Finish Line

This picture says it all - FINISH! That is exactly the way I felt after we finished cleaning up, loading and unloading everything that was needed to put on this race. We were up at 4:00 and I cleaned the last cooler out at 3:00 in the afternoon. The race was a success - we had 273 people register and 231 people finish. I think a lot of the pre-registered people just did not show up, it wasn't that they did not make it around the lake. The whole experience of putting on the race is absolutely amazing because of the impact that this little race has on our community. Everyone comes together to make it happen. Volunteers appear who are not runners to help in any way they can. We all work together as a team. When I was in college I had a class on Team Building. It was the only class I got a "B" in. I just wish that professor could see me now. I feel sure she would take that back! A big factor in my new team skills is that all the people I have been working with are "workers" they all make things happen and take responsibility. While most of us are not paid for our efforts we all treat the volunteer work as if it were a job and that attitude makes all the difference. We are already planning a bigger, better race for next year.

Ache Around the Lake

Here we are running in front of the Tea House up at Lake Lanier. Scarlette, whom I totally blame for getting me involved in yet another charity/work event is hiding behind me in the picture. Kind of ironic since she is the one who had the idea to put on a running race around our beloved lake. Last year was a huge learning curve for both of us - since at that point Scarlette had never even run in a race and I had certainly never been responsible for all the details to produce an event, but somehow we pulled it off and it was a success. This year we took our idea to the local hospital where we got lucky again and ran into 4 other women with can-do attitudes who thought we could raise a lot more money and take the race to another level. Their belief in our race has taken us to a whole new level this year. Scarlette and I were able to use our talents organizing while our new friends at the hospital showed us how raising money is done. The race is this coming weekend and as of now looks like it will be a big success. If you are reading this and have not signed up yet.... www.achearoundthelake.org

Pet Pals

All of my dogs are special but Ziggy has a gift of being able to dole out love to every stranger he sees. At least a few times a week I take Ziggy to local nursing homes to visit with a group I created called Pet Pals. I was inspired to do the work to organize a group like this because of Ziggy's special personality and because there was a great need for it here in our community. In the picture above are some of the "regular" visitors - from left to right Champ, Diva, Ziggy, Pepe' and Daisy. Our group makes over 100 visits each year and bring smiles to the faces of many who indeed live sad lives.

Hartsville from behind the lens...

Since I can't race I can take pictures. Some are good, some not so good but I am going to post them anyway since I spent hours out on the course at Hartsville cheering for those I coach and many that I don't even know. I guess I am addicted to triathlon. I love getting up early in the morning, the fog rising off the lake, the cool air, the loud music in the transition area and lots of people who are just as crazy as I am about the event.

Unfortunatly when I stepped into the water to catch this cool shot I left my racing flats on the beach. Since I was not racing I walked around barefoot and then put my bike shoes on and went out on the course for the remainder of the day. When I was almost home I realized that my race shoes with my very expensive orthotics were still on the beach in Hartsville. Of course I called everyone I could think of to see if someone at the campground had picked them up - but it appears that there is some guy - most likely named "Bubba" wearing a pair of orange Asics with stinky green orthotics. Oh well - I guess it is the only way to get rid of orthotics that stink! Hopefully whomever picked them up needed them more than me anyway. (This shot is of Lindsay, Kimberley & Ashley from left to right) They finished in reverse order!

I am not finished with my picture posting yet...but I have to got to PT for my shoulder now.

Fred coming out of the water - new shutter speed works wonders!

Perfect Form

So maybe my swimming form is a little off lately but I have been making sure that the dogs get a good workout in on a daily basis - maybe even a double each day. Here Willow demonstrates her athletisism and while she may not win the jumping dog contest she will now win the worn out, tired, over-worked dog contest. I must have made her jump in 30 times to get one photo of her in the air! In my new found spare time I have even learned how to work my digital camera - amazing what reading the manual can teach you.

Ache Around the Lake is only 2 weeks away so the work is starting to pile up in that department but now with more time on my hands I knock a little out each day. I already have the garage stock piled with awards, water bottles, signs and other miscellanous stuff one needs to put on a race. I think everyone who races should organize a race - they would certainly never complain again. It makes me appreciate all the racing I have done over the years. The donations keep rolling in and it appears we will donate at least 4x what we donated last year. That is what having a team to work on a project can accomplish. I have been fortunate enough to work with an amazing team of all women ranging in ages and interests - but all focused on raising money for thier cause and pulling off this race. I will have to write more about our grop later because I have really enjoyed working with them.

For now I am going to go rest, read and relax. Tomorrow is my first group ride since the accident so it should be interesting.