The inaugural Nations Tri [or the first duathlon in Rock Creek]

Hey all, With all the posting going on, I thought I'd chime in and let you know that on a whim, I participated in the Nations Triathlon. I'd intended to play a fully supportive role in this race [packet pick up on Friday and a water stop on Saturday] but by mid morning on Friday, I got jealous and wanted to do the race. Partly because it is home turf and partly because my dopey boyfriend pointed out that I wouldn't be able to say that I had done all the occurrences of the Nations Triathlon if I didn't do the first. The race founder, Chuck Brodsky, had his parents working the entire weekend...packet pick up, race finish. I'd been helping out most of the morning and Mrs. Brodsky (Chuck's mother) told me that she'd asked Chuck if I could race (since I had said it out loud at one point) and he had agreed to let me register the day before the race...nice to know the folks who coordinate these things. I'd helped to gather DC Tri club folks for volunteer positions and had kept in contact along the way to smooth the path for the race.

This race was by no means ideal merely because it was just declared to be open for registration in mid-August and the course distances changed at least once. The swim was officially cancelled on Tuesday so a 3k run was substituted for the swim. I haven't been on my bike for more than a month and running hasn't been exactly my favorite thing but I've been doing it nonetheless. So Friday afternoon, I inflated my tires, found my bike shoes and one glove (luckily I have a spare pair), got my run stuff together, found my jersey, and tucked it all away in my transition bag all ready for Sat morning bright and early for a 6 a.m. arrival. Amazing how much time is saved when you don't have to prepare for a swim...no wet suit, no goggles, no swim cap...and forget about running/biking wet. This duathlon thing is something to consider. I decided to drive down and park at Hains Point near the tennis courts and ride my bike over...should have really just ridden my bike down from home. Next year! Arrived in plenty of time to be body marked, set up my stuff, just across from the newly elected democratic candidate for DC Mayor, Mr. Adriane Fenty and his dad, Phil. A few minor DC celebrities. This race certainly had the "hometown" feel since many of the volunteers and participants were club members. It was like a training tri with official support...oh, and there were close to 400 people instead of the usual 65. I think about 303 men raced and less than 100 women.

The run was set off in waves similar to how the swim would have been. Women [all women] were in the 4th wave. We did a short jaunt up Rock Creek to turn around at Q street and back to transition to get the bike. The first leg of the run was uneventful [17:33] with a really slow transition to the bike [2:00]. I made up some time on the bike, averaging about 19mph and passing a bunch of people. The bike was fun...two loops that took you through downtown, and up Rock Creek. The worst part was the pavement along the Potomac near the Watergate [the stairs] but it was a great out and back loop course that allowed for some great vistas and ability to see the folks ahead and behind you. Bike time 1:07:19 Second run really got me since by this time I was tired...lack of training will do that to you. I went out trying to be at a comfortable pace but without the aid of mile markers it was tough to tell what pace I was doing and subsequently when I got to mile 4 [corner of 15th and Constitution] I just wanted to be done.

Run time 1:09:38. Oh, and the run course was slightly long. I paced along with Angie Farinas for the last mile or so and we sprinted for the finish together. At one point along the course, a volunteer taunted me by saying that D.F. was gaining and was about to pass me. Overall time: 2:37:27 7th in my age group [of 14] total mid-pack. Check out the photos here .


Oh, and since I started this posting wayyyy long ago, here's new news. I have a new bike courtesy of my boyfriend John. He bought me a fixed gear bike and we've modified it with sawed off handlebars and pink handlebar tape...and I'm trying out names. If you have suggestions, let me know.... this morning, it was Veronique but I think it needs a male name ... but what self respecting male would wear bright yellow and pink combined. I'm practicing using just the legs to slow down and stop; the break is for emergencies only. So far its fun to hop on and just go...the Roubaix requires so much gear [shoes, shorts, shirt, helmet, gloves, glasses, etc.]

1500 miles in the new car

OK, so it is not the Dalmation Coast nor were we in a kayak but my big trip of the summer was our labor day trek to the family compound in Pennsylvania. We bought a Civic Hybrid a week before the trip (actually ordered it two months before) and although they tell you not to take long trips for the first couple thousand miles, we left for our journey on the first tank of gas.

I had always thought about a hybrid and this $3.00 gas thing drove us to do it. Bluish Gray Honda Civic hybrid. advertised mileage - 50. Expected real mileage - 40.

We left STL friday at about 1 in the afternoon expecting a 12 hour trip. J and I taking turns driving with hopefully little N doing as much sleeping as possible in his car seat in the back. Things went great - little N's new music CDs were fun for all of us and he did take a good 3 hour nap in mid afternoon. This trip coincided with the launch of the new Macy's and we were driving the entire region of our macy's. We went through middle illinois ( not much there ), straight through the middle of indiana (stilll not much there except some traffic in Indianapolis) and on into Ohio. We planned on dinner at Culver's outside of Columbus and luckily J's preplanning had us at a dinner place we all like right at 7 PM. (Culver's is a slightly better than fast food burger and custard place in the midwest - good food and clean bathrooms - our necessities when travelling with a 3 year old!!)

