Wow, it's been awhile. I'd get you caught up on what I've been doing, but it's mostly been a lot of work stuff that's either boring to anyone not directly involved or, like, confidential.
I did sign up for the Danskin Triathlon in Austin again, so I'm training for that again. I also ran/walked my first 10k yesterday (about 6.2 miles). I kind of thought I'd walk most of it, but I ran a lot! I couldn't believe it! Especially since the course was filled with hills, and I'd only ever jogged a 5k before. My race buddies Emily, Danielle and I finished at EXACTLY 1:27, which isn't bad for a non-runner's first 10k, I say.
I've gotten a lot of support and congrats for this race, for which I am so grateful. I have amazing family and friends, and I love them. It's also made me realize something:
If you want people to be impressed with your athletic prowess, spend a lifetime being a lazy-ass couch potato first.
Because, after all, I have plenty of friends who do races, and when they finish them and tell me about it, I always offer support and congratulations. But they don't always brag about it first of all, so I don't always know about it. But mostly, the friends I know who do races are kind of jocks already. So when they finish a race, it's kind of like, well sure. Of course you did that. Well done.
But I've realized that when I finish a race people are like, Wow! Good for you! I'm so impressed! It's awesome, amazing support and encouragement and, I'm not gonna lie, a big factor in deciding to do more races.
That said, it has occurred to me that all these encouraging people may not be solely impressed at my ability to clock a 14-minute mile. I'm thinking that perhaps that nagging doubt that I can't possibly keep this up when there's so much good TV on is a very real factor. People are inspired by the transformation from Couch Potato to Race Finisher.
And if you are, I say again (like I always do): If I can do it ANYONE can do it. Seriously.
As I continue to do more races, I expect the enthusiasm will die down, and that's fine. Much like I think of myself as a Short Hair Girl going through a Long Hair Experiment, I still think of myself as a Non-Athletic Woman Who Sometimes Does Races. As long as I, and others, still think of me that way, every race I take on will be impressive. (Hell, as long as there's always good TV on, I'll always be impressed with my ability to stick to a training plan.) When the people around me start responding to my endeavors, however, with "Well sure. Of course you did that. Well done," then I'll know that I have truly changed.
And by the time that point in my life rolls around, who knows how long my hair will be?
Showing posts with label i rock shut up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label i rock shut up. Show all posts
Monday, February 09, 2009
Thursday, January 01, 2009
I actually accomplished a lot
I'm currently enjoying our New Year's Day tradition of Egg Dish and horror movies with good friends. Since I don't love horror movies, I thought I'd get caught up on the past year at the same time. To say 2008 was busy would be a ridiculous understatement. I actually accomplished a lot of the stuff I wanted to do, including:
Threw our most kick-ass Oscar party yet in February.
Saw the dogs get cuter, and eat the eyes out of a bee.
Rocked St. Pat's with my favorite Scorpios.
Hiked up Runyon Canyon with Amy & Chip on Easter Morning.
Went to Medieval Times for the first time.
Bought my first bike in many, many years.
Went on a fabulous Hawaiian vacation; swam laps in this body of water.
Watched the dogs get even cuter.
Celebrated the one-year anniversary of Click.
Became a triathlete.
Enjoyed Minnesota in summertime, visiting Amy & Chip over 4th of July weekend.
Celebrated nephew Rusty's 1st birthday in Santa Barbara with the entire McLean clan.
Watched my little family get even cuter.
Met Mia Michaels.
Went to San Diego Comic Con for the first time, followed by a trip to the San Diego Zoo. (Got Nerd Flu.)
Celebrated Kristin & Mark's marriage with good friends outside of Boston.
Reunited with my UNC Crew in Greeley Colorado; danced and danced.
Ate a delicious peach from Mom's tree in her backyard. (Also went to my first water aerobics class.)
Threw a Valley Girl Slumber Party Bridal Shower for Amanda, and had attendees do 80's makeovers for fabulous prizes.
Bridesmaided for my dear friends, once in September, once in October. Thanked God my friends have lovely taste in bridesmaid dresses.
Worked my ass off, rubbed shoulders with celebs, and pissed off Victor Garber at the Runway for Life event.
Threw the Halloween Cocktail Party I've wanted to throw, oh, forever; discovered black vodka.
Met one of the funniest women alive, Amy Sedaris.
Voted in one of the most important elections of our lifetime; wept with joy on Election Night.
Gardened! I finally populated the little garden in front of our house with herbs and flowers, I planted three rose bushes, and we had a tree planted in the front yard.
Learned how to weave a lattice pie crust and baked the world's most beautiful (and delicious) apple pie for Thanksgiving.
Bought the prettiest white winter coat just before our trip to Seattle, where we got to see some fabulous friends, and got a truckload of great business accomplished. (Also, note how long hair has gotten!)
Took formal family portraits with the McLeans at Sears.
Sent out beautiful Click holiday cards to our clients and press.
Enjoyed a lovely, low-key Christmas in Santa Barbara.
And, finally, watched the dogs get even cuter.
- Run a mile.
- Visit the San Diego Zoo
- Take the dogs for walks in Runyon Canyon and Fryman Canyon
- Plant a tree in our front yard
- Present a full-on summer season of Tiki Theater
- Grow my hair past my shoulders
Threw our most kick-ass Oscar party yet in February.
Saw the dogs get cuter, and eat the eyes out of a bee.
Rocked St. Pat's with my favorite Scorpios.
Hiked up Runyon Canyon with Amy & Chip on Easter Morning.
Went to Medieval Times for the first time.
Bought my first bike in many, many years.
Went on a fabulous Hawaiian vacation; swam laps in this body of water.
Watched the dogs get even cuter.
Celebrated the one-year anniversary of Click.
Became a triathlete.
Enjoyed Minnesota in summertime, visiting Amy & Chip over 4th of July weekend.
Celebrated nephew Rusty's 1st birthday in Santa Barbara with the entire McLean clan.
Watched my little family get even cuter.
Met Mia Michaels.
Went to San Diego Comic Con for the first time, followed by a trip to the San Diego Zoo. (Got Nerd Flu.)
Celebrated Kristin & Mark's marriage with good friends outside of Boston.
Reunited with my UNC Crew in Greeley Colorado; danced and danced.
Ate a delicious peach from Mom's tree in her backyard. (Also went to my first water aerobics class.)
Threw a Valley Girl Slumber Party Bridal Shower for Amanda, and had attendees do 80's makeovers for fabulous prizes.
Bridesmaided for my dear friends, once in September, once in October. Thanked God my friends have lovely taste in bridesmaid dresses.
Worked my ass off, rubbed shoulders with celebs, and pissed off Victor Garber at the Runway for Life event.
Threw the Halloween Cocktail Party I've wanted to throw, oh, forever; discovered black vodka.
Met one of the funniest women alive, Amy Sedaris.
Voted in one of the most important elections of our lifetime; wept with joy on Election Night.
Gardened! I finally populated the little garden in front of our house with herbs and flowers, I planted three rose bushes, and we had a tree planted in the front yard.
Learned how to weave a lattice pie crust and baked the world's most beautiful (and delicious) apple pie for Thanksgiving.
Bought the prettiest white winter coat just before our trip to Seattle, where we got to see some fabulous friends, and got a truckload of great business accomplished. (Also, note how long hair has gotten!)
Took formal family portraits with the McLeans at Sears.
Sent out beautiful Click holiday cards to our clients and press.
Enjoyed a lovely, low-key Christmas in Santa Barbara.
And, finally, watched the dogs get even cuter.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
So there I was
Okay, here's what happened.
On Monday, I worked at a red carpet DVD launch event for Step Up 2. Yes, worked. I was checking in talent, wrangling them in & out of a stretch Escalade (...I know), and getting them interviews on the red carpet. It was chaotic and exhausting and fun.
So there I was, at the end of the carpet, my crew of dancers had finally done their last interview. There was Mia, just hanging out on her own, waiting for her friend Brian to finish an interview or something. So I just introduced myself and said hi. I told her I was a huge fan of the show and her choreography, and that I appreciated her thoughtful critiques. She smiled a genuine smile and thanked me, and was completely gracious and fabulous and awesome.
Later at the party, after watching some AMAZING dance battles, enjoying a couple cocktails and a shaking a little booty (I shared the dance floor with Season 3's Hok & Dominic), I saw her and Brian again, talking to my friend Chris, the magnificent orchestrator of this entire event. I asked Chris if it would be totally lame if I asked for a picture with Mia & Brian, since I forgot earlier, and he said no problem, and. Ta Da!
Now I just have to meet Cat & Tyce, and pink drinks here we come! (Brian can come too, of course. He seems absolutely charming.)
And there you have it. Sometimes my job is made up of scheduling conflicts, huge projects with tight deadlines, yucky accounting & tax stuff, and all kinds of other stress. And sometimes my job is the most fabulous thing ever.
On Monday, I worked at a red carpet DVD launch event for Step Up 2. Yes, worked. I was checking in talent, wrangling them in & out of a stretch Escalade (...I know), and getting them interviews on the red carpet. It was chaotic and exhausting and fun.
So there I was, at the end of the carpet, my crew of dancers had finally done their last interview. There was Mia, just hanging out on her own, waiting for her friend Brian to finish an interview or something. So I just introduced myself and said hi. I told her I was a huge fan of the show and her choreography, and that I appreciated her thoughtful critiques. She smiled a genuine smile and thanked me, and was completely gracious and fabulous and awesome.
Later at the party, after watching some AMAZING dance battles, enjoying a couple cocktails and a shaking a little booty (I shared the dance floor with Season 3's Hok & Dominic), I saw her and Brian again, talking to my friend Chris, the magnificent orchestrator of this entire event. I asked Chris if it would be totally lame if I asked for a picture with Mia & Brian, since I forgot earlier, and he said no problem, and. Ta Da!
Now I just have to meet Cat & Tyce, and pink drinks here we come! (Brian can come too, of course. He seems absolutely charming.)
