Merry Christmas & Merry Running
December 20, 2010
Well, the half way point of my training has come and gone and I must say that I’m pretty happy with the first 48 runs totaling 335 miles so far (hard to believe that I will far surpass that mileage in the next 13 weeks of my training). As a midpoint to my training I ran in the Rock & Roll San Antonio half marathon and finished in 2 hours 5 minutes and 8 seconds – a personal record for me! My previous ‘PR’ was 2 hours 20 minutes (so I ran 15 minutes faster at this distance than I ever have before)!! As much as I wanted to take a few days (or weeks) off after this race I knew that I had to keep lacing up my tennies and keep filling the training log with long and short runs alike. And so I have, although I must admit my momentum has waned just a little bit, but I’m finding that my friends and family are checking on me often, reminding me of my goals, asking about my progress, and giving me just the right encouragement to help me get through the next 5, 8, or 12 miler.
Thanksgiving week has, by far, given me the toughest run for my money (pun intended!), enticing me to stay inside warm, cozy houses, feeding me delicious meal after delicious dish, and begging me to skip workouts. And, I’ll admit it, I have skipped a few gym sessions, but thankfully I haven’t missed a planned run yet…and I promise (to you, to myself, and to JonJon, Robert, Pat, Nanny, and Terry) that I won’t…I want my commitment to my training and to this race to be as strong as those I’m running for.
On that note, you’ll notice that I’ve added a few people to my ‘In Honor Of’ signature. Although I started this journey to ‘Fight for Five’, I’ve continually been reminded that cancer knows no discrimination. As I’ve explained my marathon and fundraising goals, I’ve been told personal stories and triumphs over this disease and its many forms. The stories come from co-workers, friends, extended family, and acquaintances and at the end of each one I am astonished by the strength and courage shown by each of the individuals fighting for their life. All of them are inspirational and I want to fight for them. My weekly Livestrong Foundation email reminds me that there are currently 28 million people living with cancer. If I could list all of them I would, but for now I’ll list the ones that have touched my heart in a personal way. Darrel, my cousin’s husband, is fighting stage 4 lung cancer. Clara, a co-workers wife, has beat breast cancer. Richmond, a co-workers husband, is in remission after a long arduous battle with Leukemia. Look around you – more than likely in the few minutes it takes you to look around the room, whether you be at home celebrating the holidays, at work during your daily grind or at a neighbor’s house for a BBQ, there are more than a few people who’ve faced or are facing cancer. This holiday season, consider fighting for them by making a small donation in their honor to the Livestrong Foundation. It will mean more than you know. A donation in support of a worthy cause is also an easy and thoughtful gift for the person on your list that has ‘everything’…so pick a charity that means something to you and donate – a small amount from several people can go a long way!! For me, this charity is Livestrong, make it yours too!
I pray that you and your families have a blessed holiday season. Merry Christmas!
Love, Jenn
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Join me in supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation
Donate at http://runaustin.livestrong.org/marathon2011/jennifertrimmier
In Memory of
Jonathan Ward – Leukemia/Lymphoma
Robert Hodges – Brain Cancer
Pat Zahirniak – Pancreatic Cancer
In Honor Of
Opal Ward – Breast Cancer
Terry Hausman – Multiple-myeloma
Darrell Trowbridge – Lung Cancer
Clara Kalin – Breast Cancer
Richmond Meier – Leukemia
Livestrong Marathon Update
October 29, 2010
Well, here I am, in the middle of week 10 of training for my first marathon (out of 26 total weeks) and I’m feeling AWESOME for a few reasons. First and foremost, my fundraising for the Livestrong Foundation is off to a magnificent start because so many of you have already donated to this great cause! THANK YOU! I’m currently at 8.5% of my goal and have raised $425! It’s exciting to see the support I am getting. Many of you have said you plan to donate so I cannot wait to see the donations continue to roll in. In all, I need to collect $5,000 in donations to meet my goal before I run in Austin Marathon on February 20th.
Secondly, training is going extremely well. I feel like I run…and run…and run, but it’s all worth it for such a worthy cause. I’m up to a comfortable 10 miles (yes, that means I can ‘easily’ run 10 miles and no, no one is chasing me when I do it 
~ I have surprised even myself with my body’s ability to acclimate to the increased training. And so I run on, I will finish week 10 off with an 11 mile run on Saturday and on November 14th (at the half point in my training), I will run the San Antonio half marathon to prove that I am on track! Wish me luck.
