Glenn Thrift Challenge - 23mi trail run/hike

Woke up at 3:50am and thought "what in the world am I doing." The night before, when I got home from work at oh, about midnight I finished getting together the last minute necessities. So, thankfully I was all packed and ready to go. The event didn't actually start till6am, but we had to drive to the finish and drop a car off first. We left the house at about 4:30 and headed towards the mountains.

I had never done this event before, and was getting excited. I kept thinking, "boy, if I survive, I'm going to have some awesome bragging rights!" Well, it was about 6:15

and we were off. Turns out we all walk up the gravel trail together (so we don't get lost) for about 45-50ish minutes until sun rises and we get to the trail head. And then, ... let the fun begin!

We crossed several creeks in the first few miles. There were rocks to cross over at first, then I fell in. Yeah, I was like "watch, this is how it's done" and then .. BOOM, I went in! Since I was already wet I ended up giving Nicole a piggy back over one of them (& earning a latte!) and then I said no more!

There were some beautiful views, some awesome wipe-outs, lots of rolled ankles, several series of

steps that seemed to go straight up for-ev-er!! & then some really nice run-able (i think I just made a word) passes.

I guess I didn't eat a correct breakfast b/c about 2.5 hrs into it I bonked & almost passed out. That wasn't good. Thankfully I had a PowerBar and that definitely helped revive me.

We finished in about 5hr 45min ... and that's with our 15min lunch break, picture breaks and of course our time spent at every creek trying to find a rocky passage way.

Thank you Nicole for dragging me out there! It was a great day full of laughter ... and maybe just a little complaining on my part. =)

First Time for Everything!

#1. My biggest fear came true ... I was supposed to be at the Parris Mountain Trail Run Race at 7:15. That meant wake up at 6am to get ready and travel the 30min to the start. I woke up and ... OH NO! It's 9:45. I slept through, what was supposed to be, my first trail run race.

This is why I love traveling to races with friends. It gives me a safety net b/c I'm horrible at waking up on my own ... just ask my morning classmates at school ... i'm always late. =(

#2. Camp Croft Half-Marathon Trail Run (11-13-10)
This was great! It was an automatic PR b/c I had never done a just a half marathon (it's always been at the end of a 70.3) & I had never done a trail run.

Everyone needs to do a trail run at least once to see how much different it is from road running. Falling & rolling of the ankles was inevitable. I crossed the finish line with a bloody knee. It seemed like everyone ended w/ at least dirt if not blood on them.

I started out feeling pretty well, and then I quickly faded to shear exhaustion. I had no life/energy going up the climbs. At about mile 3 I lost the group i was running with. Just could keep up w/ them on the climbs. I ended up running by myself for a good bit of the middle part. This is where it was hard to keep going at a faster pace than just to getter done. But I tried. I kept having flash backs to Macon 70.3, where I stood in T2 & cried b/c I was so physically & mentally done. I just kept telling myself it was a race, it's supposed to hurt.

At mile 9, I started running with a girl. All I know her as was the brunet girl w/ a maroon long sleeve shirt on. We kept switching the lead and pushed each other. Running with her really helped me. She was my carrot, & I'm not sure if I would have finished if it wasn't for her. I ended with not the greatest time, but I finished and was soo happy for that!

All in all ... lots of woods, roots and dirt & a great day with friends.

Triathlete's Running Season has started!

What do triathletes do during their "off season" ... usually they ...
1. Pick what they are the worst at and focus on that
2. Try and drop some precious pounds to give them the cutting edge
3. Build muscle
4. Work on their nutrition
5. Take a mental "break" from the high intensity triathlon training
6. Rest
7. ,,,

Why do we do this? I get called CRAZY all the time and that's ok! I think all of us need to get in touch with are crazy side! =) I'll be honest, part of this is pure self-pleasure. Sure people say there is nothing pleasurable about torturing yourself. But actually, if you can embrace the pain and be dedicated ... there is nothing better than that feeling of accomplishment & the bragging rights that come with it! You also become a member of a select group that can make a difference. You make a difference in the charities that the races support. You make a difference in the lives of the people that surround you because you are a symbol of good health. You challenge them to do something beyond what they thought was conceivable b/c that's what you did.

That's what I did ... what I once thought to be inconceivable I am now doing! And, that's exciting! When I started out I couldn't run a mile , heck, I couldn't even run 3min straight. A lot has changed & it is my goal to show others what is actually attainable and as long as they swallow their fears and take that first step, they can move mountains. This isn't only for athletics, but life too. I wanted to be in the medical field, but was too scared to study it in my first undergrad. Well guess what? I swallowed my pride and my fears and am now back in school for another degree, this time nursing, and I'm loving every second of it!!

Anyone who knows me, or has read any of my posts, knows that I don't care for running all that much, so that's what I'm focusing on. My coach and I decided on about 6 different running races to do before mid-December. The first of those official races is this coming weekend (11k trail run). I've taken on a new outlook on running and am trying to stay positive. Running is not what I hate, but I'm taking it on as a challenge this winter. And, I am going to tackle it!

This week was really like my first week really back into training, since taking some time "off" so I wouldn't burn out & it was a COMPLETE SUCCESS!! I ran up Paris Mtn for the first time and it went GREAT. It was hard, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't nearly as awful as I was expecting. This weekend I was also considered a rogue runner and caught a friend at mile 3 of her first half marathon and ran the rest with her for support. She was a former Team in Training athlete and it

is exciting to see her continue in the athletic arena and strive to get faster and better. She did fantastic on this half marathon and is already talking about the next one. That's what gets me excited about what I do ... seeing someone else, who never dreamed she would ever run a half marathon or an open water triathlon and has now done both.

Inspiring others ... that's what this is really about!

At the RACES - Hickory Knob Sprnt Tri (10-16-10)

I have never laughed so hard before a race! I went down there w/ Nicole the morning of the race. We have this race starting thing down to a science ... or so we thought. Our wave goes off at 9:30, we have to gel 15-20min before that & we put our wetsuits on somewhere around there too ... so we don't overheat in them. It's like 9:00 and Jeremy (race director & President of Set Up Events) starts hollering at all the athletes to get on the dock and then get in the water. Nicole & I are standing there, like "what? surely he doesn't mean us. We don't go off for another 30min." Sure enough he did mean us. The girls that were standing there ooing over the beautiful lake and aren't anywhere near ready to start a race, yep that was us! The international distance swimmers were coming in & we had to get off the docks so they could run up and out to TA. Thank God we had stretched up at TA! We stood there frantically trying to put our wetsuits on (which is not an easy process, especially for Nicole since this is her "pre-pregnancy" wetsuit!). I swear, people were cursing at us because we were standing there in the middle of the sidewalk. Goggles, swimcaps, gels, water bottle, plastic bags ... thrown everywhere ... I'm laughing my head off, Nicole has this look of panic on her face ... it was hysterical!! =)

SWIM: We sat on the side of the dock for awhile & then finally got in. I got kicked a few times so I decided to just float behind the line of people waisting energy by treading water while I just chilled out! "30sec before wave 8 goes" - so I make my way up to the front of the line & then we are off. I swear, about 10 people ganged up on me and tried to drown me! Thankfully I swam faster than them & got out of harms way fast!

