2014- A Year In Review (What were we thinking?)

February- Sweetheart Run!

When the planning for 2014 was under way in late 2013 I don't think Patrick or I thought it would turn out the way it did.  Of course the year started rough for me; walking around in a boot was not my idea of a good start to the year. I missed the first run of the year, but got a great experience via volunteering to stand out in a horrible storm at the half marathon turn around point.  Then near mid year Patrick faced a rough spot with foot pain and a crash during an event, giving him a cracked rib.  His healing was slow and his motivation shaken by these events.  The year pressed on and with our first Ironman experience in the books, the reflection of the year shows a positive journey.

PBR- 1/2 Marathon- January

Take a look back with us: 

Calloway Gardens- August

    45 Events

                                                       11 of these were Triathlon events. 

MPI Sunset tri- August

2 Super Sprints Distances.
3 Sprint Distances. 
2 Olympic Distances.
3 Half Iron Distances.
1 Ironman Distance
For the first time we also completed a stair climbing event for charity- holy cow that was a tough day. 
This year we participated in a number of new (to us) races.  We also traveled farther this year to race than in previous years. 

269 Running Miles

This year we also made changes to our gear.  
Patrick swapped form cotton shorts to actual running shorts.  

Red Hills- April

March- McGuire's Run

I swapped types of running shorts to a double layer system.  
Patrick also started running topless more, I know scandalous!  
I made the change to Brooks as my running shoe of choice.  
Patrick decided on New Balance shoes, trail runners even for non trail running. 

Freedom Run- July

Double Bridge- February

We were joined by family at many races this year, on and off the course. 

427 Biking Miles

We learned more about our bikes and biking skills this year. 

Chattahoochee Challenge- May

SRI TRI- October

Push and Pull and Push and Pull.  
I swapped out biking seats this year for my tri bike.  I love my new seat. 
Patrick got a new seat too and it has been a love/hate process of getting to know each other. 
We biked our first 100 miles "fun" bike ride, meaning not for an event.  
We learned how great Smuckers Uncrustables are on long bike rides.  
Also Peanut M&M's are amazing motivators for mile treats.  
We learned that hills in Florida are different than hills in Alabama, Georgia, or Tennessee.  
 

Bridge Swims- May

Marineland- June

13 Swimming Miles

In 2014 we swam in the Atlantic Ocean as a part of an Olympic Tri, it was rough and murky that day not the most pleasant swim.
I completed my second year of the 25K swim (not added in total), this year being the first female and second over all finisher.  The next day I raced the 5K swim. 
Patrick finished the 10K swim, even avoiding getting run over by a barge.  He got to swim with dolphins this day too.

Gobble Grind- November

Make It To The Line- December

Through it all one thing remained.  

   We did it together. 

I would never be able to even imagine this journey without my love being there step by step.  He was my healer, my running partner, my encourager, my support, my laughter, my grace; he is what made this possible.  Thank you my love for being there through this year and many more.

A Year in the BEARD!!!

Many of you may have noticed that Patrick sports a full beard.  In the sport of triathlon it is rare to see beards; in fact, it is my number one way of find Patrick in crowds of other athletes or in the mass of photos. This year Patrick's beard was a training beard for IMCHOO.  It has lived on now as his Linus blanket for the purpose of racing, a comfort and reminder of his determination to complete this challenge. 
To fully appreciate and respect the beard you have to see the growth and development over the past year.

January 2014

January started with a little fuzz already growing, but it was cold out.  At this point IMCHOO was on the books to be fought in nine months.  Patrick had proclaimed that he would officially grow a training beard.

February 2014

By February racing the beard was starting to fill out.  I think this photo was taken after a trimming had occurred.  By this point the beard acts as a protection from the cold, but can also cause some dry skin and therefore has to be conditioned regularly.  especially if we are in the pool frequently.

March 2014

March meant more bike training and figuring out how to get the beard as aero as possible.  Even 60 miles into a 100 mile ride the beard was looking good.

April 2014

April was about half way till IMCHOO.  There were times that the beard had to be tamed.  Once the mustache portion of the beard grows too long it causing problems in the swim and if the cheek portions are not kept under control it causes Patrick's goggles to be ill-fitting.

May 2014

July 2014

In May the beard begins to bleach some from the sun.  It turns a little blonde this time of year.  As you can see the lighting of the color does not change the thickness of the beard.  While in winter the beard needs a little extra conditioning the spring changes nothing.  Since the weather is getting hot it is necessary for good beard washing and upkeep.  

June 2014

As summer approaches the beard can sometimes cause an increase in body heating; so it is important to train in to a summer beard and to stay hydrated.
As you can see in July the beard begins to come into its own.  It is full and requires combing and proper post eating food checks in order for it to stay maintained.

