Why the West Coast is the best coast… mostly.

I'm sure I've mentioned in the past that I miss living in Salem, Massachusetts terribly.  I miss our amazing friends there that are more like family.  I miss my really cool ghost hunting tour company that gave me the opportunity to be on TV a couple times.  I earned my masters degree while living there, and my daughter was born there.  It's just a wonderful, historical, magical place.  I loved the seasons...  The hot, humid summers, and the blizzards all winter.  I loved the fall colors and spring flowers.  I loved that Halloween lasts an entire month.  It just had the best energy ever.  It was like being on vacation for 4 years.

All that being said… The Pacific Northwest is beautiful.  Mount Rainier, the Seattle skyline, the sound, the islands, the evergreen trees.  I think it's beautiful even when it's dreary and raining.  It's comfortable, and it's home.  And since it's relatively warm all year, you can be outside and stay active almost every single day.  It's so great for outdoor sports (cycling, running, hiking, kayaking… etc.)  In general, people in New England just don't have that outdoorsy adventurous spirit that people have here.  With each new sporting endeavor I've taken up in the past year, I spend more time with friends and family, meet new friends, and feel like part of such a great community. (Side note:  Not specifically in Burien though… I keep thinking that as great of a location we have here, and a great view of the water… it's not a good fit for us… who knows though.)

I wanted to take the opportunity to share some photos from the past year.  These are photos that would not exist, beauty that I would not have seen, if I wasn't so active.  I have truly loved getting outdoors to run, walk, cycle, swim, hike, kayak, and race.   I hope this inspires you to do the same.  Get outside, breathe the fresh air, smell the flowers, the trees, the freshly mowed grass, and the ocean.  Get active.

View from my treadmill

Sunset from my treadmill

The husband and me on our very first day on our new road bikes

Most rainy day… still outside!

A few from our ride on Vashon Island… one of my favorite rides…

The husband and me at the Vashon Ferry Terminal

A few from our ride to Alki Beach…

 

Ride to Gasworks Park (Somewhere I'd never been in the 30 years I've lived here)…

(Yeah, I know, we should have laid the
bikes down on the other side.  I was new!)

Riding across the I-90 bridge was so fun!

On our way to Eastern Washington

A beautiful country ride near Walla Walla

A hike down the steps at Eagle Landing Park…..

Mount Rainer during the Daffodil Classic

Blurry early morning fog

Trip to Long Beach for the Beach to Chowder 5K…

Hiking Crystal Mountain…

Kayaking on Alki with the husband

Posing with some cycling statues with my cycling wife

Waiting for a draw bridge with the husband

And a few of my favorite photos from my races this year…

Crawling through a net at the Warror Dash

Us being badass

Pic stitch of the Bonney Lake Triathlon

Me crossing the finish line of the STP

I just look so freaking happy in these
pics from the Slime Run!

Getting clobbered by my BFF at the Color Run.

My Vanderkitten VIP application

What about Vanderkitten inspires you to be a VIP?

I can't even describe in words what it meant to me to cycle hundreds of miles with Vanderkitten VIP, Megan Stith leading the way.  I want to pay it forward and do the same for other women who are just starting out, terrified like I was learning a new sport and new active way of life.  I couldn't have accomplished what I did this year without her.


Vanderkitten VIPs have inspiring stories that other women can relate to and find inspiration through.  What is it about your achievements or story that other women will find compelling. 

