How is the triathlon only 2.5 weeks away? I was so very ready when it was still 6 weeks away, it still seemed like we had so much time before race day at that point. Now I'm not sure I'm ready. We've been training hard. Tuesday group runs continue in Central Park at 6:30 despite the heat, we're mixing biking and running, we simulate race conditions by jumping in the pull and starting to swim with no wall push off, and we've hit the open water.

Yes, 2 weeks ago we traveled out to Coney Island for our open water swim practice with follow up run on the Boardwalk. It was like a field trip since I've never been to Coney Island. And it's actually quite peaceful at 7 am.

A few pictures to set the scene. We ran between the rocks, back and forth for an hour. Minor issues with the wetsuit, the number of people around me, and overall sense of panic. Which might be an issue since I've done this 3x before. Maybe it's not something I'll ever really be ready for. But I was not going to head back to shore. Not with all my donors behind me! Ok, so really I just didn't want to be the only one (though I know I wasn't alone, I discussed it with a fellow swimmer as we kept doing laps).

A nice quiet beach:

Ready (or not), we're all going in:

Post swim and run. No, I didn't opt for the Nathan's Chili Dog at 10 am. Though some of my teammates did!

I think we are ready. Sub 3 hours or bust! If I get a flat, that's all out the window, but will deal with that race day.

Dare I say it...Half Ironman in 2012?

Thank you again for all of your support!

Eight weeks to go! We finished our 1st team brick yesterday with a 10 min run, an hour bike ride and a final 20 minute run. There must have been over 100 of us out at the Manhattan location.

Feeling good, but still feel like I have a way to go. More swimming and definitely more bike time.

And I need to work on that flat tire practice! I watched my 2nd "how to" yesterday after practice and think I now need to deflate that tire and give it a try at home. So if I can't get it back together, I can walk it up to the bike shop. I think 5 years of just saying a prayer before I take the bike out might...well, my time is coming, I can feel it. Practice makes perfect!

After a week of no activity in California (not like I promised below!), I'm back in the swing of things. If I commit the planned activities to writing, maybe they are more likely to happen. Just a little blind swimming on Monday (eyes closed, which caused a near collision).

Sat 5/21: Group Bike (Harlem Hill in Central Park!)

Sun 5/22: Gym Circuit

Mon 5/23: Group Swim

Tues 5/24: Group Run (5.1 miles!)

Wed 5/25: CPK and Shake Shake Concrete (working on arm muscles)

Thurs 5/26: Plan is to Swim

Fri 5/27: Plan is to Bike (cycle class)

Sat 5/28: Plan is to hit the Group Bike

Thank you all for your support!

And we're 6 weeks in!

The training base has been laid (or that's what the coaches are telling us). Learning to focus on running on the balls of your feet (don't hit that payment with your heel, it's bad for you!), good swim technique with some basic drills, and feeling comfortable on the bike...all that good stuff.

There is nothing like circle swimming in a lane with 6 other people. But it's great to see so many other people there WAY on the Upper East Side at 8:30 on a Monday night, all training together. Yes, that's a 40 minute commute back home at 9:30 (don't worry, mom, it's safe!). This is when I'm glad to be in the middle of the pack, because the advanced group training is at 9:30 pm.

I'm off to California for a week, but am focused on getting some runs in just to stay in shape. Last weekend was the big 5 Boro Bike Tour, and while the pace was very slow, the 35 miles on the little seat were needed.

More to come!

Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page!

It's time to embark on another triathlon. My first triathlon was with Team in Training in 2006. And I'm back for a 4th time, and doing it with TNT because it's such a great cause.

And this year I am racing with Team Bloomberg (our inaugural year), where 10 of us will embark on this journey together. Overall, 500 New Yorkers will be participating with TNT to finish the triathlon, working to raise $1.6 million.

Just a quick swim in the Hudson, bike ride up the West Side Highway and strong run through Central Park. In the dead of summer, August 7th. Here's hoping that it's not 100 degrees.

The shoes are ready....

The goggles have come out of retirement....

And the bike, well, that needs dusted off and pulled out from its storage spot.

I'm training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!