Whole new me

I haven't posted in awhile because, while I need to get up my tri post,
I don't want Peevish to think I'm a jock, so I was waiting to post on a non-athletic topic first. Obviously, that's taken awhile. But y'all - I totally did a triathlon.


In an effort to create distance between me and my jockiness - jockularity? - I thought I'd tell you about another new interest of mine - cosmetics. Specifically, eye make-up, and more specifically, as in I am wearing it. I know, shocking.

I've never worn make-up, in all my soon-to-be forty years. I mean, lipstick maybe, or powder, and I did put on a face for my wedding. But in general...no.


I was happy with that choice, and I'm happy with my choice now.

I visited the Bobbi Brown counter at Nordstrom's a few weeks ago, and had a terrific sales rep who finessed the my desire to have more going on with my eyes yet not look like a clown / hooker.

I think, anyway. I mean, right?

I did it

OK, OK, I know I said I wouldn't make this an exercise blog, but I did just run my first race today, so I feel like I need to put that out there before I move on.

Hey! I ran my first race today!


It was fun - super-crowded, what with 22,000 people running alongside me, but once you got past the crush at the starting point, it wasn't too bad.

Jesse and the girls found me during the race to cheer me on, then met me at the end.

As did the Krispy family, because they are awesome like that.


I mugged for the camera in front of the hordes of people - many were still streaming in.


I averaged 11:21 minute miles, which is right where I normally end up. I signed up for the Austin Fit "Run Like a Girl" training program at the beginning of the year, and highly recommend it for any first-time runners. We met for the 10 Saturdays leading up to the race, and they gave us a recommended training program for each week. It really helped me work up to this distance, and introduced me to the "run 5 minutes walk 1 minute" approach which I think makes any distance do-able.

I'm not sure I'd want to run a longer race, but I'd run a 10k again. Next stop: The Rookie Tri. I really need to work on my swimming...

Once more into the fray

While I don't intend for this to turn into some kind of crazy exercising blog, I do have a follow up entry to the last one before I consider moving back into my regularly unscheduled topics.

Truth is, I don't really consider myself an athlete. However, I'd certainly make use of the adjective form of the word, something I'd never have considered less than a year ago. Athletic. Athlete-ish, if you know what I mean. One who occasionally Athls. Oh no wait, that's the noun again.

Some of you (who have yet to comment here, but with whom I've had conversations) think athletes are people who play professional football or baseball or basketball. Tennis and golf players DO NOT COUNT, according to these people.

Others think that participation in competitive sports is what sets athletes apart from the rest of us, regardless of the type of sport.

I think my own definition has to do with effort - people who participate in their sport full-on, balls-out, without holding back - those are who I think of as athletes. And by that definition, I am definitely NOT one - I'm more of a slow & steady person, rather than a full-tilt give-it-all-you-have one. Hence my preference for nice, 11 minute miles as opposed to heart- and pace-improving sprints when I run, and the joys of downhill flying on my bike rather than uphill slogs.

That said, it is true to say that less than a year ago I'd never have imagined I'd be running or biking or even swimming at any pace, much less giving consideration as to whether or not I was an athlete. It hasn't yet been a year since I signed up for my first boot camp class, thinking I simply had to start moving more than I was naturally inclined to without someone forcing the issue. Given that, who knows what changes the next year will work on me and my preconceptions? Any guesses?

What makes an athlete?

Have I always been the sort of person who accepts challenges? I'll let those of you who have known me the longest weigh in, but lately I've accepted quite a few.

Kris sent me an email with a link to this Triathlon, and I immediately signed up. Never mind that I have no demonstrable ability to swim well -- I thought I could figure it out in time. A few days later my boss called and asked if I'd like to throw out the first pitch at a UT Baseball game. I'm running the Austin-American Statesman Capital 10k next week because I read about it on Twitter and wondered if I could run over 6 miles, and oh yeah, I accepted a new position at work this year which has proved engrossing, challenging, a lot of work and a ton of fun. So whether it's a new trait or old, this year seems to be my year for trying new things.

The latest gauntlet thrown down was to write here about athleticism. A group of us were out enjoying some Friday evening cocktails recently, the day before the baseball game. One friend was providing reassurances that I would be just fine, I was athletic and I wouldn't make a fool of myself, when another chimed in to say, "She's in shape, but she is NOT athletic." I promptly tweeted her comment, and while we laughed about it (this is the same friend who told me, after I'd lost a few pounds last year, "We didn't realize how bad it had gotten!!" -- thanks, Dawn), her comment made me wonder - what makes a person athletic?

