11/19/14

And She’s Baaaack! Across the Bay 10k

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I’ve been pretty quiet since IM 70.3 Princeton. There was the heel stress fracture, the neuroma in my left foot and just as I was “taking a rest” to heal up (YEAH RIGHT), I crashed my bike with a front tire blow out, the perfect off the bike PLF (parachute landing fall) that resulted in a perfectly healthy bike yet a damaged, pain ridden shoulder joint.

 

Sigh.

 

So, I keep going to Hard Bodies Boot Camp – see, I told you my goal was to improve function strength – but every class I was silently crying, FRUSTRATED, at another setback. I couldn’t lift laterally my right arm. My arm felt so weak that even push ups were a challenge. I modified, asked my coaches for an alternative and pushed through. I was doing laps one morning of no weights Thursday when Suzy caught me crying (I was fo sure that she couldn’t see in the dark, but that woman right der…SEE’S ALL). She reminded me that 2015 is GOING TO BE MY YEAR and that, right now, I needed to slow down, get checked out, heal…to speed up.

 

So I have been. I feel like a tree sloth but I’m doing what the doctor ordered. I’ve been doing some “fun” running…short distances, techno nekkid, just run and enjoy the moment. And then I got the opportunity to run in the Inaugural Across the Bay 10k. I couldn’t resist.

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…and that was the look on my face the whole way. I did a 2:1 interval uphill to the apex of the bridge (approx. 3 miles) and then I ran – okay – jogged the rest of the way to the finish. Happy. Smiling. Pain Free.

JOY!

 

The Diva is getting her MOJO back!

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10/12/14

Diva Review: Old Wives Tail Organic Oil Treatments

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When I decided to go natural  2 years ago – and for me that just meant not putting anymore heat (curling/flat irons) in my hair as I hadn’t had a relaxer in 5 years previously –  it took a long while of trial and error to find products that worked best on my hair to get it to do what I wanted it to do and look the way I wanted.

 

Through trial and error, signing up for about 6 month of those sample kit box of the month things, and asking what worked for others, I came to realize that the hair product game is a very individualized thing and what works for me AND my budget won’t necessarily work for anybody else. Just because it is expensive or brand name popular don’t necessarily make it awesome. I am notorious for mixing and matching products/brands to achieve my desired effect.

 

N.E.WAY…I was asked to give Old Wives Tail Organic Oil Treatment a try. Old Wives Tail is:

100% Organic Hair Care

Old Wives Tail is a small hair care company selling handmade organic hair care products – absolutely no additives or chemicals. They aim to nourish your hair back to life the Latino way with their unique blend of oils. Their main lifetime goal is to eradicate animal testing in the beauty industry and 10% of their profits go to charities that save animals from being tested upon. Love your pets, love the environment and love your hair naturally with OWT!
FREE WORLDWIDE DELIVERY on any order.

 

I read their history, liked that it was truly 100% Organic and handmade and agreed to give it a try. I received the Melado Organic Hair Growth Oil Treatment

 

A unique blend of 100% organic oils that will give the kiss of life to even the most dry and damaged hair. Rich in natural vitamins, antioxidants and proteins just one sacred drop of Melado will do wonders for your hair and scalp.

The natural vitamins and omegas in Melado restores shine and deeply moisturises the hair back to health. When massaged into the scalp this oil will stimulate and encourage healthy hair growth by penetrating deep into the roots and strengthening each hair follicle.

Directions for use: Massage into damp hair weekly to stimulate long, healthy, nourished hair growth. Leave on for an hour. Rinse with fresh water and shampoo. Repeat this process until your hair feels clean and product free. After shampooing you can use conditioner on the ends of your hair only. Rinse out thoroughly and style as normal.

If your locks are in a really bad way then use twice a week leaving the oil on overnight wrapped in a warm towel. 

