Vacation - no race, no bike, no wetsuit... What?

all of us

Once every few years or maybe longer we take a vacation that does not include a race. Its good for the marriage, good for me I guess and is fun!  Generally we do this internationally but this summer we went east and it was about family. 

Mom and her kids

It started in San Diego with the arrival of my Bro and family from Hong Kong (nephew 10 and niece 11) and my sis and nieces from Boulder  (13 and 15) add my mom, dad and step mom and we were a solid 11 for a few days of fun in Encinitas.   

Big dinners, mixed days from the beach to Mom's pool, to me napping and sneaking in training.  We are a close family it was just plain fun!  No drama, great dinners which we all took turns cooking, lots of laughing, more than a few bottles of wine and no pressure. and a bonus to be together for my Dad's 86th birthday.

After all being together at Christmas this an easy re- connection, although we missed JD and Riley this re-union.   

My  family jetted out of SD and John and I headed to RI for his family "picnic" and that is a whole different affair. But before that I headed to Coronado for the 4th of July fun!  12K (7.4 miles - get is July 4, 7/4) run and the 1mile Roughwater swim.  This run is a lot of fun and historically, this year no different, slow and painful for me.  I go in without expectations but really have some and don't exceed them because I don't have them but somehow end up disappointed.  

Quickly moving on we head to the start of the 1 mile swim- legit ocean swim, no wetsuit, beach start and just swim!  Water is chilly and refreshing and it was great fun.   

Combination of my D3 crew and Nytro team it super fun!  Well until I lost my car key.... misplaced it post run but it was "close" so I could open my car, when it was time to move the car, I could not find it, but the car started so I wrongly assumed it was in the car.  Turns out you can drive away without the key in the car and just keep driving.  All is okay until you turn the car off...   So when its time to restart the car no bueno!  It must have been on the roof or under the car.  Long day.... never found it, took Les's car, drove home, got my key, took John to airport, returned to Coronado and gave Les her car and drove home.  1- dumb ass move 2- expensive day $250 key loss.

Okay so onto RI :  With John being the youngest of 11 kids that means BIG family!  There were over 60 "related" kids/grand kids etc. for the picnic.   We rented a "quaint" house (we all know what quaint means ) in Narragansett so we had our own space and my run block began!    We spent 3 days with Braman family, friends etc-  I tell you for such a small fricking state we spent alot of time driving over bridges and around bays to see yet another brother and family!  It was great.... and considering how much time John endures  spends with my family, it was minimal and it was a lot of fun.

After another great FLAT run in RI and breakfast with Johns HS phsyics teacher, because we all  still have breakfast with our physics teacher right ?, we were off to Portland ME via Weston MA to have lunch with one of my athletes.

Maine is stunningly beautiful, surely its a lot different  in Feb, but in July it's just lovely!   With 1.1 M in the entire state vs 3.3M in San Diego County there are NOT many people and it's not densely populated.  Even in the "city"...  

We met up with my brother and sis-in-law and nephew for the week.  It was just plain relaxing... we ran every day, enjoyed breakfast around town,  explored on bikes, via water taxi, and on foot. 

 There is a great food scene in town- we had a few amazing meals!  Fore Street, which books months in advance, does leave 1/3 of the tables open - so show up at 4:30 and wait for them to open at 5, put your name on the list, have a drink at the bar and we were seated at 5:30. 

 

" Fore Street's interior surrounds a unique brick, and soapstone hearth consisting of a wood-burning oven, grill, and turnspit, visible from most tables. Hardwood and apple wood fires cook and flavor the seafood, meats, game, and vegetables that have made Fore Street a New England destination" HIGHLY recommend!     Central Provisions  was great  as was Bolster, Snow and Co .   We took a water taxi to Chebeague Island which was stunning,  being on the water was great and the Inn was stunning.  The restaurant was the only horrible meal we had- service was abominable, slow and wine was sub par.  Mind you we were starving and had they delivered the hot biscuits and good wine which they were out of  before the 30 min we waited, it may have been better.  But the company was good and being on the water was great. 

So onto daytime eating... thanks to Kurt (Les's coach) we found THE BEST lobster...  Harraskeeket Lobster   I have mixed emotions about eating lobster but on that day I consumed the bug in about 11 seconds and wanted more.  So much so we rode 12 miles the next day to the Lobster Shack in Port Elizabeth ,which is stunning BTW,  and we downed another hot/steamy lobster in seconds.   Along the way we stopped a A Bite of Maine, food truck,  as my bro wanted a lobster roll and I did not, until he bought 2 and I ate some.  YUUM!  

Oh we also hit up LL Bean, 4 buildings and a few city blocks, crazy in Freeport ME.

Lots of eating and drinking- my redemption is I ran 41 miles that week so not all of the lobster/butter and wine landed on my body permanently.   Upon landing Friday in SD I cleaned it up quickly, no more wine and back to super clean eating- so clean in fact I bonked so hard on my long run Sunday #rookiemistake.

10 days to Whistler 70.3. and I am feeling pretty good but frankly am more excited to be up there cheering on my athletes.  With 4 racing the Ironman and 3 the 70.3 the day will be epic!!!  Cannot wait