Weekends

Weekends are great, especially when they finally get here. Work was not intensive today at all, except for my fight with the SIPR (secret) computer. It is SO SLOW that I have to mentally prep myself before I go through the 5 million steps to just get it started and then it takes me 30 mins plus to perform actions that on a functioning computer would take 5. So, once that task was done, I didn't have too much on my plate. Our AC is broken, so it was a constant sweat fest, but thankfully when you wear ACUs it's no huge deal cause you're not messing up some nice business wear. I will say that I definitely am glad I don't have to worry about what to wear everyday. We did have a farewell luncheon as we bid my friend Chris adios as he headed over to the 1st Cav (just across post). Thankfully we had a fair trade in that the Major that replaced him is a great officer as well. We ate a Korean Buffett in town that has yummy sushi! So, I had my share of that!

Tomorrow is the Armadillo Hill Country Classic in Liberty Hill, so no sleep in Saturday for me! It'll be my first "Metric Century" or 100K/62miles. It'll be somewhat hilly, so that'll be good training for 56 miles at BSLT next month. I also got in a good 20 mile ride today with a quick mile run right aftewards. It was nice and clear then, but we actually have thunder/lightening/rain right now. It'll be gone tomorrow, just humid. I'm giving my custom "Infinit" blend its first trial run tomorrow. I've got big hopes for it, because if I can use it for all my calories on the bike it will make things very easy come racing. Tomorrow night is a "toast" to the wedding girl for one of my best friends getting married here in two weeks (I'm a Bridesmaid!!), so that'll be fun too...then it's SHOPPING in SAN MARCOS on Sunday! :) I do need some clothing, let's hope some good Mother's Day sales pay off!

Because I have promised something Funny on Fridays, here is last Sunday's Pearls Before Swine comic strip...the crocs are always trying to eat the Zebras, but they are really horrid at it...if you've ever read them before you'll know they are HILARIOUS! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Mmm, Fajitas

Okay, I owe you a recipe today and I told a friend I'd post my Mom's AWESOME Fajita Marinade (it is actually a recipe she got from a friend as well, so that's why I'm sharing) in honor of Cinco de Mayo this week. You can use this with chicken, beef, shrimp, you name it--it works for about 8lbs of meat, so if you're not cooking for a lot of people, make the full marinade, but freeze what you don't use.

1 1/2 C. soy sauce
1 TBS honey
5 TBS cilantro (fresh, finely chopped)
4 cloves garlic
1/3 C Worcestershire sauce
2 TBS oil
1 1/2 C water
1/2 to 1 tsp pepper (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together. Marinade boneless chicke breasts, or beef fajita skirts for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Cook on the gril, basting occasionally with marinade. When done (do not overcook), slice into thin strips with sharp or electric knife. Serve with sautee'd onions, bell peppers, guacamole, sour cream, tomatos, picantes, grated cheese and tortillas. These leftovers make for an AWESOME fajita salad too--sometimes the meat almost tastes better the next day (chicken especially).

So, I hope you enjoy these--they are a FAVORITE of this Texas girl!! Today was a fair day...got in some stretching and some core exercises in the morning, and a brick this afternoon---the wind was KICKING out there, but I survived and did so well. I thought I wouldn't get outside to ride because of reports of severe weather--but it seems to have missed up, and to our east there are some torandos touching down...weather is crazy. It's no wonder we had the wind that we did today...it did rain some today, but none that caused any problems for me. I also got my tires rotated and aligned, oil changed, new windshield wipers, and my brake fluid system flushed--all much needed! I'm sure some of this is do it yourself stuff, but not if you're me. There are a lot of things I can do on my own, but the automotive stuff just isn't---I just dislike it and takes too much time. Any boyfriend applicants must include their capabilities to accomplish these tasks, it will improve their marketability! :) Haha! I also got gas RIGHT before they raised the price by SIX CENTS TO $3.54........this is getting LUDICROUS...

Wrestling a Buffalo to take down a Longhorn

I had an excellent swim this morning--it was a long one with an endurance focus. Started with a 300m warm up, then 4x250m pulling; 10x100m @75% pace; 200m kick; 8x100m @85% pace; 200 cool down. I was the first in the water and the last out of the water from the "morning crew" that show up at the pool. The number of people arriving at the pool at 5AM is growing! Some are really doing some great workouts too, and I think, from overhearing conversations, several are blooming triathletes! Yay!

