In August of 2010 I did my first sprint triathlon.
In 2011 I wanted to do the tri again, but it was a rough year and my bike never saw the light of day.
This year, I'm taking charge and signing up for the race again!
Today is May 4th, and the tri is August 4th, which means I have three solid months to train for a 1/2 mile swim, 14 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile run.
I. Can. Do. This.
Swimming and running are the easy parts. It's biking that gives me major butterflies. If on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being super easy and 10 being super hard, I'd rate swimming and running as a 2 or 3 and biking as a 7 or 8. It's not moving the pedals that's the hard part, it's being on the bike in general. I have control over my body when moving through the water or hitting the pavement, but when I have a machine to think about too? Which gear is which? What's that thing called? Changing a tire? I know as much about my bike as I know how to speak Japanese. This weekend, while most people in Louisville will be at Churchill Downs, I'm going to go to the bike shop for a tune up and also inquire about a beginner's class or a tutorial on learning how my bike works. Although I've been on my bike multiple times, I am definitely still a beginner.
The triathlon aside, I am determined to do a fair amount of racing this spring/summer/fall and get in great shape. What's my motivation? Where did it come from? There really isn't just one source: my dedication to the Kettle Bells classes and seeing my improved physique and strength is inspiring. Seeing people report running full marathons and half marathons on Facebook is inspiring. The Olympics happen this summer and those are inspiring. The list goes on. It doesn't really matter where your motivation comes from as long as you feel it and even better if you act on it!
I'm signed up for The Color Run at the end of July. I'm doing the Bourbon Chase again in September. I'm ready to throw in more races and just have a great summer working hard and being outside! Yesterday I got in the pool for the first time since February(?) and swam 50 lengths. It felt so great to be in the pool again and I'm looking forward to swimming more in these next three months.
Happy Derby weekend everyone!
Friday, May 4, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Run Hundred: Top 10 Workout Songs for May
It's time to update your playlist!
The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
Honor Society - Can't Box Me In
Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull - Dance Again
Neon Trees - Everybody Talks
Karmin - Brokenhearted
Swedish House Mafia - Greyhound
LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It (Mord Fustang Remix)
The Wanted - Glad You Came (Alex Gaudino Full Radio Vocal Remix)
Flo Rida & Sia - Wild Ones (Project 46 Remix)
Madonna, Nicki Minaj & LMFAO - Give Me All Your Luvin' (Party Rock Remix)
The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
Honor Society - Can't Box Me In
Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull - Dance Again
Neon Trees - Everybody Talks
Karmin - Brokenhearted
Swedish House Mafia - Greyhound
LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It (Mord Fustang Remix)
The Wanted - Glad You Came (Alex Gaudino Full Radio Vocal Remix)
Flo Rida & Sia - Wild Ones (Project 46 Remix)
Madonna, Nicki Minaj & LMFAO - Give Me All Your Luvin' (Party Rock Remix)
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Cram Time or Clean Time
I'm really busy right now. Not necessarily at this moment, but just in general. Work, studying for my professional designation class, weddings, other social engagements, etc. Class will be over next week, but in the meantime that is my focus. If you're not cramming for something, maybe you need to do some cleaning. I'm posting some tips via InStyle about cleaning house:
SAVE TIME IN THE KITCHEN
GRANITE COUNTERTOP: Linda Cobb, author of The Queen of Clean housekeeping books, raves about CLR Stone Cleaner ($6; shopclr.com). "It's amazing," she says. Instead of scrubbing granite down with soap and hot water to remove stuck-on grime, a simple spray and wipe with CLR will shine your counters in seconds.
OVEN: If your casserole runneth over while baking, sprinkle a generous amount of salt on the spill immediately, recommends Kadi Dulude, owner of Wizard of Homes, a New York cleaning service. "It minimizes the burning smell and makes it easier to wipe off once the oven cools down."
STAINLESS-STEEL SINK: It's a home-bar essential, but club soda will also shine up your stainless-steel sink in half the time of a powder cleanser, says cleaning pro Joey Green, author of Joey Green's Cleaning Magic. A club soda containing sodium bicarbonate, like Canada Dry, acts as a solvent and leaves behind no residue. Saturate a soft, clean cloth and wipe well.
