Giddy!

Greetings Peeps!! I'm on an adrenaline rush after 4 x 15 hr ER shifts this past week, weekend.  I do enjoy working ER! I gotta say, I was pretty bummed to miss the Maumee Bay Olympic triathlon yesterday, however.   I saw a great turnout and great performances for a lot of CTC peeps. Congrats!!

So, in the wake of my endurance work shifts, I will hope to recover from the sleep deficit and resume workouts ASAP! I hate to gloat, but I've got an unprecedented 3 weeks off!!  And I'm going to enjoy it like a pig in shit, mark my words!  I've got some class prepping to do, but it's a new class for me, so I'm kind of excited about that. And, I'm presently reviewing a Pharm textbook, but that will be done by the end of the week. So, I'm really stoked to get some home projects done, get in some great workouts, including bricks, and races every Saturday and Sunday. And looking forward to spending some fun time with my kids this summer. They are at a really fun age!  Jaime is doing swim team, which I have earmarked as my AM workout, just to multi-task :) ... and Samantha has taken to enjoying 5Ks.   Looks like she might be bailing on triathlon, but hey, I can handle that ... I think :).   Kevin has run 2 5 Ks and I'm just impressed by how unphased he is by it. And Ted's done a few, as well, so we'll keep trying to do occasional family 5Ks. The biggest challenge is that it typically costs us $100 to enter everyone!  Can you say race pirate?? Kidding, kidding! We do it, but heck, that's a lot of jack for a half hour of family fun! Some races have begun family entry fees, where you pay, say, $45 dollars, and everyone can participate. I hope this is an emerging trend!! Race directors, PLEASE CONSIDER OFFERING THIS!  I know running races is a business, but man, it's not feasible for us to do this every weekend. So, I've taken to rotating a kid with me. Since Jaime is swimming, she deferred to Samantha for the Flag Day 5K last week. Sam had a personal goal, but, unfortunately the course was a pretty difficult one with 2 good climbs - not great for a PR.   I had a fun time - that's always one of my favorite local races and I love to support NERC and Deepwood Center.  Great food, too!  We were socializing after the event and they started doing AG awards. We hung out, not because I had any inkling that I'd placed, but because of great company!  When they announced the 3rd place time, I realized I was faster than her. Then I was floored to learn I was faster than the 2nd place, leaving me to win my age group!! HA!  It wasn't a stellar performance, but, I'LL TAKE IT!!  Got a very cool plaque that is NOT generic, had all the deets - except the time - and I'm happy to bring home some hardware that was earned - and totally unexpected!  Frankly, I felt like shit for that run!!  It starts out on a downhill and I did a 7-something minute mile for the first mile ... and trust me, that was WAY faster than I should be going out! I felt terrible and was cursing myself for even participating! "WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF!"   You all know how that feels ... but then, the HR settled in, I recovered from the hypoxia, and I found my groove. It helps that it also ENDS on a downhill!

So, kind of excited about being able to focus on training for a while. My next big race is a 70.3 in Fingerlakes, NY.  Musselman Half.  Ted's coming and we'll have a nice weekend. I hear it's a great race and beautiful out there. He's going to golf. Golfing and triathlon (long course) are pretty compatible! :)

My BFF Elizabeth and I have put a few races on the calendar and will be looking to do a run on Saturday and the SummaTri triathlon on Sunday - Woot, woot!  Now I just need to get caught up on sleep, stay healthy, and get in some time on Felicity - she has been sorely neglected!!!  Starting next Friday, I will be doing MONSTER RIDE FRIDAYS ... not with the RR gang, but solo - unless anyone wants to join me. Looking to put in 70-112 miles every other Friday. On the other Fridays, will be doing 40-60 miles, early. Let me know if you have the day off and want to join me!  SummaTri is a sprint, I believe. It's my first short-course for the season. It'll be interesting ... not quite where I want to be at this stage of the game, but happy to have the time to catch up. 

My other plans for the weekend are to see BFF KT's girlie, KA for her 1 yr birthday. Woot, woot!  Sam's bummed to miss seeing KA, as she's got a church "Woodstock"-type event she's attending.  I'm sure hoping for good weather for the weekend - this past one was spent 100% indoors. Boo!

Okay, time to unwind ... need to get ready to get a good night of sleep - got a brick on board for tomorrow!!

Peace out, peeps!
Tiff