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

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

 

 



Kroc Challenge Triathlon FINISHER!!

Well, I finished!! As my friend Liz told me, You can do it. You will do it, one mile at a time. And I did. Ironman length over 3 months. So its not in one day. Its a beginner triathlon. I rode all the bike miles inside the Kroc center and swam all the laps in the Kroc pool. Some of the running was on a track, on a elliptical machine, some on a treadmill, and some outside.
These are my prizes: swim cap for the swim portion 2.4 miles, water bottle for 112 miles on the bike, and the bag for 26.2 miles walking/running (140.6).

I loved it. And when I finished, I went to the Chiropractor for an adjustment and a massage. The Dr said, "What's next?" . I am still trying to decide what is next. All I know is that I really enjoy the Tri sports and don't want to stop. So I signed up for a 5K in Medical Lake WA August 17, 2013.  That's next.

I am reading a lot of books right now. Here are a few of them.

 

Here is a great blog I came across

http://www.swimbikemom.com/

Meredith, you are one of my heroes! She has completed 2 Half Ironman races and is coming here to Coeur D'Alene ID

to do the Ironman race in June. I hope to meet her...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I joined a Triathlon club. What a bunch of great people. I was very intimidated to go to

the sign up meeting, but the people were so encouraging and welcoming. All ages, sizes, and races- meaning , what race are you doing?? Some Ironman, some Sprint, some 5K, 10K . All competing against themselves- running their OWN race.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

 



Try 2013

I thought this was funny. It is definitely for me right now. The fitness level I am at now needs a boost and so 

I am challenged to start training for triathalon. 

The last few years I seem to be caving in to a Fear mentality. After taking a few STEPS of Faith, or LEAPS or JUMPS,  we felt discouraged, fearful, cautious, defeated about doing many things. 

Our whole family seems to be feeling it. I found it interested that Greg, Caleb and Andy all preached at the Watch night service- all 3 messages kinda went together. 

Greg- having Triumph in Christ, Caleb - Be a Nevertheless Christian and Andy - Fear Not.

In 2012, our family has been challenged and stretched. To get away from the Fear. To once again, step out and Do hard things. Good things that the Lord wants to help us with. 

My kids have been serving in an assisted living home, since 2 of the men in our church have not been able to be there. Caleb is 15 and does the preaching, Andrew is 14 and does the prayer reqests and Jonathan age 10 is the song leader. They had been practicing in this capacity for a while with their Dad, but lately they have been running the services themselves. Emily and Rachel and Caleb all take turns playing the piano. We are being pushed out of our comfort zones and it is good. 

In 2012 the Lord revealed to me that I am scared to go on a missions trip. Scared of the unknown, pain, trials, uncomfortable situations that I could be faced with.  I surrendered to the Lord that I would go on a missions trip if He wanted me to. For Christmas we received money for Greg and I to get our passports and buy tickets to go to the Philippines and Thailand this year.  WOW.

So the triathalon is just another extension of this, walking in Faith and not in Fear.  I went for my first outdoor  run last night with my friend Liz. I was scared I would fall on the ice. I did not fall. It was FUN!! I was afraid   

I would not make it to the end, but I did. ( it was a run/walk/run/walk/run /walk) lol. Thank you Lord for helping me to get over the fear. 

Fear not for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. 

Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.