Bruce's First Sprint Triathlon

Gosh... I thought I had already done this post.

My first sprint triathlon is complete. Actually, it went almost exactly as I figured it would. Which is to say that it went MUCH better than Maggie thought it would. I guess I should be happy that she was very surprised at how well I did, but on the other hand, she obviously thought I was a bigger slob than I really am.

The triathlon was Nathan's Tempe Triathlon (or something like that). It's formerly known as the Timex Tempe Triathlon, but Nathan's took over sponsorship.

It was held in... are you ready? TEMPE, AZ. The swim portion was (as usual) in Tempe Town Lake, which means it is an open-water swim. The water was perfect, but 664 guys took off at the same time. It was a zoo. I made the swim about right where I figured I would, which was 750 meters in 19 minutes.

The bike was easy, and I went too easy because I was afraid of being too tired for the run. I averaged 20.7 MPH over the 12 mile bike ride. This was faster than average for the men, but not where I would have wanted it to be. I didn't have a speedometer or HRM with me, so I really didn't know how fast I was going.

The run was the hardest part, of course. I only ran once to prepare for the 5K, but it's ONLY 5K, right? I ran it in 27:16 (just over 9 minutes miles). So, I feel like I did well, since it was my first triathlon, and I really didn't train much for it. I have signed up for a longer sprint tri (Soma Quarterman) on October 28th. But work is keeping me from doing ANY training now, so I am not sure if I will be able to do that triathlon. Besides, it's really hard for both Maggie and I to train together now that the sun is coming up so late in the morning (meaning we can't get up before the kids wake up and get the workout in before school/work).

My First Splash n' Dash (Bruce)

Maggie tricked me tonight! I thought we were doing a "practice" swim at Tempe Town Lake in preparation for the triathlon this coming Sunday. As we were getting ready to leave for the lake, Maggie says, "Hey, don't forget your running shoes."

I asked her why I needed my running shoes for a practice swim. That's when I found out I was doing an actual race this evening. Nice. Well, it's probably good that I got ONE practice run on the books before the race on Sunday.

It was really crazy. Jen was there, helping with Cate. Caroline & Sara were also there (also helping with Cate). The weather was nuts. While we were doing a little warm up run a short squall came in. It was a short downpour with some of the BIGGEST raindrops I have ever seen! But by the time the race started, the rain and wind had stopped.

We got into the water, swam back and forth a little, and then started the race. The swim was 750 meters. I started kind of with the main pack, while Maggie waited for all the fighting, kicking, scratching, dunking, pulling and slapping stopped.

About 1/3 of the way into the race I really started struggling to get air. I guess I went out harder than I should have, even though I felt like I was really going easy. We'll have to see how I do on Sunday, because I DID NOT like this part of the race at all. I thought I might have to stop altogether, but I just kept moving, just like Maggie would do!

I started feeling better with about 250 meters to go, but still just did breast stroke about 90% of the time. My time reflected that, too.

The run was better, even though I have not done ANY running, but then it is easier to catch your breath while running, than it is while swimming.

All in all, it was good. I have a better picture of how I should do on Sunday.

I just wonder if I would have done this evening's race if Maggie had told me ahead of time that I was going to be doing an actual race!!! My times will be on the internet, for all to see. No laughing, please.

Maggie (still) Rides!!!

Here is a picture that we took this morning after our ride. It was nothing unusual, for you see, Maggie gets up at 4am at least three days a week to ride (she lets me sleep in until 4:30am). This morning, for example, was an easy ride. We rode 16 miles in about 1 hour (not a fast pace for studs like us). On Sunday, for instance, we rode about 48 miles at over 19 mph pace. Of course that ride was with a local cycling club, so that helped keep the pace up.

Maggie is a very strong rider, and it is without a doubt her best leg of the triathlon. The run would probably be her best, but I think she really loves cycling, so she is putting more time into that. It's also a lot easier on the body than putting in similar hours/miles running.

She is ready for the Timex (now Nathan's) Triathlon in Tempe, AZ. I, on the other hand, am NOT ready. I have not run AT ALL, and I have swum on average about 2 times a month since I starting my "training". It's gonna be fun. I hope they have paramedics on the water.

Another difficult day

We gave Titus to a very nice young family today. We had decided that we weren't keeping up on our end of the bargain where Titus was concerned. He was being a little neglected, so we decided to find a new home for him. We are very excited for where he is going, but I have to say it is much harder than I thought it would be. He was such a sweet boy, and I miss him already.

But - This was done for him, not us. His new mom & dad are home a lot (mom is a part time nurse and Dad works from home). They have three kids under the age of five with one more due in November. We met the whole family (twice) and we know that Titus will be very happy with them. They live about 20 minutes south of us, in the city of Maricopa. They have a nice yard, and a green belt not far from their house.

A Very Difficult Day Indeed

Today was very difficult. It was scary, and I felt very alone.

As we came back from dinner and were walking in from the garage, Maggie said, "If anyone sees something on the floor, I want you to pick it up." I am not lying. That is exactly what she said. It is important that you remember this statement, because it is vital that you understand why this day has been so scary. You see, Maggie is trying to kill me. It started with her entering me into a sprint triathlon. But that is not enough. Apparently she is started to get worried that I might finish the race without having a heart attack or drowning. She is stepping up "the game".