BIKE: Running to TA was difficult. Coming from the lake it was practically straight up. I stripped my wetsuit off on the dock so I wouldn't cramp & just ran as fast as I could up the huge hill. It was a hilly bike course w/ a few very steep hills ... granny gear here I come!

RUN: Guess what, the run course was hilly too. All in all I was very pleased w/ my effort. It was difficult for me, but I pushed it. Nicole came running at me on the last hill, yelling at me to push it. "It's a sprint it's supposed to hurt." Well, I was definitely hurting! I wanted to yell not so nice things, but honestly it was really nice to have that extra push. I finished and almost puked all over the volunteer - thankfully nothing came out!

I had never done this race before & I loved it. Yes, it is hilly and challenging, but that's what makes it fun. Can't wait to do it again next year!!

At the RACES - Augusta 70.3 Half IM (9-26-10)

AWESOME course. Let me say that again ... AWESOME course!! The swim is fast, the bike is fast/very nice rolling hills, and the run is flat, very flat ... and lots of spectators. I had some wonderful spectators down there cheering me on: Nicole, Addison & Jenny. I couldn't have done it w/o them.

SWIM: I almost missed my swim start. To my defense, they started WAY early. Somehow everyone else realized it & I was still up on the levy talking to my friends. Oops! My group was already on the docks and I was no where close. Ha ha great running warm up in my wetsuit as I ran over a quarter mile to the docks! It was a fast swim. Not much else to say.
BIKE: This was fun, b/c I could keep higher speeds than I had expected. Except when I dropped my Zeals (sunglasses). I had taken them off b/c it was so dark from the storm & shoved them into my tri top. Well, they slipped out. No way I was leaving those babies on the ground. People must have thought I was crazy, but I turned my bike around, went back & scooped those Zeals up. That was fairly early on. The rain started to let up & I got into a rhythm. I felt great on the bike.

RUN: I was excited coming off the bike & heading out to the run. In T2 I wasn't looking at my running shoes and crying like Macon (horrible day!). I felt pretty decent on the run. Nicole caught me on the run & shouted words of encouragement to me several times ... she kept me going.

All in all it was a great race. I was extremely pleased w/ it. Sure, you always tell yourself "well, if I had just done this, or that or ... I could have been faster." Bottom line: I was 30min faster than my previous fastest Half IM distance ... and I'm happy w/ that.

At the RACES - North Myrtle Beach Sprint Tri (9-11-10)

This was a interesting race to say the least. Nicole & I zoomed down there after work, Friday night. Got in late, Didn't get any sleep thanks to a stupid A/C machine, a random hotel alarm clock, noisy baby Addison, and our nerves. All in all, we were just glad we made it down there & didn't forget anything at home!

Race Morning: Turns out we are North Myrtle -not- Myrtle ... so there was a bit of confusion for G-ma to come watch Addison. We ended up out on the beach, people already swimming & we still had Addison in the stroller w/ us. Yay, there's G-ma ... about 2 min before we go off.

SWIM: The swim was crazy choppy. We went out about 25yards and then went parallel with the shore. I pushed it. I like swimming & a challenge. This swim definitely was a challenge. HUGE waves & lots of them. Oh, & did I mention very mean athletes trying to KILL YOU!! Ha! oh well. As I was running up the sand I took one of them out ... accidently of course.

BIKE & RUN: Not much to say but FLAT. Very, very flat. About half way through the run, my stomach started not doing so hot. All that salt water I had taken in from the rough swim had caught up w/ me. I was sick! Tried to keep pushing it, but all they way through the finishing shoot I was dry heaving. Once I crossed that finish line I was D .. O... N... E! Couldn't find a trash can fast enough so I headed for the pine tree and threw up. All better!

Still ended up taking 2nd in my Age Group (20-24)! Yay for hardwear.

Special thanks to my Awesome sponsors for there support. TriSports.com totally takes care of me. I had to frantically call them the week before the race b/c my tire was dead ... and as always they got me all fixed up! Thanks guys =) Dr. Dan Becker, you keep me moving & Nuun & PowerBar, you keep me alive!

Update

Obviously, I haven't kept up my daily workout log that I was going to try and do. Life has been too busy. I have however been able to still workout. Not nearly like I was, but it's getting there. I'm sure once I feel like I've got the routine of school and the new job, workouts will go back to regular, or somewhat regular! Lets hope at least. That Half Ironman is coming up soon!!!

One workout that I do want to get up on this blog was last Saturday's. It was a bike and transition run, like all Saturdays. Saturdays are usually pretty good for me. Well, this one was no different. I started at North Greenville University and headed up to Saluda, NC. I absolutely LOVE this ride. It's a good bit of climbing so you have to pace yourself. The first time up to Saluda I had 3 of my TNT athletes with me & that def helped. I got to go at a nice, easy pace. When we got to the bottom I made them do Camp Old Indian with me and then I went back up to Saluda for a 2nd time all by myself. I got to push it this time. Put my iPod in and just grunted it out. 66miles later I finally got back to the car and put my running shoes on quickly. Then, 4miles or pavement pounding. Surprisingly my legs felt pretty good. The only bad part was how badly I had to go to the restroom ... & of course Einstein's Bagels had closed!

The only other update is that I did, in fact, get a new job. I am going to be the floor manager at Flat Rock Grille. Have I ever worked in a restaurant, ever been a waitress, ever been a host ... uh, NO! So, to jump right to manager is going to be exciting. Training for that is going pretty well right now, except it's on the DL that I am going to be the manager (so peoples feathers are ruffled prematurely) so that is a little hairy cary.

Oh, and my birthday is tomorrow. Hmmm guess I'm getting older. Hopefully with age comes speed in triathlons!!

8-25-10 Workout Summary

I had two different workouts today.

