Aww. That is so sweet. Thank you.
Why run without raising money? Because you LIKE it. I know!!! Who does a tri just for fun???
I left my house at 5am. The location for the tri was Sandy Hook, which is my local beach. It is a national park and stretches out like an arm into the ocean, with the bay on one side. There are many beaches, some for surfing, some for fishing, some for sunbathers. There are also bayside beaches. The tri was all the way at the tip of the hook, where the military forts used to be. There's a big cannon there, officer housing, and a Coast Guard station and lighthouse. At one point there were a lot of people who lived out there - post WW2 they left and now the whole thing is being restored for events.
Anyhoo, we followed each other out to the parking. We ended up in athlete overflow, with volunteers and spectators. There were people there with kids and coolers and dogs and strollers - big happy family, tons of people. I think if I did a whole tri, I'd bring the whole gang with me, too.
Teri was swimming first, but her wave wasn't until 752am. So we hung out, got our shoes on, ate something. Then we walked over, the last athletes to do so, I swear, to the transition area. Teri headed to swim, and Jodi and I found a place to keep all our stuff. Then we scoped out the starts for both of us - her biking and me running. Then we went to wait for Teri.
Teri did the half mile swim in the bay in about a half an hour. Very good time for her. She has been on a program - lost 80lbs - but has another 50 or so to go. So this is hard for her. She is not a skinny girl, even with the 80lbs gone. She was the one who dragged me into this, and why I said yes. I knew it owuld be a big deal for her. However, she was a swimmer and lifeguard and all that, so swimming is natural for her.
We met her with her towel and shoes, and Jodi took the ankle bracelet with the chip off Teri and headed out to bike. She did awesome, 11 miles in half an hour. We don't have official times, but I was looking at my watch.
Then it was my turn. I got the chip from Jodi and exchanged sunglasses and off I went. I started running, and ran until I had to walk. There were people doing both, so I wasn't alone. It was two loops, and you bet you a$$ I ran every time I passed spectators.It was very hot and humid, and on my second lap I really noticed it. I took the water, and my nose ran but I had tissues, so that was okay. Still the head cold thing. Tail end of it. Women commented on my sign on my back - it was in honor of my mom, and I had all your names on it, and all the rest of my friends names, so I took everyone with me.
I wish I could have run the whole thing, but omg I'd have to be a runner to do that. Did I mention humid? Lordy. I ran past Greg, Jodi's husband, who was volunteering, and he saw me the second lap. Unfortunately, Nick and Emily came with my friend Jackie, and they were there too late to see me do anything.
I ran across the finish line at 9:35am, so the run took me about 40 mins. It would have been faster had I run more, but I think fall weather is the key for these things. No more Jersey shore summers, thank you.
I was so hot when Teri and Jodi found me - they announced my number and team name over the speakers, and Teri and Jodi were at the sidelines taking my pictures. I just wanted cold water, ice, and not to throw up. Eventually I cooled down, stretched, and felt better. And then I started talking about how it wasn't that bad and maybe we should all do one ourselves. And what run/walk 5K we were doing next year for breast cancer. My friends just laughed.
Nick, found us, we gathered our stuff, and went for lunch. Champagne, big burgers, and I was ready for bed. It is so oppressively hot here, i had to use the air in my car. We ate outside for lunch, on the water, covered and it was nice, but once back in the parking lot, you wanted to die. It's still so hot here we ate dinner inside. The humidity just hits you like a wall.
But yes, it was good. I don't feel like I did something big, I feel like I did something small. There's lots of things I don't like about this race - the time of year, their sucky donation thing, but the day of was great and the location and the other women.
This is very much a start, not an end.And thank you all again.
Okay, pictures:
Me, nervous before the run
There I am, running by
And finished
Thats so awesome!!! I'm am really inspired by you doing this... Hopefully when I get to your weight I am able to do something similar!
Yep, that's you missy. 
GREAT!
Yay so if all goes well I should be moving into my new House By next week sometime! So If you notice that I am not posting than that means I am packing! If you notice that I am posting WAY TO MUCH Tell me to GET OFF AND PACK! I still have almost the whole upstairs to pack and that would consist of three BIG bedrooms and Two baths I have managed to pack most of the linen closet. I have a ton of laundry 
to do to because right now I don't pay for utilities and I will have to after we move, So I need to wash everything before we are out of here LOL!
We will get locked at 200 pages.
)...
and I missed my 10 miler yesterday so I have miles to make up. Shelby has a field hockey game after school today and after the supreme boys party on weekend, I am pretty much finished for the week. No kidding. We have field hockey, soccer, running, doctors appointments (getting old bites), mammogram (did I mention getting old bites?) and school open house and field hockey benefit auction and dinner. Full week to say the least!! 
