tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39041759481537458072024-03-05T18:53:33.259-05:00MissFit_Islandmy triathlon adventuresMissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-29691999551598168642011-06-07T08:27:00.004-04:002011-06-07T08:42:50.619-04:00My First Masters Swim ClassLast night I went to my very first masters swim practice. It was AWESOME. Although I have improved so much over the last several months with my lessons, my instructor thought I would benefit from joining a masters swim group. I'm am still a beginner on many levels but doing this could move me to an intermediate skill level.<br /><br />I am driving about 40 miles to get there either before work, after work or on Saturdays. There may be a masters swim closer but I really wanted to be coached by Leah Nyikes at www.liquidlifestyles.com because she is the one giving me lessons and knows my skill level and what I am capable of pushing myself to do.<br /><br />Doing something like this can be intimidating but Leah made everyone at every skill level feel comfortable. I cannot wait to see how the summer progresses.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-47840989884087394732011-06-02T09:09:00.002-04:002011-06-02T09:13:31.429-04:00A Triathlon Topic Not Often Discussed (aka: The best manicure I ever had!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWvOYQ_86JzX6_t7sCW9wz0wfqoTPtTxaXzif-nC01tN0UqfPHpEwYHgtiDRlmQ2h3oE0_0uipvgpKul9NAewP7OqZsvhHP0hX8Aj4AaC1zQbyKbjpK3GrL3wgx2YIUZ3l0Xf4dxjCB8/s1600/nails.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWvOYQ_86JzX6_t7sCW9wz0wfqoTPtTxaXzif-nC01tN0UqfPHpEwYHgtiDRlmQ2h3oE0_0uipvgpKul9NAewP7OqZsvhHP0hX8Aj4AaC1zQbyKbjpK3GrL3wgx2YIUZ3l0Xf4dxjCB8/s400/nails.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613609239756214194" /></a><br />I wanted to discuss a much ignored topic in triathlons. I’m a bit of a princess - even when it comes to triathlon. I don’t mean that I’m high maintenance – I’m not. I just mean that I like things to look a certain way. Maybe I’m more anal retentive. THAT’S IT – I’m an anal retentive princess triathlete. For example, I like my tri shoes to match my bike. Last year, when I was buying my bike shoes, I purchased and returned three different pairs of shoes before I was satisfied by the fit and shade of blue that matched my bike and tri suit on the fourth pair. I think the guys at Performance Bike were ready to kill me by the time I finally settled on the right pair.<br /><br />On that note, I also like to have my fingernails painted. I have always had nice nails and would give myself manicures weekly (see – I’m not high maintenance- self manicures – too cheap to pay salon prices). Not so, since I’ve been training for triathlons the last three years. Every time I’d paint my nails, it would chip off the first time I went swimming. That made my nails look terrible. I felt it was better to not paint them at all than to have them looking all chipped up.<br /><br />Skip ahead to March 2011. I was at my son’s end of basketball season pizza party. I noticed the nails of one of the moms. We got to talking and she told me about this new fingernail polish called ‘Shellac.’ She said it lasted for 14-21 days without chipping, cracking or losing its shine. I said no way. I’m too hard on my nails because I swim so much. She said she was a nurse and went swimming 2-3 times a week too. I looked closer at her nails and they were perfect. She was on day 7 of her manicure. I still didn’t believe her but looked it up on the internet. Sure enough, that was the claim of every testimony I read. I had to have my nails looking like hers. So I did something I never do (or at least not done in 20 years) - I got a manicure at a salon. My husband rolled his eyes and said – here we go! I explained I had to see how it was done if I wanted to do it myself. I guess the fingernail polish is cured with a UV lamp but is easily removed with acetone polish remover – WITH NO DAMAGE TO YOUR NAIL!<br /><br />I typically swim 3-4 days a week and after 21 days the manicure still looked perfect. There was only a bit of growth. That is the only reason I switched colors. After that I invested in my own personal UV lamp and the special Shellac nail polish and have been giving myself Shellac manicures ever since. My investment has already paid for itself.<br /><br />I realize this is not at the top of most triathletes list of important stuff, but for me it is. I stare at my nails for a long time on the bike. I like them to look pretty and shiny. The attached picture is <strong>20 full days </strong>after I gave myself this manicure. Still looks awesome.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-38796443669062008822011-05-22T19:58:00.006-04:002011-05-22T21:11:39.554-04:00What I have been doing since Wednesday...My mom and dad's house was a century home and the original Powell Dairy farmhouse with beautiful old construction and 5 huge bedrooms. It was a total loss. The only thing they managed to save before the fire was the push mower and my mom's car. Thankfully, both were outside at the time of the fire. Hours after the fire, my friend Missy, her husband Alan and I managed to get most of the pictures and slides out of the house. Alan is a local fire fighter and he went into the house while we sorted through the stuff loading up our vehicles. He also found some of my mom's jewelry. They lost their cell phones, ID's, wallets, purses, credit cards, cash... The local American Red Cross has been amazingly helpful providing guidance and assistance and we are thankful for theirs and everyone's help.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=99711"><span style="font-family:arial;">www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=99711</span></a><br /><br />The following day, my husband Lou, brother Peter and friend Alan helped do most of the heavy lifting - salvaging as much from the house as possible. There was not much left. My friend Missy and I spent most of the afternoon removing wet pictures from photo albums we found later.<br /><br />I have worked as a fire protection engineer in the industrial and commercial property insurance industry my entire 22 year career and it is as if I have been preparing for this moment the entire time. I have been able to assist my parents with their home owners policy and the claims adjusters. They have been in such a daze that most of it just went over their heads. It is a bunch of jibbirish under normal circumstances. It is 1000 times worse under duress.<br /><br />Now comes the rebuilding - getting ID's replaced, temporary housing, credit cards replaced, utilities shut off, newspaper and mail delivery revised, new vehicle for my dad, permanent housing plans... Very overwhelming.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-69329976050292577802011-03-15T08:20:00.002-04:002011-03-15T08:46:57.241-04:00ProgressI read this on Facebook the other day. It cracked me up:<br /><br />If the opposite of pro is con, then what must be the opposite of progress?<br /><br />Anyway, this will be short. So I finally timed myself swimming 100 yards. I did it several times during my workout to be sure I was accurate. I was not swimming with all out exertion. I was giving an effort close to what I would give for a 1.2 mile swim during a race. <br /><br />Little bit of background: As we all know I’m fairly slow but I can get it done. I’ve been working all winter improving my stroke technique and nothing else regarding swimming. Although improved speed is a benefit of improved technique, my main goal was technique.<br /><br />A little more background: This is my information that is in the books. Granted, open water swimming is different from doing laps but you will get an idea of my progress.<br /><br />My first triathlon in 2009: Average 4:23/100 yds<br />Sprint tri in July 2010: Average 3:06/100 yds<br />Olympic tri in August 2010: Average 2:59/100 yds<br />Rev3 Half Iron tri in Sept 2010: 3:29/100 yds<br /><br />That last one resulted in a 1.2 mile swim of 1hr 7 min.<br /><br />Drum roll please:<br /><br />I was swimming between a <strong>2:07/100 yds and a 2:09/100 yds </strong>the entire workout (1500 yds yesterday). That is nearly 1 minute off my average – for 100 yards. What does that translate to? As long as I can maintain that pace – and I plan to – My swim for 1.2 miles would be around 43 minutes.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-75233164477984676652011-03-11T12:58:00.003-05:002011-03-11T13:04:13.403-05:00The ABC's of Me<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcOK6wE98FvzPr_iDJ1Po6_rNCleqViAZLCMEsYn36fHHivcYobYq0lVBh2pDf01xj1-qCLNfbN4_jWFtGUTGowwYcPqYjnrT43aA-GIZL6YLXAGLJM9YQdcr76Mu0NaCyHaQ4m-aHY0/s1600/DSCN0221.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcOK6wE98FvzPr_iDJ1Po6_rNCleqViAZLCMEsYn36fHHivcYobYq0lVBh2pDf01xj1-qCLNfbN4_jWFtGUTGowwYcPqYjnrT43aA-GIZL6YLXAGLJM9YQdcr76Mu0NaCyHaQ4m-aHY0/s400/DSCN0221.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582884162253676018" /></a><br />I guess I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I figured why not.<br /><br />A~Age: 44 in June<br /><br />B~ Bed Size: King – I’m a sprawler<br /><br />C~Chore you hate: Yes<br /><br />D~Dogs: Disclaimer: These are the express opinions of this writer and is not meant to insult anyone. Please take the following statement for which it was intended - humor. This writer is not a fan of dogs. Thank you for your support. OK now that that is said. I say – Dogs. I love dogs. They taste like chicken.<br /><br />E~Essential Start your Day Item: Hard boiled egg. Oatmeal. Hot tea. I do not like coffee. <br /><br />F~Favorite Color: Blue, but I like pink too. As the only female in my household, I wear pink to remind myself that I’m a girl.<br /><br />G~Gold or Silver: Definitely gold. The more the merrier.<br /><br />H~Height: 5 ft. 8 in. and I’m the short one in my family.<br /><br />I~Instruments you play: None. I used to take piano lesson in the 3rd and 4th grade. I can still play ‘All the girls in France do the Hoochi Coochi Dance’ song. Now that is talent I’m telling ya.<br /><br />J~Job Title: Senior Loss Prevention Consultant. I guess this means I qualify for discount coffee at McDonalds. If only I liked it<br /><br />K~Kids: Two boys, 13 and 10<br /><br />L~Live: Cleveland, Ohio area<br /><br />M~Mom’s Name: Emily, or MOE as some of her mail says. OK – now say each individual letter M—O—E and you will know what I mean. A telemarketer with bad hearing heard her wrong.<br /><br />N~Nicknames: None. I guess I’m not a nick namey type person. <br /><br />O~Overnight Hospital Stays: When I had my kids, and when those kids were in the hospital.<br /><br />P~Pet Peeve: People who pronounce nuclear – NEW-CUE-LER. It is NEW-CLE-ER<br /><br />Q~Quote from a Movie: "Its so fluffy" Despicable Me <br /><br />R~Right or Left Handed: Right, but I’m left eyed. Makes it hard to shoot a rifle – and a camera for that matter.<br /><br />S~Siblings: Two brothers (see favorite color and why I wear pink)<br /><br />T~Time you wake up: 6am <br /><br />U~Underwear: Neeeeeext<br /><br />V~Vegetable you Dislike: Brussel Sprouts<br /><br />W~What Makes You Late: My children – what else.