Iron girl the race!

This is not the FUN race report - see yesterday if you want the good junk, this one is about racing...

Race day started like any other - up at 4:00am, start drinking water and coffee. I will even walk in circles (like a dog) to get my guts moving. I am thankful that THIS is not an issue that I have. Coffee, water, peanut butter sandwich, banana, Cup of Gold Bar....check. All en route to the race site. I'm not used to doing things like this alone. Even if Ryan isn't there, I'm usually there with a gaggle of friends - not this time. I park, get my own junk and head to transition. I'm trying to focus but it IS hard when you have all the women around - there's lots of nervous chatter - have you done this before, how long have you been doing this, this is my first time, blah, blah, blah.

I had a few things in my mind:

1. 1:35
2. If it doesn’t hurt, you’re not doing it right.
3. Red line, this is a sprint, red line the whole way.
   

Pros were off first then 35-39AG, that's me! Swim starting line was 'fun.' They did a little cheerleader thing to start, to get everyone pumped and excited. Like any 5K, you found that a lot of beginners started right at the front of the pack. I'm not saying don't, I'm just stating an observation. Rebecca and I made our way to a strategic place at the front. While I knew I wouldn't be hanging on her tail, I figured it would be at least towards the front of the swim pack.

Ready GO and we high stepped it into the water and started paddling out little hearts out. Oh, had new goggles on and they were GREAT, clear as a bell, not foggy, nothing (and they say never try anything new on race day, these were new goggles, new brand and style, my first swim). My siting was decent, for once...maybe because it was a point to point 'line' with no real turns? I did take one glance at my surroundings and realized that I was where I thought I would be - super fast chickies were gone and then there was me. Well crap, the crowd was crazy at this point because it had just started and they were waiting for their people. I swam until my hand hit the bottom and then I high stepped it out of the water. I really hope they got a picture of this because I'm sure I looked like a giraffe caught in a trap, all legs everywhere. With the swim exit there and the crowd screaming, I start running up the hill..and cussing. Here's the swim exit. Sorry little childrens, my hammys were screaming.

I looked at my watch at some point on my swim exit and saw 10something - I was targeting 10 so this was great with me. Actual 9:50

T1 - uneventful, got my junk and hauled it to the bike out.
Side note: I did not know where bike in/out and run in/out were. In the morning, asked some gals around me. They said – follow everybody else. I said thank you but on the inside I’m thinking – what if there is nobody else? With a wave start and being in the first wave, I knew this had potential but I wasn’t going to be a bitch. Actual 2:33.

The Bike

Mentally, I prepared for worse and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Bonus. I had one hour in mind for this ride. I hauled it at any time there was a downhill or flat to keep up the momentum for when the hills or slow grades hit me. It took a while but I was caught by a handful of chickies and some in the waves behind me. One gal (I think she ended up second overall) blew my doors off – I just sat up for a minute like, huh? She yells – how many are ahead? I said 4-5 and she was GONE. Never to be seen until the awards! Wicked fast. I was huffing and puffing for 95% of this mofer. I just kept telling myself, redline, not much further. I’m sure it was a pretty ride but I was focused and tried to thank every cop and volunteer – they were kick ass at every turn since the super fasties blew my doors off OR just hadn’t caught up to me on the bike yet (later waves). Make NO mistake this course and race are beginner friendly for sure but I would NOT say this was a beginner course. It was very challenging, without a doubt. I saw people walking bikes up the one ‘real’ hill on course, if that’s any indication. Actual 1:01:31, not so happy 'bout that.

T2

Dismounted – again, can’t do the flying dismount thingy so I was running in my shoes and damn near dropped my bike at the mount line full well knowing there are girls hunting me down. Rack my bike change out my shiz and take off. I did not have split times or anything but in order to hit 1:35, I knew my watch needed to read 1:10 at the start of the run. I looked down. I don’t remember exactly what it said but it wasn’t 1:10. OK, get a grip and don’t do what you usually do (give up). Too often when I have time goals in mind, when I don’t hit them, I just give up. Not this time. Hammer, red line, if it doesn’t hurt, you’re not doing it right. Gooooo…..Actual 1:52, what WAS I doing in there?!?

