Thursday, November 22, 2012

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope everyone had a great day eating tons of good food. :)

This year, since it was only 4 days after Ironman, 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and I decided we would do Thanksgiving at our house- just the two of us. (We did it last year and it was great! Plus the left overs are amazing!) 

Well, Wednesday rolled around, and we still hadn't bought any of the groceries. So, we decided it would be easier if we just went to my sisters house and eat all her food. I told her I would bring deviled eggs, green bean casserole, and a pumpkin cheesecake. 

I woke up on Thanksgiving, and poor 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' was sick! Not only was he sick, but he couldn't taste anything- worst kind of sickness to get on Thanksgiving, right?! 

I made all the stuff I was supposed to and packed up and headed over to my sisters sans 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter'. (But I did promise to bring him lots of left overs!) I should have known the way things were going to turn out at my sisters house when she called me on the way asking me to bring some forks....?!?! 

Dinner turned out to be surprisingly good- considering the fact that when my mom called my sister the night before Thanksgiving, and my sister still had the turkey in the freezer?! (She's pretty new to the whole cooking/hosting gig.) 

I did get the best seat at the table (and one of the few REAL seats- others used camping chairs, an office chair, and an ottoman) and was able to sit next to my 4-year-old niece, who did not want any of the food we had there and wanted the only thing we didn't have: broccoli  She also told me she didn't like the whipped cream I put on top of her chocolate milk- after she ate it all off. Kids.... :)




After dinner was done, my sister literally packed our things for us and kicked us out. You see, she is one of those crazy people who goes and waits in line for ridiculous amounts of time on Black Friday.... or I guess Black Thursday now since it starts on Thanksgiving?! She loves waiting in these long lines with complete strangers all night- but do you think she came with me when I went to register for Ironman?! Nope. I told her it would be a like a 'practice round' of Black Friday, but she didn't buy it. Even though, a couple years ago she some how forced me into going with her. I ended up freezing- even though I had 20 layers on, and sleeping on my yoga mat on the sidewalk outside of Target. Oh, it was great. Then when we finally got in (6 hours later...), we both were buying a TV they were having a really good sale on, and some crazy-lady tried to steal our cart, saying we stole her TV. Like I said, it was real great. While she kicking us out, we snapped a couple photos and I headed home.

My niece, me, my sister, my mom, and my adorable nephew (LOVE his smile- haha!!)

Me and my lovely sister
 When I got home, I gave 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' the left overs- along with some homemade chicken noodle soup, and forced asked him to take a picture with me. And why yes, I did have the zoom all the way on- but beggars can't be chooser can we?! ;)


This is quality folks. If anyone needs photos taken... you know who to call! ;)


HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!! 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Jasen's Post

Usually, when I get to work in the morning, I have time to check my email, Facebook, blog-stalk, etc. Well, I had a meeting right when I got in, and was swamped ever since. I got a text from my best friend saying something like "OMG! What Jasen posted on Facebook about you was the sweetest thing ever!!" I told her I hadn't seen it and she told me to drop everything and go look. I was on the phone with a doctor, so I pulled up Facebook on my phone. 

I had to stop reading it, because I started crying and was trying to talk to the doctor I still had on the phone. Once I finished that phone call I read the entire thing and could not stop crying. He is seriously the sweetest thing ever!! This is what I read.....


I still get teary-eyed every time I read it. This is the sweetest thing I have ever read! Am I not so lucky that I'm engaged to this boy and get to be with him forever?! I don't know what I did to deserve someone like this, but I am so grateful that I found him and for some crazy reason he puts up with me!! :)

Monday, November 19, 2012

I'm officially broke and have nothing to show for it

*A little background information on Ironman events: they are extremely popular and there are only 2 ways you can register for it:

1. Volunteer at the previous years Ironman and then get priority registration. Priority registration means that you are guaranteed a spot in the next years events. So, you have to volunteer at the previous years event (like I did yesterday) and then you still have to go down and wait in a ridiculously long line the next day, with all the other volunteers registering. (This is by far the best way to go about it! You are guaranteed a spot.)

Option #2, is general registration open to the public, which is done online. Very convenient, however, it doesn't open until noon, after all the volunteers are registered, and it sells out VERY quickly. This year, it sold out in 40 SECONDS!! (Wouldn't recommend going this route... You blink, you miss it.)