My best friend's husband does the Seattle to Portland cycling event each year with a friend. One night last January he was trying to talk my husband and me into doing it with him.  My initial response was "Oh yeah right.  Only crazy people do that."  He was telling us that a lot of people make it to the 100 mile mark and quit.  He told me there is no way I'd do that.  That when I start something, I finish it.  Again, I thought, "Oh yeah right." and kind of brushed it off.  But later that night I was thinking about how nice it was that he thought that way about me.  And actually, he's right!  When I commit to doing something, I don't quit.  I lost 80 lbs in the past couple years and I was feeling really fit and healthy.  So, why not train to be a hardcore cyclist?  I called my friend Megan since she has also done the STP a few years in a row and asked her to please kick my butt on a weekly basis.  She jumped at the opportunity.  I bought a bike in February.  I didn't even know how to shift!  Megan singlehandedly taught me to be a safe, confident, kickass female cyclist, often leading the men we rode with.  We rode week after week, usually in the pouring rain.  I was terrified of going too fast, and also terrified to stop.  I kept my eye on that kitten on the back of her jersey and I just followed her lead.  We ended up completing the STP in ONE DAY!  If I can do that, I can truly do anything.  I did a triathlon, more cycling events, many 5K's, a 10K, and even a half marathon planned next year!  Who's in?


How have you been involved in your community?

This past year I've joined a local community running group, a cycling group, and I've been actively working to inspire my friends, family, and my children to be active and participate in 5K fun runs and family cycling events.  I've also started a weight loss/fitness competition with my sister and her friends and they're having a blast getting healthy.


Please tell us about your plans or ideas for future community involvement.

Being a teacher, and a mother, I think I'm really well suited to help young women achieve their goals.  I very recently signed up as a running buddy for a program called Girls on the Run.  I think it will be a life-changing experience to run alongside a young girl and encourage her, and cheer her on as she crosses the finish line of her first 5K.  I'm also really interested in starting a women's beginner triathlon group in my city.


In one sentence, describe what women's equality in sports means to you:

Gender does not play a role in how much ass you can kick.  :)


Tell us about your previous sporting accomplishments.

There's been a lot this past year. Completed 5 major cycling events, a sprint triathlon, 7 5K's including the Warrior Dash, and a 10k so far!


What are your sporting goals or major events for 2015.

I plan to do the Seattle to Portland cycling event again next year and find a lot more women to do it with us.  Many more fun 5K's, and 10K's.  I signed up for the Disney Half Marathon in May with my best friend.  And I plan to do a lot more Sprint Triathlons to beat my time!  And I'd love to do the Honolulu Marathon next December but that's not set in stone yet.  By 2016 for sure!

10K!

Sorry it's been quite a while since I've written.  Life has been busy.  My husband finally had surgery for his thumb that he fractured while cycling months ago.  It's been nuts around here taking care of him (in addition to the kids).. and also taking over some household duties that he isn't able to do with one hand.  It has been an anxiety inducing ride.

BUT… I finished my first 10K!  It was the Snohomish River Run and it was the flattest route imaginable and, for that reason, it was a lot easier than I thought.  I decided to walk/jog with my BFF because we're both nursing injuries.  But after 2 miles with no sign of hip pain, I thought, "I'm just gonna get this over with."  So I told BFF that she could NOT quit and that I was going to ditch her.  It was fun to start passing people, and I think it caused her to speed up because she only finished 5 minutes after me.  Hooray!  We did it!!  Now could I have done that distance all over again (plus another mile) for the half marathon?  Eh, not yet but definitely by May.

In other news… I finally put some batteries in my scale and I gained 15 lbs since the STP in July.  I guess a cruise, not cycling, and the death of my stepmom = lots of sitting around and eating chocolate and drinking too much wine.  So my dad and sister and I started a competition.  We each set a goal and whoever makes it there first wins.  If I win, they pay and plan for an entire weekend away for me and my husband, and they watch my kids.  I WANT TO WIN!!  I lost 3 pounds week one and I was pretty proud of myself until they both weighed in and each lost 7 pounds.  Well, this week I weighed in and lost 4.5!  My dad gained 1.5, and my sister lost .8.  Woo!  I'm winning!!!  They're practically starving themselves and I'm eating clean and cutting out all sugars… and getting a little extra help from AdvoCare.  :)  I'm having oral surgery this Friday (freaking out btw) and I'll be drinking my meals for a couple days I think.  Hopefully I'll rock it this week too!  Wish me luck!  12.5 pounds to go!  (My sister has 14.3, and my dad has 18.9.)