Gimme my loot!

I can't wait for swagfest... erm... the expo tomorrow. I love free stuff. Love it love it love it :)

I need to pack, so better get to it! :)

Transitions...

Just like any good triathlete, I'm made a successful transition today. Yesterday, I had 10 panic attacks, including one right before our last open swim training last night. After some supportive words from my coach and workout leaders and a few minutes in the water I was much better. Despite being at least 200 yards behind the rest of the group when I started my swim, I finished about a pool length behind the majority of the group.

Today, I made the transition from panic to excitement. And now I'm moving into anxious. I want it to be Sunday and I want to be doing the tri. I want to be walking to the finish line, arms linked with the girls like the Monkees hooting and hollering and screaming to the crowds that we are triathletes :)

Freaking

So, this time next week, CoCo and I will be puking our guts out, freaking out about the tri the next morning. It's gonna take me about 3 Ambien to get a decent night's sleep... I'm excited but scared. I mean, what if this was a huge mistake? What if I should never have gotten myself into this. It has been a huge investment on my part... Time, money, energy, etc. I'm not sure if I have prepared myself mentally as much as I have physically. I rode 19 miles this morning without stopping. I couldn't have done that 6 months ago. I ran for about 7 minutes the other day on the treadmill, and that was AFTER 2.5 other hours of workouts spread out over the day. I have come so far in such a small amount of time, but I'm scared that it won't be enough.

I know that this is just my fear of failure rearing its ugly head. I know it's just my own lack of self-esteem. But I'm so nervous. I can't wait to be with CoCo, Alana, Lesli and Lynn, all chillin in the hotel room, sharing the nervousness and the excitement, looking over all of our loot and waiting to wear the finisher's medals around our necks. That's what I need to remember -- how good it will feel to cross that line and be told that I "am a great triathlete".

Dang....

I wore my hair down today for the first time in a while... It's getting LONG...

Oh, and then I was having fun with Photo Booth. They have this cool setting called "Glow" and it made me look uber-goth. Too bad I can't look this good for real!!!!

Even MORE gear! :)

I got a confirmation email from Nashbar today :) My stuff is on the way! YAY!

For under $100, shipping included, I got:

• One yellow sleeveless jersey
• One orange short sleeved jersey
• One long sleeved 2-tone blue jersey
• One kickstand (*BLEARGH*)
• One rearview mirror (yeah, I caved)
• One 70 oz Camelbak hydration system
• One pair of Zinetic Pocket Slippers (check these out... WAY cool!)

So, hopefully it'll all arrive before this weekend so I can practice using some of it at our mini-tri! :) Also, I need to stock up on shot blocks & clif bars and such. I should just buy a case at REI *LOL* :)

I also ordered Road ID's for my lovely wife and me, and got us some reflective strips for our helmets/bikes/etc as well :) You can never have too much reflective shit on. I have no problem with people going "Eww! Fat Yellow Biker ahead!" because at least that means they SAW ME and STOPPED! :)

Swam at one of the AHPD outdoor pools today. It was awesome. I think I liked it better than swimming inside! I managed not to burn to a crisp, which is a definite plus :) I think I should drag myself out of bed in the morning for a run/jog/wog/walk whatever. I'm sure the Stinkus would love a good run :) We'll see. I'm REALLY tired, so I might not make it up that early :)

Training

So, I survived our bike training, but one of my teammates didn't :( She sliced the back of her leg on her sprocket and needed 15 stitches. She was SUCH a trooper.
Meanwhile, here's my before, during and after of my arm wounds:

The itchiness is almost over too, which is good. It was making me CRAZY. I'm still achy, but it's getting better. It's more annoying than it is painful.

On Thursday, since I didn't get my full 12 mile ride in because I was making sure Sarah was ok, I decided that, despite my hour swim at lunch, I was going to hit the trail. So, I biked from my house to the trail, did the whole trail, and then biked to Jamba Juice. It took me a little over an hour and it was 13 miles :) Then, I walked home with my bike, and it was .9 mi door to door and I walked around 3 mph, which I know thanks to my bike computer *LOL* :) I must have looked like a nutjob, walking down the street with a Jamba Juice in one hand and my bike in the other. But oh well... I did a mini-tri in one day (even though the swim and bike were a few hours apart) so whoever felt like laughing at me could kiss my arse because I don't think they could do what I did that day! :)

I love my tri suit and I'm so glad I bought it. I can say that this will NOT be my last tri, if for no other reason than because I have invested so much $$ in gear and shit that I have to make this my new sport of choice *LOL* :) There's one in the Indiana Dunes the weekend after Labor Day, so I might have to do it. It's a little longer than the Danskin, but I think I'm game :)

Tomorrow night is hilly running. OH FREAKING GOODIE. Oh well. I gotta suck it up and do it. I know I'll be walking the last leg, but the running will be good cardio & calorie burning. I need it. I feel like a fat bloated heifer. You'd have thought I'd have lost 5-10 pounds by now... HA! Nope.

Oh well. I feel healthier. That's what counts :)

Back to work

Swam for just over an hour on Saturday. Last week was a BAD week for me training wise. But my arm is healing nicely, my new tri suit fits & works well, this Saturday is the swim clinic up at the tri-site, so I'm pretty excited. My team has been awesome, SO supportive. We had a run session on Wednesday. We did 3 miles and I did it in about 45 minutes. Not a great time, but not bad for coming off the injured reserve list. And my team was all applauding and high-fiving for me for not giving up. And then on Saturday they were all mesmerized by my injury. I laughed and said they should have seen it before it started healing!

So, gonna do the bike this week in my tri suit to see how it feels. Not sure how far/fast we're going, but all I know is that THIS time I'm going to stay in the lead or close to it. I am NOT going through this again! I'm still sore, bruised, etc.

More news as it happens :)