<br /><br />X~X-rays You’ve had Done: mostly just teeth at the dentist<br /><br />Y~Yummy Food you Make: Cookies and cakes. I’m a great baker. I made my brother’s wedding cake (see above. It tasted even better than it looked. At Christmas time I routinely make 40-50 dozen cookies. They are all fabulous. I give most away as gifts.<br /><br />Z~Zoo Animal Favorite: Giraffe – they seem so elegant and peaceful.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-25617991808248198692011-03-10T12:28:00.002-05:002011-03-10T12:33:49.040-05:00Swimming lesson update<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhFWSx1AmPGNRcwdRRJ9R-krSTse0_X1oZQNg9jfq_Fx2nuKJvGF6fkZOUQ3y6NDhpjrDovgrSB093w0JDBz1vCIFCWfTMAw9KFmF04mju8W1cmGmRVg27MJGitQVxxA9s9lPlGPb9T0/s1600/algae+pool.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 260px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhFWSx1AmPGNRcwdRRJ9R-krSTse0_X1oZQNg9jfq_Fx2nuKJvGF6fkZOUQ3y6NDhpjrDovgrSB093w0JDBz1vCIFCWfTMAw9KFmF04mju8W1cmGmRVg27MJGitQVxxA9s9lPlGPb9T0/s400/algae+pool.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582505604013279634" /></a><br />So I’ve been taking swimming lessons the last couple of months. Let me tell you – I’m a different person (swimmer). My swim coach is Leah Nyikes at www.liquidlifestyles.com. She is awesome and I have learned so much from her it is unbelievable. I still haven’t timed myself but I can tell I’m getting faster – just from sheer efficiency. I know this because I have usually been the fastest swimmer at the pool in the last month. That was typically not the case in the past. I will time myself soon and post it here when I do.<br /><br />My biggest problem lately has been finding a pool to work out. I have access to 4 (yes 4) pools within my scope of travel. Granted, one is the Lakewood YMCA, where I take my lessons – it is slightly out of my normal drive pattern (20 miles) – but I have to go where the lessons are! That pool is spectacular. It is new and has dedicated lanes for lap swimming and is maintained at about 86-87 degrees. I like it like that. However, going there more than once a week is not practical. The other three are much closer. However, I am having recurring problems:<br /><br />1. Bally’s Beachwood – 0.1 miles from my office and the one I swim in nearly every weekday at lunch. It has been hovering around 72-73 degrees. The idiots at the front desk keep telling me it is at 82 degrees and no one else has been complaining. Yeah right. That’s because there is no one else in the pool but me.<br /><br />2. Bally’s Willoughby – 3 miles from my house and on my direct route to work. As an alternative to freezing to death, I started going here either before or after work. Its not ideal because its more crowded, but oh well. Anyway I get there one day and the water is green. It was so green I couldn’t see the bottom of the pool. So yes – I’m saying I went swimming in it anyway. At least it was warm. I held my mouth close so tight I got a cramp in my jaw. I also showered so long afterwards washing everything 2-3 times I determined it wasn’t worth it.<br /><br />3. YMCA Willoughby – 2.5 miles from my house. It was warm – fantastic. It was crystal clear – wonderful. It had 7-8 people doing circle swimming per lane. There are only 2 lanes for circle swimming. Crap! It was my only choice. This has been the best alternative to being a popsicle or an algae parade. It also only has lap swim form 5-7am; 11-12am; and 9-10pm. The rest of the time the pool is used for classes. Gee those times are almost convenient.<br /><br />So what would your choice be: big commute, freezing, green or overcrowded?MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-54411804956657334692011-03-08T16:51:00.006-05:002011-03-08T16:59:03.989-05:00Yea Florida!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2YW8VDN0m5Qtp1sGf5vMN7PdlCAcQQDYVZPZe47X_Ted40CVDPv0vOZY2dNQXnLmb8-60crC3vku58fY94A1r6e3b15U2zdVgTyxr2u6qWQH4W1u6k1fqAPGcIuHTlHTJ3V9LZ37jEQ/s1600/DSCN3245.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2YW8VDN0m5Qtp1sGf5vMN7PdlCAcQQDYVZPZe47X_Ted40CVDPv0vOZY2dNQXnLmb8-60crC3vku58fY94A1r6e3b15U2zdVgTyxr2u6qWQH4W1u6k1fqAPGcIuHTlHTJ3V9LZ37jEQ/s200/DSCN3245.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581830654402302322" /></a><br />Yeah, I know, its been a while. My only excuse is I was out of town on vacation for a week and I was inundated with work when I got back. Sometimes vacation is no vacation. The good news is I went to Orlando with my family (my parents have a condo in Orlando) and got to escape the horrible weather in Ohio for 8 glorious days. It was a little chilly in FL - but when I say chilly – I mean upper 60’s and lower 70’s. We went to the both the Disney parks and Universal Studios. Everyone was most excited to see the ‘Wizarding World of Harry Potter.’ It is everything it advertises and more. I’m not even a Harry Potter fan and it was amazing. We rode ‘Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.” For those of you that have been there before it is kinda like Spiderman. Yes - the picture above shows a 10 minute wait for the ride. Incredible - I know.<br /><br />I am seriously prone to motion sickness and that ride kinda did me in but it was worth it. I just have a question for BDD – do I qualify for a pukie if I ran the fastest mile of my life toting a 25 lb. backpack with water and snacks – to beat the line at this ride - only to toss my cookies after it was done? I think I should because it was truly a sprint to beat out everyone to get to that line. Anyway - just saying.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xg6pG8boL3hao7XHZdA_5uK-e0aa96OawxGkVPDtIDxz2bELLLQfzMimc2urhUQJZW_O7ZS4gaRatEIJpkQBgLv0Qaq_u8LTs7OhkNRt4HnF9uUZqVpyrnje1OXvuCdI9tFJe24GS3I/s1600/DSCN3259.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xg6pG8boL3hao7XHZdA_5uK-e0aa96OawxGkVPDtIDxz2bELLLQfzMimc2urhUQJZW_O7ZS4gaRatEIJpkQBgLv0Qaq_u8LTs7OhkNRt4HnF9uUZqVpyrnje1OXvuCdI9tFJe24GS3I/s200/DSCN3259.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581831054198951026" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdPvLOIDXtQEWe5SNhF1ees4LbLEciEmJ0bzWz0nT6qq6unGHa_VEnu1LU65EAIjX5mFYLfQcs2afk6kFefIjbRH_Zw_4_BUiEdm-d5XK_yqvh7_Z1cOEnJCf5lqH3y_VqD4Xx44B4GE/s1600/DSCN3274.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdPvLOIDXtQEWe5SNhF1ees4LbLEciEmJ0bzWz0nT6qq6unGHa_VEnu1LU65EAIjX5mFYLfQcs2afk6kFefIjbRH_Zw_4_BUiEdm-d5XK_yqvh7_Z1cOEnJCf5lqH3y_VqD4Xx44B4GE/s200/DSCN3274.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581831499469935250" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydCwldoOlGIr_hwkWBU7gy7ovueMdhSP9iiPqq98VxrYQ2RrUOineU0hEtXnkktUf6ZuQGGDs7zAf5_MzaSFUiZomc1Y93BTT0-VYS01soJAmNKbBDVr1pIM7ypZ7tgPIt44fRA8MsM0/s1600/DSCN3295.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydCwldoOlGIr_hwkWBU7gy7ovueMdhSP9iiPqq98VxrYQ2RrUOineU0hEtXnkktUf6ZuQGGDs7zAf5_MzaSFUiZomc1Y93BTT0-VYS01soJAmNKbBDVr1pIM7ypZ7tgPIt44fRA8MsM0/s200/DSCN3295.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581831734954092002" /></a>MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-51767183515714474012011-02-04T11:56:00.003-05:002011-02-04T12:00:06.306-05:00Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Zi1T5TTiUUSX4pczwf-w-dvBXF-W_hZk2epKOkqBQX5LcapMiVGShKH-wajiz6r8ULZ4wXhnxYlvAR9fblzd7BlEexI4f08QhY0abCwBTMEMeit1bEw5T05cRwwVVmJEgIzbvhtbi5U/s1600/Terrible+towel+2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Zi1T5TTiUUSX4pczwf-w-dvBXF-W_hZk2epKOkqBQX5LcapMiVGShKH-wajiz6r8ULZ4wXhnxYlvAR9fblzd7BlEexI4f08QhY0abCwBTMEMeit1bEw5T05cRwwVVmJEgIzbvhtbi5U/s400/Terrible+towel+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569879990888993618" /></a><br />I grew up 30 miles from beautiful downtown Pittsburgh and all I know is the Steelers. As a little girl I knew the starting line up of every Steelers team for years. The Super Bowl and winning is all I knew growing up. Now that I live in Cleveland, OH, for the most part I keep my love of the Steelers under wraps. I have one shirt, one sweatshirt and jibbits on my crocs, but that is it. I will not be doing anything beneficial to my triathlon training between 6pm and 10 pm this Sunday evening.<br /><br />The following is an interesting article I read in the Cleveland Plain Dealer last weekend:<br /><br /><strong>There are XLV reasons to be interested in the Steelers-Packers Super Bowl</strong>Published: Saturday, January 29, 2011<br />By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer <br /><br />Keith Srakocic / Associated Press<br /><br />Green Bay still calls itself "Titletown, U.S.A.", but it's the Steelers who have more Lombardi trophies than any other NFL team.<br /><br /><br />CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Super Bowl XLV, featuring bedrock NFL franchises Green Bay and Pittsburgh, is being touted as one of the sport's greatest championship matchups. What a way to kick off a work stoppage.<br /><br />The game will be played next Sunday in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Because of temporary seating and standing room areas, the game is expected to break the Super Bowl attendance record of 103,985.<br /><br />Analysts are predicting the game will also attract a record viewing audience and top the 153.4 million total viewers of last year's game, which was the most watched television event in history.<br /><br />To get a jump on the game, here are 45 interesting tidbits about Super Bowl XLV.<br /><br /><strong>History</strong><br /><br />1. The Super Bowl trophy is named after Vince Lombardi, who became a legend as coach of the Packers from 1959-67 and died in 1970. The team that has won the most Lombardi trophies is the Steelers (six).<br /><br />2. The Packers won nine NFL championship titles before the Super Bowl was born for the 1966 season, then they won the first two AFL-NFL World Championship Games before it was renamed the Super Bowl. They have three Super Bowl titles overall.<br /><br />3. The Steelers are 6-1 in seven Super Bowl appearances. The Packers are 3-1.<br /><br />4. The Steelers' 33 postseason wins are tied with Dallas for first in history. The Packers' 28 are third. Green Bay's .636 win percentage in postseason games (28-16) ranks No. 1 in the league. Pittsburgh's .623 (33-20) is second.<br /><br />5. As the NFC's No. 6 playoff seed, Green Bay defeated the top three seeds on the road -- Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia -- to get here. The last team to win the Super Bowl after winning three playoff games on the road was Pittsburgh in 2005.<br /><br />6. The Packers and Steelers have co-existed 78 years. (The Steelers were the Pirates until 1940). This is their first meeting in a postseason game.<br /><br />7. The Packers have 21 players and coaches in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Steelers have 18, including current defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and chairman emeritus Dan Rooney, the current U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.<br /><br /><br />8. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger can join elite company if he wins his third Super Bowl. Only Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Tom Brady and Troy Aikman have at least three Super Bowl wins in their careers. Brady, who is still active, is the only one not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.<br /><br />9. Roethlisberger's 10-2 (.833) record as a starting quarterback in the postseason ranks second in history to former Packers QB Bart Starr (.900, 9-1).