The #Road2Rio; it's a family affair.

As I fly back from a week of some good training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, I figure this is a good time to write about training and racing...and all that jazz.

This past month has been wonderful. Since our honeymoon, (and other than this camp) we have only traveled to see family and other than that, I have been home! It's been amazing. Getting into a routine with Dallas, with training and with everything else has been good for both the mind and body.

After the honeymoon race in Japan, I knew it would be a few months before the next big race and a good block of time for training. As you may know from previous posts, the Road2Rio is very much a road and the process to making it to the games next year is somewhat complicated. It combines a points system, world rankings and key races that can potentially earn you a slot on the team. But only if you have already earned a country slot. It's confusing to say the least. But basically, starting now through next June, if I am ranked in the top 6 in the World AND 1st or 2nd in the US, AND do well at these key races (that I need current points to get into) AND if we've earned a country slot for our classification, then I get on the team for Rio. Get it? Me either.
What I do know, is that there are 2 key races coming up still this year that I need to well in. A race in Rio on Aug 1st that is a test event for the Paralympics and a preview for the course. It doesn't give us more points than any other race, but seeing the actual race course for next year is invaluable. This is a race that not everyone gets into, and I'm thrilled that I am on the start list.
Perhaps the biggest race of the year is World Championships this Sep in Chicago. It's the biggest becasue you can earn you the most points, which can help determine your world ranking and set you up nicely for next year. The more points you have, the higher world ranking you have.

I set off for two solid months of training after our honeymoon and I'm happy to say they have gone pretty well. My quad issue from March seems to have gone away as long as I maintain my recovery and give it some extra love. The older I get, the more recovery I need. Each discipline has been steadily improving and although I'm still not where I want to be, I am happy with my progress.

I really think that having Dallas has given me some added patience in both life and this Road2Rio. Before I had him, I dreamed of all my fitness coming back overnight and my speed faster than ever. While I do think I have the potential to be my fastest ever, I realized many months ago that it wasn't going to happen overnight; but I was OK with it. Knowing that if I truck along day by day, week by week, I would eventually get there. And seeing the progress and the times continue to drop, I am confident that that will be the case. I keep telling myself that Rome wasn't built in a day, and my fitness can't be built back in a day either. This is a huge year for all of us vying for Rio next year and as the races come and go, I need to be fast and work my way towards (and up) the podium. Over the past few months I've learned that I need to focus on my times, and my workouts and be happy with how far I've come. It's so easy to compare yourself to everyone else and question your abilities, when I can just look at myself and be happy. So while this is a make and break year on the Road to Rio, I'm taking it day by day. Slow and steady. With the goal this year to make the team for Rio and then take it from there.
Perhaps most importantly, I believe. In myself, in my training and that any sacrifices made along the way will be worth it in the end. And thankfully I've got a pretty great family behind me every step of the way.

Speaking of family, we have a crawler! It's pretty cool to get home and see him look up, smile and then crawl towards you. He also loves the water, had his first boat ride, loves bananas, eats sand and likes to chew on his brothers toys. His brother, who may (gasp) be taking on the big brother role a little bit more...
He's a happy boy most of the time and we just love him so very much. Still a growing boy, tall and lean, like his dad, but the cutest baby ever. I know I'm biased, but seriously, he is. We've brought him to a few of the triathlons we've done and it's fun to see him hanging out in transition with the athletes. I know Brian is hoping for a hockey player, but maybe if he hangs around triathlons, I can sway him that way. Plus the doctor said he was impressed he was sitting up in his crib a few months back, so he basically said he's going to be a pro athlete.
Brian and I really are so lucky.

We went out to South Carolina to see my parents and my sister's family. Always a great time and some serious cousin love. I so wish we lived closer. 

It's somehow been over 2 months since we got married and we've settled into the married life. Not that it's much different than before, everyone asks us that. I truly am a lucky girl to have Brian's support, always doing whatever he can to make sure I get in my workout. Watching Dallas on the weekends I'm away for training, or a race and just being my biggest cheerleader. It's not just the #road2rio, it's the #mommyroad2rio AND the #familyroad2rio. I'm a lucky girl.

Peace Out!