Following A New Path

Hello to all of you! Lots has been going on since i last wrote about fall and the TC 10 miler. My last running race and my last running steps to be exact since Oct 5th! Phew, seems like forever but its really only been a month and I am doing fine in my head which usually sets the course for being fine physically. This wasnt without some major speed bumps to get here but as of now? today? I am good!

So in no real order:
Fall is slowly leaving us, the forecast for the next 10 days is barely into the 30's and snow. Boo. Not READY this early.

 I still have a fun time every morning checking in on the zoo in the basment. Luckily they havent gotten upstairs yet and after i had a live one ( that nearly killed ME bc i was crying so hard trying to get it free) I havent even added more PB but they keep coming!

We had a girls weekend in Lake Geneva. We ate a balanced diet.

But since Caroline is having a baby we did get better food than above and we also had a surprise shower for her. JH and some Chicago girls ( and julio!) came up for a visit and we loved every second. I laughed alot, and got some good good advice and discussions, the kind you cant get texting or emailing with your besties bc they live too far away.  Caroline was training for a marathon ( yes she is in her 2nd trimester!) while i stayed in my non run mode, Stacey was in a boot, and sarah said " whatever its off season." Liz was a cross racing nut and left early to dominate ( terrorize) the Cat 4 race and then finally upgrade so she didnt hurt any more juniors. ( just kidding)

 I parted ways with a very nice man that I had the pleasure to get to know over the last year.  It was one of the hardest things I have done but i know what i need in a partner and i know he is out there.

But that didnt mean i didnt get to meet up with his sister and her fiance when they came to town for some shopping. But if you look at the stolen quote below from Bree, that is what I want, and what I deserve. I dont do average well.

And while i have no photos I am about 2.5 weeks into my 2nd experience with PRP. I may write more on that later ( comment if you want the all out PRP report, its pretty cool) , but for now all is fine. I have a big race and a big plan for 2015 but as my lovely coach reassures me. I am fine. This hamstring tendonopathy is one that i hear about alot from many of my friends. They have that dull nag in the insertion and they cant get it to go away. Well I have had it before in my left hamstring and when it showed up about 3 weeks before the TC 10 miler in my RIGHT hammie ( i know, the good one! what???)  i knew. I knew and sadly accepted this was my fate. I also know that it doesnt go away. Rest doesnt make it better alone nor does stretching it ( no-no-no) so before i got the PRP i went into no run mode and some aggressive eccentrics along with deep work on the area. 

When I finally did the PRP the good doctor ( i will hook you up if you live locally, just ask) and I went over the MRI which was pretty unremarkable and went for it. No tears. Just minimal to mild -osis or -opathy, if you will. I am doing some super BUNS OF STEEL and CORE TILL I CRY type workouts now and will start on eccentrics soon. Hopefully can start running in about 10-14 days. My body is the boss but i am optimistic! 

Last in the health section...I had blue light treatment or photodynamic therapy on my face on friday.

OUCHIE. I look like a tomato. I cant be in direct or indirect sunlight till sunday and after that i am told I will peel a bit and look sorta " like i had a bad sunburn." My Derm has been after me to do this and since i grew up in the "SPF 4" era and wore few hats and no glasses playing hours of tennis I am sure my face has some sun damage. While this was like fireworks going off on my face it feels now like i have a VERY BAD SUNBURN. Riding my trainer i had a cold water bottle and cool towel. Ouchie. 

Those of you on FB And Instagram saw this: 

The first one is from EFA and it was labor day weekend before Rich died. The ocean pic is when we were in Florida with my parents i dont remember the year. But what I love about these pics is that I still feel like Rich is right here with me. I know that doesnt maybe " make sense " to you but it does to me. And when i hear someone ( maybe an ex?) say " I dont know if you are over Rich..." I have to step back and think " Do i ever want to get over him? what does that mean?" I know what it means and I know that there will always be a little piece of my heart that is with Rich. This doesnt mean i dont have a lot more heart to give, but best of all after two years I finally feel like i am back to knowing what I need and what I want in a relationship. And most important, what I deserve. And I am pretty grateful for all the people in my life and all the blessings!!! People come in and out of our lives for a reason and i cant wait to see what is next! 

Thanks for reading:) 

TC 10 mile race report and FALL IS HERE!!

It's been a long time. Alot has happened, and yes there was one more race in there.
I love this time of year, just not what follows, and with our temps cooler than normal ( oh why is that a surprise) other than one week of summer last week...well its perfect running weather!

I love the Twin Cities Marathon weekend. It truly is the most beautiful urban marathon. I have done it once, the only open marathon i have done and likely will do. That day was a day like yesterday yet colder. My finish photo has me in tights and gloves and looking like a cold cold runner. Which as i recall i was due to snow. Yesterday on the other hand was just cold before and after, the conditions for running were perfect.

My goal for this race is to try to always go under 70 minutes. This year we had a bit of a different course due to the summer flooding we had, the normal route was closed. All in all I think it was apples and oranges and Steve in a Speedo has more than enough dialogue on which is easier which is harder where the hills are which hill has more grade. etc. etc. You get my point. Subjectively I felt that sunday was slightly harder just bc we had two sets of steeper hills as opposed to just one longer gradual climb. All ok, not gonna lose sleep and I just made sure to not GAS myself up those hills so i could ease back into a close to race pace run.

Mike was also running and was in coral 3 so we parted ways and i got my warm up in. Before you knew it it was go time. National Anthem, ditch the garbage bag, and the small gun goes off. I was standing next to jenn S and we both decided they needed an IM cannon. I made sure to start my Garmin as i passed the timing mat. It felt like 10-15 sec but later i learned it was 25. That paid off in my timing.

For the last 3 weeks i have been dealing with a too familiar hamstring issue. The dreaded -opathy. This time in my Right side. The GOOD SIDE, as i call it. So that is another blog for another day. But having gotten the green light from more than one medical professional to run, I decided I would run but if it got painful i would jog it in. All the while knowing i was in shape for running sub 7's. I would have to check my ego at the door if that was the case.

