3 Races, 3 States, 8 Days

I just got back from a whirlwind adventure this weekend.  I did an Olympic distance race in Virginia... the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia followed by a Sprint distance in Deleware the following day.  This morning I woke up and felt like I had been hit by a truck.  My body hurts.  But it's all for a good cause and I am happy to report that state #19 is complete.  As you know West Virginia was last week so that makes the 3 states in 8 days.
Tons of specatators for Virginia so mom and I were able to hand out lots of cards, talk to lots of people, educate about signs and symptoms and early detection of ovarian cancer and make some friends.  Deleware had a smaller crowd so not as much networking. 
I have 3 more races this season, having planned this past weekend as the "peak" of the summer.  In 2 weeks, I will do a local team race on Long Island.  Then Washington DC in early September and Mississippi in October.  Then some much needed R&R, while planning my race schedule for 2011.
Big thanks to mom who keeps me company and does whatever I ask of her on this adventure.  I really appreciate it!  Now off to work, the chiropractor and a much needed massage this evening.

New Friends

Meet Conor Nicholson. He participated in his first triathlon at age 12 but in his opinion "that didn't count". This past Sunday was his first "adult" triathlon and I am proud to have shared it with him.

Mom and I met Conor and his wife, Jessica, and 3 month old baby, Claire, at dinner the night before the race. I remember sitting at the table next to them and knew he was racing the following day. He had the look, he wasn't drinking, he was eating pasta and he passed up dessert. Truly the tell tale signs of a triathlete. I, however, had the apple cobbler with ice cream. What does that say about me? I wonder.

I found him after the race and he was thrilled with his results. I was thrilled for him, as you never forget your first race. Jessica snapped this photo right after we both crossed the finish line. So I told him, "now you need to buy the gear". Jessica said, "There's MORE gear?"

Congratulations Conor. Maybe our paths will cross in another state.

Keeps Getting Better All The Time

Just when I think I am pretty pleased with my athletic progress, I knock one out of the park. Yesterday my body was inhabited by a younger, more fit person; someone I did not recognize. It was awesome! I placed first in age but that's not the best part. I placed THIRD OVERALL FEMALE. I heard the announcer say that as I was crossing the finish line and really couldn't believe it was me. Hee hee! I'm shocked, humbled, elated, infused and totally stoked for my upcoming Olympic and Sprint back to backs this weekend in VA and DE. The results also helped to make the 8 hour car ride home a little bit easier.... at least the first 2 hours until the adrenaline wore off.
It gets better. I met a man who recognized me for my campaign based on my uniform and said he had "seen and heard" of me. That means the message is getting out there. He lives in Chicago and seems to remember reading something about me on line. All the social networking is paying off. Better still, he is ALSO doing 50 triathlons in 50 states (for no particular cause other than for fun) and West Virginia was state #30 for him. We spent at least a half an hour talking and asking each other questions. I have asked him to email me so I can use him as a resource moving forward. Since he is ahead of me in this process, I think he can be very helpful. He had some interesting thoughts for my final #50 state race but I will keep you in suspense for now.
Keeping my eye on the goal, mom and I were able to talk to lots of folks about ovarian cancer and spread the message. I have 3 emails in my inbox already this morning from folks I met in WV yesterday. I am glad I added my email address to the blog for just this reason. It was a very friendly and welcoming crowd. So state #17 complete. I am riding on air this week.

Keeping Track

So a big shout out to Darren and the guys at Carl Hart Bicycles. They are my "go to" bike store and all things cycle related. Except that I really never need to "go to" the store. That's because the store is about an hour away from where I live but Darren (who is part owner) lives 10 minutes from my house. He is so awesome that he meets me after work and transports my bike when it needs repair or when I need any supplies. He saves me hours of time! I can't even begin to tell you how precious that is in my life.
When my bike arrived home from Utah, the computer was broken. It must have gotten smashed by something in transit. The computer is the gadget that records time, distance and average mpg. I called Darren to see if I could just buy a computer head. He said no but that he had a spare lying around. He offered to meet me at his house the next day and bring it to me so I would have it for my race in West Virginia this weekend.
NO CHARGE! Actually that's not entirely true. The replacement battery cost $5. And he had it set for the correct time and already set for my bicycle/wheel.
In a day and age when customer service should matter the most, I find most places are sorely lacking in this area. Carl Hart and Darren, in particular, not only talk the talk but walk the walk. I am so proud to call them my "go to" bike store. Thanks guys!!!!

The Peak Of The Season

It hardly seems I have been home long enough to catch my breath and I am packing again. Off to West Virginia this weekend and then Virginia AND Deleware for back to back races next weekend. This is what is called the "peak" of the season. When I planned my race schedule, I knew the beginning of August would be the toughest. 3 races in 8 days, 2 being back to back Saturday and Sunday and 1 of them being an Olympic distance. This will truly test my fitness and my love for the endurance sport of triathlon. I have been trying to take it easy this week and just maintain my level of fitness but it's also been a really busy work week so I don't feel very rested. 3 jobs is a lot to juggle.
On another note, I wanted to thank everyone for the amazing feedback to the QVC piece. It has been great to get Facebook comments and emails from all over the world. The message is getting spread about the need for early detection and the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. This is still a grass roots effort so don't be shy. Talk to everyone you know about what you have learned. And oh yeah, pass on this link if you can and ask your friends for a $5 donation. Thanks!!