<br /><br />10. Roethlisberger wears No. 7 and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers wears No. 12. The last time opposing QBs in a Super Bowl wore those numbers was in the 1999 game when Denver's John Elway (7) opposed Atlanta's Chris Chandler (12).<br /><br />11. Packers fullback John Kuhn earned a Super Bowl ring on the Pittsburgh practice squad after the 2005 season. He could become the 48th player to win a Super Bowl with more than one team.<br /><br />12. Steelers linebacker James Harrison was the NFL defensive player of the year for 2008, the last time the Steelers went to the Super Bowl. Packers cornerback Charles Woodson was the NFL defensive player of the year for 2009. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews III is a leading candidate for the award this year.<br /><br />13. Matthews is the son of former Browns linebacker Clay Matthews and is the third generation of his family to play in the NFL. Grandpa Clay, 83, was a defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s.<br /><br />14. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has celebrated shoulder-length hair that earned him a lucrative marketing deal with Head & Shoulders shampoo. Matthews has shoulder-length hair and earned a lucrative deal with Suave shampoo.<br /><br />15. The Packers have nine players who played for Mid-American Conference schools. The Steelers have six.<br /><br />16. Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham was on the Browns' roster for one month in spring of 2010. One day at an organized team activity practice, he missed three field goals in a row.<br /><br /><strong>Coaches</strong><br /><br />17. Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin, 38, is the youngest coach to take his team to a Super Bowl twice. He won at age 36. The next-youngest winning coach was Jon Gruden, 39.<br /><br />18. Green Bay's Mike McCarthy is a native of the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh.<br /><br />19. McCarthy was 38-26 in his first four seasons as Packers coach and reached the Super Bowl in his fifth season. Former Packers coach Mike Holmgren was 38-26 in his first four seasons and reached the Super Bowl in his fifth season. McCarthy is 4-2 in postseason games. Holmgren was 6-3 prior to his first Super Bowl.<br /><br />20. Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers held the same job with the Steelers from 1992-94.<br /><br />21. Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene played with the Steelers from 1993-95.<br /><br />22. Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements is from McKees Rocks, Pa., and coached with the Steelers from 2001-03.<br /><br />23. Packers secondary-safeties coach Darren Perry played for the Steelers from 1992-98 and coached for them 2003-06.<br /><br />24. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau coached defensive backs for the Packers from 1976-79.<br /><br />25. Steelers assistant coaches Bruce Arians, John Mitchell and Keith Butler formerly coached with the Browns.<br /><br />26. Steelers quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner is the son of former Browns cornerback Ross Fichtner and was born in Cleveland.<br /><br />27. Steelers defensive end Nick Eason is making his second Super Bowl appearance since leaving the Browns following the 2006 season.<br /><br /><strong>Teams</strong><br /><br />28. The Steelers ranked first in fewest points and fewest touchdowns allowed. The Packers ranked second.<br /><br />29. Both teams play the 3-4 defensive system, making it the first Super Bowl to match two 3-4 defenses.<br /><br />30. The Packers led the NFL in holding opposing quarterbacks to a composite passer rating of 67.2. The Steelers were second at 73.1.<br /><br />31. The Steelers and Ravens tied for the league lead by yielding five rushing touchdowns. The Packers were next with six.<br /><br />32. The Steelers were first in sacks with 48. The Packers were second with 47.<br /><br />33. The Packers led the league with 91 projected games missed by injured starters. The Steelers were third with 51 games lost.<br /><br />34. The Packers did not lose a game by more than four points and never trailed by more than seven points all season.<br /><br />35. The last time the teams met was on Dec. 20, 2009, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers won, 37-36, as the teams combined for 1,011 total yards.<br /><br />36. The Packers had six players selected to the Pro Bowl. The Steelers had four. Neither team's quarterback was selected.<br /><br />37. The Steelers were 4-2 against common opponents. The Packers were 3-3. Both teams lost to the New England Patriots. The Browns beat the Patriots.<br /><br />38. The Steelers have 15 players on their Super Bowl roster 30 years old or more. The Packers have eight. The Browns had 19 last year.<br /><br />39. The Packers' NFC championship season began with a 27-24 loss to the Browns in the first exhibition game.<br /><br /><strong>Miscellaneous</strong><br /><br />40. The Terrible Towel, created by former Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope, made its debut at a playoff game in 1975. Since 1997, the Terrible Towel has been made by McArthur Towel and Sports based in Madison, Wisc. The company is rushing to produce a batch of Titletown Towels to honor the hometown Packers.<br /><br />41. Packers fans wear Cheesehead hats, which were first made in 1987 by Foamation, Inc., of St. Francis, Wisc.<br /><br />42. The Packers are the only community-owned franchise in American professional sports with more than 112,000 shareholders. Subsequent to their existence, the NFL passed ownership rules that prohibit more than 32 owners of a club and mandate at least one hold at least 30 percent ownership.<br /><br />43. The Packers are designated the home team and will wear their green jerseys. The Steelers will wear white jerseys, just as they did when they won the Super Bowl title following the 2005 and 2008 seasons.<br /><br />44. With a population of 101,412, Green Bay is the smallest city with a major professional sports franchise. There will be more people in Cowboys Stadium for the Super Bowl.<br /><br />45. Ticket prices for Green Bay's first appearance in Super Bowl I were $12, $10 and $6. Ticket prices for this year's game are $1,200, $900, $800, $600, $350 and $200.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-17443538498519483722011-01-14T12:19:00.007-05:002011-01-14T12:28:30.081-05:00Real Swimming Lessons<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygxbxvxg98UcZltvhyphenhyphenQLxHRNUnx0jjxKiBRRM8gEuVvbeiYhx_gZZjTjJNmzbPd5kusQGlxhKCB3z0tuXQOe1noFlrw-pFkz-2PZRV8C8hzWGkC0Mx_E49L4q6ARZUdlBKpTrWqNKmC8/s1600/swim+lessons.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 192px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygxbxvxg98UcZltvhyphenhyphenQLxHRNUnx0jjxKiBRRM8gEuVvbeiYhx_gZZjTjJNmzbPd5kusQGlxhKCB3z0tuXQOe1noFlrw-pFkz-2PZRV8C8hzWGkC0Mx_E49L4q6ARZUdlBKpTrWqNKmC8/s400/swim+lessons.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562092764784699330" /></a><br />OK. So I’ve been taking swimming lessons. Real swimming lessons. I just was not getting what I needed from videos on YouTube :-) Holy cow - what a difference. Clearly my form was awful. I wasn't keeping my head down, the timing on my arms were completely off, I wasn't rotating my hips as much as I should, the timing on my breathing was off.... About the only thing I am doing right is bilateral breathing. I learned to do the 2-beat kick yesterday. Yikes-that was way harder than I thought. I gotta practice that - a lot! I was getting the hang of it by the end of the lesson but the first time I tried it I'm sure I looked hilarious. However, I am getting better. My stroke count started at 19-20 stokes/25yds and is now down to 16 consistently and I feel less tired because I'm doing less work.<br /><br />I like the class so much. It is what I have needed for a long time. I almost feel as if I wasted last year swimming the wrong way. I guess if I can make the swimming cutoff with the wrong technique then I can only improve my time with an improved technique – right?<br /><br />Also because I want to win a Garmin 310XT, I’m mentioning the following blog:<br /><br />www.dcrainmaker.com<br /><br />Go there if you want to register to win too.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-68931732059083904012011-01-04T09:18:00.004-05:002011-01-04T09:35:56.189-05:00Absolutely Epic 1974 Letter From Cleveland Browns to a FanI saw this in the local newspaper yesterday and thought it was hilarious. I doubt many letters like this are sent out nowadays.<br /><br />In November of 1974, a Browns fan and season ticket holder sent a letter to the team regarding a concern of his. <br /><br />The Cleveland Browns (specifically, their general counsel) sent back an absolutely epic response. <br /><br />Here are their two letters:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwR9Dl8tAIg4BDofPc-p5Bbm7MOE5AHca3I8eRmXV_p4wSKwHEjr3Go4OGfRf3Bjg42l7ijI2ptFNnMakNM34LwDpwdjxiKkCMMNF1G5ZIYQdvhK8UVZqB5hXRliKv375ptrzJN95Nr8g/s1600/1293036840-picture_755.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 392px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwR9Dl8tAIg4BDofPc-p5Bbm7MOE5AHca3I8eRmXV_p4wSKwHEjr3Go4OGfRf3Bjg42l7ijI2ptFNnMakNM34LwDpwdjxiKkCMMNF1G5ZIYQdvhK8UVZqB5hXRliKv375ptrzJN95Nr8g/s400/1293036840-picture_755.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558337693311988738" /></a><br /><br /><br />If that's not clear, here's the transcribed text:<br /><br />Gentlemen: <br /><br />I am one of your season ticket holders who attends or tries to attend every game. It appears one of the pastimes of several fans has become the sailing of paper airplanes generally made out of the game program. As you know, there is the risk of serious eye injury and perhaps an ear injury as a result of such airplanes. I am sure that this has been called to your attention and that several of your ushers and policemen witnessed the same.<br /><br />Please be advised that since you are in a position to control or terminate such action on the part of fans, I will hold you responsible for any injury sustained by any person in my party attending one of your sporting events. It is hoped that this disrespectful and possibly dangerous activity will be terminated.<br /><br />Very truly yours,<br />Roetzel & Andress<br />By Dale O. Cox<br /><br />And here's the Browns response:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdr_snvDZ2YsjkYjaPqcfTf5q-6e0nsuzIUvUITkNSAeJqPQAOoS-4WKa-envgHpIvPkZ6br3DybCTCihobq29jL8k3qKukvfdHSZQGMeErPjsi18qX3UvC4RS8bA2AtzZOILW_E2m4U/s1600/1293036449-picture_754.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 382px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdr_snvDZ2YsjkYjaPqcfTf5q-6e0nsuzIUvUITkNSAeJqPQAOoS-4WKa-envgHpIvPkZ6br3DybCTCihobq29jL8k3qKukvfdHSZQGMeErPjsi18qX3UvC4RS8bA2AtzZOILW_E2m4U/s400/1293036449-picture_754.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558337997867187394" /></a><br /><br />The transcribes response:<br /><br />Dear Mr Cox:<br /><br />Attached is a letter that we received on November 19, 1974. I feel that you should be aware that some asshole is signing your name to stupid letters.<br /><br />Very Truely Yours,<br />Cleveland Stadium Corp.