The dog ate my computer

My dog Zippy didn't really eat my computer. He did, however, eat the power cord to my computer. So I am without a computer until Dell gets a new power cord to me. (It will be sent UPS so good luck luck with all that.)

Hopefully, these pictures will keep you entertained until then.

And perhaps I will find a way to forgive that fuzzy little face.





This is how he sleeps for hours at a time:

Strap on your stupid and get at it

Because when you have been up all night sick, this will make you laugh.

Happy Birthday TriJones

In honor of TriJones' birthday, I give you her FIVE greatest loves:
1. Jones
2. Indy and his owner
3. The place she would eat every day if possible
4. Not updating her blog
5. The radio

Still sick

I am not sure if it is that I am still sick or that I am newly sick.

Either way, it sucks ass.

Break up?

So I was talking to one of my training partners today on the phone.

She was driving from Washington D.C. and was stuck in traffic.

We were talking about dogs, IMFL, Viking, Chris Greene, and Tavern.

Suddenly, she says, "Well, I have to go listen to the radio now."

Now I am wondering, "Did we just break up?"

Maybe Schnuppy will talk to me on the phone.

Ninja Warrior

I am addicted to Ninja Warrior.

I love it. I have watched it on and off for a while but the last two weeks, I have watched it every night.

Earlier this week a competitor became the "ultimate Ninja Warrior." It was cool.

So the newest episodes have a revamped course. It is freaking impossible.
I mean IMPOSSIBLE.

But do you know what ever competitor says after he or she loses?

"I thought I had trained hard enough; I was wrong."

"I was not prepared."

"That was against the rules so I did not deserve to go on."

Can you imagine?

No one said the course was too hard.
No one said the weather wasn't right.
No said it wasn't fair.

Now I feel like such a loser.
What is your excuse?

We are through

Dear June,

You come tearing into my life every year. You bring promises of summer and birthdays and the end of school and fun. I think of the lazy days of summer when the world is my oyster.

And every year I look forward to your arrival.

And every year I forget the other things you bring. You promise outdoor bbqs and friends gathering under the moon, but then you bring the mosquitoes back until my body is covered in their retched itch.

I want to go out and play in my yard, but you give poison ivy the upper hand in my garden. You make it cover my running trails and my paths to the river.

Your arrival hearkens the end of school, but you do not have the decency to invite summer camps to keep my children amused and happy. Yet, you insist that hotels all raise their prices so I am stuck coming up with messy projects and cheap blow-up pools. Which I can barely afford because of all the birthdays and anniversaries.

The boys of summer are in full swing, but you have to have the NBA finals and the Stanley cup which steal away all my precious baseball.

You play with the temperature; one day 103, the next 70. Your open invitation to summer cold season is always devastating.

And don't forget the injuries you always bring. Oh, how I despise the injuries.

June, I hate you.

We are through. I will never fall for you and your empty promises again.

FU,
Annn

P.S. Tell your friend July I said, "Hello, handsome."

More I ouch

I hate the end of June.

I STILL have a cold.

My belly hurts. (maybe from the massive amounts of decongestates???)

I have a pulled muscle in my back. I thought I was just sleeping on it weird, but. nope, it is a pulled muscle.

That is a trifecta of stupid.

I think I will just go back to bed.

I rock.

These videos make me unbelievably happy

Where is Matt?

Where is Matt? outtakes

Things I do wrong when I swim part 1

I am tearing down my swim stroke in an attempt to get faster in the water.
Here is what I learned today:

My right leg is much stronger than my left. This totally makes sense because I can feel it when I bike.

I still lift my head when I breathe instead of rolling. And I breathe late.

I spend too much energy on the recovery part of my stroke. The emphasis should be on the back stroke not the forward (I know! duh! But I am totally doing it wrong).

I need to stop and gliiiiide. Then gently bring my arm forward.

I need to relax when I swim. Hands, body, arms, legs, toes.

So for right now I am slower, but once I get this all corrected, I can move on to all the things I do wrong under the water.

Then I can be fast.

My Alarm--a haiku

It is time to go.
All is packed, and I am ready to leave.
The body says no.

it sure is early

I woke up before my alarm because my nose is completely clogged.
I have reloaded my cocktail.
All my things are packed and waiting by the door.

I think if I get into the shower, I will feel better.

Rocket Launcher

In my desperate attempt to make myself believe I am well, I went to 3sports to get a saddlewing for extra water bottles.

