BRP Pictures

Before....
coach Blake explains the yuminess of the BRP

climbing the mountain

thumb's up for Timberman 70.3 training

the turnaround point. it was gorgeous.

i swerved in on the way down to capture the moment

we finished! following this was a nap.

mmm now this was yummy.

why yes those are our water bottles. no alcoholic beverages were allowed.

the rusty pig

My Triboy, IronGreg

Yesterday, my IronGreg participated in the Charlottesville Sprint (while I stayed in Richmond and got a massage like a good girlfriend) He did so good I am so proud! What a way to re-start the season!

Swim - .3 miles (but I think it ended up being longer): 8:11 (16 overall)
T1 - 1:08 (15 overall)
Bike - 16.5 miles: 47:21 (2 overall)
T2 - :38 (9 overall)
Run - 5k: 22:30 (25 overall)

Total 1:19:46 (3 out of 168 males)

First Adventures on the BRP

BRP = Blue Rdige Parkway.

Saturday I did it. I rode the BRP. and could still walk afterwards, too! Similar to Ozzie and Harriett, there are the Mis-Adventures of the BRP.

Animals to report:

- lots of catapillars. I think they were crossing the road like an annual Grunion run (think of Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead). I tried to steer around the catapillars as best I could. I apologized to those who were smooshed previously and to those I may have smooshed myself.

- a rooster. at one parking lot area there was a rooster.

and last but not least...

- a bear. not a goat, but a bear. (although we did see goats on the way home) yes I know I was by myself and without camera when I saw this bear. But i swear I really did. he was up on the rocks walking around. and not the cute snuggly kind. I decided he is a teenager. he wasn't little - so not a cub. but wasn't big so not a daddy. she could have been a petite female. whaever the sex and age - the thing was real and if he fell off the rocks I would have been smooshed like those catapillars. however I was going about 7 or 8 mph when I saw him and I found myself kicking it up to 12 - we were on a deent incline. talk about motivation!

The ride:

we started out at mile 13 and rode tomile 0 to re-group. The downhills were amazing! I hit 42.5 a new bike record.

then we rode back up to mile 13 to again regroup and refuel as needed. this is when the bear was spotted. katie's husband said he could smell a bear in the area - i guess my bear friend had BO.

from there the TM group headed up to mile 23 - I think this was 10 miles uphill. I kept thining about how great the return trip was going to be! I did well, though, if I have to say so myself. There were a few moments when I thought my hip flexors were going to explode, but overall I felt good the whole time. On the way up we passed a girl that a. was on a mountian bike, b. was in sneakers, and c. she had her apartment on her bike. I waited for the crew at the look out point on mile 23 where we were joined by a crew of honda drivers. they kindly took pictures of us - with our cameras and their own. i am curious where those pictures pmay end up. hmmm. but hen we saw the girl trucking along and we gave her a standing ovation for her effort. we were impressed sa she pushed onward and upward.

now the fun part - 10 miles downhill. i mean it ws almost al uphill on the way here, right. um no. hmm. i don't remember these hills that I am climbing on the way up. where did they come from.

we return to the parking lot and don our sneakers for a run. we are suppoed to do 50 minutes. but now we are tired so we think 30 minutes sounds good. My legs had the qualities of jell-o. I did a 4-1 run/walk. I went out for 15 minutes. and made it back in 10. hmmmm. oh well.

made it back to home base consumed a few adult beverages and tasty treats and we headed to the "rusty pig" for some eats. (ps - has anyoen else tried pomegranate michelob ultra - now that's yummy!!!)

shout out to jeff for the ride. it was a great little carpool. i look forward to the next one (shhh don't tell blake)

then - back to packing!

pictures to come! and they are goooood.

London Times Obituary

JRo recently posted a great article that I thought I would continue to pass on. Take a look.

A Shot at Fave (not quite the same as Tila Tequila)

Every morning as I get in my office, people scurry aorund drinking their coffe to get eh morning caffeine jolt.

Me - not so much.

I have never tasted coffee nor do I care to.

I love my non fat green tea latte's and the sort.

But every morning my routine is to drink a hot chocolate.

even in the summer.

it's so yummy!

well twice a week before my morning work routine i hit the gym for a run and sometimes weights, too - if i get up early enough for both.

I have been a fan of Clif products. especially shot blocks and peanut butter pretzel mojo bars. mmm.

But now Clif has won my heart.

They have introduced a new recovery drink. hot chocolate! seriously! i mean how FAVulous is that?! so i can do my morning workout, get to work and drink my routine hot chocolate. and it's all part of post-workout recovery. I can't wait to try it out!

What's been going on?

