Happy New Year!

First of all, there is a new episode of In Transit up and ready for your listening pleasure! Woot! Click here to listen or visit our web site.

Also, I finally went for a bike ride today. Just a short 15 miler, but hey, at least I braved the cold and logged some miles, right? It was pretty freakin' cold. I need to wear warmer socks and longer sleeves and/or longer gloves. Don't you hate it when there's that little gap of skin exposed at your wrist! Brrr

My Top 10 New Year's Resolutions (or things I need to maintain/step up a little) & goals for 2007:
1. Run, run, run
2. Swim, swim, swim
3. Cycle, Cycle, cycle
4. Plan out my races for 2007
5. Get scuba certified
6. Take a scuba vacation
7. Go to South America and/or Australia
8. Take a class that is not sports related-- eg language, politics, religion, photography, art, etc.
9. Complete a marathon (goal is Charlottesville Marathon on April 21st)
10. Update my blog more often.

Slowly, but surely....

That's how I'm easing back into the podcast/blog world. I feel like I'm disconnected having been without internet access during my move and then having to wait another week to get it once I arrived here in CT. I'm back in business now.

Connecticut is great so far. Love my new job. Joined a fantastic local gym. I've already tested out thier 1/8 mile indoor track, pool, and several of the exercise machines. The weather has been really great. It has been unseasonably warm-- I must have brought some warmth with me from TX. It was in the 50s today! Also, I'm fortunate enough to live very close (right across the street) from a sweet park with 10 miles of running trails. I gave that a 5 mile spin this past weekend. My next goal is to find some cycling routes and also try to hook-up with a tri or cycling team.

Another In Transit episode should be coming in the next week or so. Elizabeth and I have both been super busy, but we're missing our podcasting and have vowed to get our acts together this weekend to record via Gizmo.

Peace out...

Wow...I'm a slacker.

I can't believe it has been over a month since my last post-- it really feels like it has only been about a week. Show 18 should be coming your way soon and it's jam-packed with goodies for your listening pleasure.

Training has been pretty inconsistent for me...I've had a lot of traveling and chaos (good chaos though) going on in life. You'll get all the details in the next show.

Elizabeth and I are still planning on doing a marathon in the spring, although it probably won't be Rome after all-- maybe next year.

I guess that's all for now. I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! Eat lots of turkey for me---and pumpkin pie too!

Peace out for now...

I can't believe it! Twice!

If you've listened to the latest In Transit, then you know half of the news I'm about to tell. First off all, I did the Monster Triathlon in Keller, TX last weekend (October 15th) and I just completed the RunBiTri Triathlon also in Keller, TX this morning (October 22). Unbelieveably, for me anyhow, I placed first in my age group at both events!! Holy cow! Although they were held in the same city, these sprint tris had completely different run and bike courses and were put on by different race productions.

The Monster tri was pretty rainy, but a fun race. There was also a costume contest on the run portion, where I dressed up as a cheerleader. (see pics on the In Transit Web site. My time at Monster was 1:16:03, which was good enough for a whole minute faster than the second place woman in my category. I was very happy with my results--- improved my run to finish with just over a 9 min/mile pace. For all the details check out In Transit Show 16.

The one today was equally exciting. The RunBiTri had very similar distances to the Monster (400m swim, 12 mile bike, 5k run). Monster was the same, but the swim was 300m instead. Oh, and, according to my Garmin today's bike and run distances were actually 13 miles and 3.39 miles, so a little longer than advertised. The RunBiTri was also a reverse triathlon-- it went Run, bike, swim. I am thankful for that because it was only about 45 degrees this morning. A little too cold to be running and biking soaking wet. It was crazy though. I felt super strong on the run, a little more fatigued than usual on the bike, and the swim felt like snail-pace. Oh, and since it was so cold outside the transition from bike to swim was quite a shocker. I'm still waiting for my official results to be posted online-- so I can see how many were in my age group and what my splits were, etc. Overall, it was a challenging course, but a fun race. I'm sure Elizabeth and I will include the official times and discuss this more in the next show. I guess that's all for now.

Another soggy triathlon??

