wonder Wagon!  This was my first open water swim. I spent most of the season and my training in the local community center pool. I was able to do some open water swimming while camping earlier in the summer during some family camping trips. I was able to get two practices in the Siletz River before my triathlon. I was so nervous. Looking at Lake Foster, Friday night at pa

Thanks to my friends I am fully aware that that October 10th is Otter Awareness Day. It's happening at the local aquarium and at the Portland Zoo. Sea or River to me they are all the same, mean little water mammals with super sharp teeth. What are the odds? Seriously I should have just went to the casino as soon as I made it to shore. I was looking forward swimming in a nearby river with friends to gain some much needed open water swim practice before my first olympic triathlon the end of August.  I had swam the previous week and was excited to work on my breathing. Let me first add that Mr. W was out town attending a conference. All sorts of crazy shit happens when is out of town. The stomach flu hits, water leaks happen and freak storms occur. Now we can add wild animal attacks to the list of craziness that ensues as soon as he leave the driveway. Open water swimming in a river is completely different than swimming at the local community center pool. The idea of animal