wassup, mama?

dear michelle,

first of all, congratulations on two, wait no ... THREE back-to-back-to-back incredible races. you really are amazing. second of all, keep going with the pictures of moana. she's a real cutie and is starting to give pippa whitfield a real run for her money!

so, we haven't chatted in a while, well ... ever, really. but technicalities aside i thought i ought to catch you up on my goings on over the past month and a half.

well, there was the tour of california. that was GREAT to see. check out thor and the labrador .
we stood at the top of the hill and screamed our lungs out. of course basso pulled out of the race that morning. HArumph.

then there was the post-valentime's store front window dancing on the very busy third st. promenade. huh? you really have to see it to believe it. j. has been incredibly stressed out by work and seeing him standing out on the sidewalk apoplectic with laughter made it all worth it! i've never been above making a fool of myself for someone else's delight.





moving away from my self inflicted public humiliation ... let's talk about running. i had the most fantastic run a couple of weeks ago. 2 hours with a few miles at "race pace" thrown in and then at the end multiple hard hill repeats. i felt phenomenal. strong. i even called my coach up and yahoooodled on her voicemail, first time i've ever done that! here's my hill of strength.



a couple of weekends ago we went to pennsylvania for j.'s cousin's, son's bar mitzvah. it was a whirlwind of never before met family members, travel, swim, run, travel. we had a nice afternoon in philadelphia before we took off. we wanted to take j.'s nieces to the please touch museum (which looks SO cool), but it was closed so we went to the franklin institute science museum instead. still some very cool, interactive exhibits for the kids.

i've done a few more epic rides like this. trying to build up more strength for napa. now i think i need to work on handling some short bursts uphill. it's one thing to get into a rhythm and climb, climb, climb (yeeaaaa!!), it's another to race up a short steep one and not have it take the piss out of you, ya know?

the other thing of note is, of course, the new season of "dancing with the stars". this may be the biggest reason for my lack of posting. keeping up with that show and each week's slew of celebrity injuries is like another part time job, on top of my already full time job, part time training job and moonlighting as "laundry-doer" extraordinaire. don't even get me started on steve wozniak and why he's still on!


you know about my recent diet changes. no wheat, no dairy, no soy. no fun! it's high maintenance to say the least. i spend more time figuring out what i'm going to eat, when i'm going to eat it, preparing it and packing it all up for the day than i do actually eating it!

i am also trying to drop some weight that i've gained over the past year and a half. so far in the first week, i've gained a pound. DOH! seriously, there is so much damn food on my meals plans i'm not very hungry. and believe me, i am ALWAYS hungry.

there are a couple yummies of note: "food should taste good" chips (especially the sweet potato ones), and so delicious coconut milk ice cream (i've only had the coconut flavor). throw some fresh strawberries and a little chocolate sauce if you're feeling really feisty and watch out! who needs dairy!?!? man, maybe it ain't the amount of food on the meal plan ... huh?

this weekend i'm going to head down to san diego to don my spectathlete hat (dang, forgot to ask liz if i could borrow hers). i'm so exicited to hang out with a bunch of tri chick bloggers. i'll finally get to meet jen and beth (and their husbands) and i'll get to see marit and lisa roo again. courtenay, rachel, charisa and a whole slew of awesome women will be out there with the others, tearin' it up. i can't wait to see it. i sure wish you were going to be there.

oh and i should also mention a couple of products i've come across recently. first is a recommendation. no, i have NO affiliation to these folks in ANY way. yesterday on my long (and oh so miserably painful brick) i used "hawaiian island creations" sunblock (irony here is that it's made in hermosa beach, ca).

apparently you can put it on your face, your forehead even and it won't run in your eyes when you sweat. as someone who routinely walks around during the summer with sunburn marks where the holes in her helmet are, i thought this was nifty. i tried it yesterday and holy smokes, it works!! i was sweatin' like a pig in the chophouse and never felt anything in my eyes. love. it.

second is, i'm searching for the perfect one piece to race in. i loved my desoto forza, but it turned on me this past weekend and left seam sores in places even i'm too shy to mention. i'm going to try out this zoot and see how it suits me.


funny how it looks so plain to me. sponsorship logos sure would snazz it up. what's that about? i don't think it's just because pros wear sponsor logos and i've been programmed to think that's what looks cool, but who knows!

oh and finally, a fraidycat update. he's as great as ever. livin' the high life stuffing himself into a cat bed two sizes too small and surrounding himself with all his favorite meece.


okay, i think that'll due for now, it's time to switch the wash to the dryer.

talk soon!

^..^