So, I woke up at around 3am Saturday to catch my morning flight & as soon as I landed in Denver, I was whisked away to the largest water park in America–Water World (imagine the world’s largest water park on about 3 hours of sleep).  Luckily, they let me get some coffee first & I was good to go for the rest of the day.  You are never too old for water rides & this park is super nice and clean.  A great way to start the vacation!

Sunday was a little more laid back–John’s friend’s girlfriend (got that?) was sweet enough to let me borrow her road bike, so I went on a nice 20 mile ride from Denver to Golden (the home of the Coors Brewery).  It was great because the roads weren’t crowded at all & the drivers weren’t scary like in L.A.  Luckily there weren’t any terrible hills (only some small rolling ones, which I enjoy), so I made it out alive.

In the afternoon, we had a play date at Lakeside Amusement Park, which has been around since 1908 & was once declared the “Coney Island of the West.”  Why anyone would want to advertise that, I’m not sure–but I agree with the comparison.  It was so retro that it came off as more “movie set” than “amusement park.”  Me and Sam made our way on 6 or so rides, most of them making my stomach churn & testing my ability to be a *fun aunt who rides all the rides*.  I drew the line at the tilt-a-whirl.

Monday the parents and Sophie were gone for the day, so it was just myself and my nephew.  What else were we going to do but compete in the mini-Olympics?  We took our cones and soccer ball out to the park & competed in a variety of events.  Sadly, I only won one: the Soccer Kick Event.  I then put him in the “bike trailer” & attempted to bike my way to the library (that boy is heavy…but of course I love a good leg workout!) & the park–followed by a healthy meal at KFC.  Man those mashed potatoes are awesome.  We watched a movie, he napped for over an hour & then more play time until Mom came home.  We had swim lessons that night (well, I swam  laps while the kids had lessons) & passed out after that.

Tuesday we dropped my brother off at work & headed over to Boondocks, the local mini-golf-go-kart-arcade-laser tag place.  We stayed there for 4 hours, which is a long time–but we were both troopers (until that girl started squirting us non-stop on the bumper boats…not cool! soaked for another hour after that!).  We then went to see Despicable Me.  I was so exhausted I passed out for 30 minutes in the middle & by the time the movie was over, it was time to pick John up and head home.  Did we just make it through an 8 hour day of non-stop activity?  Amazing.

Wednesday I had both of the kids (Sam and Sophie), but by this time–I think the novelty of Aunt Kristy was wearing off (don’t overstay your welcome).   We had another round of mini-Olympics, a picnic, acting time (I AM a drama teacher), water hose fun, etc–and of course neither of them were interested in a nap (but trying to get them to take one killed a good hour or so of our day).  Finally, we turned on the TV and watched some Hannah Montana, & ended the day with a dance party with itunes blaring through the house.  And then of course, more swim lessons.

So, I wouldn’t call it a “relaxing vacation”–but it was an awesome time to get to spend so much time with my brother and his family.  I love being an aunt.  The kids both have such a hilarious sense of humor that we continually crack each other up.  They always seem one step away from either crying or laughing, and I can totally relate.  I got to take Sam to his first day of 1st grade yesterday, and he was playing it so cool.  The other kids were hugging on him & I think he rolled his eyes a little.  His teacher seemed so sweet (I guess 1st grade teachers are by definition sweet?) & though I was ready to get back to L.A., at that moment–dropping him off in the classroom– I wanted just one more day at some cheesy amusement park with him.

Every time I visit Denver I think about moving there.  This usually happens in Texas, too.  Maybe I’m just easily swayed by a wide variety of lifestyles.  I imagine myself ending up in a community that places a priority on outdoor activities, while still having major movie/music/restaurants/etc. to balance it out with.  I want to live in a town with crazy amazing bike paths, and my ultimate dream is to ride my bike to work (without fear of death).  I would like to live in a city that isn’t quite as crowded as L.A., yet I’d still like to be able to get lost once in awhile.

So, I’m willing to pick up and move if an opportunity comes around, but I also have to say that L.A. is still a great place for me to be.  I loved getting off the airplane & feeling the breeze & driving around in my Mustang on a 405 that happened to be, for a moment anyway, traffic-free.  The triathlon community here is huge, as is every community because the city is just so big.  I love that I have a history here–friends that have been my friends since I moved here (or before, Chuck!, Kendra!), but I also love the possibility of still meeting new and incredible people (like the work friends I’ve made in the past few years).

