Familiarity Breeds Content

Now I know what that means... or at least applied to this yesterday's race. I raced locally yesterday with my club, Team Total Training and it was terrific. It felt like old home week. Here is a photo of me with one of my favorite teammates, Steve. Mother Nature provided us with a spectacular day to boot.
I wore my TTT uniform instead of my teal OCRF suit, as NY state didn't really need to "count" and I wanted to feel like I was a part of the club effort. Not sure how many of us were there but I know there were a lot. Everywhere I looked, there was a TTT uniform. And quite a few of us took home some hardware. I think we had 4 in the top 10 overall. I was 5th in age but more important, I bested my time by 2+ minutes. This is a race that I can actually compare, as I have done it 3 times before. I gave it my all, had nothing left in the tank, and had fun racing with friends. You can't ask for a better day.
TTT had a team party afterwards so we all got to see each other "with our clothes on". It's a bit of a triathlon joke because we usually only see each other in bathing suits or bike helmuts. At the very least, we are sweaty. So this was a nice occasion to look like our "real' self. Or is the sweaty triathlon look our real self? I wonder.
No time to rest. I got my confirmation for Nation's Tri today. Swim wave #19. It's a giant race. Excitement building...

Staying Close To Home

Another race coming up this weekend but this one is in my own backyard. I have already raced in NY many times so technically, I don't need this race or this state. But this one is special to me because it is a "team event". The group that I train with, Team Total Training, comes out en mass for this event. In fact, I think I might even wear the team colors this weekend and not the OCRF teal uniform I usually wear.
It's funny but I guess I am a bit lonely. I've been traveling all over the country and meeting lots of people but haven't had a chance to see friends, train with the team or do much summer socializing. Don't get me wrong; I am not complaining. But when the opportunity to be with my "peeps" came up, even though I didn't need to race NY, I jumped and registered right away.
So off to Oyster Bay and the TOBAY triathlon this weekend. Wave #6, Sunday morning. Weather forecast is great, after a very soggy, rainy week so the tri spirits will be with us.
Then two more races after that... but I am not thinking about them right now.

A Weekend Off... Well, Not Really

Seems like a long time since I had a weekend "off".... whatever that means. I have been packing and loading up the car and traveling to races for the last several weekends so I guess it means a weekend of not driving. Alas, not the case. Even though I am not traveling for a race, I am headed to Massachusetts for a baby shower. So packing I will do and driving I will do and places I will go.

On a training note, my husband joined me this morning for my am run. For all of you who know my husband, you must be laughing or are confused. HE DID NOT RUN. He followed me on his bicycle and paced me. Which means, I had to keep up. And it was not easy. He can be quite the task master when he wants to. So I had a very good run this morning, thanks to Don.

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.