Foto Friday: Around Town

Things I have seen and heard around town this week...

Interesting way to tie your shoes

Someone is being 'ratted' out...
This was crawling next to me on Sunday night while I was writing my race report (Q-tip is for scale).

Next Christmas how about some shot gun shell lighting to decorate your tree?

I LOVE my Brooks Launch, I really do I find myself wearing them more and more and on longer runs; they are too comfy!

Saw this bike on 34th Street, it really made me smile on a gloomy day.

I went to a book discussion to celebrate the 5oth anniversary of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird with my friend Susie. A panel of authors and personalities (Steven Colbert, Kurt Anderson, to name two) spoke about and read excerpts from the book. It's been over 20 years since I read it, but I decided it is the next book I will read....again.

This teen is rudely taking up two seats at a busy hour on the subway train. There is a sight for posting pics like this to 'call people out' on rude behavior in the subway (I'm saving those shots for another post!). What was more interesting were the little gems I overheard between him and his gal pal:

"Do you have ADD too?"
"When I get mad, I get mad."

When discussing horror movies:
"I would be that girl who gets killed while having sex in the car."
"It's always the bully and the idiot who gets killed first. I'm an idiot."


Conversation with my son last night after bath time while putting on his pajamas:
Me: "I could use a bath tonight too."
Son: "What kind of bath?"
Me: "Just a regular bath."
Son: "With ice?"

Riding The Rollercoaster Today

This was a weird-ass day. Got up and went to the pool to do my straight 2500m swim on the schedule. It was supposed to be yesterday, but hubby had to be in early and early morning is the only time the lap lanes are open in the longcourse pool (yeah, not doing it in the 25 yd pool at he Y, can you say insanity?). So no problem, got it done.

Next on tap for today, a 2:15 hour ride with 25' of hill repeats. Awesome! For real, I love bike. As luck would have it the road with the long hill (long for here that is - 1 mile/7% grade) was finally cleared from the mother of all storms last month. There was a group going in the morning, but I was swimming (next week!). On my own today.

I'm geared up, head to the bike room to pick up my bike and stop by my LBS to swap out the 12/25 for the 12/27 (9 speed). My rear tire has a flat. Damn. Ok, no biggie, change the flat head over the bike shop, guy changes cassette and then says something to me habla español...no comprende señor. Something about my chain, but go ahead and ride. Drop off the old cassette and break my sunglasses, shit, head to the George Wahsington Bridge. Hmmmm, it's pretty windy out. Actually it is REALLY windy out (39 MPH gusts), Holy Crap! It is fucking windy out. Maybe a suicidal ride across the bridge is not advisable at this time; abort mission. Think, think.....Ah! Overlook Terrace, smallish hill, 9% grade. Ok, that'll have to do. Climbing small hill headed up town, *clunk*clunk*clunk*! My chain is skipping all over the place. Ah! That is what he was talking about, need a new chain with the new cassette. Didn't really feel confident in that bike shop so head back home and call the big dogs. They have what I want so I head there.

Here is where the story gets better....I go in for a chain, that's it. Turns out I really have a 10 speed. I mean, I have a 9 speed cassette on my bike (don't fall asleep, this is cool) , but my Ultegra components are for a 10 speed, score!!! As you may know, I was crawling up hills on the 9 spd. 12/25 (hence the switch), but now it gets better! Not only that, but my Ultegra is a 2008/2009, not a 2001 as I thought it was. The guy at the bike shop was very cool and spent a lot of time talking to me about my bike. Basically, he told me not to get a new bike (which I had been thinking), but instead to invest a little in the one I had. According to him, I have a $1500 bike that I paid $600 for last year. This was music to my ears. It means I can think about saving for a tri bike, he he. He also adjusted my cleats on my shoes (new shoes I bought this winter and just started wearing) and measured my shoulders cuz he thought my bars were too wide (he knows my fitter, who I am going back to see next week), turns out I am on 42cm wide bars, but my shoulders measure 38cm, which explains my upper shoulder and neck discomfort after long rides. Then he put some shims in my shifters/brakes which is going to save my hands; I really have to stretch my hands for them. I spent a little cash (new cassette, new chain, shims), but some of the stuff he did for nothing, so big shout out to Will at Toga Bike Shop in NYC!!

BTW, my goal is to learn enough about bikes as to be able to take mine apart and put it together again. I know, I'm sick.

Sadly time ran out and I didn't get my 2:15 ride in. I did take my bike to Central Park to try the new gears out with the little time I had left and I was moving up the hill a lot faster, like 1-2 MPH faster and able to keep my cadence up. Anyway, Saturday promises to be a big ride 100 miles and full of hills according to our ride leader...sorry I blew it today Michelle.