SAVE TIME IN THE LIVING/DINING ROOM
BASEBOARDS: Woodwork and door frames can be difficult and time-consuming to swab. Enter the aptly named Baseboard Buddy ($19; baseboardbuddy.com). With a nylon pad that attaches to an adjustable handle, this smart tool lets you "stand up and fly through this tiresome job," says Cobb.
CHANDELIER OR CEILING FAN: Take your vacuum to new heights with the Vaccuflex ($15; vaccuflex.com), a set of four flexible tubes that attach directly to your machine. The added length allows you to really get at hard-to-reach ceiling fixtures, says Cobb.
LAMP SHADE: Forget hauling out the vacuum to remove dust from unpleated lamp shades. Just swipe a lint roller over the surface, says Julie Edelman, author of The Ultimate Accidental Housewife. Bonus tip: The roller is also great at plucking crumbs off countertops.
WINDOWS: The next time you wipe them down, finish up with a coat of Rain-X ($7; sears.com), says Green. It prevents dirt from adhering to glass -- and you from having to do windows as frequently.
SAVE TIME IN THE BATHROOM
BATHTUB: Give soap scum the slip by rubbing a thin layer of baby oil along the grime line on the sides of your tub. (Be careful not to spill any on the bottom, so that you don't slip.) "The oil prevents dirt from clinging to the surface," says Edelman. The upshot: no need for an arduous deep scrub later.
MILDEWY SHOWER CURTAIN: Don't waste time trying to wipe off the mildew by hand. Instead, launder the curtain or liner in your washing machine with hot water, a couple of old towels, detergent, and 1 cup white vinegar, says Cobb. As soon as the washer stops, gather up the curtain in a towel and rehang it immediately to remove wrinkles. "It's the abrasion from the towels in conjunction with the cleaners that really does the job."
SINKS AND FAUCETS: To minimize heavy-duty bathroom cleaning, stash a microfiber cloth ($12/6; reuseit.com) under the sink. Wet and wring out the cloth, then wipe down the sink and faucets -- no cleanser necessary. "It takes seconds, the bathroom always gleams, and your more in-depth cleaning later will be faster and easier," says Cobb.
SAVE TIME ON THE FLOORS
FLOORS: For mopping that's as easy as flipping a switch, invest in the Mint Plus ($299; shop.mintcleaner.com), says Edelman. The motorized mop uses GPS technology to navigate your room -- and it doubles as a broom when all you need is a dry sweep.
CARPET STAINS: Now you can skip a labor-intensive shampooing, thanks to Bissell Stomp 'n Go ($5; bissell.com), says Edelman. Unwrap the pad and step on it (wet side down) to release the cleaning agent. Let it sit for 30 minutes and watch stains disappear.
©InStyle
Or...I guess you could just hire a housekeeper.
I'll be back!
SAVE TIME IN THE KITCHEN
GRANITE COUNTERTOP: Linda Cobb, author of The Queen of Clean housekeeping books, raves about CLR Stone Cleaner ($6; shopclr.com). "It's amazing," she says. Instead of scrubbing granite down with soap and hot water to remove stuck-on grime, a simple spray and wipe with CLR will shine your counters in seconds.
OVEN: If your casserole runneth over while baking, sprinkle a generous amount of salt on the spill immediately, recommends Kadi Dulude, owner of Wizard of Homes, a New York cleaning service. "It minimizes the burning smell and makes it easier to wipe off once the oven cools down."
STAINLESS-STEEL SINK: It's a home-bar essential, but club soda will also shine up your stainless-steel sink in half the time of a powder cleanser, says cleaning pro Joey Green, author of Joey Green's Cleaning Magic. A club soda containing sodium bicarbonate, like Canada Dry, acts as a solvent and leaves behind no residue. Saturate a soft, clean cloth and wipe well.
SAVE TIME IN THE LIVING/DINING ROOM
BASEBOARDS: Woodwork and door frames can be difficult and time-consuming to swab. Enter the aptly named Baseboard Buddy ($19; baseboardbuddy.com). With a nylon pad that attaches to an adjustable handle, this smart tool lets you "stand up and fly through this tiresome job," says Cobb.
CHANDELIER OR CEILING FAN: Take your vacuum to new heights with the Vaccuflex ($15; vaccuflex.com), a set of four flexible tubes that attach directly to your machine. The added length allows you to really get at hard-to-reach ceiling fixtures, says Cobb.