<br />James N. Bailey<br />General Counsel<br /><br />cc: Arthur B. ModellMissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-35937877154416999902010-12-30T09:36:00.003-05:002010-12-30T09:46:47.516-05:00Something FunnyThey say humor is based on truth. Sadly, I am familiar with everything listed below.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLK8s7_G4fM9cUnkZO5vjSGFGBFFtMAtXzFrTR-zD5NUzjKQmBo0DB5nMM2z7rzJmJgV8ju_nQypEiezG9Fk-DedlS-F5BeuAzJJ59LqGth6qtOta1fPbGrf3qjct_sV4OBcmtKfjAaQ/s1600/Cleveland.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLK8s7_G4fM9cUnkZO5vjSGFGBFFtMAtXzFrTR-zD5NUzjKQmBo0DB5nMM2z7rzJmJgV8ju_nQypEiezG9Fk-DedlS-F5BeuAzJJ59LqGth6qtOta1fPbGrf3qjct_sV4OBcmtKfjAaQ/s400/Cleveland.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556486584380251954" /></a><br /><br /><br />This is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Cleveland: <br /><br />If your Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there,you live in Cleveland. <br /> <br />If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time,you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in Cleveland. <br /> <br />If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of I-90 for the weekend,you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you measure distance in hours, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in Cleveland.<br /> <br />If you find 10 degrees "a little chilly", you live in Cleveland.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-44202019751729028072010-12-28T13:59:00.001-05:002010-12-28T14:02:34.104-05:00A Look Back and a Look AheadGiven that all the networks and cable channels are rolling out their countdown lists and ‘year in review’ shows, now seems like a good time to knock out my ‘year in review/year ahead’ post. <br /><br />2010: The Year In Review<br /><br />I started the year off with serious pain in my neck. I discovered I don’t like taking medicine that just masks the pain. I’d rather solve the problem. My search led me from my medical doctor to the physical therapist to my final solution – the chiropractor. Dr. Christian is awesome and without her I don’t think I could have made it to the beginning of any triathlon let alone the end.<br /><br />I worked on swimming most during my training because I did not learn to swim until I was 40 and my greatest fear was not making the cutoff of the Rev3 half iron triathlon. I felt it would be the best investment of my time. I learned to breathe bilaterally and got rid of my goofy frog leg kick and replaced it with the more efficient flutter kick. The payoff: I made the cutoff time in every triathlon I did. <br /><br />I learned how to use clipless pedals. However this did not come easily or without the spilling of blood. This was probably the hardest thing I had to learn because it seemed so unnatural at first. I realized the pedals that came with my bike were not well suited for me so I bought new ones – Look Keo pedals. After that – smooth sailing. (well mostly)<br /><br />I learned that training steadily and harder will yield results. I shaved almost half an hour off my finish time of the Pirate Triathlon from 2009 to 2010. It thrilled me to no end.<br /><br />I learned that I can set what seems like an impossible goal and by having just a few people believe in you I can achieve that goal. I’ve said it a million times – my athletic skills are less than average. But I never let a silly thing like that get in my way. I still improved the skills that I have by training diligently. I did what I set out to do: I finished the REV3 half iron distance triathlon. Not only that – I did not finish last. Wow. I could not believe that one.<br /><br />I discovered a support network both locally and virtually. That network runs much deeper and wider than I could ever have imagined. Thank you to everyone who helped me.<br /><br />2011: A Look Ahead<br /><br />What do you do once you’ve achieved your goals? Make new ones of course. I’ve outlined a few goals for next year and I’m sharing them with you, as always, to help hold myself accountable.<br /><br />1) Take swimming lessons and improve my form. I’m assuming that simple act will shave time off my swim.<br /><br />2) Do more hill training on my bike. My training course was pretty flat but many races I did in 2010 had some challenging hills. Question: How does one get better climbing hills on a bike? Answer: Do more hill training. DUH – ya think?<br /><br />3) Focus more on running. I did not do that in 2010. Mostly because if I didn’t make it past the swim – I would not be running. Now that my mind is in the right place about swimming (meaning I now know I can do it in the allotted time) I can spend more time improving my running. My husband’s analogy – it is like a golfer who spends all his time practicing driving and chipping and no time putting. It does not make for a well rounded athlete.<br /><br />4) I’m sort of afraid to put this one out there – mostly because I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to do this one again – but here goes: Improve my time at the Rev3 half iron triathlon. Whew.<br /><br />So get ready for another year of triathlon hijinks. Enjoy and Happy New Year!MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-9285682357628337522010-12-21T09:24:00.000-05:002010-12-21T09:25:25.063-05:00Triathlon wish list to SantaI’m now officially signed up for the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon in June. I’ve also signed up for the Cleveland Half Marathon in May. But other than that, I’m still at a loss as to what I will be doing next season. This wreaks havoc on my training – especially this time of year when all I’ve been doing lately is baking cookies.<br /><br />One thing I do plan on doing is taking swimming lessons. I know I’ve been saying that since last year – but honestly I did try last year but it never worked out. Every time I set something up with someone, they cancelled on me. Bummer. I’m sure once my technique improves, I will be able to knock some time off my swim. <br /><br />Now that I’m on vacation, I can spend a little extra time at the gym when I’m there to swim. I’m hoping to add two days a week of strength training. I’m sure that will help everything – all around. Good news is I just renewed my Bally’s membership for $99/year for 3 years. Awesome. I knew my mad negotiating skills would come in handy!<br /><br />My triathlon wish list to Santa:<br /><br />1. swimming lessons<br />2. Sportcount lap counter – since I can only count to 4 when I swim<br />3. A cheap rear tire for my bike so I can ride on the trainer and not ruin an expensive tire<br /><br />That is about it. I pretty much have everything else I need or want.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-85509276912584579292010-12-17T13:34:00.003-05:002010-12-17T13:39:53.781-05:00Been Too Busy...I know, I know – it is not an excuse but I have been slammed at work for the last 7 weeks or so. In my tiny little world of insurance, January 1st is the busiest day of the year, so I have to have all my surveys and reports done by then. I’ve been working like a mad woman to get it done. I’m glad to say I’ve made it. After today, I’m on vacation for the rest of the year. Woo Hoo!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJv_EBpL5WJpB7wYq76ZhCSY_o5TRDiL2BL80IFUWF3LjtE5VjOanuhx5Hsevel0wunKZiZ5pNCKY8_mHNsvo5D8aky6W10w3u-dXsQR9W2ckg5QtmQh28V8NWVHCAzbnsxccafb8DPw/s1600/scan0003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJv_EBpL5WJpB7wYq76ZhCSY_o5TRDiL2BL80IFUWF3LjtE5VjOanuhx5Hsevel0wunKZiZ5pNCKY8_mHNsvo5D8aky6W10w3u-dXsQR9W2ckg5QtmQh28V8NWVHCAzbnsxccafb8DPw/s400/scan0003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551721973962772882" /></a><br /><br />Anyway, I have a few race reports to write. They will be short – I think. On Thanksgiving Day, my son Sam and I did the Turkey Trot in Erie, PA. This is my third one and his second. We mostly do it for the cool hoodies and the free caricature artist at the after party. It was tempting to not do it this year because it was freezing – about 31F – and pouring down rain. But we went anyway – to justify the pumpkin pie later. The rain slowed down a bit but it had rained so much the course had huge puddles the whole width of the road. Also the sides of the road were mud. At one point, I had to jump over two split rail fences to keep moving forward. After the race I felt I did more of a steeplechase than a road race. It was fun anyway and as expected, Sam crushed me. The boy has talent.<br /><br />The next week I did a Reindeer Run. Again, it is more of a fun run 5K with people dressed as Buddy the elf, Santa, and even reindeers. It is right on Lake Erie and it is typically windy so close to the lake, but that day way spectacular. It was about 25F but sunny and no wind. I felt like I could run forever. I was dressed just right. <br /><br />Last weekend I did another 5K fun run. However, I did not have as much luck with the weather. It was really, really cold and pouring down rain – again. It was about 25F out and starting to turn to snow and ice. Not exactly ideal running weather. However, it was for a great charity. Sam and I did this one too. Last year he won in his age group and he wanted to defend his title. As a warm up he ran the ½ mile kid run – in about 3 ½ min. He wasn’t even pushing it. However after that he started complaining of not feeling good. His brother was just diagnosed with Strep Throat and I was praying he wasn’t going to come down with it too. At the start of the race he said he felt up to running so off we went. Usually, he takes off and I don’t see him until I cross the finish line a good 10 min after him. But today he stuck with me. About a mile in he asked if we could walk. I said ok because I didn’t want to push it with him. We walked hard and were not last but unfortunately, he was unable to defend his title. Next year…<br /><br />It has been snowing like crazy here in Cleveland the last couple weeks. I’m including a picture of a walk I took thru the woods lately. I walked about two miles in at least 2-3 ft. snow. It was a great workout. The picture is not of me, but I took it. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicapg73mGLLVt6Aq9MnNMUuAdk7D3QfiueBAvlcxVhpde0zjaMNq7nKQz9Lzu2t_kGcs2KNCc6JDa-ouVh7C3Mkup0uCNHxtP-l4kS4UnVIfZlupfeuZlCajv0MWdYeGePjOASYFbOYpI/s1600/DSCN3090.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicapg73mGLLVt6Aq9MnNMUuAdk7D3QfiueBAvlcxVhpde0zjaMNq7nKQz9Lzu2t_kGcs2KNCc6JDa-ouVh7C3Mkup0uCNHxtP-l4kS4UnVIfZlupfeuZlCajv0MWdYeGePjOASYFbOYpI/s400/DSCN3090.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551722333269776594" /></a>MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-41965350784602037132010-11-09T17:01:00.001-05:002010-11-09T17:04:39.099-05:00TeamPHLY Needs Some LoveHave I ever mentioned how much I love working at my company? Well, if you missed it from my blog, let me reiterate – I love working at my company.<br /><br />In the October 2010 issue of Triathlete, there was an article describing the best companies to work for if you are a triathlete. I did not see my company on that list. I was surprised but didn’t think to do or say anything about it. Skip ahead two months to the December 2010 issue that just came out. I’m reading my mag – cover to cover – and I get to the Letters section. On page 22 I see there is a letter to the editor titled ‘TeamPHLY Needs Some Love’ and it described in perfect detail why I feel I’m one of the luckiest triathletes I know. I have no idea how I got so fortunate – it was more serendipity than anything else. My luck is usually more like Bad Luck Schleprock than that of the Irish. But here I am – and thankful for what I know I have.