I Warned You That I Was Prone to Forget to Post Things

Hi,

Its the end of July and as I'm writing this, I'm wearing a sweatshirt and wrapped up in a blanket. Yes, it is that cold. I recently returned from a brief visit to VA and I was surprised how humid it felt there. Even more surprising was how everyone kept saying how "cool" and "comfortable" the summer has been. Let me tell you, it was not cool, nor was it comfortable. Pleasant dryness is just one of the benefits of living in Colorado.

While at home, I joined my sister on one of her triathlon training sessions where we ran about 2 miles and immediately jumped in the lake and swam. I used to consider myself a decent swimmer, but after repeatedly bumping into people, swimming in the wrong direction, and catching a big wave in the face every time I went to take a breath, I realized how dependent I had become in swimming in a CLEAR pool, with LINES on the floor, and lane dividers that MINIMIZE splashing. I used to think I could swim a straight line, but now I know better. All I can say is Erin, more power to you.

Nothing too terribly exciting has happened here, but I just wanted to check in and remind all of you to CALL ME. Have a great rest of your summer!

-Caitlin

Current 200m Swim Time: 2:48

Current 1 Mile run Time: 6:45

Current Aches and Pains: Left Shoulder

Life Outside of Training

"What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?"

-Unknown

Hi,

Things are pretty quite out on the western front, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about stuff not related to training. It may have taken me the whole month, but I did eventually meet people outside of the pentathlon world. Having friends who are not directly connected to training came as a huge relief. Since I spend so much time with my coaches and am always being evaluated and compared, I get into the mindset of always trying to "perform." Having friends, even if they are a bit older than me, has been a great way to de-stress and relax.

I'm currently trying to find a place to ride. Even though riding is one of the events, it is not something we do on a regular basis and riding has been such a huge part of my life, I'm missing it pretty bad. I entertain myself with facebook surfing, reading, working (I'm currently editing a book) cleaning my room (very therapeutic, I recommend it highly) and just being outside. I have found a church that I like and am attending regularly.

Since Colorado has a lot to offer, I'm hoping to get to do some of it before I get too caught up in training. I want to attend a Rockies game, go rock/mountain climbing, and of course ski! And now that I have friends, I'll have people to do all these things with!

I'm becoming more adjusted every day, but I do still miss Virginia and all of the people there. So if you have the time to spare, give me a call!

Current 200m swim time: 2:50

Current mile run time: 6:35

Current ailment: that pesky left ankle...