Sadly, all this time without a post has been mainly because nothing exciting has been going on here! Training was slow because of the wedding this year we cannot afford to have me traveling to different race venues and entry fees. However, as of two weeks ago I have decided that I will be doing the Colfax Marathon. I needed something to actually train for so I can have a plan for a workout each day. I am not a free for all type of person, I end up doing either too much or wanting to do more. The goal is to do the marathon in mid May. However, with our horrible weather pattern I have not signed up yet. I do not want to do all of my run time on a treadmill. The weather people think with the way things have been going we may have a very snowy March. In mid April I will start training for my half ironman in August (the week before our wedding).
Other interesting things have included Marc's (my cousin) new engagement to his girlfriend of one month, his wedding very quickly approaching May 1st and his other piece of info that goes along with that.
We have also just started SALSA dance lessons. Yes, I know as M and B said this is something that should be on video since it is such an amazing event! lol. We are taking private lessons, we have had two thirty minute lessons so far. We also took a group lesson tonight. Surprisingly to all, I am actually pretty ok! It is a combo of Pedro learning the "real" (he likes to improvise) and me learning anew. It is probably easier for me than for him since I am starting from zero (or negative) and he has an idea of what he wants to do.
Funny how different people learn because I am learning to dance based on counting. Pedro wants to listen to the music. I think once I know more the music will be helpful, but the counting has helped me and is helping Pedro learn to dance with someone else (he likes to brag he learned to dance with a broom...should he be proud of that? haha). We have had some hilarious moments learning to do turns because I do it based on count and he wanted to do it on feel, which was never when we were suppose to on count. Long story short, my counting is winning out because without the counts of when to do things I was being spun on the wrong foot at the wrong time and ending up going the wrong direction. Another great one is Pedro had to do a turn tonight and couldn't get the footing down and was spinning more like a ballerina!
We are definitely not serious in the class and we had a different instructor today for our lesson and he was quite serious. Not sure he liked our hysterical laughing! He also didn't want to touch me...no seriously he was very weird about having to touch me to show me what to do, he wanted to stand next to me. I had to grab his hand and say show me because I can feel the difference of what is right and wrong, much easier than having someone tell me.
It has been fun!
That's the news for now :)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Friday, December 25, 2009
Busy...
Busy few days. I left for UConn on Tuesday and had an 1.5hr delay out of Denver. An hour of which was spent on the plane. Then I arrived in Chicago to have three gate changes and a 2 hr delay, another hour of which was spent on the plane. After arriving to CT late, I quickly went to the hotel then to coaches house for dinner. There were probably a hundred people at his house. Current players and the 2000 team, plus any staff that helps the teams.
After a late night there, I went back to the hotel and slept until noon! Which really is only 10am Denver time. I did a short workout changed and left for pregame dinner at the game site. Followed by the game. The game was pretty good. UConn won by 15 or so, the first half was close but not close at all in the second. At half time we had a ceremony where they had us take pictures at half court and then introduced us individually and gave us a plaque that had a team picture and an image of the national championship trophy.
After the game we went out for a bit then back to the hotel at the airport for an early flight. I had about 4 hours of sleep then I got up and traveled pretty uneventfully back to Denver.
We then had a Christmas eve party at Kurt and Denas. The gifting was the white elephant but some of us ended up with our own gifts because we liked what we brought!
After a tiring few days, I think I am sick...again, I slept till late today and Pedro is off at work. Since most people are doing their own things for Christmas Day, so my mom, dad and I went to see It's Complicated. It was very busy at the theater and the movie was pretty good.
Then my mom and I went to visit Mary at her place...now I am home and planning dinner for the evening.
Here are a few pictures from the past few days. This first one is of our first gingerbread house. Pedro was all excited to build it...then he realized it required patience, something he does not have. After he put the walls up he quit. This is where I began the decorating. He even accused me of having done this before!
Santa Stella...
Polar and I after a festive evening...
