Kathleen's Adventures

Jon and I took the 4.5 hour route to Beaumont on Saturday...via Galveston, the ferry, and Bolivar Peninsula. The devastation on Bolivar was absolutely awful. I knew it would be, but you just can't comprehend it until you go yourself...even then it is still hard to fathom. Here are pictures we took along the way:

My family and I had a great Christmas in San Antonio. Santa came in a huge way and left everyone with way more presents than we need. Molly, Bennett, and Kate made Reindeer Food then put it outside for the reindeer...I think Major ate most of it. Then it was time to make cookies for Santa. And time to be silly. This is as close as a picture as I can get with Bennett. Kate's collage from her tri this summer. She had been waiting for this since last Christmas when I made one for Molly. I told her I'd make her one when she did her first triathlon, which she did in September. Santa came in a BIG way Waiting for the "all clear" to come down the hall to see if Santa came Bennett loves her new big pink puppy Kate with her new Longhorn hat Bennett with her new laptop, Elmo, and awesome shoes from Aunt Kathleen Molly and Kate on their way to ride around the block a few times, with their camelbacks One hell of a bike gang...steer clear if you see them out on the streets E...

Last Monday I had an awesome run. It was 43 degrees outside and I ran exactly 5 miles in 1 hour (12:00 min/mile pace). I was surprised because I was pretty tired and not sure if I had done too much the week before. As I was going, I felt like I was actually running again for the first time in forever, not just bouncing up and down basically in place. I did hit 171 a few times and slowed down to walk each time it happened, and decided I would run again when I got below 140. Each walk break was around 1:30, so not too long. My previous fastest pace staying under 171 was over 12:50, so this was quite a breakthrough run. ...then Wednesday happened. In just 36 short hours, temps were up 30 degrees, and it seemed my HR was up 30 bpm as well! I was planning to do an hour run through River Oaks from my apartment before my dad came to pick me up to go to San Antonio. It was raining when I started, but not too bad. After about 3 minutes I decided my hour run was going to be about a 30 minute ru...

My Aunt Linda died five years ago today. I had completely forgotten about it until Augie posted this . I am in disbelief the day almost came and went without me even acknowledging it. I was on a high because I broke 12 min/miles tonight on my run, completely self-consumed, oblivious about what day it was. I always get it mixed up though and think it was the 23rd, but that was the day she was buried; she died on the 22. December 22, 2003. I will never forget that phone call, or the long, dark, silent car ride with my dad that night to Waco. Aunt Linda was my mom's only sister and her life-long best friend. My mom said for the longest time after she died she would walk in the house and pick up the phone to call her to tell her some good news or just to talk, and would then remember that Linda wouldn't be at the other end of that phone line. I hate cancer. It sucks. I do love my family and friends dearly and than God each night for all the wonderful things I have in my lif...

...my first in quite a long time! I wasn't used to getting up at 5:15 to run! Houston Fit was doing their 21 miler Saturday morning, so I decided I would jump in and run 10 miles somewhere in the midst of the crowd. A few of the group who were also running shorter distances met at Luke's Locker beforehand and it felt great to be back in the company of my old running buddies. It didn't feel great 20 minutes into my run when my heart rate monitor was screaming at me because I couldn't even keep my heart rate down running their run 5 minutes/walk 2 minutes pattern. I had to stay with them until Rice though because it was dark and I didn't feel safe being alone. Houston Fit had aid stations setup at Luke's and at Rice, so I had "social stations" which we all know I need, especially when I'm running so much by myself these days. The run was mostly uneventful, boring if nothing else, but a few notable things did happen. First, it was like I was a ghost o...

Santa's elves have been hard at work in my apartment over the last few days/weeks. First, they have done way too much Christmas shopping, but have made the place feel very cheery and put lots of presents under my ghetto tree: Second, they have gone through my closets clearing out things to take to Goodwill and the Women's shelter. The sad thing is you wouldn't even notice anything is gone. I have too much stuff! Lots of clothes!! All packed and ready to go...wonder if the elves will carry the stuff to my car now?

Seriously. Someone borrowed it in October and I don't think I am ever going to see it again. How crappy, especially since I'm trying to actually do a little training now and December isn't exactly the time to take my bike outside...neither is January/February really, for that matter. They aren't cheap and I certainly don't have $350 to just go hop out and buy another one, especially when my car got broken into AGAIN Saturday night and that will be a nice $400 drop in the bucket to get fixed. Merry freakin' Christmas. (actually life isn't all that bad, but these two things are just really, really frustrating me right now...apparently I went a little crazy Christmas shopping for everyone...but got some pretty awesome gifts for people, that I am very, very excited about...but now I don't exactly have money just lying around to throw at new bike trainers and getting my car fixed) ...I would love if my grey trainer somehow magically reappeared on my doorstep ...