Run-Far 8 Mile Time Trials...

This time trial was my 3rd time trial I've done since ever being on a bike. Last year Alison did one with me and I averaged 19 something mph. I went out two weeks ago and did 19.7 mph for 24:21 minutes/seconds. This time around I did 20.2 mph for 23:45 minutes/seconds.

It was a tough day out there. The wind was blowing...and it was 105 degrees out there! I thought for a moment I was going to puke and I just said, you have to keep going. I finished and waited for a Catherine to finish and I thought my legs were going to fall off or I was going to puke or both.

I've improved from last year until now and in two weeks I've dropped my time and improved my MPH! I'm excited and this makes me want to cycle more.

Monday night run practice - Hard and HOT!

So, I've jumped back on the T3 running wagon again. One, at this point I'm not really training for anything and just can't justify the extra $$$$ to run with the Gazelle's, and well, I just can't get up to do a morning workout and that is when the Gazelle's are running right now.

This is like my 4th Monday night run practice and it doesn't seem to be getting any easier. I really need to get my butt up and run on Sunday mornings more and make sure I do a few runs during the week...if I did that, it might a little easier. Probably not, but that is what I want to tell myself.

I'm sure this heat has something to do with it...but man do I feel tired and out of shape!

The Adventures of Rex and Niki...

So I kinda had a thought a while back to start blogging about my dogs maybe on a daily to weekly basis or whenever they do something freakin funny or freakin destructive...depends on their mood and the day and if its a full moon I guess...



Since I want them to be adventurous I've given them nick names...

Munchkies(Rex the wonderful weiner dog) and Stinks(my big woolly German Shepherd)



So today my hubby took a pic of them having a hard day on their job...

My randomness....

Back to school means crappy traffic for everyone who lives in Austin right now. Ehhh...hate this time of year.

Still trying to decide on the Austin Triathlon. Just a little to expensive this year from me but I guess I don't have to travel and pay for a hotel room if I do it.

I'm enjoying doing whatever on the weekend right now. I had a great bike ride on Saturday with some of my favorite girls. It was nice to do a nice stroll on our bikes. And Sunday, well, I didn't want to get up and run or swim so I didn't! It was AWESOME!

Still trying to decide if I want to endure another ironman or not. I talked yesterday like I'm already signed up for it mentally and then I get to the thoughts of training for 6 months in this dreadful Texas heat and go HECK NO! I don't want to do that. I'm sure I will sign up for IMAZ 2010.

My favorite little nephew goes to 1st grade today!

He is the perfect age right now and well, the perfect kid if you ask his aunt! Love this little guy more than life it self! He is going to the 1st grade! They grow up so quickly!

Sweet and Twisted Triathlon

Man, I'm behind on blogging so I'm going to try and catch up here since I'm bored at work and I just don't want to read my emails right now :)

I decided back in July that I would do the Sweet and Twisted again even though last year I swore it off as it is kinda a crappy course and I hate trail running. But the Red Licorice Gals are so much fun that I decided what the heck, just go out and have some fun and do whatever with it and enjoy the moment.

The morning was good. Collin had to work that next day so he couldn't go so I was on my own for the first time...kinda scary and nice at the same time. Gave me a chance to collect my thoughts, emotions, and anxiety all on my own.

I show up and we have our own spot! I rack it next to my fave girl Jane Kang and start my morning. I walk around see everyone, get tattooed up with the T3 logo and make my way to the bathroom and then to the start for the swim.

They changed up the course this year and I have to say I like the swim start and exit better this year than last year. I was the second wave to go off. We started and I felt well, like I haven't swam in a over a month and that is exactly what I've been doing...NOT SWIMMING as I have been battling some rotator cuff issues and some out of place ribs.(at least that is what I've been told).

I make it out of the water and up the hill to put on my tennis shoes(400 meter run to the bikes). I get to my bike and throw on my helmet and shoes and sunglasses and take off. For some reason now I have decided that to save time in transition I will not wear socks on the bike and only on the run. Seems like a good plan and I kinda like it as my feet have time to dry in my shoes.

The bike course was fun, always a challenge out there as it is rolling hills will a little bit of recovering but not much. Two loops down and I was done. I decided not to use race wheels which I still wonder why I didn't and just went with it. Oh well, I was only a minute off from last year when I used my race wheels.

Off the bike and on the run. I stopped and hugged Jim Opre on the run and he sent me on my way. The guys from T3 were on the run course cheering me on and it was awesome. I started to walk alot and just said oh well, I'm out here for fun and I don't like trail running, so just get out here and enjoy it.

On the trail I met up with a new girl named Kim. She had a heart condition and had to walk more so we talked and walked and jogged and walked. We were only about a mile or less from the finish when she grabbed my left arm and started to scream and I looked to my right and a deer was heading straight for us at full speed. I crossed in front of us about 2 feet or so and we both screamed and a few women turned around and thought we were freakshows. Kim said, "I thought it was a mountain lion about to eat us". I was about to laugh my butt off at that point.

We get see the finish line and start running and finish together. It was awesome to see her out there and hear her story.

Monday thoughts....

After taking my dog to the vet and going to see my therapist...it made me realize that I think after the Sweet and Twisted Tri on Sunday, I'm done for the rest of the season. I kinda wanna take a break and enjoy life for a while. Sleep in, do some casual riding and running and just enjoy it. If we go out on Saturday night I don't want to have to get home to be in bed so I can get up at 6am or earlier to go run.

So I don't think at this point I'm doing Conroe. I think I'm going to sit back, volunteer(cheer) and just enjoy going and working out.

A GREAT weekend!

I had a GREAT weekend! Saturday morning my closets friends wanted to do the NOCC Balance 5k. We made our way to down town, signed up and got on our way to walking our 5k! It was super fun being with them and then heading to breakfast with them.

I came home cleaned my house, took a nap and went out to dinner and to a get together to meet new friends. Kinda nice to meet new people.

Sunday I slept in. Seems to be my trend right now. I love it and missed it for 6 months and didn't think I would ever go back to sleeping past 6am on a Sunday morning. Boy was I wrong, I drug my butt out of bed at 8:45am this morning only because the dogs needed out.

I got dressed and forced my way to town lake trail. I told myself to go for at least a 5 mile loop and then a 3 three mile loop. I was doing well on my 5 mile loop until well....my tummy started to hurt. I only did 5 miles and headed home and walked the dogs and enjoyed my Sunday afternoon.

At this point, I'm still undecided about doing the Conroe Half-Ironman again. I don't have the motivation to want to train unless I just want to do short stuff. Like 30 miles for a Saturday ride and 5 miles for a Sunday run. LOVE IT!

Pondering...my next ironman

I just keep thinking about what I want to do....IMCDA is still open and I wonder if I should go tackle that beast and beat those demons that beat me the morning of June 21st. Plus, who doesn't love CDA and cool weather and training in the winter time!

Then I start thinking, well there is always IMAZ. Flatter course, and warmer weather. But training in the heat of the summer just really doesn't appeal to me as much as I want it to.

IMCDA registration is still open and IMAZ registration hasn't even opened. It just makes me wonder what the heck I should do. I know I want to do another one, but which one.