WELCOME TO LOUISVILLE!

This post is only a couple days old.... but here it is...

Last Friday, I headed down to Louisville to stay with Erin and Jim.. the BEST host couple I could have... We went to munch on some sushi, and even got home for a good night's sleep.... I was so nervous about the next morning group ride with folks from IAMTRI, but yet again.. so ready all the more...

I have told the many girls I have coached throughout the years... and I have heard it countless.. I mean COUNTLESS times .. You play how you practice... even more PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

I knew after my so horrible, but more so crampy time during my half ironman two weeks ago, I REALLY needed to practice my foods AND fluids... and this is what I had planned to do..

Arriving to this event was much like my first day up at Caeser's Creek with Cincy Express . Nervous, but pumped... blood flowing, but sick feeling..

I met a wonderful man that drove down from Michigan, and he calmed my nerves.. about .001%! :) Before long, I saw more and more and more athletes coming around the bend, and getting their bikes ready... and there we were... about 35-40 of us. ready to take out on this journey... We had two different options... the 79 mile loop which was the course minus the second loop of the La Grange loop... or the full 112 .. I chose the first because I knew I had a race scheduled for Sunday... yeah.. Crazy I know :) I live for this stuff ! On most days :)

I will say.. before we took off... I had goosebumps through my longsleeve shirt... Bob, the MacDaddy who organized this whole thing.. said "Gang.. whehter you realize it or not... in 3 months from the day.. YOU WILL BE AN IRONMAN! Stay safe out there." I was a little emotional... it could be because I am a lady.. it could be because of all the time it takes... or it could just be because I am really doing this.. who would have thought...

I told myself from the get-go.. I have to use this as much as a practice as I can.. don't worry about gunning it out.. don't worry about finishing first.. but more so to just FINISH the task at hand...

Throughout the entire course, I didn't feel awesome, but I felt like I knew I can do this.. I kept drinking, and kept eating... My secret nutrition plan... Peanut Butter Sandy's and Power Gel. and LOTS OF WATER!

I am thankful that we had a SAG vehicle to fill up, and grab a nanner when needed, and thankful for the "thorns" aka guys I rode with.. and got home safely.."

Though I can tell you it is around mile 22 that the out and back will come upon you, and it is around mile 31 that the La Grange Loop starts, and there are 8 significant climbs in that course, I can also tell you .. I did the ride.. through the hard as nails head wind, and being dropped off by the huge chunk of riders...

does it matter? nope... because I did it.. and with some legs left... and a smile across my face :)

And what about Sunday's race? I actually won the Athena Division in the Ultra-Fit Ohio Challenge... .51 mile swim, 13 mile bike, and 5 k run in under 1:30... Tired legs, but successful ones at that :)