The first started w/ an easy 60min bike. Anyone that knows me, know I'm not the greatest at getting up early. So, I decided to do my bike after class & before I drove to Clemson for the TNT swim. We got out of class early - thank goodness. I frantically drove over to the Y, changed & headed out to do loops in Cleveland Park. It had been a little while since I had road in Cleveland Park (I usually go to Donaldson) & I forgot how much I enjoyed that small loop. It's got a couple good hills and also a very nice flat in the middle where you can get going pretty fast! The middle section of the 60min I took at a tempo pace. Loved it! Got out of my seat going up hill, pushed on the up hills, down hills & flats. I even made myself take the corner fast w/o going crazy wide (I had an accident last year that still plays w/ my mind.) Well, unfortunately time was up. I did get right about my 60mins in though! Ran into the Y again, changed, ran out & headed to Clemson for the open water swim w/ TNT.

The open water swim went really well. My TNTers did great, especially when they remembered to sight! I tried to keep a nice steady pace through the entire 1600yards. It felt good, really good. When I finished there were just a few people ahead of me, but my TNTers were out of sight, so I went back out. Didn't end up going to far out before I found KImberly & then I just swam in w/ her.

All in all a great day!! Especially because a very nice Clemson guy found my phone in the middle of the road & saved it for me ... long story.

8-24-10 Workout Summary

SWIM!! Wow, did it feel great to be in the water!

When I'm in the pool I don't think about school, or how much homework i have to read, or where am I going to find a job ... I'm just in the water, enjoying every bit of it. I think about my hand entering the water. What angle is it going in? Is that the most efficient. Now Sarah, finish your stroke. Don't cross the midline. Get those hips rotating. There you go! Swimming is wonderful. I love it. I'm not miss olympic swimmer. I'm not the fastest in the pool, but maybe one day I will be! Ok. Wishful thinking, I know. There will always be those collegiate swimmers who have been out of swimming for 10yrs and jump in and knock the socks off everyone. But you know what. That time I have, being in the water, it is so refreshing!

Todays swim totaled 3500. Nothing special. The main set had 4 x (500-moderate pace/45sec rest/100easy). At the end I had to do 12 x 25 (10 or less strokes & 2 or less breaths). Woa buddy! Now, that's what I call fun!!

It was a great workout and just exactly what I needed today. Saw a few friendly faces in the pool ... always nice to catch up w/ people.

Weekend Workout Report

What a GREAT weekend!! Waking up at 3:30am wasn't the most fun on Saturday, but it just meant I got to fit more into the day. Headed into town at 4am to pick up Nicole, and then we took off for Anderson. She & two of my TNTers were racing in the Anderson YMCA sprint triathlon. They all did fantastic & watching/cheering them on made me really wish I was out there racing. Oh well. Money doesn't grow on trees, & I don't race in the YMCA series, so it seemed kinda pointless.

Anyways, when I got back to Greenville I headed out to Donaldson for my ride. I had to get in 60miles (w/ a 30min transition run), so I did 2 loops of one of my staple routes. It was great, but very wet! I met up w/ a friend who just happened to be heading out at the same time. He only had to do 30 miles, but it was nice riding w/ someone for the 1st loop. I was a little concerned at first b/c my legs felt like cement block, but that quickly went away. In the middle of each loop I threw in 10miles of tempo effort. Done w/ the bike & onto the run. I quickly got into a groove and felt good. I felt so good I made the middle 10min at tempo pace. It seemed to rain or drizzle the entire ride/run. Thankfully I had dry clothes to change into after I was done, because I was sick of being wet & completely water logged! Driving home my legs ached so bad. It wasn't normal. I had stretched but it was still awful. It made me concerned about Sunday's long run, but I took Advil when I got home & stretched again. When I woke up on Sunday morning they didn't seem horrible at all.

Sunday's run: 15miles DONE! No walking, no bonking & I felt pretty decent! I used to think that after that distance I would surely feel like I was dying or something ... not so much. Yes, my legs are tired & slightly sore, but all in all not that bad! I have found that instead of taking an entire gel pack every 45min, I have to do 2 gulps of my gel flask (not quite equal to 1 whole pack) every 40mins. That seems to do the trick for me. Also, I changed fluid drinks and that seems to be helpful to. I don't really care for the flavor of Accelerade, but I really like how well I have been feeling throughout my workouts. One funny thing from today... it was pretty hot & I was completely drenched in my own sweat. So when I got to the YMCA locker room, I just walked into the shower completely clothed. Figured my clothes/shoes couldn't get any more wet than they already were so why not rinse them out!!

New TNT Crew

I've got a great new group of TNTers!

They are training for longer distances than the previous Tri Latta group, so it's a little more time consuming, but fun. Four of them are training for the DC - Nations Tri, which is an International distance. The other two are training for the Augusta 70.3, FORD Half IronMan.

I'm excited because I will be racing Augusta with them. Last year I went down and watched the TNTers race. Its seemed like such a great course that I just had to do it this year! In fact, in an attempt to stay focused on training for Augusta 70.3, I will be posting either daily or every other day my workouts and nutritional experiences. I've got 5 weeks till the big race, so stay tuned if you want to see what I'm up to!

This group has definitely tried my depth of knowledge with all their questions. It's been nice to see them start to trust me ... and that's what getting lots of questions means. They expect me to have an answer, and they trust that it is going to be the correct answer. =)

They have been great advocates for the TNT mission and have been a strong front out in the community w/ trying to raise funds for the research and ultimately the cure of blood cancers.

The majority of this group did the Greenville triathlon a couple weeks back and did GREAT! My Augusta crew is going to be doing another YMCA sprint this Saturday as just another practice "race mode" & transitions day. I know they are not going to like the fact that they have to run the run course 2 more times after they cross the finish line ... but they know I love them! It's going to be a great day out there.

CHANGE - I'm going back to school!!

Change is bound to happen. Whether good. bad or neither, everyone's life changes. Mine sure has. I've had some down time from racing and so I haven't really kept up my blog, so I'm going to briefly cover what's been going on.

I missed one race during this period because there was lots going on.

- I had to lay off some of my training due to my ankle, & then my hip started to flare up (which is never good for me).

There were also some non-athletic things going on:

- I became more involved w/ TNT (which we got a new wonderful group of triathletes).

- My friend Nicole had her baby ... a beautiful baby boy. So I've been w/o my training buddy ALLLL summer.

- Also, some stuff at home has been going on too.

- Had to start looking for a new job because ....

- The big change for me happened about 2months ago when I got a call. They told me I was 2nd on the waiting list to get into nursing school. What? Earlier this summer I was told I hadn't gotten in. On the phone the said I had to prepare as if I was already in (even though I wasn't). So I started getting all the paperwork & bloodwork done. Had my physical & then I waited. Waiting was the worst!

