playing outside

Well, I am job-less in Small Town, Texas, it is finally starting to cool off enough to do some fun workouts outside for the 2012 Half Ironman,  so I figure why not blog about it? I am super excited about the race this year! I have had a few people ask me if we will do a full Ironman soon. The answer is No – not soon, at least. I want to perfect the Half! Last year, my goal was to finish and feel good – Check! Now, although I claim “not to be competitive,” I admit that is not true at all. I would say that I am not competitive with others. I am competitive with myself. I know I can push myself and get a better time in the Half Ironman, so this year my goal is a specific time. Let’s hope I can check that one off my list, too!

Caleb and I have gotten a slow start to our training. Throughout the painfully hot summer and fall, we stayed somewhat active – mostly doing boring workouts at the gym. Caleb did race cross one weekend. I have been taking one dance class a week, and I have set up our Pilates studio in our third bedroom. It has only been in the past month that we have started having more intentional workouts. Hopefully some of these things will inspire you to get out and do something fun and active!

Our Pilates Room

I still need to paint it brown & have some things framed for the wall - maybe one day when I have a job & can afford it!

While my mom was here, just a week ago, we went into Austin. We walked along Barton Creek and saw some people swimming in the Barton Springs Pool, a spring-fed pool that is amazing! I felt so inspired because I had not been swimming since the race last April. Caleb and I decided that no matter what, we would travel to Austin last week after my mom left and go for a swim. My mom left on Wednesday, and we were committed to our swim. On Thursday, regardless of 50 degree weather and non-stop rain when Caleb got home at 6:00, we put on our swimsuits and drove into Austin. No one else was at the pool (except a boy in a sweatshirt taking a picture – who we later inspired to get in – in his underwear), and there were giant signs reading “SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK.” Caleb was hesitant, and as usual, thought I was a crazy lunatic. I said I was going to do it, so I was not backing out. I went straight in the water. Caleb followed hesitantly. Initially cold, yes, but it was SO FUN! The pool is “lit,” but I can’t say I did not run into the wall while I was swimming laps – so not lit too well. You really cannot see anything with goggles on, and you swim through grass and have no idea what is below! It is really cool (maybe a little creepy, too). Come visit us, and we will go swimming!

On Saturday of this past weekend, we hosted a little Christmas Open House. We were not active at all that day, so on Sunday we had to get outside! On one of our bike rides around Bastrop, we had ridden past Lake Bastrop Park (owned by LCRA, one of the power companies here), but we had never gone exploring. We decided Sunday was the perfect time to go see this giant park that is literally only 5 minutes from our house. (So yes, two minutes from our house is Bastrop State Park, and 3 minutes from there is Lake Bastrop Park – both significant parks. I would say we ended up in the right place in Texas.) We did a 6.5-mile run around the park. I, of course, took the camera, so here are some photos – maybe to inspire you to visit us or go run-ploring (exploring via run)!

Post-Run

where I want to have my 25^th Birthday Celebration this year

I am off to do some Pilates, apply for some more jobs, and try to get our Christmas cards out!! Yes, I am WAY late.

We have a special week of workouts planned for our long Christmas Weekend, so stay tuned!

Love,

Crazy Molly Blane

we did it!

We finished our race! Now on to the next one….

this is what Caleb put in my Easter basket, which can only mean one thing...

another triathlon soon-to-come!

I have not written on here in a long time! Life has been a little busy in Texas for the past couple months, so I will try to summarize as best I can…

Since February, we have been working, had guests here to visit, visited Austin, gone to the Houston Rodeo, livestock show, and carnival, trained a lot, eaten a lot, completed our Half Ironman (!!), visited Knoxville for 24 hours to see our little niece, Marion, and planned our summer vacation...and honeymoon!!

I am still working at the eye center, and my hours are finally becoming a little more consistent throughout the weeks. It is the perfect place to work for now!

Caleb still loves his job. He usually travels most weeks, but last week he was in town! It was wonderful!

Here are some pictures to help summarize the past 2 months in Texas:

Caleb, Molly, Laura & Colby - Caleb and I drove up to Austin to visit my cousin, Laura, and meet Colby!

Karen came to visit in March - Houston Rodeo Carnival

I picked out the cow I would like - Houston Rodeo Livestock Show

after the Rodeo & Tim McGraw concert

training - Caleb and Molly swimming at 288 Lake

                    Caleb's dad stopped for a quick visit while he was on a business trip

morning of the Lonestar Half Ironman (the bay where we swam in the background)

and finished!

