A first time for everything! - Sunset Triathlon at Boulder Res, 8/29/2015

So, you may or may not know it but I've lost 50lbs in the last 5 years.   Part of my inspiration is my Weight Watchers leader, Michelle.    Apparently I'm now her inspiration as she asked if I would do a triathlon with her..... in a week and a half!  I, of course, said yes and we did it!

We all look ready for some firsts!

 First flat tire repair on the road.....

She and her husband both completed their first triathlon - with smiles on their faces the entire time!

Two Races in 7 days... The first one - an Olympic distance tri in Michigan!

Last weekend I went out to Chicago to see 'the girls' - all of who I have raced with in Ironman distance races and we all have type 1 diabetes.....

 

The race we signed up for is the Michigan Titanium.  The race is unique.  It has olympic, half iron and full iron distance races.   Plus half and full aquabikes (a triathlon minus the run) and full and half distance relays (full distance relays are rare).  We all were doing something different.   Nancy was doing the half distance race by herself.   Kathleen was doing the half distance relay with a TriMonster and Gillian was doing the full distance aquabike.

The day started as race days usually do for us  (but didn't end the usual way...).... prepping for the next day with dinner with the TriMonsters and then organzing race 'stuff'. 





Then an early shuttle ride to the race....

 Racking the bike and checking out the water.....

 

Then a photo of the racers we can locate before the first wave of swimmers -   

Watching the last wave of swimmers go into the water before my race!

 Then I swam, ran and biked..... and FINISHED!

 

As I entered the finish chute at the end of my run the announcer said 'We are stopping the race due to lightning.   All athletes must stop.   We will hold the race for 30 minutes and hope to get going again after that.   If weather is still a problem we will hold the race for another 30 minutes.    If it still isn't safe we will cancel the race.'

I thought I needed to stop but the finish line was just too close so I ran through and got my medal!

And then we waited an hour.....

 

 and they canceled the race.   I was the last Olympic distance finisher and next to last finisher overall.

 We all had a great time and I would do this race again!   A drive back to Chicago the next day revealed the skyline so I snapped a quick photo before lunch and a plane ride home....    to race in Boulder 6 days later in another triathlon.

Tour de Cure 2015

Tour de Cure was a fantastic event, again, this year.   I surpassed my fundraising goal at least twice so THANK YOU to all that donated!

I got up bright and early and rode the 50k (32 miles) route with my friend David and then came back to ride the family route (12miles) with Tucker.   I have not been on my bicycle much this year so I was a little worried about 44ish miles....   It went fine!

Tucker and I made quite the riding team - with him on his recumbent tricycle and my on my time trial bike.  :)

 There were peacocks......  and........  parachutes  (ah, the things I see on rides!)

 Start of the 50K route (at the correct time and not 6am when I did it)

 This is what it looked at 6am when I rode the 50k route....  not so pretty.   I'm pretty tired.

 There are some perks of having an incredible team that are amazing fundraisers!

 

Another perk of being a Champion!  (air conditioning, flushing toilets, running water for washing hands......   pretty amazing!

 My amazing team!   and our great, new team banner in our tent!  (with the hummus)

 And, thanks to Karen for taking this fabulous photo of us at the end of the day!!

Handsome is uncomfortable

I removed the couch cushions this morning to wash the covers after someone - of the feline persuasion - decided to vomit on them last night.......

We are drying them in the dryer with zero heat so not to shrink them and it is taking FOREVER.

Apparently much too long for Handsome but he has found his temporary comfort zone -

What is your name again?

First, you tell me your name is Ana..... the receipt says 'Analise' and your pen says 'Kitty'.

Hmmmmmm.......