All good things must eventually end

So Friday has come and gone...which means that I packed up the truck and headed west.

To say that it was a sad day was an understatement. I had such an incredible experience. --- meeting wonderful people, trying new things, training hard and just living a more quiet and selfish life. It was heaven.

It was the last time I would wake up early, gather my things, kick off my flops and walk over the dune at Atlantic Street for daily HipAHA bootcamp. The good news was that the last workout didn't disappoint. Lots of core mixed in with cardio blasts (suicides and dune runs). Good...good times.

After class they made a little announcement about my departure (tear), they gave me a very nice card and we headed over to Perks for our last after workout coffee break and gab-fest.  I am really, really gonna miss this group. They pushed me hard, they were a lot of fun and they are just good people.

Friday was such a gorgeous day at the beach that after class all I wanted to do was grab my bike for One-More-Ride....but I knew that if I did that then I'd never get home and since I hadn't finished packing I knew I had to just stop living in denial and get moving west.

As I jammed all my gear into the truck, I wondered: (1) how did I originally get all this shit here and (2) I sure have a lot of shit --- most of which I never even needed.

On my way out of town I said good bye to my neighbors and as I headed over the Rt 90 bridge I made one last glance over my shoulder at the shore to say "goodbye good friend...I'm gonna miss you." If I didn't admit a tear came to my eye as I thought about the wonderful "summer camp" I've had over the last two months then I would be lying.

T-minus 48 hours before I have to do my hair, make-up, put on real clothes and shoes...and be a grown-up again.

I'll always keep a piece of this time in my heart and a jar of sand from Atlantic Street on my desk.

T-minus 24 hours to reality

[Today's crew showing off the fruit of our labor]

So in just a few short hours I will be packing up and heading west...to reality...my real job...a schedule (that's predetermined by someone else)...and responsibilities.  Though I am really going to miss my life at the beach I do miss home too.

Today I spent time jamming more things in before heading home.

Biking
I knew when my alarm went off at 5:00 am that I shouldn't have gone out last night and that last beer was a bad idea...just as I had thought when I ordered it.  I somehow got up, got organized and out the door with biking and SUP gear because it was a two-fer kinda morning.

We all let at Becka's temporary house on the beach for some interval biking on Coastal Hwy.  The plan was to complete the following:

• high cadence warm-up to North Bethany Beach
• five 5-minute intervals at race pace (90-95%) with 2-minute recovery in between
• high cadence cool-down back to Fenwick

The weather was a bit dreary this morning and as we headed out I was glad that I had a hit of Diet Coke before the ride to help wake everything up.

I'm not sure exactly what was going on, but the moment we started the intervals I was like a rocket.  I had a good feel for the bike and my gears and was launching into the front position very quickly.  Somehow I had the energy and strength to stay in aero while I jammed down and up on those pedals. 

It was incredible.  I was cruising and setting a crushing pace.  It was as if I was possessed.  I think the truth was that I knew this was my last ride with the crew and a good fitness test.  Doc says I passed with flying colors. :)

SUP Bootcamp

[Last time paddling in to Coastal Kayak.  Insert tear.]

After grabbing more caffeine and chit-chatting at the local coffee shop we headed over to Coastal Kayak for SUP bootcamp with the HipAHA crew.  As has been the case all summer, the class was sold out.  Go Lori!

Coastal Kayak was jammed with tons of people since folks were renting stuff and there were two tours getting ready to launch.  All this meant that parking was a bitch and we ended up helping set up the newbies on their boards --- which included hauling the gear out of the storage shed.  Nice.

Overall it was a hard workout.  We paddled out toward Fenwick and did a bunch of resistance exercises using the bands.  My arms are sore, but I actually have the muscle definition to prove that I've done some actual work this summer! 

The wind turned on us and we enjoyed a nice, hard paddle back down the Bay.  It was a little sad knowing that next Thursday morning I will be land-locked at my desk without a paddle.  I do not doubt that I will be inundated/ tormented with regular updates on all the "fun stuff" I'm missing.  With friends like that...

Living in the dark

Sometimes sticking your head in the sand and being ignorant is perfectly fine.

This afternoon I realized a very critical fact and am floored by this news. For the last two months I've been training with a crew of triathletes who are training for an upcoming half Ironman. While that is incredibly impressive and I have been thrilled to be able to hang with these folks ---- I found out today that they are also training for a fall Ironman!!!