Well, it's the eve of my final triathlon of the season-- the Monster Spring Tri in Keller, TX. The forecast is calling for thunderstorms all morning long!! ugh. If you recall my last triathlon (Texas Man), it was also a rainy day. Luckily the rain let up just long enough to complete that race though.

Also, the Monster tri has a Halloween theme that comes with a costume contest for the run portion. And, of course, that means I must join in on the fun. I won't give away what I've decided to dress up as, that'll be in the next episode of In Transit.

Oh, and Triboomer is going to be my correspondent tomorrow (yay!). I don't know anyone else doing this race, so I'm happy he'll be there to join in on the fun.

Expectations: I think this will be a fun race. The swim should go off without a hitch (it's a 300 m pool swim). The bike should be good (12 miles), unless the weather doesn't cooperate. The run: interesting b/c I'll be wearing a costume and also fun to see what other people come up with.

I also did a 50 mile bike rally today in Denton (the Denton Power Rally), so it should be interesting to see if that has any effect on my race performance. I feel pretty good right now though.

So, I'm crossing my fingers that it is not downpouring during the race. I'm curious how it will be handled if the weather is bad. I just hope the race goes on!

Okay, that's enough for now. Full coverage to come in the next show!

Show 15 y'all! Stellar!

Upcoming race plans. Elizabeth's 5k. Cara's trip to Chicago. A long discussion about newbies, race distances, and a trend in elite sports. Also, a new segment. Enjoy!

In Transit Show 14 has arrived!

This one covers the Texas Man Triathlon where we met up with Emily and Brett from Zen and the Art of Triathlon and Brian a.k.a. Triboomer. We also have a short interview with 2 of the owners from a brand new women's triathlon inspired gear company called Girls Tri Harder. Please check out their Web site by clicking here. You can download the show from our Web site or through iTunes.

Texas Man Race Report Coming Soon!

The next episode of In Transit is coming soon and will include a full race report from the Texas Man triathlon in Irving, Texas. I was lucky enough to race with both Emily and Triboomer, got to meet Dave Scott and Brett from Zen, and had a good race overall.

The show should be out by the end of the week. Click here to see pics from the race.

In Transit Show 13

Hey everybody-- Show 13 is here. This one is about the Spoly and a race preview of TexasMan which is this coming weekend. Woot!

In Transit Spoly Triathlon

Well, I wish I could say I successfully completed the first ever In Transit Spoly tri, but I can't. Unfortunately, I have been sick for the past 5 days with a pretty bad head cold and did not feel up to par enough to do the tri. Elizabeth was able to complete a slightly modified version of our orginally planned triathlon, which she completed with flying colors. She has recorded some audio of her spoly experience and we'll have that in the next show.

I decided to sit out this tri for a couple reasons 1) I felt like crap 2) I'm doing the Texas Man Olympic tri this weekend in Irving, TX, and I want to save up and get well to be ready for that one. I actually broke down and went to the doc today, since it wasn't clearing up. I'm on some antibiotics now, so by Sunday I'm hoping I'll be in tip top shape.

It really sucks being sick. I've been trying to rest up, which means no working out, in order to help my body fight off whatever I have faster. All I have to say is I feel so lazy!! I can't wait until these drugs kick in and I'm back on track.

That's all for now...

In Transit Show 12

In this show Elizabeth and I talk about our upcoming Spoly plans, which is our version of a triathlon consisting of distances halfway between a sprint and oly. We are doing this self-supported triathlon on Sept. 9th at Joe Pool Lake in Grand Prairie, TX. If you're interested in joining us just send us an e-mail. We would also like anyone who can't join us in TX to do your own triathlons and send us race reports on how you did. Those race reports can either be sent to us via voicemail at our Gizmo # 920-482-4822 or by sending an e-mail to cara@intransitduo.com or elizabeth@intransitduo.com

This show also includes a swim session with Elizabeth, a bike rally review from me and lots of random thoughts from both of us. Enjoy!

You can download the show by going to our web site or by accessing it through iTunes.

