Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Closing Down Summer

For Real?? It has been over 2 months since I've purged my brain of all randomness involving triathlon and my life. I guess that's an indication of a couple things: a) I needed a bit of a breather from all of the racing hullabaloo, and b) life has kept me busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger.

Let's have a quick run-through of what's been going down in my little world:

Bend, OR

Shortly following XTERRA Les Bois MFMG and I loaded up with our good friends Clay and Jen and headed to Bend for a little bike and beer time. Jen and I participated in the Trek Women's Dirt Series all-women's clinic and got to hone our mountain bike skills while the boys drank...er, um... rode on their own.
A few of the props for technique building

Still working on my cornering skills...I'll get there!
Crux is a great new addition to Bend's many breweries!

Miles and miles of this!

MFMG chillin' mid-ride.






























Emmett's Most Excellent Triathlon:
I have not missed this event in the past 4 years. Never a disappointment, the Emmett Triathlon is an impeccably organized local favorite that almost serves as a reunion to Treasure Valley Triathletes. Setting up transition is almost like mingling at a party with friends- music, friendly conversation, jokes and an overwhelming sense of community makes this race one that I look forward to each season. Congrats to Jen Luebke for taking the win; it was my second year in a row taking the bridesmaid slot by mere seconds. Next year...
Matt was working and unable to take pics that day. This is all I got.
Celebrations:

Our wedding anniversary and my birthday are two days apart. For the past couple years, we have spent the days surrounding these events doing this:


2012 70.3 World Championships, Matt plays sherpa, chauffeur, coach and photographer.


But this year we got to do some of this:
Dinner at our local fave, Berryhill







A reminder to MFMG who the
cribbage master is in this house.

Matt Green Photo also hit a major milestone...it's first birthday. We spent the evening surrounded by friends and clients who have helped to make this venture a success. Here's to many more!



Getting back and giving back:

We vowed to schedule a getaway in McCall one last time before summer departed for the year, and we barely made it. In fact, unseasonably cool temps and mountain rain made it feel more like November than September, but that didn't stop us from enjoying every last second of our long weekend! My great aunt hosted us in the family's lakefront cabin for 4 blissful days of much-needed R&R.
Payette Lake at sunrise
Getting some swim time
At the end of September I also traveled back to my hometown of Nezperce to visit my family and attend the 14th annual Combine Demolition Derby. You read that correctly...crashing large harvesters into each other for entertainment purposes...fourteen years in a row. Visit the Facebook page to view a quick video teaser.

Sadly, the derby was cancelled for the first time ever due to record rainfall turning the fairgrounds into a mud bog. But there was another reason for me to get back to my hometown- to give back to my school. Nezperce Schools is involved in the Fuel up to Play 60 program and I was asked to put together an assembly for the students on nutrition and racing triathlon. What an honor to give back to my hometown and the school in this capacity! Special thanks to Callie Zenner, Jacky Mosman and the young Maddie Stapleton for encouraging me to come and giving me this fun opportunity!

We talked nutrition, then headed outside for a little mock-triathlon action complete with cowbells, transition a water station and LOTS of cheering!


Training

Ok, ok... of course there has still been a fair amount of training in my life. Well...actually...a LOT of training as of late. Coach Flanny and I have set our sights on Miami 70.3, which is now less than 3 weeks away! I hadn't had a solid training block since my season began back in May, so the past 8 weeks have been focused, consistent and intensive.




Stay tuned for another update before the big day on 10/27!