About 4 weeks ago I got the call that I was in. What a relief!! I know this is what I'm supposed to be doing & it is so nice to actually have it all come together.

Today was my first day of classes. I'm not overwhelmed yet! Let's just hope I can figure out all the computer stuff b/c I have 2 online courses. I've got two years ahead of me and I know they are going to fly. I can't wait to be a nurse!!

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I'm starting a new thing. A friend reminded me today that I have 5 weeks until Augusta 70.3, so in order to keep me accountable I am going to start using this blog as a real blog. If not daily, every other day, I will be posting my daily workout & nutrition experiences in the hopes to keep me focused while I start this new school journey and my free time gets even less.

You CAN if ... you think you can!

If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win, but you think you can't,
It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow's will.
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You've got to think high to rise,
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But soon or late the man who wins,
Is the man who thinks he can.

~ C. W. Longenecker

TNT Tri Latta

I am soo proud of my TNT crew. They have worked so hard, been so dedicated, had such wonderful spirits, & been so enthusiastic about Team in Training. I truly has been a delight to coach them.

This past Sunday was their big TNT race. At the last minuet Jonathan was able to join the 3 girls to complete our TNT Upstate chapter. Nicole had gotten special permission to come and watch, so she & I left G'ville around 3:45am Sunday morning and headed up to Charlotte. Thank goodness the race started at 6:30, because it was already very hot and humid quite early on. We got there to see the girls finishing up in TA and getting ready to head down to the water. They were all so anxious & it was so cute. Boy, they sure have come a long way from that first long bike ride we did together & I made them all try a gel! One by one the all popped up over the hill from the water and into transition they ran. We were so relieved to see them all get out of the water. Especially w/o any PFD's =). They all put up fantastic efforts & their times & their smiles at the end showed it.

TEAM: Train, Endure, Achieve, Matter

Jennie, Lynne, Jan, Jonathan: They all showed what the true meaning of TEAM is. They worked together & conquered fears. And, through the $ they raised for TNT they have changed the lives of countless numbers of cancer patients and their familes.

Great job guys. You are amazing!

Lessons from Macon 70.3

This was my 4th 70.3 distance & it was the longest one yet. It might not have turned out quite how I had wanted, but it was still a good day.

Every-time you go out and train or race you learn something. Something about yourself. Something about your nutritional needs, quality of training, ability to push your body physically & mentally... and the list could go on and on. I learned that I can push myself farther than I ever would have dreamed of 2 years ago.

The mind is such a powerful tool. With a strong mind you can accomplish insurmountable feats. A strong mind is far more important than a strong body. What? Yes, it is. The mind can push the body so much farther than what it would normally be able to handle, where as the body cannot push the mind beyond what it thinks it can do. Training the mind is a very important part of an athletes training & should not be neglected. How do you get a strong mind. Well, for one it's a slow process. Some people will go and get coaches to help w/ the cognitive side of training, while others will go get books. Even if you don't do that, it is important to surround yourself w/a supportive group of family and friends.

Another very important way to build that mental strength is by consistently getting your physical workouts in. Put trust in what your coach tells you to do. Believe that the program they have given you will work for you. Keep an open line of communications w/ them so they know how to adjust it. And then, stick w/ that program. Consistently. This will give you the day to day confidence that come race day you can do the distance. You can finish the race. And, you can do it well. If you second guess yourself, your ability, your coach, your training program ... you will crush your mental strength & you will not perform at your full potential.

Coliseum's Rock 'N RollMan 70.3 "MACON"

I think Jeff and I are the bringers of bad luck when it comes to traffic. We scooted out of Gville around 1pm Friday & we had till 7:30 to get to Macon and get our bikes checked into transition ... plenty of time, right? Well, not so much. We made it but after a few accidents & idiots going incredibly slow from the torrential down poors we made it there. When I pulled my bike out of the car I hit the Polar sensor on my front fork & popped it off. I had to find zip ties to fix it. Grrreat. After the 10mi easy ride I went to the Expo and got some zip ties from the great Roswell Bicycles. Thanks guys you are the best. If you are ever need a good bike fit they do a fantastic job, & are definitely worth the drive. Last year I took my bike down there & they worked wonders on my fit!

Macon is know for being a torture fest & it definitely lived up to the tradition. Because of it, Jeff & I had joked that we were going to go out and party Friday night & then sleep in and "accidentally" miss the race. We didn't b/c we knew we would have had our butts majorly kicked by a pregnant lady when we got back home. =) I tell you what. It is so nice not having to mess w/ a bike the morning of a race. Although, I was quite eager to get to my bike to check & see if my tires blew since I forgot to let air out. They were fine. Before the race I finally meet up w/ all the crew. It was good to see so many familiar faces. Just knowing you are not completely out there all by yourself is nice.

SWIM: Felt Amazing! It was a run in start & I wasn't quite as close to the water line as I would have liked, but it was fine. I just prepared myself for getting kicked alot. I really felt amazing in the water. Found my grove early & was able to keep it & push. Ended up drafting off the someone for a little bit before hitting the first turn. Then we started hitting all the slower guys and there were lots of people to pass. I just LOVE passing people!!! I made that last turn back to shore & about half way back the athletes doing the sprint joined up w/ us. Some of those poor people doing the sprint were struggling that last little bit & I was passing them like the were sitting still ... it was sooo fun!! I hit the sand & took up a good run pace up the huge hill to transition. There were no wetsuits this year so that helped. Turns out I knocked a few minutes off my swim time from last year!

BIKE:It took a little while to get my bike legs but by a mile in i felt normal. 5mi mark - I'm already a little sluggish. What's going on? Where is my power? By the first bottle exchange (mi15) I knew it wasn't going to be a pretty day. I already felt extremely tired. Sarah, just push through it. Come on. (I talk to myself when I have issues!) The middle portion didn't seem horrible, but I started calculating my time & I was definitely slower than I should have been or wanted to have been. I hit 18mi left on the bike & my mind starts playing w/ me. You're already slower than you should be. There's no way you are going to make your goal. Just stop. It's all I could do to keep my legs pedaling. Should I stop. I still have to run after this. How am I going to do that? Well, I kept going. I pushed through it. It hurt. It really hurt, but I was not going to get a DNF on my record.

T2: I ran my bike to my spot & then I stood there. Again, my mind telling me to quit. By now my mind and body are already spent & I start crying - i'm not really a crying person, but i cried, then I put my running shoes on, visor on, & started running.

