Do You Know Me?

I got TRIgirl tagged. Everyone knows I've been putting this off. I'm going to change the format a bit for my own sake, but here goes -- 26 things about me (that maybe you did, or maybe you didn't know):
1. I've held almost every job you can imagine. Some, just for the sake of wanting to know what it felt like to, say, pull a double shift on a Sunday as a dishwasher in a fancy restaurant. I worked at Fan Thrift for one day. I was a editor and reporter and photographer for Style Weekly. I even freelanced for the Times Dispatch. I even worked in a Visa call center and as a corporate concierge.
2. Favorite jobs are my current jobs: TRIgirl Team leader, Travel Councilor
3. I love that movie Say Anything. I could watch it a million times. But I still giggle every time I see this photo of John Cusack. He looks like such a geek! I also love My Own Private Idaho.
4. In general I absolutely hate movies. I get too emotionally involved. Or, it takes me two hours to realize that they aren't worth my time.
5. Survivor, on the other hand, is totally worth my time. How does that work? Also, I love The Office . I think I like TV way better than movies. TV is like eating ice cream out of the carton rather than actually having to commit to a bowl (which is movies).
6. I hate to fly. The last time I flew was 1995, I think. We were escaping a horrible honeymoon in Jamaica where the cruise ship went bankrupt while we were on it. They served us rotten food and ran the ship aground. A water main broke in the dining room. Everyone cheered when we boarded the plane in Jamaica and lifted off the ground. We were seriously lucky to get a flight back to the states considering. That is the only time I truly enjoyed a flight. 7. This also might explain why I mostly hate to travel. I hate hotels. I hate airports. I hate uncertainty. I love my own bed, in my own house.
8. I always wanted to go to Europe. Both my parents lived there for years. Maybe someday I'll go. Also, I've always wanted to go to South Africa. oh and Brazil. And Thailand. Maybe I'll have to rethink that flying thing.
9. I love food. Mostly anything that is homegrown or homemade. I hate Twinkies, Kool-Aid and especially Hi-C. I hate fake. I love real. I hate cherry Popsicles, but love cherries. You get the idea.
10. Favorite foods include: TomKha (coconut, mushroom & tofu soup) and
just about anything from Tara Thai. Also, homemade Chili Rellenos from the 17th Street Farmer's Market. And at Christmastime homemade Bourbon Cake. I think I'd rather eat it than drink it.
11. I love SPROUT Organic co-op. It has made me really appreciate fresh vegetables. Because of Sprout, we almost never eat out anymore. Last week I looked at the veggies in the grocery store and actually feel sorry for them!
12. Last week I bought black-eyed peas and me and the kids pulled them out of the shell ourselves. They were the best beans I've ever tasted. They tasted sort of like Hot Boiled Peanuts...yet another food I love.
13. I swam competitively and played soccer from when I was 5 until I was 18.
14. When I was 12 I broke my big toe kicking a goal kick. I miss-judged and kicked the ground instead. Ouch.
15. My soccer coach told me I was fine....at the end of practice he told me to ride my bike home. That was the most painful bike ride yet. Hmmmmmm, well maybe there was that one 75 mile ride not too long ago where my girlparts hurt almost just as much.
16. I was voted "Most Likely to Start a Revolution" in Senior (high school) superlatives.
17. I earned a Society of Professional Journalist merit-based scholarship at Virginia Commonwealth University.
18. I had dinner with Allen Ginsberg at the 3rd Street Diner. He made a lewd comment to me about how I wanted Jim Morrison to.... wait, I cannot finish this sentence it would be obscene.
19. I auditioned for and was chosen to be in a GWAR video. Now that I was proud of! Had to miss it because I went to diner with Allen Ginsberg that night.

20. I took a really cool photo of Mikhail Gorbachev and Eugene Trani (VCU's President). One of these days I'll scan it in to the computer.