Melado can also be used to tame fly-a-ways, frizz and split ends. After blow drying rub a tiny drop into the palms of your hands and smooth through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair

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When I got the jar, I was kinda indifferent as it appeared to be just another jar of oil. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. I massaged in into my scalp and roots as well as throughout the length of my hair, waited about 30 min (ain’t nobody got time for an hour – I don’t) and washed it out. I used conditioner on my ends only as directed and then two strand twisted as I usually do.

 

My hair was VERY soft, smelled great and when I did a twist-out the next day, the curls held for an entire week of workouts and daily living. I loved it. I tried it on Princess Cara’s hair next and she has the driest hair on the planet. Her hair absorbs moisture like nobodies business! It is unreal. After a treatment with the oil, Princess Cara’s hair was soft – that dry & brittle feel was gone…for about 2 days and then I had to reapply.

 

Would you like to give it a try? Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment on what products/system/tips you do for your hair to keep it look fierce.

 

If you would rather just go check it out for yourself, visit www.oldwivestail.com to place an order. Free Worldwide Delivery on Any Order.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

10/1/14

Frustrated, Fed up & Failing Forward Race Report: IM 70.3 Princeton

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That smile right there…yeah, it hides a whole lot of frustration, embarrassment and just plain “I should just give up & quit this shit” attitude.

 

I crossed that finish line sobbing, in pain and DEAD ASS LAST….FUGGING AGAIN!! I was just so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of (in my mind) failing, putting  in so much damn work and choking at game time, of letting all the people that support me/believe in me down. I felt like a big fat ass embarrassment to my friends/family and to the whole damn sport.

 

I was so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of watching all my tri-friends, MMTC friends, RipIt Teammates crush it and I just bring up the MFn rear with a cheer and a smile. FUG THAT!

 

I was so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of watching and hearing about people learning to swim and/or ride a bike and then in 9 month bust out a full IM and in 3 years I have a medical DNF and 2 barely finish at a 70.3. SON OF A BEYOTCH!!!

 

Why is this thing – triathlon – so damn hard for me? That type A, borderline OCD/perfectionist in me cried for 2 days, railing at the heavens, wanting to quit – and I have NEVER QUIT at ANYTHING – EVER! I have done well at pretty much everything I have put my mind to doing, so WHY, OH WHY, can’t I seem to put this triathlon thing together.

 

The FireMarshall did his best with giving me space to sob and wallow in my own misery and self-pity for a hot second, but forced me to not make any rash decisions (like sell my bike) until I talk to some people that I respect and have more “perspective” that I could possibly have while swimming in my own misery pool.

 

By Tuesday after the race, I got sufficiently sick and tired of reapplying my makeup every time I burst into the self-pity tears, that I contacted my soul sister, Ovetta, and she helped get me get out of that nasty pool I was swimming in. Funny thing…most of what she said, I already knew :

  • This journey is MY journey and no one else.
  • STOP looking at, comparing myself to other people. I don’t know their journey. Worry about me and mine – WORRY BOUT YOURSELF!!! YOU DRIVE!
  • Set some very specific BHAG’s (BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOALS). No more of those nebulous,non-specific goals like “Finish”.

She also told me I needed to share this story. I needed to be transparent AND accountable. I wasn’t even going to write anything. I was still embarrassed. Who would want to hear about the “Finisher” race report. What lessons about the race could I possible share that would be of any help. She said someone is always watching and someone is out there with similar struggles that needs to know that it ain’t always sunshine, roses and instant success. OH and BTW – define YOUR success. I set the “goal” of finishing and I did. Moving the goal in the middle of the race and then getting all caught up in my feelings is kinda ridiculous, huh.

 

At the end of my “coming to Jesus” talk with Ovetta, she said, “I knew when you called that you had had enough of the just finish attitude. Now you are ready and are going to be a force to reckon with.”

