I Tweet?

As part of my new job I get to use any marketing strategy that I want. I am having a lot of fun researching all the ways to get LACO's name out and all the trends on how to tell our customers what we do. Marketing is fun!

This last weekend I was introduced to Twitter. I mean I have heard of Twitter, personally and professionally, but I had never really thought about using it for business and personally I didn't really want to add it to my list of social activities. BUT...I did it. After getting some insights about Twitter from social marketing expert (maybe not an expert, but close) I decided I should check it out. My expert suggested that I start a personal account to learn how it worked and do some competitive research to see if it could benefit my company.

So basically what I am saying is, I have started a Twitter account. I promise this is not some excuse to start Tweeting without feeling stupid, this really is research.

So far it is kind of confusing. I'm watching tutorial videos and reading business blogs with resources to help start Twitter accounts for businesses and I am still lost. But don't worry I will Tweet all about it.

Business Cards and Credit Cards

I started a new job about a month ago. You are now looking at the Marketing Manager for LACO Technologies. This new job comes with a few perks; job title and pay increase, my own office (no windows yet, but at least I have four walls, a door and a ceiling), business cards and a company credit card. Yes that is right they are entrusting me with a company credit card.

Last week I ordered some new design software for the company. When I went to my boss to grab his company credit card he informed me that they had ordered me a company card so I could use it for these type of purchases. It is official, I have now entered the world of the professional businessman (really more like business woman).

Below I have included a comprehensive list of what this credit cards means.

1. They aren't going to fire (at least not anytime soon).


2. I have fooled them into believing that I know what I am doing.


3. They believe me to be trusted with money. (No laughing, I think this is probably true.)


4. I don't have to walk into my boss's office like a teenager asking for money from dad every time I have to order supplies.


5. They take me seriously.

Now don't get any funny ideas, I will not be taking anyone out to lunch on the company tab. I take my new responsibilities very serious. Once my new leather couches get here there will be no more spending :)

Sexy Wetsuit

Ashley showing off her sexy wetsuit

Ashley, Talena and I decided to compete in the Utah Summer Games Triathlon this last weekend down in St. George. We competed as a relay, Ashley swam, I biked and Talena ran. The Blonde, Brunette and the Redhead Team (Aka The Bad Joke). Ashley borrowed an old wetsuit from a friend and let's just say it didn't fit (but really how can you go wrong with hot pink).

We waited for the awards to see if we had won anything. There was a set of twins that took 1st and 2nd in their age category. It didn't hurt that they were 71 yrs old and the only competitors in their age group. And for the Bad Joke... we got beat by a team of 11 year olds. I'm pretty sure they cheated. I have a petition in to have them tested for PED (performance enhancing drugs). But really we went to have fun and do something we had never done before so overall it was a fabulous weekend.

Hot triathletes

Little Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad...

Last year I bought my first road bike. I had been biking in the MS 150 for 2 years as part of the Orbit team. Unfortunately for my riding enthusiasm I rode an old mountain bike, never trained and wore thin biking shorts. This all added up to a “super UNFUN” ride. Super UNFUN means that my butt was sore for a week, I cried on the ride and didn’t even finish my first year. This is embarrassing to admit, but it is the truth. So last year, influenced by my cycling enthusiast friends, I got my Trek 2.1 WSD bike. Big shout out goes to Mike and Matt for getting me into a really expensive sport! Thanks guys. Needless to say last year’s ride on top my new bike, supported by 2 really strong riders and actually having trained, I rode 87 miles (it was only supposed to be 75 but that is another story). I followed that up with my first century ride last August, riding 111 miles in the ULCER. The birth of a biking addict!

My Baby

Riding Hard on the Little Red Ride

So you ask, what does this have to do with Little Red Riding Hood? Well, I have been talking up cycling to all of my family and friends so much that my sister-in-law, Tera, recently purchased her first road bike. I convinced her to set a goal and to train for a long ride. The Little Red Riding Hood is a women’s only ride in Cache Valley. This would be a great ride to test out her skills. Basically I just convinced her to sign up with me so that I would have someone to ride with.
After months of training, the LRRH was last weekend. My sister-in-law was amazing. She trained for the ride while raising 3 kids by herself (my bro/her husband is off doing Army training stuff), going to school full time to finish her degree and holding a church calling (I think she was the primary president, but don’t quote me on that.) And she rode like a champ. The LRRH ride is now one of my favorite rides. Overall, we rode 62.3 miles. Next year we go for 100.

