2nd TRI...

I did it again back in September I ran my second Triathalon (sprint) and had a blast! First off I set a faster time than my previous year...which makes me happy! I realize I do not have the time to give to it that the big boys do so my goal is first to complete then to beat my time!

So here is the break down:
141 #293 Fred Shirley 39 St. Michael, MN
Swim – 177/ 22:14 100yd - 2:32
Turn 1. 4:08
Bike – 131/ 57:24 Rate - 18.8
Turn 2. 1:34
Run – 119/ 45:16 Pace - 9:04
Finish - 2:10:35

Last year was...
00:26:50 - swim 1/2 mile
00:04:00 - turn 1
00:58:06 - bike - 18.6 rate / 18 mile
00:02:32 - turn 2
00:50:22 - run - 10:05 pace / 5 mile
02:21:50 - total time

So in short last year took...2 hours 21 minutes 50 seconds...this year was 2 hours 10 minutes 35 seconds.

To end it all I ran it 11 minutes and 15 seconds faster than last year...woohoo! That was the goal and I thank God I made it!

I think that I am more thankful for my family and them supporting as well as putting up with all the training...cause let's be honest working out it just no fun, but setting goals and pushing toward them is!

I have the best wife, daughter, and boys ever...thank you God!

Blessed...is the best!

So today I got to take Brew hunting...he is an amazing dog (just had to say that)...at any rate it was fun to hunt over a good dog again. It's been a few years since the last time I was able to go hunting since I had to put my other dog down.

I am very thankful for all that God has blessed me with and today is just one of them days.

Times to beat...

Here is last years numbers...

00:26:50 - swim 1/2 mile (spent to much time watching..those dudes are fast)
00:04:00 - turn 1
00:58:06 - bike - 18.6 rate / 18 mile
00:02:32 - turn 2
00:50:22 - run - 10:05 pace / 5 mile (kinda slow for me as an average)
02:21:50 - total time

Need to do better this year...

8:00 A.M. SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2012 SQUARE LAKE PARK is the next TRI as of today I am 3 weeks from the event.

.5 mile swim
18 mile bike
5 mile run

...the challenge is laid out before me, I have been preparing and all I care to do is finish with a bent of competing against myself. So a time better than 2:21:50 is the goal.

Watched some of the 2011 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii triathalon the other night...talk about a test of endurance! Oct. 13, 2012 | 2.4 mile swim / 112 mile bike / 26.2 mile run

Best day just got trumped!

One...not "the most" but one of my most memorable days just got trumped. Let me be clear the day I accepted Christ is number one, getting married has to be number 2, however the birth of my kidos and me getting water baptized have always fought for a 3rd place...here is the photo I have and will cherish forever...

Yep that is me getting water baptized...just like the day I gave my life to Christ I can remember all the details to this day. Lake Norfolk was flooded, Pastor Cary Sims and Pastor Vic Porter baptized me. They teased about holding me under a little longer just to make sure it takes...which I still do. This was a huge moment for me and it set me on my course!


However...there is a new photo that takes its place...

Yep that's my oldest kido about to be baptized by me...I do not have words to explain the emotions I feel other than...I am so thankful for this opportunity!

...and it is all done!

I love my job.

A face that loves God with all her heart...she blesses me every day and yes she learned that from her mom!

...she learned this from me!

New PR for a 5 mile run!

5 miles at an 8:10 pace...not bad for me!

Let's see if I can do that after swimming a .5 mile then biking 18 miles and your legs feel like logs!

Someone got a friend!

So a little bit ago I was saying how our one year old Brittany Spaniel needed a friend. It would make her days easier to have a pal to hang out with and then we would have another hunting dog.

Kelly and I chatted and decided we did not really want to do the puppy thing right now and we did not want to two dogs a year apart...3-4 years apart would be better. We made the decision on a Thursday to wait a few years before getting another dog. Then went up north (on Friday) to see friends and run in a race on Saturday.

Friday afternoon we pull up to our friends house and Colton sees there dog and goes nuts! Colton and Connor basicly played outside with the dog for 2 hours. The boys come in explain how much fun they just had...to which our friend says "you can take him home"!

Long story made short God had a better idea than we did and we ended up with a 3.5 year old yellow lab that just loves the kids and will do anything for them...he is an awesome addition to the family...so welcome Brew to the Shirley clan!

Back in a flash...

Interesting how a word, a moment, a place, or an item can bring the past and it's feelings rushing back to ya in a flash...

Some of these moments are not fun...

Shorties response to being at a funeral and it then bringing back a different set of emotions for me and for him (your mom passing away and that same mom being the shorties grandma) makes for a tuff day full of emotions.

...I dislike funerals yet I realize just as you that they are apart of life and have happened since the beginning of time yet we still struggle with it them.

Some of these moments are very fun...

The name "Paragould AR"...being spoken brought back a rush of emotion from the past, especially when said with an Arkansas twang...brings a rush of emotions from the past and most are very good!

...wow the thoughts of childhood and growing up playing baseball...fun!