Reflections

I took this colorful pic down in Oklahoma last fall….. 

Triathlons, Racing, Gratitude & Ramblings

Soooo, I just competed in my 2nd triathlon! The race was a blast! It was 11.5 miles long. I placed 5th in my age group, boys/girls aged 16-20, with a total time of 00:45:40. Overall I took 99th place, out of 240 soloists. There were a total of about 500 racers, the rest being on a three person team, one person for each leg of the race. It was a skiing, biking, running event. Running was my weak link, as my knee was pretty stiff & sore from an injury I got about two months ago. Skiing was the best, I skied 2.5 miles in about 3 minutes! I love racing, (mainly skiing) the sport & excitement is fun - The starting point for the race was on top of the mountain. I skied 2.5 miles down to the bike transition, from there biked downhill 6 miles. Then I ran 2.5 miles to the finish line!

The day was beautiful, so cold with a fresh blanket of snow sparkling on everything, pristine & bright. 

I also participated in the Grizzly Peak Adventure Race it's very first year. 

It was April 2011.  I did an 11 mile triathlon: 2.5 mile of skiing: time 0:3:37,2.5 miles running: time 0:25:47,6 miles biking: time 0:18:03. Total time: 00.47.21. I took 27th place out of 66 female soloists, & 2nd place in my age group, boys & girls 16-20 years. Running was clearly my weakest place. But, in my defense, I got a reallly bad cramp, & actually walked for about a half a mile. Not fun. There were over 300 racers.

But overall, the race was so exciting, that feeling inspired, I started doing just a little bit of jogging on the side, maybe once every week or two. ;)

On July 4th, I did a two mile run, & took 2nd place with the time of 0:14:? min. for the female age group 15-20.

Now I was jogging, on the weekends whenever I could.

Then in like August 2011. I ran in a little 3K. I took first place, (age group) with an average time of 0:17:49. Overall place of 10th, out of about 70 racers. (Yes, it was a very small event.) I started "training" about a week before hand. Again, not a good idea, but it musta worked, that or all the other racers were reallllly crummy. (hehe!)

October 2011. I ran a 2 mile run, took 3rd place (age group) with a time of  0:14:23.  This was a large event, with over 300 runners, but the data is incomplete. I don't know anything other then that I placed 2nd. 

In November, I was in great running schedule. (I was actually running, not doing the jogging thing most people call running.) I did about 3-2 miles, every-other to every day, with good times: 7 − 6.30 minute miles.

But then I started skiing in December. I got lazy with my running. I became a "weekend warrior".  And in January 2012, I injured my knee in a skiing race. Now I've got to tell you about it — 

It was a smaller event, that lasted for 6 weeks. January- February. Timed slalom racing, with 106 racers total. Overall I placed 30th. But I had a bad crash while practicing, & hyperextended my leg, tore some little muscles holding my knee cap in place, & generally really twisted things up. (But I didn't know that, until about 8 months later, when I went in for Xrays & a MRI.) I just thought I'd pulled some muscles, or something. It hurt sure like the dickens, when it happened, I limped around for a few days & took pain meds. (NOTE: if you ever have a bad ski crash & limp for more then a week, go see the doctor, asap!) But after a week or so, the knee was just really stiff & weak feeling. I honestly didn't think much of it, thinking it would heal in time…

This is me slalom racing! 

Now I've caught you up to date, April 2012 & the triathlon I just competed in, & told you about.  (This post became a lot longer then I originally intended!) If you are a runner or a biker or a skier  - Keep pressing onwards! Don't stop & never, ever give up! NEVER take your good heath for granted! Be thankful - You have so much! Legs that take you places, eyes to see the beautiful world with, energy to burn & time to do it all. Enjoy what you do & find the beauty in God's amazing creation while you are on the roads, trails or slopes!  Stay strong, fit & thankful, while always remembering that Jesus is where your strength comes from!

"The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2 

-GB

Skiing

It's more then just a sport, it's a passion. The views are breathtaking. It's always exciting being nearly 10,000 feet high, racing solo down the mountain, doing moguls, trying jumps, or even, leisurely making trails through the trees. But for me, there's something more about it... It's not just the fun & the challenge, it's simply being outside, admiring God's creation, taking it all in & getting a view on perspective. I enjoy skiing alone, it's nice to have time to think. There's nothing like an icy wind blowing in your face, or the fresh smell of pine in the air… It's exhilarating. 

Winters here are long, the days are short, dark & cold. The Rockies are tall, majestic & snowcapped all year round. Average snowfall is over 250". I ski at a smaller resort, it has 7 lifts to cover 1,600 acres of ski area on the Custer National Forest & there's a vertical drop of 2,400 feet. This past season  (November—April) I skied with my iPod just over twenty times. I participated in a 6 week giant slalom racing team. Out of 106 racers, I placed 30th. On April 14th, I competed in a 11 ½ triathlon. That was a blast, & an excellent way to finish off the season.... I also went skiing with my dear family & friends some too. That was memorable- skiing, laughing, eating hot food & taking pictures together.                                

  In the mornings everything is always so pristine, frosty, & bright. Good times. 

Southern Sayins'

I grew up in the heart of the Appalachian (a-puh-LATCH-uhn) Mountains. (So yes, I'm a hillbilly at heart.) Here are things I'll always remember Southerners saying.  

In the summer, whenever company would come, we'd sit on the porch fellowshipping, drinkin' sweet tea & eatin' ice-cream. When the sun started to set, & they turned to leave, we'd always say—  

"Y'all come back now- ya hear?" 

"I declare!" & "Wull, I never!" were said often as an exclamation or, when there is just plain nothin' to say. It was always said with a looong southern draw. 

This translates into stubbornness: "He could argue with a fence post." 
"Right quick" means it'll be a moment. 
      
"Dead as a door nail" There ain't nothin' deader then a door nail. 
Frequently used as a self-denigratory “Aw, shucks”

Betchya don't know what a "Sundog" is. It's a little rainbow that appears to float in the sky. And are best seen when the sun is low. 

Planning on doing somethin'? They'd say "I'm fixin' ta—"
"Wull, I swore!" was often used as an exclamation. 

Honey, babydoll, darlin’, sugah, sweetie… Always said with a sentence, usually accompanied by "Bless yer heart".

"Ifn' he ain't — " meaning, if he weren't plannin' on it. 
When they can’t find somethin' in front of their face, & suddenly do, ya tell 'em— 
                                   “If it bin a snake, it’d a bit ya.” 

…Oh, and did ya know you can hear corn growing? On a hot summer's night, go stand by a large corn field & listen….. 

-GB

Spurgeon Wisdom—

Cultivate a cheerful disposition; endeavor, as much as lieth in you, always to bear a smile about with you; recollect that this is as much a command of God as that one which says, "Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart." Let us take the pure gold of thankfulness and the jewels of praise and make them into another crown for the head of Jesus. When it is the Lord's work in which we rejoice, we need not be afraid of being too glad. Cheerfulness is most becoming in Christian men. Contentment is the crown jewel of a happy life. Amen!

- Charles Spurgeon