Svet, Marci and I at the game
Svet and I before the game
After a late night there, I went back to the hotel and slept until noon! Which really is only 10am Denver time. I did a short workout changed and left for pregame dinner at the game site. Followed by the game. The game was pretty good. UConn won by 15 or so, the first half was close but not close at all in the second. At half time we had a ceremony where they had us take pictures at half court and then introduced us individually and gave us a plaque that had a team picture and an image of the national championship trophy.
After the game we went out for a bit then back to the hotel at the airport for an early flight. I had about 4 hours of sleep then I got up and traveled pretty uneventfully back to Denver.
We then had a Christmas eve party at Kurt and Denas. The gifting was the white elephant but some of us ended up with our own gifts because we liked what we brought!
After a tiring few days, I think I am sick...again, I slept till late today and Pedro is off at work. Since most people are doing their own things for Christmas Day, so my mom, dad and I went to see It's Complicated. It was very busy at the theater and the movie was pretty good.
Then my mom and I went to visit Mary at her place...now I am home and planning dinner for the evening.
Here are a few pictures from the past few days. This first one is of our first gingerbread house. Pedro was all excited to build it...then he realized it required patience, something he does not have. After he put the walls up he quit. This is where I began the decorating. He even accused me of having done this before!
Santa Stella...
Polar and I after a festive evening...
Svet, Marci and I at the game
Svet and I before the game
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Getting things done...
Since Pedro proposed I have been on a mission to get most everything done that needs to be done, because right now I am not in the middle of long training or busy basketball. So, it is a great time to get other work done.
We have chosen a location, Lake Shore Lodge at Estes Park.
The date: August 14th, 2010
Time: 6-10pm
Reception food choices...
Rehearsal dinner and after bargaining a great menu and deal for the meal.
We have gathered our lists of invited guests.
Bought save the date magnets
Found invitations, rsvp, thank you cards I will be buying.
Bought my dress, which was the ONLY dress that I tried on and LOVED. It will be in in Feb.
Bought bridesmaids gifts.
Picked out Pedro's ring.
Found a good place for flower petals to line the aisle.
Working on planning our honeymoon, to TAHITI! If you plan on getting us a wedding gift...Please make donations to our honeymoon as your wedding gift!!!!
Setup a website: www.keirstenandpedrowedding.com
We still need some ideas for groomsman gifts.
Figure out what we want for a cake
Register for gifts (or honeymoon registry).
Besides this stuff I have been doing workouts and bball stuff. Season starts for my two teams in January. That makes the weekend a bit more busy.
For races for the next year, I am trying to figure out our budget. I really would like to do Orlando again in May, but not sure we can afford it because of our wedding (honeymoon) and going to Puerto Rico in April for Pedro's cousin's wedding. I am already signed up for Boulder 70.3 the weekend before our wedding, August 8th.
Since it has been the coldest winter I can remember, I have spent a lot of time indoors training. Biking inside and stairmaster. Currently, the stairmaster is my favorite because I can read while I am on it and it is very hard to do. When it is nice out or with run club I run outside. I haven't biked outside in forever, there are hardly any days that have been good for outside.
The next two weeks are a little busy. We have Collin's bday this week, shopping for Christmas presents for the gift exchange, practice this week...then next Tuesday early morning I leave for UConn for induction into the Husky Hall of Fame...well not really me, but our team. I think there is more time spent flying than there is in CT. On Tuesday we have dinner at coaches house, then the next day we have a dinner before the game...then the highlight, Stanford vs. UConn game..then I leave on Christmas Eve day at 6am to come back home.
Then we will be mailing out our save the date magnets, so they don't get lost in the Holiday mail. So, keep an eye out for them in early Jan :)
Still need some ideas for groomsman gifts.
We have chosen a location, Lake Shore Lodge at Estes Park.
The date: August 14th, 2010
Time: 6-10pm
Reception food choices...
Rehearsal dinner and after bargaining a great menu and deal for the meal.
We have gathered our lists of invited guests.
Bought save the date magnets
Found invitations, rsvp, thank you cards I will be buying.
