labor and triathlons, a love story

I wanted to get into triathlons because I wanted to have more of a goal than just "lose weight." I wanted to be fit, I wanted an excuse to be active, to get a new bike, to wear fun spandex. Most importantly, I knew the hubs and I wanted to start a family soon and I wanted to get into something that I would crave while I was growing a person. That desire is REALLY strong - I've already started perusing the 2011 tri circuit, trying to pick at least one to do next year. I'm thinking a Dallas race. In the mean time, I also am getting really excited about other running and biking races along the way. I've signed up for the Dallas MS150 and fully intend on doing a whole mess of 5ks. I'm going to take it slow, I'm going to listen to my body, but WOW am I excited to get back out there :)

On an unexpected note, things I learned from my triathlons have helped me get ready for this crazy race called labor. Did you know there are three stages of labor? Early, Active, and...er...I forgot the 3rd stage, but I like to call it "gooey." (the part where you push out the placenta. eck.) I can't help it - I associate each with the stages of a triathlon. There's even a "transition" stage in labor! It's really helped me put things into perspective. Like in early labor, the same as in swimming, the goal is to relax, enjoy, and do some work, but be sure to conserve your energy for the next two phases. I'm planning to give birth at a birthing center, where I get to eat and drink the whole time, so we've got a bag packed for the two of us that looks a lot like a tri snack bag: lots of coconut waters and energy bars.

Something else that triathlons helped me frame up mentally is how much the encouragement of others can help you get through each of these stages. More importantly, the influence of my hubs. I remember during the horrendous, brutal last leg of the Austin (olympic distance) Triathlon. K followed me around the track on foot and when I was sobbing and shivering he was right there, fetching me water and saying things like, "This is the strongest you have ever been," and, "I am so proud of you."

I'll let you know how it actually goes, and I am definitely ready to get back out there...January 1st it's so on.

The Bike. And the (totally craptacular) Run.

Okay. So I've been lazybones and have taken a good like three weeks to post the whole thing about this triathlon. Thing is, people are still asking me about it, which means that I'm still verbally processing it without having really internally processing it so usually I wouldn't be ready to write about it but now it's hanging over my head because I've got a million other things to write about and I feel like I can't do that until I finish this.

Seriously y'all, I haven't even Emailed my supporters to shower them with love and kisses and gratitude and let them know that I BAWLED MY EYES OUT FOR THEM at the pain during the 6 mile run. But more on that later.

So. The bike course went up Cesar Chavez, UP Congress to Mary Street, down (then back up a false flat) to the Capitol (kind of awesome, wish I had my camera on me but Kyle was busy being my papparrazzo), then hang a right down CC, go around by the Town Lake hike & bike over by Austin High, UP THE HILL at Run Tex, then back over to CC. And around again. Three times.

The first time going up the Congress hill I was all YEAH! OLYMPIC TRI! and then, I fumbled my water bottle. To the ground. The only one I'd brought and strapped to my bike, which is of course the moment that the MOMENT I decided to only take one water bottle flashed into my brain and I hated life. So, I had 24.5 more miles to go and had no water. And no aid stations on the bike. I was honestly afraid to push it because I had the sinking feeling that I started out with less hydration than was necessary, so I just ambled along, getting passed by HUNDREDS of bikers. On the second pass of Congress I stopped and picked up my water bottle, very nearly taking out a couple elite bikers behind me (yeah, that was me getting LAPPED, not beating them) but I didn't so much care because I had my WATER! but of course by then it was too late. And I had already started my very long, very scathing list of things to think about the Sprint distance triathletes, see, because on the bike we had to do 3 loops of the track, whilst they did 2.

So demoralized and dehydrated, I started the run, which was really bad news to my legs, who were all YEAH! GOOD GAME! WAIT...WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?!?!. PLUS, every time I started even thinking about running, chills started rolling over my body in mid 90-degree heat, which I found out later was early signs of heat stress. Which leads to heat stroke. Um, yeah. Super suck.

