As of lately, it seems like people ask me only one of two questions: 1) How is the hip coming along? and 2) When are you going to be running again? It’d be great if I could just hand them all a business card with my blog address and not have to re-explain, again, the whole story. But I understand their curiosity, and hey – I’d like to know the answer to #2 myself! So for you guys, I thought I’d get this in writing.

Independence Day 10K, 2009. Where’s Waldo?

1) HOW IS THE HIP COMING ALONG?

If you’re just stumbling upon The Triathlon Rx and don’t know what I’m talking about, you can either disregard this post entirely, or jump over to my post-surgery story.

According to my iCal, we are approaching 20 weeks out from my December 14th surgery. That’s 4.5 months of physical therapy, and probably more face time with my surgeon than he could ever hope for! As with most things in life, rehabilitation has not been a linear progression, including some “unexplained” weeks worse than usual. You might have read a few weeks ago (which sadly was only two posts ago… my bad!) that my PT said I could “try running.” There should be asterisks smothering those two little quoted words, because that definitely wasn’t a go-ahead to just go lap Lake Calhoun. He meant more like a 1:5 jog easy:walk interval to SEE how it feels.

How did it feel?

Sh!tty. The muscular strength just isn’t there yet (hence why I still walk like a penguin) and it was both painful and awkward. (If you saw a quazimoto attempting to gallop around the lake at 1:30 on April 4th, please bleach that image from your memory. Thank you.) Have I run through worse pain before? Sure, but I think maybe I’ve finally come to understand it’s just not worth it.

2) WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE RUNNING AGAIN?

This is one thing (out of the many many things in life) that I simply do not know. My PT doesn’t know. My doctor doesn’t know. They’re not making predictions and neither am I. The three “races” that I’ve signed up for this summer so far are two open water swim races and a half iron relay, and as much as I hate to say this I’m don’t even really feel committed to either of those.

Don’t get me wrong – I do enjoy running/biking/swimming/training, and I do enjoy just being in the community at races. But I race to race. (A concept I’m sure my buddy Susan, dealing with a cracked out back is very familiar with!) They didn’t drill the competitiveness out of me during surgery – if anything, I’d say it’s only gotten stronger because there is no validation coming from what I’m used to doing (running).

The two exceptions to this rule (and it is very critical I get this in writing here dear Mama reading…) are if and only if:

A) My mom would FINALLY agree to do a race with me

and

B) If I have kids someday. I would definitely do races with my kids for fun.

(Christmas 2009 – snowed in and stuck in the cities, so we run!)

So that pretty much sums up the two FAQs. If I were to add a 3rd, it would be “What can you do for training?” I have been biking a fair amount when possible, and swimming (though still not as much as I should be). I also got a new swim toy that has beyond exceeded my expectations, and definitely changed (for the better) my desire to swim. Yes, this means a product review is coming soon!

The last thing I should mention – and no, this site has not been hacked - is that I’ve been doing… yoga. Especially after my Open Letter to Aladin Pants man!! No worries… I’m not going to start speaking in Sanskrit or doing wheat grass shots. BUT for right now, it gives me some sort of a structured routine, and it’s nice that it’s not a solo activity. I will probably update a bit more on this part later.

Sorry. I couldn’t help it…

Reader Qs: 

What is your go-to activity in times of rehab? 

Do any of you have a local twin cities swim coach recommendation for me? Ideally someone to work with two times a week. One of the OWS races I signed up for is, um… Somehow my mind read 5K, but it’s 5 miles. Point to point. So Ironman swim x2 plus some change. But hey, you don’t have to saddle up a bike for five hours afterwards!

Mac just said I’m running on reserve power, which must be a sign it’s time to go! Catch you later chicos.

-E

So really I just wanted you to know I’m still alive. There is a product review en route a mi casa that just screeeams Steeve In A Speedo, and if you know him and his kind of humor… well, there’s your teaser.

