Tuesday: Open water/transitions at Jamesville Beach. I have just gotten back in around lunch from Asheville. After a nice lunch with my boys I throw my stuff together and head over to see my other family…the Fleet Feet Crazies! I have gone through serious withdrawal! I am greeted by hugs and yelps…yup…feeling is mutual! Two weeks away was too much! I had missed last weeks first open water swim so I had to jump in and go of course with my Periwinkle group! It is amazing to be back in open water…to be wearing the ever-stylish wetsuit (seriously makes me feel both strong and like the Michelin man all at once!). This group is feisty…they are a few little nervous but even so they love the challenge…they rock! We start out doing some drills to help them get used to the feel of the suit and quickly they are wanting a bigger challenge…we decide to head out to the far white buoy. So have missed this feeling of gliding over and through the water…like a dolphin!!! After two times out and back we do a few mass swim starts then head up to practice transitions…great night! But now I am exhausted and head home to crash into bed!

Wednesday: 4th of July! This year I am partaking in a tradition for some hardcore bikers that Helene and Brendan has arranged for coaches to join. We are heading out to Brewerton Dunkin Donuts at 7:30 am to do a complete circuit around Oneida Lake…56 miles baby! At this point the farthest I have biked has been around forty and that was last September. Game time, time to kick it up a notch…I have to say this decision to not stress and just show up is getting easier and easier (or maybe that is the travel exhaustion leaving no room for it!). I get there and begin loading my Bento box and visiting the ladies room one last time…pump some air in the tires and we head out…right from the get go I am all about getting on Helene’s wheel and drafting as long as possible…I watch her gears like a hawk…shifting when I see her shift…keeping the legs spinning in the 90’s….this feels sooo much better than the last long ride. I have learned to spin not grind. My legs like this much better. We cruise and it is awesome to hear the intensity of the group. Shifting, wheels spinning, like a well-oiled machine! I feel legit…like I am starting to belong in this intimidating world of “cyclists”. Almost as if I am joining a highly elite club! I am so excited to be maintaining and admittedly for the majority of the ride I am near or with the front pack! Who is this girl and how in the heck did she get here!?!?! Of course now that she is here she is suffering from extreme bike envy...trying to be good and hold off on that upgrade to a Tri bike…trying real hard…but I so want one!!!! We make a few stops on the journey and at the last stop I go to the bathroom again (hydration, hydration) only I forget that in doing so I am literally taking away a layer of protection between me and the seat….we have 16 miles from the last stop to the end…by mile ten I am getting tired (I really stink at knowing when to eat and how much on the bike) and all of a sudden I am sore…down there…like epically sore…wail out loud sore…but must keep game face…must keep going…it is only 6 miles after all right!!?!?! Let’s just say that sitting has been painful for a week. Lesson learned, bring the glide on the ride!!!! Overall I am so stoked to have this in and under the belt...even with the mild energy crash and sore saddle…I head home to take the boys to the movie theater to see the movie Brave…and in even bigger news managed to not fall asleep…mostly!

Saturday: Bike day at Oneida…Coach Helene has decided to let the athletes ride the course for a time trial of sorts…which leaves the coaches free to also ride for time. It has been quite some time since I have done this course with intensity…I get out with a group at the front that is a mix of coaches and athletes and we begin leap frogging each other! My legs are dead and this is just the challenge they needed! I end up finishing in decent time…now I can’t wait to do it on fresh legs! After bike we head out for 2 mile run…not too bad roughly a 10:30 pace off bike…I’ll take it!

Great week for getting back in the groove of training!