Passed

I passed both of the contest songs - Whew! Finally feel that I can just sing now and go to competition with the Chorus comfortably.

Onward - I have not really felt like I had any profound wisdom to impart lately, so am not posting. Yet I do have a lot to say. Last night I met with a friend who is a "life coach" - was a very interesting meeting and he was so easy to talk to. It was fun - I felt bad that I had to cut the meeting short - had a rehearsal to get to. Tonight is another rehearsal - Chorus is taking a lot of my time - probably right thru April - and then we'll relax a bit over the summer I think.

Anyway - the meeting with "life coach" was good - discussed dating scene and how men were treating me, etc. It was enouraging to get a man's perspective and to know that he had been in similar circumstances - as I know many have.

Right now, I'm happy, busy and enjoying life. Waiting for Spring to start so that I can get outside some more and enjoy biking and running outdoors - and soon Open Water swimming.

Soon.

Nights of Singing

It's Thursday again and that means time for singing with Capitaland Chorus - a Sweet Adelines group. I only recently became a member - in November and was reminded how much I enjoy singing. I always sang - in the car, around the house, etc. Music has always been a part of my life - my parents loved music - we went to tons of musicals as kids, I was even in a couple in School. I also was part of a Barbershop quartet in high school - so I guess I was destined to join this group.

The women that I sing with are all so supportive of each other - tons of different personalities as would be expected. We are going to be competing at the end of April with other Sweet Adelines groups in our Region - Region 16. All of our focus over the past few weeks and the weeks coming up is on competition songs. One is a sappy ballad and the other what is referred to as an "uptune". Each member has to "qualify" on the songs - be note and word perfect in order to go to competition.

I'm nervous - have qualified on the ballad and need to perform the uptune tonight with a quartet in order to qualify on that song. I know the song - and can do it, but get so nervous in front of my section leader (I'm a Bass).

Wish me luck.

SN - I think I surprised a lot of my friends joining this group - they are thought of as being an older group - but if you could see some of the performances you would not think so. There are also quartets that perform and compete - and they are phenomenal.... It is a very professional and entertaining singing venue.

Biking in the Snow

Went out with a couple of friends (guys - triathletes) biking on Sunday - beautiful sunny morning, kinda chilly but not too bad - no wind. We headed to a bike path - which was clear for a lot of the way - then encountered a bunch of spots that we had to get off bikes and walk while carrying them because of all the snow! We ended up back on the roadways for the return trip - which was fun too.

I felt really good and felt strong - which kind of amazed me since it was my first outdoor ride of the season. Guess having the bike trainer really helped keep me fit this winter.

The guy friends were fun too - talked a lot all of us - which takes away the monotony of riding. I am really trying to get back into the good training mode of doing at least one thing (swim,bike,run) each day and sometimes two workouts a day.

My "Girls"

My Soon to be Ex - is traveling this week so I have the "Girls". It has changed my activities quite a bit having to get home every few hours to let them out or walk them. I try to walk them more often - they love the exercise and then when I leave them they tend to not be destructive around the house. They are both still young - one is a year old and the other is 2. Lab/Shepherd mix (Feta) and a Hound mix (Marla). Totally different personalities but both very lovable and inseparable.

It's funny that many nights I've decided instead of going "out" that I'd rather just go home and have a nice run with the dogs and relax afterward. If not for my friends bugging me to go out on a Friday night - I would probably just stay home more with the dogs...they are very good company. My Ex is retired so he keeps the dogs a little more often since he is home. I am working - been going home on lunch - and actually manage about a 1/2 hour walk with them during that time.

Today the weather is beautiful so can't wait to get home and get them out again - looking for the bunnies and squirrels which they go nuts for.

Following other bloggers and Twitter

I have gotten hooked on following other blogs - mostly on the Times Union website - interesting stuff and also following lots of people on Twitter. Very fun - though I'm not up on all the ways to actually use Twitter yet. So, I'm thinking of making this blog more public - and see what kind of interest it generates - or not! Either way, doesn't really matter - just a neat outlet for your thoughts.

In Today's News

I have made the decision to sell our boat and dock to my soon to be ex-husband as part of our divorce settlement. This was a very emotional undertaking as I was the original sailor and taught him how to sail - and we've had the boat since 1993. It is a 28' Catalina which we were able to pretty much live on weekends in the summer. I spent a lot of time on the boat at the dock last summer when we started the separation process -- was my "getaway". I also sailed it for the first time last summer by myself. That was exhilirating!

