The Boat House, Hilton Head, SC. Such a great night!

The Eliza Thompson House

After Savannah we met up with our very dear friends who are recently engaged. Scott Stanzel and Priscilla Jones who showed us a GREAT time in Hilton Head, SC. The 4th was spent boating in the Atlantic, my first ever trip to the redneck riviera sand bar, a yummy 30th Birthday celebration, beach time, and of course spectacular fireworks.

Boatin on the 4th, Redneck Riviera style!

Awww...he's a keeper!

Scott & Joel toasting to the 4th!

The cool kids.

30th dinner, Hilton Head, SC

Ladies looking good:)

Scott and Priscilla

Pool time!

Keeping my eyes on this come race day...

Motivation, we all have it. It just comes in a variety of waves, cycles, goals, spectrums. At times it can be hard to be your own inspiration. To keep myself accountable and follow through with those internal incentives it takes a lot of will power, persistence, but most importantly you have to have passion.
I’m running the ING NYC Marathon on November 7th, 2010. This so far is the biggest, baddest, craziest goal I’ve motivated myself to do yet. Some people think I’m crazy, some think it’s great, but really I’m as excited as a little kid on Christmas morning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFlcqWQVVuU , hoping for all that she asked for, as sick and weird that may sound to some. I know I’ll enjoy whatever happens on Sunday to the fullest. My motivation for this race comes from several incentives. For one, many may know that my Dad is and has been a runner for some time. He is my motivation and we connect with running and all that it encompasses since I followed in his footsteps. My Dad was 29 years old when he ran his first marathon, the Coeur d ‘Alene Marathon, while my mom cheered him on the sidelines pregnant with none other than me. This fall I also will be 29, crossing that finish line with that same motivation and drive that my Dad also had. What a great feeling it will be. I’m also motivated by my competitive nature, to work as hard as I can to reach that crazy goal. To show myself that I really can accomplish what I set out to do many months ago. It’s a pride thing, we all have it and runners are in a league of their own…

Now of course there will be many images and ideas swirling through my head come race day of getting to that finish line and heading out later to indulge in a some yummy treats and definitely a tasty beverage or two. We will be celebrating post race at the NYC eatery Del Friscos http://www.delfriscos.com/about_us.php If a perfect steak , gooey chocolate cake, and a glass of red wine isn’t motivation, then call me crazy:) Maybe also a bag of sweets from Dylan’s candy store too http://www.dylanscandybar.com/ did I mention I like sweets…

What’s your motivation when it comes to fitness? I’m sure there’s lots I’m missing, like age, events, or that bag of M&M’s….ha ha. Keep up the motivation, nothing feels better!

The finish line, Central Park!

LK

I ran 19 miles yesterday, it was hard but we did manage to take a few breaks to stretch and re-fuel. I’ve been trying to stay on schedule as much as possible thanks to my coaches at TNmultisport ! Looking forward to posting my training, nutrition, and what’s new in the next 4 weeks! Stay tuned…NYC or bust!!!

Run, run run....

It’s been awhile I know so get ready to hear what exciting things and destinations I’ve been to in the past two weeks!

I visited Juneau and Anchorage in Alaska a couple of weeks ago. Such a beautiful, stunning area – it truly is. It was a quick trip with a lot jammed in. I started the flight on a cargo plane, landed in Juneau, worked for the day then took a break to see this AMAZING glacier called Mendenhall glacier.

After that, I hopped on a plane to Anchorage where I spent the entire following day. All in all, a great trip. And as a perk, I got to drive around a VW bug with the picturesque mountains in the background. Such a lucky girl, yes I am!

Now onto the really good stuff. MONTANA. Oh Montana, so big and beautiful you are. I started in Kalispell where I met some of the nicest people ever. After a few work appointments, I drove around Flat Head Lake and headed toward Missoula, the town of the Big Griz (The University of Montana). I’ve was there for a few days and it reminded me of my favorite place, CDA, Idaho. Only with gigantic mountains and rivers gushing everywhere. There, I met up with the run group, Run Wild Missoula. After a hot and sticky workout I thought I was in the clear…until I stumbled upon the HUGE “M” at the top of the mountain side. I couldn’t resist, I hiked up the 1.5 mile trek straight up toward the bright white “M.” Wow, so glad I did. The “Big Sky” view was very worth it.