LAMP SHADE: Forget hauling out the vacuum to remove dust from unpleated lamp shades. Just swipe a lint roller over the surface, says Julie Edelman, author of The Ultimate Accidental Housewife. Bonus tip: The roller is also great at plucking crumbs off countertops.
WINDOWS: The next time you wipe them down, finish up with a coat of Rain-X ($7; sears.com), says Green. It prevents dirt from adhering to glass -- and you from having to do windows as frequently.
SAVE TIME IN THE BATHROOM
BATHTUB: Give soap scum the slip by rubbing a thin layer of baby oil along the grime line on the sides of your tub. (Be careful not to spill any on the bottom, so that you don't slip.) "The oil prevents dirt from clinging to the surface," says Edelman. The upshot: no need for an arduous deep scrub later.
MILDEWY SHOWER CURTAIN: Don't waste time trying to wipe off the mildew by hand. Instead, launder the curtain or liner in your washing machine with hot water, a couple of old towels, detergent, and 1 cup white vinegar, says Cobb. As soon as the washer stops, gather up the curtain in a towel and rehang it immediately to remove wrinkles. "It's the abrasion from the towels in conjunction with the cleaners that really does the job."
SINKS AND FAUCETS: To minimize heavy-duty bathroom cleaning, stash a microfiber cloth ($12/6; reuseit.com) under the sink. Wet and wring out the cloth, then wipe down the sink and faucets -- no cleanser necessary. "It takes seconds, the bathroom always gleams, and your more in-depth cleaning later will be faster and easier," says Cobb.
SAVE TIME ON THE FLOORS
FLOORS: For mopping that's as easy as flipping a switch, invest in the Mint Plus ($299; shop.mintcleaner.com), says Edelman. The motorized mop uses GPS technology to navigate your room -- and it doubles as a broom when all you need is a dry sweep.
CARPET STAINS: Now you can skip a labor-intensive shampooing, thanks to Bissell Stomp 'n Go ($5; bissell.com), says Edelman. Unwrap the pad and step on it (wet side down) to release the cleaning agent. Let it sit for 30 minutes and watch stains disappear.
©InStyle
Or...I guess you could just hire a housekeeper.
I'll be back!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Think Cookie Butter
One thing that I love about the blogging world is that you hear about new foods to try all.the.time! Since I started my blog I feel like I eat a much bigger variety of foods in addition to eating more fruits and vegetables.
Bloggers love their bars. And I'm not talking about drinking. Clif bars, Larabars, Luna Bars, etc. are a staple in my diet. They are convenient and tasty, BUT they aren't exactly cheap. I "splurged" on a Think Thin bar (approx $1.50?) the other day to see if they were as good as people claimed them to be.
I thought it was gross. It tasted like a cheap protein bar that had been sitting in the clearance section at Wal-Mart next to a bucket of chalk since 1999. Really. The next time I eat a Think Thin bar it will be because someone is trying to torture me to reveal company secrets. They are Think Thin bars because once you eat it you'll never want to eat again. The peanut butter in these Think Thin bars is so bad that the inventor of PB has risen from the dead. You get the picture. Obviously, I wasn't impressed. Maybe the other flavors are better, but I won't be buying them anytime soon.
Speculoos Cookie Butter: A deliciously unusual spread reminiscent of gingerbread and made with crushed biscuits. It's like a dense nut butter. It's definitely not a health food and not to be consumed every day unless you want to be a Cookie Butterball, but it's a still a delicious treat. I mixed a spoonful into a protein shake and it was a nice addition. If you can't wait that long, you can always eat it straight from the jar. I haven't had any Cookie Butter this week and I consider that to be a small victory.
Did I ever mention giving up sweets for Lent? I unfortunately did not last the entire period, but I did last for 38 days. 38 days without cookies, candy, cake, pies, ice cream, etc. is a pretty damn long time and I'm proud. I am trying not to go hog wild since Lent ended as I don't want to get hooked on sugar again. A lot of people incorporate sweets into their daily diet like they would fruits or vegetables, but that is not my plan. Don't get me wrong, if I could eat Cookie Butter every day of my life with no consequences I definitely would.
Have a great weekend!
Bloggers love their bars. And I'm not talking about drinking. Clif bars, Larabars, Luna Bars, etc. are a staple in my diet. They are convenient and tasty, BUT they aren't exactly cheap. I "splurged" on a Think Thin bar (approx $1.50?) the other day to see if they were as good as people claimed them to be.
