Where am I going!?

I know most of you know I'm still alive and kicking, but blogging has not happened in a while. Since Monumental, there hasn't been a lot to be motivational to blog about. So this is what happened...

1. I missed Boston by 3 minutes. Which is hindsight was fine, I still had a PR and I knew sub 3:40 would be tough. But still, so close. So I felt a little sorry for myself. 
2. I hurt my back early December, which gravitated to my hip causing pain with any running. So I compensated, on developed Achilles tendinitis on the other side. I was finally injury free in late March. Then I got Bronchitis. I also got Gastritis between my injuries for extra fun.
3. Partly because of #2, I gained 11 pounds. I got asked twice if I was pregnant. 😲
4. We had extended family illnesses that forever changed out lives.
5. I missed the most work ever in my professional career.
6. We have to prove our identity in person to the IRS.
7. We drank and ate to celebrate the marathon being over. Then it was the holidays. Then it was a bad day. Then it was a good day. Then we were stressed. Then we were home together. The excuses never ended.

It was a challenging time to say the least. But we had faith and each other, so we pushed on. But a lot of good things happened...

1. I learned to appreciate every mile once I was healthy.
2. I once again got to be "motivator" for the Connection Pointe Mini Training Program.
3. I got be a small part of Plainfield Rec Center's Mini Training Program and present on cross training.
4. I have the best friends in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD 🌎
5. I ran some races for 'giggles,' and had fun a long the way.
6. I was able to push one of my students along with his teacher in his first 5K as part of the Jospeh Maley-Run2gether Program
7. My family is doing awesome ☺☺☺☺

I'm happy to say I found my head again. I finally, literally got "on a program" and with the mini two weeks away...I'm getting excited. I race tired a ton, so there are very few races I truly race and rest for. It's been two years since I have been rested and raced a half marathon by myself, and so ready to get after it. Even through I am a little older and bigger then my PR 2 years ago, I am WAY smarter. 

And when you run smarter, you run happy...12 short days out for 41st running of the Indy Mini!

Go Girl Tri: Finishing up the season with the ladies

With tri training taking a backseat to marathon training, it was nice to switch it up for a day. Going back to work time and trying to balance 3 sports and back to school drama is a delicate balance, but it all work out. With 30 plus mile run weeks starting up, I needed the swim to recover. And with the back to work anxiety and stress, I needed the bike to mentally unwind. Win-win, all around : )

Swim: Felt great, swam straight, smooth water...and my goggle strap didn't break. Most of all, for the first time in a while, I felt like a swimmer. Coming out the water 3rd made feel way less old lady.

Bike: With the off and on monsoons, I hadn't got in the biking I needed.  But I felt strong and was more than pleased with my average...so I'll take it. I held my own and only got passed by a few.

Run: I should have rocked this. But already having 20 plus miles in for the week, (which I was calling resting : ) I didn't even look at my splits, I didn't want to know, so I just smiled and ran on. I even got the opportunity to truly be a "tri mom" when I yelled at Jude to get out the road. 

And I LOVED getting out there and racing with my runner girls Jen and Melissa! 

And just like that...triathlon season is over, and so is summer. Never enough time, never enough races. And one of these years, I will actual take advantage of qualifying for age nationals, and actually go. For now, I have my eye on 26.2 here in November, with big hopes of a big PR.