All this to say, I still love my commitment-free life.  I know I’m supposed to want to “settle down,” to marry, to have kids, to do whatever you do after you have kids (find other people who also have kids and hang out with them?).  I just feel like there are so many paths out there for people to take these days and thank goodness for that.  It’s no secret I AM interested in finding a good man (always!), but beyond that–I don’t really have a plan.  But TIME feels like the most precious thing, and I feel great when I choose to spend it in a way that feels right.  I could have gone on some exotic solo trip to Hawaii for some surfing lessons, but none of that could compare to time spent with my nephew and niece.  Well, maybe a tropical drink & the sunset might come close–but not really.  No contest.

The beauty of my Denver vacation being over is that I still have a 4 day weekend & no plans!  Well, besides the workouts–which are so much more fun when you don’t have to squeeze them into already jam-packed days.  I plan on seeing at least 2 movies this weekend–I’ve only seen 3 or so movies the entire summer, which is very unusual for me.

So, that’s my Denver trip.  Have a great weekend!

Summer camp has ended at work with a performance I was totally proud of.  In this line of work, the only thing that means anything is the progress I see in the kids themselves–not their talent…but their ability to open up, to engage, to make new friends, to share their ideas.  All of this happened, and I laughed hard almost every day (usually multiple times).  I was completely exhausted on Friday, sure, but the kind of exhaustion that can be eased with a great weekend.

Saturday morning started with another UCLA workout.  I’m loving working out with this group & coach–great people & just the right amount of structure/advice/challenge.  We did 1 1/2 hours at the track (warm up, drills, sets of 400s, cool down) & moved to the pool for another hour.  Even though these workouts are just once a week & will be over after September, they still motivate me in big ways.  I see that I can workout for a couple of  hours at a time & it’s not the end of the world.  My body can handle it pretty well.  I can go faster and longer than I thought possible.  It pretty much shatters the image of what I thought I was capable of.  And more practically, it gives me solid workouts to continue doing when I’m not with the group.  This, combined with my personal trainer, takes me to a new level.  I’m not sure how it will translate at race time, but I know on a week to week basis–it makes training way more exciting.  Shakes things up.

I’m about to head to Denver & then I’m not sure where (TX?).  Yes, I’m a little unsure of the next month or so, but more on that when I’m a little more sure.  In the meantime, I can’t wait for Denver (Saturday)!  Let the fun begin (and the workouts–I get to borrow John’s friend’s bike–hooray!  I get to ride through Boulder, CO!  I hope I can handle the altitude).  I’m always game to hang with my brother and his awesome family.

I had a great Sunday today–started with a bike ride…the clouds there in the morning and then clearing on my way back in…I love the way the ocean looks when everything is kind of gray.  It’s not as depressing as it sounds.  I had an awesome omelette (avocado! hooray!) & then pool time with trashy magazines.  I would like a dozen more of those days, all in the next few weeks.  Hooray for August!

It was also my 32nd birthday, and what better way to spend it than waking up at 4am for a race!  Seriously, can we start these races just a little bit later?  I drove up to Oxnard (about an hour away…if you don’t get lost, like I did…thanks GPS for saying I was in some national forest when I was literally parked next to a Wienerschnitzel) & got set up without any issues.  The race was sold out, but they actually stuck labels on the bike racks for each individual–which I had never seen before & was really cool.  Nobody could take up too much space or find a prime spot for their bike–all pre-determined.

I made my way down to the ocean for the start, meaning to jump in the water, dive under some waves & warm up.  I stuck my foot in the 61 degree water & looked at the waves and thought, “Umm, why would I do this more than absolutely necessary.”  Instead, I just watched everyone else warm up.  I’ve only been in the ocean once this year, but I’ve learned that when you jump into it–there’s really no other option than to try to make your way through it & around the buoys.  This swim was ridiculously short compared to my others, which made me SO happy.  I was literally only in the water for about 6 minutes & even though the rolling waves weren’t the best for someone with frequent motion sickness, I was totally fast & proud.

