Du-Tri (Do Try)

Rewind to June with me. Do you remember anything special about June?

We remember nightly flash flood text alerts, tornado sirens, and constant rain. For two straight weeks, Texas was saturated with rain. We had a brief reprieve, but then Flooding, Part II arrived to seal the deal.

We Floridians are accustomed to rain -- but generally the type that comes at 4PM every summer afternoon and leaves just as quickly as it arrived. The regularity of Florida rain at least makes it easy to plan.

All the best laid plans of race directors here were being thwarted left and right. We didn't let the rain get the best of our training plan, though! We did have to turn around during one ride, however, because the trail was submerged in water. Skinny tires are not made for off-roading adventures.

Mid mud ride

Needless to say, if the sun was out...we were out!

Three days before our scheduled sprint triathlon, we were notified that the lake swim portion of the event was cancelled and that the race was converted into a duathlon. All the flooding had caused a sewage spill in the lake.

Pre-race in front of the water we were NOT swimming in! It was stinky!

This was a triathlon festival put on by PlayTri, so there were three different events: Olympic, Sprint, and Super-Sprint. We still started in "waves" with men or women in our age divisions.

Ty and I participated in the Sprint, which was originally intended to be 500 meters of swimming, 14 miles of biking (two loops on the course), and a 5K (two loops on the course). The swimming was replaced by 1 loop of the run course, so our race shaped up to look like this:

1.55-mile run - 14 mile bike - 5K run

This seemed a fair trade-off to us, but running is after all our most competitive event. In hindsight, though, I think it was fair to my overall time, as my 1.55-mile run time was comparable to my anticipated swim time.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Rewind to the night before the race.

If you know anything about the sport of triathlon, then you know just how much gear is involved. The fact that the swim was cancelled greatly reduced the packing list.

Our duathlon list looked something like this...

Pre-race: race tats, protein bar, energy chews, tri shorts, jerseys, running shoes, race belt

Transition 1: bike shoes, helmet, water bottle, bike

Transition 2: energy gel, hat, running shoes

We spent the whole night before gathering our gear, putting race numbers on everything (ourselves, our helmets, our bikes, our race belts, etc, etc.), and rehearsing our transitions.

Transitions count toward your overall race time, so there is a lot of strategy to placement, order, and preparation. There's also some advantage/disadvantage to where you are within the transition area. Based on your bib number, you are assigned a general rack with a range (1-50, for example). The specific spots on that rack are first-come-first-serve. Ty's rack and my rack were on opposite sides of the transition area, and we both agreed I got the short end of that stick. My bike was the furthest possible rack from the run in/bike out entrance/exit. This means I had to spend more time in bike shoes and with my bike. You are not allowed to mount your bike until out of the transition area and past the mount line. When you return from the bike course, you must also dismount before you reach this same line, or you are automatically disqualified. In other words, there is no riding allowed inside the transition area. My rack was at the bottom of a little hill, which also complicates running in bike shoes.

The men started first, but I saw Ty returning from the first run just as my age group was lining up to begin. He entered the transition area second of all the men 25-29. As we were discussing our strategies for this new "du" format, we both agreed we had to play to our strength: running. In a 1.55 mile run, you don't really have time to pace yourself. It's basically a full-on sprint, except followed by 14 miles on a bike and a 5K. This meant we had to run as fast as possible without red-lining.

It just so happened that I was also second into my transition area. There were three girls, myself included, who were closely spaced on that initial run.

When it came to the bike course, Ty and I had such similar experiences. We had great times based on our training, but we just couldn't keep up with the competition. It was a hilly course, and I was averaging nearly 18 mph the entire time. I definitely have room for improvement as a cyclist, but it's a bit discouraging when you realize that the bike that's blowing past you is a minimum of $5K, and probably closer to $8K. No joke.

Like I said, gear is a big deal in this sport.

Since the bike course was two loops for the sprint (three for the Olympic), it became impossible to keep track of your competition on the course. Because the Olympic racers had started first, they had flooded the bike course by the time the Sprint racers arrived. I never saw the girl ahead of me again, but I also didn't think I was passed by anyone in my AG. I seriously had no idea how I was doing. I think this actually pushed me and helped my overall time.

I saw Ty twice on the bike course, but he was too focused to notice me. :)

On the bike in, I decided to try something different to shave off some T2 time and compensate for my lousy rack placement. Instead of running in my bike shoes through the transition and back to the rack, I decided to take my feet out of the shoes while approaching dismount, leave the shoes clipped in, and run the transition in my socks. It was a great idea -- and one lots of racers do-- but I hadn't rehearsed this in several years....Let's just say the dismount line came faster than anticipated, and I had to jump ship in my socks to avoid disqualification. And in the process I may have almost crashed and looked a little less than professional. Ahem.