And there you have it. Sometimes my job is made up of scheduling conflicts, huge projects with tight deadlines, yucky accounting & tax stuff, and all kinds of other stress. And sometimes my job is the most fabulous thing ever.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Dinah: 1. Death: 0.
I finished!
I thought I was gonna die, but I didn't. Dinah: 1. Death: 0. As for the whole rundown of how I did, I warn you now--it ain't pretty. Oh, and it's a long story, so if you just want to skip ahead to my slow, slow times, they're at the bottom.
Race Day started when Mac & I left the hotel with plenty of time to get to the race site, get me into the transition area & set up my gear, and call/text all my race buddies to make sure we could meet up. Then, we got lost. I ended up getting into the transition area with about 5 minutes to set up all my gear and get the heck out. I found my friend Loren, who suckered me into this in the first place, and ended up hanging with her until our wave started. Just as we were waiting to get into our swim corral, my friends Susan & Hilary found me! After many hugs and high fives all around, it was time to swim.
I'd done one other open water swim before this, but nothing prepared me for this. The water was super choppy and there was a strong current pulling everyone to the left. I started off with my nice long stroke and my "I'm a superhero!" mantra (I know it's silly, but it usually works), and then there'd be water in my face, in my mouth, up my nose. Then I'd realize I'd been pulled by the current and I'd have to get back on track. Then I'd get kicked in the face. I didn't experience any bad anxiety, thank God, and I never needed a noodle to hang on to, but the whole thing was a struggle. After all my careful training, I did a whole lot of doggy-paddle & sputtering. My best time in the pool was around 27 minutes; this swim took 37.
Still, finishing the swim was thrilling! I hauled my dizzy butt through my first transition slowly and still managed to forget my sunglasses (a big bummer on bike on a sunny, windy day). And then I was off on the bike.
First of all, the bike course was full of more hills than I ever expected or trained on. Second, the hybrid bike I rented was easily 50% heavier than my bike at home. Third, it was super windy out there. So, not the best conditions ever. BUT I biked up most the hills (and walked/pushed my bike up a few steep ones, because, OW), and used the downhills and flats to pick up speed. The wind was a little scary, but knowing how hard the uphills would be I knew I'd need the momentum (and help on the time), I just decided "No Fear!!" and peddled and went as fast as I could. It was a beautiful course, as well. Had the course been a little flatter, I probably could have done it in a nice, respectable time. As it is, I finished the bike in an hour and 16 minutes.
By the time THAT was done, I was exhausted. Had it not been Race Day, and someone asked me to even go on a light, breezy walk, I would have been like, "Um, no. The only left on my agenda today is a bath, some ice cream and a good book, THANKS."
But it WAS Race Day.
God Bless Loren Faye in this moment. Because as I pulled into the transition area, there she was, waiting for me. She'd kicked my butt in the swim and the bike, and now had a super-long transition time waiting for me so we could do the 5k together. When started walking she asked, "Are you still going to be my friend after this, since I talked you into one of the Hardest Races Ever?" To which I replied (in between panting), "Um, DUH." And here's where we were just really slow (totally my fault) and walked pretty much the whole 5k. Even when I got my legs back, I just couldn't do it. Y'all it was HOT. The high for the day was 99, so we had to be walking in about 95 degrees of blazing hot sun. And as much as I was super hydrated and fueled with proper nutrition & sports drinks, the heat was just really brutal. (My friend Susan warned me about the heat and I tried to train in heat & acclimate before the race, but our lovely Southern California weather never went over 80/85 in the last weeks leading up the race.) There was a long hill at the end of the course (what sadist plotted THAT out, I'd like to know??), and the heat actually HURT. But with Loren's help, and the ice cold water of some fabulous volunteers, and all the support I knew I had to finish, I just kept plugging away.
I would have liked to have done more jogging this whole time (Straight up: I jogged for the cameras, and that's about it). In the end, my legs aren't as wrecked as I actually think they should have been. And I keep looking back at this part and feeling frustrated that I didn't get to do all the jogging I'd trained.
But when we finally spotted the finish line I finally just thought, "F--- it," and jogged the last, like, 50/100 yards of the course. I got a double high five from Danskin spokeswoman and professional hard-core triathlete Sally Edwards as I crossed the finish line, got my medal and my water, and seriously felt like I might throw up. I think if I'd done any more jogging in that heat, I definitely would have thrown up, if not passed out. So it's probably best for my health that I didn't jog, I guess, but my final time for the 5k was a super-slow 55 minutes. UGH.
(Also: after doing the whole race and feeling more hot & exhausted then I've ever felt before, we had to walk about 1.5 miles back to the car. I thought I was gonna die.)
Overall, this event was the hardest thing I've ever chosen to do. It's also one of the BEST THINGS I have ever chosen to do. First of all, I made some awesome new friends by doing this (What up TEAM QUESO!!) But mostly, throughout the whole event, I kept thinking, "This water is really choppy (blrargh/garrgle/spleft/mloey/pleh/sputter) . . . but I'm gonna do this anyway." "Trying to bike up these hills on this bike, in this wind, is really super painful (Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.).... but I'm gonna keep peddling anyway." "Just walking in this brutal heat, after everything else I've already done today, is one of the most exhausting things I've ever done, and I really want to stop. (OMG I'm dying!) But I won't stop; I'm going to keep walking anyway."
It ended up being this profound experience. The medal we all get when we finish the Danskin says, "The woman who starts the race is not the same woman who finishes the race." Truer words were never printed on a pointy metal award. After all, the next time I find myself in a tough spot, faced with doing something I'd rather not do, I think I'll be a whole lot less likely to quit. I think I'll just plow ahead and do it anyway.
So. Will I do it again? You bet your sweet bippy I will. (And I'm taking some of you with me, so look out!!) This event has not only taught me so much about training, and what I need to do for the next one. All my training for this one didn't really prepare me for all the conditions of the course, but it did prepare my overall strength and stamina. And willpower, for that matter.
This race has also forced me to give up my old mantle of "Most Un-athletic Person I Know." Which, aside from raising money for breast-cancer research, is the main reason I wanted to do this. I just got tired of being this sad sack of couch potatoes, moping around going, "I'm just not athletic/coordinated/good at sports. I can't do athletic things." I set out on this journey to prove to myself that I CAN do athletic things if I want to. I might not be the fastest or strongest, but I can do it if I want to!!
And now I am officially a tri-athlete. I haven't signed up for any other races yet, but I will. I want to keep up my training, of course. Plus, man, I have GOT to get a better time. And then a better one, and then a better one....
Finally, I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you who have been reading along this journey for all your love and support and prayers--they helped so very much. Also: Thank you to Amy for introducing me to Athleta, home of the world's cutest workout gear. Thank you to Matti, for all the travel-sized beauty products that really came in handy this whole weekend. A HUGE thank you to Team Queso, for all the supportive emails leading up to this race, for encouraging me when I thought I couldn't keep going, and for the actual queso (and cake, and beer) after the race.
And, of course, Big Love and gratitude to my dear friend Loren, for talking me into this in the first place, and then waiting for me and sticking with me that whole walk. I am so proud of us for crossing that finish line together--We Rock Shut Up!!
And, last but not least, my fabulous husband Mac, who encouraged me on the days I didn't want to go to the gym, who listened when I went on and on about all my training endeavors, who didn't bat an eyelash no matter how much I spent on gear (this sport ain't cheap, y'all), and who never once wavered in his belief in me, that I could do this.
Thank you thank you thank you everyone! And don't forget, the next time I do this, I'm taking you with me!
--
My Results
I thought I was gonna die, but I didn't. Dinah: 1. Death: 0. As for the whole rundown of how I did, I warn you now--it ain't pretty. Oh, and it's a long story, so if you just want to skip ahead to my slow, slow times, they're at the bottom.
Race Day started when Mac & I left the hotel with plenty of time to get to the race site, get me into the transition area & set up my gear, and call/text all my race buddies to make sure we could meet up. Then, we got lost. I ended up getting into the transition area with about 5 minutes to set up all my gear and get the heck out. I found my friend Loren, who suckered me into this in the first place, and ended up hanging with her until our wave started. Just as we were waiting to get into our swim corral, my friends Susan & Hilary found me! After many hugs and high fives all around, it was time to swim.
I'd done one other open water swim before this, but nothing prepared me for this. The water was super choppy and there was a strong current pulling everyone to the left. I started off with my nice long stroke and my "I'm a superhero!" mantra (I know it's silly, but it usually works), and then there'd be water in my face, in my mouth, up my nose. Then I'd realize I'd been pulled by the current and I'd have to get back on track. Then I'd get kicked in the face. I didn't experience any bad anxiety, thank God, and I never needed a noodle to hang on to, but the whole thing was a struggle. After all my careful training, I did a whole lot of doggy-paddle & sputtering. My best time in the pool was around 27 minutes; this swim took 37.
Still, finishing the swim was thrilling! I hauled my dizzy butt through my first transition slowly and still managed to forget my sunglasses (a big bummer on bike on a sunny, windy day). And then I was off on the bike.
First of all, the bike course was full of more hills than I ever expected or trained on. Second, the hybrid bike I rented was easily 50% heavier than my bike at home. Third, it was super windy out there. So, not the best conditions ever. BUT I biked up most the hills (and walked/pushed my bike up a few steep ones, because, OW), and used the downhills and flats to pick up speed. The wind was a little scary, but knowing how hard the uphills would be I knew I'd need the momentum (and help on the time), I just decided "No Fear!!" and peddled and went as fast as I could. It was a beautiful course, as well. Had the course been a little flatter, I probably could have done it in a nice, respectable time. As it is, I finished the bike in an hour and 16 minutes.
By the time THAT was done, I was exhausted. Had it not been Race Day, and someone asked me to even go on a light, breezy walk, I would have been like, "Um, no. The only left on my agenda today is a bath, some ice cream and a good book, THANKS."
But it WAS Race Day.
