alasse_fae

Decided to just make one big post and add to it, so here goes:

( Friday )

( Saturday )

( Race Day )

( After Race )

I started a longer post earlier, and saved the draft b/c had not yet paid for a connection, but now tis late and we need to sleep as we have to get up at o430.

So - to whet your appetite - here are some pictures from yesterday and today. 

Yesterday got up bright and early, and after a breakfast of Champions (pop tarts and coffee) went into Manhattan for our last group bike and run. I was a little late, but it was worth it as I found a parking garage for $10. And the dude was in no hurry and let me pull over to the side and take my time getting the bike out of Jumper One and assembled. I was a little worried about the garage thing b/c I had my picnic basket, chair, hiking bag and change of clothes also in the back with the bike, but they were undisturbed. Did my two full loops of Central Park and then one hour run. I'm slow, but consistent, and made it up Harlem Hill twice, again slow but without stopping and I was still able to breathe at the top. Breathing is good.

After that, I drove up to the Alpine boat basin in NJ to meet some dance peoples for a leader proclaimed "Wimp Walk". IE a hike not at the pace of a certain Corkman currently doing 20 miles a day on the PCT (waves west). We did the 2.8 mile trail to the Giant Stairs, and then back, with a couple stops for snacks and basking in the sun on rocks.

Piccies from yesterday's Wimp Walk .

Afterward we had a bbq at the picnic area, while at the pavilion above us (where we have our biannual picnic/irish dance) there was a wedding reception. Drove back home around sunset just in time for Robin Hood :) Tivo'd it anyway, just in case.

Today I am having a lazy day, sitting around watching baseball, playing on Chuck, and planning to go to church at 7:15.

And oh, katstale, that actor from Ark of Truth that I swore I knew? It's the diner dude in Eureka!

Tonite was the timed mile swim at the group session, and with the wetsuit on for the first half mile, my total time was 42:40, including peeling off the wetsuit. That's almost a minute faster than Friday's swim sans wetsuit and nearly 4 minutes shaved off my total time since our first time trial.

w00t!

And that was after a short bike ride as well, b/c it was just SO gorgeous today i could not stay inside after Ork. Packed a sandwich for lunch/dinner, ipod and book in my small pack and rode the bike to the park. Sat on the gazebo overlooking the bay, listened to a podcast, ate, and scribbled a bit in my journal. Stopped for gelato on the way back, sat out with the bike eating my cone and reading Bill Bryson's "Neither Here Nor There." I remembered why I'm not supposed to read Bill Bryson in public - the snorting, eyes watering, trying not to laugh out loud makes people think I'm having seizures or something.

*yawn*

I am tired. House is on the tivo and I think it will wait for tomorrow. Or wed, if my new Elizabeth George arrives tomorrow. I'm not going to be able to stay up for the Met-Dodger game, but thinking philippacrawforwon't either, so our non-watching shall cancel each other out.

Wetsuit: Fits perfectly. I did give the coaches a wee bit of amusement putting it on at the pool on Monday, but I was rather pleased with my ability to get into the thing. When I asked another team member if there was a trick to getting them zipped up, as that was the bit that had me contorting myself into a pretzel all over the living room, her response was "have someone else do it." She proceeded to zip me up, and I did same for her. Works for me.

The suit really does make you float. You can literally sit on the water. The first time water came into the suit was a weird sensation, but I soon got used to it.

They take forever to dry. And caution - if your shower curtain rod is not screwed into the wall? Don't try to throw the wetsuit over it to dry. The whole thing will come crashing down on your head. Trust me. *rubs head*

Bike shops: Found a nice little bike shop in my patient area. Parking is a bit iffy but doable, so I will prob take the bike there next time it needs work. Guy was very nice, and invited me to mountain bike with his group in a nearby park once the the tri is over and I have the tires swapped back. He said his girlfriend is tired of being the only girl in the group.

tailgate Bricks: Since I am skipping out of group exercise this Sat to attend a conference on contemplative practices at church, I'll need to do the bike and run on my own Sunday. TehJerry is working, so that means Jumper One's backside will be my transition area. And since I'll have to pop the wheel off to stow the bike in the car, and any attempt at actual timing will be blown by that, might as well take the time to pull out Tonks as well, and have some music on the run.


And as a bonus things I am looking forward to after the tri

- testing out my wetsuit in the Long Island Sound
- taking a long leisurely exploratory bike ride, with a pack, and a camera to take pics of all the lovely scenery I pass
- hiking! have already marked up a bunch of hikes that look good for June in my AMC book
- beach!!!!!!!!!!!!! Empire passport is on its way. Jumper One can't wait to fly down the Meadowbrook Parkway with his windows and moonroof open and Irish music blasting :)

Oh and one last thing - my fundraising deadline is May 7th. So if anyone was waiting around till the last minute to donate - please go here now! *hugs*

Picked up my wetsuit yesterday :) Then went immediately down to the village for Thai food with my fellowship group. One of the ladies in the group does restaurant promotions, and this was one of the places she's promoting. Which meant we had every appetizer on the menu, as well as all the desserts, and our main dishes. And huge Thai iced tea.