At the run out, I grabbed my energy gel and took off. I was surprised by my fatigue, but I had a lot of adrenaline. It's actually quite difficult to run slowly after biking for so long. You feel like you are crawling, but in reality your pace is significantly speedier than what you feel. This is why brick workouts are important; they help you get used to the transitions between events.

The run was HOT, not at all scenic, and entirely crowded with Olympic and Sprint racers. It was after 9AM at this point, and the sun was beating down so hard. Thankfully there were lots of water stations. As I was starting out on the run, Ty and I made eye contact on the course. He was making his last turn and heading into the finish, while I was only finishing my first loop. When he saw me, he hollered nice and loudly, "That's my girl!" Can you say adrenaline boost? That gave me the energy I needed to finish strong.

Ty was there to cheer me on as I crossed the finish line, and that was magical! My overall feeling was one of teamwork! Even though we had two separate races, I felt so proud of what we had accomplished together. I would have bailed on so many swim (moot point) and bike sessions if it hadn't been for my training buddy!

It was a fantastic race experience, but I have to say that I was slightly blindsided by the effort required to maintain a competitive pace throughout. As a runner, I can compare this to the effort I would put forth in a 5K, but in this case for an hour and twenty-five minutes! It felt nothing like the effort put forth in long-distance running, in which you have time to pace yourself and get into a groove. Each event was relatively short, thus the "sprint" nature of the race. But there is also an endurance component, because this "sprinting" must be maintained for a good chunk of time. I think I would actually prefer the longer triathlons, because I am stronger at endurance.

So are you ready for the stats? This is one of our favorite things about the sport of triathlon. There are so many ways to improve your time, because there are so many timed things!

Jess:
Total time: 1:25:01
Run 1: 11:34 (7:28/mi)
T1: 0:52
Bike: 47:42 (17.6 mph)
T2: 1:09
Run 2: 23:42 (7:36/mi)

Overall place: 65 out of 225
Gender place: 16 out of 93
Division place (Females 25-29): 2

Ty:
Total time: 1:21:11
Run 1: 11:07 (7:10/mi)
T1: 0:44
Bike: 44:49 (18.7 mph)
T2: 0:46
Run 2: 23:43 (7:36/mi)

Overall place: 35 out of 225
Gender place: 30 out of 132
Division place (Males 25-29): 3 out of 25

We were both so surprised when we saw we had placed! In addition to these little hanging plaques, we both also got a pair of 2XU compression sleeves. Now I have an orange and green pair! Woot! I'm all about those practical prizes.

Seriously, though, this was one of the most enjoyable things we have ever done together. It was Team Welsh all the way, and I loved just knowing my racing buddy was on the course, facing the same obstacles, and cheering me on. Writing and remembering makes me think it's time for another tri soon. Maybe one with a swim? :)

See! I told you he was cheering me on! :)

Anniversary No. 3

Our wedding anniversary is finally starting to feel like a recurring important event. For the first two years of marriage, July 13 didn't feel nearly as special as June 21 (our dating anniversary). We'd had a lot more experience celebrating in June.

But after three years of recognition, July 13 is becoming one of my favorite days.

With all our upcoming travels, we decided to keep the celebrations low-key this year. Since the actual day was on a Monday, we kicked off the partying Saturday. Our gifts to each other were the kinds that mean nothing to other people and everything to us.

Ty's gift to me: run 9 miles with me on my 18-miler before working all day in the heat.

Seriously the best gift ever!

And such a handsome running partner!

My gift to Ty: go to the mall and pick out a new dress for dinner

The Kelly-and-Erin-approved winner

It also turned out that I had scheduled a hair cut, so I got extra spiffied-up!

New clothes and new hairs -- Woah! Let's not get too crazy!

I booked reservations at an Italian restaurant a few blocks from us. It's a neighborhood hit, and the road is frequently blocked by the valet parking action. They serve gluten free penne pasta, and when I spoke with them on the phone they were most obliging! Bonus: live jazz!

Our reservations were for 7:30, and needless to say -- we were starving! Did I mention Ty had run 9 miles that morning and I had run 18?! As soon as we arrived, we placed an order for an appetizer and drinks, and then they surprised us with complimentary champagne!

Brie platter!

I ordered a house salad and Ty order a Caesar -- both spectacular!

Ty ordered a pork and red sauce dish, which he raved about.

Ty with pasta = happy Ty

Per the waiter's recommendation, I ordered a chicken pesto cream sauce over GF penne pasta. Hands down, the best pasta I've ever had. Unlike Ty, I don't prefer Italian food, but I couldn't help but sing the praises of this dish!

