Last minute preparation

Above photos: Keens, Ken & his girls and Sallie & Rick

Mary:We went for a long last swim yesterday on Memorial Day. With Rick to guide Ken and me, we swam 1.5 miles. Leigh and Anne were “canoed” (escorted) by Sallie and did a mile! Both the water and air were warm and Leigh exclaimed “this is what a lake should feel like!” I wish we could take Sallie and Rick with us (and their lake!!). Then we went to eat at Mi Casita (best salsa and pollo salad) in Georgetown and talked about what else we needed to do, buy or pack for our departure on Thursday. Since I am now the only one of us 4 that does not own a pair of KEEN sandals – I guess I will be shopping for shoes 2 nights before we leave. We shipped our bikes out last Friday via UPS. We were a bit sad to see them all boxed up and gone! My house feels empty and my water bottles keep looking around for their bike, oh I guess I need to pack them too!
How can we thank all the great athletes, friends, businesses and even strangers (cyclist leaving Pedal Power telling us about shipping bikes with UPS) that have helped us these past few weeks, Rick, Sallie, Susan, Jay, Phillip, Dodd’s Bike Shop, Pedal Power Bike Shop are just a few.

Anne: I also want to say, that I feel very fortunate to be embarking on this wonderful adventure with such amazing people! This entire experience has been so much fun, and I look back a year ago, and cant believe I am leaving for NH in 2 days to do a tri!! Thanks so much to all of you!! Mary, Ken and Leigh, YOU ARE MY INSPIRATION, and I am so glad I get to share all of this with the three of you!!

Also, thanks to everyone who has been such a great support! Rick and Sallie, you have both been wonderful and I so appreciate your time and patience with me. Your lake has been so nice, but getting to know the two of you, has been the best!! Thanks again!

Leigh: I just want to say that I appreciate everything that everyone has done for all of us. Mary and Anne have pretty much summed it up. As for me personally, I want to thank my family and my friends. My mom has been so encouraging and all my friends have been wonderful. I can't list each and every one of you, but you all know who you are. You are the ones that have listened to me bitch about training and whine and become very excited and scared about doing all of this stuff. Thanks so much to all you guys for putting up with me during all of this training. It has made such a difference!!! Bring on the Moose and the lobster!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ken: It has been a lot of fun training with "my girls". I feel like a big brother of sorts to you all. I am really glad that we chose to do this together. It has made it that much better. We are going to have a blast on our trip. This is what life is all about - Not just living it's length, but it's width!!! Bring on the MOOSE!!!

Good news

GOOD NEWS... we are pretty confident at this point that Mooseman WILL HAPPEN on June 3-4. After speaking with the Wellington State Park Manager this morning, he believes that the park will be in good enough shape to hold the event there in a couple of weeks. Yesterday they released the dam, which lowered the water level of Newfound Lake considerably, and although we are getting more rain today, the long-term weather outlook looks good. So, please prepare yourselves to race and don't cancel any travel arrangements. We appreciate your support and understanding, and look forward to seeing you at Mooseman.Keith JordanRace Director

Leigh's 2nd Open Water Swim Report

Well Ken, Mary, Anne and me headed back down to Sallie’s place to get in another open water swim. Anne wasn’t feeling 100% but she wanted to get out there so we decided it was a go. We got down to the lake and the water was 5 degrees warmer. So that made it 67 degrees. YIPPEEE! We all got our wetsuits on and got in the water. We decided to take a good 10 minutes to get accustomed to the coldness and after we dunked our heads a couple of times we headed out. We swam down the lake to another dock and hung out for a couple of minutes. We must have been close to some baby geese because about that time two big huge geese flew in to the water right next to us. I thought they were going to flog us but they didn’t. However, they definitely made their presence known. Then we headed on out to the other side of the lake and we all were doing really well. We took one more break and then headed for home. We swam it in really nice and I think we were all happy with how we did. I know Anne and I swam a LOT better than the first time. I complained a lot the time before about the wetsuit. Growing up on a lake and spending a lot of time in the water I had never ONCE been in a wetsuit and after my first open water swim I decided that I had no desire to be in one again. Although, I actually said that I liked the wetsuit after this last swim. It just takes some getting used too. All in all it was a great day. Rick and Sallie were home when we got back to the dock so it was nice to get to chat with them. When Anne and I got in the car to head home I can honestly say we felt 100% better about the open water swim. Bring on the Moose!!!

