CB&I Tri and another great training day

I have been pretty busy of late. I apologizing for not keeping up on my posts and not getting to read others that I enjoy. My bad...

After two full days of training on the Pilates Reformer and the Barrel Arc I was a little mentally punked out, so I was extra happy to get up early and play Coach to my crew of 35 super TNT triathletes. This weekend was the CB&I Triathlon in The Woodlands, TX. Anyone who remembers the ill fated Tri One-0-One series will recall that the finals were to be held in The Woodlands. The Woodlands has a very active tri club and the CB&I triathlon is now in its 5th year and last year it was a qualifier for Nationals. It is a top notch race. I have never raced it because I have had to be "Coach" to my crew, and that is fine by me. I have usually been a volunteer on the run course or just stood out there with a cowbell and a camera and have had a lot of fun cheering on the other racers.


The weather was perfect and even when a freak front rolled through, all it did was kick up the wind to blow out the humidity and drop the temps a few degrees. The clouds were wicked looking, but no rain, no freak storms, no lightning, and then back to sunny skies. My job started in the parking lot as I helped Nikki, Heather, Jarntip, and Katie pump up their tires and attach their race numbers to their bikes because they did not know how to put it on the bike with the big over sized twist ties. I walked them over to the transition area and told them to go set up and then pick up their timing chips.


I found the rest of the crew as they waited for news if the swim was wetsuit legal. They guys had a laugh that they got assigned pink swim caps and the gals got orange. The swim got off with a bang and I was waiting at the swim exit with my camera ready to take pictures.
"Super Fast"

Luke was the first one out of the water but what shocked the C-R-A-P out of me was that "Super Fast" Terry was the second one in his wave start out of the water!!! I was so excited because he is always getting down on himself about his swim ability and how he hates the swim. Terry, you are not a bad swimmer!















Karen after her strong swim!

Reannon having a great time!


More and more of my gang came running up the boat ramp and in to T1. The bad news was that two lifeguards were dragging a male athlete into the boat ramp area and five people had to pull him up high enough on to the boat ramp to start CPR. There were still plenty of people coming out of the water. That must have been terrible to see and run by. The ambulance was trying to get in and athletes were dodging around it to get into transition. We found out later that the 51 year-old athlete died.

I moved up to the run course because I knew that the 12 mile bike would go fast and I wanted to see some of my peeps. I saw "Super Fast" Terry first and he was bitching about having a bad T2 and I yelled at him to let it go and just run. I saw more of my gang running by and smiling. I cheered on all these great looking men who were out there giving it their all. They were going beyond what many would consider sane and normal in behavior. I hoped that their families or friends were out there cheering them on as well. I hoped that they realized what a gift they had been given to be able to have the health and fitness to do this event. Some would give their right arm to be able to do what they were doing. Some unfortunately would die trying. Enjoy the event! Even if the worst happens, you still went out there and did something amazing.

Nahum having fun!


Dave, getting it done on the run!










So now I had to keep looking on the other side of the parkway to see the runners coming back to the finish line. I saw one of our other TNT coaches running it in as the first finisher! Trent is so fast it is scary. He is a tri-animal. However, he was not first overall, that accolade went to another athlete. Soon, I saw one of my TNT tri guys from last year come running in. Geoff went with me to Clearwater for the 70.3 World Championships. He was all decked out in his Zoot/Gu kit now that he is a sponsored athlete. And right behind him was "Super Fast"!!! Terry kept on looking over his shoulder like Norman Stadler did when he was looking for Maca at the end of the 2006 Hawaii Ironman. STOP LOOKING AND JUST FRICKING RUN!!! I was cutting it close on time to make it across town to my Pilates training, but I ran to the finish to see Terry and congratulate him. I saw a few more of the crew run it in and then I had to book it. Turns out that "Super Fast" won 3rd in his age group right behind Geoff and my MASTERS athlete John who is 73 won his age group because he was the only one in it!!! WHOO HOO!!! Way to go John!!! John is on the left in the picture below.


On Sunday we did a great 40 mile ride up in Chappell Hill, TX. The bluebonnets are all gone and other wild flowers have replaced them and in two weeks they will be all gone because it will be too hot. I brought along a secret treat for after the ride and when we finished I pulled out the watermelon that I had on ice in the back of my Honda Element. I think everyone really appreciated it. It was pretty much all gone except for one or two pieces that I took home and ate later that day. A few of us met up later for an open water swim at the scuba park. It is almost getting too warm for the wetsuits, but Town Lake/Lady Bird Lake is still chilly in Austin and the group needs the wetsuit practice.

After 7 miles of hills, we peeled off the layers and threw them in the SAG wagon.



I'm yukking it up in the photo because I got a new nickname..."Shorts McGee". If you have seen Anchorman, you get it.



After that fun training day, I went home and snarfed everything that could not run away from me and I sat on the sofa and watched Men In Black and Austin Powers. I got a wonderful 10 hours of glorious sleep and obviously was out like a rock because the back tube on my bike popped and scared the C-R-A-P out of my husband and I never heard it. He was sitting in the next room when it happened and I have to change it and find out what happened. Kinda strange because they are Gatorskin tires and they have Tuffy liners in them. I will investigate that tomorrow. Right now I have to go get a report for work done.

Hope you had a great weekend as well!

Lator Gators,

Liz