Rest and Reading

I had a slight cold this week and was forced to take a rest day.  Its been a long time since I have done this. Stayed in pajamas all day. Drank tea and chicken soup. and caught up on some reading.

Mama was a missionary by Charles Ludwig is a book I started reading aloud to Emily and Jon several years ago. It is a story about Twyla Ludwig a missionary to Africa from 1927 to 1961.

When I started reading this book I had no idea that I would become a missionary..

While reading aloud, I had to skip a few parts, due to the delicate and morbid descriptions of the abuse of women in Africa. We laughed about so many cultural differences and funny things that happened in the story. Their ministry was starting churches and schools, teaching the men and women to work and study the Bible, with extra importance on teaching the women home skills, like child rearing, sewing, and cooking.

At one point during my personal struggling with the Lord about going to the Philippines, I stopped reading this book. I felt I was a hypocrite. I couldn't read it for about 1 month.

At the point where we returned to the story, the Lord used a particular chapter to show me that all of my struggle is very normal and these missionaries had those struggles as well.
Charles Ludwig, the author, struggled at times, and wrote one chapter, what a coincidence!!! right where we picked up, about how in his teen years, he rebelled against his parents a bit. He tells of getting to a point where he was so SICK and TIRED of hearing about all of his parents plans for NEW Africa and the girls home, the girls home, the girls home.....ahhhhh
and his very sad and humble plea for a bottle of  REAL ketchup for Christmas.

It had funny moments where an African man, a Christian, in his quest to find a wife, chose one who was "Plump and strong and could work longer in the garden than any of the other girls" . we all laughed at that one.....

Mrs Ludwig died  Dec 15, 1960 of a cerebral hemmorage, She was 70  years old. On Dec 14, 1960 she had told the girls at the school, "We're building a new Africa with Christ! We must do our best!!"

Trip to Philippines and Thailand

Sept 1 to Sept 18 , 2013

Need to write about this trip. I am keeping this space to remind me to come back and work on this.
Anna

 

Finally got to Manila, from Spokane WA, Portland OR, Tokyo Japan, and here is our little room. Next day, Fly Cebu Pacific Airlines to Tacloban, then car ride to Borongan, East Samar



I run for Benaiah 2014

 

 

I decided that for 2014 I will Swim, Bike, Run/walk for Benaiah Bardwell. Benaiah is the youngest son of my friends Dan and Laurel Bardwell.

 

Benaiah

 

 

 

I saw this idea on another runners page, that they would post their miles for someone else who had physical limitations. The purpose is to encourage the family in their day to day challenges and that they would know someone else is thinking of them and praying for them.  So I choose to Run for Benaiah, and to remember to Pray for him each time I Swim, Bike, Run this upcoming year .

Praise the Lord.

 

 



Autumn 2013

Emily and her new dog, Crockett. He is

3 yrs old Jack Russell Terrier 

 

 

 

a big fat praying mantis Emily found

out in our garden

Emily and Jon with new school books





Jon and Emily and Crockett

 



Crockett and Alamo, son and Father

 Caleb and Andrew dressed up for the HBC

Anniversary Meeting

 

Caleb is 16 and Andrew is almost 15, pretty close in height

They are doing the James Bond or model pose.....

 

 

Tree in our back yard Oct 20- Love those colors!!

 

Goal Board/Dream Board

Race Bib numbers for 2013

 

In business, some people inspire workers to make DREAM BOARDS.

This is a tool to encourage and challenge the worker in their

efforts. To put those goals visually in front of the worker day by day.

I was encouraged to make one for my Avon business last year and I did

I felt it was a help to me, so this year I created one for my Avon and Personal life combined.

I also encouraged my children to all make a dream/goal board for 2013 of things they would

like to accomplish in 2013. It was very uplifting and interesting to see the things they put on their boards.

Some of the childrens goals:

to pray for someone other than myself each day

to keep my room clean

to practice the piano more

and other.....

 

 

5K for 2013

After 6 months of beginner triathlon training, I decided to wait on doing an actual triathlon til next year.  I am learning a lot and have made a lot of progress, but just don't feel confident in myself to do it. So I decided to continue training and plan for next year.

Of the 3 sports, running is the hardest for me. I love swimming and I love bicycling. I don't love to RUN.  I love the RUN after I get done!!! I usually have to drag myself to it either outside or on a treadmill or whatever, and afterwards I am ALWAYS glad I RAN.