RUN: Not much to say. It was extremely rough. The aid stations were about every 1.5-1.75mi & when it is so hot & muggy that is really too far. (I heard someone later say that it probably felt like 100degrees, but real temp was mid to upper 90's w/ extreme humidity.) By this point my body had stopped sweating & I had chill bumps. Seriously Sarah, what are you doing? - I'm going to finish! Finishing was my goal by this point & that's what I did. When I got to the finish line there was Jeff hollering at me. When I saw him & that finish line I started crying again. I was so drained.

Jeff had an awesome day. He ended up PRing for this course! At least one person, out of the hundreds that did it, had a good day! I am so thankful for the great friends I have - for sticking w/ me during the great times & the not so great times. Thanks to my sponsors for their support & especially for the new special sponsor for this race, Tim & Allyson. I couldn't have done it w/o their support. Thanks guys.

Clemson Sprint Triathlon - 5.15.10

Alarm goes off & I lay in the bed. "Do I really have to get up? I don't want to do this." Well, I got up. I had to. One of my TNT athletes, Jennie, was doing this as her 1st tri ... so I better be there! This is the 4th triathlon of the season for me & ready or not here it comes.

It was great seeing all the familiar faces ... & meeting some new ones too! Everyone comes out to this race. Lots of hammer heads here. Well, while I'm there setting up my TA, talking w/ all my friends, stretching & then hearing the pre-race music blaring I finally started to get excited about the race. I think Karma was right. There is a different vibe at the races when Nicole isn't there. And, I can't wait for her to be back, even if it's just to cheer.

SWIM: Another floating start. My strategy for these is this: I wait about waist deep, while everyone else is already treading water. Once Jeremy says we have 1min until we start. THEN, I swim to the front of the group. They probably all hate me, but I always find an open slot & then I haven't waisted energy treading water for 3min. And, then I get some "quite time" as I stand there all by myself to get syched up. It works for me.

I wasn't sure who was racing in my age group, but because it was CLEMSON I was afraid the competition would be stiff. I pushed hard on the swim. Went a little wide going out & coming back in, but once I hit the sand I took off running up the big hill. It is so fun to hear people yell "Go Sarah!" There seemed to be quite a few there that knew me. I was able to pass about 4 or 5 people as I ran into TA. Both transitions were fast for me. I didn't fall over trying to put my shoes on or anything!

BIKE: The bike was rolling hills. It was a fun course until I lost my chain going up a hill. Call it operator error. Normally you can ease it back on .. not this time. I ended up having to get off my bike, using both hands, struggled, but finally got it back on. Oh, and guess what other issues I had? That's right, GI issues. I've really got to figure this puking issue out. "Oh well, keep going" I told myself. I needed to make up some time after all that, so I cranked it out. At the last turn onto the main road our bike lane got smaller & we had to go pratically one by one. These 2 crazy guys infront of me slowed way down. Grant it, it was a sharp turn, but hello ... we are racing here. I ended up yelling at them "keep moving!!" And, of course beat them into T2.

T2 was awesome! 41sec thank you very much! =)

RUN: On to the run. Ah, the run again? It was not fun, but I got through it. It was an out and back, that had a couple really long hills and then one real nasty uphill.

Jeff & I hung around just incase. Turns out I got 2nd in my AG! WooHoo! Then it was off for another 40mi bike ride. Jeff only made a few wrong turns. Just in case we had gotten lost (he doesn't have the best track record) I took extra liquid! Woa budy! There are lots of hills in Clemson, the sun was HOT, and that new TriSports.com uniform is cut more than my normal tops. Lets just say I got crispy!

Lake Murray Sprint Triathlon - 5.9.10

Major props to Al at Go Tri Sports for the free race entry.

Jeff ended up signing up for this race too, so we both crashed at Nicole's Saturday night & then drove down Sunday morning ... very early! I sware we were almost the 1st eople there at TA. At least we got our t-shirts! I had no idea who was here & racing in my age group. But, I did see Ashley before the swim & found out we were still in the same age group. So I knew at least 1 person was going to give me a run for my money.

SWIM: It was a floating start. When the gun went off it felt like that commercial about clean water. You know, the one where the water is drained out of the tank and all the gold fish are floundering around. There wasn't enough water for all of us. I got kicked so hard, I just knwe if it had been any harder my arm would have broken!

BIKE: The bike was rolling hills. Lots of hills. I had GI issues again. Not sure what's going on w/ that, but just kept going. I pushed as hard as I could, both up & down the hills. Last year I made the mistake of not pedaling down the hills. I fixed that for this year ... much be

tter! As I crossed the final bridge coming back into TA, I saw/heard Joe cheering me on. I knew this meant his wife Ashley was still behind me.

RUN: I got through T2 & took off on the run. Thankfully I couldn't feel my feet.

(I've been suffering from tendonitis in my left foot/ankle & haven't been able to do my training runs per Drs orders.) I tried to run smart. Bypassed the 1st aid station. Then I saw Ashley at the 1st turn around. She wasn't too far behind me. At this point I felt like I had a target on my back, so I kept pushing. Second turn around comes & there she is. Didn't look like she had gained any on me. But, now I could feel my foot & I was really hurting. My pace slowed. I turned a corner & there was Joe hollering for me. Right after I passed him, I heard him start cheering on Ashley. Oh boy! We probably had about 1/4mi left & there she was, running next to me. We crossed the bridge together & then hit the grass. I let her get about a foot or two ahead of me. Then, we hit the long parking lot to the finish line. When my feet hit that asphalt I gave it everything I had left. Sprinted until it was over.

Turns out I sprinted in to get 3rd in my age group. This was the 1st race I felt like I really pushed through some mental & physical barriers. I was thrilled with 3rd place.

Jeff had a great race too & we got to go home celebrating!

Team in Training (TNT)

I've got 3 female participants this season that are training for the Tri Latta sprint triathlon. The have been so dedicated & enthusiastic about training & raising $$ for LLS.

This past Saturday I took Jennie & Lynne out

for our normal group ride. We started from t

he YMCA downtown & headed out of town. We just s

o happened to make it to the base of Paris MTN & I said "hey girls, are you ready for some climbing?" They looked @ me kinda like "ok" & s

miled. Neither of them have ever driven up the mountain,s o they didn't even know to dread it! They did FANTASTIC!!

Watching athletes push through barriers & conquer obstacles that one seemed unobtainable ... it made my week!

