Rest Week and Washington Olympic Tri...

This past week has been ahhhh EASY! Workout wise anyways. Monday- Mountain Bike ride (which didn't happen because of storms so I did a Yoga workout instead), Tuesday - 30 min Easy Run (which I did with Scout in the morning), Wednesday- 45 min Endurance swim, Thursday- 30 min Easy Run (I took Scout again, but it was hotter and he didn't like it so much), Friday was a 20 min easy spin. Then of course the main event - Washington Olympic Distance Tri.

I drove down to Washington, NC on Friday. I stayed at the Day Inn, it was a motel. I shared the room with two friends, and it was kinda fun to hang out once they got there. We grabbed dinner, which is always hard to find in that little town, especially when they have an influx of people coming in. We did find something though, on the third try.

Saturday morning we got up at 4:30 (alarms all sounded), and of course I'm a up and at em girl, while the other two just laid there and slowly woke up. No worries, just got all my stuff in order, and headed down to the race site. We had to park about 1/4 mile away from the start. We all drove separately so we could leave at the end to go our separate ways.

Got my transition area all set up, chatted with some people around me, found my friends again, and hung out. Checked out the water. They were just putting the buoys out. So I came back and chatted some more. Then I decided to brave the porta potties and was happy to do everything that needed to be done.

The swim was good. Minus the fear of getting my toe clamped off by a crab (yes there were crabs in the water). The water was shallow, they say it wasn't more than 5 feet deep for the entire swim (I didn't test it though, because I was swimming). I did however swim over a stump or branch, that almost snagged me. I had a good swim, it wasn't to crazy, I had a little drifting in on the straight away between the turns, but it wasn't to bad. The water was salty, which is usually a good thing because it makes you more buoyant. The sun was coming up, and that made it a little hard to sight on the wiggly man on the shore. My swim time is 27 minutes and 26 seconds (for 1500 meters).

Transition 1 was not to bad. I stripped off my swim cap and goggles, wiped the sand off my feet, put on my sunglasses, helmet, socks and bike shoes...grabbed my bike and headed out of transition. My T1 time was 1 minute 43 seconds

I mounted my bike, and went out for my ride. It was a good ride. The roads were all pretty good, with one section being FANTASTIC - in that it was newly paved. I enjoyed the ride, it was pretty flat, I got down into my aero bars and felt like I was flying (until a few people flew past me). There were some WICKED fast people out for the race. There was some head wind, but I pretty much expect that at the coast so I hunkered down and got through it all. My bike time was 1 hour 8 minutes and 2 seconds. (for 23.5 miles)

Transition 2 was....well it was. I made sure I transferred my salt pills into the run pouch that my friend let me borrow, ohh yeah and a gel too. I had to wrap my head around that it was so wicked hot and I had 6.2 miles to get through. My T2 time was 1 minute and 50 seconds.

Off I went on the run, I stopped at the first water station and got water. Then I adjusted my shoe lace. Then I rolled my right foot, it hurt...and apparently was noticeable to have the people behind me ask if I was okay. Yeah, just can't seem to put one foot in front of the other. I walked a little to get through the pain and assess if my ankle was okay...it was. Glad my ankles are strong enough to deal with my mis-steps. It was a 2 loop course, I'm not a big fan of double loop courses but that's just they way it is. Up a little hill and over a little bridge (the hottest part of the race) and over the railroad tracks, around the corner, slightly up a small hill, around another corner....YAY water again, down the road, almost no shade, to the turn around with water and ice towels....then back, and then all over again. I walked a bunch of this run. I got chills, my fingers went numb, moments of goosebumps then my skin would smooth out. I wasn't the only one walking though...because it was WICKED HOT out. My run time was 1 hour 18 minutes and 43 seconds (for a 6.2 miles).

