Elicit Substance

To Like or Not to Like

2012-01-30T16:03:00.000-05:00

I met some friends for breakfast over the weekend. Years ago we started out as co-workers so much of the conversation revolved around gossiping about people we used to work with. One friend was talking about how a co-worker, now in another department, kept sending her "Friend Requests" on Facebook. For those who don't know how this works (including one sitting at the table with us), you start on

New Ride

2012-01-27T17:52:00.000-05:00

I wish this post could be about an awesome new bike but alas, it's just about my latest auto. Given that I found myself needing a new car about 6 months before I was financially ready to take the plunge, I wound up plunking down a chunk of change for a used SUV. Meet my 2001 Nissan Pathfinder: :sigh: It seems that every time I try and get a picture, the weather just won't cooperate. Nice

Can I Get a Do-Over?

2012-01-08T18:28:00.000-05:00

It's been said that the Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I have to submit that the Express Lane to Hell is taking action on those good intentions. In effect, you're better off choosing an unpaved road in the first place - or staying at home. The year started off with me getting the flu, feeling those body aches that seemed to be a blueprint of what I was going to feel like when I'm 85

First Things First

2012-01-01T09:06:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!! Let me say, "Thank you!" to all who've supported me in 2011. Whether it was a supportive comment on this blog or their own, in a spin room, in a classroom, in an email or on FB or even just a kind thought or prayer tossed my way - you guys know who you are and I want to thank EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT. So - First thing that's new is the site re-design.

Game Changers

2011-11-26T15:29:00.000-05:00

Photo Courtesy Clarita I received news that I officially passed my personal fitness trainer certification exam (thank you, thank you,) and am now looking forward to adding an AFAA personal trainer certification to my arsenal in the near future. I've had several inquiries from people at the gym who have been asking when I become official because they need help with one thing or another and

Much Rejoicing

2011-11-20T13:01:00.000-05:00

I finished my personal fitness training classes! I don't know if I passed the test yet, but at least no one is going to be measuring my fat again any time soon ("and there was much rejoicing"). I just love Terry Gilliam. As there are many similarities to this certification, we were encouraged to take the AFAA exam as soon as possible (it's supposedly easier) but right now, my head is fogged

My Secret Weapon

2011-11-13T16:21:00.000-05:00

At some point, I got it into my head that the only time to get exercise was during my workout sessions. I thought if I was training, I was doing "enough." Trouble is, I lose weight when I workout but gain when I train for endurance events. Those modifications made to my cardiovascular system to build endurance change up my metabolism. When I work out without a specific goal, I'm more of a gym rat

Thoughts on Power

2011-11-04T15:35:00.000-04:00

It was an odd week to say the least. First, a freak snowstorm hit us. I should add that I HOPE this is an anomaly and not a portent of Autumns to come. Many in the area are still without power and while most have suffered discomfort, others have had tragedy strike home. My home lost power from early Sunday morning on through Monday morning. Luckily, even my birds made it through the chilly

It'll Be Just Like Starting Over

2011-10-24T16:17:00.000-04:00

A horrible thing has happened last Saturday. I found myself waking up at close to my regular Work Day alarm clock time. I'm not a morning person, so realizing I can't get back to sleep at 4:30 AM is disconcerting. Since I have a 6-hour commitment to the personal trainer cert class on Saturdays, I had no time to nap in the afternoon which is my usual schedule. Remembering my commitment to my

What I've Done and Where I've Been

2011-10-15T07:54:00.000-04:00

What a month. Last week, just when I thought that I could start training again in earnest, I received a letter from the landlord/management agency that they were going to upgrade the electrical outlets in our apartment on Monday, the 11th. Unlike most tenants, we have been here over 20 years. If you've ever lived somewhere longer than say, 5 years and had to move, you know how much stuff you can

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia

2011-10-06T12:37:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend, I started reading about Chia Seeds. They were popularized by the book, "Born to Run" which is, unfortunately, not about Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band but rather about the Tarahumara - a Native American tribe of people that live in the remote Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. They are noted for their ability to run 50 - 100 miles every day and (this is important) they

Met One Goal

2011-10-01T12:35:00.000-04:00

Guess what? My Piece O'Crap car finally passed inspection! Yes, it took 2.5 months of fighting with our local National Tire and Battery to get the parking brake to work... and they never did, but the SpeeDee Oil Change (where I got the sticker) fixed NTB's mistakes in one day. Conclusion, NTB can give you great tires, just stay away from them when it comes to brake work. Even the mechanic at

The Off-Season is On

2011-09-23T08:50:00.000-04:00

Now that my races are behind me for 2011, it's time to start the off-season training. Since I still don't have a car, I can't meet up with other cyclists so that leaves me with swimming, weight-training and running. I decided to kick off the weekend with... a cold. That meant I wasn't getting in the pool - no way, no how. So it's been a good week to get that run thing going. My running goal is

