My work here is done...

my 2011 Triathlon season is officially over. Done with racing, done with traveling, and you know what? It feels good, but it also feels strange. On my flight home I was already thinking about what I could do next, but once I got back to Phoenix reality caught up with me: my body needed a break :-) I was tired and exhausted, but I wouldn't change a thing about my 2011 season. I accomplished all my goals and I had some good PR's.

A few weeks have passed and I did what I wanted :-) When I felt like riding I rode, whenever I felt like running I ran (no watch, no HR, nothing)...the swimming, yeah...I didn't really feel like that at all :-) Until today!!!

Phoenix is finally cooling down and we can actually be outside (almost) all day (we have a few more 100 degree days left). The nights are very nice, in the 60's. Perfect for sleeping with the window open. Now can it please be like this all year?

I am competing, aehhh, I wanted to say participating in a Halfironman relay in 2 weeks. I am the runner :-) I am really excited, no pressure, just fun. Then I have a few Halfmarathons planned for the winter and a trip to Germany for Christmas.

You might think now that I am in my off season I have tons of time for everything...WRONG. It seems like my days are filled with work, work, spoiling JR (he is getting ready for IMAZ) and ...SEARCHING for my dog Jack:

Jack with his shoe collection.

On Tuesday, Jack disappeared. We searched for him for 7 hrs!!! We expanded our radius constantly, searched in the neighborhood, alleys, EVERYWHERE. We had the enitre neighborhood looking for a lost Springer Spaniel. JR and I made flyers and they were posted on every corner. We live close to a mountain preserve and we all know that a lost little puppy's chances of surviving a night in the desert are pretty slim (coyotes are always hungry). It got dark and I was still cruising around on the scooter, yelling into the preserve when I got a call from JR. Jack was returned!!!

It turns out that our neighbor had Jack. The entire 7 hrs!!! While we were searching everywhere, throwing our socks and his toys in the street so he could sniff his way home. She said she wasn't sure if it was our dog...and she didn't know that we were searching for him (hmmm...let me think, my dog is nowhere to find for 7 hrs...should I search and be worried???) We have no idea what they were thinking. Jack most likely never even left OUR yard!!! It was a crazy and strange story, but we are just really thankful to have him back.

I didn't do it :-)

It has been an eventful two weeks since I came back from Spain.

I am very thankful for what and where I got to race this season. It was epic to be everywhere (it seemed like) and being able to have a home, a family and working (and I do not mean training by that...Work work :-)

I am already looking forward to 2012 - it will be a great season.