I said I would NEVER buy one of these. Because nothing pisses me off more than being behind someone with one of thesewhen we hit a bump, and suddenly I have to dodge the jackass' water bottles that have popped out of their cages.

Now I have one, and I have to admit it looks pretty freaking bad ass.

In fact, I am now singing Bruce Cockburn's If I Had a Rocket Launcher:

here comes the helicopter -- second time today
everybody scatters and hopes it goes away
how many kids they've murdered only god can say
if i had a rocket launcher...i'd make somebody pay.

i don't believe in guarded borders and i don't believe in hate
i don't believe in generals or their stinking torture states
and when i talk with the survivors of things too sickening to relate
if i had a rocket launcher...i would retaliate

on the rio lacantun one hundred thousand wait
to fall down from starvation -- or some less humane faith.
cry for guatemala, with a corpse in every gate
if i had a rocket launcher...i would not hesitate

i want to raise every voice -- at least i've got to try.
every time i think about it water rises to my eyes.
situation desperate echoes of the victims cry
if i had a rocket launcher...some son of a bitch would die

Back to bed.

awesome

Last night I woke up with my throat and body on fire.

My youngest son has been sick all week, and I was feeling a little like superman since I was still healthy.

Now, not so much.

I have pulled out the annnotov cocktail, and I am hoping that it will get me ready for my mountain ride tomorrow.


I hate my body. And now my kidneys are going to feel my wrath.

ooooouch

I am tired today.

I mean really really really really tired.

I think I should go back to bed.

I have already been up for FOUR hours.

this is how I roll

I went and did the workout tonight. I wasn't fast, and I started to doubt whether I was ready for the blue ridge. We need to get permission from coach B to do go on this field trip. I have not been told that I can go.

The hills seem to be getting smaller, but I worry about standing and getting hurt and climbing all out of breath and riding by myself.

Then I hit my favorite curve on Manakin.

Then I meet a wayward biker who is lost, and I get to help.

Then I get smoked by Coach B. Oh, how I hate the Blake. I say it out loud as I try to keep up. . .riiiiight.

Then I bike cap one without my hands on the handlebars (I can ride my bike with no handlebars no handlebars).

I get back, and I ask if I am allowed to go to the blue ridge. Because I think there is no way I am going to be given the green light. I have to count my little bumps on my chain rings because I announce that I am not standing.

I am still given the ok. (As a side note, Fave's sperm hat wearing boy toy gives me the finger.)

My husband says it will be a good thing.
I hope he is right.

Suddenly

And then just like that my workouts are fun again.

Today was swimming at the Y with LMS since neither of us can make swimming tonight. I started my warm up and was on my way back when I bonked heads with LMS who doesn't realize if I start on the left hand side, we are probably not doing a circle swim.

Then she spends the rest of the hour farting around with flippers and buoys and paddles. I admit this might be my fault because I decided that my shoulders needed a good workout and I got some paddles (ouch, btw). --She was actually working on bilateral breathing.

We finally get serious and do a 300 or a 200 or a 250--we have some counting problems. A few more 100 drills. And end with a 300 build (I do not know what LMS was doing besides trying to swim under me during my LA combo).

But I felt smooth. I was working on my form, and it felt good. Yes, it was good.

It is all good, and I think it is going to get even better.

letting go

Lately I have felt every decision I have made was the wrong decision. I wasn't feeling my workouts. I just haven't been in the game. I feel a step behind.

Today I met LMS, blog stalker and the Florida bitches for a tavern pre-ride and run.

The weather was thick and cloudy, but it was perfect for biking. The way out I kept reminding myself of the the hill that was coming. I tucked into the pace line and rode.

My front derailleur was not cooperating. We hit "the hill." I made it up. I made it to the turnaround. And something weird happened. The flood gates opened. All the angst, all the worries, all the questions, all the pain that has haunted me was sitting right there.

So I let it go.

I pedaled down that hill. I pedaled hard all the way to 711. I pedaled to the turn. I sat up in my seat and let go of the handlebars. And just like that I let go of everything.

I had lost my aerobar spongie so I decided to run up to get it. I was out a quarter mile when I heard a car coming up behind me. My training partners decided to come pick my butt up and make me drive to get it so we could all run together.

We all ran together. I could almost stay with them because we kept getting lost.

I finally made the right decision. I am free of the angst.

Because an ironman only last for 17 hours.

swim swim swim

I arrive to the swim and I ponder the buoys. Hmmmm, that is a long way.

The race director is pretty funny as he gives us directions and makes us raise our right arms so we know what side to stay on.

30 seconds to start.

15 seconds to start.