August 2014

September 2014

The August beard can appear light and fluffy.  But this still takes work.  Patrick was debating int he summer about shaving his beard but it had come so far he just could not let it go at this point.
 The September beard needed a little trim before IMCHOO; it was holding a bit too much water.

The IMCHOO Beard 2014

In September the IMCHO beard was final.  It was fluffy, it was soft, it was full!!!!  while IMCHOO did not go as Patrick had planned his beard did help him to stand out in the crowd of people making him easy for our friends and family to spot. The beard would continue on beyond IMCHOO since again it was a comfort at this point.

October 2014

The October beard is also known as the Lebowski.  This year it double as a Thor beard too.  The October beard closes out tri season and is a representation of a lot of hard work.

November 2014

Oh yes the November beard.  This year the November beard was very much needed as we had a cold weather 13.1 in Kansas City.  The beard helped to filter the cold air and keep Patrick's face a steady warm temperature.

December 2014

To close out the 2014 year there is the December beard. The December beard is a let it all loose kind of beard.  Since water training was not high this December it was easy to let the beard just grow free.
Since this photo Patrick has trimmed up the beard as he prepares for the 2015 year of running.  This year is sure to be epic and I expect that the phases of the beard will not disappoint.   
        

It all started with an OLLIE

That's Ollie in the upper left corner.

Many of us look back and can pinpoint in our lives when things changed and made us who we are today.  Looking back I now know that my triathlon training really started way earlier than 2010.  It all started with OLLIE.  Ollie was a ride on toy I had as a child.  According to my parents I loved my Ollie and would push myself around for hours of play outside.  As I grew Ollie was replaced with a red trike.  This was my first racing bike.  My brother and I would race each other down our steep and slightly curved front walk.  I still remember the idea of "pedal pedal pedal...... HOLD ON!!!"  I think this is where I learned to crash and get back up, back then it was fun and a badge of honor to have a "boo-boo".  After the trike I went on to a bike with training wheels, I think it was pink (my mother was still trying to make a girl out of me). I do remember it had tassels on the handlebars, this meant I was going fast because tassels only blew in the wind at top speeds.  It also had a basket on the front; teaching me the importance refueling on the bike- I could put a drink, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and a stuffed toy all in one basket.  Tools to change a flat were not of importance- that's what dad's were for.  After the tasseled bike came what would be my favorite childhood bike- my purple huffy.  This bike was fast, it could go off road, I could hop dirt hills and sidewalk gutters.  The Huffy was not a "baby" bike. In fact when you put playing cards in the spokes or an aluminum can at the top brake it was an Evil Kneival machine, crossed with a ticket to freedom.  I loved this bike but as I grew it did not, meaning a new bike was in my future. 

Mountain Trek, Years after HS.

For high school graduation my parents bought me a Trek Mountain bike.  This would be my college bike.  I didn't notice on the streets of Charlotte it was slow and tough to push, what I knew was it got me to the grocery store, the homes where I was a nanny, and through the town.  I also realized when taken to the nearby mountains it got me up the hills and back down alive. It also got me across much of the state in a 150 mile bike ride (oh the days before I knew about the need for a road bike).  I still ride my Trek and love spending time with her on trails.  To ride this bike reminds me it does not have to be the newest bike with the most gadgets to be a great bike, great bikes are made in our hearts and in our free spirit those bikes bring to life.
It would be some time before my next bike purchase.  It was not until Patrick and I decided to try out triathlon that I bought my next bike.  It was another Trek, I figured I loved the one I already had, it was a hybrid bike.  I enjoyed this bike, even though it was not a great match for my sizing but it was for my check book at the time of purchase.  As with many triathletes, we started off with a "let's-try-it-and-see-if-we-are-going-to-stick-with-it" bikes.  My bike was nothing special compared to the other ones around, but it was mine and I was learning.  This bike served its purpose in introducing me to the sport and in making me realize how much I enjoyed biking.  Well, most of biking, hills were still not on my top ten list.

The Orange one is Allie.

That's Luci.

I upgraded to my Specialized tri bike, it was a great find, it fit well and, bonus, was a great price.  It was this bike, Luci, that made me LOVE the sport of triathlon.  I enjoyed being out on the bike, down in the areo position, the wind really blowing in my hair (through my helmet).  I would soon also sell my hybrid Trek and purchase a new road bike, another Specialized, Allie. 
Allie and Luci are the bikes I still ride and love today. But I look back on my list of bikes and it all started there in the lawn with Ollie.
Life happens and we grow.  We grow out of our old bikes and into new ones, but it is in those first pushes and pedals that we learn the joy of the sport. Those moments, moments of joy, we should hold on to through long bike rides, bad weather, and right up to the dismount line.