Hand, Hotter 'n Hell, and Heat

Well, I've tried some adjustments to my bike at the track and my hand numbness seems to be getting better. Thank you to all those who gave me tips on fixing that problem.

This past weekend I set out to do the Hotter 'n Hell Hundred bike rally, which is a century ride in Wichita Falls, TX and one of the largest bike rallies in the nation (over 12,000 riders). This was my 3rd year doing the 100 mile route, but ended a lot different than the past 2 years...I DNF. The temperature hit 107 that day and the heat just did not agree with me. I made it to the 70 mile mark rest stop, got off my bike to fill my camelback with water and had to run out of the line toward the porta-potty. I didn't make it all the way there before I threw up. The heat just made me sick, I guess. I was so disappointed. I felt like I could probably have gone a little farther, but I didn't know how far and I didn't want to be stuck between rest stops collapsed on the side of the road, so I bit the bullet and sagged in. While waiting in the medical tent for a ride to the finish line the there was a guy who was given an IV and I found out later he is an avid cyclist who had done 14 other centuries and never had a problem-- until that day. I also heard and saw many more people sag in due to heat problems. It was crazy. It was definitely hotter than hell! I guess I just lucked out the past 2 years, because it was only in the 90s those years-- let me tell ya, 10-15 degrees more truly makes a huge difference!!! Anyway, it wasn't a total failure. I figure it was good I didn't end up in the ED or something and at least I got 70 miles in. My buddy Burt who I went with ended up riding 125 miles because there was some wrong signage and about 1000 riders got off course. Craziness! I also saw Triboomer at the 50 mile rest stop. He was lookin' good in his TNT jersey. I see him everywhere these days!! Way to go 'Boomer!!

Well, that is all for now. Pretty exciting weekend.

Gimp hand, ugggh!

I'm really getting worried. It is time for something to change. Ever since I've been riding at the velodrome I have experience some neuropathy (numbness) in my left hand. I know it stems from putting too much pressure on my hand while riding, but I'm not exactly sure how to correct it. Here's why: 1. You have to pretty much keep your hands in the same position while riding-- down in the drops. 2. I am currently renting a bike each time I ride and I haven't been able to figure out any successful adjustments to ease the pressure on my hand. i.e. bike fit may be an issue. Here's what I'm trying to do to address this: 1. work on some core exercises so my core can pick up some of my weight as opposed to my hand receiving all the pressure. 2. While warming up I'm trying to put my hands on top of the bars to give my hand some rest.

Here's why I'm freaking out though: my swimming is seriously hindered because of the numbness. I can't keep my fingers together to pull through the water. I swam last night and I really felt handicapped by my weak hand.

Well, that's my current situation...

In Transit Show 11! Woot!

It's finally here...Show 11, our rock climbing experience. Check it out by downloading from iTunes or by clicking here.

Show 10 has arrived!!

Please give show 10 a listen. You can download it through iTunes or at our Web site. Show 10 includes our typical segments and an interview with 2 local triathletes, Mark and Becca, who are prepping for a Team in Training event in September.

We are staying busy, so show 11 & 12 should have some good stuff too! Preview of show 11-- our rock climbing adventure.

Show 10 is almost done!!

Elizabeth and I have been super busy, so that is why the latest show is delayed. Should be out by the end of today though. Show 10 covers our recent training efforts and an on the spot interview with a couple of newbie triathletes.

Our rock climbing trip was a success! Check out pictures on our Web site. Show 11 will cover our rock climbing and camping adventure plus much more!

Spoly

Well, Elizabeth and I have decided we would really like to do another triathlon within the next month or so, but we want to dodge the high entry fees. So....we're going to do the 1st ever In Transit Spoly Triathlon. The date and location are still in the works, but here's the scoop so far:

We decided to make up our own distance, halfway between a sprint and olympic, aka the Spoly. The distances are as follows: 1000m swim, 30k bike, and 7.5k run. We hope to travel to Colorado to complete the race in the Denver/Boulder area. Once we get everything figured out we will announce the date and everyone is invited to join us. If you can't make it to Colorado then you can always do a tri in your own neck of the woods and tell us how it went. We plan on dedicating an entire episode on the results. Also, if you don't want to do the spoly distance, then do a sprint or oly or whatever you'd like!

