4th of July

American Style!

Started off with a great hike in the Olympic Mountains in Washington state.  Our cabin is on the Puget Sound and we are just a few short miles form the Olympics and great hiking!

A view of the canal from my mom's deck.

As far as we could go up Mt. Elinor.  We weren't counting on the snow, but glad it was there.  It had been over 6 years since we'd been in snow, and it was AWESOME!

The Haugbro bunch...

My best girlfriend Tandi.  Her family spent the 4th with us in our little, itty, bitty cabin.  We had 11 total.  Gj and I slept in a tent in the yard!!!  It was awesome.

The girls had a swim.  The Canal was so cold (it is salt water) because the weather has been so cold and wet all spring, they had to wear wet suits. 

Later that day, we had a scavenger hunt!  Clues were set throughout the neighborhood.  We had 30 people participating and split into 5 teams... randomly picked.  I ended up on a team with my cousin's daughter's boyfriend...  and over acheiver like me, my cousin simply said, "That team will win"... and you guessed it.... WE WON!  The organizers were shocked at the speed all of us took off at.  We had all ages of people, 3 years to 55 years old.  All of us took off!  The first clue sent our team to my house... we all were wearing flip flops, many of us already had a beer or two in us and some were.... uh...hum... out of shape.  No excuse... 

Some stations you had to perform a task, some just find the missing object by solving the riddle.

We had a golf ball hit, everyone had three chances to hit the golf ball into the boat in the canal.  And for the 3rd year in a row.... no one got it.

Then it was dinner... hamburgers and hot dogs, what else would you have on the 4th of July?

Fireworks...

Then....

dancing the 'electric slide'....  meanwhile boys were in the back singing and playing...

my cousin and I

It was freezing for us.... the temperature is a little cooler in Washington on the water then it is in Oregon, but coming from Vietnam for over 10 months... we were simply FREEZING!

Home Leave - 2010

We only live abroad for 10 months of the year.  Then, we go home!  We typically stop at a few places on the way there and this year is no different:  Cambodia, Krabi Thailand, followed by Bangkok.  Now, we are in Cambodia and we are getting ready to head out to Thailand.

We found a great new restaurant from Trip Advisor.... Touich Restaurant.  Not in the Siem Reap town, but back behind some funky alley the locals live.  The food was amazing and cheap.  It is interesting how many restaurants will talk about 'traditional Khmer' food, but Cambodia is still rebuilding itself after years of civil war followed by the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime.

Tri Training Week 4

Well.... no 'Tri' Training... just a couple of bike rides.

Sunday I finally went out with the set of teachers from the school.  An abosultely LOVELY group of ladies passionate about teaching and getting some things done at school that I am also passionate about (playground equipment, improving the sports programs, etc.). 

I finally rode my mountain bike!

I kinda thought they were joking that they sometimes ride market bikes....  they weren't!  But since I normally do not ride Sunday mornings, and certainly lag the female bicycle bonding... I was extatic!

I think we rode about 35km

Monday:  rest (and got sick)

Tuesday:  too sick to ride with the boys, so I rode by myself:  3 bridge laps, 4 industrial park laps for a total of 60km

Wed - Friday - SICK!  And soooo busy with kids

Saturday:  1 bridge, mad dash w/ boys (stayed w/ the pack, thank you very much) and 5 more bridges.  Alex totally pushed me, I gave him permission to yell at me to make me improve.  Just so long as he doesn't say anything personal that is hurtful, he has carte blanche to 'scream me back to shape'.  I don't have Eugene any longer to yell at me... so I need another voice to piss me off while I am riding!  ha ha...   total of 80km

Swim:  0

Bike:  175km

Run:  0

Feeling better... FINALLY!

Tri Training Week 3

Week three and some milestones to celebrate!

I didn't quit running!
I didn't quit swimming!

I don't hate riding!

Sunday:

We were in Mui Ne.... still high on life with Eirik's 2nd place finish.  I rode by myself (as usual) and out the door at 6:30am.  At times, nearly in tears with how proud I am with my kids.  Eirik so grateful, Emily so supportive!  Feeling pretty lucky!  70km, 460m climbing, not a good average speed, but had a headwind.

Monday:  REST

Tuesday:  Ran 10km!!!  It took me 1:06 (terribly slow, but I did it!).  I needed two walks, no more then 1 minute each.  The heat was pretty intense.

Wednesday:  Rode 55km - two NVL loops solo

Thursday:  30km w/ boys, 1350m swimming in the afternoon.  350m more then prior swim.  All freestyle and no flippers. 

Friday:  5km run

Saturday:  58km ride, 305m climbing, nearly 30kph average. Okay considering traffic.  Speed in peloton was good.  I did one bridge loop prior to meeting the boys, and two afterwards.  Met Alex on the 2nd and he pushed me.... I didn't push on the way back. 

Swim:  1.35km
Bike:  212kim
Run:  15km

Dude got 2nd

I knew Eirik was in good condition.  His swimming has really taken off in the last few months, he's always been an avid runner, and he tolerates cycling (but mostly as a means of transportation).  We thought we would give this a try...

