Speed laces!

Summer summer summer. It's been a wild and crazy one for the Bancrofts this year. Loads and loads of fun. That also equals loads and loads of laundry and packing and rarely more than 3 days in the same place. Today is another pack day. The kids have learned all too well what that means. They get their little list from me:   2 x underwear, 3 x socks, 1 nice outfit, 3 tshirts, 3 shorts, bathing suit...and on and on. I wish my list was that simple. This time, we're packing up for another race. Surprisingly, this is only my 3rd race of the summer!!  When you train for and travel to an Ironman, it seems like more. This race is new and exciting for me. It's at UVM!!! Ok, it's not at UVM but it's in Burlington which is my old college town. Some of the best years of my life were there. I had ( still have ) the best friends from those years and a handful of those lovely ladies still live there!! I can't wait. But, wait, I do need to race first.  This isn't straight back to partying in my college town. 
So, I am digging out the piles of gear that were shoved aside from Lake Placid. Honestly, I haven't looked at some of that stuff since July 24th at oh...about 7 p.m.  How does one pack for a short distance Tri? What do I need. I sat and stared at my stuff for way too long this morning.  I have no idea if I have what I need.
For that matter, I have no idea if my body can do what it needs to do for a race moving race like this!!!  I'm nervous about that. The quick hard intervals I've tried to dig out of myself this past week have huuuurt. Oh boy. They hurt bad. And, what's worse? I was pushing that intensity for about 6 minutes. Not an hour +! And that's just the bike! Despite that, I am excited. I'm feeling fired up to see what I can yank from deep inside on this one.
USAT Age Group nationals moved from Alabama to Burlinton, Vermont this year. How could I pass that up?? It's in my backyard!  A 3 1/2 hour drive is like my back yard when it comes to big races.  So, even though it's a wee bit too soon to ask my body to fire up and go Faaaast after that little 140.6  last month, I'm going for it. And at the last minute this morning, as I grabbed my running shoes, I remembered: Speed Laces! close one

 Instead of on short course racing- here's a snapshot of where my mind's been since Ironman.

playing in the rain after dinner



These are the stairs leading from our dock to the camp at our Island. They grew steeper the week after Lake Placid.  




Wolf Neck wharf jumping. A sunset swim with the cousins.




My little boy-- doesn't get any better than jumping in the mud flats.





Nick's smile wins me over.




Nick's first jet ski lesson from Daddy