There is also the possibility of adding some untraditional elements to the race (e.g. a lap around transition area on a roller racer before you can go on). This is still pending.

More to come soon....

In Transit Show 9

We have finished Show 9! This one is a review of our Mountain Man triathlon, Grand Canyon trip, and a special interview with fellow triathlete Peggy from Colorado. You can download it by clicking the title above or through iTunes.

Show 9 coming soon...

I'm in the final editing phase of show 9, so don't fret it will be coming soon. We have some awesome footage from our trip and also a special interview with a fellow triathlete from CO.

More pics from the trip

A pretty sunset at our North Rim campsite.




Getting my feet wet in the Colorado River.




The view behind me is from our North Rim campsite. Pretty stellar!




A couple lizards at the Petrified Forest in AZ. The one on the left is kind of difficult to see due to the shadow-- look closely.




Elizabeth and I after the race.




Me taking a break and enjoying the view from our hike down the canyon on the north rim.




View from the South rim of the Grand Canyon.




Here I am standing next to ruins at the Petrified Forest. These are the remains of a home made of petrified wood.

Arrived alive...

Well, Elizbeth and I made it home safe and sound from our long long road trip to AZ. We had a great time racing on Sunday and checking out the Grand Canyon and other monuments/sites along the way.

We will have full coverage of the race on our next show, but for now here's a short report:

This was an oly held in Flagstaff, AZ on July 16th called the Mountain Man. The altitude is ~7000ft, which is 6500 ft higher than I'm used to here in Dallas.

There were also sprint and half distances offered. It was a relatively small race, there were about 450 competitors combined for all 3 race categories.

Swim-- 1500m
Did this in 38:22, which is 2:33 per 100m. I usually average around 2:10 per 100m, so this is a little slow for me. I did feel altitude effects in the 1st couple minutes though, so I tried to just do the swim slow and steady.

Bike-- 40k
My time was 1:25:42, which is 17.4 mph. This course was flat except for 3 major hills. It was an out and back course. I was a little disappointed with this time, b/c cycling is my strength, but I was actually 2nd in my AG with that time.

Run-- 10k, with a super steep part about 1.5 miles into it.
This was more a run/walk, unfortunately. I really ran into a wall -- not muscle fatigue, but just couldn't get enough oxygen. To my surprise there were tons of people walking the run course, esp. the really hilly part. I have never seen so many walkers in a triathlon and I wasn't even in the back of the pack. My time was 1:16:04, for a pace of 12:14 min/mile. Pretty darn sad. lol

Overall time: 3:23:37
This put me 5th in my AG out of 9, surprisingly. This was a very challenging course, esp. b/c I'm not used to such a high altitude.

I'm planning to do another oly this season to attempt to redeem myself. I am really glad I did this event to challenge myself and also to experience racing at high alt.

That's all for now...


Finally crossing the finish line!!

Completed the race and saw the Grand Canyon

Well, the race (Mountain Man olympic in Flagstaff) was on Sunday and although I didn't do quite as well as I would have liked, I did finish the race and place 5th out of 9 in my age group. I was really shocked about that because I ended up walking part of the run. I was truly amazed how many people were walking on the run course. Many people were complaining about breathing problems due to the altitude (7000ft). I was one who had a bit of difficulty breathing as well. Half of the run course was super steep though, so that didn't help.

After the race we spent Monday through Wednesday at the Grand Canyon, visiting both the North and South rims. I had never been there, but I must say it was truly beautiful and unlike anything I had ever seen.

We're still making our way back to TX, so there will be more to come and a full review on our next podcast when we get back.

Hot off the presses...In Transit Show 8

In this show Elizabeth and I review our road trips back home for the 4th of July weekend, talk about our upcoming triathlon in Flagstaff, and our Grand Canyon camping plans. Please give it a listen by clicking here or downloading from iTunes.

Freakin' hilarious...

This clip was forwarded to me by my friend Deb. I think it's pretty funny. It gave me a good laugh. It may be a little non-PC, but isn't that what blogging is all about? Check it out.

