Getting ready for Hawaii.

Some of the ways I'm getting ready for Hawaii:

We've been blending beets in our vitamix with things like celery, red cabbage and ginger.  I tastes kind of awful but it's worth it because it will increase our red blood cell count for the race.

We've planned out our race day nutrition and packed it up.  So much easier to do, now that my body is more metabolically efficient.  No, the white powder is not cocaine (even though the airport inspection people seem suspicious when we pack this stuff).  Yes, those white pills are salt tabs and no I do not plan on overdosing on them like I did in Cozumel. 

My hair is more blonde now.  I LOVE IT.  Even though I've been brunette for a few years, I still consider myself a blonde and think I look a bit better blonde (especially with a tan).  

I was having lazer hair removal done yesterday and the technician was asking me about the race.  She was asking about the distances (2 km swim, 90 km bike, 21 km run) and asked, "what are you doing it for."  My response was, "for fun, for myself, for exercise."  She said, "you're not doing it for a cause??"  

So, that got me thinking.  No, I hadn't planned on doing this for a cause.  I train and race in triathlons because it brings me joy, balance, health and add richness and purpose to my world.  But the past few months I have been wading my way through many different thoughts about beauty and women.  I know this may sound odd but I have a great love for women.  One of my greatest desires is to inspire, encourage and show love to other women.  I know that many women struggle with finding their beauty (both inner and outer) and that sometimes we find it and then due to a changing body and a changing life, we have to rediscover it.  I have experienced that.  

The discussions on my blog have been beautiful and honest.  Each of us has a story, each of us is beautiful.  So, I've decided that I will race for a "cause".  I'm not trying to raise money but I am trying to share a message and if my race can draw some attention to that message, then I suppose it is a "cause".

My cause is for women to rediscover their real beauty.

How can women do this??  I don't know for sure but it's important enough to me that I'm going to race for it.