I waited after the race for the awards because I knew I was getting first in my category. I race in Athena. Athena is any age, but you have to be female and weigh 150 lbs or more. I easily fit that description, as I weighed 150 lbs in high school when I wore a size 2 and was a competitive swimmer. It's kinda silly, as anyone triathlete that has some height on them could probably race Athena, however it's known as the "Big Girl Group". The medal was cool. It's a crab. Mine was GOLD because I got first, the second place was silver, and the third place was bronze.

(Me with my medal...my 1st place award)

Casey is a AMAZING! She fell off her bike right at the end, and got some pretty brutal road rash on her right elbow and left hand, plus some nice bumps and bruises all over. Even after her fall, she still went on to complete the run! That's AWESOME!! I'm so PROUD of her. Above all that, she did in under her goal time! WOO HOO!!

Steve did awesome too! He had a great race, and was smiling every time I saw him! He and Casey are training for the Patriots Half Ironman at the beginning of September.

Here is me after the race, just hanging out and waiting for the awards! I was so ready to be done, and to go back and take a shower. The Pamlico River is super dirty (everyone who had white on, had brown on after the swim).

Not Quite 100 miles this week.

(the temp out when I took Scout for a walk on Saturday..It's warm at 5 am)

So this week I should of had 100 miles to share with you, however I had a wardrobe malfunction on my bike ride yesterday (nothing Janet Jackson-ish) that caused me to stop at the half way point. My ride yesterday was for the MS society, it was the Cup N Cone ride. If you live in the area, and your a cyclist you've probably heard of it, if not: this ride is HARD. It's goes up a legendary hill (Lystra) of which many many horror stories are told, and then just when you think you conquered that hill, it goes up a few more hills just to laugh in your face. To add insult to this hilly course the temperatures yesterday were high, as in heat index of 105 +. Climbing Lystra (for my very first time) was a challenge (when I looked at my bike computer and it said I was going 4 mph, I almost got off my bike and walked it....but I didn't), but I felt really good for the ride.....except for my malfunction. So when you go on long bike rides with skinny little bike seats your silly looking spandex shorts need to have some padding in them, and mine do. I actually wear tri shorts for most of my rides instead of bike shorts. The difference is the chamois that is inside (the padding). On tri shorts they are thinner because you actually wear the shorts for all three sports (the swim, the bike, and the run) for bike shorts they are usually a little bulkier. My tri shorts have been great, until this ride. I got the start of the dreaded saddle sores. So I decided to get sagged (the SAG vehicle assists riders with what they need) back to the start, rather than have to heal for 2 weeks off the saddle sores (I'm not good at dealing with pain in certain areas). Once back to the start, I waited for 2.5 hours in the heat for my friends to finish their ride (I drove over with one of my good friends). Needless to say it was a hot Saturday ride for all the cyclist out there. The cool thing is that I got to meet Ray...who is a cyclist and the guy who drove me back to the start. He will be riding with my friend Kim who has been riding with a group in N. Raleigh for most of the summer. And once I finish my Half Ironman training I'll get to come ride with them too! Ray's wife Karen rides with the group now. Ray is actually recovering from a heart attack that he had at the Gears and Cheers ride earlier this year.

(Ray- the guy who brought me back)

(notice the feels like temp on the right hand side...this is while waiting for everyone else to finish)

(So at least I found a shady spot to wait)

So total miles this week were 66. 11 miles of running on Wednesday (yes all in a row). I started my run at 6 am and it was already hot out. I met Jess at about the half way point and she ran back with me. Just our "normal" Wednesday routine. I'm kinda sad I'm working this week on Wednesday it changes up our routine. P

The North Carolina heat is making training tough, but I'm "tri-ing" to make it through all my workouts. (I made a funny). On Tuesday I did the Ladies mountain bike ride at Lake Crabtree Park. It was good and I only officially fell twice. With some near falls happening multiple times. I can still count 5 bruises on my body from the ride. It was a warm evening on that Tuesday.