Needless to say - after many tears shed last night - I was finally able to realize that I cannot afford to keep the boat - it is expensive - and I really won't have the time to devote to sailing since I am a triathlete and will be doing some more serious training this summer. Once I got over the emotional stuff I came to thinking that it is probably a good thing - can save money for my own vacations and/or upcoming races and put money into the house I am purchasing.

All in all it ends up being a win for me - The boat is named the "Suzieb2".

Fell For a Guy

This is an article I wrote which was published in the "Pace Setter" February 2011 issue - a local running mag. I thought this might be a good place to start this Blog. I am starting a new Chapter in my life - divorcing, buying a house, and hoping to get my triathlete mojo going and have some awesome success racing this year. I will give some history in a future post.

For the "Last Run 5K" that went through
Washington Park Holiday Lights December
18th, 2010, two of my girlfriends and I decided
to get dressed up - crazy socks, jingle bells,
cute plaid shorts, and Santa hats - and I had
antlers - and run thp race. It was a cold night,
but no wind. The race went off at 5:00 p.m. so
it was dark, but very pretty, running through
the Christmas lights in the park.
Nearing the end of the race a guy (very
handsome, by the way) ran up next to me and
complimented my outfit, and so we chatted a
little - he liked the bells, and so on. I suggested
to him that we pick it up and make it a really fast
finish. OK. We got going at a pretty good pace,
and as it started to slope downhill a bit near the
finish on State Street between the Capitol and
the Pldza, he got a little ahead of me, dS most
guys would, and yelled back, "Come on, it's
downhill - you (dn do this." I sped up some
more to catch up to him. That's the point that I
tripped and was going fast so I had absolutely
no control over stopping the fall.
I hit my head first and rolled onto onp side,
hitting my forehead, cheek, elbow, hip and,
lastly, knee. I ended up on my back downhill
direction. He and another runner stopped and
I was stunned from the fall. They asked if I was
OK and I said I'm really not sure, as I wasn't
pven sure what hurt at that point. Onp of them
ran for paramedics, who were there in a second,
as we were about 200 yards from the finish
line. Music was playing and runners were
going by. The EMTs asked if I hit my head which
I did - so they told me to stay still. They
were going to get d collar and I told them, "No,
I am not going in an ambulance bec<.lusP I am
hosting a party at my house at 7:00 tonight!"
Somewhere in the middle of the EMTs checking
me out, one of the other runners decided I
should finish the race, so I suggested they take
my chip and run it across the finish line mat
- they actually took my shoe! Funny! One of
them came back with my shoe - which the
EMTs said was like Cinderella getting her glass
slipper back. Very funny! The handsome guy
who took my shoe came back with a bottle of
water also. He was the same guy who was running
with me, so I started telling him that I was
hosting a party at my house at 7:00 that night
and he should come as it would be a bunch
of running friends! The EMTs were telling me
I should go to the hospital to get checked out,
but I said no way. I had to go take care of my
party!
I yelled out my address to the handsome
guy as he left and as the EMTs worked to get
vitals, I finally convinced them I was OK to
stand and walk, and I signed off on not going
to the hospital. I left but couldn't get hold of
my friends as they were doing a cool down run
and so they had no idea I was hurt.
I got home and my cheek was swelling fast,
as I could see it under my eye dnd I knew it was
bad. Also I knew my knee was pretty bad because
it hurt. When I got home and one friend
arrived, I made him start prepping stuff while
I got in the shower to check out the extent of
injuries and to freshen up. I took a few layers
off of my knee and the elbow, hip, hand wpre
all bruised and scraped and swollen. It was
quitp a fall, but didn't think I broke anything.
The rest of my friends started showing up, and
the Handsome Guy also showed. He sdid hE'
had to come to see if I was OK. It turns out he
knows other runner friends who came to the
party, as it is a small world. It seems if you talk
to enough people in the Capital District, that
someone will have a connection, especially
among the runners and triathletes, which my
friends and I are.
My girlfriend is a nurse and so when she
came to the party she patched me up and she
and my other girlfriend (the Three Musketeers
WP call ourselves) were both shocked when
they saw me, as they had no idea I had fallen.
We all laughed a lot that night and kept blaming
the Handsome Guy for tripping me, which
he did not, of course, but we had fun joking
about it. I'm really OK - just a black eye and a
few bruises, which will heal.
My chip time did not register. I guess carrying shoe is not the same as running in one.
Oh well, I had a good time anyway.