There’s still plenty of time to donate, but the sooner you do, the less time I will spend stressing over fulfilling my obligation and goal So, if you are compelled to donate, when you have time and if you haven’t already, head over to http://runaustin.livestrong.org/marathon2011/jennifertrimmier and pledge your support for me and for Livestrong’s research efforts towards eliminating cancer in our lifetime. Also, if you like my story and believe in the cause, please forward this blog on to your friends/coworkers/contacts and ask them to support our fight as well by donating.
I can’t say THANK YOU enough for all of your encouraging words & support – they mean more than you could ever know.
Sincerely, Jenn
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Join me in supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation
Donate at http://runaustin.livestrong.org/marathon2011/jennifertrimmier
In Memory of
Jonathan Ward – Leukemia/Lymphoma
Robert Hodges – Brain Cancer
Pat Zahirniak – Pancreatic Cancer
In Honor Of
Opal Ward – Breast Cancer
Terry Hausman – Multiple-Myeloma
I Livestrong, do you?
October 4, 2010
You can donate at http://runaustin.livestrong.org/marathon2011/jennifertrimmier
You can also forward this email to your friends & family who may be interested in donating to the Lance Armstrong Foundation
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In Memory of
Jonathan Ward ~ Leukemia/Lymphoma
Robert Hodges ~ Brain Cancer
Pat Zahirniak ~ Pancreatic Cancer
In Honor Of
Opal Ward ~ Breast Cancer
Terry Hausman ~ Multi-Myeloma
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My Story
I run. I’ve been running for a long time. I run for my health. I run to make myself feel good. I run so I can eat whatever I want. But now, I’m running for a bigger purpose. I’m running so that one day my kids, grandkids, and I will know a world without cancer. I can no longer sit back and watch my friends and family battle this disease or worse, lose their lives to this disease. I will not accept that this monster cannot be beaten and I will not stop until we find a cure.
For the next 4 1/2 months I will be training to run 26.2 miles in the Austin Marathon, but more importantly I will be ‘Fighting for Five’ of the most inspirational people I know while advocating for the Livestrong Foundation. Although I have signed up to tackle this race, I cannot do it alone. Like so many of you have been there for our friends and family as they have battled cancer, I will need your support to meet my goals:
Goal #1: To raise at least $1,000 dollars for each person I am running in memory or in honor of – that’s $5,000 total for the Livestrong Foundation (all donations will go towards the fight against cancer and all are tax deductible).
Goal #2: To finish the marathon – this will be the tough part!
I know that this will be one of the biggest challenges of my life, but I also know it doesn’t even come close to the challenges my family and friends have faced when fighting for their lives.
I look forward to seeing many of you on the running trails and by my side as I start and finish this journey. As each mile passes me by, I will pray that God gives strength to my grandmother, Opal, and friend, Terry, so they can continue to courageously fight and beat the diseases attacking their bodies. And as I run I will carry the memory of my cousin, Jon, and uncles, Rob & Pat, with me as I put one foot in front of the other and I know their angel wings will in turn carry me across the finish line.
THANK YOU for the love and support I know will come my way during this expedition. And THANK YOU for your generous donations supporting the Livestrong Foundation.
With Love, Jennifer
P.S. You can contact me at Jennifer.Trimmier@gmail.com with any questions or to donate by cash/check.
Papa takes flight
November 13, 2009
In November, we had the amazing opportunity to help Papa, Dustin’s grandad and a retired Army helicopter pilot, take to the skies again on his 80th birthday. As a surprise, the family bought him a training flight (30 minutes classroom time and 30 minutes flight time) on a Robinson R44 from Alamo Helicopter Tours. Papa didn’t know about the flight until we pulled up to the airport (although he had his suspicions as we approached Stinson Airfield)…the smile on his face was as big as the moon when Dustin told him that he wouldn’t be riding in a helicopter, but actually flying one.
Dustin telling Papa what the family had bought him for his 80th birthday
What surprised us the most was that the 30 minute flight school actually turned into a 2 1/2 minute conversation between Papa and his instructor (an Aggie by the way)…when they walked out of the classroom we all thought something was wrong (b/c it was supposed to be a 30 minute lesson), but the instructor simply said “this guy knows it all, it’s time to fly”. WOW – even after all these years Papa remembered everything and was able to convey that to his instructor.
Papa in his training class and with his instructor
So, off they went – Dustin got to ride in the back seat and he said it was truly amazing to see Papa take control of the copter so effortlessly and so confidently. Dustin said that several times during the flight he could hear Papa in the microphone coaching himself, telling himself what to do, and reminding himself how to do it.