 

I then met up with my RipIt Coaches and they already had some suggestions for attacking 2015 and I laid out my goals. Together we outlined a game plan. So, what are my goals you ask – Here are the 3 MBO’s (Major Business Objectives)

 

  • Lose 40lbs – yep, its true. I’m waay over weight. It is a lot easier to haul a small bootie up and down hills on the bike and to have less strain & pain on these old lady knees, ankles and feet. No more wide load flags on the back of the bike.
  • Build Strength – I’m a weakling…but not for long. I have the endurance & cardiovascular strength to go on forever like that energizer bunny, but I don’t have the upper body strength or leg strength to sustain those efforts. The upper body and legs muscles just give out to quickly. I knew it at the Rebel Race pulling, climbing and what not on that obstacle course that I felt weak and didn’t have the strength to climb a damn rope…but I ignored it or was in denial. NOT AGAIN!
  •  7 1/2 hour 70.3 PERIOD. END OF CONVERSATION

Of course there are Swim/Bike/Run specific goals underlying the three MBO’s, but you get the idea. It is time to GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.

 

As for the race…

 

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I swam. It was uneventful. A lot slower that I had set for myself, but I got out of the water feeling good about it. There was the usual touching, grabbing, hitting that happens in every OWS race. I didn’t like the approx. 200m swim to the start AT ALL. I loved the wetsuit strippers.

 

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I biked. A beautiful, scenic course but the road conditions were HORRIBLE. They did mark the big ass potholes and hazards, but the numerous small holes in the pavement and then the resulting debris (bottles, CO2 cartridges, chain pieces) made the course rather scary (for me). I stopped counting at around 15 flats and crashes combined. As a result, I believe I choked on the course and reduced my speed as I didn’t want to deal with a flat or a crash. I let fear get the best of me.

 

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I ran. THAT DAMN FOOT! This time it wasn’t my neuroma that flared up. I found out later that I probably have a stress fracture in my heel and that was what the pain was from. GTFOOHWTBS. I have decided to let go of the Army 10miler and MCM to heal…Doing them and making the stress facture worse would not advance my goals. My feelings are hurt, but mission first.

 

As most of you know. I live my life out loud. I will be keeping you posted of my progress and I look forward to you guys keeping me accountable.

 

I AM RELENTLESS

I will let no setback, obstacle or challenge get in the way of achieving a noteworthy goal.

9/15/14

TriForce Family does Nation”s Triathlon Sprint Relay

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Momz and I did our 1st race together on Sept 7th at the Nation’s Triathlon. We did the Sprint Relay as the TriForce Family Team. It was my mother’s first race of any kind after picking up cycling just this past year.

 

Here is a little background…my mother retires about two years ago and one day last fall (rather fall of 2013) she up and says lets go bike shopping. Ummm…say what. We get the bike and then she goes all in and signs up for Spin90, joins a senior ride group, and asks for a trainer for Christmas so she can ride indoors. Seriously?! Cool. How about we do a race together, I say? She doesn’t object (except when I tried to make it an Olympic distance) and tells me that I have to put a training plan together for her. Ummm…okay, den. We train, we spin90 and even after some falls during outdoor spin90, I managed to get her back outside on no/low traffic roads as long as I was with her. She was RET TA GO!

 

A week before Nation’s she is getting the heebe geebees about how fast she is going to be able to go and how long it is going to take her, so I snatched her cadence, gps & milage meters off her bike and said, “JUST RIDE AND HAVE FUN”. She was going on and on about how she wouldn’t be able to put down more than 8 mph. HUMPH.

She crushed it with an average of 11mph and was cruising at 12.5mph for the 1st 12 miles until we ran out of a little steam heading out and back over the “bumpy” 14th street bridge stretch.

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SWIM – NO SWIM (cancelled due to sewage run off from storm the night before)

Nevertheless, everyone had to run into transition as if they were coming off the swim and either go to their bike in transition or meet their relay team member in the relay pen, trade off the timing chip, and then the cyclist goes into transition to get started.

