Hook 'Em Horns!

On Friday I am going to Texas for the 2nd time in my life. 

The first time that I went to Texas, I also went to for a triathlon - the US Open Championships in Dallas.  Here is what I remember from that race: my mom went with me and we got lost in some really shady part of town.  This was pre smart phone GPS goodness (holy cow that makes me feel old - it was only 4 or 5 years ago though!) so we stopped at a scary looking gas station.  Then neither one of us wanted to get out!  As you might be able to surmise, we made it out alive but it was frightening!  I also remember that you could qualify for Dallas from 4 different races (NYC, LA, Chicago and Life Time Fitness in Minnesota) and if you finished in the top 5 (or was it top 3?) in one of those races, they paid for your hotel in Dallas.  It was the nicest hotel I've ever stayed at.  And the night after the race my mom and I ate dinner (Mexican) in the hotel and sat near Greg and Laura Bennett.  :)  Oddly enough I don't remember much about the race itself other than I finished somewhere in the top 10 which was my goal.  It was a point to point race so we swam somewhere 25 miles out of town and then you rode straight into downtown.  It was cool.  Oh and Andy Potts talked to my mom and I in the parking lot of the hotel after the race too.  Funny the things you recall...

Although blurry, here is a picture of a group of us after the race.  I raced against these girls quite a bit my first few years in triathlon when I did all short course racing.  Absolutely awesome bunch.  Although I could be wrong, of the 8 in this picture, I believe 6 eventually raced pro at some point (and some still do).  Most of them race short course.  Ah yes, most of them can actually swim.  :)

Bonus points for anyone who can pick out which one I am.

THIS time I'm going to Austin, Texas (also for a race as you may have guessed), home of the University of Texas Longhorns.  I'm pretty excited to see campus (and my homestay lives quite close by as I understand it) and to see Austin in general!  I've heard great things about the city.  Oh, and if I had to pick another team to root for (other than PSU of course) UT isn't a bad choice.  When I was in college they had a stranglehold on the Sears Cup (don't think it's called the Sears Cup anymore - but it's the award for best overall athletic department) and I have to respect a school that knows how to do ALL collegiate sports right (not just football and basketball).  Plus, if you don't think "hook 'em horns" is a catchy enough saying, something is wrong with you!

 

Another cool thing about this race?  My sister and brother-in-law are coming!!!!  I don't think either have ever seen me race a triathlon (my sister *may* have been at my very first triathlon ever but now I can't remember for sure because it was about 10,000 years ago).  How fun is that?! 

And of course, the final awesome thing about this trip to Austin is...I GET TO RACE!  Holy cow, the Poconos 70.3 seems like 5 months ago and my itch to race has been getting so strong I feel like some sort of junkie.  :)  So excited I will be on another starting line soon enough! 

Best of luck to all those racing this weekend!  And to those of you who are in your off season already - enjoy!  :)