So Miles 1-5 ticked by pretty fast. The short sharper hills were tough but i felt really strong, the way i have felt in all my training. JH trained me well for this and I cant say enough about 3 - 4 weeks of training and my speed came back. Super fun ( even if it means i cant run now, i guess it was worth it!) At mile 5 I still felt awesome, working but not in pain at all. As we climbed up Summit i remember reading something that said " remember this is only 2 miles...." and i finally looked at my AVG pace. I hadnt been looking, didnt want to bc I wanted to run by feel. My hamstring started to TUG a bit but it was by no means painful. And I saw that my pace was right at 7:00 as i made it up Summit. When i hit mile 7 ( basically the end of the longer false flat) I was tired but i knew that I was going to  make my goal of sub 7. And at mile 8, I saw my parents and their friends ( so nice of them to come out on a cold morning) and that gave me some fuel to kick it in those last two. You do have ONE MORE incline that isnt really very long, just before mile 9 and that was just fine. I took a glance at my Avg pace and saw 6:56 and was elated. And my Hamstring hurt but I am not gonna pull up now. Off i went and finished in 1:09.16. Super pumped with that. I did slow it down a bit coming down hill into the finish as that is what hurts more, the lengthening of the muscle.

Special thanks to Steve H too, who came out to cheer and anyone else who called my name. I saw my finisher video and i know why my mid back is so tight. I was running like it was cold! Tight in my upper body, luckily my lower body felt awesome:) I waited for Mike to get in and by the time he did i was a popsicle. I had changed but it was cold and we hurried thru to get his stuff and then trekked back up summit to my parents house, with a caribou stop ( oh so warm) i would call the day a 2 mile warmup, 10 mile race, and 2 mile walk to cool down.

Thanks to Terry Lee for the picture: and the nice comment that i was too fast for him to get a better pic:)

SO NOW, you may have heard that the race was short. Ha, so the lead vehicle must have been texting or hadnt had their espresso, so we missed a turn, so the OFFICIAL COURSE ws 9.86. MY garmin though had 9.99 so i am taking this as what it is :) I must have had to dodge a few people ( yes i did) to start! People make errors just too bad it was at the TCM!

I just love this race and walking up summit, despite being draped in two space blankets and with chattering teeth was amazing. I loved seeing the final runnners / walkers for the 10 mile come in, the lead wheelers for the marathon ZOOM by, and to thank the police and the volunteers along the way. I have to admit when iran thru the DELTA airlines water stop at mile 8.5 I had enough filter to stop myself from saying what i was thinking..." WHY THE BIKE HATE? WHY?" but i knew these nice people dont make the bike fare rules so why ruin their day? :) Yes i am serious i did think nasty bike karma for Delta in that last mile.

Since its always a topic....I had two gels with caffeine as my fuel. One pre race with water and one at mile 4.5, with water, that ended up all over me. Other than that not much water it was cold. Mike took the chews i gave him, kicking and screaming that he didnt need them. But he did. and finished strong in 1:30 . Now if only he had trained. Yup, I had to give him some grief for the " OH IF ONLY I HAD TRAINED " comment. We all have lots of friends that would have won if they had only trained, dont we? :)

Stolen pic. The others are messy, too many people to get a good shot. I stocked up on free stuff while i waited for mike:)


So now its off season. Things will be fine. Just gotta step back and heal. I want to do a 2014 recap bc in looking back its been a big wonderful year. Thanks for reading!!

Square Lake Triathlon Race Report

Well its time for another race report. Havent been too many this summer but that comes with the territory of IM training. I wanted to close out the ( too short) summer season up here with one more race. As much as I loved racing late July I wasnt ready to hang it up in August because anyone from MN knows that we have a forced " end to season " around the corner.

Jen gave me a few leg opening workouts and i did a Time Trial to see if i could shake a bit of IM shuffle out of  my step. I will say that i think i did, but it sure hurt.

The obvious race was Square Lake Short Course. I LOVE me some Square Lake. Its where i swim on Wednesday AM's with my pals and its where i play with Eagles and Loons. Any chance i get to run out there as long as JH doesnt say " FLAT COURSE" i will do it after a swim. Nothing better. Riding out in Washington County is the best too. A few roads need repaving and luckily one big stretch on this race's bike WILL FINALLY get its new surface next summer. Luckily. I am always amazed if i go thru that section and dont flat.

So race day dawned and i racked right next to my teammate and World Champ ( and AG champ) Heather Lendway. Heather is the nicest, most humble champion i have ever known. Her sister racked btwn us and that was fitting for how the race would shake out.

Race didnt start till 8 am so while i wasnt nervous per se for this I did want to get out and get a good warm up. I never am totally CHILL at a race. ITs just how it is. I want to do my best on that day and that means getting a good solid warm up especially when its cooler out. Morning temps were chilly but the air was close to 50 when we started and the water was really fine. Maybe about 70? So i got se up and did a little warm up and suddenly Randy ( RD) said " Elites are starting in 30 sec!" yikes i barely made it back to the beach to do a 180 and start. I got a pretty good start, started next to heather who very quickly pulled away and i know was 1st out of the water in the elite wave. It was a bit choppy but i was still happy with how it went though i felt like 1/2 mile was about when i was getting into my rhythm.

Exited and took the long RUN up the wooden stairs. Talk about HR jump, WHILE playing the wetsuit struggle dance.  I Did have my Garmin on but what took the time ( AS USUAL) was getting the leg over my timing chip. Insert long leg sigh.
I like how this pic makes my arms look big. haha. Yes Jen. I said that.

So i was about 30 sec behind Lisa and way more behind Heather but i got my suit off and into the cool air i went. Ok my arms arent as hulky here. LOL. 

This is a rolling bike with lots of hills and punchy inclines. The surface as i mentioned is questionable on the back half of the course, and for 17 miles i decided i was going to TT it as best i could. A few honks from a minivan mom ( sorry if that offends) on the treacherous road made me move over and back off a bit. Other than that just a solid hard ride.

Funny about this race is that the camera guy ( thank you minnefota moments) sits in the shoulder on a stool and i hope nobody will hit him. ITs sorta funny sorta " um, hello" as he snaps your photo on the bike.  Yay the good shoulders are back! Can you tell i am happy to have some muscles in my arms:)  And the GW tats :) Ok i am amusing myself, now back to the race report. 

I saw Lisa running out of T2 as i entered so i sorta figured I was solidly in 3rd with not much hope to catch a speedy Lendway sister. My toes were a bit numb so i had a harder time putting my shoes on but once i got going i shuffled up the hill and out the park gate. 

I set my sights on some dude's to catch and that i did. A few dudes went by me but I just kept my pace. The run course really rolls as it hits some gravel roads and then you end out back on Square Lake Trail ( where we biked out of the park) and i was greeted by Mike on his new road bike. Super fun to see him and hear him cheer me on. It was his first time at a race. Afterwards he said " Everyone looked in pain. " :) And then he also said the guy in 2nd was super grumpy. Well yes he may have been bc Heather was chicking him. 