So I signed up for a 5K
 Strides for Strong Bones Medical Lake WA Aug 17, 2013
Toni Thompson went and completed the race with me. Its so much more fun with a friend!!
Time was 51:53

PICTURES   HERE (must get pictures from Toni)


and then I signed up for another race 5K

Valley Fest for Downs Syndrome Spokane Valley WA
Sept 21, 2013

you can laugh at my pictures its ok!! lol     

Race morning, its raining

 Heading to the Finish line

                                                                                               at the Finish Line, I MADE IT!!! ahhhhh

 

I look like I am dying!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The smile  of Victory!!

and I beat my previous time 49:30

Summer 2013 photos

 

 

 

 

my new bike: Faith.

 

because we know that

 

...without faith it is impossible to please him. (Jesus)

 

 

 

 

 

Daddy and Josh and Caleb and Andy and Jon playing

basketball.

 

 

 

 

Ady and Mo

 

Leah

 

March 1, 2000-August 12, 2013

 

Leah was our dog for 13 years. Rachel picked her out from a litter of puppies, when Leah was only 6 weeks old. Josh taught Leah how to shake. She was our family pet. We had a lot of laughs with Leah. The kids dressed her up in clothes. We called her Velcro Dog, because she stuck to Greg like Velcro.
We also called her Fatal attraction, because she would lay on Greg's lap and stare at him....She had a good life and was a good guard dog. She barked at intruders. She loved our friends Marco,  Angie Willis and Cameron, and Jenny Fish.  Leah was  very old and sick, her back legs no longer worked for her. . We had to take her to the Vet and say good bye to her. Our family was very sad.

 

 

 



 

 

Emily and I riding at Lake Cda

 

 

 

 

 

 

at the flaming turd trail

 

 

 

 

 



You know you are a triathlon nerd when......

You know you are a triathlon nerd when........


1.My homeschool lesson consists of writing on the dry erase board, explaining to the children what 70.3 and 140.6 is.


2. My favorite magazines are Runners World and Bicycling.


3. My daughter who works at the Library brings me home every book the library carries on Triathlons/Triathletes.

4. I like to window shop in Bicycle stores and look at all the clothing and extra goodies...

5. Instead of snacking on candy bars, now I like to try different energy bars and gels and jelly beans that you eat while riding my bike.

6. I drink water out of my cycling water bottle all the time, not just when riding the bike.

7. I  like to explore new bike trails.

8. Eating changes from just eating what you like to eating as FUEL to keep you swimming/biking/running longer.....

9. I know what a brick is. I know what a cassette is. and I know how to change a tire.

10. I cheer for every person I see riding  a bicycle or running down the road.

=-)

beginning workouts/training

2010   workout schedule

M- 15 min walk
T-30 min walk
W none
Th 45 min walk/jog
Friday none
Sat go to gym- weights, elliptical and sometimes other machines for 90 minutes...or swim


2011 pretty much the same , mainly walking
2012  M - walk 30 min
          T  - walk/jog 45 min
          W- Turbokick 55 min of hard work/sweating....with Angie!
          Th-none
          Fri- gym with the kids- swim, or elliptical, weights 90 min
          Sat sometimes go to the gym , or rest

2013  January - when you are a Triathlete, you call it Training (not exercise lol)
my Training schedule :
                       Tuesday nights 5:30 run
                        Wed Turbokick
                        Thursday rest
                        Friday 45 min walk/jog
                         Sat maybe gym/or not5
       February Tues 6:30 am swim  and 5:30 pm run
                       Wed rest
                        Thursday 6:30 am swim
                         Friday bike ride at Kroc center 10-14 miles

March - 2.4 miles swimming  whatever days I could get to the Kroc.


April - 112 miles bike. Some days 4-7 miles, Some days 10-14 miles . Split up on re, cumbent bike and LeMans bike and some in Spin class.  Cda Tri also had a Train to Tri workout class Tuesday nights at 5:30pm, a circuit training , Love that class, change things up a bit....

May - 26.2 miles running/walking- outside, on the track, on the treadmill, on the elliptical runner, also Water running class .Various days, 2-3 miles at most on treadmill, ugh...cant seem to stay on it longer than 3 miles.....boring....  Some weights and Turbokick thrown in there too.

June and July- Turbokick, Water running, running in my neighborhood, walk/run 3 miles, Bike trails in Cda- 7-15 miles , Swim 10 laps in Kroc pool - 2 kick, 2 slow, 2 fast, 1 back, 1 breast, 2 slow, cool down.....Schedule at this point is 2-3 rest days- 4 workout days( 2 Run/walk, 1 swim, 1 bike) Last week I did 2 bike rides and no swim....




I have looked at several "Training Schedules" in books, but none of them seem to fit my lifestyle of  church, homeschooling, busy truckdriver  husband coming back and forth and 1 adult child in the house, 2 teenage boys with a Lawn maintenance business, basketball workouts and 2 preteens....so I just get a blank calendar and make up my own schedule, fit in as many workouts as I can.

