It's Official. I have the brain of a triathlete.

Hopefully he/she isn't looking for it! HAHAHA.

This morning I dragged myself out of bed. Almost literally. I set the alarm for 5:30, but didn't get up until probably 6:15. I was so tired that for a brief moment, I had the thought of skipping my 25 mile bike ride. It was just a moment, and it was gone as soon as I told myself that I'd feel better once I got on the bike and that I'd feel even better about it when it was race day and I had those miles in my training bank.

So I donned my bike gear and then heard a little voice talking through the bathroom wall. (Our bathroom backs up to the girls' room and we can hear them talk while in there. Comes in handy for when you need to say "Be Quiet. Go to Bed." but are willing yourself not to go back into their bedroom that evening.) I wandered over to their room and there was Angelfish. She saw me and asked if she could get up even though the sun wasn't up yet. I told her yes, and she told me she was talking to her tummy and her tummy didn't feel very good. Turns out she was hungry. A potty break and a few breakfast muffins later, she was dancing around like the little morning sprite she is. Even got dressed while singing and laughing. The girl is a comedianne with one of those personalities that you just can't help but love. Ladybug was still sleeping since she kept herself up to 10:30 pm last night. I think she was hoping to catch a glimpse of Mr. Darcy returning from his business trip.

Once Mr. Darcy was dressed and moving about, I headed out to get my bike done. Except, it looked like rain. Even smelled like it too. I love living in a place with somewhat clean air. The smell of rain before it ever rains, that earthy yet wet smell. So, I got in the car and headed to the Y. I knew that if I got on the trainer the girls would distract me and it wouldn't get done. Plus, I honestly hate using a trainer. The stationary bike is not much better, but at least I can go faster on the stationary bike. I'm slow on the trainer. (It started to rain at mile 11, so I was glad I opted for the stationary bike. I know too many people who have gotten injured while biking in the rain, and this close to race day I don't want to take any chances.)

As I was driving, I realized that I am officially a triathlete. Why, you ask? Well, I saw a sign for the bakery that said "Long ride ahead? Stop in for a bagel with cream cheese and coffee. $3.99" Do I think of morning commuters? No, I think the sign is directed at me and my bike ride. I even think of the other morning cyclists that come out. Then I think about how it would be messy to ride the bike with cream cheese on the bagel and where the heck would I put the coffee. It would be dehydrating all that caffeine." And then it hits me (and I'm normally not a dense person), they're talking about everyone else. Those people going to work - in their cars.

I'm a triathlete with a brain on training. It's like going to law school. You enter your first year thinking like a normal person and by year 3 someone asks you a question and you can't give a definitive yes. It's a yes, but qualified by all the possibilities that could make it a no. When I teach a CLE class, I like to ask a rhetorical question and then joke with the audience: Well, since I'm a lawyer, the answer is "it depends." Then I talk about what it depends on and what other things we have to take into consideration too. Other lawyers find this funny. Non-lawyers seem to find it exasperating.

Now my brain is triathlete driven too. Long ride? Must be the bike. Water? Must be time for a swim or perhaps for hydration. Calories? What's the breakdown... is it a 4:1 ratio? Bagel special? Add an egg and it's all good! Cool weather? Let's go for a run! I have a feeling non-triathletes look at me like those non-lawyers. Mr. Darcy said to me the other day "why does it take you so long to figure out what to eat? It's just food!" But it's not. It's now fuel couched in terms of "nutrition and hydration."

Even though it wasn't the ride I planned, I did a good job on the stationary bike. I figured I should increase the resistance level today in an attempt to mimic what the road is like. So I ranged from level 9 to level 15 (out of a possible 20) during my session. I primarily stayed in level 10 and 11, but have to admit that on some of the downhills I cranked it up to 15 here or there, and that on the 1st giant hill that went to the top of the screen, I put it in 9 part way through because my legs were feeling super tight. I figured it was like changing gears. I also discovered that you can't stand up and pedal on a stationary bike. I tried before lowering the level from 12 to 9 for that big hill. Even so, I blew my regular times away for riding. 25 miles in 1:10:06. 22 mph average. How I would love to do that in "real life" on my bike on a hilly course. I had visions of professional triathlete status and people cheering me in while the ESPN announcers commented "and she only started triathlons at the age of 33!" Yes, I was thinking big this morning.