Run

Breathing labored, not comfortable at all, not supposed to be, though. Hills, rollers, inclines, blech BUT it was shaded which was a VERY nice treat for a hot day. Again, I see the faces of the pros and super fasties on their way back in to the finish … and then there’s me. What am I DOING UP HERE? I mean, I like it up here, playing with the big girls – it felt like the first time you got to eat at the adults table at Christmas. It’s weird because it’s just not a place that I usually hang out, towards the front. I can hear footsteps behind me and I carefully look at their age on the back of their leg. Whew, younger, whew, older until SHE came along..another 37er, MY age group. OK, stay calm, your race, race your race NOT her but do NOT give up, do NOT give in and pretend that all is lost! I get to mile 2 and I see HER, Ms. 37 in front of me, crumbling a little, I guess. Perfect, time to go and I did. I passed her back and kept my pace fast enough at the end that I didn’t think she could catch me again. I think her big boobs were weighing her down. Sorry, had to get that in there. I was looking at all the faces heading out to run as I was heading in, just gobs of ladies. I know some of them were looking at me thinking – she’s dying. I make this funny exhale sound when I run hard to force all the air out and I really do sound like I’m dying. I couldn’t muster a smile even. Actual 24:17, yay!

I look at my watch - 1:39, YYYESSS. Final results - 1:40:03, Boooo! Actually, I was very happy with my 1:40 because I DID give it what I had, I didn't give up anything out there or give in to anyone or anything. I did what I set out to do and that was to hop on the pain train and like it...and I did. I ended up 9th out of 180 in my age group and 39 out of 914 overall. Sheeeit, I'll take that shiz any day. I know I'm not a prize winner but I couldn't be happier, really. I am happiest with myself and my performance when I know I'm spent at the end. I was.

I guess there is hope for 'us' afterall. None of this is natural for me, I didn't start running until mid-20's and tri a few years ago. If you think - I'll never improve, I'll never get faster - it's simply not true. We all need to be a little easier on ourselves sometimes. Being my first tri of this season (save one relay), I am excited to see what the rest of the year will bring.

And THAT, my friends, is how Iron Girl went down for me! Double thumbs up!

Iron girl the event!

Huge shout out to Stephanie at Iron Girl - I can NOT even imagine the organized chaos that goes on for such a huge event. I think the organization did a fantastic job and the fan support rivals any of the big guys...no joke! There were cops and volunteers at every single turn (this will be important later), they cheered, they yelled, the announced everyone as they crossed the finish line, if there wasn't a 1:1 ratio volunteer to athlete, it felt like it, it was top notch. I would say if you EVER think you want to do a tri but feel intimidated (and have boobs and I don't mean moobs), an Iron Girl event might just be the ticket for you.

This was my first girlie event - here are some notable differences:

Boob talk was common and out there in the food line - she said - you have a nice dress, I said thanks, Athleta, she said, does it hold your girls in? I said yes but my girls are small. Yep, right out there in the open.

At the end of most events there are card tables and some folding chairs. This had tables, white table clothes, flowers and folding chairs.

I actually saw a woman push someone ahead of her at the finish - I don't know what transpired but she fell back and pushed her friend forward, ahead of her.

While 'against' USAT rules, a gaggle of women ran to the last finisher to 'bring her in' to the finish line. Yeah, yeah, no on course support, I get it but really?

In general, just women stuff like that. The touches were subtle but noticeable.