The bike course was designed for me–completely flat!  I can and did get going pretty fast on the course–I averaged about 20 mph, which is awesome & it went by sooo quickly.  On the run, my legs were fine–but I could tell early on that my breath wasn’t so hot.  I haven’t been running much since the bug bite incident & at moments like these–it’s really apparent.  I stopped to walk every mile–which I would normally never do in a 3 mile race.  But I still felt really good at the end–proud that just a month ago I was on crutches with a gross swollen foot & now am back to racing.

It was a cool surprise to find out I placed 3 out of 35 people–that is a really big division & the best I’ve done against such a large group of people.  I actually finished 1st in the bike, which is awesome!  But most importantly, I got to stand on the podium made of HAY to accept my medal & strawberries.  Yes, I was awarded with locally grown strawberries.  It brought back memories of my days at the Luling Watermelon Thump 5k!

So, great to be racing again & the medal provided a much needed ego boost for myself.  I like these shorter races, partly because I’m better at them & partly because they ARE shorter & don’t take as much time to train well for.  It makes me re-think the rest of the season & still questioning whether I’ll head to Nationals this year or not.  I’m pretty sure I could qualify again next year & next year they are in Vermont, which would be awesome.  So we’ll see.

I’m still not sure what race is next, but I’m just so glad to get my training back on track.  I’m working out with the UCLA team this summer–10 workout sessions with them & probably a few more group workouts thrown in there to push my training to a new level.  I’m just giddy about it today.  I did hill repeats on the bike, probably the most painful workout I do–with a smile on the face, happy to be back at it in full force again.

So it was a great way to spend my birthday.  And the margarita I had that afternoon wasn’t a bad way to end it, either.

I spent an amazing 5 days or so in Texas over the 4th of July weekend & had a blast.  It was just what I needed.  My parents, my brothers, my sis-in-law, my beautiful niece and nephew, the dogs!–it all forms a pretty cool package deal–especially after a long long school year full of additional hours without additional pay.  It was nice to take an actual vacation (weddings, triathlons don’t count).  I spent a day with my parents eating out, shoe-shopping, movie-watching–which was all awesome.  When the rest of the clan arrived, we ate BBQ, went to an awesome amusement park, played laser tag, board games (I WON! I WON!), watched fireworks, ate more BBQ, watched movies, painted tea cups, etc.  The fun would not let up!  I love our summer get togethers even more than Christmas–it’s like family fun without the stress of gift-giving (happy b-day Jesus!  Didn’t mean to offend you or anything!).  So thanks family–what an awesome time I had.

Texas is home for me.  I’ve always been fascinated with it–how when you leave, you somehow feel more connected to it.  It’s no longer the kind of “man, we don’t do things like that in Texas” kind of attitude I first had when living in Southern California.  The “who are these Hollywood crazies? and where are my down-home Texans?”  My parents live in New Braunfels/Gruene now, along the river, & it’s the kind of Texas everyone loves.  The kind that make it a tourist town.  A place where hopping into a tube  in the river with a cooler packed with beer is the daily activity.  There are no other plans for the day.  I love the slow pace.  We drove into a field in our pickup truck–alongside a dozen other pickup trucks–to watch the fireworks & listen to the local radio station play some sort of Freedom 4th of July set list.  There was that dull roar from the millions of bugs out & it’s like for a brief moment–all the cliches about small town life, about being a country girl at heart–they are so real.  I had my nephew on one side, my niece on the other, and there was no doubt in my mind that the only thing that matters are the people in my life.  To me, Texas is my place where those moments happen all the time–mostly because my family is there–but also, there’s a general statewide agreement about the order of importance of things: family, friends, laughs, music, the outdoors–that  makes me feel so connected to it.  It’s not that I’m a different girl out in L.A., but I do love going home a few times a year to have a refresher course in Priorities.

So I’m back, summer camp is in full swing (along with my 6am alarm) & my workouts are improving (from the crutches days last month).  I’m so happy to be back at the gym, back on the bike, and back to running–get to add some swimming in the next few days—and planning to do a short course triathlon on my birthday next Sunday.  Even though I’m not 100% yet,  I can’t think of a better way to spend my birthday morning!  I’m also looking into getting back into group workouts & doing more sessions with the UCLA group.  I’m still hesitating about whether to go forward with nationals in September–or to race the same local races I raced last year & hope to qualify again next year.  I feel like if I travel across the country for a race, I should be at my best & not sure I will be there by September–but I’ll give it another month or so.

