The next part of our summer

Jess preps for 3 or so hours in the saddle. She was nervous for the distance but performed like a true athlete. Way to go Jess!

Mandy is an amazing cyclist herself, and for good reason. Her husband is some uber-rider who wins race after race every summer. 60 miles was probably no big deal for Mandy, but she stayed with us and was fun and happy to keep her pace slow for her two pokey sisters.

I rode my bike 60 miles the day after Porter's birthday party (that is the longest I have ever propelled my own body in one time frame. Ever).

Went with my sisters Jessa and Mandy. We rocked the "Little Red Riding Hood" ride, finished in great time and had a blast. I scored a new wind breaker as a prize for being so speedy (John is my personal sponsor-he provides all my triathlon gear, right out of his pocketbook. And I don't even have to wear his logo plastered all over me. You should buy contact lenses from his company to help support my training ;)

I was a total stress case about doing the race, with the 8 year old's birthday party the night before and then a big special event the next day (Porter's baptism). I left John a huge "honey do" list and felt extreme guilt the entire ride up to the start line.

Then we started riding our bikes. The course was flat, and through these very darling small towns in Cache Valley. Some of the most picturesque scenes in the state of Utah. My sisters are such great company, and the weather was fantastic. My worries and stress melted as I got a good cadence going and could hear my breathing increase. Whatever chemicals are released into my blood stream as a result of exercise are just like prozac or some other kind of "happy drug" for me-as those nice feeling chemicals were pumping I felt like myself; the strong and happy self, the one who doesn't freak out over little things. The one who is grateful for the experiences of life instead of dread-filled at facing them.

We made it home in time for me to show John how thankful I was for all he had accomplished that day (he got EVERYTHING on the to-do list done. He is superman!). My saddle began to be a little sore, but other than that my recovery was fast and I was happy and ready for the baptism and family/neighborhood gathering in the back yard the very next day.

And that was the next part of our summer.