Final day of HTFU camp.
This morning started with oatmeal. When you are an athlete each day becomes like a time warp – you see the same breakfast – oatmeal – and think to yourself wasn’t I just here yesterday, same breakfast, same bowl, same feeling in my legs?
Went for a trail run. Now, being from Illinois we have “trails” but not like this. Roots, stumps, trees. This might be fun on a mountain bike but probably not. At one point we were hauling at a 16:43 per mile pace. That’s a tough trail. Almost went head over heels a few times. Jen was the only one who crashed. I guess she thought was was still on her bike but I turned around and there the poor thing was laying on the path. Next time she should probably bring her helmet.
Then we had bagels and peanut butter and tried to talk Jen out of making us swim long course meters. Can’t we just shop instead? We could but everything in Greenville on Sunday is closed.
Last night I distributed Camp HTFU awards. Here they are, I know you have all been waiting:
Leslie: Cutie Pie & Health Nut. She force fed us Vemma all weekend long and we loved it. She is the cutest, friendliest informercial I have ever seen. She has a perennial smile and is ready to dance at the end of an 86 mile ride or 2 hour run.
Mary: The Good Egg & Wall Flower. Mary has played bus driver and mom all weekend long. Want your bike brought inside? Dishes cleared? Chicken cut? Miss Mary was there. She is always there, in the background, smiling, smart.
Jen: Where to begin……..Mother Hen & Spring Chicken & The Big Cheese. Mother Hen because she coaches most of us here. Spring Chicken because someone her age swimming, biking and riding that fast is totally unexpected. The Big Cheese because if she’s hungry, the whole group knows. If she’s tired, crabby, sleepy, chatty, wanting to go slower faster more……you WILL know and things will change.
Ashley: The Trophy Wife & Work Horse. For sure The Sleeper too. Ashley is always there. You look over your shoulder on a big hill, she’s there. Behind you on the trail – there. In the pool – there. The Trophy Wife because she is HOTT and fit and young and single. Check out her blog link to the right, then check her out too.
Marit: Tough Cookie & Plain Jane. Plain Jane because we’re not quite sure she’s ever left her house. Everything is new to her, fresh, it’s like the first time she has ever seen the world. Tough Cookie because the girl never quits. She never tires, she never complains, she is never not ready to go hard, long or fast. Her determination is frightening and her ability to run with a giant backpack filled with water, camera, gels, and lead weights on a trail for 2 hours….well, you get the point. She is HARD CORE.
Elizabeth: Prancer & SBD. I didn’t give these to myself – the group gave them to me. Supposedly I prance up the hills. I still don’t believe this. SBD apparently stands for Silent But Deadly. When you meet me I am quiet but once I get going – the word used was KAPOW.
We are packing up then going to swim. Ashley has been a gracious host. The men of Greenville that sherpa-ed us on the bike and run (Matt, Dustan, and Mike) were incredibly patient and resourceful. But then again a young hottie approaches you and says 6 women are coming to town and need you to lead the way – ok? I’d be in on it too.
Tomorrow is a rest day and we all can’t wait. But I know Ashley will be climbing Panther Mountain. I expect nothing less from the Work House.