But REALLY the point of this post today is to honor a very important person in my life. A person who I can eat maple nut ice cream and watch the Twins game with. (Or yell at the TV showing the Twins game.) A person who, today at the age of 90, still has a full head of thick hair and should be rockin a shampoo commercial. A person who has the metabolism of a 19 year old Marine, and just might sneak the Christmas ham off your plate if you take your eyes off of it. A person who still gets up in the deer stand, sits in a freezing house watching a hole ice fishes, “real” fishes, and is an amazing husband, father, grandfather, and GREAT grandfather. A person who never runs out of jokes, or love.

G-pa and yours truly

This one’s for you Grandpa – happy 90th birthday! My dad always said you were the best man he ever knew, and he’s not your son!! The words are true. You are an irreplaceable, impeccable man. I love you!

-E

[Edit: I'm "double dipping" my posts today... if you follow me weekly on the Groucho Sports you can take today off (or go check out our other awesome writers!) because this note on faith is up there as well. It's a benchmark in my recovery, and I wanted it to be recorded for me to look back on. Will certainly update how everything goes later!]

———

My PT shared something with me yesterday afternoon. He said that given my latest x-rays, my current state in rehabilitation, and my imminent psychosis from watching runners out my front door making their way around Calhoun all day, I could try a “small amount” of “running.”

By “running” he meant a very slow veryeasy jog.

By “small amount” he meant intervals of walk/run jog, heavily favoring the walk, and continued if and only if it feels alright to do so.

My surgery was sixteen weeks ago as of yesterday. I know this is a blog primarily geared towards cycling, but I am a young lady primarily geared towards running. All this biking and swimming stuff I do is just gravy. To feel like I am a runner again, to feel that euphoria of redlining and crossing the finish line in the exact moment, to get lost in the miles knowing your legs have whatever it takes to get you back wherever you need to be… there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for that. So given the opportunity to try running again, you’d think I’d be in ecstasy.

But I’m terrified.

I’m terrified that running will hurt, terrified that I’ll make it through only the first interval before the panic and pain sets in, terrified that my greatest passion will be swallowed by fear and frustration, and terrified that something I love so much could potentially be gone for good.

But I’m going to do it anyways.

I’m bringing my support network (my mom). I’m wearing my lucky socks and sports bra (yes I really have these things). And I’m bringing my faith.

Because I know that if in that moment when I try a small amount of running, one of two things will happen: I will have solid ground to stand on, or I will learn to fly.

By the time most of you read this, my little escapade will actually be over. The end result will have either been extremely positive and motivating, or extremely humbling and motivating. Either way I’m going for it, and I have faith that somehow it will all work out.

Train on,

-Erika

Sampling the goodies… Christmas in July!

Last week I arrived to my physical therapy appointment filled with trepidation. Not only did I know I had overstepped my limitations, but I was paying the price for it. I came accompanied by my old friend ‘the stick’ – the single forearm crutch, once part of a pair, that I had finally worked my way off of. The fact that I needed it to walk was not a good sign. The first words out of my mouth when I saw my PT were, “you’re not going to be happy with me…”

He wasn’t not not happy with me, but he also didn’t want to run me through a full workout of single leg squats or leg presses, for fear that it might aggravate my hip even more. Instead, he asked me, “Have you tried the Game Ready?”

Surprisingly… no!!

The Game Ready is a rehabilitation tool that combines two components of the well known RICE protocol – rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The Game Ready uses a “dual-action wrap” (which comes in a variety of sizes and styles to for the various body parts it can treat) which is connected to a control unit. The control unit intermittently fills the dual action wrap with cold water, compressing your ______ (hip, knee, shoulder, ankle, etc.), and bringing relief.

Before you write it off with rolled eyes and go strap on a frozen bag of peas… check the research. Numerous clinical studies (ie peer reviewed, not published in Men’s Health, population sample greater than n=1, etc.) have found that cryo(cold)therapy PLUS compression provides optimal results in rehabilitation. PubMed… all the cool kids are doing it.

