I Own it, I was One of the First to Start Giggling....

WHAT AN AMAZING WEEKEND!!!!


I think I need one more cage.

It started Friday night when I was finally able to leave work and head over to visit with Curtis and his crew at Cannon Cyclery. I'd been working with another store about 2 months now trying to get my fit right. I'd heard Curtis was the best, so I made an appointment with him. 5 different people have looked at my bike (and me on it) and everyone has a different opinion. Curtis was no different.

Seat back up, handle bars up, aero bars turned a little....another paid fit. My bike finally has a name: M.P. (Money Pit). While it seems the knee pain may be gone it still needs to be tweaked, good thing Curtis is already expecting me back on Tuesday.

Best line on Facebook after I acknowledged the fit still wasn't perfect was from my friend who is NOT a triathlete: Wow. I can't believe that I am so into following your crotch.

Off to Augusta for the weekend to participate in a tri camp hosted by Tri Coach Georgia and Tri Augusta. I almost didn't go. After all, my reason for going was to ride the course and I had already seen it during my trip for the Gatorfest event. After chatting with coach a few weeks ago, we determined it would be a good ending to an easy week of training. So the event stayed on the calendar, and I'm very glad it did!

I couldn't get there until late Friday so I missed all the Friday activities, but jumped right in Saturday morning with some seminars.

Slayer talked about the run course. Brian broke down the ride. Ryan shared tips about swimming.

We also learned about injury prevention and stretching. I learned a few things: 1. If someone walks up behind me at the park while I'm stretching my calves, he's just adjusting my hips. 2. Go long and smooth for a bit and then find your spot and dig in.

My coach was there helping out and passing out PowerBar stuff also. And yes, we know this, but #mycoachisadork.

While in line for the bathroom, a trend began to take form:

You're Shawna, right? I read your blog.

I'm bit surprised because I really thought only my mom read my blog. (HI MOM!!!)

Off to the swim we go. Even in August, the river is wetsuit legal.

We were shuttled up river and as I'm hanging out, waiting for everyone to make it up, two women approach me from Greenville. You're Shawna, right? We read your blog. We chat. Rhonda's parting words before we go off to get our swim done, "Shawna, how are you still single?" Well Rhonda....that's a topic for when we aren't treading in 70 degree water.

After the swim we prepped to run the course. It is a double loop so options for distances we endless.

Rhonda, me, Lauren - Badass bookends!

We set off running. I told Maria I would run her 12-14 with her. We took it nice and easy and chatted with our new friend Allan. Allan, remember what gets said on the run, stays on the run!

There was a turn in the course at a restaurant. There was a family sitting outside, eating pizza and drinking beer and directing runners. Trying to stay in the theme of the weekend: have fun, train easy. I decided I needed a drink. I asked for one and they very willingly obliged!

Those eyeing me up from behind swiftly admitted they were jealous!

After running one loop that was about 7 miles, many pealed off but I continued on with Maria. Unfortunately, my Achilles decided to tie itself in a knot. It was a pain I knew I should NOT run through. Maria was very gracious and slowed down and even stopped a few times to stretch. We turned around before we hit the water stop and found ourselves out of water. We were running down Greene Street and a family was outside with their garden hose running. I asked if we could fill up our bottles. They insisted we take bottled water and then insisted we stay and have a beer.

Neither of us actually drank the beer, but who can pass up a great photo op?

I split with Maria and she went off to finish her mileage. We then reconvened at the river which instantly cools you off and acts like a ice bath.

Is that a gator behind me? No...just Maria!

I went to the river before Maria as she was finishing up her run. No big deal but my flip flops were in her car. As we walked back up the car I was faced with a gravel parking lot. As I tenderly started walking, Bill asked me if I wanted a lift. His friend, Russell, turned around and said, "You're Shawna, right? I read your blog." Bill is wearing an OSU shirts. I respond immediately with "Go Bucks!" Hey Bill...my dad's a Buckeye and my aunt and uncle are retired professors. O-H.....

The first man to sweep me off my feet in forever!

Clean up, regroup, social time then dinner at Rhineharts.

So much fun hanging out with NGTC friends and new friends!

It was an early to bed kind of night and Maria and I tucked ourselves in for the last night of our weekend slumber party!

And then of course....it was early to rise to get ready to participate in the course ride with Ride for a Reason. Cloudy skies, impending floods, bah hub bug! Mother Nature knew better than to mess with TriAugusta's event and the weather was perfect for the full ride.

There were plenty of rest/water stops. At the first one, Jody and I hooked up and proceeded to push and pull each other through the rest of the ride.

Jody's from Charlotte and knows the area I used to live in.

The ride went great. We stopped often for a moment or two and then rode on. We chatted, we leap frogged with a group and I had my butt grabbed by a guy from Chain Reaction. JUST KDDING. He fixed my jersey to that my flashing red light on my back would show.

For so many reasons I'm glad I decided to go. I loved seeing friends I had made early in the summer as well as meeting so many people from the August HIM Facebook group.

I could write more, but I'm sure you've stopped reading by now and my roommate just yelled at me that I haven't started my food prep yet for the week. Thank you all (even if unnamed here) for an amazing weekend and for encouraging me to keep up with  my blog.

See you awesome triathletes in about 6 weeks!