The sprinters got to do one loop of the run course, and we had to do two, which I mostly walked, and by the second round, I'm pretty sure I was one of like 20 people left on the course. So there I am, shivering, feeling quite low, and TOTALLY doing the Ugly Cry because 1) holy crap my body hurt so much and whose idea was this ANYWAY?!?! Oh right. Mine. and 2) I really, really started missing my grandfather. These uncontrolled images of him were flooding my brain and I remembered everything about the 6 months between him being diagnosed with cancer and then dying. So, that sucked, but it was also kind of therapeutic because I have never cried about him like that. I realized just how much I miss him. I miss both my granddads. Some girls are daddy's girls, I was my granddads' girl through and through.

So anyway, the only thought that pulled me through all of that was the realization that all the pain I was inflicting on myself was my CHOICE. However, I was racing not for myself but for all the people who have gone through pain that they didn't want to choose. I ran for those who could not run, and somehow that made me own all of that pain that I had felt over the years and make finishing like I really had conquered something. The cancer that has taken my family from me and plagued my friends and mentors has broken my heart repeatedly, and I finally felt like I gave it the good punch in the face it deserved.

P.S. Happy Birthday Mom I love you! Cancer free for like, 26 years now :)

The Swim.

Really, the swim was the least eventful part of this race. I am entirely comfortable and confident in my swimming abilities, and managed to swim the mile in about 40 minutes, which is what my average was in the pool.

The lead-up to the swim though, hooo-boy. First off, we woke up around 5am, and Ian was there at Kate's door at about 5:07am, his knock freaking us all out because really, we thought he was going to show up at 5:45. Love you, Ian. Seeing as the transition area closed at 6:40am and I am a control freak, after unpacking and repacking all my stuff, we were out the door at 5:30am after a breakfast of coffee (have to get in the PRP if you know what I mean), scrambled eggs, and peanut butter and jelly with bananas. Yes we sang the "peanut butter jelly time!" song because we were, uh, delirious.

K was kind enough to drive us down to the race in the predawn hours and dropped us off. Again, things mostly uneventful. Ran into our college TBS sponsor, Jean, who was racing in her 20th triathlon. Amazing. I loved walking around and seeing the Livestrong jerseys...often times there would be no words, just big smiles and high-fives. The butterflies flopped and beat themselves to death in my stomach as we waited. Finally, it was time to go and we all hopped into the questionably clean waters, treaded water, and we were off. The only interesting things that happened during the swim was me getting COMPLETELY FREAKED OUT by the shallow rocks not once but twice and my lack of control over the radio in my head, which led to "I'm Yours" playing on repeat for 3/4 of the swim, though it is neither energizing nor has a good beat to swim to. Oh well.

(next: The Perilous Bike)

Before.

I was going to wait until I had all the pictures to upload before posting but I decided that since it's 11pm-ish and I cannot for the life of me get to sleep, I'll start writing about my Austin Triathlon experience.

Saturday K and I drove down to Austin, did the football game thing at the alumni center, then crashed pretty early. Sunday was a flurry of activity, what with first attending the tri expo at the Hyatt in the morning to which I didn't wear any workout clothes or spandex and therefore felt rather inadequate. I wish I had taken a picture. The number of fit, muscley, spandexed individuals in one room before 10am was almost too much. I picked up my race packet and threw my bike in the back of the car instead of turning it in because we were going to be late to District 9 which was at once intense, depressing, and fabulous. I finally got my bike turned in after lunch where I ran into Kate & Ian and got my bike lock cut off (yes, I lost the keys. Surprised?). Then, K and I hit Amy's Ice Cream and Waterloo Records, where I checked out the new Gomez and Paolo Nutini but didn't actually commit.

Sunday night was the dinner at the Lance Armstrong Foundation in East Austin and short of Lance himself showing up (he didn't :(), it was a really amazing time. I saw his yellow jerseys, marveled at the minimalist, green construction of the building, totally chowed on some delicious pasta & lasagna, and was moved to tears several times. The first was when the LAF folks played the Manifesto video. I was also sitting next to a woman who not only worked for the LAF but had survived cervical cancer THREE TIMES in her lifetime and was just so vibrant and wonderful to speak to. I was nearly in tears just because I was blessed by her being alive and having a nice conversation with me.

The speaker of the evening was an ex-Texas basketball player that has an amazing story and really brought things into perspective as to why I wanted to do this. My abuelo was heavy on my heart and mind this past weekend, because it's been about 10 years since he passed away from pancreatic cancer. He went to all my football games in high school and I found myself thinking that if he was still alive, he would've had a blast going to UT games. I would've bought him one of those classy Mexican burnt-orange button up T-shirts you can get at Co-op for his birthday and he would wear them to every game. He would've loved seeing Vince play, would have loved that the Spurs made it to the playoffs YET again. He would've loved. LOVED. Kyle, and vice versa.