What fun would it be if I didn’t take an awkward crotch shot in the middle of the clinic? The Hip/Groin Wrap sort of looks like a one-legged goalie pad. But when it started it’s compression intervals, filling with chilly-as-Superior water, I instantly started to feel better. OK that’s not true – I started shivering, pulled my sweats on, and thenI started to feel better.  While there’s are different cryotherapy product I use when I’m at home (review to come soon!), I will definitely be incorporating the Game Ready into my PT sessions.

“Whether you’re an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, a surgery patient, an orthopedic physician, a physical therapist, or an athletic trainer… Game Ready can help you get the most from your rehab or recovery.”

Good on ya’ GR. You’re a keeper.

Reader Qs: What is your favorite (or maybe it’s a hurtssogood kind of favorite) recovery tool?

-E

You can find the rest of the TriathlonRx reviews by following this link, or clicking the REVIEWS tab at the top of the page.

You see, there are two “Lucky” races taking place tomorrow morning in celebration of St. Patty’s Day  - both a 7K and a half marathon. My co-workers and I got to live it up at the race expo selling out on green Nike gear, green compression socks, green Gu (ok, not all green, but you get the theme), and any other last-minute race goodies. I’m not sure if I’m a sucker for interacting with people or just a sucker for interacting with runners, but you drop me into that kind of environment and I could talk all day! Bad for keeping the line moving, but good for… well, I’m not sure, but good for ME anyways!

photo from Steve’s TC Marathon Expo, 2010

With hundreds (scratch. Thousands? It’s a big race.) of racers coming through our store all day Thursday and Friday, I got to talk with athletes along the whole spectrum: the guy I’m pretty darn sure will win the half, the old seasoned lady who has run 50+ marathons and raced every distance [she thought!] possible except a 7K, the lil gunner who I’m pretty sure couldn’t be over 13 years old but is sure going to conquer 13 miles. But the one that really made it click (and the point I’m getting to with this whole post) is the chick I talked to around 1 yesterday afternoon. As I rang up her pair of striped green Tempos and we chatted about Lemon Lime Gu, she told me she was registered for the half marathon. We talked about the predicted race-day forecast, the aid station offerings, and about her time goals. That’s when she told me that although she had run plenty of 10-milers before (including numerous TC 10s), she hadn’t actually ever gone over that distance. “But hey, it’s just an extra three. I can do that, right?”

“Absolutely.” I told her. “You’d be surprised how far the adrenaline and energy from the crowds can take you.” But from the excitement I could see on her face I knew she didn’t really need my reassurance. No doubt in her mind – she was gonna crush it.

No doubt. Hmmmm. No fear. No reservations. No uncertainties. She had already decided what she was going to. Whether or not she was going to succeed was not up for debate. She was already at the finish line – she simply had to bring her body to it.

For the majority of my life, this same train of though has defined my method of operating. There is no room for anything less than confidence, because I know that the second I start doubting my own abilities is the same second I accept defeat. Putting those thoughts concretely into writing and reading them back to myself, they sound a) slightly cocky, and b) somewhat naive. BUT, giving a thorough examination of my life (or at least the autonomous years), has it worked for me? Yes. Is whatever the BS I’m running on now working for me? No.

Hours after this never-over-10-miles runner left the expo, I was still standing there thinking about what she said. Thinking about the athlete that I was then, and the person that I am now. Thinking about the confidence she emanated in her abilities, and the hole of self-doubt, and fear I have dug myself into. She could envision herself crossing that half-marathon finish line, and even with a smile on her face. Not only have I not been able to picture myself running “happily” again after my last surgery, but I haven’t truly believed I’ll be able to run again, period. I’ve felt a whollle new kind of down since surgery that started out as just an ounce, but has gradually turned into a metric ton sitting on my chest. The law of conservation of energy (that although energy can change location and/or form within a closed system, can neither be created or destroyed) still applies… meaning that for this ounce of toxicity to turn into a ton, other areas of my life are been sacrificed.