Then the rain started. It rained nonstop from Columbus all the way to the family compound (where we arrived at 3 AM - damn you Eastern Standard Time!@!!). There is nothing like driving a small unfamiliar car on windy roads at 2 AM in the pouring rain after downing 5 monster energies!!!!!!

We made it. We spent the next three days with my parents (now known as Grandma and Grandpa) and my grandma (Nana) who turned 90 while we were there. There really was nothing better than little n waking up before us and going and finding a grandma he has never met and treating her like he has know her all of his 3 year long life. It rained all day saturday but then was perfect on sunday and monday. We went to the firehouse where my dad is a volunteer and little n got to play on 5 fire trucks and two ambulances. We went up to the new house and checked it out and then went to the garden and picked pumpkins, cukes, and tomatoes!! Little n drove the tractor and then drove the really big tractor. We picked apples - another excuse for little n to drive the tractor. When we had to pick apples from the tall branches, my dad put me and little N in the bucket of the tractor and raised us up. We made apple cider from the fresh picked apples. We saw cows, horses, turtles, little lizards (which little n picked up!!), sheep, elk, and lots of hawks!!! We went to an incredible breakfast place owned by a maple syrup company. We went to an auction and bought all sorts of pies, and jellies, and other stuff...

It was finally time to go on tuesday morning and we headed our for another long drive. This one would be shorter as we were heading to Chicago to stay a night with her mom and stepdad. We planned on a 9 hour drive but realized we were making really good time and we had that time change working with us this time so we looked for a good stop. WE FOUND ONE> The New York Central railroad museum in Elkhart, Indiana. It is a big train graveyard next to a working train yard. You can go in lots of old trains, plus into a train museum, plus see lots of new working trains go by. ("useful engines" for anyone who has not read thomas the tank engine 1,538 times.). It was a great stop for all of us.

After that is was just a few hour drive to Chicago (well, 30 minutes north of chicago - or as I like to call it - WIsconsin!). We pulled in, quickly changed and went out to dinner. Came home, put little n to bed and then spent a few hours talking. Woke up the next morning, walked round the neighborhood and then went to lunch and got back on the road.

The drive back to STL was the only boring drive. I think we did not want the trip to be over. This trip could have been miserable with all the driving but it was so great, we are definitely doing it again next year. My first new tradition.

The stats

1500 miles.
45.4 miles per gallon.
8 species of animals seen.
3 grandmas.
2 grandpas.
more trains than you can count.
9 monster energies.
14 times listening to the song "jambo sana"
1 fabulous long weekend.

falling into fall

Well, it's a time of transition and anniversaries. I've been out here in Seattle for a year now and am trying to settle back into life post-Croatian Adventure. School starts again in a couple of weeks and the unintended masters team swim practice 6-week hiatus will be ending on Monday. All good news as I'm feeling (and yes, I know this is hard to believe) a bit at loose ends about what to do with myself. Some routines and more structured time will be good for me. It's taken the whole summer to recover from the craziness of my first year in the doctoral program and I'm finally feeling like I can string together a decent series of thoughts again. Amazing!

I think there's no substitute for getting way, way, way out of your element for a long time like a kayaking trip along the Dalmatian Coast. I mean, I know y'all know I'm a thinker, so having to focus on things like getting provisions for lunch, packing my boat, finding a campground, setting up the tent and what freeze-dried meal to have for dinner helped to quell the storm of thoughts in my head. Getting to spend so much time with Alden and seeing him both with and through the eyes of his family were incredible ways to learn even more about what an amazing person he is and how honored I am he chooses to invite me to be a part of his life. Overall, it was a fabulous trip that I smile about every time I think of it!

My parents came out from Michigan at the end of August ostensibly to visit me, but their timing just so happened to coincide with a Red Sox road trip to Seattle. Hmm.... I didn't have the heart to ask which was a stronger motivator for buying those plane tickets. ;) But seriously, it was a good way to benchmark what all I've done in the past year. My Mom remarked that it really seems like I know where I'm going when I drive and my Dad mentioned a couple of times how many people he saw who were "like me" and by that, I think he meant bikers, runners, outdoorsy types, etc.

I left Seattle at the beginning of August in the best cycling shape of my life and found out that sitting your butt in a kayak for two weeks can't really be considered "cross-training" like I was hoping it could. I'm finally starting to get it back, just in time for my last race of the season (the oly at Black Diamond) on the 24th of September. A couple of my run club compatriots will be racing and I'm especially happy to say that Alden will be out there completing his first ever tri- woo hoo for him! He'll be competing in the sprint weighing in at a 750 yard swim, 11 mile bike and 3 mile run. Too bad I'll be out on the course because I'd love to see him crush everyone in the swim and then see if he can widen his lead on the bike enough to keep the runners from catching him on the last leg!

Overall, I'm feeling good about my crazy summer of nothingness and adventuring, but looking forward to fall with its promise of return to routines and a comfortably busy life. That's all the news from the left coast representative of the 35 and dry crew. I've gotten bits and pieces of updates from everyone, like I know from checking Alex's blog that Meagan's been flying; Cory reported that Chris was promoted; and the Macy's ads everywhere let me know that Nate's work is chugging along. So I'll pose two questions to y'all: What was your favorite adventure of the summer? And, what are you looking forward to this fall? You should be able to divine my answers from this post and I'll look forward to hearing yours!