Challenging Productive Week

This whole week I rode my bike to work an average of 11 miles one way. It was not until friday that I decided it was time to take it up a notch and ride back home. Since riding to work coming down Muldoon going downhill and alot of up and down on Elmore street about an average of 20 minutes alone. Riding back home was a huge challenge everything seemed uphill for most the part. It takes me about an hour to get to work on my bike and an hour plus some if I'm having a hard time up the hill to get back home. It was all worth it. Will I do it again? Yes my goal is to lose 40 pounds by the end of august and stay in shape daily. Riding my bike to work really helped me get back to running and jogging. I want to get back to being fit and cut =) I was asked by a friend if I wanted to train for the Alaska Triathlon in two years. I didn't sleep well that night all I kept thinking about was this Triathlon.. can I do it? Is it possible..? In high school growing up I was very athletic .. took up cross country running, ran sprints, won first place in all my events for track but didn't get the chance to get a trophy that year because of a hurricane that destroyed our school year events. After hearing alot of good things from my boss about how he wasn't a runner before but decided to try it and ran for the Hawaii Marathon and did well I decided I was going to do it. when i got to work I told my friend I'm goign to do it.. I'm going to train.. riding my bike is one way to get started, than running or jogging 3 to 6 miles on saturdays with my two oldest. By the way I took the two oldest Celeste and Aano with me supposedly jogging was the plan but we did well, we walked from Muldoon from 9:30am to the Fairview Rec center on Karluk street an average of 6 miles. We had prepared for this for a week. I asked the kids if they wanted to join me they were excited and trained with me everyday when I would get off from work at the tracks on Northern Lights and Lake Otis. As exciting as they were it wasn't till we got about 30 minutes into the walk there were constant complaining about how their feet hurts, or constant questions like "Are we there yet", Why can't we just ride our bikes there?, Is Daddy going to pick us up, LOL.. I was just enjoying my time with my kids and pushing them to believe after hard work comes great things... Why Fairview Rec Center? I had two basketball games, one at 12pm and another at 3pm. I figured it was going to take us at least 2.5 hours to get there.. when we arrived to our destination we were about 10 minutes late into the game. That's when their father arrived with Fia and Freddy LOL .. hey it's better than never =) Aano and Celeste didn't realize their accomplishment yet. It was not until after the game on our way home with veve and the kids that they started to realize how far they've come to walking from home to fairview rec center. They were shock, amazed, they couldn't believe as a kid they can do this... exactly what I wanted for them to experience and know first hand.. the blessings of hard work. Overall we lost the first game, and won the secound.. Veve left to work .... the kids are exhausted after playing at the tracks running with their dad after my game.. As I come to an end ...I am humbly greatful to know my kids were able to experience this great accomplishment.... I know Our Saviior is with us and many on our paths to learning.. today they were able to see the example of hardwork and what awaits them at the end... My heart is full with thankfulness, I am so greatful for the blessings in my life.. the challenges we face, the people we cross paths with, and much much more.. Oh I forgot to mention, our scripture reading.. we are now on Jacob.. =) Nephi brother.... daily scripture reading has been such a blessing for me and the kids.... their father may not be there with us . but what matters to me the most is Teaching my children the gospel principles and teaching them to "Endure to the End"...