The half marathon course!

The two side roads will be run on the first half of the race. For safety, and to prevent runners from having to cross the road. Once you reach Old Siek Road, it's a straight shot back to the school.

Tell me what you think!

"Make it a Great Day" Half marathon and one mile community walk

I've been working to organize this half marathon and community walk since last October..or maybe September.
The event is in honor of my eighth grade english teacher, Ed Peck.
Here is the original post, where I talk about the beginning of the plan.

Well, things are moving along, and coming together nicely. The date of the event is Saturday June 4, 2011. The half marathon starts at 9 AM, from Tamarac school, where Ed taught. You can now register on-line at

"Make it a Great Day" Half Marathon


The one mile community walk starts at 10 AM and will take place on the school track. The purpose of the walk is to be sure that every one who wants to show their support for Ed, has a way to participate. There is no registration fee for the walk. Anyone who donates $50 or more will get a T-shirt. Donations can be made on the day of the race, or on-line through active.com

I started this process on a whim. And, so far it's been an incredible journey. I've met many new people, who have been kind and supportive, and as excited as I am. Ed Peck was an inspiration to me for many reasons. This event is a fantastic way to honor him, while doing something good for many people in the community.

If at all possible, please consider joining us on June 4, 2011.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

A few updates

First, there is a post coming soon in honor of my beautiful daughter's 21st birthday. Photos are being uploaded. Sorry for the delay, but this isn't something that can be rushed.
Next- an update on my new years resolution, which was to run 3 times a week.
I did not make it for the month of January, when I averaged 2 runs per week. But since the beginning of February, I have hit the target every week!
Which brings me to the final update:
Those Vibram 5 Fingers (VFF's) shoes that I got for running: They are awesome! I love them. My feet love them. My knees love them! I have had to slow my running pace down a little, while I adjust to running in them. But, I am building up a a solid base. My long run is now 4 miles every week.
Yes, they look funny. And, yes, at least one person comments on them, every time I wear them. But, I don't care. They're so awesome, that I'm thinking about buying a pair in black for work.

I signed up for my first 5k of 2011. It's in Troy on April 9th. I'm ready for it.

So there you have it. Nothing to exciting going on. I'm really trying to stay focused on my running goal, until tri season gets going in full force.

Confidence and Strength

Recently, I was participating in an online discussion about Tri training, and how it effects other aspects of one's life.

Here is the question that was posed:

"Which brings me to a idea and I'd love to hear what folks think. I've been reflecting on the importance in triathlons to have the confidence to believe you'll do well by whatever standards you set for yourself. Part of that confidence comes from proper training... that is, if you follow a training plan that has been put together by experts, you can be more confident that you'll "do well" in what you trained for. But there's another piece of that confidence, which has to do with how we face and embrace experiences that are new to us, especially ones that in the past where we might have mental roadblocks. Triathlons might be a physical manifestation of this situation (and a simpler one), but there are lots of others in life. Do any of you see taking on triathlons as "training" for breaking through these roadblocks in other parts of our lives?"

And my response:

I've been thinking about this question since you posted it, Stu. The answer is most definitely yes, for me. This past summer, I was in a terrible working environment. The regional managers of the company had made it very clear that their goal was to eliminate my job. I was faced with daily pressure to justify my position, while continuing to do my job.
Every day, before I walked into the office, I would stop at the door and say to myself, "You just completed a 25 mile bike ride last night, up Krumkill hill. You can handle anything they throw at you."
On a funnier note, whenever the regional manager would come into the office, and give me a hard time, I'd picture his pasty white, overweight, flabby body in a wet suit... It made me laugh every time

Today, I am in a much healthier work environment. But it is still extremely stressful, because I deal with life and death situations every day. Sometimes, when I'm in a stressful, new or difficult situation, I'll close my eyes for a second, picture the toughest hill I've ever rode up, and know I have the strength and patience to handle the issue.
So, yes, Tri training has helped me immensely in life.

And now, my question for each of you:

What do you participate in, that improves your confidence and self esteem? What is it that gives you the knowledge that you are strong and competent, and can push through tough times?

