Wildflower - 3 weeks!

It's been a while since I posted....been busy training! I overcame my distaste for that four letter word -camp- and Jeff got me new sleeping bag. Time to suck it up and sleep outdoors. The mint on the pillow was missing, and I'm not sure who fell down on the job with that one!! (after we survived HAIL putting up our tent!)

Thumbs up to Zach who went along on the trip to do his run, but had to stay in the campsite bored out of his gourd for the 4+ hours we were gone on our bikes. What a trouper, made me proud!

We did our little practice day yesterday, and it was good. The wetsuit went on and came off fairly easily. The lake was COLD, but not unbearable. For curiosity's sake I looked it up, and it was 65. The suit was comfortable, (and has pretty pink trim!) and I'm much less worried about that part now. We then went back up to the campsite, changed out, got our bikes, and took off. 9 in our group. I stayed with the first 3 or 4 for the first 41 miles. This is new for me, I'm usually at the back of the pack. My first hour I held 15 mph, second hour 18.5 mph. 3 hour 14 mph (nasty grade!!) We were pretty spread out, but we waited 3 times at major intersections for the group to catch up. Then we hit the Nasty Grade, and it lived up to it's name and reputation! I struggled, big time. Dropped to number 8, and Jeff had to circle back for me twice. I HATE feeling like this. Finished up at 7th, but frustrated. It was a hard ride. I stopped my garmin when we stopped, and we only did 54 miles because we went back to our campsite, not the marina, but it took 3:34 - longer than I'd hoped. Then we ran. The plan was for one of they guys (Thanks, Terry!) to do the whole 13 mile loop, with our son. Jeff would do the first half with them, (his knee, IT band, and calf are giving him problems) and I'd do the second. Well, Zach pooped out, so he only did the first half, which is apparently the much tougher one. I came in at the 6 miles point and finished in 54 minutes. Not too bad, and I would be very happy if I could hold that pace for the whole race, but that's not likely.

My official goal is the swim at 35 minutes; the bike at 3:45; and the run at 2:10. Add in the transitions, and I'd really like to finish the whole thing in 6:45. Last year there were 59 women in my division, and a time of under 7:00 would keep me in the top half.

Saturday, May 2, my 'wave' will go off at 9:25. I'll be in a lite purple cap. Start praying hard right around then, and don't stop until 4:30!!! It's going to be a long day!!!

Tyler has the first leg of my men's relay, he starts in a silver cap at 9:30. He'll hand over the chip to Jeff at 9:50 or so, and then Jeff takes off. He'll hand the chip to Zach shortly before 1:00 we think, then Zach starts to boogy! We'll be looking for him at 3:00 or shortly there after. Zach's leg is much more weather dependant, not much shade, and lots of BIG hills.

While you are thinking good thoughts......think highs of 60, lows of 55, no rain and ABSOLUTELY no WIND!! Thank you, thank you!!

Linda ;-)

2 weeks, 5 days until I swim, bike & run: 1.2 miles; 56 miles; 13.1 miles......
21 weeks, 6 days until I swim, bike & run: 2.4 miles; 112 miles; 26.2 miles.....
My new quote is - 'Have an IV bag of champagne waiting at the finish line' - Jim Vance