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbKbkKDweBCMvrHndhSw_9pHzSVzGGl_zdFCQ3VkDZ9OwzosE-Z0Md40Rsc-lf73vvZgyg7ZsF0HJTCvyAlNo5RIO1vWjEBUR62ek8ag1Qne6Ymt4m_RQHY-9oV33PvQB_Y_P_l5cUlk/s1600/TeamPhly+Letter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 207px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbKbkKDweBCMvrHndhSw_9pHzSVzGGl_zdFCQ3VkDZ9OwzosE-Z0Md40Rsc-lf73vvZgyg7ZsF0HJTCvyAlNo5RIO1vWjEBUR62ek8ag1Qne6Ymt4m_RQHY-9oV33PvQB_Y_P_l5cUlk/s400/TeamPhly+Letter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537674093241196018" /></a>MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-65583670849737469872010-10-22T12:50:00.001-04:002010-10-22T12:53:30.928-04:00Things about MeSince I have no race reports and am between goals right now, I thought I’d write a few things about me you may not know.<br /><br />1. I nuke plain M&M for about a minute on high before I eat them. The chocolate melts but the shell doesn’t. They taste great. I highly recommend everyone try it at least once before you judge.<br /><br />2. I may not be very fast at triathlons, but I’m very good at my job. Better than good. I’d go so far as to say I’m great at what I do. I’m in a male dominated field and ‘chick’ the guys in my department on a daily basis. They’d probably agree with me too.<br /><br />3. I’ve never had a cigarette in my entire life. Not even once.<br /><br />4. As much as I love a good steak, I could live the rest of my life without red meat.<br /><br />5. The 10 months I was unemployed in 2008 were some of the happiest and stress free months of my life. I was well rested and got to play everyday with my boys – three of those months were in the summer. Then I ended up at a great company that supports my desire to do triathlons.<br /><br />6. My husband and I were married in Las Vegas. The wedding cost $200 and that included the ceremony, flowers, photographer, videographer, marriage license, a limo ride to the court house to get the license and champagne. We were trying to elope but 40 people followed us out there anyway! It was the best 4 day party ever! <br /><br />7. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday: The menu is pretty much set, it includes all of my favorite foods, I get to see family I don’t see very often, and it doesn’t include gift giving. I also got engaged on Thanksgiving and my youngest son was born on Thanksgiving. Oddly enough, we named him Tom. We didn’t realize the implication at the time.<br /><br />8. I truly enjoy driving long distances in my car – especially by myself. I usually listen to a book on tape or XM radio or catch up with family and friends on my cell phone – using my Bluetooth of course. At one point, I was averaging 5,000 miles a month in my car for work. Good thing I enjoy it.<br /><br />9. I am a total geek. As I always say – you can’t spell geek without the ‘double e’s.’ That is a really bad joke for electrical engineers (My college degree is a BS in EE). I’m completely into sci-fi and can talk Star Trek and Star Wars as well as any guy. On the 20th anniversary of Star Wars I went to see all three movies in one night by myself so as not to be disturbed by anyone else talking.<br /><br />10. I love the way I feel after I have run or done a triathlon. This is why I’m not bothered by how slow I am. I hope I stay healthy enough to do this a long, long time.<br /><br />11. The F-word is one of my favorite words. I find it cathartic. However, it is probably not a good example for my boys to hear their mom saying it repeatedly. Oops – sorry guys.<br /><br />12. I know many mean people, many bad people and many evil people. I can deal with the mean and bad people but cannot deal with the evil people. Luckily, I also believe in karma. So the evil people will be dealt with at a later time.<br /><br />13. The best advice I was ever given was: Always live east of where you work. My dad told me this when I graduated college. He drove for 40+ years into the sun to and from work because our house was west of where he worked.<br /><br />14. The next best advice I was ever given was: In a social situation where you know no one, start a conversation with someone by asking them about them self. My husband told me to do this because I’m in this situation frequently. He said everyone’s favorite topic of conversation is them self. It has never failed me.<br /><br />15. The third best advice I was ever given was: Invest the maximum company matching percentage in your 401K the second you are eligible. I was 22 when I stared my career and was told by a manager that if I saved money only from the age of 22 to 30, I have more than him if he saved the maximum amount from the age of 30 to 65. He showed me the math – its true.<br /><br />16. I have difficulty doing addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in my head but can do integrals and derivatives in my head no problem. This is why my husband has already volunteered me to be the calculus, chemistry and physics tutor for our sons when they get to high school. It is also why I’m never allowed to figure out the tip at a restaurant.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-64976173969029681302010-10-06T12:30:00.003-04:002010-10-06T12:37:45.296-04:00It Took a Village<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDoFBvz_7njzW-u4v9IxbQ_HREndexIQf6cEcjNJUBhPSgzBk5ccQehrE7N9AE-rd_aOXncAFV5DiJ-6RyoM3Ph7KEnkAvtcNGD9_EGeTZF2BGCBgo5nNx4xAq7MajZvpdGIkltsQHwo/s1600/Me+and+Brandon.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDoFBvz_7njzW-u4v9IxbQ_HREndexIQf6cEcjNJUBhPSgzBk5ccQehrE7N9AE-rd_aOXncAFV5DiJ-6RyoM3Ph7KEnkAvtcNGD9_EGeTZF2BGCBgo5nNx4xAq7MajZvpdGIkltsQHwo/s320/Me+and+Brandon.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524972176014129698" /></a><br />Sorry I have been such a bum the last few weeks. I have been taking some time off to catch up on the many things I ignored while I was training. Although I can’t say that I’m caught up, I can say I’m making a dent. My house must have had at least an inch of dust everywhere. Thank goodness no one in the family has allergies.<br /><br />I also haven’t been doing much training either. The blisters on my feet have really affected that. It took over a week to wear shoes other than my Crocs because the blisters caused me so much pain. Then I did something kinda not smart. I ran in the Akron Marathon 5-man relay on Sept. 25th. I had already signed up months ago and didn’t want to let my team down because it is hard to find a replacement person on short notice. I thought I’d be ok because it had been 2 weeks and I wore more moleskin to cover the blisters. I seriously aggravated them and just decided to let them heal more before I ran any more.<br /><br />Right now I’m kind of floundering. I had been focused on the Rev3 triathlon for so long, that now that it is over, I don’t know what to do. I need to set another race goal, but I need to figure out what I want. I just don’t know. My niece Tracy lives in New York. She ran the New York Marathon last November and is now asking me to join her at the New York Half Marathon in March 2011. I’m thinking about it.<br /><br />I have received some amazing feed back for completing the half Rev. It truly took a village…. I needed a lot of support and am happy to report that many of my family, friends and neighbors pitched in to watch my boys or provide some advice or fix my bike or just provide words of encouragement. I thank each and every one of you.<br /><br />Tonight, my friend Aimee (who encouraged me the most throughout this past year) and I are going out to dinner. We are meeting at Michael Symon’s newest restaurant in the Cleveland area – The B Spot Burgers. Yummy! Can’t wait.<br /><br />The above picture is of me and a fellow team mate. He completed the Full Rev.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-6690369754871029872010-09-14T12:52:00.005-04:002010-09-14T13:17:25.473-04:00PWNED<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRl8T-ANb07l2xsPweb25c_hKevB-2fw7dFTjDNR8YMUyt6FRxAytk_P7uVOsPpWQe9iQJT-iywlMwFktdtnlW1rmNFhHcP771vr99Ap68xoloyu3ExBaKByYTfZNnAMg5XBNp_9RmRI/s1600/DSCN2920.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRl8T-ANb07l2xsPweb25c_hKevB-2fw7dFTjDNR8YMUyt6FRxAytk_P7uVOsPpWQe9iQJT-iywlMwFktdtnlW1rmNFhHcP771vr99Ap68xoloyu3ExBaKByYTfZNnAMg5XBNp_9RmRI/s200/DSCN2920.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516818690132970914" /></a><br />The short story: <br /><br />Well, I did it. I finished the Rev3 half rev. I still am finding the entire event surreal. I know I crossed the finish line but I don’t really remember what happened as I did. All I know is I had a huge smile on my face. Thank you to all the people who helped me throughout this process. <br /><br />The long story: (feel free to stop at this point – it is a bit long winded)<br /><br />Friday I picked up my bike from my friend Eric’s ( http://trierictri.blogspot.com/ ). He fixed the problem I was having dropping my chain when I went from the big chain ring to the small chain ring. Thanks Eric.<br /><br />Saturday, my boys and I drove to Cedar Point early in the day because I had to check in and put my bike in transition overnight. We only had until 4pm to do this and Lou golfed on Sat. I wasn’t sure he’d be back in time to get us all there before 4pm. He said to just go ahead and he’d come later. He said the last thing he wanted me doing was worrying about something that I did not need to worry about.<br /><br />We made it out there around 1:30 and I got my stuff, they took my picture and checked in my bike. I walked around the expo a little bit and listened to the athlete information. Then the sky just opened up and the rain started pouring. I just kept thinking – this had better pass. It let up some and Sam and I went down to the beach to check out the swim course. Tom stayed in the car because he didn’t want to get wet. Sam took a couple pix of me at the beach near the swim exit. At that time there were 6 ft. waves and lots of white water. Again, I just kept thinking – this had better pass.<br /><br />After that we went to the host hotel – Hotel Breakers. It is in Cedar Point and about 50 ft. from the swim start. Can’t get any more convenient than that. There were a couple restaurants in the hotel and I let the boys pick where they wanted to go. They picked the Japanese steak house. Not surprising, it is fun to watch. We were going to wait for Lou but he was doing some laundry and was waiting for it to dry so he hadn’t left yet. I didn’t want to eat too late because I wanted to get to bed early. We went to dinner at 5pm. Thank goodness we did. It was already getting crowded with the other triathletes and their families. We were lucky enough to be at the first table. I got the chicken, Sam got the shrimp and Tom got the steak. The chef threw some veggies in the air for everyone to catch with their mouths. We were the only three to do it at our table of 9! I had some left-overs and saved them for Lou. As we were leaving Sam made me rub the Budda belly for good luck. Then he and Tom rubbed it for me too!