FIRST TAKE!

Jen will soon have herself on the PostBulletin website giving little short broadcasts of her up and coming articles. Here is the first take... and the best take.

Jay

Jen's Training Log / March 30

Man. What a tough week. Another sick kiddo today -- this time Christian. I was diagnosed with a UTI today, too, so not so anxious to get on a bike or do a run... and water? No way. So I'll wait for my antibiotic to kick in and get busy tomorrow. Sit-ups tonight!

Jen's Training Log / March 29

OK, so yesterday's run? Not so much a run as a hardcore cleaning house day before heading out to a delish dinner with friends Lisa and Mike. But really, I did work up a sweat cleaning my bedroom. Not sure how that will benefit me come tri-time, however, so today I hit the pool again. Good times. xo, Jen

Jen's Training Log / March 27

Yesterday was a day off from the workout, so today I hit the pool. Did 9 laps -- switching between breast stroke, back stroke and freestyle. As usual, I'm completely wiped out now that I'm home... but it feels good to have done it.

Tomorrow, I aim for a run. And I might go bike shopping. We'll see....

Open water

I was born on the Iron Range... and when you're a Ranger and you see the first open water something triggers. I took the boys out to our backyard river for Silver Redhorse (suckers) since they are in season and within reach. We did not catch anything but we did find some nice fossils to add to our collection. Go Jen! That was my cheer for her workout accomplishments.

-Jay

Jen's Training Log / March 25

4.5 miles on the stationary bike at the gym. Rock on.

Jen's Training Log / March 24

Greetings! Another sick day for Bergen = another fairly unproductive day for me. But I did get in a 25-minute swim tonight after dinner while Jay stayed with the boys.

The freestyle is NOT getting any easier. It wipes me out -- and grosses me out when I swallow water, which I inevitably end up doing with every lap!

Time to sink into bed... hope all my other tri-ers are getting good workouts in! Tell me about them!!

Jen's Training Log / March 23

Boy. Bergen was home from school today because of a fever, so I stayed home to play nursemaid instead of getting my swim in. (I feel more sorry for him than me, of course... but I'm still pouting a little. :)

On to Plan B: I did a two-mile run tonight -- and Jay rode along on his bike to keep me company. Was good fun.

Bergen will be home from school again tomorrow because he still has a fever tonight, so we'll see what I'm able to arrange training-wise. I really want to get back in the pool...

Jen's Training Log / March 22

Just in from a 2-mile run -- made just under the wire at 9 p.m.

There was one stretch where I ran against some pretty strong wind, but otherwise it felt GREAT. I need to start stretching these runs, now. I'll aim for 3 miles next time.

In other news, Bergen is pretty sick. He's been running a fever much of the weekend and now the coughing is starting. Poor kiddo sounds pretty bad. He'll be staying home from school tomorrow, which means my plan to swim tomorrow morning are axed. I'll try to get a swim in when Jay gets home tomorrow.

Happy new week! -- Jen

Back on the wagon...

I've sluffed. (Sloughed?)

Jay came home and I finished Packet 3 for school and we went out with some friends... and, well, here I am at 4:30 a.m. typing e-mail addresses into an evite for a Relay for Life fundraiser Lisa Fink and I are planning.

BUT. Tomorrow. Or, rather, that would be today -- TODAY -- I will either run, bike or swim. I promise.

:), Jen

Jen's Training Log / March 18

Stationary Bike! 5 Miles!

Embarrassing the Kids

It was 31 degrees when it was time to get the kiddos to school this morning, so of course I made them wear their winter clothes.

Right? I mean, 31 degrees.

The playground at the school was a vision of spring fever: sweatshirts, shorts, tennis shoes.

Poor Christian gets out and waves goodbye in his coat, hat, mittens, boots.

"Love you, honey!" I say through the window.

"I knew I shouldn't have worn all this stuff," he answered back.

Jen's Training Log / March 17

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

To celebrate, I swam laps after dropping the boys off at school this morning! (Woohoo! Do I know how to live it up or what?!)

I did something like 10 laps, using about as many different strokes: Breast stroke, back stroke, side stroke and the cruelest stroke of them all: the freestyle.

Swimming makes me REALLY hungry, so I came home and immediately ate two bowls of leftovers (pasta with asparagus and capers -- green for St. Patrick's Day!).

There. Training done for the day. Whew.

Jen's Training Log / March 16

Just when I thought today was a lost cause (tri-wise), my neighbor LaNae suggested a neighborhood run. LaNae, Bethany and I did roughly two miles, give or take, and it felt great. It's always so much more fun (and EASIER!) to run with friends.