Afterwards I got my bagel special and ran in to one of the Moms from daycare (who I really, really like. Very nice and funny woman. A dancer and a physical education teacher.). I always laugh when I run into people after a training session because even with deodorant on, I know I stink. Luckily, she knows I'm a triathlete and that I train before work. We ended up talking about how alot of the kids she teaches can't even touch their toes and they're in middle school, and then flexibility and running.

Then it was off to work. You know that thing that pays my bills. Not the next training session.

Oh, and my 3rd place age group award for my last Olympic Distance arrived... isn't it pretty?

The Rain, A Fitting, and A Plot

It's Day 3 of Rain and we have been promised yet another day of it tomorrow. The 1st day was nice. There is something peaceful about a rainy day. The 2nd day was OK. It resulted in my running alone in our neighborhood yesterday evening - the 1st 4.5 miles in a light and intermittent drizzle; the last mile in steady, heavier rain. I decided I like running in the rain, as long as I'm wearing moisture wicking clothing (which I was). Today, I am over the rain. While I realize we are in a drought, we need not make up for it in one fell swoop.

I blame the rain for making me unable to get up out of bed this morning to go to Lucky's Lake for a swim. I made it to the gym pool however, and did a lovely 2,000 m (1.25 miles) swim . It was rather invigorating. I did the first 500 m, took a 30 second break and then decided to swim the next 1500 all at once. Amazing how strong you can feel after doing a nice long swim like that!

I am hoping that the rain will move along because tomorrow I have a 25 mile bike to do. I will not be nearly as happy doing 25 miles on the trainer as I would be on the open road. But, at least Ruby (my road bike) and I will have a few more training rides together before the new triathlon bike arrives. Today, I went for a fitting for the new Orbea Ora I won. The 49 fit just fine. The 51 will be a bit too big, so the 49 it is. Now they just have to finalize the financials with the person who was in charge of the bike raffle and then they will order my bike. I find it amusing (and expensive) that higher end bikes like these do not come with pedals. So I had to buy pedals for them to install when my new bike arrives. I'll also have to have them move over my bike computer, and I'm hoping to have a bottle holder that fits between the aero bars too so I don't have to even move to drink while riding. My new bike's name may have just come to me - she is red and coming to me from the heart of the Pyrenees (well, Orbea is headquartered there anyway. I can dream, can't I?), so perhaps her name should be Rosa (which, yes I know is Rose, but there are red roses, she is a thing of beauty, and roses are the queen of the flowers, not to mention people get roses often when they WIN!). Only that first ride will tell. I can't wait. I just hope Ruby won't be too jealous.

In news of other obsessions...the past few days my passport has been staring at me, sitting there in my office, luring me with its navy blue cover and gold seal on the front. It wants me to use it. And yes, technically we are going on a cruise to the Bahamas in July. And yes, the Bahamas is a "foreign country." But it's not quite foreign enough. The passport wants more.
So I am plotting. I am angling for a trip to London to visit our friends Kelli & Iain. Early October works for them, Kelli tells me. How cool would it be to go from finishing my first 70.3 IronMan to a trip to England for several days following?

Mr. Darcy is resisting. I think he worries about having to buy tickets for the girls and primarily how they will do on a long plane ride. They have survived 4 hour and 5 hour car rides just fine. Plus we have WorldPoints that, if we want to use them on airfare, we need to use them before June 1st to purchase said air travel. That's 2 of the 4 tickets for "free." The other thought is to let Mr. Darcy be sensible like he wants to be with his points and get new pots and pans and an iPod thing for the house, and I can use my points for travel to a foreign destination... London, Dublin, Quebec for a few days. Not sure which he'd rather endure - the long plane ride with the girls or his being with the girls on his own for a few days. The plot thickens, but the plot twists must be ironed out before June 1st. I'm on a mission!

