Good Times Ahead (and a few today)

Work is busy, busy, busy. My class is running a bit short-handed at the moment (no one's fault, just happenstance), so despite being off on Monday, I still worked 88 hours last week. Ick! This has not been great for family time, sleep time, or workout time.

However, I got a boost of energy at the end of the workday today, because I printed out the call schedules for July, August, and September, right after I magically become a third year resident. I'm doing several overnight calls in July, but there are very few otherwise. Woohoo! There may be a chance for an actual life!

So, with inspiration from the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel, we decided to get in a triathlon workout. We packed up the car with toddler, dog, and lots of gear, and Brynna, Jasper and I set off driving for the local state park, with Alex zooming along behind on his bike. B and I paused about halfway there to rescue a turtle trying to cross the road. She was a bit alarmed at first and didn't want to get too close, but once I had carefully carried it across the road and put it down on the grassy verge, she was very interested in checking it out. We watched it poke its head out, look around, and eventually walk away (luckily, further into the woods). After a few more minutes of turtle-stalking, Alex came whizzing up, having made spectacular time on his bike.

Once at the park, I wetsuited up and then went for a short swim. It was a gorgeous, 80-degree day and the local lakes and ponds are warming up accordingly. Other than the nice "refreshing" feeling of the water creeping up my spine inside my suit, it was actually quite pleasant. No trouble at all with the swim, though I still get a bit anxious in open water. Since I was swimming alone, I paralleled the shore so I could just stand up if I needed to. Alex, Brynna (in her own little wetsuit) and Jasper frolicked at the water's edge. That dog sure loves the water! I'm hoping to get in several more open-water practice sessions before our next tri two weeks from now.

Then I switched into bike clothes and biked back home, while Alex/Brynna/Jasper drove. It was a late night for little B--we didn't get home until 8:45 and she still needed to eat and have a shower--but much fun was had by all. (A note to parental types who are reading this and worrying: it was still quite light out at that hour, and I had all of my bike lights on (front and rear) and a bright yellow shirt to boot. Alex would like to point out that he saw my tail light blinking from more than half a mile away.)