Description

An admitted shoe geek waxes philosophical about running, triathlon, and life in general.
Comments welcome!


Thursday, August 22, 2013

Little arrivals

I've been away for a bit, a little busy with things at home. In fact this morning is the first chance I've had to even start writing. But it's been for a good reason.

I'd like to announce the latest custom to arrive in the brider household: Abigail, born 8/11.

After a bit of a rocky start, that included some tense moments and a couple days in the Special Care Nursery, we're all home together, mom and baby both doing well.

Sleeping patterns are being established, and I've still been able to get out and hit the road for some miles on the bike and running shoes on most days.As I write this, she's on the couch beside me, not quite asleep after a 4 am feeding.

And I don't have to go back to my day job until after Labor Day. 

One could say that I'm a bit old to be just now having a child, and in fact the same thoughts occurred 12 years ago when my first daughter was born. I guess that's all the more incentive for me to keep myself in good shape.

Life is good.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Say WHAT!?!?

I can't seem to catch a break!

Okay, with a bay on the way (now 3 days overdue, Braxton-Hicks contractions and all), and now on vacation from work until after Labor Day, you would think I've got nothing to complain about.

And you would be wrong!

Okay, so playing off my last two posts, yesterday I took a good part of the day to go explore a mixed-surface route for a group ride. One dead-end and an area needing permission later, I think I've got a route pinned down. I've got the write-up ready, just need to make a contact on Monday before posting the event on Facebook...

And I find out the friggin' HIGHWAY will be closed for over two months!

It just happened to be open yesterday due to "high volumes of traffic" for the Morton Logger's Jamboree. It closes again on Tuesday and remains closed into November.

At least I have a route coming out of this. Just can't use it until basically next year.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Short shots

The Bonney Lake Triathlon is four weeks from tomorrow, and I still haven't been on my tri bike since this same race last year. I guess I'd better get on it a few times before race day. Especially considering I've laid down the gauntlet with the youth triathlon team that I help to coach -- any of them that beat me in that race will get something "pretty cool". I know there are two of the kids that will likely beat me with not much trouble, and they're at the Junior National Championships right now... Hopefully it won't be the entire team that beats me!

With less than a week to the due date for daughter #2 to arrive into the world, training should be interesting. Or more like finding the time to train. Life is likely going to get busy. Fortunately I have a fair amount of vacation time accumulated and will be taking the remainder of August off work. I'm sure I'll be able to carve out a couple hours here and there to ride or run.

On a humorous note, I had an inter-office mail envelope on my desk when I arrived at work this morning. I opened it up, and pulled out a small rectangular laminated... parking pass! With my name on it! So I'm standing there a bit perplexed as to why I'm getting a parking pass, and then I remember that my 25th anniversary with this company is next Saturday. And I work at the only production plant that doesn't require a parking pass to park next to the building. To top it off, I think I've only driven to work four times since early June. My bike sits at an empty desk that is all of ten feet from my desk. So it's just a little bit funny that I get this personal parking pass now. Who knows, though, I may have to travel to Everett or other northern plants where I'll need it.