Anyone want a Shimano CS 6500 Ultegra, 9 speed, 12-27t cassette? $50 and it's yours!

Honesty, The Best Policy

So I was tapped by Coach Liz and Caratunk Girl with the Honest Scrap Award. Not sure you'll want to reward me after you read my list :P

So in no order of importance, honesty...

1) If I didn't have to be accountable for my race on Sunday to Coach, I would not have gone and competed in that awful deluge (and thus not winning my AG, ah, the irony).

2) I really, really miss karate.

3) I cannot resist an Entenmann's chocolate covered donut (and it cannot resist me; a match made in heaven).

4) It makes me absolutely homicidal when 'someone' leaves dirty dishes in the sink when I have just loaded the dishwasher.

5) I am terrified of heights, even looking out a window from a high floor. Yet flying is no problem.

6) I so want to move to CA so I can be close to my sister whom I adore (Miss Goldshoe).

7) I fantasize about just chucking everything and become a beach bum, or live in a cabin somewhere in the middle of nowhere (although being a Luddite is not particularly appealing, and so here I am).

8) I never wanted to have a kid. It was never part of my life plan. That said, I can't imagine my life without my son; he makes me happy beyond words. But I am so done.

9) I love my husband beyond distraction. I look forward to growing old with him - especially once he realizes that I am always right ;)

10) I used to be a vegetarian for 10 years (16-26 years old). I watched P.O.V. last week on PBS; I may become one again.

Today my ride was all about time in the aerobars; two hours, done. But man, that pollen was flying in 20-25 MPH wind. I am not an allergy sufferer per say, but my eyes were raw when I was done despite glasses; hacking up phlegm (now there's a pretty picture for you). All I could think was to keep my mouth shut while riding (since I tend to ride with my trapper wide open and my husband so lovingly pointed out to me yesterday). How do you all manage to breathe through your nose while training, racing?

Of course, my 12/27 cassette came and today the LBS is closed. I'm hoping he is open tomorrow (I don't own a chain whip, and no that isn't some devise used in S&M, although.....).

Race Report: Bronx Biathlon

26th Annual Bronx Biathlon

AG: 1/3 (ha!)

Overall Female 6/21

2:00:19 (Damn!)

3 Mile Run, 20 Mile Bike, 3 Mile Run

My biggest fan!

What a crappy day, weather-wise that is. Let me back up a little here. My race was at 8 AM and race number pick-up was from 6:15-7:45 AM. Usually there is a place you can pick up the day before, but not for this race. This meant an extra early wake up call....to the Bronx...on what essentially amounts to a Saturday night still for some people. My husband was not about to let me A) take the subway to that part of the Bronx at that hour (didn't you see Warriors?) B) Was not going to let me drive (in the rain) to that part of the Bronx at that hour (think drunkards heading home after a Saturday night out). So my awesome husband and son got up at 5 AM to drive me to the race in the pouring rain and sat in the car while I competed. How lucky am I? I know, I am absurdly fortunate.

Does this photo give you any indication of what the day was like?

Seriously, it was 45˚F and raining cats and dogs when I got up and it didn't slow until the race was OVER. The course was a mess; ginormous puddles everywhere. Coach Michelle gave me points for mental toughness on this. I have to say, the only mental toughness involved was getting myself out of the dry, warm car to head to the wet, cold transition area. My shoes were soaked traversing those 40 yards. I have to give credit where credit is due; the race organizers at NYTRI.com were fantastic as were the volunteers. The mood of the racers that did show (109 of 250) was light and humorous. It didn't really feel like a race, but like we were all making the best of a bad situation. It was actually fun (and miserable). And with that....

Run 1: 23:35

The course was actually 2.8 miles, which means a pace of 8:25. Really? I don't know why I find this hard to believe. I guess I have no confidence in my run, it has been a real struggle for me (right Coach?). However, that being said, hells yeah! I ran naked at Coach Michelle's suggestion, which I am more than happy to do, it is so freeing (yeah, not naked naked, just without a watch, geez). I did feel like I was pushing myself as we 'discussed' (you really don't discuss via email, you just do as you are told). I was working out of my comfort zone, but I wasn't crazy breathing.

Funny, she bailed after the run, but was so enthusiastic in the start and had a good first run...mechanical? I kept looking for her on the bike to pass and wondered why I couldn't see her.

T1: 1:31

I need to work on transition. It was tough though getting my shoes off and bike shoes on with wet gloved hands.