(notice the 58% humidity)

Next weekend I'll be doing a triathlon, an Olympic distance race in Washington, NC (they call it the original Washington). I did a big biking weekend there a few years ago, and it'll be flat flat flat. I'm hoping everything will go well for the race and the weather will try to calm down a little (I mean, it's miserable in this heat). I going down on Friday and coming back after the race on Saturday. I have a couple of friends who are coming too, so it should be FUN!! Not sure if I'll get any pics, but I'll tri! (look I'm being cute again)

Fund-raising is going really well. I've gotten my first donation for the Disney marathon - and that makes me happy! Augusta fund-raising is complete. So a big thank you again to everyone who has donated! You make me happy to be able to do this, and I'll make you proud of what this body can do.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

While I am fortunate to have been blessed with good health, one person in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer approximately every four minutes. That is ONE parent, child, sibling, or friend since you began reading this page. I am asking for your help in reaching my fundraising goal for this cause. I am taking on this daunting physical feat to show my support for finding a cure, and what I am asking you to do now is to give a small donation in support of this great cause.

Please take a moment, right now, to donate. Do not wait to do this later.

Please donate now. Now is when your help is needed; not yesterday, not tomorrow, right now as you read this. Please support me, the researchers working for the cure, and for those people who have to fight this disease everyday.

I am reaching out to you because I know you will not sit back and do nothing; because you realize that even the smallest contribution can make

a monumental difference.

Do you know someone else who would be interested in supporting this cause?

Please forward this information to them.

Do you think that your company would be willing to donate?

Please pass this information on to them.

My goal is to raise $11,500.

Thank you for taking the time to read my fundraising page

and thank you for your support!

• All Donations are 100% Tax Deductable
• Each donation helps accelerate finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
• You can make a secure online tax-deductible donation (and track my progress) by visiting my site: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nc/wdw12/dentalfriend
• You will receive a confirmation of your donation by email and I will be notified as soon as you make your donation.
• If you wish to donate by check- it can be made out to the LLS and sent to my address (please message me for the address)
• Please send me the name of the person you are donating in honor of- I would like to honor them or their memory during the race.

I still have raffle tickets! The drawing is in 1 month! August 27th. You do not have to be present to win! Tickets are 1 for $10 and 3 for $25. The prize......$1,000! Who couldn't use that? Let me know if you are interested in buying tickets. Your odds are good to win!

Plans are in the works for some painting, wine, and bowling "fun"d-raisers for you local peeps. I'll let you know the details when I get everything worked out.

Saturday is BONK day??

So I guess I should start with Friday. Friday I had a swim on my schedule, and I met a teammate from TNT at the neighborhood pool. The Swim Gods were not with me. I just wasn't feeling the swim and after swimming about 1500 meters I gave it up. I was told that was the right thing to do. Sometimes if it just isn't right it's okay to just stop...for now.

Saturday I had a 60 mile bike and a 15 min. run on my schedule. I had a great ride! I rode the first 15 miles on my own and then I met a couple of my friends for the rest of the ride. We ended up doing some over-gearing, and some hill repeats, and some pick-ups. So by the end of the ride with only 3 miles left to the end I BONKED! I hit a wall. I apparently didn't eat enough, or drink enough, or both...on the ride. During the ride down Martha's Chapel Rd my shoulder and hip were really bugging me. I wasn't loving how my body was feeling. When we stopped at the stop sign at the end of the road, I just felt wonky. I was shaky and light-headed and felt a little nauseous. My friend Chris ended up riding back to the car and getting his car to come pick me and my bike up. Vicky stayed with me while he went back. It was a really weird feeling that lasted most of the rest of the day. Needless to say I didn't run after my 59.49 mile bike ride (I missed 3 miles at the end).

When I got home Jason had made me some food and chocolate milk. I sat in the hot tub for a little bit, to hopefully help ease some of my crazy muscle pain. And then I took a shower and a HUGE NAP!

I had already planned a night out with the girls. Jason made dinner for Kim and I (Yummy Steak Salad). We went to a new place called Wine & Design where we brought our own wine and they helped us paint a beautiful beach scene. It was SOO MUCH FUN!! Our friend Gayle met us there. We had such a great time.