 

So when my leg is ready to go, I ran as fast as I could into transition into the relay pen. Hand off the timing chip and momz was off…

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BIKE – By my momz account…she had a good ride. She was smiling every time I saw her and later told me that the hardest part was the last 4 miles across and back over the 14th street bridge. Those ramps and bumps got to her but she hung in there and brought it into transition with a smile and laughter. I’m still giddy with pride for my mother’s accomplishment. I hope she is too.

 

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RUN – C is for Cookie

I was so damn excited to see my mother come back into transition all happy and ish (prolly cause it was over) that I took off out of transition and made it my mission in life to run down (as much as I could to my ability) the last of the last of the pack. I caught and passed 6 even at my pace of 12:30/12:45. Pure joy and adrenaline carried me through to the finish line.

 

It was a great day to race with my momz.

 

 

I put this slide show together from the race. I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed ourselves.

8/14/14

DIVA REVIEW: ScoreBig–Save on Every Ticket. Every Day.

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I scored big and was given the opportunity to check out a site that, according to their press release, enables consumers to get great tickets for live sports, concert an theater events – at guaranteed savings of up to 60 %. ScoreBig.com customers get to pick their own price on seats from the floor to the rafters, always paying less than box office price, and never paying any fees.

Sounds good. Here are their quick facts:
  • You are guaranteed to save on each and every ticket on ScoreBig.com
  • Tickets for sports, concerts, theater, Broadway, family shows and attractions
  • No Fees – free delivery
  • Choose Your Seating Area – all seats ordered together will be next to each other
  • Tell us what you want to pay – you have all the control, it’s thrilling!
  • Get an instant answer- you find out right away if your offer has been accepted
Sound great. In the interest of full disclosure, I received a promo code for $100 off an event for tickets purchased through ScoreBig.com

Signing up is easy. No CC needed up front. Just setting up an account. You can actually look at the inventory before you sign up so stay cool. I did that first just to get a feel and then signed up.

Now, this is where it got dicey – FOR ME. If you are a sports fan, then by all means – you better jump in here to score big on some tickets. There were seats available for every Pre-season football game in the area as well as all the other sports. I didn’t look too deep because I have not much interest in sporting events unless it’s an Army Football game (BEAT NAVY SOMEDAY). I did notice that you can search tickets outside of your area as well. So, if you are traveling and want to get in an event or show, this is a great place to search for deals.

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Nevertheless, I wasn’t interested in sports, so I started searching for every concert, play, event going on in my geography (DMV) and was VERY DISAPPOINTED. There either wasn’t any availability or there was no more tickets available for any event of interest to me until 2015.

2015 people. Yeah. No.

I ended up doing a generic search of “Family Activities” in the only think at the time that came up was the 2015 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily: Legends Circus. Mmmm. Okay. Let’s see how many tickets I can get.
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So, I had $100 to play with. The box office price is $44.65.  Four star seating was already the front rows so I was happy there. You can choose your seating at other venues. I have to enter a bid. I picked 3 tickets at a bid of $32 and my “Success Potential” meter went just into the green. I hit bid. Sad boo boo kitty. It came back as a NO but with a yes IF I changed my bid to $37.50. Okay. I did and I was booked.

16% savings. Great seats. I paid no fee and the tickets were e-tickets that I just download. Princess Cara will have a great time IF I remember I have tickets to this in March 2015.

Would I use this on a regular to get tickets? Not really, unless I was looking to go to a sporting event which ScoreBig.com seems to have a plethora of tickets for. Plays, concerts and other events…not so much…and I don’t have the time to search and search. I might go and see if the event is listed and available, but if it ain’t there the first time I look then I’m moving on. Nobody got time for all that.

Bottom line…if you want to save big on sporting events, name your own price (through a bidding process – which, when you think about it – isn’t really naming your own price if your bid isn’t accepted. Just sayin’)  and pick your seats in advance, then ScoreBig is the place for you.

