Triathlon #3

I am now officially a "triathlete" by my own standards. In my warped mind I determined that I wouldn't refer to myself as a triathlete until I had finished three races. So, yesterday I officially became one. This race was so nerve racking for me. After my race in Oregon last year I vowed to train all winter and come back with a vengence. I joined a tri-club, I swam, I lifted weights, I ran and ran and ran, I bought a fancy street bike and all the gear. What I didn't do was buy or wear a wetsuit ever. This was such a mistake on my part! I mean all of my training really helped out - I actually enjoyed this race more than anything as I was finally strong enough to do it. However, since it was April and the race started at 8AM we were allowed to wear wetsuits. I had heard that a wetsuit gives you bouyancy, making it easier to swim, so I was excited about this! I borrowed one from my coach and hung it on my closet door for a month - never swam it, just looked at it.

I wanted to puke I was so nervous standing on the beach yesterday. I was in the last wave, and waded into the water with both MEN and women (this is strange to swim with men). The announcer shouted "30 seconds" and I had to resist the urge to shit myself. Then the buzzer - and we're off like a "heard of turtles". ha ha. I swam so well for the first 100 or 200 yards! Bi-lateral breathing and full on crawl stroke thanks to many many laps in the pool this winter. The wetsuit kept me on top of the water, it was fabulous...well except I couldn't breathe. The suit was too tight and I could'nt take a deep breath...and I started to panic. I flipped over on my back to try to un-do the velcro neckline and unzip it. No dice. I flopped around a little more, doggie paddled or something - I dont really remember. I finally got the zipper unstuck and pulled the top off of my shoulders and let it drag around my waste. AIR, wonderful air filled my lungs and stopped panicing. It's amazing how instinctual we actually are as humans. I had to force myself to focus and start swimming again not to mention the "Diane it's ok just swim" I kept repeating to myself. I passed people! I swam and swam and kept passing people (there is NO better feeling than that, I am sorry). Finally I got out of the water and walked up the hill to my bike - my strength. I was so freaked out from the swim I took my time getting ready for the bike. It was an odd feeling of "why did I do that to myself" and dissapointment in myself.
I snapped out of it and slammed into the bike course with vengence! I am a badass on my bike!
I averaged a good 20mph throughout most of the course. Often I wanted to let up on the pace but told myself "you f-ed up the swim, the bike is the only thing you are good at so peddle damnit!", and there you have it. I raced into the transition for the run feeling redeemed and hoping I could run the whole way.
Sadly at the last 1/2 mile I ran off course as there was no sign and no person directing us to turn right. About 20 of us ran straight for about 5 minutes and realized we were off course. THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!! I finished the race, and got a nice hug from my sweetie - another added bonus to this triathlon - my own fan!

As I wrote this I was getting bummed out - then I realized that I had a great race. I put my face in the water this time! I did the crawl for the most part instead of the side stroke, I had friends there from the tri club I am member of. I ran the whole way and then some! I finished. I started. I have my very own fan club this year.

Cancer cluster found in Ashland?!

Woah, I just read this and am somewhat surprised that "they" would even admit that this exists! What happens now? Do the families get to sue? sue who exactly? I am so convinced that companies KNOW that the chemicals they put in the products we buy, consume, eat, swim in, touch....trust actually harm us.

click here to read the article on Boston.com

I used to live on the south shore of Boston. My former fiance and I both have thyroid disease. I find it hard to believe that that is a coincidence. He had a tumor on his thyroid he needed removed, I developed Grave's Disease. Just pointing out the ol' "must have been something in the water thing"....

Doggie Daycare

How come I can log on to a website and view my dog, laying around, playing, etc while she is at doggie daycare but I cant log on to a site and see MY OWN DAMN SON while he's at daycare???

just something to think about...

Grave's Disease again....

Ok, less than 2 weeks until my first triathlon of the "season". I have been training non-stop for a year now and think I am in a different place physically and most certainly mentally. This winter I joined a tri club and learned how to swim. In fact, I can even swim 3x's the distance I need to swim for my races. Last night was a new experience for me in the pool. We removed the lane markers, and swam circles around human buoys for a 1/2 hour as a group. A "group swim" if you will meant to prepare us for the open-water mayhem of triathlons. Seriously! It's no joke. About 100 people (some numbers are way higher than that) start swimming all at the same time. People swim over each other, kick one another and simply dont care if you dont like it. It's pretty hard to give them the ol SuperFly-Snuka while immersed in water! Anyway, last night was the first time I felt the water pulling me forward, thanks to all of us creating a whirlpool effect as we swam along in a group. Very cool.

My Grave's disease is back. I had a feeling it was rearing it's ugly head - the typical symptoms were showing up last month. I was somewhat sad about this at first as this disease increases my heart rate making it very difficult to workout and train and SLEEP. Flip side is the weight loss. But I'll keep my insane female body-image issues to myself. Regardless I have worked too hard to let this disease eat away at my muscles again rendering me unable to even lift a gallon of milk out of the fridge!

