Friends and Family
April 13-22
So you maybe wondering with all of Tim and my training details if we have a normal life. Do we hang out with family and non triathlete friends? Absolutely. I still wouldn't venture to say that we are normal. Our friends and family tend to come with their own sense of adventure and humor.
I was very excited to hear one of my best childhood friends Kristi would be coming to visit. She and her husband Brian would be flying in April 18-22. My brother notified me as well that he would be in town April 13, 18, and 19 on business. Let the games begin. This sounded like fun.
Tom flew in the night of April 13th. I worked until 7:00 p.m. and he found his way to my place in the village via his GPS enabled Blackberry...commonly referred to as the Crackberry. We walked to Wahoo's for a casual and quick dinner. Wahoo's is home of the California specialty fish tacos. This walk spurred the question "what is a Wahoo?" Not willing to settle for group consensus Tom consulted his Wikipedia via his Crackberry. He was successful in finding out what a Wahoo fish was and he learned that Wahoo's taco was only 0.4 miles from my home. He also identified that I was NOT leading him there in the most direct fashion. After dinner we walked toward the cove and stopped by the "Living Room" for after dinner coffee and desserts. Tom again identified that I was not leading him on the most direct route. I remided him of the Yake family tradition of an after dinner walk before dessert. This is when Judi Yake (my mom) laces her running shoes and "walks" an 11 minute mile for 5-6 miles. During the interim a the delicous homemade dessert she made earlier that day sits on the counter. It's beautiful and untouched. Those who didn't join her wait impatiently for her return.
Kristi and Brian arrived on April 18th around 11:00 am. I look normal as I wait for them except that my hair is wet. 45 minutes ago I was busting up Torrey Pines so I wouldn't be late. Tim met me for a ride this morning. We had to roll early and I don't think he was quite awake yet. I was so wired in anticipation of my friends arrival I busted up Calle De Oro and dropped Tim. I had to circle back for him. "Uruh" That's Tim' s grumpy morning groan. Dropping him up the climb was probably not smart, like playing with a hornets nest. Which reminds of the time Kristi and I were kids. I was probably 11. It was a hot summer day and we started shooting rocks at a wasps nest with the slingshot Kristi recently got for her birthday. We were sort of dissapointed with the slingshot. The little pebbles slingshot slung didn't seem very effective in destroying the nest. I remembered what a pain wasps and hornets nest were for my Dad to destroy from the garage. I proudly picked up a large rock, moved closer to the nest threw it squarely on the center of the hornets nest. I can still hear the buzzing as every one of those wasps came out of the nest and after me. Two of them started in incessently stinging me above my left eye.(which had a slight scar for years) . Luckily we were playing near the water and I ran into the lake (with my shoes on). I dunked my head and drowned the wasps. A little while later I felt a bit toxic and sick as I pedaled my bike (with sloshing shoes) home. I confessed to my mom that Kristi and I were playing the at the beach and accidentally encountered the nest. She was very concerned for me as my eye had swollen shut and I felt sick. The next day she took me to Dr. Hawkin's who I gave the same abbreviated version of the events to. He smiled knowingly as he wrote the prescription for Atarax. I think I was sedated for the next three days. He probably figured my mother needed a break.
Anyway I picked Kristi and Brian up and we headed to my place in La Jolla. They quickly settled in and we headed down to the cove. Kristi and Brian had fun exploring the tide pools and looking at the salt water creatures. I was careful not to go to close to the edge of any of the cliffs. I didn't want to worry Brian that Kristi might have to rescue me if I fell in. You see when I was in about 6th grade Kristi, another friend Shelley, and I were playing a usual childhood winter game. We were pretending we were explorers of the artic and were playing on the ice in front of my parents house. When ice forms on Lake Michigan berms form and they make really cool formations. On the far side of one were chunks of ice that looked like shards of glass. We were picking them and pretending they were popsicles. I had reached one for Shelley and was in the process of reaching for another one when I slipped off the top of the brim and plunged through the ice. This was sort of a freak thing because at this time of the year the ice was deemed to be safe. A lot of good that proclamation did me as I floated. How I floated with my snow pants, sorels, and jacket soaked with water I don't know. I remember treading water. Kristi had to use one hand to steady herself and the other to pull me out. To this day I still don't know how Kristi was able to pull me out. Our other friend Shelley was hysterical. She thought I was a going to drown and her parents didn't want her on the ice in the first place. Uh -oh. We hustled back to my house and snuck in the door. Kristi helped me get out of my now 100 pound snowsuit. I yelled up stairs to my mom that I got a little wet and was going to shower and that we would be paying Monopoly for the rest of the afternoon. That was a nice try "What .... you got wet" she shrieked. I knew when my Dad got home I was going to be in trouble. The next morning, we saw Kristi's Aunt Annie in church. My mom, who had already grounded me, told Annie that Kristi was a hero and acted as my guardian angel. Annie of course told Kristi's mom Debbie who immediately sentenced Kristi to similar punishment as mine.