Anyways I negative split the run which likely means I decided to not let a few guys go by me, but overall I remembered what a nearly OLY distance felt like. 5 mile run isnt a 10k but after IM training 5 was enough. I ended up 3rd, knowing a few AG Women were fast I was relieved to see nobody caught me.  

Me and the Lendway sisters! Heather WON THE ENTIRE RACE!! #SHEISACHAMP!!!

A good reason to race in MN

 And so there you have it. The week prior I was doing normal stuff like going to the theatre with Mike, who keeps me cultured. And sleeping a bit more, and dragging my feet to get out to ride when its below 50 deg. The indoor pool is too hot and too short ( miss my 50m pool) and its a tough time of year bc summer is all but gone. It's also a tough time of year bc it's Rich's birthday ( August 29), the Anniversary of his passing from this earth ( Sept 28), and also our wedding anniversary ( Nov 7).
Sigh. Lots of fall things that make me love the fall but also a bit uneasy.

Im glad I have a nice guy in my life to laugh and have fun with. And someone that when i start taking myself and triathlon too seriously tells me that he is going to just drink beer and not workout anymore. Its a funny banter we have but i am thrilled he loves his new Felt road bike and is quickly figuring out how to clip in and out. Not bad for a guy who has never ridden a road bike before. Doesnt get easier as you get older!

So that is it for now. I am doing the TC 10 miler if JH doesnt kill me and my hammies dont cry uncle. After that its some much needed time off and a few fall trips. Thanks for reading my hodge podge of a blog update! 

Ironman Canada: Run and the End. ( I promise)

I got into T2 and was so relieved to hand that bike off. Sweet. My lowerback was tight! My new bike is a bit more agressively fit so I felt it a bit running into the change tent.  A nice volunteer helped me out and she said she was supposed to race but her bike didnt get here, so she did the swim and then vounteered. How neat is that. First off I sat on my glasses. So i said " your most impt job all day is to get these lens back in." and she went to work.

When i returned home I had a friend request from her, turns out she is a PT and lives near CDA where she had raced earlier this year. I knew i could have hung out in T2 and talked with her. But i got on my way.

Running out was as usual like running on coals. FAST! I had to scale it back and try to slow. it. down.
My legs did feel a bit ( ALOT) trashed from that ride but i didnt spend too much time dwelling on that.I Really had a pretty good head thru this entire run. Yay me running. I honestly was so excited to run:) not only bc i felt PREPARED for it but bc i love to run! My fuel plan was good, and i was ready for some hot running!

Leaving T2

I was thankful for the sunscreen people who made me look like Casper but this pic doesnt even show it! 

So miles 1-13 clicked off pretty good. I was holding around 8:30-8:40 and wasnt in distress at all. Taking fluids each station. I did have a feeling i may need to pee or....and so i stopped. That was good but it took me awhile to get rolling again.It did get hot and yes be careful what you wish for, but i was never OVERHEATED. I Took ice and water mostly, the Perform just was like rot gut especially hot. I stuck to my fuel plan and until about mile 18 that was just fine. 

The course is great. I can only report on what my Garmin said and what my legs said but i did not have more than 1k of climbing. I am reading all sorts of crazy reports but this was not a hilly course. Rolling yes espec around the lake on gravel but that was shaded as was at least 60% of the course. So I did not feel this was a hard run course and there was nothing like Observatory hill where you are really looking UP and your legs are screaming at you. Like Madison lots of pathes and turns and not alot of open road but it was great to have so many people ( ala state street) SCREAMING your name and telling you how great you looked. Even if they were lying it made my day to hear people say " your cadence looks good, your form looks great!" bc as we all know a blank look from someone means we read it as " You look like crap."  ( or they are just tired, which i also get) 

I know was WAY OFF the mark for 1-5 in my AG but i never gave up hope to chase a few down. On the 2nd loop I know i passed a few but at that point compression sleeves and washed off ink make it hard, and is that woman on her 1st of 2nd lap? You sorta just go into your own world. As I said i was good for 1 loop then i got a bit of that tunnel vision. I didnt feel bonky but i did make it my mission to control this and if that  meant slowing at all the aid stations it did. I stopped to walk all the stations and was there 1-2 minutes getting what i needed and then back up and running. I didnt micromanage my watch /garmin and i did stop a few more times at the porta potty but all was fine. When i was running i think i was moving along at 9 min miles. So actually not as slow as it appears. To be honest I havent looked at the results. Its hard for me to see them. Maybe i am just being a fragile ego but getting spanked that bad on the swim and bike was not my plan. But it is what it is and i just decided that i wanted to stay positive about this entire race and experience so why look and get down on myself ? I will look when i am feeling a bit less vlunerable about it all. When i am recovered.

Feeling pretty good here, and you know what? why not smile and wave. I was having fun!

So that last half of the marathon I never really had any LOW LOW I am so miserable moments. I did have some anterior hip pain ( TFL if you care) that around mile23 decided to bark at my ITB and i thought " Hey,thanks for waiting till mile 23 and not at mile 20 like in Wisconsin" and i managed that. It hurt but i ran thru it and honestly? That was it. I was happy with how i finished and that all the sudden the finish chute was THERE! Having no clue on my time ( total time) to see sub 12 made me super happy and i thought i was pretty close to 4 hours. 4:05. Sub 4 is gonna happen as is sub 6 on the bike. Yes I did say that.

Analyzing my form is my fun time, and looks ok. Upright not all hunched over, a bit of lateral whip on the finish pic on my right side but not alot of hip drop. My glutes did their job and i think the ITB thing happens when my glute med got tired. Mile 23 isnt bad afterall. Ok that ends the PT talk.


Am I happy with this race? YES.  And i am happy with how i am recovering. I had such a distorted race and recovery in 2012 that it makes me super happy and also sort of feeling like a ROCKSTAR today, that i feel so good. Then i go " oh ya last time i did an IM my recovery was not really that happy or recovery-esque bc of Rich." and i mean that in a loving way not in a selfish way.

So today to be thinking about another, and to ready to swim biek run NOW ( i am not doing anything hard or formal dont worry) is fun. I dont take any of this for granted and i am super thankful that my body lets me do this.

Do i think about changes for next year? of course. But my number one goal with all this is always to be injury free and healthy. Meaning not to do something that would endanger my overall health. And i think so far I am doing well with that.

Many thanks go to my sister Elizabeth who sherpa'd me like a star. Cant do it without her.
My rehab hands, Heather, Crystal and her team, Kevin my rolfer, Kara my DC who puts my first rib back in place and any other random thorax issues, Christine who is my LMT and of course Jen my coach.
Cant leave out my family and Mike who somehow think I am crazy but love me anyways. And when i asked Mike if i could do another one he said " who am i to say you cant ?" So may need a bit more discussion on that :)

Here are a few more pictures:

CANT GET THIS OFFFFFFFFF!

