If Swimming is so good for your figure...

then how to you explain whales!!!

This was yet another gem displayed on the sign at the storage facility on our group ride. They are funny ones!


I am certainly not feeling like a whale here recently. This week has been full of great progress, achievements and high points in my training.

To start things off, I am about 85% positive that I will be doing Augusta 70.3 this coming September. I am so much leaning in that direction that I have officially start back training with my fabulous coach this week and she is already whipping me into shape. I truly thrive when given a structured schedule and plan. This training on my own business is no good. Thank goodness for a coach who knows my strengths and knows which areas I need to focus on.

Secondly, I officially hit a new max speed this past weekend. Kenny and I, along with a group of friends set off to do his first long training ride for Augusta; a 50 miler on a course near home that is very similar to the Augusta route.This is a route that we rode many times last year in preparation for the race and felt more than prepared for the actual race day. Lucky me there happens to me an awesome downhill that I can smoke.

For the first time ever, I hit 40+mph on my Bike!

I have never done that ever. I was seriously stoked. It came late in the ride too which made me feel pretty awesome the rest of the way home. BTW that was pretty much just in aero position without peddling. :)

My last excitement for the week came at our group ride yesterday. For the first time ever, I hung with the "big boys" at the front of the group. I totally had no ambition to try and push it last night. Coach sent me out with the goal of working on skills and enjoying the ride. This was supposed to me my intro week back into training before things get involved and I had all intentions to ride the course like normal. Well, once we hit the first hill on Lakeview (a miniature one on an overpass) and I hung on someone's wheel without getting dropped, I knew I might have the ability to hang with the lead pack. So hang I tried with all of my might. It took lots of fighting to stay on someone's wheel and some killer hill climbing on my part but I am so happy that I put forth the effort. I seriously must be watching too much Tour de France because I even selected my own domestiques during the ride who helped me along the way; Thanks Charles (for the first hill), Blake and Jennifer (both of them for the rest of the ride). Collectively, our group averaged 18.5 which is my first 18+ mph ride. I know that the lead group could have gone much faster last night but I am so thankful they let a few of us mid packers hang with them. It was truly a ride to be remembered.

I followed the ride with a solo 15 minute run at an average pace of 11:18. My latest runs have been getting progressively faster and I am seeing steady increases in my efforts. I am extremely pleased with my efforts in running off the bike and seem to be doing better off the bike than with my solo running efforts.

My four most recent runs have been
10:32 (Off the bike, Thanks Aron for pacing me. This is probably my fastest recent effort)
12:07 (Solo run)

10:57 (Off the Bike on my own)
11:18 (Off the bike on my own after a hard cycling effort)

So over all an awesome week and plenty to be grateful for. What are you grateful for this week?