The Peaceful view from my balcony! Great for reading a book and drying the bathers!!

Finally I have found myself into the groove and in a good routine! I must admit, I work better that way! Masters swimming every morning, maybe followed by a run! Breakfast, morning nap, cycle or compi session, lunch, study in the afternoon followed by a good stretch then wind down to do it all again the next day!

I have back into full training now for just over a week, it started with a Half marathon and ended on Sunday with a 100mile (160km) cycle event. Jeff and I rode there and back to make a solid 200km ride. I thought the pace of the event would start easy, like most then gradual the packs split up and after 20 mile you are in a small group on similar ability ready to roll it through for the next 4 hours. But a group broke away at the start and I missed the jump. Was caught up in a massive pack that did eventually split but eventually on one of the climbs I popped out the back when I realised my quads were a little more fatigued that I had anticipated after getting back into the running. I was then stuck in “no mans land!” on my own in between the 2 groups. Probably a good thing for me as that is how I race! So a solo time trial eventuated with the goal of not being caught by the group behind me.

I was able to hold them off and met up with Jeff, Tom and Casey who were able to get themselves into quicker groups at the BBQ at the finish line before rolling very slowly home!

Thankfully yesterday was an easier day to recover from the last 7 days before getting back into it today!

My challenge for the summer - keep this plant alive!!

Beside the training and racing, there a number of other projects in the go at the moment keeping me busy! I am studying externally which is great and so convenient! A Diploma of Naturopathy. Totally related to triathlon and an area I can see myself working in at a later date. Coaching, I have a couple of athletes in Perth working towards the Perth Half Marathon and City to Surf Marathon and by all accounts, besides the freezing cold mornings, there training is going great! Plus, finally, mum and dad left me with the challenge of keeping the beautiful flower hanging basket they bought me for the balcony alive over the summer! So far, so good!

Don't Disturb.... I am "Away with the Fairies!"

It has taken a while to get used to the sun going down around 10pm! My bed time is definitely later here as it is a struggle to go any earlier! But I have my eye covers that have made a huge difference! I love my sleep!!

Inspirational Running!

For those of you looking for a good book, especially one about running!! And I don’t mean about training schedules and interval times, I mean about the body, mind and spirit connection. How to full in love with running and mental strategies when it may not be your day! Then “Running Within” by Jerry Lynch and Warren Scott. I highly recommend it! A great read!!

What an awesome weekend of racing!! Ironman CDA, congratulations to fellow West Aussie Courtney Ogden on his 2nd place!! And Big Sexy, Chris McDonald 5th!! Linsey Corbin smashed the course record for her first Ironman Win! 3.04 marathon!! Awesome!!

Time for the morning nap!! I need a longer one today because at midnight tonight I am off to see Twilight with Erin. I can’t wait!! Not too sure about my chances of making 5.30am swim squad tomorrow morning! I may take the midday option!

Everyone loves surprises and I feel like the last month has been full of so many! Last weekend there was another one! After being back into full training for an entire week!! I was running in the Womens Only Boise Half Marathon beginning at Julia Davis Park and running along the greenbelt for the majority of the run then back through the suburbs to the park.

It was such a well run event, markers every mile, crowd support, and again I got suckered in. Once I found myself with a glimpse of victory and the lead bike in front of me I didn’t want to let it go. It was a great result to cross the finish line first, although the time was relatively slow for me, considering the little training I had done in the last month, it was a great starting point.

After receiving my bottle of champagne and chocolates there were more surprises to come as just near the finish line I had seen two very familiar faces from Perth! Sean and Lisa O’Neill were on there epic adventure around the world and surprise, surprise were passing through Boise on there was to Seattle! I was so excited!

Sean and Lisa were there at the finish line! Great to see so more West Aussies in Boise!

It was a fantastic day that we took advantage of by going for a swim at the “Y” having lunch at the Co-Op and then finishing the night off with a yummy dinner at PF Changs with John and Jeff Shilt and Chris “Big Sexy” McDonald!

Sunday morning Lisa and I enjoyed a sleep in while Sean joined the guys for an easy run along the greenbelt as Chris was leaving for CDA which is next weekend. Lisa and I painfully put ourselves through 90mins of yoga, but I must admit felt so much better for it afterwards!

Out on the town in Boise!!

I have been spoilt with visitors over the last month! It is now time to buckle down, train and race!!

A dinner with just the 3 of us on Sunday night and the 48 hours flew by and they were on there way again for so many more exciting adventures!

For me the next big training week began with 2 x1/2 climbs of Bogus Basin. I was well warmed up after the first one and making my way down after the second climb when I felt a bug fly into the gap at the front of my helmet!! I have been stung before by a bee on my forehead which caused me a lot of grief for days as I am allergic to them and had been laughing recently with Bec Halliday as it seems to happen to her all the time! Nothing was stinging but I could still feel it buzzing around so stuck my finger in to get it out!

OUCH!!!

Yes, it was a bee that left a nice fat stinger in my finger until I was able to get home and get the tweezers to get it out! I have a nice swollen and itchy hand today, but am so lucky because it could have been so much worse!

The temperatures are rising in Boise and so is the training and I can’t wait! My next race will be here before I know it and the local trails and mountain climbs are going to have me ready to go!

But for now, time to go and find something to stop the itching!!!

No not me! But as I type Kerry is somewhere between LA and Sydney, Australia. Making her way back to Perth which will leave her about 8 weeks before the little one is due!