St. Anthony's - RACE DAY - 4.25.10

The alarm goes off & the nerves were all ready going crazy! I tried to get some breakfast down - It didn't want to go. I squeezed into Nicoles TriSports.com uniform (because the new one for this season hadn't come yet) & I felt like I had saran wrap around my body! It was a beautiful sight I know. =)

5:45 - We all headed down to the race site so I could set up my TA, check out the swim finish & wait in the long line to get body marked ... you'd think I'd learn my lesson & pack my own

stupid marker.

6:30 - Walked a couple blocks distance over to the swim start

7:00 - Waiting to start racing! Mom & sis leave to go eat breakfast

7:30 - still waiting ...

8:00 - ... still waiting ...

8:20 - SWIMMING!

SWIM: It was really choppy out there. The 1st leg was protected by the pier, but after the 1st turn it felt like I was body surfing. I took the 2nd turn back in towards shore & the waves were huge! I bilateral breath & everytime I went to the left side I was getting slammed & huge mouthfuls of ocean water. So, I adjusted my stroke! I absolutely LOVED the swim! Having to adjust my stroke & rhythm is a fun challenge for me. I tell you what though, those people were not out there to be nice ... they were trying to beat me up, so I fought back. It seelsm like it is always the guys. If you are a girl & pass a guy, watch out. The don't like that.

TI: It was hard to get my barings as I c

limbed up the ladder, out of the ocean. Made it up & took off running to TA. It went pretty smoothly. I heard my awesome support crew (mom & sis) yelling at me & then I was off!

BIKE: Starting out I felt strong. I always pass people on the swim, but now I was passing bikers & that was fun! It was a flat & fast course; lots of wind though. About 1/3 of the way through the course I started having GI issues. All my nutrition was coming up & I couldn't keep any new gels down. Uh oh! I was able to keep feeling strong & kept a good overall pace. But, as I finished & I could tell my energy was starting to fade. I train w/ a strict nutrition/timing schedule & now I'm feeling the results of not having that normal nutrition.

RUN: On to the run. My favorite part ... NOT! I'm not going to lie, I struggled ... big time. The whole throwing up on the bike did me in. The run was very flat & right next to the water, so it was beautiful. There were s

o many people out in their yard cheering us on. Some even had water hoses & were spraying us down as we ran by. I pulled into the parking lot & was so excited to see that finish line -

it was the prettiest thing ever! And, there was Rebeccah & my mom hollering their heads off & ringing that cow bell for all ti was worth!

Since this race is so big (alm

ost 5

000 participants) they place the top 10 finishers for each grouping. Somehow I managed to place & squeaked out 10th in my age group, even w/ a bad day of throwing up! At the awards I met up with Tracy, who won 1st in her AG - simply amazing! I've got some pretty fast friends. Now they just need to rub off on me! =)

I can's say how much it meant to me for my sister & mom to come down. It definitely made a difference hearing them cheer for me as I was biking or running by. Want to give a big shout out to my sponsors. They are, & have been an instrumental part in keeping me all geared up & ready to go! Also, major thanks to my awesome friend & coach, Nicole, who couldn't make it down for the race. If it wasn't for her,

I wouldn't be doing this craziness!

VACATION!!!!

I am in FLORIDA for a much needed vacation!

There are now 3 race reports that I need to write, maybe between the laying on the beach, soaking up some rays, swimming in the ocean, running on the beach, & biking up the coast on Hwy A1A ... maybe I'll get caught up. =) My goal for the week is to get enough sun to somewhat even out the horrible "tri" burn on my back from last weeks race & the 40mi post race bike ride with Jeff.

This is a family trip that we have been taking since before I was born. I have only made 1 of the last 3 summers, so I'm excited to be down here. Unfortunately my sister, Rebeccah, & her husband couldn't make it. Looks like it's just me and the parents! We strapped 3 bikes on top of the Altima & crammed all our stuff inside. Looks like we were going to stay for a month or something. There was so much stuff I had to straddle the bike pump.

Recently, it seems I have been pulled in so many directions. Grant it, it's all been my fault, but I am so ready to veg out menatally & physically from all my normal responsibilities!

Relaxing is starting in 3 ... 2 ... 1...

St. Anthonies - Pre Race Weekend

Wow!! I know this is getting up a little late, but here it goes. Where do I start?

This race was supposed to be a girls race weekend. Having fun, racing, partying, singing w/ the radio ... but things didn't happen quite as planned. My race buddy got all preggo & strict bed rest on me, & it looked like I'd be going down by myself. Well, a week prior to the race my sister must have been feeling pretty bad for me & she told me that she is flying down from OH to come see me race! How cool is that! I was soo excited. And, then my mom started asking questions about me driving down there & how long the ride would be. Turns out she was feeling bad for me too! She came home Thursday night & said she was coming down too b/c I shouldn't be driving that far all by myself. Well this is just great! Turns out it is still going to be a girls weekend ... just w/ diff girls.

FRIDAY morning my mom & I head out (a little later than planned!) The drive was horribly long. I thought the cops in Starbucks might arrest us, & at one pit stop I would not have been surprised if hillbillies had come out w/ their shot guns & robbed us. All in all we made it down there safe & sound. Got there about 9pm & found a great parking spot about 1block from the historical hotel we were staying at. It was

at this point that the palm tree I had parked under decided to give up the ghost & 1 of the larger branches fell & hit my car while I was standing right there ... couldn't believe it ... just started laughing. As we were waling back to the hotel we heard some loud noises coming from the pier. Turned out there was a outdoor production of Hairspray going on. We walked for a little bit and decided to call it a day.

Beccah's flight ended up changing due to nasty weather up north. So, she didn't fly in

till Saturday evening.

SATURDAY morning ca

me before I knew it. I had to do a short swim, bike & run. I decided to start w/ the swim so I could get a feel for the water in the morning, like it would be race day. I was slightly nervous about the ocean swim b/c even though I have swum i

n the ocean for fun I have never actually "swam" in the ocean. My mom & I walk down to the swim start & see everyone there w/ their wetsuits. I decided not to give into the peer pressure & I swam w/o my wetsuit. The water felt amazing & I l

oved it. At one point, my hand hit something semisolid & somewhat slimy. People there thought it could have been a ray. I'm not sure b/c the water was pretty murky & I couldn't see anything. On our way back to the hotel we saw the coolest tree ever w/ beautiful red flowers that had dropped & were now covering the ground beneath.

Next I biked. It was fun b/c there was a huge group from Team in Training at this race & I was wore my TNT tri suit for the short bike & run. Everyone was hollering at me "Go Team" & I felt so special & was wishing I could wear the TNT suit for the actual race. I finished m

y run at the Saturday fair, a couple blocks from our hotel, for some good lunch & music.

