Triathlon Wrap Up

Buckle up, folks, this is going to take you the rest of the afternoon to read.

I competed in my first triathlon a little over a week ago.  The day before the race was possibly the most nervous I've ever been, aside from my wedding day.  I was so nervous, I was almost sick to my stomach.  But oddly, when I got to the race on Saturday, I was totally fine.  I knew what was going to happen, I knew what I had to do & I just went into action mode.

BEFORE

The race started at 7:00 & we had to be there at 6:00, so I got up at 4:30, guzzled some coffee, ate breakfast & hit the road.  I had dropped my bike off the night before, so all I had to bring was myself & all my gear, which I had laid out & packed the night before.  Smart.

SWIM

Quick back-story on the swim.  When I registered for the race, I stupidly put down 30 minutes as my estimated swim time (for 200 meters), so I got placed in the very back of the pack.  The week of the race, I changed my swim time, but didn't make the cut-off, so I didn't get moved up like I should have.  To put this in perspective, out of a little over 200 participants, I was number 197.

I'm amazingly a natural swimmer & got pretty fast between all the drills & practices I did.  Unfortunately, I was unable to actually swim much in the race because I was surrounded by non-swimmers & pool walkers.  No one was using the pool etiquette we had been taught.  I couldn't get around anybody; no one would move.  It was incredibly frustrating.  But through all of this, I still managed to score a pretty sweet swim time:  5:56.

TRANSITION 1

Out of the pool, & barefoot, I had to run a pretty good uphill distance from the pool to my bike.  I got to my bike, sat down, dried off my feet, put my socks & shoes on, put my helmet & sunglasses on & took off. I thought I did all of this pretty fast, but I didn't.  My transition time was a full minute slower than all of my friends:  3:09.

BIKE

The bike was my weakest event.  I really should have practiced riding more.  Once I took off, I couldn't get my feet in the toe cages & lost a lot of time.  I was riding as fast as I could, but my legs were screaming & I was trying not to completely wear them out as I still had to run after this.  John said every time he saw me, I was in the wrong gear, so that probably didn't help.  

When I got to the first turn around, it was a sharper turn than I had practiced & I didn't make it.  I jumped the curb, went up into the grass, then fell trying to get back down on the course.  So again, I spent way too much time trying to get my feet back into the stupid toe cages.  Apparently I was taking so long to come back around that John thought I was hurt, so he was trying to find me on the course, when I came pedaling back by, assuredly in the wrong gear.  The second lap was totally fine.  I made the turn & was able to pick up some speed.  But!  The volunteer who was supposed to flag me off the course & back into the transition area was talking to someone & didn't flag me, so I kept going & rode a whole extra half lap trying to get back to the finish.  Ugh.  Bike time:  20:52.

TRANSITION 2

All I had to do in this transition was put my bike back on the rack, throw my helmet down, strap on my race number belt & take off running.  Much faster:  1:20.

RUN

This was my strongest event of the three.  Being a runner obviously helped, but so did all that brick practice.  I knew what to expect & I pushed through.  Most of the women around me were walking, but there was one woman ahead of me plowing through & I kept up with her.  We ran two laps around a trail & then down Maryland Farms Way to the finish.  When I got off the trail  & back to the street, I sprinted to the finish.  I couldn't feel my legs, but I felt strong & I was definitely faster than everyone around me at that point.  Run time:  11:23.

AFTER

As soon as we crossed the finish, volunteers handed us a bottle of water in a Girls Tri It On Finisher coozie & a flower, then we were escorted to a tent with bagels, bananas, etc.  It was nice.  I chugged as much water as I could get my hands on & ate a banana & I was fine.  I could tell I was starting to get sunburned, but what else is new.  My overall time was 43:40.  I placed 41st in my age group.

I had a blast doing this & it's just about the proudest I've ever been of myself.  I definitely plan on doing more.  In fact, I'm already planning on doing the Cedars Of Lebanon triathlon on May 19th (who's with me?).

Indulge my inner Oprah as I take a moment to get sappy & gush over how awesome my friends, family & training partners are.  Y'all, this race was EARLY, & you still came & cheered me on.  And!  You made signs!  Thank you.  Thank you to everyone who knew I was doing this & sent me texts, emails, FB comments, Instagram comments, etc.  It really meant a lot that so many people acknowledged this huge, ridiculous thing I did.  HUGE thanks to my dad, Jenn, Jonell & Julie who helped me in the pool.  I assuredly would have drowned without all of your help (& by "drowned", I mean pool walked since apparently that's allowed?!).