What's the distinction? The distinction is that instead of thinking that I've spent the last two months at a half Ironman pace, I have instead been hanging in a program that is geared for folks who will complete a full Ironman in the fall!!!!! Dare I say OMG?!

I guess I never really asked and no one told me all the details about all this extra credit training I've been doing in conjunction with the daily bootcamp classes.

The good news is that I am incredibly impressed with myself. I bad news is that it is going to be a real challenge to keep up with these multiple workout a days once I get back t work. The initial game plan is to make sure I do one workout a day and Lori plans to send me her training block for the next month so that I can aim to virtually train with the group once I move home.

It's a significant goal, but I'm going to try and go for it. Here's to hoping!

Sometimes Things Don't Always Go As Planned

This morning I had the day all set --- beach boot camp and then ocean kayaking!

Unfortunately the weather had other ideas.  As I walked out the front door it was pouring down rain.  I'm not scared of a little rain, but by the time I got to the beach it was pouring down buckets with no end in sight.  As you can imagine...they cancelled class.  Drat!

Now I wasn't sure if I should hang around for an hour and then head to kayaking in hopes that the weather would turn or just go do something else.

I headed over to Gold's for a fitness class...and of course the weather then improved, the sun was shining and the folks who decided to wait it out had a wonderful time ocean kayaking...sans me.

Now that I had the morning and afternoon to myself I read, lounged around, cleaned all the towels from the weekend festivities and walked on the beach.  Though relaxing it was a bit boring.

At 5:20 pm I woke from a sound cat-nap and realized that I had 10 minutes to get dressed and head over to the gym for spin class.  SHIT!  Classes are VERY full and I had reserved a bike for the evening class.  It would be terrible form to just bail while others could not get in the class.

With a speed I did not know I had I somehow got there just as the class was starting.  You can imagine me peeling into my parking space and literally SPRINTING through the parking lot and through the mall to get to class. 

All I can say is that I was thoroughly warmed up for another spin class with the Crazy Russian.  Yes, she was there with her thumping dance music ready to crush us all into submission.

Mission Accomplished.

Warriors!

[Everyone needs proof of their win!]

 Have you ever wanted to revisit your childhood and do Field Day all over again? Maybe even just a little?

On Saturday morning I headed over to Fenwick for the first of three Warrior Day Challenges hosted by hipAHA. I had no idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised by how fun it was.
Imagine two teams competing against one another in a series of team-based challenges --- obstacle course, tag-team racing and a final tug-o-war in the ocean.

In a two-to-one final --- Team Hunters (the team I was on) was victorious over Team Titans!!!
After a hard fought and sweaty battle a number of us immediately headed to the ocean and dove in. A welcome relief to the morning's activities.

HipAHA Chicks

What a gorgeous day to hit the beach for a morning workout!!!!

I met some of the HipAHA ladies for a 30 minute run along the beach at 6:30 this morning. The wind was light, the sun was shining and the sound of the waves was nearly mesmerizing.

Again, I am trying hard to love running and the only way to do that is to just keep doing it. I'll find my groove again...soon hopefully.

After the run it was time for beach bootcamp with the HipAHA chicks. The good news for me is that today was all about sprints. Yay...more running.

It was a great workout. After our warm-up we did (12) 45-minute sprints with a recovery in between each set. Next it was time for a circuit of leg and core workouts.

What I learned after this morning's workouts is that my virgin feet are not as tough as I thought. All this running on the sand has left me with the beginnings of blisters on both of my big toes. Yikes! This is not good for my sprint tri this weekend. Blisters and running are not a good combo.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Sand is evil

Most people think of lounge chairs, beach umbrellas, and drinks with umbrellas when they think about beach sand.

On Friday morning I learned that it can be evil quicksand and no friend.

On Friday morning I hooked up with the HipAHA Bootcamp in Fenwick for some cardio-blasting in the sand. See http://www.hipaha.com/.

After a warm up run/walk down the beach we integrated resistance station work with cardio.

One word people --- suicides. Remember those? Now try doing them in deep, shifting sand. Enough said.

Bonus that after class folks gathered at the local coffee shop for a caffeine infusion and a shot of the fresh juice of the day. Friday's juice was carrot/celery/golden beets. It was incredibly good and refreshing!

Needless to say...I'll be back for more.