Papa & the instructor walking to the copter & flying high
When it came time to finish the flight there was about 7 minutes left and the instructor asked Papa if he wanted to ‘buzz downtown’ to see the sights, but Papa declined…he instead wanted to practice his landing and take off one more time! He had so much fun and it was fun to be a part of such a special day for him.
Papa & Dustin in the Robinson R44
In the copter
Overall, Papa gave the day & Alamo Helicopter Tours a thumbs up…or is that a Gig em?
Thumbs up to the day and espcially to Alamo Helicopter Tours for helping make it happen!
To see all the pictures from Papa’s flight, click here.
You can view some videos that Dustin took on YouTube – here are the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvloJwiYSsE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb990m3Q5aU
Walking with Dinosaurs
November 13, 2009
After climbing Enchanted Rock on Friday, our anniversary weekend continued with the afternoon showing of Walking with Dinosaurs on Sunday. We actually ended up making our reservations for the show at the last minute and although we opted for the ‘good’ seats, we weren’t expecting what we got – FRONT ROW! So not only were we walking with dinosaurs, but we were smelling their breath and looking up their nostrils…but I’m not complaining. The show was actually fantastic and despite being asked why we were at the show without kids (the show was geared more toward the elementary age), we enjoyed it! It was educational and just plain cool to see what visual graphics and effects were used to make the humongous creatures come to life! If you haven’t seen it, it’s definitely something to check out next time it’s in town.
T Rex!
Pretty flowers around the stage
A plethora of dinos
Stegosaurus
To see all of our pictures from Walking with Dinosaurs, click here.
Click here to see a short video of tyrannosaurus rex going after a triceratops.
Magnificent Monolith
November 11, 2009
What better way to celebrate a 2 year wedding anniversary than spending an entire day getting all sweaty with the one you love…climbing a 425 foot tall pink granite monolith that protrudes from the earth demanding authority from all that graze its slippery slopes? The amazing pluton I speak of is Enchanted Rock, the largest pink monadnock in the United States! This imperial dome is found just 50 miles outside of San Antonio inside of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, near the quaint little town of Fredericksburg. Being the outdoorsy types we are, Dustin and I thought this was a great idea and indeed this resplendent rock gave us an adventure that was well representative of the past 2 years we’ve had together – simply stunning.
On the drive to Enchanted Rock
Top - our steep trail to the top; Bottom - huge boulders along the way & playing in the caves
View from the top
On the way down...our very rocky path to the bottom
The picturesque scene from one of the trails
After hours of hiking Enchanted Rock and the caves, crevices, and trails around it we ended up at Auslander Biergarten for dinner and drinks…Dustin was quite thirsty after hiking all day.
If he needs a beer this big after 2 years, how big will the 10 year beer be??
Happy Anniversary to us and here’s to many more! To see all of the pictures from our hike, click here.
Rockin’ in Rockport
November 11, 2009
Just like a Kenny Chesney lyric “the sun and the sand and a drink in my hand”, our trip to Rockport a few weeks ago provided just the right mix of all of the above! We went to visit Dustin’s Uncle Bruce & Aunt Susan and they showed us what their city was all about. Friday night was full of laughter and chat while we played catch-up on each others’ lives. Saturday found us by the sea – at lunch in Port Aransas and then at the Seafair (an annual Rockport festival…so fun, reminded me of how much I miss my small, home-town festivals!). We visited all the craft booths and then settled in for some beverages and live music. The men had fun playing show and tell with their phone applications – check out what Bruce did to Dustin on his IPhone…
Sexy!
Seafair was followed by a delicious dinner. Sunday was not our day of rest as Bruce and Dustin tackled the task of setting up a new home network. The girls spent their energy shopping at Shop the World (www.ShopTheWorldRockport.com) – a fabulous store showcasing furniture, art, dishes and nick knacks from all over the earth (similar to World Market, but on steroids and much cooler!).
We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend visit. BRUCE & SUSAN – thanks so much for your hospitality, we really enjoyed our visit (and the delicious turkey chili – I’ve already made it once!). We hope that we can get together again soon.
Susan & Bruce - Jenn & Dustin @ Rockport's Seafair
Bumpin’ Pumpkins
October 28, 2009
It sounds nasty, but I promise it isn’t 
A few weekends ago our great friend Barbara graciously took our family pictures. We had so much fun at the Japanese Tea Gardens (the renovations completed earlier this year were amazing!) and I even got a chance to try my shooting skills on Barbara, her husband Justin and their dog Cinko — this ‘chance’ reminded me of how much I will have to learn once I buy my new camera — but I’m up for the challenge!