God Bless Loren Faye in this moment. Because as I pulled into the transition area, there she was, waiting for me. She'd kicked my butt in the swim and the bike, and now had a super-long transition time waiting for me so we could do the 5k together. When started walking she asked, "Are you still going to be my friend after this, since I talked you into one of the Hardest Races Ever?" To which I replied (in between panting), "Um, DUH." And here's where we were just really slow (totally my fault) and walked pretty much the whole 5k. Even when I got my legs back, I just couldn't do it. Y'all it was HOT. The high for the day was 99, so we had to be walking in about 95 degrees of blazing hot sun. And as much as I was super hydrated and fueled with proper nutrition & sports drinks, the heat was just really brutal. (My friend Susan warned me about the heat and I tried to train in heat & acclimate before the race, but our lovely Southern California weather never went over 80/85 in the last weeks leading up the race.) There was a long hill at the end of the course (what sadist plotted THAT out, I'd like to know??), and the heat actually HURT. But with Loren's help, and the ice cold water of some fabulous volunteers, and all the support I knew I had to finish, I just kept plugging away.
I would have liked to have done more jogging this whole time (Straight up: I jogged for the cameras, and that's about it). In the end, my legs aren't as wrecked as I actually think they should have been. And I keep looking back at this part and feeling frustrated that I didn't get to do all the jogging I'd trained.
But when we finally spotted the finish line I finally just thought, "F--- it," and jogged the last, like, 50/100 yards of the course. I got a double high five from Danskin spokeswoman and professional hard-core triathlete Sally Edwards as I crossed the finish line, got my medal and my water, and seriously felt like I might throw up. I think if I'd done any more jogging in that heat, I definitely would have thrown up, if not passed out. So it's probably best for my health that I didn't jog, I guess, but my final time for the 5k was a super-slow 55 minutes. UGH.
(Also: after doing the whole race and feeling more hot & exhausted then I've ever felt before, we had to walk about 1.5 miles back to the car. I thought I was gonna die.)
Overall, this event was the hardest thing I've ever chosen to do. It's also one of the BEST THINGS I have ever chosen to do. First of all, I made some awesome new friends by doing this (What up TEAM QUESO!!) But mostly, throughout the whole event, I kept thinking, "This water is really choppy (blrargh/garrgle/spleft/mloey/pleh/sputter) . . . but I'm gonna do this anyway." "Trying to bike up these hills on this bike, in this wind, is really super painful (Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.).... but I'm gonna keep peddling anyway." "Just walking in this brutal heat, after everything else I've already done today, is one of the most exhausting things I've ever done, and I really want to stop. (OMG I'm dying!) But I won't stop; I'm going to keep walking anyway."
It ended up being this profound experience. The medal we all get when we finish the Danskin says, "The woman who starts the race is not the same woman who finishes the race." Truer words were never printed on a pointy metal award. After all, the next time I find myself in a tough spot, faced with doing something I'd rather not do, I think I'll be a whole lot less likely to quit. I think I'll just plow ahead and do it anyway.
So. Will I do it again? You bet your sweet bippy I will. (And I'm taking some of you with me, so look out!!) This event has not only taught me so much about training, and what I need to do for the next one. All my training for this one didn't really prepare me for all the conditions of the course, but it did prepare my overall strength and stamina. And willpower, for that matter.
This race has also forced me to give up my old mantle of "Most Un-athletic Person I Know." Which, aside from raising money for breast-cancer research, is the main reason I wanted to do this. I just got tired of being this sad sack of couch potatoes, moping around going, "I'm just not athletic/coordinated/good at sports. I can't do athletic things." I set out on this journey to prove to myself that I CAN do athletic things if I want to. I might not be the fastest or strongest, but I can do it if I want to!!
And now I am officially a tri-athlete. I haven't signed up for any other races yet, but I will. I want to keep up my training, of course. Plus, man, I have GOT to get a better time. And then a better one, and then a better one....
Finally, I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you who have been reading along this journey for all your love and support and prayers--they helped so very much. Also: Thank you to Amy for introducing me to Athleta, home of the world's cutest workout gear. Thank you to Matti, for all the travel-sized beauty products that really came in handy this whole weekend. A HUGE thank you to Team Queso, for all the supportive emails leading up to this race, for encouraging me when I thought I couldn't keep going, and for the actual queso (and cake, and beer) after the race.
And, of course, Big Love and gratitude to my dear friend Loren, for talking me into this in the first place, and then waiting for me and sticking with me that whole walk. I am so proud of us for crossing that finish line together--We Rock Shut Up!!
And, last but not least, my fabulous husband Mac, who encouraged me on the days I didn't want to go to the gym, who listened when I went on and on about all my training endeavors, who didn't bat an eyelash no matter how much I spent on gear (this sport ain't cheap, y'all), and who never once wavered in his belief in me, that I could do this.
Thank you thank you thank you everyone! And don't forget, the next time I do this, I'm taking you with me!
--
My Results
| Oerall Rank | Class Rank | Swim | Swim Rank | Trans1 | Bike | Bike Rank | MPH | Trans2 | Run | Run Rank | Pace | Final |
| 2473 of 2592 | 327 of 376 | 00:37:33 | 2304 | 00:08:12 | 01:16:34 | 2473 | 09.4 | 00:05:49 | 00:55:45 | 2468 | 00:17:59 | 03:03:53 |
Friday, June 06, 2008
Number 2785
I have an official race bib number. On Sunday, I will be Number 2785.
We got to Austin yesterday and went directly to the Whole Foods flagship store (aka Willy Wonka's Organic Foods Factory) for lunch, because they have the best salad bars you've ever seen.
Today, it is raining. Weather.com says it's going to rain until Monday, with possible thunderstorms on Sunday. Now the only thing I'm more nervous about than doing the race is not getting to do the race after all my hard work. Not that it would be canceled due to just rain, but I hear lightening around lakes is dangerous.
So right now I'm praying for decent weather. Dry roads would be best for biking, but hey--I've biked in hail and I know how to work my brakes on a wet road. I can take a couple rain drops. Swimming in rain is... whatever, we're already wet. Running is fine, because at least it won't be a million degrees hot, which was the initial concern. I did a light, 30-minute walk/jog around the neighborhood where I'm staying, and either from rain or humidity or sweat or, like today, a combination of all three, it's just going to be a wet race. And that's fine.
I'm as ready as I'm going to get. I have a Race Plan (because when the Going Gets Tough, Dinah Makes a Spreadsheet), I have all my gear, I have a bike reserved, and I'm as trained as I can be. I might be doing a little more walking than I would like, but I'm okay with it.
All I need now is some last-minute encouragement to help quell the general anxiety & nerves I've been feeling all week. I'm going to collect them all and read them the night before my race, and remember that I am loved and supported and I CAN DO THIS!!
Thanks to everyone who has already called or emailed their support! Also, if you're feeling generous and want a little warm fuzzy for yourself today, feel free to click here and donate to the Team Survivor pledge program. This isn't like other races, where you have to commit to raise a certain amount of money. BUT there's no harm in kicking in a couple bucks for breast cancer research is there? If you want to do it in my name, then use the info below:
Name: Dinah McLean
Hometown: North Hollywood, CA
Race City: Austin, TX
Thanks everyone!!!
We got to Austin yesterday and went directly to the Whole Foods flagship store (aka Willy Wonka's Organic Foods Factory) for lunch, because they have the best salad bars you've ever seen.
Today, it is raining. Weather.com says it's going to rain until Monday, with possible thunderstorms on Sunday. Now the only thing I'm more nervous about than doing the race is not getting to do the race after all my hard work. Not that it would be canceled due to just rain, but I hear lightening around lakes is dangerous.
So right now I'm praying for decent weather. Dry roads would be best for biking, but hey--I've biked in hail and I know how to work my brakes on a wet road. I can take a couple rain drops. Swimming in rain is... whatever, we're already wet. Running is fine, because at least it won't be a million degrees hot, which was the initial concern. I did a light, 30-minute walk/jog around the neighborhood where I'm staying, and either from rain or humidity or sweat or, like today, a combination of all three, it's just going to be a wet race. And that's fine.
I'm as ready as I'm going to get. I have a Race Plan (because when the Going Gets Tough, Dinah Makes a Spreadsheet), I have all my gear, I have a bike reserved, and I'm as trained as I can be. I might be doing a little more walking than I would like, but I'm okay with it.
All I need now is some last-minute encouragement to help quell the general anxiety & nerves I've been feeling all week. I'm going to collect them all and read them the night before my race, and remember that I am loved and supported and I CAN DO THIS!!
Thanks to everyone who has already called or emailed their support! Also, if you're feeling generous and want a little warm fuzzy for yourself today, feel free to click here and donate to the Team Survivor pledge program. This isn't like other races, where you have to commit to raise a certain amount of money. BUT there's no harm in kicking in a couple bucks for breast cancer research is there? If you want to do it in my name, then use the info below:
Name: Dinah McLean
Hometown: North Hollywood, CA
Race City: Austin, TX
Thanks everyone!!!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
I bike in hail!
So, listen. If you've been following the story, then you know that I have had my doubts about this whole madcap triathlon endeavor. Especially recently, as the event starts to loom closer and the panic about all the training I have NOT done starts to creep in.
So let's see where I'm really at, shall we?
Swimming:
Today I did the whole half mile without stopping in 32:50 and felt great. I did an extra two laps just because I could. Plus, let's face it, if my last attempts at open-water swimming are any indication, I'm not swimming this thing in a straight line, like, at all. So it will likely be longer than my practiced 1/2 mile distance. Knowing I can do the whole distance, and then some, is a great feeling. Also a great feeling: when I realized I wasn't nearly as winded as I used to be, then used that information to force myself to try and swim faster. I mean, I shaved almost 3 minutes off my time from just last Tuesday.
Goals: Shave another minute or two off, if possible; practice swimming in what I'll be wearing on race day (tri-shorts, sports bra, zip up jersey); practice Zen-ing out and visualize taking on the Fleshy Churning Spank Machine open water swim with calm and confidence.
