Berkeley

The Scott is now in the Berkeley Hills and it is brrr chilly. So weird
after our 119 top temp in AZ on our way out here. Gearing up and
getting ready.

PCH view

PCH to San Francisco

Yesterday we took the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco with
gorgeous ocean views on one side and mountains on the other. Stopped
ran around on the beach and listened to the ocean. Can't get much more
relaxing than that.

Swimming in Hollywood

Not bad place to swim for taper week. Really takes your mind off the
race ahead. Ran up the trail by The Hills to the observatory and back,
then took a dip in the pool. Next up some beach time.

Vineman here we come!

Set off across Texas on our journey to Vineman yesterday. Highlights:
swimming at Balmorhea with the fish, deep azure water, and jumping off
the diving board, gorgeous mountain views, dinner with friends in el
paso, beautiful electrical storm, crescent moon, ... Excited to
experience today.

Helmet

After much nagging from my Mom, and some welcome advice from Dr. Touchlove, and from the bike shop, I found a great helmet. I'll miss the once red now orange Giro Monza if for nothing more than the amount of time I've had it. I'm saving it for guest riders at my house (who may use the new of course). But the new lazer 02 is fabulous. It fits snug as a bug and feels like someone is hugging your head, plus I got it in matte white to make the scott look even hotter. I couldn't wait to test it out last night and had a great bike with it.

squeaky clean, really clean

The Scott had a spa day in preparation for the big day and to make her squeaky clean, really clean, blacker than black. I know she has been getting pretty dirty from our rides and needed a good spa day to bring her back to her shiny glory. The first thing the mechanic said when I picked her up was "she looks like one fast chameleon". "How is the bike a chameleon?" I asked. "Because she looks like she can go so fast she would blur into the background." I smiled. "Yeah, she's a beautifully fast machine." The Scott looks amazing after her cleaning and is ready to go, now the engine just needs the finishing touches (after buying myself a dress to be just as pretty as my bike, I mean the bike can't outshine me, right and I just love the way the Europeans bike in dresses, maybe the next revolution after running skirts will be biking dresses. All I have to say is the coolest thing when it is 100+ is a light dress) before the big day so I'm taking her out for a spin tonight.

starry starry night

"Would you like to go night swimming at the Elk's Lodge?" I couldn't believe it, some dear friends of mine became a members at the lodge and were inviting me to go swimming! I didn't even have to think about it - Absolutely! There is something about night swimming that is magical. S said it was because it felt like a secret. It does have that feeling to it and this was one place that has held a special allure. I once live just a few feet from it and would wonder what was beyond the fence. It met my dreams with falling stars. How wondrous to have a pool to ourselves overlooking the Austin skyline with stars shimmering above. The pool was clean and company lovely. It was a great way to spend the anniversary of my Ironman and I hope to have many returns.

It was one year ago today ...

that I completed my first Ironman, IM Switzerland. I have my next one in three weeks. Completing an Ironman was amazing and doing it in Switzerland a dream. I remember riding my bike looking at the cows in the field with bells on their necks ringing as if they were spectators cheering us on and thought what a lucky girl I am. I'm so thankful I have the strength and health to take me to places I once only dreamed about. I'm looking forward to the next one with much anticipation and excitement. Each race is a new experience and that is part of what keeps me going down this amazing road.

record setting

The heat has been record setting. I've been able to roll with it so far. I come back from my runs, pull my running clothes off and plop them in the laundry basket like a sack of potatoes, I look like a drowned rat when running, and my bathroom smells like a gym locker, but otherwise I've been doing just fine.

Last night I had a great ride. My legs were pretty tired on the run Sunday, but it is amazing what a day of can do. After I learned I should feel like a spring chicken after the weekend, I was not believing it, "really, do spring chickens have feet made of cement?" Last night spring chicken's feet were made of springs. I felt super charged and had a great ride. I even rode a little with a girl who asked me what team I rode for. "I ride for myself" I told her. She laughed. Hard to believe we will be on the road to our race in less than three weeks, but I'm getting exciting and am ready.

Flat out hot

Pic from last weeks ride. It was a long hot one, but felt good for almost all of it. My legs were tired, but that is pretty much normal nowadays. This past weekend I explored what San Antonio has to offer with some great training buds and I like what I saw, GO SA. Ran in Austin on Sunday and it felt like the humidity was much higher in A-town versus SA. What can I say, maybe is all the fancy spas running their steam rooms too much here?