In Transit Show 7

After a long delay due to the holiday weekend In Transit is back in business. Show 7 is up and ready to go, just click on the title of this post to listen. It is also available to subscribe to in iTunes. The show covers a training session with Jetdrvr (Tyler)--a fellow Triscooper, a velodrome riding review, and much more. Also enjoy a great pump up song at the end of the show called Swim to Me by 101.

A refreshing outlook

Tonight I went for a leisurely 40 minute run through a nice neighborhood in Dallas. I chose to wait until after sunset because it is so freakin' hot here. Even at 9pm it is still a little too warm for comfort. So, I'm running along, listening to my music and timed it just right to run through 2 sets of sprinklers. So refreshing. Now, don't get me wrong, this isn't a new experience, but I must say for some reason I just appreciated it more tonight. Although I still miss the natural green grass back in Iowa, the one good thing about living in a nice neighborhood is that everyone takes good care of their imported lawns and that means sprinklers going full blast each night. The runner's dream.

Some more pics

Here are a few more pictures from the end of our trip:




Some other "pirate ships" we encountered on our journey. The boat we were riding in was built to replicate an 18th century ship design.




Deb and me on our snorkeling/scuba adventure.





Me and the Parthenon.





A beautiful sunset in Santorini.











Overall, the trip was a success! I couldn't have dreamed of having a better time. I'm so glad we were able to go. Where to next?? Grand Canyon for sure-- but start the planning for another trip abroad!!!

Santorini and Athens

Our last 2 stops on the trip were Santorini and Athens. Santorini turned out to be a beautiful Greek isle. We stayed on Kamari beach, which is opposite the port side (Fira). Our hotel had a nice pool and the beach was just a minute walk outside the hotel door and across the cobblestone street. The beach had beautiful black sand, but it was very hot. We were on Santorini for 3 nights. One of the days Deb and I went out on an excursion. She did scuba diving and I did some snorkeling. I was a bit disappointed because there really weren't a lot of fish to look at, although we did get to check out some cool caves. (I think I've been spoiled by snorkeling in Hawaii-- it's hard to beat that). The water was pretty cold. Even though I was just on the surface snorkeling, they provided me with a wetsuit. I was glad I had it after I got out there into the water. Another day on Santorini we went on a tour of the nearby volcano crater, hot springs, and the little island of Thirassia, which is also considerd part of Santorini. At Thirassia, we rode donkeys up the zig-zag hill to catch the brillant view. We rode in what we liked to call a "pirate ship" the whole day as we stopped at each of the tour sites.

After Santorini we made our last stop in Athens. We were only there for an afternoon, but were able to make it to the Acropolis to see the Parthenon. I wish we would have had a little more time in Athens, but I don't regret the length of time we spent in the other places.

Here are a couple pictures from those adventures:



Elizabeth taking off on her donkey.


Some flaming dishes ordered up by Mary and Elizabeth in Santorini. We had some wonderful seafood (shrimp and swordfish) at this establishment.

Samos and Mykonos

After leaving Turkey, our first Greek Isle stop was Samos. We were only there for one afternoon and then we went on to Mykonos. Both isles were very beautiful.



Had to take a pic of a zen sighting in Samos.



Playing a little goldfish poker to kill time on the ferry.



Windmills and whitewashed buildings in Mykonos.




This man runs one of the windmill sites where festivals are held in the fall. He told us all about it and how wine is made in a nearby grape smashing pit (not sure what the technical name is for that). He let us feed his horse. She was pregnant. He hardly spoke any English, but somehow we were able to learn a lot from him. Really neat guy.



Looking down on Mykonos Town from our hotel up the hill in Little Venice. With everything was whitewashed the contrast of the flowers and blue and red paint on the window frames was magnificent. The sky was beautiful too.