The boys and I did a mile walk, too, after dinner. Otherwise, I'm all about working on my third packet of the semester, which is due Thursday.

It's doubtful whether I'll be able to get back in the pool until Jay returns from SXSW on Thursday. I must spend the boys' school time writing these next few days and, after hours, I don't like to leave them alone in the family pool while I hit the lap pool.

But it's all good! Swimming can wait; the weather is perfect for running!

Smooches, Jen

P.S. Happy Birthday, Kelly!

Jen's Training Log / March 15

Well, I'm making a good effort!

Jay's out of town for work this weekend, so I'm having some improvised work-outs. Yesterday, the boys and I went to the pool... but I didn't dare leave them in the family pool while I went to the lap pool, so it was really more of a playtime with a few dodge-the-families-in-the-way laps thrown in!

Today, the boys and I went down to Silver Lake. They biked while I ran the loop... with a playground stop and a wow-look-at-the-waterfall-from-the-bridge stop. I'll try to get in a formal training run or swim tomorrow while they're in school.

It's GORGEOUS today and it makes me want to get on a bike. I either need to get the tube fixed on mine... or I need to decide whether I'm getting a new one.

Hope all my other tri-ers are doing well! What a great weekend to exercise outdoors!!

Jen's Column / Airplane Moment

Hey all,

I haven't posted a column in awhile, so here's a recent one... :), Jen

P.S. No work-out yesterday at all. Will swim today! And maybe run. It looks GORGEOUS outside!

* * *

Everyone has a travel story. I'll spare you the details of mine, except to say that last Thursday my boys and I arrived at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport by 9 a.m. for a flight that didn't end up leaving until 6 p.m. By the time we shuttled to our final destination — my grandma's house in Arizona — we'd been en route for roughly 15 hours.
It was a long day.

I'm enough in awe of flight to leave my complaints at the door. I have no idea how anyone manages to get a 400,000-pound bus in the air and keep it there, much less propel it through the sky at 500 miles an hour. And, of course, if it means my ride will be safer, I'm not begrudging any delays. But there's no denying that 15 hours is a long time for two little boys to wait.

The kids gave it their best effort. They really did. For the first few hours they were perfect gentlemen, polite and funny. Just past midday, though — after the forty-seventh time Bergen asked, "Is THAT our plane?" — I noticed the edge in Christian's voice when he answered, "Bergen! It's not our plane! Our plane is in Omaha! I've told you that a hundred times!" (Don't you hate it when you hear yourself in your kids' voices?)

Then there were the periods of prodding and poking. The pushing. The arguing. The audible sighing. We've had more fun getting flu shots.

I have to say, though, that it was all worth it once we got in the plane. And not only because we were finally going somewhere.

About an hour into the flight, Christian took off his sweatshirt and said, "Here, Bergen, you can use this as a pillow if you want." And then he rolled it up, put it under Bergen's head, patted his shoulder and said, "There you go."

It was one of those "awww…" moments of maternal pride, but I didn't say anything for fear of breaking the spell. I'm glad I just shut my mouth and kept reading my book, because it got better.

About 30 minutes later, Christian leaned over to Bergen and said, so quietly, "Bergen, do you want me to read to you?"

"Yes," Bergen answered, as his big brother lifted the armrest between them and they scooted together. Bergen rest his head against Christian's shoulder, fit his 6-year-old body snugly against his big brother's arm.

I tried to make it look like I was still reading, but I wasn't. I was wrapped up in the intimacy of the moment — watching them as intently as they were watching the pages before them. The book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, is all the rage with the third-grade set. It was obvious that Bergen felt like he was finally part of the club.

I watched Bergen's enraptured stare, took in the expression in Christian's voice, listened to their giggles during the funny parts. Immersed in their story, my sons were oblivious to the their fellow passengers, to the plane, to the world outside the window. To me.

On days when it seems like the fighting will never end, I tell them, "You are brothers forever. You will be each others' oldest friends. It will benefit you to be kind."
Too often, it feels like they're not listening. That I'm failing them when it comes to this most important lesson. But at times like this, I see that they are brothers and friends.

That moment in the plane — in that unlikely place 32,000 feet above Colorado — might well be my proudest parenting moment all year.

Jen's Training Log / March 13

Well, I think this is going to be a day off. I need to work on MFA stuff while the boys are at school today and tonight is the Churchill Carnival. (Woohoo!! Gotta love the Churchill Carnival!)

I'll get in some sit-ups for good measure (what does that mean, "good measure," I wonder?) before bed... and will hit the pool again tomorrow!