I remember being in such shock when he died - at the same time my parents were getting a divorce and mom was still really sick, so after school when we would leave NB to go fret either at grandma's house or at a hospital, I would without fail pass out somewhere. Not like faint, but just be out like a light if I sat for a moment. Looking back, it really was shock, because I didn't cry at his funeral. I look back surprised I survived all of that. What I do remember is saying goodbye to him at the hospital for the last time, not thinking he could hear me, and the tears when he squeezed my hand. It's weird that he's been gone for almost 10 years.

Anyway, I think I made up for the crying this weekend. I'll put pictures up soon, I promise.

(next: the swim)

IT'SHEREIT'SHEREIT'SHEREIT'SHEREIT'SHERE!!!!

Seriously, ya'll I have been looking forward to this weekend for MONTHS AND MONTHS and not just because it's the Wallner's 4th anniversary of wedded bliss but also because it's Labor Day weekend and that means UT football kicks off at precisely 6pm and we're going to be IN AUSTIN for it (but not actually AT the game - $60 for face value tickets for Louisiana-Monroe? Please.) and most importantly the Austin Triathlon is on MONDAY!!! I follow L*nce Armstr*ng on Twitter and have the sneaking suspicion I'll be taking a picture with him this weekend at the Sunday night LiveSTRONG team dinner. I'll try to keep it together.

The question is, do I be that girl (grammar police, anyone?) and take my copy of It's Not About The Bike and get him to sign it or do I act cool?

Speaking of cool, I can't even explain to you the awesomeness that's lined up for the weekend. I'll take lots of pictures, watch for voluminous tweets.

ONE MORE WEEK!

It's been a strange week, what with doing a triathlon in NB last weekend and doing another one next weekend. I felt like I didn't have the days to take off to recover because I'd have to just get right back out there and seriously ramp up my miles. Hence, I jumped in the pool on Monday and did a 1700 meter workout because my body was just driving me crazy, all itching to get moving again. In the end I took Tuesday and Wednesday off because WOW was my rear end feeling the effects of those crazy hills in NB, but then ran 2 miles on Thursday, biked 20 miles on Friday, swam the 1500 meters on Saturday and this morning did a brick.

What's a brick you say? I can't remember if I've explained this yet but it's where you bike then run, and "bruike" and "bikrun" aren't words. Anyway, it was a special brick because I have a "team" down in Austin that is doing the olympic distance with me, Kate and Ian, and I got the idea from Kate because she mentioned that they would be doing the long brick and it was going to be FUN! so I volunteered to do my own long brick up here. It was nice because I train a lot for this stuff by myself, but this morning I wasn't so much by myself. I also ran into the Plano cycling club so for a little while I really wasn't by myself, but the little Plano peloton kept on moving and left me to my thoughts on the White Rock Trail.

The bike was mostly uneventful - I was pumped to get a bike in on my new triathlon shorts. The ones I purchased for the Danskin last year were a MEDIUM and, um, I don't know if you've met me but there is nothing medium about my lower body so I have NO IDEA what I was thinking. Wishful thinking that all these crazy workouts would earn me a medium. HA! No dice :) So, I went to the local bike mart and picked up some shorter, more appropriately sized ones and WOW have they made a difference. They're cooler and lighter than the last pair, feel awesome. The only drawbacks are that I'm going to need some extra chafe-proof gel around the thighs because the seams rub, and there's generally a squishy part in the part of the pants where one sits whilst biking and that is quite a bit lighter, but it's only 24 miles, and instead of looking like a stuffed sausage I actually look really cute.

Because cute matters when you're swimming half a mile, biking 24, and running 6.2.

