O.k. so At the very end of May and Beginning of June I was in Utah ;) My family had a reunion and bumber, double bumber, that Dave couldn't come but... the show must go on. So It was really fun, I was so worried I would be so stressed and I wouldn't have fun. This year we stayed in a Cabin (and Mom and dad's trailer) that was a lot of fun. We flew in spent some time with Dave & Rach, I love them for picking us up. Lauren instantly loved her cousin's. Of course they are so sweet to her. We spent some time In Orem with Mom and Dad Peterson, then Drove down to Delta the next day. Oh and saw Mom in the Hospital. (She's had a busy summer) We stayed in Delta for a day and half with Dad Renee Coby and Aithne. This is Cousin Aithne, she was so fun and cute! This is her camera Smile. It's too funny!
Lauren Loved baby Coby!! He is such a beautiful boy. I just loved to hold him.
Renee and I would tease that we were the "odd" couple until James came up the next day at the cabin. 
There were so many fun things that I remember, I just love my family, the whole Lot of them!!
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We came home and I had a few days to adjust for the Tri that weekend, well, little did I know it would be longer. I came home to smoky skies. I there was a big mishap about the race, long story short.. thank goodness we called mom the night before to check the web site for packet pick up times and places.. the race was postponed, and we were half an hour away. 
(tri trip act 1)
yep we turned right around and rescheduled everything, the hotel was impossible but once I actually got a hold of them they were wonderful, they reimbursed me the night stay of 100 and gave me a discount for the next week for 75. cool hu? I was so stressed. So.. We went down the weekend Mom and Dad came to visit. I was so glad they visited, a slight tangent here for them. I was so glad to have them to myself ;) I just enjoy my mom and dad and it was perfect timing for them to come. We hung out on the porch the night they came and had cheese and apple and crackers. The next morning we went to the botanical gardens. 
It was a lot of fun!!
I wish we had more time. Then Dave got off early so we booked it home and loaded up and drove down. We had a bit of a jaunt around downtown Washington, NC then headed off to bed. Dad drove me to the race and I was glad to have that time just me and him. He was so supportive. I could see my dad doing this all the way. Maybe we can do one together. ;)They were sports but I really do think they had fun. 
Well, I tell ya. I was so nervous! I kid you not I don't remember ever feeling this nervous and I have no idea why I was so nervous. It's just a race. I didn't know anyone, and I think everyone else knew at least one person. 
So, I'm feeling nervous and lonely, and sick and what else under the sun. I couldn't sleep at all the night before I just laid there in the bed and Lauren woke up a couple of times too. So, I get there. It's a beautiful course, I checked it out the night before. The conditions were perfect ;) seriously they were. The water was like bath water, it was opaque, not completely dark, the entrance was an inlet beach with nice soft sand, no rocks. We swam down current, if there even was a current. It's was out down, and in, so easy right? Right, Wrong!! The women's heat was last 7 min after the first. So the horn goes, we are out in the water, and I'm off to swim, I felt o.k. completely nervous but o.k. in body, I could do this. Then, what the heck.. my timeing chip strapped to my ankle falls off, I stop and turn around, "please float, please float" I'm shuffling back to where it fell off and it finally floats back up. O.k. I was like "just put it back on." So I do, of course I'm dead dead last now and back in I go, I can catch up right? Kick Kick .. you have got to be kidding me!!! It comes off again. I'm barely touching now and I'm bobbing more then the first to find the chip, you see... no chip, no race, no times, and a $50 fee, no matter what! So, I couldn't go. I find it again and I'm like what the heck I'm just going to double knot this thing to my ankle. I tie it, opps way too tight! loosen it a bit and look at the crowd as they are approaching the first buoy. I admit I said a few choice words, saved especially for this flavor of frustration. So, kerput I'm so out of my game. All I could think is... Just swim Just swim, and .. I can't be last, I have to pass at least one person. I have to or Larry will make fun of me. (Land Lord above our place, I told him this after and he said he would never do that ) So.. I am doing freestyle, i guess it's called the forward crawl or something like that. I'm pretty fast with this stroke but my nerves were so shot and I was swallowing a large amount of water so, what do I do when I give up? Breast stroke. So.. Apparently after I left a guy came in holding on to a kayak for dear life but I couldn't see that, I was so into just swimming. The volunteers were so nice. This lady in a kayak comes up to me, because of course I'm at least 5 min. behind everyone and I'm just starting I can only imagine what she was thinking " this poor lady, she isn't going to make it" lol So she says"do you need a rest" Of course if I stopped to hold her boat I'm completely disqualified or penalized, but I wasn't even thinking about resting. I was just thinking about swimming and finding anyone straggler or not to pass. I had no shame. I was utterly dead dead dead last. So I round the buoy, two kayakers were staying close by, I was the end of the heat and the last so I understood, they kept me company, we even had a few laughs and I got an invite for breakfast after. WEll, halleluia I swim and see a few stragglers ;) I'm back in. So I just started swimming harder and I passed one, the poor guy he was zig zagging like crazy, I'm sure he swam way more water than I did. Then I pass him and the second buoy, the next one is in sight he's probably 17 but still, I felt relentless so I dug in and swam as fast as I could 100 meters left I missed him by just seconds but I was o.k. I was done with the water. So... I have no clues, tips, or anything about transitions, I have no idea and had no idea how to do thing but to do them fast, so .. I tried to go fast, but I stopped to talk t odave, put my socks on lol and pack my pocket full of stuff then I was off in a mear (hold the laughter) 2:50 min. O.k. so It's my first tri o.k.?