Some New Things

As usual, things have changed a little bit around here. Shayna has gone back to school for the last half of her Junior year. We miss her terribly, but she's happy at school, so we're happy for her. Plus, we have Skype now, so we can see her every day....if she doesn't ignore us :)
But, don't worry about us too much. We aren't suffering from a quiet house, or the absence of a young adult. My nephew moved in with us for a little while. He chose to move up to chilly NY, from Texas. We are so fortunate that he is staying here with us, while he gets on his feet. Mack and Jack love having him around. Kevin and I do, too. I think it's a bigger adjustment for him, than it is for us. I mean, he's never actually lived with little kids before.
He seems to be settling in fairly well. Cammie loves having him around. Mack has convinced him to play Scrabble and Legos with her. Jack has twisted his arm to play army guys ( a game that I dread having to play), and today they created an airplane together.


Everyone's having fun!

On a training note: I've been sidelined by illness.
I haven't had a single workout in over a week now, because of some respiratory thing that I managed to catch. But, in preparation for when I can return to the track, I picked up a pair of these:


Vibram Five Fingers! AKA, Barefoot running shoes. The theory is that with a minimalist shoe, we use our feet in a healthier way. There is a huge movement of runners using these shoes. My hope is that I will have a reduction in injuries, as I slowly transition to these shoes. I've been wearing them around the house every day, and I love them so far! I'll let you know how they feel for running, if I ever get out there again.
That's it for now. Stay healthy and have fun out there!
-Heidi

50th Anniversary Party

My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on January 14th, 2010. To celebrate, my siblings and I threw them a surprise party this past summer. My sister wrote a wonderful post about the party.
To give the story a different twist, I thought I'd share photos from the exclusive "after party" with all of you. Brace yourself for the glamour and thrill of this top secret event!
The happy couple in their element!

Various grandchildren relaxing and playing together

Performing surgery in the living room


There you have it. A glimpse into the glamor and glory of the private after party.

Washington DC

I got a new computer this week. The old one was terrible at posting pictures, so there are a few things I've avoided writing about, until now.
The first is my trip to Washington DC in October 2010. I love museums, but rarely get to go to any. Then, in October, I had an opportunity to fly down and spend the weekend in DC: The mecca of Museums...all of which are free!

The icing on the cake was that my cousin (and good friend) was also going to be in DC that same weekend! She's from Phoenix, and we don't see each other as much as we want. Okay, admittedly, I'd like to hang out with her every weekend, so once a year will never be enough for me!

Here are some photos from the first day in DC:






I met Kath for dinner that night, and we took a cab over to the Korean War monument. A friend had told me one of the "must see attractions" in DC is the Korean war Monument at night. The pictures don't do it justice. It was haunting, and eerie, and really captured how it might have felt out in those fields at night.

I'm just going to say that Kath is a pro at getting a cab! It was my first cab ride, and if hailing it had my responsibility...well, we'd still be standing on the corner.
By the time I got back to my hotel that night, I was exhausted from all the walking I had done.
On Saturday, I spent the morning going to a farmers market that was phenomenal. that I could just wander in and out at my Kath and I managed to meet for lunch, in China Town.

Then, I got so wrapped up in everything I was seeing, and just living in the moment, that I sort of forgot to take pictures. But, I did go to a bunch of museums, and just strolled around.
Sunday, I returned to Albany and my awesome family. It was great that Kevin and my Mom were so willing to take care of the kids so that I could have a fantastic weekend exploring a city by myself! DC is definitely on my list of places to return to. I'd like to go with my parents and Kevin, then take the kids in the future.

A Political Comment

If you follow me, you know I rarely make political statements. But today, I'm going to make one:
Occasionally I hear some one say, "Guns don't kill people. People kill people."
Here is my response: Really? I've never known anyone who could shoot someone without a gun in their hand.

I'm just saying.

Keeping it Simple

I've decided to make a New Years Resolution. I'm keeping it simple, and making only one. That is not to imply that it will be a simple one for me to keep.

Here it is:

I resolve to run three times a week.

That's it.
Peace.
-Heidi