We really liked Samos, even though we were only there for an afternoon. We were in Mykonos for 2 nights, which was plenty. Mykonos was rather pricy and the type of tourists were a world apart from ones we met while in Turkey. The tourists in Turkey who we encountered seemed much more down to earth and relaxed. Mykonos was swarming with people who seemed very concerned with thier image and just a little uptight, overall. Also, the shops in Mykonos were filled with either high-priced designer label clothing or mass-produced souvenir junk. Maybe we were just spoiled by Turkey, but it seemed the souvenirs and shops there were filled, in comparison to Greece (especially Mykonos), with more unique items. I did like a lot of the clothes and trinkets I saw in Greece, but I didn't travel abroad to go on a high-fashion shopping spree. So, that is just my take on it.

In Transit Show 5

The 5th In Transit is up and ready to go. You can download it through iTunes or get it from our Web site. This epidsode is a review of our Greece/Turkey extravaganza! Here's a picture of our Highspeed 5 ferry. We took it from Santorini to Athens. It was sweet.

My Turkish Carpet

Don, one of the Canadian guys we met in Cappadocia recommended a carpet shop in Selcuk called Black Sheep Carpets (he had bought a carpet from them a few days earlier when he passed through Selcuk). I wasn't planning on purchasing a carpet, but when Mary bought hers in Istanbul I nearly purchased one as well, but was able to hold off. Then, after Don talked up Black Sheep Carpets I figured I'd check out the shop in Selcuk when we arrived there. I ended up getting hooked on one and couldn't pass it up. I especially loved it because it was unlike any of the other carpets I had seen and they said it is nearly 100 years old (not sure how much I believe that, but I still think it is cool). It is wool on cotton and from Elazig, which is in the Eastern part of Turkey. The carpet shop guys, Erkan and Mehmet, were also very cool so we sat and chatted with them for quite some time. Funny thing...Erkan has an aunt who lives in Bettendorf, Iowa, which is approximately 10 miles from where I grew up. What a small world!

It was totally worth the hassle of lugging it around for the rest of our trip because it looks perfect in my living room in front of my couch even though I had no idea where I was going to put it when I bought it.

Selcuk, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Hamam (Turkish Bath)

After Cappadocia we made our next stop in Selcuk, Turkey. This was our home base for 3 nights. We took day trips from here to Pamukkale and Ephesus.



Here's Deb and me after our Turkish scrubdown at the hamam. Oh yeah, and that's the guy who washed us. It was really relaxing-- and no-- it was not anything weird. They ran the place very professionally.



Some bikes. There were actually quite a few bike shops. We didn't have time to stop in and chat though.



25,0000 seat theater in the ancient city of Ephesus (a.k.a. Efes). Efes is also a very popular Turkish beer.



Deb and Mary sitting on a calcium terrace in Pamukkale.

Next stop Cappadocia

Here are some pictures from our whirlwind 2 days in the Cappadocia region in central Turkey.



Our hot air balloon being inflated prior to lift off.




Here we are with our mimosas and flight certificates after our hot air balloon ride.




This picture is inside the underground city of Kaymakli. It was 192 meters or 8
stories deep. We were able to go down 4 stories. I look like a giant inside (I'm about 5'8") b/c the ceilings and hallways were very short. Theories behind the low clearance include: the people may have been a bit smaller and they may have carved it out that way to make it more difficult for enemies to get through if they were attacked. It was nice and cool inside.




Flying Dervishes at the Turkish Night dinner show.

More to come....

Pictures Pictures-- first there was Istanbul

Okay, I'll try to do this in chronological order...
Elizabeth and I went on this 2 week Greece/Turkey trip with 2 friends (Deb and Mary) from Iowa. Deb is the shorter one with dark brown hair and Mary is about the same height as Elizabeth and me and has light brown hair. This trip was purely vacation or holiday, if you please. It was a much needed break from the monotony of the American working world.

We flew into Istanbul and stayed 2 nights.


The view from our hotel's terrace in Istanbul. That is the Sea of Marmara.

The Blue Mosque at night.

Smokin' the nargile-- a.k.a water pipe or hookah. Our favorite tobacco flavor was apple. This was at a local nargile spot that a couple Turkish guys we met took us to. We were the only girls and the only tourists there. It was awesome. Funny thing--apparently Turks generally do not drink when they smoke the nargile. They just have Turkish tea or alma (apple) tea. We were wondering "where's the beer?"