Saturday the brother and I showed up at the TG bike. Althoug he could have chosen to ride with IronGreg, he was wise and chose to ride with a bunch of chicks instead of staring at IronGreg's rear wheel. Smart boy. He chose us chicks. So we get to the ride. I am scheduled to ride 35 and run 10. But bummer- there are only 2 of us doing 35 and everyone else is scheduled 50. Blakey Blake rearranges my schedule so I can ride 50 with the group and then just run 10 on sunday. Sure this sounds good at the time.
The ride starts out great. Lots of drafting off fast people like Karen and Shelley - thanks girls! Around mile 35/40 I am staring to really feel sluggish. Like I can't even draft. I PUSH on thru (way to use that word from January!). The last 5-10 miles are smooth again. And sigh. back to the car.
Now fast forward to Sunday. I refuse to get up early. IronGreg and I decide to watch Xterra. And who do we see? Shawn and Karen! I would like to take a moment to brag about my awesome team mates. Keep in mmind they were both riding strong the 50 from the day before. they both participated in the Sport Distance race. and after finishing they found out that they BOTH won their age groups! and came in 4th and 11th overall! i mean hello! that pretty much rocks my socks. they looked gret afterwards and i hope they are displaying their awards proudly.
so back to training. right, remember that 10 miles? ugh. do i have to? why decide to go along with this? hmph. okay. i fuel up with the best wrap in richmond - the cali club from palani drive (which can i note that it has been their special everyday for the passed 6 months - it should be a menu staple!) i pack a few more boxes and get dressed for the gym. (b/c yes i am wussing out of doing it outside). I hit up the elliptical and knocked it out. I was told to take it easy, and easy it what I did. the first 6.2 miles I averaged well over 10:00/miles. So the last 3.8 I averaged 9:40. not bad.
then monday came. and i got word tha tmy condo closing has again been pushed back...til july 31st. so I spent the evening with the realtor writing my addendum and then ditching swim practice to pack. at least i was productive. that makes me feel better for slacking in the pool for a night.
then came tuesday. hill ride wih Blakey Blake. my legs were still feeling heacvy from the long weekend workout. since I knew the route I was aksed to lead the group out - ha! about 10 miles out someone could tell I was struggling and offered to pull. I was not embracing the hills. and did i mention they were hill repeats. but ont he way back in sandee gave me a sweet pull and yanked me in to keep my average up. that girl is tearingup the bike - i'm so proud of my winter running buddy! i've missed her! (ps she is now a certified personal trainer!)
and that brings us back to doe. a deer.
oh wait. i mean it brings up back to today.

Introducing...

Frederick David

Frederick - family name on my brother-in-law's side

David - our late father's name

Little Buddy

This morning at 12:41am I became an aunt!
Name: TBD but for now we keep calling him Little Buddy
Weight: 8lbs, 9ozs
Length: 20 3/4"
Baby, Mommy, and daddy are doing great!
Happy Birthday, Little Buddy!
I can't wait to meet him this afternoon!

Are you a runner?

After training this morning I of course ran errands sportin the spandex. As I was walking into Target I was on the phone with a friend when I realized how common it has become for me to walk around town in my spandex. I am standing in line to try on some new bathing suits (have to get rid of a tan line before a wedding in two weeks! yikes) the girl in front of me asks me "Are you a runner". I reply "yes". bu ti have never thought of myself as a runner. But it felt good and natural to say yes. I felt like I should add "but I am not super fast or anything" but no need for people to know that. they can wonder and think i am super speedy. but, yeah. i am a runner. more than that - I am a trigirl! woot! woot! (ok i think the heat is getting to me - time to go lay out!)

Cheer

It's Hot.
It's Hot.
It's hot out here.
There must be TRIGIRLS in the atmosphere!

(okay so I was a cheerleader in middle school - are we surprised?!)

98 degrees before noon. Yowsers.

Etc...

I keep meaning to update you, blog. But life happens.
A quick recap...

~ IM Brazil people did great, especially with rough swim conditions and a language barrier.
~ My little sisters did great at their first triahtlons this past weekend.
~ I have ridden lots of hills lately and with the last two weekends being in southwet virginia I saw wildlife while riding, too.
~ Shout out to team traveller, who i found via google, and met me at my hotel (I was at a wedding) to take me on a training ride.
~ congrats to my roomie on her recent engagement.
~ the condo process is having a hic-cup and most likely will not be done before closing is scheduled. my realtor is kicking ass and taking names for me.
~ I have been traveling to Pinehurst for work more and having to juggle the training schedule accordingly.
~ I am getting tired of traveling and am off to denver in two weeks for another wedding. yay jackie and chris.
~ my sister is having a baby any minute now. i told her if i am out of town I ask that she cross her legs until I get back. thanks, sis.
~ I got new sneakers, so hopefully the shin pain will go away and I won't get blisters either.
~ i had more to note, but am so brain fried that I forgot.