In my vast blogger experience, I have never met any of my out of stater fellow bloggers until Sunday. I met Chloe ...when I heard - MISSY, HEYYYYY! as I was setting up my junk in transition. She had a present for me, niceee. I love it. My gift to her was Jack Daniels. Maybe for the ride home, of course, it's made ~30 miles from me so that was my big TN gift. I met all of her friends too. What a time. You'll have to check out her blog. I can't steal her thunder, what a race. I also got to meet Wes and Dee Dee. It was like he just appeared! I met him earlier in the morning of race day but I was so glad to see Wes and Dee Dee when I was at the starting line. I went to this event solo, Ryan usually keeps me pretty calm and centered, so having the two of them there for that final 'race start moment' really helped me. (Thanks guys!) Crap, I think he got video too. I'm sure I said something ridiculous in all my nervous chatter (shocker) PLUS I had earplugs in so I'm sure I was yelling like granny does.

Things I saw and other funny shit...

There was every kind of bike under the sun - hybrid, tt, road, mountain, all of it. The one's that get the real prize are the gals that did it on a mtb with flat pedals. HOLY CRAP! That course is NO joke, I don't know how they did it. Kudos!

At the end of the race, I saw this...not sure if you can make it out but cigarettes must be quite powerful if you finish THAT race and need to hurry up and toke one down. Dang girl, give it up. By the way, in our faux pose so we could get this shot, shout out to Rebecca who was first in W35-39...yeah, and she did a 10 mile run (at least) when it was over. Ironman Lake Placid baby.

Seemed that newbie cheerleaders weren't too fond of my cowbell. Yeah, it's really loud, I mean super duper loud, irritating...perrrrfect. The REAL cheerleaders thought it was the shiz niz and ordered 10 for various Ironman races this year. My friend is a real, honest to goodness cattle farmer. He picked up a cowbell at the co-op and didn't think it was loud enough so I got this - please note the John Deere green color for good measure.

This was one of my favs - a nice little girl was giving me advice when I was setting up my transition space. Again, I'm sure just nervous chatter. She was telling me all about how she's a 21 minute 5Ker and how she's having a hard time hitting those times after swimming and biking, sure, totally understandable. The next time I saw her, she was coming in from her bike and throwing on running shoes. I was just standing there and she looks at me - you're done?! Yes, I'm done. Bless her heart (as we say in the South), nervous chatter, I'm sure. I just had to smile.

Coming in from the bike I still had on my cycling shoes - I'm not fancy enough to get the flying dismount, shoeless thing going - was running and damn near dropped my bike. I'm sure the photographer or NBC was right there. I looked like a jackass for sure. What are ya new, c'mon lady? Yeah, that was me.

I suppose I'm long winded enough. Stay tuned for Iron Girl the race. I don't like to give all the serious junk...does anyone really care about that? Doesn't everyone just want the funny nuggets? I will, though, I will. It was a great day of racing for me.

Irongirl!

I am officially an irongirl! Full race report and a few pictures to come BUT...the semi-official looking post said 1:40:03. Why is it that I'm usually off by a few seconds for some of the milestones?!? Dang it!

Overall, great race. Everything came together today - much better than yesterday. Super organized, people directing at every corner, cheerleaders like you can't even imagine. Very supportive atmosphere.

Swim was right on, bike slightly off, transitions, I always suck at transitions (sorry, I must have socks!), run was where I expected for this course.

More to come. Hope you're having a great weekend!

Missy

Hot as Hades!

So far, everything has been a cluster since I checked in. I'm terribly hopeful that race day will prove to be better. The short version - after checking in, getting my chip, numbers etc. I was going to take my bike to transition. I asked 'a guy' (I think he was part of the resort, not part of the tri event) where bike check in was with my bike and backpack in hand. He said - over there, follow the campground signs. OK. I start walking, walking, walking. I am sweating from every pore. I look like I just ran. At the point of no return, I just kept walking and hoping that I could get a ride back to my car. A very nice gal picked me up in her truck for the last .5 mile - it was at least 3 miles total, one way. I get to bike check in after thanking her profusely. You need your bike number ON your bike. WHAT? My number is back at my car, at the Lodge (I intended to put it on in the morning). Seriously, I have this wrist band on with my number, does that count for anything? No, I'm sorry, got to have your bike number on the bike. Step in nice dad taking daughter to her first tri - I will drive you back. I could have kissed the man. I was hot, pissed and sweating like a hog. They drove me back to my car which I drove BACK to the bike transition, numbered it, hung it on the rack and got out of there. I was going to change and swim but it was 'locked out.' If anyone made there way to the swim course, I don't know how - unless they paid the entry fee for the day. EFFE it, I left. I didn't swim, bike or run or even preview the course. It'll be all new to me tomorrow.

