We came, we TRI'd, we kicked some ASPHALT!

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

It's the Final Countdown!

Hey Racers! We are getting really close to the XTERRA and Share a Smile triathlons!! Are you excited? I AM!!! I am going to send out a "ride the course" date for the week of August 18th for the Share a Smile race. Right now I am thinking it will be the evening of August 19th. For those of you that want to ride the course, keep looking at this blog for updates and details. From the race director, the "hill" in the course was descibed like this: "Good question. I am not a biker, so I think it is a little steep but not too long. My boss is a biker and thinks its no big deal. Does that help? Its not too bad or I would never have agreed to change the course, I am a whimp!"

In another matter...The image of the kokopelli for the race shirts we have ordered was not at a high enough resolution to use for our "team" race shirts. Therefore, I had to switch up the design a bit. The shirts you ordered will now have the design you see above. Sorry for the change. I hope you like this one. (If you will bring your money for the shirts you ordered to the race, I would appreciate it!!! My credit card has already been charged for the order!)

Happy training and I will see you all soon!!!

Iron Girl Las Vegas

If you are sitting around the house on Saturday 26 July 2008, turn on your television around 12:30 pm MT.

UNITED We TRI

We are getting close to race day for the Share a Smile Triathlon! Only four weeks until we should all start our tapers for race week! Are you getting your miles in on your bike? Are you getting your laps done in the pool? Are you getting the minutes in running around town? I know summer months are cRaZy months for trying to get workouts in! So keep up the good work! You will love the feeling you will have after you cross the finish line on August 23rd! Just a reminder: We are putting an order together for race shirts for our "tri crew" for this race. The logo is above. If you'd like a shirt, let me know ASAP. We need to order soon. Again, $15 for a t-shirt, $20 for a tech shirt. We will all look so cool in our shirts! Good luck in the remaining weeks of training! Let me know about shirts! Even if you are not racing with us this time, if you think you might want to race with us in the future, get a shirt! Or, if you just want to support the UNITED We TRI crew, get a shirt! And you can look cool, too! You know the line from the movie "Grease"..."If you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter!" Ciao for now!

Go Green or Go Home

Gas prices are at an ALL time high and show no sign of slowing down. I thought about buying a scooter to ride here, there and everywhere, but decided that I should save my money. Instead, I have decided to bike to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Yes, I am crazy. But, this accomplishes two things. 1) I am getting my workout in for the day. 2) I am saving money. So, please drive super safe on Tuesdays and Thursdays...and be nice to other bikers on the road EVERYDAY!

Lost in a Parking Lot

I left this afternoon for a walk with my work-walk-buddy, Laura. We decided to do the Jordan Parkway route and enjoy a stroll by the river. We decided when heading back that we were going to see if we could find a short cut through the parking lot of an apartment complex. I had to draw the line at climbing a fence. We finally made it back to work...sweaty, hot, and winded. I am so out of shape. I have got to up the intensity, frequency, and duration of my workouts. XTERRA knocks at the door...

Sharma and I have been designing a t-shirt for the race in August. Looks like we have come up with a winner. If you only knew how many versions of this design there were...Wow. Hats off to graphic designers. There are folks traveling from many different lands to compete in the Share a Smile Tri. A large group of us from UTah, Sharma from IDaho, and Wende from NEbraska. I took the abbreviations for each state and came up with UNITED. Thus: UNITED WE TRI.

If you'd like a shirt, let me know by 18 July 2008. Cost is $15 for a t-shirt, $20 for a tech shirt. Design is below! Will someone turn the AC on?

Let The Games Begin!!!

With the Olympics just around the corner, and warmer weather knocking dangerously on Utah's door, I am very excited to start training in earnest for triathlon events this summer! Dennis and I did not do the Shark Attack tri last weekend. He has a stress fracture and my knees are just barely getting "better" after our trip to Japan. (I know I need to have my knees scoped and cleaned up...but I am procrastinating.) Zach and Tyron and I are doing the XTERRA Mountain Championship in Ogden in August. We are doing this race as a relay. I will swim, Zach will mountain bike, and Tyron will do the trail run. Zach has done this race in the past and says it is a BLAST! I am looking forward to it. The FOLLOWING week, many friends and family (Wende and Sharma are coming!) are gathering to do the Share a Smile Triathlon in Orem. If you will remember, this was the FIRST race I did last year. So keep the following dates on your calendar :: Saturday 16 August 2008 :: XTERRA MOUNTAIN CHAMPIONSHIP and Saturday 23 August 2008 :: Share a Smile Triathlon. See you all at the races!