Steve in a Speedo Interviewed Me

Steve in a Speedo Interviewed me and here are the questions and my answers. Enjoy!

Interview Questions:

1.) What's your best and your worst race experience? Explain.

Best experience was running the American River Half Marathon last year. I felt great--everyone was allowed to use IPODS so I listened to awesome music the whole time and I PR'd. Worst--there are two. My first half marathon ever, I took off too fast and at mile 5 my IT Band locked up so bad that I hobbled the remaining 7 or 8 miles and had to be off my feet for 2 months. The other worst one was my very first triathlon ever. I got in the lake and panicked--I basically had an anxiety attack and ended up dead last out of the water. It took me 45 minutes to swim half mile. It was humiliating.

2.) What was the race that got you "hooked?" Explain.

It was probably the crappy triathlon I detailed above--only because I realized that I needed to train in the water a lot more and after training I did another sprint tri two years later and finished the swim in 17 minutes--I cut my time in half! After doing that I realized I could do just about anything! In terms of running, I ran XC in high school and there was a local meet where the hill was crazy steep--we called it suicide hill. During the meet, I was upset about a boyfriend--prom issue and ended up sprinting up the hill passing everyone. It was kind of cool.

3.) If you could replace one leg of a triathlon (swim, bike, run) with ANYTHING else (canoe, 1/4 mile of monkey bars, off-road baja car race, pull-up challenge, etc), what part would you replace? Why? What would the new leg be? Why?

I would replace the swim with a girlscout cookie eating contest. I think it would make the bike and run portions VERY interesting because I don't think girls scout cookies settle down in the stomach very easily.

4.) If you could only wear one style of undies for 2 months, would it be thongs or granny-panties? Please explain.

I'd go commando cause it would just be easier than trying to pick between the two other choices.

5.) You're using a hammer and you accidently smash your thumb. What's your reaction? Silent rage? Deep grunt as you bite your tongue? "Golly-gee?" "Holy F***?"

I'd scream like a panther jumping from a tree onto a small animal.

Some Amgen Tour of CA pics

Made it to the TOC this weekend in Sacramento. I had a great time seeing all the cycling gods! First person I saw was Jens Voight. He is not nearly as tall as I thougth he would be.

Then as I walked away from the Saxo Bank Truck, Leipheimer, Horner and Armstrong rode/walked their bikes within inches of me trying to get out on the course !!!!

I waited at the astana truck for lance and company to come back. After about an hour of waiting Chris Horner showed up. I yelled, "Hey Chris" and he turned around and I snapped this picture.
Chris Horner


Then a few minutes later, Lance showed back up looking fit and trim--

Lance

I walked over to the OUCH truck and within 5 minutes a big escalade started down the street and inside was...tada! Floyd!!!

I was only able to get a pic of the back of his head though. He was smiling and he quickly hobbled/ran into the team truck. I milled around the team truck and saw Floyd's bike. I know it was his bike cause it had his name on it.

Floyd's Bike

This is one of the first pics I took.


I took a break for lunch and then came back around 2pm. I parked my big butt in front of the OUCH truck and waited with baited breath. Sure enough, within a few minutes, FLOYD came out and the crowd went wild asking for autographs, cheering and just being nuts!

Floyd

He got onto his trainer and hammered for awhile. He seemed kind of embarrased actually.

Floyd

At one point, he looked up and smiled at me. I melted. Of course, he was probably thinking, "I better play nice to the stalker-chick."


Anyway, after that we went a little ways away and started taking some pics as the guys went by during the timetrial.

Lance

Bobby Julich

He was in the same van as Jens I think.

Basso

Floyd

Yoga DVD Review

Last night I did Shiva Rea Creative Core Abs DVD.



The DVD was pretty tough. There are three sections to the DVD-- I did only the first 8 minute section. I have a few observations.

DVD has some weird background funky indian psychedelic music. If you are into that great. If not, then select the "instruction only" option.

A lot of the "fluid" poses are, well, not something I would ever want anyone else to see me do. I mean there are several poses with my legs straight up in the air split in half, and then toss them behind your head. It's fine if I am alone, but I know I could never do this workout with someone else in the room.

Shiva Rea is inspiring but also very intimidating. She has NO FAT on her belly. And for someone who was recently nicknamed muffin top it gives me hope. But also want to punch her.

Be sure to have a really good thick mat or carpet under you when you do this DVD. There is a lot of time spent on the knees (stop snickering) and on the back (ok now you can laugh) and if you are anything like me, your bones start aching after a couple of minutes.

All in all this DVD left my abs a nice kind of sore this morning. As I progress to the more difficult sections of the DVD, I'll let you know how it goes.

Citation Saturday; Swimmy Sunday

I'm brain dead but happy. I finished all citation revisions for my feces--I mean thesis saturday night. WHOOOO HOOO!!! I was able to locate some great forgotten citations from several old versions of my thesis and incorporated those. I am so relieved! Now just need to re-write a little and incorporate a couple of small details to smooth out the edges.

Then
I
AM
DONE!!

To celebrate, I went swimming sunday at the 24HOUR Fitness pool. Again, gross fat hairy pasty-pale, sweaty men were sitting on benches just watching us swim. I don't know if I should feel good that I have a great body (LOL) that someone wants to watch or if I should be creeped out.

I did the endurance swim #3 again. I still don't have paddles so I skipped the 600 yards of "pulling" but did the rest--1900 yards. The longest I have ever gone in my entire life. Ever. Ever.