Special thanks to my mom who watched my nieces and nephew the entire day so that we could ride. She even followed us around to take pictures.

Still smiling after 62.3 miles

Let's TRI

I competed in my first triathlon on May 30. My friend Marne wrangled me into signing up for the Salem Spring Triathlon over 8 months ago. Of course that far in advance you don’t realize how little time you actually have to prepare. I say little because for the first 4 months you think it is so far away that there is not point to train. Then starts the “4 month training program” which just means that you start it and by week 3 you have already lost your motivation. On top of that the Salem Tri is a sprint; 800 meter SWIM, 13 mile BIKE, and 5K RUN (3.1 miles for those who don’t work in kilometers). The bike I wasn’t worried about because my regular bike training would cover 13 miles easy. The 5K was alright, you can always walk if you have to. Swim? What is swimming? An 800 meter swim that is 1/2 mile! What did I get myself into? Blackham’s by nature are not swimmers. We are only buoyant because we are human. No one in my family swims and definitely no one swims 1/2 mile. Lucky a friend of mine used to be a life guard and swim coach, personal trainer and triathlon winner and he taught me to swim. You should have seen me swim on that first lesson, it was just sad.

Race day arrived. I had my rented wetsuit (highly recommend Salt Lake Running Company, pricey but good), my baby (aka my bike) and lots of nerves.
Marne and I were really nervous for the swim. Luckily I had been training for the swim and had done an open water swim the week before. I freaked out in Willard bay instead of Salem Lake. Even though I was prepared I still felt that I should do the backstroke until I felt comfortable to flip over and freestyle. It took me 700 meters to feel comfortable. But I quickly got into a rhythm. I swam until I noticed that people were walking in the water next to me.
In the end we swam without drowning, biked without flats, and ran without cramps.

Swim Bike Run

Finish Times

• Billy (Marne’s Husband) - 1 hr 56 min
• Me - 1 hr 58 min
• Marne - 2 hr 3 min

Billy beat both Marne and my times and he had super long transitions: getting a drink, going to the bathroom. How he kicked our butts without training and by just taking it easy will always annoy me.

Note: I only post these times so that you can be amazed when I drop a lot of time on my next tri.

What I learned at my first Tri?

1. Tris are fun. I want to do it again.


2. Open water swims are scary, practice in open water before your tri.


3. Swim caps are terribly hard and painful to put on without water


4. Your age is written on your calf so when you see a 38 or a 45 run pass you know you need to run faster.


5. Sleeveless is a must, how else can you get cool pictures with your number on your arm.

Me, Marne, Billy

FYI we are trying to show off our age on our calves (26, 26, 26)

Wow! What am I doing?

Ok so I have a blog.
I am feeling a little weird right now. Am I saying "My life is so interesting you should all read about it?" I suspect everyone feels this way on their first blog posting, but whoever said I was different from the “everyone.” I titled my blog “Life’s An Adventure” because #1 I couldn’t figure out how to shorten my life’s motto to fit onto my license plate, #2 I think if you have the right perspective everything in life can be an adventure, and #3 it is more interesting then Annie Blackham’s Blog.
So how this all came about. I have thought about this for a long time, but felt a little egotistical about starting a blog. I had personally never thought of my friends blogs as egotistical, but for some reason I felt like that is how I would come off. Anyway, my friend Jannifer's blog is one of the blogs I visit the most. I was reading her blog today and decided to tell her how much I loved it. She said that I should start one. I said "No, my life isn't adventurous enough for a blog." But here I am saying “Life’s an Adventure” and writing this telling you to read all about me. On top of my egotistical fears, I am also apprehensive because I just corrected my grammar from "right" to "write" and realized that everyone will be exposed to my horrible spelling and grammar. (Is that a run on sentence?) So if you can just imagine seeing a little 2 year old child who can hardly speak, but talks with that cute little kid voice. That is what you should think when you read these posting..."Isn't she so cute, misspelling write." If you do that we will all get along fabulously.
Well with that said (all blogs need a disclaimer) let’s get started.

P.S. Hopefully the title of this post “Wow! What am I doing?” will be used again, but just in a cooler setting.