Turkey Triathlon

I did my second Triathlon this morning at the Orem Recreation Center, and it was so much fun! According to the weather report, we were supposed to be racing in a blizzard, but luckily it didn't even rain! It was about 30 degrees, but once we started racing, I don't think anyone noticed how cold it was. Unfortunately, the people in charge had already decided to nix the biking portion of the race because they didn't think it would be safe for us to be biking uphill on black ice.

Sean's cheerful and energetic sister Karen kindly agreed to run the 5k with me and be my motivator and pep talker throughout the run. She was so great to have at my side, and she really took my mind of my angry knees. Thanks Karen! You are the coolest cross country runner I've ever met :)

After the run, we still had to do a small bike ride around the Mountain View High School parking lot (Go Bruins!), just so they could get the transition times factored in. Then I stripped down to my swim garb in the freezing cold outside and hurried inside to the pool. The swim was crazy! There were so many people doing all kinds of interpretive swimming styles. So that made me feel like I was a pretty good swimmer in comparison :) I swear there was someone in every lane who was just flailing around and somehow propelling themselves to the next wall. I figured out a way to swim the freestyle stroke so I could slow down my breathing and my movement but actually go faster. So, I felt like the swim was my strong point overall (mostly because we didn't get to do the 10 mile bike).

Sean and the boys were my cheerleaders through the whole thing. Sean's mom and Karen also stayed and cheered me on. It was so great to have their support. I'm really glad I did it. I'm excited to keep doing Triathlons. What fun!

Here are my final times:

Telos Turkey Triathlon Nov. 5 2011

Catherine Hess

Bib #92

Place 44/87 overall Women’s division

Overall time: 45:43 minutes

5k Run: 32 minutes

Transition1: 32 seconds

Bike (around the parking lot): 1 minute 23 seconds

Transition2: 2:44 min.

350m Swim: 9:08 min.

Cate and Karen - running buddies

Me and my little cheerleaders

Transition from bike to swim

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New Tricks

Jackson is crawling! He started two Sundays ago on January 24th. He loves being mobile! I wasn't really looking forward to having two mobile children, but it has actually been easier because Jackson can get to what he wants instead of crying at me to carry him around. I love how he'll crawl up to something and pick it up, then roll over onto his back to look at/slobber on it. Oh - I almost forgot to mention the Tongue! Jackson discovered how cool his tongue is and now it's almost always poking out of his little mouth. I think it's the cutest thing EVER. I have pictures of myself doing that when I was a baby too - so it must be genetic.

(When Sean sticks his tongue out like that, he and Jackson pretty much look like twins)

Peter also has a new trick! (Video coming soon) He learned to sing "I am a Child of God" and "Twinkle, twinkle, little star". Pretty soon he'll be cutting record deals, making billions on Broadway, and doing special appearances on American Idol.