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who rallied around me last week when I went a little bit cra after the race.  Long story short - a run volunteer messed up & none of us ran the correct course, so at first, we didn't have run times, which resulted in an incomplete overall/finish time.  I got inconsolably worked up over this & spiraled into a scary, neurotic place where I refused to acknowledge any level of achievement on my part.  Dark days.  Thank you to Heidi, MHG, Marne, Jonell & basically everyone who saw me last week & talked me down off the ledge.  I'm totes fine now & have gone back to strutting around like the badass triathlete that I am.  I have the best friends in the world.  Thank you!

More pictures & full triathlon photostream here.

Weekend Wrap Up: Fall Shopping Edition

My friend Tiffany was in town this weekend for a wedding.  This is me, Tiff & Lauren.  We ate a lot of lunch, drank a lot of coffee & had good time catching up.  On Thursday, we met for lunch at Germantown Cafe.  That's where the above picture is from.  On Friday, we met for lunch at Silly Goose, then went next door to Jeni's for dessert.  We also checked out Old Made Good, where Tiff found some super cute arrow earrings, similar to mine.

On Saturday, I met Heidi at Percy Warner & we ran the 5.8 trail.  And we saw an owl!  Like right on the trail!  It's the closest I've ever been to an actual, live owl.  It scared the crap out of me, but it was beautiful!  After our run, I picked up Tiff & we all went to Ugly Mugs for coffee & breakfast.

Saturday afternoon, I went shopping for some fall shizz.  I found these awesome shooties at Marshall's.  They were just $30!  You can't tell in this picture, but they're a pretty mossy green color.  I heart them.  I got those ridiculous socks at Target.  I wish I could quit you, chevron.  Then we have the requisite super opaque black tights.  I tend to need a new pair every year.  Finally, the shirt, which I also got at Marshall's.  It's a mullet-shirt, but I don't care because I'll probably always wear it tucked in anyway.  I went to the mall in search of a *black tuxedo jacket, but the only one I found is Elizabeth & James at Nordstrom for $395.  Thanks for nothing, Olsen twins.

*Jaime, shopping partner extraordinaire, found one online at Zara for under $100.  Score!

On Saturday night, we had our dinner pals, Michael & Becky, over to the house, then we walked next door to Korea House.  Slowly, but surely, we're introducing everyone we know to dolsot bibimbap.  You're welcome.

A Conversation Between Sisters

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April:  I'm so glad you're going to Florida with us!

Kimberly:  Yeah, I'm excited.  It'll be fun.

April:  We haven't been on a trip together since the Florida trip when I was in 7th grade!  :)  I promise I won't freak out this time when I get real shrimp & make y'all take me to McDonald's!  LOL!

Kimberly:  Oh yeah.  I remember that.

April:  We're going to do a family picture on the beach, so you need to bring khakis & a white button-down shirt.

Kimberly:  But I don't own khakis or a white-button down shirt.

April:  What do you mean, you don't own khakis or a white-button down shirt?

Kimberly:  I don't dress like that.

April:  Well, I'm sure someone you know owns khakis; you can borrow a pair.

Kimberly:  No one I know owns khakis.

April:  ....

Kimberly:  I don't need to be in the picture anyway.

April:  Yes, you do!  It's a FAMILY PICTURE!  And you know Dad will make you be in it anyway.

Kimberly:  Bleh.

April:  Just do it.

Kimberly:  We'll see.

Friday Links

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I'm SUPER excited about the Curiosity Shoppe being part of The Shops at Target!  Available September 9 - October 20.  (SF Girl By Bay)

I need another designer iPhone cover like I need a hole in the head, but this one from Garance Dore for Kate Spade is CALLING MY NAME.  (Creature Comforts)

Have you guys seen the trailer for Season Two of Homeland?!  If you're not watching this show, you should be.  Hands-down, it is one of the best shows on TV.  Premiers Sunday, September 30.  (Showtime)

My all-time favorite band is The Features.  Below is their new music video for the song "Another One".  Mark Bond, I had no idea you were such an actor!  (MTV)

Get More: The Features, Another One, Music, More Music Videos

Sugar Devil

There is a devil living inside me, and no, it's not this devil, though I'd love to dedicate an entire Twitter account to my deviant eating habits.  No, my demon is sugar.  All summer, as I've been training for the triathlon, I've joked about this sugar devil living inside me that makes me eat Sonic Blasts every day.  At a run awhile back, I was complaining about how much weight I was gaining & how much sugar I was craving & someone deftly pointed out that I was probably protein deficient.  Ah ha!  So I replaced the M&M's with Ezekiel bread & natural peanut butter & it worked!

