Since I've Been Home...

...life has been busy!  O picked me up at the airport Thursday evening and by the time I went to bed that night I felt organized and ready to get back in my Pittsburgh groove. 

Good thing because I had two big (HARD) workouts on Friday, one on the bike and one on the run.  I knew on the first interval of the bike workout it was going to be one of those days where you grit your teeth and just get through it.  Not all workouts (or races for that matter!) feel good.  The run intervals were just as evil later in the day, especially because Pittsburgh welcomed me back with 25 mph winds and sideways rain.  I knew I should have kept driving south with Kim instead of heading back home to the north!  :)

Saturday morning I did an early swim and felt like a truck ran over me.  I knew this did not bode well for my swim race today (Sunday) but what can you do?  I tried not to think of it and spent the rest of the day having fun.  I went to watch O run a 20 mile race (he treated it more like a marathon simulation and nailed it!) and also saw a lot of our other triathlon/running friends.  If the windchill wasn't 15, it would have been even more fun!  HA!  :) 

When we got home from the race, there was a package waiting from SOAS, a company that I'm REALLY thrilled about being a part of this year.  They are a great group that make GREAT product!  Oh and not only did they send me some goodies, but one of the SOAS creator's husbands works for Petco, so Roxy got a few goodies too!  She squeaked that stuffed bird for about 15 hours straight yesterday.  ;)    

That looks says "don't you dare even THINK of trying to steal my squeaky bird!"

On Saturday night we had a Ballou Skies photo shoot which was such a fun time.  I was honored to race for Ballou Skies last year and again will be raising money in support of this great cause.  Please visit their website and check out what Ballou Skies is all about!

We were making letters to spell out a word.  I can't wait to see how this turns out! (will be in Triathlete and Lava)

Ryan Ballou and the ladies of Ballou Skies (minus Kim who is in FL right now)

We found a buffalo head in the photography studio and it went downhill from there...  ;)

Then this morning it was time to race again!  This time it was the CMU 1650 swim meet where they have about 10-13 heats of the 1650.  I LOVE this race and have done it for the past couple years.  I think the first time I did it, my time was over 23 minutes.  I've improved a little each year to a 20:41 PR last year.  This year my aim was to PR again but it was not to be!  When I was already feeling HEAVY fatigue about 200 yds in, I knew I was in trouble!  Ouch.  I could kind of see this coming, seeing as how I felt pretty awful swimming on Saturday and am coming off 3 weeks of the hardest training in my life.  It was certainly enough to make me question on Saturday if I should even race!  But I think there is something to be said for not backing down from a challenge or something that feels out of my element (like swim meets). 

Overall the race really wasn't that bad!  I swam very consistent - it was just too slow to be a PR.  I went 20:56 which isn't that far off.  I do feel like I'm a better swimmer now than last year at this time but sometimes the timing just doesn't work for you to feel great at the right time.  I was disappointed for a little bit and then by the time we left the pool I was over it.  :)  The only time I get frustrated with the sport of triathlon is when I do these single sport races (like running races or swim races, etc...) where I KNOW I could be faster if I just wasn't so darn tired from the other sports (ahem...BIKING!).  :)  I told Oscar that after I retire from triathlon I'm going to treat the CMU 1650 swim meet like the World Championships and swim under 20 minutes.  :)

Both Oscar and I in action - him as lap counter, me as drowning swimmer.  :)

And now...now I must ride my bike!  Yes, I'm sure that came as a surprise to many of you.  :)  Hope everyone had a WONDERFUL weekend and has a great start to the week!  Here we come March!  :)