Caleb - 5:43    Molly - 6:34

(my mom came to visit this weekend, too!)

if you want to see the official race videos or photos, go to http://asiorders.com/view_event.asp?EVENTID=75592 & type in our last name. you can hear them announce me as "the lovely molly ryan" :) i like it!

 

Aunt Momo & Uncle Caleb got to visit Knoxville for 24 hours just to see Little Marion!!

worn out on Easter after the Easter Bunny came to see us all - Lulu got heartworm meds, Caleb got a leatherman multi-tool, and I got my "Competition Coupon"

More Fun in the Life of the Ryans:

• Caleb just ordered a new cross bike for next fall!
• I am having some really fun pillows made right now, we are working on restaining our kitchen table, and our apartment is becoming more like home every day! Hope to have some pictures to share soon.
• We finally got two trips planned for 2011! We are going backpacking around the Southwest in July - Vegas to Havasupai Indian Reservation, Grand Canyon, and Zion. Then, we are taking our Honeymoon/One Year Anniversary Trip in October - San Francisco, Yosemite, and Wine Country. I am really excited!!

my sister, Casey, and I took the same trip backpacking about 6 years ago - look at how beautiful!

• I have only taken one ballet class since living in Houston, but I am taking class this coming Saturday!
• My parents will be out to visit in a week and a half!
• Now we just need to get that triathlon on the calendar....

• Oh, and I just got 200 bags of different kinds of tea in the mail. Come visit, and we will drink tea!

all about some food

I woke up this morning at 5:00 and could not sleep because I was so hungry. I had my first breakfast, Cracklin’ Oat Bran (yum!), and now I am just waiting for Caleb to wake up for us to have another breakfast!

I decided I would write about the recipe I tried last night because it was so good! You have to try this.

One of my goals this year is to cook with more herbs. We have a little rosemary tree (it was our Christmas tree this year), so when I got a Williams-Sonoma e-mail about Rosemary Apple Turnovers with Honey, I was all about it!

I am usually not very festive when it comes to celebrating Valentine’s Day, but I decided it was a good excuse to just make this weekend fun and special. To kick off our Valentine’s weekend, I made a spinach salad with beets (since they are super bright pink!). Unfortunately, Caleb does not like beets, so I ate them all. I also made the apple turnovers for dessert. I made sixteen little turnovers, and of course, we ate them all!

serving Caleb my new recipe...I started us off with two each. Ha!

This morning, for our “official” breakfast, we are having pancakes, sausage and grapefruit. I am really excited! Then we are going for a bike ride, so I can keep trying to figure out how to ride my new bicycle. I am going to take the fruit I have been drying in Caleb’s new dehydrator from Brother Paul.

I am drying bananas and mangoes...I will have more pictures once they are dried.

There will be more to come on this O!-so-fun weekend!

Rosemary Apple Turnovers with Honey: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/rosemary-apple-turnovers-with-honey-138971?utm_source=Kitchn+Weekly+Email&utm_campaign=91a39439eb-Kitchn_Email&utm_medium=email

Roasted Beets: Oven 400 degrees, beets washed/dried, put in aluminum foil, drizzled with olive oil, cook for about an hour or hour and a half (until tender), skin peels off very easily, slice, salt and pepper and enjoy!

officially the two month (59 day) countdown

It is February 10, and two months from now on April 10, Caleb and I will be racing!

It has been a little tricky trying to balance everything over the past week. Both of us have been very busy working, taking care of the Lu (which is actually quite a responsibility and time commitment), trying to clean, cook and stay caught up on chores at home, and workout!

This past weekend, “workout weekend,” Caleb and I decided we would begin to combine our sports and do a little mini triathlon of our own. Saturday morning we got out to the gym and swam half a mile. That afternoon, we went out west for a 33-mile ride. It was absolutely beautiful!

I got to try out my new wheels!

I love my husband and my new bike!

I think our hardcore carbon road bikes look pretty darn good together J

After our bike ride and a quick first trip to Burger King (I do not think I had ever had Burger King before...probably when I was a kid, but I do not remember), we headed back home to finish our little weekend triathlon. Caleb, our little Lulabelle the Athlete, and I ran our 3-mile loop from the apartment.

We were both pretty exhausted after our Saturday workout. We slept in on Sunday, went to church, met Sarah Henderson for lunch at Niko-Niko’s (a fun Greek restaurant - http://www.nikonikos.com/ ), watched Roman Holiday and took a nap that afternoon…it was a wonderful, beautiful day.

