A weekend in Flagstaff

Ahhhhhh, Flagstaff, our old home. Even though it is only a 2 hr drive to Flagstaff, JR and I have not had the time to make it up there this summer. AZ is pretty amazing. In Phoenix you can train all year round, it just gets very hot in the summer (40 days of over 100 degrees now?)...but if you want to escape the heat, Flagstaff is right around the corner.

Last weekend, JR and I and part of Iron Gear Sports and Team Durapulse drove to Flagstaff to compete at the Mountainman Sprint Triathlon. Off course JR and I cut it a little close and we were one of the last ones in transition. Fortunately I got a super spot...thanks to two very friendly triathletes who made more then enough room for me.

Steve, the man in charge of Iron Gear Sports getting ready to go fast on his P4:

JR got a not-so-great spot in transition. But it turns out that this spot doesn't slow him down.

Lazer Helmet fits, ready to go.

I had my personal Sherpa for the day. My friend Pam, who did not race (she competed in a 200 mile ride the weekend before). She was SO helpful. She even zipped my wetsuit for me WHILE I was running to the swim start (no way, not because I cut it close...just because I like to run in my wetsuit...). Also it was super great to see Coach Nick and the Durapulse crew come up to Flagstaff just to cheer on their athletes. Now that is what I call a TEAM. It definitely motivated me to go faster!!! Thanks for cheering!!!

The swim was very nice. Calm water, 71 degree temperature. I am still trying to get super fast in the water. The only way to get faster is to go out FAST and try to hold on :-) I ended up 3rd out of the water with a, for me, very satisfying time.

I raced hard on the bike, unfortunately I was stopped once by one of the volunteers. She thought I was doing the super sprint (which started ahead of us) and she tried to convince me to turn around at their turn around...after a complete stop and some explaining I kept going. The run was a nice out and back. Racing at 7000 feet makes for some really short breaths :-)

Here is JR's race prep and race. JR does this new method of training. It is called the super taper. You pretty much taper for ... lets say 6 months...and then you go out and race :-) JR has been very busy with work, so his workout time is limited. He went to the pool maybe 3 times before the race... he runs with me, but hasn't done any speed training. Yet he goes out and comes out of the water in 7th place, bikes his way into 1st/2nd (they were in T2 together)...then on the run he realizes he never picked up his timing chip and just jogs his way into 2nd place overall. Oh did I mention he hasnt' been in a wetsuit since June 2010?

I am so excited to see JR race IM AZ this fall!!! What a great athlete!!!

This was race 13 of the season for me. NowI have 1.5 months to become a fish in the water and 2 months before I have to run like I am being chased by a cheetah :-)