Bike: 1:09:35

Heading out (just a note, I didn't crop any of these photos b/c I wanted you to see the scope of the rain drenched course, ok honey? - hubby told me to crop)

My average speed was 17:24 MPH. I'm going to cut myself some slack here for a few reasons: 1) it was my first race in aerobars that I had just received this week and only practiced in twice. 2) it was a downpour and there were huge puddles on the highway they closed off for the race 3) there was a drawbridge that we had to cross 4 times in the double loop. The bridge is of metal construction so they made us dismount at each pass so we wouldn't bust our asses crossing it in the rain. Have you ever tried to walk across an open metal grated bridge in cleats? It's like wearing ice skates on a tightrope, and we had to do it four times. On my last pass I looked up at the volunteer to thank her and it was Krista! Boy was it nice to see a friendly face. I was reenergized for sure.

Returning

Does anyone else race with their mouth hanging wide open.....the. whole. time?

Heading back in the final stretch I saw a woman ahead of me who was pedaling slowly. I knew there was no way she could be finishing ahead of me, she was behind me when I finished the run and I know she didn't pass me. No women passed me and I passed a lot of guys (and gals). More on that later.

I don't think I need to tell you how freaking miserable it was out there on the bike in the cold, in the rain. I was wearing bike shorts under capris and my calves were frozen. I was soaked to the bone, not just damp, I felt like a sponge.

T2: 1:20

gloves. I need to work on this.

The guy with the bike in the center bailed...DNF

Coming out of T2. Can you see the water cascading out of my gloved fists? Crazy.

Run 2: 24:19

My legs actually felt good from the bike, surprisingly. However, they were not so good from the cold and wet. I could barely feel them. It was like they were atrophied. I started out with a couple of guys and we were about he same pace. We plunged through puddles deep enough to drown in. I passed one guy and then the other. I kept plodding along and this woman who passed me on the first run, that I passed on the bike, was now passing me again on the second run. Damn! She was fast. I just kept moving my legs, turning them over, and passed several more men. I was definitely breathing hard and started to pick it up anyway since the turn home was coming up. I picked up my speed and then as I was heading into the chute heard Krista yelling, "Go Regina!" That got me moving even more. My pace was bit slower at 8:40, but still faster than I expected.

Come on, look at that face, I was working!

I passed all those guys behind me during the run.

There were a few 5 DNF and one DQ. A few people wiped out, but no injuries, thank God. I couple of the people who bailed did so during the second run. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt; they were cramping. I passed on guy who was limping, but still moving. I'm not judging at all, it was tough out there. I just feel lucky I finished without any problems. I think some folks also did only one loop on the bike (I'm sure that was the case for the woman I mentioned earlier). I did see my 'swim buddy' from last year's TNT OWS. I didn't say hi, only beacuse it was at the start and I wasn't in a talking sort of mood. She did finish.

Thoughts: Winning first AG (of three ha ha) was exciting and bittersweet without a full field. However, as Coach said, you have to actually race if you want to win (or as they say for the NY Lottery, "you have to be in it to win it"). True. I think EVERYONE including the volunteers, organizers and spectators deserve awards for just showing up. A HUGE thank you to all of them! I like what Sam, Krista's husband said, something along the lines of when anyone looks at your award 5 years from now, no one will know how many people were in the race or your AG, they will just see you won. I like that...talk to you in 5 years (when I am crying in my beer and reliving my glory days).

Foto Friday: I'm A Mac

Mac attack. I love my mac. And I love cool things for my mac or about my mac. 

In honor of Earth Day...a day late.

This I love!!!

 











If you're as old as the hills, as I am, you'll remember this brilliant commercial introducing the mac waaaaaay back in 1984; an Orwellian approach.

I wrote this backwards so it would be correct in the picture I took with my iSight, impressed? (yes, I could have just reversed the image, but where is the fun in that?)

For My Peeps!

Ok, This one is for all my Peeps out there who came out to support my cause and made a donation, you guys rock! Because of you I was able to go ahead and recommit to the NYC Triathlon with Team In Training and continue to raise more money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I want to acknowledge my FB Peeps who also answered my post there and were very generous with their donations. A thousand Thank yous!!!!

Side note about the video: Jon put me up to popping a Peep into the microwave, but refused to tell me what would happen....At the risk of the damn thing exploding in my microwave unleashing marshmallow mayhem, I You Tubed "Peep Microwave" so I knew what I was in for. My 4 year old did not, much to his utter delight.

Speaking of causes, I did my small part this morning to help save our local pool. Not that you should have any idea about what goes on in NY State politics unless you live here, but we have a sleazy state government that literally closed down for about a month because of one Democrat, I mean Republican, I mean Democrat (Hear me Pedro Espada?). Anyhoo, the state budget is such that they are threatening to reduce state park facilities and hours. The first to go? Early morning swimming. So I bought my "Save Riverbank: All Day Long" T-shirt to show my support. I know, I know, like I need another T-Shirt. The other option was a swim cap, and I don't need one of those either and I hate latex (well, not entirely...eh em).