A Little Too Much Excitement

Last night we had a little too much excitement around the house. I had gotten home from my evening swim (a 1500 m ladder in about 45 minutes, I was pleased and tired), was greeted by extra happy girls with hugs and kisses (which always puts a smile on your face), ate some food because I was starving, and the girls began to play "cowgirl" with a rope they found while we tried to convince them to chat with their Grammie and Papa over the internet video cam. All seemed to be shaping up for a delightful evening. Then as Mr. Darcy was winding up his video call the girls' started barreling through the living room at top speeds. Just as I was telling them to slow down, Angelfish tripped and fell. As she fell, she hit her head and then her arm on the corner of a little dividing wall that we have between the living room and the breakfast nook.

She was screaming and holding her arm, and I thought it might be broken. But I got to her, scooped her up and discovered her arm was ok. Angelfish had full range of motion, it was scraped up, and all seemed ok just a painful ouchie. Then all of a sudden I had blood on my hands and I had no idea where it was coming from. I freaked out. I am generally good in an emergency, but when I couldn't see where the blood was coming from, I was useless and screamed for Mr. Darcy to come back. I had yelled for him when I heard her hit the wall and she started screaming immediately (the view was impeded by the sofa so I wasn't sure what hit the wall at first). He said that it came from her ear because there was a scratch there. I told him that couldn't be it because I had too much blood on my hands. So I took a deep breath and calmed myself and asked Angelfish "did you hit your ear on the wall?" "No." "did you hit your head?" "Yes, mommy. It hurts." "Where, honey?" "Here." And that's when I saw it - an inch from where she put her hand, there was a cut. I moved the hair away and found her scalp had split open.

I told Angelfish and Mr. Darcy that we needed to go to the Emergency Clinic to see a doctor. Mr. Darcy looked at it and agreed that it was an open cut that probably would need stitches. Angelfish matter of factly said, "I need to go to the doctor. The doctor will give me stickers." Ladybug was very sweet to her sister, very concerned and wanting to help in making her feel better. Once we determined that she needed to go to the doctor, Ladybug walked up to Angelfish, put her hand on her back sweetly and asked "Are you ok, Angelfish?" Angelfish replied, "Yes, but I need to go to the doctor." Ladybug then said so sweetly and sincerely, "I love you so very, very much." It was the sweetest thing, especially because Ladybug is not one to say I love you but on a rare occasion.

So, we packed everyone up into the minivan and headed to the Emergency Clinic where we waited 1 1/2 hours to be called back into the back room, and then another 20 minutes for the doctor to appear. The doctor told us that she had to put staples in because with stitches (liquid or otherwise) the wound would reopen and not be able to heal. The wound was deep. I could see the fatty tissue under the skin. Then she was off to get a nurse to assist. Our Angelfish is one tough girl. I told her that the doctor was going to need to help her head and that it was going to hurt a little but it would be ok. When the doctor came back, Mr. Darcy and Ladybug left the room (because we didn't want Ladybug to see what was going to happen). Angelfish laid right down on the table on her side, held my hands, and she and I sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" twice. She winced when the doctor put in the 2 staples, but never cried. When she was allowed to sit up, she clinged to me but was a brave, brave girl. And once the nurse brought her stickers, she was back to her usual happy self and headed off to the car with a joyful trot. I think it may have been harder on me than it was on her. It's hard to let someone do something to your child that you know is going to hurt them, even if it is to help in the end.

We got home around 11:30 pm last night. Poor Mr. Darcy hadn't had dinner before we left so he ate when we got home and after we put the girls in bed (they had fallen asleep in the car). I went to bed immediately too. I was exhausted!

Today, Ms. Angelfish is at home with me and I will be taking the afternoon off from work. For some reason, she's able to play and let me work in the mornings but not as much in the afternoons. Besides, it's a chance for a little one on one time that we rarely get.

I am hoping the rain will subside at some point too as I have a 5 mile run that I need to get in and I'd rather avoid doing it on a treadmill if I can. I get so bored on treadmills. The open road is so much better for a run. If the rain subsides, Mr. Darcy plans to run with me (although he has expressed concern that he might not make all 5 miles) - which means the girls will be riding in their blue car (aka biking/running stroller type contraption). So let's keep our fingers crossed!