Let's play catch-up...

Life has not exactly been running along at The Slowest Triathlete speed lately. It would be more like The Slowest Triathlete on performance enhancing drugs speed, in fact. So lets all take a deep breath and catch up on things....

1. I have employed a trainer. Because knowing what I need to do, even writing what I need to do down on paper and carrying it around with me everywhere, is not enough to make me actually DO IT. I realized that if I am going to get to the finish like of this marathon in one piece I have to actually DO THE TRAINING. Not something I have been so good at sticking with. Until now. Now I have paid someone to not only tell me exactly what I should be doing, but also hold me accountable for doing it. And whaddyaknow....I did all but one of my workouts last week (missed second swim workout because I couldn't make it to the pool for designated lap swim time). This is monumental. Very monumental indeed.

2. I was forced to confess all of my bad training habits. OK, I wasn't forced, exactly. But I did have to fill out a questionnaire that definitely shed some very unattractive light on my training (and "racing") history. Embarrassing!

3. I biked 33 miles. Alone. In the rain. On a Saturday morning. That is how motivated I am these days. I came home cold, hungry, greasy, dirty, and soaking wet. It was beautiful. Accidentally putting my half used gel pack in the same pocket as my cell phone, however, not so beautiful.

4. Running and my body are still not friends. Good thing a marathon is only 26.2 miles. Ya. Awesome.

5. I have been channeling Martha.....I cooked! I was blog-stalking and found a few recipes that looked achievable - even for me. First, I made this pasta salad so I'd have something to take for lunch this week. Though, given the amount of garlic involved, this one may best be left to post-work, post-workout carbo loading. And I also tackled homemade granola. I know, who do I think I am Betty Crocker? But it was unbelievably easy, and SO GOOD. I got the recipe from this blogger, who got it from this blogger, who actually modified it from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. So thanks, Ina?

6. I have managed to balance all the workouts with some precious friend time. I guess it can be done. And my reward was getting to enjoy time with friends that rarely get to be in the same state all at once. Because this happened twice in one weekend (with two different groups of friends) it made things a little busy, but so worth it. I'll share a few pics, but to protect the innocent I'll only show babies, and feet. ;)

First a quick trip to Chicago, where the once-crazy three of us were joined by the next generation of wild ones....a welcome addition to "girls' weekend"....though, it certainly changed up what would normally have been on the agenda.

But look at that little face.....who needs $10 martinis when you can stare at this little bundle of entertainment for free all day!

We spent the day catching up on the ins and outs of each others lives, wandering through Grant Park, and Millennium Park, and watching the little one experience all kinds of things for the first time. But after getting up at 5am to get a bike ride in before the drive to Chicago, this day wore me out.

Then it was home Sunday, for a fun afternoon with some High School friends. Which meant a casual outdoor dinner, with homegrown greens, wine, and that priceless, comfortable kind-of companionship that only comes when you're surrounded by people who probably know you better than you even know yourself.

And, of course, an appearance by this little man.

And a nice little ride through the countryside to top it all off. These six feet have been with me through quite a few of life's little adventures (and helped mastermind a few too). I'm a lucky girl to have such amazing friends, and to have the chance to do all the things that I do...ride my bike, run, take off for the weekend, drink wine on the lawn, watch sunsets, hop in the flatbed of pickup truck and ride down a bumpy gravel road....happiness can hide in the most simple, yet all-too-often overlooked places.....