Soaring...

A wonderful person sent me a message the other day and made a comment about this photo..she wrote "So fun to see your spirit soar...just like in your profile picture"...that comment made me smile and think about how far I have come. It hasn't been the easiest route and life sure has been challenging...but it is that way for everyone and I think the struggles and stress that we all go through makes happiness that much sweeter. Life isn't always kind and you can never control what is going to come next but I have gotten to the point that I am surrounded and loved by positive, great people and I know that I can handle anything.

I am almost back to normal after getting the wisdom teeth pulled...I am still having a lot of discomfort in the mouth but I am slowly getting back to eating the things that I love...although I paid the price for eating those Snyder's of Hanover pretzel pieces...but they are SO good and SV was enjoying them...it was worth the intense jaw pain!

We had our last TT of the summer this week...I have missed the last few because of studying and getting the teeth pulled, but was glad to be able to do the last one...we had the option of 23.6 or 30km and SV encouraged me to do the 30km...it was a windy night and cool but I felt pretty good, legs felt strong... the top 4 ladies were within 20 seconds of each other so that made it pretty exciting for the volunteers who organize it. I want to just say how impressed I am with Wanda and Greg..they put so much time and energy into putting these on for us (with support from the local Bike Shops!) they were awesome with the timing and encouragement and they made it fun! You guys rock!! Thanks so much and I look forward to the series next summer (I will try to do more than 4!) after the TT we all headed to BP on the wharf and had a great wrap up celebration.

We also had our last group swim out at MD's place...a great night to swim out on Lake Rosseau..SV and I did 3.2km and then enjoyed some yummy dinner with the group. I am feeling good in the water and SV is swimming strong!

All these "last" events is making me wonder where the summer went...hard to believe it is almost time for it to come to an end...but we have a few more weeks and I know I will enjoy them!

Soggy and Swollen...

Rain, Rain and more Rain...that is what greeted me on Sunday morning, normally for a Sunday morning this would be an excuse to sleep in, however this Sunday morning I had made the mistake of putting the idea of doing a triathlon relay on the table...the reason this was a mistake was that I mentioned this idea to 2 very hard core ladies that jumped at it, the other reason this was a mistake was that I said I would do the half marathon portion of the race....normally not an issue for me since I tend to like the long stuff, but this year I have fully embraced the short distance training and have not run farther than 15km in over 10 months....ok not a problem, it's a relay and we will have some fun, 3 ladies going out and enjoying a nice Sunday (I also talked SV into coming and doing the swim/bike race that they had).

The Bracebridge half is a great course... the swim is in the river and Beth did a great job out there... the bike course is challenging and MD tore it up, she knows those roads and did a great job, all while on her road bike! I have ridden the run course many times and figured that the hills would be challenging but it would be a good training day...unfortunately it started to pour and continued to pour the entire time I was out running...this was a very challenging run for me...starting fresh while other people are 2/3 through their day...I enjoy doing the run portion of a relay because you always feel fast passing everyone, but this race was challenging...some big hills and the non-stop rain made it tough. I focused on picking off the runners in front of me and trying to catch as many as I could...in the end I passed 26 athletes and was only passed by 2..I loved seeing old friends and new ones out there splashing in the puddles. I crossed the line and was happy with my run, it wasn't a really fast time but I will take it for a training run on a tough course...my feet were soggy and covered in blisters and I was cold when I finished, but it was great having my girlies there cheering for me (and making sure I got some pizza at the finish line!!) SV had a good day too, placing first in the swim/bike race!

Monday was a little different...had the 4 wisdom teeth taken out...I was pretty nervous about it..not a fan of needles and drills and tools and pain, lol...yep I'm a wuss...the Dr. was great and I didn't feel a thing :)....don't even really remember the drive home (SV was driving sillies!)...I'm doing pretty good, I am swollen...SV is calling me his puffer fish...

I have some pain..it hurts to smile and laugh..and I am missing food something fierce...I had 4 perogies tonight (it took me a good 30-40 minutes to eat them, but hey it wasn't soup or eggs so I am thrilled!), I am getting better...no bruising yet and the stitches are starting to loosen (feel them at the back of my tongue, such a great feeling!!) soon I will be able to open my mouth wide enough and chew so that I can get back to eating burgers and popcorn and sandwiches and cashews and carrots and pizza and steak and sushi and corn on the cob and strawberries and chicken and apple crumble...... I have only had one food related melt down and I am craving everything right now...what should my first meal be?? I am going to start planning!!

On top of all this I am in the midst of finals...3 are down...3 to go...it has been a crazy few weeks with school but I am doing well and the light at the end of the tunnel is near. I am feeling good about the finals I have coming up and did really well on the ones I wrote this week...pain meds and all!

Looking forward to the next few days and getting back to eating!!

a few more things

wow...it's August already, can't believe how the summer is flying...been so busy lately seems like there are not enough hours in the day but I do the best I can. School is insane right now...exam after exam and finals aren't even here yet, lol, but it is all good. I like the material we are covering and being able to put it all together, a few more weeks and I will be onto semester 3, crazy to think about but it is going fast!

SV and I did the Bala race the weekend after Gravenhurst...we didn't go into this race very well prepared, we had a busy week with more time spent doing anything but training, but that is life and SV came down with a chest/head cold a few days before the race but we decided what the heck, we had a friend doing the race and I had never done this one before and SV has done it every year except for 2 years since the race started 15 years ago. It ended up being a good race for both of us. I came out of the water in 2nd place and ended up being the first person out of transition...my first time being led out by the lead vehicle...very fun..lol. I stayed in the front for the first 10km, but then I felt the butt pat and off went SV blazing up the bike course. It is a challenging bike course in Bala...always climbing a hill it seems, but they are the kind of hills I like and I really enjoyed the ride...I managed to stay in 2nd on the bike for the rest of the ride, but SV was so far ahead of me I knew I wouldn't be catching him this time. The run was a tough one again some pretty tough hills and thankfully it wasn't as hot as the weekend before in Gravenhurst. I finished this race in 6th place...first woman overall. I was happy with how I did and the body was sore.

I also caught SV cold which is annoying..a summer cold is never fun..I also broke out in hives again...that is the second time...but interestingly the outbreak again happened after a stressful day of drama...I see a pattern here...hopefully this will be one of the last times I get hives but if not at least I know the cause now! And the third crummy annoyance this week was my wisdom teeth began causing me problems...in the past I have been able to ignore and avoid the dentist...I love my teeth and I take good care of them but this week I had to admit that they give me pain and after seeing extractor Andy...well these suckers have got to come out...it will happen in the next little bit..not thrilled about it (I passed out when my sister had hers pulled, lol) but I know that I can't live with the pain I have been in this week...I will let you know how it goes!

A year ago this weekend I did UMC...and man am I glad that I am not out there this year...not sure how I was able to do such an epic adventure and for now I am happy to look back at all the great memories from that race....it looks like they are having a great weekend out there for the race, my swim course record was broken (Great Job Tracy!!) and to be honest I had said if my record was broken I would consider doing UMC again....but I made a promise to SV and to myself and I am comfortable with that promise....shorter pursuits are fitting me and life and family so much better right now....plus it leaves plenty of time for the "pants" war that SV and I have taken too....currently tied at 1-1!!