So, we all know I went with door number 1. I volunteered bright and early at yesterdays Ironman and then had the pleasure of waking up bright and early again today, to go back down to Tempe Town Lake and wait in a ridiculously long line.... for OVER THREE HOURS!! Luckily, I have the best boyfriend ever and he volunteered to go with me and keep me company. (Ok, that is a lie, he went down there to wait in an equally long line to buy some really awesome finisher gear and clothing. But once he finished that he did come keep me company for the last hour in line! :))

I thought that since registration didn't open until 8am, us getting there at 5:30 would make it to where I was one of the first people in line and we would get in and get out. Boy was I wrong!! The first guy in line had been there since 3:30am!! I've never in my life seen a line like this, it was never ending! It was also EXTREMELY slow moving. 

But I finally got up to the registration tent and my heart was racing- I felt like I was about to jump in the water for the actual Ironman event. I had dreamt of this moment for SO long and it was finally here! I walked in to the registration tent like I owned the place, not knowing what to expect but expecting something good- like a live band and cupcakes or something.


They asked me to write my name, date of birth, and email address on a small scrap of paper. I quickly wrote it down then was told to wait in ANOTHER LINE. This was the line leading up to the people with the computers who actually take your money and register you.

I got up there, handed her my piece of paper with my information and she started entering everything in on the computer. THIS was it, I was registering for my first IRONMAN! 

Once she was done typing my whole life story processing the payment, she asked if I wanted to take picture on my phone of the registration confirmation, I told her no because my phone takes such crappy photos it wouldn't have turned out anyways. She told me I would get emailed the confirmation as well as the rest of the registration information. 

That was it. It was done.
No confetti fell from the ceiling, no live bands, and unfortunately, no cupcakes.I didn't even get anything to take with me besides my little scrap piece of paper with my own information on it.

So I left $708 dollars broker (I know it's not a real word- just go with it) and nothing to show for it but my scrap piece of paper and the free Ironman chap-stick they handed out while I was waiting in line. 




But, I am officially registered for the 2013 Arizona Ironman!! Yay!! :)

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Jasen's Ironman Recap!

Yesterday was one of the longest days of my life! Therefore, this may be the longest post in my life! 

 We woke up at 4:15am and left the house by 5. Once we got down to Tempe Town Lake, I had to go volunteer "Body Marking" and Jasen went to drop off his bags and get ready.

In order to guarantee entry into next years Ironman race, I had to volunteer at the this years event.
When I signed up for 5am shift of "Body Marking", I didn't really think much of it (I mean how hard is it to write a number a someones arms and legs with a sharpie?!) Let me just say, I don't think I will be doing body marking again...

Everything started out fine, I waved my sharpie in the air and waited for athletes to come over and tell me their number. I wrote their number on both arms and  their age on their left calf. (For some strange reason, instead of pulling up their left pant leg, most men would just drop their sweat pants down to the ground? Is this normal?!) And if I had a dollar for every time someone would make a joke about "I don't typically drop my pants this fast..." or "I can't believe I'm dropping my pants for someone I barely know..." I'd probably have about 50 bucks!

So there I was, marking bodies, pretending to laugh at the 'pant-dropping' jokes- when an older athlete, with a really thick accent came over and asked me to mark him. He had a really bad runny nose (like it was running down his chin) and was only wearing shorts. I quickly marked him and moved on to the next. (Business was picking up since it was getting closer to the start time and more athletes were arriving) I was able to mark Jasen and chatted with him in between marking athletes. Next thing I know, the guy with the runny nose and accent is back with an industrial size tub of Vaseline...?! His accent was thick all I could make out was him shoving the tub at me saying "Do my back?" 

I about died. I looked over a Jasen, but he was trying not to laugh and avoided making eye contact with me. I was a VOL-UN-TEER, so I couldn't really say no, could I? So, there I am rubbing Vaseline all over Mr. Runny Nose with no glove or anything. (Did I mention I won't be doing body marking again?!) 

Shortly after I was done with the Vaseline, it was getting REALLY close to the start time. I had to make a mad-dash to the truck to get my camera and then come back and find Jasen (in a sea of 2,000 athletes all in black wet suits with the same colored caps on!) We had just enough time to take a couple pictures and I gave him one last kiss before he made his way to the water.

I know I look weird, I had the car keys, my phone, and my (Vaseline-covered) Sharpie all in my jacket pocket

Then I made my way through the ridiculous crowd to try and get a couple pictures of the swim start. I knew I wasn't going to see much (and I sure-as-heck wasn't going to spot Jasen out there) so I left and waited where the athletes would exit the water. Since it's a 2.4 mile swim, I had plenty of time to eat the bagel I brought and hear the entire life story of the lady next to me.

