Me, Jeff (Dangle the Carrot) & Marcy

I have been trying to get a post done from last weekend's trip down to the Woodlands to ride the bike course, but work and just catching up at home from being gone and then getting ready for this weekend -  has left every minute accounted for and this week an entire blur! 

I had an amazing time down in the Woodlands.  The bike course is beautiful.  There is a section that goes through the Sam Houston Forest ... it's a tree-lined path of Heaven. The run course is awesome and the lake looks ... not so bad.


On my drive down to the Woodlands, I quickly realized that there was not a plethora of options for a decent meal.  Mostly fast food.  It wasn't until when I realized that half the box of wheat thins had disappeared that I closed up the box and tossed it into the back of the car so that I couldn't reach it!  Those things are wickedly addicting.


BEAVER NUGGETS
I needed to get some gas and then the magical beaver sign appeared.... BUC-EES!  I had never stopped at a Buc-ees, but I had heard some good things about it... had to get fuel anyway, so I pulled in.   It's a gas station mecca with a convenience store the size of WalMart.

They have an amazingly-huge deli section, in which you order your sandwiches on a touch-screen computer.  Anyway, so completely unexpected.  And, the sandwich?  I had a turkey with avocado on a wheat roll.  It was awesome!  I (Heart) Buc-ees!  I didn't get any Beaver Nuggets- which are some seasoned nuts (bwahaha... I said nuts!)  but, I did get some of the Honey Roasted Almonds and they were fabulous!

RE-CAP
So, anyway- after my love fest at Buce-ees, I got to my hotel, joined the Team Endurance Nation folks for a once-around on the IMTX run course, showered and then met up with my friends, Marcy, her husband Steve, their friend, Scott, Jeff from Dangle the Carrot, his wife Annie and another friend Erin and her boyfriend for dinner at The Grotto-Houston.  This place was fantastic!  Great atmosphere and the food was amazing.  I can't even begin to tell you how badly I wanted a glass of wine, but I was a good girl and stuck with water.  I highly recommend the Tomato-basil soup.  Mmmmm....   Anyway, what was so awesome, was that while most of us had just met for the first time- it was like we had known eachother for so much longer.  Such great people!  And, Jeff and I had at least a 20 minute conversation about Buc-ees- apparently he loves it as much as I do!


After dinner, it was early to bed for the ride the next morning.  Thankfully Marcy was smart enough to double-check the meeting place and it turns out we/ I had the wrong Target for the meet-up.  They were able to find the right one on their GPS.  Crisis averted.  As soon as we finished, I took a quick shower back at the hotel and then I was on my way back home ... after another stop at Buc-ees, of course!  :)



IRONMAN LONESTAR 70.3

2010

So, that brings us to this weekend.  My mom and I are scheduled to leave at about 6:30 in the morning.  I should really be in bed right now.  Really, really.  But, I am just now getting a little on the nervous side.  With everything going on this week, I really haven't given much thought to this race.  It's only a 70.3, right?   Haaaaa...  

I just spent the last 45 minutes cleaning my bike chain.  I didn't realize how gunky (is that a word) that it had gotten from the ride last week.  I did a quick clean job after I got home, but it needed some more help.

I am not happy about having to leave my daughter for the weekend- twice in a row. It's breaking my heart and is going to be tough on me mentally.  Carting a 2 1/2 year old in the car for a 14-hour round trip drive, staying in a hotel and dealing with the heat and humidity for such a quick trip didn't seem like much fun for her.

Back to the race.  My mantra is going to be "This is NOT my A race.  Pace the Race."  I was looking back on my numbers from last year - which were far from impressive (I trained to finish... and have fun), so now I'm thinking .. well, I could drop that number here, and should be able to go faster there....   Uggh. I have to give that up! And focus on making this a long training day.  As lucrative as it is to push hard and show some great progress (which regardless, I'm sure I will) - I can't afford to affect my upcoming training.  So, this is basically a taper week and then the build continues next week.

So, the race starts at 7am..  My wave starts at 8:45am.  Yep, you read that right!  Nearly 2 hours after the pros leave, I'll be getting on my way.  I'm the in second to last wave.  And, I'll be sporting a Day Glow Orange swim cap.  Awesome!  Perhaps the girls in my wave can start the YMCA song before we get in the water.

If you want to track me or my fellow blogger friends... 

Go to   Ironman.com  (Click on the Athlete Tracker Link)

73F-75F temps, 17mph SSE winds with gusts up to 23mph, very cloudy skies (95% cloud cover), and 90-100% Humidity.   20% chance of rain after 12pm so it may be a rainy run

Not that the rain matters, since we'll be drenched in sweat from the humidity.    More Awesomeness!

Actually,  I'm ok with it, since it will be great training weather for IMTX.  Bring it on! I am so ready for this! :)


I really, really, really need to get to bed now!   Have a fabulous weekend!