Mooseman Flooding

Due to the heavy rains of the past 7-10 days, there has been some serious flooding in the Bristol / Newfound Lake area of New Hampshire. Here is the latest from race director Keith Jordan at the Mooseman / Timberman forum..."Just got back from Newfound and Wellington State Park. NOT GOOD. Right now, the park is about 3 feet underwater. The ENTIRE park...There is no beach, the water goes all the way to the parking lot. Bristol has been evacuated as well, as there is a strong fear of the dam collapsing. There are several roads that are underwater, but all are intact right now. This is as bad a thing as I've seen in this area since I've been alive. Truthfully, I don't know where we stand right now. I spoke with the Park Ranger (whose house is partially underwater), and his best advice was to wait until the beginning of next week. Also talked with the Fire Dept. Their advice was the same. We're working hard to find a solution, and will keep everyone posted. Alot will depend on how quickly water will dissipate from the beach/park area. There seems to be a respite coming, with only showers the next couple of days. However, more rain is expected for Thur-Friday"

Open Water Swim Sat.May 13, 2006

Leigh’s Swim Report:
Saturday morning started out differently than any other Saturday morning that I have experienced. Anne, Ken, Mary and me were going to meet down at Mallard Point Lake to go swimming in 63 degree water. I was not the least bit excited about this and I can honestly say then when I woke up at 8:00 that morning I crossed all my fingers and toes and then peeked out the blinds PRAYING that it was raining. I was not happy to see that the sun was actually shining. I guess there was NO getting out of this. After
Anne and I got to the lake and met up with Mary and Ken, I started to get a bit more excited. Mary did a FABULOUS demonstration of putting on a wetsuit. I had actually watched a video prior to going to the lake about putting on wetsuits and taking them off and not once did they mention plastic bags, gloves and Crisco, but Mary’s way got the job done! Mary is always prepared; she will always have everything you need. After a short coaching session we all hoped in the water and tried to swim. TRIED being the word to pay attention to here. It was VERY cold and just like Susan (a GREAT swimming coach and a ZILLION times World Champion Triathlete) said; the cold water was very much a shock and it did knock the breath out of me. After about 5 minutes I got my wits about me and I plugged along. I went out and back and made it back to the dock with out drowning so I saw it as a very successful day. After we all made it back to the house our gracious host had hot chocolate waiting for us. I was the last to get some hot chocolate because it seemed that it took me forever to get OUT of the wetsuit. To say the least, I am not a HUGE fan of the wetsuit. Afterwards, we were to all go biking but Anne and I had felt under the weather for about three days. We went straight to the Urgent Treatment Center where the doc told us we both had bronchitis. I had very early stages of it but they did chest x-rays on Anne and she was very sick. So Anne and I relaxed for the entire weekend and today we are feeling better. Back to the training!!


Anne's Swim report:
Well on Saturday morning we all met up at Mallard Point Lake for our FIRST open water swim. Of course Ken and Mary have done this before but it was the first time for Leigh and I. It had rained pretty much all week, and on Saturday morning, when I woke up all cozy in my bed and I didn’t hear rain, but saw sunshine coming through my window, I was a little @)#@$&)#*$@^! Just kidding, however I was nervous. Not nervous about drowning, but nervous about the wetsuit and how cold it was going to be. Well arrived around 10:30 and prepared for our swim. The water was 63 degrees, which was WAY TO COLD in my opinion, but we had no option. Actually that is the average temperature for New Hampshire, so it was prime for us to swim that day.
Once we all got down to the dock and ready to get in, I got really nervous. Once in the water, my body wouldn’t adjust to the coldness. I had to do the breast stroke for the entire way out, WITHOUT putting my face in the water!! I was saying all kinds of things, none of which I wish to repeat on our blog!! However once we got to the turn around, I was feeling much better and was able to really swim on the way back. I must say, it was HARD, but I felt I had really accomplished something, and it was a great experience for the Mooseman. I hope to get to get in the water a couple of more times before June 3rd!! I am very lucky to have such supportive people around me!! They are ALL WONDERFUL!!

Mary’s Swim and Bike Report:
The water was cold, but not as cold as I thought it would be! Sallie and Jay were in canoe and kayak to assist us and with Susan on land giving advice – I felt safe. Susan suggested I put Vaseline on my exposed areas so it went on face, feet and hands. I felt ok in the water after the first shock of the cold water on my face. The swim gave me confidence that I can now swim in the 62 to 67 degree Newfound Lake in NH.
The bike ride was not as fun or confident building. Thought I did fine on the numerous hills, it was the cross wind and the dogs that made me pedal REALLY slow. I had been ROLLING down the hills in Woodford County and saw a big difference in my momentum going up the hills, but the ride in Scott Co. saw me BRAKING down the hills cause I was a scaredy cat. I had some great advice from Phillip about riding thru the dogs, but I just was too scared and at one point I unclipped and put my bike between me and the dogs. Yet it was fun anyway being out with a great group of cyclist – even though they were way ahead of me because they were ROLLING down the hills and thru the DOGS!!!

