To Lindsy:

Lindsy: You will never know how much doing this with you has affected me. I know myself so much better now. I know you so much better. And I love love love what I have come to know. Susan may have gotten on to us for doing everything together, "waiting" for eachother...but I wouldn't have had it any other way. We started this journey together, we finished this journey together. We laughed, we bitched, we cried. We loved every minute of it, even if we didn't want to get in the cold pool, or get up at the butt-crack of dawn. I cannot wait to start another journey with you. I think back to the last 5 months, and I get teary. I think of you in your swim cap and I laugh b/c I know I look just as ridiculous (if not more), and how, as the time went on, seeing you in your swim cap just became the norm. Because of you, I learned to put aside my "mental blocks" in running, and allow my body to just go with it. And we watched each other bite it on the bike. I tell the stories to others and no one else "gets it" like you do. No one else knows exactly the feelings I felt throughout this journey, except you. I guess that is when you know you have a best friend: you don't have to verbalize it, she just knows. I am going to miss you more than words will ever explain when I move, but we share something that knows no distance. I love you.

Amazing Race!

Well, I did it! After about 5 months of training, I finished my triathlon! And not only did I finish it, I did pretty well (if I do say so myself!)...it was the most amazing moment of my life. I reflect on the event with a smile on my face and I cannot wait to do it again! It was a long, difficult and time consuming road, but in the end it was so worth it. Lindsy and I were so emotional after crossing the finish line, and so thankful for all the loved ones who came to cheer us on! I finished 10th in my age division with a time of 2 hours 8 minutes...check out the pictures posted below!!

Setting up the tranisiton area in the wee hours of the morning..
Our Susan Bradley Cox T-shirts!

Waiting for our turn to swim (nervous!)
On the pool deck...

On our way to the transition area...to the bike!Go Linds Go! Me on the bike..Whoo hoo Lindsy!YAY I did it!!So fun doing this with your best friendGotta love being met by your coach at the finish line

Lindsy and I with the Famous Susan Bradley Cox (we love you!)

For: Matthew Hallemeier, Brian Greenwell, Matt Godwin, and Andrew Brunet..Gotta Love Family Support! Lexington TEAM!

Times:

Rank in Age group: 10th

Swim Time (800 m): 17 min 26 sec

Bike Time (18 mi): 1 hour 10 min 15 sec

Run Time (4 mi): 34 min 34 sec

Overall Rank in Women: 57

5 Days To Go...

And, really all I can say is YIKES. I keep getting these horrible anxious feelings!! I hope I am prepared...I think I am. We did a brick workout this past sunday that consisted of the entire bike and run course that we will do during the triathlon and I really felt pretty good about it. I hope that the feeling sticks...
We got our Tri-suits on thursday and they are pretty dead sexy, especially since mine rides up on me and likes to show my stomach, and the shorts dig into my bulging thigh "muscles", like I said Dead Sexy. But, if you want to see what they look like so you know what to look for when you come watch the race this Sunday, here's a pic:

What to Look For! YAY for Team In Training!

So, this is a taper week, where we don't do as much hard-core training as we have been and we allow our bodies to rest before the big event. But I am a wee bit nervous about too much rest and my body "forgetting" about what it's supposed to do when Sunday comes...nevertheless I am trying to "rest" (i.e. like I did during our nearly 1500meter swim tonight---can we say Whaaaa??).

Well, wish me luck, I am going to need it. The weekend agenda is daunting, as is the time we need to be at the transition area on Sunday (5:15), but I am as ready as I will ever be. Bring it on! (I just hope I don't go through some crazy post-race depression once it's over and I have all the free time in the world! Oh, wait, there is always school...)

Everyone Falls Sometime!