Then we headed down to the EXPO for athlete check in & to find some cool stuff. Of course I ended up spending too much $$, but it was fun!! It was extremely hot while we were at the expo, so when we walked by the Endless Pool exhibit I was eager to jump in! Swimming in the Endless Pool was a very unique experience. Emily with the Endless Pool Design Team was super nice and very informative. While I was swimming, Emily's coworker kept increasing the speed of the water to fit my own personal speed. You could definitely get a good workout from one of those pools! If you ever get a chance to try one out you should jump at the opportunity!

We finished the day by getting lost on the way to the airport, but finally making it to pick up Rebeccah. Grabbed some pre-race pasta dinner under a cabana. And, then it was back to the hotel for some shut eye.

RACE DAY - on another post.

Fun Weekend & Parris Island Race Report (3/20/10)

First race of the season!

Well, for starters. I think I forgot how to pack for one of these things. Thursday night came & I wasn't in the least bit packed. It wasn't till about 10pm that I even started. Smart Sarah, very smart. I ended up throwing anything & everything into the music room floor & started wading through it all. Don't need this, don't need that ... do need that. Found my race belt, shoes, goggles ... by about midnight, I pretty much had everything ready. Friday morning I threw everything in the car & zoomed off to work. I tell you what, sitting at work when you are all packed & ready to be gone is one of the worst things ever! Finally, Nicole let us know that she was in-fact going to get off early, so I was able to scoot out of work at a decent time. Jeff, Nicole & I grabbed subs for lunch and headed down the interstate in Jeff's huge red truck. We made it down there w/o too many bathroom stops (Nicole is pregnant). The AC didn't work in the truck again, so the windows were rolled down & the radio was blaring. Jeff had even been doing his homework & was able to sing along w/ some of the songs! =)

When we all get together there is always a good amount of laughing, and since Nicole is preggo it made for some very funny, almost disastrous moments, First of which came in the elevator of the hotel. Jeff shoved me, the Griffen, Nicole, the Kestrel & the HUGE cart of luggage into the elevator. The only problem was we got stuck & couldn't get out!! Here we are stuck, laughing are heads off, Nicole w/ her legs crossed & me having no way to move pinned btw my bike & the luggage cart. Finally we made it out & safely to the room. =)

Food time! Takeout or Dine in? We opted for takeout - the faster we got food the better! But, before we picked it up we stopped at the grocery store for nothing other than bug spray & Diet Code Red. Both are a MUST at this race. After giving the guy behind the counter my phone # about 3 times & then Nicole laughing her head off, w/ legs crossed, & giving it to him again, we made it out of there & got our food! After dinner Jeff & I started cleaning up

the bikes & getting them all ready for the race the next morning. Nicole opted out of this, but we felt bad & took care of the Kestrel. Got all the clothes set out & off to bed!

RACE TIME!!

The alarm goes

off at some ungodly hour and none of us want to get up. I know some not so nice things were exclaimed by everyone of us. I hate early mornings! After a few u-turns we picked a friend up on the way to the race site. Boy, what a beautiful drive in. There was marsh on either side of the palm tree laden road as the sun was barely rising ... it really was gorgeous! Jeff snuck around & got the normal parking spot for this race right by transition area instead of way far away like most people. Everything seemed pretty routine unlike last year where I was freaking out the entire morning. Found my bike rack, set up, went for a short bike ride, stretched, walked around, got bored, sat on the grass, waited, almost fell asleep sitting in the warm pool area, waited some more ... Finally, it was about 10min before I was supposed to go off, so I jumped in the pool & did a few practice laps & flip turns ...

And, I'm off! Thankfully I was seated pretty descent. There was actually a min

break after me so I didn't have anybody trying to swim over me & I ended up only passing 2 people. I hate pool swims. I started out w/ flip turns but got winded and finished w/ grabbing the side & pushing off. It was kinda funny, every time I pushed off my shorts kept going lower & lower on my butt. I thought I might loose them! Finally, out of the pool, with all my clothes and on to the bike!

Thankfully it wasn't nearly as cold this year, so coming out of the pool wasn't so bad. I ran to my bike, only to have a video camera shoved up my face. The marines were standing there video taping me ... until I almost fell putting my socks on, then they moved to another athlete! Got my new race helmet on & I was off! The bike felt great! Tried to keep my legs like pistons & keep a good cadence. I didn't have a computer so I was going completely by feel, but it worked ok for me. About half way through the bike I caught Nicole & she was dying. She had left her gels in TA so I gave the only one I had to her. It was time for me to get ... oh well, suck it up! This bike course is completely flat so in one sense that's nice. There were a few sharp corners that I had trouble w/, just b/c I'm not confident yet after the crash last year. About 3/4 of the way through this one guy & I started playing cat & mouse. The only thing was, he ended up drafting off of me for about 1.5mi. I was sooo aggravated. I kept weaving & then I tried to burst ahead, but he stayed right w/ me. Later they told me I should have done a snot rocket & that would have fixed the problem. (I have now mastered that & am fully prepared for the next race!) Finally I dismount & the jerk that was riding my butt almost plows into me & my bike ... I lost it & yelled at him. It's one thing to mess w/ me, but don't mess w/ my bike!

Oh, the run. I hate the run. Always have & probably always will. Thankfully in TA I found an extra gel since I didn't have one on the bike. I start running, ooo this doesn't feel good. I found a rhythm, not a very fast rhythm, but it was all I had, so I'll take it. When there was about 1/2 mile left I didn't think I could move anymore, but then I saw some friends & knew if they saw me walk I would never hear the end of it ... so I kept running as best I could. I would love to feel like I smoked that run course, but I don't. It was faster than last year though & that was my goal.

We all had a great race that day. Nicole got 2nd in the Athena group, I got 3rd in my Age Group, & Jeff had an awesome race

time ... he wiped the floor w/ Nicole & me! There were a lot of other friends out there that place & did awesome, especially Kat Welling bringing home a big glass bowl for 1st place overall women! It was great to see all the familiar faces & to meet new ones too! Thanks to all my great sponsors, friends and family. I couldn't do it w/o them. Thanks also, to my great coach & friend, Nicole!

Pain is Anticipated, Fun is Ensured & Triumph is Hopeful!

Excitement is building, not just for me but ALL the triathletes that will be going down to Parris Island next weekend. It is the 1st triathlon of the 2010 season put on by Set-Up Events. This will be my 2nd year doing this race & I can't wait! I thoroughly enjoyed my "off season" and probably wasn't quite as dedicated as I should have been, but I have kicked it into gear and am going into this race feeling so much better than I did last year.

