The Olympic Tri at the Y

When the YMCA put up signs that there would be Triathlons during the month of October, of course it caught my eye.  They were doing 3:  a sprint, olympic, and ironman... basically you sign up for the one you want to do and then your progress is posted on a large board in the hall.  Since I had a whole month to complete the event, a sprint was too easy - I signed up for the olympic event.  I had just done a "mini tri" on my own the last Thursday of September: running a mile, biking 5 and swimming 10 laps; too bad I couldn't count that towards my goal.  I figured doing a little of each event, every time I workout should easily total the: 24 mile bike, mile swim, and 6 mile run.  Plus it would be inspiration to go to the gym as the month turned colder and I felt like hibernating.
The biking was no problem thanks to the early October beautiful warm fall days, and I completed the 24 total miles within 2 or 3 days.  The mile swim took me all of October, mostly due to time constraints.  The 6 mile run... well I think I got in about 4 miles.
My end of October exercise plans were thwarted by a freak snow storm, deemed a "nor-easter" by The Weather Channel.  I had planned to go to the Y on Saturday and get in the last portion of the run, but mother nature had other ideas.  We spent Saturday trying to save our trees and bushes from the wet heavy snow threatening to snap their branches.  Our idea was to to throw things at the tall tree in our front yard in order to knock the snow off, thereby saving the already sagging limbs.  By 2:00 there were 3 footballs, 2 basketballs, and a soccer ball lodged in various parts of the tree!  Our neighbors had a laugh watching us toss items into the tree, but more than one said - hmm that's a good idea.  Sunday when the snow started to melt, a few of the balls plopped into the yard.
So, my aspirations fell a bit (2 miles to be exact) short but I still enjoyed myself and certainly it was motivation to get to the gym.  I think I will start a log of my own now to see what my winter workouts total each month in hopes of keeping me going.

Glass and Marble Mosaics,
before grout.

My banister, with bubble lights!

Also, I am one of these people who is disgusted by Christmas decorations in the stores before Halloween.  However, I had a total panic when I realized that Derrick graduates college early December, our company Christmas Party is next, and Christmas is right after that!  I have been in Christmas Lockdown Mode since I realized how hectic December will be, and vowed to get as much done before Thanksgiving as possible.  I started my Christmas decorations, and then had a vision of glass ceramic tile mosaics on our backsplash behind the Imac.  Something had to be done with this wall because we recently had removed a flat screen monitor and there were holes to be patched.  So I went to Lowes and came home with another project. (Yes, I do tile too!)