Confessions of a Raw Vegan Triathlete: What a Wonderful Weekend :)

Do you ever have one of those days where you're so thankful to be alive?

That happened to me. 3 days in a row!

My weekend included (but was not limited to):

-Campfires and conversation

-New friends and close family members

-Hot tubs and sunsets

-Boating and water sports

-Organic fresh food and relaxing movies

-A triathlon with a chilly swim, a hilly cycle, and strong run all complete with a loving "cheering section"

The view from Ashley and Jimmy's house :)

Jimmy is a stellar wakeboarder!

If you know Ashley, you are blessed. If you don't, you should. :)

Jimmy is first in the video doing a flip. He's awesome. I'm next on the skis and I'm not so awesome. I was pretty excited that I got up on my 2nd attempt! But I enjoy my scream, the wipeout, and Ashley's laugh even more than my getting up quickly. Third is Jim's friend Brandon. He was unbelievably talented on the wakeboard (it usually takes someone an entire day to figure out how to get up. He did it on his first try AND cleared the wake).

The Portage Lakes Triathlon was this morning and it was the coldest race all season! 45 at the start and 68 at the completion. It was lovely. And it was also the largest race all season (the most participants).

Swim: It was 48 degrees when I entered the water! I felt extremely strong throughout the whole swim. Although the abundance of seaweed was a nice surprise. :)

Bike: This bike course was VERY hilly. I expected it, so the last few weeks included a lot of hilly workouts. The bike leg is my favorite portion of triathlons, so naturally I enjoy the steep inclines. I also am a HUGE fan of shouting "thank you!" to the policemen directing traffic at each intersection. As well as encouraging racers who are struggling with a polite "keep it up!" and "passing on your left". I was not used to the frigid breeze blowing over my bare legs, arms and shoulders when traveling 35+ mph downhill. But I loved it anyway.

Run: I'm usually pretty exhausted halfway through the 6.2 mile run. However, I had so much fun during this 10K because of my cheerleaders! Ashley, Jim, Brandon, and my friend from church Travis came! It is delightful to see smiling faces and hear encouraging statements from "fans" of yours. My goal was to finish under 54 minutes (9 minute miles) because of my lingering hip flexor injury, but I actually finished slightly over 51 minutes. Not too shabby. :)