After my adventures I was a hot, sweaty mess. Ready for water and bed, but alas, I passed a cute little homemade ice cream shop on the corner with 30 people in line. Now you know something is good if there is a line at 8:30pm at night for ice cream. So I pulled over, of course. If you’re in town this is a MUST visit. All homemade goodness. I promise it won’t disappoint! Go check them out!

That is all…for now. More adventures to come!

Lisa

I want to give a shout out to Teresa Nelson and Mark Webb, my awesome coaches at TNmultisport. Both are inspiring and really understand the sport. I love being a part of this team and all that it provides for every single athlete. Its been great training with you guys, even those brutal track nights…

Heading out to Spokane, WA later today. I have my gear packed and its supposed to reach a lovely 90 degrees on race day Sunday. I have my lady friends Bri Cooper and Stasha King ready to grind it out with me, although…this is probably more of a walk in the park for them.

Swimming is probably going to be the hardest leg for me. I’m a runner, I love to run. So swimming with the fishy’s and seaweed is a little bit of a stretch for Lisa K….but, if you’re not stretching yourself then what’s the point right. Stay tuned for an update on the Valley Girl Triathalon this Sunday July 11th. Who knows, maybe I’ll be signing up for more after this one….ha!

Have a great weekend everyone. Thanks for all the well wishes for Rock & Roll, it went really well and I had the best PR time by far @ 1:38! Yippee….

Valley Girl Lisa

As the hours tick by, it’s almost time to wake up at the crack of dawn, lace up the Brooks running shoes, jump in a van with other crazy girls, and head down to the 2nd annual ROCK & ROLL Marathon! I’m doing the half marathon for the second time in 2010 and looking for a personal record (PR) around 1 hour and 45 minutes…we’ll see if it happens. I’ve been busy training with my running buddies at TNmultisport and cranking out my long runs over the weekends.

As an added bonus, my parents, brother and sister-in-law just arrived in Seattle to cheer me on. My dad is my “go to” guy on race day. We have this bond that is hard to explain. Since we’re both runners, he understands the pre-race anxiety, and the need to triple check clothes, hydration, fuel etc. He gets it. And, he keeps me centred and on track with my goals. Since his heart surgery, he’s been able to get around a lot more and get back to his beloved game of golf. The next step will be running. I’m a happy camper, and ready to eat some dinner and get some shut eye before the 4:00am wake up call…yowza!

Below are a few pre-race shots. My gear and HammerGels are ready to go! See you at the finish line guys! Thanks for all the support and more pics to come!

Lisa

Yum....hammer Gels!

The Gorge Ampitheatre

It was just two short years ago that Lisa and I both experienced Tom Petty for the first time live and in the flesh at The Gorge in central Washington. That show was amazing, especially from the expensive seats. So, when the opportunity came to see Petty showing off his golden locks and velvet jacket at The Gorge again this year, we couldn’t pass it up.

Julie, Lisa and Beret at our campsite pre-show.

We made the trek last weekend with our good friends Jerry Mischel, Chris and Beret Kline, as well as Bill and Julie Gates, with the goal of camping overnight, enjoying the views and good company, and – of course – exemplary music by our main man Tom.

With a new record, Mojo, hitting shelves recently, Petty was on the road to give his adoring fans the old classics we all know and love, along with some new riffs off of the new album. We just caught the second night of Petty’s two night Gorge outing, but with seats in the 18th row, we more than made up for missing Friday’s show.

Overall, the show was amazing – we got some great pictures, and heard some great music. Not sure about Tom’s new stuff – it was a bit all over the map, as he experimented with different genres as his meloncholy lyrics lured the crowd in throughout the show. The only downside was I had to catch a 7 a.m. flight to Los Angeles for work the following morning, so I booked it home after the concert to sleep for 45 minutes before heading to the airport. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Some pictures and video from the show below. What’s your favorite Petty tune?

~joel

The Tom Petty crew...

Joel with our friends Austin, Donnie and BK pre-show.

The man himself...in blue velvet.

Rockin' out...

Just jammin'...

