slightly different weekend...and feeling a little overwhelmed (by good emotions)

...for the first time in a long while, I wasn't riding my bike today. Sort of odd not to fix nutrition bottles on a Friday night. And then to grab my wetsuit, goggles, and swim cap this morning and head to Barton Springs instead of making sure my helmet, bike shoes, etc... were in the car ready to go. Had a good swim with Blythe, Liz, Jim, Joe...and saw Erin, Natalie, Justin, Tom, and Chris. Finally figured out how to get my wetsuit in the right place - yeah, it helps when you pull it up ALL the way. Seriously blonde moment for the past...okay, it's embarrassing...5 months. I was wondering why everyone kept saying theirs was so hard to get into. Now I get it! Anyway, it felt so much better. My arms used to get exhausted within the first 200m and this time they felt good the whole time. I still prefer to swim without one but I'm grateful to feel more comfortable in this nice one that Praveeta has lent to me for CDA. A solid 45 minutes in the water, and we were headed to Whole Foods...at such an early hour we weren't sure what to do! So we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and then Liz and I took a quick trip to Title 9. I mean, it was right across the street. Managed to find a couple of items there...and not repeats of things already in my closet...and some cute dresses - girly stuff, fun! And then it was off to grab my bike to take to the PTC to leave it for Tri Bike Transport. That scene was hysterical. It was a bubble wrap fest. Seriously, the guys from Tri Bike Transport are going to laugh when they walk in and see all of our bikes...they look like someone has wrapped them up for Christmas. Pedals off. Frame wrapped. Extra bag packed. Check, check, and check. Bye-bye, bike!
Lunch with Laura who was sweet and carved out time in her weekend to see me before she left town and I went to CDA. Laura's been so awesome about supporting me through different tris - she's a great colleague but more importantly a wonderful friend. Anyway, I wish this IM were here in Austin just so folks like her could see what my craziness these past 6 months has produced! (Saw more T3 folks at lunch...so nice when Austin feels smaller than it is because circles of friends overlap.) Followed lunch up with a couple of errands and then headed home for a much needed nap. Not sure why I was so tired today. I did relatively little compared to what I normally do, but I was pooped. Anyway, felt good to do laundry and put my legs up. Got up in time to catch up with folks on the phone (and hear about Amy's great bike ride! go, Amy!)...and then went to a movie. Been a long time since I've done that...it was fun and funny (laughed really hard!)...and feasible to catch something other than a matinee since we just have an 8 mile run tomorrow. A single digit distance...where did all of the double digit runs go?
I'm getting oddly nostalgic about all of this. In fact, I got a card from my mom and Gran today and when I opened it I started crying. That caught me totally off guard, to be honest. And Praveeta gave me the sweetest angel (that I put at the top of my entry today) and two cards (that I have not opened but will in CDA). Thank you, Praveeta...for ALL of the support, the wetsuit, and the good care. And Katy and I had a conversation on Friday about how amazing this whole thing was going to be and that made a little teary. And Erin has made these awesome robots for us, and when I saw the picture of the whole bunch of them I almost started crying thinking of our team out there in CDA...a true army of support these little blue robots! Thank you, Erin!! Mine (#191) is in the picture on the right...maybe Alisa (#239 - and also the birthday girl on June 21!) and I are coming in together?! And Logan (#908) and Charles (#1050) are already taking their naps by the time we come in?!
And then I tried to answer the IM CDA Taper survey that Jane and crew sent out but I had to stop because I got all choked up. Guess it's good to be dealing with some of these emotions here in Austin rather than saving them up for CDA and next Sunday. But I'm starting to think that I better work on my gameface because I'm not sure this typically calm, collected gal is going to be able to hold it together if I get emotional.
Not emotional in a freaked out way but emotional in an overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all way...maybe my body will ache just enough so that I can't get too emotional?! That's it, a positive thought if I feel pain. Maybe it's giving me something else to focus on. HA!
Well, no use in worrying myself about this...it will be what it is. I'm amazed that we've all come this far. I'm excited to see how we all work together - the T3 Robot Army! And I'm hoping I can give support instead of only soaking up support from others...want to be a giver, too. On that note, going to give myself some sleep for our last run together before CDA. Funny that the next time I hit the trail it might be for a walk...or a light jog...with no particular goal in mind...yet.