GO.

swim swim swim swim swim swim swim.
God this sucks.
I am going to die.
At least I can see my hand.
I wonder how many snakes are out here?
Look there is a ramp out I should take that now.
Ah where the hell am I going?
AHHHHHH leaf. phew.
Seriously, this is really hard, and I am never going to make it.
How the fuck do you spot forward???
Am I last?
I think I will breast stroke and figure out how I am going to get through this. Alright this isn't bad.
AAAAAHHHHHH slimy. I am sure it was a fish. It was a fish. It was a fish.
stroke stroke stroke breathe stroke stroke stroke, breast stroke. repeat.
I can do this.
The turnaround buoy is still far away.
Hey I am catching some people!
I can swim 25 meters and then spot with breast stroke.
Hooray! turnaround!
Hop on that current baby!
Hot damn! I can spot with out breast stroking!
Sweet I can draft this guy--wait where the hell is he going???
Fuck how many freaking buoys did I pass going out? I do not remember all of these.
Ooooooo is that the double finish buoy???
Oh crap that is the 200m mark. Fuckmuffins.
Hey look those are trigirls up on the shore! I am almost there!
I am feeling the rhythm FINALLY!
I am done! Sweet! I am just going to lie here in the water. Ahhhhhhh.

That was so not bad at all.

What?

Tomorrow I am swimming in my first swim race since I was 13.

So what do I do to prepare???

I hit the "fashion park" for some shopping and then I go to Viking's party.


I am sure it will be fine.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCHNUPPY!!!

A day late, a grey goose short.

"Get busy living or get busy dying"

TriJones has recommended that I focus on the positives of every workout (because she is all Miss Super Life is a Bowl of Fucking Cherries--that is so another post).

But it is a good idea.

I got to bike with Schnuppy because my husband didn't "screw" either one of us.
Schnuppy is awesome.
Schnuppy writes her blog post out loud as she works out.
We did the beautiful loop.
"We" squeezed Fave's butt (Remember Fave??? I have not seen her in forever).
Landscape dudes checked out our hot asses. (This happen a lot with Schnuppy--she is a whore.)
I forgot socks and decided to try biking without them. That went better than I expected except my feet are all black--hopefully from the shoes.

I hung out with the sponsored athlete, and she showed me all her goodies that she is getting for free.
We talked newspaper and I got just a wee bit nostalgic for my copy editor days.
She does amazing races with very little down time.

I spent time on the phone with LMS.
We talked about the MCM training; it is going to go guuuuuuuuud.

I have really good teammates who pull me out of my dark hole of angst.

Time to get busy.

OH NO!

I have broken my cardinal rule of triathlon:

Win or have fun.

I am not winning.
I am NOT having fun.

I have a bag of excuses that I whip out for every stinking workout.
I look for every reason not to do what I should do.

Something very bad has happened, and I better figure out the way to make it right.

Hot

My A/C is completely broken.

It is hot as hell.

I won't sleep until it is fixed.

Thwarted

I had big plans today! It is hot as hades. But I am not to be deterred.

I have BIG plans!

I was going to start with a little ride with my favorite cyclist Schnuppy. I tried to bag on it last night, but she called me out. However, I didn't know where we were meeting. I sent her an email asking right after receiving hers, but she had already gone to bed. So at 5:00 am this morning, I had no idea where to go.

I still had the swim. I have race this weekend that requires me swimming a mile.

My run tonight got cancelled because my training group is doing some video, and I do not run in heels. And I cannot figure out if the group swim is on or the same or what. So I decide to swim at the pool right next to our house (sort of). They have a great kids' pool. The whole family gears up and we head out.

BUT, they are closed because it is a holiday.

The kids LOSE it; my husband threatens to leave me if I continue on my merry way to the Y.

Now I am sitting here with the fourth and favorite part of my tri training.

Beer slamming.

I am never getting to IM this way.
But there is always tomorrow.

Tool

A couple of days before my birthday, I participated in the bfitbday challenge.

I reposted my blog entry and took some pictures.

Little did I know that there was an additional contest to see who documented their challenge the best. And it was put up to the vote.

Here is what you should know about my training group, Trigirl Training.

We train hard.
We party hard.
We have A LOT of fun.
We love to vote.

So I won the contest by a landslide.

Roman Mica, who came up with the bfitbday idea, sent me an email today to let me know that I won and what I won.

romanmica has sent you a message on raceAthlete B-FitB-Day.com.

Hi Annn,

Congrats for completing the B-Fit B-Day Challenge and getting sponsored by Rudy Project this year.