I walked into the house, and I was mindful of what Maggie said. I loose pile of books on the ground right inside the garage door. I of course dutifully got down on my hands and knees and started picking up the books. Lo and behold, out jumps a rather vicious and extremely aggressive snake. What a shock! I have never seen a snake in a house as long as I have lived in Arizona. Oddly, I have never heard Maggie say, "If you see something on the ground, pick it up", either. It didn't take long for me to put two and two together: Maggie is serious about killing me.

I have also posted a picture of the killer snake just in case you don't believe me. THIS STORY IS 100% FACTUAL. You can ask my witnesses to Maggie's criminal genius - Jessica, Caroline, Sara and Cathryn.

Potential Last Will and Testament

Maggie is making me do a sprint triathlon in about 7 weeks (9/23/07). The real bummer is that this sprint happens to have a 750 meter swim in it. That's further than I have ever swam in ONE DAY. Most sprints are 300 to 400 meter swims. Thanks, Maggie.

Anyway, I have to start riding my bike, swimming, running, and weight training 5-6 days a week now. Many days will require multiple workouts (like riding in the morning, swimming at night, or weight training in the morning and swimming or riding later. Maggie has been doing it for about 4 months now, but SHE DOESN'T GO TO WORK EVERY DAY!!! She takes Cate to the YMCA with her when she swims or runs on the treadmill.

I just hope I can do it. Work is very busy, and I am usually exhausted at the end of the day.

Well, it's 9:00pm, so I need to go to bed. Gotta be up early!!!

Oh - the will... Maggie gets everything. See ya.

Easter? Already?? Two weeks ago???

Judy Baker (Maggie's sis) shows off her handywork. What a talent. I have goosebumps!

Well, another Easter has come and gone.

The Penman-Ozer clan went to church for easter. We didn't go to a Catholic church this year. We went to the local "Hot" church. It's the Mountain Park Community Church. They are VERY progressive! A rock band plays the music, and there is an interpretive dancer who also provides sign language (while dancing interpretively). Maggie doesn't really like it that much, because she doesn't get that "churchy" feeling like you get in a Catholic mass. Well, I know one thing: Cate and I enjoyed it VERY MUCH... in the lobby. She was good, but she couldn't sit still. So I kept running her out to the carpeted lobby area so she could run amok (crawl amok?).

Later that day all of the family was over... Both sides! We even had a special special visit from David & Donna!!! Donna looks GREAT. It's really cool, because we haven't seen Donna (not even a picture) since her surgery before Thanksgiving, so we got the full effect of the "change". We are all sooo happy for her! I am sure David is happy for her too, but not "jumping up and down" happy, since he is still in a wheel chair because of his foot. But he sure seems happy!

We had a big feast (of course), and our house was full of food and people and a couple dogs.

Happy Anni-tres-ary!

Maggie and I went to a hawaiian "fusion" restaurant for our Third Anniversary. It was really good! I was surprised - I had no idea of what to expect with hawaiian cuisine. We both had fish, and we were both very happy with our choices. The restaurant even made us a special dessert plate and decorated it by hand just for us! Then they took a picture of us and gave it to us in a frame. Nice place. That is also great marketing, because they made us feel very welcome, and I am sure we will be back. Here are a couple pics of us on the way out the door. Thank you Sara (or was it Caroline?) for taking the pictures.

Sports Report

Not much to talk about, but I wanted to post a couple of reports from the sporting world.

First of all, Sara scored TWO GOALS in her soccer game this weekend. TWO. Her team won 2-0. Yeah, pretty much a one-girl team. She really played great, even when she was the goalie for one quarter. She made several saves, and did a good job getting the ball back in play quickly. Everyone noticed how hard Sara was playing, and how well she was playing her position, too. GREAT JOB SARA!!!

Also in the sports world, Maggie partook (is that a word?) in her first "group ride" this morning. She loved it, and is really amped about training for her first triathlon. She is swimming at the YMCA several times a week, as well as her regular running and now riding in group rides on the weekends.

ALSO... Mom, Andrea and baby Jennifer all joined the YMCA today! It is really cool how seriously they are taking their health and well-being. Truth-be-told, they are really just tryin to keep Maggie off their backs. She is a stern taskmaster (just ask me). It's a lot of fun, and we all try to meet every other day (pretty much) at a track between us and run/jog/walk for an hour.

AND... I hear that Jessica is making great strides in basketball. Her great Aunt Kathy reports that Jess has become a very good player this year. Jessica is a starter for both the JV and the Varsity basketball teams at her high school. WAY TO GO JESS!

Oh... and I must mention that Caroline was at the Herberger theater last week for a big dance recital/show/benefit. She did a great job, and looked absolutely beautiful up there on the stage. All smiles! GO CAROLINE GO!!!

Cate is standing and wobbling like a champ. Dad is not losing weight. oh yeah, Maggie is also getting up at 4:30am with me every morning and making me breakfast. I need to start losing weight before she starts cutting eggs out of my breakfast.

