Coeur d'Alene Highlights

I realized today that, since I finished my Ironman, I've totally neglected my blog. Well, here are some highlight pictures of our wonderful trip to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Day 1:

Here we are taking a much needed break in Missoula, Montana. Two and a half hours to go! It was about 14 hours of total driving time.

I loved, loved, loved the hospitality of the people who live in Coeur d'Alene. The people come out en masse to support the athletes on that long day, and I love it!

Day 2:

Pete and I did about 30 miles of the bike loop. It was a fun ride, though it opened my eyes to how hard it was going to be.

It was easy to follow the bike route because there were arrows on the ground where we needed to turn, and these signs at the beginning of each new road. It was such a beautiful course! These pictures DO NOT do it justice!

Day 3:

I went through the registration tent and came out with a cool new bracelet that I got to wear for the next 3 days. Now I really felt like an athlete!

Day 4: Testing the waters

We went to the beach and the kids had so much fun playing in the sand and the water. Who needs a real ocean when you've got Coeur d'Alene lake?

 The water was so nice, I enjoyed my swim very much!

Day 5: The longest day of the year (literally)

Here I am blowing a kiss to my family as I leave transition, excited to get going on the bike!

Here I am finishing my first lap. Don't I look fast?!

Our friend Cassidy also took some awesome photos of the race so I've got to thank him for that. Go check them out! (I'm the one in the yellow jacket)

Then, if you want even more, and a reason to cry, go watch the official Coeur d'Alene 2009 Highlights Video. I'm not in it, but I'm somewhere in that swim start, and I rode those same hills and ran that same dark run. I couldn't help but cry as I watched it, could you?