May 2nd: the Cookie Ride, and the rest of the week

The "Cookie Ride" was named for a now-defunct cookie store about half way through this 65 mile "mini-Tahoe". The course is designed, really well, to replicate at most of the kinds of riding we will meet at AMBBR. I raised my hand when Coach Mark asked "who's in the red group?" (the faster riders), then realized I was it. But Mark rode with me, joined by Manny, who is not riding Tahoe, but is married to Lucy, who is. Manny is preparing for a Half Iron Triathlon, and he is a strong rider (less so on hills, but most tri-s don't have very many, and his, in Maryland, won't have any). Mark tells me we did the ride faster than he has ever done it, at over 15mph average. It did show a great variety of hills, both up & down, and was another example of how hard the coaches work to create good training venues that fit the needs of the ride we will undertake in just five weeks!
As the week went on, I got in 3 gym sessions, 2 swims and a 4 mile run, plus another fast-paced 30 miles on the bike on Wednesday.
Fund-raising is going OK, with my minimum met, but it looks like I'll be under last year's $9000 by about a third. A combination of the economy, and the appearance that I'm asking too often, because this is a spring event, and Nation's Triathlon was a fall event. As I've said, though, only one "ask" per calendar year. So if you're holding back because it hasn't been a full year, please consider contributing again. I promise that you won't hear from me until 2010!