2 in one day

Well, i've got time on my hands.... the mariners are just awful these days so i don't have to camp in front of the tv.

This past weekend gina and i rode bikes on friday. 34 miles. From here to Seward Park and back. And did not get stopped by the bike cops this time. Don't ask. But be sure and stop at stop signs if you're on a bike.

Then Sat. morning we ran 11 miles. It was supposed to be an easy run, but Gina got paired up with Trisha, who says 10:00 pace but really likes a 9:15. And I was with the coach, so my idea of a nice easy 9:15 pace immediately became an 8:30 pace. So, a tempo run it was !

Afterwards we jumped in the car and headed to Hood Canal to meet up with the gang for a cruise on Cindy's boat. It was a perfect day for a cruise.

Then we headed home because the running group was meeting at our house at 7:00am, for 5k race at Green Lake. We had a team photo taken. It was fun. Oh, and Gina and I were on the podium.



Mona, Teri and Gina


It was beautiful on the Hood Canal , or is it a fjord?


Coach Lesley's running group



The crew member barely fits thru the hatch


G and me with the Captain


Cruising along


The group... Legends, really.


Mona and Margaret, and not a tool in sight.

9/11/2007

So, what happens to a blog left unattended for weeks?? does it gather dust? grow weeds? get tagged? shrivel up and die? (you wish) nope... it just sits there. which is not what i've been doing.

9/11 .... what a date. For the Rinehart family, it's the day Catherine survived. We were lucky. Her story of getting out of her office bldg. which was next door to the WTC was just like what we all saw on tv that morning... And her seeing one of the planes circle the bldgs. too eery. erie? eary? a little help here, ABB. anyway. just talked with her, and it's still a very emotional date.

So, when last i wrote i was heading to canada to watch Coach Lesley and others compete in Ironman Canada. She did great. Bettered her time from last year. Unfortunately, a few ringers in her age group (the toughest) showed up. So she didn't get a qualifying spot for Kona. But still awesome. As were the races of my other friends. Eileen, one of Lesley's clients, was the last finisher. Which is actually a really cool thing. There is a big crowd that stays to cheer on the final competitiors. There is a cutoff of midnight, and actually Eileen finished at 12:03, so she's not official, but you couldn't tell from the announcer and the cheering. Fireworks go off at midnight. Lesley and Tony and some others, including a race official were running in with her (he made sure she got a medal cuz she was running) ( I was in charge of Jersey the dog) It was truly amazing !

The thing about Ironman Canada is to enter the race you must be on site the day after to register for the next year. Are you following along...?

Let's see if I can find some photos.



Lesley starting out on the run. Mumbling something about a headwind for last 60 miles of bike.


Ironwomen Eileen and Lesley


I found a beer garden surprise surprise.... and a buddy from California, Spiff.


Ann Judd, a buddy from our gym, who had a great day !

12

This morning I got 12 miles of running in.... and yes, lots of it seemed / was uphill. From Marymoor half way around Lake Sammamish. And it is obvious that the construction/remodel business is in full swing out there.

Ran with the group , such as it was this morning. 4 of us. Coach Lesley is up in Penticton. Ironman Canada is tomorrow morning. And Eileen, one of the team, is also doing the race. And we've got a few others we know.

I'm flying up to watch in the morning. More news on that later.

Gina stayed in town and ran her 12 miles around here, the Burke Gilman, the UW campus, GLake, etc. Which reminds me to try and get a photo up here from my latest ride around campus.

Danskin Triathlon 2007

Here are some photos from this year's triathlon. It was a rainy day. I freaked in the swim. Gina had a flat , and we still managed to land in the Top 10 of the 50-54 age group. Val, of course, took 1st.
Karen B. waxed us all, competing with the elites (and she's had at least 20 more birthday parties than the rest of those gals)
Darcy placed 8th in the youngsters group (40-44). I guess all those spin classes paid off.




I think the little green dot behind the lead lady's butt, is me.

Post race, freezing, but the gal next to us insisted on taking our photo. uh, ok.
Nice that the free hat matched my shirt. (cuz we're all about fashion)


Gina runs

Gina finishes

Ann runs behind an ex Russian basketball player


Finishers. Gina, Darcy, ATR, Val, Karen


Our best-est (wettest) fan, Kathy.


No wonder I freaked in the swim.


Gina "speeds" thru the transition area.

ATR goes with the 'off the shoulder' look...... ooooh la la


Cap beauties.


Gina bikes... this is on the way out. The flat occurred about .75 miles from the finish. She rode it in, flat... and did not ruin her rim.

Sunday at Green Lake

Coach Lesley (in the middle) and her swim posse.
Gina and I decided it was too wavy.
We are the swim wimps.


Here are some guys doing the tight rope gig.


Not so balanced.


And Monet, NOT. He certainly wasn't painting our view.
Or if he was we need to check his beverage.

From Pigs to Blimp

The Goodyear Blimp was this close overhead aminute ago.. and you know my camera has a weak zoom.

OH NO watch out for that tree !!!!!!!!!!!

film at eleven.

More Pigs, please

hey, where are the models ?













ok, that's mo better

Pig's on Parade in Seattle

Tour DAY

So, today ends our 3 weeks of bicycle racing. OK, our 3 weeks of TV watching. But it is still an accomplishment. Here we are.... Gina, the sprint champion, wearer of the green jersey. And your faithful blogger, King of the Mountains, proudly wearing polka dots.

