Hi Everyone!

Finally made it back here again! What's everyone up to this fine long (for some) weekend?

Thor is off to the Grand Canyon for the rim to rim run

Terry and Brian are running the Chicago Marathon on Sunday.

I can't wait to hear about their epic adventures.

Today is KONA! The live feed should start at 1pm EST. 13 of my Team Endurance Nation peeps have qualified including 2 from NH - Tim Cronk from Laconia and Bridget Pichette from Hudson. (Tim qualified 4x in the past 17 months which is just ridiculous.)

I'm feeling like a slacker today. My parents are coming to visit and are taking us to our favorite restaurant for dinner. I've been consistently running since the start of the month and feeling pretty good.

How is everyone else doing?

Cold, windy and miserable 112 mile ride with Billy and Suzanne, followed by a 1 mile run. Last monster ride before Florida. Ride time was 6:01:08, and the slowest I've ever done for that distance, even in training. The cold temps made it brutal from start until about 90 miles in. By then, the wind was picking up a lot, so this was a character builder for all of us.

Have a great Saturday!

X - way to get it done, character building for sure.
Welcome back ksurp!

7.5 miles on the treadmill, supposed to be 8-15k tune up race, so just went hard for 6 miles and called it good. Better weather in store for my long run tomorrow.

X: Way to get it done! Those sucky days are what make you badass
Beth: Nice job! Any run longer than 3 miles on the treadmill is a test

Best of luck to MQ and Brian tomorrow! Can't wait to hear about Thor too!

7 mile run. Felt great

X- way to get it done BADASS! I had a 3 hour ride last winter that was in nasty rain and wind and it was brutal! I can't imagine going 112!

Ksurp! Yay, you're back!

Thor- been thinking about you today! Just keep moving forward!

Yosh- thanks for the reminder to be in the present! It was just what I needed to hear!!!

Julie- keep it up, that 100 miles is gonna be yours!

MQ and Brian- good luck tomorrow! Have some fun too!!!

As for me, I went to the gym after pumpkin hunting and zombie watching. I just want to tell parents of little kids- hang in there and have fun!
Anyhoo- the gym... Did a 20 minute warmup rowing then 40 minutes of weights (upper, lower and core) then hit the pool for 30 minutes of technique and drills.
Don't know what the **** I was thinking of when I decided to get into the pool after a 3 month hiatus and that king of workout prior. O_M_Geeeee!!!!!!!!
Then I took Rex for a walk so that he wouldn't give me that look! Phew, I'm done today!
Tomorrow I have an hour run and a couch with a football game calling my name!

Who else wishes we could track Thor?! I've been checking Kona here and there - wishing that Rinny could run down first place, but I think she is going to run out of real estate. Spent the morning at a cider mill with DH and the littles. Blisters on my fingers and toes are starting to heal; not allowed to run until they are gone...

Good luck to MQ and her hubby tomorrow!!!

Ksurp - good to see you here! Enjoy your off season!
X - way to tough it out! Yeah Nov IM is tough to train for us up here.
Julie - nice run!
Beth - way to go on TM! I do recall those 10k race/long run weekend were challenging but rewarding'
TT - you are at full speed enjoying all kinds of stuff!
Sparty - how r u feeling?

I'm thinking of the Thor's running. Does anybody know his many hrs he was expecting to take to complete this crazy run? From planning purpose (not so much from performance/result perspective) he had to have some ideas... Because there are no places to get food. Maybe water at the phantom ranch at the bottom. I can't wait to hear about his run. DH and I hiked down/up, just once plus with a sleep in the middle!
MQ - good luck! (Is Brian her DH?)

2:15 single track with DH. He coached from behind how to ride, which was great. I'm sure having gone for 12 days made this more tolerable! LOL.

DS PRed at today's meet. 18:48. Just several seconds but tougher course. The fact he squeezed himself into 12th spot (small school Div) tells his improvements. One more meet and then regional. Woohoo!

MQ& Brian, good luck & good weather I hope!
TASM-you were right about Nytro of course, did I have to go to every other less than helpful store in town first?? are you getting any walking in??
Sparty keep healing
YoSake welcome home
Thor...it gets super dark in the canyon at night so I'm thinking of you in the dark, there are a couple of water spouts along the south rim that "may" be on this time of year so that's where he'd get water. The phantom ranch may have candy bars and limited food but I'm sure they are carrying it with them. One of the hard things for my RtoR group (who went the first week of nov some years ago) was that it was snowing at the top and very hot at the bottom but you can't bring a lot of clothes with you and its hard to drink enough.


Me a swell filled lumpy bumpy 2 mile ow swim in which we felt we were always going uphill and never getting anywhere followed by a few more test rides of @ 12 miles with HILLs. Tomorrow I hope to do much the same but more riding (on my bike)

MQ and her hubby look like they are doing great thru 20k and 25k respectively!

Can't wait for the MQ and Thor RR!

11.5 mile long run. October 12th 41/100. 59 to go!

16 mile run this morning. Legs were tired at the start, but still moved fairly well and my pace wasn't too bad. Stayed in Z2/Z3 until the last mile. All the really long stuff is out of the way now.

Have a great day!

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Good job, Julie!
X - taper around the corner?! Woohoo!

2hrs on Mtb again. Rode to Tree Farm (single track) where "Forage at the Farm" was held - fantastic breakfast esp bacons! Was hoping to meet up with some GIRLBIKERS who were also riding in from their homes but they were later than planned so I missed them. I had to give DD a ride for a concert rehearsal. Walked 45min under beautiful sky while she was at it.

Thor - way to go!
X - awesome job sticking out a tough ride.

For me, I spent most of Saturday watching the Kona live coverage. I have been struggling with motivation lately. This was the kick in the pants that I needed. One of the ladies from my tri group won her AG (25-29). She did her first IM in Texas and won her AG. First time at Kona and she won her AG there. Totally in awe!

On Sunday, I had trainer ride. Not quite ready to open the pain cave full time. I am hoping for a few more outside rides this year!