WOW! Summer has flown past me… perhaps because I’ve been blessed to log in some serious bike mileage this season, so everything went by in a whirl (I’m fast like that!) or simply because this summer was truly about finding that balance between Awesome-Triathlete-Wannabe and Awesomest-Mommy-Tryingtobe. A win win situation really, and thanks to my mom, some sexy compression socks and lots of coffee I have been able to make it all happen without falling asleep in aero. ☺ (Thank goodness, cause I spent most of my training time riding my bike!)

The start line is 1 week away. That’s close enough to smell, not yet close enough to taste. That means 1) I should probably look back on my program and do all that speed work I skipped over 2) I should be feeling ready, and almost at peak, to take on anther 70.3 mile sandwich.
1) I hate speed work. I’ll be slower yet longer my entire life. That’s OK with me. I’ll rep the MOP’s, no problem.
2) I’m ready physically (ok, my run sucks) but I’m ready to START. Just not ready to FINISH.

If I could spend the next few months out on the race course I’d be uber-joyed. I’m not at all ready for the season to be over. Because although I’ve been putting in lots of mileage- I’m not tired yet. I’m having too much fun.

That’s my only fear now that taper time has settled in my mind. Did I spend too much time having fun in training, that I forgot the purpose of it all was to become a faster AGer? Perhaps. But that’s life as I know it. That’s the ultimate joy for me- being able to balance 18hrs a week of training with raising a little person. Training, quite simply, is my twisted idea of fun.

If it’s my party, can I cry if I want to now that taper is here and I’m not quite ready to turn down the volume?

See, life, my dear reader, is truly shits & giggles. This sport, however, is not. It’s pain and gain and just when those two come together it’ll beat the BAMF out of you. Chop wood, carry water. All play and no work doesn’t make for a strong FINISH…. Or does it?

I can take the next 7 days and try to figure out where I missed out or left out a precious swim session. Or, I can focus on the now, knowing that 70.3 miles has got nothing on me… I’m a tough cookie!!

Maybe, for the next few days at least, it’s about finding the road less taken, to the outcome most sought after.

I’ve got 1 week tilll race day, and about 4 weeks of warm weather left to go…. If you need me, I’ll be on my bike. Enjoying the ride- living my good life. My smile is still there. My cheeks still hurt. My legs are thick as trunks. Who said I can’t float, ride, crawl?

You guys are awesome… TRAIN SAFE!