Hey there… I know I have been out of touch but believe me, you have been on my mind! Last time we talked, I was still in RI. I hadn’t yet moved out to Boulder and I was basically unsure whether we were still on… I was completely overwhelmed with the move and all the unknowns. Well, so far so good.

For one thing, I found out immediately that the dry air here is very good for my hair. My curls have been virtually frizz-free since February 1st! I also found that I couldn’t breathe, but that’s under control now, and I am decidedly looking forward to racing at sea level. My job fell through, as you might have heard, then I got another job, but that isn’t exactly “ramping up” to full-time as initially promised, but I have several contract gigs that keep me fairly busy, with plenty of time and flexibility for training. The people in the tri club here are friendly and they hold workouts pretty regularly although I have yet to meet any really cool girls to train with… I miss my old training buddies but I’m trying to be patient. Meanwhile I found my boyfriend his first road bike on Craigslist (a pretty turquoise/blue Ultegra 10 speed, that retailed for around $1800, barely used for $750, including Look pedals! The incredible bikes you find on Boulder Craigslist almost make up for the high cost of living!) so he will be a super cycling partner pretty soon. And obviously that’s big news, my boyfriend, but don’t worry, he knows all about you and he is well aware that you were on the calendar way before I even knew he existed and he said he’s cool with me and you. To be honest, I get the impression he’s glad you are in the mix, even though triathlon is not his bag. He surprised me with these fabulous little neoprene booties to keep my toes warm while I ice my foot! I guess I complained once or twice about my toes feeling like they were about to fall off or something.

I am actually writing this as I ice my right foot and ankle. The achilles STILL isn’t 100%. I have now resorted to the ultimate torture, the ice bath. I thought wrapping an ice pack around it would suffice, but then my coach, my massage therapist, (Josh Shadle, who rocks), and my chiropracter suggested the ice bath, and its brutal but I think its effective. I do it just about every day for at least 20 minutes, which feels like 20 hours sometimes.

And speaking of 20 hours, I should tell you, other than my recovery weeks, I have been averaging nearly that much in training, lest you think I forgot about you. Believe me, I think about you all the time. I considered you in depth while climbing up Lefthand Canyon on Friday. My god, talk about a grinder. It was hard but nothing beats a 16 mile descent when you feel like you need a reward. I thought of you on my way up Flagstaff Mountain. Ok, not during the part where I was going 3.3 miles an hour in my easiest gear and willing myself not to vomit, but when I read somewhere that it was an average grade of like 18% or something I thought, “Oh those rollers will feel easy compared to this!”

So yeah, you’ve been on my mind, but I’m still apprehensive about the achilles, so I can’t make any promises. I have to run, (not literally, I actually have to bike). There’s a 10K time trial I don’t want to miss at 6pm. Wish me luck. And by that I mean, visualize total annhilation:)

Love,
Pam