Sister time

YUM, lots a fresh berries

crisis diverted. We flew into Rain and 50

Never going to do CDA, 65 deg is my limit. 

Ironman Canada Continued....

Ok sorry about that. I had to go to a Lyle Lovett concert. Super guy and the sort of guy you want to have coffee with. Other than the Gestapo couple that was in front of us telling everyone to be quiet...um hello. We are at the zoo outdoors, if you want a perfectly controlled environment stay at home in your throne's and put in a CD, Annoying to say the least. We werent even drinking and the people around us were getting some MAJOR stinkeye from the control couple.

So that is why I had to stop writing. Oh and to clean my pool and to take a nap.

And pay attention to Mike since he missed me when i was riding my bike for XXX hours.

Speaking of Bikes....

The ride starts uphill immediately, and its pretty shaded. I was chilled to say the least but when we would hit a sunny patch i knew i was going to be ok. We climbed out of Rainbow park and thru Whistler then we headed up to the Biathlon/bobsled area in Callaghan Valley. It was an abrupt UP. yikes, standing still anyone? I was relieved to see my power was working. 

My last two big races ( meaning not OLY or sprints) the power had gone nuts. IM Wisconsin i averaged 600 watts for my NP( #EPO?), and this year at Liberty same. So happy that i had some feedback. Jen and I had decided that with the punchiness of this race an Average power reading would be hard since there is so much up and down so i really rode by feel and at the end of the bike my power was exactly where it should have been if not a bit high. I had been training FINE a bit higher than IMWatts so this was good and expected.

This course is so pretty and actually I was nearly 2:30 in and had this " wait, i am close to half done?" 

Now this is assuming i would come in under 6 hours. ( someday) Now i know where i am on the timeline due to the feed bag:) While i am always toying with what works my fuel plan was one i had last year but since i didnt race an IMlast year I wasnt sure how it would play out. It involves powerbars, powergels and perform. No water. The tweak i need is more water. I just dont know how athletes and pro's who use this can do it with no water.

Other than that I think its a go. Shot blocks and gels on the run, but i will get to that. 

Main issue i have had with the powerbars is that my jaw cramps. Seriously. This has happened to a few people i know, and it hurts. The chewing of the bars has had my jaw sore more than once. Sorta funny actually. But since Camp in March i have been using this plan so that was what I would use. May jump on the OSMO wagon next year but honestly I do NOT like the taste of that drink. So adding water may be my plan. Bc I am not a small man i know but I also think triathletes are quick on gimmicks and the latest fad. Hate me for saying that but its true, right Angela? 

The best part of the bike was i really didnt get bored and never really had a super low spot. I love climbing and if anything the scary spots were the guys who i had passed would BOMB down behind me and I never knew if they would hold a line. I admit to one LOW spot or well, negative stretch. 

In the flats of Pemberton ( which reminded me of home, cows and horses and rolling, not really FLAT) a girl was so OBVIOUSLY leap frogging on wheels I had to say something. At first i thought maybe it was just that one wheel she was on, but when that one got away she went to the next and the next. 

I finally said something and she told me to " SHUT UP." I told her to " GET A LIFE, this isnt a team sport" and that was it. I passed her back out of Pemberton on the climb back into Whistler which made me quite happy. #Cheatersneverwin

The only true low point was the " pee on the bike " thing. Not easy for me to do when i am cold too. So i stopped and not to be gross but its good i did bc I had to do more than pee. So much better. I cant beleive at IM Moo the first time i did that i held it in for 6 hours. I was able to refill my bottles and why cant they make a PERFORM bottle that stays in your cage or has a spout that is easier to open. Heck, that is annoying. For anyone who hasnt done an IM( cheryl) be ready to struggle with those tops. I dont use a sippy cup as you can see, but i would actually put bottles in special needs next time to avoid using those dumb Peformbottles. 

Speaking of that climb. I had done the math and figured i could getback to T2 under 6 hours IF i could average 19 mph. Not hard on a rolling or flat course. But comingback into town I think i averaged about 13! Holy hills and 10% grades. I just read Jackie Arendts blog about trying to save something for the end and...well...agreed. Hard to not burn matches on a course like this. I was just really happy to be headed back and while my Right quad ( VMO) got very sore i knew this has happened at Lemmon when i am not conditioned and i knew running on it would be fine. 

IF i were to do this course again, or as i told Jen,if she has any other athletes do it ( I was her first)i would do MANY MANY more hill repeats in the middle of long rides. I didnt do enough hills. and while i have to say i dont live in the mountains. i do have some steep 10% and around that grade hills i could have done more of. I did a few at the end of 100 mile rides but 1-2 was not sufficient. 8-10 would have been. Either way I thought it was lovely and i am so so so thankful that we didnt have rain. That would have been cold and a crashfest. 

Ok have to go to work so run is coming. I was so happy to get to run! 

Ironman Canada

Ok sorry ( Cheryl) but i have been busy boating and drinking lemon drop martinis. I dont know how most people do this every weekend. I think its way more tiring than training! But a good change.

So.....
Swim :) I had two chances to swim in Alta Lake before race day. Both times it was 45-50 deg air and windy. So COLD. The water didnt feel much warmer and my internal temperature said it was close to 60 deg. So i can do that. But i was sure cold when i got out. Lovely water though and amazing views. We didnt see the course marked till we got down there race AM so it was a guessing game and just a chance to stretch it out and for me, to plan for the 1st hour freeze i knew i would have on the bike.

Race day dawned and I wont bore you with the " here is what i ate" that everyone seems to be interested in. If you care it was the same old same old ...rice toast with nut butter, banana, a few other secret things ( not really, whey) but i met up with Jared and we dropped bags and headed to the swim. We had to bus down there and they moved us along really well and fast. It was crazy that it was race day. I remember thinking the AM of my first IM that the next time i would come back to that hotel room I wouldbe an Ironman. I took a moment to smile at that thought, bc the day goes SO FAST once you are out there.

We arrived at the swim start and it was lovely out, a bit chilly around 50 deg and dry. So we hovered in our morning clothes till the last minute. I had a hate and a jacket and pants. Gloves even. The sun was so nice and i knew that would be my saving grace as i rode that first hour. Alot of athletes had been in a tizzy pre race dropping their bikes off. " What pressure? Should i deflate a a bit. At IM florida this happened, they may pop, etc..." I just stuck with my plan that I use and that is to NOT TOUCH them race morning unless they are obviously flat or lower. I think you can overinflate or mess your valve, blow em up the night prior and unless its 100 deg out just leave em. All good when i arrived. Loaded nutrition and then just waited.