This little self-defense mechanism… preparing for the worst, so that in the chances it actually happens, at least I’ll be ready for it… I don’t think it works. Not only does it leave me unsatisfied with today, but it also puts the damper on anything I envision myself doing in the future. You don’t have to have taken a course in Sports Psychology to see the flaw in this thinking…

If you can’t realistically envision yourself doing something, achieving something, accomplishing something, how likely are you to truly go after it? And take it one step further… don’t just think about it. Don’t just talk about it. BE about it.

Clearly I’m talkin to myself here…

By the time many of you read this, those races will probably be over, post-race beer will have been freely imbibed, weekend long runs logged into the Garmin, and compression gear in action. I’ll be done with my swim, and on to the rest of my day. I hope all you readers have a fun weekend ahead, and even half as nice as the weather we’ve got here in Minneapolis. I know I’ve been “off-line” for a few weeks, but I hope you guys are still subscribed to my feed and will come on back!

But to YOU, you little parasitic nugget of fear and self-doubt, you are not invited. I don’t know how you got in here in the first place, you’ve overstepped your bounds and I’m callin you out. So you can kindly pack your sh!it up and leave… don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

That’s where I leave you today. Go get after it. Make it happen. 

-E

For all of us there should be joy in the journey, but we must also know it will bring its share of strife, struggle, and frustration. How you deal with it determines how it deals with you. – John Wooden

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Four Ways To Get Freaking Huge

Time To Get Swole

Man, do I have some magical, mystical, mass building advice for you today. But I know – you’re extremely skeptical. You’re waiting for the bullcrap; to be let down by some cool sounding training system with overly complicated mumbo jumbo, and exercises that suck.

Sorry, no fail for you today.

I don’t hand out fail. I’m not pushing an agenda. You want to get big fast, then do the following.

1 – Stay with a Simple Routine

Listen, you have been searching for the ultimate routine for years. In fact, you spend more time reading about routines then performing routines. And each week you switch routines. I’ve found it, this week I’m making the change to blah, blah, blah and will grow!

Fail!

Enough with this foolishness. I’m about to carpet bomb your fantasies, so you have been warned. Brace yourself. Here goes…it doesn’t matter what routine you use. Yes, you heard me right. Doggcrapp, Max Stim, Dogg Stim, Max Crapp…whatever. Just pick something and stick with it. And make sure the routine isn’t complicated. You don’t need complicated.

A simple routine focuses on progression of weight using basic heavy compound lifts including:

• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Bench Press
• A form of the Overhead Press

E. T. C.

If you find that your routine has you doing giant sets, drop sets, or focusing on the dreaded mind-muscle connection, run like the wind. And worse yet, if it contains too many isolation movements…well…FAIL. You don’t need training techniques or isolation movements, you need to:

2 – Lift Heavy Ass Weights

Lift heavy ass weight. Heavy ass weight makes muscles grow. Heavy ass weight can be in any rep range, because it is heavy ass weight and is kicking your balls seven ways to Sunday.

What rep range should I use? FAIL! It doesn’t matter – Lift heavy ass weights!

What should my rep speed be? FAIL! It doesn’t matter – Lift heavy ass weights!

Should I do cable crossovers before or after flyes, and should incline bench be performed with a 22 degree angle, or a 24 degree angle? FAIL! It doesn’t matter – Lift heavy ass weights!

What split is the most effective for mass? FAIL! FAIL! FAIL!

GO LIFT HEAVY ASS WEIGHTS!

But I don’t want to lift heavy! So and so says that squats are bad for your knees, and my mom is afraid and wants me to take up knitting.

Both so and so, and your mom (no offense to moms) can barely lift a roll of toilet paper to wipe their own asses. If you want to look like your mom, listen to the training advice of your mom. If you want to pack on muscle, lift heavy ass weight!

The end!

3 – Stop Bitching and Get Your Ass to the Gym!

I’m tired.

My toe hurts.

My right nut seems small today, maybe I shouldn’t train.