As you know, my triathlon was over the weekend, so I'm through training.  But my body hasn't realized it yet, or more specifically, my appetite hasn't noticed it yet.  I've had a mind-numbing headache every day this week.  Until today.  And you know what I ate today?  A donut for breakfast & a cupcake for lunch.

Sugar Devil, 1.  Kim, 0.

Weekend Wrap Up: I Did A Triathlon Edition!

I completed my first triathlon this weekend!!!  My friend Kristine snapped this pic of us right before the race on Saturday morning.  From left to right:  Heidi, Alicia, Allison & moi.

This is me about to cross the finish line.  It took me 43 minutes:  5:56 for the swim, 21:54 for the bike & 11:23 for the run, plus transition time.  Not bad!

Who has two thumbs & just completed her first triathlon?  This girl!

This is me & my friend Ashlee at Camp Mossy Wilson for the post-triathlon pool party.  And yes, I was wearing sunscreen.  I promise!

I fell asleep Saturday afternoon & slept through dinner, so I was starving when I woke up on Sunday.  John took me to Loveless Cafe.  I dare say I earned it.

I actually felt pretty under the weather all day yesterday.  John kept trying to convince me that I had "adrenaline poisoning", but it turns out, there is no such thing.  Shocking.  I bought some September issues & lounged around on the couch all day.  Triathlons are hard, y'all!

Full triathlon photostream here.

Warning:  there are numerous pictures of me encased in wet spandex.  For those of you who'd rather not see that much of me, consider yourself warned.  There are just some things you can't unsee...

Friday Links

There are two things my husband loves:  Tesla & trespassing.  In NY earlier this summer, he combined these two passions.  Last night, he emailed me this, with the message, "Well, this is a kickstarter I can get behind."  (The Oatmeal)

I'm always nervous when I see Nashville made either the LA or NY Times.  And...  that anxiety is usually justified, this time included.  (Los Angeles Times)

Women's fashion a la Netflix?  $49/month.  Hmmm...  (Buzzfeed)

I'm a sucker for anything "Baby Got Back" related, including this.  (Buzzfeed)

Training For A Triathlon - OMG, SO MUCH Gear!!! $$$

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One of the biggest reasons I agreed to do this triathlon was that the registration fee was only $60.  Done!  Sign me up!  The realization that this race would cost me a lot more than $60 was immediate.  Upon registering, I found out the race was $60, but the one-day triathlon insurance was an additional $12.  And so it begins...

I could write an entire post on how much money I thought I WOULDN'T spend on this race.  Instead, I'll break down what I did spend & what all I had to buy.  Here is a list of everything I've acquired for this race:

SWIM
swimming cap - already owned
*goggles - $17
beach towel - already owned
swimsuit &/or trisuit - practiced in old swimsuit, racing in tank & shorts

BIKE
bike (duh) - borrowed
helmet - borrowed
water bottle - already owned
sunglasses - already owned
shoes - wearing running shoes
tri shorts - borrowed
*bike rack - $50
*bike lock - $28
*Chamois Butt'r (don't ask) - $17

RUN
*socks - $20
*shoes - $120
race number belt - borrowed
*Sweaty Band - $20
Garmin - already owned

*products I purchased for this race

As you can see, this is a lot of stuff.  I am lucky in that I am surrounded by friends who have competed in triathlons before.  Because of this, I was able to borrow a lot of stuff.  In fact, I'm borrowing two of the most important things:  tri shorts (thanks, Lana!) & a bike.  If I keep on with this, I'll have to buy my own bike, but for now, John's old mountain bike from college works.  Barely...

I'd say all in all, registration included, I've spent approximately $350 on this race.  And that's just gear, that's not including the one million dollars I've spent on post-practice coffee & gourmet sausage biscuits.  I was also able to swim via my Y membership.  Some people had to pay to swim.

As I mentioned on Facebook last night, I am now officially in rest mode.  I'm not working out today or tomorrow & I'm sleeping in...  until 6:00am.  We take our bikes & pick up our race packets tomorrow night & then we race at 7:00am Saturday morning.  May the force be with us.

Birchbox Review: July

Still loving Birchbox!  Here is what was in my second Birchbox, the July Glamour box.