<br /><br />Lou got to the hotel around 8pm and we all went down to the pool so the boys could swim a while. We left when Sam hit his chin on the bottom of the pool and it was bleeding. Good times! We stopped at the gift store to see if they had Neosporin. They did and were peddling it for $10 a tube. We told Sam he was just going to have to live with the germs for the night because we weren’t shelling out $10 for Neosporin. His dinner didn’t cost that much! Luckily, back at the room, Lou found some in his bag. No more germs for Sam.<br /><br />I went to bed around 9:30pm and woke up around 5:30am. I left Lou and the boys sleeping. We would catch up later. The pros went off at 7am and I was in one of the last groups to go off at 8:40am. I had plenty of time. I got to transition around 6:45. As I was waiting in line to get marked, I looked over to see a guy I went to high school with. I hadn’t seen him in 25 years. I called out his name and he looked over. He looked at me funny like he recognized me but couldn’t place me. I told him my name and then I told him the other name I went by in high school “Luke’s sister.” Then he remembered me. He came over and hugged me and wanted to know if I remembered his wife, Carol. I said yeah and we instantly caught up. He took a picture of me and Carol.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWFyiK6XH8fOHXW4UW38efn8FZ90CVAm6laJw0HylTq7NOMObzkTkZ8RZru55tgJBSxsRgRWaqE3j-60Q6yLLk2RFY1-Dw1hKPKWlUf-GY0Fvl12iQwf-Rlt0WSMn4Cli7Fv23RNVzY/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWFyiK6XH8fOHXW4UW38efn8FZ90CVAm6laJw0HylTq7NOMObzkTkZ8RZru55tgJBSxsRgRWaqE3j-60Q6yLLk2RFY1-Dw1hKPKWlUf-GY0Fvl12iQwf-Rlt0WSMn4Cli7Fv23RNVzY/s200/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516818051419162962" /></a><br /><br /><br />After I set up at transition, I went down to the beach. I was looking for my friend Aimee. She was my true inspiration and the one who convinced me I was capable of doing a half ironman. I actually had a true need to see her. I felt she could help calm my nerves. After a little while I heard her call my name. Thank God! She was at another race in Michigan the previous day and wasn’t even sure if she would be there at the start. We hugged and then I cursed her for getting me into this. What was I thinking?!?!? What was she thinking?!?!? She said I’d do fine and to just keep moving forward. That is all it takes.<br /><br />SWIM<br /><br />All of us red caps lined up about 8:35. At 8:40, the horn went off. Lou said he and the boys were watching from the balcony of our hotel room as I started. I got into the water and I notices one thing right away – the water was very cold. I had been open water swimming in Lake Erie at least weekly since July and the water was in the 70’s. Several times I did not use a wetsuit. This water was definitely way colder than that and I had no idea why. It was in the 90’s as recently as last week and it would not have dropped that fast I didn’t think. Anyway, this shock of cold made me hyperventilate a bit and my heart was racing. I couldn’t calm down enough to swim. Luckily, the water was extremely shallow and everyone was walking anyways. It took me about 15 minutes before I had my heart rate and breathing under control enough to put my head in the water fore more than 1-2 strokes. After that I was ok. Also, further out in the lake the water was much warmer. Go figure! I got into my grove and finished the swim in a little over an hour. Aimee was at the swim exit cheering me on. <br /><br />T1<br /><br />Nothing exciting here except I planned on wearing bike shorts to bike in and not my TEAM PHLY tri shorts. I had forgotten to take my tri shorts off before I put on my wetsuit and by the time I remembered, transition was closed. So I had to take off my wetsuit, my tri shorts (I wear Under Armour compression shorts to allow for costume changes) and put on my bike shorts. It took a little extra time. I also slathered on the body glide, especially on my feet. And I was off. Aimee walked up to the transition area and was there as I started the bike. I was done in 6:12 min<br /><br />BIKE<br />The weather was beautiful and I could not have asked for a better day – except for the wind. It was out of the west. I tried to use the tail wind to my advantage and went hard on the way out because I knew it would slow me down on the way back. My nutrition was good and I was using salt tabs to replenish. I am a salty sweater. I finished the first 33 miles in under 2 hours. I was hoping for 4 hours on the bike. I figured I could finish the last 23 in 2 hours no problem. Right? Wrong! The head wind kicked my butt. It took me 2 ½ hours to finish the bike but I made the bike cutoff too.<br /><br />T2<br /><br />Again nothing exciting here except I changed from my bike shorts back into my TEAM PHLY tri shorts. They were still wet but it actually felt good. I was done in 3:56 min.<br /><br />RUN<br /><br />I started out slow (even slower than my normal slow). I knew the hardest part of the run was going to be the causeway because of the wind and there is not a stitch of shade. However, around mile 2, the bottoms of my feet were feeling kind of hot. There was no place to sit down on the causeway to take a look so as soon as I hit regular road I sat on the curb to take a look. Yikes. I had the start of blisters on the bottom of both feet. Thank goodness for Onehourironman ( http://ironbob-ironbob.blogspot.com/ ) and his blisters. I can assure you – you did not get those blisters in vein. I was well prepared in case the same happened to me. And it did. The weird part is I have never had blisters on the bottom of my feet before. Anyway, I had moleskin with me and I put it on over the blisters. This helped tremendously. I doubt I would have been able to finish without the moleskin. The blisters got bigger but it would have been way worse without them. <br /><br />I was in pain and couldn’t run, so I walked most of the way and ran when I felt up to it. I knew I wouldn’t make the run cutoff, but I was hoping they would let me finish anyway. I was counting on the fact they had the course open for the full Rev until midnight. Everyone was so nice on the course and the water stops were fully stocked with everything I needed. At some point my fingers started to hurt too. I looked at them and they looked like gorilla fingers. I would hold some ice in my hands to make them feel better and it helped. It took me just under 4 hours.<br /><br />As I was nearing the finish, one guy off to the side said – come on you have to run it in, they are taking your picture. So I ran it in. I wasn’t expecting the finish to be as amazing as it was. They called my name and had my picture ( the one they took the day before) on the jumbo-tron. It was awesome and surreal at the same time. I got a finishers medal but they ran out of finisher’s t shirts. They will send it later. No worries, I’m used to not getting stuff because they ran out.<br /><br />AFTER<br /><br />I met up with Lou and the boys, had my blisters taken care of (they were huge and nasty at this point), got a bite to eat and I got my stuff from transition. The boys kept asking me to ride the Top Thrill Dragster or another roller coaster with them. I don’t think I could have ridden the merry-go-round at this point. I told them next time. <br />We drove home after the park closed at 8pm.<br /><br />Overall, a good day!MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-31241610892174182972010-09-08T17:00:00.003-04:002010-09-08T17:03:21.172-04:00Random StuffI was in Memphis, TN last week. It was hot there. Way hotter than here in northeast Ohio. Actually it was only a few degrees hotter but the humidity was about 98%. It was hard to breathe. However, I did eat the best barbeque I’ve ever had in my life.<br /><br />I did my swimming in a lap pool at the YMCA closest to the hotel I was staying. The lap pool was gorgeous. It was 8 dedicated lanes adjacent to the regular pool. The most amazing thing about it was that it was outside – year round. No such thing as a year round outdoor pool here in Cleveland. <br /><br />About a week and a half ago I went running at lunch in a pair of shoes I’ve had since May and socks I’ve had for about 9 months on a day that was about 70 degrees. I got a huge blister on my big toe. I cannot explain that. I will be using lots of body glide and packing mole skin in my bag for the triathlon so this won’t happen again.<br /><br />I just leased a new Toyota Rav4 for all my work travels. It had 2 miles on it when I got it. I did keep my Honda Pilot. The new car will help extend my Honda’s life and now my husband has a “truck” he can use again. Anyway, the second day I had it a rock flew up and cracked my windshield. It is about the size of my palm. Can’t say I was happy about that and can assure you that I MF’ed that rock the remainder of my commute to work.<br /><br />Tell me if this happens to you. I get motion sickness when I’m swimming in the water for long periods of time – especially if the water is choppy. I don’t know what to do about it.<br /><br />The weather forecast for Sunday in Sandusky, OH keeps changing. First it was calling for rain, then thunderstorms, then partly cloudy, then sunny, then there is the potential for remnants of tropical storm Hermine… it is driving me crazy because I’m glued to “Weather on the 8’s”<br /><br />I just want to thank everyone for all the support and advise I’ve received over the last several month. I am very grateful for this forum.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-25042575959876917662010-08-19T21:09:00.003-04:002010-08-19T21:24:50.529-04:00You are at an ImpasseOn Sunday Aug. 8th I completed my first true Olympic distance triathlon. I registered for another earlier in the season but it was changed to an Olympic duathlon. I was mostly concerned with the swimming leg, then with the distance of the race overall – especially since I am planning to do the HalfRev in September.<br /><br />I will get to my brief race report in a moment.<br /><br />My horoscope two days later read:<br /><br />“You are at an impasse. An opinion that you unconsciously cling to is the thing holding you back. Lose your own point of view and really listen to another person. That is when the breakthrough comes.”<br /><br />Later that morning, I received an email from a friend and fellow triathlete. It read:<br /><br />Rachael,<br /><br />I was looking at the results for the Cleveland Tri and saw your name. Is everything okay? I know it was hot in Mentor so I can just imagine what conditions were like downtown.<br /><br />Just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you.<br /><br /><strong>I responded:</strong><br /><br />Hey ****,<br /> <br />Thanks for asking. I actually did OK for me on the swim. Keep in mind I'm slow at everything. It was 1500m and my goal on Sunday was to gauge how I would be at the REV3 doing 1.2mi. I've always been scared of not making the cutoff time on the swim. Barring very bad weather, I should make it in 1:10.<br /> <br />The bike was awful. Yeah it was hot. Yeah it was windy. Both seem to suck everything out of me. But that was not my biggest problem on Sunday. Every time I went from the big chain ring to the small chain ring, my chain fell off. Naturally, it was just before a big hill so I had no momentum going up any hills. