On the eve of Steelman

Tomorrow I get to race.  An Olympic distance triathlon close to home, both of these are new feats for me.  When I picked up triathlon in 2009, after Brianna was born, it was due to peer influence.  Girls night out = Team in Training happy hour and there you have it, I was signed up for St. Anthony's in Florida.  Props to my friend Susan who got me into this stuff.  I am not sure Ryan is really thanking you though ;)

The season was fun and very low key...at St. A the swim was cancelled due to the waves.  So I came home and signed up for a local olympic, I wanted to at least do one Oly before I called it good.  At that one I got a flat...I finished... but without the time that I hoped.  In the end I completed the HyVee Oly successfully.  Then I met my friend Erica, also a triathlete..and every morning no fail she was at my house.  We either biked or ran or both.  We never worried about pace or garmins or speed...we just chatted and trained.  We finished the season together at the Hartford Womens Tri,  a super fun beginners sprint.  By then we knew we were getting relocated to Philly and I was pregnant with Jackson

In 2010, I lived through Erica...she finished two HIM and some local races..I sat on the sidelines waiting for Baby Jackson....hoping to jump into late fall stuff.    Then I got really sick after he was born and it was all I could do to pick up running...so 2010 ended with no tris but the fire was burning.
So tomorrow I get to tow the line for my first Olympic of 2011.  While Erica and I have switched roles, she is on the pregnant sidelines, awaiting their new arrival.  I will wait for her to tackle the FULL one ;)  In 2011, I wanted to become more serious and learn how to swim, bike, and run effectively.  Using a coach has made a huge difference to the way I train.   I have made some big improvements in running and I have actually gotten into the water prior to a race  (In 2009 I only swam when I was racing).  I won't lie and say I love the bike.....it will be happily put away for a good two months after September 10th, and maybe we will be friends in 2012...no promises

I am super excited to race tomorrow, even though the weather us supposed to be terrible. Then we are off to the beach.  Ryan is off next week and his travel schedule for the next 4 months borders on insanity.  I think he hits Hong Kong, Indonesia, Cambia, some part of Korea, and I am sure China will see his smiling face at some point.  We will see each other in passing I think during the remainder of August and September.  So we are going to enjoy next week as our little family of 5...after tomorrow.