Alterna | BAMBOO UV + Color Protection Fade-Proof Fluide

• Birchbox description:  This finishing gloss prevents UV rays from fading color while organic bamboo extracts keep hair strong & soft.  Full-size, $24
• My review:  I loved this stuff.  It came in handy as I was swimming so much this month.  I can't tell if it helped preserve my color, but it smells amazing & makes my hair super soft.  I probably won't buy this as my sun & swim season is coming to an end, but I highly recommend it for next summer &/or upcoming beach trips.

Jouer | Luminizing Moisture Tint

• Birchbox description:  This lightweight award-winner is our daily shortcut to dewy skin that feels natural & looks gorgeous.  Full-size, $38
• My review:  I liked this okay.  It went on well & stayed on all day.  It had a hint of shimmer, which I didn't love.  In contrast to my Laura Mercier, it didn't hold up.  Would be great for someone in their twenties with less fair/pale skin.  Good product, just not for me.

Oscar de la Renta | live in love

• Birchbox description:  This elegant floral layers notes of hyacinth & orchid over a rich base of sandalwood & cedar.  Full-size, $25-78
• My review:  I tried to wear this a few times, but it's not me AT ALL.  Too floral & perfume-y for my blood.

stila | lip glaze

• Birchbox description:  This sparkly gloss from the limited edition It's Go Time Lip Glaze Trio combines sheer color with mega-watt shine.  Set of 3, $12
• My review:  I actually had a stila lip glaze a few summers ago & loved it.  This one was great, too & a good reminder to keep one or two of these in stock.  I love stila.

LARABAR | uber

• Birchbox description:  The latest addition to our snack drawer, these healthy & satisfying bars are packed with dried nuts & fruits.  Pack of 5, $12.69
• My review:  I eat a lot of larabars throughout the week as pre-workout snacks & lunch substitutes when I'm in my car all day.  I like them & this was a nice addition to my snack stash.

Birchbox Exclusive | Earbuds

• Birchbox description:  We designed these neon headphones just for you.  Pair them with your best playlist.
• My review:  I haven't used these yet, but they're super cute!

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I liked this month's box.  I bought two products from my June box, but I don't know that I'm going to buy anything from this one.  I really liked the Bamboo finishing gloss, but don't need it in addition to all my other conditioners/stylers.  If I was going to be out in the sun/pool more this summer, I'd buy it.  Hell, I'm tempted to buy it just because it smells so good.  Hmm...

Weekend Wrap Up: Tomato Edition

I've needed new running shoes for awhile now.  I finally treated myself (treat yo self!) to a new pair.  I tried NRC for the first time & was really pleased.  My new shoes look cra, but so far I'm really into them.  They're Karhu, which is a Finnish brand.  We'll see!

Saturday was East Nashville's annual Tomato Festival.  It was also the Tomato 5K that I've been coaching East Nasty's Potato To Tomato couch to 5K program for all summer.  For most of our runners, this was their first 5K.  Our group did great!  I'm so proud of them!!!

Above are the two women I coached all summer, Astrid & Cat.  They killed it!  Congrats, you two!  I better start seeing you at the regular East Nasty Wed night runs soon.

This is a group shot of all the East Nasty Potato To Tomatoes, coaches & runners.  I believe this was the biggest year yet.  The coaches are in red, the participants are in white.

This is a group shot of the Potato To Tomato coaches.  I'm so glad I did this.  It was a big time commitment & I had to work in extra runs on the three days a week I coached, but it was totally worth it.  I'll definitely coach again next year.

Switching gears, we met our friends at Corsiar Artisan Distillery on Saturday night to celebrate Brian's 40th birthday.  Above is me & MHG, our birthday hostess for the night.  Great party, Melissa!

After Corsair, we headed East to celebrate our friend Buckley's 30th birthday.  MK joked that if we could just find someone turning 20, we could celebrate all the major birthdays in one night.  Ha!

So...  yeah, this happened.  Again.  I can't be helped.  I met Julie (Hot Koh Koh!) at Maryland Farms yesterday to get in one more swim practice in the outdoor 50 meter pool.  We swam for a little over an hour.  Julie had me swim a bunch of drills & really worked with me on my breathing.  It finally clicked & I think I semi-officially know how to swim now.  Thank god, since my Tri is in FIVE DAYS!!!