So.. Swim:800meters
Goal:30 min. (thought would do 20)
Actual:31 min.
Then the bike started. Ohhhh It felt soo good to breath. I was just so happy on my bike. I get out onto the main road which was a short stint of the leg and I go to get my Gatorade. I put my bottle back in and opps, yes opps, I drop my bottle, how crappy is that?!? You have to pick it up or you are disqualified so I u turn get passed by the teenager pick up my busted bottle and start back again. The bike was just beautiful!! And I had so much cheering from Mom Dad Lauren and Dave, it was great!!! I sat at a good pace of about 18 mph it felt good, I wasn't going to burn myself and this was quicker than my goal time. I passed 11 people. I think I could have pushed a bit harder but I'm glad I didn't and you'll find out why.
Bike:15 mi.
Goal:1 hr. (thought would be 1:15)
Actual: 52 min.
So, this transition was good. I felt fine, I got fluids and fuel during the bike (my Gatorade would pour all over after I dropped it, it makes me laugh now to think I kept trying even after I knew it would just run all over me and none of it would get in my mouth) So, on foot I go. There were already people talking and done when I started the run. but that is o.k. So off I run and I pass a couple of people off the bat. Then the aid the aid station. I take a gadorade (whew it was strong) and go, a few minutes later stitch in side and I was surprised how tired my calves were. But, I knew I couldn't stop. Just keep running just keep running. It was o.k. I only passed on other lady, but because she skipped the timing pad, but she caught me when I was stretching my stitch and she said, "Let's jog together." So we did, she is actually in one of my pictures lol she was 52 she did a tri once when she was 26 and she was amazing!! Such a nice lady. So the last mile is here, ohy, I am just dying, thank goodness I had a running partner or I would have stopped. But, I just kept going and when I saw the sign in sight I sprinted, it felt soooo good and hurt soooo bad. 
I love to just sprint at the end, I said right before, o.k. here I go and the lady next to me says, "Do it girl go for it." I was bumbed, super because I looked up at the time and it said 2 hrs 2 min. my goal was 2 hrs but I was there. The lady went to get my chip and strap off and she was like, what the heck? I told her what happened, kinda through my breaths, and she says, man you had this on here tight, I said, I wasn't going to let it go again. So there it is...
Run: 5k -3.1 mi.
Goal:30 min.
Actual:28 min.
So I was talking to Dave and I told him how I kinda was bumbed I was 2 min behind my goal, and he said, oh no that clock is set from the first heat. I was so happy!! I know I'm not that fast but.. all in all I feel o.k. for a first timer.
First Tri: Swim 800 meters, Bike 15 miles, Run 3.1 miles
Goal 2 Hr.
Actual 1:56:38.2
We were standing around for awards after, which there was no way I could even get one. But.. "Age group 25-29 third place from Norfolk, VA Mary Peterson" lol Shocked and stunned and laughing.
I am kind of in post race blues but I don't know what it was, I lost five pounds that day. So... I've been eating like a horse ;) just kidding. I love this site if anyone wants to look into one themselves www.trifind.com it has pretty much all of them on there. I definately want to keep doing this but I just don't know when to find the time.. Maybe this fall. We'll see.
Well I miss my mom and Dad and Lauren misses mama and papa. She was a hoot, she would try to get grandpa to do something so she would be like paaaa pa! She just had a blast with Grandma and would wake them up in the morning and jump on their beds and giggle like it was Christmas Morning. 
I think this is officially the longest post ever, I am expecting a call from Guinness any time now.
