But anywho, without further delay, my ever-so-exciting trip to New York State (not NYC as all you Marylanders like to assume is a majority of NY). As I mentioned about a week and a half ago, Brenden and I were fortunate enough to be able to take a weekend and travel the long road up to my alma mater and his family, which happen to be in upstate (or western if you are really from upstate) NY. I have made this trip many, many times before since I went to Keuka College for four years and then decided to continue dating someone living up there for quite a while. Because of this, the journey has become pretty familiar to Brenden as well. With that said, I was quick to teach Brenden that stopping is for wimps, even if does take us 7 hours to get from point to point. However, since I have aquired a travel buddy, my ways have begun to change. The road trip is a bit more fun (especially since Brenden usually drives the entire trip) and I no longer have the urge to get to my destination five minutes after setting off.

So this time, we (okay, I) decided to stop at newly discovered attraction. There have been no signs or advertisements, but it was amazing. We stopped at the Shoe House! Who knew a house that looks like a shoe was so close to our travels this entire time?! Lucky for me, my friend Emily made a similar journey through PA this summer and her and her husband made a lot of stops, one of which was the Shoe House. I asked her where it was and when she told me I knew it was Brenden and my next road trip stop. I was so excited. Seeing it in person was so much better then the pictures. I mean, seriously, who can say I visited the little old lady who lived in a shoe? Okay, there was no little old lady, but still! And apparently the Shoe House sells ice cream. Umm, we will definitely be going back to this attraction as well.

So, that was the highlight of the trip...just kidding. After our quick stop we were off to see Brenden's family. We spent the night with his mom and had an delicious brunch at his favorite local dinner, The Original Candy Kitchen, with a table filled with family members. We then had lunch with an old professor before I picked up my race packet for the Keuka Lake Triathlon and drove the bike course in the car to get a feel for it. Boy was it a hilly one. We then went to visit Brenden's dad for the night where we had a nice bonfire and delicious s'mores that I wish I could have eaten more of. Unfortunately, I had to duck out of the bonfire early because my race was bright an early the next day.

Brenden and I woke up around 5 am on Sunday and I got ready to race. I was pretty nervous for this race for a few reasons other then generic pre-race jitters. This was my first Olympic distance triathlon, this was the earliest in the season I have raced (and I probably did not train as much as I should have because of it), the course had some intense hills coming my way, and it was my alma mater. For some reason I felt I had to prove something. So we road to the college, unloaded my stuff and I made my way to body marking and the transition area.

The transition area was different then what I was used to. The racks were more like long wooden stands where you rested the back wheel of your bike between wooden slits. Not only that, but the transition area was not numbered past row. This meant after finding the correct row, it was a free for all. Good thing I am slightly paranoid and got to the race fairly early ensuring a spot of my liking - I got an end which gave me a bit more space to lay out my things and it was close to the bike out and in which meant less running with my bike, phew.

After setting up my area, I listened to the pre-race announcements. The water temp was 69 degrees Fahrenheit, not as bad as I anticipated. I decided to tuck my wetsuit into my bag and swim without it. I figured I am strong swimmer and any time I would gain with the warmth of my wetsuit, would be lost as I tried to stumble out of it (yes, I fell last time I tried to take my wetsuit off, slightly embarrassing). So I grabbed my cap and goggles and found Brenden. We hung out until the race began. I was extremely nervous by this point and felt like I was going to be sick. And the supportive guy that Brenden is, decided to confirm this feeling as he stated, "you look like you are going to puke." Time for my race face. He wished me luck and I headed down to the water to wait for my wave. 

It was finally my turn - the final wave for the Olympic distance. I was one of two people in the whole race that wasn't wearing a wetsuit. Geez, maybe I made a mistake. Time to walk into the water. I quickly got in, taking front and center. It was a bit chilly, but once we got started I knew I would be okay. It was the standing half-in-half-out of the water, "this was the worst part." I thought. Soon I heard blast for our wave to start, and I was off. There was a mass of people. I realized I should have gone to the front and picked a side. Luckily, Sue had made us do some open water swimming drills at practice the other day to prepare us for this. It was too much though. I stopped for a second to get out of the masses and then continued my swim, trying to pass each person I let get ahead of me in the beginning. While I never actually warmed up as I had thought I would, and at points my body hurt from how cold it was (it felt like the water was getting colder the father out we swam), the swim felt good. There was practically no current or waves so spotting was almost not necessary as long as I swam in a straight line. The water was fairly clear also; at one point I could even see to the bottom. I stared at the dirt and seaweed dancing to the light current a few feet down as I made my way around the last turn back to shore.