About 1 hour pre swim i ate 1/2 a powerbar. Then 15 min pre start a gel. And water. I was topped off for sure. When i got in the water with Jared I Said my good byes and we seperated. I wanted nothing to do with the buoy line and so was going to swim a bit wide and hopefully avoid the corner mayhem. It was really hard to tell even where the start line was and even when the cannon went off we were a bit confused, no count down. " That is it?" and off we went. IT was the typical mayhem for a bit, the usual folks ( green caps, sorry) who start out fast and fade after 400 m. So i still stayed outside the buoy line and while it felt congested i could swim. I really feel like the first loop went by slowly. I was trying to avoid the sandwich effect where i see two caps ( green) coming at me from both ways and i am the center target. They dont know it but neither is swimming straight but will collide with me in the middle. Its good to be able to bilateral breathe! So i would have to dodge or often go behind one, and then find a clear path. The 2nd loop felt a bit faster but i still really didnt feel i had good open water. My swim time was not as fast as I Wanted but it is what it is, and it was over before i knew it. Two loops was surely slower than one but it was lovely out there and while i had a few moments of " I am cold " I tried to just forget about it.

Running into the change tent the volunteer said " YOU will warm up fast, you will warm up fast..." over and over bc i was shaking. I did put on a base layer and arm warmers and no i did NOT overheat. So there :)  It was a super thin baselayer and that first hour with the shade and some descending i couldnt have been happier. Arm warmers came off around 2-3 hours in but i can handle that heat, it wasnt that hot ( to me)

The funny things i remember about the swim:
My engagement ring sits on my right hand, and it was swinging like mad. I knew it wouldnt fall off bc my knuckle is big enough but i was thinking how i didnt want Rich at the bottom of the lake.

I wished it was a 1 lap swim.

Everytime i tried to get closer to the buoy line i decided i didnt like getting hit or punched or kicked enough and i moved gently back to the side about 10 feet. It was minimal why bother.

I think i am a strong swimmer but i really felt flat the first 500 M. I really think that things kick in for me about half way in a swim this distance. Being patient helped but it sure felt like a long swim. Many said it was but whatever, moving on it was time to bike.

Ironman Canada : You pay money to do that ? Says one of my senior residents i work with:)

So I was thinking about this race, and thinking i may not even blog about it. But it was so much more than a race that I want to get that down on paper ( paper?) Looking back at my other Ironmans, bc really for ME at least I dont just sign up for an IM bc it's there. Of course number 1 ( 2011 IMMOO) was bc I had done the other distances and I wanted to see what this IM thing was. No intention of doing another. haha. Ya, well....Race went well but at that point I had no clue on the fuel thing and that 20 gels later and too much salt ( since then i know i dont need extra NaCl) would leave my marathon in the GI distress file. Lets just say I didnt feel so hot after that run. Rich, having complete faith in my health : " Nah you dont need an IV." Then the next day...having been up all night " you should have had fluids..." Whopsy.

WHOA i cant walk but i am happy, till i suddenly nearly fainted

Ironman 2 came sorta unexpectedly. Yes I did sign up so it wasnt Active.com divine intervention. 

I remember the day, it was a WED that Rich walked into the kitchen and told me he had been down to Mayo and his cancer had come back. He had spots on his lungs. From there things pretty much got all tornadic in my life and somehow i signed up for another Ironman. IMMOO 2012 was going to happen and while i think Rich was scared for me ( since I really didnt feel so HOT after the 1st) but he also was 100% supportive since it was something I was doing for me. It was mine. As the days, and months went on with his cancer progressing, and the oncology visits and chemo and all that goes into taking care of him it was evident that i NEEDED to have something that had nothing to do with cancer, and his health. That may sound sorta distorted, but in hindsight and even after the race I saw how i was better able to care for him bc I had taken time for me. Pick your hobby, but mine was Ironman. Granted he did ALMOST all my rides with me, and when i tried to drop out he said " WE have trained hard for his, WE are going." and we did. But in 2012 i was not in a good " mental " place before that race. or during. or after. Rich died about 2 weeks after that race. 

Super Fan!

Way better than 2011! 

I realized that going into the swim crying and feeling weak was no way to hang out with 3000 of my best friends. Nobody had tissues. So i shut that emotion down and swam. Of course it cameback on the bike. Longest bike ride EVER.

So my point in writing this is that I came to Canada in a good mental place. Ya some physical stuff but dont we always have that hanging over us? I was ready to face IM again but I just wasnt ready to do it in Madison bc the emotions were still pretty fresh. Granted it was a year ago that i signed up, and having conquered Whistler I am really proud that I went back in. It was a good idea to go someplace different for me, get some new memories. And I will say that being 100% mentally ok for an Ironman made it that much easier and enjoyable.

Ok I will write an actual race report next, I promise:)

The Pre Race " What's been going on?" IM CANADA

Hey all of you ( 4) readers. Its been quiet here hasnt it. Mostly because I have been busy, focused, working, in a relationship, training. Not reading blogs much and surely not writing. I left off at Liberty Tri. A rough one. One that Jared and I talked about ALOT leading into Canada in the "WHAT IF..." department.

I had some sore lower legs ( lets just call them Calf mm since you dont care exactly what they are do you) and 13 days not running put a bit of a " scare " in me. Turns out after consulting my friendly MD who I dearly depend on, this can happen when its this cold and wet and you run on legs that are frozen. Nothing was torn, nothing was even remotely long term damaged, they just were without blood for too long and well...There ya go. Sore. So I was able to ride ok but really took it easy with getting back to runs.

Louisville became and option, as did Maryland, as did paying alot of money to do Wisconsin. Because as much as i wanted to get away from Madison, part of me longed for the " I know that course " thing. In the long run and after maybe 1-2 nights tossing on this possible loss of much $$ and dreams of Canada I decided this. I can run pretty well. I maybe undertrained but whatever. I am going to Canada and unless I have some really bad issue where i cant even run, even if my longest run is 16 miles i am going. And it all worked out. Longest run turned out to be 20 and I built up to that nicely. All ok.

So in the mean time in additon to training I had a nice time at the cabin, was training ALOT up there over the 4th so family and BF were used to the " yes i can walk 1 mile but not 5 and not rough rocky terrain bc i have to run XXX tmmrw" sort of talk. So I am excited now for August to be able to walk anyplace and not worry about my training or twisting an ankle! As we get older ( WE, haha how old are you?) things dont always go as planned. Little things talk more and sometimes it takes a few morehands on you than " ya its been a month since my last massage." For me, knowing what works for me it means bodywork, rolf, massage, PT ( mostly this is strength and keeping things in balance), ART, and two different Chiro's. One adjusts, the other does soft tissue. Ya talk about high maintenance. But i know my body and i know the ART chiro wont adjust my first rib. So this is like a 2nd job. Its worth it, but its alot of energy. and time. and money.