Bought my dress, which was the ONLY dress that I tried on and LOVED. It will be in in Feb.
Bought bridesmaids gifts.
Picked out Pedro's ring.
Found a good place for flower petals to line the aisle.
Working on planning our honeymoon, to TAHITI! If you plan on getting us a wedding gift...Please make donations to our honeymoon as your wedding gift!!!!
Setup a website: www.keirstenandpedrowedding.com
We still need some ideas for groomsman gifts.
Figure out what we want for a cake
Register for gifts (or honeymoon registry).
Besides this stuff I have been doing workouts and bball stuff. Season starts for my two teams in January. That makes the weekend a bit more busy.
For races for the next year, I am trying to figure out our budget. I really would like to do Orlando again in May, but not sure we can afford it because of our wedding (honeymoon) and going to Puerto Rico in April for Pedro's cousin's wedding. I am already signed up for Boulder 70.3 the weekend before our wedding, August 8th.
Since it has been the coldest winter I can remember, I have spent a lot of time indoors training. Biking inside and stairmaster. Currently, the stairmaster is my favorite because I can read while I am on it and it is very hard to do. When it is nice out or with run club I run outside. I haven't biked outside in forever, there are hardly any days that have been good for outside.
The next two weeks are a little busy. We have Collin's bday this week, shopping for Christmas presents for the gift exchange, practice this week...then next Tuesday early morning I leave for UConn for induction into the Husky Hall of Fame...well not really me, but our team. I think there is more time spent flying than there is in CT. On Tuesday we have dinner at coaches house, then the next day we have a dinner before the game...then the highlight, Stanford vs. UConn game..then I leave on Christmas Eve day at 6am to come back home.
Then we will be mailing out our save the date magnets, so they don't get lost in the Holiday mail. So, keep an eye out for them in early Jan :)
Still need some ideas for groomsman gifts.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
It had to happen sometime, right??
Well after knowing Pedro for 8 years and more than 6 months (most of that time spent dating) he finally decided to ask me to MARRY him!
On Weds the 28th, we had a huge snowstorm here. We had about about a foot a snow at our house. After shoveling the driveway he decided he wanted to build a snowman. He said he had never built one before. I was not too excited to build one, however. So, he built a snowman and I got him a carrot for the nose but we don't have any trees or anything so I wasn't sure what we could use as the arms. Pedro told me that he would figure it out and since I was cold to go wait inside and he would tell me when it was done.
I went inside and got the camera for a picture of his first snowman. He came inside and told me to come out but to close my eyes because he had done such an awesome job. I usually don't close my eyes, I cheat, but he was soo excited I decided to keep them closed. I am glad I did.
He had me stand in front of the snowman and he said hold on...and then he told me to open my eyes and this is what I saw:
The ring was on the snowman's "hand". Of course I said yes!
The next question is when is the wedding?? We are thinking in August.
On Weds the 28th, we had a huge snowstorm here. We had about about a foot a snow at our house. After shoveling the driveway he decided he wanted to build a snowman. He said he had never built one before. I was not too excited to build one, however. So, he built a snowman and I got him a carrot for the nose but we don't have any trees or anything so I wasn't sure what we could use as the arms. Pedro told me that he would figure it out and since I was cold to go wait inside and he would tell me when it was done.
I went inside and got the camera for a picture of his first snowman. He came inside and told me to come out but to close my eyes because he had done such an awesome job. I usually don't close my eyes, I cheat, but he was soo excited I decided to keep them closed. I am glad I did.
He had me stand in front of the snowman and he said hold on...and then he told me to open my eyes and this is what I saw:
The ring was on the snowman's "hand". Of course I said yes!
The next question is when is the wedding?? We are thinking in August.
What have we been up to???
Long time no post. Since my last post, I have decided that I will not be doing Ironman Florida. The cost of the trip (which was going to be outrageous) and the lack of actual running, made me decide it wasn't worth the money being spent since I have had so many injuries during the whole training.