Have a great weekend!

I still have another week or two before I can start running & swimming–but I can get back to the gym, the dreaded elliptical, or the bike (though I’m out of town and without a bike for 4 days).  I was so happy to be back in the gym yesterday doing some dead lifts–but mostly still sticking to upper body workouts.  I’ve been mostly positive through this whole thing, but I got pretty bummed when my trainer started asking about upcoming races.  I’ve really been building for the past 3 months for summer/early Fall races & suddenly it feels like all that training has been washed away & I’m starting from scratch again–not knowing when I’ll really be back to 100%.  But it’s a reality of planning any kind of year long plan.  Plans change.  So I’m re-thinking what my goals will be the rest of the season.

In the meantime, I’m super happy that my trip to Texas will be on my own two feet, although I’m sure my brothers were excited to make fun of me wobbling around on crutches.  Fourth of July is my favorite holiday, and I can’t think of any better way to spend it than with my family at home in Texas.  I also am really craving a breakfast burrito from Rudy’s BBQ, a Sonic Cherry Limeade, etc.  Food and family.  That’s about it.

I’ll be back in L.A. on Monday & camp starts Tuesday.  We’re trying out a new 5 week camp this summer (with middle school and high school), and I’m excited to see how that turns out.  There is a certain relaxed vibe that comes with teaching in the summer–especially “camp style”–that suits me really well (since I tend to teach with a certain relaxed vibe year round).  So have a great 4th & I’ll report when I’m back in town.

Finally on Saturday the swelling went down pretty fast, and I could see my ankle bone.  I had a party for it.  It was good times.  And then I could see all my little veins popping out again, so I had a party for them, too.  I’ve never spent so much time celebrating my ugly feet before.  I went back to the doctor on Sunday, he took some gauze that was stuffed into my wound out & said from now on, I would just need to wash it daily, put a bandage on it & wait for it to heal.  Oh, and also–not walk.  And keep it elevated.  For two weeks.

Yikes, for some reason, I thought I would leave the hospital with the news that I was completely well again–throwing my crutches dramatically in the dumpster & skipping back to my car.  It took a minute (ummm, more like 24 hours) to adjust to the news that gaping holes in my feet don’t get better in a day.  Now, I’m not able to spend 24 hours a day in bed.  I’m just not mentally capable of it–especially when I’m feeling well.  But I know how important it is to get better, so I move as little as possible–drive to work, prop it up high on a desk & stay there until I climb in my car and go home.  Today I was able to work from home, so I didn’t move much at  all (though things like fixing a meal, taking a shower, etc. are quite an ordeal when you do them on one leg).  I can tell it’s getting better, which is quite a relief & at least I’m prepared for the reality that these crutches may accompany me on my trip to Texas next week.

I try not to think much about working out.  It just makes me sad.  So instead, I’ve moved my focus to other things–I actually have done some productive things.  I finally ordered my dad’s b-day present, booked some summer travel, ordered an AC unit for my room, postponed jury duty–stuff I normally don’t have time for because I’m always working/working out.  I finally started a higher protein eating plan I’ve been wanting to try for months (starting the day off with a shake!)–mostly because it can speed up the healing.  And of course, I’ve been watching quite a bit of TV, reading magazines, and wishing I had a great book around to read.

I’m getting used to the crutches, though I can never get used to the looks and sounds of pity all around me.  ”Awwwwwww.”  Attention deflected ASAP, please, I’m just fine, nothing to look at here.  Alright, I’ll let you know how my next doctor’s visit turns out.  Happy Summer!

In the meantime, let me tell all of you how happy I am to celebrate Father’s Day.   My dad’s the greatest.

My Dad introduced me to country music.  He hummed songs, he sang bits and pieces, he made up his own lyrics here and there, he bought the tapes, the cds, listened to the radio–it was all the music I knew until I turned 15 and tried to become alternative and cool.  I rediscovered country music in college & slowly became more familiar with all of it.  Now, it’s my favorite genre precisely because when I listen to it, I feel like I’m home–especially that 80s country (Reba, George, Randy, Dolly, etc…so gooood!)

