Pink Triathlete

So, as some of you might know, this time last year, I was starting to train for a sprint triathlon. My sister had signed up for one in Indy, so I decided to do it with her.  However, I ended up getting my job out here in San Diego and spent the weekend that I would have been doing a triathlon moving instead!

Ever since then, I've been wanting to get more involved in triathlon. Honestly, one of the only reasons I run is because it is a part of triathlon (and it's much cheaper than joining a gym and lets me enjoy San Diego's amazing weather). A week ago, my friend Larkin asked if I wanted to go swim La Jolla Cove...and despite it's horribly cold temperatures (for someone like me who grew up swimming in the Gulf of Mexico), I went.  Again, this was primarily because I knew open water swimming was a fact of life in triathlon.

Yesterday, I did my first aquathon!  It's a run-swim that the San Diego Tri Club puts on to help people train for triathlons.  Larkin again invited me, and it was HARD!! But motivated me to get more into training.  I've started to realize, too, that everything triathlon-related I own is pink.

So there you have it...Riley the Pink Triathlete.  Or, more appropriately, Riley the Pink Hopeful Triathlete.

Ragnar Relay: 203 Miles, 12 Runners, 2 Vans

This weekend, I did something I never in a million years would have thought I'd do.  I participated in a 203-mile relay race from Huntington Beach to Coronado that took about 30 hours to complete...the Ragnar Relay.  There were 12 runners (I was runner #6) and we were divided into 2 vans.

Van #1...Mike, Ashley, me, Larkin, Kyle and Adam

We started off at 10am in Huntington Beach...Mike was runner #1.  He was a last-minute replacement after one of our other runners got injured, but man, did he deliver! He was fresh off of the Boston Marathon and truly was the heart and soul of our van! He drove most of the time, kept us laughing and ran 6-minute miles!  Adam also made some amazing time, but unfortunately, we left him waiting for 20 minutes at Exchange #2 after getting lost!  Despite the fact that we continued to have issues with our exchanges, we still made great time and finished at just over a 9-minute mile pace (pretty amazing considering we lost about an hour on exchange problems and there were some pretty serious mountain climbs in there!).

My Ludus Tours Ragnar manicure

My legs were 2.7 miles through Anaheim (pretty rough in the 1pm heat...no water stops, so I was dying a little!), 7.4 miles through the mountains by Temecula (at 2am...super tough hills, but my favorite leg because the nighttime weather was amazing and my vanmates provided unbeatable support!) and 4.2 miles straight up Torrey Pines hill in La Jolla (my legs were shot after the Temecula portion, so it was difficult, but I managed to find a second wind once I got to the top of the hill).  Since we had to drive the van from exchange to exchange, you really didn't get time to stretch much post-run, which made for some VERY sore muscles!! I'll definitely be investing in some compression gear for next year!

Getting my run on in Anaheim

All in all, though, it was an AMAZING experience. I couldn't have asked for a better team!  Being in a van with 6 people for 30 hours without sleep is a pretty excellent teambuilding experience.  I felt like I got to know everyone better!

Ash, me and Larkin...the ladies of Van #1

Looking back on the whole experience, I don't think of my cramping legs or how awful they felt attempting to scale Torrey Pines.  All I think of is deliriously laughing in the van, trying to find our teammates in the pitch black night to cheer for them and continuing to bond with everyone at Erin's housewarming party/Ragnar afterparty.  It was such a great time!! I cannot wait for next year!!

Best. Team. Ever.

Working Life

As promised, here's a little work update from San Diego!

I'm working at Ludus Sports, a travel and hospitality company that sells travel packages to the Olympic Games, Oktoberfest, Running of the Bulls, World Cup events and other major international sports and cultural events. So far, I'm loving it! I love the people and I love the work! That's not to say I haven't had my little road bumps already (I have), but, as always, you just have to learn and grow from them!

My desk when I first started working...it's a little messier now.

Two of my coworkers, Lindsay and Melinda

My boss's daughter, my co-worker (and roommate!) Larkin and me at a Padres game...the whole office went as a fun little trip!

In other happy news, Margaux won gold at Pan Ams and qualified for the 2012 London Olympic Games!! So excited for her :)