So, tonight Lindsy and I decided to do a brick workout, and to make a long story short, I fell. Yup, bit it. I knew my time was coming (as you probably read in the previous posting, I about bit it yesterday during our ride), just didn't think it would be so close to yesterday's not-so-hot-ride. Of course, it HAD to happen at a stop sign right as a truck was pulling up. And I HAD to fall in his direction, right in front of him! I was even telling myself, "Don't fall...don't fall...don't fall." But I still fell. My left foot got stuck in the toe cage and I couldn't get it out fast enough and fell to my left, right in the middle of the road as this dang truck was pulling up. Thank God he saw me and stopped! (but, really, how can you possibly miss a 6' tall woman falling off her bike?) WOW. Needless to say, the man was nice--toothless, but nice--and asked if I was okay (I was) and then said I didn't have to throw my life in front of him that way! Ha! After he passed, and I dusted myself off, Lindsy and I agreed that it was a good thing it wasn't a hot guy in a corvette, that would have made the fall that much more embarrassing. Since there were no paparazzi around to catch my monumentous break-the-ice fall, I added a funny video that reminds me that it could be worse, I could be thrown into a river after falling! At least I got this out of the way before the Tri--hopefully I won't have another spill during the race!

Only Two Weeks To GO!!!!!

ACK!! It is so hard to believe, but there are only two weeks to go until the BIG DAY!! AND I have finally reached my fundraising minimum! Now, all that is left to do is train train train...and that we did this weekend. Before I get into the training, I need to say a huge THANK YOU to all the wonderful people who came out to mine and Lindsy's Zaxby's fundraiser this past Wednesday. What a huge turnout from friends from class and friends I haven't seen in a long while! Just so you know, we raised $136 dollars! YAY for yummy chicken, good friends, and raising money for an excellent cause!! Here are some pics from the night---

The Fundraising Committee!

Cara's friend, Leslie, Cara, and Sarah

Billie, Jonathan, and Abby

Talia and Mike

Stephanie!!

Catherine, Mindy, Ellen, Emily, and Laura

Clay and Amanda

Laura, Ashley, Jenny, Holly, Julie, Catherine, Mindy

Treacy, Ruth, and Jennifer

Josh and Amber

Lauren, baby, and Brad

group shot!

This past saturday, Lindsy and I ran in a 5K that my Physical Therapy class put on. It was a great run for me, even though at the end of the race, I felt exhausted and like I wouldn't finish--an all to familiar feeling during every race. But despite these feelings, I finished with my best time! YAY 25 min 13 sec!! Lindsy pushed me pretty hard and I was able to keep up for the first 2 miles or so, with about 8 minute/miles! AND, on top of the excitement of having my PBR (Personal Best Record--Lindsy throws this term out a lot--and I like it), I placed 2nd in my age group! WHOO HOO!! And it was nice to follow my best friend, who came in first (GO LINDS!). Anyways, it was a great run and I felt proud...check out the pics:

Numero Uno and Numero Duo...and don't you forget it! :)

PT friends! Julie, Jenny, Holly, and Me

After the race, I made a bee-line to Owensboro to see Josh for the "weekend." We had a nice evening of errands and went to a Ducks Unlimited banquet that evening...but my visit with him was short-lived because I had to get up at 6am to be back in Lexington for a swim and a 18mile bikeride of the Tri-For-Sight course. Unfortunately, I was (and still am!) incredibly sore this morning from pushing so hard in the 5K, so, while the swim went well, the bike was pretty tough. The course is no joke and my quads were SCREAMING. To make the bike ride a bit more interesting, I decided to strap my feet in for the first time and nearly bit it after crossing a busy intersection and trying to re-secure my foot into the pedal. I somehow went off the asphalt road and onto the cement next to the curb, and I couldn't get back onto the road b/c the road was higher than the cement boarder!!! So, my tires kept slipping back down and before I knew it, I was trying to keep from going down a storm drain. So scary. The poor girl behind me said she thought I was going down (and wondered how she was going to avoid going with me!). BUT, after it was all said and done, and I was over the shakes, I was told it was the best recovery ever. So, maybe I didn't bite it (thank God I didn't in the middle of mid-day traffic), but I came close enough to know that I really don't want to, either!

So, two more weeks to go....and I am wondering if I am really ready for this thing!!

Priceless...

Swim suit....$40
Bicycle and gear....$600
Running shoes, shorts, bodyglide...$100
Finishing your first triathlon while holding your best friend's hand then deciding if you can officially call yourself a "triathlete"...PRICELESS.

I have finally completed my first triathlon! Something I have wanted to do for a very long time, and I have done it....this past Sunday, Lindsy and I completed the Blue Grass Sprint Triathlon in Bowling Green, KY, as part of our training for the Triathlon For Sight (the "big" tri that we are fundraising and training for with Team In Training). The distances were: swim 400 meters, bike 23k, run 5k.