The RUN though today, oh my goodness was it AWESOME. MAGICAL, even. I know. Who is the person who's writing this blog and what have you done with Christina?! Well, in the first mile things got crazy in the stomach cramp department, so I took a pit stop at my house after which upon running again I hit this little spot of zen. The only way I can describe it is that I felt sort of like I was above myself, watching me run. I observed the pain in my calves (yowza), the overall exhaustion, but my breathing was really, REALLY great and I knew that no matter what I could keep running and be just fine. This was a big deal because running during races is really glorified walking. In fact, at my first tri this summer I was "running" and getting PASSED by WALKERS. Then at the tri last week I would run for a set amount of time, then walk. I've determined that it's not going to be like that this race. I need to suck it up and run the darn thing, even if I'm getting passed by power walkers, and even if it is only "running." I want to become a better runner before doing another triathlon so I've decided to start over from total scratch on the Couch-to-5k program after this tri is over.

I realized something important. I've been blessed to have grown up in a town where open water swimming was so readily available and where I HAD to learn to swim really early and have had a love for it all my life because I know for many people the swim is the toughest part. It's the best part for me, and I also really love to bike, so I think that if there were two events that I struggled with I think I'd not have such great time doing these races. The running part for me puts everything into perspective though because I have the time to think, to pray for the people who are supporting me through their funds and encouraging words and who have all fought the good fight against cancer, and no matter what I'm going through during the training or the races, it's nothing compared to what people who have actually battled the disease themselves have dealt with.

So, there's a little more time left to reach my goal. Please donate here: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/christinaaustri09

I'll be sure and take lots of pictures next weekend - it's going to be so fun, a football game in Austin and then the triathlon AND the weather has FINALLY had a break in the heat. It's going to be awesome. Thank y'all so much for your support on this adventure and keep livin' strong :)

much love,
Christina

wart are you talking about?

note to self: don't get blister beetle juice applied to a plantar's wart on your feet a couple days before a race. It feels like burning. No, this isn't the first time I've had this treatment done, and yes, it goes away after a couple days but let me just say OUCH!

I'm really getting excited about this triathlon, especially because I can RIDE MY BIKE from the house I grew up in down to the start on Saturday morning. I also noticed on the list of signups that there are lots of people in their 40s and 50s who signed up which means a) I'm not going to come in last or b) I'm going to get hosed by a bunch of middle aged folks.

I'm pushing for a but won't be surprised by b.

My current dilemma is that my hubs has taken my camera on a manly hiking trip to Colorado and I'm trying to decide if I want to tweet/take pictures during the race. Thoughts?

Speaking of the hubs and his manly adventure, here's the map he sent me to assuage my fears about being out of contact for 4 days.

RAWR.

You know what? Screw the eye infection - I'm going to do the Wurst Tri this coming Sunday.

Check out the first 40 seconds of the video. Hill.

Triathlon Update

So, I just realized that the Austin tri is in like, less than a month. I also would like to do the Wurst Tri Ever in NB, but I'm battling an eye infection and the day before, I'm scheduled back to see my beloved optometrist who now knows me by name. I would, however, like to get in one last sprint tri warmup before the big mamba jamba.

At camp I had two cancer-related things happen. First, one of my campers lost her mother to cancer, which she hardly spoke about. The next thing that happened was that a dear friend lost her mother to cancer. It seriously broke my heart when I heard because I know how much hope there had been for her to survive.

I have to admit that I've been slacking on training. I rolled my ankle in the garden a couple weeks ago and then did something stupid to my bike and I just a couple weeks ago got my ankle worked on and then last week went to camp and was in no way ready to wake up the required EARLY! to get out there on the road. This morning, though, I woke up with determination. I signed up for the Olympic Distance, which is a 1-mile swim, 24-mile bike ride, and a 10k run. It's due nearly entirely to peer pressure, and I'm really, really scared that I'm going to a) not finish or b) come in last. I figured that signing up for the longer distance would kick my bootie into gear. I was right.

This morning as I ran I thought and prayed a lot for my friend and her family, and thought a lot about strength and endurance both as they apply to racing a tri and to fighting cancer. I didn't come to any profound conclusions, just sent all the positive thoughts and strength I could muster and I recognized that the two were somehow connected. I'm glad that I can be doing something to feel empowered against the disease that's taken so much from me, my friends, and my family.

I have $625 more to raise, which is making me nervous, even though I know I have about two more months (ish) to get it together. I'm so blessed by the folks who've already donated and have sent along words of encouragement. Thanks for believing in me and in believing in the cause.

I'll be posting a lot more about the tri and training now that it's mere weeks (EEK!) away.