The terrain is mostly what I expected except for the 10% grade at the swim exit to get TO your bike. I see that the high for tomorrow is a cool 96. Thank GAWD I'm in the first wave and start at 7:00! I will be getting there at the crack ass of dawn so I can see if my gears work 'and stuff.' I'm just hoping that my goals are not too ambitious.

The atmosphere is totally different since it's an all woman's event. There is a lot of nervous chatter since there are many newbies. Bikes from TT to hybrid to mountain bikes, across the board. It's good to see new chickies trying it out, what a perfect way to see if it's your thing. You don't have to worry about anything, or feel like you're going to embarrass yourself or whatever - WHO CARES. Get out there and finish it! It will be a great day. I think I'm more excited to see people doing their first than I am of doing my ???? tri.

We'll holler back at ya on the flip side! This race might just be puke worthy - hot, short and fast...or some combination of the three!

Farrah...

Far be it from me to stay away from a topic such as Michael Jackson. I think I have ranted enough already so all I have to say is....

Farrah Fawcett died on Thursday, June 25 from cancer...in case you haven't heard.


I can NOT believe his death is monopolizing the airwaves. Someone equated it to the death of Elvis and I almost puked on my shoes. I'm really trying to shut up on this one, really, trrrrying.

Just packing a car and cleaning a bike. Oh, and to everyone who says - you must be a bad ass to race in a Speedo. Puhleeze, bad ass, YES, of course I am a bad ass - but NOT in that racing kinda way, you just got to show up and own it...even if you got a little wiggle in your jiggle. Seriously, if you are not caught up on it (your butt, your boobs, whatever), other people won't be either. It's an all woman's race for crying out loud. Be free and let your wiggle, jiggle a little. If guys ONLY like bony broads, most of us would NOT me married.

I'll keep all y'all posted on my travels from Atlanta.

Swim, Bike, Run...all in a row?

Can I swim 1/6 of a mile? Sure. Can I ride 18 miles? Yep. Can I run 3 miles? Hells yes Can I do all three IN A ROW???

I tested it out, just to be sure and YES! I can swim, bike and run back to back. It may not seem like a big deal but I haven't done it since November 1 so I needed to test my legs out. I did a baby brick on Wednesday, a little splash and dash, a little ride through the 'hood on my TT bike (that has held its place a wall fixture) and a little streaking in my bathing suit - CHECK. Of course, I did not do the full sprint distances but rest assured, I will be able to make it happen on Sunday! The question is, how fast? Only Sunday holds the answer to that question. Woohoo.

Some things I had forgotten - riding a bike in a bathing suit makes it look like you're:

a) wearing a thong because it's all jacked up there
b) ass is eating a bicycle seat
c) an idiot

It is not a good look, bathing suit, helmet, glasses and cycling shoes. I don't really CARE so much what I look like but it is quite laughable. Caught sight of myself in the car window, very hawt, at least I made myself laugh. And yes, the cooter bone held up. That's always a question mark at the beginning of the season, that direct contact without padding or 'legs' can be shocking. (I think that's the nice way of saying 'I hope it won't burn when I pee.') Meh, a little discomfort there for the freedom of running in a Speedo....I'll take it!

