Trial Tri

So I took today off from work because I can :) and decided it was the perfect time to do a trial tri. I've been swimming, biking, and running, but never back-to-back. So I decided to try the distances today. I did much better than I thought I would...what's with my run time!? I shaved almost a minute off of my summer-mile time..weird.

Bike: 2.2 miles to pool
Swim: 300m in 7:46
Bike: 11.7miles ~50minutes (I forgot to stop my watch at lights) (14mph)
Carry bike upstairs to apt- grab armband and visor
Run: 3 miles 31:00 (10:20 mile...this is insane!)

So I feel much more confident now about next week's race. However, running after biking? Weirdest sensation ever...it was like my legs didn't want to listen to my brain...I'd still like to be faster at the bike and I really think that running time is a fluke (I thought the armband was going wacky so I drove out the mileage and it certainly was 3 miles...).

Tomorrow Lisa and I are going to an open water area that we can swim in...let's hope the grindlylows don't get me :)

Now I am going to talk to the apt people because it appears that my AC has broke...

Masquerade Invitations- Complete!

So, this tropical storm came in handy with getting today off, because I needed the extra time to whip out this invitation order that just snuck up on me! I came up with the design a few months ago, just hadn't started the work. I'm pleased with how they turned out. It's for a Sweet 16 Masquerade Ball (yes an actual ball- how cool is that!?). If I look glittery over the next couple of days...you'll know why :)

1.5 days off!

So, because of this, I get the next 1.5 days off...(JSC closed)...nice...and I can't even work from home 'cause the email, and IM, and other servers will be down. .."sigh of happiness" :)

TS Edouard

Dynamo Game!

So even though I profess soccer to be the best sport ever (it really is) and that I am a die hard fan of Dynamo...I have to confess it has been awhile since I went to a game. So yesterday, Nujoud, Natalie, and I went to the Dynamo vs Columbus Crew game. Really good game (and we won 2-0) and I got to wear my bright orange Crocs :).

The team warming up


Orange Crocs!



Nujoud, Natalie, and me


Getting ready to play

Triathlon Training Update

So, inspired by my friend Erin, who is also training for the Ironbabe Sprint Triathlon this month and created a new blog dedicated to tracking her training, I decided to give an update on my training (since many of you have been asking)...but no new blog, just an update :)

For the first time in 5 years, I took a REAL bike out on the road this morning. Yep. So what's the difference between 11 miles on a stationary bike and 11 miles on a REAL bike...oh...wind resistance, hills, cars trying to hit you, a group of women running a 5k race who you can hear plotting to jump you and take your bike and helmet (actually I found that pretty funny :) )...and about 20 minutes different on my time. I'm borrowing a Trek 850 mountain bike from a friend of Erin's. Nice bike- but I would be interested to see what difference a road bike makes...I think I'll be borrowing my friend Jeff's to perform that experiment.

My swimming is improving! My time on Friday for 300m was 7:45...I took a few minutes rest then did another 300m in 7:46. I'm alternating 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke. While the competitor in me would love to do the whole thing freestyle, it just isn't going to be possible with the time I have left...but there are no rules on which stroke you use, so I figure I can live with that. What is going to hurt me the most is my run time- I'd love to run an 11 minute flat pace, but I have a feeling it will be closer to 11:15....again, I have to keep telling myself, "you are doing this to finish, it doesn't matter what time you get". Yeah...I have to remember to LISTEN to myself :).

Random...

So I got a letter from my student loan company yesterday and get this: my interest rate is going DOWN over the next year! By over 3%!!!! I couldn't believe it...it has done nothing but increase about 2% each year so I was extremely excited and had to do like a triple take on the numbers. This is such a blessing because my car is almost paid off and then I will be hitting the student loan amount with a bigger bat and this lower rate will definitely help me out. Yay!

Huntsville, AL

So this past week I traveled to Hunstville, AL and to the Marshall Space Flight Center for Backup Control Center (BCC) testing. This is where we go if we ever have to evacuate due to a hurricane and JSC is damaged. Anyway, this is also the place where the NASA Great Moon Buggy Race is held every year- something that I participated in as a driver/racer for two years, and a co-team lead for one year. Some of my best college memories, and memories in general are centered around this race and the awesome friends I made while doing it. I took one of my co-workers and friends, Josh, on a wild-goose chase through the woods outside the space center to show him the random rockets, capsules, and separation rings, that dot the woods- probably leftovers from testing. It seems they have cleared out a lot of the debris, so Josh couldn't see the camo-capsule we all posed by oh...6 or 7 years ago, but I have PROOF that there used to be more stuff out there: