I’m alive.  Really, I am 🙂  Most of my time has just taken a non-training focused approach since my last post so updating my blog wasn’t a high priority. I have been tasked with a life-sucking project at work that makes me want to cry every day, but I am trying to push through that, which honestly is taking waaay more strength than it does to discipline myself to train 1-2x a day.  It really is tough.  I guess I should say at least I have a job!

So aside from that challenge I am working on getting back on the bike OUTSIDE.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Since the crash last September I haven’t ridden a bike outside since two weekends ago.  Yes, I know I have a half-Ironman in seven weeks, yes I know. (oh boy, deep breaths…I’m not falling behind, I’m not falling behind).

So I gathered up my courage which included my my credit card receipts (yeah, I paid $725 for an Ironman, plus a brand new tri-bike last year which was waaaay more pricey), and ventured out on a closed trail two weekends ago.  The first 20 minutes were scary…as in my legs were so darn shaky, that when I unclipped, I almost toppled over, but after an hour things seemed pretty ok. I was alive, I was moving.  I ran into some tri club friends a few miles into my ride which helped ease my nerves as well 🙂  However, (a big HOWEVER) in my haste to get ready and NOT freak out, I completely forgot about sunscreen…something very important when you’re outside in the sun for an hour or longer (or when you’re pale as all get out like me)…so when I got home all victorious that I rode for two hours, I was awarded with a really nice sunburn.  Argh (Mom, I know you’re cringing as I typed that.  sorry).

First and only burn of the year…I swear!!!

This past weekend I bit the bullet again and met up with some of my closest lady friends and rode with them for 2.5 hours.  Honestly if they hadn’t been there, the ride wouldn’t have happened.  I am much slower than them (boo, hiss) due to the fact that I haven’t ridden outside much (and that they are awesome anyways), but they waited for me at big intersections and were very positive.  I love these ladies.

Hooray for ride #2!!  Yes, please ignore the sticker on my helmet. I had no idea it was still on it.

So this week is somewhat an easy week aside from my half and JMR’s FULL MARATHON!!  I am so so so pumped about his race.  This guy has worked his butt off and has run his 20 milers around a 9 min pace (what??), so I see a great race in the future.  Regardless of how he does, I am super impressed about his discipline during this really crappy winter we had during training.

Well, that’s about it…stay tuned for the race recap and after that…I promise to do better weekly recaps of workouts.

Oh! I did do…..*drumroll* over 10 hours of training last week!  Not super huge but not shabby and getting closer to respectable Ironman training weeks 🙂 (ok, well, in the beginning of Ironman training…not peak weeks)

Off to bed!