Friends, Fun, Fueling Up and Getting Out (on the bike!)

Heidi and I at my Top Gear "FUEL UP FOR PERFORMANCE" talk! She's leaving in three weeks and I am beside myself about it!!

Last week was busy as usual, but it was a very good week! It started out with a breakthrough swim on Monday during masters which had me smiling from ear to ear! I was forced to swim in the second "A" lane because my lane had eight other swimmers and by the time I got there, I realized it was just plain chaos! It was either fight that madness, or move up. I check the workout briefly, got in, and warmed up!

I probably should have looked a little closer, but I might have changed my mind. It was something like:

Warm up and then:

200 kick (3:00)

200, first 150 easy, last 50 hard (on 3:00)

200 first 100 easy, last 100 hard (on 3:00)

200 first 50 easy, last 150 hard (on 3:00)

TIMES FOUR.

Meanwhile, I had yet to swim ONE 200 on 3 minutes. Let alone repeat it all. Needless to say, I came in each time last, drafting off the guy in front of me, huffing and puffing, but I MADE IT! I swam close to 4500 that day in just over 1.5 hours. I was really stoked! Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and hold on for dear life. So, that's what I did! Thanks to the other swimmers for their encouragement! They did stop to check if I was still breathing a couple of times during the set.

A four day week and it was time to do a talk at one of my favorite bike shops - Top Gear!

Thursday night I headed out of work and right to the bike shop where there were about ten triathletes interested in improving their nutrition! It was a fun night and Powerbar got a lot of props so that was good! Being a Team Elite member allows you to get some product, and gear, if you apply on one of their two year cycles. I just got renewed for another two years, so that was great. Thanks Powerbar!!

Powerbar samples right next to the cookies/pretzels and hummus. Oh, there was a veggie tray too (which is at home in my fridge right now!).

Here I am showing the benefits of proper fueling!! Fuel Your Passion was in full effect!

I did a quick pose by the banner to get my picture snapped! Hopefully they like it!

At some point last week I noticed that they were doing a prom dress collection at my local YMCA for girls in the area that need a dress. I remembered that my Mom was moving and has wanted these dressed OUT of her closet for as long as I can remember. So, I got to work this past weekend when I was home for the Easter Holiday and sorted through them. Talk about a walk down memory lane!

This was my senior dress. I feel in love with it the instant I saw it and talked my Mother into it over the course of two months! She really loved it too, so it was a win win. I hope some girl appreciates it as much as I did at the time! So pretty!!

This black number was my junior year when I went with some random boy from another school. He was just a friend and asked me to go so I said yes without thinking about the dress! We found something pretty quickly and it was actually quite pretty on! I wonder if I could still fit in it... should I try??! Nahhh.. who has time!

This was actually a bridesmaid dress that was very pretty, but that I will probably not be able to wear again. I thought it would work for a girl to wear to prom!

Last one, the purple long dress! I liked this dress too, but not as much as the others. I think their might be a few more hiding in the back of the closet!!

On Friday, since I was off, Jocelyn and I headed out for one of my last epic rides until St. Croix. I had at least four hours on the schedule, but she was doing five and a half.

When we left it was 54 degrees and I could NOT have been more excited to get out and see the countryside from my bike!! It was a gorgeous day and I loved every single second of it. Jocelyn and I ran into Janine in the parking lot right before we left so we snapped a quick pic! It was her first ride out of the season. We were dressed pretty warm, but quickly shed these layers.

Somehow, we were having such an amazing ride, that I decided I would stay out for at least 4:45! I shut off the polar at around 80 miles! What a day!!

The quintessential mark of a triathlete / biker. You would not believe how hard this was to get off in the shower!

All in all, it was a great week and I look forward to things to come. My life is busy, but full!!

Tonight, I'm going for my second evening of testing with the UPMC (University of Pitt) Medical Center / Sports Performance study center. They are comparing high level women triathletes to women in the Military to check their strength, flexibility, endurance, VO2 Max etc. It's been really fun. I can't wait to see the numbers!