Ahh... it's been awhile. I think 'hectic' would be a good term to describe life as of late, as well as 'complete upheaval', but more on that later. It's time for digging deep and building mileage in preparation for the upcoming race in December. Only 48 days remain: 4 weeks to build and 3 weeks to taper. (I'm not counting or anything.) I can't believe how fast training has flown by this season. Always kinda nice.

Even better is the fact that the 1/2 Marathon is SOLD OUT, including 50 additional charity entries. So exciting. There are only 58 spots left for the Full Marathon, and those are going fast. This is going to be a fantastic event. Here's a little taste of what we're in for:

BCS Marathon Course from Chris Field on Vimeo.

Just a little 'ole lake trip to start the weekend out...

One of my finer moments in life:

1993.
White shorts.
Tucked in elementary school shirt. ("Can't hide that Oscar Hinger pride!")
Extra large red-rimmed glasses.
Hangin' out with the plastic Playmobil horse set, complete with a yellow hot pad for the hay in the barn.
(The horses may or may not have had names...)

Not a care in the world. Here's to you, Friday.

For your Flashback Friday viewing (on Sunday of course)... a trip to the Berry Patch. (I believe DM and I are holding up some sort of cloth-stuffed creature. DM has a dinosaur, and I have something that resembles a large goldfish that's about to eat my face off.)


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I have to say, I've done a sub-par job of posting verses of the week. But I have continued to write them out each Sunday. This week's verse is from Isaiah. I love the reminder that we serve THE God, the only one ever, and I continue to marvel at the fact that He would choose us as his witnesses. Wow.

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
Isaiah 43:10-11

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Great weekend... lots of errand hopping, birthday party going, park sunning, lake running, kitchen baking, and box packing.

Lessons learned this weekend:
1. I will never be a concert "groupie".
2. There's a reason they make padded bike shorts/seats.

So Friday night, Amber and I headed to Fair Park to see Matt Nathanson, Train, and Maroon 5 in concert. I was pretty excited. Like, 5-year old on Christmas morning excited. I've been to my share of Christian band concerts in churches, but never a 'real' 20,000-people-in-attendance-concert. And since it was on my 30 List and tickets were dirt cheap, we had to go.

Thankfully, Amber did not make me walk when I went a little nuts in the traffic getting there. It was stand-still on the highway, we were late, and I navigated her through the ghetto to get us there. Whew; she's a keeper. Here we are after making it to our seats.


'Concert' has now been added to the list of best spots for people watching. There was the row of 18 year old girls in front of us that screamed the entire time and took a picture every 3 minutes or so. The dressed-all-in-black crew sitting next to us. The guy wearing this (creepy) Maroon 5 shirt and many, many more. Entertaining in so many ways... Here's a little bit of Train, via Amber's phone, since mine is lame. We actually left a few songs before the end, because let's face it, after one Adam Levine song, you've pretty much heard them all...!




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This morning, I participated in an Indoor Triathlon at Lifetime Fitness. Perfect for the I-can't-swim-but-want-to-try-this-out newb. Let me tell ya, the event staff there had it together; I was way impressed overall. Very helpful, positive people. 10 minute swim in a lap pool, 10 minute transition, 30 minute bike on a spin bike, 5 minute transition, 20 minute run on a treadmill, earning points based on the distance traveled in each leg of the race. Very much geared towards people of all fitness levels. I highly recommend. Best part? No wetsuit rental/gear required. After I got off the treadmill, one of the ladies commented that I had great running form. I told her 'thanks, good thing you didn't see me flopping like a fish during the swim leg'!

Um, amazing. I would like to live here.



Photo courtesy of Bob Coscarelli.