When a race gives you flat tires...turn it into an island half-marathon run with a new buddy.

So St. Croix 70.3 was a bust! And I am definitely bummed out since I know that my fitness is at it's peak right now. But mechanical issues on the bike and wet, dangerous roads on a tough course with technical descents forced me to make the decision to drop out of the race just eight miles into the bike. But I HATE dwelling on the negatives so I'll focus on the positives of this trip.

1.) I got to swim, bike (kind of) and run around and on a beautiful island in the Caribbean.

2.) I was 5th out of the water in my age group which is BIG for me! The swim was non-wetsuit legal and longer than the traditional half-iron swim (1.24 miles) and quite choppy so I was very happy at my ability to go out with the lead girls and hang on for the first part of the swim.

3.) In transition I spotted professional triathlete Kelly Fillnow who was also forced to drop out due to a minor bike crash and mechanical issues. She and I both wanted to get in a run given that we anticipated a 13.1 mile smashfest today. So we set out in the opposite direction of the race site and ran along the rolling coastline of St. Croix for 13.1 miles at a good little clip. It was gorgeous! We talked about everything from triathlon, to relationships, to God, to nutrition and more. What a blessing! Thanks Kelly!

4.) I got to spend some quality alone time with Jason which is rare these days given the general craziness of our lives.

Have I mentioned how much I love this guy?!









5.) My legs aren't "race trashed," and with Ironman Texas in two weeks I am ready to unleash it. There's a fire burning inside me right now. That's a good thing.

Annnd... look for the launch of the TORO Performance Nutrition LLC website late next week! I'm so excited to get things rolling on May 14th! Consultation spots are filling up, so check out the website next week to find out what TORO can offer you.

Onward.