Check it out. May the bidding an savings be with you.
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8/1/14

Ocean City 1mile Open Water Swim

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This is the look of a woman that was so damn glad to GET OUT OF THE WATER!!!  On July 19th, I participated in the Ocean City Ocean Games 1 mile Open Water Swim…and the ocean was hostile that day. The waves – the surf – OMG! It was daunting. I sat on the beach at the start line just staring at the surf wondering first – how I was even going to get in the water and second – what da hell did I sign up for. I was surprisingly calm about the whole thing. I  just kept telling myself that I’ve been riding/diving waves in OC all my life so what makes this so different and if I can just get out to and around the first buoy, I can slog through the rest.

 

I dove in at the whistle and during my 1 mile journey, I learned the following:

  • I am one with the water. – The water isn’t trying to do anything to me so don’t fight the water. Go with it, ride the swells and just keep moving along.
  • How do you swim any distance in challenging conditions? 10 – 20 strokes at a time. When I stopped after turning the first buoy, I was like…THERE IS NO WAY. Then I yelled at myself to get out of my damn head and give me 20 strokes non-stop and reassess. 20 became 40 became 60---became 1/2 mile. When the water seemed to get more rough, I broke it down to 10 strokes at a time…and I was finally at the turn into shore buoy.
  • Find your rhythm, find your calm/peace. My rhythm was my 20 strokes – look up – adjust aim – 20 strokes. My calm/peace came with the first bullet – don’t fight, don’t flail and humming (yeah, I sing to keep the negative out). I had a wet suit on, I could see the shore, there were plenty of kayaks and jetski’s out there. I AM FINE!
  • JUST KEEP SWIMMING! – let no obstacle, setback or wave in your face get in the way of a noteworthy goal.

I came out of that water in 1:10. Slow as frozen molasses, but I DID THAT DAMN THING, without help, without panicking, with a smile on my face. I came out of that water KNOWING that I can swim in just about anything and can go the distance and more. That was the biggest confidence builder EVER!!

 

I put together a video slide show of the swim as photographed by The FireMarshall. He is the best Sherpa and Spectathlete on the PLANET! (Next to his trainer – Erin Steptoe, of course).

 

ENJOY & JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

7/20/14

Race Report: Maryland Olympic Duathlon

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This was the redemption tour of this race after last years debacle…if you missed it, read up on it here – Maryland Olympic Duathlon 2013 Race Report -

 

Last year was awful. I felt awful. I was still in pain from the foot injury, I was trying to train myself and it was just not coming together. AT ALL. I passed out at the end of last years race and knew, once I came to and was reassured I had crossed the finish line, I needed help.

 

I teamed up with RipIt Coaching and submitted myself to the rigors of a coaching plan from Danny & Suzy Serpico…and slowly but surely, under their tutelage, I have been making a comeback to the best me!

 

July 13th, 2014 was an EPIC day.

 

First, my BFF from since the beginning of time (40+years) and West Point Classmate who is like back in Oakland Mills Wrestling/Football Team shape (Mike Bennett), threw down the gauntlet and surprised me by signing up to do the race with me. WOW! It made this redemption race all the MO BETTA!

MikeLisaStart1RUN 2 MILES – 26:08 (+16 sec –bout the same as last year)

I took my time. My game plan was to take it easy, constant run, feel good and put it into the bike. I was happy with it.

 

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BIKE 26 MILES – 2:14:43

HOT DIGGITY DAMN. Almost 4 min off last years time. You better werk!!! I still need lots of work on hills and climbing but I am so psyched about this progress on a rather challenging course. Those hills are NO FRIGGIN JOKE!!

 

What was different? Spin90, hydration/nutrition and a TIGHT HEAD GAME. I was ready – mind and spirit – for that second look. Just get ‘er done…and I DID.

 

BTW – I renamed my bike…OATH KEEPER (if you are a Game of Thrones fan, you will get the reference). Keeping my oaths, one stroke, one spin, one step at a time.