I think the late season Ironman in Colorado is a difficult one to do anyway, because of the change in our weather. One of my last long bikes, which was 6 hours was spent INSIDE biking because the weather was not cooperating. This year it seems to have snowed or been really cold more times than I have remembered in the past few years.
A few things we did in Oct. We went to the Broncos Patriots football game. It was a very cold day and Pedro had spent most of the last two years talking trash about how the Broncos sucked. We got to our seats and a little boy sat next to Pedro that was also dressed in solid Patriots gear. The boy knew everything about the Patriots and may have actually owned more Patriot stuff than Pedro.
Here are a few picts from that day...
Us before the game, notice our conflicting team clothing. Under that outer layer of clothes we both had on two more layers on beneath the outer layer.
My brilliant idea, they gave us a shirt when we got to the game, I used mine as a face mask.
The FINAL score of the game!! I would have had a picture of Pedro, but he was crying (just kidding!)
We also had a pumpkin carving contest. This year nobody won, we all had very different pumpkins.
Karen made the flowers, Pedro had the scary face, Kory the gigantic face and my pumpkin was a boxer.
My carving actually looked better without the light in it because the cheeks were not suppose to be carved all the way through the pumpkin.
I think the late season Ironman in Colorado is a difficult one to do anyway, because of the change in our weather. One of my last long bikes, which was 6 hours was spent INSIDE biking because the weather was not cooperating. This year it seems to have snowed or been really cold more times than I have remembered in the past few years.
A few things we did in Oct. We went to the Broncos Patriots football game. It was a very cold day and Pedro had spent most of the last two years talking trash about how the Broncos sucked. We got to our seats and a little boy sat next to Pedro that was also dressed in solid Patriots gear. The boy knew everything about the Patriots and may have actually owned more Patriot stuff than Pedro.
Here are a few picts from that day...
Us before the game, notice our conflicting team clothing. Under that outer layer of clothes we both had on two more layers on beneath the outer layer.
My brilliant idea, they gave us a shirt when we got to the game, I used mine as a face mask.
The FINAL score of the game!! I would have had a picture of Pedro, but he was crying (just kidding!)
We also had a pumpkin carving contest. This year nobody won, we all had very different pumpkins.
Karen made the flowers, Pedro had the scary face, Kory the gigantic face and my pumpkin was a boxer.
My carving actually looked better without the light in it because the cheeks were not suppose to be carved all the way through the pumpkin.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Training
The last two weeks of training have brought up some strange things. I think because the addition of running, since I had only run about 10 times total since June, the new pounding have made my legs tired. I am not sure tired is even the word to best describe them. Achy and tired is probably a little better. With the addition of the stairmaster during all of my "non-running" running, it definitely kept my conditioning at a higher level than the elliptical did, when I had to do that awhile ago. With the higher level of conditioning it is hard to gradually build on the run, because cardio-wise I am feeling fine! I have however decided that the best idea is to gradually build.
My long run this week was 1hr 35min. On top of that, it was all on the treadmill this week because of the change in weather. It was cold and rainy the day of my long run and so I decided to make run club, run with me inside on the treadmill.
My legs have felt a little better this week than last. Last week I had to take Friday off and lay around all day. My legs were definitely not happy. I am hoping that between now and Florida they gain the ability to run a marathon, and feel good!
I have been nervous about the prospect of racing FL IM. Because of the lack of running that I have done. I will have to build that base up, almost until my race. Doing that will allow me to have about a 2.5hr long run.
This week has also not been helpful because the weather has taken a change for the worse. Today I had a 6 hour bike ride, which took place all indoors. Three hours on a spin bike and three on the trainer. I figure if I can mentally do that, then FL shouldn't be too bad?!
Anyway, just wanted to update the training info.
My long run this week was 1hr 35min. On top of that, it was all on the treadmill this week because of the change in weather. It was cold and rainy the day of my long run and so I decided to make run club, run with me inside on the treadmill.
My legs have felt a little better this week than last. Last week I had to take Friday off and lay around all day. My legs were definitely not happy. I am hoping that between now and Florida they gain the ability to run a marathon, and feel good!