I thought it was gross. It tasted like a cheap protein bar that had been sitting in the clearance section at Wal-Mart next to a bucket of chalk since 1999. Really. The next time I eat a Think Thin bar it will be because someone is trying to torture me to reveal company secrets. They are Think Thin bars because once you eat it you'll never want to eat again. The peanut butter in these Think Thin bars is so bad that the inventor of PB has risen from the dead. You get the picture. Obviously, I wasn't impressed. Maybe the other flavors are better, but I won't be buying them anytime soon.
But this is good:
Holy moly is it good!
Speculoos Cookie Butter: A deliciously unusual spread reminiscent of gingerbread and made with crushed biscuits. It's like a dense nut butter. It's definitely not a health food and not to be consumed every day unless you want to be a Cookie Butterball, but it's a still a delicious treat. I mixed a spoonful into a protein shake and it was a nice addition. If you can't wait that long, you can always eat it straight from the jar. I haven't had any Cookie Butter this week and I consider that to be a small victory.
Did I ever mention giving up sweets for Lent? I unfortunately did not last the entire period, but I did last for 38 days. 38 days without cookies, candy, cake, pies, ice cream, etc. is a pretty damn long time and I'm proud. I am trying not to go hog wild since Lent ended as I don't want to get hooked on sugar again. A lot of people incorporate sweets into their daily diet like they would fruits or vegetables, but that is not my plan. Don't get me wrong, if I could eat Cookie Butter every day of my life with no consequences I definitely would.
Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The Problems With Social Media - Part II
So after I posted Part I last week, I received some feedback from friends. The overall consensus was that they liked what I wrote, but one friend stated that he thought it wasn't social media that was the problem, it was people in general.
His comment made me think and made me want to continue the discussion. What do you think? Are we inherently ridiculous and act like it on venues like Facebook and Twitter? Or are these venues bringing out the worst in us?
Let's go back to when society wasn't using computers or cell phones. I think that only encompasses the first 8-10 years of my life, so I had to turn to an older acquaintance to get their perspective. I asked this acquaintance about her impression of people's behavior in relation to social media compared to when she was younger and social media didn't exist. Her perspective was really interesting and here is a highlight:
- The wild behavior you see at parties, e.g. people running around naked, that isn't anything new. People have always done crazy things, but those crazy people aren't the "problem," it's those who decide to make it public. When this acquaintance was in high school, they had wild parties, but the behavior was contained. If someone ran around naked, the knowledge of that incident was most likely kept within the high school. But with social media, someone on the other side of the world can know about said incident in seconds.
Interesting - to think about the bystanders being the problem and not the people who are just doing their thing. But why do the bystanders do it? My acquaintance thinks it's because some feel that they always have to "one up" each other now. Who can post the craziest picture? Who can post the funniest status? The shy dude at the party now has the power to make himself look cool. That point begs the question: is Social Media an outlet primarily for wallflowers?
Think about people that you consider to be "cool." Think about people that you consider to be "popular." Are those the people that you see all over your Facebook feed every day? For my group of friends, the answer is more no than yes. I wish I could run some stats on my Facebook friends and their activity as I'd be interested to see the top 10 posters. On the other hand, I do have some friends who do seem to have it "all" that post regularly. Do their motives to post differ from those who might not have it all? Do they do it because they crave the admiration of their followers? Or is the appearance of having it all just a ruse? Now, think about people you know that never post on Facebook. What do you think about them? A quick scroll through my friends jogs some people into mind. I think these people don't post because they don't really care. They don't need others to know every single details of their life. They don't feel that they need to whine about stuff that will never disappear, like traffic. They value their privacy, and I really respect that. Overall, I think some people have a much greater sense of Social Media Responsibility and those are the people who keep their posting to a minimum.
So does the opinion of my acquaintance vary from mine? Not very much. In my previous post, I made all of us more or less equals and stated that Facebook and Social Media has made us whiny, critical, and needy. My acquaintance states more or less that some (but not all) people are depending on Facebook to feel important, or feel like they matter.
Where we do see eye to eye is that Facebook/Social Media is the enabler. It is the enabler in that it A. it makes us forego the privacy in our lives in exchange for some short-term ego boosts and B. it provides a façade of no consequences. While that streaker at the party was there in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and today, it is now that everyone knows about it. Is it the streaker's "no regrets" attitude that has rubbed off on people? Is it because we see pictures of them and hear about them that that's how we are inclined to act? You don't see pictures of people reading books or quietly chatting in a corner. Is it the content that is influencing others to go out and do the same? If people from the 1950s were exposed to Facebook where all they saw were girls wearing slutty outfits and people getting sloppily drunk, would they eventually go out and do the same? My inclination is yes.