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong. Lou told me I was changing gears too late and the torque was making the chain fall off. He told me to make sure I switch chain rings on flat ground and no slope. Anyway I could never get into a grove on the bike. I know I'm capable of faster than 12.4 mph. I was very disappointed in the bike.<br /> <br />By the time I got to the run I was tired and it was hot. Again I'm pretty slow anyways, so on my best day I would only have been a little faster. <br /> <br />I'm glad I finished but part of my problem too was I didn't want to be at this tri. I wanted to be at the Greater Cleveland Tri. I signed up for this one last January not knowing they would be on the same day. If I would have known that I'd have done the other. They ran out of shirts so I didn't get one and they ran out of finishers medals too. It was weird. I doubt I'll ever do this one again. It was also way more expensive - even signing up last January!!!<br /><br /><strong>My friend responded:</strong><br /><br />You had one heck of a day. Without seeing what is going on I think Lou is right about the chain dropping. There could also be some adjusting that could happen with the front derailleur. <br /><br />I understand the confusion with the races. I have heard many comments about the downtown race in prior years that I am not a big supporter of it. The race in Mentor is nicer, the race director is local and it's closer to your home.<br /><br />Your tenacity of finishing the race is very admirable. <br /><br />One of my teammates has pulled out of the HalfRev due to injury. She is able to transfer her entry to the race in 2011. Just something to think about as you evaluate your progress from Sundays' race and your workout results.<br /><br />Let ***** and I know if there is anything you want to talk about. We are here to help you out and support you.<br /><br /><br /><br />When I read that, I went into a tailspin of fear, doubt, and every negative thought you could possible imagine. What did he mean by what he said???? <br /><br /><br /><strong>So I asked:</strong><br /><br />Thanks. I know your both are here to help. <br /> <br />I really don't want to quit. I want to finish what I started. I have always been slow and near or at the bottom of the list, so I'm not expecting miracles with this one. My goal is to finish. I'm not overly concerned with my time. <br /> <br />Should I be more concerned? Now I'm wondering????<br /><br /><br /><strong>His response was:</strong><br />Your attitude has been great through all of this. I am only making sure you know your options. You are the only one who can make the final decision. DO NOT let me plant any doubts in your mind. That is not what I am trying to do. <br /><br />You are confident in your swim to be able to finish the 1.2 miles in the time you need to.<br /><br />You have ridden the bike course and know what to expect. <br /><br />The run course is flat so you should feel good about that. I know I am because I have done NO hill training this summer.<br /><br />Don't wonder.........Know. <br /><br />If you came out of the race Sunday knowing you are ready to toe the start line and cross the finish line in September....that's a good place to be. The only thing that has changed from then to now is my e-mail making sure you are okay. I'm on the outside looking in. <br /><br />You are the only one who can make this decision....and I think you already knew your decision on Sunday.<br /><br /><br />I just want to say - THANK YOU MY FRIEND. I am not an athletically gifted person. I am just someone who enjoys triathlon. I do my best. Unfortunately, my best is much, much slower than most if not all of those around me. I guarantee I will be worried about the cutoff times for all three disciplines.<br /><br /><br />At this moment, as September 12th is looming, I can assure you I am scared. Scared to start. Scared to fail. Scared to DNF. Scared to look like an idiot. However, I am not scared to be DFL – because if I’m DFL, that will mean that I finished. That is and will be (at least for this year) my one and only goal. I hope I make it.MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-46727932896568067952010-08-11T12:15:00.002-04:002010-08-11T12:27:13.864-04:00A triathlete's seven deadly sinsI saw this article and liked it ant thought everyone else would too. I agree with everything except Greed. Even before I got into triathlon, I had a weird obsession with bikes. I owned 5 at one point but have sold two in garage sales. I now have my road bike, a mountain bike and a tandem bike. The boys and I love the tandem. My husband - not so much. It is huge and takes up tons of space in the garage. But then again so do his snow blowers...don't ask...<br /><br /><strong>A triathlete's seven deadly sins</strong><br /><br />by Steve Stenzel<br /><br /><strong>Wrath</strong><br />"Yeah, that guy was drafting you around mile 19 on the bike. I totally saw it too! It was so blatant. What a jerk!" This has happened to all of us. It's infuriating.<br /><strong>Don't go overboard </strong>and let it ruin your race. There will always be those people willing to break the rules in order to gain 10 seconds. Do not let them ruin your day. There's nothing you can do about it. Catch them on the run and take slight joy in beating the cheater.<br /><br /><strong>Greed<br /></strong>You only really need 1 good bike. Maybe a spare (or 2). But you don't need a bike for racing, a bike for training, a bike for rainy days, a bike for short rides, a bike for long rides, a bike for time trials, a bike for solo rides, a bike for group rides, etc, etc. Don't be greedy.<br /><strong>Don't go overboard</strong> and break the bank just so you'll have the best set of bikes on the block. Or in town. Or in the state. Sure, you'll have the perfect bike for any possible situation or race, but is it worth that second mortgage?<br /><br /><strong>Pride<br /></strong>You're a triathlete, damn it. You should be proud of your hard work and how it's paying off. You have a great body. In a foot race, you'd smoke all of your coworkers, and you know it. You deserve to have a sense of pride. And in the company of the right people in the right conversation, you can brag about your sub-XX:00 10K at the end of your last olympic triathlon or your great average on the bike.<br /><strong>Don't go overboard</strong> and tell everyone you meet about how fast you are. They probably don't care. And sooner or later, you'll run into some who's faster. Then, ouch - bruised ego. Don't be a constant bragger. Nobody likes that.<br /><br /><strong>Sloth<br /></strong>You need to rest your body now and then. It is NOT sloth. It is downtime to help your body heal up before testing it again during the next season. Force yourself to do this at times.<br /><strong>Don't go overboard</strong> and say "I did a triathlon once. Now I can stop all physical activity, live off McDonalds, and never think about racing again. That is, unless I'm reliving the 'glory days' in my head." Triathlon is a way of life. Unfortunately, so is sloth. Stick with the first one for the long term<br /><br /><strong>Lust<br /></strong>We've all done this: we're getting ready to pass someone of the opposite sex on the run during a triathlon. We notice his/her toned, tanned legs. We might be turned on for a moment. Then we notice the age written his/her calf. "Wow... 57?!... Impressive!"<br /><strong>Don't go overboard:</strong> keep your tongue in your mouth. Don't ask for his/her phone number during the race. Be sensible - wait until you've both finished.<br /><br /><strong>Envy<br /></strong>You will never have the best bike in transition. Someone will always have a nicer / faster / sleeker / sexier / better one. It's just the way it is. Drool a little, but then be happy riding your "clunker."<br /><strong>Don't go overboard</strong> and think that anyone with a nicer bike than you is a jerk. I know some very nice people who just so happen to own $5,000 bikes. Don't judge them by their bike alone.<br /><br /><strong>Gluttony<br /></strong>When we workout as much as we do in order to be ready for the next event, it's OK to pig-out now and then. Heck, that's the main reason why some of us train (not me, of course...).<br /><strong>Don't go overboard</strong> and eat anything immediately after getting home from a long workout. Sure, it "feels so right" at the moment to head for the Oreos, Cheetos, or Junior Mints, but it's better to eat some quality food right away to help replace what's been lost during that workout. Try some Recoverite, Nuun, or even some chocolate milk (a proven recovery drink - really). Save the "shameless pig-out" for later that day...MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-2608489376867123042010-08-05T09:36:00.000-04:002010-08-05T09:37:34.076-04:00Pirate Triathlon<span style="font-family:arial;">Fairport Harbor, OH hosts an annual sprint triathlon and they call it the Pirate Triathlon. This year it was on July 25th. It is the deal of the century. If you preregister for the race it is only $20. Let me tell you it falls under the category of “The Best $20 I Have Spent.” I can hardly believe they do so much for so little.<br /><br />The field is limited to around 350 people and for those who do not like to swim, they can kayak 3K. Many people choose that option. They provide a T-shirt, some good coupons from local sponsors, a clear and safe course, and good food at the end. It is very low key and fun that it is perfect for first timers and beginners. It is a 500m swim, 20K bike and 5K run.<br /><br />Last year, it was only the second triathlon I had ever completed. My goal was to improve over last years time of 2 hrs and 9 min.. I figured it would not be too hard since I learned how swim better (last year was mostly breast and back strokes) and purchased a road bike instead of using my trusty mountain bike.<br /><br />It was thunder storming pretty hard right after I arrived to the transition area that morning. Later I heard there were water spouts on Lake Erie visible on shore (for those not familiar – they are a water tornado). Yikes. I didn’t know that and am glad I didn’t. In this case…ignorance truly was bliss. The race was supposed to begin for the kayakers at 8am and my wave was at 8:20. They kept delaying it because of the storm. Finally, the lightening and thunder stopped, but it was still raining. For a while there the race director said they may postpone until the following week. Ultimately they modified the swim portion of the race to just go in one direction with the waves.<br /><br />I’m not sure what time we actually started but it was around 8:45-ish. At some point while the 35+ women were waiting for the race to begin, it started to hail. It was a water start so the best thing to do was crouch as far down in the water as possible. The water was actually way warmer than the air so it was very comfortable.<br /><br />Since we were swimming with the waves in the direction of the wind, it gave an amazing boost to everyone’s swim. Once I found the rhythm of the waves, I was able to breath without any issues. I only breathed to my right because if I would breathe to my left I’d catch a mouthful of Lake Erie water. I finished the swim in about 9 minutes but had to run all the way back to transition which took me about 2 min. My swim time was:<br /><br />2010: 11:22 min<br />2009: 28:38 min<br /><br />Holy tail wind! I must have had my wheaties or learned how to swim or something. Once I got back into transition, I changed into my bike gear. No real reason to dry off because it was still pouring down rain and all my gear was soaked.