Randomness...
I don't give a shit about John and Kate plus 8. It's sad but has any marriage behind a reality tv camera EVER held up? C'mon, shocker, she's a bitch to her husband..or at least that's how it's edited. I can't imagine having eight...I wouldn't have one so there you are. BTW, if you can get plastic surgery donated, get a HAIRSTYLIST while you're at it, puhleez.

Magnus is such a big pu$$y that he got bitch slapped by a cat. Little cut on his face and his eye. Poor guy, he's a lover, not a fighter. He truly thinks everyone is his friend.

(Semi) Wordless Wednesday

Race Reports Abound

Been reading a lot of race reports from the weekend, from sprints to ironman to long distance runs. As always, some had fantastic days and some just had, days. Whenever you have a shitty race, you always come out with questions? What did I do wrong here and here and I thought I trained hard enough?! Why did my training fail me, I do this course ALL the time? Why the hell do I do this? I'm never going to win, why do I keep doing it if I'm never going to win a prize? Post race reflections are always good, always good to put it out there. Get back to the fun parts, get back to training with your friends and all will be well with the world again. And don't forget, most of the world still thinks you're insane for doing what you do...regardless of your pace or placing. They're still on the sofa eating a cheeseburger, smoking a cig and watching tv....

Just when I thought my race schedule was going to amount to TWO (or so) races this year, it looks like I'll be racing a little more than anticipated. I am very excited about the prospect. While the money diet is still in FULL affect, I'm working hard to find smaller races, sprint races, races where I can camp or sleep on a friends sofa, any kinds of races - triathlon, of course.

I am no sprinter, I like to pick a gear and roll, and roll, and roll. I equate sprint tris (and 5Ks) to short sharp pain, acute type pain and the longer stuff (half iron and greater) to a dull but constant ache. The pain and the hurtin are just totally different. The thing about sprints...they're over fairly quickly. I realize this might be the dumbest thing I've ever said...OK ONE of the dumbest but - if you go faster, you're done sooner. Simple yes, easy, not always. I think a switch went off when I did the relay with Ryan a few weeks back. Um, this is fuuun and I LIKE to race. Make no mistake, I'm not a podium girl, I don't race to win but I DO race to lay it out there...whatever I got for THAT day, THAT race and THAT time, my best for ME. I need to learn to dig deeper for the short stuff, not 'give up' on a hill and KNOW that if I move faster...I can sit down sooner. Bless it, now if I can just listen to my own daYum advise this weekend. If you're in ATL, look for me. It'll look something like this... death in a bathing suit. It will be THIS suit so yell if you see me.

In random and semi ridonkulous news...

I will never drink anything called Blue Venom again, gawd. You'd think I was trying to be 25 again. Now I KNOW why I should not drink anything called Blue Venom.

Is there anything better than clean sheet day?

I used astringent to remove my eye makeup and couldn't figure out why my eyes were burning me. Grab a bottle with no contacts and no glasses and that's what you get.

Beware of the pedi-egg OR the cheese grater for your nasty feet and callouses. That thing is so sharp and there is a reason you have callouses...soft and nice looking feet are NOT on YOUR agenda. Callouses are protecting your little paddies. Dang, I think I went a little too deep in spots..it didn't hurt, at the time.

I saw a lady in acid wash pedal pushers today and it wasn't an 80's throw back. Those pants and that hair....she's IN the 80's.

Ironman watchin! CdA!

I'm the worst when it comes to an Ironman finish...I can watch the stooopid webcam until midnight with all those people coming in. I'll shut up about it but if you ever get the chance, it's really something to see live. The whole thing is a spectacle but hang at the finish line until midnight cheering those people in, NOTHING compares. You'll find yourself crying for perfect strangers. Big shout out to all the finishers yesterday! That run looked ccccold.

The past week saw most of my prescribed training. I fell by the wayside on one run but that's OK since I'm working on a taper of sorts. More to come on recent developments but suffice it to say, I'm racing this coming weekend and I AM THRILLED about it. If you live in Atlanta and have nothing to do on Sunday morning...come see me...More to come on the irongirl tri this weekend. They're taping it to be televised soon - let's see if I make the final cut.