When I got home I decided to try on the wetsuit, figuring if it fits after an evening of stuffing my face, it will be fine on race day. Plus the Mets were in extra inning and I needed something to do while watching. The coaches recommend selling tickets to the first attempt to put the wetsuit on, as a fundraiser. Alas, I missed my opportunity, and had only Ronon Bear looking on in suspicious amusement.

A few piccies here. Could have used it today actually - the water at the gym was ice cold, apparently there's a problem with the pool's heating system. If only I'd thought to bring the suit - the temperature anyway gave me a good open water simulation tho I think.

Work tomorrow, then I need to decide whether to ride bike or go to a write in in Brooklyn, then ceili at 8. Sunday I am running in the NYRR run for the parks, and then slipping into the back of church and sitting downwind.

Now I will warm up my leftover Thai food - crispy chicken with peanut sauce - UberYum, and watch new Dr Who and BSG!

I can drink on the bike!! Tested my new camelback belt pack today, and as I don't have to reach really far down and try to get a water bottle in and out of a cage while holding handlebars with one hand, just reach to my waist and pull the straw to my mouth, I can drink! Without stopping the bike and putting feet down! Now I need to work on drinking more and faster, as the pouch was still more than half full when I got back. Did a nice leisurely fifteen miles in between laundry loads. Today was gorgeous!

In other news Number 4's Dinner of Epic Proportions was quite nice. Am now watching the Mets attempt to blow a game, and then if TehJerry doesn't want to watch anything will start cleaning off the tivo to prepare for the weekend.

I got to the office in the early afternoon, after a quick stop at Starbucks. Did not have to conference with Number 4, as she was in a hurry to get ready to go out to dinner. But I was officially there and seen for a couple hours, so I'm off the hook till next week. Got all my paperOrks done in plenty of time to go for the group run.

I had been hopeful about tonite's run, because it was scheduled to be around the reservoir, and I really like the reservoir. The path is softer, flat, and there is water to look at along with the skyline. But after this morning and afternoon of ducking in and out of the howling wind, and the trees (which may be nature's air filters, but right now I need an air filter to be around them!) budding like crazy and playing havoc with my sinuses and lungs I was not optimistic.

It might have been the combination of a Starbucks skinny vanilla latte, a puff of albuterol, and a GU exercise gel, but I had a great workout! I think I actually almost enjoyed it :O The park is so pretty in the spring and there was an amazing sunset. My timed miles were between 10-11 minutes, which is not too bad I don't think. So paired with Monday's swim which was good and fun, this is shaping up to be one of those "Hey, I think I can actually DO this!" weeks.

My blister, which I have christened Owen the Undead Blister (blame audrich, she thought he needed a name.), has swollen to even more obscene proportions. A counterpart is forming on the opposite foot, tho smaller, so I have named it Tosh. We'll see how they like the bike cages tomorrow *evil laugh*.

Tomorrow I will drag TehJerry to the park with me to help me with a Brick (ie, watch the bike after I hop off it to run). I have told him he will be Pit Crew, so he can feel all Nascar-ish and happy.

And now that the Mets have had their fish fry, and since there is no one to chat with (even tho I have many things I should do on the computer...) I shall make a cup of tea and go finish my book so I can start the book club(s) one on the train tomorrow nite.

Or at least close enough :) Took off on my bike from parentals and headed east for one hour before turning around to come back. It was sooo nice to ride in a (relatively) straight line, on a nice wide shoulder, with no lights, highways, parked cars etc, and to never have to stop. The sound was absolutely gorgeous when I rode by, and I wished I had my camera. It did take me a bit more than an hour to get back, as I was flying out, and back was all against the wind. I went on google maps later, and entered the furthest address I had passed to get my distance. (The nursing home where I used to work in the summer.) That was 11.3 miles from the house, and I went at least a mile further than that before turning around so I am calling it near enough to 25 to count :)

The legs they are jello.

Still managed to take a walk along the beach with mum later tho, after doing my taxes with dad, and also the required examination of Jumper One, including under his hood. I also demonstrated the panic button, to the dismay of the dog across the street.

Dad took some pics of me with the bike that I will upload to flickr tomorrow as I have no connection at the moment and am queuing this for later.

Got my two freebies from my credit card points just before I left, so brought them out here to play with them. Got a shiney purple iPod shuffle, which I have named Tonks because of the color. Have just loaded her up with the little music I have on Chuck for tomorrow's run. Also got a Timex Ironman Triathlon watch. Figured out how to program it, and as it is HUGE, I can actually see the numbers while on the bike (as I am too skeered to take hand off the handlebar). So, theyllek, as I have the Imex, I guess I can go running on Mongo ;)).

So, waiting for Tonks to charge while watching Lantis DVDs with mum, and then to bed early as Easter will come very early in AM. I will be making faces at the rest of my family from the front row as they play handbells.