Biking:
When I first agreed to do this, I was focused on the running because I knew that was hard for me. Then I switched focus to swimming because I knew I couldn't do that hardly at all. I haven't spent nearly enough on my bike, and it's pretty obvious. On Sunday I tried to bike in the 95 degree heat and thought I was gonna die. (Lesson learned: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!!) Today I biked a little over 12 miles (2.5 to the gym, 9.7 after my swim) and I wasn't clocking it super-specifically or anything, but I think the whole thing was around 1:08. As in, an hour and 8 minutes. So, I can do it, but I am hella slow. The fun part, though, was getting caught in a rainstorm on my bike. That's right: I am now a HARD-CORE ATHLETE, I bike in hail!
Goals: Get time under an hour (and who knows how much time I'm wasting at stop lights, dude); practice bike-to-run transition; do a couple more rides in the heat, if possible.
Running:
Oh, who am I kidding? I can't actually qualify what I do as "running." This is where I started my training, and it's still my weakest leg of the whole thing. I still get dizzy, the tiniest twinges can turn into full-blown muscle spasms, and I have to walk a lot. If I'm regulating my time, then I'm alternating 2-minute walks with 3-minute jogs for the whole distance. If I'm not regulating my time, then that means I'm pushing myself to see how far/long I can jog, and then getting exhausted, and then I'm all over the map. The good news is, I've at least picked up a little speed from when I started. The bad news is, I'm probably not doing this 5k in under 45 minutes any time soon. I mean, I do it in 42 minutes now. And I've paired it with the bike a few times with decent success, actually. Just not with the whole bike distance. So, yeah. I could be walking this thing.
Goals: Get time down to 41, maybe 40 minutes (so I can do it in 45 on race day); practice walking/jogging after full 12-mile ride; practice jogging in what I'll be wearing on race day, especially outside; do a couple jogs in the heat, if possible.
So if I were to do this today (and, hi, I did 2/3 of it today, HOLLA!!), then my total time will be about 2 and a half hours, I think? If I can manage a 35 minute swim + 60 minute bike + 45 minute run on race day, then it's 2:20, plus transitions. For a sprint, this is a VERY SLOW TIME. BUT. Considering that I was certain I couldn't do this at all before Lo & Susan talked me into in January? Or that I was convinced it would take me at least 3 hours just 2 weeks ago?
I'm kind of stoked.
So let's see where I'm really at, shall we?
Swimming:
Today I did the whole half mile without stopping in 32:50 and felt great. I did an extra two laps just because I could. Plus, let's face it, if my last attempts at open-water swimming are any indication, I'm not swimming this thing in a straight line, like, at all. So it will likely be longer than my practiced 1/2 mile distance. Knowing I can do the whole distance, and then some, is a great feeling. Also a great feeling: when I realized I wasn't nearly as winded as I used to be, then used that information to force myself to try and swim faster. I mean, I shaved almost 3 minutes off my time from just last Tuesday.
Goals: Shave another minute or two off, if possible; practice swimming in what I'll be wearing on race day (tri-shorts, sports bra, zip up jersey); practice Zen-ing out and visualize taking on the Fleshy Churning Spank Machine open water swim with calm and confidence.
Biking:
When I first agreed to do this, I was focused on the running because I knew that was hard for me. Then I switched focus to swimming because I knew I couldn't do that hardly at all. I haven't spent nearly enough on my bike, and it's pretty obvious. On Sunday I tried to bike in the 95 degree heat and thought I was gonna die. (Lesson learned: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!!) Today I biked a little over 12 miles (2.5 to the gym, 9.7 after my swim) and I wasn't clocking it super-specifically or anything, but I think the whole thing was around 1:08. As in, an hour and 8 minutes. So, I can do it, but I am hella slow. The fun part, though, was getting caught in a rainstorm on my bike. That's right: I am now a HARD-CORE ATHLETE, I bike in hail!
Goals: Get time under an hour (and who knows how much time I'm wasting at stop lights, dude); practice bike-to-run transition; do a couple more rides in the heat, if possible.
Running:
Oh, who am I kidding? I can't actually qualify what I do as "running." This is where I started my training, and it's still my weakest leg of the whole thing. I still get dizzy, the tiniest twinges can turn into full-blown muscle spasms, and I have to walk a lot. If I'm regulating my time, then I'm alternating 2-minute walks with 3-minute jogs for the whole distance. If I'm not regulating my time, then that means I'm pushing myself to see how far/long I can jog, and then getting exhausted, and then I'm all over the map. The good news is, I've at least picked up a little speed from when I started. The bad news is, I'm probably not doing this 5k in under 45 minutes any time soon. I mean, I do it in 42 minutes now. And I've paired it with the bike a few times with decent success, actually. Just not with the whole bike distance. So, yeah. I could be walking this thing.
Goals: Get time down to 41, maybe 40 minutes (so I can do it in 45 on race day); practice walking/jogging after full 12-mile ride; practice jogging in what I'll be wearing on race day, especially outside; do a couple jogs in the heat, if possible.
So if I were to do this today (and, hi, I did 2/3 of it today, HOLLA!!), then my total time will be about 2 and a half hours, I think? If I can manage a 35 minute swim + 60 minute bike + 45 minute run on race day, then it's 2:20, plus transitions. For a sprint, this is a VERY SLOW TIME. BUT. Considering that I was certain I couldn't do this at all before Lo & Susan talked me into in January? Or that I was convinced it would take me at least 3 hours just 2 weeks ago?
I'm kind of stoked.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
I AM THE BIG WINNER.
Who's a big winner?
I AM. I AM THE BIG WINNER.
My first attempt at swimming was on February 8. I had to stop after every length of the pool to hold onto the side and breathe. Getting through all 18 laps took me 90 freaking minutes. By March 24 I was stopping to breathe after every lap, getting through the laps took a combination of freestyle/crawl, breast stroke and floating on my back, and 18 laps took 48 minutes.
I've been making steady improvements since then, putting more and more laps together without stopping, until on Sunday I did 10 laps, took one break in the shallow end, then did 8, and the whole thing took me 39 minutes.
Today I did all 18 laps without stopping in 35:50.
I'd say that's an improvement.
I AM. I AM THE BIG WINNER.
My first attempt at swimming was on February 8. I had to stop after every length of the pool to hold onto the side and breathe. Getting through all 18 laps took me 90 freaking minutes. By March 24 I was stopping to breathe after every lap, getting through the laps took a combination of freestyle/crawl, breast stroke and floating on my back, and 18 laps took 48 minutes.
I've been making steady improvements since then, putting more and more laps together without stopping, until on Sunday I did 10 laps, took one break in the shallow end, then did 8, and the whole thing took me 39 minutes.
Today I did all 18 laps without stopping in 35:50.
I'd say that's an improvement.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
healthy
I had an epiphany in the pool today.
Somewhere around lap 15 I remembered that I'm in a very busy work week--getting caught up from vacation, prepping for staff flying in and client meetings and our party on Saturday, etc. As soon as it popped into my head, I felt weird.
And I realized: generally speaking, when I'm training, I don't think about work at ALL. In fact, I don't think about anything BUT training. I think about my breathing and I think about the fatigue (and sometimes pain) I feel in my body. I think about my triathlon, and how I'm going to get through it. If I'm running, I think about the song I'm listening to, and sometimes get so caught up I do a little dance move while I'm jogging (which I bet looks bizarre to the people around me at the Y). If I'm biking, I'm thinking about the cars around me, my speed, the pain in my butt, how thirsty I am (I don't have a bottle holder on my bike yet). Sometimes I just repeat a mantra over and over again in my head. Like, my swimming mantra used to be "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming." My new mantra is, "Long. Strong." One word for each stroke.
The weirdness passed quickly as I went back to repeating my mantra, breathing, and keeping count of my laps. And making sure I kept kicking. And paying attention to my form. There's actually quite a lot to think about when you're swimming. It doesn't leave room for any of my other usual thoughts or worries.
And I love it. I mean, as hard as all this training has been, I really love it. Not only am I in better shape than I was when I started this venture, but my workouts have become this precious me-time. I might even love swimming most of all, because it forces me out of my own head and makes me focus on the moment.
Starting this, everyone said it's best to work out with friends, and I believed them. I lamented that none of my friends go to my Y, and none of my fellow tri buddies are even in LA, and why does this city have to be so damn spread out so it's freaking impossible to get together to work out anyway?? Now I realize just how valuable all this me-time has been.
Aside from today's epiphany, I've also realized a couple other things. One, I love exercise. Go figure. When we were in Hawaii I went on 2 4-mile walks, swam laps in the ocean (I'm guessing about 600 yards?), lifted weights in the hotel exercise room, and went snorkeling. Which, fine, is basically just floating and probably didn't burn many calories. But still! Moving, playing outside--I love it. I don't know yet if I'm going to become one of those people who's addicted to triathlons, but I'm definitely making a list of all the other stuff I want to try. Like, scuba diving for sure, maybe surfing, maybe tennis? Definitely rock climbing.
Unrelated to my training (but just as healthy), I also realized last week when I was in Hawaii that I was missing the annual Ticketmaster marketing & operations conference in LA. Which, yeah, I don't work there anymore, but I still have friends there who live around the country, and it would have been fun to crash one of their parties and see some of my favorite people.
Nothing against any of those people, but in retrospect I'm actually glad I missed it. It's been almost one year exactly since I left TM after 7 years, and it's been one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life. When I think about the positive ways in which I've changed my life since leaving, it really becomes clear that the most important change I made was the leaving itself. Those friends I didn't see last week will still be friends, and we'll see each other again some other, better way. For me, it's best not to move back, but keep on truckin' forward.
Somewhere around lap 15 I remembered that I'm in a very busy work week--getting caught up from vacation, prepping for staff flying in and client meetings and our party on Saturday, etc. As soon as it popped into my head, I felt weird.