 

RUN 4 MILES – 1:12:07 LisaRun

Even though it was HOT AS HELL and my legs still felt more like cement blocks than bricks, I knocked 4 MIN OFF OF LAST YEARS TIME!! GO FRIGGIN ME!!! All I wanted was to finish standing up this time and to feel good (pain free) and that is how it went down. Shawn from HardBodies came and got me for the last 2 miles and for a short period I lost it. I got in my head that I was disappointing him, that if I didn’t get it together I would be letting him AND Suzy down. I think he could see me falling apart. I don’t know/remember what he said but just as fast as I was crumbling, he had me calm again – just like that – and back focused. And there was the finish line…

 

VICTORIOUS! with a total of  –9 Min off of last years time. RIPPING IT!

 

As for Mike, He RIPPED IT and RIPPED it good for his first race. AWESOME SAUCE!

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UP next…The Ocean City Games 1 mile Open Water Swim – IN DA OCEAN! Stay Tuned.

7/14/14

Product Review: OOFOS Footwear - #FeelTheOO

 

OOFOS

I’ve seen products like these at just about every race expo I’ve been to and was very excited to get the opportunity to try a pair out. My feet are flat as a pancake and ache no matter what I do after every running race, thus I was sooooo ready to #FeelTheOO.

 

I have been wearing them for the past month and they have traveled near and far to every training workout and a few races…

        40 mile bike rebel race

            Post 40 mile Ride                         Post Rebel Race Obstacle Course

 

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               Post Maryland Olympic Duathlon – 2 mi Run/26mi Bike/4 mi Run

 

….and my feet feel FANTASTIC. I actually have let out the OOOOOHHHHAAAA! sigh after putting them on. Now, I will have to start planning on leaving a gear bag (which I never do) at races so I can have my OOFOS at the end of a race. Yesterday, after the Duathlon, I wore my OOFOS and a pair of compression sleeves over to a dinner at my friends house and by time I went to bed – not a ache to moan over. I’m sold.

 

SO…What is OOFOS Footwear?

- OOFOS footwear is powered by an innovative and proprietary OOfoam technology combined with a patented footbed design

- A unique combination of a proprietary foam compound and an innovative foot-bed design resulting in a glorious sensation that has to be felt to be believed

· 37% shock absorption than any other foam material currently being used in the footwear market.

· Each step OOFOAM disperses your body’s impact to the side of the shoe, rather than coming up back through your body.

· Allows the body to recover after athletic activity. Endurance athletes in particular benefit from the well-designed massaging footbed.

· Countless testimonials on our social media from people who have found relieve from plantar fasciitis and other foot pain thanks to wearing OOFOS.

Recovery Shoes not “flip-flops”

· OOFOS footwear are not sandals or flip-flops. They are shoes that integrate a revolutionary foam technology that makes yOO feel better!

· Flip Flops are a generic term for a style of shoe that are sold everywhere. In many instances some “flip flops” are not recommended by the medical community due to issues some consumers have come to develop with their feet. OOFOS footwear actually offers benefits to the consumer.

 

I’m sold! I love them and I believe you will too. And just for trying them out, I have a free shipping code for you. Visit http://store.oofos.com/ and enter code: CREWnorth to get your free shipping. I have the OOFOS OOriginal – Women's in Fuschia (of course). Get yours so you too can #FeelTheOO

 

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

6/29/14

Race Report–RipIt Events EC5K

Victory

                                                    NUFF SAID!!!

 

This is what exhilaration and victory look like. Victory over pain, victory over fear, doubt and uncertainty. PURE JOY. Did I complete the 5K in a pace to write home about? NOPE. However, there is victory in the small blessings…

  • I RAN the whole way, even uphill.
  • I RAN without pain. The foot is on the mend. FINALLY.
  • I was not DAL (dead ass last).
  • I finished feeling like I could have done the 10k.