I did enjoy my recent visit with my endocrinologist though. She really explained all of my lab history to me and calmed my fears of the simple radiation treatment they prescribe for Grave's patients. She also informed that I would have an easier pregnancy after receiving this treatment and it would be nothing like the puke-fest I endured with my son. Something about that made me smile.

Sebastian Bach, oh how I love thee.....still.

My crush from 1989 has never faded, it grows ever stronger each year and rears it's Aqua Net head when I least expect it. I logged on to my beloved Sebastian Bach's website today to see what he is up to. After all he has been busy since his famous "18 and Life" and "I remember you" days staring in broadway shows, VH1's "I Love the 80's" and lately guest appearances as a pizza delivery dude on Gilmore Girls. A friend of mine even recorded an episode for me because it is a well-known fact I love this guy. How pathetic is that?

Pitter Pat, pitter pat goes my little heart. What is it about this guy I love so much? He's 6' 7 or somethin and still has a flat stomach and massive amounts of enthusiasm for whatever he does.

Nah that's not it. It's his style, his sense of humor, his "what you see is what you get" attitude. This quote made me bust out laughing:

"One down side to a career like Sebastian's, where country-hopping and coast-to-coast flights are all a part of the daily grind, is being away from one's family (often for months at a time). Regardless, Bach would never complain about the negatives that come with traveling and rock 'n' rolling all over the world."If you're gonna play the game, fuckin' get ready, or you're toast," he said energetically. "And if you're not prepared for all the attention and the time away from home and everything, don't do it. "I read about all these British bands who are huge in England and they try to crack the States, and I laugh at these articles, like the guys in The Darkness saying, 'We had no idea how big America was- like the drives between the shows.' I'm like, 'Shut the fuck up!'" Sebastian broke out laughing. "You're complaining about driving to the next city? Why do you do this? You're lucky to be driving to the next town. 'It's so hard. I didn't know how big America was.' Then fuck off back to England!"

You can see for yourself here....You can be sure I will be tuned in on May 18th to VH1 to see the new reality rock band show he is staring in with Ted Nugent, Scott Ian, Jason Bonham. etc. The show is called "Supergroup". Um hello???? Ted Nugent? Does anyone remember the reality show where he chased idiots around his farm and shot at them? I cant wait to watch this show!

I gotta go do my hair!
Flydi

I consider myself a "Millennial Mom"

Fast Company published this fabulous article about "who are the moms of 2005". It's more about reaching these moms from a marketing perspective, but I was still intrigued by the different descriptions. I am exactly their description of the "Millennial Mom". And for those who are taking note I was 26 when my son was born.

"Age 27 or younger, Millennial Mom is the newest mom on the block, and she's the first generation to use technology to seamlessly blend work and life. Not long out of college or high school, she's facing many firsts: marriage, babies, insurance, jobs, maybe even owning a house. Hyper-connected and beyond tech savvy, Millennial Mom's world is both physical and virtual, bringing social connection and life-skills management as close as a computer or cell phone. She's busted out of previous generations' isolation challenges during those early, tethered-to-the-house years. You'll find her plugged into Myspace.com or TheNest.com, sharing worries, excitement, and ideas with her online family. Products like mythum mobile coupons and Infinity Broadcasting Visual Radio -- delivered right to her cellphone -- resonate with her values of connectivity and access, seamlessly going where she goes."


They forgot to mention divorce as one of the many firsts she might be experiencing! I dont recall much from those hazy first 6 months of mommyhood. I do remember the voracious reading I was doing to learn how to be a mom. haha. I signed up on Babycenter.com, parent magazine, etc etc to make sure I was learning the latest way to make baby food at home. Last weekend I pulled out my "The Happiest Toddler On The Block" book just to check on some interesting behavior patterns my son is now demonstrating. It occured to me that I hadnt read any baby books, magazines or how-to guides on parenting in quite a while! My motherhood-confidence had apparently stepped in a while ago when I wasn't looking and guess what is so cool about that? I TRUST MYSELF to make the best decision for my child on my own! woo hoo!

And to think I didnt know how to change a diaper when he was born!

It's that time of year again....

It is spring - big time. Flowahs everywhere, growing grass and love. In Bambi they actually call it "Twitterpated" - which I am happy to report I am in fact twitterpated with my Elvis loving man. He uses the word "wicked" and I feel my homesickness loosening it's grip on me. He cooks me dinnah! He calls me jellybean which really makes me giggle like an idiot - it's sooooo dainty, which I am not. But I am eating it up. In fact I am surprised at how well this is going, seriously. I spend a lot of time thinking "is this real?" as I search the sky for the proverbial "other shoe". He plays with my son making him belly laugh till he gets the hiccups. How'd I get so lucky?

I dont want to jinx it anymore than I have so I am going to stop here.

Next subject. I am a co-maid of honor in my sister's wedding. This is fine, but bridal headquarters has made the BRA events (bridesmaid related activities - care of head honch ho) somewhat pricey. I fear I have offended my little sis by not attending a very expensive bachelorette party in Vegas. I called her in fact and told her I was so sorry I was too strapped to go but I came up with a brilliant suggestion! "how bout in a couple years when you are sick of your husband we plan a trip together instead?". Which, I think is a much better idea! I just hope she does....