Boise Ironman 70.3

We headed on up to the Potato State last weekend for some taters and a little racing on the side. For those that need reminding, this race was a 1/2 Ironman: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run.... Yeah. This race was unreal. 1500 people!! The bikes alone took up a full city block. And all of them die hard racers. We've never been to a venue like this, where none of them are there just to have fun and no "do it just to say I did" types. Intimidating. As you all know, the weather has been a tad wet lately, so we all held our breath that morning until the starting gun shot. Yea! They didn't cancel it! That doesn't mean it didn't rain...hardly. More on that later. His swim was great. The waves were over a foot tall and person after person kept getting towed in on the jet skis, but not my man. He finished great and killed on the bike.(How does one get out of a wet suit and into bike gear in 2 minutes?) Did I mention it was raining? He said at one point it was so bad he couldn't see...of course that doesn't mean he slowed down. The kids were so great while we stood at different points along the course to cheer him on. This is a really long day for them, even without having to do it soaking wet. At one point a nasty lady says to me, "They really need to be under an umbrella." As she stood there with her over sized umbrella covering her pointed head. So I punched her in the face and stole hers and we were dry after that... But I hadn't thought about preparing us for rain, I had just worried about Andy in it. The race finished in downtown Boise, which was really different and fun and a great big party (for everyone but the one pushing a stroller and carrying a 3 year on her back and trying to get a 6 year to "hold it" so she wouldn't pee her pants....in the rain.) But I'm being sarcastic, not complaining (anymore) because it was worth it when he finished soooo well! 4 hours and 57 minutes, beating his last one by over half an hour!!!! (That's a big deal, if you didn't know.) 1500 racers, 100 of them professionals. Andy finished 18th in his division and I don't remember all the numbers, but I think it ended up being 99th overall. Out of 1400!! (Professionals don't count.) Way to go Andy! Kona here we come!

Coming out of the water! (Is that a GIRL behind you, Andy?) ;)

Copping a squat under a tree to eat a hotdog. The tree was the best umbrella I could find. They didn't care! What troopers.

Zoe spent a lot of time here singing in my ear for me. My glasses needed windshield wipers!

Not too wet yet. Poor Max didn't nap all day.

Okay, I know this is sideways, I don't know why, but you see that incredibly long, steep, gravely road? Try pushing a stroller up that! It was a mile long. This was how we got up to the lake. Good thing there were port-a-potties at the top!