And in the end its all up to your head and body to be ok with where you are and decide its go time. My taper lasted about 2 weeks. Perfect. I was nervous about this, the 1st week i was tired, didnt think it was enough. But it was. Enough that i had no niggles, I had not real taper issues at all. Loved it.

We flew out on WED night and home Tuesday after the race. The rains and cold we arrived in scared me but i trusted the forecast even though ( see Jared see Liberty) i had packed like i could be racing in 50 and rain. Trust me this would have been ugly for bike safety not to mention swimming in a hypothermic lake. And lets not think about those calves again. My sister Elizabeth came armed with plans to learn the trails on her bike and by foot. She was a godsend and I cant thank her enough for driving me around. Pretty much everywhere. And She does NOT LIKE TO DRIVE. What a gift she is to me.

So I will write more about the race but wanted to get the pre race jargon out there....

Liberty Half Iron Race Report

I've been putting off writing this for a few reasons, none of which has to do with my placement or my performance. But to be honest I left this race ready to give up long course racing. No joke. Sometimes the elements, that i know i have NO CONTROL over, are just enough to put you over the edge. I am glad to say i stayed on the edge and other than some VERY SORE calf muscles that are still reminding me of the elements, I am back wanting to keep racing, well at least training...ideally in sunny and 80, no  lets make that 90!

Ok so on with the report:

Even before the wetsuit dance and walk to the water we had a 30 min " grab your stuff minus your bikes and take cover" break. At that point I had started to plan my workout for sunday. A nice day of getting in the distance without the aftermath of racing a half.

Pre Swim: We were delayed an hour or more. The rain and storms were pretty obvious if you looked at a radar and when I woke up i could see the waves of colored blobs that were supposed to come thru at race start and thru the morning. So we were warming up and the RD said he was going to start us even later bc " the roads are flooded and the police arent sure about corners. " GULP. um ok.

Swim: So in the elite wave we are cleared and the rain is SORTA letting up or maybe i just got used to it. Swim was fine, uneventful. I usually find myself swimming with elite guys that may or may not be good open water siters, so i tend to not trust feet. These are the same guys that blow by me like they are late for a wedding about 2-5 miles into the bike. Hi Guys. I was fine, worked hard but not hard enough that it didnt cross my mind that i wouldnt mind another lap bc it was 70 deg in the water and i was pretty comfortable.

T1: a soggy run to the bikes and the onset of the " OMG its cold " I had everything in bags so i just grabbed my wind vest, stuffed my food in the back pocket and then some arm warmers. My problem was that i couldnt get them on. They are soft and fleecy and have hands ( which i hadnt planned to use) but i kept getting caught up even tho they were rolled into donuts. So i took off, glasses on too.

Hey Kerry, you caught me with my nouth full.
Picture from Yndecam

T1 + 1.0 miles: Damn it i need these arm warmers, and i cant see a thing with these glasses. So i pulled over and took off the glasses ( they were tinted for darker days but there was too much road spray, etc) and the arm warmers needed both hands plus some to get on. Finally i was rolling along.

Bike: Did i mention that I was hitting 1200 Watts leaving the park? Yes my bike fitness has been strong and i feel really good about my bike right now, but not that good. So out goes the need or guide of a powermeter, and maybe that was ok. Every so often i looked thinking MAYBE it settled down but i was averaging 6-700 Watts. Go me.
Since i couldnt see too well it was ok and i realized that my best bet was to stay upright, follow my fuel plan and try to get this thing over with as fast as i can. The problem was i was dropping stuff. And a half iron bike isnt really one you can "wish away," so while i wanted to be all " bada$$" about my bike i had to be smart too.
I couldnt see much other than being passed alot, and there were ALOT of cars, not sure what that was about but it created more road spray. Just when you thought you had a break from mother nature the skies would open up and the wind would pick up with a turn. In hindsight i stopped 4 times. I dropped a bottle, i dropped a gel. I hit a lip in the road ( construction) and my fast air popped out. So while waiting for cars and other bikes I would turn back to get what i dropped. When i look at the times i get frustrated with that, but it was the best thing for me to do since going into a 13mile run underfueled AND FREEZING wasnt smart.

"Ok now i cant feel my feet and my hands are pretty numb too. How is this dismount going to go again?"
Yndecam

T2: Thank the LORD i am done and safely. I knew my legs were really cold though as my adductors had cramped a bit and i knew i was riding at a lower cadence to keep the bike on the road. I had to ask a guy a few racks over to unbuckle my helmet. Thanks dude. Then i had to sit down to get my shoes on. I couldnt feel my hands so I ALMOST ditched the socks but knew better. These socks are super easy to put on but not when you lack fine motor skills.
" Squish Squish Squish" was a common sound as we ran out of the grassy Bog known as Transition onto the path which itself had a few rivers forming.

Run: I hoped i would warm up. Core temp had been ok after about 30 miles of biking but my feet, lower legs and hands were still really really cold. This obviously made me feel like i had NO rhythm at all during the run. By mile 4 i was already doing the countdown game " 9 more miles, you run 9 miles all the time. " I made a math error at mile 7 somehow telling myself i had 5 miles. Duh. I had no GI issues at all, cant stand the HEED that seems to be prevalent at our races, so stuck to water and Powergels on target.
I really had no energy highs or lows, and at no point did i think I was going to " drop, cramp, slow or lose it." But by mile 9 my Glutes were feeling incredibly tight and I was starting to feel like my chest was really tight. The last 3 miles is pretty uphill and i passed a few people and that was a good thing, alot of women dont race elite though so i knew i wasnt really passing them in the chronological sense but it still feels good to finish strong.

Finish: Finish strong i did and when i stopped both lower legs SEIZED. I have never had that happen before. So i limped my way to the water and since i had really fueled like a champ all i could stomach was some animal crackers. Plus i started to have the uncontrolled shivers.

Aftermath: The Aftermath i would have liked to avoid was driving home with the seat warmers and heat to 80, a hot bath that finally got my core temp up but likely did nothing for my sore and seized soleus mm, and a headache that lasted 24 hours. ( I thought maybe it was caffeine induced but then i had some caffeine sunday and it didnt go away so i think it was from squinting in the rain for 2 1/2 hours ++ While riding)

On the Plus side....." crickets..."

