Race #10 - coming up - Tri Latta Sunday June 14

Here comes another Triathlon! This one holds special memories for me as it was my first ever Tri, and it was also with TnT two years ago. Half mile swim, 17 mile bike and 5K (3.1 miles) run. I will no doubt quadruple check my bag - although I have already started packing it - before hand.

For this event two years ago, our honored patient hero was Liza Bourg, whose father continues to race for TnT - in fact - he just did Fletcher Flyer (another century ride, here in NC) last weekend - and did the Statesville Sprint Tri (Race 7) with me in May. He's an awesome guy and his wife and daughter are amazing as well. Liza got to be an extra in an American Girl movie (the Kit Kittridge movie) as part of the Make A Wish Foundation. She - like so many of the honored patient heroes is such an incredible girl. Full of life, spirit and energy. I'll be thinking of her and all our honored patients during the race. Our honored patient hero for this event is Doug Wagner, who was also our hero for Tahoe. Doug is a great guy - 5 years cancer free, who competes in these events with us. I believe he is thinking about doing the Disney Marathon with us in January - which will be about event 25 or 30...we shall see.

Admittedly - the swim makes me nervous. I KNOW I can cover the distance - not quickly - but I know I can. I have this really weird habit in open water of apparently thinking I have gills and can breathe with my face / head in the water. Doesn't work well. The only thing I have connected it to is the swim cap. We have to wear swim caps to ID which wave we're in, they're different colors. Of course - most swims in pools, I don't wear one - no hair to clog the drain...and I swear because of that, I don't feel the water on my head, get nervous and wind up swallowing some lake water...yummy.

To remedy this, I did my own open water swim last night in the lake behind our community - which is not only the lake we'll be swimming in - but also the drinking water for Charlotte. So in order to prepare for the breathing underwater I wore my swim cap as well as during my past two pool swims...both went - ha ha - swimmmingly.

Race starts at 6:30 AM on Sunday. When (note not IF) all goes well, I should be done a little after 8 AM.

More later - thank you everyone for your support! GO TEAM!