Catch-Up Anyone?

Thank God for labor day weekend! Every day since my last post I have wanted to sit down and record the day's events, but that just was not going to happen. The short story is as follows.

Super busy at work / Longer days.
My three extra jobs that were supposed to be spread out over the summer all happened over the past three weeks.
Baby has had a double ear infection for over a week now.
Two fantasy football drafts.
Trying to put together and organize my fundraising stuff for three races. Thank you notes, new fundraising letters, re-send fundraising letters, create "first annual corn hole tournament."
Making six sets of new corn hole boards.
Race in "mock tri" the same distance as Waupaca race without having training.

So, today I am most thankful for the people in this picture. I'm not sure how I have been carrying this pace for this long now. I know it has a lot to do with all the amazing support I have received from so many people. Epically Janet, Mom and Dad.

Often I ask myself if this is all worth it. And, right now, I really think it is. I know myself, and I have never been very good when I have a lot of free time. Granted, lately it's been ridiculous. Yet more than anything, I know that the reasons that I am doing too much is to help others. I really feel that God has been showing me more about myself lately because I am doing it all to serve others. The big negative to it all is a major lack of time with my own family. But more and more we are doing stuff together to get things done.

So my race training has been non existent since the Waupaca race. This was very evident at the mock tri that our coach put on two Saturdays ago. I didn't feel good that morning. It was a simple half mile swim. 17 mile bike and three mile run. It was around lake Nicomas so coach told us how many laps to swim around the buoys and how many laps around the lake. Funny part was the five laps around the buoys for the swim ended up being closer to a mile. Now normally that is fine, everyone else has to do it and it's not like I haven't swim a mile before. But coming off the week I had with work and the lack of traing and sleep and just plain old not feeling good, it mattered. A few times during the swim I considered quitting. But before the race started someone very important showed up. Brenden and his mom came to watch the team race. As many of you know Brenden is our honored teammate, he and his family have had a super busy summer and have not had time to show up to team events. My morning started to turn around when they showed up. I really did not want to race that morning, but after I saw them I knew I could. As I struggled to keep going in the swim I knew I could not quit because on that beach was the reason I am doing all this. He had no idea, but that morning he was the only reason I finished that race. Brad lapped me on the swim, John was out of the water over five minutes before me and I never saw them again. My bike was average at best and my run never really had much too it. But I finished for that happy little boy cheering us on. I am racing to cheer him on and that day he showed up to cheer us on. There is no quitting! So many people I talk to say they could never do a tri. The only reason they can't is because they just told themselves they can't.

So Labor day weekend has been a God-send! I have been catching up! All my side jobs are caught up till after the Disney race. The corn hole boards are half done. My fundraising stuff is organized for the first time. I made my goal for the Disney race and can focus on the other two race goals. I started training again. Last Wed. we had a punishing run with speed work, hills, and stairs. Saturday I swam a mile, and it was my best swim yet. Sunday I biked with John 28 miles with speed work and hills and then we swam a half mile, and again, my best swim yet. I really feel my swim coming together. It has needed a lot of work. Everything else will come together now that I am able to train again.

Now we just have to get little Bijou over her ear infection.