<br /><br />The bike was pretty good. Last year I averaged about 12.9 mph. This year I averaged 17 mph and it was pouring down rain so I took it a bit easier. What a difference a road bike to a mountain bike makes. The course is relatively flat but with a few railroad track crossings and an ‘S’ turn twice since it is an out and back. Unfortunately, they do not back out the transition times so I’m not exactly sure what it was in T1 – about 4 minutes. My bike time was:<br /><br />2010: 50:52 including transition 1<br />2009: 1:00:56 including transition 1<br /><br />Transitioning into T2 was a bit difficult because the transition area is at the bottom of the largest hill of the course. You cannot fly down the hill because you have to stop and dismount immediately at the bottom. It was especially dangerous because of the rain. I made it OK and quickly changed into my soaking wet running shoes. Again, I’m not exactly sure of my transition time but it is about 2:30 min.<br /><br />I really like the run on this course. All elevation gained and lost is on two hills. I went up the hill out of the transition area and was at the same elevation until about the half way mark where I went down another hill to finish the last half. <br /><br />At that halfway mark I ran into the mother of my oldest son Sam’s friend. She was a volunteer and I don’t know her all that well and I was surprised to see her and she was surprised I was doing the race. We managed to have a 10 second conversation and actually planned a play date for the kids for later that week. See… as a mom – I’m always multi-tasking – even in a triathlon!<br /><br />My run time was:<br /><br />2010: 39:30 including transition 2<br />2009: 40:21 including transition 2<br /><br />Overall:<br />2010: 1:41:44<br />2009: 2:09:55<br /><br />That is an overall improvement of 28:11 min. To say I was happy with my performance would be an understatement. I was ecstatic to see that my hard work over the winter was paying off.<br /><br />After the race I packed up my stuff and went home to shower and change. I was off to Waldamere Park in Presque Isle, PA with my husband Lou and two boys Sam and Tom. Woo Hoo. The perfect icing to the perfect day. Of course it stopped raining immediately following the race – which was good for going to the park!</span>MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-46244413343866335202010-08-03T12:43:00.001-04:002010-08-03T12:46:29.628-04:00REV3 Training Day<span style="font-family:arial;">On Saturday July 21st, I met up with the Cleveland Triathlon Club for a training day at Sawmill Creek near Sandusky, OH. It was a day of swimming and biking and running the Rev3 course. It was free to anyone who wanted to participate. There were about 120 people there.<br /><br />The day started off with either a swim clinic with Leah Nyikes at </span><a href="http://www.liquidlifestyles.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">www.liquidlifestyles.com</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> or just a practice swim in the lake. It was perfect in the morning too and the water again was like glass. The clinic started around 7:45 am and lasted until around 9 am. Everyone who was biking went back to their vehicles, grabbed their stuff and changed. Since this was pre-arranged with Sawmill Creek Resort, they catered to our needs and provided a place to change, and later a place to shower if we wanted. They were very accommodating.<br /><br />There was an A group, 2 B groups and a C group. I went with what we coined as the ‘rebel C’ group. Since we could not ride on the Cedar Point Causeway or Chausee due to traffic, the bike ride was modified for the training. The groups were riding on the REV3 full course. My friend Aimee took me on the actual REV3 half course. This was better for me since that is the race I’m doing. We went up and down the biggest hill on the course in Milan and she gave me some tips about what to do. She was very good to me. I know I slowed her down but she didn’t complain. <br /><br />The first half was good, then it started to get extremely hot and windy. The temp reached 90+ that day. I was getting exhausted. I really hope it is not that windy on the day of the race. It could possibly do me in. I guess all this training in heat will prepare me for better weather in Sept. It took a while to finish. We took breaks and I was just riding it not racing it. I was glad to be done. NE Ohio just doesn’t get heat like that on a regular basis. I’m not used to it. I’m more comfortable running on a day that is only 30 degrees.<br /><br />Afterwards, Aimee’s husband Eric ( <a href="http://trierictri.blogspot.com/">http://trierictri.blogspot.com/</a>) replaced my pedals. I have been having issues with my pedals. I could not get out of them quickly. They are older and have no tension adjustment. I kept on wrecking – more than normal – like every time I got on my bike. I purchased the Look Keo pedals at the recommendation of my cousin Stu, who does Ironman races and 100 mile bike rides on a regular basis. So far so good.<br /><br />I went home after that and skipped the run portion. I was pretty much spent for that day. Overall it was awesome and I look forward to the next training day on August 21st.</span>MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-38744001588159855072010-07-29T09:28:00.002-04:002010-07-29T09:33:20.964-04:00Lorain Triathlon<span style="font-family:arial;">So at the last minute, I signed up for the sprint triathlon in Lorain, OH on July 11th. I really needed to gauge my swimming in a race situation since I did not have that opportunity at the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon.<br /><br />I got out to the park that morning around 7am and the weather was spectacular! The water for Lake Erie was like glass. There was even a nice cool breeze. It was as close to perfection I can imagine. I pray for similar conditions for the REV3 triathlon in September.<br /><br />The lake water temp was up to about 75 so I decided against a wet suit. The swim course was so short, the gain in buoyancy would be lost removing the suit. My group was the last wave so I had to wait around a little while – but not too long because it is not a huge race. My race started at 8:30am. I had learned dolphin dives in a swim clinic I’m currently taking from Leah Nyikes at </span><a href="http://www.liquidlifestyles.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">www.liquidlifestyles.com</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">. She is excellent. Anyway, they really do work. I always hang back a bit after the race starts before I go out. Those 2-3 extra seconds aren’t going to make or break anything for me. I ran out into the water using the goofy run Leah taught us then began to dolphin dive. Before you know it, I was nearly to the Lorain break walls.<br /><br />After that I relaxed and began swimming. At first it was: Stroke. Breathe. Stroke. Breathe. Then when I really got into the rhythm, I was breathing bilaterally. Yeah. This was great because I could easily sight, because the break walls were on my left side. Last year when I did the same race, I could not breathe to the left and almost ran into the break walls several times. Very dangerous. Last year I also had to do the breast stroke and back stroke to get thru. This year - no worries. Freestyle all the way. Not only did I pass a couple of people in my group, I passed a couple of the swimmers in the wave ahead of me. Talk about a confidence booster! I went around the corner of the break wall and swam as far up to the shore as possible – until I was grabbing sand. It was much faster that way. Much. I looked at my watch and it said 9 min. That is 3 minutes faster than last year (12 min). However, percentage wise that is a 25% improvement. Woo Hoo!!!!<br /><br />I still had to run up a big hill to get to the transition, and that time is added to your swim time, but oh well. They do it for everyone. Transition was good. Dry off, sock, shoe, sock, shoe, helmet, sunglasses, bike, go.<br /><br />The bike was good too. Last year I averaged about 15.5 mph. This year I averaged 16.9 mph. A big improvement. I was very pleased.<br /><br />T2 was a lot slower than last year. I didn’t realize until later that it was because last year I biked in my running shoes because I didn’t have clip on pedals yet. It added almost 2 minutes to my transition. :-(<br /><br />The run portion was not as pleasing. I was too slow. I’m slow normally but that day I was even slower. I believe part of the reason is because I didn’t grab a bite during the bike ride. I ate nothing. Bad idea. It was also very hot at this point. I finished the run slower than last year. However, overall, it was an improvement over last year and I’m happy with that.</span>MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3904175948153745807.post-24243107837246911732010-07-28T08:59:00.001-04:002010-07-28T09:03:04.866-04:00Break Wall Swim and Breakfast<span style="font-family:arial;">Every Tuesday morning, the Cleveland Metroparks offers a class at Fairport Harbor called the Break Wall Swim and Breakfast. It is awesome because it gives swimmers an opportunity to do something they normally cannot do. That is swim to the break wall at Fairport Harbor and back. It is about ½ mile in each direction. Normally this area is inundated with boats and wave runners. I have done it twice so far this year. The third time I didn’t go because it was pouring down rain.<br /><br />Anyway, last year it took me all season to build up to swimming ½ mile (one way). I’d kayak out with another kayaker, hop out and swim back. Most of the time I’d swim as far as I could then one of the lifeguards on a wave runner would bring me back in the rest of the way. This was no big deal because I never had to swim more than 750m in a triathlon last year. I was good with my endurance at the time. But as I said, the last swim of the year I made it the full ½ mile. It took me nearly ½ hour. <br /><br />This past winter I worked on my speed and endurance in the pool. The first time out on July 6th this year I did the same thing. I kayaked out and swam back. However, I made it the full distance without exhausting myself. I’m still slow but I managed to pick up my pace and did it in about 25 min. My second time out I managed to take off another minute. The next time out I plan on working on swimming the full distance. The only problem is the swimmers swim out to the wall, break as they wait on the slow swimmers then swim back to shore. I’m so slow I worry about holding up the process. I will do my best though.<br /><br />After everyone is done swimming, one of the awesome ladies who swims makes everyone breakfast – and I’m not talking just cereal and milk. I mean a full blown breakfast. There is always some sort of eggs, some sort of carb (pancakes, French toast), bacon or sausage, coffee, OJ, tea, fruit, breakfast breads, etc. It is amazing and a lot of fun. I t only costs $5 for the entire 8 week series. An unbelievable bargain!<br /> </span>MissFit Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10566307263221962255noreply@blogger.com4