Want to know how to fail? I mean epic fail? Continue to make excuses, and avoid going to the gym. Want to know how to succeed? Gird up your balls, shut the hell up, and get your ass to the gym, 52 weeks a year. The end.

This isn’t complicated.

Of course your left nut hurts! You’re lifting weights. Lifting heavy ass weights will hurt from time to time. Pain is part of the equation. We aren’t collecting bottle caps here, Charles.

4 – Forget Your Damned Abs and Eat!

I want a six pack!

Bud, if you think you can pack on muscle and carve out a six pack in the same month, you need to lay off the crack pipe.

This just in…if you want muscle, you need to eat big. If you want to be a 220 mass monster, but only weigh 120, you need to start eating like you weigh 220 pounds.

How long should I bulk before I cut? FAIL! Eat until people at the gym start asking you where you get your steroids from. Then, and only then can you start cutting.

Should my bulk be dirty or clean? FAIL! Grab a shovel and get to gettin’.

Whole milk has fat! Almonds have fat! I can’t eat fat! FAIL! Listen, drinking whole milk and lifting heavy ass weights equals muscle mass.

Final Thoughts

1. Lift heavy ass weight using heavy ass compound lifts.
2. Eat big.
3. Never miss a workout.
4. Stick with a basic routine.

Follow these 4 rules for two years and you will dramatically change your body. The end.

___________________________________________________________________

Pham Woodbridge

I’m feeling about the farthest from “swole” as you could possibly get right now. Apparently surgery + crutches + 9ish weeks off turns skeletal muscle into mushed peas. Who knew?

[OK that was a gross analogy. I'm never going to want pea soup again.]

I suppose I should post a PT update and such soon, but long story short I’m still on one crutch, still gimping, and damn this thing is taking its sweet time! X-rays last week (images to come once I can convince the disc to open on a Mac) showed that the bone healing is “on track” according to my doctor, and I suppose I should take his word over my own impatient timeline.

Reader Qs:

I know the majority of you guys are triathletes/runners, but how many of you push the weights? What is your favorite strength exercise? There were many years when I was too preoccupied with mileage to make time for strength, but after working with a variety of coaches, I’ve developed a little crush.

-E

But THAT is personal life. THIS [blog] is what I’m willing to share on the internet life. Therefore I’m going to move on… to my brand new baby:

Finis SwiMP3.2G

For Christmas in 2009 I was given the NuDolphin mp3 player to help dull the pain encourage more frequent swimming.  Two years later it finally bit the bullet. Now at first thought, two years might not seem like a long time for the life of an mp3 player. But lets face it: electronics + submersion in water = just not meant to be. I was happy with the two years I got out of the NuDolphin. One thing I wasn’t ever completely happy with was the headphones. The seal between the ear canal and the headphones would stay in tact for 5 minutes max before water would get in my ears and POOF! the music was gone. This problem is what initially lead me to the Finis SwiMP3 player…

Instead of in-ear headphones, Finis uses “bone conduction audio transmission” to send the music from your mp3 player (affixed to your goggles straps), through your temporal bones, and into your ears. (Into your brain? I don’t really know… it kind of blows my mind.) The user manual says this 2G mp3 player can hold about 500 songs (which is more than I’ll ever need) and lasts for up to 8 hours of play on a full charge. The USB plug is built directly into the player so you don’t have to worry about losing any cords, and trasnferring songs is as simple as a drag and drop on your desktop. The SwiMP3 is compatible with both Macs and PCs, and supports MP3 and WMA files.

The most frequent complaints from customer reviews were a) that it’s “expensive”, b) the sound is “thin”, and c) the device will “wear out.”

My counters to all three of the aforementioned points are that a) Expensive is a relative term. I payed $145 + tax for my Finis SwiMP3 at Pure Blue swim shop in Plymoth, MN. For 500 stored songs, an infinitely more enjoyable swimming experience, and a notable increase in swimming frequency when I swim with music, $145 seems quite a reasonable price to pay. b) The sound is much clearer when using silicone ear plugs. These do not come with the device, but cost under 5 bucks. ($4.95 for a pack of 6 from SwimOutlet.) c) True dat… it might “wear out.” See above: electronics + water = not meant to be. HOWEVER, I have read fantastic thing about the customer service from Finis, and I trust that if they’re as good as the reviews say, I’ll have no problems.