Kicking it into gear hasn't been the easiest. I'm crazy excited about the season, but there has been so many things pulling me in every direction: schoolwork, full time job, TNT, hours spent in the car each day, disappointment, friends, my own training, family, volunteering ... every different avenue has taken a chunk out of me & there is not much left. This last week I found out I did not make it into the nursing program I had applied for. That was devastating. I'm sure it didn't help having 2 prerequisites in limbo, but I'll try again ... and again. I know I'm not the only one w/ lots on their plate, it's just learning how to juggle it all, & that is something I have to work on.

On another note, my Team In Training (TNT) group is doing great! We've got 4 athletes training for a sprint triathlon & 1 getting ready for an olympic distance. They have been so dedicated & coming out for the group workouts and group socials. I know they thought I was looking for every hill in Travelers Rest today for their group ride, but I'm so proud. They hung in there and stuck it out!! Can't wait to see them through to their races. Way to go TNT triathletes!!!

This past week has been full of fun stuff!
1. I've been going up to Tryon to see one of my sponsors, Dr. Dan Becker, on a weekly basis to get the kinks worked out of my shoulder and hip - he's been a miracle worker! If you ever have an issue w/ anything you need to give him a call!
2.The TNT social was moved to Monday this week, so I was actually able to go & hang out w/ all the crew. It was fun to see how many people here in the Upstate are working to help find a cure for blood cancers. So much fulfillment comes from realizing you have an active part in helping change someones life - I'm so glad I get to be part of that.
3. At work, me and the other lab tech were experimenting w/ the X-ray machine, b/c it turns out we have a bad batch of films so I got to take an X-ray of my weird looking clavicles - crazy I tell you! They've been out of alignment since elementary school & I'm sure it was from falling out of too many trees. =)
4.The final "out of the ordinary" thing that I got to do this week was go see my dad sing in an opera. That's right I said OPERA! Yes, shocking I know - this triathlete knows how to wear a dress & high heels! It's been a fun week!!

Snow Cancels the Myrtle Beach Marathon - crazy!!

"Don't let your circumstances dictate your happiness." That truly sums up this past weekend. It could have been discouraging, but we went out there and just had fun!

Who would have ever thought that snow would have canceled the Myrtle Beach Marathon. Yes, that's right. I said SNOW & lots of it. Well, lots of it for a southerner! My half marathon race might have been canceled, but it ended up being quite the fun "race" weekend after all!


Here's a quick recap:
As the weekend drew near I started watching the weather channel. When the weatherman said that is was going to be snow I just figured it would be rain like it normally is when they call for snow. Sure, rain would be miserable, but still doable. Friday morning came & they were still calling for snow. I prepared for the worst - sleet. Figured that nothing could be as bad as running in sleet & in comparison, snow would actually be nice. Saw some flurries on the way down, but It wasn't till I got there & headed out to dinner w/ friends that the snow started coming ... & it was really coming. By this time I had already gone to the expo, checked in & spent some $$ of course! They told us to stay tuned to the news and by 10pm the official verdict would be made. I said there's no way they'd actually cancel the race ... I was wrong. Finally by 10:40 the news anchor came across w/ breaking news ... "The Myrtle Beach Marathon has officially been canceled." What! No way! How on earth could anybody go to sleep now. Some of us ended up going out for a little bit to try and unwind & play in the snow ... got to bed late.

Race Day: well it's canceled, but who is that stopping? Not Nicole (she was ready at the crack of dawn), and therefore not me either! We ended up running the 13.1mi. Turned out there were quite a lot of people running out there. Tell you what, you have never seen so many happy faces on a race course. The other runners were so friendly. And, there were people standing on the side of the roads cheering us on, people ringing cow bells & there were even people coming around w/ water bottles since the official aid stations weren't there. It was great. We took a detour at one point and ran about 1mi on the sand. How cool to see snow on the beach. It was beautiful - hard to run on, but beautiful! About half way through we stopped and got our pictures making snow angels. It was just a great "race!" =) We even got our medals at the end!! Which are a flip-flop. How ironic seeing as there was snow on the ground. Thanks to my great TriSports.com jacket I didn't get cold running. Ended the day w/ a surprise birthday party for a friend ... and lots of laughter. Laughter makes your soul smile!

It was a great weekend & we made lemon-aid out of lemons! And really that's how life is. Life can throw you curve balls, but what you do w/ those curve balls is what is important. Surround yourself w/ good friends and have a good laugh. It will always make you feel better!

Couldn't have had the weekend I did w/o my awesome friends (the "other family"). And, thanks to my great sponsors for keeping me moving, keeping me warm & keeping me hydrated!!

Up, Down, and Around

These last two weeks have been interesting. Have you ever felt like you bit off more than you could chew? My life feels like that right now. And then to help things, someone asks you a question and your mouth is full to the brim since you took more than you could handle! How are you supposed to answer, seriously! Come on people, be nice ... can't you see my cheeks are bulging and full of food? Do you really want me to spew it over you to answer your question? Well, I'm not quite there ... but almost!! Not that I have literal food in my mouth all the time, but my life seems crazy busy.

I have been all gung ho about getting back into triathlon training, but have been having trouble with my time management and the stupid weather. I'll be blunt - lately the weather here has sucked! When I'm supposed to be doing long runs or ride on the weekends we have ice, freezing rain, & snow. But of course, when I'm stuck inside for class it's beautiful out there ... retarded! I just can't stand running and biking inside. You stay in the same place! Who has ever liked the fact that they go nowhere. At least I've got my faithful training buddy, my iPod, with lots of music that keeps me going!! Music makes me move my booty! =)

Getting back into it!

"Getting back into it" has a few different of meanings. Since my first blog I have started school again! I'm still working full time, but decided to take a few classes towards a new degree. Things are starting to get busy. =)

Also, Team in Training (TNT) has started back up! This year I will be an assistant coach with Nicole Ramsbey as the head coach. TNT is how I started triathlons. I had absolutely no background in athletics but w/ TNT's help my life has changed! If you don't know anything about TNT its an amazing organization that raises money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It gives people the opportunity to get free coaching, training schedules, gear for the triathletes & discounts at many different places. All of that is good, but it is not the greatest reward for being in TNT. TNT will change your life & it changes the lives of so many cancer patients every day!

The most exciting thing that I'm getting back into is TRAINING!! Woohoo! I'm so excited to be out of the off season. Don't get me wrong, I trained during the off season ... just not as much! Traithlon training is back and in full swing, half marathon training is going well & nutrition training ... well, it's getting there! Turns out I've got a pretty decent racing schedule ahead of me so you'll have to stay posted to see how everything goes!