I am so proud of my best friend, Janene! She finished her first 10K yesterday and was 4th in her age division!!! She rocks! I am so proud of her! She has always been such a great example to me...and she never ceases to amaze me! I love you, J!!!!
Yesterday was the Legacy Parkway Tour. I have never ridden my bike that far or for that long all at the same time. My hindside is sore!! I have a new respect for those who do long distance bike riding. Holy cow! The ride was fun and for a good cause. I am seriously thinking that I want to get a road bike... Here is a fun picture of the "finishers"! 
After all the hype, after all the anticipation, after all of the training, the Share a Smile Triathlon 2008 is officially in the record books! We had an amazing turn out of family and friends! The pictures certainly say a lot, but do not tell the whole story. So I will supplement the pictures with the following narrative:
Wende:: The Giddy Up Girl:: Appearing in her first triathlon, she narrowly missed getting hit by a car on the bike portion of the race. Despite her near miss with a vehicle, she persevered and finished her first race with flying colors! After the race she commented that she will NEVER do another tri again. BUT, after returning to Omaha, she admitted that she may give a tri another go! You are a ROCKSTAR, Wendel! You inspire me and I LOVE YOU!
Dennis:: The Not So Missing Link:: The veteran triathlete beat his personal best in this race by SIX minutes! He grabbed my bum as he passed me on the bike course...somehow I wonder if that is not an illegal maneuver in a USAT sanctioned event... :) Believe it or not, this is the first race Den and I have competed in together! Here's to many more, Babe! I love you!
Tryon and Sally:: Gone in 60 Seconds:: This terrific tri team made their debut on the race scene at Share a Smile Tri and the tri world will never be the same!! With extremely fast transitions, this duo is a force to be reckoned with! It should be noted that Sally made it possible for Suz to participate by creating a relay team. What a champ!! AND, Tyron's parents were there to cheer the group on! That's right! We had fans from CANADA on the course cheering us on! Thanks for your support Jane and Merlin!!! We love you!
Zach:: Top Gun:: As always, a serious competitor whether he will admit it or not. I am not sure if he was REALLY worried that Wende had a chance to beat him, but he appeared to leave nothing to fate. He was in the water ahead of all of us and didn't look back. I loved getting passed by him on the bike course. He's always been a great cheerleader for any of us in anything we choose to do. Race day was no different. Thanks for your never ending support. I love ya, Bro.
Suz:: The Pedal Princess:: Pretty in Pink and our Pedal Princess, Suz took to the bike course like a woman on a mission. And, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. She did her relay team proud as she kicked some serious tail in her leg of the race. This mother of the two cutest boys on the planet has vowed to REGISTER EARLY for next years race and to do the whole thing! I am proud of you, Sis!
Josh and Melissa:: The Right Stuff:: I seriously think Josh rode up the hill on the bike course faster than I went DOWN the hill on the course. I could have sworn he was riding on air. It is obvious he has a talent for riding hills. Melissa was smiling when she passed me on the bike portion of the race and on the run. This tells me that either 1) She was really having a good time, or 2) She is a really good actress under a lot of physical strain and pressure. I like to believe that she was having a good time. Melissa and I swam a few times for training. It was great to have someone to chat with across the lane lines at the pool. I look forward racing with Josh and Melissa again! Y'all RULE!
Cheering us on:: Dad, Sherri, Maryanne and Geri, Kim and her CUTE girls, Natasha and Taylor, Jane and Merlin, Mom and Sharma...We could not have done this race without you! Your love and support did not go unnoticed. I felt like the most loved and luckiest racer on the course knowing you all were there either on the course or with us in spirit. You are the reason we TRI.
Last but not least, and yes I was the last of our group to cross the finish line...with a little help from my friend, Easton. I cut 11 minutes off my time from Vegas. And, the fact that I am MOST proud about...I passed someone on the bike course. I smiled for a mile!
I am not sure if I will do another tri this year. I think Zach, Suz, and Dennis and I will do the 20 mile Legacy Tour (a bike ride) on September 13. After that, we look to next year for the next race. Dennis may do the Turkey Trot Tri in November. More on that as race day gets closer. Until then, happy trails and happy training! May the sun shine on your face and you have a good wind at your back.
Love and hugs...H2
If you are sitting around the house on Saturday 26 July 2008, turn on your television around 12:30 pm MT.