And I realized: generally speaking, when I'm training, I don't think about work at ALL. In fact, I don't think about anything BUT training. I think about my breathing and I think about the fatigue (and sometimes pain) I feel in my body. I think about my triathlon, and how I'm going to get through it. If I'm running, I think about the song I'm listening to, and sometimes get so caught up I do a little dance move while I'm jogging (which I bet looks bizarre to the people around me at the Y). If I'm biking, I'm thinking about the cars around me, my speed, the pain in my butt, how thirsty I am (I don't have a bottle holder on my bike yet). Sometimes I just repeat a mantra over and over again in my head. Like, my swimming mantra used to be "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming." My new mantra is, "Long. Strong." One word for each stroke.
The weirdness passed quickly as I went back to repeating my mantra, breathing, and keeping count of my laps. And making sure I kept kicking. And paying attention to my form. There's actually quite a lot to think about when you're swimming. It doesn't leave room for any of my other usual thoughts or worries.
And I love it. I mean, as hard as all this training has been, I really love it. Not only am I in better shape than I was when I started this venture, but my workouts have become this precious me-time. I might even love swimming most of all, because it forces me out of my own head and makes me focus on the moment.
Starting this, everyone said it's best to work out with friends, and I believed them. I lamented that none of my friends go to my Y, and none of my fellow tri buddies are even in LA, and why does this city have to be so damn spread out so it's freaking impossible to get together to work out anyway?? Now I realize just how valuable all this me-time has been.
Aside from today's epiphany, I've also realized a couple other things. One, I love exercise. Go figure. When we were in Hawaii I went on 2 4-mile walks, swam laps in the ocean (I'm guessing about 600 yards?), lifted weights in the hotel exercise room, and went snorkeling. Which, fine, is basically just floating and probably didn't burn many calories. But still! Moving, playing outside--I love it. I don't know yet if I'm going to become one of those people who's addicted to triathlons, but I'm definitely making a list of all the other stuff I want to try. Like, scuba diving for sure, maybe surfing, maybe tennis? Definitely rock climbing.
Unrelated to my training (but just as healthy), I also realized last week when I was in Hawaii that I was missing the annual Ticketmaster marketing & operations conference in LA. Which, yeah, I don't work there anymore, but I still have friends there who live around the country, and it would have been fun to crash one of their parties and see some of my favorite people.
Nothing against any of those people, but in retrospect I'm actually glad I missed it. It's been almost one year exactly since I left TM after 7 years, and it's been one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life. When I think about the positive ways in which I've changed my life since leaving, it really becomes clear that the most important change I made was the leaving itself. Those friends I didn't see last week will still be friends, and we'll see each other again some other, better way. For me, it's best not to move back, but keep on truckin' forward.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
my beaten, yet victorious, ass
I was going to go with "Shark Fight."
The story went like this: I was in Hawaii, enjoying my Big Island vacation and frolicking in the surf, when suddenly a shark swam up to me all, "I'm gonna EAT YOU!!" and he bit my ankle. So I punch him in the face and knocked his teeth out! But then he smacked me in the face with his tail and head-butted me in the shoulder, and then bit the back of my legs! Thank god he didn't have any teeth anymore, so he just gummed my legs and left big bruises. But it hurt!! So I kicked him in the nuts. And he was like, "Ow! Sonofa!" and he finally swam away. And I dragged my beaten, yet victorious, ass out of the water and collapsed face first on the sand. And when I awoke, my back, shoulders, & arms were all sun-burnt.
And then I got home from Hawaii, and read about this.
So I've decided to go with the other story, which is less fun and goes like this: First, I flayed over an inch of skin from my ankle in the shower with my cheap-as-shit Bic Soleil razor and bled all over the hotel bathroom, and worried about convincing the hotel staff that someone had been horribly murdered. Then I jumped off the high dive of a boat, and landed in the water in a seated position, and gave myself multiple contusions (that's when a bruise is also a bumpy welt) on the backs of my legs, one of them bigger then both of my hands end to end. Then, after applying and re-applying water and sweat-proof sunscreen religiously all week, I forgot to re-apply it after the boat trip, and sunburned the hell out of my back and shoulders in the convertible on the drive back to where we were staying. But none of these injuries would stop me from going back into the ocean on my last day of my trip, and when I saw the big wave coming I thought, "Um, that looks like it's going to kill me. What am I supposed to do?" The ocean, merciless bastard it is, gave me no time to figure out the right answer, and flipped me over until I pounded its sandy bottom with my shoulder and face.
So, yeah. Hawaii was awesome and we had an amazing vacation. We got to see whales, dolphins, sea turtles, a mongoose, brown geckos, green geckos, and countless birds, bugs and fish. We drank all the refreshing island cocktails ever invented and watched the sun set over the ocean. We got lomi lomi massages by the water. We bonded even more with my sister Amy and her husband Chip. We ate some of the most delicious fish you can imagine. I'm not complaining, it was a dreamy, relaxing vacation.
I'm just saying: I got beat to shit, dude. It's probably for the best that we're back.
The story went like this: I was in Hawaii, enjoying my Big Island vacation and frolicking in the surf, when suddenly a shark swam up to me all, "I'm gonna EAT YOU!!" and he bit my ankle. So I punch him in the face and knocked his teeth out! But then he smacked me in the face with his tail and head-butted me in the shoulder, and then bit the back of my legs! Thank god he didn't have any teeth anymore, so he just gummed my legs and left big bruises. But it hurt!! So I kicked him in the nuts. And he was like, "Ow! Sonofa!" and he finally swam away. And I dragged my beaten, yet victorious, ass out of the water and collapsed face first on the sand. And when I awoke, my back, shoulders, & arms were all sun-burnt.
And then I got home from Hawaii, and read about this.
So I've decided to go with the other story, which is less fun and goes like this: First, I flayed over an inch of skin from my ankle in the shower with my cheap-as-shit Bic Soleil razor and bled all over the hotel bathroom, and worried about convincing the hotel staff that someone had been horribly murdered. Then I jumped off the high dive of a boat, and landed in the water in a seated position, and gave myself multiple contusions (that's when a bruise is also a bumpy welt) on the backs of my legs, one of them bigger then both of my hands end to end. Then, after applying and re-applying water and sweat-proof sunscreen religiously all week, I forgot to re-apply it after the boat trip, and sunburned the hell out of my back and shoulders in the convertible on the drive back to where we were staying. But none of these injuries would stop me from going back into the ocean on my last day of my trip, and when I saw the big wave coming I thought, "Um, that looks like it's going to kill me. What am I supposed to do?" The ocean, merciless bastard it is, gave me no time to figure out the right answer, and flipped me over until I pounded its sandy bottom with my shoulder and face.
So, yeah. Hawaii was awesome and we had an amazing vacation. We got to see whales, dolphins, sea turtles, a mongoose, brown geckos, green geckos, and countless birds, bugs and fish. We drank all the refreshing island cocktails ever invented and watched the sun set over the ocean. We got lomi lomi massages by the water. We bonded even more with my sister Amy and her husband Chip. We ate some of the most delicious fish you can imagine. I'm not complaining, it was a dreamy, relaxing vacation.
I'm just saying: I got beat to shit, dude. It's probably for the best that we're back.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Endurance Girl I am not
So I have 9 more weeks to train for this triathlon. I am beyond nervous about it, to the point that I've started having nightmares about it. Specifically, the swimming. Last night I had to swim a labyrinth of lake and my feet kept touching the primordial ooze at the bottom of the lake and grossing me out. And, I was the last one to finish swimming and everyone else was done with the race before I even got on my bike. Another time I had to swim in the ocean, only when I got to the beach the ocean was overflowing with all manner of creatures--whales, those crazy eels from the Little Mermaid, turtles, dolphins--and I was too scared to go in and had to forfeit.
Anxious? Me? Noooo.........
At any rate, here's where I'm at with my training:
Swimming - I went swimming three times last week and will do the same this week. I figure I need to continue swimming at LEAST three times a week for the next 9 weeks in order to be prepared for this event. The half mile distance equals about 900 yards, or 18 laps in my 25-yard-long pool at the Y.
Currently, I can swim 18 laps in about 40 minutes, and I have to take a break to breath after pretty much every lap. I often have to flip onto my back and just kick in order to catch my breath. Endurance Girl I am not.
The director at my Y recommended this class to help me train, but, well. I went to check it out and chat with the instructor, and he had me swim just one lap for him before turning me away. He told me that once I could swim 200 yards in 2 minutes, I could come back to the class. Which was humiliating and devastating and led to me crying in the shower until I did the math, and realized...200 yards in 2 minutes. That's 4 laps. That's 30 seconds per lap, or getting from one end of the pool to the other in just 15 seconds. If I could do that, then I'd be swimming all 18 of my laps in just 9 minutes. And if I could do that, I WOULDN'T NEED THE STUPID CLASS IN THE GODDAMN FIRST PLACE!!! Upon realizing this, of course, I stopped crying, logged the whole experience in my workout journal, and went home.
So, I'm back to training on my own. Swimming 18 laps, three times a week, and hoping I eventually learn how to keep going for the whole distance without stopping and panting in the shallow end.
Biking - I bought a bike! Oh, I love it. It's so pretty and shiny and fast. I want to name it and buy it presents and write it love songs.
I do not look cool on my bike. I do not care.
When I tried it out at the store, I pushed off and just felt like a little kid again. The wind in my face, the thrill of the speed. There may as well have been streamers coming off my handlebars, it was so awesome. I went for a 9 or 10 mile ride on Saturday, and while I felt it for sure, it wasn't impossible to get through. I feel fairly certain I could muddle my way through the other 2 - 3 miles come June. As long as the course is fairly flat. Ahem. At any rate, biking 1 - 2 times per week should have me in pretty good shape for this thing, I think.
Running - I'm running the full 5k about once a week now, and last week I shaved another 2 minutes off my time. I can walk 2 minutes then jog 3 minutes consistently for the whole distance. My time now is 45:40 for 3.2 miles. At this point with the running I'm just trying to get stronger, so my legs aren't all wrecked after finishing the distance. I don't mind switching from running to walking, as it really works for me. However, I would like to be able to jog the whole distance. We'll see how far I get.
