BIG KAHUNA!

Okay so it's been awhile since my last post, but my excuse is that I've been lagging because I've been training so hard (that or I've been lazy, or actually trying to do "work" at work)

Update #1- I'm a Triathlete! Completed my first triathlon with Tri for Fun! It isn't an officially timed race, so there is no official record of my results online (although you CAN read my review on racevine), and since the photographer apparently uploaded a picture of the wrong person for my bib number's finish photos I have no official proof of my finish time, but I do know that the clock read 1:32 when I crossed, and I started in wave #4 with the women under 40 or whatever (first were the pros, then the younger men, then the older men, then us) so I began the race 15min into the clock. Based on my extremely remedial math skills, that means my time was 1:17. I was wearing a watch and know that my 400yd swim only took 9min, and my T1 and T2 times were pretty fast and under 2min each, but that's all I really paid attention to. The swim was pretty easy but it was my first swim in a lake as well as my first wave start so I freaked out a bit in the beginning and never really felt like I had my flow. The bike was really flat and I passed a bunch of people which was cool, but the run included rolling hills and was pretty hard for me. The number one thing I gained from the experience is how hard it is transitioning from the bike to the run. Brutal!

Update #2- Fundraising Success: I am officially 95% of my personal fundraising goal- to double the minimum in honor of my dad! My goal for this season was to reach $6,600 and I'm planning to hit it by the end of the month. Thank you so much to all the friends and family who have supported me through this- it means so much to me and to blood cancer patients everywhere. GO TEAM! Everyone on the team is picking it up with their fundraisers too, which means lots of drinking (for a good cause).

Update #3- OPEN WATER SWIMMING! We got our TNT wetsuits and now feel like official triathletes! We now swim in Aquatic Park (or "AP" as the regulars call it) once a week with the team, and Erin and I have been doing 6am swims on Monday and Wednesday too. When you put your face down in the water you can't see anything. There are seals in the water to look out for. You have to "sight" to make sure you're even swimming in the right direction. It is cold. It tastes salty. But I love it! There's nothing quite like swimming in the bay with your friends at sunrise and walking out after a mile swim onto the shore at 7am. Bonus: there's no post-shower chlorine smell lingering in your hair for 2 days!

Update #4- BIG KAHUNA: With the success of all these updates and added confidence with our training, I've officially decided in addition to my participation in Pacific Grove, I'll also be participating in Big Kahuna- a Half Ironman on October 25th in Santa Cruz. Ahhh! I figured I might as well- once I finish Pac Grove I'll want to continue my involvement with the team anyway till the end of the season, and there is no other time I would do something like this so it makes sense to just do it now. Why not?

Countdown to Sept 12th Pacific Grove: 1 month

Countdown to Oct 25th Big Kahuna: 2 months and 2 weeks

It's coming and it's coming fast! Last week we did a 50mi bike ride on Saturday, and then on Sunday 1mi swim and 7mi run brick workout. This weekend we'll do a long run on Saturday and then have a mock triathlon on Sunday in Marin. Crazy stuff!