JLP Fall Festival

Last week (while recovering from the tri) my Junior League provisional group had our first project. We organized a fall festival at a homeless shelter -- we had carnival games, crafts, a pumpkin-scape with pictures and of course plenty of cookies and cupcakes for the kiddos!

It felt so wonderful to give them an excuse to party for a night! Some kids didn't even know what Halloween was? It was a very special evening to say the least!

Results

My final time for the triathlon was 1:29:47

Splits ....

300 meter swim : 5:53

Transition time from swim to bike: 4:45 - this is horribly slow!!!

15 Mile Bike 49:37 (16.3 mph pace)

Transition time from bike to run: 1:16

5k run 28:13 (9:06 mile pace)


My time earned me 158th over all (500 racers total) and top 10 in my female age group! WHOO HOO!) Okay, so I was 10th, but still "Top Ten" nonetheless :-)

I'm still moving slow... my workout today consisted of walking milo around the park!

My First Triathlon!

This past Sunday a few of us from my running group gave a Triathlon a "Tri" :-) It was much harder than I anticipated, (on paper it doesn't sound so bad... 300 meter swim, 15 mile bike, 5k run) but put it all together with quick transitions and it makes for a VERY exhausting race!

We did the Blackland Triathlon in Plano so it actually wasn't an open water swim. It was nice for us beginners, but it was such a cluster trying to get in ORDER to start! The free for all in the open water might actually be better:-) So we did a "Snake Swim" in a 50 meter Olympic size pool and then made our way to the transition station to start the bike!

I just rented a road bike since this was my first time -- so I had ZERO experience riding but since it was only 15 miles I decided it would be okay. It got a little long but I managed. Let's just say after this race I learned A LOT about what to do next time! When I finally made it to the run portion I felt so much better - I thought, "finally something I can do!" Even though it was a B*tch going from the bike to the run, (called a brick) it was nice to just "run" and know the end was near!

As I was jogging I didn't feel like I was moving but I guess I was because eventually I crossed the finished line and saw Paul there with a giant water -- aww, finally finished!

Here's me and Michele after getting "body marked"
(And yes, everyone wore these skimpy little tri outfits!)

Here's me during the swim - I'm trying to "snake swim"

Here I am just past the mounting station starting off on the 15mi bike...

Here I am starting off on the run, well "trying to run!"

Here I am at the finish!

Here's my cheerleader!

The group - don't we look happy?

Bruce and Char visit Dallas!

This past weekend my folks finally made the trip to Dallas! They have never even been to Texas before so we had a lot to show them in only three days... But most of all it was great to have them see where we live, work and play ;-)

Of course we had to start the weekend out at our favorite tex mex restaurant, Uncle Julios! Then headed downtown for some drinks on the patio at the Ritz. The next day I took my mom to the YMCA to show her the facility and workout a little. After, we spent the afternoon by the pool -- Actually, Paul spent the day going back and forth from the pool to the TV watching the games! My dad couldn't figure out why no one was at the pool when it was 85 out? I had to remind him that it was football season!

That night we celebrated Paul's birthday at a brewery at "The Shops at Legacy" and walked around the area. Sunday we went shopping like TRUE Dallas folks! I think my dad was bored to death but I had to treat my mom to the great malls and outlets down here. That night we enjoyed another great meal on the patio at Houlihans and called it a night. Monday my mom squeezed in a little more shopping before they had to board the plane -- and then they were off.

I would say they had a nice, relaxing time in the big D!