A Goal and a Weekend

First, let me give you a Badass Report on goal #26- Learn how to flip turn when I'm swimming laps.

I've spent the last six weeks of my swim class working on my endurance and learning how to flip turn. When I started this whole "learn how to flip turn when I'm swimming laps" goal, I had no idea it would take me so long. After weeks of scraping my bootie on the bottom of the pool (went too deep), fearing I would bash my head on the wall (went too far), my feet missing the wall (didn't go far enough), and lots of chlorine up my nose (trying to breathe underwater)...

Guess what I can do?

Exhibit 1- I'm going really slow because I was swimming 1000 meters and I was saving my energy. 

Exhibit 2- I look weird because I couldn't breathe but, hey... I did it! I can only get better now. 

Goal #26 complete!

6 weeks to go until the Double Time Tri! I start training "for real" tomorrow. I'm not going to do all of my training outdoors, but I will try to bike and run outside when I can. Plus, there is no way I'm hopping into the water when it's only fifty degrees here in good ole' Michigan. This is what I have planned for the week. I'll fill you in on Saturday on what really happened.

This week I was really busy with work and lazy with my workouts. I also decided to eat whatever I wanted since I was so busy and now I feel gross. I'm going to feel that brownie and chips on tomorrow's workout and it's not gonna be pretty.

Week 1 of 6
Monday: 21 minute swim, 42 minute bike
Tuesday: 21 minute run, weight lifting and core workout
Wednesday: Off... I've got a final exam for my graduate class!
Thursday: 35 minute swim, 28 minute run
Friday: 70 minute bike
Saturday: Off

On a completely unrelated note, this weekend was hella busy and it flew by. After a short hiatus, I am a BDubs again (BDubs=Band Wife). The hubs had his first show with the new band (tentatively called "Babebraham Lincoln in a Sassy Nation") at New Holland Brewing and they sounded awesome! The Dragon's Milk stout wasn't too bad either. Mmmmmm.

Nothing like a guy playing guitar in a vest

I spent the rest of the weekend with my amazing co-advisor and workout buddy Danielle, our PeaceJam club and Rigoberta Menchu Tum.

Rigoberta giving her first address about the importance of being aware enough about the world to know where the sun rises. 

I really needed this conference. Sometimes being a teacher reallllllly sucks. The kids take a lot out on you, the paperwork piles up, and you feel like there is no point in trying because everyone in this country is hatin' on teachers right now. Hanging out with my students and listening to Rigoberta speak about her experiences and what inspires her was the fuel I needed to get me through these last few marathon months of the school year. My heart and my soul have been replenished and I am going to make it to June and finish year six the way I'm going to finish that dang first outdoor tri... strong and with a smile on my face.

I'll leave you with Rigoberta speaking about being Mayan, nature, and the divine.

Sorry for the information explosion... like I said, it was a busy week!

1. Complete an indoor triathlon. 2/12/12 2. Complete an outdoor triathlon. 3. Swim across West Twin Lake and Rose Lake. 4. Bike the Kal-Haven Trail. 5. Play the piano in front of people. 6. Visit my family in the Philippines (or at least have tickets booked by my 30th birthday). 7. Have a conversation with a dear Senegalese friend in French or Wolof (preferably Wolof). 8. Visit my grandparents in California. 9. Pop a champagne cork with no fear. 10. Make leche flan (it's Filipino, it's amazing, and I'm makin' it). 11. Jar or can veggies, pickles, sauce... something. 12. Submit some of my academic writing and then, maybe, you know... get it published. 13. Travel out of the country with Nate. 14. Pay off at least 50% of my remaining undergraduate credit card debt. 15. Sing karaoke by myself in Kalamazoo in front of all of my friends. 16. Eat clean for one month. 17. Pick berries and bake something with them. 18. Write at least one chapter of the novel that I write in my mind while I'm walking the dogs. 19. Thank my mom for everything she's done for me. 20. Go further into the UP than the Mystery Spot tourist trap and jump into Lake Superior. 21. Get chosen for one more summer fellowship in another country where I am able to work with youth. 22. Go on a police ride along. 23. Get to 200 blog posts. 24. Make some decisions about my career and/or PhD prospects. 25. Attend roller derby training so I can learn the moves. 26. Learn how to flip turn when I'm swimming laps. 4/19/12 27. Take a real personal day. 28. Learn how to drive a stick. 29. Go horseback riding. 30. Poach an egg perfectly.