Friday Links

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New arrivals at Kate Spade featuring illustrative prints by French photographer & style blogger Garance Dore.  OMG, I want it all, particularly the Dianne Trench.  (MK via Kate Spade & Refinery 29)

Madewell's new face for it's fall 2012 campaign, Mix Well, is Solange Knowles & it's GENIUS.  (Refinery 29)

Jonathan Adler is launching an accessories line.  Love his home stuff, but not sure how I feel about these geometric printed bags...  (Elle Dispatch)

Has it really been 20 years since Beverly Hills 90210?  Man, I'm older than I thought.  Thanks, Old Navy.  (Buzzfeed)

I may be late to the party on this, but these videos of Real Actors Read Yelp Reviews is hilarious.  My favorite one is below, but I highly recommend watching all four.  (Bon Appetit)

Triathlon Training

As I mentioned last week, I'm doing a triathlon.  Here's the thing I didn't realize about triathlons, it's not so much about athletic ability as it is time, commitment & determination.  To remind you, I'm doing a Tri Sprint.  My race is a 200 meter swim, a 5 mile ride & a 2 mile run.  For the past 6 weeks, I've been working out an average of 10 times a week.  Now, this is partly because in addition to training for a triathlon, I'm also a coach for East Nasty's Potato To Tomato Couch To 5K program, which is 3 of the 10 work-outs I'm doing a week.  Here's the breakdown:

Sunday:
5-6 mile long run or 60-90 minute swim/bike/run practice

Monday:  
6am 30 minute swim
5pm 5-8 mile ride *optional
6pm 60 minute Potato To Tomato coach/run

Tuesday:
6am 60 minute circuit class (strength training)

Wednesday:  
6am 3-6 mile East Nasty run
5pm 5-8 mile ride *optional
6pm 60 minute Potato To Tomato coach/run

Thursday:
6am 60 minute circuit class

Friday:  
5am 3 mile Pancake run

Saturday:  
7am 60 minute Potato To Tomato coach/run
8am 60-90 minute swim/bike/run practice

God, it's exhausting just typing that out.  So yeah, this is why you haven't seen me since June.  If I'm not working out, I'm sleeping, working, or trying to frantically write blog posts & clear out my DVR.  All those back episodes of Real Housewives of New Jersey aren't going to watch themselves...

I'm not bragging.  Okay, I'm bragging a little.  But I mostly just wanted to show you how much work training for a triathlon is.  What helped me is the fact that I was already a runner & that I already knew how to swim, although swimming was my weakest of the three.  Someone told me early on that you can stop & walk on the bike & you can stop & walk on the run, but you can't stop & walk on the swim.  So I've focused on swimming.  In hindsight, I should have practiced on the bike a lot more than I did & I should have started practicing bricks earlier, but I'll know for next time.

As much work as it's been, I've had a lot of fun, mostly because I'm not training alone.  My training partners are ridiculous & hilarious & have made all of this training as enjoyable as working out 10+ times a week can be.

I want to encourage those of you thinking about doing a triathlon, to do one.  Bare bones, you could swim 2-3 times, ride once or twice & run 2-3 times a week for 6-ish weeks & be good.  My schedule is cra because of the Potato To Tomato coaching.  And I added in the two 60 minute circuit classes to work on my upper body strength, of which I have none.  But it's doable.  And, most importantly, you'll feel like a badass, which, I've discovered, is a really good distraction from thinking that you're fat.

Next up:  cost.  OMG, y'all have no idea how much shizz you have to buy for a triathlon, or at least I didn't.  Stay tuned...

Weekend Wrap Up: Tri Tri Again Edition

On Friday night, my friend from work, Natalie, got married.  This is me with Jillian & Freya.  The reception was in Franklin at McConnell House.  It's a little bit of a haul, but if you're looking for a venue, it's really cool.  And the food was amazeballs.  Red Pony does their catering.

These are all my new work friends at McConnell House on Friday night, from left to right:  JoEllen, Jenn, me, Freya & Jillian.  Heart these girls!

On Saturday, I got up early to coach East Nasty's Potato To Tomato, then hit Ugly Mugs for coffee & breakfast bagels (team The Italian Job!).  We decided to take advantage of tax free weekend & went to NRC to pick up odds & ends for our Tri.  I finally broke down & bought a Sweaty Band.  For those of you who don't know, it's a $20 piece of elastic, but it really does work & I need a way to keep my bangs out of my eyes during the Tri.  I also bought another pair of Swiftwick socks.  I love these socks!

John was out of town this weekend, so I hung around the house a lot.  I bought flowers for this thrifted mason jar I found the last time I was in Lewisburg.  You can't tell, but it's pretty big & it's that neat blue-ish tint.  I also watched Friends With Kids, which I LOVED!  Have y'all seen this movie?  It's so much better than I expected!

