Some Perspective. Next?

I love Facebook... and the fact that you can always count on people to be at local events taking pictures and then posting them on FB and tagging you so you know they're there. This was especially great for us because we, um, lost our Flip video camera this past weekend. Such a huge bummer. We had all sorts of super cute videos on there of Moana dancing around our living room and post race playing with a ladybug that Kerrie's daughter, Rain, caught for her... such a bummer to lose those. The camera can be replaced but the videos cannot.

Anyway, here I am coming out of the water and actually running through the sand. (Good thing I am wearing bright green because I was easy to spot and get pictures of. Lol.) That gal behind me actually beat me out of the water but I ran by her up to our bikes. For the record, that never happens for me. Usually I am the one getting passed running up the beach, but it's another sign that my run is coming along... :) Oh, and the speed suit I'm wearing is a TYR Sayonora. Nice fast suit that I got from the TYR rep the day before. Thanks, Kevin!

Here are a few shots from the bike... See how much fun I was having? Even while climbing a hill... It cracks me up to see all the other race photos of people so serious on the bike. Ok, maybe I'm not working hard enough if I'm able to smile like this, but I'm going plenty fast. ;)

Look! I'm even smiling after the flat! I'd been back on my bike and riding for maybe a minute or two when I saw Mike taking photos. I'm not sure why I smiled though because I was not happy.

Here's a finish photo. Finish photos always look better when your hands are in the air and you're smiling. :) Like I said in the last post, I planned on looking like this in my finish photo no matter how the race went, and even though it didn't go exactly like I'd wanted it to go, that smile was very real. I was pretty psyched that my body performed the way that it did on Saturday... but the smile really was a culmination of all the hard work in training and I see race day as a celebration of all of that... the smile is for everything you've done over the last several months to earn this moment and you know what? Celebrate it as you cross the line! That's my philosophy anyway.

Because, you see, you can drown your sorrows in a FireRock afterwards. (Um, don't tell Kerrie but I think Glen is checking me out... Lol.)


Ok, so a couple of days have gone by and I have gained some perspective on my race over the weekend. I'm feeling MUCH better about it now. I knew that given a couple days I'd come around and see it for what it was... it was the performance I was hoping for. It was the performance I had trained for. It didn't result in a Kona spot but I can't help but think that there MUST be a reason that I was just not meant to do IM this year. I feel like fate stepped in and saved me from something when I rode over that thorn... not sure what yet... and maybe I'll never know... but that's how I see it now. Because we all know that what we think we want is not always what is best for us. And I thought I wanted to do IM again this year... and I earned the right to do it with the training I did and the race performance I put together... but since the flat tire is the only thing that kept it from me, I just think that it was not meant to be. And I'm ok with that (now).

So... moving on! What's next?? I am NOT one to sit idle and not have a goal. I took 2 days off from exercising but got out on my bike this morning because I figured I'd go crazy if I didn't go do something today. 90 easy minutes alone on a bike allows a gal to really clear her head, you know? I now have some new race goals, and they are ambitious. Most of the local triathlons around here are over so I'll be doing mostly individual swim, bike, and run races. I'll list out what I'm thinking in a later post, but for now, I feel good about some big goals and am actually looking forward to a very solid run focus this fall. I think that run focus will be really good for me and if I meet my run goals, that leg of the triathlon will no longer be a weakness for me. :)

In other news, I just have to mention how proud I am of a couple of athletes of mine who also raced 70.3's this weekend. Regina finished her very first one at Mooseman and I was just so stoked to hear the happiness in her voice as she recounted the days events to me after she finished! She had a strong solid day and managed to keep it all together and not fall apart at all, which is pretty impressive for your first 70.3! Shoot, I think I fell apart for like the first ten I did. Lol. Nalani also put together a great race. She had a 22 minute PR vs her time last year at Honu... she swam, biked, and ran faster on a harder day! And according to the email I got from her today, she is still smiling and ready to take on a new goal already. :) Finally, Todd also raced at Honu... his second 70.3 but first time at Honu, and he was a full 30 minutes faster than his previous half on a harder course. And he felt great about it! So congrats to all three of them!