So, do we have a chicken or egg problem here? Are we just crazy? Or is Facebook making us so? I am standing with my opinion that Facebook is the issue. Facebook has wharped our opinions of what matters in the present moment. It's not what the guy in the next town is doing, it's not what your aunt in a different state is doing, it is about what is going on in your surroundings right now. It's about what you can see in front of your face. It's about those people who are sitting at the same table. It's about true reality, not virtual reality.
"If you can't be with the one you love, honey/Love the one you're with." - Crosby Stills Nash
His comment made me think and made me want to continue the discussion. What do you think? Are we inherently ridiculous and act like it on venues like Facebook and Twitter? Or are these venues bringing out the worst in us?
Let's go back to when society wasn't using computers or cell phones. I think that only encompasses the first 8-10 years of my life, so I had to turn to an older acquaintance to get their perspective. I asked this acquaintance about her impression of people's behavior in relation to social media compared to when she was younger and social media didn't exist. Her perspective was really interesting and here is a highlight:
- The wild behavior you see at parties, e.g. people running around naked, that isn't anything new. People have always done crazy things, but those crazy people aren't the "problem," it's those who decide to make it public. When this acquaintance was in high school, they had wild parties, but the behavior was contained. If someone ran around naked, the knowledge of that incident was most likely kept within the high school. But with social media, someone on the other side of the world can know about said incident in seconds.
Interesting - to think about the bystanders being the problem and not the people who are just doing their thing. But why do the bystanders do it? My acquaintance thinks it's because some feel that they always have to "one up" each other now. Who can post the craziest picture? Who can post the funniest status? The shy dude at the party now has the power to make himself look cool. That point begs the question: is Social Media an outlet primarily for wallflowers?
Think about people that you consider to be "cool." Think about people that you consider to be "popular." Are those the people that you see all over your Facebook feed every day? For my group of friends, the answer is more no than yes. I wish I could run some stats on my Facebook friends and their activity as I'd be interested to see the top 10 posters. On the other hand, I do have some friends who do seem to have it "all" that post regularly. Do their motives to post differ from those who might not have it all? Do they do it because they crave the admiration of their followers? Or is the appearance of having it all just a ruse? Now, think about people you know that never post on Facebook. What do you think about them? A quick scroll through my friends jogs some people into mind. I think these people don't post because they don't really care. They don't need others to know every single details of their life. They don't feel that they need to whine about stuff that will never disappear, like traffic. They value their privacy, and I really respect that. Overall, I think some people have a much greater sense of Social Media Responsibility and those are the people who keep their posting to a minimum.
So does the opinion of my acquaintance vary from mine? Not very much. In my previous post, I made all of us more or less equals and stated that Facebook and Social Media has made us whiny, critical, and needy. My acquaintance states more or less that some (but not all) people are depending on Facebook to feel important, or feel like they matter.
Where we do see eye to eye is that Facebook/Social Media is the enabler. It is the enabler in that it A. it makes us forego the privacy in our lives in exchange for some short-term ego boosts and B. it provides a façade of no consequences. While that streaker at the party was there in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and today, it is now that everyone knows about it. Is it the streaker's "no regrets" attitude that has rubbed off on people? Is it because we see pictures of them and hear about them that that's how we are inclined to act? You don't see pictures of people reading books or quietly chatting in a corner. Is it the content that is influencing others to go out and do the same? If people from the 1950s were exposed to Facebook where all they saw were girls wearing slutty outfits and people getting sloppily drunk, would they eventually go out and do the same? My inclination is yes.
So, do we have a chicken or egg problem here? Are we just crazy? Or is Facebook making us so? I am standing with my opinion that Facebook is the issue. Facebook has wharped our opinions of what matters in the present moment. It's not what the guy in the next town is doing, it's not what your aunt in a different state is doing, it is about what is going on in your surroundings right now. It's about what you can see in front of your face. It's about those people who are sitting at the same table. It's about true reality, not virtual reality.
"If you can't be with the one you love, honey/Love the one you're with." - Crosby Stills Nash
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