Moving Along

2011-09-17T15:09:00.000-04:00

As I sit here today, waiting for my piece o'crap car to get fixed ( for weeks now, my husband has been battling National Tire and Battery about my car), I thought I'd write an update on what's been going on and what my next goals are. My Car Although it's safe to drive, it still isn't legal. Because of this, I missed my last triathlon of the season simply because I'm not taking my car out

Archer City

2011-09-08T22:14:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed from my pictures of Holliday, Texas, there really isn't much to look at in the area. As such, you have to look at the details to find inspiration for your next adventure. 110 Degrees is Uninspiring Found Inspiration on Main Street That red arrow isn't pointing to a street sign. It's actually a mileage sign to the next town. The next town is Archer City, 20 miles away.

Hotter 'n Hell Hundred Report

2011-09-04T12:06:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Texas A drought-ridden area. An announced optional start one hour early to beat the heat. 84 degrees at 4:30 AM. Sweat running down my back while standing next to my bike in the dark at 6:00 AM. This could be... not good. It wasn't. The Lead-in I guess it really starts with the extra time it took my LBS to pack my bike. That extra day and a half backed up the shipping arrival. While

Almost a Long Ride

2011-08-14T17:40:00.000-04:00

Yesterday (Saturday,) I was trying to go for my final long ride before I pack up and head to Texas. I was really hoping to hit 80 - 90 miles to boost my confidence. I told my husband that anything less than 65 miles would be a disappointment to me. Everything was going well until about mile 62 when I was trying to unclip at a rest stop to take a quick break. The quick break turned into a long

New Tires

2011-08-06T11:25:00.000-04:00

Three weeks ago, I rode over a piece of metal and found myself with a half-inch gash on my front tire. I put a piece of friction tape on the inside and managed to continue logging the miles but knew I'd have to replace them before the Hotter 'n Hell 100. The tires were starting to fray and I knew that replacing them before the ride was inevitable anyway, but I was sort of hoping to hit the

Mistake Fixed

2011-07-25T14:42:00.000-04:00

I didn't know wetsuits could do that. After a successful one-on-one with my swim coach, treading water while in a wetsuit is no longer an issue for me. She showed me how to pull myself upright and just hang out in the deep stuff. Easy. I wish I had spent the money on a wetsuit years ago. Regarding One Little Mistake, where I described why treading water was something I sorely needed to learn, I

One Little Mistake

2011-07-22T13:25:00.000-04:00

When I was at work Thursday morning, my friend/swim coach came in to get ready for her classes and the following conversation transpired: Me: I think I figured out this morning what my problem has been through all of these triathlons. Her: What? Me: I suck at treading water. Her: You do? Me: I realized that I panic when I have to tread because I can't. Her: You shouldn't have a problem with

Eau de Plateau

2011-07-18T17:27:00.000-04:00

After a less than stellar week, I jumped on what MapMyTri.com calls a "Category 5" climb to work some hill repeats on Saturday morning. They rate any climb "over 500 meters and with an average grade of 3%" with Category 5 being the easiest. I have to think that this is a flawed measurement though because the so-called Cat 5 that I was climbing had a listed average grade of 2.4%. The other flaw

Week of Meh

2011-07-16T12:56:00.000-04:00

While this past week should have been a week to ramp up my mileage, I instead wound up dealing with new issues pertaining to my Piece O'Crap car. The car actually failed it's yearly state inspection and I was off to deal with a parking brake repair. For those outside of Massachusetts, if your car fails, you have 60 days to make repairs and get it re-inspected before they revoke your registration

Almost Hot Out There

2011-07-07T07:26:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's high 90 degree weather was an opportunity for a ride in the heat that I just couldn't pass up since I know that's about as cool as the day will get during the Hotter 'n Hell 100. I wound up lasting only 50 miles so I'm seriously disappointed but at the same time, I have to admit that when I get out after work, I'm usually just fighting to stay awake and I usually fail. I've never

Nature Calls

2011-07-05T17:30:00.000-04:00

In spite of missing my long ride last Sunday, I did manage to eek out 150 miles last week. These rides haven't been without incident. You'd think a bike path would be a nice, easy trip, but now that the temperatures have heated up, Mother Nature has been throwing new sliders into the mix and because the path sometimes winds through protected areas, the number of people-critter encounters has

Happy 4th!

2011-07-04T21:22:00.000-04:00

It's getting late here but I wanted to just say that I hope everyone had a fabulous and safe 4th of July and to say, "Thank You!" to all of those servicemen and women who have always been there for us and to thank all of the families who endure the sacrifice right along with them. A special note for a gentleman I had the privilege of working for 10 years ago. His oldest son died in a helicopter