Gecko Triathlon:

100m open water swim
3km mountain bike
1km run on the beach with and up hill finish.

Setting up his 'transition area'

Playing in the water before the event.  His friends Rachel and Jon also participated.  Their dad, Derek, an Ironman in training is taking photos.

Just waiting around....

All the kids at the beginning.  The Gecko was kids up to and including age 12, boys and girls.  There was a group of boys that trained quite hard for this.  One won, but he used a road bike (we were told MOUTNAIN BIKE or Eirik would have had his road bike) and totally groomed for this race.

My boy.... we were in it for the fun....

Eirik is already in the water swimming... they go around the bouy you see then around another then out to the bikes.

Eirik is about 8th out of the water... we are yelling at him to start running, it would be faster at this point. 

#14 (his new favorite number!) running for his bike.  Emily and I couldn't have cheered louder for him.  He ran very fast to the transition area, and in NO TIME he was pedalling.  He dropped many of the kids that beat him out of the water at t hat point!

GO! EIRIK GO!

At the bike area, Emily and I cheered him.  They had to do two laps.  He said he just picked off the riders and was behind the winner.  But he had an adult sized road bike (this is GECKO?)... that boy then just took off....  The difference in time was a lot, I worried that maybe Eirik crashed... but he came down the path.  We screamed, "Just take off your helmet and GO!!!!"

GO!  EIRIK GO!

Down and back on the beach.  He was with a pack.  I came to the turn where he was to go up the ramp.  I didn't know if he knew where the finish line was.  If he slowed before crossing the finishline, he'd loose his postiion,

"Go up the hill, cross the ramp into the store!!!"

"FASTER EIRIK FASTER.... YOU CAN DO IT!"

He did it!

HA HA!  I yell!  I can't beleive it......  The PE swim teacher participated in the Sprint version and she was just estatic!

We were all so surprised!

At the Bar-B-Que, they said, "In 2nd place:  Eric Mangro!"

Okay... he has a new name!  ha ha ha! 

And.... if THAT wasn't enough.... he won this bike in the lucky draw! 

The best part of the entire experience is he was happy and his attitude and sportsmanship was outstanding!  He was happy because he swam well, he rode hard, and he ran like there was no tomorrow.  He finished nearly needing to vomit!  Then.... he smiled! 

He was humble and grateful for the experience.  He cheered his friends on and didn't show off!  He was thankful to his sister for spending her weekend in Mui Ne for this and cheering him on..... 

I am so proud of him, for being Eirik..... the 2nd place prize... well, that's just the frosting on the cake.  The real prize with the experience and fellowship with friends!  That's the victory!

Tri Training Week 2

Remember, the reason for 'tri' training is to make me hungry and desire to ride the suckiness that is Ho Chi Minh City cycling.... yup, that's as positive as I can be... but really, it isn't horrible.  I am not upset, it's just the truth of the matter.... should you disagree.... ride a peloton during rush hour and take away the rules of the road....

Sunday:  swam 1000m (no flippers - yeah!)
Monday:  5km run 28.5min followed by 2.4km walk to cool down (theoretically)
Tuesday:  rest
Wednesday:  12km bike..... flat tire, had to catch a taxi.  However, met some guy who was doing the triathlon that Eirik is doing this weekend.  He gave me some very helpful hints.  Again, getting a flat tire, I don't get upset.  Thus far living in Vietnam, every flat has saved me from potential disaster....  (lost in Cambodia, just before my handlebars gave way...) but today... it was a gift.   My dude got 2nd place in the kid triathlon out of 50 kids!
Thursday:  60km bike (300m climbing), 1000m swim (all freestyle, no flippers.... even learned flip turns!)
Friday:  6.2km run, 2.4km walk to cool down
Saturday:  55km ride in Mui Ne

Run:  11.2km (+4.4km walk)
Swim:  2000m
Bike:  127km

Tri Training Week 1

So, in an effort to NOT HATE cycling.... I am diversifying my exercise a bit.  What are the obvious choices.... swimming and running.  Before I sat on two wheels, I ran a lot.  I am a slow runner, but from point A to point B, I generally can get there.  I have ran two marathons and a handful of fun runs.  When I worked at the insurance company, nearly the entire actuarial department ran.  We had a running log and a world map, we tried to combine all our miles and run around the world.  Every day, we logged our miles.

Okay... so, now that the Tour of Friendship is over and I am completely an exercise junkie, to reduce my risk of dyign on a bike and like I said above, hating it forever..... I will 'Tri Train'. 

I am NOT training for a Triathlon....  just simply training like I am....

So...

Monday:  5km run
Tuesday:  30km boys, 30km roller (on bike)
Wednesday:  60km ride
Thursday:  rest
Friday:  30km ride
Saturday:  60km riding, 600m swimming

So:
Run:  5km
Ride:  210km
Swim 0.6km

Not a good start.... I got blisters, I cut my heal on something sharp in the swimming pool... and my rides were actaully good.  I stayed with the boys on Saturday, had a much better average kph for the entire ride, but still not where I want to be.

Best part is, Saturday's swim, as pathetic as it is.... was teh best recovery for cycling besides a good Thail massage....