This month's sponsorship Premium is the Rudy Project ultra cool Syton Helmet.

I love winning stuff. And, hey, I LOVE saying I am now sponsored (Roman Mica SAID I was!!!), but I am going to look like such a poser in this helmet.

On a rolling course I average onder 20, I have a ridiculous carbon bike, and now I am going to wear an aero-helmet???



Oh, I am going to look so fucking cool.

"Stick with the plannnn, Annnn"

I have been overthinking.

I have that problem.

I read too much.

I do too much research.

I ask too many questions.

of too many people.

I fret.

And last night I wrote all my ideas and fears into an email and sent it to my coach.
I told her I was afraid I was too slow, too injury prone, too big. I told her I think about this all the time, and I sounded pretty lost and confused in my email.

She sent me a long email telling me everything I didn't want to hear, but needed to hear.

"Overthinking it is. We've done this before, Annn, and you pay us to do the thinking for you. . . .
Stick with the plannnn, Annnn."

So that is it. I do the plan, and that is all.
I wish I could pay her to shut my mind off.

Who are you????

Sometimes I receive emails, and I am not always sure who is responsible for sending them to me. Like this one:

In a message dated 6/5/2008 7:18:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time, usavolunteers@nasports.com writes:
Thank you for signing up for our volunteer team.

Your unique ID number is listed below. Please save it as it will be useful for changes, adjustments and supplemental information.

You have submitted the following information:
First Choice: Registration
Second Choice: Special Needs Bike
Third Choice: Gear Bag Check In
Comments:
Waiver Accept: yes
Waiver Name: Annn


Who is this Annn person, and why is she dead set on making me do races I most likely have no business doing?

Today's workout: Pain

Today's workout was heat acclimation day. The temperature went into the upper 90s.

Oh, it was hard. I didn't think I could do it. I cried. I almost broke.

But somehow I managed to spend most of the day in the sun sitting on my ass by a pool with my computer and catalogs.

One misstep away

Courtesy: Trey Almeida

According to the local news, these photo were taken at the same time I was out biking yesterday. They were taken about 15 miles away from where I was biking.

My husband has a call in to our life insurance guy this morning.

Why Tri when you can fartleck?

Tonight as we were standing around waiting for the lightning to pass, We covered many topics.

Like how many ways you can use the word fartleck.

"Don't be such a fartleck!"
"Why did TriJones fartleck out of tonight's workout?"
"Have a good fartleck!"
"Well, that is a load of fartleck."
"I just got off the phone with Queen fartleck. . ."


I learned that people are clued into my inner angst. I admit it, I am a closet angstist. I embrace my inner angst; I love my inner angst. And the real beauty of my angst is that unless you read this blog, you might not even know it was there (unless you request a list of my angst).

Nevertheless, my angst needs to have less of a grip on me. I need to go out and just do the workouts. I need to stay focused on what I want and not what the masses are doing.

So goodbye angst. I am stepping out. I know you will be there, but I am going to try to push you back.

And don't be a fartleck about it.

This chills me to the bone

Photo shows car plowing into bicycle race


Associated Press

Published on: 06/03/08

MONTERREY, Mexico — A car has plowed into a bike race along a highway near the US-Mexico border, killing one and injuring 10 others.

Police investigator Jose Alfredo Rodriguez says the 28-year-old driver was apparently drunk and fell asleep when he crashed into the race.



AP Photo/Jose Fidelino Vera Hernandez

A car collides into cyclists participating in a race in Mexico's northern border city of Matamoros.

A photograph taken by a city official shows bicyclists and equipment being hurled high in to the air by the collision.

Rodriguez says Juan Campos was charged with killing Alejandro Alvarez, 37, of Monterrey.

Authorities say the wreck happened 15 minutes into the race along a highway between Playa Bagdad and Matamoros.

Campos says he is an American citizen living in Brownsville, Texas. U.S. consulate spokesman Todd Huizinga said officials were looking into whether Americans were involved.

Phenomenal Phartlecks phollowed by Phoot malphunction

The next step to getting serious about my training is to start showing up for pre-swim run clinics.

I thought it would be an awesome idea to go to both run clinics so I could get some extra time with coach Pinky.

Speed workouts. How hard can that be?

Fartlecks day. Aren't those the thing my track coach would make me do until I vomited? (Even then it didn't take much for me to vomit.)

Fart.

Ok, I can do those. no problem. After the first lap pinkie pulls me out and corrects EVERYTHING about my form. Lean forward, hold butterflies in your hands, while carrying a volleyball (why a volleyball?). Any movement not forward is wasted energy.