Another Wednesday 10 miler!

My long runs have been on wednesdays the last few weeks. It's been nice. I haven't had work on wednesdays, so I've been going out early and getting my run done in the morning. I usually start at 6:30 am, and run until I'm done. Just to let you know, it had been a pretty toasty week. In fact on Tuesday 7/12, the heat index was 110 in the heat of the day, it was 101 at 7 pm. It didn't cool down much between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Jess met me at the half way point again. I a little bit before our meet up spot is a McDonalds which I usually stop at to use the facilities and fill up my water bottles with cold water. I'm so THANKFUL that they let me do that there. We had a pretty enjoyable run back, but it was so DANG HOT, and we ended up taking more walk breaks. It took longer than I wanted, but it got done. Next week will be 11 miles (wish me luck). At the end we remembered to get a pic of the both of us together. YAY! I also took some pics of my sweaty gross legs at the end of the run! I tend to pick up a bunch of debris by the end of the run! It was another run where my shoes were wet from the sweat rolling down my legs! YAY!!

Jess and I at the end of the run!

What my legs look like at the end of the run!

The Duke Multiple Myeloma Ride

My Back and # for the ride.

It was another Great Year for the Duke Multiple Myeloma Ride. I've done this ride every year since the beginning! (this is year 4) I did the 50 K this year....that's about 33 miles. The 50 K route is all the hills, but minus the middle 50 K of countryside that the 100 K has. After my bike ride I ran 20 minutes, as I am still training for my Half Ironman!

I got to the bone marrow center a little early to pick up my packet. I met up with one of the doctors who helps put on this ride...Dr G, she is awesome and super sweet. We talked for a minute and I broke down into tears (as happens when I get to close to the subject of my Mom's cancer). After I composed myself I hung out with a few of my friends Jenn and Nancy who were riding the 100K, and waited for my friend Bill who was riding the 50 K "with me". One of my TNT Augusta teammates also came and did this ride (Kim), and I also saw a few of my TNT Alumni pals (Rob and Cathy), ohh and my neighbor and dog walk friend was there as well.

The actual ride was tough, but really good! The hills were hard and long. The company was GREAT! I had a fantastic ride with a pretty good pace of 17.2 mph on those hills. Of course I was thinking about all the patients who were going through so much more than what I was going through on those hills....so it made it seem "easy".

After the ride I brought Dr. G a Multiple Myeloma bracelet (Angel of Grace), because I think she is AWESOME! She then bought a couple of more bracelets from me, and a couple of the other ladies (doctor's wives and nurses) also bought some bracelets. So I made some fundraising dollars at the ride. The after event is very nice for this ride....there is watermelon (I'm allergic, but most people really love it), burgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies, sodas, water, oranges....everything yummy!

Kim and I hanging out afterwards

I hung out after my ride and run, and waited for my friends Jenn and Nancy. They had a hard ride, Jenn doesn't really love hills, and it was a hard ride for her especially. While waiting I hung out with Bill, and Kim. I got stretched out by Dr Ahart which was nice. I ate. I rested. It was a beautiful day.

Jenn after her 100 K

Nancy enjoying the watermelon!

Lip Gloss Fundraiser.

So something new...I'm selling this cool lip gloss that comes in 3 colors (nude, pink, or red). The tube has a mirror and a light (which is perfect when you are trying to apply on your way to somewhere special at night....low light). I'll be selling them for a minimum donation of $15. Let me know if you are interested, or would like to see in person!

You better check yourself...

