I biked the IM course with all 12 today...

...well.... not really. But in my head today I biked with Guiness, Ninja, Shackster, Steve 3.0, Steve C, Joe, Aaron, Anne, Brian, Peter, Crazy Bill, and Larry.... they were all there... in my mind.

I woke up to an amazing Wisconsin morning. You know what it said to me? "Absolutely fabulous bike tan lines are waiting for you, Michelle Alswager, get dressed! Get dressed! Wear that t-back and get the tan of your life!" No really! That's what I heard.

6 cups of coffee, a few emails, a little work, feed the cats...and I'm off to ride 30 miles. Except...except..... I decide to meander over to the Verona quarry and dip the toe. Would it be warm enough for a swim? Indeed! It is! I'm so excited by this that I say HELL WITH IT GIRL....bike the IM. And so I did.

I'm about 42 miles into my biking and I stand on Garfoot, my fav of the course, the sun beating on me, the wind perfect, cyclists coming the other way, and all I think is, "I have to take a pic and send it to the Triabetes gang!!!!" And I did.

I get a text from Anne telling me that she just ran 18 miles and thanked me for sharing my experience with her! She's a CRAZY woman, but then again, isn't that what inspired me to get on my bike and do a full 75 miles today?

I'll admit...Old Sauk Pass HURT. It did. And then came b!tch hill, but I just smiled. Midtown, bring it on, right???! Home stretch....

Here's what went through my head today. I am part of a team. But my teammates don't live here. And yet, they are with me when I'm training. All of them. I've trained for many things....the Ride to Cure Diabetes in various locations, other IM... and this is SO different.

For the first time in my "training" life... I am ok with biking alone. Do you know why? THESE guys are with me the whole ride.... they inspire me to keep moving and I'm so proud to be part of them, that they allow me to be part of them.

And now..... bed! I'm running in the morning and the kids can't wait to go to the quarry tomorrow night! They know how to dial 911....

PS I have the SWEETEST back tan. Mission accomplished.