It took about an hour total. I really focused on using my core to rotate through the water. WP watched me swim to give me some tips. She noticed one major flaw. I do not cup my hands! Seriously! For years I've been swimming without cupping my hands. No wonder I don't go anywhere. As soon as I corrected this, I started moving through the water a lot quicker. HURRAY! I feel like a real DOLT. How could I not be cupping my hands? They were just kind of open, flapping around as I pulled underwater. Something to practice from now on for sure!

I showered quickly after swim at the gym and then got home and showered again scrubbing my skin to get the chlorine smell off. It didn't work and I felt like I was awake all night because the chlorine smell kept waking me up. Is there a solution to this problem? The chlorine, besides smelling bad, is reaking havoc on my sensitive, dry skin. Do any of the "Chlorine Remover" shampoos/bodywashes work? Has anyone had any success with these?

Today is rest day--I will do a yoga DVD tonight.
Tuesday is run in the a.m. (4:30 a.m.)

That's it!

Silly sweaty laps

Went for a swim in the gross 24 hour pool last night. WP and I went at 8pm--much later than usual but family obligations and TOP CHEF kept me busy until then. We packed up and I drove us over. We both thought that since it was 8pm, that the pool would be empty.

WRONG!

It was fully of gross sweaty men sitting around. Let me elaborate, the men don't really swim. They just stand around or sit in the spa watching the women swim. When the men over heat or get all sweaty from sitting in the spa/sauna they jump into the pool to cool off. They don't care that there are people swimming laps. They don't care that their incessant gaze makes women uncomfortable. And at least on of them does not care that his political opinions are stupid and nobody wants to hear them.

WP and I swam for about 25 minutes. I have no idea how many laps, we just went back and forth. I tried to work on pushing my "buoy" down (chest) so my legs would float up and and not drag. One of the eccentric men from last years open water swim class was there and decided to try out two new wetsuits in the pool. He looked a little strange but we chitchatted for awhile anyway.

Another reason I don't think I can exercise that late is that I could not sleep last night. I had such a hard time falling asleep! It was almost midnight by the time I nodded off. That is just too late for old lady me.

Tonight is 5 mile run. I'm going to try to go faster than tuesday's run. Then saturday is long slow distance.

Oh--and I officially filed for graduation yesterday!! Whoo hoo! The grad coordinator said she will personally shake my hand as I cross the stage in cap and gown in May.

Hurray!

Funky Five Miler

Ran five miler around my neighborhood last night. It was hard, again up until the point I was about a mile from the house. Then I kicked it into high gear. It helped that "Slither" by Velvet Revolver popped onto my IPOD at the opportune moment.

47:03. That's 5 minutes slower than my 42:10 that I ran the same course last year. I suspect two things for the slower performance

1. I did not stop my IPOD whenever I stopped to stretch my calves, quads last night (twice). I think when I ran the 42minute time, I stopped my IPOD every time I had to stop and stretch.

2. When I ran the 42 minute time, I was in the thick of a prednisone induced rage. That makes me run fast and not care.

Any hoo-- Yesterday's time ends up at about 9:30 mile/hour. Not fast, not slow. I sprinted the last 400 yards--racing against my WP and beat her!!!! I can't believe it..She was ahead for about 300 yards and the last 100 I kicked it and passed her.

I'm pretty freakn sore today though. I'll drink a little Emergen-C today and hope to feel better. Have a 5 miler on Thurday and as a step back week, a 5 miler (long run) on Saturday.

Saddened Sunday

Trying not to freak out because I cannot find a citation that I need. Blah.

Ran 8 yesterday again--per the workout schedule. Last week I ran 8 in 1:17. This week it took me 1:29:58. What the hell? I felt awful during the run--lots of "trots" issues slowed me to a walk for large sections of my run. There was no TP in the porta-potties either. Yeah, get that graphic out of your mind now.

I looked extra cute though in my running skirt and bright blue top. The EC on the trail was amazing--it was a lovely 65 degrees so most male runners were sans shirt. Most of the time, that is a good thing--sometimes not.

It turns out that I missed my 60 mile mark for the month by 3 miles. Fk.

No workout today since I'm sitting in the library slowly plugging away. Most of the men in the library have started leaving and I guess it is because the superbowl will be starting in a couple of hours.

That's it. Oh, massive paycut announced friday afternoon (5pm) by the governator so my racing for the year is going to be curtailed. I just cannot afford to spend mucho dinero on race entries when my take home was cut so substantially. I shudder thinking about the local economy, afterall, most of sacramento is employed by governmental entities. So I think I am going to be highly selective in what I chose to race. American River Parkway half marathon is a sure thing. Other than that, I don't know. RugRat wanted open water swim lessons and a new wetsuit so those things may be on hold too. Have to wait and see. It sucks though. Maybe it will be a good lesson in frugality and priority setting. Hopefully.

Back to the Chicago manual of style and "New Era" (thesis title), and listening to Duran Duran's (Reach up for The) Sunrise.

Other songs on "study" playlist:

Hot N Cold
Step On
I Don't Want Your Love
Reach up for the Sunrise
Da Funk
In a Big Country
Suicide Blonde
Jump Around
MMMM Bop
Your Woman
Slither
Life is a highway
Infected
Breathe
Vibeology
Stupid Girls
Join in the Chant
Round&Round
Jump
Gold Digger
Too Funky
Come on Eileen
Barrel of a Gun
Let it Whip
Brimful of Asha
You Drive me Crazy
How do you want it
More Human than Human
The Edge of Heaven
SOS
Stronger
Opportunities
Good Vibrations
I kissed a girl
Stronger
Rhythm nation
It's No Good
Crazy in Love

PS --Happy Birthday Pops.