So...I had a great weekend. Lot's to talk about....but first a little story from my trip to the frozen yogurt place. I LOVE frozen yogurt, and am so HAPPY that it's made a come back. My favorite place in the triangle is Yogurt Mountain (on Creedmoor Rd). Their froyo is the bomb-diggity! So I met my friend at Yogurt Mountain and had an enjoyable time eating our yogurt (we ate outside because we are fools and enjoy the crazy hot weather...I guess), even though it melted fairly quickly. After eating I had some items in the car for my friend and we went over to get them for her. We then stood around in the hot beating sun chit chatting for a little bit. Now we are in a parking lot where you can see the cars from the froyo shop and the burger place next store. So we are standing there between my car and the SUV beside me, and the SUV beeps like 5 times....so we look around to see where the people are. There are no people coming. We laugh a little, and joke with each other that maybe we are standing to close to their SUV (I mean, it's a parking lot). So after a few more minutes a couple comes out of the froyo store and comes bursting towards us. The girl/women has a sour look on her face and blurts out "Excuse me" in a rough get out of my way voice. Of course, we are actually closer to my car, but move over a little more. She stares at us (I mouth *witch* to my friend), and they pull out of the parking spot with the girl/woman still scowling at us. I scowled/funny faced her back....I mean...for real...is your life that bad that you are upset that people are talking near your car? HA!! I should told her to check herself....life is too good to be in such a bad mood. I just got a chuckle out of it.

4th of July

We had a great time celebrating the 4th of July in Virginia with Family!

Scout loved being the center of attention for a bit.

Scout has his buddy McKenzie to keep him company

I love this pic!

Danielle made an AWESOME dessert for us to eat! YUM!!

It's been a fun trip so far...but no rest for the weary.

We made it to Virginia with no problems. I drove up (standard deal I drive up and J drives back). We saw 5 police officers on the way up (it's my new game to see how many are on the road), last visit was 12. There was a truck on the way up that I thought was funny...and I made J take a picture of it.

(Senior Moving Service and Estate Shoppe...hmmm does that mean they take the moving stuff and put it in their shoppe??)

We've had a pretty laid back visit so far, with most of my training fit in. It works better when it's laid back to fit training in. We had planned on hiking a little bit, but the heat is to much for some folks around here (gives J the look of "come on, please"). I did get my brick done on Saturday (it was a little short, but I was riding with J and let him make the bike route). I told him when we he said he was going to make the route that it needed to be about 30-35 miles....but he made it out for 24 miles because google maps told him it would take 2:15 min to complete. Ummm so 1:21 minutes later I was done with the bike and got going on my run. After I got back and took a shower we headed over to Roanoke to go visit J's brother and sister in law. We had a great trip exploring and hanging out. We got to see the house they bought and remodeled, and I can say...We Approve! They did a great job! Ohh and of course when we got back (I drove to and from Roanoke...4 police officers), we got some Willy's!! This girl was HAPPY!!

(Perfect temps....a little high on the humidity!)

(Bedazled Car...yep we saw that...in Roanoke)

(the HUGE stuffed animal (bear) at a shop in Roanoke)

(the line at Willy's)

(the reward from Willy's)

Sunday was a swim, and I wasn't feeling it but I did it anyways. I rode out to the Augusta Health Lifetime Center with my father in law so we could both workout. It cost $12 for me to go in as a guest! Geeesh!! That won't happen again. The pool was a salt/chlorine pool and a little sluggish. It got crowded after I started swimming, and for reals people learn how to share a lane. So this older gentleman had pulled up a chair to wait for a lane, and I offered to split the lane with him. That worked out fine. People are a little crazy. So the swim wasn't great partly because of the pool, and mostly because my neck and shoulders are tight, probably from driving and doing hills on my tri bike. We had a fab dinner of steak, corn on the cobb, salad, and then dessert of WILLY'S!!

(Sunrise in the 'boro)

(pretty flowers on the morning walk with Scout)

(Scout loves laying in the grass....don't make me come in...please!!)

Monday (today) I got up and did my 45 min run....the directions were to run out of my comfort zone, and I did good for the first 3 laps (.86 mile per loop), then I started to get a bit tired. It was a hilly route...up and down, but then running around here is always like this! I was sweaty by the end, mostly because it was HUMID out again. Now we are just hanging out and waiting for family to come over to do a cookout! Afterwards, we'll probably be heading home.

