What a time Falcon and I have had these past 2 weeks in Arizona. After team camp we headed into the Grand Canyon State for Ironman Arizona…making great time, but that was short-lived as the border patrol invested time into a full body cavity search, much to the chagrin of Falcon, before we hit Tempe. A truck wash was in need ASAP.  We arrived in Tempe just in time to meet up with a few friends and grab some dinner.  This was the start of my Mexican food fiesta.  Within the next 2 weeks, I would utilize the phrase “When in Rome” and indulge my Mexican food obsession for b-fast, lunch, and dinner.  It got so bad that I could count on one hand meals other than Mexican.  Now that I’m into Texas, a little Tex-Mex or a steak should help transition into more diverse eating habits, as well as a little Cajun when I head through Louisiana and then some seafood when I hit Florida.  I was very surprised…no solid mullet sightings in AZ and Laura T. keeps taunting me saying they’re all up in CO.  I’m sure I will see my fair share of them when I head through Louisiana and if I’m lucky I’ll see the Mississippi mudflap…but one can only dream.  My creepy James Bond camera will be ready and waiting for the mulletude.

Falcon & Kid

First of all, Juli, Jess, Blake, Mark and Luis…you all ROCK! You all had amazing races and looked strong whenever I saw you on the course. Luis, you truly are a hero gutting out that marathon with your feet and ankles. I had no idea everyone was battling some physical ailment along with those winds. Sorry I missed the party at 10pm!

I rode on Thursday in this huge awful windstorm that had gusts up to 40 MPH with a sand storm in the middle of it all. There were tumbleweeds (the size of cars!) and sand got in every orifice of my head. This was my maiden voyage on my new Trek bike. Also the first time I had ever been in an aggressive aero position, fun initiation, huh?

After the race we found out that the east coast was hammered by a nor’easter. I live in the Hudson Valley region of New York by the Catskills. My friend said we had 7 inches of rain. 7 inches?! It took a day for that to sink in. I live in an incredibly lovely, yet old Victorian house that leaks like a sieve when it rains a lot. I called my pet sitter to look in the basement when she got a chance. She said it was about 6 inches of water. Well, that’s not too bad, I thought.

We got home after flying 12 hours, the water heater was out. We had to pump out the basement with our 2 portable sump-pumps. After we got the water down we tried to light the pilot ourselves. Nada, rien, nutin’ happening. OK, a service call at night was 150 bucks. We could wait until the morning. The plumber gets here and looks at the water line on the heater, we had 16 inches! That explains why everything in the basement was all over the place, it actually floated around! Ugh. (I’m sure you are wondering where 10 inches of water went? We have a lovely crack in the floor that lets the groundwater in when things flood, and back out when it receeds.)

So the whole heating unit had to be removed and cleaned out. It ended up running us 300 bucks! Although I gotta admit it was nice to come home to a moist environment! LOL. Always look at the bright side of life!

Best news yet, my bike beat me home! Thanks to Lawrence & Cid of Inside Out Sports. It’s going to be really nice here this weekend and I’m going to hit Harriman State Park on Saturday for training rides in preparation for the Harryman ½ Ironman on May 19. Wish me luck its a very tough couse!

Good job everyone! I might see ya’ll at Coeur d’Alene!

Yesterday I got one of the strangest compliments I’ve ever received. 

I was just about to jump into the pool for my afternoon workout when the girl in the next lane looked over and asked, “Emily, do you do other sports besides swimming?”

I said, “I do triathlons, so I bike and run also.”

Her immediate response was, “I knew you couldn’t have gotten that butt from just swimming. I guess I’ll have to start riding my bike.”

Nevertheless, this made me chuckle throughout the entire swim workout. I guess I don’t have the “runner’s butt” anymore.

Hola from AZ! (not you Tim),

I’m just chillin here in Tempe, AZ waiting to setup for the IM this coming week.  Setup on Wednesday and then expo, Thur-Sat, then race day on Sun.  I love race day…cause I get to watch everyone else race.  Keith, you are a brave man!  (FYI, Our Timex Corp. leader will be racing at IM Lake Placid).

It’s freaking HOT here…90 degrees to be accurate.  After leaving Wisco Disco in 30 degree weather, I was psyched to indulge in my virgin visit to Cali with the cold Pacific, beach atmosphere in March, and nice 60-70 degree weather…oh yeah and my favorite crayola color…skin tone.  I headed to Tempe as this was the next stop on the tour for the falcon and I.  We hauled some major “bleep” and rolled in early enough to park at my buddy’s condo and head out for a beer at the local cantina.  So we headed to a local place down the street and found that it was mobbed with local ASU students attired in my favorite color.  How could it get any better you say…well, we hit the bar and asked for a couple Corona’s and then the ‘tender came over and said $1!!!!  WHAT?!?  50-cent Corona’s?!?  We both looked at each other and noted that we’d be taking a cab home later that night.   My first day in AZ it was 93 and was not prepared for the dry hot weather.  I think I got heat stroke while I was getting the truck organized for the long season ahead and what needed to be shipped out to either athletes or to HQ in Wisco.  My goal while I’m in AZ is to eat as much Mexican as I can.  Keith would be jealous of my edible fiesta wonderland that I’ve engulfed myself with so far.  I’m even 2/3 the way into the trifecta today.  For those of you who don’t know a trifecta is a burrito for b-fast, lunch, and dinner.  A Meyer creation and loved by most.  Mmm…I can’t wait for my dinner!

You’ll never believe what I saw yesterday…and I missed out on it.  My white whale!
I saw the Mody Dick of mullets yesterday.  The elusive and very rare Poodle femme mullet.  It was bleach blonde, buzzed closely on the sides, the back partied all the way down past her shoulder-blades, and the top was totally different than the rest…it was permed perfectly.  I couldn’t stand it.  I was freaking out on the inside, but I couldn’t show my emotions.  This was only the 2nd one that I have ever seen in person.  The only other one I saw was when I was working for Trek many years ago.  Keith has witnessed that gorgeous specimen.  What upsets me is that I was sans camera and my heart stopped when I saw her…walking strong in the crowd.  I had just missed a gem.  I felt like I saw something epic, that only I would appreciate and understand.  As she  moved out of sight bitter disappointment set in as I was unable to capture this endangered specie.  I just hope there are more along the way.  It gives me hope that there are more out there, as I have scene something grand this early in the tour.  Here are the stats for the Poodle Mullet-  Mulletude- 9  Aggressiveness- 7.5

On the hunt,

Falcon and Kid