Neither of us was really up for a workout that evening, so we took a family trip to walk around Buffalo Bayou. The greenway near our apartment runs on the north side of the bayou, but there is a mountain bike trail that runs along the south side of the bayou. We were able to let Lulabelle off her leash to run free, hunt, and be happy! She loves it out there.

I have my Lulu and my Lululemon, two of my favorites. I am a happy girl!

They have bonded!!

their little feet are even in sync

happy to get out and play

This week has been pretty busy. I ended up having to work one eleven-hour day and another nine-hour day. I have come home exhausted and unwilling to go workout. Tuesday was the one day I did not work too long. I was able to take my husband lunch at work, run errands, take Lu for a five-mile greenway run, and meet Caleb back at home to take Paula’s spin class at the gym that night.

Caleb had to head to Carthage yesterday morning, so Lu and I have been pretty lazy around the house for the past 24 hours. We finally got out this morning for a little run. We ran the mountain bike trails for two and a half miles until the trails connect to the greenway, and we ran back on the greenway. It was a nice little five-mile run to get us moving today. Other than that, I am just working on chores around the house, preparing for our "First Married Valentine's Day" celebration this weekend, waiting for Caleb to get home tonight, and mentally preparing for what is to come in two months!

workin on some speed

For the past week, I have seriously been workin’ it on my bike. Knowing that I had my brand new (very badass, I must say) bicycle coming in this week, I knew I needed to step it up in the cycling department. Caleb and I started taking spin classes at our gym, which are surprisingly amazing! This lady who teaches class is crazy. She runs around handing out chocolate before and after class, and she yells the entire time. She is the kind of teacher who you think will drive you a little crazy, but she does not at all. Her class was the best workout I have had in a long time! (I hope to sneak my phone in some day & take video footage of her to put up here. Is that legal? She is hilarious, and I want everyone from home to see her.)

So last week, Caleb and I took spin class and swam at the gym. Kyle, Caleb’s friend from working at BMW, came in town Thursday night. Poor Caleb had to work on Friday, but it was beautiful day! I woke up early and went to an “All Ladies No-Drop Group Ride.” I have been very intimidated to do group rides because I am not that fast, and I am afraid of getting dropped, so I thought this would be a great way to start. It was a little too “beginner-friendly” for me, but it at least got me out for a little 15-mile early morning ride. Later that afternoon, Kyle and I did the greenway ride. We did not do the whole thing, but we got 30 miles in pretty quickly. I could tell a pretty significant difference in my speed after taking spin classes earlier in the week. Saturday, the three of us drove out to Katy, just west of Houston. We did about a 25-mile ride out there. Sunday, Caleb and I ran our 8-mile loop from our house. It felt really great! We can both tell a pretty big difference in our speed, so it is exciting!

After a lot of biking last week, my lower back has been really tight, and it is kind of/really painful. (Maybe I have a pinched nerve or something…?) I took spin class on Monday night with my favorite spin teacher again, but Tuesday night I took it easy and stretched it out by taking a “Pilates” class at the gym. (Not to be snobby about it, but I do not think I would call the Pilates classes at most gyms real Pilates classes...maybe closer to jazzercise or something mixed with some Pilates ideas.)

AND….probably my biggest news of 2011…my new bike came two days ago!!



Since Caleb is out of town this week, I cannot put it together. I put the handlebars on & stuck the seatpost in to the best of my ability. Once Caleb gets back and puts it together, I will have some better pictures!

I am a little embarrassed of how hardcore it is…for little me. I am afraid I will pull up to a group ride or a race, people will think I am super fast (or why else would I have such a nice bike!?), and then I go 15 mph. Haha! I laugh to myself just thinking about how embarrassing this could be for me, but I LOVE my new bike! Now I just have to think of a name…

Caleb is in Carthage this week. I am just in Houston, loving my job! I wake up at either 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning to get ready, get Lu out to run, and get to work by 6:00 or 7:00 (depends what time the day starts). I get home between about 11:00 to 2:00. Is that not amazing!?! I stay busy the entire time I am at work, and it just flies by. I feel so lucky to have a job at all, more-or-less something so great! I usually work Monday through Thursday. This week is a little different because Houston got some really strange weather two days ago. It has thrown the entire city off. Yesterday, when I got to work, there were absolutely no lights on. The city turns off all the lights in different areas for 45 minutes at a time so that there will not be a total blackout. That is how unprepared they are for cold, so I got home by 10:00 yesterday and did not have to work today. Lu and I are catching up on snuggling, blogging, ironing, movie-watching, and miscellaneous cleaning!