Another Great Weekend

Raid The Rock Adventure Race- will post the race report this week after I get some good pictures. Our team came in 3rd Overall in the premier division, and I had a blast.

After the adventure race, I made plans to spend the rest of my weekend watching Dave play soccer. After watching each other play for the past 15 years, we sometimes get a little lazy in our spectator support. The other night, Dave came home and told me he scored 4 goals in a 5-5 game to keep his team alive in the chase for the premier division title. I felt so bad when I realized that I hadn't watched a single game this season. BAD WIFE!!!!

I am happy to say that his team won the division title. I am a good luck charm! That makes 3 division titles and 2 tournament titles for his teams this year. He is a lucky man to be 33-years-old and still winning some big games.

I definitely still miss soccer. I miss playing with a team- winning and losing with a team. Plus, I just miss the game. It is the best game in the world. I am glad Dave is still able to enjoy it.

Halloween was a little boring for us. I had some cute costume ideas for the dogs, but I got lazy and did not make them. So, they just got the "my mom was too lazy to make me a costume so she made me wear a bandanna" costume.
I tried to get cute pictures. Getting two dogs to pose at the same time is tough. Cayenne gives me a kiss...
Attempt #12...Rooney gives me a kiss...
Finally, everyone looking at the camera.

Yes, I know I have a Who Dat shirt on in every picture. It seems to be the only thing I can wear this time of year.

An Adventure

After a week of completely weird fatigue and zero training, I am back in the swing of things.

Hopefully it is not too late, because I am doing my first 12 hour adventure race this weekend.

I think my teammates are very much regretting their decision to ask me to join them. For one, I have only ridden a mountain bike 5 times. As usual, I am borrowing a bike. As usual, it is too big for me...as it belongs to a guy 6 inches taller than I. I can wing it, right?

(Remember I said that when I break a bone this weekend following these guys up some mountain on a bike that is too big for a girl with no experience.)

One of my teammates called me tonight to ask if I have ridden the bike and practiced clipping in/out. I felt his anguish through the phone when I answered- "nope." I told Dave I would practice around the neighborhood tomorrow, and he said, "great idea, because the neighborhood will clearly simulate your race."

My partners are both awesome. Both are super-fast runners and super fast mountain bikers. One of them just did the Trans-Rockies. They have done dozens of adventure races. I have done zero.

I told Dave tonight that I think my partners are truly regretting asking me to be on their team. (I am slow, out of shape, can't ride a mountain bike). Dave disagreed and said he thinks they are going to be "pleasantly surprised." So, my goal is to pleasantly surprise my super teammates, which means I will be at zone 4/5 for 12+ hours. Sounds harder than an Ironman.

A Special Letter

I am in massive cleaning mode. I am almost finished with arranging the guest bedroom to accommodate a small workout space for a winter bike trainer set up. (1000 square feet of house doesn't give us too much free space- but I am not complaining- in New Orleans we lived in 700 square feet).

I have come across a bunch of fun stuff today while cleaning.

1. My passport. Right where I told my family it would be. Still totally my fault. IMWales would not have been complete without the huge passport fiasco.

2. My honeymoon journal. I did end up throwing it away, but I saved the page from the very last day, March 22, 2005, that ended with this: "Mostly, though, I am happy to be married to Dave. One of the best decisions of my life. I love him very much and he has truly been wonderful to me."

3. A letter from a child I used to tutor in New Orleans at George Cox Elementary (public and very underprivileged). I was a Title I tutor, and these kids were a mess. Some came to school with urine and dirt on their clothes. Some were hungry and went without breakfast. Most had poor parental role models. Most were very, very behind in all academics. Many had serious behavior problems and got in big trouble in and out of school, even as a grade-schooler. I was pretty sure I didn't make a bit of difference.

Dear Ms Turpin
Thank you from helping me out with my work ever day.
Thank you from working nice with takeing the tiame to dill with us in hard sishawaytions.
When we are bad you takeing your time out to dill with us we may fus but I now you well be there for us.
ps love Brian

I will always keep this letter, and I hope Brian is doing well.