19. Had dinner with Chuck D from Public Enemy. We ate at Bluepoint Seafood, it used to be in 6th Street Marketplace, next to the Carpenter Center. He was much more civilized than Allen Ginsberg.
20. I have stage dived at an Avail concert.
21. I rode a motorcycle for 10 years. Gave it up when I got pregnant with Daisy.
22. My husband proposed to me at the former East Coast gas station at Cary and Meadow in the Fan. I know you want to know more!
23. Our first date was on the train trestle down at great ship lock park. Not far from the only triple train crossing in America.

24. I knew I loved my husband on our first date.
25. Websites I visit everyday or often:
http://www.nearwestendnews.net/
http://www.trigirltraining.com/ forum
http://johnmholland.blogspot.com/
http://ironmanlife.blogspot.com/
http://www.nancytoby.blogspot.com/

26. I have a tattoo on my head. No questions please.

Tri One O One is Gone

"All Triathlon One O One events have been cancelled until further notice.

All participant entry fees and 2008 transfers will be refunded within the next two weeks. "



So sad that Tri One O One didn't Make it. I liked the distance. I liked the branding. I wished they had a race close to Richmond! I feel bad for all those people have been training for a race and may even have paid for hotels and airline tickets. Hopefully some 70.3 races and Ironman races will open some extra slots for them. We really needed a new race like this.

http://www.trioneoone.com/

Patriot Half Ironman Bike Test Ride

Here's a great photo of us after the Patriot Half Ironman bike test ride. One of the most beautiful courses ever -- well except for the part on Route 60 and the part where I had to walk! Dope!

I think we look mighty happy considering we just rode 56 miles!
From left to right, Back: Deanna B., Deanna L., Carmen and Jonah
Cyndi, Melissa, Anna Mac, and Kate O. in front.

New Near West End News Blog

So you know I'm a triathlete. And you know I'm a mom. But did you know that I have an alter ego? I used to be a journalist. Became jaded. Way jaded. Finding my way back to writing, I started my Triathlonmom site. And, as a way to further express myself and support my community, I recently co-launched a new blog.
My old buddy John Sarvay, was broadcasting a call from John Murden (another old friend) over at the Church Hill People's News for folks to start West End neighborhood blog, and Kory Mohr and I answered the call.
Anyway, with out further adeau here it is:
http://www.nearwestendnews.net/

Please forgive my lack of links, I'm on a strange computer and it seems to not be an option!

Purple Martins

The Purple Martins were amazing! I only wish we could have stayed until they were swarming at their peak. The severe thunder storm came through just as they were starting to really collect in numbers.

At 7 p.m. when we got to the 17th Street Farmer's Market, we thought it was a bust. No birds anywhere. Then, suddenly out of nowhere they started to appear. Redfish, kept saying "several"...which I thought was a pretty good word for him considering he's 2, but it hardly described the number of birds there were. Thousands. And more frantically coming to get in the trees right by the Farmer's Market parking lot. The storm was coming and I'm not sure what protection the trees offered them from the 75 mph winds.

That was the meanest, longest, loudest thunderstorm I have ever seen. It lasted from 7:45 p.m. in the Bottom to 2:45 a.m. in the West End. Needless to say I slept, if you can call it that, on the floor in Redfish's room. Mr. Preschool spent part of the night in the guest room with Daisy. Horrible night! I feel like I got hit by a truck. I think that would be the combo of strength training and not sleeping much--sleeping on the floor.

Off to a nap for me!

Birds, For Real?

Mr. Preschool loves himself some purple martins or chimney swifts, or any flocking bird that swirls and swarms. He and I have been facinated with them since we moved to Richmond. Often he paints them. And now, I hear they are back. I'll be at the 17th Street Farmers Market with the kids tonight!

Patriot Half Ironman Bike Testride on My New Bike

Today a bunch of the TRIgirls rode about 58 miles on the Patriot Half Ironman bike course. We were testing out the ride, getting a feel for things. One of the biggest things I regretted about Eagleman was that it was so far away, we never really go to do a practice ride of the course. I'm never truly able to enjoy a bike ride until I've ridden the course at least once. The first time I ride a bike course I'm incredibly distracted by the scenery, the hills and the road conditions. I'm always wondering what obstacle is next.