Elizabeth at the grand bazaar.


Turkish Viagra at the Spice bazaar.

Alright, those are pretty much the highlights of Istanbul. I will put another post up with pictures from our next stop--Cappadocia-- soon.

-Cara

Just got back...

I'm finally on US soil once again! The trip was amazing, but as always, it feels great to be home and able to sleep in my own bed.

Sorry I only posted once while away...the internet was so slow there and I was also so busy having fun. (Correction on the last post: the rock formations are in Cappadocia, not Pamukkale. I must have been half asleep when I wrote that. Ha!)

I'm planning on giving a full account in the next few days. I kept a pretty detailed journal while away and I also have almost 2 GB worth of pics to sift through.

Here are some thoughts/things we did from where I left off last--

Wow, I'm not sure where to start.

Well, we stayed in Selcuk (Turkey) for 3 days and went to see the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus and brillant calcium terraces in Pamukkale during those 3 days. We also toured a local ceramics shop/factory and I was lucky enough to try my hand at the wheel. All I have to say is it is much more difficult than it looks. Very fun and messy though.

Then on to Greece....first stop Samos, one of the North Aegean Greek isles. We were there for the day and hung out at a beautiful beach opposite the port side of the island. Then we took an evening ferry to Mykonos and stayed there 2 nights. Mykonos was very pretty. Everything was whitewashed, but it was very expensive and kind of overrun by big spender tourists. At that point and throughout the rest of the trip, we really felt spoiled by the cheap prices and hospitality we felt during our stay in Turkey. The Greeks were nice, don't get me wrong, but the Turks seemed to truly appreciate that we were there to visit their country.

After Mykonos we took a fast catamaran style ferry (Fast Cat 4) to Santorini for 3 nights. It was much more our speed. Not as pretentious as Mykonos and just had more character in our opinion. We stayed on Kamari beach (wanting to avoid the crowed port city of Fira).

We then took a high speed ferry (High speed 5) to Athens and did a whirlwind 1 afternoon tour of the Acropolis and the Plaka area of the city.

A few traveling thoughts:

I've never seen so many different ways to flush a toilet in my life. It was like playing guess how to flush every time.

Turks really like to have tea with visitors. Apple tea is good, but you get a little burned out after the 5th or 6th offer of complimentary tea.

Cats, cats, cats. They're everywhere! I like cats, but not when I'm trying to eat fish at an outdoor diner and 7 or 8 cats start circling around my chair. lol

Alright, that's all I have for now. I will try to post pics tomorrow. I have tons of great ones that will hopefully help tell the story a little more.

Turkey is amazing, fantastic, incredible, unique, and much much more!

Well, we made it here just fine and are having the most incredible time of our lives! We arrived in Istanbul on the 28th were there for 2 days and then on to the Cappadocia region in Central Anatolia. The Turks are overwhelmingly hospitable, friendly, and probably the nicest people I have ever met. We were in Cappadocia for 2 days, left this morning and are now in Selcuk, which is on the Aegean coast. The place we're staying rocks! I'm trying to upload some pictures and will have them up as soon as I can.

Here are a few things we have done so far: visited the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and Spice Bazaar in Istanbul. Went on a hot air balloon ride, stayed in a cave hotel, and saw an underground city in Cappadocia, and saw a Turkish dance show with belly dancers and dervishes. And of course, we have been trying the hookahs, wine, and all the cuisine.

Until I figure out how to load the pics, that's all for now. This is the best trip I have ever been on in my life!!!!
-Cara

Okay, here are a few pics: the first is us in Istanbul, second are the rock formations in Pamukkale, and the third is one of the balloons we could see while we were up in our own hot air ballon. Sorry there are so few pics so far, but they take forever to load!! I hope to update again once we are in Greece.


At a restaurant called Metro Polis


Rock formations


Balloon ride

Flatman has his original address back!

Nevermind my last post. The modified version turned out to only be temporary....Flatman is back with his original address. Check it out: www.flatman.blogspot.com

Show 4 Is Up...Check it out.