No really I finish what i start. Had they called it I would have been fine. I didnt end up in an ambulance like a few did, or with road rash. I learned that i need more clothing and i need to have every sort of outfit and gloves and calf sleeves available. I learned that I dont need to sign up for races in MN in June:)  Kansas looked pretty nice!

I hate to sound deflated and sour grapes but all i wanted to do was cry after that race. I Am still really sore and i will likely be moving some workouts for this weekend bc i cant stand on the pedals yet. Was that worth it when i have an IM in 7 weeks? I dont know really. Im pleased i had a great swim, felt strong on the bike despite the conditions and that i folllowed my fuel plan and have had no nutritional issues. The run was a run done on cold legs, not much more to say to that!

The party for my dads 87th was postponed due to our crappy weather. ( YA... he is a rockstar) That was ok. Im a great hostesss but i dont think my pool was inviting to family when it was in the 50's and raining. Oiy. Why do i live here again?

Well there you have it. Thanks for reading!

Gear West Duathlon Race Report

Ok got some pics and actually there is a Video up at the finish so you could watch yourself finish. Sorta fun. Considering i passed a gal within 100 Yards of the finish. I never miss a chance to run down a drop shot.

So the race. This, other than a fall du Iron girl, is the only one i usually do. Though to be honest i sorta like them and with the cold springs we are having I may try to do a few more next year. Anyways. The race is not typical. This year Sean, the RD, dubbed it "MUD SWEAT AND GLORY." Every year it is usually a mud fest on the ball fields and orchards of Orono Middle school. This year we got lucky. There was soft grass for sure but no shoes were lost, stepped out of, and as far as my race goes i didnt STEP into anything that really made me say " UGH." That being said there were some LEAPS over gullys and some tests of the ol' hamstring as you jumped to avoid a deep wet area.

Drew promised me this was waist up. oops. I was sorta pretending i had muscles to pose. PRETEND being the key word here. Pre race fun with the best shop in town. ( or any town for that matter)

Something was funny. I am not sure what:) 

 So run 1: You start on a road the then run about 1/2 mile before you jump back into the fields. Photo below is run 1, lots of running in and out of grass and well...lots of people go off course:) Its marked but the 2nd run you have to sorta pay attn otherwise you end up elsewhere. Been there.
Run 1 was good for me. I took it out hard and held it and thought " ok lets see what happens. " I know in theory you should hold back but that just doesnt really seem to enter my mind in a race.
Transitions were actually decent. My new bike is lower and so the T issue isnt really getting in and out its the getting the shoes on and not falling over.

Just out of T1 with Sara on my heels. 

 So Bike! ITs about 18 miles, not quite 30k i think. Super rolling and super fun. Its one where you need to always keep the gas on bc there are ample chances to rest as in the photo below.
Sara ( Yay Dartmouth grad) told me before the run that she was going to " sit right behind you the entire race." and That she did! Legally. On the bike she was in front, besides, behind...sorta a nice thing to ride legally with a nice person. Luckily i didnt get all Dartmouth chit chat with her bc i couldnt breathe. I would pass her up and she would PASS me down. All good. I thought i lost her then within 2 miles she was right there. Oops:) I think she put the gas on bc i didnt slow up.

Grimace of Sarah is coming to get me, pedal hard on the downhill! 

I knew that there were many women ahead of me. I didnt know how many but i was hoping for top 10. This race is super competitive and there is always a strong field. My friend and excellent triathlete Julie Hull was there and had blown by me on the bike and i knew i didnt have too much chance to catch her but why not try? 

So as I started the 2nd run I just thought " ouch, are we done yet?" I passed claire which felt wrong, but   she sure helped me run fast at the start of the run but i think she could hear me breathing on her so she may have been happy. She slapped me on the butt and said " go get it." And then i saw Andrea up ahead. I was closing but i also knew Sarah ( Go Dartmouth) was close to me too. This run snakes in and out so you see people behind you. AWFUL! You had better get moving:) So the finish of the run goes around a track and i got closer to andrea but she was not budging. As we did a 180 on wet grass and got to the walkway behind the tennis courts ( Asphalt) I hit it and just went for it up the slight incline. We turned Left into the Finish chute and I never looked back. Super happy with that, and knock on wood i could walk the next day so it was worth it. 

I finished top AG and 10th :) Thanks to Andrea there was a girl who doesnt race Elite and usually races AG and i think i got her by about 1 second. Hard when you dont know your competition. But that is her choice i guess...hmm.....If i hadnt sprinted i may not have gotten 10th.

So now its on to IRONMAN TRAINING:) Its always good to know that while those short ones HURT, they are over SO FAST. Grass is always greener isnt it. And i am lucky that i like them and seem to have some speed in my legs at 48 years young. 

Thanks to the volunteers, thanks especially to John at Gear West, Hannah and Sean for all the help with Penelope the new bike and special thanks to Chris Balser the BIKE FIT GURU bc he and I spent ALOT Of time together last week. I think we are close to finding a good fit. 

Best news is that our weather seems to be warming up , sorta. I will believe it when i see it but at least the forecast is for 60-80 not 40-60. 

Thanks for reading:) Stay healthy and be well!

Gear West Duathlon; A look back!

I dont have any photos yet from the Duathlon yesterday so i will start out with what i have been thinking lately. I miss Rich:) I miss his enthusiasm, his ability to not take life too seriously, and his always happy demeanor on the bike. " Any day riding is a good day." With this always on my mind I have found it easier to race because i know how lucky i am to be riding my bike. Or moving at all. Sometimes this makes me want to stay in bed and not get up. It makes me think that I dont HAVE TO DO THIS racing stuff. Or this Ironman stuff. I could just be happy riding my bike around and running if i feel like it. 

But then I always remember that I GET TO DO THIS. And Pressure is something i put on myself. When i used to play tennis i had a lot of pre-competition anxiety. It carried into my game bc with tennis,   you can really turn yourself inside out if your head isnt where it should be. Luckily with triathlon this doesnt happen to me. Once the gun goes off I do my part. IF i am lucky enough to pass someone, good for me. If someone is lucky enough to be trained well and fit to pass me, then good for them. It may not be anything to do with my performance, they are having a good day. These head games i used to play in tennis have really helped me accept my performances and the memory of Rich has sure helped me enjoy that i get to be out there. 

I will write more once i get some pics from sunday. 

Rich at BOUS with me, he was practicing my finish

Rich with my sister waiting for me at IM Wisconsin. They had written TRUST on the road for me. To TRUST myself. 