My dad once forced me to order a donut by myself.  I was a shy kid.  Heck, I’m still pretty shy on some days (quiet, I like to say).  But one day when I was 7 or 8, we went to my favorite donut store to get a donut.  I wanted a second, but my dad said I could only have it if I ordered it.  For me, the idea of speaking up and ordering a donut seemed like the most daunting task in the whole world.  There were tears involved.  But if there’s one thing that will push me through my fears, it’s my dad (and donuts).  He’s got an unending sense of faith in my capabilities, which I often doubt.  I’m glad he expects great things from me.  It helps to push me forward on days when I feel like not facing my fears.

My dad is incredibly funny in his storytelling.  He can throw a phrase or a sentence in that will completely crack me up & he just keeps on telling the story as if he doesn’t notice how funny he is.  He’s made humor one of the cornerstone’s of our household, & it’s served me well.  It has made me a pretty joyful person.  Or at least one who laughs really loudly all the time.

My dad has a wall of fame for me at home.  I never played many sports growing up, or won many trophies (I think I have one from bowling…who gets a trophy for bowling?)–but my dad has made a beautiful collection of medals, race numbers, & pictures of me running/racing/triathlon-ing.  I don’t spend much time looking at it.  It’s a little embarrassing.  But I continue to send him my medals and pictures, so I think he and I both knows how much it means to me.

My dad bought me a hard-to-find Judds’ single “I know where I’m going”  when I was a kid just because I wanted it REAL bad.  We were in Lubbock–he was working to open up his second store & I was rollerskating around that store, pretending to be an Olympian (thanks to the white skates he bought me at the nearby toy store).  Later on, I had mentioned the song, & he searched multiple places to find it for me.  It means something so special to me when someone will go out of their way simply to bring me joy.  And Dad does this all the time.

My dad gave me a peacock statue several years ago.  The peacock had a variety of outfits you could dress him in, depending on the approaching holiday/season.  I found it to be a really strange gift (my first reaction to most of my dad’s gifts), but I found myself looking forward to changing the outfits as the months rolled along.  I really missed that peacock when I had to pack my car and drive away from L.A. for the first time.  I have no idea where he is.  But I’ve learned my lesson.  No matter how strange, I always keep my Dad’s presents.  They have such a sense of humor about them (really, Dad–the Ed Hardy TIGER shirt!!), & as I said before–it’s good to be reminded to not taking things so seriously.

My dad was at the finish line of the marathon I did in March.  The last 1/4 mile was just filled with spectators…I knew he was going to be there, but I was worried he wouldn’t see me.  I searched the crowd & when I heard his voice yell my name & looked over to see him– it brought me such pure happiness (which is hard to come by after 26 miles).  He is my biggest cheerleader.  Well, he’s pretty much tied with my mom.  I’ll never forget that day, with them both there just to support me.

So to my dad on Father’s Day, all I can really say is thank you! And I love you!

Luckily, I was smart enough to see my inflated foot & think, “ummm, this is probably not normal,” so I headed off to the ER at 7am on a Tuesday morning.  A lovely way to spend a morning.  Actually, the ER was empty, my nurse was incredibly nice and soothing, & everything moved as quickly as those things can (3 hours or so?  wow, maybe not so quick).  I had to get an IV of antibiotics right there, which scared the crap out of me–especially when they insisted on x-rays and blood tests.  Oh no!  Luckily, everything else checked out OK–so they discharged me with crutches!  I was told to keep my foot elevated as much as possible, keep the wound wrapped up, don’t do much walking around, and take some more antibiotics.

I told them my pain was a 0 on a scale of 1 to 10 (not sure why I’m trying to prove my pain threshold to doctors)–but admitted anytime I actually had to walk on it, the pain was about a 5.  Chuck thought I should’ve upped my answers & I could’ve walked away with some pain meds.  I wanted to tell them, “It doesn’t hurt nearly as badly as when I forced myself to do a 3 hour swim/bike/run on Sunday.”  But man, after I’ve been sleeping & then try to walk on it—oh wow ouch it’s such a sharp pain.  But for the most part, besides a couple of half days at work, I’ve been in my bed elevating it & feeling no pain at all.  But it still looks gross and swollen.  I hope these antibiotics work some major magic soon, just so my fear of amputation can be diminished. (I’m dramatic).

