Post Maui

We just got back from a great week vacation in Maui. It took a while for the tri and the week after to settle into my mind. But here are a few thoughts random about the triathlon and Hawaii.

What I love about TnT is how you are connected by an important cause and it's never far from your mind. It motivates and supports and also saddens you. One of our teammates had a particularly moving, joyful, sad race experience, remembering her brother who had passed away from complications of blood cancer earlier this season. Another one of teammates wasn't with us in Maui as her father had just passed away from cancer as well. These women are amazingly strong and are an inspiration to me. I'm glad I had the chance to get to know one of them better during our time there. Just when I think I won't be able to fundraise again, I am inspired to do more.

Before the race, we had a blessing by a Hawaiian priestess type woman. I really enjoyed the sentiment of being connected to each other and being connected to the Earth, sea, and wind. Doing a triathlon in Hawaii really gets you connected to all of the elements. The day after the tri, two of our teammates, Chris and I went diving. Diving and snorkeling, like no other activity makes me feel connected, small, and thankful to be part of this life. Look at this amazing photo of Pam and this turtle we hung out with for a while at the bottom of the sea.

I spent an inordinate amount of time in the water, in Safeways, and stripmalls. Maui is a strange place. All the center of commerce happens in structures that look like tacky California strip malls. And most of the good food is found in Safeway. I also went to KMart to buy a cooler. None of these are things I do on a daily basis at home.

A straw is critical in the success of a good mai tai. We tried recipe after recipe but none tasted quite right. Unit we realized you NEED straw to have a good mai tai. (The dark rum float on top makes the drink too strong if you drink it without it. The sweet triple sec and juice sits on the bottom. Who knew?)

This is the Infinity Pool at our hotel. Hanging out in a pool like this, with fruity drinks and friends is pretty freakin' nice. I'm not a big fan of fancy resorts, but I definitely began to appreciate the appeal. We even sneaked back into the hotel after we had moved to our condo to go for a dip in the pool.

And now of course, I am happening upon the Post-Race blues. I preemptively signed up for the Marin Metric Century in August. Hope to do a few short tris or run races this summer. But for now, I'm happy to be at home without the pressure of training every day. Ready for some summer bbqs and relaxing weekend!