Getting excited about Pleasant Prairie!

[Lise]

I just got back from my nephew's 7th bday party. My Mom and sister both say they're coming to cheer for me next weekend! My sister will bring a camera, so we'll get some shots from the end, at least.

I gave my nephew two 3# dumbells and a small exercise ball. He and my niece love to bounce around and play on the ball when they're here, and one day my nephew discovered my free weights. He really got into them! I hoped his folks wouldn't mind--they were surprised and amused. He pulled the first dumbell out of the bag, smiled, looked at me, and said, "I bet this is from you!"

I am so happy that they will know me as their fun, athletic aunt, instead of their depressed, fat aunt with the mean partner. They may hear stories of the bad old days, but that's not how they'll think of me.

[Brina]

Hi all,

I have a question for Lise and any others of you who are doing Pleassant Prairie next weekend. It's a week before the Accenture Chicago triathlon, so you're probably not doing both (unless you're in WAY better shape than I am!). What made you decide to do Pleasant Prairie instead of Chicago? Size, location, something else?

I decided to do Chicago instead of Pleasant Prairie mostly because it's the closest event to my house, but I am also curious (and a little intimidated) to participate in such a large event.

Lynne

I am doing Accenture as well. It just seems like one of those things you have to do once. I too am a little intimidated. Who am I kidding - I am a lot imtimidated. It is my first Oly, and I only did my first sprint last month.

Good luck to you.

[Lise]

I am doing Accenture as well. It just seems like one of those things you have to do once. I too am a little intimidated. Who am I kidding - I am a lot imtimidated. It is my first Oly, and I only did my first sprint last month.

I must say, despite my well-reasoned arguements above, I think about doing Accenture every year, just to be a part of something so big and exciting. I'm glad for you guys! I will be out of town that weekend, or I'd be down there cheering for you. As I think about next year, Steelhead 1/2 IM is 1st weekend of August, LZT is 2nd weekend, PP 3rd, Accenture 4th... what's a tri girl to do?

Brina, how are you doing with the training?

[Lise]

The forecast for next weekend at PP is highs in the low 80s, partly cloudy. Sounds ideal! (Snoopy dance of joy! I hate trying to run when it's hot, sunny, humid!)

[KSH]

Sounds very exciting!

I am sure you will do a great job!

And the weather sounds like it will be perfect.

[colby]

The forecast for next weekend at PP is highs in the low 80s, partly cloudy. Sounds ideal! (Snoopy dance of joy! I hate trying to run when it's hot, sunny, humid!)

Great weather! Looks like ours will be nearly the same!

My favorites are mid-60s to mid-70s and cloudy to overcast (drizzly/rainy makes me nervous on the bike, but doesn't bug me swimming or running), but we never get that here in the summer I'll definitely settle for upper 70s-low 80s and even partly cloudy. We get a lot of "no clouds in the sky" days and it drives me nuts.

The Ironman they did near here in June (IMCdA) was HOT - mid to upper 90s, sunny, the first really hot weekend of the summer. Amazing people, I would have fallen apart around noon to 2pm when the hottest part of the day started to settle in

[Bella]

Good luck during your taper week! (You are tapering right??)
Don't worry about forgetting anything - the expo has everything you would ever want and more.

Just don't forget to set a few alarms to wake up the morning of...

[roshelleuop]

Good luck at Pleasent Prarie! I live near there and will definitely be cheering you all on!!!!! Also, my HB did it as his first tri last year and loved it! Good luck to you!!!! I'm sure you will do great!!!!

And also thank you for the towel recomendation as I will be doing my first tri on September 9th in Lake Geneva and now I can pretend to look like I know what I'm doing!!!

Roshelle from Milwaukee

[Lise]

Thanks, guys! Taper week starts...tomorrow... ...cuz I wanted to do a long ride today. Just got back from 30 miles (to me, this is a long ride), riding as fast as I could most of the time. I did stop at 15 miles to stretch and call a friend. Right at 6200 S. on the lakefront path, there's a beautiful old Park District facility that's been lovingly restored. I rode around it today, and discovered an inner courtyard with a dancing waters fountain! So COOL! I saw on the far edge and watched the play of water, beyond which I could gaze through the ivy-covered columns at the lake beyond. It was like being at an Italian villa on the sea. I am so lucky.

As I rode past 4700-6200 south, I remembered being a student at the University of Chicago '78-82. NEVER did I dream I'd be riding past there as a triathlete. Nor that I'd run a 1/2 marathon there (last Oct and this Oct, too). Makes me wonder what amazing and unexpected things I'll be doing when I'm 70.

But yes, now I will taper. I don't train that hard anyways . Probably a run midweek, play volleyball on Thurs. Definitely ride to work on Wed--the parking's impossible around the clinic. Take the bike in for a tune-up on Friday, and then up to PP on Sat!

As for waking up the morning of...falling asleep the night before is the real problem! I'll set a few alarms any way, but in general I don't sleep well at all from the excitement the whole week before a tri. I'm a goof.

Roshelle--you'll have to let me know what you think of Lake Geneva. You're going to look like such a pro with your right-sized towel and everything!

[SadieKate]

And now for the cheering section...

What, you can't hear me?

Go, Lisa! Go, Lisa!

[Lise]

I hear you, SK, I hear you! And I'll be hearing all of you cheering for me every stroke, pedal, and step of the way! L.

[divingbiker]

On my first tri, I'd read that you needed a towel in transition. I had no idea what for. So I brought a hand towel. Imagine me trying to set up a transition area on a hand towel!

OK, now I'm really confused. At the practice swim for my tri last Friday, the race director showed how to lay everything out, and he had a normal towel folded into quarters, so it was about the size of a hand towel or even smaller. It looked like everything fit on there. And he said to bring a hand towel to use to dry off with after the swim. He also said there wasn't much room between the bikes, so I can't imagine that a normal bath towel would fit. Will it?

What kind of towel am I supposed to bring??? Aack!!! One more thing to worry about that I thought I had figured out!

Oh, and Lise and KnottedYet, good luck to you this weekend! I'll be thinking of you.

Janice

[Lise]

I'm impressed that everything fit on a folded up towel. I'm sure I could learn to do that, if the space required it. You can count on the space under your bike--the amount of space on either side depends on the number of bikes/rack. I suggest you bring a full-sized towel, and fold it up if you need to. Definitely bring a hand towel to dry off with. It's also good to have a water bottle only for squirting the grass or sand off your feet.

[KSH]

As for waking up the morning of...falling asleep the night before is the real problem! I'll set a few alarms any way, but in general I don't sleep well at all from the excitement the whole week before a tri. I'm a goof.

I hear ya on that!

Except, I think I stay awake because I'm so nervous... not excited.

Knowing I have to compete makes me sick to my tummy. But, I compete so I will stay motivated to workout! HA!

I am so happy that they will know me as their fun, athletic aunt, instead of their depressed, fat aunt with the mean partner. They may hear stories of the bad old days, but that's not how they'll think of me.

That rocks! Sounds like you are setting a wonderful example for them!

I hope to be the cool Aunt too someday!

[Brina]

Lise,

You are going to do awesome at PP. the weather sounds perfect. My biggest fear is that the weather for Accenture is going to be hot and humid like it was the day of my 10K.

training for me is going well. My long runs are about 7 - 7.5 miles and my tuesday morning interval workouts are really paying off. I am definitely getting faster.

Are you doing the banco popular 1/2 marathon on Oct 1? I have heard good things about that race. I considered it for this year, but instead i am going to do on in November in San Diego. It accomplishes two things - one, I run the half, and two, I get a weekend away from my always wonderful but often trying kidlets.