Team Chamberlain

So we made it through another family weekend of racing and loved every sopping wet moment of it. Crazy, I know, but when you are surrounded with people with great attitudes who want fun times, fun times happen.

Let's review my 2011 goal "a time of 3:30" shaving 13 minutes off last years time. Now let's review reality. I finished before my kids started to race which is ALWAYS #1 for me and I was 17 minutes slower then my fastest time, making it my slowest time in 4 years, but I am really ok with that. The weather was definitely the coldest and wettest it's ever been in 4 years.

We started out with a 1k swim and I have to say the lake felt warmer then expected due to the fact I was freezing, waiting for the race to start. Here I am getting ready (slowly) to bike. All pictures are courtesy of my daddy as for obvious reasons I did not ever whip out our camera.

This is after 2 more hours in the rain and mud. I crashed more on that course that day then I ever have on one course. It was a little slick. I was COVERED from head to toe in mud and some may have confused me for a drowned rat.

I then stripped some of the wet clothing and headed out for my 10k run. Miraculously I still felt great and kept plugging along. Like I said I was slow, but most importantly I had fun and I made it back for this......

My beautiful children lined up and ready to race.

They both ran about 1/4 of a mile and then biked 1 mile around the lake.

and then ran another 1/4 of a mile to finish strong.

Nojah took 2nd overall and Alexyss 3rd. They were pretty proud to earn their little metals. Alexyss promptly ran into the lake up to her nipples when she completed her race and is standing there soaking wet and shivering.

Mother/daughter leg shot

Tob raced for another team this year doing the run. On the run he managed to find a 6 point bull elk shed and carry it back with him. I was running out as he was running in and the mere sight of him carrying it brought a giant smile to my face as I yelled "You are NOT bringing that home". Only Tob would run off trail and carry such a thing back during a race, while passing other racers. He vowed to give it to the first kid he saw and that happened to be a little 4 year old girl who was THRILLED to have her new trophy. Oh my, only in eastern Oregon...... The sun shined the day before and the day after but I still wouldn't have changed the race day. I had a great day and lots of bruises to help keep the memories fresh in my mind.