I have been in the pool much more frequently now that my activities are limited to swim / bike/ halfass upper body lift. I’m starting to SLOWLY build on an elliptical (we’re talking a whopping 5 – 10 minutes… but pimpin here), but honestly swimming is the only thing that doesn’t cause any ‘hurt’. And as my scientific research has demonstrated, my total swim volume is directly correlated to the amount of available entertainment. Variety in the workout = more swimming. Hot lane buddy = more swimming. And of course, good tunes = more swimming. P < 0.05… or something.

Reader Qs:

Are you a swimmer? Triathletes: mandatory, doggy paddle at a minimum. Runners: beneficial, great cross training! Are you tech’ed out, or do you keep it pure? There are a few other items I’ve been interested in… the tempo trainer, the Speedo fingerwatch lap counter, etc. Do you have any thoughts on/experiences with these?

You can find all other reviews under the PRODUCT REVIEWS tab at the top of the page, or by following this link. Be happy, be healthy, and press on!

-E

*My SwiMP3 was a personal purchase, and this review was not funded, encouraged, or persuaded by Finis in any way, shape, or form.

None the less, stay tuned for a product review this coming TUESDAY (yes – it is written, saved, and scheduled)! A couple clues:

• The company name sounds like it should be based somewhere in a country on the Baltic Sea, but in reality they’re from Cali.
• The company name actually means ‘the end’ or ‘grand finale’ in Latin.
• Their products have been featured in Men’s Journal, Triathlete, Lava, TriBomb, NY Times, and City Living, just to name a few.

I have a feeling a bunch of people are going to get it with the first two clues… the last one was an attempt to throw you off.

And while we’re waiting for Tuesday, I wanted to share this infographic with you guys. A more PG version of the game “Never Have I Ever” so affectionately played with ten fingers and… yep. You should be able to open it in a new window for full size!

A couple of things surprised me, but I’m thinking this has more to do with the population sampled than the average american public.

Reader Qs: Did anything stand out to you? Did you ever play Never Have I Ever?

-E

• You buy three seasons each of 30 Rock and House for trainer ride entertainment.
• The pool doesn’t seem as chilly as it used to, due to an extra subcutaneous layer of “insulation.”
• Another blogger “tags” you to answer random questions about yourself… and actually take the time to fill it out. Kind of like those long email forwards (apparently called “memes”?) you got in junior high. (That is if the internet was invented yet when you were in junior high )

My buddy Jamie tagged me, along with 10 other stud athletes, to play the game.  I think I’m supposed to include the “rules” to this little… and you’re supposed to copy/paste them too if you get tagged. Here we go!

1. Post these rules
2. Post 11 random things about yourself
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them
6. No saying “you are tagged if you are reading this.” You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

11 Random Facts About Me

This is like doing ice breakers at a team meeting. “What is something no one would know about you unless you told them…”

1. I have three tattoos. One of which I share with my dad. The second I share with my sister, mom, and dad and the man upstairs. And running. (Though I’m the only one with it inked). The last one is strictly between myself and el señor.

2. When I was 16 I dropped $1000 on a dog, that I didn’t have permission to bring home. My mom fell in love in 2 hours. I learned a good lesson. [(That you can win your mother over with anything cocoa colored and adorable.) Kidding!!]

3. I subscribe to five magazines: Runner’s World, Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, Sports Illustrated, and Car & Driver.

4. My favorite color is orange. Someday I will have this bike:

(Someday I will also be missing a kidney…)

5. One of my favorite snacks is beef jerky. Bonus points if it’s bison.

6. I was a vegetarian, pretty darn close to vegan, for 8 years.

7. Although I was always in sports – cross country, track, swimming, gymnastics, softball, soccer, t-ball, and tennis – I also danced for over 10 years. (I don’t mean that to be offensive by not calling it a “sport” … I just put it more in the arts category.) I went on pointe when I was 9 years old.