While it was difficult (I mean, c'mon it IS a triathlon), the feeling of accomplishment at the finish line is a feeling like no other and one that I cannot wait to experience again! Several people have asked me what the hardest part was, and I cannot really answer that. Each part had its own challenges, mentally and physically. The anxiety and nervousness that I felt standing in my swimsuit and waiting my turn to enter the pool was probably the most nervous I have been in my entire life. It was an out-of-body sensation to actually enter the pool and begin to swim...but I had a surge of emotions once my upper body hit the frigid water (panic, excitement, disbelief)! Then, before I knew it I was being kicked, slapped, beat up, and drowned from all angles as I attempted to make it to the end of the 400 meter swim. The swim was so difficult b/c I felt that I couldn't really get a rhythm going and I was just trying to stay afloat. The killer part was that there were so many people in the pool that WERE NOT swimming! Actually, they were doing everything BUT swimming! Walking, treading water, treading water backwards (someone's version of the backstroke), and taking rest breaks at the end of the lane lines!!!! Needless to say, I was so glad when I got out of the pool...

No onto the bike. It was an absolute gorgeous ride, but with one killer hill at about the 3.5 mile mark. Lindsy and I had been warned that "seasoned triathletes" had to get off their bikes and WALK them up this hill. Nothing like that kind of preview to get your heart going. But I have to say that we are ROCKSTARS, b/c we biked up the whole thing, passing a few people who did walk their bikes up it. Granted, we were extremely out of breath at the top, but everyone said it was all "downhill" from there (not literally, but that was the worst of it). So, with the hill under our belts, we decided to enjoy the ride and the scenery and mentally plan for the final event: the run.

Transitioning from the bike to the run must be the most enjoyable part to watch, b/c I am sure it provides a lot of comic relief. After an hour of pumping your legs on a bike, it is very difficult to make them work to run, and it feels (and looks) like you have no control of your legs...'cause you don't. You are march-running for about the first half mile! The run went wonderfully until about the last 3/4 or 1/2 mile, until I mentally checked out. This is where you thank God for a good friend to distract you and talk you through it...because of this I did run the whole thing and Lindsy and I were able to finish together. It was a wonderful feeling!!

Now that our first tri is over, I am so excited (still nervous) about the Tri For Sight in October! Only 3 weeks left!!

THE Susan Bradley Cox Groupies: with Her Smiley Symbol on our right calves

Nervously waiting my turn

Trying to find a rhythm...it didn't go easy

Lindsy awaiting her turn to enter the frigid pool

Just keep swimming swimming swimming

Transitioning from swim to bike

On our way out onto the bike course

Lindsy biking in...

Not far behind...

Bike to run transition--we were the quickest ever!

Trying to get our bike legs to become running legs (hilarious!)

Crossing the Finish Line

We did it!!! And the man in the cut-offs was happy for us, too!

Timing is Everything...

Well, not exactly, but I have started to pay attention to it. I meant to post last week about my 800 meter time but life got hectic and busy and you know how that goes... So my time for the 800 meter swim was 20 minutes and 10 seconds. I felt pretty darn good about this! It was nice to just pace myself and not feel panicky. So, that's that.

This weekend I ran in the 1st Annual Bryce Riley Memorial 5K with Lindsy and another friend Billie. Bryce was an Honored Hero for Team In Training and lost his fight to leukemia this past December 23rd at the age of 5. The event was a major success for Bryce's parents, a huge turn out within the community with lots of fun things going on for race participants and family members. It was a really fun race to run, and even though I couldn't keep up with my running partners I still had my best time ever! I finished the race in 27 minutes and 7 seconds!! The time of the last 5K I did was 29 minutes 30something seconds. So I shaved nearly 2 1/2 minutes off! :) SO, I was happy....the training has gotten me somewhere! (oh, and if you'd like to read more about Bryce Riley's story, follow this link: http://www.johnsrunwalkshop.com/Flyers/BryceRiley5k08reg.pdf )

Finally, to sum up my training notes. Lindsy and I did brick work on our own last night. And while it doesn't lend itself to a whole lot to write about, we felt pretty darn good. Instead of doing bike-run-bike-run-bike-run, we did a straight 12 mile bike ride through the beautiful landscape and rolling hills of Nicholasville, KY, and then a 3 mile run. It was great and I felt good! It was a nice "break" in our team training.