After all, it is like my second home...Did I mention that the rack track (AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!) is there too?

Training has been good (can you tell I am in a rest week?). Seriously. Last Saturday I had a long bike, about 60 miles and a 20 minute easy run afterwards and it felt good. It was a hilly ride, which is just as well. They've changed the bike for Mooseman yet again. Jon has the elevation on that monster here. Coach Michelle says have a healthy fear of it and I do. I figure if I expect the worst, it wont be as bad. Truth is, it really doesn't matter; I've signed up and I am going and I will go up the hill as best I can and that's it.

The bike course @ Mooseman 70.3, I stole this from Jon's post (hope you don't mind)

I also received my aerobars and had a spin on them. I can see why people like them, but my legs seem to fatigue more quickly with them, namely my quads. No, I haven't made any adjustments to my bike fit. I don't want to change my road bike fit since I am pretty comfy on it as a road bike. Gonna keep trying them out and see if I can figure it all out.

I continue to shrink in size (except for the girls, damn!), which is really weird. My clothes are dropping off, including my lycra running shorts. Seriously, I have to work up a sweat so they will stick to me and I don't have to keep pulling them up. I am finally seeing muscle I haven't seen since I got pregnant oh so many moons ago.

See?

It's getting there...

And yet, the muffin top still clings to hope and my sides (you should see me in tri shorts, not pretty), just slowly, ever so slowly giving itself up to nonexistence. I will conquer the muffin top! I have to. I ordered a way cool tri top from my local tri shop and I need to banish the muffin in order to retain any shred of dignity I will have left after completing the Moose. (think photos my hubby will be taking and I that I will post here) Yes, completing!!!! You hear me universe?!

It's Not Easy Being Green

First things first. I have to recommit to Team in Training on May 6th and that requires that I raise at least $675 by that date. I am at $486.30. I'm not too proud to beg, so here it goes: No donation is too small and every dollar counts. Thank you to those of you who have already donated. If you haven't, please take a moment to click on the Team In Training badge at the top right of my blog, it will take you to my donation page where you can meet the two women whose lives I celebrate by racing the NYC Triathlon and raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Please, please, please help. OK, done I'm begging now.

If you are a member of USAT, then you probably receive the magazine Triathlon Life. Recently, while doing some light bathroom reading (please, like you don't have a bathroom library? Don't even try to deny it), I came across an article entitled "Spring Cleaning", by Bruce Rayner, the subject of which had to do with recycling all of our 'racey' stuff. By racey, of course, I don't mean the super short, sexy compression shorts that have graced the race course at one time or another, or the ill advised swimsuits I have seen worn by some newbies (although, I would argue that these items should not be recycled, but disposed of forthwith). What I am referring to is the worn out running shoes, the plethora of race T-shirts taking up valuable closet real estate, which is at a premium in NYC, the finishers medals and the race numbers shoved into the bottom drawer of the your nightstand that never see the light of day again (eh em).

Shoes

In the event that you are behind on your bathroom reading, let me help fill in the blanks. It goes without saying that the running shoes and T-shirts can be donated to Good Will, The Salvation Army or any such organization. However there are other options as well. For your worn out running shoes you can go to Recycled Runners which can point you in the direction of a shoe recycling program in your area. There are also two popular not for profit organizations Soles4Souls and Shoes4Africa. According to the article, Nike offers it's own Reuse A Shoe program and the author suggests contacting your local running/triathlon shop to see if they offer a take-back program.

Race T-Shirts
Again, you can simply donate to a local charity. Apparently, some companies will take back their old clothing to be recycled. Patagonia (don't you wish they made race T-Shirts?) has one such program, Common Threads Garment Recycling Program. They will also rake back any polartec fleece garments no matter the manufacturer.

My idea, if you have a kid who is into sports and the shirt has some cool graphics, is to take them and stretch them on canvas stretchers (or a piece of wood), staple to the back and use them for wall art. There are companies who will make your T-shirts into memory quilts like The Quilt Loft, Campus Quilt Company or Too Cool T-Shirts Quilt Inc. Again, you could use it in your kids room or stash it away to pull out at a later date when you want to curl up with your former "Glory Days" and reminisce (quietly, alone, listening to Bruce, crying into your beer).

Race Numbers

They are made from Tyvek. I know a little about Tyvek. Remember Halloween and my Dalmatian costume? Magic marker headache from hell?



