Race nerves! Two days until the Lame Duck Tri

It's about that time. Pre-Race nerves!

I'm getting so excited about my race this Saturday, only 2 days away.  I wish I would have a training log to post for this week, but alas, I haven't done any training!  It's been a taper week like no other :)

The race directors were nice enough to let me do a special packet pick-up since I couldn't go to any of the schedule pick-up times.  I've got all my gear ready and the time is just ticking away until I'll be strapping my bike to the back of my car and hitting the road to Georgetown (only 15 miles away)

I feel confident that I've built a strong enough base to push myself pretty hard on race day.  My ultimate goal is to still just finish strong and injury free.  But if I can push and do better than I predict, then I'll certainly take that too.

A couple of weeks ago, I did a test ride on the bike course and it was INTENSE.  Being only 9.1 miles, it didn't sound daunting.  But then driving up to the race site neighborhood, I knew what people were talking about when they said it was 'CRAZY HILLY.'  The neighborhood must have been built on a  daggone mountain!  My car had trouble getting up the hills!!!!  But I tackled it anyways and felt that the challenge was really in my head.  There was a lot of mental cheering inside myself that helped me push up the hills.  That strategy seemed to work and I conquered it without having to do the 'walk of shame.'  Now if I can just repeat that, but faster!

So here's a lineup of my gear:

THE BERRY BOMBER!  I really love this bike.  It fits me just right which is so hard to find with my small size. 

Everything else!

-Lazer helmet
-Louis Garneau cycling jersey
-Pink race belt with lucky #257!
-Louis Garneau tri shorts
-Tri socks
-Race sunglasses
-Brooks running shoes with speed laces
-Speedo swimsuit
-Pink Nike running hat
-Clif Shot Bloks (tasty jelly cubes with caffeine)

Not long now!

Training Report :: July 19-25

I think it's interesting to know what other people are up to when they train for various races, so I'm going to post my own training log from each week. I have a training schedule set up on my fridge which you won't see here, but I do give myself a sticker every time I complete my workout for each day. Hey, whatever it takes to get motivated, right?

I am no all-star athlete. I never have been. But I do believe in staying active and working within your own abilities to improve as much as possible. Each week I feel stronger, more fit and happier. I work to swim further, run faster, ride harder and sometimes just survive.

Monday 7/19
Pilates/Rest day
I have been taking Pilates Reformer classes for almost 6 months and it has changed me, inside and out.  It's great for strength training and stretching.  It makes me feel taller if that's possible!  Due to schedule conflicts and wanting to move on to different workouts, though, I am taking a break from it.  If my 'Pooh bear' belly returns though, I might have to reconsider.  :)


Tuesday 7/20
Swim 45 min.  

Wednesday 7/21
Rest Day
Unintended rest day.  A minor eye infection put a stop to any 'unnecessary' exertion.  The pain was to that of a glass shard in my eye, so the day's scheduled run was going to have to wait. 
 
Thursday 7/22
Run 30 min.
With some miraculous eye ointment meds, my eye recovered enough to take a run.  Running is my weakest event of the tri, so surviving my scheduled mileage is a major victory!

Friday 7/23
Rest Day

Satruday 7/24
Bike Ride: Casual ride with the YMCA group - [12 miles]

Sunday 7/25
Bike Ride:  Tri for Sight  course PB time [18.5 miles] = 1:19 - down 7 minutes!

4 days to go until the Lame Duck Try-athlon!  It's been such a hectic week that I haven't had time to get nervous, which is good.  So very excited to tackle this race!

NO DAY BUT TODAY

Last night was the closing night for this year's Kentucky Classical Theater Conservatory (KCTC) SUMMERFEST, one of my favorite parts of summers in Lexington. 

Summerfest is a series of plays and musicals set outdoors each July in the beautiful UK Arboretum.  For its 4th season, this year's lineup included Merchant of Venice, Pride and Prejudice, and RENT!  I have been waiting months since the lineup was announced to see these shows.

