1/2 The Man I Used to Be

After 4 ½ months of training, 19.5hr (38miles) swimming, 65.2hr (1100miles) cycling, and 35.2hr (220miles) running I finished my first ½ Ironman Distance Triathlon in Austin, Texas this past weekend. Overall it was a rewarding, humbling, and positive experience. Read on for a full race report

Swim (1.2miles - 37:48min) – Swim start was broken up into age groups and my age group was large enough to make to wave starts. My wave didn’t start until 8:20, about 50min after the first professional wave. There were probably about 30 people in my particular wave. The start was a water start (everyone stands in water about waist deep until they say go). The swim went exactly as planned. It was only mildly rough as far as kicking, elbowing and other contact goes. I felt good the entire swim, sighted well with only a few detours after rounding the last buoy, and came in 10-12sec faster than my goal time of 38min.

Transition 1 (5:47) – My goal with transition was to take them slow and relaxed which I did by my time. I have a new triathlon love…. Strippers! Now before you call Milina let me explain. They have a mat shortly after you exit the water with strippers, wetsuit strippers that is. Now if that still doesn’t sound appropriate let me explain further. After you get your wetsuit pulled off your arms and down to your waist a volunteer, known as a wetsuit stripper, will grab the wetsuit at your waist and pull it off you. This is far faster than trying to strip out of your wetsuit on your own.

Bike (56miles – 3:00:21 or 18.68mph) – My bike goal time was 3:15-3:30 with the idea that I knew the run was my biggest weakness and I wanted to take the bike slow and reserved. I felt great on the bike!!! Austin can be hilly, that is why they call it the hill country. I felt relaxed and comfortable the entire route no hill was really that challenging or difficult. About 48miles in I even backed off a fair amount to rest and prepare for the run, otherwise I would have easily averaged over 19mph.

Transition 2 (7:48) – Yes a very long transition. The plan was to keep my heart rate low in transition and be rested for the run.

Run (13.1miles 2:46:36) – This where the race went from the perfectly planned execution to a very challenging and somewhat painful process. The run course was 2 laps of 6.55 miles, very exposed with little if any shade, very hilly, and a mixture of paved and off road terrain. The first lap was great; felt good and even had to hold back a bit with the full intention of running a negative split. I finished the first lap in 1:13:47. About 1-2miles into the second lap I found myself walking through every aid station and often past each aid station, walking up hills, fighting calf/hamstring/quad/ and low back cramps, dehydrated, and nutritional empty. I did muster enough to run the last 1mile strongly knowing it was the last mile. That last 6.55 miles took 1:32:49, 20min slower than the first lap.

The FINISH!! (6:38:20) Despite the discouraged feeling I had the last 4-5miles leading up to the finish the joy and emotion of crossing the finish line after months of sacrifice and training was more than I expected. The best part of the finish was crossing the finish line to my waiting family who had sacrificed so much to allow me the opportunity to be ½ of an Ironman

Twins at 19 months!!!