Yep, made from Tyvek. DuPont recycles Tyvek. They are, in fact, the manufacturers of Tyvek. As for the dalmatian costume? Look for it this Halloween on ebay!

Medals
Ashworth Awards in Massachusetts, a manufacturer of medals, will take your medals, melt them down in order to produce future finisher medals. Is there smelting involved? Don't you love the word 'smelting'?

Everything Else

BolderPath in Boulder, Colorado will take you old inner tubes, wetsuits, medals, swim caps and lots of other stuff to recycle into new things like backpacks and gear bags. They have some way cool stuff or you can design your own way cool stuff.

Athletes for a Fit Planet work with race organizers to create 'green' races. They do materials collection at events making it easy for us to recycle all of our hard-to-recycle stuff and then pass it on to companies like BolderPath. They also have a list of partners and races with whom they collaborate.

So there you go. You are now officially caught up on your bathroom reading and you can reduce your racing carbon footprint.

One last plea, don't forget to donate. Click the TNT badge at the top right of my blog, it's so easy! Thanks!!

Foto Friday: Gem Sweater

Ok, if you don't have pre-school age kids than you've probably never heard of the show Yo Gabba Gabba. Stay with me here...If you've never taken drugs, but you have a vivid imagination, this show is tantamount to a trip down acid lane. One guest appearance in particular stands out, Leslie Hall. She is something of an internet sensation and also keeper of the Gem Sweaters. Here she is doing her "Dancey Dance" on Yo Gabba Gabba.


She has a website with a gallery of gem sweaters (move over Jeanne Bice aka Quaker Factory. Too much late night QVC for me).
And her video saluting the Gem Sweater...

It's Monday!

Which really means nothing except that it's the day after Sunday and the weekend is over. Here we go again (or, I was feeling uninspired this morning for a title for this post).

This weekend was pretty uneventful, except...I received an email from the editor of my local neighborhood newspaper, West Side Spirit about submitting posts to their site and possibly for their print edition. This doesn't pay, but it is nice exposure and lets me write (I'm under the misguided delusion that I can actually string a few sentences together and produce something witty and interesting). I haven't contacted them back as of yet, but plan to.

I am the new owner of a Shimano Ultegra 12/27 9 speed cassette. I am pushing hard for my hills now with the 12/25 I have (53/39 up front). I can pass the other women in the group (ok, except maybe the one with the Dura Ace 10 speed Cannondale (do you sense my jealousy? And yes, I did scrutinize her bike) as she spins up the hills with little effort. Meanwhile I'm huffing and mashing and huffing and mashing. I'm facing a nice big 7% grade in Mooseman now that they have changed the bike course (thanks Jon for keeping me in the loop, so to speak). I also purchased some Profile Design T2+ Aerobars off ebay. In case you weren't paying attention, the post on the Tri bike was an April Fools. I am going to be one of those folks with aeros on my road bike. Pray for me.

My ride on Saturday was great, as usual. I really love the group I ride with. We did 58 miles with some nice rolling hills on the way back. Each week we increase the mileage a bit and the hills on the return get just a little harder; I like this. I have to say. Despite loving the swim training (even though I am not fast), I LOVE the bike training. I don't mind pushing myself hard in cycling (unlike running, but we won't go there). Our group is fast too which keeps me pushing hard. We even passed the 'A' group on our return Saturday. One of the 'A' guys was off the back of his group and ended up in our paceline. We were passing him and I was the lead gal in our line. As soon as he saw me about to pass him it was "who has a bigger dick". Clearly I lose that one as I have none at all. Frankly, I was fine to let him sit in front of me. I don't need to get into who's is bigger while riding in NYC traffic. Just call me safety girl (or someone who has a healthy sense of mortality). Eventually he peeled off.

Sunday I was out at Central Park to route for Jon of SwinCycloRun at the Run As One race for lung cancer charity. He set a new PR for the 4 mile race by 1:56!! Awesome. He is off to New Orleans 70.3 next weekend so head over to his blog and show some love! He is gonna kill it, I have no doubt.

I've been thinking about sharing music in posts occasionally. I don't really listen to my ipod when I run outdoors, but I know a lot of you do. I thought it could be fun to share some stuff I like and maybe in the process either take you back to good times or force you to hate me for my taste in music. A friend posted this on FB (Thanks Marnie!) and it took me waaaaaay back. Malcolm McLaren was a genius. I give you Madam Butterfly (some of you may be too young to know this, uh um). Off for my long run.

Foto Friday: Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers

I received these in an email and I just couldn't resist. I have made some questionable fashion decisions in my lifetime, but nothing like this......I give you the People of Wal-Mart