Anyway, I knew today would be a challenging ride. I was riding my new bike for the first time. I wasn't too excited about my first ride being a half iron distance, but I also didn't have much of a choice. The day I bought the bike, and each day since, there have been heat advisories every day...alternating with thunderstorms. So aside from taking it around the block during the 115 degree heat index, I hadn't ridden the bike much at all. New gears, new saddle, new fram, new water bottle cages, new pedal, new aerobars. So many new things to get used to!

The Patriot bike course was beautiful. It was farmland, water and beautiful rolling hills. The bike road well...with a few exceptions. The techincal things I'm not going to get into because I want to give the bike shop a chance to fix them, but I will say that I had some trouble getting used to the gearing on the bullhorn shifters.

The first half of the ride I loved. It was so beautiful and I got to draft off of a really nice guy from Final Kick and his friend from Virginia Beach. When I was drafting, it was almost like it wasn't a workout. Good thing I got my workout in -- they always dropped me on the hills!

There was one hill that just came out of nowhere. It was the steepest grade I've ever ridden on. Needless to say, I wasn't prepared in my gearing and I had to hop off the bike for a portion of the hill because I came to a dead stand still and I was pretty sure If I didn't unclip I was just going to fall over. I was still feeling pretty good after walking up the steepest part of the hill, but getting a flat sort of spoiled things for me. I got half way thru changing the tire, when the sag crew came up and offered to finish. (I let them, which was good, because my new wheels have need tubes with longer stems than I was carying.) Things certainly could have been worse! And Tgirl Carmen was so sweet to wait with me until I could get back on the road.

The practice ride was run by the Colonial Area Triclub. The were well organized but above all NICE! I certainly got my $10 worth. There were lots of super nice people we met and got to see today.

I'll post some photos tomorrow I hope.

USA Triathlon Rankings are Up

USAT just published their preliminary rankings for 2007. I've linked to the mid-atlantic results for females 30-34 here. The rankings for all females, in mid-atlantic, regardless of age are here.

Although rankings are the farthest of my concern when I'm training or even competing in a race, I've found that it is fun to look at how I might compare from year to year ...or even (God forbid) compare myself with others, just for the fun of it. And yes....EVEN YOU are ranked. You know who you are!!! If you've done 2 races so far this year, then you are ranked nationally, regardless of how long it took you to finish as long as you are a USAT member. Isn't that cool?

Eagleman

Eagleman registration is open for next year. And this year Eagleman is going to be the Elite Long Course National Championship site, so word on the street is that the race will sell out even earlier than in past years. So if you are thinking about doing this race this year...sign up NOW! Before it is to late.

As for me, I am out for Eman this year. Last year was a blast, but I'm thinking of a race close to home next year. If I can do a half ironman and sleep in my own bed... then that is my kind of race. Eagleman was fun, but it also made me appreciate all of the local small hometown races. Not that I'll ever do a pool swim again, but sometimes having all the Elites there makes it more stressful and less fun, if you are just a back-of-the-packer like me.

Feeling Fast

Last night when I went to bed I was sure I wasn't going to run today. I've just been feeling like taking a little vacation from training. And I finally managed to convince myself that would be ok right about now. For the past couple of nights I've been so wiped out -- asleep by 9 for no apparent reason. And then I'll keep sleeping until 6 or 6:30. It's crazy! I keep wondering what is wrong with me. Since I still lacked a reason, just figured I needed a little break.

Which is why I was completely shocked when after staying up until 10 p.m. last night, I woke up at 5 a.m. with no alarm clock. I was wide awake. No way I was getting back to sleep! "I might as well run then," I thought. And, when I got there 10 minutes early, I said, "Well I might as well get a mile in before everyone else gets here" And surprisingly, that is how I was able to run 4 miles and call it a good workout too. Yes it was hot. Yes it was hard. But still, today I didn't feel slow or like a slug. Today I felt fast. And sometimes that is all it takes to have a good workout (even if fast is only relatively speaking).