My biggest regret is that we were too full to order dessert. I guess we'll just have to go back (oh, darn!). With full bellies, we hit the road and went for a short drive. We ended our romantic date with a lovely view of our city.

Monday came around, and it was a long day of work for both of us. We simply kicked back, opened a bottle of champagne, popped some corn, and watched Fun with Dick and Jane. And laughed our hearts out.

I loved this anniversary, because it was local and totally unique to us. Three years ago Tyler didn't even run a single mile, and I wouldn't have dreamed of setting aside practice and my never-ending to-do list for a day in the fitting room and salon. :) We've changed each other, and we're growing together. This is what I love.

Vacation Preview

This is not one of those posts where I recap the preceding months of silence and detail my summer saga. For my own memory's sake, I shall simply bullet notable summer occurrences and hopefully return to write a proper post on each at a later date. (Update: I'll add links as I go!)

After completing my first year of grad school...

1. I visited Florida for a week in May, gave a recital with my classmate, Mary Anna, and showed off my hometown (i.e. Wekiva Springs, Tijuana Flats, Anna Maria Island, and Disney!) (See that post here!)

2. Ty & I competed in a triathlon, which became a last-minute duathlon. Flooding, anyone? (See that post here!)

3. I ran the craziest half marathon ever, and Ty won his first 10K (flooding, anyone?). (See that post here!)

4. My Papa passed away after a long struggle with dementia, and I took two unexpected 48-hour trips to Florida. I was blessed to play his memorial service and attend the military interment. (See parts one and two.)

5. Two of my best friends visited us in Dallas, and I laughed more than I had in years. (See that post here!)

6. Glenna returned again this summer and spent a hot and festive Fourth of July with us, local-style! (see that post here!)

7. We celebrated our third wedding anniversary! (See that post here!)

8. I'm an aunt again -- my sweet niece, Annie, was born last Tuesday!

Now onto the real reason for this post!

We're going on vacation! This is not just any old vacation; it is the vacation to beat all vacations! I consider this our first official family vacation, mostly because we're not camping, returning home, or trying to scout out a new place to live. We're going to vacation.

Where are we going, you ask? Let me tell you all about it. I have already created a five-page itinerary with a quickly growing packing list: day-by-day plans, hotel addresses, gas stations in The-Middle-of-Nowhere-West-Texas, gluten-free restaurants in every city stop, trailhead locations, race day information, etc. You know, just the essentials.

Our ultimate destination is Ridgway, Colorado, but we're taking our time to get there; we have planned stops in Albuquerque and Colorado Springs.

We'll spend one night in Albuquerque, visit Ty's great aunt and uncle, do some southwestern shopping, take a hike (literally!), and catch the sunrise and sunset.

Dallas-Albuquerque: 650 miles, estimated time of 10 hours.

From there we'll drive to Colorado Springs, where the main attractions are Pike's Peak and Whit's End. (Yes, I'm talking about the Whit's End from Adventures in Odyssey.) Oh, and the gluten free bakery and raw juice bar a mile from our hotel. Thank you, Yelp.

Albuquerque to Colorado Springs: 380 miles, estimated time of 6 hours

Finally we'll make our way to Ridgway, where the original True Grit with John Wayne was filmed, and the population totals 924 people.

Colorado Springs to Ridgway: 256 miles, estimated time of 5 hours

We'll stay in a mountain B&B for five nights and divide our time between the neighboring cities of Ridgway and Ouray. Nicknamed "The Switzerland of the United States," Ouray boasts beautiful mountain ranges, hot springs, off-roading adventures, fly fishing galore, rock climbing, networked biking trails, and even an opera house. And those are just the summer highlights! But truly, I'm fine to miss out on the ice climbing, snow shoeing, freezing, etc. As of now, the mornings are in the mid-high 40s!

Some of our trip plans include hiking, a guided jeep tour, a scenic drive, the local farmer's market, fly fishing, a trip or two to the hot springs, the Railway Museum, eating at all the local hangs (again, Thank you, Yelp!), enjoying our lovely B&B, and running a couple of races. Oh, and not dying from a lack of oxygen at 7800 feet during the race. Crazy as it is, we chose the mountains of Colorado for a race-cation. Lord willing, I'll run my first marathon and Ty his first half marathon in the Switzerland of the United States.

Post-race, we plan to return to our new favorite restaurants, maybe visit the hot springs again, and take in the mountain scenery from the couch. The following day we'll drive the long way down...back to Texas.

Ridgway to Dallas: 894 miles, estimated time of 15 hours

But first, a fourth trip to Florida for me this weekend...