A weekend in pictures. Thankfully, I didn't take a ton, for fear I may incriminate myself. A couple of random thoughts...

Have you ever seen anyone unhappy on the lake tubing? I haven't laughed that hard in a while and tube wars, forget about it. My body was skipping like a stone across the water with my bathing suit bottoms around my ankles. Nothing like a water enema to get your day started right. Oh, and boating hair, very hawt! By the way, tubing DOES count as my open water swim for last week, I'm just sayin. My arms are SORE like I swam, anyway.



Magnus does NOT like to swim as Grandma (Kasha does). This is what pure terror looks like....poor guy, not happy at all.


This is also what new love looks like, Magnus' new girlfriend, Casey, and albino doberman. Don't they make a cute couple?

AND the winners...

Huge shout out to onlineshoes.com for letting me host this killer $100 gift certificate giveaway! What fun and what great stories we got out of this 'contest.' If you haven't read them, I HIGHLY suggest it! Fun stuff.

Without delay...the winner of the $100 gift certificate is...

OH NO, we're about to lose our winner. Magnus is going to eat it!

Yes, Magnus has chosen Diana as the winner of the $100 gift certificate! Yay Diana. Her story is killer good too. Laugh out loud.

For our friends of the North, the super duper, killer prize pack...that is still under construction goes to....

Just so you know, I did use Molson as my 'people' and Yazoo as my 'picker' in this spin the bottle game. Molson from Canada (and a personal favorite of mine, not just sayin it) and Yazoo brewed here in Nashville, TN.

So there you are, Keith is our big winner from the north. Keith, I'm not sure my 'real swimmers wear pink' t-shirt (for breast cancer awareness) is going to fit BUT feel free to pass it along...it might fit Susi or Leana??? Currently, I am working on collecting my Nashville goodies (swim cap, real swimmers wear pink t-shirt, Cup of Gold Bars, Swiftwick Socks, Moonpies and maybe another goodie or two) . Keith, be sure to email me (under my profile) with your address and shoe size so I can get it to you. I'd love to send the Yazoo brew too but I'm just not sure how it will travel.

Thanks everybody for playing! Great fun.

Ironman!

Today is your last chance to enter my $100 onlineshoes.com giveaway. 12noon CST is the cutoff...get those last minute entries in, hurry! They must be posted on the original blog posting to be eligible. There are some great stories out there...a must read!

So many race reports from last weekend, I love it. A HUGE shout out to my local, Excel peeps that killed it this year in Kansas at the Ironman 70.3 sponsored race. Ahem, three, count em, three went sub-five hours...since that is something I will never see, I'm totally impressed. I believe everyone achieved their goals and it was great to watch it develop. Lynne is as strong as I've ever seen her, swim included! Kevin, my fellow Spartan, did not relive NOLA 70.3 by partying his way through the NCAA championship games with a killer bike split of 2:27 and Ashly's run split was 1:36, enough said. I haven't talked to Vickie or Dana yet but they both had exceptional races as well. I think all of them (and many more) are all getting ready for their A race for the year...IRONMAN.

In a sick and twisted kind of way, I miss it, the Ironman training, that is. While getting ready for my half this year will take time and effort, it's most certainly not the time and effort involved in getting ready for an ironman. I want to PR this half im and am going to give it hell (still never to see sub five hours but I digress) but there IS something satisfying about doing a seven hour brick on a Saturday. Sick, yes, twisted, yes, fun all at the same time, yes. There's nothing better than stopping at the country store for a refuel or water pick up and be asked - how far you ridin' today? Oh, about 115, and they drop their coffee in their lap....and then you get to go home and run. Ah yes, the joy and pain of it all. I say I miss it now but I am also not delusional. I vividly remember thinking, this is insane, I'm never doing this again, WHO trains 25 hours a week, has a full time job and has to eat and sleep too, family, friends? At ~15 hours a week training, I feel like I'm on easy street. I haven't hit my long rides yet, but 4:30 hours is not 6:30 hours with your arse in a saddle and those crazy ass 20/2/20/3/20/4/20/6 bricks are not on the agenda either. It is exponentially greater, physically and mentally. The mental game is a post all its own!

