20 Mile Long Run Today

Yep, I did my run, felt pretty good, came home sneezing, Craig and Brad's cold finally caught me, not so fun.

Triathlon Fourth Event

Many people talk of triathlon's fourth event. To some it is strength training, or transitions, nutrition, or juggling calendars. So what is my fourth event.............it is the event I have the most experience in. It is Laundry. I am the champion of all laundry, as only a mother of six children can be. Except now it is me generating an outrageous volume of work for the washing machine and the dryer.

Each day there is morning workout clothes, swim and run, or bike, evening workout clothes, any combination of the above, plus throw in yoga clothes and sorting paraphernalia, gloves, helmets, multiple pairs of socks, sunglasses, goggles, swim caps, and water bottles. There are the I'm home from work out, clean the house clothes, oh, now lets clean up a little and go get groceries and do errands clothes, hmm...Craig thinks a movie would be nice tonight, I guess a pair of clean jeans and a tee would be a good idea. I think I'm up to at least 7 or 8 clothing changes, maybe more in a single day, geesh, I guess I make up for not having a houseful of girls.

Do You Have an Appointment?

Today was a 70 mile ride on my training plan, I only got about 48 done, it was blazing hot and I double flatted. I know I need to learn how to get my rear wheel on and off, it is not as easy as my road bike. I had a rear flat about 40 miles in, luckily I was just a few big blocks past Redlands Cyclery, I quickly debated my options, Craig is out of town so I can't call him, I can call a friend, I can call Kyle and drag him out of school or I can change it myself. I decide that if I attempt to change it myself, with my luck I'll get the wheel off and never be able to get it back on. Suddenly I remember, Oh yeah, I'm not that far from my LBS, where I'm well known, I'm in there way too often with the boys. I walk back, head to the repair section and handy mechanic asks what my problem is, I explain I just flatted, have you got a few minutes to fix it for me? "Do you have an appointment?" What----do I look like I have an appointment? Did I call you last night and line up an appointment in case I flatted on my ride? I say no....... and I could fix it myself if it was my road bike but I really struggle with the derailleur on my tri bike. So apparently I'm not so well known in there as I think I am. About then someone who knows me walks by says hi, he almost didn't recognize me in kit and now handy mechanic is nicer to me. Maybe it was just my imagination, maybe he was trying to be funny, I don't know, but he fixes my tube and informs me my front is also flat....good thing I walked back there since I only had one tube with me. Anyway I really am appreciative that he fixed my tires for me, that I wasn't very far from the store when it happened and that I remembered to stick my ATM card in my pocket that morning (only because I wanted to buy cinnamon bears and water at Circle K.)

Tomorrow 13 mile run and 3 hour swim clinic, not so looking forward to the swim clinic.

Story Problem

If an elderly, small female does an 18 mile run, burning approximately 1800 calories and gains 1.2 pounds, how many cinnamon bears must this small elderly woman have eaten on her run?

Road bike vs. Tri bike

This is my road bike. It is a Trek 2200. I've had this beautiful bike since 2004 and have puts thousands and thousand of miles on it. In short, I love this bike, it is comfortable, it fits me and together we have solved many problems. When I signed up for IMAZ I initially thought I would just throw a set of aero bars on my bike and we would be good to go. Kev said, no, no way, so I got fit for a tri bike and this is what Craig surprised me with for Christmas (I would have spent much less).

This is a Felt B2R, as I said I've had it since Christmas. When I first started riding it I was having "issues". I just didn't love it, which led to guilt because let me just say this was an expensive puppy for my level of ability. But it is now August and we have begun to adjust to each other. Since my crash my Felt has been in the shop longer than expected, so I've been back on my road bike, including several 50+ mile rides. Thursday I got my Felt back, I rode yesterday and today. Wow! That's all I can say. I love my Felt. It is definitely true about the way your legs feel, the road bike hammers my quads much more than the tri bike. The Felt is fast, and wants me to ride it even faster, the road bike just wants to go on a picnic. Let's be fair here, the road bike is older and aluminum, the tri bike is carbon and top of the line components. I am still not the best at holding aero but thanks to Kev for telling me no way on the road bike for IMAZ.

Back in the Pool

I am healing well, road rash is unremarkable. I was back in the pool for the first time Monday. I was totally creeped out at the pool. I think I'm going to start using Highland's pool as much as possible. Their pool is right in front of the building, it has glass all the way around the front and across from the reception desk. Not as scary. Today: eight mile run, one hour in the pool.