Taiwan Ironman 70.3

Jen has always loved to race and compete but the past six years or so she set that aside to have two kids and also battle some injuries with her hip etc.  This year she has started out slowly with some low-key races and ever so slightly been upping her training.  The training load is still quite minimal when compared to her college days but she does an amazing job of balancing being a mother, wife, and awesome athlete.  This year she has started doing triathlons as the main focus and that has helped with injuries since she doesn't have to run very much, comparatively.

In early November was the big race she had been preparing for.  Her first Ironman 70.3 (aka- half ironman.  70.3 total miles 1.2mile swim, 56mile bike, 13.1mile run).  She flew to Taiwan with our neighbor and good friend Bryant and good ol' Gus met them there from Singapore.  Their wives and I showed up as the cheerleading squad the next day.  The race was on the southern tip of Taiwan in Kenting - which is where Jen and I had a fun trip together in 2006.  

Of course I couldn't let her go to battle with out the proper tools, so here she is on her new tri-bike getting a fitting courtesy of Specialized.  (I know a guy...)

This is the black beauty all fixed up, and Will pulling a face.

Getting ready for the swim.  All the training has come to this but she looks calm on the surface, but likely peed in her wetsuit with nerves....

1,600 other people doing the same thing...  

If you look closely you can see all the people in the water.  Beautiful start to the race.

Out of the swim with the 2nd fastest time in her age group.  A huge feat considering she just recently picked up swimming.

Jen has become quite the cyclist this year.  The black beauty carried her to the fastest women's bike split over the 90km.

The run was home territory for her.  It was 90 degrees and humid but she held it together well for the fastest women's run split.  I ran with her for 200m and got a cramp....

The joy!  Nothing like a post race massage!

Here I am with the three Specialized sponsored athletes that did the race.  They all got on the podium and did very well.  At 48 Gus is as fit as ever, an inspiration.

Jen won.  It was awesome.  2nd place was 21 minutes behind her.  She qualified for the World Championships that will be held in Salzburg, Austria next August.  First 70.3 and she nailed it.  

In order for both of us to go to the race we has to solicit the help of a friend in the branch that was kind enough to watch the kids while we left.  Couldn't have done it without them!  I texted them after the race that Jen had won her age group and qualified for World's and the text back read "Congrats! When we told Will that you won he pumped his fist and said "I knew she'd win", " 

Jen prepared well for this race and took care of the little things like nutrition and strength training etc that were often neglected in her college running days.  We are so proud of her and now looking forward to getting ready for Austria!

Here are some random photos. Lots from summer.

A few funny conversations with Will lately-

We were at the store one night checking out, and all the candy is on children eye level. Will was asking for a lollipop, and then gum, and then a toy, and I kept saying, "No, not today." As we were leaving he gestured with his hand to all the candy and said, "Mom, when I have a wife and kids, I can buy all this junk, and stuff."

He always tells me that he's going to have 33 kids… Not sure where he came up with that number, but he uses it often.

The same day as the 'junk stuff' conversation, in the car he said, 

"What day is it today?"

"It's Thursday", I said. Then he replied groaning, 

"Ahhhh, when is it going to be Sunday?"

Then we went through the days of the week, and that Sunday was coming up and he said, 

"It's so far and so long to Sunday. I want it to be Sunday so I can worship God."

This quite surprised me because he's always fighting Sunday morning because church is "boring". We had a good laugh at that one though, and then talked to him about what it means to worship, and it doesn't just have to happen on Sunday in the church building. Funny kid.

First day of school. It's hard to choose the exact picture I want from the thumbnails, so in this pic June has some food in her mouth. Will insisted on the tiger face in every photo.

Will made this at school last year.

The first mile of my 10k race. It was fun to be in the lead pack, if only for a mile :)

All alone. I came in 4th, but as you can see, it was by a long distance. 5th place was minutes behind.

Taylor's race at Dishui Lake, being interviewed. His team took first. I was training there that day, running around the lake while he raced, so I was able to watch the majority of his race. Every time I saw him he was on the front pulling his teammates, or tiring out another team. Impressive. Will and June had a bike race that same day. I think T wrote about that already.

Go team!

He spent a lot of time in the front working for his team. They took first, mostly because of all the work T did at the front. This guy impresses me because he doesn't race for his individual glory, he suffers for the team. He's a real team player!

One of my favorite pics from the summer. With Nono and Nona. These are special people. My grandpa just celebrated his 90th birthday. Doesn't he look fantastic?!! His eyesight is still great, although my grandmother's is not. They walk 3 miles every day, go to the temple every week, and go to bed early everyday. Good healthy lessons for us all. Oh, and they are taking English lessons.

costumes at Grandma P's. These costumes were a hit! Vampire, and Ice Princess.

camping in Fairview. Will said, "Mom, what's my friend's name? The one who runs with me?" (they like to run together)
"Bailey? She's your cousin."
"Oh ya, her. She taught me how to climb trees". 