And now a look back at some other GW du's

With STeve in a speedo, it was cold that day. I think this was  my first one.

ME, Kort and Karen showing off our mud.

MUDDY SHOES

Me, Marta, Jen post race maybe 3 yrs ago?

Tucson Pre-Camp, Camp, and Easter

Well I guess this is what I get when i dont update very often. Lots to say:)

After the winter we have had and actually had after I returned home...( ahem snow) I was so ready for some hot hot temps. Which I got! I will never ever get sick of this view:

View from my Mother in Law's condo in Green Valley

Obviously Stacey and I had a blast with Rosemary despite Stacey's bike shop trying to sabotage our Madera climb. ( PEOPLE ITS not MADEIRA, no "I") my first ride i ever did with Rich was up Madera and i will do it as long as I can. Serious HTFU those last 1.5 miles.

My love of free range Grass Fed beef is shown above. We had a nice time down there with her, too short but then we headed back up to Tucson to claim our beds and meet up with Caroline. Who I started calling CLINE, and confused the heck out of Stacey and others wondering who this new camper was going to be.

We got in some solid rides and runs before camp even started and come the last day of camp i was sorta wondering what i had done. Turns out I got in a SOLID 6 days of running and biking, no regrets at all!

 Day One: Swim in the AM, it was cloudy really? With my cute lanemates. We did a solid 4k i think and i waved at Cline in the next lane who was getting her thrashing but keeping up in the REAL SWIMMER lane:) Here is my favorite quote of the day from JH " The difference btwn your lane
( pointing to us) and THAT lane ( pointing to the Stacey, Melissa, Caroline swimmer lane) is that you guys are too pretty you are too nice underwater, especially you Julia." She may have mentioned me lacking power ( um, hello bird arms) but i just decided to " keep on swimming keep on swimming...."

 After the swim we had a quick change to get ready for "Gates Pass->McCain Loops x 3 and Julia's bonus round". Sorry. I made a wrong turn and took a few gals on a tour of Tucson. My Garmin stopped but Christie got 82 miles and i rode an extra loop so i am rounding to 90:) Yay us. Sorry gals. But heck it was 95 deg in there and i loved it. Pippi got hot and tired and i felt bad for that, but we all made it home safely.

Day Two: LEMMON!

This is my best pic of Lemmon. My homemade gloves. Should taken a pic of the garbage bags and newspaper and duct tape:) It was super windy as we went up and it just got chilly. It wasnt THAT COLD but i had no clothing and after being sweaty on the way up I got really chilled dipping down at 21 and climbing back up to the cabin. Cline shared her cocoa with me and i didnt even want a cookie.
The ride itself? Awesome. I had some juice to go when i wanted to go and was able to chill out when i wanted to just chill out.  Using my IM fuel plan has taken discipline but i really think its working. We can talk more about that later, but I am buying into the "do the same fuel no matter if its an hour or a 5 hour day. "
T run was glorious as it was hot and i clocked in a rolling 4 miles and then hit Le Buzz for my first iced decaf espresso of the year. That caffeine thing, so easy to avoid when its warm, so hard to avoid when i got home and it was cold, snowing and 30 deg.  PROOF BELOW

This night was on our own:

I cant remember what we did but i know i did some of this ^^^^
My BF is a serious popcorn lover, i couldnt not have it when i was there. Salty goodness. Cute that they had a heart bowl so i could pretend i was eating it with him.

Day Three: Run and Lemmon Repeats.
In some serious need of me time i decided to run solo. I ran from the house with Cline and then ran around Sabino avoiding the lateral lower leg trauma ( peroneals anyone?) I get every year descending Phoneline trail. I missed the view but i was rewarded with some great trails, some solo time where i was the only one talking at myself, and a solid 11.5 miles in my longest run of the year. I love trails but i am used to trails that arent rocky and twisty to descend.

Onto Lemmon we go!
For what I dread but also love. TIME TRIAL EFFORTS! I hit these hard, thinking i would hold back and do the 2nd faster i went out and let it rip. I started 4th and gradually made a few passes and watched as Cline cheered for me up ahead. ( LOL) she was likely fried but I had to giggle at her. Thanks girl:) The 2nd one hurt like a Beast. But i was only 25 sec slower which with wind and effort and what we did in the AM I was totally fine with. I told Jen that i thought this was a BIT AGGRESSIVE, but i loved it. ( ok that is an inside joke)

Then onto Yoga at LULU to earn our dinner at Blanco. Yoga was fun. And Funny. And after 3000 downward dogs my calves did feel looser, i will leave it at that.

Day Four: the final day!
JH had us do a challenging Hill run, and HILLY it was. THIS WAS SURELY aggressive. But i am glad i did it. I had said i may not run bc it was my 6th day running and at the geriatric age of nearly 48 I was a bit shy. But i felt ok. My glutes were sore from riding so taking a ride seemed less than appealling. So off i went keeping Cline and Jerome and Dan in my sights and clocked it in and was glad i had done it. I would love to do that run with fresh legs. As Caroline noted JH Does this as a TT for her time when she comes down. What a great run!

Then a bit of time to get ready for the last swim. We had done a 1650 TT the first swim and i was dreading that more bc my brain was dead. I also had a bit of  a tummy upset from the mexican and wasnt sure how i would feel in the pool. Truth be told i felt pretty nauseated mid swim, and when we had to do 25 sprints from a tread i was not sure i was going to make it. I Did of course but i think i was just tired. That entire day i felt a bit off. WE went for Fro Yo and ended up with Gelato that just didnt sound good. Too rich. I was happy to get a bit of appetite back for dinner out. Below are some of my favorite camp photos:

This camp would not be camp without Jerome. Who says very little, says very little negative and always has a grin and a helpful tip for you. Even if its " yes I will drink that for you Jenny."

What a great photo, this laugh says it all. 

Roomates unite! She didnt snore and shared her hairbrush with me. What a gal. 

Yes Jenny i will take that for you...

And the final night crew, those that stayed on one night to laugh our brains off and drink some margaritas

So now that i am home what is new? This is new: Easter ride on Penelope, the new bike. She did great, and while i love it, its going to take some getting used to.

Easter was fun, spent the weekend with the BF's family and we had some good times at the MOA ( shopping anyone?) and eating out and just hanging out. Then sunday i was with my family and the weather could not have been nicer. I wish it would hold but it wont, cooler temps and rain ahead. But 70 degrees on EASTER? We were due. 

This coming weekend i am going to madison to run in a race with the BF and to meet his parents. Should be a good time and also will likely be one of the last free weekends before the IM Training starts in earnest! Thanks for reading and hope you had a great Easter!