This is the crazy swim start, also known as "The Washing Machine"

I knew about what time Jasen was going to be finishing the swim, and I was ready. I saw him and started screaming and taking a million pictures. I was screaming "GO BABE! GO JASEN!" so loud, I was sure everyone there could hear me, and Jasen was literally a foot in front of me and never saw me or heard me- even though I was jumping up and down, ringing a cow bell, and screaming my lungs out.
Can you believe he didn't see me?!
Once he passed me, I rushed over to the bike exit and waited for him to change and grab his bike. I was able to climb onto a semi-truck's bumper and get some pictures of him running out. This time Jasen actually heard me screaming and waved!! :)


Since the bike portion is 112 miles I knew I had some time to kill. Luckily for the spectators, they do three 38 mile loops, so you are able to sit in the same spot for 6 hours and see them quite a few times. Luckily for me, I have the most amazing friends, and one of them came down with her daughter to hang out with me. We walked  a part of the run course so I could write more "GO JASENS!!" along the way. I am so grateful they were able to come for a couple hours, it really helped the time go by. 

Shortly after they left, I found a spot along the bike course and ate the lunch I brought. Not long after I finished Jasen came flying by on his bike. I rang my cowbell SO hard and screamed at the top of my lungs! Once again, he saw me and smiled and waved. 


I saw him again, on the second loop, and then made my way to meet another friend and find a spot along the run course. Again, luckily for the spectators, the 26.2 mile run course was three 8.5 mile loops around Tempe Town Lake. We were lucky enough to find a pretty open spot right next to the a bridge that crossed the lake. That meant we got to see him run by, then we would walk across the bridge and see him run by again on the same loop.

Still looking awesome after 100-something miles....
Since it was getting closer to him finishing, a couple more of our friends showed up to cheer him on and watch him finish. 

Ironman races, have the best website that allow you to track your athletes along the course and see where they are. For the run portion, there was a check point every 1.8 miles. Once he passed us for the last time we made our way to the finish line and got a pretty good spot right at the last corner before the finish line.
Happy to see his friends
At this point I was checking the tracker website every 2 minutes. It said he was still at mile 22. I kept checking it and it still said mile 22?! I was getting worried after it had been over 20 minutes and it still said mile 22. I checked it again, for the millionth time in the same minute, and it jumped to him passing the 26 mile mark! I kept yelling "He's coming! he's coming!" to all of our friends there and got the camera ready. 

A couple minutes later he turned the corner and came down the final stretch and crossed the finish line. He finished in just under 13 hours. I got a video of him running by us, lucky for YOU, everyone else is screaming like crazy so you can't really distinguish which crazy-scream is mine. ;) Once he passed us we all rushed over to the finish line to find him and congratulate him. 


I was BEYOND excited to finally see him, and the second I finally saw him coming out I ran through the crowd to gave him the biggest hug. I was so incredibly proud of him and amazed at what he had just accomplished. 
HE DID IT!
We hung out with our friends for a little bit, had to get all of Jasen's stuff together, and then went and got some food. When we finally got home at about 10pm, I was so tired. I went straight to bed, since I knew we would be waking up at 5am the next morning (more on that in the next post...) but Jasen was still so pumped I think he stayed up all night? Once he finally did lay down, it was 5am and  time to wake up again!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Chalk it up...

So tomorrow is the big race day- not for me but for my fiance, Jasen (AKA Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter). 
He is doing his 1ST IRONMAN!! 
I really cannot believe that it's already here, I don't think he can either since he has been extremely quite and keeping-to-himself all week. It's been a long, hard year of training for him and I think he is completely ready!

Since an Ironman is made up of 140.6 miles, I knew it was going to be a long day for him and I wasn't going to be able to see him very much throughout the race. (I typically try to run around the race course like a crazy-person, to cheer him on and get pictures- but 140.6 miles all over town is going to be hard!) I also knew, this was going to be by far, the hardest race he had ever done- both mentally and physically. 

My sister told me to do that pose with my legs crossed... ya, this isn't awkward at all!
So I came up with a creative plan to hopefully surprise him along the course when I wasn't around to cheer him on. I borrowed a bucket full of chalk from my 4-year-old niece and went to work! My sister and I drove the entire bike course- stopping every mile or so to jump out of the car, hurry and write "GO JASEN!!" with chalk, jump back in the car, and then drive another couple hundred feet and repeat. (I also sprinkled the ground with glitter, but I guess the wind/cars zooming by wasn't the best combination? Who knew?! ;))


 Once we finished the bike course, I went down to the run course with my bucket of chalk and wrote some more "GO JASEN!!"'s. He has no idea I did it, so I hope he sees it and it surprises him! :)

Yes, all my Ironman Mdot's were wrong too. Opps!