I have been nervous about the prospect of racing FL IM. Because of the lack of running that I have done. I will have to build that base up, almost until my race. Doing that will allow me to have about a 2.5hr long run.
This week has also not been helpful because the weather has taken a change for the worse. Today I had a 6 hour bike ride, which took place all indoors. Three hours on a spin bike and three on the trainer. I figure if I can mentally do that, then FL shouldn't be too bad?!
Anyway, just wanted to update the training info.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Harvest Moon Half (Relay)
On Saturday Pedro and I did our first ever half-ironman relay. I swam and biked and he ran the 13.1 miles. Since I haven't run that much I didn't want to take a chance and we decided it would be a fun thing to do. The race report is as follows:
It was cold. 50 degrees or so. I was not happy. When we left the house it was raining. I just kept thinking, I hope it stops soon, or maybe it isn't raining at the race. I was very lucky, it hadn't rained at the race site.
It was so cold I decided to wear a full-sleeved wetsuit. I have only done this once before in Cali half (the water was 54 degrees in cali!). Anyway, our wave was the last wave to start. I started the swim and immediately my shoulders were tired! It was horrible, I felt like I was swimming against resistance. The entire swim my shoulders were on fire! The swim was kind of annoying because it only had one line of buoys and on the way back you needed to site the shore because the finish was not in line with the buoys. I thought I had to be in last place. I was not feeling like a great swim and my arms were burning. When I got out of the water I didn't want to look back because I thought I might literally be the last one out of the water! I saw Pedro with my parents just chit chatting on a bench...my mom said "oh you must have been fast we weren't looking for you yet!" HUH??? I figured they were just confused.
I ran to the bike where I put on my tights with fleece on the front a dry shirt and a longsleeve shirt. I also put on gloves. Everyone else was just running out with shorts and tanks!! Too bad, I was so cold I figured I would be way more cold on the bike. So, I took my time and got dressed. Pedro, being allowed in transition, brought my bike to the exit so I could just grab it and go, which was very helpful. Off to the bike.
I have only raced a sprint race at Aurora before and I thought the bike was hard for that...this was a very difficult bike. It is all hills, except for a flat area of about 10 miles, maybe. The whole thing is up and up...with a fast downhill. The up and up is the bad part! There are no hills that require standing and pushing, like in Wisconsin, but instead a slow steady climb over and over.
The flat portion was good and of course that is where we had a bit of a tailwind. Then I turned to where there were smaller hills and for some reason I became starving. I hadn't planned on being too hungry because I only swam and biked. It was a poor decision to not bring a lot of food. I was starving. The aid stations only offered gatorade and water. I was fine for fluids, I wanted a banana or something, but of course when you need them they are not there.
On the final turn back (it was an out and back on hills, followed by a square) the wind was in our face! I knew we were on our way back but with the freezing wind and the lack of food, I was struggling a bit. I was still averaging about 20mph at this point, with about 50min left. The whole last portion was hills. I don't mind hills. I was passing a lot of people and was not passed by a lot of people...maybe only one female? However, I was one of the last waves so that doesn't mean too much. My final time for the bike was 2hr 53min with an average speed of 19.3.
Pedro then left for the run. I will have to let him post about his experience on the run, but to my surprise (and probably his) he ran a 2:05 half marathon! He did an awesome job! He wasn't all that sore, except his hip flexors. Other than that he is feeling fine.
Back to the swim part. We had no idea the time it took for me to swim. When the swim time was posted it says I swam 31:43! I am not sure how this happened!!! My fastest swim before this was a few weeks ago in boulder at 36min. The only difference is that I have started training with paddles...but I can't imagine taking that much time off my swim. I was thinking maybe it was short, or maybe that is why my shoulders were on fire!! I was swimming faster than usual! Who knows...but I will take it because that is way better than I have done! It means that since I started racing (and really swimming at all, for that matter)I have taken 13min off my half-ironman swim time! Ok, on a side note I just read someone elses blog and they think the swim was about 3min short...ok so maybe I am only a bit faster.
