Penticton

The days and nights have been busy in prep for the big day. We traveled today and arrived at an absolutely gorgeous home (9 bedrooms and right on the lake). Only to find practically the entire house doing this:

While the kids have fun!

I did a quick hour run....well, as quick as an hour can be and then had an AMAZING hamburger dinner prepared by Mark's parents.

Marks bike is officially ready to roll with his new decals:

Hurricane. Marks new nickname...and he won't forget to remind you that the Hurricane has arrived in Canada.

Looking forward to a great week of training, racing, memories, and sunshine!

Thankful.

(T and H*)

We swim, we bike, we run...in other words we get to play. It defines us, not solely, but it is a huge part of who we are, who our friends are, and what we choose to do with our time. What happens when we don't get to play? And our lives changes? For a short time or for forever. Either way, we figure it out. We are strong, we are surrounded by good people.

What am I getting at here? I often forget just how lucky I am. Getting to play on a daily basis, getting to hang out with my friends, doing what we love. What I really forget is that it is so easily taken for granted. It only takes a split second for everything to change.

Many of you can relate. We have all had to sit out of an important race, a race that we have trained for day in and day out, we are in the best shape of our lives and it is taken away from us. As an athlete this is hard, as a coach it can be even more of a challenge. My great friend, was unfortunately, one of these all too many accidents that have been occurring. Instead of racing a PR at the Lake Stevens 70.3 she is stuck in a weeks worth of surgery. ALIVE she is, but life-changing for sure. Her beautiful smile only gone for a short time, but it is way to beautiful to be a day without. Mark's BFF too, down and out, however, still hopeful to make it to Canada. We are working on his one armed freestyle!

Here is a reminder to all of us: Be safe, wear your helmet (thank you Rudy Project for saving another two lives), and NEVER take for granted the opportunities that we are given to play!

Thomas, lets work on that swimming (2.4 mile single arm swim in sub 2 hours) and those vocals (major cheering)-then we are prepared for either case scenario.

Heather (aka H*), my wishes of a super speedy fast recovery (because I heart you and miss my cycling buddy). You will come out of this stronger and more gorgeous than ever.

New Law

Some of you know that I have a medical conditioned called Ulcerative Colitis. I won't go into depth about it because it can be googled if you really want to know more. There is nothing fun about the disease and it requires major adjustments to your daily lifestyle, not to mention training schedules. I did a lot of research going into ironman last year, because I spent the entire year with a flare up, and did not know if I could even make it to the starting line. I researched other triathletes that had this condition and did some pen paling with Jonathan Caron. Since then other triathletes have reached out for advice and guidance. Knowing that there are other athletes out there that go through the same things day in and day out is a blessing. Simply because "normal", and I use that loosely, individuals can't quite understand the anxiety, the aches, the sense of failure that comes from not finishing a workout....most people just think were crazy for even trying a crazy sport.

Very few of you will find the excitement that I do in this new law, but since it is my blog, I decided to post about this NEW very important "life changing" law that just passed in WA state. Thanks to Mike McCready of Pearl Jam who stood up and made this happen.

Check it out on King 5 TV!

A note from Mike:

I would like to personally thank Ally Bain, Lois Fink, Senator Kline, Representative Liias, Governor Gregoire and the Washington Restaurant Association for helping to draft this resolution, as well as all of the supporters who have aided in successfully passing the Restroom Access Law.

Until a cure is found, millions of fellow Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients and I struggle to find a bathroom when an attack happens. While doubling over in immense abdominal pain, we have about 5 seconds to locate and make it to a restroom. The fear of not having easy access to a restroom wherever you are is at times crippling and has made many IBD sufferers prisoners of their own homes. Crohn’s, colitis and other autoimmune disease sufferers have a hidden disability — we may look “normal” on the outside, but we require the same compassion and understanding as any of those with a more visible affliction.

I am relieved (pun intended) that future patients -- especially kids and their parents — are now able to carry cards or medical notes that guarantee them access to employee-only bathrooms. Thanks to all the businesses that understand. This law will now make going out in public easier and encourage more Crohn’s and colitis patients to confidently venture outside their homes.

Thanks,
Mike McCready

I am ordering my card today...maybe two or three. One for the wallet, one for the bike, and definitely one to get all sweaty on the run. The impact this new law has is HUGE for those that suffer from Crohn's, UC, or IBD.

SUMMER

(Splish racing suit)

....is almost gone here. But it has been FUN. I have been spending a ton of time at a pool I thought I would NEVER return too. Coleman pool is a 50 meter outdoor pool in my backyard of West Seattle. I grew up swimming and racing there a TON. I remember more how we were always trying to avoid the rain between events, setting up tents, having them leak, and seriously...how dry can you stay in a place where you are supposed to be wet. Oh, and it is a half a mile walk to and from, so I recall parents rushing me out immediately following my last event, soaking wet, running down a pathway with a swim bag bigger than myself holding 4+ soaking wet towels to catch the ferry. Now I actually enjoying running up and down the pathway, jumping in for the full lap swimming time and then watching kids play and the ferry dock as I return to my car.

In case you were sleeping Seattle hit the record high for temps and it was HOT! With only 4% of Seattlelites with AC the hotels were sold out, AC adapters sold out and all we could do was SWIM. You could FEEL the heat from the computer, from the lights, from your breath....gosh it was practically miserably hot. Great training for Kona....but at least in Kona I can return to an air conditioned place. Ice baths were EASY to take. For the first time EVER I swam with out a wetsuit in the lake and did not even flinch.

Oh, and slurpees became my new best friend. I can not even recall the last time I had one. We had one a day for a week straight, Mark had all the flavor combos figured out that his would look like a beautiful rainboew. I, on the other hand, spaced that all that sugar and food coloring would only make my tongue look like smurfettes skin.

Biking has been easier too, not having to worry in the slightest about how many layers to put on and the miles just tick away when you are not thinking about numb toes and a frozen face. Yesterday topped of the last long ride for the Ironman Canada folks. It was quite humorous as my buddy Brent got two flats (which is an ongoing joke because it is a "given" with him-that is 2 flats at a minimum), buddy Darin lost his tooth for the second time in a month (veneers), and I decided to leave my Blue Seventy Helix sitting on the top of my car as we started our 1 hour adventure home. Thanks to Blue Seventy I will have another one in my possession tonight. Quick response, great customer service, great company, awesome wetsuit. Thanks guys.