The journey to IM70.3 Princeton is looking good. The plan is coming together and I’m gaining ground week by week. I do have “bad” days…like when you are in the lane with some kid from the swim team and they lap you doing the damn back stroke. BASTID. Or when someone 20 years your senior passes you on a hill climb on a gosh darn hybrid. SERIOUSLY?!! And EVERYBODY runs faster than me, so I’m at least over that.

 

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Truth of the matter is that I’m competing with only myself and I am whoppin’ her ass day by day.

 

Let’s RIP IT!!

6/26/14

Race Report: Team HardBody @ Rebel Race

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Team Hard Body Outdoor Fitness under the auspicious leadership of Shawn Chavalier gathered together a group of fitness crazies to tackle the 2014 Rebel Race. Erin and I, for grins and giggles joined the team and off we went.

 

I had a blast and I’m sure I can speak for the rest of the team. It was a 5k course full of ‘relatively’ easy obstacles, a bunch of trail running and a good amount of mud. I took it leisurely like on the course because all I could think about was the tongue lashing I would get from my coach, Suzy Serpico, if I injured myself…and while I attempted every obstacle, if I felt like I couldn’t make it or busting my azz was a certainty, then …well…I let it pass.

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This was a lot of fun – made even better with friends – but I would not do it again. My passion is Triathlon/Endurance Events and the obstacle course races require a different type of training and skill set that I don’t possess. I can use pure strength, determination and perseverance; however, that will get you only so far and brute force and will power will end up getting me hurt. I put too much money, time, effort, sweat & tears into training (suck it up, Princess) that ain’t nobody got time for a “self-inflicted” injury.

 

Thanks for the great time Hard Body Outdoor Fitness! I had a blast with all of you!

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6/3/14

Product Review: Cassani Fogless Shower Mirror

 

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

 

 

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Soooo…I was asked to try this product out and at first, I was like – “Cool, this should be interesting and fun.” However, after trying it out in my shower, I’m more “Ehh, that’s nice, but not practical in my house.”

 

It doesn’t fog up – ever – and I tried. Hard. It does have a cool hook to hang your razor on which I do use on a regular basis for my pits and legs…but here’s the challenge…

 

My husband is 6’3” tall and I’m 5’2” tall. Yeah. So where in da hell do you place the mirror for both of our maximal usage. Since I do not need to see my pits to shave them, I don’t shave my face in or out of the shower, and I don’t need to look in a mirror to shave my legs, I ended up placing it so that The FireMarshall cold use it. I can still kinda see myself if I stand back some, but who cares? I really wasn’t pressed about looking at my face in the shower  before so I wasn’t pressed now.

 

The FireMarshall didn’t care either. He doesn’t shave in the shower. Never has and didn’t start just because I put a mirror in there. I do look at myself as I’m washing and detangling my curls, but I was fine staring at the shower wall too.

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Bottom line…It never did fog up, thus you can always see yourself. It has a cute & convenient hook to hang your razor on. It works as described and is esthetically pleasing in a no frills kind of way. That’s it.

 

If your man shaves in the shower then by all means. If you have a desire to look at your pits as you shave, knock yourself out. Get one. If I hadn’t been asked to give it a try, I wouldn’t have purchased on my own as I have no purpose for it. It you do, then I can recommend that this mirror will do the trick.

 

And for those of you with your mind in the gutter (I thought about it too), it really isn’t big enough for the get down and dirty watch your own shower action thing. Just sayin’

 

 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

5/29/14

Race Report: Columbia Triathlon

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It has taken me a long time to even get this post started and up. I don’t know what to say about it besides….

 

IT WAS HARD AS FUGG and I FINISHED!

 

It had to be, for me, the absolute hardest race I have ever done. THE HILLS are nothing to laugh at. They were not rollers or little lumps…the hills were straight up CLIMBS that they even put a picture of a mountain on the course maps for the bike and run at every single hill. Mountains they were.