We took fourth place for coed team, which was good since I did two events, most teams are made up of three.
Here are a few picts from the race:
Pedro and Dad discussing race(run) strategy!
Me arriving back from the cold bike:
Pedro running strong to the finish!
Right after Pedro finished, it was so cold I have on a tshirt, a sweatshirt and another sweatshirt!
It was cold. 50 degrees or so. I was not happy. When we left the house it was raining. I just kept thinking, I hope it stops soon, or maybe it isn't raining at the race. I was very lucky, it hadn't rained at the race site.
It was so cold I decided to wear a full-sleeved wetsuit. I have only done this once before in Cali half (the water was 54 degrees in cali!). Anyway, our wave was the last wave to start. I started the swim and immediately my shoulders were tired! It was horrible, I felt like I was swimming against resistance. The entire swim my shoulders were on fire! The swim was kind of annoying because it only had one line of buoys and on the way back you needed to site the shore because the finish was not in line with the buoys. I thought I had to be in last place. I was not feeling like a great swim and my arms were burning. When I got out of the water I didn't want to look back because I thought I might literally be the last one out of the water! I saw Pedro with my parents just chit chatting on a bench...my mom said "oh you must have been fast we weren't looking for you yet!" HUH??? I figured they were just confused.
I ran to the bike where I put on my tights with fleece on the front a dry shirt and a longsleeve shirt. I also put on gloves. Everyone else was just running out with shorts and tanks!! Too bad, I was so cold I figured I would be way more cold on the bike. So, I took my time and got dressed. Pedro, being allowed in transition, brought my bike to the exit so I could just grab it and go, which was very helpful. Off to the bike.
I have only raced a sprint race at Aurora before and I thought the bike was hard for that...this was a very difficult bike. It is all hills, except for a flat area of about 10 miles, maybe. The whole thing is up and up...with a fast downhill. The up and up is the bad part! There are no hills that require standing and pushing, like in Wisconsin, but instead a slow steady climb over and over.
The flat portion was good and of course that is where we had a bit of a tailwind. Then I turned to where there were smaller hills and for some reason I became starving. I hadn't planned on being too hungry because I only swam and biked. It was a poor decision to not bring a lot of food. I was starving. The aid stations only offered gatorade and water. I was fine for fluids, I wanted a banana or something, but of course when you need them they are not there.
On the final turn back (it was an out and back on hills, followed by a square) the wind was in our face! I knew we were on our way back but with the freezing wind and the lack of food, I was struggling a bit. I was still averaging about 20mph at this point, with about 50min left. The whole last portion was hills. I don't mind hills. I was passing a lot of people and was not passed by a lot of people...maybe only one female? However, I was one of the last waves so that doesn't mean too much. My final time for the bike was 2hr 53min with an average speed of 19.3.
Pedro then left for the run. I will have to let him post about his experience on the run, but to my surprise (and probably his) he ran a 2:05 half marathon! He did an awesome job! He wasn't all that sore, except his hip flexors. Other than that he is feeling fine.
Back to the swim part. We had no idea the time it took for me to swim. When the swim time was posted it says I swam 31:43! I am not sure how this happened!!! My fastest swim before this was a few weeks ago in boulder at 36min. The only difference is that I have started training with paddles...but I can't imagine taking that much time off my swim. I was thinking maybe it was short, or maybe that is why my shoulders were on fire!! I was swimming faster than usual! Who knows...but I will take it because that is way better than I have done! It means that since I started racing (and really swimming at all, for that matter)I have taken 13min off my half-ironman swim time! Ok, on a side note I just read someone elses blog and they think the swim was about 3min short...ok so maybe I am only a bit faster.
We took fourth place for coed team, which was good since I did two events, most teams are made up of three.
Here are a few picts from the race:
Pedro and Dad discussing race(run) strategy!
Me arriving back from the cold bike:
Pedro running strong to the finish!
Right after Pedro finished, it was so cold I have on a tshirt, a sweatshirt and another sweatshirt!
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