Making Progress:

July 2013 pictures

 

Hiking at Tubbs Hill with my friend Liz

 

 

At Tubbs Hill Coeur D'Alene ID

July 31, 2013



Financial cost of my triathlete habit

When you take up a new hobby or sport it costs you something. Sometimes its VERY expensive. One of my friends calls me the Queen of FREE, I do find a lot of things FREE or very low price. Since we are a family of one income and a part time Avon business, I try to be wise about spending money....So...

 I decided to become a triathlete in January 2013.

I started running with my friend Liz and the Local Fleet Feet store group , Winter Warriors on Tues nights: FREE

Joined CDA Tri + Club $40 year membership

Library books on Triathlons: FREE
So far my absolute Favorite one is Triathlon for Dummies



Reading Blogs like http://www.swimbikemom.com    FREE

Kroc membership- $50-75 /month (have been a member for 2 years now) Use of the Pool, bicycles, treadmills, track, eliptical runner and weights all included

Intermediate/Triathlete Swim class $20 T/Th 6:30am-7:30 am, oops I forgot this when I first posted.

Bike Helmet - borrowed from Cynthia to get started : FREE

Bike Helmet- My own helmet!!!! from Terra Sports in Cda Idaho  $40

Mountain Bike borrowed from Cynthia for a few months: FREE
Tune up on mountain bike at Mountain View Cyclery in Hayden ID $12

So to get started: Basics $112 
(I don't count the Kroc membership, since we have already been members for 2 years, this is not a NEW expense)

************

Past the Basics

February - I  bought a new pair of Nike running shoes $55

then I bought some workout clothes from Target
$21 pants, $6 running shirt (wicking material-dries fast), and $ 6 running bra

Goggles $5 and New Swim Suit from SWIM OUTLET.com $26
(needed the swim suit badly, my other one was a maternity swim suit , from when pregnant with
Jonathan (HE is 11 years old!!! AHH)

The Nike running shoes didn't work out for me, I started having some problems with my knee/IT band, so then I spent some $$$ at Physical Therapy- April, May
***SPECIAL NOTE- my PT Fred says , If you are gonna run, you need to buy good shoes and stretch. You can either put out the money for good shoes or you can pay to come see me when you are injured. WORDS OF WISDOM from Fred the PT******

So.......

June - Bought NICE Running shoes - Get Fitted at a Running Store- I chose  Brooks $145
No more pain in knees or hips, Definitely WORTH IT-

July - Local Bicycle shop- sold me a Used as a Rental - refurbished Road Bike - Raleigh  $325
(No you don't HAVE to have a fancy bike ($4000 yikes)

Books:     $25  The Slow Fat Athlete and  Meredith Atwood's book-Triathlon for the Every Woman: You can Be a Triathlete. Yes. You.


$809 plus the $112 = $921 so far.....


Cycling Gloves- $21 on sale
Odometer for my bike- $31
Spare Tube and Saddle bag $28

So now I am up to $1001. 

 

 

Stedman Family 2013

 

 

 

 

My new bike

 

 

I prayed about getting  a bike. I did not want to take

money from our family budget to buy it. I asked the Lord

to provide it for me , if He wanted me to have it.

So one person gave me some money for  a gift, then the Lord sent me a

babysitting job, then some Avon sales and after all that I was $35 short of the total

needed for this bike. I was scrambling (oh me of little faith),

to find out where I would get the last $35. I was digging around, oh I could sell this and get $15. or this???

Then , I got my commission check from

Avon. Its always weird amounts, like $7.92, or$ 22.37 or $51.09.

This check also was from 4 weeks ago, so when I got it,

I realized, again, that God always takes care of things...

The check was EXACTLY $35.

So here is my lovely new road bike, thanks to the Lord

and John down at Mountain View Cyclery in Hayden ID for selling me a used bike,

in excellent condition.

 

I have not named it yet. My friend Meredith says you should name your bike.

Rachel said I should name it 20 miles, so then I could say, "I rode 20 miles today!!"

LOL Rachel.

 

 

 

 Ironman CDA Update:

I got to meet Meredith Atwood (SwimBikeMom)

 

down at Lake Cda, it was pouring and we got to chat a little.

The day of the race, I went to church , then came out in the afternoon and sat on the corner of Sherman and watched for hours, I missed her when she came

by running.....UGH

So my friend Linda and I went back downtown again at 8pm, and cheered as finishers came by, it was a lot of fun. I went home at 10pm and watched online as she ran to the finish line!!

Great Job , Meredith, You are an Ironman!!!

 

 

 

 BTW: I promised Pastor I would never do an Ironman, well of course, because its on Sunday.

LOL