Beautiful, sunny day here -- and it looks like the weekend is going to be much of the same. Can't wait to get OUTSIDE for a run!

Smooches, Jen

P.S. Women: Mark your calendars for May 1 -- Boogie for a Cure 80's Prom!!

Jen's Training Log / March 12

I'm telling you, this whole daily check-in is soooooo motivating -- even more than the tri itself!

Today, after I dropped the boys off at school, I ran a nice, slow two miles (we're talking 10-plus minute miles) and walked one mile.

It feels so good to have my work-out out of the way already. Of course, now I have no excuse but to get to work on my MFA stuff. Here I go...

Jen's Training Log / March 11

Hello all! It's almost 5 p.m. and I haven't gotten any running, biking OR swimming in yet...

My packet deadline for school is a week away, so this is always the time of the month when I start eating, breathing, living MFA work. I've been working on my critical paper most of the day, but will try to make it to the gym after dinner.

I will.

I really will.

It would be so much easier to just run outside... but it's too dang cold out (at least for me). How are my fellow-tri'ers doing?!

In other news: It's Grandma Penny's birthday today!! Woohoo!! Happy Birthday, Mom!


UPDATE: I did 8 laps at the pool tonight. 4 breast stroke (hit and miss), 2 back stroke (my "rest" stroke), 1 side stroke (love it) and 1 freestyle crawl (just about killed me).

Jen's Training Log / March 10

Just under the wire!

I didn't get to the gym today, and the weather was kind of crummy for running outside.

OK, fine. I could've run outside. But I didn't. I couldn't let the day be a complete loss, though -- not this early in the game! -- so I did 100 sit-ups at 11:50 tonight. I'm not sure how that'll help me in the triathlon, but it's something!

Funny non-training thing: Both boys have talked in their sleep tonight. Christian came in our bedroom at about 11:15, telling me that he had to get his "orange juice... I just need to get my orange juice."

Twenty minutes later, I heard Bergen talking from his bed. I couldn't decipher his message, though.

Cute. :)

Jen's Training Log / March 9

Hello friends! I'm writing this from the gym. I just did either 8 or 9 laps -- I'm not quite sure -- in the pool. I thought I had done 8, then second-guessed myself and did another just to be sure.

My form is terrible, I did a couple lengths of back stroke when I got tired, and I had to stop several times for a breather... but at least I'm moving again.

I've rewarded myself with a cup of frozen yogurt (shh... don't tell the kids).

I may try to get a short run in again tonight. I'll let you know if I fit it in. :), Jen

Update: Got in 10 minutes on the bike when I took the kids to play at the gym tonight. So far so good!

Keeping Me Honest

OK. Here's the deal. I am doing a triathlon in August... and I am supposed to be MUCH further in my training than I am.

I was swimming fairly regularly for awhile there, but have definitely fallen off the wagon. Over the last couple weeks, I've blamed travel, being sick, crazy schedules -- pick your poison. But the truth is that anyone can find 30 minutes in their day to work out. I just haven't.

So today was my day to restart my training in earnest. Once again, we got busy. But I did manage to get in a short run at about 8:30 tonight. (Christian joined me; he really likes to be my running parter.)

My plan to is record my workouts on this blog -- because if I have someone to answer to (you!), I'll be more motivated to keep going.

Although... as I get closer to summer, I'm thinking that my August 2 deadline is going to be a formidable motivator itself!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! xo, jen

FULL BLAST LEGO CARNAGE!!!!!

Bergen (so proud with himself) asked me if I wanted to take his newly created lego ship to work and show my coworkers. I told him I could do better than that and post it on the World Wide Web using Hyper Text Markup Language. So here it is... a lego pirate ship with an open hull and pivoting plank so scurvy dogs can be fed to the sharks.

Very cool Bergen.

Dad
PS If you click on the images above to get the enlarged version - you can see a pirate being whipped and another being held at gunpoint.

Jen & Boys Hit the Southwest

Christian, Bergen and I had a great time visiting Grandma Marvel in Arizona. In five days, we managed to go to the zoo (where a deer tried to eat Christian -- or at least his shirt), hike the White Tank Mountains (an annual tradition), mini golf, swim outside, drive Grandma's golf cart all over the place, and hit Peter Piper Pizza for two hours of videogames.

A good time was had by all. The weather was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. It was 90 degrees when we left on Monday and 10 degrees when we arrived at MSP three hours later. We're already excited to go back for Christmas -- this time, with Jay in tow!

Pictures below....

xo, jen

Arizona 09