Her 10 day visit flew by but it was a great mix of allowing her to relax in the mornings (or walk the trails and ride the cruiser) while I trained then we headed out in the afternoon.

Last weekend after I had a nice reality check riding the Bob Le Bow 100miles, we were back on the cruisers and down town to watch some fantastic racing in the Boise 70.3.

It was a hot, windy day compared to last year but the competition was fierce with Julie Dibens and Craig Alexander taking victory’s. Many local’s were also racing so there was lots of cheering to do!

Hanging out on the Greenbelt watching the Triathlete's in the Boise 70.3!

John had a blinder finishing 2nd in his age group on a really tough day!

It is so nice now to be able to enjoy the fantastic trails that Boise has to offer now. Last year with my stress fractures there were a few long walks, but so much was left unexplored. Not this time! I have been running in a different direction nearly every run and still don’t think I need to double up yet. Kerry took her camera with her on her last walk to take some photo’s for me!

Trail running in Boise! Loving it!

Which path to take today?

Mr Squirrel is back!

Yes, that’s right! Hanging outside my place in the tree! Chasing his mates around the grass. Plenty of entertainment!

Back into the training this week and on the compi! Plenty of episodes of CSI Las Vegas for me to catch up on!

Week one this week of training! After enjoying some good time off after Lanzarote the next couple of weeks I will be slowly building up again and getting back into the groove. There will be a little pain this weekend as I have entered the “See Jane Run” half marathon on Saturday. Good place to start and see where the body is at.

Thanks Kerry for a fantastic 10 days!! Miss you already! Take care of yourself! Next time I see you, life will be a whole lot different! 🙂

The time has come and I am excited about getting back into full training. After mum and dad left last Wednesday it has been an easy week with a little bit of swimming, biking and running everyday and now I am ready! After sitting down with Jeff we have come up with a plan for the summer and I it is time to start!

But before that, I am so lucky to have Kerry over for 10 days! Not only has she made the looonnnggg journey from Perth but she is 27 weeks pregnant. A tough ask, but we are having so much fun! It is great to be sharing my “2nd home” with her!

Kerry made it to "Hotel Bevilaqua" and it is time to see everything Boise has to offer!

There have been walks in the trails (while I run!), she has even ventured out on the cruised to the “Y” for a swim!

Yesterday we picked up Erin and drove to McCall for a girls night!

Back to McCall and the gorgeous view of the Lake!

In between catching up on all the gossip, taking in the spectacular views, we tested our creative side at the local self pottery/glass store! We were there for a few hours but at least an hour of that was deciding what we were going to do!

Erin joined us for the night away. We tried to get our creative juices flowing in the craft shop. The finish products will be very interesting!

Don't even think about crossing the road without your orange flag!!

On the way home we were in awe of how much water there was in the Payette River and how fast it was flowing. We had to stop for a while to watch the kayakers take on the monster rapids! Crazy!!

The Payette River was unbelievable after all the extra rain! We had to stop to watch some crazy kayakers take on the rapids!

Friends from highschool!! The next time I see her, she will be a mum!

I am looking forward to a nice and relaxing night tonight with lots of sleep in preparation for a busy weekend! The Bob Le Bow 100mile Saturday morning which will give me plenty of time to get back to Boise for the 70.3 at 2pm in the afternoon. Kerry and I will be cheering on the Aussies! Craig, Tim, Chris and Kate (no, not me!!)

I have nearly been here a week now and are beginning to feel settled and finally catching up on some sleep. Although the rain continues to fall today, summer us just around the corner and I can’t wait.

McCall - about 2 1/2 hours drive from Boise. Absolutely stunning! This was the view from our hotel room!

This lake freezes over in winter! Not that long ago you could ice skate on it!

Mum, dad and I went away last weekend to McCall which is a gorgeous ski town just over 2 hours drive from Boise. In Perth it is like heading down south. You could feel the temperature drop the closer you got to McCall and there was still snow on the Mountain tops. Our stay at the Shore Lodge was amazing!! (Kerry, I am going to take you there next week!!) and the view from the room was spectacular. Photo’s sometimes just don’t do it justice.

It was the Memorial Day long weekend in the USA so many were heading in the same direction for the holiday. We were fortunate enough to be invited to Bill and Cindy’s house on Saturday night in Tamarack. They have a magnificent house in a Ski Lodge/Resort area that unfortunately no longer operates but the area is amazing. A leisurely breakfast with Jeff and a walk around town and we were on our way back to Boise.

Dad testing out my cruiser!! My mode of transport for the next few months!

I am very sad as mum and dad leave today, but before they do we made sure my made mode of transport was ready to go! The Cruiser!! If you look closely it is actually electric and changes gears on it’s own! Back breaks again! I will have to get used to that! So much fun to ride though!

Crit racing in Boise!

Summer racing has begun and the Crit series is alive and well in Boise (Bec, you would love it!) Last night we watched John and Marilyn race around the track with all the abuse and crashed that came with it! There was no shortage of entertainment!

John and Marilyn dominated taking it hard from the front the entire race. But fell just short the last couple of laps!

It is now time to take mum and dad to the airport and pack the bike in the car for another trip to Boise. The Boise Bumps cycling camp begins today, but I am only  going to join in for a few days as I build back up into training. I am definitely looking forward to having a chat with Coach Jeff tomorrow and finalizing my plans for the summer. Should be fun!