So, I DID have a good 5 months from yesterday until my first Half-Ironman (HIM) at the Austin Longhorn 70.3 (70.3 = # of miles you cover in the race: 1.2 mile swim; 56 mile bike; 13.1 mile run)...then I was tri-friend peer pressured into signing up for the Buffalo Springs Lake Triathlon 70.3 in Lubbock, TX on 29 June!! AHH, LESS THAN TWO MONTHS TILL MY FIRST HIM! Yes, I intend to race it and go hard BUT this is not the "A" race and the point of doing this one is to see where my fitness is for a 70.3, test my nutrition, and have fun. I can do all of the distances, the question is, how well can I do putting them ALL together. I have adjusted my training plan to up my workouts between now and 29 June. Biking is where I need to increase time the most, do quality swims without shorting any of them, and do lots of bike then runs (bricks) so my legs are accustomed to running off the bike. BSLT will be a challenging, hilly course in the middle of a TX summer, so it will also be hot. I am excited though--this will be the first weekend of about a month+ vacation time frame for me, so it's perfect to tackle it, recover, and then do a couple of other shorter distance tri's and training for Longhorn in Oct. Didn't think I'd do two of these this year, but I think it'll be really good for me. Some of you may think it is crazy to say that taking on a race that will take me anywhere from 5hrs 30 mins (at BEST) to 6+ hours to complete is "really good for me" but it is...I am so enjoying pushing myself harder, faster, and becoming stronger--and competition, well, I am Brittany and I'm an adrenaline/endorphin addict...so race I will!

Iron Sharpens Iron

I ended up relaxing most of last night and did not get in the Sunday post, so I might make this an extended dialogue. The topic is a tough one—and that is “better the wounds of a friend than the kisses of an enemy.” This comes from Proverbs 27:6, and the concept of it can be seen throughout society when the definition of friendship includes either a.) giving your friends that occasional “kick in the butt” when they need it or b.) receiving the proverbial kick in the butt and not lashing out at the friend. Thus, two major issues exist here: delivering the rebuke and receiving the rebuke. Ultimately, the concept of the proverb is that this level of friendship is one in which friends hold each other accountable, help each other avoid mistakes, and in the end, the wounds, or rebukes of a friend cause both to grow in life and are worth so much more than the empty accolades or praises of an enemy that merely looks to flatter and ensnare.

It is not an easy thing to be on either end of the “better wounds.” I have been on both, and can attest that it isn’t easy, but it is rewarding, it is comforting, and I have become a better person because of it. Friends have kept me from making serious mistakes, they have offered me hard, but accurate counsel, and I have tried to do the same back. There is nothing like the personal battle that goes back and forth in one’s mind when you must confront a dear friend. You know you want to do what is right by them, but you never want to “hurt” someone either, and sometimes the truth hurts. Of course there is always the nagging question of, “how will the react? Will they hate me? Will this end our friendship?” Sure, they are things to think through and weigh with before you make that decision, absolutely. But, if you know what you have to say will make that person’s life better, help them make better life decisions, and they truly are that dear to you, do it. Better yet, in your friendships CREATE room for that. Tell that accountability partner of yours that they have the room to do it, that frees them to help you, and vice versa. I’m not talking about you critiquing each little thing in their life, but having the freedom between you and that good friend to “kick each other in the butt” as needed. I personally had an issue recently when I beat the friend to the punch in that I realized some of the issues she was going to address and fixed some of it, and, not backing down she still let me know that what some of her concerns were (because things do not go away completely over night) and it helped validate some of my own personal concerns. She was willing to address critical issues with me…and I cherish that. As iron sharpens iron, so does man sharpen man. (Proverbs 27:17)

Running Fool

Okay, I will do the "scheduled" Sunday post later tonight, but in a nutshell from my 1/2 Marathon race, my unofficial (my personal Garmin 305 time) was 1:38:24, and I had the route at 13.22 miles, so .12 miles longer than the regular 13.1. It was a great race and I snagged a 2nd place in my Age Group (F25-29). You can read my full race report here.