The team manager had to make strategic changes to the game plan. We tried to wake up each day at 5:00am to watch, only to fall right back to sleep. So we decided to tape. Then we had a couple technical problems. No, not like David Millar's carbon fiber bike falling apart (twice) in the time trial. But twice we watched for 3 hours, only to miss out on the end of the stage cuz the dvr stopped taping before the end of the show. A QuikStep call to our sponsor, Comcast, and we solved that issue. merci.

We are proud of making the gran boucle. Starting in London, over to Belgium, then to France, over the Alps, down to Briancon (oui actually have been there), a fast trip to Saugatuck, MI, past Marseille, up into the Pryennes, then back up to Paris. I'm exhausted thinking about it.

So, today we took our own real bike ride of 30 miles to Seward Park and back.

Yesterday we had a mini, well, almost real sprint tri with Coach Lesley's group, here at Green Lake. It was fun. and also an eye opener... I have adjusted all expectations for this year's Danskin Tri. I do not think I will be anywhere near the podium. Last year was a fluke.

Or was I doping?

CHEEZeS

Well, I should have a full report on all the family fun in Michigan but we spent the day watching tapes of the days of Tour DAY France that we missed. All afternoon cheering on Rasmussen. Only to go to the computer to get final time differences (yes, we need those #'s to discuss at dinner) and as they say online "WTF" ? Or our personal favorite "cheezes" . So Rasmussen is out of the race, not for doping but for not being available to be tested in the off season, and lieing, lying, whatever... telling lies about his whereabouts. And my other fav. Vino out for blood doping. Some say it was his father's blood. He says no way, or else it would have tested pos. for vodka. a little humor whilst going down.

So, the Tour Day Farce will continue. Tomorrow we will just wake up tres early to watch live. Just to see what happens.

The news does leave two Team Discovery guys in 1st & 2nd place. for now........

Reunion time

We head to Saugatuck, Michigan for a Rinehart family reunion.

The above photo is my dad and his sisters.... The ones responsible for all the cousins that will be gathering. Doris, dad, Barb, Phyllis, and Helen (ok, so Helen claims no responsibility for any)

We fly to Chicago, and drive around. Probably will stop for a visit to one of the sand dune state parks along the way. Should be good for a run. and photos.

And because I know you care............... a Frenchman won today's stage of le Tour. (Cedric Vasseur) This news is bon bon bon for those folks over there. Another frenchie, Sandy Casar, took second... and boy was he not happy about that. Used some "excuse my french" terminology to describe his displeasure.

Gina and I will have to hope that the Best Western gets the Versus channel.. I'm guessing it does not so next best hope is that the Detroit Free Press has daily coverage of the race.

Old Dog, New Trix

So, encouraged by Annalise's new blog... (see MY new list of links to the right) I've taken a few moments to learn , ok, point and click, a couple new features on my blahg. Wait til I start adding the Question of the Day poll.

You see I still like the colors and scheme. Some ruts are too deep.

Tomorrow we ride to Cougar Mtn. and then run on the trails for a few miles. Coach Lesley (see links) will be driving this train. That's new lingo learned by listening to Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin on the Tour DAY France. Today's an off day. Them from racing us from watching. whew.

Here's hoping we don't see any cougars or bears or straying/lost/just out for a run - husbands.
For those of you non-local, that story is dude went for a run... never came home, wife sends out search & rescue news news news... 3 days later he returns, just fine.. oh, fell and was in a coma for all that time , but did not suffer hypothermia, dehydration, anything. I'm thinking the "frost" from his wife might be still affecting him. As the commenters in the papers said "What's her name?"

Chef Gigi is calling le salmon is ready, time to dine.

Friday the 13th

Nothing unlucky going on here.

This week we had a visit from Torian Thirdgill. The sweet little almost 4 year old son of Traci. I don't thing they've been here for 2 years, but Tory went right up to Gina to give her a hug. He is a gem. Chip off the old block.

Let's get some photos posted here.

And sorry to say to you old Husky fans, I don't have a shot of Traci. She was here, filling me in on life at the Parks Dept. Next time I 'll get her to pose. That should be easy.

Ichiro

Inside the park home run in the All Star game !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The even better news? It seems he will sign a 5 year extension to his contract with the Mariners, and not become a free agent and go running off to the hated Yankees or the not so hated Red Sox.

Milo's not dead....

Or maybe he was killed off so that he could get over to Europe in time to win the prologue time trial of le Tour. What !!? And omigod he wins Stage 3 in a long sprint finish today?? Talk about defending le maillot jaune.

Yes, Fabian Cancellara and Milo, the CTU agent, seem to be look alikes.

Ahh, "24" is still on my mind. Especially since one of my favorite bloggers, Martin Dugard, http://dugardsports.typepad.com/ who actually does live blogging from the tour day france, and is there and told us that they are practically twins. Martin is also a "24" fan. His blog postings give an interesting view of the tour. Mostly because he spends a lot of time describing the towns and sites as he drives everyday with the race. And he has some inside scoops.

What time of year is it ??

Tour day France time !!

I should have lots to say about this but my computer is having a rough week. Could it be that the guy that came to "fix" the printer/network problem did something? probably cuz the timing is correct. We love Kolt but fortunately he is returning on Monday to install the switch. And if he doesn't fix this 'speed' that my machine is having I may have to use the switch on him.

Anyway, it's making it a D R A G to use the computer.

And I've had a knee ache for a while now. I think I've got it figured out and thru an exercise and constant icing it might be getting better. Oh, and no running..... so you know I am cranky to the max. No running and a computer that is injured? What's a girl to do? Yes, I've gone swimming, and done yard work.

So, check back next week for all the biking stories you'll ever want. Maybe I'll even get a surreptitious photo of our local bikey-boy. Nut job in full bike gear.