So, that's where I'm at. Not bad, but not great either. I am certainly doing more now than I was when I started this endeavor, so I've made progress. However, with only 9 weeks left to train, I really need to start sticking to a more stringent schedule (swim x3, jog x1 or 2, bike x1 or 2, every week). And, of course, I haven't starting putting these things together really at all. On Saturday I swam my whole distance in the morning, then biked for 9 or 10 miles later in the afternoon, and then my body was totally wrecked for the next two days and I couldn't do anything without risking injury. Which throws off my schedule--not good. I'm hoping I can start putting at least two of the distances together starting in May. We shall see.
As always, tips and encouragement are totally welcome!!
Anxious? Me? Noooo.........
At any rate, here's where I'm at with my training:
Swimming - I went swimming three times last week and will do the same this week. I figure I need to continue swimming at LEAST three times a week for the next 9 weeks in order to be prepared for this event. The half mile distance equals about 900 yards, or 18 laps in my 25-yard-long pool at the Y.
Currently, I can swim 18 laps in about 40 minutes, and I have to take a break to breath after pretty much every lap. I often have to flip onto my back and just kick in order to catch my breath. Endurance Girl I am not.
The director at my Y recommended this class to help me train, but, well. I went to check it out and chat with the instructor, and he had me swim just one lap for him before turning me away. He told me that once I could swim 200 yards in 2 minutes, I could come back to the class. Which was humiliating and devastating and led to me crying in the shower until I did the math, and realized...200 yards in 2 minutes. That's 4 laps. That's 30 seconds per lap, or getting from one end of the pool to the other in just 15 seconds. If I could do that, then I'd be swimming all 18 of my laps in just 9 minutes. And if I could do that, I WOULDN'T NEED THE STUPID CLASS IN THE GODDAMN FIRST PLACE!!! Upon realizing this, of course, I stopped crying, logged the whole experience in my workout journal, and went home.
So, I'm back to training on my own. Swimming 18 laps, three times a week, and hoping I eventually learn how to keep going for the whole distance without stopping and panting in the shallow end.
Biking - I bought a bike! Oh, I love it. It's so pretty and shiny and fast. I want to name it and buy it presents and write it love songs.
I do not look cool on my bike. I do not care.
When I tried it out at the store, I pushed off and just felt like a little kid again. The wind in my face, the thrill of the speed. There may as well have been streamers coming off my handlebars, it was so awesome. I went for a 9 or 10 mile ride on Saturday, and while I felt it for sure, it wasn't impossible to get through. I feel fairly certain I could muddle my way through the other 2 - 3 miles come June. As long as the course is fairly flat. Ahem. At any rate, biking 1 - 2 times per week should have me in pretty good shape for this thing, I think.
Running - I'm running the full 5k about once a week now, and last week I shaved another 2 minutes off my time. I can walk 2 minutes then jog 3 minutes consistently for the whole distance. My time now is 45:40 for 3.2 miles. At this point with the running I'm just trying to get stronger, so my legs aren't all wrecked after finishing the distance. I don't mind switching from running to walking, as it really works for me. However, I would like to be able to jog the whole distance. We'll see how far I get.
So, that's where I'm at. Not bad, but not great either. I am certainly doing more now than I was when I started this endeavor, so I've made progress. However, with only 9 weeks left to train, I really need to start sticking to a more stringent schedule (swim x3, jog x1 or 2, bike x1 or 2, every week). And, of course, I haven't starting putting these things together really at all. On Saturday I swam my whole distance in the morning, then biked for 9 or 10 miles later in the afternoon, and then my body was totally wrecked for the next two days and I couldn't do anything without risking injury. Which throws off my schedule--not good. I'm hoping I can start putting at least two of the distances together starting in May. We shall see.
As always, tips and encouragement are totally welcome!!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
I freaking DID IT
Ladies and gentlemen,
I RAN A MILE!!!!!!!!!1!!!!elevenWoooooooo!!!!@
Okay. By "run" I actually mean "jog" and it was on a treadmill at 4.5 mph so it took 14:30 minutes, hi I'm slow. And then it kind of wrecked the rest of my time on the treadmill, 'cause after that I could only run in little 2 min bursts & still only ended up covering 2.8 miles in 45 minutes. BUT. I am ridiculously out of shape, and we all know this. I have a triathlon sprint coming up that entails me running/walking 3.2 miles, and I can't even do that yet. So my first goal in all this training was to get to where I could jog a whole mile without walking. Just one.
And today I freaking DID IT.
For those of you thinking, "Dude, a 14:30 mile is kind of .... slow." Well, you're right. I'm not going to let you get me down, though, judgey. Because that time also means I jogged for fourteen and a half minutes straight. I'm not even sure how.
I'll tell you another thing--I've been dragging ass the last couple of weeks. A hike here, a little elliptical there, but mostly I've been planning parties, hosting fabulous out of town guests, eating too much, drinking too much, generally feeling like ass and, oh yeah, I kind of threw my back out on Monday. Yesterday I was like, "I need macaroni and cheese and hamburgers right noooooowwwwww!!!!" (Hi, PMS.)
So today, when I was like, let's just see how much longer I could go. Let's just see how much further I could go. Hey, I'm so close now, I might as well keep going. Ooh look I just jogged a whole mile without walking!!!
Yeah. Pretty sweet.
I'd also like to add here, if I can do this? This whole exercise thing? Seriously, for real? As indulgent as I am, as out of shape as I am, as much ass as I drag?? ANYONE can do this. If you're even remotely thinking about picking up a little more exercise, then I say go for it. Just go for a walk, & see how you do. I bet you impress yourself.
I RAN A MILE!!!!!!!!!1!!!!elevenWoooooooo!!!!@
Okay. By "run" I actually mean "jog" and it was on a treadmill at 4.5 mph so it took 14:30 minutes, hi I'm slow. And then it kind of wrecked the rest of my time on the treadmill, 'cause after that I could only run in little 2 min bursts & still only ended up covering 2.8 miles in 45 minutes. BUT. I am ridiculously out of shape, and we all know this. I have a triathlon sprint coming up that entails me running/walking 3.2 miles, and I can't even do that yet. So my first goal in all this training was to get to where I could jog a whole mile without walking. Just one.
And today I freaking DID IT.
For those of you thinking, "Dude, a 14:30 mile is kind of .... slow." Well, you're right. I'm not going to let you get me down, though, judgey. Because that time also means I jogged for fourteen and a half minutes straight. I'm not even sure how.
I'll tell you another thing--I've been dragging ass the last couple of weeks. A hike here, a little elliptical there, but mostly I've been planning parties, hosting fabulous out of town guests, eating too much, drinking too much, generally feeling like ass and, oh yeah, I kind of threw my back out on Monday. Yesterday I was like, "I need macaroni and cheese and hamburgers right noooooowwwwww!!!!" (Hi, PMS.)
So today, when I was like, let's just see how much longer I could go. Let's just see how much further I could go. Hey, I'm so close now, I might as well keep going. Ooh look I just jogged a whole mile without walking!!!
Yeah. Pretty sweet.
I'd also like to add here, if I can do this? This whole exercise thing? Seriously, for real? As indulgent as I am, as out of shape as I am, as much ass as I drag?? ANYONE can do this. If you're even remotely thinking about picking up a little more exercise, then I say go for it. Just go for a walk, & see how you do. I bet you impress yourself.
Monday, March 03, 2008
general bad-assery
I should have blogged this a week ago, but straight up? This year's Oscar party was a smash success. (Skip ahead to full-on photo album here.) Our friends Jeff & Erica came down from Seattle and while it was super awesome just to have them here to celebrate with us, they were also amazingly helpful in getting everything set up.
Erica & Jeff, our beloved friends and tireless assistants.
As usual, we decorated with various Oscar things--stars, statues, lots of silver & gold. We rolled out the red carpet and set up every room in the house for maximum viewing enjoyment. Mac pulled strings with his various connections to create some awesome prizes for the runners up in the Oscar betting pool (the winner obviously gets the cash), and Jeff bagged them up beautifully.
The rain threatened to bum out our good time, which we compensated for by putting the outdoor viewing area in the tiki hut and turning on the tv in the garage as well.
As usual, we provided lots of popcorn & movie candy for our guests, as well as a fully-stocked bar and coolers of soda, water and beer.
And the rest of our menu of food, well. It got a little out of control. In the best possible way, but still. You'll have to check Mac's blog for all the super-awesome signs he made for all of these items. I would also like to take this moment to give mad props to Jeff and Amanda, without whose cleverness we wouldn't have some of these punny masterpieces.
Here is this year's Oscar Party Menu:
Cocktails
There Will Be Bloody Marys
Funch (A recipe we created way back when Will Smith was nominated for Ali, named thus by our friend Therese who says, "It's fun, and it's punch--it's Funch!")
Hors d’Oeuvres
Ratatouille - The deconstructed ratatouille from the movie, served atop crostini with a small dollop of soft goat cheese.
Michael Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Pirates of the Caribbean Dip - My crowd-pleasing 7-layer dip
No Cornbread for Old Men - Texas-style cheesy jalapeno cornbread
La Brie en Rose - Baked brie stuffed with toasted almonds & dried cranberries, wrapped in puffed pastry
American Gang-Stir Fry - Pinged for time, but still a super clever name
Surf & Turf's Up - Trader Joe's frozen mini crab cakes and marinated & grilled skirt steak skewers
Juno's Cravings - Sliders, (White Castle cheeseburgers from the frozen food section of the grocer!), pickles, and orange Tic Tacs
Même les Poulet vont au Enfir (Even Chickens Go To Hell) - Buffalo Wings
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Curly Fries
The Golden Quiches
Weenie Todd The Demon Barber of Meat Street - L'il smokies in grape jelly bbq sauce and a platter of gourmet cured meats
Prawn Baby Prawn - Cocktail shrimp
Norbits - Crudités
3:10 to Yummy - Cheese platter
The Popcourne Ultimatum
Dessert
Atonemint Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Diving Bell and the Butterscotch Cookies
Enchanted Apples - With caramel dip
Mad baking skillz. I haz dem.