First Tri of the Season

I think Summer will be my favorite time of year forever, especially now that I've been bitten by the tri bug and there are tons of races each month! I have committed to two more: the Wurst Tri Ever in August, and the big mama Austin Tri in September.

This past Sunday was my sophomore experience at the Danskin Women's Triathlon and it was SUCH a different experience from the first. I was really annoying and kept saying "last year...." and comparing the races. First of all, we got there JUST as the transition area was closing, then had maybe 30 minutes 'til our respective waves took off and even then quite nearly missed them. This year I committed to partaking in some Clif Gu shots, which I have to say weren't all that bad. I had one before the swim and one during the bike, then I couldn't find my third between the bike and the run until AFTER the race. Burn on me.

The swim was SO difficult this time. I don't remember it being so hard to catch my breath - I expected the adrenaline rush at the beginning but even halfway through the swim I struggled to catch a deep breath. As much as I love swimming, I really didn't feel good about this swim. I felt different about a lot of parts of the race - like when I ran all the way (uphill, mind you) from the swim to the bike transition. That was when I was like "hey! I'm stronger!" and I thanked myself for those months of training even when I didn't want to. The bike - oh my. I only remember there being two really wicked hills on the course. My memory is completely jacked,  because the course is like a rollercoaster! The good news though was last year I walked two hills, but this time I walked NO hills. I also have about 50 more gears on this bike than I did on my old bike, and blasted down the hills as well as up them. The bike-to-run transition was killer again. My legs are just absolute jelly when I get off the bike. I have a plan to work on that over the next couple months - adding leg strengthening exercises, do some 5Ks, work bricks more diligently. 

So, here's my time & transition breakdowns:

Overall Rank: 1241 of 1976

Class Rank: 159 of 218

Swim: 00:22:46

Swim Rank: 596

Transition 1: 5:01

Bike: 00:49:32

Bike Rank: 975

MPH: 14.5

Transition 2: 3:33

Run: 00:46:09

Run Rank: 1664

Pace: 00:14:53

Final: 02:07:03

I'm surprised I did that well on the swim considering all the breathing problems I had. The breakdown clearly shows the areas I have to work on - the first transition, the bike, but especially the run. My goal for August is to shave some time off the bike time, but especially the run. I know that everything depends on the biking course, and knowing NB it'll be nothing like Austin, but still. I'm just really glad that I came in close to 2 hours - I wanted to beat last year's time of 2:30hrs and I did! Go me.

Afterward, I didn't feel nearly as spent as the last time...I mean, I was exhausted, but I didn't sleep for hours and hours. Instead, I went to Home Slice and Hey, Cupcake! with my cousin, then napped for about an hour, then dug into some barbecue. Yesterday I was overall pretty tired and moving slowly due to a sharp pain in the outside of my right foot but today I woke up at about 7am and am slowly working out the residual kinks. I think getting a massage immediately after the race also aided in my recovery.

SPEAKING of recovery, I've decided to put triathlon tips on here, just little notes of what I've learned along the way.

TRIATHLON LESSON #1: If you have clips, practice clipping out. A lot. This leads us directly to...

TRI LESSON #2: If you go biking two days before your tri, don't clip out on your right and then try to make a left turn in gravel.

So yeah! One down, two to go in this glorious season of tri, tri-ing again. Next up in August will be my very first co-ed race, and I am excited not only for that but also because it's going to be in fabulous NB!

Triathlon Season

Next week is the Danskin Women's Triathlon and as of 5 minutes ago I am officially signed up :) I am doing two tris, possibly three this year. There's a tri in NB that I can't NOT do, it's right in my backyard!

I still suck at running, but I can bike and swim forever. My goal for next week is to run the entire 5K - last year I ran/walked. I'm super pumped :)

I am a biking fool.

No offense at all to my old bike. It got me through my first Danskin Women's Tri last year and we didn't even come in last! But, she was heavy and the wheels were a funky size, so I had a hard time finding and keeping tires and tubes for it. 

So, when graduation and me getting a job rolled around I figured I would get a new bike! Nothing fancy or carbon or anything, just a good bike on which I could both race and go to the grocery store.

So, I hit the Bike Mart website and lo and behold I found my little biker soulmate. I was so excited that first day that I got Azzi (short for Azucar) that I rode her 15.5 miles. Yeah. definitely paid for it later. 

