Two weeks to go!

I got interviewed for the local paper yesterday. I tried to say deep meaningful things about women's body image, setting goals and overcoming setbacks, and my gratitude for all the help and encouragement I've gotten. I'm still a bit nervous about the article - the attention is kind of unnerving. I hope I didn't sound too pompous or self-centered! However if it results in more donations for the Care Car, I'll be happy! Apropos of which, have I mentioned recently that if you can't or prefer not to donate online, you can send a check to: "NECC, PO Box 35, Millerton, NY 12546" and make it out to North East Community Center. Just include a note or put in the memo that it's for the Triathlon - we're a pretty small shop and we'll know what to do with it! As Ruth knows, you'll also get a very snazzy little thank you note for your taxes.

Now is the time I really wish I had a coach. I am anxious that I'm not ready, and feel a slight dip in motivation - I didn't work out yesterday, and today I went to Pilates because my back has been bothering me and I haven't been stretching much. Then I did a 30 minute spin and only about 7 minutes on the treadmill. I've been eating the wrong things, too - more bread, more junk, less salad. Tomorrow I'm going to try for a long bike and run - full distance in both - so maybe that will give me the confidence boost I need. The weather is crummy today and I have a birthday cake to decorate (with various Barbie-colored thingies and the big 5 candle!)

Speaking of coaching, I just learned that there is a women-only triathlon training camp in three weeks, right here in town, at the Interlaken Inn in Lakeville. (That's next door to my kids' school, less than 10 minutes from my house.) It looks AWESOME, and also pretty expensive - I've just written them to see if I can enroll but not actually stay over at the Inn to save a few bucks. It's an intense schedule - the first day you get your swim stroke analzyed and do speed running drills and "hill repeats" on the bike, the second day has a 50 mile bike ride (around here I can't IMAGINE biking that far because our hills are killers!) and the third day you do what they call a "mini triathlon" - though it's a full sprint distance! I'm not actually sure I"m capable of that much work - they say on their website that "beginners" are people who have completed fewer than 6 tris, but that you can come if you haven't done one, as long as you've been doing all three sports and are reasonably fit. Anyway, we'll see - the money may be the killer here.

OK off to the grocery store for ice cream and other birthday essentials! Here's my birthday girl, getting sung Happy Birthday by all the kids in school.