And, of course, I also baked Oscar-shaped sugar cookies that Erica painstakingly packaged up into party favors for everyone to take home.
How do I do all of this, you ask? Well, I'm a little crazy, which helps. I have an awesome husband who is as committed to general bad-assery and also topping last year's party as I am. I also have a mighty spreadsheet to guide along Mac, me, and anyone generous/foolish enough to help us.
And then there are the results, which totally pay off all of our hard work. It's worth it knowing that our friends have an awesome time and walk away feeling like the party was really fun, even on those years when the Oscars themselves lack their usual luster.
I'm even starting to think about plans for next year's party already. Starting with hiring a caterer.
Erica & Jeff, our beloved friends and tireless assistants.
As usual, we decorated with various Oscar things--stars, statues, lots of silver & gold. We rolled out the red carpet and set up every room in the house for maximum viewing enjoyment. Mac pulled strings with his various connections to create some awesome prizes for the runners up in the Oscar betting pool (the winner obviously gets the cash), and Jeff bagged them up beautifully.
The rain threatened to bum out our good time, which we compensated for by putting the outdoor viewing area in the tiki hut and turning on the tv in the garage as well.
As usual, we provided lots of popcorn & movie candy for our guests, as well as a fully-stocked bar and coolers of soda, water and beer.
And the rest of our menu of food, well. It got a little out of control. In the best possible way, but still. You'll have to check Mac's blog for all the super-awesome signs he made for all of these items. I would also like to take this moment to give mad props to Jeff and Amanda, without whose cleverness we wouldn't have some of these punny masterpieces.
Here is this year's Oscar Party Menu:
Cocktails
There Will Be Bloody Marys
Funch (A recipe we created way back when Will Smith was nominated for Ali, named thus by our friend Therese who says, "It's fun, and it's punch--it's Funch!")
Hors d’Oeuvres
Ratatouille - The deconstructed ratatouille from the movie, served atop crostini with a small dollop of soft goat cheese.
Michael Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Pirates of the Caribbean Dip - My crowd-pleasing 7-layer dip
No Cornbread for Old Men - Texas-style cheesy jalapeno cornbread
La Brie en Rose - Baked brie stuffed with toasted almonds & dried cranberries, wrapped in puffed pastry
American Gang-Stir Fry - Pinged for time, but still a super clever name
Surf & Turf's Up - Trader Joe's frozen mini crab cakes and marinated & grilled skirt steak skewers
Juno's Cravings - Sliders, (White Castle cheeseburgers from the frozen food section of the grocer!), pickles, and orange Tic Tacs
Même les Poulet vont au Enfir (Even Chickens Go To Hell) - Buffalo Wings
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Curly Fries
The Golden Quiches
Weenie Todd The Demon Barber of Meat Street - L'il smokies in grape jelly bbq sauce and a platter of gourmet cured meats
Prawn Baby Prawn - Cocktail shrimp
Norbits - Crudités
3:10 to Yummy - Cheese platter
The Popcourne Ultimatum
Dessert
Atonemint Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Diving Bell and the Butterscotch Cookies
Enchanted Apples - With caramel dip
Mad baking skillz. I haz dem.
And, of course, I also baked Oscar-shaped sugar cookies that Erica painstakingly packaged up into party favors for everyone to take home.
How do I do all of this, you ask? Well, I'm a little crazy, which helps. I have an awesome husband who is as committed to general bad-assery and also topping last year's party as I am. I also have a mighty spreadsheet to guide along Mac, me, and anyone generous/foolish enough to help us.
And then there are the results, which totally pay off all of our hard work. It's worth it knowing that our friends have an awesome time and walk away feeling like the party was really fun, even on those years when the Oscars themselves lack their usual luster.
I'm even starting to think about plans for next year's party already. Starting with hiring a caterer.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
shit I want to do
Good morning. It's about 9 a.m. January 1, 2008, which seems as good a time as any to look back at 2007, and look ahead to 2008.
I didn't make any resolutions in 2007. Instead, I had a loose list in my head of general "shit I want to do." As it turned out, I did a lot of it. Some things on that list:
I did all of those things in 2007. I picked up embroidery, which qualifies for both a hobby and something new. I cooked and baked more, which I think could also maybe qualify as a hobby. I even won a bake-off (among friends, but still--competition was stiff). I learned how to play toy drums on Rock Band, which is a fairly small new thing to learn, but it's not easy and really super fun so I'm counting it. Mac & I also joined everyone else in the world with going green in 2007. We recycle, oh, EVERYTHING (did you know you can now recycle Styrofoam? True story), started using re-usable grocery bags instead of plastic ones, and switched to biodegradable poo bags for the dogs. Small stuff, but I like to think it helps. I also joined the Y and started taking Musical Theatre Dance class, one of my favorite activities of 2007. I went to London for the first time. We actually replaced my Jetta with a new Ford Escape Hybrid on Sunday, so that got done just under the wire.
And, of course, the new job was the biggie. 2007 for us McLeans will always be the Year of Click. In 2007, I didn't just quit Ticketmaster. (But, can we take a moment? Because, YEAAAYYY!!!!) I didn't just find a new job. I partnered with my hyper-talented husband and together we formed our own freaking company. Hi, big deal.
If I use Click as my reason for why I maybe didn't get some of the other things on my list accomplished, I think it's okay. This endeavor made us both just a wee bit busy.
So, what's next in 2008? Well, again, I think I'm going to stay away from resolutions. The only thing I'm truly resolved to do in 2008 is kick all kinds of ass. I think that when choosing which path to take, the truth is that there's the path everyone takes, the path less traveled, and then there's the Awesome Path. In 2008, I am resolved to take The Awesome Path whenever possible, whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Other shit I want to do:
Here's to a fun, prosperous, healthy, and fabulous 2008 to you and yours!
I didn't make any resolutions in 2007. Instead, I had a loose list in my head of general "shit I want to do." As it turned out, I did a lot of it. Some things on that list:
- Learn something new
- Pick up a hobby
- Cook more
- Join a dance class
- Visit a new foreign country
- Reduce my environmental whatchacallit--thumbprint? Footprint. Go green, as they say.
- Get a new car
- Get a new job
I did all of those things in 2007. I picked up embroidery, which qualifies for both a hobby and something new. I cooked and baked more, which I think could also maybe qualify as a hobby. I even won a bake-off (among friends, but still--competition was stiff). I learned how to play toy drums on Rock Band, which is a fairly small new thing to learn, but it's not easy and really super fun so I'm counting it. Mac & I also joined everyone else in the world with going green in 2007. We recycle, oh, EVERYTHING (did you know you can now recycle Styrofoam? True story), started using re-usable grocery bags instead of plastic ones, and switched to biodegradable poo bags for the dogs. Small stuff, but I like to think it helps. I also joined the Y and started taking Musical Theatre Dance class, one of my favorite activities of 2007. I went to London for the first time. We actually replaced my Jetta with a new Ford Escape Hybrid on Sunday, so that got done just under the wire.
And, of course, the new job was the biggie. 2007 for us McLeans will always be the Year of Click. In 2007, I didn't just quit Ticketmaster. (But, can we take a moment? Because, YEAAAYYY!!!!) I didn't just find a new job. I partnered with my hyper-talented husband and together we formed our own freaking company. Hi, big deal.
If I use Click as my reason for why I maybe didn't get some of the other things on my list accomplished, I think it's okay. This endeavor made us both just a wee bit busy.
So, what's next in 2008? Well, again, I think I'm going to stay away from resolutions. The only thing I'm truly resolved to do in 2008 is kick all kinds of ass. I think that when choosing which path to take, the truth is that there's the path everyone takes, the path less traveled, and then there's the Awesome Path. In 2008, I am resolved to take The Awesome Path whenever possible, whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Other shit I want to do:
- Lose 30 lbs. Holy buckets that's a big number, but I think I can do it. Specifically, I'd like to have lost it by August 1, so I can wear something slinky and fabulous to my friend Kristin's wedding in Boston. I'd love to lose another 10 on top of that before October 1 so I can be in fantastic shape for my friend Anna's wedding, and rock the bridesmaid dress. And, no, that wouldn't reduce my total weight to Hollywood skin & bones because, y'all, I am just that overweight.
- Run a mile. Right now, I can run/walk about 2.5 miles in 30 minutes. Hi, I'm out of shape. Of course, I'd like to eventually run 5 miles or 10 miles, but before I do that, I'd like to run one. Just one.
- Keep dancing. There's, like, 3 people in my musical theatre dance class at the Y, which means it could easily get canceled. Which means I'll need to find another class to keep dancing. But, whatever, I love it.
- Deliver something embroidered by me to each & every member of my family. I came close at Christmas, but I need to figure out things for the kids and the dudes. The dudes are, as you can imagine, the hardest to sort out.
- Bake a cheesecake.
- Play the drums for real. Not well, mind you, but after my Rock Band experience, I'd love to bang on some real drums for a change.
- Play my violin.
- Go to the LA Zoo at least once a month.
- Visit the San Diego Zoo.
- Visit a new foreign country.
- Buy a Prius.
- Commit both the McLeans and Click to some charities. Right now we donate goods and money to charities kind of here and there, and in 2008 I'd like to organize our efforts a little better.
- Volunteer for something. I'm thinking maybe something with the Step Up Network.
- Go to an art museum/gallery with my mom.
- Take Mac to some attraction in Denver, like the zoo or natural history museum or art museum. He's experienced Denver bars, the Rocky Mountains, driving in snow, and lots of quality family time, but there's still a lot about Denver I'd love for him to see.
- Take the dogs for walks in Runyon Canyon, maybe even eventually off leash.
- Check out the mountains here in Southern California. I hear they're nice.
- Go on a hike.
- Go back to the California wine country with friends, either the Russian River Valley that we love or somewhere outside of Santa Barbara. Which, hi, it's not that far, and we go up there to visit Mac's family all the time anyway, and I hardly know a thing about pinot.