What does "good" mean anyways?

I am not quite sure what a "good" time is for an 400 or 800 meter swim, but I do know that I felt really good tonight after completing 400 + 400 meters (to equal 800, in case you didn't know!). Coach Cox asked us to time ourselves on the 800, but being gone for 2 weeks I wasn't sure how I felt about this so I timed myself on the 400 (which I thought was aspirational in and of itself) and then took a break and timed the remaining 400. I am proud to say that a) I did not die, b) I didn't drink half the pool as I thought, c) I actually free-styled the entire thing!! and d) did it in a reasonable time!! (I think) Those of you who know swim times can tell me what's reasonable, but my 400 meter was 9min 41 seconds and my 800 was 19min 34sec. Of course, this may change on Thursday when I time the entire 800 meters (no 5 min break at the half way point), but tonight I was proud of myself! Sometimes ya just gotta give yourself a pat on the back...

Welcome Back to Reality

Don't worry, I am still alive and still training for the triathlon! I have been without internet for 2 weeks and while it was weird not being in-touch with the technological world, it was the most peace I have felt in a very long time! Of course, one week of that was spent in Jamaica! :) While I wasn't able to do my hard-core tri training in Jamaica I still ran and tried to stay with the cardio. But I will admit, there was a whole lot of laying on the beach, drinking fruity beverages, eating, and congo lines!

The second week was spent moving into our new house. I did get up and run every morning with the exception of 2 days and I have to say that I am finally over my fear and hatred of hills. The new neighborhood is all hills, you are either going uphill or down and there is very little flat. But, it is good for me and I feel much better about the run portion of the triathlon...now if I could only feel comfortable with the swim...

A Harsh Comparison

During our Sunday swim, Lindsy and I got the bright idea to video ourselves using the pull buoy and then video someone who knows what they are doing! Sometimes you just don't know what you are doing wrong until you see yourself. I felt like I maybe was doing it correctly, I mean I was getting from one end of the pool to the other with only drinking a little water! And, I felt relatively good even (even if it was hard). BUT, I now know how I really look and I cannot say I am pleased with it. So, I am offering up my vulnerability for everyone to see what I look like, to laugh at me if you need a good laugh, or to feel bad/embarressed for me if you need someone to feel this way for. Just know, I am persevering and I appreciate your support/laughter/concern! It is a learning moment. :) Enjoy!

(the first girl swimming knows what she's doing, I am the second girl in the purple cap and I obviously can't swim a straight line!)

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Lindsy- This blog's for you!

I have to start this out with the reminder that I absolutely hate HILLS. I love to run down them but hate to run up them. Despite this, I feel like I have become used to (maybe even am comfortable with) the hills at the arboretum where we have been running. I might even go as far to say that hills don't bother me or scare me as much as they used to. But, um, NO. The healthy fear of running up hills has been reinstated with this morning's run in Lindsy's neighborhood. (For those who don't know, I am living with my best friend until October since we've sold our home in Lexington--as her sister said, she now has a "built in running partner.") Now, Lindsy and her friend Courtney run the neighborhood nearly every morning so she is no stranger to the serious changes in elevation. Because I am a newbie to the hills that are her neighborhood, Wednesday morning she decided it best to do a different, less hilly (but still more than I am used to) route. The 4 mile run kicked my hind end. THEN, she suggested we do her normal route this morning!! HA. It was all going OK until she told me not to look up because we were getting ready to run the hill that tops ALL hills! After a few choice words and grunts I made it up The Hill, then insisted on walking so I could catch my breath. This is when Lindsy let me know that Courtney does all she can to not heave after running up that hill (thanks!). After it was all said and done, it was a wonderful workout...I didn't vomit, thank God, but I did almost pee on myself! (And note-to-self: even if it is cloudy it is still HOT at 11:00 in the morning at the end of July!)
So, Lindsy, thanks so much for pushing me! I am glad to know I have reached the 4 mile mark

Me at the BOTTOM PART of The Hill. This picture doesn't do it justice, really. The Hill continues to ascend beyond what you can see in this picture. Oh, it hurts me to think of it!