Hard Labors

Hi, friends!

Yes, I'm alive and surviving year two of graduate school thus far! Labor Day weekend was much needed and appreciated, and Ty and I had a blast watching football, riding bikes, eating pizza, and best of all...going to his triathlon!

Back in the spring, we visited a new local triathlon store. They were running bunch of promotions and gave us each two free raffle tickets when we entered. Well, a week or so later, I received a call informing me that I had won a free race entry! I opted out of a race this early in the semester and gave my entry to Ty! That's right, he got to race free! (Best kind of race, if you ask me!)

The race took place on Labor Day, and for once it didn't start at 6AM! There were to kids' races before the adult tri, and those ended up delayed due to the cone-roadblock-bearing semi truck breaking down. It was nice to somewhat sleep in and enjoy the holiday, but we definitely payed the price with the heat.

The race was hosted by "Tri Now Endurance" and was located at the Oak Point Recreational Center in Plano (about 30 minutes northeast of Dallas). Ty and I were both impressed by the facilities and the company. They did their best to get back on schedule after the early morning cone mishap.

Friends from church had a son participating in the youth event, so we watched his race first. Because of the delays, we were there in time to see all the youth events. I'm not sure of the distances of "junior class" race (ages 6-10), but we were seriously impressed by the speed and transition efficiency of these little guys! The first boy into the transition area had the most incredible transition -- no joke, about 10 seconds. His shoes were already clipped into his bike and rubber banded to be upright. He put on his helmet and left, still dripping wet from the pool. Ty and I looked at each other and agreed his dad must be an IronMan. And then there were the adorable little girls with bunny helmets and confetti on their handle bars. So stinkin' cute!

Transition area! Can you find Ty?

Finally it was time for Ty's race to start! The swim was 300 meters indoors. All the athletes lined up around the pool based on the order of their estimated swim times. So the people who came out first didn't necessarily have the best overall times, they we're just the fastest swimmers.

Our friends watched Ty's swim, but I stayed central in the transition area, so I could catch the bulk of the action. After the swim, the had to run up this walkway and to the transition.

And here he comes -- smiling after the swim!

Transitioning to the bike (2nd from the left)

Ready to ride and headed to the mount line!

See the "mount" sign? You are automatically disqualified if you mount before reaching this sign.

And he's off!

During Ty's 15-mile ride, I chatted with our friends and gawked at all the nice bikes. It was so nice to have some company!

Proper dismount. Good form, good form.

By the time Ty headed out for the run, it was after 11AM, and the sun was mercilessly beating down. I walked to the car once during the race, and I felt like I had jumped in a pool. I knew Ty had to be incredibly tired from the heat.

Run time!

The race finished in an outdoor amphitheater about a half mile from the transition area. We all walked over in time to see Ty finish strong!

Sprint triathlon number three complete! Way to go, Ty!

It was a tough race for him, but he still had some great times! The swim was a personal victory for him, as he greatly improved his previous time and hit his goal for this race. He said the bike course was very hilly (yes, we do have hills in Dallas) and the run was on the open pavement and ridiculously hot! I checked the temperature when he finished, and it was 97 degrees before the heat index. Those are some seriously tough conditions, but he rocked his race anyway!

We picked up some Chipotle and then enjoyed a good nap. I'm not sure why, but I was wiped out, too! Being a spectator is hard work! Maybe it's like how a husband gains sympathy weight when his wife is pregnant? I experienced some intense sympathy post-race exhaustion. :) Or maybe it had something to do with the whole graduate student thing.

Our day ended with a much-needed trip to Sprouts! Athletes gotta fuel!

I love you, Ty, and I'm so very proud of you!!

The Other Marathon

No, this is not another post about my race. I'm referring to Grad School, Year Two.

We really lived it up this final week of summer! I am feeling so much more energized and recovered from my marathon, which allowed us to have a fun and active week.

Now the real marathon begins.

I had orientation on Friday, and it was far less stressful this year. In fact, it was just plain fun! The faculty bought us lunch and asked about our summers. We met the two incoming graduate students and reviewed the essentials. I can't say just how thankful I am! This time last year I was studying for entrance exams like a mad woman. Being immersed into the MM performance/ped program last year incurred an incredible amount of change in a short period of time. How grateful I am for returning students and a year of experience under my belt. I have much to learn, but the transition should be much smoother this time around. I couldn't be happier with my program and the opportunity to return for year two!

Enjoy some photos from our final week of summer.