On Saturday night, I met Hot Koh Koh for dinner at Korea House.  Although everyone there knows me because John & I eat there like once a week, I teased Julie that eating there with her gave me Korean street cred, haha.  Dinner was great.  Julie (an Ironman) talked me through all my Tri-anxiety.  Plus, more importantly, she showed me all the different things on the menu that I need to try.  Thanks, Julie!

Yesterday, we did our first run through of the Tri.  The race is at the Maryland Farms Y, so we met there.  This was our first swim in a 50 meter pool & it was also our first swim in our tri suits.  My friend Jenn went with us to help us with our swimming & it really helped.  (Thanks, Jenn!)

We got there at 10:00am & just barely made it before the storms hit.  The second we got back to our cars, it started pouring.  But we did it!  We swam, we biked, we ran.  Man, you guys weren't kidding about how hard it is to run after getting off the bike.  Ugh!

I feel soooo much better now that I've practiced the whole thing.  I could stand more practice on the bike & a little more practice in the 50 meter pool, but I feel good, which is good since the race is in TWO WEEKS!!!

Oh Yeah, I'm Doing A Triathlon

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It occurred to me that I haven't really announced that I'm doing a triathlon.  I've talked about it a lot on Facebook, but not so much here.  So yeah, I'm doing a triathlon.  I don't really know why I'm doing it.  Like most major life decisions, someone asked me if I wanted to do it & I said, "Sure."

The details:  We're doing the Team Magic Girls Tri It On Nashville on Saturday, August 18th.  The race is a 200 m pool swim, 8 km bike & 2 km run.  It should take me about 45 minutes, but it'll probably take me an hour & a half.  Oh, and "we" is me & two fellow East Nasties:  Heidi & Alicia.

The training:  We registered back in June & immediately started training.  We decided to focus on swimming since we're all runners & riding a bike is like, well, riding a bike.  I've also been taking a circuit class twice a week to work on my upper body strength.

Swim:  We've been swimming 2-3 times a week for about 5 weeks now.  Having my dad come spend a day in the pool with us kind of saved our swimming lives.  I only wish I had thought to ask him earlier.  Since swimming with him, we've quit trying to perfect our "form" & are now building up our endurance.  I can't swim freestyle for 200 meters, but I can swim breaststroke for 200 meters & on a good day, I can swim 200 meters alternating between freestyle & breaststroke.  We've been training in a 25 m pool & our race is in a 50 m pool, so we're switching to a 50 m pool this week & staying there throughout the rest of the training.  If I make it through this race without drowning, I'm getting a tramp stamp that says, "Swimming is HARD, y'all."  Obviously, it'll be in some ancient unreadable language. OBVIOUSLY.

Bike:  The bike portion of this race was a little tricky to wrap my mind around initially.  Primarily because I didn't own a bike, nor know how to ride one.  Luckily, I can ride John's old mountain bike (it has road tires).  I've only ridden it once, but I rode it for 5 miles, which is about the length of the race.  It took me 30 minutes, which is insane if you know how long it should actually take to ride 5 miles (5-10 minutes).  I'm terrified of anyone or anything coming within 10 feet of me while I'm riding, so yeah, I need to work on that.  Oh, and I have trouble using the hand brakes.  I'm a bigger fan of just putting me feet on the ground when I need to stop or slow down, you know, like the professionals do.

Run:  I can run 2 km in my sleep.  This isn't even worth talking about, except to say that I do need to practice "bricks", or transitions.  Apparently going from a bike to a run is super awkward & your legs feel like they weigh 1,000 lbs & they kind of forget how to work, which sounds awesome, clearly.  We're going to practice bricks this weekend.  We attended a tri clinic at Fleet Feet last night & they said to practice riding for 10 minutes & then running a mile to get your legs used to it.  Seems doable.  We'll see..

So yeah, I'm doing a triathlon.  Oh, & this distance is called a "Sprint" - FYI.  The next level up is Intermediate, or Olympic, then Long, which is double Olympic, then Half, as in "Half" Ironman, then Long again, but a triple Olympic this time, & finally Full, or Ironman.  My friends Marne & Julie (Hot Koh Koh!) are currently training for an Ironman in November.  It will be their second.  They are cra.

This post is ridiculously long & I haven't even gone into my training schedule yet or how much all of this costs ($$$!!!).  Stay tuned for follow-up posts.  I've made a "Triathlon" label, so if you're more interested in this, than say, reading about what color I painted my nails on Friday night, feel free to check in by clicking that label over in the right-hand margin.  If you need me in the meantime, I'll be in the pool.