Mary Mary Why Ya' Buggin'

Wow, what a season! I accomplished so much and crushed some serious doubts and fears this past year. This crazy season started all because of a few glasses of wine and an application to be a Nuun Ambassador late one night. Becoming a Nuun Ambassador shoved me out of my comfort zone. When I turned thirty-nine last year I deemed year thirty-nine to be a year of awesome. I wanted the year it to be amazing, I wanted to go out of my thirties with a bang. I think I accomplished that and more.  I pretty much had a race every month beginning in March, ending my season in September, a total of eight races. I completed in three triathlons, two sprints and my very first Olympic triathlon with my first open water swim. I completed five running races: three 10k's, my first relay race and my first half marathon. Three of those eight races we took the Wonder Wagon. It was great to have our rolling home on wheels on race day. Mr. W is all about using our RV and not having it sit in storag...

I couldn't think of a better way to end my season than a week long Caribbean cruise to celebrate my 16th wedding anniversary and my husband and I turning 40.  I was so focused on getting to the starting line of my olympic triathlon and half marathon that I kind of forgot about our Caribbean cruise that we booked a year ago. As the trip loomed closer I started getting more and more excited.  I am a native Oregonian. I am not going to lie, the older I get the more and more I dread Pacific Northwest winters. I hate them. When I close my eyes and visualize myself on a beach, in my mind I see the below picture. That is why I absolutely loved the Caribbean and Florida. It was glorious.  Mr. W and I love cruises. It's the best of both worlds for us. Mr. W likes to gamble and loves the late night entertainment. I love to people watch, eat and lay out and read. We took a Mexican cruise for our honeymoon. Celebrated our 10th anniversary with the same cruise...

My final race of the season was the end of September.  Originally I wanted to run my first half marathon before I turned 40 on the 17th of September but with our crazy busy summer I was limited on time and availability of races. I settled on the Champoeg Half, September 27th at Champoeg State Park outside of Salem by St. Paul, Oregon by the Willamette River.  I had ran there earlier in the season for the Fallen Oregon State Police Memorial 10k Run in May. I loved it so much. It was like V.I.P trail running with wide paved paths. When I saw there was going to be a half marathon race in September I knew that it would be the perfect half marathon.  Another reason I selected this race is that we could make a fun weekend of camping in the Wonder Wagon. Mr. W was able to get to us a campsite. This was the third race of my season that we were able to use our RV. I loved being able to sleep in my cozy bed and have all the comforts of home.  After my Olympic t...

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...

I am late in posting these beautiful pictures from my trail run up Cascade Head last month with my running club. Talk about stepping outside my comfort zone! It was challenging and one of the most beautiful run I've done this summer. I am so glad that I decided to go at the last minute. It was after this run that my left hip/lower back revolted and started screaming at me when I attempted to run after this. Thus how I ended up meeting Kristen my physical therapist at the hospital. I could not have been matched with a better physical therapist, as Kristen is also a runner and is familiar with triathlon training. I just finished four weeks of physical therapy and am running pain free and doing about a million planks a day to strengthen my core. The benefits besides running pain free, learning more about my body? Since having babies my stomach and abs have never looked better. Just in time to be sporting a bikini on my Caribbean cruise!

I know summer is almost over and here I am just now writing about my awesome experience running my first ever Barrel to Keg relay back in July. Even though it was almost two months ago it feels like just yesterday (minus the throbbing feet and a few toenails). The race was a fabulous experience that still makes me smile when I think about it.  I met some wonderful new friends and had a total blast! I love how the proceeds from the race benefit a local non-profit that help local individuals in Lincoln County overcome poverty.   Our team the Chugging Momma's pictured right to left: me, Gway, Holly, Kelly, Kelsey, Felicia & Jen.  Over the course of the day our seven member team ran a total of 69 miles. Each of us running two 3-7 mile legs. The route had us run through scenic back roads of the Oregon Coast range. We started at 7am at Harris Bridge Vineyard in Philomath and ended at the Rogue Brewery in Newport and were reward with a much deserved beer and t...

I have fallen in love with trail running this past year.  I have been having a blast, challenging myself and meeting new running friends. I am so thankful to live in an area of the country were there are beautiful places to run so close to my home. I finished a summer trail series a few days after running 13 miles in the Barrel to Keg Relay. I admit I should have taken the night off from running but the lure of drinking beer and hanging out with my running club was the main reason for lacing up my shoes and hitting the trail that night. It was the final run of the series and a celebration at a local pub was planned afterwards. I usually run with my phone. That night my plans were to stick close to my friend Miranda and her husband as she had her phone and we usually run the same pace. I had a full bottle of Nuun, my aching toes wrapped and a goal of enjoying a cold beer afterwards. Off I embarked on what was suppose to be a five mile trail run in an unfamiliar area. The fir...