She sends me out to run. And run. And run.

I stick around for the second workout to work on my form and to hang out with LMS and the still-waiting-for-a-nickname Jill. And I run and run and run.

On to the swim.

All kick workout. After 45 minutes my legs are done. Cramping from my toes to my knees. I tell coach DR. Annie that Coach S would massage my legs when they would cramp. She silently wished me to a small part of hell reserved for people like me. Then we do delay drills and I feel the difference and it is nice, but my legs still "feel like balls."

LMS starts to cramp by the end too, so I do not feel so bad.

NO, I do feel bad because I know tomorrow is Tuesday and that is HILL day.

My legs are going to hate me.

Phabulous.

Consumannn Reports

Body glide comes in a deodorant bar form. This makes it hard for me to use in on my parts.

I have an abundance of baby bottom cream that I will most likely not be using.

So here is my review of baby products that I have been secretly testing.

Pros of all the creams:
Easy to put on.
Somewhat better smell.
Can squeeze out the portion you need thus not contaminating the whole stick.

Cons of all creams:
Apply with fingers-ew.

I tried four creams
Desitin creamy and regular
--The creamy formula rubbed right off, but it had a nicer smell than the regular.
--The regular formula stayed on but it stinks. And it is white which ended up everywhere. Damn near impossible to remove.
A+D Original Ointment
--Pretty much the same as the desitin regular, and I only had a little of it left.
Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
--This one had a nice smell like coca butter, it stayed where I put it, but only as long as I wanted it. And was not zinc oxide white. It wasn't as thick. After a bathroom break, it has to be reapplied. Many people have bought me tubes of this because, quite frankly, the name is, well, hilarious.

I decided that of the four, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste was the hands down winner. SO. . .

I tried the butt paste numerous times and I have to say it may be my new fave biking product. I do not think I would put it anywhere else, but one certainly could-it does have sunscreen qualities. . . .

Go Girls Go!

A kick ass shout out to all my friends doing the powersprint and Kerr Lake!

You all will do great!

A special cheer to my trigirl little sis who is doing her first triathlon.
Rock it sister!

Another special cheer to my other trigirl little sis who is doing an aquavelo.
Dig it out chica!

Cranky

Oh, I am so cranky.

According to my husband, I have been cranky for a couple days.

And today I was not feeling like a triathlete not alone an ironmannn wannabe.

I had 24/6 on the schedule. And sure it was supposed to be a brick, but know what? I went ahead and did it the only way it was getting done today.

And know that I didn't really want to do any of it.

So I went out and did my ride, and after a few miles I didn't feel like riding with anyone so I cranked out and did a few circles at cap one to get me up to 14. I thought about cadence and staying steady. And I thought about how maybe this wasn't my year and how maybe next year isn't looking good either. I thought about all the things that I do wrong and not one single thing I do right.

Fortunately, physically I felt good when I stopped for a pee/motrin/water/tire pump/stretch break.

I hooked up with TG Susan for the last 10. She pushed me just enough to make it a NS or negative whatever according to PWHM. And she broke me from my stream of negativity.

Then I boinked on the run owing to my total lack of nutrition on the bike. I forgot.

The last mile I really tried to pick it up speed wise and mentally. I was only mildly successfull.

But I wasn't feeling it. And I am now home; I still am not.

um, excuse me, but isn't that my ass?

Yesterday, I decided to go ahead and call for a massage appointment. I have a wonderful place that I go to that has different themes in every room. And my massage giver is satan, I mean, used to work for a collegiate track team.

My last massage was my first hour massage, and it felt great. This was a pleasant surprise from the first time I went to her for 30 minutes. That time I thought I was going to die.

I figured the truth was probably between the two.

I was wrong. Of course, I should have known when I was escorted to the Egyptian room. Those pyramids didn't build themselves. And the odds of me being royalty is pretty slim.

I told her I was having right side back cramps on the down stroke of my right pedal. And I had recently swam three miles. She really is nice, and she listens very closely, and comes up with a good plan.

She started with my upper back which she said was a mess. And moved to my lower back. Then to the back of my legs and IT band. I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to jump off the table and run screaming to my car, but public nudity is so not my thing.

Back to the shoulders and then finished with my feet. (Ew, have you seen my feet???)

When I met her out for the quickie consult she said that my shoulders were in bad shape and my hamstrings and IT band had really needed some work. Then she added in a scarily nonchalant voice,
"When I pressed into your right glut your back spasmed so I had to back off and massage your back a little."