My favorite sister. She knows and thinks exactly like me.  There's always good conversation and laughs when we get together.

cousins waiting for their turn on the 4 wheeler.

June and Jamo at Bear Lake. Best friends.

You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get 6 kids smiling in a photograph. I was getting so mad. June thought it was hilarious. I love Cole's silly smile.

Ogden Temple Open House. Beautiful. Will says to me still,  "In God's house there are lots of stairs"...

Will on his graduation day at the Wonder Center with his teacher. 

Best friends.

cousins enjoying a bedtime snack. 

overlooking Bear Lake. Isn't this a cute photo of my most favorite people? I love summer. I loved being on vacation with T, He didn't actually have to work in the office this time around.

I love summer in Park City

Some of my favorite ladies. I love summer nights with family.

Shanghai reunion. Of the 6 families here, only 2 have repatriated. I'm looking off at Will who wouldn't join.

My Grandma. She's 93, and still doing well.

Will's graduation day at Wonder Center with his teacher. This wonderful woman is pure gold! I will miss her, and hope she really will make it back to Shanghai and open another school that my kids can attend…Will standing tall and proud!

Bear Lake is beautiful.

Thanks to the small thumbnails I can't see well when I pick a photo, so in this pic, none of the kids are looking at the camera except 2.

June's turn on the 4-wheeler. She wasn't sure she wanted to give it a go with Uncle Joe, but she was fine with Auntie.

I think this is heaven.
 I was able to go on a 10 mile run with the deer and cows here in Fairview. I was warned beforehand not to go off  the main road because this was the first day of the hunt. 

cousins in the mountains

pretty smiles

saying our goodbyes for the summer

It's so hard to say goodbye. Don't worry, we'll be back!

Change of Season

We've had a bit of change lately.   As summer starts to roll into fall, one of my favorite times of the year, it seems like a good time to update the blog.  

Will switched schools from last year and June has now started school. She was happy that she gets to go to school with her brother but she gets picked up after lunch while Will stays for the full day.  Last year Will's school was supposed to be 60% in Chinese and 40% in English but he reality seemed to be more like 90%/10%.  This year there is no option - it's 100% in Chinese.  Its an international school but the teachers are all Chinese and all of the instruction is completely in Chinese.  Will and June have a leg up on most of the other students because they have spoken Chinese in the home a lot.  Most of the other students have had limited opportunities to learn and speak.  The teachers have told us that both of them often act as translators for the other students so they can know what is going on.  After a few weeks we have already noticed that June is speaking a lot  more Chinese than she used to.  Yesterday Will was walking around the house singing a song in Chinese that he learned at school.  Will be interesting to see how things shape out at the end of the school year.  So far neither of the kids seem to mind at all.

Will turned 5 last week and he was oh so excited about it.  We had a few friends over for cake, but no ice cream since Will is not a fan, and the kids had a great time.  

After nearly nine years with ICON Health & Fitness I had my last day at work on September 18th.  It has been a great run but an opportunity came knocking that I couldn't turn down.  I start my new job tomorrow at Specialized as the China GM.  We will still be based in Shanghai and this puts us here for likely at least five more years.

Jen ran a 10km race this week and it was one of the first running races that she has done in many years.  It was an all women's race with 2,000 ladies lined up.  She fought her way to the front of the race and the gun went off.  A lead pack of 6 women quickly established and they went out fast, faster than she had planned on.  Without having run any races for a long time the pacing was a bit of a guess so she just went out with the lead pack.  1st, and 2nd place in this race won a free trip to Milan, Italy so the motivation was high.  Unfortunately there were three other runners that were a bit quicker today and she came in 4th.  No trip to Italy but it was a great event to start to get back to racing.  She is preparing for her first 70.3 half ironman in Taiwan in November so she has been doing a lot of the swim/bike/run lately.  The best news is that her hip is no longer giving her any problems and she is training pain free (well, minus the normal pain from training…)

Today Jen got released from nursery and put in the primary presidency as a counselor.  I got released as branch mission leader but am still a primary teacher.

Will's 5th birthday.  Jen spent a lot of time to make a special Batman cake for his school party.

Last day at work with ICON.  Yes, in China I am the shortest guy...

First day of school.

June just striking a pose.

Cake cutting ceremony to celebrate the Tour de France being won on a Specialized bike at the China Dealer Event.  On my right is the founder and CEO of Specialized.

Selfie with the new company.

Jen during her 10km race.  Small pic but the only one we have. 

TP in another rainy race last weekend.

Will & June on way to church.

Will & June just being Will & June.