:-)

2007 PF Chang's Rock & Roll Half Marathon

This is the second time I will have written this post. The first time it was deleted by the geniuses at Google that designed the new Blogger front-end. Yes, you detected SCADS of sarcasm.

Okay – Maggie ran her second half marathon on Sunday. The girls ran their second one mile fun run. But the REAL story is how hard it was for Maggie and I to get her to the starting line…

Maggie planned on us leaving the house at 6:00am, Sunday morning. We only had Cate with us, as the girls were with Ali this weekend. It was a FRIGID morning. The overnight low was in the mid-twenties downtown, and probably lower in our neck of the woods. We left the house about 20 minutes late (no big deal). We pulled out of our driveway, headed down the hill, went through the gate, headed UP the hill, and ran out of gas. We couldn’t even make to the top of the hill with the hopes of coasting down to the gas station. So I let it coast back down the hill and parked it outside the gate. I sprinted up to the house (got my exercise in for the day), got my car, and drove back down to get Maggie and Cate. Maggie was already pulling the baby-seat out of Expedition, and we quickly loaded everything into my car and took off for the race.

About half-way to the drop-off spot near the start of the race (downtown), Maggie realized that we left the stroller in the Expedition. Let me tell you, there was no way that I was going to be able to carry Cate around in the sub-zero temperatures for 5 hours!!! I wouldn’t have a place to change her diapers, let her sleep, put her down, etc. I had to drive BACK home to get the stroller before I could go back to the race.

So… I drove home, got gas for the Expedition (I had time before Maggie would be anywhere NEAR the finish line), drove it back up to the house, got Cate back in the car, and took off for the race. I was able to find decent parking near the finish lines. It was in a nice sunny spot, and there wasn’t any breeze, so I got out of the car and judged that it was nice enough out for Cate to be okay with her overalls (lined), a hooded sweater, and her lined leather shoes. I was wrong. The whole way over to the race I couldn’t believe how cold it was. We were walking into a slight breeze, and whenever we went into the shade during the walk to the finish area, I think the temperature went below 25 degrees or so. But Cate never complained. I am not sure she understands temperatures yet.

Because of all this, I was unable to see the girls run their race, but their father was there to cheer them on.

After I got back to the race area, I hooked up with Ali, Caroline and Sara. They FROZE during the race. Seriously – it was FREEZING (literally). I felt so badly for the girls. They did great though, and their dad said they were real troopers about the cold.

So we all looked around for a place to wait for Maggie to run by us so that we could wave and cheer her on. We found a nice spot about ¼ mile from the finish, and settled in for the wait. Cate was now getting very tired. I fed her a little, changed her diaper and held her tightly to help keep her warm. Ali gave me a nice fleece jacket that one of the girls wore to run in and I wrapped Cate in it. I think her feet are still frozen solid. She is such a great girl!!! Anyway, she finally fell asleep in my arms about 10 minutes before Maggie finally came running by.

Maggie had trouble understanding why everyone was cheering one so wonderfully at the beginning of the race, but stopped somewhere in the middle. She put "Mags" on the back of her shirt so people could encourage her by name. Maybe people just got tired of yelling her name?

Maggie ran at a very easy pace for her. She didn't have any time to train this year, and was very sick the week before the race. The fact that she even ran in it, and did as well as she did just shows me how tough she is! GREAT JOB MAGGIE!

Maggie's sister, Kelly, also ran in it (first race for her). She did great! Now they both want to start training for the upcoming 2007 San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon in June. GO MAGGIE!!! GO KELLY!!!

Everyone has thawed out from the race. Maggie was aching from how cold it was. Cate's feet were like little ice cubes for about 4 hours after we got home, but you'd never know it from Cate! What a little trooper that girl is. FYI - I am posting a couple new pics of Cate on her blog.

Post-Race Photo Op

Durango 2006-2007

GREAT VACATION

We just got back from Durango, and we all had a great time. I was, as usual, surrounded by GIRLS!!! Maggie, Jessica, Caroline, Sara and Cate (the typical) PLUS Erin (my sister's baby). It really was a great, great time. These pictures are just a small sampling. We also have some video that I will clip/trim/truncate and otherwise reduce so that it will not bog down the internet.



Here we are at Four Corners. Whoop-de-do, is all I can say. It wasn't the best $18 (for about 3 minutes at the monument) that I have ever spent, but you know... you gotta do it once. Only once.

The girls are all at the equipment rental counter at the base of the mountain. Jessica, as is typical, is not smiling. She did, however, end up have a lovely time!

Here is mom and Cate outside the base lodge before we embark on a day of skiing. Cate was in Blizzard Babies every day we skiied. She did great, and OF COURSE the girls in the day care adored our perfect little child.

Here is Cate modeling some of the latest fashions from Dior. This lovely little outfit will keep her warm, and looking HOT all day long.

There was no snow while we were there skiing, but the morning we left got a nice little dump of snow! It really was pretty, and made it all the more difficult to leave! On the other hand, it was GREAT skiing in 35 to 40 degree weather all four days!