The twins are growing up so quickly! They are already 19 months old! It seems like only a few months ago we were bringing them home from the hospital.
They had their 18 month check-up and all is well. Adam is about 28 lbs and 32 inches tall and at 74%! Adam is now walking and has been for a little while now. One night when we were going on a Buffalo Wild Wings date, the Perkins family came over to watch the babies. They brought their 3 pretty girls with them and within 5 minutes Adam was chasing them around the house doing 20 steps at a time. So, I was excited that he finally decided to walk. Well, come to find out it was only because he was chasing after the pretty girls! After that night he wouldn't walk but maybe 6steps at a time until we started trying something new. Instead of walking him holding his arms we started trying to hold his hips and this helped a little bit but then Jonathan decided to just hold on to the bottom of his shirt in back and pull just a little. He thought we were back there holding on and when we let go he would walk! Now he is practically running everywhere! He decided he didn't want to do it until he knew he could master it! It is so nice to have him walking now! Adam loves to read his books! He could read the many books he has for minutes - not hours but I can see him doing that soon! He loves to swim and they have been swimming with the Perkins girls twice in the last week! Adam loves his watermelon and strawberries! We can't put those in his sight if we want him to eat anything else. Adam has almost all of his teeth now. In fact, he is cutting an I-tooth now and isn't sleeping as much as usual because of the pain. Poor baby!
Mia is 20 lbs and 30.75 inches tall and only 2%! We are still working on getting Mia's percent up to at least 5%. She is just so active that she runs it off! But we still need to get her up to a healthy weight. Actually, you should see her running! She is so prissy in her run - up on her toes! It is the cutest thing! She if full of excitement, laughter, joy, and love! She loves to carry a purse or a bag around and put toys and other items in it! She also loves to put baby rings (ones that hold toys to bouncers and strollers) on her wrist like they are bracelets! I don't know where she gets this because I don't wear bracelets or hardly any jewelry at all! I am going to have to make her some bracelets, so she can wear them to church and out shopping. She is totally a girly girl! On the other side, she doesn't mind getting dirty! She and her brother make the biggest messes while eating. She loves beans, watermelon, strawberries, etc which all leave her very colorful after eating especially with the black beans! She also likes to dig in her diaper on accasion and paint art all over her crib! (no that she didn't get from me either!!!) Speaking of poo, last night was a first! The twins were getting their bath last night and we usually will let them play for a little while before we start bathing them. Well, Mia had decided that her daddy had taken to long to bathe her so she pooped in the bathtub! It was funny and groose all at the same time. We quickly got them out of the bath and cleaned it up and then had to start the bath all over again! This time we didn't let them play because you never know when round 2 will come! There's a first time for everything but hopefully that is also the last for that one! Mia has about 7 or 8 teeth now. She started late with the teeth but that is okay because I hear they are more healthy the longer they wait. Mia also loves swimming but when she is finished she will let you know as I found out yesterday!
Being a mom to these 2 wonderful little ones has been such a blessing in my life and well worth the wait! Hopefully, we won't have to wait as long for the next one though!
I will try to update this more often! Jonathan is the better blogger not me, but he is very busy training for a 1/2 Ironman in Oct and his new church calling as Young Men President.
New photos to be posted to facebook later today which will probably be titled Jonathan's sense of humor! You will see why!!!

Twins 1 yr old!!!

On Jan 7th, the twins turned 1 year old. They are both now crawling and surfing around furniture. Adam can stand and balance on his own but doesn't take any steps just yet. Mia will take a few steps but only from person to person and usually falls into them because she leans into them. (She does the leaning thing from While you were sleeping)

Saturday, they had their birthday party and many family and friends came. They loved all the attention, presents and really enjoyed the cake. They weren't as messy as I would have thought but they did get it all over them. They loved the bath afterwards with their new bath toys that Uncle Patrick and Aunt Kati bought them. We want to thank everyone for coming and celebrating this special occasion with us!

Today, was their 1 year check-up and they did great! Adam didn't cry at all when he got his shots. Mia did but more because I wasn't giving her puffs because I didn't want her to choke!
Adam weighs 21 lbs 6.4 oz - at birth was 4 lbs 9 oz
Mia is now 15 lbs 9.6 oz - at birth was 4 lbs 2 oz
The doctor said they are doing great and are very healthy little one! He tried to take them with him but I wouldn't let him!

I am so proud of my little ones for fighting hard the first 4 weeks in the hospital and becoming the healthy, strong, and loving little 1 yr old kids they are today! Jonathan and I are truly blessed with these two little miracles! We thank Heavenly Father for letting us care for his children while they are here on the earth and for the opportunity we have to be their parents forever. It was a long struggle to get pregnant and we couldn't even imagine the joy that these 2 precious little ones have brought into our lives! We have found our JOY in these two for sure! You RS ladies will know what I am talking about! We are so thankful for them and for all of you in our lives!

love,
Jonathan and Milina