My $100 tank top

A couple years ago my awesome neighbor got me in to Triathlons.

Keep your pants on! Not the big long Ironman deal….Sprints!

 She had been participating in a local Sprint Tri for a couple years as a way to keep motivated for working out/keeping in shape.  I had recently joined her and another neighbor working out at the absolute crack of butt in the morning….and she felt, correctly, that I would be interested.

I only had five weeks to train, so I agreed that finishing would be a good thing!

Incidentally, when I told Rube I wanted to sign up, he freaked out! Claiming I would die…have the big one right in the middle of the race! Thanks for the support goof ball! (He turned out to be my biggest fan/supporter…his initial reaction was so funny though!) 

We show up for my first race…nervous as all get out…a bit shy…and awed by all of the powerful women there strutting around in all their glory. I'm not kidding! These gals got it goin' on! They've got matching gear and fancy race bikes…tricks they're willing to share with newbies…!

I make it down to the beach and find myself alone amongst them as my neighbor is younger than I and gets to start earlier…. I find myself getting more and more excited to get started…when just 3 minutes before I was having trouble keeping my food down and my lower half was in full blast alert/eject the core mode!

When I got to the water…I can't explain it….but I turned into instant beast mode! I forgot how competitive I am!
We need to remember, I'm the youngest of three…and the older two? Boys!

I tore that race up and had so much fun doing it too!
I've participated in two other races since…have added a tri suit, number belt, a racing bike and "race" shoes with special "race laces" to my repertoire. 

This fairly lengthy explanation brings me to present…and my $100 tank top.

These races can be tricky to get in to…you have to sign up a year in advance, lay down the big bucks and hope no vacations or illness prevent you from showing up!

I signed up for a local race that I did for the first time last year….called The Valley Girl. Sadly, I've been fighting a neck/shoulder injury for this entire year plus, so not only haven't been 'training'…but working out in general has been hit and miss!

Rube and my snarky 9 year old had convinced me to just go and see how I do…so I was all set….

Then, the 4th of July weekend…we spent it on our boat, as we like to do when we have it in the water, and all was well until…. Sunday pack up.

I attempted to pull the heavily laden cooler out of the back berth in a pull/twist motion and jacked up my back like no one's business.

I would be lying if I didn't admit to a sense of relief…I couldn't possibly race now! I had been struggling with guilt all week, alternating with frustration as the competitive crazy in me kept welling up…..

Instead of racing, Rube and I made plans to go out on a sailboat we are considering buying….in order to do this, we needed a sitter for the kids as we don't generally introduce complete strangers to the crazy that is our family right off the bat…or at least not in such close quarters!

Insert the in-laws, bless their hearts! They came down the day before to stay the night as we were needing to leave for the lake pretty early.

My Mom-in-law came with me for packet pick up as I figured I would at least get the shirt and water bottle…right?  I mean….I paid for it!

The race staff were all very kind and encouraging…claiming safety over everything…and cheerfully chiming, "We'll see you back next year!"

Which just made me feel worse for my sense of relief….ah well.. After packet pick up, we went grocery shopping…and made a Costco run.... When we got home and were unloading groceries…my husband comes out to help and finds me standing in the garage snickering as I gaze into the back of my mini van….
Thinking I've finally snapped….he comes over to see what I'm looking at…bracing for something bad…or worse, nothing at all!

I'm looking at a scene that I feel is fairly indicative of the year I've had….

There, on one of the back seats, was my new $100 race shirt and packet….and sitting squarely upon it?

A giant Apple Pie that I had just purchased at Costco!