We were talking about it again at dinner the other night (I should say for the record that she's a very good friend), and we looked for the definition of athlete:

• A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.
• a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina
• a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.
• A person who is involved in Athletics (sport), which involves track and field events, long distance, cross-country and road running, and racewalking

I don't know if my traits are natural - but I have certainly acquired them - strength, endurance, and some degree of agility. I've been training in exercises for the past year, and while I may not be gifted, I am certainly a participant. Since I started keeping track in Dailymile in August 2010, I logged 374 miles (running or cycling), an average of 22 miles per week. I've logged close to 200 miles so far this year. I did get that pitch across the plate - albeit a little high and wide - and as it turns out, I can swim 300 meters and run 6 miles and bike for at least 25.



I've been a professional slacker for so long - excellent at lounging about, reading, napping, sitting and talking, reading some more - that thinking of myself as an athlete is as foreign to me as it is to, well, to Dawn. Nonetheless, while I won't be breaking any records anytime soon, I think I just might qualify. What do you think?

Day After Day

I was just thinking about the difference in quality of those nights when you don't have to work the next day, and those nights when you do. Somehow, your subconscious always seems to know that you have to get up early the next day, even if you aren't actively thinking about it. I fell asleep on the couch at 8:30 last night, yet did so feeling like I had all the time in the world. Tonight it's a completely different feeling, and it's only 7:00.

I had a great day, though. We've been taking care of our neighbors' pets over the holiday, and they let Jesse's mom stay at their house while she was here. I went over early this morning to let the dogs out and make their bed, and was there when they came home, hours earlier than expected. I'd actually dreamed that they got home early, so it was a little eerie when they drove up. The girls had missed their daughter something fierce, and the three of them were inseparable for the remainder of the day.

The rest of my morning was spent running errands - I made it to Target before they opened - and putting away laundry, so that by 11:00 I was free to set off on my bike ride. I'd decided that instead of driving to the Veloway to ride 5X around (it's a 5K track), I'd actually bike there and ride around once. The route I chose included an off-road track that leads to the back side of the Veloway, and I wasn't sure if my road bike would be able to tackle it or not - turns out, not.

I could ride on portions of it, but hopped off and walked for the really bumpy bits - I didn't want to mess up my bike. The surprising part was that I realized that mountain biking would actually be fun - I'd always thought I wouldn't enjoy it at all. Riding and walking through those trails today reminded me of when I was a kid growing up in Arkansas, and I'd head off into the woods and spend the entire day there. Even though I know that other people use the trails, I had a real feeling of solitude and peace out there that I don't feel on streets, and I loved the little bit of riding I did on the trails. So - next stop, MTB. In total I rode 20 miles today, a personal best, and it was a total blast. I went around the track twice, and rode a different, longer route home to add on the miles.

I spent the afternoon catching up with friends and neighbors, and putting away yet more laundry, while Jesse ran, watched tennis and football (at the same time!), and made dinner. A great day, as productive as it needed to be, and completely different from yesterday, when I lounged around on the couch for hour upon hour. I feel pretty lucky to have had them both.

Every day?

I had every intention to spend November as I usually do - posting every day until around thanksgiving, and then dropping out of site until the first of December. Then I made it all the way to November 2nd and dropped the ball. And wait, look over there! Is it November 4th already? Jeez. I guess that means the pressure is off, and I can just enjoy November they way I used to before Eden dreamed up the insanity that is NaBloPoMo . Love you, Fussy!

Linky Love

I've seen some good stuff out there on the interwebs lately, which you also might want to see.

This political video is so great, I could watch it again and again - and I have a VERY short attention span for videos. I think the robo-voice makes it all the better.

What has Obama done lately? Turns out, lots. I'm not surprised.

Who knew Don Draper said "What?" so often? Wait, you did? Well, good for you, you were paying attention.

I usually say Damn You iPhone, but same thing really.

Even though I don't drink the coffee anymore, it's so cool to see inside my little Moka.

OK, that's it for today - I'll leave you to ponder the question, "When the hell will she be back?"

And, done