I Triatló Popular de Banyoles

Yay! I did it... I am a triathlete again!

What a wonderful day! Installed the bike rack/carrier on my car last night, had to do some McGyver stuff but got it done! Lots done in the am and at 12:30 sharp I left for Banyoles. Paula came with me as a friend's girlfriend offered to mind her :D Got there, parked relatively close to the place 8) went to get my bib number and race bag, left the bike and material in boxes and waited for the event to start.

When we got to Banyoles it was extremely cloudy and the sky treatened with rain. And it sure did rain... geez... what a storm... but about 20 minutes and it was gone and then the sky was clear, not sunny but clear and... perfect temperature for a competition :D

I am soooooooooooo happy! It was so great! I was in the first leg for swimming. I did the 400m in 11:41... very slow but done. First T was super long... 3:28. Bike ride was 11km and it took me 26:25... have never riden that fast... I'm so in awe! Second T was 2:28 and my 2.5km run was 16:17 which is an average of 6:30m/km which (although super slow) is the fastest I have run in over a year :o I am on cloud 9! Total time was 1:00:19... I estimated it'd take me an hour to finish so I'm very happy with it all!!!!

Wow... I DID IT! I am a triathlete!! Woohoo!!!!

Next Challenge...

I Triatló popular de Banyoles... yes... my second triathlon! To be held this coming Saturday, July 30th, at 3pm in Banyoles... so excited (and nervous and scared too) about it!

Went to Banyoles this am with Paula, to walk around the lake and saw everything ready for the event... I just can't wait!

It is a full triathlon weekend in Banyoles, as on Sunday the European Cup will be held... so it is nice to see everything getting ready for a huge even were us, populars, get to take part... it will be great. I just know it!

I now have to see how I take the bike to Banyoles. Need to go get a bike carrier. Will actually go now!

I have been biking and swimming a lot lately... did 40km on the bike last week, swam 2000m... so proud of myself. Even tried a couple of brick sessions to train T2 and worked out ok :D I finally went out for a "proper" run last night and felt ever sooooooooooooooo good! A lot faster than my runs lately too... odd, so I guess that either the break did me good or the biking and swimming have helped :D Run a little this am and the pace was good (for me) too, so all in all... very happy and excited.

Realized yesterday while running (was about time too) that I own my life and that whatever I do with it depends on me... it doesn't matter what I did or what hapenned in the past if I want to take control of my life, I can do it... noone else will!

Here's to the new me, no more excuses... woohoo!!!!

Challenges

Well... here I am again and I have to admit, I like challenges a bit too much :p

First off... last week I did pretty good with my training... Monday I went to Banyoles and twice around the lake. Tuesday I went swimming, Wednesday I went back to Banyoles, twice around the lake plus I swam 1000 meters, Thursday I went for an early morning 18km bike ride. I took Friday and Saturday off and did the Swimming Cross in Castellfollit yesterday. That called for 100m swimming + 600m running x 2. Surprisingly enough I came in 3rd out of 5, although the 5th dropped out. Paula came in 2nd in her age group, she did 25m swimming + 100m running x 2. It was a lovely morning with great people and a wonderful atmosphere! A complete week I'd say!

We loved it so much... and we found out about other little events, like the popular triathlon in Salitja on Aug. 14th, or the Aquathlon 500-5000-500... that's a toughie... in Caldes, and others about too! So, we'll be looking into it. Even one in September in Platja d'Aro! Have to look at the kiddie's races too for Paula as she so wants to do it again! What a champ she is!

So here we go... I am out of shape big time but ready to take on the challenges... my super sprint triatholon is only 19 days away... eek! Better get going!

Life is good

Well... howdy! It's been a looooooooooooooooong while... but I'm back and stronger than ever!

School's over, and so is my job :( but :D The kids, all 3, are doing Summer Camp while I'm decluttering the house and doing some training and trying to get some work towards the next school year. I have a few things in sight so we shall see :D

People make mistakes, we all do, but sometimes these mistakes are huge. Ok, I've said it... done!

Kids are doing well, we had our first swim of the season on Saturday at mom's. We had a BBQ and the kids got to swim before and after lunch... they were soooooooooo excited! Pol wasn't too sure about it at first but never wanted to get out in the end... he made huge progress in a day only! Jan was lovely... he had a ball... he loved it, he swam, he splashed, he jumped in right, left and sideways... it was amazing... such a happy little boy! Paula was the mermaid (and the only girl there too...)... her swimming has improved soooooooooooooo much... she did great! She dives in perfectly well now and couldn't have enough. She did get sunburnt on the face and a bit of a sunstroke but she's all ok now! It was lovely!

On Sunday, since Paula had a bit of a fever, we just played it cool and had a lazy day that felt awesome!

Since 10 days ago, I'm back working out and it's feeling awesome. Well, I hadn't run but I have been bike riding regularly. Sunday last week I rode 34kms!!! So after the bike, I started running again. I have come back and I'm slow, slower than ever but I'm back! :D The first day felt great, then one day I went at midday and it was awful... could hardly run, had to walk most of it... then I went back and it felt better... slow, very slow but better, so I'm slowly getting there! I went for a swim today... hadn't gone swimming since Sept. 12th on my tiny triathlon :o so it was about time. I did 850m in 30 minutes which was great as a start!

So, here's the scoop... my plans are as follow:

July 30th... popular triathlon in Banyoles... I might do it, I just might but need to train a lot, a L.O.T.... it's only 25 days away, eek!
August 7th, I might do a 10K in Malgrat
Sept. 4th, 2nd women's triathlon in Barcelona: signed up
Sept. 11th, national day race (12K)
Sept. 18th, cursa de la Mercè in BCN, 10k
Sept. 25th, Nike Run to the Beat Half Marathon in... LONDON!!!!!: registered and flights booked, woohoo!!!!!
Oct. 8-9: WWFoR: half marathon
Oct. 23rd: Half Marathon of the Mediterranean
Nov. 20th: Jean Bouin, 10K
Dec. 4th: Half Marathon of Mataró (we shall see)
Dec. 11th: La Sansi de Lloret (5K9)
Dec. 26th: Sant Silvestre Riudellotenca (7K9
Feb. 5th (I think): Half Marathon of Granollers (I did my first half there last year :D)
Feb. 26th: Half Marathon of Barcelona
March 25th: MARATÓ DE BARCELONA (that's my dream... hopefully I can do it!)
May 18th: Xtrem Running Costa Brava. Selva Marítima, 25km
April 9th: Cursa de Fons de Canovelles, 15km
End of March/beginning of April if not doing Barcelona: Half Marathon of Montornès. I hear it's great and would love to check it out :p
And the huge, huge, huge goal... don't know if doable but I'll try... a Half Ironman at the end of May. I know it sounds big but now that I don't have a job and will have time to train I think it's the moment, the time... I'll never have it as good. I'll try. If it can be, it can be, if not... life goes on :D

Ok, so these are the races I'd like to do. I'll most likely won't be able to do them all but I'll try to fit in as many as I can. Need to fit in St. Antoni sometime in January, Bombers in April, most likely, my city's race or half in early May... we'll see... will depend on many things but I'd really like to fit those in. Baby steps, no hurry... it's a lot of races and only 1 Jacky so, little by little ;)

Loving this "me" time, the opportunity that I've been given... when a window closes, a balcony opens... life is good!!!!