A Hard Night's Day at the Granada Theatre -- first live show we've seen in Dallas, and a fun one at that!

Tuesday swim

Wednesday 10K with our local running store

Friday run in my new kicks!

Saturday ride -- 22 miles and new trails!

High-risk selfie :)

A friend from church snapped photos of everyone at lunch today, just because. I love this candid shot!

Super food salads, week three!

School at 8:45 this morning. I guess no one else wanted to make copies on their last weekend morning?!

Just Keep Swimming...

That's right, I'm just trying to keep my head above water over here. Ty is racing in his first triathlon next weekend, so he's been doing a lot of that in the literal sense. But I digress...

My recital came and went. Ty's birthday came and went. Everything was wonderful. We were having too good a time to remember to snap any video or photos. I've included a copy of the program, mostly so I have a record. I loved being on stage and sharing my hard work with others. It's so rewarding to get out of the practice room and finally perform.

Thanks to Dr. L for snapping this photo!

On Sunday, we were just plain wiped out. After I played our church service, Ty and I snuck away for a lunch date at a new restaurant. My beet salad and poblano pepper soup were phenomenal. My date was even better.

Fear not, Mamas, the photo and video documentation will henceforth commence a hundred fold.

We purchased a GoPro! Did I mention we're taking a family trip to Colorado this summer?

(How could you not purchase one, when you're staying here??!)

We've been joking about how everything will now be EXTREME. (Extreme teeth brushing, extreme lounging, extreme piano, etc, etc.)

Our first trial video (aside from the teeth brushing) was at the school pool. We've also filmed an 11-mile cycling trip, and I've tried out some still shots on the run.



This might be the coolest toy I've ever owned. Did you know it can be controlled from an app? It has video, continuous photo, single photo, and photo burst settings. It is virtually indestructible. (And if it does break, ours is covered by Best Buy!)

Can't wait to take this 1.4 ounce baby to Colorado!!

And now to finish that paper before church.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

Test-Taker Turns Triathlete

It's exam week.

That's right. All those Instragram photos of Brooklyn and me at cafés, pouring over textbooks, were all leading up to this week.

etc., etc.

As you may have surmised, reading is my go-to stress-reliever. I'm currently reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (if you've seen the movie, please don't spoil the ending for me!), which is not exactly the type of book you can blow through without consequence. It's heavy stuff. Good, but weighty.

In an attempt to relax before my big entrance exams this week, I took up an old hobby.

Until this week, I haven't had free access to the school gym. All summer I've had my eye on the indoor lap pool, though! This week, that dream was realized.

The SMU gym: where dreams come true.
(You think I'm kidding, but it resembles a WDW Resort.)

I'm not a great swimmer. During my sprint triathlon, it was my weakest event. But as a stress-reliever? It's perfect. I miss being able to jump in my parents' pool with Brooklyn after a neighborhood run!

Swimming is also a great way to relax arms and shoulders after long hours of practice. This week I made it to the pool three times. I am shooting for once a week during the semester. Nothing like a dip in the pool as a reward for a week of hard work.

I couldn't bring myself to photograph the whole get-up. It's quite nerdy-looking (in case you couldn't tell).

And yes, that's a fish on my head. Relic of my triathlon days.

Just because the gym opened doesn't mean I gave up my old favorites! Quite the contrary! After a long day of work and studying, Ty and I love to head to the lake trail! I also couldn't wait to get on my bike because (drum roll, please!)........my bike shorts arrived in the mail!

In all honesty, they are actually triathlon shorts. All that means is that there is a bit less padding, making them suitable for swimming! Oh yes, I had the foresight to figure that one out. I didn't have the foresight to realize how often I'd need to do laundry.

They are also suitable for running in the rain, when it's too slippery to ride.

I also took Brooklyn for a run on campus this week. During my undergraduate degrees, I never left my tiny corner of campus and remained ignorant of the whereabout of most everything. This time, I am determined to be more aware and informed. Of course, it helps that I've downsized from the second-largest university in the country.

The loop around the outside of campus was right around 1.3 miles. What I didn't realize until we arrived is that is was undergraduate move-in day. Lots of distractions, and lots of training opportunities with my girl! And lots of fun people-watching opportunities, too!

Getting out and burning some energy always helps take the edge off...for both of us.

Study, study, study!

And pose!

I am happy to say that I passed both the Music Theory and Music History entrance exams! How thankful I am for the Lord's provision and strength. Now it's on to orientations and meetings through the weekend. And on Monday, it all begins for real. I still can't believe this is happening!