After the Tea Gardens and lunch at historic Joseph’s Bakery we headed to Ford Family Farm to fulfill my dreams of being photographed in a pumpkin patch (seriously, I love the bright vibrant orange and all the connotations (and tastes) that come from pumpkins!). When we arrived, we weren’t allowed in without paying and a few of my counterparts warned that the Farm may be a sham, but I insisted that there would be plenty of picture opportunities inside (the lady at the gate convinced me of this) and forced everyone to pay the $6 entry. As we walked in, we were instantly surrounded by young children…no one over the age of 5. I assured myself that the pumpkin patch would prove itself to the group but as we approached it I started to see through all the lies my mind had been concocting. In reality, the pumpkin patch wasn’t a patch at all, it was merely a covered piece of dirt land with a few pumpkins strewn about. The ‘picture opportunity’ the gatekeeper had promised me was a mere bale of hay…I was fuming…and the boys (Dustin & Justin) started in on me, making fun of my gullibility and the ‘pumpkin patch’ that wasn’t. I’ll admit, I was pretty upset – mainly at myself, but also at the fact that no one saw the potential that a true pumpkin patch could have for pictures! Luckily, Barbara also saw the imaginable and went with it as I started dragging and slinging pumpkins over to the hay. Dustin caught on and helped me haul pumpkins too and once we were done setting up our scene, there was actually a line of people wanting to take their picture in it! Seriously. I was officially happy – happy that I had taken a potentially depressing situation and turned it into a good thing…and happy that I was gonna get my picture taken in a pumpkin patch (albeit a man-made pumpkin patch about 6 feet in circumference). Here are a few of my favorites!
So, we went about our photo shoot – on the hay, in the hay, around the hay…it was a blast! On one picture Barbara was putting her creative genius to work and asked us to ‘bump our pumpkins’ to which we both busted out laughing…but really, she needed us to bump our pumpkins for the camera!
It was a great day spent with magnificent friends exploring our great city. Barbara – thanks again for the photo op and for your friendship…I love our Wednesday lunches and our explorations (especially when we get to drag the husbands along!).
You can check out our family pictures here. And if you’re ever in the market for a website or any type of graphic design be sure to give Barbara a shout at Blackstone Studio. If I haven’t said it yet, she’s INCREDIBLY talented!
Swing Batter Batter – You’re Out!
October 3, 2009
Dustin and I made the trek to Granbury in September to see my family, catch a Rangers game and to attend my cousin Joey’s wedding. We had a blast and really enjoyed all of the activities – although time there always moves way to fast.
Von, Mom, Me & Dustin - Dustin waving his Ranger's towel - Me & Dustin
Scenes from the game - awesome hot dogs (Dustin's a little more robust) and awesome fireworks (even though we lost)
All of the pictures from the Ranger game can be seen by clicking here.
And to my cousin Joey, “You’re Out!” – at least out of the free market But believe me, Joey certainly hit a home run Saturday night when he married Rose who is a welcome addition to the family! Joey & Rose – enjoy it, it’s wonderful and good luck in your new life together!
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Kolar
Hopefully we’ll see everyone again soon!
Zippin’ Away
September 25, 2009
I married the right man, I’ve known this for a while now, but I love it when he confirms this by picking something adventurous and out of the ordinary to celebrate his birthday! This year, we took to they skies again (remember our powered trikes last year?), but this time we were tethered securely to a 5/16 inch cable hanging 80 feet above the ground! We’ve ziplined in Mexico (last year on our Hausman Trip), but this trip gave us an experience to see the Texas hill country as it’s never been seen before. We went to Wimberley Zipline Adventures with our great friends Jess, Rick, Matt & Chris. The 2 hour tour gave us plenty of adventure while hiking and zipping along the hills and trees at over 30 miles per hour (you really do zip pretty fast on a zipline!).
Top: Jess - The Bullet (aka Rick) - Me -- Bottom: The Birthday Boy - Chris - Matt
Our group during the zipline and afterwards
The day was perfect and ended with a delicious dinner at the Gristmill after enjoying Gruene market days and some fine Gruene wine margaritas.
Dustin & Matt -- Jess & Rick
I’m already looking forward to Dustin’s next birthday and what escapades it may hold! All of our pictures from the day can be found here.