 

My motto has always been “I may be slow, I may even be last, but I will look good doing it.” I lived up to my motto that day with a glorious DEAD ASS LAST finish.

 

But here is what I KNOW…Compared to ME last year at my last OLY where the bike course had half the hills (and could be considered flat in comparison) and the run was absolutely flat with no hills and NO SHADE for that matter…

 

I DID OUTSTANDING!!!! GO ME!

 

The swim was cancelled due to heavy rain and the water not being good for humans. Just about everybody was pissed yet at the same time didn’t want to get amoebic dysentery or some form of mad cow flesh eating disease. Stuff happens – go with it.

10376336_10152436808389630_4903041132178954375_n  The morning of the race it was 45 degrees and NOBODY was mad anymore about getting into the water. AT ALL.

 

We staggered our run into transition to get our bikes by swim wave, 2 at a time and we were off.

 

BIKE – 2:07:22

I actually felt great on the bike. I incorporated everything I learned from my Spin90 Coach (John Hughes) and from my TriCoach – Pro Suzy Serpico. I kept my rpms at 85-90, MOSTLY – not so much on those hills. I felt slower that I wanted but I didn’t want to push a big gears and burn out. I attacked each hill, got to the top and pushed through. I was pretty pleased with myself. I did TriPhilly Oly in 1:58:03 with half the hills and I – GASP – unclipped on one loop.  Columbia was mad, crazy hilly hard. I RIPPED IT BABY!

 

One day I’ll be a bike machine maven – I’m going to let John have at me for some outdoor sessions and I’ll try and not cry – what does it matter though – sweat and tears look the same. (Knock,knock,knock---hey, Norm! Come on out and put me through my paces…I’m sure you will have my lip trembling in short order. LOL)

 

10390026_10203740502135362_6692669899162285454_nRUN – AKANyah-NyahBATAAN DEATH MARCH – 1:49:41

This picture is of me coming UP Gatrorade Hill on my way out to the skate park. Speaks volumes. I was done and was looking for someone with a fork to stick in me so it would just be over.

 

But then I saw my BFF Run Buddy Misty with her cowbell telling me to pick my head up, it will be okay and my Momz was at the water stop, handed me a cup and looked me in my eyes and I KNEW I could go on. She has a way of speaking volumes without saying a word.

 

I’ve been trained well. I can do the distance, but I just was NOT prepared for the hills on this run. It was just as disrespectful as the MC17.75 Course. When I got out into the neighborhood portion of the run (the back 3 miles), I was alone. I knew that to get back to my mother (who’s shift had BEEN over, but I knew she would wait for me) I had to get my mind game together. I started singing a song from the movie Santa Clause is Coming to Town:

 

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door

You never will get where you're going
If you never get up on your feet
Come on, there's a good tail wind blowing
A fast walking man is hard to beat

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door

 

OVER AND OVER – as this is the only part I know…and soon I was walking up Gatorade Hill for the last time. Princess Cara picked me up with about a 3/4 mile to go and kept running back an forth and Leslie brought me in the last .5 or so…and at the finish line was my husband, Shawn and Danny and a bunch of the RipIt crew.

 

IT WAS DONE!

 

I thought I had made no run progress from last year and the foot injury that (that is still nagging me, but I have an ortho and chiro on the job and hope of pain free running in my near future); however, last years TriPhilly Oly Run was FLAT as a pancake (albeit HOT as HADES) and I finished 1:41:51. In comparison, I was SPEEDY FRIGGIN GONZALEZ on the Columbia Course. RIPPED IT – AGAIN!

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I spent the afternoon in a drug induced coma – LITERALLY. I accidently packed a vicodin instead of a motrin (which look exactly the same except one is slightly smaller) at the end of the race. Once I woke up, I beat myself up over my “poor performance”, had a short pity party and then remembered…

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See you out there!