I feel stupid, of course…like “man, why didn’t I take care of this earlier?”…” why did I do that tri?” but also sort of resigned to the fact that these things just happen.  I used to be afraid when I had to rest and nurse an injury that I would gain about 40lbs and lose all athletic ability.  But, nothing much really happens.  I’m not moving a lot, so my appetite immediately diminishes to a normal person’s (my appetite when I’m exercising=ferocious).  And a couple of forced weeks away from my training can send me back recharged.  This is what I tell myself today, anyway.  If I’m in the same position (in bed) next week, I may have a different perspective.

What I do realize is how much I move throughout the day.  I’m a drama teacher–so we’re talking setting up sets, figuring out costumes, running around to make a show happen, etc–there are times when lunch is the only time of the day when I’m seated.  And I like it that way.  But I know this is one of those moments where it just doesn’t pay off to push myself.  It’s our last week of school, though–so I made it in this morning for 2 performances & will head in again tomorrow for 2 more–these are actually pretty easy days because the kids are doing most of the work.  And the rest of the time is spent here.  Off my feet.  In bed.  Luckily classes are over tomorrow, so it should be perfect timing for recovery.

I guess there are productive things I could be getting done while sitting here in bed.  Watch some informative documentaries, plan some curriculum for the summer, or flesh out a couple of business ideas (FLESH OUT=bad use of words right now).  But currently I’m watching loads of Bravo Reality TV (thank you Kathy Griffin, Real Housewives), sending occasional text messages, logging in and out of facebook way more than anyone should, and internet researching pictures of other people with skin infections (I’ve banned myself from that last activity…will do as the nurse told me, and try positive thinking…but how come anyone ever asks me to think positively, I immediately think of the worst thing that could happen?)  I figure I’m going to have so much time to spend with me, myself, and my electronics–I’ll have plenty of time to be productive.

I go back to the doc tomorrow night, and they will determine if these antibiotics are working (or working fast enough).  I can’t tell much difference myself, but luckily they did a high-tech marker outline on my foot to show areas of infection (p.s. doc–that totally smears when I take a shower, hope this doesn’t impede my recovery)–so hopefully another night’s rest & another day will be enough time for some shrinking.  It would be really awesome if the swelling went down some more sooon–so I can show off my best feature: disturbingly bony ankles.

There you have it.  I just kind of toss all my training to the side & with it the thoughts: “how am I going to recover?” ” when will I be able to at least go for a swim?” “when do i workout with the trainer again?” Every time there is something in my way of training, I usually get angry at it.  But I’ve learned that doesn’t work.  It just makes me miserable.  I look at this rest period as a time to well–rest my body.  4 triathlons and 1 marathon since March…a little on the ridiculous side when you think about it.  One week, two weeks, a month, two months, however long it takes until I’m 100%—I can’t say I look forward to it, but it really is an invaluable lesson I learned (be careful with your body! it’s priceless!)–so a little time off my feet is a small price to pay.

Anyway–so that was the race.  My spider/insect bite on the top of my foot gave me trouble just about every step of the way–it felt like a really really large rock was in the top of my shoe the whole race.  I considered going home after the bike, but who are we kidding?  I would’ve run barefoot if it meant finishing the race.

In running races, you are allowed to wear mp3 players/ipods, etc.  In triathlons, according to the USAT rules (and almost every race I’ve done is sanctioned by this organization)–they are not allowed.  It completely changes my race.  During a running race, I can choose songs to speed me up, make me think, inspire me, keep my pace, lighten the mood.  I LOVE running to music.  So instead, picture 3 hours and 15 minutes of just you and your thoughts.  It can be a scary thing.

Here are my thoughts during the swim:  Ugh, get off me!  Give me space!  Stop kicking my face!  Ugh, these girls, don’t they see we have a whole lake to swim in?  Why are they so close to me?  Am I in last place right now?  Where’s the buoy I’m swimming to?  Oops, just went about 50m off course.  Concentrate on your form.  Use your hips.  Think about your hand entry.  Wow, it’s really sunny today.  But man, this water is so dirty.  Did my chip just fall off (stop swimming to re-attach race chip)?  Ugh, how big can this lake be?  Oooh, look, you’re getting into a groove–see, swimming can be fun!  This is a breeze.  Go faster!  No, I don’t want to go faster.  The shore is still so far away.  Why is this woman running into me?  Why aren’t these buoys bigger, I can’t sight them at all.  Oh wow–look, I see the shore.  Oh, I can stand up in the water now.  Why are these people cheering for me?  I can barely breathe & am probably the last one leaving the water.

