Okay Chad...this one's for you.....to add to yesterday's post...I'm giving you a visual of the "bonzai" on the butt. This tiny little butt above is not mine--the face is removed to protect me from those who have not give me permission to use the image of their posterior ;)....however, you get the idea. This is an EXACT REPLICA of the cool suit I'm wearing tomorrow. Now...let me tell you about last night's swim at the pool in the wetsuit. Yesterday was cold here. Actually, that's not true...it didn't get cold (60ish and windy) until I headed to the pool about 6:30 pm. I was meeting my friend Anne there for a quick swim in the wetsuits. The plan was to use the outdoor pool to acclimate to the chill, but since it closed at 7:30, I had to book it to make it. Long story short, rolled in the pool about 7:15, ran outside, put on the wetsuit, the entire time the lifeguard is hovering over us saying, "Hurry! You girls you only have 10 minutes!" Talk about PRESSURE. Did I mention it was COLD?? So, the wetsuit is on, I'm standing at the edge of the pool, swim cap and goggles in place wondering how in the heck I got here and why when Anne says, "You gotta just dive in." So I did. The water was so cold that when I hit it I immediately took a deep breath/moaned/cried out/had a panic attack....did I mention I had just DOVE UNDER WATER while trying to all of these things that require you to breathe???? You know...we joke about "practicing drowning" for the race b/c quite frankly, it wouldn't be difficult to do in a choppy bay with 400 of your new closest friends swimming over the top of you....but last nite I honestly for a second PRACTICED DROWNING. I drank enough pool water to kill a small animal from chlorine poisioning. And by the time I caught my breath (which isn't easy to do while swimming laps in freezing water after just having swalled 10 gallons of it!) I was so disgusted at how much pee I had probably drank, that I just couldn't concentrate! It was a loooooonnnnnggggg 7 minute swim, let me tell you. So we eventually got kicked out of the outdoor pool--we went inside to the lap pool only to be stared at like some kind of freaks. My girl, Anne is a warrior, now. She just doesn't care. It's really kind of spooky how composed she remains. Me on the other hand....I'm wrapped in my towel, head down, looking like I just got spanked. Then it happened....I got in the lap pool....took off....and after about 4 lengths....I found it. My rythm. I had forgotten how fast a wetsuit made you swim....how good it felt not to have to kick so hard....how nice it was to float easily with no effort. I gotta say, it made it all worthwhile. So after that short swim, we hopped in the hot tub to stretch and relax. Jumped on the bike for about 10 min., then headed to the hacienda. All in all, not too bad of a nite. I think I kind of remember why I signed up for this.....BONZAI. It not just for Japanese suicide bombers anymore.

BIG DAY on the way...

Okay, I know it's only Thursday...but I am so nervous about Saturday already that I can barely stand it!!! I woke up this morning with a funny, swirly feeling in my stomach. In 48 hours I will have completed (in one way or another) my very first, official, sprint-distance, sanctioned triathlon! I'll either be dead, near death, in the process of being resussitated or struggling across the finish line on my own power at this very moment Saturday! What a thought! It is so funny--I know everybody around me (with the exception of my friend, Anne, who is in the race with me) is so tired of hearing about it. It's just amazing how it can consume you so quickly and completely. What can I say? I'm an addictive personality. I went on a long ride last nite up and down some GARGANTUAN hills, so I'm laying low tonite with the exception of a 25 minute swim and small run brick. Picture this....around 7:30, I'll be at the MAC pool in Bethesda...in the pool for a short swim on this my last official training day before the Osprey Sprint Triathlon...only I'm going to be in a wetsuit. Oiy vey. The inconvienance, the pain, the hotness, the utter humiliation....wetsuits are not very flattering or forgiving! So not only do I have to wear one in the race on Saturday (cause the bay is cold...and a wetsuit pretty much ensures you won't drown), I also have to practice my swim in one tonite at the Bethesda pool....in front of all the yuppie divers and their parents....fun times. Oh the price of feeding the addiction..... Oh, by the way....the suit itself is black with a BIG GIANT SPRAYPAINTED WORD ON THE BUTT--"BONZAI." Isn't that what the Japanese suicide bombers said before they crashed into the US ships??

Hawai'i

Shauna and I went to Hawai'i a couple of weeks ago to visit Lorena, Carlos and Jr. We had a blast! We stayed on Oahu, in Ko'olina on the southwest portion of the island. While we were there we visitied Pearl Harbor/USS Arizona Memorial, the North Shore (surfer's paradise), Waikiki Beach, Diamondhead (volcano), Ko'olina beach, Honolulu, Hanauma Bay (awesome snorkeling), and lots of other beautiful places. The best part was getting to see Lorenny and Carlos and Jr!!! What a beautiful, sweet baby boy! Next year, I'm going to visit and compete in a triathlon at the same time! Thanks for your hospitality Lorena and Carlos! Love you! Aloha!!

Parker's funny...

If you know me at all--which if you are reading this you likely do...you know I have a 5 year old nephew, Parker, whom I happen to like a whole lot. One of my favorite things about him is that he will not be bs'd. He speaks and expects the truth. Let me give you an example...the other day we were talking on the phone and I asked him if he had been saying his prayers at night. He said, "well, no. Not every nite." I proceeded to tell him how important it was for him to pray every nite, how much God wants to talk to him and know him and all that good stuff. Parker then asked me--"well, can't he hear what I'm thinking?" When I said yes, he said, "okay, I'll think something to him tonite." As funny as it was, it does bring the question...does thinking a prayer "count???" Yes...this is my nephew...already figuring out the good shortcuts!

New Baby!!!

One of the greatest things about being single is that I get to live vicariously through my friends' lives with children. I get all the joys and fun of children with none of the hard stuff or expense(well-on occassion I do the hard stuff)! While I can't wait to have kids of my own, selfishly, I have to say I think I have the best of both worlds right now! The only problem is that most of my babies live in Arkansas and I live in DC!!! I'm missing it!!! What I miss most, right this second, is the new James baby girl--Abby (see below). She has made Kate a big sister, and apparently, quite the little mommy-to-be. Congrats, John and Amy! "Good job, fellas!!!" *note: the quote "good job, fellas" refers to the shrimp in Shark Tale--hence the name of this blog...what can I say? Will Smith does it for me! :)

Baby Abby

Big Sister Kate

Roll Tide Roll!!!

Bama boys are playing awesome this year! Big shout out for 4-0!!! Go Brodie, you're my hero!!! A little shot of the football "mecca" of the south....Bryant Denny Stadium. Soon to hold another 50k plus....sweeeeettttt......

Swim, Bike, Run!!!

This Saturday, at 9am sharp, I will participate in my first "official" sprint distance triathlon in Ocean City, Maryland. Wow. Nervous. And excited! A friend and I have been planning this race for several months now...the whole way trying to sign people up. No takers! It's been an exciting summer training and preparing for the Big Race! Part of my training included a smaller, shorter race in August. The Super Sprint Summer Tri sponsered by Bonzai. View the race results at http://www.triitnow.com/summersupersprint.htm. It was a blast!
Pre-race...Nancy, Lisa and me...notice the sweet markings on my leg...