The best part about Summerfest is the outdoor venue.   The center of the audience is reserved for blanket seating only.  You get to bring your own blanket and have a picnic while enjoying the show.  Each performance starts at 8:45 p.m. so the weather is perfect...right at sunset on a warm summer night.   Left and right of the blanket area are the reserved chairs.  The atmosphere is casual, fun and relaxing.  Did I mention tickets are only $10?!?!   This year, my sister, Alan (bro-in-law), Mike and I bought reserved blanket season tickets and got a front row seat to every show.  Fantastic! We laid back in our Crazy Creek chairs (one of my favorite things) and had the most amazing time.

So back to last night.  The season came to a glorious close with one of my favorite musicals of all time, RENT.  I love the music of this show (I know almost every word), but more importantly, I love the message.  The show uses several non-traditional relationships to portray the importance of true love and living for the moment.   The couples are: Joanne and Maureen (the fiery, battling lesbians), Roger and Mimi (former drug addict and current drug addict; they both have AIDS), and Angel & Tom Collins (Angel is a drag queen who helps Tom after he's beaten in an alley--they also both have AIDS).

I'm so impressed that our community could produce such a powerful version of my beloved RENT.  I was near tears at several points in the show.  Kudos to the actors to bringing such passion and honesty to these characters that I love so much!  The story truly came to life and I feel so lucky to have seen it front and center. 

Here's one of my favorite songs from RENT.  "Another Day"  Mimi & Roger from the Original Broadway Cast

CSA Veggies

This year Mike and I decided to buy a share in a farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  Basically, we pay a local farm a fee at the beginning of the growing season and throughout the summer/early fall, they provide us with vegetables & crops from their farm.  It's a great way to support our local farmers and to get introduced to new vegetables that we've never eaten before.      

We chose Three Springs Farm in Carlisle, KY, because they had  a reasonably priced half-share option and it's been one of the longest running CSA's in Central Kentucky.  So far, it's been really fun to see what will come in our basket every other week.  Most of the veggies are already chosen for us to pick up, but sometimes, we get to choose between herbs or flowers or some oddball crop we've never heard of before.  It definitely adds some fun to the whole process. 

Here is this week's CSA basket.  

edamame (green soybeans)
new potatoes: 'onaway' variety
red cabbage
zucchini
slicing tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
sweet corn
canteloupe
herb: shiso  (but I traded this for some basil)



So consider supporting your local farmers next summer by becoming a shareholder of a CSA.  You'll get fresh local, organic (depending on the farm) food and have fun learning to cook new veggies.

PhotoBooth fun!

Some fun photo booth photos with Justin, Bear, Alan and Dad!

Lame Duck Try-Athlon

I was bit by the triathlon bug in September of last year.  I went to watch a friend compete in the Tri for Sight race here in Lexington and was amazed by the speed and skill of the athletes.  Also, they all looked like they were having so much fun.  I really wanted a new life challenge and my health was finally at a place where I could exercise extensively again. 

My thoughts were this: I started swimming when I was 4 and competed for about 13 years.  Swimming, check.  I had run in regular foot races (5Ks, half marathons) throughout the years.  Running, check.  I rode my sister's bike (which was too big) all through college. Cycling, check, maybe.  So with enough checks in my head, I figured it would be a fun sport to tackle. 

So now I'm on to my third triathlon this year, the  Lame Duck Try-Athlon.  Located in an insanely hilly Georgetown neighborhood, it's a 0.54 mile lake swim, 9.6 mile bike, and 2.6 mile run.  I first heard of the crazy hills on this race and immediately wrote off any chance of me being able to finish.  But with some coaxing from my Tri-tastic friend, Angie, I thought I'd give it a shot.  I always told myself to never let fear stop me from trying something.  So I signed up and I'm nervous and so excited to compete!

Two Roads Diverged...

I've made several attempts at blogging and here is my latest.  There is no sole purpose, no items to sell or ideas to pitch.  This blog is merely an outlet for my thoughts and a way for me to update my friends and family of my latest life adventures.  

The title comes from a poem I have loved since the 8th grade, "The Road Not Taken" (1915) by Robert Frost.  One of my favorite teachers of all time, Mrs. Cathie Hoehner, introduced this to me in 8th grade Language Arts class.  Here are some of my favorite stanzas:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth...

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Through all these years, I've used the message of this poem to guide the many decisions of my life where I can go down road A or B and I've always been inspired to follow my heart and to create my own path.

So here is my blog to share my life and my heart.