Racing some more



I will be doing another aquathon today and am skipping the Tempe International Triathlon as I just did a triathlon last weekend and have a big race next week. So many races and the temps just go up up up. Tonight's race will be in 103 degrees. The swim will be nice, but the run will be painful.

Here are photos from my last race.

And here are photos from the race before.

I'm not a thief!

Last evening was spent avoiding security at the grocery store. I had bought a dress at this one particular women's clothing store and sometimes they had security tags that you are supposed to cut off after you purchase. "Cut off before wearing," it states. But of course, I always forget. So last evening I was wearing one such dress and set off the security alarm as I walked into the store. This alerted security and a man in a security shirt followed me around the store. Then, when I went to purchase my groceries, an employee plucked me out of the line, even though there were people in front of me and behind me. She told me she would ring me up in another place. She took me to the self check out and she rung up my items there. Everyone was staring at me because it is self check out, yet an employee was doing all the work. I'm sure they thought I was being difficult or dumb and didn't know how to do this myself.

Well, as I was leaving I set off the alarm walking out the door as well. So security followed me to my car and stood behind it as I loaded my groceries into the backseat.

Lesson learned. I went home and immediately cut off the tag.

Graduation and President Barack Obama

My brother J. graduates Arizona State University today and he decided not to attend his own graduation. Of course, the president of the United States picked Arizona State University to deliver the commencement address out of all the universities in the country. So I will not get to be there.

Nonetheless, I'm excited for my brother. It is a big accomplishment.

Mother's Day



My mom sneaking a piece of Mother's Day cake and my brother in the background.

Racing and Then Racing More



I participated in the Splash and Dash last Thursday evening in 100 degree temps. It was a quick swim and a 5K run and I got to say, the water was nice and inviting, despite the hoards of blood thirsty triathletes waiting to kick and drown me through the water. During the run my face felt hot. I've never had my face feel hot to the point I thought it was going to burn off my neck. But it was a good confidence booster for the triathlon on Saturday.

Saturday, I participated in the Danskin SheRox Triathlon and loved, loved it. I forget how much I love triathlons till I do a real open water, hard core, in the heat of the desert type of triathlon. But, this one was all women and no, I did not miss the men. All the women were commenting on how everything was cleaner; the port a potties were so much cleaner; the bike course was so much safer--no men coming at me at 25 miles per hour yelling at me to "get to the right" and then when I do, they come within 2 inches of me anyway. Thank goodness for all female triathlons, as much as I love men, this was a nice change of style, but not change of pace. I still tried, despite hardly swimming or biking lately. In my age group, I placed 19th out of 81 in the swim, 14th out of 81 in the run...and 54th out of 81 in the bike...sheepish face. I know it! I am not a biker. I am more of a casual shift gears all the time type of biker, which will not win me any races. The people who win triathlons are the bike handlers, plain and simple. It is the longest portion of the race and the toughest and I think, most dangerous, although people who hate to swim wouldn't concur. Overall I came in 25th out of 81, but if I had biked the way I should have, I would have been 15th out of 81. I usually bike faster. I even biked faster in a half ironman than I did in this race. I need to get myself motivated to bike more somehow. I promise myself after my marathon I will crank the bike out more often. It's just so much work and so much gear and too many cars to run me over.

Being single

So two single episodes happened to me the past weekend:

1. I went out dancing with two girlfriends from work and their husbands, so I was totally the fifth wheel. They ended up salsa dancing with their significant others and I became what is sadly known as the wallflower. Plus, it was in a Latin club, so I stood out like a sore thumb. I am 6'0 tall and blonde, which is instant freak of nature in these clubs. Men would come by and try to reach the top of my head and state "bastante alta" meaning, way tall.

2. I am training for an upcoming marathon and put in 20 miles in near 100 degrees, so I decided to treat myself to breakfast. I had a gift card leftover from Christmas, so put it to use. However, when I got to the restaurant, it was jam packed, so I asked if I could get some food to go and had a menu in my hand that stated they offered food to go on Saturday and Sunday. Well, the hostess said "No, we don't offer food to go," well, then why do you even have these menus which clearly state that you do? She just said, "well, we just don't do it." So I asked if I could put my name down for a table. She then stated, "We don't serve single people. If you want you can sit at the bar, but that's it." So Crackers and Co. I hope you get bad press and I am telling everyone not to eat there. Single people deserve just as much respect. I have money, too and I get hungry, too.

Curtis Stone Part II







Well, I had a golf tournament at work, which I happily volunteered to work. Not spending the day in front of a computer? Sounds good to me! But I found out I had to be there at 5:45am to set up, which ended up being okay. "Maybe you'll meet a guy," "You never know who you might meet there," all my girlfriends at work told me. Of course that didn't happen, but that's okay because my heart belongs to another....the Aussie Curtis Stone who I luckily met again! Twice in five days. I went to LA for my birthday as I wrote about in another post and met him at the Festival of Books, but then I found out that he would be in Scottsdale, Arizona signing copies of his cookbook and doing a demonstration.

So my heart fluttered and I magically found myself driving to Scottsdale to meet him again. It's like my car was on auto drive. He was gorgeous and super cute and used the word "mate" a lot, which is one of my favorite words from down under. He brought up this girl on to the stage and he cooked for her and fed her. I would have died. She was soooo lucky and she looked like she would just pass out. I probably would have.

Everyone asked if we were engaged yet, but sadly no. I did find this on You Tube and I think someone may have beat me to it. He did write it in stone...excuse the pun...so maybe my shot with Curtis is over:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jidqhxzq5nA