Super...

Thanks for the great comments on my last post. I did end up visiting Jeff, and it was truly special. I'm so glad I finally made it there. Such a peaceful spot. Now that I've gotten over that hump, regular visits are in store :)

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Last weekend I got to do my second favorite triathlon-related thing: spectate/cheer/sherpa at a race! (First fav is actually racing, duh!) I knew lots of people doing Superfrog and Superseal, particularly my mom. I always love when she does a race because it turns into a mini vacation. When I race solo, I will often sleep on random couches or in dirt-cheap motels, eat GU and Clif bars for two days straight and essentially live out of my car. I don't like extravagantly spending money. But when Mom races... well, you can guess... I was in for a weekend on Coronado Island!

As soon as we got to the Loews Resort I knew it was going to be a "lazy" weekend for me (i.e. vacation mode)... thankfully I had gotten in my big training days during the week, so I was playing the weekend by ear, hoping to at least run some.

Dad & Syd got in a solid workout....
...while I did "crack" opps! Caught!On a totally random side note, I'm sorry... but this mirror thing in the elevators (as you can see in the pic) is WAY freaky to me! I don't like seeing what seems to be endless reflections, just creepy.
Saturday night ended up being one of my few splurge nights that happen once in a blue moon these days (btw, whitney, I still do drink on occasion).... the night included glass(es) of wine, good food, great company and a very late bedtime. The alarm didn't sound so hot the next morning. But by 5:30 it felt like mid-afternoon... I was supercharged to watch some racing! I got totally geeked out in tri gear, water-bottle belt and all... it was efficient for holding a camera, phone & staying hydrated all hands-free all while still getting in what I call a "broken up" long run. Bits and pieces of running, which totaled about 7 miles by noon. No joke! The weather turned out to be great, minus wind that affected the bike course more than anything. Rain was forecasted, but it decided to wait until Sunday night. Thanks weather gods! Long story short... Lauren & Tatiana raced Superfrog and came in 7th and 10th, respectively. They both kicked butt and I was stoked to watch my RAHA girls in action. They have a lot going for them if this is the level at which they're starting the season.

Tati off the bike...Lauren almost at the finish... The same can be said for my mom. She got 1st AG in 50-54 women, beat 2nd place by 10 freakin minutes and PR'd on the course from last year!! Wow. The Prazak family was happy. My dad was glowing with pride, but I was especially happy. As my mom's coach, I'm admittingly hard on her because I know what type of competitor/athlete she is and what she's capable of achieving. I'm not so tough that I make her push through fatigue or train ridiculous amounts (I also realize she's in her 50s!), but I make her do workouts outside her comfort zone. The hard work is clearly paying off, and I'm excited to get her ready for Vineman 70.3 next! There's another Prazak family member who I can't forget to mention... We had a special guest along to partake in the triathlon fun (thanks to Loews for being dog-friendly!), and she was a great spectator as well as the perfect "happy distraction" on the bike course... she got lots of shout outs! Also a big congrats to Whitney (1st AG), Liz (2nd AG), Adam (L's bf), Michi Weiss (seal winner), Tracy R (seal 2nd overall), my CSUF bud Bill (frog), Caroline (impressive race girl!), Grady (seal, 1st race back post-surgery), Kevin Rausch (seal), Felipe... and all the other racers I know/met/saw. I love being involved in this sport!

In the meantime, I've been so busy I haven't even had time to zone out on FB or Twitter or blogs. I have lots of articles in the works, started writing my thesis, training lots & lots, coaching more... enjoying life away from electronic devices when possible. And more fun is on tap. Saturday I'm going to a pro soccer game with Galaxy vs Utah (a first for me), racing a sprint triathlon sunday morning then off to SD for some fun with Zoot mon/tues.