As I promised, an update on my big trip out to Alaska for work. It was a fun trip to visit and work with the hospitals in Anchorage and the surrounding area. It was really fun landing in Anchorage with the mountains jumping out all over the place. It is true, it is absolutely stunning. After four long days, I had been to seven hospitals for Olympus and fit in a quick trip to Portage Glacier with our friend Chris Klein! All in all, for the first trip out….it was a good one. Next up…the smaller Alaska towns like Kodiak & Sitka. Check out the pictures and video below – would you believe it was 11:00 p.m. in Alaska when I took those pictures? Crazy!

Portage Glacier, Alaska

Portage Glacier, Alaska

I’m patiently awaiting the starting line for this weekends Rock and Roll half marathon here in Seattle. I’ve been training with my buddies at TNmultisport and am hoping for a new personal record this year. Let’s hope for no wind or rain, and some great bands to keep the feet rockin’ this Saturday!!!! Stay tuned for post-race pics and a recap of the race.

Night!

Lisa

Looking forward to Memorial Day weekend spent with family, friends, and of course my main man, Joel. As I’m writing this on the plane ride back from my company headquarters in Center Valley, PA, I feel overwhelmed with information and training, but also excited that I get to work for a company that is so innovative in making a patient’s experience in GI or surgical, that much better, whatever the situation or procedure.

I’m still on track for the big Rock and Roll half marathon June 26th. It has been brutal to train, especially while out of my normal routine, which just means I need to get creative and a bit more determined. Even if my hotel was in the middle of nowhere next to a freeway. I’m hoping to hit the pool and bike extra hard over the next six weeks for my upcoming sprint triathlon as well. Being more of a runner, it’s has been hard to adjust to training for MULTIPLE events. Not really sure how people do this for a living!

I’ve also been reading all sorts of wonderful new foodie blogs in order to properly hydrate and fuel my body. Being gluten-free for the past five years has been a challenge, but for the most part, so much better for my overall health. Below, a few of my current favorite blogs that are chock full of great info and, most importantly, great recipes to keep you feeling healthy and strong! Soon, I’ll start posting some reviews of recipes I venture to make.

- The Spunky Cococut

- Eatliverun.com (an every day indulgence, it’s a great daily one!)

More to come, enjoy the long weekend. I hope you all are getting in some sort of R&R along with your awaited plans! West coast for life!

L to the K

I call this one: "Parsley Over Water."

As long as I’ve known Lisa, food has always been an issue – not in a good or bad way, per se, but rather figuring out our various nuances (red meat v. chicken/fish, gluten-free v. wheat/flour, Lisa’s cooking v. my luxurious offerings night-in and night-out). Over time, we’ve adapted to each other’s likings, and we have prided ourselves on discovering new recipes and tricks to make our meals really make our taste buds come alive.

The herbs...up-close!

Part of those learnings have been utilizing herbs and fresh, organic produce to create our masterpieces. While mine typically involve a splash of Salt Lick BBQ sauce on just about anything, we have long-wanted to create our own “mini-garden” with fresh herbs – hey, we gotta start somewhere!

So, after Lisa headed off to Spokane for work Sunday for the early part of the week, I made my way to my favorite store – Home Depot. Confused over why I was looking for dirt and pots rather than power tools, I successfully managed to pay for food and clothing for the entire Home Depot staff on Aurora in Seattle for the year, and brought home enough to get our “starter” garden off the ground.

The herb garden and tomatoes (in the distance).

This evening, under the beautiful setting sun in Seattle, I potted and planted our initial organic offerings – Early Girl tomatoes, rosemary, basil, oregano, cilantro, and parsley. While it’s early yet, I’m optimistic to see our garden come to life in the coming weeks as the herbs overlook Lake Union from the perch on our rooftop deck. I expect we’ll begin to see some results anywhere between 30-50 days, depending on the herb or veggie.

Hopefully, the Seattle sun gods will generous to our growing garden in the coming weeks – until then, it will be a test to see if Lisa can keep the herbs alive long enough to justify for me that she’s capable of keeping up with a dog down the road.

The tomatoes...just getting going!

We’ll keep you posted on how the garden progresses – but, step one is out of the way – pots, plants, and dirt!

Cheers!
joel