I had no idea how I did in the swim, everyone had spread out, but since the last leg of the swim I had not seen any caps in the color of my wave. I was hoping to hear the words, "first female swimmer" when I exited the water. As soon as I exited I was told I was the third, not what I wanted, but really not too bad considering I did not have the wetsuit advantage in the water, and I stopped for a moment in the beginning. I began to run up the 29 stairs leading from Point Nemo to the transition area. I pulled off my cap and goggles and heard people cheering for me and asking how the water was without a wetsuit. I could only manage a half hearted thumbs up as I tried to catch my breath. I passed Brenden who gave me a big smile and loud cheer. Cap and goggles down, bike shoes, helmet and sunglasses on. I was onto the bike leg.

I was trying to go as fast as I could from the mount line but catch my breath at the same time. We were already making our way up the first small grade. I knew what was coming but I wasn't ready for it. My quads already felt tired. I worked my way through the course as quickly as I could, appreciating the downhills when they came. Up the first major hill, half a mile, not to bad. Some flat and then the two miler. Now I was ready, or so I thought. My average speed went from 17mph to 14.9mph by the end of the hills. I had not prepared for a hill like this, it just kept going, I could not believe it. But finally the turn around came and it was all down hill for the last 9 miles, literally. My average speed got back up to 16.3mph and I got back into the transition area in 1:31 and some change, a little over a minute over my goal time. But hey, I was satisfied, satisfied and tired. I racked my bike and all I wanted to do was sit down.

I took a little longer then I should of during this transition, stopping to get a gulp of water and running back to my spot when I realized I had forgotten my watch, but I didn't sit. And Brenden was alongside cheering me on. "Off to the run. Start out slow, pace yourself, Jeff said it was okay to granny-trot," I thought. My goal was to run the whole thing in under an hour, but primarily to run the whole thing with out hurting myself. My run training has been lacking since I still have this nagging injury and six miles would be a lot for me at this point, even if I hadn't just swam a mile and biked 25. One foot in front of the next that is all I had to do. My legs were tight and cramped from the bike, I had never run after that long of a bike ride. "Just get to 1.5 miles and you can slow down if you need to, you will be a quarter of the way done," I told myself. Luckily the run course was fairly flat. It was also beautiful as it was right on the water. My legs started to loosen and, knock on wood, my injury hadn't flared up too bad as it usually does after a mile. I got to 1.5 miles and kept going. I just had to make it to the turn around and I would only have a 5K left, that is nothing. I pushed through, and my pace actually got a little better. People were extremely supportive throughout the course and the aid stations were placed perfectly. I found my enthusiasm growing and I was giving out motivating comments to the people I passed just as those who passed were saying to me.

I was on my way back, only two miles to go and I saw someone I thought would finish ahead of me still working her way to the turn around. I was shocked. Could it really be? A burst of energy hit me and I was determined to finish, and finish well. Four and a half miles. I passed another person. I said, "nice job" he said, "nice pace." He then must have looked at my leg because the next thing I know he was exclaiming, "25, female! Are you still in the running for an age group award?" I certainly had no idea, and could only hope. I was the third female out of the water, but I did get passed a ton on the bike.  He then said, "I think you are, go get them." I still had doubt in my mind, but the encouragement made me feeling like I was flying high. 

Source: www2.backprint.com

I turned the final corner, ran up the road and could finally see the finish line again. On to the grass and through the shoot. I was ecstatic! I had finished, the whole thing, without stopping. I completed the run in just under an hour, another goal checked. I gave Brenden a hug as I gulped the water they handed me at the finish line. I tried to stretch and recover a bit before heading to see the results. I was hopeful but also relastic as I was looking. I had wanted to finish in under three hours. I knew my bike and run times; it seemed like it was possible. And I did it, 2:59:14. Less then a second under, but good enough for me. I ended up getting fifth in my age group, not an award winner but it still felt pretty amazing. I was so happy and definitely plan on doing another Olympic, even faster this time. What can I say, I am addicted. I packed up my stuff and we headed out to celebrate at one of our favorite ice cream spots before going back to Brenden's dad's house to relax for the rest of the day and then make our journey back to MD.