The bike:  OUCH, my foot won’t fit into my cycling shoe.  OUCH, this is going to suck…let’s go.  Ahhhh, good to be back on the bike.  I love this course.  Let’s call this first loop a “warm up” loop.  Weeeeeeee.  Oh wow, these hills hurt.  Where’s the airport?  I’m really ready for the airport segment.  Oh no–it’s the horribly paved “cobblestone” road again.  I think I’ll sing a song about it: “cobblestone, cobblestone, it’s cobblestone” (sung for a good 3 minutes in my head…can’t think of any other lyrics).  Second loop.  This is no biggie.  Ooh, look, I’m passing a guy on his bike.  wait, he’s 88 years old.  Wow, I hope I’m lucky enough to be doing this at 88.  I hope my skin doesn’t look like leather, though.  My foot is going to really hurt on that run.  Maybe I shouldn’t do it.  Maybe I can just stop after the bike–it’s still a good 2hr workout.  And why should I have to kill myself just to finish this random race?  Oooh–cobblestone song time!!!  ”Cobblestone, cobblestone, I’m riding on the cobblestones ” (wow, NOW we’re getting somewhere with that song).  Yikes, this hill is really hard.  Maybe I can think of an inspirational song to get me through it.  That new Eminem one, I’m not afraid.  I’m not afraid!  Yikes, I can’t remember any other lyrics & this hill just keeps getting longer.  Phew, one more time around.  Really, do I need to see that bloody roadkill squirrel THREE TIMES?  I wonder if anyone’s run over it.  Am I going slower?  I can’t tell.  Where’s the airport?  Ooh, look Raging Waters…looks like a fun slide.  Ooh pretty mountains.  I love this downhill–it’s what makes this bike ride bearable.  Oh we’ve reached the end.  Can my foot handle the run?  Time to find out.

The run:  ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch…but not as bad as I thought.  I can do this.  At least I can run the first 3 miles and then walk it if I have to.  Oooh, water, thanks volunteer!  I love this run.  Look at that view!  Oh wow.  This woman is running with one leg.  Maybe I should stop thinking about how much my foot hurts & be happy that I have two legs.  But her prosthetic one does look really fast.  Nice, I’m passing people–yes, people that look like they completely blew out their quads on the ride, but hey–a pass is a pass.  Ok, let’s just take this run piece by piece–20 minutes at a time.  Let’s pretend this part is just an everyday trail run I’m going on.  OUCH, my foot hurts!  At least it’s masking any other minor pain/soreness I might be having elsewhere.  Oh, no, my quads are hurting as well.  At least it makes my foot seem like it hurts less.  I should walk up every hill, just to give myself a little break–but eat a Clif gel, so people don’t think I’m walking because I’m tired.  Hmm, this run isn’t so bad.  I think I’ll speed up.  Is anyone else on this run with me?  Lots of motor homes in this park.  Oh look–jet skis on the lake!  I wonder if anyone wants to go jet ski with me sometime.  Although I don’t have any jet skis.  It’s too complicated already.  I can barely drive the 8 miles it takes to hang out at the beach.  When is this run going to be over?  Oooh, thanks volunteer for the water.  OMG–that woman is wearing headphones & she’s BEATING me.  Can I tell on her at the end of the race?  The race organizers would probably talk about what a snitch I was.  And remember that first triathlon that I brought my headphones to–because I knew I wouldn’t finish in the top 3 anyway, so why not.  Well, now I play by the rules.  I wonder if I could sneak headphones next time around, if they were really tiny…would it really make me faster?  How come this race doesn’t have any mile markers?  Probably about 1.5 to go.  I don’t feel like speeding up.  I’m just gonna take it easy.  Oh no–who is passing me?  I think I will speed up.  Thank you, race, for finally seeming like a race & not me out for a random weekend run at the park.  Oh wow–I can see the tents up ahead.  I don’t think I’m gonna sprint this one in.  Why is this guy walking?  He’s almost there!  ”hey there! come on, it’s just around the corner!!!”  OH wow, why did I just say that out loud?  Maybe he has a much worse insect bite & can barely walk.  Nevermind, I hear him picking up the pace.  And crossing the finish line!  Where’s the water?  Guys, I need WATER.

