Get By With A Little Help From My Friends...

Wow! It's been awhile since I posted... and I guess it's not the time period, but have been doing LOADS of training and actually have LOADS to talk about, but not too much time to blog. So, oops.

But, I will say, the thing that has kept me going and positive the last couple weeks are my friends and training partners - one in the same, if you ask me!

This is very different for me. I am a creature of habit and also a creature that does stuff, on my own time schedule, when it is convenient for me. I have SO MANY things in life that I love, that in order to "fit them all in", I have had to be this way. And at the top of the list of things is family. Yes, I have kids AND I train. Some find this selfish. I find it a balancing act, where if done right, both me, my husband and my kids get the benefit of a happier, healthier self/mom/wife.

To accomplish this, I have needed to be very, very scheduled over the years. Often, this includes early morning workouts by my home, just so that I can get them in and back home to see and help with the kids before school. Working at 4 a.m., so that I can then later take time away from my work day while my kids are in school to workout, etc. etc. AND this definitely includes getting my LONG workouts in over the workweek.

Taking that time away (like 5-8 hours/day) from my kids on the weekend, well, that is not a lifestyle I want to lead. And I don't. Not a lifestyle. But for 4 weeks, my husband (smartest, most supportive person I know) assured me that it would be ok. "Do what you have to do. Focus on your race and I will take care of the rest." And I love him SO much for it.

So the last couple weeks have been hard, but doable, and at times, dare I say "fun"? Yes. FUN!

Feeling a little cooky after the Boulder Sunrise on Saturday

 Unfortunately, I don't have more pictures to prove it, but I have been blessed with so many friends who have stepped up to meet me and get a good workout in. From my early, early morning runs with Todd, (yes, the man wants to meet at 5 or, gulp, earlier) to Beth and Nancy for mid-week climbing rides, and Tyler who just knows when I am about to break and meets me at the pool. Lest we not forget my RMTC peeps (Tim, Candice, Jen, Nina, Yon, Heather, Ty, Beth, the list goes on...) who have probably seen more of me in the last few weekends then probably all year. And, not to mention, for 5-8 hours at a time. (I thought Ross was the only one who could handle that much of me.)

So, there you have it. Three more weeks to go, and three weeks of unreal support and training from the friends and family. I couldn't be happier, and I couldn't have done it without everyone. This is AMAZING! and I think THIS is the best part of the training this time.