Anyway, it's been about 3 days and I've already put more than 20 miles on it - I biked to go swimming yesterday (don't get me started on how much it makes me miss Austin and NB in the summertime) and then today I biked some errands. I'm getting more confident on busier streets, although sometimes I still hit the sidewalk when I'm not feeling confident enough in the drivers around me. 

It makes me wish that there were more fresh local markets in my 'hood. And rivers. But there's not too much I can do about that second one.

Turns out I just needed a little oomph to get my groove back. I'm stoked about the possibilities of having this bike, of the lower gasoline bill/emissions and adding a new element to my year of health!

Why Tri?

I think to myself that I must be crazy, wanting to do these two triathlons this year...crazy to be bit by the bug of any sort of sport really.  I'm an expert procrastinator, and until recently, found myself an excellent excuse maker. But you know what? You can't BS a triathlon. You can't. I learned that the hard way last year - if you don't get out on the road or in the pool/river, if you don't eat right, if you don't get enough rest, it's going to be much harder on you than if you had actually been consistent, gotten the right nutrients, rest up. 

The same can go for anything in life, in business, in graduate school, becoming a great musician. Triathlons make me a better person. PLUS I get to raise money for a worthy organization. Everybody wins. :)

Accountability

Sunday (sick)

Monday (sick)

Tuesday AM - ran .84 miles, PM - planning on one more bikram session w/Candace :)

I hate that I got sick and had to not work out those days. Grrr...

Accountability

5/23 - Rested
5/24 - AM Bikram, sweated more than the first time...seriously. Niagra-like sweating. I think my cold is gone, though, and I can sure breathe more easily. Totally rad.

I have a 5 days for $5 thing at the yoga place, so that'll be my workout for the next couple days. Much needed. I did research on Christianity and yoga, because it's taboo for lots of folks. One side of the argument says that the poses are inseparable from Hindu faith practice, which I understand. However, how can I commune with Krishna during those poses? I do not worship Krishna, don't even know him/her. I do know Jesus, and pray during yoga - I breathe out negativity and breathe in Peace, Grace, and Understanding. I don't say Namaste, do not bow at the end, I just give thanks to God for the hour of peace and quiet I've just enjoyed.

Thoughts?

Accountability

Monday: AM - Ran .5 miles, PM - walked 30 minutes
Tuesday: AM - Walked 3 miles, PM - Biked 13 miles
Wednesday: AM - Ran .67 miles
Thursday: AM - Walked 2.2 miles, PM - hot yoga for an hour

still doing that triathlon thing

between the last weeks of school, moving, being sick, and grandpa passing away my triathlon training routine has completely gone to crap. I am confident enough in my swimming and biking to know that I can make it through those two portions of the race. It's just the running that's been tough. The loss of my beloved iPod was also a setback because I pretty much can't run or bike without music. Anyhow, I ran a little more than half a mile yesterday morning and walked for 30 minutes last night. This morning, I walked my dog 3 miles and plan to either do the same this evening or do a swim or bike session. I plan to keep the following workout schedule: run/swim/run/bike/run/swim/run/bike etc. because I need to work up my running slowly so I don't hurt myself but also get back into the biking/swimming thing. I hope I make it through this thing with a smile on my face...

morning swim

I know I'm not exactly saying anything new when I say that I love Austin. ESPECIALLY in March. Unfortunately, my Spring Break does not coincide with SXSW, or else I'd finagle a way to be down here this coming week. Anyway, in keeping with my tri workouts, I had to swim today, and the friends we're staying with don't go to Lifetime any more so they said I should go to the local outdoor pool...heated, of course. After many twists and wrong turns I finally made it to the community pool, where the girl standing guard straight up told me I was crazy for swimming in this cold of weather. She uncovered a couple lanes for me and I got about halfway through when I looked over to my left, the darker water where the lanes were still covered up.

And, I FREAKED out. I think it has a lot to do with growing up swimming in lakes and rivers where dark water = cold and scary. Anyway, I tried to relax but think that all the stress coursing through my body made me nauseous when I got out of the pool. But hey, at least I'm sticking to my routine :)

Back to loving Austin, I woke up at about 6:30 to swim and turned on 107.1 KGSR...there is nothing better than waking up to that radio station. I've decided that Kyle and I need to work on some sort of 10-year plan to get back to Austin.