Friday April 18th
I rose with the roosters and hit the 0600 pool workout after that I ran the trails at UCSD. I showered and reconnected with Kristi and Brian. We went to Torrey Pines and did some hiking. We probably walked 5 miles. They were glad I trained that morning:) I was hoping we would see a dolphin and to my suprise we saw a lot of dolphins. They were really close to shore. I've never seen so many of them at Torrey Pines or visualized them so close to shore.
That afternoon Tom met us and we made dinner plans. Tim literally ran into us as he ran from his place to mine. We sat outside and chatted enjoying the nice weather. We were all entertained by the neighbors cat who curled up on the sun roof above my bed. Imagine my shock when I woke up one morning looking up and seeing a cat. I kind of like that cat. Tom kept busy coming up with ways to try to get the cat off my sunroof.
I left my cell phone on the outdoor table. Kristi and I were inside my place reviewing wedding details when Tim rang my mobile. Tom and Brian were sitting outside. Tom decided to answer my mobile and informed Tim "Jenny and Kristi are busy in the shed" I can only imagine the thoughts that must have gone through Tim's head at that moment. "The shed" is now the common term for my village of La Jolla Dwelling. After dinner that evening Tom headed out but not before leaving his mark on my dwelling. I have a habit of writing my goals or motivating sayings on my bathroom mirror. Beneath my Ironman goals read "BLAH,BLAH, BLOG" and "WIN WITH WIKIPEDIA". I still haven't erased what he wrote. There is nothing in this world like a little sibling rivalry to keep you humble and to keep you from taking yourself to seriously, and sometimes drive you towards your goals.
April 19th:
Tim and I have an all day long marriage prep class. We leave Kristi and Brian a map detailing how to get to Pannikin (the all important coffee shop), Wind and Sea , La Jolla Shores, and even the top of Mt. Soledad. We leave them my car as well but they have too much sense of adventure to drive. They use their feet. When I arrive home that evening they are still exploring. They cover over 13 miles of ground that day. That evening we get fresh fish and Tim gives us all a sushi making session. Yum and fun.
April 20th: Happy Birthday Tim
Tim and I do and 11 mile run this morning. I tell him he should enjoy a bike ride today. He has a lot of work to do to prep our race wheels for Wildflower so he's stays home to tend to these things. I head downtown with Kristi and Brian. We take the ferry to Coronado. We walk all the way to the other side of the island to the Hotel Del. We sit by the beach for a little while then head towards the center of town. I have great memories of Coronado. It is where I did my first 1/2 Ironman. It is also where Cindy, Tim's mom grew up. As we walk back we encounter a classic car show. Brian and Tim view this as a sign Brian should restore the Cadillac he's been eyeing. Kristi's eyebrows raise. She is very wise. I realize the world I am about to enter of shared decisions regarding disposable time and money. We take the ferry back to San Diego and head to Balboa Park. There is a huge traffic jam and people walking with what looks like snakes in their hair. We realize it is Earth Day or Earth Fair and hop on the freeway, deciding to hit Balboa park tomorrow. My phone rings. It is Tim. He had a flat tire on his bike and his spare was flat too. He could bum a tube off somebody as their are a lot of other riders around but I tell him not to worry and pick him up. We load Tim's bike on to the roof of the car and Tim into the car like a rider who has pulled out of the tour. I feel bad for him. All he wanted was a good bike ride for his birthday. He's had enough flats lately. I take him to my place and give him a new tube. I tell him to at least ride home. He climbs Soledad and at least enjoys the view.
April 21 st
I swim again this morning at 0600. Coach Sickie notices I am again at 0600 swim practice. I'm typically a 7:30 swimmer. After that Kristi, Brian and I head to the zoo. Tim has to work. We have a good time. The polar bears were really active and fun too watch. After the zoo, we had a picnic at Balboa park. Actually that would be the shee shee way of saying I pulled three pb&J's out of my back pack along with a left over piece of Tim's bananna bread (yum) We enjoyed the parks then returned to my place. Kristi, Brian and I headed down to the cove one last time.
April 22:
This morning I've used my crockpot to make pumpkin pie oatmeal. Umm Yumm Yumm. We all enjoy the oatmeal before taking Kristi and Brian to the airport. We say good byes and I am happy we had such a fun visit. That afternoon Tim and I head to East County and ride the Great Western Loop.
Congratulations and Good Luck
Just when I get all cocky thinking I'm the star athlete of the family. Tyler outshines me as the scholar athlete. Superintendent Denny Chartier presented the Izzo-Mariucci Student-Athlete Scholarships to Brittany Newberry and Tyler Yake. The award recognizes academic (both above 3.5 gpa) and athletic (both play three sports) achievement plus college participation (Newberry will play volleyball at Lake Superior State; Yake football at Albion.) Scholarship is worth $5,000 to each senior..... That is in addition to already having a full ride to Albion. How about a loan Tyler ???? (That's my Dad's famous line)