First things first....news flash... if you didn't already know, Flatman has a new blog URL due to an accidental deletion of his former blog and the swiping of that original domain name by some unknown person. Here's the new addrss: http://fl4tm4n.blogspot.com/ Welcome back Flatman!

Elizabeth and I have finished the 4th show of In Transit. Please give it a listen. We talk about our recent workouts, first aid kits, fortunes, fire, reminisce our childhoods, and much much more.

We take off to Turkey/Greece on Saturday and will be gone for a couple weeks, so the 5th show will not be out until we get back. I must admit I have been quite the slacker the past couple days as I have been spending all my time preparing for the trip which has resulted in missing my workouts. Lame-o, huh? Well, I hope to be back on track ASAP-- including swim training in the ocean while away.

Alright...that's all for now.

So close....

Only 4 days until I'm on my way to Turkey!! I am super excited. I have lots to do still-- packing, last minute shopping, etc. Four days until 2 weeks of bliss!!

In the meantime, I'm also trying to squeeze in some training before I go. No slacking off here! I went for a bike ride yesterday, am going on another ride tonight, and plan on doing some swimming and running the rest of the week. I also hope to swim (not just flopping around) in the ocean while on vacation. My goggles and cap are packed, oh, and my swimsuit too.

Wow, hectic weekend

I was supposed to do a bike rally yesterday-- so much for that. At least my registration cost will still be a donation to the cause (cancer research). Why didn't I make it? Well, I knew I had obligations later in the day (family coming into town, etc.) but I had the time wrong and had to be there earlier than expected. I was considering a shorter route, but I also woke up with a pounding headache (which is actually very rare for me. I hardly ever get headaches.) I'm thinking maybe I had the headache because I was stressed about missing the rally, lol. Anyway, those are my "excuses". Pretty lame, huh? Long story short, I didn't do a bike ride this weekend. Did some running instead.

I hope to have more productive training this week before I leave for Greece/Turkey. Just 6 days to go!

In Transit Show 3

The third In Transit: 2 Triathletes Take on the World is up and ready to go! You can find it in iTunes or at our Web site. I think we're finally getting the hang of this. Thanks to everyone who has been listening. This show features our review of a tri night at the LBS, allergies, the velodrome and much more! Also check out our Web site for pics from the velodrome.

Thoughts about recent workouts

Sunday I took a rest day. I was surprisingly sore from mountain biking on Saturday. It's funny how I did a triathlon a couple weeks ago and wasn't the least bit sore afterward and then did a little mtn. biking and was sore as heck! I suppose it makes sense, b/c I used a bunch of muscles (esp. in my upperbody) that I haven't used, or at least not in that way, in quite a while. I must admit has been oddly good being sore. I guess it makes me feel that I really got a good workout in.

Tonight I went for a ride with the guys from the LBS. Just a short ride (~22 miles), but was at a pretty decent pace. I felt really strong throughout. This weekend I have a bike rally. I'm registered for the 100k route. I'm really stoked about it. It will be nice to get all those miles in. It will be my longest ride this season.

Going to a special women's triathlon night tomorrow at the LBS. Hopefully I will learn some good stuff. I have a list of questions going. It's nice living in Dallas where there are a trillion "local bike shops". The one I'm going to tomorrow, is not the same one that I go to to meet up with the guys for weekly rides, although I think it is the biggest one around and they sponsor races and rallies all over the area. Although I like the smaller shops, it is cool having the big one b/c they can draw a big enough crowd to put on big events like the one tomorrow night. Also, they stock a lot of tri gear in comparison to other local shops, which is nice b/c otherwise I'd have to order my tri stuff online and hope that it fits/ is what I want based on the pic online.

Well, I think I'm going to hit the hay.

Adios

All biked up....

Went to the local velodrome last night to watch the Friday night races. It was awesome! I can't wait until I'll be riding (planning on taking the required class soon).
Also went mountain biking this morning. It was great! Was out for about 3 hours. This was the first time I've been mtn. biking in over 6 months. It felt great getting out there again. Mixing it up a bit.

Cycling rules! It's awesome trying out all the different kinds. I'm all biked up.

Here's a couple pics from the 'drome: