HIT to Vineman 70.3

Vineman 70.3 is a notoriously hot half Ironman held in Sonoma County each July.

This year would prove to be no exception.

Vineman training began shortly after Wildflower. Ashli, Paul, Di and I had all signed up. Elisa decided she would join in on a drop-in basis. I also persuaded Chris to join in as well, after forcing a GGTC membership upon him after Wildflower.

Once a week the GGTC Half Ironman Training group (aka HIT) would come together for a group workout with coach Neil. Our first group workout was a swim at Indian Valley College and I will never forget it. I am giggling just thinking about it.

I had met Chris through work, but most of my GGTC friends had not yet had the opportunity to meet him.

Ashli, Paul, Di and I were sitting alongside the pool waiting for the workout to begin and out of the corner of my eye I see Chris walking in wearing a Captain's hat and sunglasses. I almost died.

Coach Neil: "Who is that?"
Me: [Head down.]
Ashli: "What are you doing? Is that Chris?"
Me: "Yes, that would be Chris."

My true enjoyment of the HIT program comes from the group workouts with my friends on weekends -- group rides, runs and swims -- as well as seeing Coach Neil. My friends make the experience, and it's something I always look forward to. HIT training this year proved to be fun, as always, coupled with the guilt associated with training with two coaches at the same time.

Vineman sells out quickly each year. Registration closed not too long after it opened, with me, Ashli, Paul and Dian registered for the event. Elisa and Chris added their names to the wait list.

Ashli decided after Escape from Alcatraz that she needed a break and decided not to race Vineman this year. After months and months of 'monitoring' the wait list, Elisa and Chris got in.

In the months leading up to Vineman, many triathlons were completed as training events, including the Vineman Showdown at Sundown (Chris), Escape from Alcatraz (me and Ashli), Escape from the Rock (Paul and Dian), the San Jose Mountain Bike Triathlon (me), and the San Jose International Triathlon (me and Elisa).

Everyone set their respective Vineman goals -- many with multiple goals -- one attainable and typically a second (sometimes unspoken) that would be a bit more of a challenge.

All I knew was that I didn't want it to go down like it had the year before...