So this is for all that are doing IM CdA this coming weekend - I know how hard you've worked, I know you have put in the time, I know this is the big prize. I'll never say the race is easy but it is not nearly as hard as all the work you've put in to date. Maybe towards the end of the run you'll be thinking WTF? but that's OK, I'm not so sure we're meant to run 26.2 under any conditions, let alone at the end of a 112 mile bike ride and 2.4 mile swim. Stay calm, don't get jacked up, don't worry about that which you can not control. Sunday is YOUR day, the day you've been preparing for, for months on end. I hope that you enjoy it and take it all in. And if you're feeling down or discouraged at any point during the race, just 'hear' the voice of Ironman, Mike Reilly, as you cross that finish line...I'm telling you, there's nothing like hearing him say those words. I can hear it now - Here comes Jennifer Hulbert from Franklin, Tennessee, YOU are an Ironman! Yeah, it never gets old either and I still have to think about it now when "I just don't wanna go any longer." I can look at this picture and still hear his voice.

I will not wish you LUCK because you don't need LUCK. Sunday is your day. Give it hell, race hard and get the sticker. Yeah, 140.6, baby, 140.6...it's just a a long way, I don't care who you are!

Go Ben, Sarah, Tilghman, Marit and RBR!

OH, and P.S. don't worry if you get passed on the bike...this is what happens to everyone who blew it up on the bike and did not leave enough in the tank....they're walking and you're still running, shuffling or something that looks close to running anyway;)

(Semi) Wordless Wednesday

Get registered for your $100 gift certificate to onlineshoes.com HERE!

McShotty Scavenger Hunt and the CMA's

First things first - get in your entry for the $100 onlineshoes.com giveaway. Your entry must be posted on the original posting to be eligible. Thursday at 12noon, CST is your deadline!

All workouts completed and in the books - three runs, three swims and three runs. I'm happy with the outcome...except for the fact that I fell apart on Tuesday for speed work. The plan: 1 mile warm up, 3 x 1 mile repeats, 1 x 2 mile repeat and 1 mile cool down. I made it through until about 2/3's way through the last bit, 1 x 2 mile repeat. Holy crap, totally fell apart, the wheels came off and I was cooked. The 1 mile cool down turned into a .5 mile walk to the car. Eh, for the second speed session of this season, I'll live with that! Otherwise, the workouts were uneventful (sorry to say). I'm still looking for the elusive wild dingo but have not found him yet. Oh, except for the fact that I killed a squirrel today while driving to the lake. I felt terrible but the little s.o.b just stopped in the middle and looked at me - I wasn't going for the ditch or oncoming car when I felt the thump, thump and looked in the rear view. Blech, I felt bad, couldn't even make some good squirrel gravy out of the little sucker.

McShotty 2009 - this would be our annual scavenger hunt and, ahem, drum roll, yes, I was part of the WINNING TEAM. The hunt always takes place during the Country Music Festival in Nashville...so much good stuff. Drunk foreign folks (and by foreign, I mean from Nebraska and WisCONsin)! Every team is given a book with four major landmarks, navigate, take pictures, plus four major bars or stops for a McShotty (shots at every bar for every team member to obtain points) and then the random hits - a guy standing on his head, a mullet, a Billy Ray Cyrus t-shirt, stuff like that.

Did you know that a Minderaser is Kahlua, vodka and tonic? DISGUSTING...taking one for the team, blech.