Ken's Bike Report:
A group of us decided to bike after a cool (cold) swim at Mallard Point. The plan was to attempt around 50 miles. The day was a bit chilly and the skies were overcast at the start. The swim and bike were located north of Lexington in an area that is a bit hillier than the rolling hills in the Lexington area. The ride was all about two things: hills and dogs!! The hills were not particularly long climbs, but there were some steep hills and they seemed to never stop. I remember commenting towards the end of the ride that I wish I had counted all of the dogs that "greeted" us. I was with the lead group so I didn't get chased too often. We pretty much much woke the dogs up for the guys and girls coming along behind us! There were some pretty rough stretches of asphalt - Kentucky's own version of the Paris-Roubaix. The scenery was very beautiful - lots of woods and rolling meadows. Mary and I rode this same course last spring with our hostess, Sallie. What a difference a year makes! We were both very green at that point. I can see quite a difference in our cycling abilities (or lack thereof). This year we rode at a decent clip with an Age-Group World Champion Triathlete and a couple other Ironman veterans. We held our ground!! We had to eventually cut the ride short due to the rain. It was a great day (a bit cool). I think that we are ready for New Hampshire!! Bring on the MOOSE!!!

Limestone Ledges

Ken at limestone ledges waterfall
This week I (Mary) had a melt down about the hills or granite ledges that the Mooseman Triathlon website refers to: “There are several challenging hills ranging from 4% to 6% grade.” And “hit the hill that all veterans of Granite Ledges and/or Mooseman speak about in fearful - yet reverential - tones. It is steep, and it twists some------and it really hurts on the second loop.” and “The bad news about the "hill of pain" you'll hit immediately after passing through Hebron is that it is steep. (I think someone has said it's about a 9% grade).” and What DOES challenging mean? What is this 4-9% grade? Is it like the Big Hiney hill (.9 mile climb that averages 7.6% grade) in Maysville that Ken and I biked last May. Oh my! Will I be able to do this??? Will the New Englanders be laughing at my little ole KY non tri bike and me WALKING up the granite ledges??!! Then calm collected coach Ken says “We have done the hills/limesone ledges down by the Kentucky River on Clifton Pike and they have steep grades.” BUT I ask “what grades are they?” And then along comes Miss Investigator Leigh who finds this: Clifton (North side) 0.85 miles, 285 ft., AG 8%, Section after turn 25+% (South side) 1.3 miles, 240 ft., AG 6%.
I breathe a sigh of relief – I have done a 6-8 and a 25%!!!!!!!
So guess what hills I will be on when it is not raining – Come see us on Clifton Pike biking up the limestone ledges of Kentucky!

Second Annual Shakertown Run/Brunch/Ride

On Saturday, May 6th (Derby Day), Ken and I ran a 5k at Shakertown near the Kentucky River. It is a challenging course, the last mile going uphill. Both of us placed in our age groups! Then we went with Sallie and Rick Showalter to the Shakertown dining hall and ate brunch which consisted of homemade biscuits, sausage, bacon, gravy, eggs, grits, baked apples, pears and fresh fruit and laughter! Then Ken and I rode a 22 mile loop through Burgin, KY where we stopped and ate Derby Pie and drank a Coke Cola. This was the famous stop where I fell the year before. But I did not fall this year – hence the celebration by eating pie! We both could tell we are stronger on the bike because it took us less time to ride the course this year. It is a challenging hilly course filled with beautiful countryside, dogs, horses, diners, traffic, windy roads, power plant views and much more. Ken sums up the ride: “We saw an emu on the course. Mary mooned a church. We ate Derby pie at a redneck cafe..... LOTS of fun!!!”

Bike Time Trial route

Anne, Leigh and I met Monday (5/8/06) night to bike. There is a 4 mile course that is used as a time trail course for local cyclists. These herds of cyclist always scare us when they swoosh by us in their tight little group. I am not a cyclist in that sense – I want other cyclist to stay far away from me. Don’t have to worry about me drafting! The twins and I went round and round to accumulate 16 miles. It is a rolling hill and some flat course. Ken, Leigh, Anne and I have ridden it many a time. We all commented last night that the ride has gotten easier, so we must be getting stronger on the bike. It was a bit chilly last night, but the scenery always warms our spirits – sheep, horses, wild flowers and quaint church make this a scenic ride. We are really lucky to live in the Bluegrass!