8. I wear a size 2-3 kids shoe. See last statement of item 7.

9. My favorite day of the year is Easter!!

10. As someone pointed out to me today (and not the first time I’ve heard it)… I suck at slowing down. Slowing down my mind, slowing down decision making, slowing down my life/lifestyle. If only that held true with my S/B/R paces!!

11. If it weren’t for my iCal… I probably wouldn’t make it to the end of the day. Wish I was kidding!!

Jamie’s 11 questions… my answers:

1. What is your proudest accomplishment? I haven’t accomplished it yet…

2. What is your biggest regret? Moving to Boston, giving up my full ride scholarship that I couldn’t get back when I transferred home. Money stresses me the heck out.

3. What was your biggest fear as a child? Driving next to semi trucks and driving over bridges.

4. What is your biggest fear as an adult? Getting divorced

5. Your most embarrassing triathlon story, using exactly 11 words. Prevent nipping in professional race photos, especially if published in print.

6. What  is the one piece of advice you’d give the 10 year old version of yourself. Ooofda… that one cuts a little deep! There are a lot of things I would have tried to tell that younger-me, though I probably would have been  too stubborn to listen. The advice I would give is: you have all your life ahead of you to be a grown up, so don’t try and be one now. It’s not as fun as it looks.

7. What is the best meal that you’ve ever made yourself? Chicken enchiladas in the slow cooker! House smelled sooo good…

8. In or out? My belly button? Do I like going in or staying out? In to the first… both, depending on the mood, to the second.

9. What is your dream car? My “realistic” dream car is a Ford F150, king cab, short bed, bench seats, MAROON. My extremely non-realistic, non-attainable dream car is an Audi R8. Phantom black exterior, Nappa leather black with Luxor beige contrast interior, Bang & Olufsen sound system, and MMI navigation. Base MSRP $114,200, price as built $126,650. (I wasn’t kidding about Car & Driver.)

10. What is the fastest you’ve ever gone on a bike? Fastest pedaling speed? Or fastest down a hill? I’m happy if I hold 20 riding in the city, but I’ve seen

11. What is your least favorite part of triathlon training/racing? Honestly, I don’t have a “least favorite” part. Enough ‘milk has been spilled’ crying over missing running and the thought of not being able to run in the future that I will take what I can get and be happy about it. [Damn it!] If there needs to be a least favorite… it’s the five seconds leading up to and following jumping into the pool.

My 11 questions… and answers.

1. Where were you at in your life ten years ago? Where do you see yourself hope to be ten years from today?

2. If you could meet any one person in the world, who would it be? (Dead or alive.)

3. If you had to describe your life with a movie title, what would it be?

4. If you could be a professional in any sport for a week other than the one you already do, what sport would it be?

5. What does the title of your blog mean / where did it come from?

6. Your first kiss, in 5 words.

7. If you could go back in time and study anything different in school, or go down any other career path than the one you chose, what would it be?

8. What would choose for your last meal?

9. If you could stay one age for the rest of your life, a la Tuck Everlasting, how old would you be?

10. What is the race at the top of your bucket list?

11. Describe your ideal day:

Apparently Jamie and I have a bunch of the same amigos… cause he tagged a lot of the same people I would have! So I will tag 11 new people… You’re it!

2. Jennifer & Jason – Going Long… Together
3. Steve – Steve In A Speedo
4. Jon – SwiCycloRun
5. Holly – The Cooper Fam
6. Derek – To Be Determined
7. Betsy – Earning My M-Dot
8. Jon Vick – Jon Vick
9. Amy – Amy’s Running Around
10. Julia – Go Big Green
11. Adam – The Boring Runner

Annnnd that brings this getting-to-know-you meeting to a close. Happy Thursday! [Edit: yes... it was Thursday when I started this!]

-E