Really when you put your elbow into my ass muscle, my back spasmed? Huh. Imagine that.

"But I think you should feel better by tomorrow if you drink a lot of water."

So tomorrow when my ass gets handed to me yet again on the bike, I will go back to her and hand it to her to fix.

What fear can do

It makes me go out and ride the hills again. There is no doubt in my mind that I am doing those hills again.

BUT

It is Schnuppy who provides the reason to be there tonight (I miss riding with her as she crouches in her perfect aero position over every hill).

It is Patty who pushes me to keep pedaling and to up my gear on the flats because I can hear her coasting behind me. It is the pure joy she brings to hill riding that makes me believe that all my efforts will pay off, and one day I can hop on her wheel and draft her up the hill.

It is Jill, who will soon have a nickname, that looks for me to make sure I am not losing too much ground. And who goes out and does her repeats after biking.

It is Debbie Ho, Proswimmer and Charlotte who make me laugh so hard I pee after the bike.

Oh, it is fear that makes me ride the hills, but I because I have the support I do, its grip on me won't last for long.

What fear cannot do

It cannot get my sorry ass to repeats at 6 in the morning on four hours of sleep.

I get tired just reading this

I am following the schedule.
I mean it.
This time I am really following the schedule.

I went to swim this morning at 9:15, the time Patty-who-hits-me said she would be there. Turns out she did not mean eastern standard time, but rather mountain.

So I had some alone time in the pool. This was a bad idea.

I am very, very, very tired. And I felt like I was going nowhere. So I was getting cranky. And I was all ready to quit when Trigirl proswimmer showed up. Damn, she is fast. Then the blog stalker showed up. Then Trimom. Then PWHM with trigirl Carolinnnne.

I keep doing the workout, but I am thinking about how pissed off I am to be so tired because the only things I had done this week were the freakin' half-ass hill workout yesterday followed by a little run.

I timed a 50 at the end and the time was 1:15. 1:15????

Ok, I either did that 50 in 15 second or I must have read the clock wrong.

So I did it again.

1:10.

Oh, fucking great. That so rocks.

I hit the sauna and had it not been so damn hot I would have slept there.

Then it was lunch with my husband. Who, bless his little heart, reminded me of my workout this weekend (which doesn't count because that was SATURDAY). That workout didn't seem to take a lot out of me, but let us go with THAT as the reason for my crappy swim.

Then it was on to Mexico for a drinky drink with the Zumbalites (who were back on EST time).

Now I am tired of laughing.

Hills

I went down again today on the bike.

But I had a great time. Because I know that even if this is hard, it is the first step. I know I haven't been training as hard as I should. I know that I am not pushing. I know that this will change.

It was frustrating not to be able to do the things I know I can, but I took the downhills at full speed. And it was wonderful.

I can improve my endurance. I can improve my core strength. I can bike hills.

Bring on the Blue Ridge.
I am ready.

Committed

Today at a party I told my parents and sister that I was taking them on a vacation next July on the beautiful shores of mirror lake.

I have spent the last hour looking for a cabin to fulfill that promise.

I might be serious this time.

Hold me back

The sponsored athlete is in my head again. What is holding me back from this race?

I have signed up for three major races that I have had to pull out of--two of which before I even got there.

What if this is the same?

This course is so beyond my comprehension. It is so beyond my current ability.

There could be no missed practices, no missed steps, no excuses.

I would cry on this course.
Not making the cut-offs is a REAL fear on this course.
I might really injure myself.

I might fail--even if I do everything right.

I asked about this race over a year ago. It is in my head.

I could do one closer or easier. But this is the one that eats at me.
Anything else might feel like failure.

This would be the hardest thing I have ever done.
Nothing will compare to this.

It all starts with a small step.

urg

Is the hardest part of a race signing up for it

or

admitting that you want to do it?

Dear Ironman

I have been waiting for you to update the results of my friends since noon.

Many of them should already be on the run. But according to your site they are still in the first 100 km of the bike.

I know how horribly inconvienent it can be to let people know that there is a software error, but let me assure you, the effort you put into communication would be very very very much appreciated.

Love always,
Annn

BFIT BDAY Challenge in picture form

.
My Bike. . .

and I are ready

Whoa! It is hard to take pictures on the bike.









The pool. It doesn't look scary but it became creepy and empty in the time I was here.


The run starts.


And goes on and on.


I am stunned that I am almost done with this.


I wish I could stop for a beer, but
I am almost home.