We were successful on all accounts and had great documentarians along the way. The ONE thing I did notice this year more than ever is that country has gone a little more rock and roll than I remember...not as much redneckness.

Will the mullet ever die? Will it ever just DIE already?

I mean, this is like the Big Johnson t-shirts of the 80's...this will NOT get the girl. Guys, take note.

We got points for a green cab and the red cowboy boots...what were the chances?

This poor little street performer had never seen a $2 bill before. He was thrilled with his good fortune and so were we (we needed a picture of a $2).

A new friend from my home state of Michigan...with his meat and onion rings. He seems pretty happy.

We got extra points for actually riding the bull.
...and this was probably two seconds later. I think he crushed his junk. He did walk with a limp the rest of the nite.

And this was how we ended the weekend...at the lake for open water swimming. We all got in on the fun. Grandma didn't seem to mind the life vest when she realized that it involved the lake, her favorite thing. I think she only busted her ass three times before getting down to the water - poor old lady can't navigate those rocks very well. Grandma was VERY happy to see all her 'friends.'

What will the weekend bring?

Besides the fact that you really need to ENTER and read some the stories and comments (hilarious, truly funny) regarding the onlineshoes.com $100 giveaway, I'm not sure what the weekend will bring. This weekend is the Country Music Huge Festival thing in downtown Nashville. While I'm not a country music fan - other than the old stuff, Willie, Johnny Cash - it might just be the people watching you have EVER seen. We will be heading down later today and pictures are sure to follow. I can only hope for some good mullets and old people with sandals and black socks. If we're lucky, we might even catch a wedding at Tootsies or something crazy like that. You just never know.

This week was full of working out and junk. To date, two swims, two runs and two rides. One more of each to go. I need to find me another race to do too. I can't just do this until November 7, B2B for crying out loud!

There are currently 32 'contestants' combined for giveaway #1 and prize pack #2. Entries will be accepted until 12noon CST on Thursday, June 18. The winners will be posted on Friday, June 19!

Mr. No Helmet

Onlineshoes.com $100 giveaway - go to this blog post to place your entry and for contest details. Who doesn't want free stuff!?!

Dear Mr. No Helmet,

I don't know why but I was furious that you would take to the roads without a helmet. (I actually saw multiple Mr. No Helmet's today of different varieties.) Here's the deal and this goes for you and all your other friends that don't want to wear a helmet because 'it's your right' and 'I didn't wear one as a kid', this is for a bicycle or motorcycle, Mr. I want to feel the wind in my hair, look cool, be free while flying down a hill at 40mph. Thanks to YOU my insurance deductibles are through the roof, as is any state run health care program that MY tax dollars support. As I see it, when you CHOOSE to not wear a helmet it is implicit, then, that you are declining your health care coverage through work OR through the state. Don't give me the crap that we didn't wear helmets 10, 20 years ago and we all turned out fine. Our mother's smoked and drank too, it doesn't make it a good idea NOW. We are (hopefully) smarter and wiser. Oh, at least some of us are. So when you wipe out because you got a flat at 21mph or hit a large rock and go down, enjoy that head injury, learning to wipe your own ass again and how to walk. Yeah, yeah, I know, it can happen with a helmet on too but WHY would you tempt fate? Why wouldn't you put one on? I know you have one. I saw your bike, your fancy little riding kit and dumb ass little cycling hat. I just can't support your dumb decision and I CHOOSE not to pay for your health care when you're drooling on yourself at the cool age of 27. ... why weren't you working anyway?

Sincerely,
Girl with Dorky Helmet giving you dirty look

*This goes for Mr. Roadie no helmet guy, Mr. Motorcycle no helmet guy, Mr. Dad who puts a helmet on the kids but not on himself guy. It doesn't take a high rate of speed to kill you from smashing your melon on a curb because the jackass down the street pulled out of his driveway without looking. OR even better yet, NOT dead, just a pile that doesn't even know his name. C'mon guys, you're not new for crying out loud!