(the Big Hill at the start/finish...I would make to about half way and then walk the rest)

Getting ready for a holiday weekend!!

(Morning in the neighborhood)

So this week has been fun! Really it has been. I can't say that it's really that much different than any other week...well a few differences, but you know attitude makes all the difference. So at work the office is closed next week, so everyone was in a good mood...looking forward to some time off. Maybe some of us more than others. *smiles* I thought I had a job lined up for next week, but it fell through, so I guess I'll just be training....and probably cleaning the house! (uuggghhhh).

I did a mountain bike ride on Monday after I worked at one of my favorite fill in offices in Wake Forest, and YES I still am a terrible mountain bike riders. I get really nervous going over all the rocks and roots...it's my INSANE desire to WANT TO STAY ON MY BIKE AND NOT FALL, that makes me such a spaz! So during that ride I managed to bruise up my knee pretty good while I was (it's a little fuzzy what I was trying to do) maybe unclip. So somehow I banged my knee into the stem of my bike. It's like when you hit your funny bone in your elbow, except it was knee. Ohhhh it was crazy painful. I literally had to just stop and stand there....I thought I was going to puke, but I didn't. Luckily Pryde (the ride leader) was pretty awesome and fairly easy on me. I was the only follower on Monday night.

Tuesday I was supposed to swim, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays I always save my workouts for after work...something to look forward to or just don't want to get up any earlier than the normal 5:15 am. So after work the weather was TERRIBLE. I had planned to meet 3 friends at the Lake and do my Endurance Swim workout there. However, there was a big storm coming through and there was no swimming to be done. Should I have done something else....perhaps strength training?? Possibly, did I....NOPE.

(Scout patiently waiting for his walk in the morning)

Wednesday was a no work day....and a long run day. I got up and ran 10.25 miles before it got to hot! It was super humid out, but that's par for the course here in North Carolina. I arranged to meet my friend Jess at the halfway point and run back to the beginning together (than I drove her back to her car...it's the least I can do for someone getting up and running with me). I started at a little after 6:30, and was feeling pretty good on the first 5. I had frozen my water bottles so I would have cold water to drink along the way (I have a fuel belt that I wear on all my long runs...and some of the short ones too...that carries water and food around my waist). Coming back got a little harder as the sun started to beat down. By the end I was DRENCHED...as in I looked like I had gone for a swim....FOR REALS!!

(my very WET HAIR...after the 10 mile run)

(Jess and I after the 10 mile run)

Later on on Wednesday I met up with Jess and her husband Steve at the lake and made up my swim, even though my Awesome Coach let me know I didn't have to make it up, but I could if I wanted to. It was a beautiful swim at the lake, but the fish they were a nibbling. They only get ya if you stay still for to long. *winks* Ohh and they just tickle, but it's a weird feeling for sure. The surface of the water was crazy warm, and it made it an interesting swim! We all swam out to the rock (.5 miles) and back (another .5 miles) and got out.

(little slice of Heaven....Falls Lake)

(Jess swimming in)

(What my car told me the temp was after the swim)

Thursday (yesterday) was a timed 1000 yd swim. I went to Pullen pool...and it was HEAVEN. I mean really I haven't been cool water in so long! The pool felt GREAT! A little chilly when you first got in. I'm sure people who weren't lap swimming didn't love it, but they can go to the outdoor pools then. I did a warm up swam my 1000...or was that only 950, I guess I'll do another 50...so I either swam 950, 1000, or 1050....my time was either 15:13, or 15:57. Then I did a cool down and came home.

This morning I took the little monster to the dog park to get some energy out, before we take a road trip up to Virginia to visit the family. It's going to be a weekend of swim/bike/run/hike/dog walk/playing games/hanging out/ eating Willy's/enjoying time together GOODNESS.

(Scout at the dog park, so proud of getting the "cool" toy)

Car is almost packed...and we are about to be on our way!

(Car getting packed up)

(Bikes and pump to go on next)