Perspective

Yesterday morning I arranged to meet my sister for a run around Burke Lake. One loop is 4.7 miles, which for me is a longer-than-usual run and requires finding extra stamina and internal "grit". This grit is necessary to combat all of the predatory thoughts that seek to destroy my objective.

As I entered the park I was immediately struck by how many people were there. It was like a sci-fi movie of ant-like people scurrying in every direction. Saying hello, she and I both remarked on the trail traffic we were sure to encounter and laughed as we each acted out our sorry selves serving as interference for those much speedier.

In order to get full credit for the 4.7 while still getting in a little warm up, we chose to take a walk around the parking lot instead of heading immediately onto the trail. What. A. Mistake. We overheard a few people talking about how many laps they were going for. Laps? In my world one complete loop around the lake is IT. It isn't a LAP!! Lap implies having to do it multiple times. And we knew they meant multiple by the answers - "oh, four today" and "I don't know. Last time I just kept going until I wasn't coherant any more... I think it was probably six." Are you kidding me?!

Now that I have exercise, and more specifically triathon, on the brain, I am much more attuned to bumper magnets that proudly display driver accomplishments. It's sort of exciting (in a really goofy and probably very dorky way) to see 70.3 and 140.6 as I am out and about. The very fact that those distances are so far, and that there is a very small club of people out there who can say that they have done these, keep the sightings fairly irregular.

Until we got to the lake on Saturday morning. I am convinced that everyone in Northern Virginia who has ever done an half or a full Ironman was at the lake with us. After the first row of cars, I was nearly speechless and my sister was laughing so hard she could barely walk straight. Aside from ours, which cars DIDN'T say one of the following: 26.2, 70.3, 140.6?!?! To say that we were getting intimidated doesn't even come close. If she hadn't been with me, I am positive I would have driven home immediately.

But we began. Amidst the throngs of mega-athletes, we were able to find a pace and keep going. Everywhere were runners clad in their long-distance regalia. Such-and-such Iron Man. Insert Name Marathon. Dare to Tri. I swear one man lapped us four times. I can't even get how that is humanly possible.

On the Water

Today was a beautiful day. My babysitter was kind enough to come over at 8:30, which I don't think I would have ever done for anyone on my day off when I was in high school, and Phil and I agreed to meet at the boathouse at 9:00. I didn't see him at first, so I walked down to the water by the dock and just took a few minutes to look around and soak it all in.

Walking back up the hill I saw him and exchanged some good morning pleasantries with a few other rowers. They were all very supportive and gave "it's just like riding a bike"-type encouragement.

It's funny when you take apart all of the little pieces of rowing. Taking out oars, navigating the boathouse to get your boat without whacking any others, following space and place protocols, setting in and getting ready - they are all of the little steps before you even get in and push off the dock.

Thankfully we started slowly. Phil recommended we start at 1/4 slide initially and build from there. Rowing for my high school team, and the little I did in college, was all sweep, but in the summers and fall I would get in some sculling. I'm not sure that my memories would have been any less taxed had we been out in an eight today, but I do know that most of my mess ups would have been far less noticeable than in our double.

The upshot was rowing with someone whose strength-to-weight ratio crushes mine (like, ridiculously), so my lack of umph wasn't really as obvious as it might have been. (Well, it wasn't as obvious to ME at least.) We actually did well enough today on the windy river, and I actually think with a little more practice, we could be really good at it.

Here we are just before heading in to the dock.

Splashed with water and having removed my sunglasses while staring into the sun may not be my best look, but at least you can tell I'm happy.

My hands.... not so much.

What's seven blisters on your hands compared to a morning row? Proof that you should do it more often. I came home and registered for the Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints. Yes. Me. The "I Hate Erging" girl just signed up to do it in front of people and supposedly for fun. It isn't until February, so I have plenty of time to practice and get a little stronger.

Justin's Triathlon

Today was Justin's first sprint triathlon - 250yd swim, 11mi bike, and 3.1mi run. It was awesome to watch him, but next time I hope to be doing it together. Here's a quick recap of his race from my viewpoint:


Heading out on the bike-

Back to Transition-

My goofy little boy trapped in the stroller so of course is playing with food-

To the finish line!

All smiles with John-

Family photo - Lochlan is irritated and will not smile for camera.

Lochlan pointing out preferred activity-

Thankful for the nearby playground.

Now we just have to find a race for 2012.

Wounded Warrior 4.7

Sunday morning was my first race that involved going beyond the 5K comfort zone, and I am thrilled to say that it went really well. The final results have been posted, and oddly enough the chip time and the gun time were identical for all participants. Given that Dee Dee and I were towards the rear of the pack waiting for the start, I know we didn't cross the start line at the exact moment that the horn sounded. In fact, I expected more of an announcement, or group warm up, or... something. It was just "hhhooonnnkkk" and then everyone started moving. Either way, chip time or gun time or wrist watch, we ran the 4.7 miles in exactly 47 minutes. I was hoping for anything under 50:00, so realizing that we were maintaining a 10:00/mile pace was great.

Here's a quick break down of my race:

Mile One
Me: Okay, start slowly.... Oh! Love the new opening song.... La la la happy happy happy
(Exchanged some type of start-of-race pleasantries with Dee Dee)
Me: So in my last triathlon, I rode my bike with a really nice girl and half the way through it, she kept slowing down. My point here of course is that you are not supposed to wait for me. Run a good race!
Dee Dee: Laughter
Me: No really.

Mile Two
Me: Loosening up, oh, er, @#$#... so much for pacing with the iPod. Stupid buttons. C'mon Rhianna....
Dee Dee: We're right at a 10:00/mile!
Me: Um, oh good! Oh crap, can I keep running like this the entire way?

Mile Three
Me: 5K would be over, so I'm 2/3 through. God Bless Dee Dee for running with me.
Dee Dee: (Thumbs up sign at exactly 3 miles to let me know we're still at the same pace.)

Mile Four
Me: Body check... heart good, lungs good, legs starting to whimp out.... Love my new playlist.... feeling tired.... Is that lady really pushing a seven-year-old in her jogging stroller?
Dee Dee: Getting water - we're almost finished!

Final .7 miles
Me: I am so ready for this to be over.
Dee Dee: Only five more minutes!
Me: Thank God for Dee Dee.
Random Guy #1: Best quarter mile yet!
Me: Yep, but if I sprint now, I'll die 100 yards before the finish line.
Random Guy #2: Only a quarter of a mile to go!
Me: That's what the last guy said two minutes ago.
Random Girl: Last quarter mile!
Me: What the heck? Who are these people and who lets them cheer on runners?!

And then we turned a corner, and we were done! The first guy was probably right, and there may have been some sprint stored up in me left, but what a great feeling to cross the finish line and feel like I actually had more to give.

The sky opened, we had a quick shower and headed to the car. On the way home, the clouds parted and we drove by a beautiful and complete rainbow.

And for anyone interested, here's the playlist:

Breakin' Up - Rilo Kiley
Dynamite - Taio Cruz
Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
What I've Done - Marie Digby
Umbrella - Rhianna
Pocket Full of Sunshine - Jia Clayton
The Fear - Lily Allen
Mad World - Adam Lambert
Survivor - Destiny's Child
Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
Set Fire to the Rain - Adele
Price Tag - Jesse J
I Write Sins Not Tragedies - Panic at the Disco
Forever and Almost Always - Kate Voegele