So there you go–some of my race thoughts.  Now imagine that & multiply by 100—geez, let me just say I’m sick of my own thoughts about right now (especially after writing them out).

This year I bought a “triathlete training diary” 1/2 off at a bookstore that was closing (please don’t all close, I love you too much).  I’ve never kept one of these before.  The most planning I ever did was printing out a 3 month program, but it became too daunting to know every workout was planned.  So then I just went from week to week–with a general idea in my head of what I wanted to accomplish.  This year is a little different because I’m attempting longer distances at a faster pace, so I’ve got to put more time and more thought into what I’m doing and when.

So I have gotten pretty good at recording my workouts in it & also coming up with an “hourly” goal each week.  And this week, if all goes well, I’ll be hitting the 9 or 10 hour mark when it comes to weekly workouts this week.  Hooray!  It took forcing myself outside Thursday night after a long day at work, but my single motivating factor was “come on, you have to if you wanna hit 10 hours this week!”  So thank you training diary, for helping me to slowly up my training.  I’m seriously a girl of habit–so any kind of change must be taken on slowly…and I really have to take a look at where I can add a workout or lengthen one without losing too much of the rest of my life (geez, I could never train for an Ironman–the time involved in training is ridiculous!)

I am super excited about school ending in two weeks.  We then have a couple of leftover activities the following week & then a week getting ready for summer camp–so no true “break”–but a break from classes is really a mental and physical break for me.  Even if my work hours are the same, the energy I’m putting out there is much much less…leaving me with ample time to get my workouts in—hooray!  But right now, two weeks still seems like forever.

Elsewhere in life–things are strangely stable.  I feel like I am usually always chasing things (jobs, boys, dreams, race times, etc), but then I go through times where I just slow down.  Partly this is because teaching takes its toll on me, and I’m mentally done after work hours are over…and physically done after the gym is over.  But I love that this weekend really just involves me getting outdoors & enjoying it–and also maybe catching a movie or two.  Could I be advancing my career? my social life? etc?  Probably.  But after lots of chasing, there’s the hope that maybe if I just sit back for a moment & relax–it’s not the end of my world.  It doesn’t mean my life will be a stagnant mess (drama classes have taught me to be so dramatic).

Speaking of dramatic,  I had a mini meltdown after the gym Wednesday night.  It was one of those 6am-10pm kind of days, which I’m not a pro at.  I stubbed my toe really badly while doing some plyometric (hurdle jumps!) stuff at the gym & it was throbbing through all of my workout.  Plus, I had to get in a swim in afterwards–by the time I made it out–it was so late.  I went to Baja Fresh for a burrito to take home & made it to my car before the tears started coming.  A classic case of pity party, even though at the same time I told myself “you are lucky you are healthy enough to make it through a day like this”–sometimes, it isn’t enough to curb the emotions.

I give 100% focus to the kids from 8am to 6pm attempting to have 30 kids’ needs met all at the same time (it’s really loud).  I’m hyper-focused the entire time, moving around, answering questions, engaging my creativity, my intelligence, my experience & trying to make it all come together for a successful class.  There is no time for the internet, for phone calls, for day-dreaming, for lunch.  For this I’m totally grateful (I’m completely engaged! all day long!) and totally tired.  It’s not a complaint so much as it is my reality–and what I signed up for.  And you add in 2 hours at the gym after that, and well, there may be some tears.  But man, as soon as I stuffed that burrito down my throat, I felt like a new person.  So lesson learned: sometimes when you think you’re having an emotional breakdown, you are just really really hungry (I thought it was a good idea to go ahead and pay the $1.00 for the extra guacamole that night).

But it’s funny–as soon as the weekend rolls around, I’m pretty easy to transition.  I don’t sit around on my weekends (well, not usually) planning and preparing for work.  I’ve learned to separate the two, and so that’s definitely a balance I appreciate.  Did I mention only two more weeks of school?

So, enough stalling–let’s get on that bike!