Mary's Triathlon start

Ken and Mary at Pineman Half Iron Man

In wetsuits at Maysville

Ken made me do it. Ken, my coworker and FP (private joke) and I did the Lexington Urban Challenge last spring and we had fun and got to know each other running 7 miles around downtown Lexington trying to decipher clues. He was training with TNT for the Memphis in May triathlon. So he let me tag along in the TNT training. I had purchased a used bike (GIANT) the year before and had attempted the Lame Duck tri in Georgetown the summer before. I had duck taped the cages so I could plant my feet ON TOP of the pedals. I took a few swim lessons at the Y, because I could not swim. I was lucky that a tri guy named Phillip, who has done Alcatraz and was around training for the Lame Duck helped me with my gears. I have been a runner my whole life, (running from something) so the bike and swim were my worries. I did the swim with a lot of sidestoke! But then my tire blew and I was a DNF for the Lame Duck. Got the t-shirt though!
Later on I bought some clips and shoes for my bike even though I never even attempted to try to clip in! Ken was doing a spin class at the local bike shop (Dodd’s) with the TNT team and invited me. It was a good beginning for me to set my bike on a trainer and get used to clipping in.
Then Ken got me out on the bike and watched me fall. Fall, fall, fall. I would unclip and then fall on the other side! I would not want to get back on and Ken gently but firmly would say “Get back on and try again.” .I did. I completed my first triathlon April ’05 in Versailles at the Heart and Sole Tri. In May of ’05 we ran at the Shakertown 5K on Derby Day, ate brunch in Shakertown and then we went on a 20 plus mile bike ride. Seemed to me like it was 60 plus miles! I fell in Burgin, KY in the middle of town (at their only light) Ken said “Mary – get your wits about you and get back on” and I did. On down the road I encountered my first dog on the bike and I felt so defeated from falling that I just looked at the dog and said “Bite me” and he turned and left me alone. We had so much fun that we are doing our 2nd Annual Shakertown run/brunch/bike on Sat. May 6th, 2006. Then Ken made me do the Maysville Triathlon and we jumped off a barge in the Ohio River for the ½ mile swim! First time in my wetsuit! Then he says “let’s do a Half Iron Man” and guess what – we did! Sept of 2005 we did the Pineman Half Iron Man in Ohio. But a couple of weeks before the actual tri, we went up and rode the 56 mile course in 99 degree weather – and there was no shade! Best part was jumping into the resort's swimming pool in our bike clothes. Now training for my second Half Iron Man because Leigh likes Moose!!

A Great Bike Ride!

Scenes along the 21 mile loop (Moose antlers and Woodford Reserve Distillery)

Yesterday turned out to be a great training day. Anne and I had decided earlier to get out on the bike and try to get around 20 miles in. As said earlier we are all (Mary, Ken, Anne, me) training for the Mooseman Triathlon in New Hampshire. I picked The Mooseman Triathlon because I have a fascination with the moose. I have always thought they were neat creatures and so when Ken told me there was a tri named The Mooseman, I knew we had to do it. Plus we are going to make a vacation out of it and spend 5 days in Maine, which is going to be AWESOME. I say 5 days but I am not leaving until I see a moose!

Anyway, back to the training day. Mary called at around 5:00 and said that she was going to go bike with us today because she wanted us to do a different course. We did a 21 mile loop and it was absolutely gorgeous. We couldn’t have asked for a better afternoon. We rode all the way down to the KY River and then came back through some of the most prestigious horse farms in the country. I think I appreciated being out there more today then most days because this is Derby weekend. Since our love of horses is what brought us all together to begin with I thought it was really neat that we were out biking through some of these major horse farms. Along one part of the course we rode past a barn that had moose antlers hanging over the doors. Mary quickly saw this is as a sign and I think we all pushed just a little bit harder after that. You can tell that we are getting very excited about this triathlon. All in all it was a great day for training! The weather was gorgeous, the views were awesome and there was even a sign of a moose in Bluegrass Country. It doesn’t get any better than that!

CAN

"All our dreams CAN come true-if we have the courage to pursue them" -someone famous said this-
On Sunday night, April 30 -Leigh, Anne and I attended a talk hosted by Immanuel Baptist Church here in Lexington featuring Dick and Rick Hoyt. They are a father and son team who together compete in both marathon races (they have done Boston!) and even Ironman triathlons (2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of bicycling 26.2 miles of running). The son, Rick can’t walk or talk. For the past twenty five years or more Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small boat being pulled by Dick. They say "Can’t" is not in their vocabulary. CAN is. It is an inspiring story and made us (Leigh, Anne and I) view our upcoming June Mooseman triathlon in a whole new light. IF this father and his quadriplegic son CAN, then Leigh, Anne, Ken and I CAN. We CAN embrace the dreams of our hearts and take the courage to live them.