- Continue to lessen our environmental impact. We really need to plant a tree in our front yard to create some shade for the house, and we could probably figure out a more efficient way to keep our house at an acceptable temperature without using heat/air as much as we do (maybe ceiling fans?). And we could be more vigilant about turning off lights & electronics when not in use. I'd also like to figure out how to make all of our parties a little greener.
- Present a full-on summer season of Tiki Theater in the back yard. Already on deck: Back to the Future, Labyrinth, Hairspray (sing-a-long!).
- Make my own ice cream.
- Play bocce ball.
- Grow my hair past my shoulders.
Here's to a fun, prosperous, healthy, and fabulous 2008 to you and yours!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
I will know for sure
Sometimes I'm awesome. Why? Because my iTunes is set up so that when I'm done listening to some chill Rufus Wainwright while working working working, I will know for sure that I am done when Run D.M.C. show up and announce,
IT'S TRICKY!
It's also almost 8pm. That's right, boys. It IS tricky to rock a rhyme that's right on time. It's also time to stop working, get out of my chair, and shake my ass a little.
IT'S TRICKY!
It's also almost 8pm. That's right, boys. It IS tricky to rock a rhyme that's right on time. It's also time to stop working, get out of my chair, and shake my ass a little.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
FINALLY
Today I found out that the Foo Fighters are going to be opening for The Police at their June 23 Dodgers Stadium concert. And who has tickets? Who is also a ginormous Foo Fighters Fan? Who's missed every other show she's tried to attend because they always conflict with shit she can't get out of, like weddings and trips overseas? THAT'S RIGHT BITCHES! I'm so excited. I know, they'll play a short set & all, but I don't care. FINALLY. I get to see my beloved Foo Fighters. And then I get to see The Police!! Prepare for glory!
This one time Dinah was so drunk
I recently sent out a survey to my nearest and dearest in a scientific attempt to discover any truly legendary drunken shenanigans in my past that I may have forgotten. The results are in, and they are conclusive: I am, generally speaking, a really well-behaved drunk who mostly just pukes or passes out after a few too many. From time to time, however, I have my moments. And since I promised to share the results here in my blog, here they are, along with the initial request, for your enjoyment.
THE REQUEST:
"Here's the thing: It's been brought to my attention that I can't think of a time I was ever THAT drunk. You know what I mean? As in,
'This one time, Dinah was so drunk she decided to beat up a sidewalk with her FACE.'
'This one time, Dinah was so drunk she believed herself above the rules of the hotel pool, and just jumped on in with all her clothes on.'
'This one time, Dinah was so drunk she thought it would be an awesome idea to stick her naked ass in a refrigerator.'
Great stories, right? ALL TRUE. Not mine. (You know who you are.) Yeah, I've fallen down once or twice, but sadly I'm just a klutz and do that more sober than I do after I've had a few. A little drunken karaoke? Who hasn't? In recent memory, I can only come up with '... she, very professionally, complimented the producer of Scrubs on the healthy work environment he created on his set,' and '... she convinced her equally drunk Australian friends that she could expertly imitate every American accent imaginable.' YAWN. Mostly, my precious few moments of binge drinking all end the same way: 'And then she threw up/passed out.'
So, here's the deal: You help me remember the good stuff, the true shenanigans, and I will faithfully post your stories to my blog.
THE RESULTS:
"This one time Dinah was so drunk she had a very one sided conversation AT Guy Pearce that went something like '… and Momento. What the f*@K was that about?' Oh hang on, that was me." (Beautiful.)
"Do you remember being completely wasted at my friend Becky's house in Edmonds one night after partying heavily? You threw up more than any food we saw you eat that night, seriously. And then you told us that when CSI showed up later, they should check the dumpster out back for your stomach lining." (Oh, god. I remember this. I really thought I'd barfed up internal organs and was at death's door. Not pretty.)
"I do recall playing strip poker in Andy B's basement, though I'm probably the one who lost a shirt. And my dignity." (Ah, yes. Parties at Andy B's. Good times. And, no. I never lost my shirt.)
"Two words for you pumpkin: Glam Fest! And maybe a few college experiences. Ooh! And the time you ran head first into a glass door! Although that's only funny if you have the eternal mental image of it. I'll elaborate later. You really shouldn't have sent me this email." (God bless old friends to hold onto memories of you at your klutziest, right? Right?)
"I can only remember you dancin' it up no matter how trashed you may have been." (This, my friends, will ALWAYS be true.)
"This one time, Dinah was so drunk at an Umatilla party that she called mAc and fell asleep on the phone." (A variation on the passing out theme, but kind of cute, I think.)
"I can’t remember a time when you weren’t in control of your faculties, my friend. You are a responsible drunk." (Hey, someone's gotta be able to talk to the cops.)
"I cannot think of anything; this is not necessarily a bad thing. So you've lived your life with style and grace, what's the worry?" (Now that I know for sure I haven't forgotten anything? I am worry free!)
"I do remember a walk to 7-11 for chili dogs where we were both fushnuckered and I could not help but mention how straight and even the grass was cut at the apartments in front of Langworthy. I'm sure you did something like laugh at me. But I can't remember." (Maybe this is why my friends all think I'm so responsible... they're always drunker than I am.)
"You are one of those people who can be drunk & be rather inconspicuous about it. I can’t recall a time I ever thought to myself 'Dinah is super drunk.' You should drink more and do stupid stuff much more often." (I promised my friend Amanda, who thinks she's never seen me drunk, to get wasted at her birthday party on the 16th. I'll let you know how I do.)
CONCLUSION:
Odds are, your stories are better than mine, and that's what the Comments section is for. Now, bring on the tequila shots!
THE REQUEST:
"Here's the thing: It's been brought to my attention that I can't think of a time I was ever THAT drunk. You know what I mean? As in,
'This one time, Dinah was so drunk she decided to beat up a sidewalk with her FACE.'
'This one time, Dinah was so drunk she believed herself above the rules of the hotel pool, and just jumped on in with all her clothes on.'
'This one time, Dinah was so drunk she thought it would be an awesome idea to stick her naked ass in a refrigerator.'
Great stories, right? ALL TRUE. Not mine. (You know who you are.) Yeah, I've fallen down once or twice, but sadly I'm just a klutz and do that more sober than I do after I've had a few. A little drunken karaoke? Who hasn't? In recent memory, I can only come up with '... she, very professionally, complimented the producer of Scrubs on the healthy work environment he created on his set,' and '... she convinced her equally drunk Australian friends that she could expertly imitate every American accent imaginable.' YAWN. Mostly, my precious few moments of binge drinking all end the same way: 'And then she threw up/passed out.'
So, here's the deal: You help me remember the good stuff, the true shenanigans, and I will faithfully post your stories to my blog.
THE RESULTS:
"This one time Dinah was so drunk she had a very one sided conversation AT Guy Pearce that went something like '… and Momento. What the f*@K was that about?' Oh hang on, that was me." (Beautiful.)
"Do you remember being completely wasted at my friend Becky's house in Edmonds one night after partying heavily? You threw up more than any food we saw you eat that night, seriously. And then you told us that when CSI showed up later, they should check the dumpster out back for your stomach lining." (Oh, god. I remember this. I really thought I'd barfed up internal organs and was at death's door. Not pretty.)
"I do recall playing strip poker in Andy B's basement, though I'm probably the one who lost a shirt. And my dignity." (Ah, yes. Parties at Andy B's. Good times. And, no. I never lost my shirt.)
"Two words for you pumpkin: Glam Fest! And maybe a few college experiences. Ooh! And the time you ran head first into a glass door! Although that's only funny if you have the eternal mental image of it. I'll elaborate later. You really shouldn't have sent me this email." (God bless old friends to hold onto memories of you at your klutziest, right? Right?)
"I can only remember you dancin' it up no matter how trashed you may have been." (This, my friends, will ALWAYS be true.)
"This one time, Dinah was so drunk at an Umatilla party that she called mAc and fell asleep on the phone." (A variation on the passing out theme, but kind of cute, I think.)
"I can’t remember a time when you weren’t in control of your faculties, my friend. You are a responsible drunk." (Hey, someone's gotta be able to talk to the cops.)
"I cannot think of anything; this is not necessarily a bad thing. So you've lived your life with style and grace, what's the worry?" (Now that I know for sure I haven't forgotten anything? I am worry free!)
"I do remember a walk to 7-11 for chili dogs where we were both fushnuckered and I could not help but mention how straight and even the grass was cut at the apartments in front of Langworthy. I'm sure you did something like laugh at me. But I can't remember." (Maybe this is why my friends all think I'm so responsible... they're always drunker than I am.)
"You are one of those people who can be drunk & be rather inconspicuous about it. I can’t recall a time I ever thought to myself 'Dinah is super drunk.' You should drink more and do stupid stuff much more often." (I promised my friend Amanda, who thinks she's never seen me drunk, to get wasted at her birthday party on the 16th. I'll let you know how I do.)
CONCLUSION:
Odds are, your stories are better than mine, and that's what the Comments section is for. Now, bring on the tequila shots!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Best. Possible. Result.
Every once in awhile I'll think of something creative or interesting and think, "I should blog that." And then I promptly forget whatever (most certainly brilliant) thing had just popped into my head, wish I had a tape recorder in my pocket or a stenographer to follow me around, and decide to post the results of my latest online quiz instead.
But seriously? Best. Possible. Result. Oh, yeah. I'm a badass.
Your results:
You are Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)
Dependable and trustworthy. You love your significant other and you are a tough cookie when in a conflict.
Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz
(Note: This would make Mac Wash, which. Totally, right?)
Which Firefly/Serenity character are you?
But seriously? Best. Possible. Result. Oh, yeah. I'm a badass.
Your results:
You are Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)
Dependable and trustworthy. You love your significant other and you are a tough cookie when in a conflict.
|
Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz
(Note: This would make Mac Wash, which. Totally, right?)
Which Firefly/Serenity character are you?
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